Dominion's Law

"Dominion's Law" is episode 52 of SuperQuest Saga. On their way to Thalassia, the party stops at a backwater waystation to refuel The Starling where they are faced with the consequences of their decisions in the form of Captain Davarax and his paladins.

Introduction

 * Will Stark shall be your lawful dungeon master for this evening.
 * Josh Freeland is playing Sebastian Crenshaw, Oathbreaker Hexblade.
 * Your Special Guest Jake is playing Persephone Goldpetal, firbolg druid.
 * Brian is playing Codename: Echo who is a space wizard in space who does other things too like fight and rogue.

Recap
Last time a lot of stuff happened. They started off in the aftermath of the death of a beloved character while the party was stranded for days in interstellar space. Eventually they made contact with the Arcadian elves and made their way to the planet Arcadia and the district Haven, where Echo was born and grew up. There they met a diverse civilization of refugees and Imperial runaways and had a meeting with the Council. The party found Watt in a rough spot, he has been going through it. The Singers agreed to try to heal Prim but they require a powerful spellcasting focus with healing properties. Echo, Persephone, and Sebastian agreed to venture to the planet Thalassia, deep in Draconic Star Sovereignty territory, to retrieve this item. Echo learned some secret information.

Frazier's Waystation and Spacey's
Echo, Persephone, and Sebastian prepare for the long journey to Thalassia. The journey will take weeks in The Starling. The Arcadian elves help stock the party with basic food and medical supplies. Echo cleans his house and updates his spells and equipment. He also takes some time to visit the graves of his lost team and speaks with their families.

The party starts to make the slow journey across the galaxy in The Starling utilizing Echo’s smuggler routes to get to Thalassia undetected since Persephone and Sebastian are wanted fugitives. After a couple weeks they find themselves refueling The Starling at a backwater waystation on a satellite big enough to house a population of 3,000 people. There are restaurants, gift shops, mechanic shops, and some residences. The Starling is being refueled in the boondocks and the party has a few hours to kill. When The Starling refuels a beak like a hummingbird comes out of the front end of the ship and it sits up to look like a bird drinking water. Most ships don’t do that so it catches the eye of people walking by.

Persephone asks if Echo is willing to go pick up food while she and Sebastian hide in the ship. Echo has an app to order delivery, he accidentally dials a mechanic before calling the restaurant. The waitress informs him they are a sit-down diner that does not offer delivery. Echo, disguising his voice and calling himself Todd, insists that the app says they do car side service and the waitress tells him it’s on a per-franchise basis so theirs doesn’t offer it. Echo asks if he can order pickup and she says carry out is an option. He asks one more time if she can bring it out to them, they’re in the bird. She doesn’t know where that is, the diner is located in the town. Persephone tells Echo to just go pick up their food.

Echo casts Disguise Self and takes the form of a barefoot bullywug trucker in a straw hat before he heads to the restaurant, Spacey's. Persephone ordered a lizard chicken club sandwich with a side of fries, Sebastian ordered some rib-eyes (at Spacey's they’re always well-done), and Echo got a chicken strip salad. He quickly brings it back and they eat on the ship. Sebastian tries to eat his steak with a plastic knife that keeps breaking and Echo passes around silverware. He also pulls out tray tables that hook into the console for them to eat off of. He reminds everyone that if they spill something he needs to pick it up. Echo has been sharing his space jams with them in their downtime.

As they’re eating Echo asks Persephone and Sebastian what they think of the likelihood of an encounter with illithids. Percy and Sebastian ask if he’s talking about normal illithids or the ones that look inky and crazy. Echo didn’t realize there was a differentiation. Persephone explains that when Carter betrayed them he was aided by some corrupted illithids but some seemingly pure blooded, benevolent illithids helped the party escape. Echo asks if they think the corruption comes from The Crawling Chaos, and Persephone and Sebastian confirm they do. He seems to be the puppet master behind it all; Carter, the corruption, and the potential destruction of the universe.

Flashback
Jendrick and Echo left the five illithids to their own devices, and on the walk back Echo asked Jendrick some questions. Jendrick explains the illithids arrived about a month ago and appear to be fugitives from their own people. Normally they would have been turned away from Haven but the illithids turned over their ship and all their weapons, putting themselves completely at the mercy of the Arcadians. The Council decided to trust the illithids because the resources they brought were incredibly valuable, and they willingly turned over their weapons and agreed to live humbly on the outskirts of town. Haven is supposed to be a place of safety from tyranny and these illithids came from a place of tyranny. They have not shown any hostility.

"This is Hank."
Echo hears a blaring, electronic indicator that signals the main gates of the waystation are about to be closed which usually happens when no one is on duty to watch the docks. Echo knows that should not be happening for another eight hours. He tells Percy and Sebastian that this is suspicious. The Starling is only halfway refuelled but Echo starts the process to automatically detach from the fuel station so they can leave. He finds the system has the ship locked into place and won’t let go. At this point, six large figures drop from the high ceiling and form a circle around The Starling. Four of the figures are dressed in the full plate of the Iron Legion and two of them are in azure blue scale armor with full electronic wings. Sebastian knows they are dragoons, elite troops from the Draconic Star Sovereignty. In the center is one black dragonborn named Captain Davarax.

Captain Davarax calls out “We’ve been sent to take you in. Don’t resist us. Lay down your arms and come peacefully.” Echo is ready to try to fly The Starling away and looks to Sebastian for his opinion. Sebastian isn’t sure what to do; he doesn’t think they can make a stand because he knows what Captain Davarax is capable of. Persephone doesn’t want to get arrested again. Sebastian doesn’t want Echo to damage his ship. They decide to try to negotiate. Persephone touches Sebastian’s shoulder and casts Enhance Ability to boost his charisma, and Echo casts Disguise Self again and turns into Hank (formerly known as Todd).

Sebastian speaks to Davarax over The Starling’s intercom, “Davarax, the galaxy is held in the balance right now. You don’t understand what we’re up against. If we don’t continue our mission I think it spells doom for us all.” Davarax responds. “You are compromised, Crenshaw. Regardless of your intention our means are no longer aligned. We can no longer allow you to hold The Egress Article. Her safety is a matter of national security and we can’t trust you.”

Echo mutes the mic and suggests they tell Davarax they don’t have Primina, they could lie and say they don’t know where she is. Sebastian and Percy let him give it a shot and Echo, as Hank formerly known as Todd, tells Davarax they don’t have The Egress Article. Davarax tells them it’s not important whether they have The Egress Article or not right now, they are being taken in. Echo tries to convince Davarax to just let them go since they don’t have Primina. Davarax says the Legion can’t trust them, so they have to be brought in and orders them to come out peacefully.

Persephone tries to reason with Davarax and tells him they are trying to stop the end of the universe as we know it. Davarax is not swayed; he is not in a position to negotiate nor is he in a position to weigh the ethics or morals of the party’s decisions. He is there to bring in traitor Crenshaw. He gives them four seconds as the dragoons and legionnaires prepare to open fire.

Sebastian sizes up the group outside and tells Echo and Persephone that he does not think they could win this fight, even using The Starling’s weapons. Sebastian decides to try to surrender himself so Echo and Percy can go free. He exits the ship with his arms up at his side and asks Davarax to let the others go. There’s no chance if Davarax takes them all in. Davarax states his orders are to bring in all of them, they’ll be collecting The Egress Article as well. The matter is out of Iron Legion hands, the party is being turned over to the Draconic Star Sovereignty. He tells Sebastian to lay down his weapons and calls for Echo and Persephone to come out of the ship.

Persephone comes out of the ship with her staff up, and she and Sebastian drop their weapons when ordered. Davarax asks where the third one is. Sebastian and Percy stall by playing dumb and pretending they were “Hank.” Davarax is not convinced. Echo casts Greater Invisibility on himself and sneaks out of the ship while his teammates are stalling. He gets behind Captain Davarax, draws his weapon, and holds it against Davarax’s throat as he casts Suggestion, dropping his invisibility. “Let us go and I will spare you.”

The Suggestion does not work; all the paladins turn their guns on Echo and Davarax says “Do you really think that I value my life over the orders of my religious order? I value my honor above my life, take it if you will. These five will take care of the rest, they know their duty.” Echo gives Sebastian a look and Sebastian nods. Echo attacks Davarax with his sword, dealing critical and sneak attack damage, and follows it up with a second critical attack with Booming Blade. There is blood all over; Echo has slit Davarax’s throat and Davarax looks like he is in bad shape.

Cappy Davvy and His Pals
Davarax lays his hand on his throat and it begins to glow with a white radiant light as the wound heals when he uses Lay on Hands. Persephone grabs her staff off the ground and draws a circle on the floor preparing to cast Wall of Thorns. She yells for Echo to get out of there and waits for him to get clear. Echo, still in the bullywug form of Hank, activates his Bladesong and shifts back into his standard appearance as the armor appears. He stands back to back with Davarax before turning around and spinning into him, vanishing as he teleports out with Thunder Step. The thunder echoes throughout the waystation and Echo reappears to form a triangle behind Persephone and Sebastian. Persephone casts her Wall of Thorns as soon as Echo is clear and a 20 ft. diameter, 20 ft. high, 5 ft. thick wall appears around Davarax and the two dragoons. The two dragoons fire up their wings and fly up and over the thorns. They hover in the air and breathe lightning at Persephone and Sebastian; Percy dodges some damage but Sebastian takes the full brunt of the attack. Sebastian picks up his BFG and fires some shots at one of the flying dragoons, but misses. One legionnaire attempts to cast Hold Person on Persephone and Sebastian but fails. A second legionnaire runs to attack Echo twice, using Divine Smite to cause extra damage to the first strike but missing with the second attack as Echo uses his reaction to pop up Shield. The third legionnaire rounds the corner and casts Hold Person on Echo and Sebastian, successfully paralyzing Sebastian.

Davarax makes his way through the Wall of Thorns, taking some damage, and once he is free he casts Aura of Vitality upon himself. He begins to glow with a bright, radiant energy and heals a little bit. Echo casts Haste and attacks the legionnaire in front of him. He slashes once and deals damage, then uses Booming Blade for his second attack but misses. Persephone walks up to Sebastian and casts Freedom of Movement on him to free him from the Hold Person. She starts shining bright like a diamond and jumps, Wild Shaping into the Cosmic Elemental, and screeches at the flying dragoons. The two dragoons fly forward to meet the Cosmic Elemental in combat. Both of them successfully hit Percy twice and deal extra damage with their Divine Smites. Sebastian picks up his sword and walks up to go mano a mano with Davarax, but both his attacks miss. The legionnaire in front of Echo slices at him twice but misses. Another legionnaire casts Hold Person on Echo and successfully paralyzes him. The third legionnaire moves in to attack the paralyzed Echo and hits him with Divine Smite, downing him. A legionnaire moves up to Davarax and casts Cure Wounds to heal him.

Davarax engages Sebastian one on one and says “What terrible price have you paid for your new master, slave?” as he hits Sebastian with attacks infused with Divine Smites. He uses his bonus action to heal from his Aura of Vitality. Echo makes a Death Save and succeeds. Persephone uses a slam attack against one of the flying dragoons and critically hits, he is banged up but he is still going. She heals herself with a bonus action. The two flying dragoons continue to try to knock Percy out of the sky; the first one hits her twice and uses Divine Smites to take down a lot of her remaining health. The second one hits twice as well, the first strike deals extra Divine Smite damage and the second strike knocks Percy out of her Cosmic Elemental form and she falls to the floor.

Dominion's Law
Sebastian tries to reason with Davarax and tells him that he does not understand the complexity of the situation, any delay to their mission could result in doom. Sebastian is prepared to lay down his life for the chance to save everyone, he has made his deals for the greater good to save everyone. Davarax responds “I’m not the one you have to convince of that, Sebastian.” And he tells Sebastian to surrender now so he can make his case to whoever he wishes. Davarax is under orders and will not budge. Sebastian looks at Davarax and then up and says “please guide me” as he lays down his weapons in surrender.

Persephone asks Sebastian if they’re surrendering and he tells her they have no other choice. She asks Davarax if he will allow her to go heal Echo. Davarax says that they will tend to Echo’s wounds and orders her to lay down her arms, asking if they all surrender. Percy begrudgingly drops her staff on the floor. The dragoons land and the legionnaires form a circle around Echo, Percy, and Sebastian. Davarax holds his arms out to his sides, the other paladins following his lead, and a large circular sigil appears on the floor beneath their feet. He says “I invoke Dominion’s Law.” Persephone and Sebastian feel compelled to fall down to their hands and knees in acquiescence to a law stronger than their own will. They are bound to the floor. The legionnaires move forward to heal Echo and handcuff the party, dragging them out of the harbor into the waystation.

The Party

 * Sebastian Crenshaw: A half-orc paladin/warlock. Sold his soul for the greater good.
 * Persephone Goldpetal: A firbolg druid. Still has two cans of whoop-ass.
 * Codename: Echo: An elf wizard/fighter/rogue. He's just trying to sound like a trucker.

NPCS

 * Disgruntled Waitress: Works at Spacey's, does not offer delivery.
 * Captain Davarax: A black dragonborn paladin. Captain of the Iron Legion on Outlaw's Horizon.

Music

 * SuperQuest Saga Theme - by Brian
 * Uh Oh It's Five Sebastians - by Brian

World Building

 * The Arcadian elves have a database with sells that Echo uses to update his spellbook.
 * Arcadia is on the outskirts of the outer rim surrounded by the void of intergalactic space.
 * They decided to call the waystation "Frazier's Waystation" after Frazier Park, CA.

Out of Character

 * Echo has a sketchy friend named Pigeon who lets him crash in his garage sometimes.
 * Will rolls to see if he will give them a hard time when they try to order delivery. Brian calls odds but Will rolls an even number. The waitress is difficult.

Nat 20's (1 total)

 * Special Guest Jake (Slam as Cosmic Elemental)