The Loyal Retainers

minor Active Sessions 8–14

Loyalty tested by suffering, forgiveness despite consequence, remembering the dead, chosen family, the cost of honor

character development

Description

Jon and Roderick, the Smithson brothers who helped raise Caelum at Raven Rest, bear the visible bruises of Inquisition torture with quiet dignity. When Thalara apologizes, feeling her warnings led to their interrogation, Roderick responds with warmth rather than blame—welcoming her to the 'cool vinegar' of House Kadir service. His words reveal the philosophy that sustains their loyalty: better to be honorable and royal than a sellout and liar, even when that honor leads to being beaten. The conversation turns bittersweet as Roderick speaks of remembering the dead—Edgar, Agatha, Cordelia—rarely talked about in the right light anymore. These men represent what House Kadir was and could be again: loyal not because they're compelled, but because they choose to serve something worth preserving. Their forgiveness of Thalara and continued service to Caelum despite torture shows a bond deeper than mere employment. Session 8 update: The bond between House Cadir's retainers and those they serve deepens through gestures of forgiveness and acceptance. Roderick carries visible guilt for surviving when his lord and lady didn't, haunted by memories of the research that got them killed and his inability to prevent it. When he deflects with bitter self-recrimination—'The best didn't save them'—Kalem refuses to let it stand, racing after him to deliver the truth: Roderick pulled them from the fire and saved their life. The acknowledgment transforms guilt into something bearable. Meanwhile, John and Roderick's gift of the Corvine Guard cloak to Thalara represents more than equipment—it's symbolic adoption into House Cadir's family despite her official assignment to the Royal Guard. Their loyalty isn't compelled by duty but chosen through respect, and they extend that choice to Thalara, recognizing she's become one of them through shared crisis and genuine care for their young lord.

Timeline

Session 8 "Beneath the paint, a crown; beneath the throne, a fall."

Wounds That Won't Heal

Jon and Roderick bear the bruises of torture with dignity, forgiving Thalara and reaffirming their loyalty to House Kadir despite the cost

Session 9 "Divine fire sleeps within mortal veins, waiting for the season of storms."

The Weight of Legacy

Kalem celebrates Lady Ruben's downfall with wine and their retainers, including Evelyn for the first time. When Roderick reveals what little he knows about the parents' final months, his guilt surfaces—'The best didn't save them, though, did they?' Kalem races after him to deliver words long overdue: 'You saved me. You pulled me out of the fire. So remember that each time you look upon me.'

The Corvine Cloak

John and Roderick present Thalara with a spare Corvine Guard cloak, explaining 'we decided since you're one of us now, you can have it.' The gesture represents full acceptance into House Cadir's inner circle, transforming her from assigned Royal Guard into chosen family.

Session 10 "False engagements, prison breaks, and spider attacks—just another week in Flower Bay."

Session 11 "Masks fall and blood rises as secrets older than the crown threaten to drown them all."

Session 12 "When the prison breaks, so do the chains of fate—and what emerges from the dark may burn the world."

Session 13 "When the hunter becomes the hunted, even council meetings become traps."

Shadows in the Household

Caelum returns to anxious household staff who've been worried sick during their absence. Evelyn, Roderick, and John welcome them home with varying degrees of relief—demonstrating the genuine bonds between lord and retainers. The household discusses the council meeting and Caelum's prospects with the concern of family rather than mere servants.

Session 14 "The truth beneath the throne room runs red with stolen divinity."

The Letter's Blade

John and Roderick vanish in the night, kidnapped by Lady Ruben's scheme. Their absence drives Caelum to abandon the council meeting—the young lord choosing his people's safety over political ambition in a decision that defines his character more than any testimony could.

Blood and Revelation

John and Roderick stand guard in the torture chamber, charmed into hollow compliance. Their voices sound normal but something crucial is missing—the spirit that usually animates their loyalty replaced by empty obedience to the woman torturing their charge's closest ally.

Descent into Darkness

The party confronts the charmed Smithsons, who smile and turn their weapons on former allies. Roderick and John represent the horror of seeing loved ones turned into enemies, their bodies present but their wills stolen.

The Witness Ascends

The battle forces the Heroes to fight John and Roderick, hurting them to break the charm while trying not to kill them. Roderick is freed by Vixia's fire, immediately turning to help his son. The father-son bond proves stronger than magic as Roderick literally punches John back to consciousness, breaking the charm through familial violence.

Truth's Echo

Freed from Lady Ruben's control, John and Roderick immediately move to support their young lord. Despite their own injuries, they pick up Caelum and carry him toward safety, demonstrating that their loyalty was never truly compromised—only temporarily imprisoned within their own minds.