Echoe's Long Game

minor Active Sessions 13–13

Espionage, rival spymasters, intelligence as currency, infiltration

subplot

Description

Echoe, the Night Dancer's enigmatic proprietor and Lady Aurelia's rival, demonstrates the reach of her intelligence network. She pays handsomely for the prison break operation, provides crucial intelligence about the Blood Hand's history, and most dramatically, infiltrates Caelum's innermost household by placing her shapeshifting agent Calista among his staff. The brothel madam's long-term objectives remain unclear, but her capability is undeniable.

Timeline

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

Shadows in the Household

The infiltration is revealed when a maid approaches Caelum, her face briefly shifting to Evelyn's features before returning to normal—Calista, Echoe's shapeshifting operative, has replaced a member of his household staff. Jackal sends her regards. The spy network has penetrated Caelum's innermost circle without him knowing until this dramatic revelation.

The Night Dancer's Price

Vixia meets with Echoe to collect payment—four thousand gold spread dramatically across the table. Their conversation ranges from the Blood Hand's history to potential trade routes through elven territories. Echoe reveals her personal vendetta against the serial killer and offers mercenary assistance, demonstrating both her resources and her willingness to deploy them strategically.