Contents
Chapter 7
Overview
In the crowded Foundryside library, the team confirms Ofelia Dandolo is bringing Crasedes Magnus to Tevanne along with about a hundred slaves, likely for a midnight sacrificial ritual. Gregor moves to secure a vessel while Berenice hunts useful designs. To prepare, Sancia and Orso exhume their hidden weapon—the imperiat.
Summary
In the bustling Foundryside library, Orso, Sancia, Berenice, and Gregor confirm that Ofelia Dandolo is transporting Crasedes Magnus toward Tevanne, accompanied by roughly a hundred slaves. Berenice connects this to Estelle’s past scheme, deducing the slaves are intended for a massive sacrificial ritual to gain hierophantic privileges.
Recognizing the horror and the stakes, Gregor insists they must intercept the galleon before midnight, the likely window for such world-breaking. Orso balks at attacking a merchant galleon powered by a foundry lexicon, but Gregor offers wartime seizure experience. Sancia volunteers her unique capabilities, and Berenice rushes to the stacks to find water- and steam-related designs she recalls.
Gregor departs to procure a vessel using their Michiel payout. Orso and Sancia, hungover and grim, decide to retrieve a dangerous tool they previously entombed to prevent misuse—the “horror in the basement.” As they dig through cement, they discuss Crasedes’s legendary powers and the likelihood that both Crasedes and Valeria are damaged from their ancient conflict.
After strenuous effort, they uncover a small iron box secured to open only with two Foundryside founders’ blood. Inside lies the imperiat, a golden device densely scrived with precise sigils. Despite dread, Sancia takes up the imperiat, committing them to confront the galleon and the looming ritual.
Who Appears
- SanciaThief-ally who proposes infiltrating the galleon and retrieves the imperiat from the basement.
- Orso IgnacioLeader and scriver; debates risks, helps exhume the imperiat, frames the dire stakes.
- Gregor DandoloDetermined to stop his mother; leverages wartime experience and goes to secure a vessel.
- BereniceAnalyst who deduces the sacrificial ritual and searches the library for useful designs.
- Ofelia DandoloAntagonist off-page; transporting Crasedes and slaves, likely to perform a midnight sacrifice.
- Crasedes MagnusAncient hierophant-to-be; target of the resurrection plot and source of immense threat.