Month: September 2016

Session 124

Pre-Dawn, 4th Tanrilden

Alainon is shocked as he opens the door to Perette and Em, though notices Thorfus after a second, calming him a little. Allowing the three inside, Em introduces herself as ‘Lady Em’ and explains the situation to the ex-clockmaker. Whilst he does keep casting suspicious looks at Perette throughout.

Visible to the group is a bed that has been set up in the former workshop, and occupying it, amongst the half-repaired clocks, is Itamad, Alainon’s wife. The woman is very ill and bedridden, and as such they don’t use the upstairs much. After emphasising the fact that he will not get involved politics, he agrees to let them stay upstairs.

After checking out the place, Em asks after an odd glowing brick displaying numbers. Alainon tells her that it was a gift from Desric Threehorn, an Ancient Dwarven Clock. It displays 0.000.05.11, and has been steadily counting down. He offers it to Thorfus, since he has no need of it.

Arranging for Alainon to meet the party in the Cock & Bull if he needs anything, Thorfus leaves.

Evening , 5th Tanrilden

Thorfus finishes up passing on his teachings to Ronan. The man feels much more confident in fighting taller opponents now. Thorfus’ automonkey troop finishes their repairs.

Chuq receives his order from Roland, and is able to finish studying up on Devilfish physiology.

Canis, during his training is able to refine a vial of poison from the Urchin spines. Unfortunately, he is unable to get the breathing coral plants to take in order to grow more.

Ronan decides to enquire after the remains of Desric’s shop, to see who owns it and if it is up for purchase. He also looks for some small canalside shack, and finds an old mill just off of West Copper Street near the Paper Bazaar that has a small room in the basement to let. Adhemar Gyll, the owner, charges him 2GP a month.

Edan receives his new travel hat. It is rather dashing. He also has some time to study the plans for the submersible, and the crystal system. It apparently has similarities to Bioforging.

Over the next few days, the party learns that the Wrath of Waves was found, drifting after running out of fuel. After being towed back, rumours are abound that a shadowy man was seen clinging to it as it sped away. Further rumours state that the man was the missing leader of the Grey Cloaks.

During the week, our hirelings bring back various rumours. One stands out, Edvard from the Flotsam and Jetsam reportedly saw Kottar. The ex-hireling-come-devilfish-host and his companions had been looking for passage to Vargen.

A man had been heard trying to drum a hunting party to go after giant lizards in the jungle.

Archer’s Irregulars made money on the Pyrolisk contract they failed by selling the eggs to Boscelin.

An old adventurer apparently knows the location of a stash of gold that belonged to an old Imperial leader. He would be willing to sell his papers to the location.

A single applicant responded to Chuq’s advertisement. A narrow-faced, blue-eyed woman named Sevare Keiser, who apparently had some mechanical skill. She once worked for the Marlboro gambling house, but found the work unsavoury. Whilst she had some skill in getting into difficult spaces, Chuq turned her down, as we didn’t need her skills, but agreed to send any martial or pious types to him. Apparently she knows a man of some mystical skill, although he is quite the shut-in, she agrees to arrange a meeting.

Towards the end of the triaining, Pons gathers the group together to deliver some news. He speechifies a little, but after all the whacky adventurers, decides he wants to lead a different life. Perhaps a little less dangerous and a little more profitable. He says his farewells, but leaves a note with a location so we can get back in touch with him and the remnants of the Raptors in Vargen. Chuq reads his mind as clear, and we have Bellisante vet his gear, and after a round of handshakes and nods (definitely no hugs), and leaves.

In response to this though, several of the hirelings express desires of moving on also, for similar reasons. Apparently, the beach at Agmar’s Folly was far too intense, though Chuq learns that the less than savoury rumours about the group held some part in it. They are thankful for Thorfus’ generosity however, and remain amicable.

Evening, 8th Tanrilden

Canis completes his training.

Late that night, whilst the party hang around the Cock & Bull, the door opens to a woman and a dwarf, Axel Rhom’khul and his companion Spite.

Both are battered, bloodied and tired, but they gather around in jubliant greeting, and after many drinks, begin to trade names and stories, the ominous things they’ve learned in the meantime. The realisation that it is a mere five months until the potential apocalypse is a sobering one.

Edan fetches Kalgunn, and we sit around and force him to speak out loud. Edan asks him about the numbers, and the sword responds that it is too late now, we’ve messed up all his plans. His plan was to transfer himself into the orb, and ascend to the orbital palace and take Xeno’Tel’s place. Doing so would allow him to be in control of all the stones of the portals. He is very convinced that burying the orb and killing Prixithalmus means there is no hope.

To prevent the coming storm, we need to have control of the portal on the Orbital Station. Kalgunn trusted that Marchmain had a way of transferring the orb past the station’s defences. But now…

Marchmain’s plan was reportedly to restore Xeno’Tel and attempt to convince the AI to help lie to the incoming fleet.

Serithos chimes in at the mention of ‘dead dragon’, when we discuss the possible whereabouts of her corpse and whether she can be revived. Upon reviewing Chuq’s memories of the events, Serithas begins to laugh uncontrollably at the idea of killing the Emperor’s Consort and leaving her body with Araquiel. We suddenly realise we left her with the one person who could place her essence in a living body again.

Sometime later, there is a knock at the door. It is Owen, bringing a message that they can meet with his master, Drays. As we make to leave, Chuq notes a pair of men watching the Cock & Bull, and they note us leaving. Ronan immeadiately heads over to them proclaiming neighbourhood watch, and they scramble to make conversation between themselves (dog breeds). They try to pass off checking out the Marlboro and Cock & Bull, but he menaces them into moving along, they stop eventually, but Chuq learns mentally that they are Grey Cloaks.

We’re tailed for a while, but manage to lose them. Eventually, Owen leads us to an area of the canals near the wall to Hightown, where we are greeted with a familiar buzzing. He asks after our tasks, knowing it is complete, and our intentions on following through with it. Throughout this, the Night Court remains silent, and Drays does not seem to notice them.

We learn throughout the conversation that the only reasons for the Devilfish’s involvement in the Mermish Civil War is a power play amongst themselves, and a need to not be invconvenienced any longer by the disruption it is causing across the bay. We also learn that they are patiently working on the Grell situation.

Asking after the location and timing of the delivery of the weapon to the Mermen, Owen was apparently supposed to tell us to speak with Garspa, an advisor to the Mermish Prince, who is orchestrating some Peace Conference between the two factions. The meeting is supposed to take place in the Merman city of Shiggareth.

Ronan asks after the old man living out in the bay, to which Drays responds by wanting to make a deal. Apparently, he would settle for some share of the gems gathered from the man’s stash, and we suddenly get the idea this man is not all that he seems, and is apparently not even a man of the land, a troublemaker in fact. Drays is of the idea that should we go, we will leave with the man dead, but is unwilling to give up any more information unless we commit to going.

Eventually, we agree. The man’s name is Garmeth Saltbreeze, living on a houseboat above the wreckage of the Silver-Toed Strumpet, a ship laden with gemstones. The man is not such at all times, and is in fact a servant of Dagon, a shapeshifter who can take the form of a shark. He is not alone, and commands a force of sharks. Drays, in return for a single share of gemstones, wants Garmeth dead and his forces destroyed and scattered.

Drayz suddenly asks if there is someone new with us. He asks how many are present, and mentions that something is odd, before suddenly going silent. The buzzing that also accompanies a Devilfish’s presence disipates as well. We send off a confused Owen, and make way inland to head back home, casting questioning glances at the skull cap.

Serithas eventually speaks, and notes things as being ‘interesting’. They seem quite dismayed at the current state of their ancestors, and ask if we’re ok with them trying to drown the lands. They agree however, that the Devilfish seem petty, though Drays was clearly hiding stuff, not that it was news to us. He was eager to follow through with the deal with the Mermen.

We return to the townhouse easy enough, passing by Ronan’s new place on the way. He points out that between Canis and Edan, they could magically install a dock in the basement with access to the canal so they can store the submarine.

We stop to discuss our plans, starting with the sonic weapon. We postulate its use against the space portal, though that would depend on how the mechanism interacted with the vacuum. Delivery as well, would likely depend on what Marchmain was cooking up. We also suddenly realise that Axel has heard Glavnone somewhere before, that is, the fire giant working at the mines north of Xen’Khel.

Thorfus basically puts down that we have three things to deal with, maybe a fourth. The sub, Perette and Em, the sonic weapon, and perhaps Grell. Axel also puts forward the idea of chasing Kottar/Araquiel, and the Dark King will always remain a looming threat.

For the submarine, the party teeters between storing it and selling it, eventually deciding that for now at least, we will store it. Canis will spend some time working on shaping the cave for it.

For Perette and Em, we need to discuss things with Perette, although the idea is that they need to be spirited out of Midmark, using the Inquisitor Mask and ESP-blocking circlet to mask their identities. Ronan’s idea that we could send them to Hugue’s Island, or the Ironhand/Rhom’khul families in Xenilum’Khel. Of course, on top of all that remains the question of Thornton’s identity and agenda.

The Sonic Device, and the Were-Shark we reason that there are no time limits on dealing with.

We finish off the night considering plans to charter a boat for passage to Hugue’s island. Axel, finally back with the party, but feeling no more safer, sets down to pen some letters after checking on Spite.

Session 123 September 7, 2016

11:00PM 3rd of Tanrilden, behind the Cock & Bull

Chuq, Edan, Ronan & Thorfus have a change of plans. Instead of delving in the sewers, they decide to interrogate Aardman with their liar box. The night’s carriage is hailed to return and they pile in. As the carriage heads to the Courthouse, we notice some sort of police action at the Marlborough Gambling Hall down the street. Curious that Ronan had visited the place shortly before…

The guards on the street outside the court house are on edge and nervous but allow us entry. We send the carriage to wait down the road by the University before meeting Lord Thorton in an office. We wait as he finishes some paper work. He listens to our plans then shows us a letter from the city’s Council of Elders directing him to refuse us access to Aardman with any magical items. He wants to follow the word of the directive but not necessarily the spirit. He agrees to conduct the interrogation while we listen and prompt from another floor via our Broachie Talkies.

The Night Court and Cap are still insulated by Thorton’s items but he does pass a liar box test. However, the Night Court can tell that the attendant guard, Gifford, plans to report our behavior to someone else after we leave. Chuq mentions this to Lord Thorton hoping the magistrate will be guarded with the guard in the future. Bellisonte demonstrate the liar box function by stating some outright lies. Boris is made invisible by Edan so that the familiar can follow Thorton clandestinely. Following Boris via the night cap, Chuq can locate Aardman’s mind when Thorton meets him in an interrogation room a floor below the room the party is occupying.

After many questions and back and forth, Thorton has no doubt the Aardman’s accusations against Perette and The Barldric/Starchie Boyz are all lies and that the Grells (Ardnan & Alaine) & Peter Thorell were slavers. Unfortunately, he doesn’t give up his benefactors, why he is changing his testimony at this time (except that he feels safe now) or who is feeding him information from out of the court house/jail. Serithos corroborates most of Aardman’s responses but admits something else is hidden. Thorton is curiously quite during the interview not following any leads on his own. At the end, Thorton puts on a show, vociferously herding us out of the courthouse. No doubt to cover his cooperation in the eyes of those guards reporting to the City Council or Admiralty.

Back at the C&B, one of our mercs reports that the Grey Cloaks busted up the Marborough gambling hall because fugitives were thought there. The Grey Cloak apprehended Rolth and a Magic User named Applebe. We have no idea if these two were the fugitive sought or for what crime, but the night’s events show that having Grey Cloaks loitering down the street from C&B also keeps an eye on us. Cannis’s pigeon swoop reports to Chuq that our submersible is still at the navy floating docks but that the Grey Cloak guard also includes a large woman now. Suspecting it’s Em in disguise, the party set’s off on foot for the docks to the south since the carriage is long gone.

The party is followed by a Grey Cloak as we pass the gambling house. Edan hides in shadows until the Grey Cloak passes and follows him as we travel to the docks. There we hire a row boat for 1 gold piece while our tail rushes back the gambling hall with Edan following. There the Grey Cloak confers with a city guardsman before the two split running in different directions. Edan follow one as Boris the other. Boris’ prey, the guardsman rushes to a watch house which quickly empties. The horde of guardsman run towards the docks. Edan’s Grey Cloak rushes to the paper bazar where he speaks with another Grey Cloak. This second Grey Cloak mounts a horse and leaves toward High Town. Edan steals another horse to follow until he sees a gaggle of Grey Cloaks running towards the docks. He then alerts Chuq, Ronan and Thorfus via the broachie talkie.

The three shadow step to the floating dock to get ahead of the guardsman/Grey Cloak posse, leaving Bellisonte at the dock with the rental row boat. The Grey Cloaks guarding the submersible threaten the three when they arrive, until Thorfus correctly answers Perette’s questions. Perette removes a protection ring allowing Chuq to confirm his identity with the night cap. We were correct, Em is with Perette and the Grey Cloaks, there plans is to escape the city.

Perette’s loyal Grey Cloaks told him that Aardman had changed his testimony. Thorton had issued a secret warrant for Perette’s arrest. He went into hiding because that was out of character for Thorton. He uncovered a plot to take him down and learned the Grey Cloaks were planning to capture EM. Realizing the risk, he acted first. Apologizing for bringing the authorities to his hide out, we talk over options on how best to avoid capture. When Ronan suggests Perette and Em could hide with Alainon Bartling the watch maker, we put our plan into action. The brilliance of Ronan’s plan is that Alainon is a known Islander sympathizer who was tortured by Perette in the past. He is also fiercely loyal to the islander pulp fiction hero, Em. Relying on Em’s notoriety and a good deal of coin to convince Alainon to help, it’s hoped the Grey Cloaks would overlook a former victim of Perette.

Perette hoped to escape on the Wrath of the Waves which is currently heavily guarded by the navy. We also want to use the Wrath but as a distraction to hide our escape from the floating dock. Thorfus realizes his autonotom control circlet will allow him to control the Wrath since the Navy has installed an electrical orb autonotom in the Wrath. To start, Chuq shadow steps to the bow of the wrath of the waves to cut the lashings. Surprisingly, he notices eyes watching him as he is within the shadow. As the lashings are cut, Thorfus commands the ship to take off catching the Monk by surprise. As the rear lashings burst free from the ships force, Chuq steps far away from the action happening on the nearby dock.

Ronan leads Em, Perrette & Grey Cloaks to the Midmark side of the floating docks where they meet up with Chuq & Thorfus. Perette’s four loyal Grey Cloaks are left on the floating dock as the rest shadow step back to Midmark. Telepathically, Bellisonte is tasked to retrieve the Grey Cloaks with the rental rowboat and the rest take the long way to Alainon’s.