Difference between revisions of "Chapter 23: Chasing tail at the Sea Nymph"
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===??, CY 515=== | ===??, CY 515=== | ||
====Missing Men==== | ====Missing Men==== | ||
| − | The next morning, Burgell and Finn went to meet with their friend [[ | + | The next morning, Burgell and Finn went to meet with their friend [[Telthanas]] back at the [[Griffins Guild]]. He was able to add more details to the rumors of the disappearances that they had heard the night before, and the trio hatched the plan to stake out one of the known brothels by the docks where men had reportedly disappeared from, the [[Sea Nymph]] (recently renamed from the [[Vulgar Fool]] after contentious disputes with the followers of [[St. Cuthbert]]). The idea was for Finn to take up a hiding place with a good vantage point at the rear of the building, while Burgell waited across the street at the notorious [[Dagger Down tavern]], and Talthanas posed as a successful adventurer looking to spend some coin at the gambling tables, and perhaps acquire some female companionship, all while Burgell and Finn kept the three up to date via Message cantrips. |
====A Plan in Action==== | ====A Plan in Action==== | ||
Latest revision as of 04:29, 26 August 2016
Contents
About the Saga
After reporting back on the missing Jarogos, the party hears rumors of missing young men. They come with a plan to uncover the plot; but the execution could use some practice.
Timeframe
- Campaign Date:
- Real World Date: December 6, 2015
- Read other Obsidian Frontier Sagas
Cast of Characters
- Burgell Nackle (Damon), a gnome bard with dubious ethics
- Finn Underbow (Jim), a halfling ranger.
- Telthanas (Ken), an half-elven rogue and Griffins Guild Scribe.
Notable Quotes
- None
What Has Come Before
Months have passed since the Griffins Guild's newest adventurers entered into the Verdant Waste hoping to kill a dragon. With the deed done, the heroes returned home, but found that months -- rather than days -- had passed in the world outside the Waste. The city of Obsidian Bay has grown tremendously while they were away, and the mage Robertson is looking to hold a wizardly conclave to discuss matters of arcane import. For that to happen, he needs the heroes to find a reclusive magic user named Jarogos and convince him to return to the city.
The Saga
??, CY 515
Return to OB
The party returns to Obsidian Bay from the mage Jarogos' Sanctum, using the cover of another severe storm to shield them from further encounters in the wild. After arriving, they request a meeting with Robertson right away to report on the disposition of their mission, and hand over the libram. Robertson relates that a means to contact or divine Jarogos' condition and whereabouts magically will need to be researched.
Roaryk wanders off to find his pirate-hunting shipmates, and Odothar returns to his swordmaster school to check on the progress of the reconstruction of his training arena. Burgell and Finn decide to spend a well-earned night on the town, and end up at one of their old hang outs, the Sign of the Silver Wave. There they met the halfling mage Erlin Longpipe, and the gnomish sorcerer Raimo Rasmorn. After some introductions and small talk, Burgell and Finn joined them for dinner, which included many plates of food and tankards of ale. While living it up with their new-found kin, they learned of the various gossip to be had, such as dealings at the Governing Council, more tales of pirate attacks, and a recent trend of young men coming up missing after visiting various establishments of ill repute.
??, CY 515
Missing Men
The next morning, Burgell and Finn went to meet with their friend Telthanas back at the Griffins Guild. He was able to add more details to the rumors of the disappearances that they had heard the night before, and the trio hatched the plan to stake out one of the known brothels by the docks where men had reportedly disappeared from, the Sea Nymph (recently renamed from the Vulgar Fool after contentious disputes with the followers of St. Cuthbert). The idea was for Finn to take up a hiding place with a good vantage point at the rear of the building, while Burgell waited across the street at the notorious Dagger Down tavern, and Talthanas posed as a successful adventurer looking to spend some coin at the gambling tables, and perhaps acquire some female companionship, all while Burgell and Finn kept the three up to date via Message cantrips.
A Plan in Action
After getting past a scrutinizing doorman, Talthanas made his way down into the cellar of the Sea Nymph. Burgell found that his plan to use the Dagger Down as a near-by outpost probably wasn't going to turn out too well, as a raging bar fight was in progress, mercenaries versus sailors, and neutral patrons often became terrain in the fray.
Meanwhile, Finn and his wolf observed a cart with four men making a delivery to the back of the Sea Nymph. Three men carried some crates inside while the fourth remained at the reigns of the cart. The three men seemed to be taking a long time inside for just making a general delivery.
Talthanas began his carousing by hitting the dice tables, and coming on strong to the first lady that approached him, a girl with auburn hair and deep blue eyes who went by the name "Ember". Talthanas thought he would impress her by recounting tales of monsters and other foes that he had slain in battle, but this tactic led to his crash and burn. Burgell then arrived to give better on the spot advice, while Talthanas took up a friendly game of darts with a merchant named Zolis Pinn, who seemed to be having similar luck with the ladies. After a few drinks to loosen up, and some coaching and an assist from Zolis and Burgell, Talthanas had better luck in progressing beyond mere conversation with another girl, who wore a revealing green bodice and had blonde hair and hazel eyes, named Fawn. Talthanas eventually made his way upstairs to a private room where he and Fawn could get to know each other when he heard the faint sound of glass breaking and a scuffle in a room somewhere down the hall. Talthanas excused himself with the ever-so-debonair reason that he needed to use the chamber pot, and went to investigate the sound, keeping Burgell updated magically.
Outside, Finn observed some sort of flying creature come to land on the peak of the uppermost roof of the Sea Nymph, then it proceeded to fly down to one of the windows just above the first floor roof extending towards the back towards where the cart was parked. He attempted to climb up some barrels he had been hiding behind to get up on the roof for a better view of what was happening, but slipped and nearly fell. Luckily, this did not draw the attention of anyone nearby. Finn remained atop the barrels peering over the edge of the roof while he observed the winged creature standing watch while some people climbed through the open window carrying what was obviously a bound individual.
A Plan, failed
Talthanas reached the door of the room where he had heard the suspicious noises coming from, and found the door locked. Burgell cast the spell F-L-Y upon himself, and swiftly glided up the stairway to meet up with Talthanas, who was busy picking the lock of the door. Upon opening it, they found the scene of an abduction taking place. A man and woman were just outside the window, carrying a bound third individual, while another woman and two other men remained in the room ready for combat, apparently alerted to the sound of the lock being picked. Battle thus ensued, with the strangers desperately trying to get away with their quarry while the trio of Burgell, Finn, and Talthanas fought in the room, upon the rooftop, or from the air. Finn's wolf Odolf was ordered to attack the cart driver, and easily dispatched the man with a ferocious bite to the throat that knocked him clear out of his seat. The fight became more desperate as holding or damaging necrotic magicks and scimitar blows were exchanged, and though a few of the strangers fell, they were progressing closer and closer to bringing their captive to the waiting cart. Talthanas fell prey to an inhaled sleeping poison of some sort, blow into his face as a fine powder from a crushed glass capsule, and lay upon the roof unconscious. One of the remaining strangers was able to load their victim into the cart while the rest provided cover, and the cart sped away.
Next, an exhilarating chase began, as Burgell flew in pursuit of the cart and the flying creature landed in the passenger seat, while one of the women drove the horse team at break-neck speed. Finn sent his wolf and two summoned giant eagles after them, all exchanging missile and spell fire as they did so. Finn had to dodge a crowd of drunks who were drawn from the Dagger Down next door from the sound of the battle and some loose stones in the street, while Burgell dodged another crowd from the opposite direction, as well as clotheslines, tent ropes, and banners while flying. The speeding cart then nearly crashed upon a stone bridge as its driver was killed by the party's onslaught of spell, arrow, claw, and beak. One of the opposing men slipped off into the night in the chaos, while the flying creature was also killed, ending the chase. The captive was freed, and turned out to be a novice adventurer named Stedd Buckman who was lured to the room of what turned out to be cultists of some sort, as strange, red-feathered avian masks were found with the cart.
Missing Dignitary
Burgell used magic to speak with the dead birdlike creature and one of the deceased women who was casting spells. The creature claimed it was an aarakocra named Köstebek, and the woman named Eliza, all members of what was revealed to be a cult of the demon lord Pazuzu, who had a lair somewhere among the nearby cliffs, and were intent on taking their captive to the "islands" for "breeding". The party then went immediately to speak with Robertson at the Griffins Guild to warn him of what they had learned, and in return, they learned that one of the visiting Keoish diplomats, Sir Colefrey, was also missing after allegedly frequenting the upscale brothel called the Violet Lantern some two nights before. None of the other handful of instances of missing persons had been pieced together before then as being related, all written off as simply mishaps of adventurers living a life of excess and vice in a frontier setting, but now with what the party discovered, it could have serious political ramifications.
It is now a few hours past midnight, and the party next intends to go to the Gryphon's Roost Inn where the rest of the Keoish delegation are staying to inform them of the potential fate of their compatriot.
Experience
Player Characters
- Burgell: 20321
- Finn: 18518
- Telthanas: 15000
Treasure
- n/a
Resources
- n/a
