The Return of the Entertainer
Contents
About the Saga
An old enemy of Obsidian Bay returns to the city to weave a cunning trap for would-be adventurers.
Timeframe
- Real World Date: 2008-05-02
- Greyhawk Date: Ready'reat 4, 591
- Read other Dark City Sagas
Cast of Characters
- Gruffudd Castlemaine, half-elf paladin of Lendor
- Sir Krovacar Fawkes, human paladin of Wee Jas
- Corash, elven seeker of magical knowledge
- Thom Silverbow, half-elven bard in search of fame
- Erngard, Orcslayer Guild member with a dark past
- Mica Brightpick, gnome jeweler seething with hidden rage
Notable Quotes
- "He is a powerful magician, who summons great clouds of frogs and blasts of lightning!" -- Gaiseric
What Has Come Before
The heroes of the Silver Flame have defeated a number of vile undead creatures known as "Skin Kites" that had been preying on people in the Wharf District. Now they have returned to Fire-Eaters to relax and speak with a new ally, Vundan Longland of the Cairn Hills Adventuring Company who is searching in vain for his fellow adventurers.
The Saga
Ready'reat 4, 591
In Media Res
...Flash forward ...
The heroes of the Silver Flame follow a bunch of thugs and a member of the Midnight's Turn mercenaries into a warehouse in the Wharf Districts. Corash summons the power of sleep, and causes one of the thug to fall unconascious. Thom sings a mighty song about subduing the forces of evil called "Sub-Dude".
Sir Fawkes charges into combat with the opponents, engaging two scimitar wielding mercs. The purple-cloaked leader of the mercenaries charges to attack Fawkes. He's backed up by Erngard, who advances on the leader.
The Wee Jas paladin runs through the leader with his sword, killing him instantly, then cleaving into a second merc, who dies. Thom tries to freeze a minion with a hold spell, but it fails.
Gruffud and Enguard charge into crates in one corner, Enguard slashing at a guard, Gruffud trying to smash through the crates to attack the minions, but fails. One minion, faced by a charging Gruffud, dives into the hall, followed by another who tumbles away from Erngard.
Sir Fawkes magic misisles another of the mercs, then Thom knocks him to his knees with Tasha's Laughter. Mica the gnome arrives just in time for the fight to end.
... Flash back ...
Back to the Beginning
After a day's rest from the battles with the skin kites in the Wharf District, Sir Fawkes goes to Lady Zinora's place for his penance for assciationg with Corash, but learns that she had gone to the Docks, having been asked to deal with some situation (something that several powerful people in the city were asked to deal with).
Everyone finally gathers at Fire-Eaters for a late breakfast. Man comes charging into the inn, says "Maddock, Maddock did you hear the news? A ship with yellow sails came into the docks! They've closed off the entire Docks. Ship showed up late last night, now Knights, the entire Wharf Guard arrived at the Docks! Entire things sealed off."
Vundan Longland of the Cairn Hills Adventuring Company shows up at Fire-Eaters. Asked if they'd learned of his companions in the Company; Thom and the others, easily distracted by the skin kites, did not.
He says he learned that some people had heard of Cairn Hills Adventuring Company, and that they were supposed to meet with a contact in the Wharf District, but couldn't find anything more.
They head to Scrappy's. Learn of whirlpool off coast, tentacled monsters in the water, ship in the wharf had yellow sails, but changed colors. Much more violence in the wharfs. Adventuring parties go into the Wharf District and disappear.
A being known as "The Entertainer" has been spotted. Being of some power. May be part of Dark Circle. He may cast frogs out of the air and shoot lightening bolts!" He is apparently tied to the insidious Dark Circle, according to his informants.
Head to the Ettin's Heart Inn for lunch and private entertainment, where Erngard explains that "The Entertainer" worked with the Dark Circle, offering nefarious entertainments for their enjoyments (slaves, prostitues, gambling). No one ever recalls or seeing the entertainers, some saying he has many disguises. Rumored to be dead after the Occupation.
Thom talks with Eril Noosman about the Cairn Hills Co. He says they were good tippers, and that they went missing just at the beginning of the disappearences. Seems like 3-4 adventuring groups go missing, mostly out of towners, not locals.
Heading over to the Blackened Stump, the party realizes they're being followed. They duck down and alley, and Mica drops a pound of caltrops to surprise them. Split up the group, Erngard, Mica and Corash going ahead, while Gruffudd, Sir Fawkes, and Thom hang back for an ambush.
They turn the corner, see nothing. As they turn to leave, they catch a glimpse of someone trying to observe them. Erngard runs afterward ... and catches up with the In Media Res scene.
Into the Sewers
Gruffud, Erngard, Sir Fawkes and Mica went into the sewers to chase the fleeing mercs. Find a sealed wall, then a passageway leading down stairs to a large room. Find room that's about 100 ft in diameter, with a large steel door ahead of them, and to the north there's a smaller, man-sized steel door.
Find that there are ten torches in the room, spaced every 10 feet. Might have been a meeting room at one point. Find that there are blood stains and bones scattered about. As examining the room, a portcullis suddenly falls, locking them in. Those in the room begin looking around, with Mica examining the bones.
Surprised!
As Corash and Thom are tying up the prisoners, they're suddenly surrounded by the blue cloaked members of the Midnight's Turn, led by a regal looking individual.
Thom tries convince them that the guard were about to arrive, but leader says they've been followed all day. They demand they surrunder. Corash throws down his sword and bow, then tosses lions at the leader.
He screams in "NOOOO!" as the lions form, and Corash and Thom flee down the stairs to the portaculis. The lions by time for their escape, then follow.
Corash and Thom get to the portcullis and try to figure out how to raise it. Suddenly another gate falls at the top of the stairs, and the lever releases at the bottom of the stairs. The heroes lift it, allowing the party to join up again. Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs, the villains do not follow, perhaps intimidated by the lions.
Or maybe just afraid of what's opening from the large doors in the room. The doors begin to open, scattering the caltrops Mica had spread in front of the large doors.
Thom begins to play the "Forboding Doom" battle dirge as the minotaurs come charging into the room. Erngaurd gets off a shot against one of the minotaurs, while Corash fireballs the other.
Erngard fires arrows into the hide of the minotaur while Gruffud moves up, brutally slashing at the creature, decaptiating it. Infuriated that Gruffud stole his kill, Mica the barbarous gnome charges the minotaur.
Thom empowers Gruffud with a surge of heroism as Erngard continues to snipe at the surviving minotaur. The creature misses the gnome with its great axe, but scores a hit with its horn, goring him badly.
Sir Fawkes closes as well, cutting through the minotaur's guts, disemboweling it.
As they begin to move further into the room to investigate things. They hear multiple roars coming from the large door, and mechanical sounds as something grinds into position. Gruffud, Fawkes and Mica charge the door, and as they close with it snake like heads appear -- belonging to a hydra!
Thom, meanwhile, sees the other, smaller door has a small, closed slot it.
The hydra charges forward, attacking Gruffud and Sir Fawkes and tearing at their flesh. The paladins are able to slash at it, but the mage misfires his wand of scorching ray, causing him to drop it.
The gnome moves up, getting savaged by the hydra heads on the way. He attacks back, but then the creature bites him twice, causing him to stagger, then collapse to the floor as his rage flees him. Gruffud continues the attack. Finally, Corash gets off a scorching ray, finally killing the thing.
Thom heals the survivors, getting Mica back on his feet. Going to the side door, they find a control room for the myriad gates. They find a guard room and other passages; looking into the cages that held the monsters, they find a number of humanoid bodies and a number of empty cages. Amongst them, they find a ring that matches Vundan's ring, indicating the Cairn Hill Adventuring Company was killed here.
Exploring leads to a finely furnished building, and a nice room. in the room find it is a scrying mirror with chairs gathered around. Hear man screaming for help from inside a locked door: they open it to find Launce Aquestiallon, Gruffud's student at the Golden Swordsman Academy. It seems Launce set him up -- the Entertainer was providing abducting adventurers and forcing them to fight monsters for the entertainment of the aristocrats. The student was the one who'd tipped them off to Gruffud and his allies. The whole thing was organized by the Entertainer, who was never seen directly and is believed to reside in Blue. Afterwards, the heroes learn that Midnight's Turn left the city after the battle in the warehouse.
Experience & Loot
- 5th level characters gain 1416 exp
- 6th level characters gain 1275 exp
| Items | Value (gp) |
|---|---|
| Finely wrought and highly polished 2' x 4' silver mirror with a golden frame. | 1500 |
| 6 Solid Gold Candle Holders (80 gp each) | 480 |
| A finely crafted tapestry depicting the fall of Obsidian Bay | 600 |
| A lockbox filled with various coinage (139 pp, 687 gp, 630 sp) | 2140 |
| Various finely crafted silver cups and plates haphazardly left behind. (value is for the lot) | 375 |
| A gold ring bearing the seal of the Cairn Hills Adventuring Company | 50 |
| 10 everburning torches (110 gp each) | 1100 |
| Various pieces of weapons and armor from previous combatants - mainly scrap | TBA |
