Playing catch up! Our heroes have done a LOT since last we checked in, so forgive some lack of detail as we work our way through several sessions. Also, this one will be long. Sorry. I've been busy. Following their successful tailing of two failed arena competitors, they see a house on crybaby alley as the probable location of the underground arena. Splitting up, Branok and Cade plan to sneak their way in under the guise of competitors, with the others waiting outside. Checking in at the nearest tavern, The Long Bones, a bartender eagerly gives Branok a secret knock to access the games, suggesting it'll be right up his alley. Using the knock, and a hefty gold fee, Branok and Cade enter the house, only to be immediately trapped in a ramp that sends them outside a cage filled with a low layer of water and some moaning. The rest of the party blitzed their way in, breaking in through a window as Cade and Branok encounter the former Hippo fighters weaking begging for help. With the sound of a small group of musicians playing, and the impression of a wealthy spectator crowd above the cage, the door opens. The party is suddenly set upon by gargoyles, and apparently one or two people from the upper level as well (as a few projectiles were fired at the party from above). Once Truda entered the battle, the music suddenly stopped, and a panic appeared in the upper gallery as a section of grating was knocked over, providing a ramp for the party to get to the upper area. Dispatching the gargoyles (and managing to save one of the former arena fighters...the other got his face eaten...), Cade charged the new ramp and saw a trio of bards armed with blades and daggers, but not engaging him. In fact, they were pointing to the adversaries who had attacked the group in the pit, and who were now trying to hide. The party manages to subdue the old man they'd seen earlier, who turned out to be not human at all, but a skilled Svirfneblin Illusionist named Claagingred. They also capture a rather skillfully hiding human on the other side, and as most of the party are dealing with their new captives, the youngest of the bards looks to Truda and says perhaps the worst word that could be said: "MOM?!?!?!?!?!?!" We'll avoid the discussions that happened between mother and son, as Trystan tried to explain how his bard's college assignment sent him to explore this illegal entertainment ring. And also how he seemed to take lessons from his mother well, as he threw a knife skillfully mid-battle, helping the party. The bigger story was the discovery of Claagingred's diary, which gives ranting obsession with a "lady" who speaks to him, and guides him to targets, though her name is apparently burned away in the note. They also find a bounty for Claagingred, and the group decides: turn in Claagingred for the bounty, take the apparent assassin to the Guild. As they walk back, Branok gets a warning via his tattoos from the Morrigan, telling him to take care around what they have discovered. Also, it seems that, entirely by accident, in the scuffle, candles at the house got knocked over, starting a fire in the Stone Pit's building. On returning to the Guild, the human, once unbound, immediately states that he is a Guild member on Guild business, and Qwand takes him to discuss. Cade gives Qwand the diary note, and is warned that this is a problem they are not high enough in rank within the Guild to deal with. The party then decides, instead, to plot revenge on the bartender of the Long Bones for placing them in such a trap. This trip takes them back to the Long Bones, where the ladies of the party decide to just enjoy being backup, and watching the show unless needed. They have a delightful bowl of a meaty stew, and Flynkin meets a member of the Order of the Door, Brother Merric Brownbottle, Halfling Palladin of the Brotherhood of the Brew. Branok gets the bartender's attention by giving the 'secret knock' on the bar, and an unexpectedly fierce battle immediately begins. Some servers jump to assist, Octavia and Nymeria reluctantly join in, and Flynkin tries to block the unfamiliar hafling Merric from charging in, concerned (and not knowing the Order) that another armed stranger would enter the fight. Fortunately, both Flynkin and Merric were disciplined and skilled, and so nobody was hurt in their confrontation. Some acrobatic attempts (with varying levels of success) let the fight with the bartender into the kitchen, when suddenly he summoned a demon into the conflict! The battle was fierce, but our heroes triumphed, and a deadly discovery awaited them, with the support of their new friend Brother Brownbottle...
TO BE CONTINUED (and hopefully updated sooner than this update took...)
0 Comments
|
Crider's CampaignThe continuing adventure of casual gamers exploring the world of D&D. ArchivesCategories |