Episode II: Who Watches the Watch?

General Summary

Dramatis Persona

Valkia: A fire genasi cleric of Anu (PC).
Kellen: A gnome wizard (PC).
Orlayax: A black dragonborn thief (PC).
Watcher: A nature magic wielding warforged who is working with the watch (PC).
Khasos: Leonine owner and proprietor of the Inn of the Last Call.
Wilxif: Kellen's gnome travel companion.
Luna: The eladrin roost-keeper of the Inn of the Last Call. Currently held captive by the Black Hand.
Elspeth: The young earth genasi ward of Valkia, acolyte of Anu.
Abelard: The elderly porter of The Inn of the Last Call.
Grylex: The captured Black Hand assassin.
Sergeant Goran Deversk: Watch Sergeant. Young. Arrogant.
 

The Rescue Plan: A Debate

Together the party read through the manifest to see the contents. Contained within the manifest is the list of items being shipped which include:

• 100 Longswords

• 100 Daggers

• 1200 Arrows

• 50 Shortbows

• 25 Crossbows

• 500 Crossbow Bolts

• 50 Chain Shirts

• 5 Breastplates

• 15 Ark Crystals

The shipment is being hauled by a small caravan coming from Granite Hill. The sender and point of origin is not identified but the manifest lists every evening stop over the journey. From the manifest the players can see the caravan will take twenty days to make the trip and it left sixteen days ago. The names of the locations the caravan is due to stop the next four nights are:

• The Golden Dragon

• The Shrill Shrew

• The Sword and the Lion

• Winter's Edge

Valkia remembers that Winter's Edge is the name of Lady Winter Khai-Aldra's estate in northern Talonhome. A place she stayed on her way to the Plaza.   The group debates the merits of forging parts of the document versus handing them the original. Valkia is worried that a fake may risk Luna's life while Orlayax seems intent that the weapons do not make their way into the hands of the Black Hand. Eventually Kellen asks Khasos, "What should we do?"   Khasos's response is simple, "Falsify the names of the Inns. Abelard will assist you in this endeavor as we he knows many of the Inns in this area. You have parchment and ink and the young dragonborn already presented the seal of the Dustmen that will help with the authentication. Let me know if you need anything else master mage."   Kellen nods and gets to work while Abelard shuffles over to him and sits down. Khasos turns to Valkia, Watcher, and Orlayax and says, "Come with me. We have a guest we need to question." He leads the group through the kitchen to the north and into a small storage room. Inside, the tiefling Black Hand member sits in a chair. He is tied with rope to the chair and his arms are manacled behind him. He slouches slightly and looks down at the ground as the group enters. Khasos shuts the door behind him.  

The Interrogation

"What is your name?" asks Khasos. His voice reserved and without emotion. The assassin turns and spits at Khasos, who remains calm but repeats his question more emphatically, "What is YOUR NAME?". The young man ignores the question. Khasos moves behind him and his talons dig into the mans shoulder. The rogue winces in pain and blurts out, "Argh! Grylex! My name is Grylex!".   "Where are you from Grylex? Where are you staying?" Khasos says as he retracts his claws and moves back around to the front. Grylex grins and mutters, "Wouldn't you like to know?" Khasos responds by backhanding him with his massive paw and Grylex spits at him again, this time his spit mixed with a little blood. Khasos is about the repeat the question when a female bartender knocks on the door and enters. She seems visibly distressed at the troubles in the room but tries her best to ignore it.   "Sir, the town watch is here asking about the troubles earlier this evening. They are asking for you." She says in a nervous voice.   Khasos thanks her and turns to the others in the room, "Please continue the conversation here, I will tend to the watch." With that response he turns and opens the door and exits with the bartender right behind him. She gives a nervous glance behind her as she exits but shuts the door as she leaves.   Valkia approaches Grylex and in deep guttural abyssal points to Orlayax and says, "I can heal whatever the dragonborn does to hurt you and we can keep this up all night." Grylex lets out a small laugh and responds in abyssal, "Your god might frown at that." and immediately Valkia responds with, "We do not seem to be in a church."   Orlayax and Watcher watch the exchange and are uncertain of the content of the exchange. Orlayax approaches and gets down on his knees to bring his head to eye level with the tiefling and says that he and Grylex are on opposite sides of the fight between the Syndicate and the Black Hand. "It makes no difference to me if I kill you today or tomorrow. He urges cooperation from Grylex. Grylex seems to relax knowing that the dragonborn is like him but responds unhelpfully with, "They'll kill me if I tell you anything. They'll kill me and my family."   Valkia chimes in, "If you help us we can protect your family."   "What kind of protection? How can you protect against The Blank Hand?" Grylex inquires.   "That depends on the information, now talk!" Valkia states.   Grylex nods and begins, "I don't know much, I'm pretty new to the crew. Only been their sixth months to pull in some money for my family. Works been hard with the foundry closings. But there are 2-3 dozen members at the forge. Plus, the leader."   Valkia responds, "Tell us about the leader."   "He's new. Been there maybe 2-3 months. Mostly hangs out by himself in the forge offices during the day and disappears at night. His lieutenant keeps us working but the rest of us don’t' speak to him much.   "What does he look like?" Valkia asks. Grylex points at Watcher, "Like him. Maybe a little bit taller and bulkier but he looks like that one. Makes my skin crawl he does."   "What was the plan for tonight?" The group asked.   "We sent a group to steal the manifest. The dragonborn got their first. When word reached us that he had taken it the leader sent the rest of us to recover it. " Grylex responded.   "That is not entirely true. You and another attacked Sergeant Aelard and murdered him earlier." Watcher remarked.   Grylex nodded, "That was the distraction, to get the group into the Dustmen guildhall. We knew you were watching it and myself and another were dispatched to distract you while the others infiltrated the hall."  

The Watch Arrives

Kellen has been transcribing the pages of the manifest for only a short time when the door leading to the outer common areas opens and two watch members in their red and white tunics enter the dining room. "Everyone must gather in the common room. Everyone! NOW!"   All throughout the Inn town watch members begin to relocate guests from their rooms, staff in all parts of the Inn, and the players to the common room.   As the guards enter the storeroom containing Grylex, Valkia, Watcher, and Orlayax they see the roughed-up thief tied to a chair and the lead watch member, a corporal from the looks of his insignia, yells out, "Oi! What's going on here then!" He and the other watch member draw their swords and walk forward. Valkia steps in and says that he was a member of the group who attacked the Inn earlier and they were just asking for information.   The guards reply with, "All of you must go out to the common room, now! We'll take over here! This is under the jurisdiction of the watch!"   All of the players filter into the common room with Kellen in the southern common area, Valkia, Orlayax, and Watcher in the Northern common room. Valkia meets up with Elspeth who is also there while Wix sits down near Kellen. Khasos and a member of the watch can be seen discussing something with Khasos visibly perturbed. Kellen moves closer to the pair to listen and overhears a little of the discussion, "We will interrogate everyone! no one will be allowed to leave! This is serious Khasos, a member of the watch is dead, and we must find justice!"   The watch member talking to Khasos dismisses him and moves over to the southern stairs. He climbs halfway up the stairs and announces loudly, "I am Sergeant Goran Deversk of the Anaxian Watch! We are investigating the incident that occurred on the plaza earlier this evening that left several dead. Cooperate with us or you can spend the night in jail. No one can leave the Inn until we question everyone!"   Groans of discontent fill the Inn as watch members move to block doors out of the common room and the stairs. Khasos defuses the situation by yelling out, "First round of drinks on the house tonight!" Cheers shout out at the news and the servers move to bring wine and ale to the patrons. Sergeant Deversk can be seen starting his interrogations.  

The Guest Departs

At roughly 11:30, the sergeant is still at work when both Kellen and Valkia hear sounds of a struggle from the storeroom where they left Grylex. Kellen stands up and moves over to the door while Valkia watches near Elspeth. The watch members near the door ignore Kellen, focusing on the rest of the patrons and clearly oblivious to the noise in the other room. Kellen pushes the door to the storeroom open and inside everyone sees the guardsmen on the floor, the chair where Grylex sat broken, the rope cut. One watchman lay in a pool of his blood with his throat slit open. The other is slumped over and appears to be unconscious. Kellen shouts, "Look!" and the guards nearby peer inside and gasp. Valkia has already stood and begins to walk towards the room. The guards enter shortly before she does. One checks on the fallen guardsmen while the other investigates the room.   Valkia enters and kneels next to the more seriously wounded. She can tell instantly that he is beyond her help. His spirit has already left. She moves to the other one that the watch member has rolled onto his back. A gruesome burn scar in the shape of a hand marks the watch members face. He is bruised and several lacerations are noted. She mutters a prayer to Anu, her patron and feels his divine power flow through her and into the watchman. In an instant the cuts and bruises are healed and even the burn on his face is reduced to only a little scaring around the sensitive parts of the face. He is breating but still unconscious.   The guardsman finally notices Valkia and asks what she is doing there. She reponds that she is helping them, and he asks what she can do for the other one. She responds that she can perform the rites of passing and the watchman nods and says that the man’s widow would surely be thankful.   At this time Sergeant Goran Deersk has made his way over to the commotion and asks what is happening. He implies that the players are suspicious and Kellen and Valkia mention that the men were attacked while they were all in the common room. Goran blurts out, "Don't tell me how to run my investigation! I am in charge here! All of you will remain over there until I can question you" as he points to a corner table on the far side of the northern common area. He motions for guards to walk you over there. Kellen lets out a sigh and mutters, "Of course you are in charge" while shaking his head. Valkia and Kellen are escorted to the corner but Valkia diverts over to Elspeth and tells her to follow him. The guards choose to ignore this, thinking she will return when she gets her acolyte.   Before returning to his questioning, Sergeant Goran tells the two guards currently in the room to patrol outside and look for the assailant. Meanwhile, Valkia tells Elsepth to follow her, and she makes for the nearest stairs. She attempts to ascend the stairs, but the watchman blocks her and says, "I'm sorry sister, but everyone must stay in the common room." A short exchange occurs, and the guard allows Valkia and Elspeth to ascend to prepare rites for the fallen and Valkia puts her hand on his shoulder as she ascends and mutters a prayer to Anu with her eyes glowing as she does so.   As Valkia ascends the stairs and the watchmen are distracted with everything else Orlayax moves into the unguarded storeroom. He investigates the fallen guard and notes that the wound on the throat likely came from a garrote and no sign of the manacles can be found. He hears sounds of approaching guards and exits the room quickly and silently as guards come to haul off the body and the wounded watchman.  

The Watch and the Watcher

Kellen puts his head down on the table to rest. It's late and the day has been full of action. Hard to believe half a day ago he only just arrived here at the Inn. Orlayax finds a quiet and dark corner and tries to stay out of sight as best as possible. Nearly two and a half hours pass when Kellen is awakened by the voice of Sergeant Goran. "Attention good folks of Talonhome! The investigation is over. We have a person of interest apprehended and we will be leaving. Please cooperate with the Anaxian Watch and disperse to your homes!"   Kellen and Orlayax notice Watcher being guided out of the Inn by four watchmen led by the sergeant. The rest of the watch in the Inn seem to try and hold people back from dispersing until the sergeant is near the edge of the plaza. Then they begin to leave with some of them carrying the body of their dead member on a board. The wounded guardsmen is awake but needs two watchmen to help him to his feet and to walk.   With the departure of the guard and the late time, Kellen and Wix head to their room and turn in for the night. Orlayax, remembering his lost daggers and wanting to check for signs of Grylex or others helping him, decides to go for a midnight stroll.  

A Midnight Stroll

Orlayax heads to the front of the Inn and plans to go searching for the daggers lost in the fight near the guildhall. Upon passing the courtyard he instantly recognizes that his plan may need to change as he sees several watchmen near the guildhall pacing around and hauling bodies from within. He sees two guardsmen near the northern bench in the park and decides to see what they are discussing. Sneaking along the northwestern wall of the Inn he makes his way into the park and follows the trail from southeast to northwest near the guards. Hiding behind a sturdy maple tree and some bushes he overhears the guards talking about another watchman that died that night. Someone by the name of sergeant Aelard who was supposed to be checking on a freelancer but died. Mentions of a warforged conclude the information he overhears but the talk quickly turns to Aelard and how his retirement was soon, and he and his younger wife planned to move to a better part of town. As the guards continued talking, Orlayax leaned forward to hear better and a dry branch snapped off one of the bushes. Immediately the guards began to approach his location and shouts out, "Who goes there?"   Orlayax puts on his best innocent look stands up and starts walking down the patch towards the watchmen. "Good day gentlemen, Nice evening for a walk, isn't it?"   "What are you doing out this late?" The closest guard asks. Orlayax repeats his claim and the guard states, "You'll need to come with us." The second guard circles around behind Orlayax and the two begin to escort him closer to the bazaar and the arklamp. As they draw closer to the nearest striped awning the lead guard turns and begins to ask more questions. "What business do you have on the plaza tonight?"   Orlayax responds that he was merely stretching his feet after being stuck in the Inn all night. The guard presses him for more information and details on why he is at the plaza and Orlayax says that he is there on business selling beer from Baric Trueforce, his master. The guard pauses for a moment and lets Orlayax move on. Seeing that the night is not going to give up further secrets Orlayax returns to the Inn and Khasos grants him a small room to stay.  

Quick Takes

• Kellen has begun copying the manifest but will alter the names of Inns to draw off The Black Hand

• The party interrogated the assassin and learned his name, Grylex, and that the forge is protected by a few dozen members of the blank hand.

• Grylex also gave a description of the leader of the Black Hand at the forge, a warforged.

• The Anaxian Watch arrived and sequestered everyone in the Inn while they conducted an investigation.

• Grylex escaped and one guard was murdered and another severely injured. Valkia healed the injured.

• The Watch took Watcher away and identified him as a suspect.

• Orlayax learned that sergeant Aelard was near retirement and checking on a freelancer when he died.

 

Loose Ends

• Kellen needs to finish copying the manifest

• Orlayax needs to recover daggers

• What happened to Grylex?

• Who is Grylex's family?

• What will happen to Watcher?