Session 8: Shops, docks and bookstore

General Summary

The party decide to sell the armor, tea, and mushrooms. Gnosh and Fizzy guard the unconscious human Captain, while the rest of the group goes to sell the loot. As the others carry the loot out of the cave, the poor orcs have formed a defensive circle (obviously scared of us), but Feng manages to talk them down a bit. Upon offering to sell our ill-gotten wares, the group of orcs shows our party to some elder-types. Negotiations ensue, and a total price of 40g is offered and accepted. The tea is exchanged or 10g (the orcs call it Smokeleaf), and the mushrooms (called Mist Mushrooms) for 110g. Total sell price: 160g. Feng keeps the Melshimber signet ring. the party takes the boat out of the cave and travel out to the Dock Ward. There is a place on the edge, called Mist Shore, that is quite ramshackle and worn, which seems to be a good place to make landfall with our new goods and our heavily-beaten prisoner. We abandon the boat. Feng needs to take our prisoner back to his the Lords Alliance and Aden wants to make contact with whoever wants the Drow’s head. Both Feng and Aden will seek more info.   Feng’s thing: Jalester Silvermane accepts the pirate captain alive, gives Feng 50g, and lets him question the prisoner. The Captain says that the Drow was a “hired gun” for the transport of the goods, and was provided as a courtesy by the seller. He also tries to convince Feng that there were no other parties besides his employer and the buyer, but he is lying. Feng leaves him in jail for later questioning. The Lords Alliance knows little about our Drow, but the mechanized weapon is not unknown in the city.   Aden's thing: Aden goes to the Yawning Portal and sees Yagra (an Orc fighter) and Davril at a side table, drinking and talking. They are friendly, and Aden starts a conversation with Yagra by showing her the head. She approves, as the Drow was a troublemaker in the Dock Ward. She reveals that the Dead Drow is not always in the city, but is only present when the Sea Maiden’s Fair is in port. Aden drops the head into the actual yawning portal. Aden asks about one of our unidentified signet rings, and Durnan the Yawning Portal  barkeep, identifies one as Cassalanter, and another as Gralhund, another is Lanngolyn, and the last is Moonstar.The group heads back to the Trollskull tavern for a long rest, divvying the loot, and some heavy drinking. Boxley sends three guys to help us fix up the tavern. We share info   Infodump Summary: The Drow is an assassin-for-hire based on the Sea Maiden’s Fair and was here just working a job. He was working with/for the pirate Captain, but some other party was the mastermind of the cargo-selling operation. We now have architectural drawings of several noble houses as well as signet rings.   Feng turns in our forged stuff to the Lords’ Alliance. They reveal that there have been some break-ins at various Noble Houses by a personage known as the Black Viper: a thief whose identity is unknown. The Alliance is pleased that we turned in all of the forged stuff.   Fizzy starts learning how to use her new blackpowder pistol!   The Next Day: Lily’s Note: “Uzy has trapped a monster in her book shop and the guard won’t help.” We will help!   We head to the Trade Ward. Off to the side is the City of the Dead, which we search for the automaton via the umbrella stick thing.   We get to the bar we’re heading for, and the barkeep, Darkion, seems to be running the entire place. Upon inquiry, he directs us to Uzy. She is visibly upset.   We offer to help her clear out her monster, and ask for further information. “I was closing up shop, when a flying mini-orb with many eyes scared my cat! I left my shop closed up and haven’t been back!” Aden identifies the monster as a Beholder. The name of the shop is “Curiosity and Satisfaction.” She gives us the keys and tells us the shop’s location: Sorn St.   Some enter the shop and hear a low growl from the cat and something else. We see the Beholder, and it appears to be very small: about eight inches across with only four eyestalks.   With much Ballyhoo and derring-do, we kill the Beholder. My pistol, which apparently shoots poisoned shot, now has only nine shots left.   The shopkeeper, Uzy, is very happy, and rewards Gnosh with some Faction goodies, and gives us another book of nondescript appearance. The pages appear blank upon initial inspection.