Session 291 - Rat Poison

General Summary

6^th to 10^th of Nolus (Summer) 726TR

The Story So Far

The heroes have learned from Lady Bresyn Risai of the White Hand that the Esoterical Order of Lothrim,  a shadowy cabal of evil wizards, is plotting to create a mage-ruled empire. They are led by a mysterious figure calling herself the Daughter of Lothrim, who wields a Ring of Domination. This powerful artifact can be used to control anyone, and Lady Bresyn does not know who may be corrupted and who she can trust.

This is the continuation of Session 290 - The Order of Lothrim.

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Location - City of Tashal in the Kingdom of Kaldor.

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Part 1 - The Physician Consults

Dryueh, a physician with a growing reputation, receives a message from Lady Bresyn Risai, "Her Ladyship is feeling poorly and would like a consultation."

The party arrives at the Order for the White Hand Agent's townhouse to find her in good health; her illness was a ruse. She has a mission for the heroes. A White Hand operative, Khâl, a dwarven fire and metal wizard, is investigating the artificer Amerbas who reportedly has said he was planning to "Create a wooden army of death."

The artificer's hidden laboratory is said to be near Castle Olokand. Fearing that Khâl could potentially be compromised by the wearer of the Ring of Domination, she asks the party to test him by pretending to be Order of Lothrim agents and noting how he reacts.

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Location - Fur Road in the Kingdom of Kaldor.

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Part 2 - The Smug Knight

The heroes make their way to Castle Olokand. On the road, they spot a disturbing site. A knight and three guards are standing over the corpse of a peasant. The knight has blood on his sword and has obviously killed the man.

Rycon immediately approaches, identifying from the man’s livery that he is from Clan Dezaller, the holders of the nearby Loban Manor. The arrogant knight also identifies Rycon’s colors, and the men have a tense conversation. Sir Cyra Dezaller claims he killed the runaway peasant after he refused to return home to Loban Manor to complete his duties and attempted to strike him.

Meanwhile, Valeria stares intently at Sir Cyra, Reading his Aura. The knight revels in cruelty and is pleased with himself after killing the peasant; his blood is up, and Valeria senses he wants an excuse to fight. She gives him one. By subtle insult, she riles the man, manipulating him. Rycon sensing the hostility, plays along, and soon he and Sir Crya are throwing insults at each other. Eventually, Sir Crya, after demeaning Rycon's weapon of choice, a katana forged by the famous foreign master weaponcrafter Yebisi Netoshi, challenges him to a duel. Rycon accepts. The men will fight here and now.

Sir Crya and Sir Rycon face off and test each other; they are well-matched, receiving and delivering minor cuts. Then Sir Crya delivers a powerful strike and knocks Rycon to the ground, then follows up with another telling blow on the prone warrior. In an all-or-nothing attack from the ground, Rycon stabs his katana at Sir Crya's legs, cutting deep into his poorly protected knee and severing a tendon. The Knight falls to the dirt in pain. Rycon has won, and Dryueh rushes to staunch the bleeding and saves Sir Crya's life. Sir Crya's men hastily find a cart and return the disabled knight to his home Manor of Loban. He will never fully recover and have a limp for the rest of his days.