Session 5

While Farlin and I copy sections of Lady Marack's book of secrets, Harbeks resizes one of the suits of mail we found on the duergar into something that Kriv'n can wear. Farlin tries to convince the high priest of the temple to hold on to the book without telling him what it is - and fails. He'll have to come up with another hiding place.

We stop for a meal while we wait until it's time to meet Radu and Lady Marack. I head over to Hommel's shop, where the meeting Radu requested is to take place. Right now it's rather busy-for my taste, at least - but it should clear up by the time Radu and Lady Marack make their presence known. The roof of Hommal's shop is probably the best hiding spot, and while I'd love to be up there, I'm not sure if that's where I'm going to be. I'm not letting the boys have the book, but Lady Marack will probably insist on seeing the book, perhaps even inspecting it.

After discussing it with the boys, I keep the book and hide on the rooftop anyway. I can recite from the book if she wants proof, and Harbek is more than willing to catch it if I need to toss it down.

When Lady Marack arrives with her guards, Kriv'n tells her everything, in non-specific terms, about us being go-betweens for Radu. A pair of darakhul join me on the roof, probably sent by Radu. Kriv'n's words are just making Lady Marack angry, and Harbek isn't given a chance to calm her before she orders an attack. More darakhul appear, moving to intercept the attack.

The darakhul aren't there to protect us so much as they're around to kidnap Lady Marack. This complicates things for us, because now we're implicated in whatever Radu is up to. This is not what we signed up for.

The darakhul run off with Lady Marack. Her guards, those still alive, turn and run. Kriv'n tells the darakhul that we're not finished, but they just laugh at him.

Information Copied from Lady Marack's Black Book

The Mayor's Assassination

• The Cloven Nine were responsible for the assassination of The Mayor
  • They went through great lengths to make it look like it was from natural causes, but my examiners were not fooled.
  • However, we decided to keep the truth to ourselves and flood the city with misinformation.
• The real mystery is that The Cloven Nine are being manipulated by a hidden entity.
  • They are covering their tracks so well that my best spies are unable to uncover any information.
  • Whoever can puppeteer The Cloven Nine and hide their tracks must be considered extrememly dangerous

The Power Vacuum

• In the power vacuum since The Mayor was assassinated, Nobles are scrambling for power in hidden ways
• A large network of minions are being collected to serve the needs of their employers.
  • Praetors are working against one another in pursuit of being the next Mayor
  • Nobles are positioning themselves to become Praetors
• There are 3 players that have stood out as playing the game in a shrewd and effective manner:

  • Lord Greymark

    • Wants to be the next Mayor and is commonly seen as the most politically capable of obtaining it
    • Although proof is hard to come by, he is at the very least a senior member of The Red Cloaks, if not the leader himself. I don't have proof of this... but when I do...
    • The Red Cloaks Cult keep their secrets frustratingly well, but from the little bits I get, I fear they are way more sinister than the crime syndicate most think they are
    • Greymark keeps the company of several succubae and has fathered two children through such courtships... Tieflings Edmure Orillian & Ilyana Dukovich

  • Narris Larigorn

    • The Mistress of the Temple of Painful Pleasures
    • While most see this as a fetish brothel, it's really a front for the Cult of the Red Goddess
    • My spies suggest that the bard Jayzel may be working with or for Narris
    • Seems unusually well connected and knowledgeable of Zobeck's secrets
      • I suspect she leverages blackmail against some of ther more politically connected customers

  • Brayden Harwyck

    • A well-liked noble within the upper class and middle class folk who know him
    • While most playing "The Game" have ignored him, he has climbed the ranks of influence in short order and with a suspicious skill
      • I don't trust him. Anyone with that good of a reputation is hiding something.
      • His likable and disarming demeanor doesn't match his ascent in influence
      • My spies aren't finding anything on him and it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up

Saint Thurden Forgehammer

• There are as many stories as people in Zobeck as to why Thurden left the city after vanquishing The Dark Scourge.
• While most wonder why, I wonder where
• If he has been able to stay alive outside the city, could he be brought back to help stabilize the brewing powderkeg? Even in his senior years, he would be better than what we will end up with.

Sergeant Hendrick

• Big Ego... Greater Ambition
• His pathological need for power and pleasure make him easy to manipulate
• Gambling problem has been exposed through leaning on the owners of his favorite establishments

Hlin Liftrasa

• A fast riser in the ranks of The Cloven Nine
• I suspect she was guilty of much of the mayhem within The Ghetto a few years ago
  • A few piss-ants took the fall for her crimes. We knew it was her, but couldn't prove it. We crafted the evidence to pin it on some Ghetto trash.
  • The Warden's kickback was confusingly generous... so much so that I lost curiosity to dig any deeper
• Attempts have been made to get her to be an informant for us
  • She has played along, but I get the sense she's playing all sides to her benefit... I have a grudging admiration for her