Missing Allies

Life, Organisation Association

In the aftermath of the ascension of Rockshire. The Path of Nightshade discovers Big Tuna and Trigger are unaccounted for and travel deeper into the city to track them down.   Party Level up to 10

The Shades emerge in the very early morning darkness, near the breaking point of exhaustion. The air seems correct and Alcath conforms to have been returned to the material plane. They travel to the Golden Touch for some much-deserved R&R.   The city crumbled and was damaged it looked like an earthquake had rattled every building and pathway. Most of the citizens of Rockshire were still hiding or sleeping, while others were not lucky enough to survive. Somebody lay still in the streets and upon entering the Golden Touch, it seemed uncharacteristically quiet and still.   After a long rest and a level-up. Waking up late afternoon, Bobushio puts his plans to get Gilly elected into effect. Bobushio takes to the streets to repair some buildings and Gilly agrees to distribute candies. As Gilly greets the people she is more and more recognized. Many ask whether she has been Bobushio explains that she has been training to be a leader.   The Ivy Hill Gardeners and grunts have taken to the city to help with relief the are quickly identified by their red vests.   The party makes their way to The Ivy Keep. It is heavily guarded and busy. They are greeted by someone who recognizes Gilly and is confused AF. He asks where her father is. He reveals three people are missing; Big Tuna, Trigger, and Louie HaHa. Ivy Hill doesn’t know what’s going on. Jackie the Nose has been sent out looking, and Zips is keeping everything going here at the keep. (Meera is in the stables and happy as a clam).   Inside The Keep, it is surprising how undamaged it is. The building is well-constructed and resilient. The hiccup tree is uprooted a bit and leaning to one side and damaged. Zips greets them in an office. She asks if all this is their fault. Bobushio blames this on Zips and the other captains of the Ivy Crew. Gilly demands a report, then turns it around and says "We’re here to help." Zips says Jackie the Nose went to Helm’s Ferry to see how they are fairing and look for Big Tuna and Trigger.   Thuniel offers to explain everything later over drinks and suggests sending a delegate to the Stormpeak Clan. The Shades offer to bring back Big Tuna and Trigger. Zips agrees as they need any help they can get after the devastation of Rockshire.   The Shades head into Gilly’s room, but the magic password seems not to work anymore. Thuniel cannot move it with telekinesis, and the artificers cannot get it open. They decide to shatter the stone unless Moz can stone-shape it.   Moz makes a hole through the trapdoor and they get through and head down. At the bottom of the stairs, we find the dungeon trashed, but it doesn’t seem like anyone’s been down there. Moz sends an earth elemental (they named affectionally Dwayne the Rock Johnson) traveling through the dirt and stone like water swimming through the collapsed tunnel to see if anyone has been buried, trapped, or otherwise entombed. The elemental comes back and says there’s one dead and one unconscious (Big Tuna is unconscious and Reginard is dead). Moz sends it back with a bag of holding and instructions to put both bodies in there.   Finally, Dwayne comes back. Gilly runs up to take the bag and reaches in. The first thing that comes out is her father’s corpse. Gilly and Caia pull Big Tuna out. He is barely alive. Caia casts Cure Wounds. Big Tuna says that Trigger went to get Louie HaHa's body that was left at The Pole after the first fight with the Demogorgon.   Big Tuna explains while he was down there, the tunnel collapsed, and that’s what he remembers. They travel upstairs, and Zips is excited to see him. Big Tuna throws out a dad joke and is mostly recovered.   The party then travels to The Pole where Louie HaHa fell, and sees the smear of blood and a trail of footprints leading away. Trigger’s boot prints follow the path of the other footprints. It is unclear if there was an encounter or if Trigger followed the path. The trail leads into Helm’s Ferry.   Thuniel leads the Shades into Helm’s Ferry following the trail with skill and grace. The city changes from one side of the street to the other as they reach the border of Ivy Hill and Helm's Ferry. Buildings are more geometric and made of stone with fewer plants. They are greeted by dwarves in nice Blue coats, with maces and axes. Thuniel bullshits her way through and they are escorted to Skordan Grimhelm. Thuniel asks Alcath and Caia to stay back. They back up a bit and go invisible and try to circle around before the dwarves can spot them with Thuniel's group.   Thuniel, Bobushio, Gilly, and Moz follow the guards through the city. The dwarves have already done extensive repairs to the city. Moz notices that people are recognizing the daughter of the Don of Ivy Hill Gilly and The Pirate King. She relays that to Thuniel through the mind link. Thuniel notices they are being led away from the tracks through a high-traffic area toward the docks. There seems to be more Tabaxi and other races mixed in here, more so than in Ivy Hill. Closer to the Hanmouth River, there are a lot of boats and trade, much more diversity.   Near the Hanmouth River stands giant casino called “The Talisman.” It’s still operating and busy. The Shades are led through the main floor, past theaters, into the back area. Bobushio has been here before. After waiting for a long while Gilly hears a voice she wishes she didn’t have to hear again. A boy’s voice; Grildor Grimhelm pouts “I don’t want to see her. She didn’t want me! It’s insulting to me. I’ve been hurt, and I don’t want to mend our relationship with Ivy Hill.”   A young dwarf appears with guards in tow. Grildor (top hat, nice coat trimmed in blue, boots, lots of gold trim, and a big red bushy beard, gaunt for a dwarf) and his mom and Skordan’s wife, Redla “Red” (beefy, gorgeous dwarven woman, bright red hair, blue fur coat).   Gilly sees Grildor and is repulsed and also slightly amused that he hasn’t changed at all from the whiny, entitled bitch he has always been.   Bobushio has dealt with Skordan before but knows Redla by reputation. He immediately turns on the charm and says he sees why Skordan has never let him see her before. Her guard drops a second, and Bobushio capitalizes.   She says she’s heard tales of The Great Pirate King, both good and bad, and she wants to know more about the attack on Oni Island. She asks if you're here to collect the bounty on Gilandre Boulderhill. Bobushio introduces Thuniel who goes full-on court etiquette and Red responds in kind.   Red asks Gilly why she’s here. Gilly replies "for diplomacy." Red asks if Gilly has spoken to her father because he has been looking for her. Thuniel and Bobushio try and hedge, but not well. Red offers to let us stay here in the casino until her husband is available where we can discuss the matter further.   Bobushio gets the feeling that she will watch us like a hawk. Thuniel says that we can’t just wait around. Some people need help. Red says she won’t let Gilly leave because she wants the bounty. Bobushio says the bounty has expired, and Thuniel says the note is no longer valid.   Red can’t believe that the note isn’t working, and she frisks Gilly, taking her weapons. Gilly picks up Red’s pocket, taking back her thieves’ tools. Bobushio shows the death notes that he has collected, and she takes the cheapest one. Gives Bobushio 5000 GP, then shackles Gilly and takes her away.   Red says "We can discuss further business tomorrow at noon with her husband." Thuniel plays up her irritation, reminding her that we just came from Ivy Hill and they won’t honor the bounty. Thuniel says we’ll be back tomorrow.   Meanwhile, Alcath and Caia are sneaking through the city. They follow the path to a place where the bootprints change to pawprints. They are led over the Raven Bridge into Sunrise Side. Caia changes into a nondescript Tabaxi while invisible. It’s a much more crowded, shabby shantytown.   They are led to an alleyway with nothing in it. A Calico Tabaxi is standing there, looking sneaky. It looks as though she just finished doing something. She uses her wand to cover a space with an illusion. Then she walks away as if she is finished with her errand.