Volume 1, Chapter 6 - All's Fayre in love and war
General Summary
Monday, 25th Tummony
As the party are en route back to Kelador with Amilya in tow, Lavanel’s ears prick up as she hears a rustling coming from the bushes. She sends Apollo to investigate and when he doesn’t return, she and the rest of the party enter a clearing to find Helda being restrained by two hobgoblins. As they approach, their Chief proclaims that he is seeking vengeance for the scouting party that was slain a few days prior. He states he would not release Helda until the party paid 500 gold pieces to him. Jed and Rhobur try to deny knowing Helda, and that it wasn’t they who had slain the scouting party, however, the Hobgoblin Chief was not convinced by their story and ordered his horde to attack. As they party are fighting, Jed gets knocked unconscious and something very unusual happens. In a whirl of smoke, he and the purple horse he was riding disappear, leaving only the ring he was wearing on the ground. The party are too distracted to notice that Jed is missing, this is partly due to the fact that Rhobur had used his wild shape to transform into a bear. Upon realising that the Hobgoblins were also hiding in the trees, Rhobur climbed up one of them, ripping the hobgoblin in two and launching it from the tree. The two halves went in different directions, with the bottom half landing beside Lavanel and Gamble who were working on trying to take down the Chief. In doing so, Gamble gets knocked unconscious by the chief as the party had not rested since rescuing Amilya. Amilya used her spells to try and gain the advantage over the hobgoblins and managed to kill 2 of them, whilst Lavanel dispatched another one from the trees with her bow. Helda seized her axe after a spell from Amilya left one of the Goblins, who had been restraining her, in a pile of guts. She then cast healing word to help Gamble to her feet. After using her axe to dispatch the second Hobgoblin, Helda then spotted a giant bear flying from the trees, who proceeded to land atop of the Goblin chief, leaving him prone. Gamble seized the opportunity to take his head clean off with her rapier. After looting the wretched Hobgoblins for all they were worth, the party could hear a slight mumbling in the grass, after investigation, they found that the voice was coming from the ring which had been dropped when Jed disappeared. Gamble tentatively reached out and placed the ring on the end of her dagger, it was Jed asking to be released from the ring. Due to his usual charming manner, managed to get himself stuffed into a bag and carried in the ring, along with the purple horse, all the way back to Kelador. When they reached the town, Jed informed everyone that the only way to release him from the ring was to take it to a cleric. Only they could cast greater restoration and set him free. After considering this, the party asked Amilya what she would like to do now that she was back in the town. It had been 15 years since she last set foot there and she was naturally unsure on who or what was still around after so long. Gamble was able to persuade her to seek out her fiancé who must surely be in town still. She asked if she remembered anything about him that could help them. Amilya responded that he used to be a clockmaker’s apprentice. This led the party to the market district to ask some questions. Helda and Gamble stopped an elderly lady and asked if she knew of this clock maker. Fortunately, she said that she did and directed them towards his shop. Once there they could see that the shop was closed. They caught a flicker of movement inside and so they knocked. A shout of ‘We’re closed!’ replied. Gamble and Helda tried to get him to come out, however he refused to open the door. After a short amount of shouting, Lavanel suggested it might be easier if he just opened the door. With this he came to the door and introduced himself as Jex Goldford. When questioned it transpired that he was already married, Amilya asked if they could leave, which they respected, they then said goodbye to her as she wanted to go and find her family. The party then decided it was time to set off to the temple to try and find a cleric of Oloch, God of the Dark, who could let Jed out of his ring. When they reached the temple, Helda, being firstly a cleric of Balance and, secondly, having insulted someone in the Dark Chapel already by presenting her Ring of Illumination, waited outside. After speaking to the unhelpful clerics, they were then sent to the hospital, stating that they are the only ones who could help Jed. They travelled to the hospital and were handed a ticket to wait in the queue, number 342. After an hour and a half of waiting they were finally seen by a Cleric who could perform the spell for 500gp. Fortunately, thanks to some persuasion, this cost was added to Jed’s family account. Before Gamble allowed the Cleric to perform the spell, she made Jed promise to forgive her deceit a few days before. She had led Jed to believe she was buying him some swords and he was disappointed to discover it was only a ruse. However, by appealing to his desperation and lawful nature, he agreed. Gamble then sensibly prepared the Cleric for the fact that, along with Jed, there would also be a purple horse released from the ring. The Cleric placed the ring on the small treatment table. The spell was cast and Jed appeared… astride a purple horse… with a green beard. The Cleric instantly knew it was a Hony potion and warned them against using his concoctions in the future. The table then collapsed under the weight. The party returned to Jed’s house for a long rest.Nuday, 26th Tummony
In the morning they all got ready for a day and at the Verna Fayre and Ball. During this time, Jed made his way into Gamble’s room and asked her to accompany him to the ball in the evening. Helda sat on the bed and sharpened her blades whilst pretending not to listen. Gamble was naturally suspicious of this, but agreed to go with him as a partner. Jed informs them that, while weapons would be allowed at the Fayre, they would have to be securely stowed before entering the Castle for the Ball and Feast. Fearing being caught short, they all head into town to try and acquire some different items from the markets. At Sandy’s Projectiles, Gamble buys 10 darts, intending to use two as hair pins and secrete the rest on her person. Lavanel gets a new set of arrows. They return to Jed’s before heading to the Fayre.Aronsday, 27th Tummony – The Festival of Verna
The route to the Fayre leads them through Agric Square and along the Royal March. The sides of the roads, the houses and statues are festooned with garlands and swags made of spring greenery and flowers. Children covered with coloured ribbons run through the streets making a nuisance of themselves. Passing through the gatehouse in the Castle wall, they enter the Fayre. There are many stalls and activities available for them to do: poetry competitions, drinking contests, archery contests, bear wrestling and more. Lavanel, Gamble and Helda choose to enter the poetry contest. Whilst they are writing their submissions, Lavanel gets a telepathic message from a voice she recognises as Arpeggio. He messages her a poem for the contest, which then wins Lavanel some gold pieces. Scanning the crowd, Lavanel tries to spot Arpeggio, yet cannot see him amongst the hustle and bustle of the Fayre. Jed and Lavanel enter the archery contest. Jed wins a potion of healing and Lavanel wins a fancy bow. Helda then enters the drinking contest and drinks a Halfling, a Human and a half orc under the table, for which she won a potion of Greater Healing. Rhobur then enters the bear wrestling contest and transforms into Rhobear to compete. Although he loses the whimsical stall owner decides he likes Rhobur’s style and awards him a silver pin in the shape of a bear as a consolation prize. After the games Lavanel receives a message from Arpeggio asking them all to meet behind a tent so that he can update them on what has happened to him. They all head towards the meeting point and see a man standing against the tent. After lowering his disguise, the group realise that Arpeggio had been in the band, on stage the entire time. He explains to them that when he was teleported with the crystal, he was switched with Rhobur and Helda who were travelling to meet the party. Finding himself on the road to Kelador he headed towards it to find some more information regarding his sister. He had heard a merchant, by the name of Aelfreck Pingorn, had been using his business in exotic weapons as a front for a more sinister enterprise – the sale and trafficking of slaves. Pingorn had a stall at the Fayre and Arpeggio intended to use the opportunity to learn more about him. He informed the party that he had found a lead on his sister’s whereabouts, which is why he was at the Fayre. Asking no-one to reveal who he was, he slipped on his disguise and left. Leaving the clandestine meeting, Arpeggio noticed Pingorn’s stall appeared unnattended. On reaching it, he discovered that a gnome was in fact beneath the stall. He enquired about how the gnome was being treated. The gnome was very uncommunicative, seeming scared. Just before leaving the stall, Arpeggio noticed a ledger sitting on it. It contained a list of everything Pingorn had bought and sold, from and to whom and for how much. However, most of it was written in a cipher, so he was unable to read it. The party then headed to the ball, Gamble on Jed’s arm, and the rest following behind. When they approach the guard, Jed asks not to be announced as he doesn’t want the attention. He then slips the guard some money to announce him as the bloodhunter from the south. Once inside they find a ballroom adorned with lavish decor, tables were set out with nameplaces for each of the guests. Canapés were flowing and guests were mingling before sitting down to their meal. Rhobur uses the opportunity to ask the guests about the 4 places they had learnt about from Amilya. He sits down with some Alagrian Dragonborn, like himself, and tries to see if ‘The Snowless Peak’ might be found in his homeland. The Aristocratic Dragonborn treat him, a commoner, dismissively and point out that, whilst no-one had mapped the entire desert, there weren’t any of mountains of note there. Lavanel dances with Helda and they manage to turn a few heads with their ‘unique’ style. Jed looks around for any other members of the Kingsdown Family, and only spots his aunt. Arpeggio, having descended from the Minstrels’ Gallery where he was maintaining his cover as a simple musician, gets Pingorn moved to further up the table with his renowned charm. Once they are advised to take their places, the Proctor, Simon Danbury, stands, dislodging his precious pet Beagle. He proceeds to lead the Verna toast with a speech about the renewal of life. Jed is sat near with Berteph Sinsay, a former school peer. He does not recognise Jed following his change upon taking the Crimson Rite since he was last in Kelador. Whilst drunk they discuss what the common opinion of Jed Kingsdown is in the town, Berteph tells him that it is less than favourable. All the while Bert is bragging to the table about his exploits, whilst his very belaboured and disinterested wife, agrees with him. He tells of the tale of a white dragon that has been seen in the Buckle Pass in the Belt Mountains. Most dismiss this as but a rumour, and likely to be nothing more than a Wyrmling. Jed makes him a bet that he can slay a draconic figure before Bert, which he accepts. Jed ensures he has witnesses. Berteph is VERY drunk. Gio sends everyone a message to meet him in the Buttery, where he has tied up and restrained Pingorn. En route, Rhobur speaks with the Proctor’s beagle and gets him to follow. Gio asks that the group help him get information out of Pingorn. Gio casts a ‘Suggestion’ spell on Pingorn, telling him to sit on a barrel for the next eight hours and answer every question asked truthfully. Through rigorous questioning, they discover that Pingorn is, indeed, secretly involved in the slave trade. He uses this to supplement his income as an exotic arms trader. His memory, however, is imperfect. To help him with this, he keeps a series of ledgers outlining who he buys and sells to. These historical records are stored in The Kelador Vaults. To access them, a key, which Arpeggio takes, is needed, as is a map. The map is currently located in Pingorn’s house. Pingorn reveals that the key to his cipher is the first 5 letters of his name, then the alphabet reversed. Gio also takes Pingorn’s house keys. He then pours wine down his throat and across his clothes and empties some bottles to make him look like a drunk. He upturns a barrel over him. Rhobur ties the Beagle up in the Buttery, to further discredit anything that Pingorn might say once the spell wore off. On the way out Jed confronted his uncle, Lord Baern Kingsdown, the man that sent him away to be sacrificed to the Crimson Rite. He said that he had a very low opinion of Jed – a weakling, a dog-rose growing from the weedy rootstock of his father, not a true Kingsdown. At this point, Jed was ready to wreak revenge on Baern until Baern said that ‘At least Jed had enough Kingdown in him to accept his duty and not deny the debt.’ He accepted his fate and in the end, Baern respected Jed. This surprised Jed so he walked away with a new understanding of his uncle. The party, now on a mission to discover the truth about Arpeggio’s sister, meet outside Pingorn’s shop to try and come up with a plan of action, as the majority of the party had to leave their armour behind in favour of the ball attire, they decide to head back to Jed’s house to pick up supplies. On the way back to Jed’s, the party are ambushed by a group of men in black robes, Gamble started the retaliation by landing a blade on one of the figures. Helda crept into the shadows to launch surprise attacks, Arpeggio uses one of the fireballs on his necklace to disperse the group and then inspires Jed, who subsequently attacks one of the goons with a lightening bolt crossbow to the face. Rhobur then scales the building in bear form, using his claws he launches the man from the roof and uses him as a landing cushion. Once everyone is down the party investigated the bodies, where they noticed a tattoo on the backs of all their necks. Helda and Jed recognised this as being a mark of Chaos, used by a semi-mythic organisation called the Obliviati. Once everyone was back in their armour, they headed towards Pingorn’s house. Using the keys they had taken from him in the Buttery, they opened the door and looked around. They investigated for a short while until a gnome popped his head out of a door. The room looked to be a storeroom-cum-dormitory with a few small beds. The gnome demanded to know why the party were there, Arpeggio spoke with the gnome and learned that he feared for the safety of his family, which is why he worked for Pingorn. Explaining they were there on Pingorn’s bidding and showing the gnome the keys, he persuaded the gnome to go back inside the room and pretend the party were never there. They ventured up the stairs and found the study, Lavanel stayed downstairs to keep watch. Once they entered the room, they saw a neat and tidy study, with an ornate rug, a desk, a few strong boxes and a bookshelf. As Arpeggio entered the room he stepped on the rug. It leapt of the floor and wrapped itself around his face and body, constricting tightly. He recognised too late it was a rug of smothering. Whilst engulfed the rest of the party pulled at the rug to release him, Gamble set to it trying to cut Arpeggio out. She succeeded, but the rug being so tightly wrapped around him, he took a fair amount of damage as well. They then scouted the study to find the ledgers that Pingorn had spoken of. There was a strongbox which they broke open, containing some gold and a map that showed the vault’s inside the bank – as Pingorn said they needed to access it. They concluded the ledgers must be being held there. Hoping that this was a solid lead, the party headed to the bank, only to find it closed for the evening and impenetrable. Jed’s mother, being a magistrate of the court, would have the authority to demand the vault opened so they went to find her. Once they arrived back at the ball they were informed that Jed’s mother had left for the evening and gone on to the after party at The Gavel’s Rest. When they arrived at the tavern, they discovered Jed’s mother was…unavailable… They appealed to several other magistrates, but no-one there could help them as they were all drunk and mostly unconscious. With this, the party decided now would be a time to go and get some sleep back at Jed’s.Dagsday, 28th Tummony
Speaking with Jed’s mother in the morning, she explained that she might be able to help, but that the law moves slowly – it would take time to convene the court and examine the evidence the party were presenting. She did let them know, though, that she had heard that Pingorn had been found apparently drunk in the Buttery and in possession of the Proctor’s prized Beagle. Left with little other choice, they headed to the Kelador Vaults on their own. Entering the Foyer, the party tried to nonchalantly approach the nearest teller, presenting the key and the map. The Teller nodded and went to fetch the accompanying Staff key. When he returned, his face was furrowed: he couldn’t help them as none of their descriptions were written on the ‘Authorised Users’ list. With Gio’s usually excellent persuasion skills failing, Jed used a Charm spell on the teller to let them through to the secure part of the Vault. Their next hurdle was another security feature, and Anti-Magic Arch. All had to pass through this to access the Vault. Normal Vault policy insists a member of staff must accompany customers to their Vault, this was through an anti magic arch so they hurried the teller through quickly, being aware of the anti magic arch, Jed takes this opportunity to remove his Necklace of the Honeyed Tongue, to try to rid himself of the increasing number of bees that had been following him since he had put it on. They approach the lift down to the mine, where a dwarf is waiting to operate the lift, he protests at the unorthodox entry and doesn’t appreciate Arpeggio’s attempts to convince him it is it’s ok. Helda tries to flight with the dwarf, and although he is happy with this, he still doesn’t budge. Arpeggio manages to trick him into saying the code word which activates the lift, and at that command the Golem which powers it sets the lift off on its downward course. At the bottom, the Dwarf is no more accommodating. He tells them that they need another member of staff otherwise their journey is pointless as they will never make it through all of the booby traps down there. When the lift hits level 24 the others get out, Arpeggio tells the dwarf that they will go back up and sort the situation out. Once back at the top Arpeggio charms a member of staff into going with them to the vault, and rushes her through the anti-magic tunnel. She tells them that they wouldn’t have gotten far without someone as there are traps and magic creatures, such as flesh golems protecting the Vault at this level. Once inside Pingorn’s Vault, the party take 3 ledgers, pick up a strong box and leave the vault to open the box it somewhere else safe.They take the box to an Inn in the The Illumination District to investigate further, inside they found 200gp, whilst Arpeggio and Gamble work on deciphering the ledger. Luckily Arpeggio had made Pingorn reveal his cipher, so it didn’t take long to find the information he was looking for. To his combined relief and horror, Arpeggio discovers a girl matching the description of his sister had been sold to a half-Orc slave trader, by the name of Parket Drex, in the port town of Fellhaven in Belegond. The party return to speak to Jed’s mother, hoping to get Pingorn arrested for his smuggling crimes. However, when they reach the house and converse with Jed’s Lady Marsiya (who clearly had a very good night the previous night) they find out that Pingorn had already been arrested for drunkenly stealing the Proctor’s beagle.
Report Date
20 Nov 2016
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