Sand and Shadows - Lion's Crest

General Summary

As the Wardens continued investigating the bloody murders mentioned by the Queen they found themselves in Sea Gate at The Steam Room. Having found more mysteries than answers the group considered what to do as the two leads walked out of the bar.

Shadows

Seeing the men leave, feeling that she had just let go of something more precious than she had known, Myra nodded to the group and ducked outside into the grey, blustery day. Waiting for the group under a nearby awning to keep the rain off, the men had disappeared. As Myra waited she returned to her own appearance dropping the guise of Lyra. Inside Adama, Hagren, and Raijun closed out their tabs and proceeded to join Myra in the rain. As Gwen was closing her tab Tintreach came over and told the bar tender that she was covering him. Gwen denied it but when Tintreach took a bottle of whiskey and met the group outside Gwen paid the tab remarking to her self about the principle of the matter.
Having collected the group they decided to make their way towards the warehouses where the last attacks took place for further investigation. On a shadowed side street the Wardens ran into a group of children, eager to relieve us of our cash. As Hagren, made a note to look alive, Myra called out offering to instead employ them if they could help us find someone. The kids, initially thinking we were easy marks, asked for the gold before showing us the location. Myra offered to pay half up front but as she changed to appear as the slender elven man with dusty black skin and longer robes most of the children ran in fear. One dwarf girl pleaded with us not to let the 'Shadow man' know that they had helped us and that they were sorry.
As Myra returned to her form Adama offered to up the payment amount to 50 gold in return for information on him. The little dwarf girl, named Dorothy , tentatively approached the group and told us that the shadow man had taken their friend from them. Myra asked for the friends name and Dorothy described a scruffy plump halfling named Timothy. she said that the Shadow man employed kids from the docks to do work, get into places that adults couldn't get into. Adama asked where we might find the shadow man and Dorothy asked if she would get the gold if she told us. Adama pulling out 40 gold and Myra supplying the other 10 gave the girl the money in a small satchel provided by Hagren.
Dorothy, emboldened by the new money, continued that 'the sandmen' hung out by the ware house and provided directions. When asked about the sandmen she said that there were usually at least 3 that hang around and that they always took the children who were 'most hungry'. When asked about why she was so afraid of the shadow man Dorothy said that he 'knows your fear' and 'once he's done with you, you don't come back'. She also said that the sandmen listen to him and 'appear out of the ground'.
Myra, seeing an opportunity to get closer without suspicion asked Dorothy if she had a spare set of clothes she could buy off her. Dorothy, very unnerved by this line of questions said she didn't but she could procure one if needed but would rather spend the money on food. Myra, softening her gaze, told Dorothy that she would find what she needed herself and instead directed the girl to go to the Whitemane community center and tell Mama that we had sent her. She encouraged the girl to bring her friends and told her that, should they go, they would be provided with more food then they could possibly eat. As Dorothy left the alley she glanced back at the group smiling in appreciation.

The Sandmen

Using the information provided by Dorothy , Myra picked up some clothes that would fit someone slightly younger than herself and transformed into a young halfling girl. Adama disguised self to look like a younger human boy as they made their way to the warehouses. The warehouse Dorothy had mentioned was a long building with a barn door on the entrance. when the group tried the door it was locked but Raijun decided to scout out the building by performing a series of flips to get up to the second story. Pulling out his thieves tools Raijun made a small cut in the glass to gain access, catching the broken glass before it shattered and caused more noise.
Making his way in from the second level he found a dimly lit warehouse, appearing in a small storeroom. Myra, impatient below, messaged Raijun and requested that he come down and open the door for the group. Acquiescing to her request, Raijun jumped down and unbarred the barn door allowing the others inside. With everyone inside the building, they started investigating the boxes and barrels that lined the inside of the space. They found a series of crates with various company markings some with trade company crests others unmarked or marked with lower company markings. Adama, opening one of the chests, found nothing but tin mugs. Myra, noting the amount of noise the crate made when opened, and hearing footsteps approaching motioned for the others to hide.
While most of the group attempted to hide, Myra attempted to draw attention to her and Adama (who were still disguised as children) asking loudly where the food was. As she deliberately stared at Adama, hoping the others were safely hidden, two figures approached clad in grey tan cloaks. One of them turned to address Myra and Adama asking if they were hungry and telling them that they had a job for them. As Adama responded to one of them expressing our interest, the other one walked further into the warehouse. First noticing Trenchcoat followed quickly by Gwen and Tintreach. As the one exploring expressed dismay at how many of us there were and started to form a weapon from his arm conjuring a saber made of sand, the one by Adama expressed how the hungriest children were the most tasty kicking off the battle.
Through the battle we discovered several more sandmen in the back of the warehouse each able to materialize sand weapons from their forms. Tintreach turned one into a chicken, and the rest were dispatched save one who escaped through a large false Keg in the back of the warehouse. As Adama sent his owl down after the sandmen his vision quickly was scattered by the sandman attacking Hedwig. Myra stole off to a corner and donned her amour returning to her former form while asking the group to dispatch the remaining chicken. The rest of the group felt guilty for killing a chicken, despite it not being a chicken, the person who was turned into a chicken being a construct, and the risk of leaving an enemy behind. Myra expressed her dismay but completed but went along with what the group wanted, to imprison the chicken and leave him alone, before descending the ladder.

Sandstone Halls

As the group made their way below the warehouse they found themselves on a pathway of old stone with a small chasm before them, no sign of the sandman who had retreated. Raijun quickly shadow stepped to the other side of the chasm expressing his dismay that the others couldn't follow him with such ease. Myra requested that he take the immovable rod to the other side with a rope tied around that she secured to the metal ladder behind them. Gwen stepped up as the first to cross the chasm using the now secured rope without problem. Next up Hagren made it across, nearly falling but catching himself on the other side. As Trenchcoat tried to follow he slipped falling from the rope into the chasm. Raijun dove after him but only managed to dislodge him further as he shadow stepped to safety. As Adama readied an attempt, Myra ran and swan dived after Trenchcoat casting feather fall as she caught him. Requesting a rope be thrown down, she pulled them up to the other side. Adama, feeling confident he could make the jump without the use of the rope decided to leap, only to lose his footing and start tumbling before catching himself with a misty step to safety. Tintreach being the last remaining on the initial side took the aid of the rope but fell near the end. Myra reacting quickly, grabbed his hand, anchored herself using the immovable rod, and pulled Tintreach up to the other side to safety.
Having bested the chasm the group continued on the rickety stone bridge as it snaked it's way down further into the dungeon. While Hagren and Trenchcoat looked for traps Raijun scouted ahead, upset that his previous hero attempt had gone awry. Adama and Tintreach took up the middle of the pack while Myra and Gwen brought up the rear. Myra was asking after Tintreach after the near fall and Gwen who seemed to be slightly shaken by the ordeal. Just as Trenchcoat spotted something with Hagren's aid, Raijun heard the 'click' of a plate moving and a giant gorilla appeared before him bellowing in rage. Raijun (failing the wisdom save) was instantly terrified of the Gorrila and retreated toward the group as the remaining memebrs rounded the turn to see the beast. Adama, attempting to attack the ape, feared similarly to Raijun and ran from the hallway. Hagren, thinking that he could disarm the plate Raijun stepped on stepped up but also was intimidated by the gorilla. Myra, sighing from the back of the group walked up to the gorilla noting the underlying runes. From behind her Raijun asked if he could have her cloak when she was devoured. She rolled her eyes replying 'No' while disabling the trap making the gorilla fizzle out.
Continuing down the hall, the group encountered a locked door. Raijun, being at the front made motions to attempt to open the door. Gwen motioned to go into the hallway behind him when Myra held out an arm to block her way and told her to just wait a minute until Raijun had activated the trap. Raijun, confidently declared the door was clear, attempted to pick the lock, and was promptly blasted down the hallway from an arcane force. As Hagren and Trenchcoat approached the door to attempt to disarm it Raijun question how Myra knew the door was trapped. Myra pointed over her shoulder and said it stood to reason that if the hall was boobytrapped the door would be to. Hagren and Trenchcoat made short work of the door, disturbing the sigils that maintained the trap and opening the door to small room covered in treasure. Despite initial apprehension that the piles of gold were a trap, investigation by Trenchcoat and Adama found nothing but the gold and gems present. While Trenchoat was investigating he found a small key that Adama identified as being magical. Hagren instructed Trenchcoat to give it to Myra to investigate while the others loaded up the packs with gold. Myra was able to identify the key as Havoc's Key and said it seemed to fit well in Hagren's arsenal of messing with doors and returned it to him. The loot, when divided, came to 133 copper, 1,000 silver, 350 gold, and 21 platinum each with Gwen receiving a diamond worth 100 gold, Raijun pocketing a piece of Jade worth 100 gold, and a piece of Amber worth 100 gold going into the bag of holding.
Leaving the room with their pockets a bit heavier, the Wardens rounded a corner to find another chasm before them. Raijun immediately darted across mocking the other Wardens for not being able to do the same. Myra, shrugging, instructed Spryg to fly the immovable rod across and set it. As they were preparing again, Adama cast Tenser's floating disk and Myra offered another solution. Reaching into her bag he pulled out a single potion of jump that would enhance Adama's jumping ability for a minute. using that and Tenser's disk they were able to ferry everyone back and forth without issue.
At the end off the hall sat a single final door. Hagren quickly dispensed with traps and locks ad slid the door open to reveal the elf from the bar surround by four sandmen. He started to speak he asked if we were here seeking the 'coins of eight' and what brought the group down to his domain. As Adama sized up the room, eyes glinting, he withdrew a wand from his pocket and cast fireball centered in the room beyond.

Report Date

15 Feb 2021

Location(s)
Lion's Crest
In Game Start Date
One Day After the Summer Harvest Festival
In Game End Date
One Day After the Summer Harvest Festival
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