Session 1: Introducing the Clifftop Adventurer's Guild

General Summary

The Screening

• You all met in the screening room of the Clifftop Adventurer's Guild and met Sir Theobald Evans and Torfe Korranor. Nayries was the last to arrive, and was the only one to introduce himself to the leaders. N'nchyk was quick to hurry away from a fruity-looking elf that had slandered him.
• They asked you each a variety of questions, hopefully giving you the opportunity to learn more about one another.
• Dooturr, the strutting skeleton with swagger, answered the questions mysteriously and chose to play a lovely tune on his trumpet that turned him invisible. Midway through the interviews as well, Dooturr handily defeated Theobald, the Loft chess champion, at a quick game that stunned Torfe.
• N'nchyk, the eccentric triton mycologist, had fungus growing all over his body. He expressed his interest in the field of mycology, and immediately recognized two mushrooms presented to him by Theobald. He hoped to join the guild in pursuit of more knowledge of the field.
• Viribus, a very young-looking human with intense eyes and a scratchy voice, introduced himself as an expat from Karrnath, having completing his required military service. He expressed interest in rising through the ranks of the organization, as such a thing was difficult in the military. Torfe rose from his chair and drew some small quarterstaffs to toss to Viribus, who didn't take to it kindly and began crackling dark arcane energy in his hand, eyeing Torfe warily. Theobald defused the situation, and they engaged in a short sparring session that left Torfe impressed, both with his martial prowess and spellcasting ability.
• Nayries had been patiently waiting his turn, and he and Maleakos arrived at the podium at the same time. The former was a 6'5" goliath with leathery gray skin and rippling muscles, while the latter was a devilishly handsome tiefling with a satchel and modest clothing. They squabbled for a bit, in which Nayries lifted Maleakos by the scruff and set him back down elsewhere, which Maleakos responded to by nearly putting Nayries to sleep. Theobald was delighted at the quarrel, and gave them a simultaneous interview, in which Nayries destroyed the podium with his greatsword and Maleakos played a tune on his eccentric instrument. Maleakos also showcased his "Never forget the Lyndenburg Disaster" t-shirt.
• Patiently waiting his turn, the strong-looking half-elf Ashpin with a Homelander smile gave what seemed to be Theobald's favorite answers. After describing his ability to defuse situations with his words, Theobald summoned a menacing dark shape, which Ashpin handily smited while his eyes glowed a rich silver color. The spirit turned out to be an unloved spirit stuck in limbo on Dolurrh, the plane of the dead.
• As a young boy Hiroki blundered his way through the interview, a dark brown owl swooped into the room and had a frantic interaction with Theobald, after which you heard a massive explosion and bloodcurdling screams - and you all rushed into battle, N'nchyk trying to rush to the front and babbling on about bravery.

The Invasion

• You followed Theobald, who was sporting spectral wings with fury in his eyes, and Torfe, who was bellowing at the top of his lungs from the back of a warforged titan. You all drew your weapons as you ran, with N'nchyk becoming surrounded by actual necrotic spores emanating from his neck tentacles, Nayries brandishing a greatsword with an intricate golden hilt and a beautiful arcane blade, Viribus wielding a sword and shield, Ashpin lugging a massive greatsword akin to Nayries', and Maleakos a neat instrument he calls a "claviodica".
• Everyone discovered a scene of absolute horror, with buildings being attacked and several civilians and first responders lying dead and eviscerated at the monsters' feet.
• The improvised group of adventurers took care of business in an incredibly impressive manner. Ashpin and Maleakos put several of the beasts to sleep. Dooturr managed to single-handedly take down an ogre with some steady shots from his bow. Nayries managed to combine some seeming mental abilities with his sheer strength to knock one of the minotaurs right off the bridge. N'nchyk suberted expectations by showing some martial prowess combined with the lethality of his spores. Philip did his best to help keep some of the other heroes alive. Viribus deflected the horn of a minotaur with some strange arcane shield that surrounded his entire body, and followed up his sparring session with a practical display of his weapon.
• But it was not an easy battle. Ashpin fell several times, kept alive by the healing magic of his friends and religious ally Philip. The monsters seemed to land every important attack. N'nchyk was gored on the horn of a minotaur and was ragdolled back several feet. Maleakos managed to stabilize his mycologist friend with some strange medicine in his pack.

Alleyway Pursuit

• Just as things seemed to be coming to a close, a large feral beast of some kind rendered Torfe unconscious and dragged him away in its maw. Without hesitation, the boys gave pursuit. Dooturr clattered his way through a horse in the way, Maleakos suffered a collision with some particularly solid glass, N'nchyk couldn't control his sheer speed and barreled into a pile of barrels, while the calm and collected Ashpin shouted down a group of brawlers and Dooturr redeemed himself by coolly hydroplaning on a pile of snow.
• The beast was cornered in an alley, and with eerily human form, threw a statue at those who managed to arrive first, with the cavalry of Viribus, Nayries, and Philip catching up later. It was a short, brutal fight with biting and canine punching from the red-eyed beast, who mocked Torfe and Ashpin's voice with eerie accuracy. Maleakos demonstrated incredible finesse with some gloriously majestic stabbing with his rapier, Dooturr managed to hide his bones in the shadows and land a sneak attack, and a clutch last-second arcane blast from Viribus stopped the beast from grabbing Torfe once again.
• After the beast skidded directly next to Torfe's body, dead, everyone collapsed with sheer exhaustion. They heard a resounding crack, and were beyond relieved to see a battered and bruised Theobald had returned. He immediately rushed to aid Torfe, and Ashpin restored Torfe to an impressive amount of health by imbibing him with some of the golden vitality of his amulet.
• Members of the Sharn Watch came and began to handle the body of what Maleakos ascertained to be a leucrotta, a feral beast that often travels with bands of gnolls. Seeing one in such an urban setting was quite strange.

Returning to the Loft

• On the way back to the Loft, the slowly coalescing party was approached by a gnomish reporter that called herself Tika Deromon. She pointed a strange device at the party with a puff of smoke, and interrogated them up until they returned to the Loft. Dooturr informed her the monsters were actually aliens that had fallen from the sky, while Maleakos enthusiastically told her about his large beetle in a jar named Santiago.
• The streets of Sharn were eerily quiet, and many citizens looked at the bloodied and crippled group with fear. But the presence of Theobald and Torfe clearly commanded respect, and for some of you, it was the first time you hadn't been glared at on the streets.
• Once returned to the cozy screening room of the lost, two gnomish clerics - one of which couldn't stop glancing at Maleakos - applied healing magic and potions to restore the boys back up to top condition.
• Theobald was pacing about, much more agitated than the boisterous leader the party had previously seen. He said his owl had informed him that the monsters were airdropped in via airship, and the attack had been orchestrated by Droaam. The nation has not claimed responsibility for these attacks - as there have been other attacks as far as a decade back on the western border of Breland. Because of this, Theobald says that King Boranel ir'Wynarn has no legal grounds to declare war. And if he did, what would the other nations say? It could very well descend into another Last War.
• Viribus inquired as to why scouts were not being sent to investigate. Torfe angrily retorted that the Guild had already sent several Clifftoppers - all of whom have perished. Viribus said they might not be sending the right people, and Theobald and Torfe exchanged a wary look - one that indicated they were cautious to send more heroes to their deaths.
• After a private and brief conversation, with many glances at the party, Theobald gave the party a small smile as Torfe invited them all to a tavern for a drink, and requested that Philip tag along.

A Mission in a Tavern

• After ordering their drinks and meeting them at the table, Torfe expressed his extreme gratitude for the party chasing after him and rescuing him from the fate of the leucrotta. Drinks were on him. After hearing that they were brave and showed extreme prowess on the battlefield, N'nchyk began dancing on his stool and Philip beamed around at them all.
• But, combat superiority is not what makes a true Clifftopper. Wit, kindness, integrity, and ingenuity are all desirable traits. So, he and Theobald settled on a bit of an unorthodox plan to fast-track their full initiation into the guild.
• A House Sivis raven had dropped off a letter at the Loft earlier in the week. It was from a warforged named Chains, who claimed that trouble was brewing in the Cogs. It mentioned that warforged were being forced into labor by Alden d'Orien, one of the figureheads of House Orien, to search for a powerful item, or even items. It gave a time and place to meet Chains the next day at noon at The Gear Crank, a warforged dive bar in High Walls, a district in Lower Tavick's Landing. He requested that they investigate Chains' story, as forced labor in the Cogs with the involvement of the Dragonmarked Houses could prove problematic. He also requested that they return Chains to the Loft as inconspicuously as possible - whistleblowers are not often taken kindly to.
• Torfe recommended that if they wanted to acquire gear, that they stop in the popular market The Bazaar in Middle Dura. He then left a couple items with Philip for safekeeping: a writ of CAG authority and 100 galifars for any party costs that are incurred. And as tokens of his appreciation for saving his life, he left several wondrous items with the party.
• And with that, he bid them goodnight, and good luck.

Rewards Granted

• Dust of Sneezing and Choking
• Deck of Illusions
• Amulet of the Drunkard

Character(s) interacted with

• Sir Theobald Evans 
• Torfe Korranor 
• Paven, the clerk for the Clifftop Adventurer's Guild 

Date begun:
1 Zarantyr, 998 YK
Date ended:
2 Zarantyr, 998 YK
Party level:
3

Report Date

19 Dec 2020

Primary Location

Sharn

Related Historical Events

• 998 YK
  Battle of Upper Dura