Session 20: The Man with a Machine Head

General Summary

Viribus' Presentation

• As the night drew on, the party retired to each of their respective locations.
  • Ashpin, Verin, and Dooturr returned to the Loft, seeking supplies. Torfe was understanding, saying that guild members always watch out for one another, and took them to the armory. They then discussed what they were trying to do with the Boromar Clan, with Torfe saying it was best that they cut their losses, and addressed the bigger problem of Droaam, for which their House Lyrandar airship was waiting.
  • Maleakos and N'nchyk spoke with Alice, telling her the situation with Philip. She was distraught, but said that Philip always spoke so highly of the Crypt Crew that if she was to trust anyone with his life, it would be them.
  • Viribus angrily returned to his mansion, and furiously prepared a presentation in light of their recent defeat.
• Morning came, and the party met at Viribus' mansion. It was newly renovated, with the former chapel rebuilt into a training arena. It was also redecorated, with many of the strange items that Shiksu owned were removed in favor of more lavish decor. Viribus later revealed that on account of an anonymous tip, the Harbingers of Aegis were the ones to renovate the building.
• Inside, a still-furious Viribus channeled his Karrnath military experience, and lectured the party on their embarassing defeat at the hands of the Boromar Clan. He said the "strategy" of everyone running headlong into battle will no longer work as their enemies grow in power, and he detailed particular tactics that would complement each other's abilities. He also encouraged them to share their abilities, as the more they knew about the other, the more effective in battle they could be.
  • For example, Verin's ability to Enlarge Ashpin and Viribus only works of he is within reach of the people he is casting the spell on.
• Viribus also said that it was likely that he has yet to discover all of the mansion's secrets, as he presented his new sword - forged with a strange black metal, with streaks of red flashing across it and a light red smoke coming off of it. The sword would aid him in making his enemies more susceptible to magical effects that the others may try to impose on them.

Skycoach Ride with the Buyer

• After departing the mansion, the party was approached by an older purplish tiefling dressed in a crisp suit, white gloves, and a black top hat, introducing himself as Cressel and offering them Boromar family secrets, which immediately grabbed the party's attention.
• They were led to an elegant, gold-trimmed skycoach, inside of which was a lavishly decorated interior, alongside expesnive alcohols and a station dedicated to various smokes. Sitting in the dim corner was an individual in a white suit with human flesh, but the head of a machine, with glowing purple eyes and smaller flashing lights.
• The man hardly introduced himself, but spoke in a monotone voice, recognizing the tight spot the Crypt Crew was in with the Boromar Clan.
• It was eventually deduced that the individual was the buyer the Boromar Clan had spoke of, as the man indicated he was the owner of the information that was keeping the mafia under his thumb. He also held knowledge about the shadow organization, and would share it with the Crypt Crew as part of a deal he was proposing.
• The deal was as follows: empty the warehouse and factory, according to the Boromar Clan's wishes, in order to convince them of the party's deception. Obtain the coral tablet, and return it to the Last Raven Pub in Upper Menthis Plateau at 9:00pm. A plan will be formed, using a decoy tablet and the fullest of each party member's abilities, to infiltrate the hideout in The Cogs successfully. There will be their gear, and the 10,000 galifar advance sum the man provided to the Boromar Clan. The party will obtain the gold and what remains of their gear. They keep half their gold and their gear, and the man receives the remainder of his gold. He will then use his information to undermine the Boromar Clan completely, vacating them from the city
• In this deal, the Crypt Crew receives their gear, a large sum of gold, and a city rid of the mafiosos. The man receives his tablet, half of his initial sum instead of having to pay the Boromar the full price, and a city with extremely vacated markets and business shares.
• Maleakos was much less against the Boromar Clan than the rest f the group, as he revealed that they were responsible for helping his father out of a rough patch years ago.
• The Crypt Crew agreed to the deal, and the man told them about the shadow organization now in Sharn, called the Order of the Emerald Claw. Only Maleakos had heard of it before.
• The man gave them several pieces of advice. Firstly, the Order's agents think their existence and master is a secret. Defeat them in battle if you can, but if they begin to lose and need an ace in the hole, tell them Lady Illmarrow has commanded their venerable deaths in the name of the Blood and Order. This will have about a 37% chance of succeeding, depending on their deceptive abilities.
• In addition, the blueprints to the factory and the Order's plans are hidden somewhere in the warehouse. The Crew should use them to form a scheme of their own.
• After all was said and done, the man provided the combative aid he had promised. A selection of finely crafted weapons, an expensive defender construct, and holy oil to easily slay the undead. With gifts given, truffles consumed, and expensive bottle of wine provided, the Crypt Crew departed the skycoach, and made for the warehouse.

Another Boromar Warehouse

• The warehouse was of a similar construction to the one that the coral tablet was stolen from: sturdily built of stone, though covered in ivy. A plan of entry was discussed at length, with N'nchyk hesitant to use his wild shape powers to create a rat familiar. Dooturr was without his thieves' tools as well, so eventually N'nchyk managed to peek through a crack in one of the shuttered windows.
• He encountered a hallway that looked as if it had been rummaged through. It was full of random and old equipment and armor, though that was not N'nchyk's focus. He tried to quietly sneak into the back room, but a creaking floorboard gave his presence away to the two skeletons in the room. They turned very stiffly and in unison with emerald light glowing in their eye sockets as they spoke in unison, "We've been waiting for you."
• N'nchyk engaged in a quick and quiet scuffle with the skeletons, dispatching them as quietly as he could, but he was not quiet enough. A creaking sound could be heard as N'nchyk quickly stuffed the bodies into a bag, and the back door was no sooner shut than the door to the back room burst open with a loud roar. Several footsteps could be heard, and Ashpin called upon his divine nature to detect the mass of undead that were inside the warehouse.
• Eventually, the construct threw open the door, and all hell broke loose. Zombies and skeletons swarmed into the room, and a bone-clad individual directed each of them. His eyes glowed the same emerald as the skeletons and zombies, and managed to exert his control over Dooturr.
• But they were no match for the well-rested and prepared Crew. The holy oil that coated their weapons was particularly effective against each of their enemies, and they quickly fell.
• The party quickyl scoured the warehouse, eventually finding a locked metal box with a peculiar keyhole and a scratched-in "fuck you too". N'nchyk eventually realized that the middle finger bones of the commander were missing, and Dooturr realized that the key that was found on its body perfectly fit over the middle finger bone of a skeleton. Thanos' middle finger was popped off, placed into the indent, and the box was successfully opened to reveal the factory plans and blueprint.
• The door to the back room was peculiar: as each individual tried to open the door, their own image appeared in it, bumping into them clumsily and awkwardly as they tried to pass through. Something in Verin's mind clicked, and he remembered the words of Donnie: "It was about time someone taught you some manners." N'nchyk eventually politely offered to let his reflection go first, but his reflection insisted, "No, no, after you!" and let N'nchyk open the door.
• Behind the door was a room full of books, on of which was presumably The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo, which was the key to the secret elevator that led to the factory below.

Rewards Granted

• Lose-Me-Not Figurine
• 2 Potions of Healing
• Spell Scroll of Identify
• The factory blueprint and plans

Character(s) interacted with

• Alice d'Tharashk
• Torfe Korranor
• The Man with the Machine Head

Created Content

• Order of the Emerald Claw 

Date begun:
25 Zarantyr, 998 YK
Date ended:
25 Zarantyr, 998 YK
Party level:
6

Report Date

13 May 2021

Primary Location

Sharn