Session 8: A Week of Respite

General Summary

A Bittersweet Conclusion

• The party began their adventure where they last left off, in the crowded tavern of the Loft. Lots of other adventurers were there, drinking and singing along. However, the festivities were short-lived, as with a small burst of flame, a parchment drifted down in front of Maleakos, who's bright expression visibly dimmed as he read the note. It was from his mother.
• He hadn't heard from her in years, and he slightly wished he still hadn't heard from her. The note was a grim warning, saying he and his friends were responsible for the death of a rakshasa, and that Brucos would come for them. The party also discussed the profiles that had been found in Shiksu's mansion, and everyone save Dooturr passed them around.
• A young looking half-elf named Verin introduced himself to the party, and offered his services as a city guide to the party. Nayries said his solemn goodbyes, and quietly exited the Loft. Meanwhile, an exquisitely dressed elf tried making sly conversation with Maleakos, and was promptly blinded by N'nchyk.
• Morning rolled around, and Theobald eventually visited them in the now-bare tavern. He gave them each a Clifftop Adventurer's Guild ID card. The party grimly showed him the note from Maleakos' mother, and did seem a bit concerned by it. He asked Maleakos if there was any way for him to be sure that it was from his mother, but he could not confirm it for sure.
• Briefly after the conversation with Theobald, the party all went their separate ways for the week before Philip's 50th anniversary dinner the next Far.

Downtime, For Once

• N'nchyk began the project of integrating his spellcasting focus - the lichen-covered piece of driftwood - into the handle of his sea-themed scimitar. Maleakos conducted research on the Blood of Vol. Ashpin accompanied Philip to service at his local High Hopes Silver Flame Temple. Viribus went pit fighting to a certain degree of success. Verin socialized in the taverns of Middle Methis Plateau, making the friendly acquaintance of a local Sharn Watch guard.
• In addition to these downtime activities, some Crew members wanted to seek out specific activities. Viribus sought out the Bureau of Municipal Properties to inquire about the now-vacant mansion of Shiksu, but the clerk there said there was no mention of death in his files. However, they did mention Brucos as a next of kin. The clerk also estimated the value of the mansion to be about 15,000 galifars. Ashpin, Verin, and Viribus went to Ellarian's Enchanted Emporium in Upper Central Plateau, where Ashpin learned he needed a scroll of enchanting to enchant his glaive as a magical weapon. The party then spoke to Frederick of the Clifftop Adventurer's Guild, who informed them that a scroll could be found in a former chapel in Cliffside and had become infested with kuo-toa. Dooturr, N'nchyk, and Maleakos were elsewhere.
• During the week, Theobald sent a message to Ashpin. He requested the party meet him at his tower sometime during the week, to which Ashpin responded "Oh my god guys don't think I'm crazy but Theobald is talking to me in my head."
• When the party reconvened, the Crypt Crew Megaspooks (Dooturr, N'nchyk, and Maleakos) informed the rest of the party that the Sharn Watch tasked them with investigating several murders and stolen goods in a warehouse in the city.

Speaking with Theobald

• At the end of the week, the party traveled back to the Loft to speak with Theobald. He led them up a spiral staircase into the absolute silence of his tower, which he said was guarded by magic - and indeed it did seem to shimmer with some sort of arcane protection.
• He told the party he had publicly announced their admittance into the guild in the hopes of clearing their name, in the light of everything they had gone through. He said the Sharn Inquisitive would publish the news if the group went in for an interview, and Theobald promised to accompany them. Less pleasant was the discussion about the woman, Lasha, and her daughter the party had rescued from Shiksu's mansion. He fed and clothed them in the Loft, and spoke with them when they were eventually feeling up to it.
• Lasha told him that people with aberrant dragonmarks had been in hiding ever since the extermination that was the War of the Mark. Several of them fled to the Cogs, where they had lived in safety - relatively speaking - for years. That was, until they were captured and experimented on. The time they were captured was the same time the Brelish politician Okeanos Tsitak had publicly announced that he had developed an aberrant dragonmark, which Lasha found very strange. Aberrant dragonmarks were only hereditary through the extremely sparse survivors, and besides, developing one wracks your body with pain while your mind forms unintelligible thoughts that are agonizing to try and comprehend. Developing one was not cause for pomp and circumstance.
• Theobald asked if any of that meant anything to the Crew, but they were mainly confused. They did acknowledge, however, that they found one of his speeches in Shiksu's mansion. Lastly, Theobald made to say one final thing, but thought better of it, saying he had to be sure.

Rewards Granted

• Verin made a contact - a friendly member of the Sharn Watch 
• Ashpin earned a favor at the High Hopes Silver Flame Temple 

Date begun:
5 Zarantyr, 998 YK
Date ended:
13 Zarantyr, 998 YK
Party level:
4

Report Date

28 Jan 2021

Primary Location

Sharn