Session 227 - A Disappearance
General Summary
3th Morgat (Third month of Winter) 724TR
The story so far
Over the last eighteen months, Avon has continued his duties as a Red Guard officer, enriching himself and positioning himself for greatness while Acheron has remained in the shadows dealing with the machinations of the evil churches.
Meanwhile, Jolanta, the Order of the White Hand operative, has accepted a new assignment. She has relocated to the Thardic Republic to deal with wizards and necromancers who are interfering with politics and hopefully avoiding assassins. She has joined Avon and Acheron in their adventures.
This is the continuation of Session 143 - A Generous Gift.
Location - City of Coranan in the Thardic Republic.
Part 1 - New Orders
Senator Brayzel Dethale's townhouse in the Carana district was attacked last night. Its guards and household have been brutally murdered, and the Senator has disappeared. Avon is ordered to investigate.
Senator Brayzel is a well-known member of the expansionist senatorial fraction but is opposed to Marshal Kronas Elernin being named emperor or king. He is a devoted worshiper of the goodness Larani and outspoken in his desire for the Republic to declare war on the unstable and evil Kingdom of Rethem.
Part 2 - Looking For Clues
The party arrived at the Dethale townhouse.
Dead guards and servants litter the floor, massacred by blunt impact, strangulation, and even the odd limb is torn from a body. The intruders appear to have broken in through a window. The Senator was taken from his bed, and the culprits fled through the main door.
Interestingly the tracks on the grass show an anomaly. The five sets of footprints leave a trail; three are very large. However, the two smaller sets abruptly disappear.
After Avon identifies himself as a member of the Red Guard, Hollo falls to the ground begging for mercy. But as it happens, it is not for anything to do with the disappearance of the Senator. Hollo confesses that he is a lousy rat catcher. He likes rats and finds them cute, endearing, and full of personality. The rats he catches are released outside the city walls or at the docks. He refuses to kill them.
When questioned about last night, he was catching rats in the Carana district. He saw three large men wrapped in rags in the poor light, accompanied by a woman and another man of average size. The woman was in charge, but the man he thinks he recognized, Biron, the son of the Cartwright. The big men looked dangerous, one stepped on one of his cages, and it shattered. He decided to stay well clear of them, staying in the shadows.
Part 3 - Blaine Does Whats He Does Best
The party scope out the Cartwright business, noting it also manufactures barrels. Nothing looks suspicious. Jolanta and Blaine enter and pretend to purchase a barrel. Again they note nothing suspicious, this business appears legitimate. Puzzled the heroes decide to observe the operation.
One of the workers from the Cartwrights heads out to a nearby tavern for a drink after work. Blaine follows him in and strikes up a conversation. Blaine has a fondness for seedy taverns, and this one fits the bill exactly. The Blue Clover Tavern has bad company, cheap drinks, and a small opium den at the back.
The worker likes Blaine and explains that no one crosses his boss, Mistress Win. Those that have tend to disappear, and no one enters her office without permission.
Part 4 - Sneaking in
Avon decides to take direct action. After midnight, and the worker has returned to the business to sleep, he sneaks in through the windows and stealthfully moves about the business avoiding the sleeping staff. He enters the manager's room and investigates but finds nothing unusual or incriminating.
He opens the window letting Jolanta in, who casts Ashen Memories on the ash from a candle. This reveals the most significant thing that happened while the candle was burning. She sees an image of a Blonde-haired woman (Mistress Win presumably) standing up and her desk moving. Under which a trap door opens. Three huge men dressed in rags enter the room from below.
The rest of the characters enter the room via the window. Avon finds a latch that opens the trap door. However, at night the grating mechanism is too loud and wakes one of the workers. Jolanta puts him back to sleep with a Mind Sliver.
Part 5 - The Dark Cellar
The characters enter the cellar. Unfortunately, a guard lies in wait and sets off an alarm before being killed.
At the back of the room, Avon finds and opens a poorly-concealed secret door. Five well-armed men are on the other side, and he has to dodge a barrage of prepared attacks. He and Acheron dart into the room while Blaine, Moneypenny, and Jolanta hold the secret door. The guards are surprisingly good warriors, but eventually, most fall to the party's experienced fighters and wizards. One guard attempts to retreat into the dark caverns connected to the secret room. He shouts to another man on the other side warning that the invaders are good warriors but are cut down mid-sentence.
The dark cavern has what appears to be openings near the roof, allowing someone to view in. From that location, a harsh feminine voice mutters an incantation. Suddenly the, Avon and Acheron hear a cracking sound and feel a sudden chill. Ghostly wraith-like figures, spectral skeletons shrouded in inky darkness, emerge from the walls and surround them.
NPC Interactions
Warden Azikain Gelber Commander of the Red Guard.
Hollo Ridrascaen the Rat catcher.
Various workers at the Cartwright's.
Challenges Overcome
Killed 2 x Champions, 2 x Thiefs, and 2 x Veteran.
Rewards
Nothing Yet.
Created Content
Nothing This Week.
Related Reports
Senators of the Thardic Republic.
Player Character Status
Acheron- Human - Level 6 Devotion Paladin, Level 4 Hexblade, and Level 2 Divine Soul.
Jolanta - Human- Level 12 Evoker.
Avon- Half-Elf - Level 12 Thief.
Avon
Jolanta
Acheron
NPC Companions
Moneypenny
Avon's able assistant
Blaine
Jolanta's loyal and often drunk bodyguard.
Comments