Session 291 - Rat Poison
General Summary
6th to 10th of Nolus (Summer) 726TR
The Story So Far
The heroes have learned from Lady Bresyn Risai of the White Hand that the Esoterical Order of Lothrim, a shadowy cabal of evil wizards, is plotting to create a mage-ruled empire. They are led by a mysterious figure calling herself the Daughter of Lothrim, who wields a Ring of Domination. This powerful artifact can be used to control anyone, and Lady Bresyn does not know who may be corrupted and who she can trust.
This is the continuation of Session 290 - The Order of Lothrim.
Location - City of Tashal in the Kingdom of Kaldor.
Part 1 - The Physician Consults
The party arrives at the Order for the White Hand Agent's townhouse to find her in good health; her illness was a ruse. She has a mission for the heroes. A White Hand operative, Khâl, a dwarven fire and metal wizard, is investigating the artificer Amerbas who reportedly has said he was planning to "Create a wooden army of death."
The artificer's hidden laboratory is said to be near Castle Olokand. Fearing that Khâl could potentially be compromised by the wearer of the Ring of Domination, she asks the party to test him by pretending to be Order of Lothrim agents and noting how he reacts.
Location - Fur Road in the Kingdom of Kaldor.
Part 2 - The Smug Knight
Rycon immediately approaches, identifying from the man’s livery that he is from Clan Dezaller, the holders of the nearby Loban Manor. The arrogant knight also identifies Rycon’s colors, and the men have a tense conversation. Sir Cyra Dezaller claims he killed the runaway peasant after he refused to return home to Loban Manor to complete his duties and attempted to strike him.
Meanwhile, Valeria stares intently at Sir Cyra, Reading his Aura. The knight revels in cruelty and is pleased with himself after killing the peasant; his blood is up, and Valeria senses he wants an excuse to fight. She gives him one. By subtle insult, she riles the man, manipulating him. Rycon sensing the hostility, plays along, and soon he and Sir Crya are throwing insults at each other. Eventually, Sir Crya, after demeaning Rycon's weapon of choice, a katana forged by the famous foreign master weaponcrafter Yebisi Netoshi, challenges him to a duel. Rycon accepts. The men will fight here and now.
Sir Crya and Sir Rycon face off and test each other; they are well-matched, receiving and delivering minor cuts. Then Sir Crya delivers a powerful strike and knocks Rycon to the ground, then follows up with another telling blow on the prone warrior. In an all-or-nothing attack from the ground, Rycon stabs his katana at Sir Crya's legs, cutting deep into his poorly protected knee and severing a tendon. The Knight falls to the dirt in pain. Rycon has won, and Dryueh rushes to staunch the bleeding and saves Sir Crya's life. Sir Crya's men hastily find a cart and return the disabled knight to his home Manor of Loban. He will never fully recover and have a limp for the rest of his days.
Rycon
Dryueh
Valeria
Clan Dezaller
Ruling family holding Loban Manor, from the King.
Location - Castle Olokand in the Kingdom of Kaldor.
Part 3 - Chaos at the Standing Bear
The party arrives at Castle Olokand. Valeria visits the town's weaponsmith, Nibinel of Falen, and asks if he has seen the dwarven wizard Khâl. She finds that the dwarf recently purchased some iron filling and nails and was seen traveling north along the Fur Road yesterday.
While the party settles in, Rycon notes an old knight sitting by the fire with a chess set. About to approach, a serving maid tells him he is Sir Gowen Karondal, a retired veteran of the Treasure War. Rycon is warned, "Don't mention the war." Rycon can't resist and finds the slightly senile but cheerful old man's war stories entertaining. The old knight intensely loathes Chybisans and took every opportunity to explain how devious and dishonorable they were during the conflict decades ago. Despite being a bit doddery, Sir Gowen thrashes Rycon at a game of chess.
That evening the visitors' rest is interrupted by the frantic Innkeeper Haselun. The man looks like he is having a nervous breakdown and urgently needs Dryueh's help. He hastily explains that his half-wit assistant, Caelan, accidentally mixed up some of his trays of food prepared for tonight's gathering of noble guests with product laced with rat poison. Haselun begs Dryueh, a physician, to identify and remove the poisoned food trays without alerting her noble guests. His reputation will be forever destroyed, or worse, if his noble guests were to be poisoned.
Rycon distracts the nobles and quickly becomes the center of attention, helping in part that word of yesterday's duel has spread. While the nobles are entertained, Dryueh starts searching for the poison, looking for off-smelling food items. He finds a suspicious plate which is quickly removed. Valeria resorts to the dark arts to help. She starts randomly scribbling on a piece of paper, and soon, the shape of a pig appears. Under the roast boar's head, the characters find a plate of poisoned berries. The characters have adverted disaster and earned the eternal gratitude of Innkeeper Haselun.
However, during the various conversations, one of the noble couples in the room, Sir Ernold and Lady Aubry Kobarn of Helstru Manor, mentions the dwarf Khâl. The dwarf, a skilled artisan, repaired one of Lady Aubry's gold necklaces, but she found her silver brooch was missing. Khâl has been accused of thievery, and Sheriff Maldan Harabor, the king's bastard son, has ordered his arrest.
Part 4 - The Wooden Warrior
The next day on the road north, Dryeuh begins tracking, looking for a trail of a dwarf, and soon his keen eyes spot oversize boot prints with a short gait. These lead off the Fur Road into the deep forest.
Suddenly, a man-size, vaguely humanoid figure crafted from wood emerges from behind a tree. Splinters shoot off the Wood Golem's body and tear into the heroes, causing serious lacerating injuries. The party closes and enters melee; the construct is deadly, badly battering Rycon to the ground and knocking out Dryueh. Things look grim; however, Valeria notes the automation is made of dry wood and flings a Tallow Bomb. The flammable construct is set alight, weakened, and quickly finished by Rycon.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
Lady Bresyn Risai - Agent of the Order of the White Hand.
Sir Crya Dezaller - eldest son of the Lord of Loban Manor.
Nibinel of Falen - Weaponcrafter.
Haselun of Elathel - Master Innkeeper.
Sir Gowen Karondal - retired war hero.
Sir Ernold and Lady Aubry Kobar.
Challenges
Sir Crya Dezaller is bested in one on one combat.
The poisoned food was discovered.
1 x Wood Golem.
Rewards
Nothing this week.
Created Content
Esoterical Order of Lothrim.
Related Reports
Player Characters
Valeria - Human Magical Experiment - L4 Shadow Sorcerer - Beastmaster.
Rycon - Human Rebel Knight - L4 Fighter - Liberator Champion.
Dryueh - 1/2 Elf Scout - L4 Thief Rogue - Vigilante/Medic.
Comments