A Show to Die For
The party meets up after two months apart. With Shroomster & Shealtiel unable to join, Nythin has invited freelancer Leland to join the group. As the party catch up, we learn of Malcys' new holy relic and Calfein's new gig as a lounge singer at the Scratching Post. Gothta shares what, if anything, he feels like disclosing about his first job spying on Albaz "Albie" Thornwood, a shifty shopkeep in the market district.
At the Rusty Bucket tavern, Nythin is eager to catch up with those he hasn't seen since their previous adventure together. He informs the party of the next expedition, having stumbled upon a truly groundbreaking discovery on Dayfal's Rock (Karyn's Island). A full archaeological dig is being sponsored, and once they have met their funding goals, Nythin would love to have the party there to see what might be uncovered at the dig.
Nythin has brought the party together to assist him in courting some potential sponsors. Members from three royal families of Respite are visiting the continent, any of whom could have the funds necesarry to make the dig a reality, but the dream would be to acquire donations from all three. Nythin's attempts to appeal to the families have thus far been....unsuccessful. He is aware that he is asking a lot of the party members, but is certain the expedition could change everything they know about the 2nd Age, or possibly even the 1st.
By coincidence, the three royal families have booked a private night at the Scratching Post. Boss Salem can be persuaded to give Calfein the gig, with sufficient negotiating. The royal party is split into three groups:
Clan Morningstar's Xander has been a patron of the club, but mostly prefers it as background noise while he works. Think an audience member who spends a whole concert on their phone. He is immensely stressed out because of an illegal smuggling operation that's gone awry. See "One Baloth is Too Many". If his problem is resolved, he'll happily invest his legitimate funds into the expedition. He will take some convincing to talk about the job though.
Clan Ivanova's Theresa & Minerva are visiting on business. They have little interest in anything besides Respitian orthodox classical or hymnal music. They are posh with no sense of adventure or imagination. They would recognize Malcys' holy symbol, but won't say more unless they are granted an audience with Volhammer's higher-ups.
Clan Voldaren's Annie, Marnie, Olivia, and Elena are there to get white girl wasted, hit on the waitstaff, and be all-around menaces. Olivia especially is a horny terror. A successfully high Insight check will reveal she's putting on an act. She will, however, pledge funding if the other royal families are mocked or pranked. Anything that embarrasses them delights her.
Adding to the difficulty is the re-emergence of Calfein's own royal past. Fame has spread his name across the continent, but it appears that members of Clan Helvit'tar have tracked him down and are attempting to destroy his new life. Among the many gifts waiting in Calfein's dressing room is a creature known as the Bonemonger. Once it gets loose, chaos will erupt, and a team of elven archers will use the confusion to kidnap Calfein.
Plot points/Scenes
Calfein is hired as a lounge singer at the Scratching Post. Boss Salem likes Calfein, and his growing reputation in the city continues to expand with each new single. On top of that, a chance to meet & perform for all three visiting royal families has come up for the following night. Unfortunately, Calfein's past has resurfaced. A series of letters, one informing him of a second chance to marry into the family he fled, and another warning him that the Bonemonger will be set on his friends if he refuses to go along.
Malcys has acquired some gold and a new wand from a job from an old criminal associate. They've also acquired a holy symbol for a forgotten god. Research into it has brought Malcys to the First National Public Library, drawing him towards both the restricted section and the historical section. Unable to get passed the Glyph of Warding, Malcys followed the pull of his holy symbol to a section detailing the history of each Rose Monarch through history. Pulling the books for the first five, Malcys is studying them for possible information.
Gothta has received his first criminal gig spying on a shady merchant named Albaz "Albie" Thornwood. His surveillance has borne fruit in the form of a mysterious individual with a mechanical hand. Unable to catch a conversation between the mysterious hooded individual & Albie, Gothta was forced to flee, chasing down the hooded individual to an apartment complex of workshops. Struggling to scale the building, Gothta got lucky and found the window of his target. Going by the mailboxes for the apartments, his target is identified as Soltanis.
Leland got a tour of New Buryport with Nythin, walking around the Fountains of Brilliance and running into a distraught Snorri, whose hopes of winning the Grand Faire have been dashed by a cursory visit by Head Judge Tezzeret Soltanis. Unimpressed with Snorri's Chronomatic Enhancer, citing its expense and lack of marketability, Snorri was ready to quit. The talk with Leland revitalized his motivation, convincing him to make his invention as good as possible, even if it means he doesn't win this time. He must Believe.
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