Session 27: Things get complicated
General Summary
Our heroes had spent the evening at The Twisted Maze Inn and public house in Thawr and in the morning continued their journey to Truelight and Shaeja. As they were leaving the pub an urching ran across the doorway, knocked into Rivine and went stumbling to the ground. The kid picked himself up while the others were checking their horses and readying for the journey. Mi'tsuru'gi immediately suspected the boy and flashed a Theive's Cant sign at him to come clean. The kid ran, but Brimble Knackles's Message spell of warning convinced him to return. After a meal provided by Brimble and words of encouragment, the boy, Orson, came to trust the party, returned the bag of coins he stole from Rivine, and promised to keep his ears to the ground for useful information. Mitsu also offered advice on choosing reasonable marks and gifted Orson with an elven dagger.
The days to Truelight passed uneventfully, save for the travellers one meets on the road, drovers moving livestock, some farmers worried of the bandit reports, and moving northwest to the protection of Thawr city. The heroes also happened upon Tristan Graystone a halfling herbalist also travelling to Shaeje for the festival of Bo, a festival of herb gathering and use (herbs and unique plants being an export of the Barony of Cullen Drae). Tristan accompanied the heroes on their travels and shared spices and recipes with Finn , who reciprocated with home-made jerky. A restful night at the Bell and Bellows in Truelight was welcome before the two day push to Shaeja, although not before Mitsu let it be known that an adventuring party of halflings, The Big Feet, might be travelling through the Barony of Nightwatch and were not to be trusted.
In Shaeja, having discharged their duty to Enrillian, the heroes were each 50 gp richer and sat down to enjoy a restful evening in the The Druken Ogre. As the evening wanned, they heard stories and recountings of brigand attacks, almost always preceded by an old man in the road. A week prior Baron Theodeor Cullen had lost 30 men on a mission to the village of Waycombe to put an end to this banditry. The Druken Ogre Patrons spoke of a reward for those who could discover the fate of the baron's men, invetigate the reports of robbery, and put an end to this menace. Hearing of this need the party decided to seek out the baron.
The next day in the baron's audience chamber the heroes were met by the baron and his advisor Jorlon, cleric of Heironious. While several other adventurers had been rejected the baron accept the part's assistance and offered them 3000 gold to undertake this investigative quest. A group of effected merchants were brought in to answer questions about the attacks: the brigands are tough fighters who persue and capture caravan guards leaving no one to escape or tell tales, many guards might have been captured; the caravan guards and barony militian seem overcome by an irrational fear; the attack seem to emmenate from near the village of Waycombe and the Fetid Fens; and a harmless old man asking for directions often precedes the attacks.
While these conversations filled the room, clerics and guard were also present. From the corner, one cleric spoke up "oh great power of evil destroy now thine enemies..." and great column of flame erupted near the table around which the baron and others sat, Brynn was also caught in the flame. Amid the confusion of merchants, clerics and guards the heroes battled to kill the evil clerid. While Mitsu fired arrows and Brimble sent magic missles toward the interloper, the cleric was able to Misty Step and run to freedom, with the help of Passwall.
The heroes were rattled by this assassination attempt and the baron recounted an old tale of a Lizard King bent on revenge agains the Cullen Drae line. Undetered, in the morning they began the two day journey to Waycombe, and after a day of travel spent an evening in small pub called the Robin's Breast. Travel Winterbane a minstrel in the corner played a tune for the travellers, The Ballad of Sakatha. Several of the patrons berated Winterbane for bringing up old memories of bad times, but Winterbane insisted he was simply recounting a history to educate. No mind, as grumpy patrons left the pub, leaving behind a grumply landlord. Rivine jumped up to confront Travel as he made his way from the pub, chastising him and demanding an explanation. Travel was undetered from his planned preambulation, and left the pub, and Rivine by the roadside to ponder his song.
Rewards Granted
400 xp per PC for the roads travelled, information gained, attacks made, and plan enacted.
Notes
The baron loaned the party a carvan to act as decoy, as well as a week's rations and small barrel of Fyrkohl Founders Ale.
A battle against an evil cleric in the halls of baron Thoedeor Cullen
Report Date
16 May 2023
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