Session 2: ...and into the adventuring fire

General Summary

A new job...

The Adventurers have connected, and they find themselves together in the study of the local Lord Sorbrizal, who has invited them to his manor with a proposition for employment. The party meets lord Sorbrizal, a fat human man and his older guard Richard. The two contract the party to work as body guards for Sorbrizal, and the party is informed that the lord hasn't had need for guards until now due to recent events from a criminal organization. The adventurers are then offered 2 gp per day for their time, and they all agree to join the Lords guard.
The party then spends the next couple days working for the lord as body guards, guarding his mansion. The group is then informed that they must accompany the lord to the central river to inspect cargo and shipping operations run by Sorbrizal. All is well for the party, until the return trip home, during which the carriage is abruptly stopped as a wagon tips over in front of the carriage, blocking the path of the lord. Bandits and rebels then engage the party, and a friendly Lizardfolk named Solomon aids them in their fight. During the fight, Therion impales a monk he'd been facing with his longsword, the monk then walks through the sword to the crossguard and presses an amulet of some kind into Therions hand, before disappearing into a cloud of ash, which falls to the ground. They just barely fend off the attack, saving the lord and themselves. after much time travelling Roshar, Solomon decides to postpone the fulfillment of his own personal quest, and joins the group in the protection of Sorbrizal. They group retreats to the mansion, Solomon being included in that days wage payment.

A night of respite and recover is ruined as the manor comes under attack by the same bandit group. The party is tied and thrown into the manor's study. The doors are then barred shut, however Therion and Emelina are able to figure out how to remove the bars from the doors, and soon the party is free. They then search the silent mansion, trying to find their patron. The party splits in half to investigate, one group heading to their quarters, the other heading to the lord's chambers to find Sorbrizal. The group heading to their quarters finds Richard lying dead on the floor, with a couple of barely alive bandits. The group stabilizes them, then retrieves their belongings. They rejoin the group and search the rest of the mansion, but find no sign of their patron lord. They return to the bandits and question them.

The bandits reveal that they are part of a group called the Tarotics, and they attacked Sorbrizal to retrieve the younger sister of their leader, who Sorbrizal kidnapped. They didn't find anyone, and retreated before the party escaped from their room. The party is then informed that the Tarotics were a criminal crew operating in the area, robbing caravans and then selling the goods to Sorbrizal, who would then buy them at low prices and resell on the legal market as his own goods. The Tarotics were then betrayed by Sorbrizal, and caught by the city guard. He then kidnapped the leaders younger sister, bribed officials to free the Tarotics, and then forces them to work for him for free, stealing goods so he can sell them for a higher profit. And should they sell him out or try to hurt him, he'd hurt the younger sister. The party then realizes they've been helping a bad man, and they are disgusted. They allow the bandit to run free, and collect their belongings before heading to the Fire Flower Tavern to find the Tarotics leader.

The party then meets Ghona, the leader of the local Tarotics syndicate, who solemnly informs them of the situation at hand. She also forgives the party, as they had no idea of the elements at play, though she does suggest they do a little more research into employers and other lowly nobles. Ghona and the rest of the Tarotics then mount a final attack on the manor, aiming to find the basement of where they believe Sorbrizal has been hiding with Ghona's sister. An attack ensues as mercenaries protect the manor. Eventually, Ghona's sister Parvran is found in the basement, along with Sorbrizal. The party feels disinclined to murder the lord, so the Tarotics decide to handle him and leave the city.
Ghona and Parvran's caravan exit Kelathar, and run into two men on the road. They are the same men as before, the one with the animal ears and the other with the spear, the rest of their features blocked as they are silhouetted in front of the moon. The men interrogate the sisters, and after a brief discussion of the parties accomplishments, she comments "The crew worked out well". The Tarotics then return to travelling, and the two men are left alone, and they have a "final report". The two agree that the party will do well, the one with the animal ears commenting on how convenient "the solution to distant problems would appear in the same place they were in for a completely separate mission" and the man with the spear agreed. The two then part ways, the man with the animal ears returning to Kelathar "to finish up his own mission" while the man with the spear heads south "to meet with a contact before returning".
The party then returns to the Fire Flower Tavern, unsure of their next move.

Notes

Richard was 67 years old before he was killed. He had no family to speak of, but was well known at the pubs as a quiet drinker with a vicious tongue and a tendency to always have a witty retort ready.
Ghona and Parvran are part of the Tarotics, a strange organization that seems to be part crime syndicate, part cult, part rebel group. Their motives are unclear.
The fire that burned down the mansion was actually an accident, the a candle was accidentally moved to close to some papers in one of the drawing rooms of the manor by a bandit, which lit the furniture and eventually the rest of the manor ablaze.
The mercenaries protecting Sorbrizal's manor were brought by the servants of Sorbrizal, who were instructed to find the mercenaries if the manor is ever attacked. They also work as Sorbrizals enforcers when needed.
Animal characteristics like the ones found on the man with fox/wolf ears are actually rather rare in Roshar. While he is definitely not a Tabaxi (the rarest race on Roshar at just 1-2% of the population) beastborne and Elafera make up only about 5% of the total population.

Campaign

The First Epic of the Second Heraldic Epoch

Protagonists