Session 74

L2: The Assassin’s Knot

Chris (Tiberium), Matt (Barron), Mariel (Leah), Coby (Warin), Jeff (Amathar), Brian (Pyrcival), Leah (Ahira), and Sherrie (Mirabelle) are returning cast members.

We left the Band of Misfits investigating a murder in Garrotten, with a brief interlude. We rejoin the Band of Misfits at the House of Abraham.

The party received a note from Abraham over breakfast, indicating he would be traveling to Highport. Shortly thereafter, another note arrived indicating that High Priest Harper had gone into seclusion to study the matter of Krak’s hammer.

The group’s next stop was the local keep, where they received a note indicating the mayor, Arness, had traveled to Highport to attend the Duke’s funeral. Tellish, her aide, was willing to show them around the keep. They toured the barracks (first floor normal guards, second floor orc shock troops who were surprisingly friendly). Thic Duc won an arm wrestling contest against the orc champion by using his mysterious monkly powers. Tellish explained that the orcs functioned as shock troops in case of emergencies; they were not used to patrol the town and oddly did not wish to return to the few remaining orc tribes nearby. Leah noted the kennels, with several war dogs, close by.

The group also toured the kitchens, audience hall, an underground storage area (briefly), and a temple of Kord, all on the first floor of the keep. The second floor was off limits, consisting mostly of personal quarters. They did meet Trell, a student of the doctrine of Pholtus, and Relmac, a young cleric of Kord.

The party spoke with Balmarrow’s stagehands after receiving a note indicating Balmarrow himself was traveling to Highport to clear his name. One of them, Wilbur, admitted to taking one of Balmarrow’s spare lute strings. He intended it a a token of affection for Holga, a girl in the castle who is an apprentice magic-user.

Another stagehand, named Marvin, managed to pilfer Thic Duc’s Cloak of the Manta Ray and run off with it, though the group eventually noticed and caught up with the thief, recovering the cloak.

The group also met Willis and Phyllis, Balmarrow’s colleagues. It was unclear whether they were friends or employees, but Balmarrow was clearly in charge. Willis was not helpful, but didn’t appear to know anything of note. Phyllis mentioned that Balmarrow’s lute case was usually kept in his room, and led Pyrcival there. The door was magically trapped, and so was the floor just inside the door. Phyllis was electrocuted and nearly died, but Warin’s healing saved her.

Rogan appeared briefly in the tavern, drinking heavily. Tiberium encouraged him to talk about the missing button; Rogan claimed it was a “prank” and said he was never able to steal the button. Left unclear was the matter of whether he was able to convince someone else to steal a button for him. Tiberium noted that Rogan was not being entirely honest with him, despite appearing quite drunk. Journal of Pyrzival the Tutor for 2.22.2020

Well, it looks like everyone is leaving town. Abraham, Balmarrow, the mayor and the high priest have all split. Further investigation of the keep, however, leads us to some interesting conclusions. First, they employ full blooded orcs. Second, apparently the guy who hired the stablehand to steal the button works there. Third the girl who got a stage hand to steal the lute string also works there. Fourth, apparently the clergy there is bad at math.

Stealing the lute string is no mean feat when Balmarrow is alerted – apparently he likes to put magical traps on damn near everything. But when he is not on his guard, nothing is trapped and it’s help yourself! But those damn stagehands are also all thieves. Imagine the gall of stealing from your boss!

As it is, I’m seeing a pattern – all roads lead to the keep. Tellish seems to be more than willing to bend over backwards. I expect if we try to arrest someone, we’ll have to slay all those orcs. That’ll just break my heart. The captain of the guard is also a half orc. I wonder whose decision it was to let orcs inside the walls. The mayor? Or her assistant?

To be continued…

Treasure

For reference: 200 cp = 20 sp = 2 ep = 1 gp = 1/5 pp Treasure: 0gp (0gp each)

Experience

Base xp for showing up: 100xp each
Journal entries, sketches, or baked goods (Pyrcival): 500xp (individually)
Clue: Wilbur stole a lute string for Holga (1000xp)
Clue: Pyrcival examined Balmarrow's quarters, finding extensive disguise apparatus and magical traps (1000xp)
Clue: Tiberium interviewed Rogan over ale (1000xp)
Clue: Toured the keep, discovering the orc barracks and temple of Kord (1000xp)
Group Total: 4800xp (588xp each)

Roleplaying moments and quotables

The return of Pepe LePew the (now-fried) Shrimp

Dangling Threads of Fate

The Duke of Highport is dead, killed on his wedding night, in a locked room alone with the Princess
Purity (Tiberium's sword) has mentioned some sort of centuries-old prophecy
The Princess seems to want more adventure, and told Barron a few things that might be important...
Pyro has fallen in battle...
How to invest your ill-gotten gains...