Session 6: Crimson Sister Showdown

'''Session 6 of the Campaign. '''[Played on 12/20/16]

Alternate, affectionately considered titles: “The Shit-Show” and “Not Our Best Showing”
 * Taman - Kyle Heisler - Human Ranger
 * Renaia - Leah - Gnome Rogue
 * Slaplen - Kyle H-S - Tiefling Warlock
 * Krusk - Eddie - Half-Orc Paladin
 * Oras - Brian - Human Monk

Scene 1
Following the auction and the questions it raised, the party convenes once again at the Boar’s Yawn, briefly, before moving to the Purple Poplar, deciding that an establishment that is not so close to the Crow Bridge and the violence of Mudtown might be better for future activities in Yan’s Landing.

After some discussion, the group decides that the best course of action will be to track down the smuggler Taren Rothbane, as well as Tashen Dasher, who are likely both with the Pirate Baron and his crew aboard the Crimson Sister down in the Shadewharf—between the two of them, they should have a lead on the relics and perhaps even the mysterious violet-robed buyer from the auction.

But first, however, reflecting on the events of the night before, Oras, Taman and Krusk decide it would be best to head off any potential investigation by the town watch into the altercation at the Crow Bridge with the Mortalis fanatics. The trio travels to the nearest garrison to report the incident and finds it more or less overrun with commoners all trying to talk over one another, voicing complaints about the riotous followers of the Living God. The adventurers wait patiently to speak with Constable Kahe, but it is apparent that, between the religious tension and the Dark Elf’s threat looming, the city is slowly coming to a boil. When Oras and his companions finally get to speak with the constable, they are relieved to learn that the incident was not reported, though perhaps even stranger, the bodies were never discovered by the street sweepers. Either the fanatics recovered their fallen fellows or else something more concerning happened to them. The adventurers overhear the constable tell one of her sergeants to swing by a Mudtown fishmonger, citing something about “human bits” in with the fish. Yeah. In any case, the half-elven constable receives the party’s complaint and appreciates their candor. She says that she will send a watchman to find them in the religious ward should they need to ask any additional questions.

Meanwhile, the party’s arcanists, Slaplen and Renaia, head to the Learned Circle chapterhouse. There, Renaia speaks to the Sage-lesser Wyrowai Vai Vaeo. She gives the other gnome the surrealite (crystallized Surreal) for safekeeping in the chapterhouse’s strong-room. Renaia inquires as to the defenses of the strong-room and the chapterhouse in general, but the Sage-lesser is understandably evasive, beyond alluding to the obvious glyphs and wards protecting the room and grounds. Renaia also inquires as to lessons with the Sage-lesser, and Wyrowai offers her private tutelage, beginning with a lesson later that evening, one chime before dusk. Slaplen waits while the two gnomes talk. The Tiefling takes note of an apprentice named Elias struggling with his studies, but does not engage.

Scene 2
Confident that the mystical article is secure in the hands of the Learned Circle, the party regroups at the edge of the Shadewharf. The adventurers head down to the docks, taking note of, in addition to the expected array of dockhands, more than a few Buccaneers Alliance cutthroats tracking their movements.

At the dock, next to the Crimson Sister, the buccaneers finally descend, surrounding the group. One, endowed with obvious authority, steps down from the vessel to confront the party. The conversation is tense and awkward and eventually, Renaia gets frustrated and calls out for Tashen Dasher.

After a little back and forth—perhaps out of sheer frustration—the [man] concedes to let the party come aboard with their weapons (minus Krusk’s shield, which is left on deck by the ramp, Kindo hiding beneath it). Together, they descend one, two, three levels into the ship’s bowels. There they are led to a reinforced door flanked by armed guards, pirates sporting cutlasses and murder-pieces.

Beyond the door is the captain’s quarters, the personal office of the Pirate Baron Dreadmoore, who is present, standing behind a massive wooden desk with palpable power and authority. He is tall and broad-chested, and he has dark hair, a beard, and darker eyes; the light from the chandelier overhead casts shadows across his face. His expression is impassive, his features at once serious and malign. He stares with naked contempt at Renaia, though the gnome hardly notices, for her eyes are fixed on Tashen Dasher, alive and in league with the same pirate that they attempted to rob in Port Prosper. It is readily apparent to Renaia—and to the whole party, really—that the ambush was in fact engineered by the halfling (but to what end—worth considering). The halfling hugs the gnome, and attempts to pick her pocket, which she catches.

In addition to Tashen and the Pirate Baron, there are several other notable individuals in the room: two more cutthroats, the douche] who led them to the room, and a bipedal shark person, gazing menacingly at the adventurers, row upon row of teeth revealed in an expression that is somewhere between a smile and scowl.

Renaia leads the discussion, trading words with Tashen, whom she accuses of setting up the ambush in Port Prosper, betraying her and Bogren. In turn, he accuses her of making off with a very special stone—the Surrealite—which the Pirate Baron would like returned, at once.

Not considering its source, Renaia retrieves the magical die from her pocket and begins fingering it. The sharkman takes note, saying, “Hey, that’s Gmook’s die!” And instead of winding down as the party prepares to depart, the tension ratchets back up as the pirates insist on the return of the arcane property that had belonged to one of their own (one of the raiders that attacked the Soggy Soufflé in the dead of night).

Unwilling to simply hand over one of her prized possessions, Renaia rolls the die. She has just enough time to see six pips staring up at her from the cabin floor before there is a flash and a strange sound like cloth ripping as the cube releases a wild magic surge. In what little open space there was between the gnome and the desk, there are now three monstrous canines—one dire wolf and two white winter wolves. Pirates cry out, unsheathing weapons, and the whole scene devolves into chaos. Oras quickly lashes out at the cutthroat to his left, breaking the man’s nose and throwing him into the wall. Renaia and Tashen both throw themselves—acrobatically, even—to the floor, attempting to recover the cube of wild chance. They are both quick, Tashen managing to worm his way through the legs of one of the massive wolves to get his hands on the die. Renaia gets to it, too, but Tashen breaks one of her fingers to get the die. Krusk, attempting to protect his gnomish companion before things get too hairy, grabs her by the belt and throws her through the door of the cabin.

The winter wolves open their jaws and the temperature drops, beyond dramatically. Ice crystals form in the air, biting, and the beasts unleash blasts of killing cold. Two pirates fall immediately to the creatures’ freezing breath. Feeling the rush that is the dark power of Zazobal, Slaplen unleashes an eldritch blast to drop one of the pirates that storms into the room in response to the sudden cacophony.

And it’s on…

Thwack! Bamf! Stab-Stab! Bang! Eldritch blast!

Scene 3
In the end, Renaia managed to escape—using mage hand to reacquire the cube of wild chance and setting the canvas sails on fire with a couple fire bolts. Krusk, Oras, and Taman fought well, but it was only the heroism of Slaplen that saved them. The Tiefling harried the pirates with eldritch blasts; he fought his way back to the stairs, but when he realized that his companions were not in step, he doubled back for them. Only by negotiating with the Pirate Baron Dreadmoore did he save their lives. Slaplen agreed to become the ship mage of the Crimson Sister in exchange for the pirate lord not slaying his fellow adventurers. Instead, they were to be stripped of their equipment and dumped in the slums.

[Party members received 750 XP]

Epilogue
When her allies do not emerge safely from the Crimson Sister, Renaia lingers, surreptitiously prowling the Shadewharf while staking out the ship. Seeing Slaplen alive and under his own cognizance--and getting further confirmation that the others live from Kindo--she waits to see what will happen. The gnome waits until midnight, when a dozen cutthroats emerge from the ship, leading three of her compatriots (Taman, Oras, Krusk), stripped to their underclothes, arms and legs bound with stout cord, with slack enough only to shuffle along at the continuous jabbing of cutlasses and cudgels at their backs. She follows them to the heart of Mudtown, where the pirates leave them, still bound--easy targets for the violent, opportunistic sorts that have been haunting the city's meaner streets of late. Renaia frees her fellow adventurers from their bonds as quickly as she can, providing them what weapons she can for the time being and what garments she is able to pilfer as they make their way to the Purple Poplar.

Before morning, a small cadre of rogues--members of the Family--arrive at the Poplar and call upon Renaia. She recognizes one of the rogues as a young human cutpurse called Pipsi, whom she encountered in her first week in Yan's Landing, familiarizing herself with the local underworld. The Family members do not offer much in the way of explanation, beyond that Renaia has been summoned to a meeting with Poleo Winesong to address "recent events of dubious reflection upon the Family's reputation." Assuming she does not try to slink away (she would almost certainly  be caught if she tried), Renaia is brought to the Goat and Eel, a Guild-owned establishment on the other side of the Second City. There she is led to a back room, where she finds Poleo, flanked by a pair of dangerous-looking rogues that are coiled like adders, as if awaiting an excuse to throw a dagger or knife at something.

To Renaia's surprise, Slaplen is also in the room, the Tiefling seated at the table next to Poleo. Upon seeing the Gnome, the bard flashes a smile of perfectly white teeth. "Well, well, well" he drawls. "You, lass, don't do anything by half, do ye?" He explains a more or less accurate account of the party's visit to the Shadewharf and the ensuing conflict as related by Family eyes-and-ears--with a few blanks filled in by Slaplen. "You understand, dear Renny, that as a member of the Family, ye have a responsibility to comport yourself a certain way. And methinks that attacking a Pirate Baron--a guest of the Padron even--in his own ship, well, I'm afraid it casts the Family in an ugly light--hospitality and whatnot."

The mood is tense. Renaia and Slaplen may offer their perspectives--sharing more detail about the interaction with Tashen Dasher and the pirates' interest in property that Renaia has rightfully stolen (Profit, in all things -- from the Night's Creed)...

Winesong listens patiently, if a bit distractedly, as he cleans his fingernails with the edge of one of his daggers. When the tiefling and gnome are done, he goes on as if they hadn't said anything. "You know, I must confess, after hearing about yer little misadventure, I was certain the orders from Padron Slatner were going to be to cut you loose, hand ye over to the Alliance, ye being so new a cousin and reflecting so poorly on the Family."

"And yet, there I was, surprised--and pleasantly so, make no mistake, lass; I likes ye--aye, surprised to hear from our revered father that we would be backing our newly adopted cousin, taking steps to make right yer recent indiscretion."

"It seems that the Padron 's favored daughter spoke on yer behalf. Damn peculiar, that. I've never known her to speak up for anyone--she's as like to stick the knife in herself. Maybe she changed on her recent excursion abroad, eh? In any case, you and yours must have made an impression on her, because she weighed in heavy on this. Seems she has a certain dislike for the Buccaneers Alliance, to boot. A dislike methinks ye share."

"All that said, I can tells ye that a plan is in the works, a plan to balance all ledgers. That's why we went an' retrieved good ol' Slappy here. Well, not only that. I thought it would be a magnanimous gesture to extend unto ye an invitation to join the Family. It can be all too difficult for someone of her, ah, heritage to find steady, legitimate work in a city like Yan's Landing. Moreover, we would hate to see all yer magery go to waste. Accept or not, but know that you are needed for the plan to take the Crimson Sister."