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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 The Marnor Campaign
Cinabro, The Mad CM, is at it again. Here are the game recaps for his current campaign. See his previous game recaps and decide for yourself if he is mad or not. http://www.trolllord.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=11014 The Marnor Campaign Act One: Horror in Tlasha Gerag the half-orc monk - Myself (greenbadge) Sansa the elven cleric of Fairie - My wife Renee Middlin' the neer-do-well Dwarf fighter - Seth Tania the half-elf wizard and daughter of Alasotur, - Seth's wife Jess Morir, human thief - I forgot the players name (He was only with us for one or two sessions) We opened with a mis-matched band of folks in the small coastal village of Tlasha. Some were brought there by warnings that the Dark Gods are stirring, others were forced into the investigation, and one is wondering what happened to her home and father. The tower of local celebrety Alasotur collapsed a few days ago. Alasotur was a magic user and it is pretty well known that he came here a few years ago after being involved in the over throw of Milton Drac, Sea Lord of Marnor, who tried to stage a coup in the large city about ten years ago. Rumors circulate that Drac was a worshipper of the Nameless One and his mad scheme involved opening a portal to let the Nameless One into this world. Alasotur, or so he claims, and some of his friends were key in helping to stop Drac's coup. He eventually left the city and settled into Tlasha refurbishing a disused light house. All was quiet until the tower collapsed and the town has since been overrun by nocturnal giant rats and crabs, and a crab fishing boat has gone missing. Investigating the ruin the party finds mutated giant rats, an angry animated mirror which leaves Sansa unable to speak, and some lethal traps. No closer to solving the mystery they have to foray again, finding a zombie, more rats, a ghoul, and a group of chanting Cultists who the locals recognize as the crew of the missing crab boat. They find a shrine to the Crab God, and fight a final duel with a giant, albino salamander which Alasotur's daughter recognizes as a mutation of her father's familar. A captured Cultist raves about The Nameless One, and the town elders, led by the quivering sage Brodert Quink, suggest that the party should go to Marnor, contact Alasotur's old friends, and warn them that the Cultists are on the rise again. On the sea voyage to Marnor they are attacked by a Crabman, who the locals again recognize as a missing crab fisherman, revealing the horrible, final fate of those who worship the Elder Gods. In the distance they see Milton's Folly, the incomplete, red brick Marnor light house that Sea Lord Drac was building at the time of the failed coup. Tune in next time to find Goblins in the Sewers.
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Sun Aug 03, 2014 1:43 am |
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cinabro
Red Cap
Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 7:00 am Posts: 210
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
This adventure is mostly the Lair of the White Salamander from Dungeon Crawl Classics The Adventure Begins. This is a rather brief summary that I gave the current players as a reminder after a hiatus caused by me moving. It hooks the characters into a rather twisted version of the Freeport Trilogy. The Lair of the White Salamander was pretty good and was a good introduction for this campaign. Aron was the name of the player of Morir. As we move towards the current campaign the summaries get more detailed.
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Sun Aug 03, 2014 3:47 am |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Act Two: Goblins in the Sewers
In the large port of Marnor the party goes to the Drac's End neighborhood to an inn and pub near the University called the Indecipherable Scroll. They meet Wilemina Gertz, aka Mina, who was one of Alasotur's old assciates. They find Ate Eez Pop icon Trace Silky performing his song-poem Never Gonna Give You Up, which Mina hates so much that she threatens to turn him in a newt so hard that his whole family will be turned into newts. Mina confirms that she worked with Alasotur on bringing down Drac, hears their tale about the going ons in Tlasha, sends notes to Alasotur's other surviving compatriots, and reveals that she was also involved with Alasotur in rivalry with Tania's mother.
Hassel, another old fried of Alasotur and Mina's, turns up. He is accompanied by guards and is unusually armed with rapier and dagger. As the story of what happened in Tlasha is recounted Mina breaks down raving that "It is happening again," and "They are knocking on the gate. We can't let them get in." Hassel calms her with some strong drink, and tells the party that magic users had it hardest fighting the minions of the Elder Gods as using magic in their presence tended to mess with their heads. The Thief and the Cleric had it easiest as they died in the final fight against Drac; all who lived still have the occasional nightmare. Mina is a hero as she had the courage to toss a fireball at the tentacled horror that was reaching out of the darkness while others fled for their lives or were transfixed with fear. Subsequently she was a Professor at the University, but it was too stressful and she bought this place to run which seems to suit her well. She should be fine in the morning.
Councilman Captain Roberts turns up. Another old friend of Alasotur's who has gone on to fame as a pirate and now is a member of the ruling body of Marnor, the Captain's Council. He too has body guards, and the two sets eye each other with distrust. He talks a good game, and tells them he will provide whatever help he can. Both he and Hassel suggest that Police Captian Sondek would be their best point of contact to find Cultist activity in the city. Roberts leaves with the impression that he said lots of words, but very little of substance. Hassel also takes his leave saying that they can contact him at the Halfling Benevolent Association and that he will leave a few guards behind to make sure they are not bothered and that nothing happens to the incapicitated Mina.
The party is kind of freaked out by the whole thing, I am sure it was the performance by Trace Silky, hollywoodgosssip.com/ateeezpop, and they decide to set watches on their rooms here. While Tania is on watch she sees a goblin coming out of the room the men are staying in. The creature is too fast, but she does manage to use a spell to knock off its back pack as it flees. The party looses some weapons and some potions. Within the pack is a skull, some candle like things, and a piece of rotten horse meat wrapped in paper with the letter M on it.
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Mon Aug 04, 2014 12:25 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
In the morning Captain Police Sondek turns up. He is a member of the Sewer Guard who patrols the sewers of Marnor. They have been having trouble with Goblins from the Bloodsalt, the humanoid ghetto in the city, infesting the sewers and thieving in the rest of the city. Mina notes that the M is the logo of a nearby butcher shop. Gerag meets Sister Regina, Priestess of Ares in the chaotic Fool's Market. She warns him against the Temple of Ares. Morir checks the archives of the Shipping News getting confirmation of the Drac's failed coup although nothing is mentioned of Cultists and Elder Gods. On the way to the butcher shop the party sees Anemic Jack Lash, done up like a corpse, performing his Ate Eez Pop anthem Billie Jean. At the Marenky Knackery they learn that the proprietor has been harrassed by Goblins and to placate them he leaves out some rotten horse meat, and unblocks a sewer entrance to his main yard. They come at night, and the party decides to set an ambush.
Sansa looks up Corbus of the Vale a sylven elf like her in the city. They find him at the Cafe Ilkhan writing a bad play about the revolutionary overthrow of an oppresive city government and trying to mooch some food. On the way to Knackery they stop at Belle's Well, a water well in Drac's End looked after by the bit off Belle. She tells them that an angel lives in the well and it will appear in times o need. Despite their best efforts they find nothing unusual about the well.
At the Knackery as night falls two goblins coming out of the sewer are slept by Tania. The female becomes cooperative when they feed her and return the skull, apparently of her dead brother Plaarg, which she talks with. She tells them that her tribe is from the swamps, came to the city for work, and have been enslaved by a big red furred thing that makes them steal in the main city. She will lead them to their lair on the promise of freedom for herself and her tribe.
Morir disappears over night. Another old friend of Alasotur's turns up the next morning. Alexander Tovag now works as a private investigator and spends most of time chasing after the wayward children of the rich who are disturbingly dabbling in the worship of Elder Gods.
Ekkie leads them into the maze-like sewers and they attack killing some guards, Sansa falls into a pit with armor damaging acid, they kill another guard, Middlin' is felled by a Flash-Bang, but the goblin alchemist drops his own grenade of sneezing powder letting the party over run the guards and capture the alchemist. Pressing on led by Ekkie they destroy the Prince, a purple wearing goblin who usually sang his battle cry, Doves Cry, and encounter the big, red furred creature in a Temple dedicated to an Elder God. After a tough fight, seeing Tania almost killed by an arrow and Middlin' stuck in a glue trap, Ekkie delivers the killing blow screaming her hate at her former tormenter. Gerag orders the remaining goblins to leave the city, Ekkie elects to remain with the party, and they carry the body of the "mutated goblin" to the Indecipherable Scroll where Mina identifies it as a Bugbear, which cannot be good as they are hired by the city to keep order in the Bloodsalt.
There is a note for Gerag from Sister Regina saying that she needs his help with a problem.
Next time Death In Marnor.
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Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:14 pm |
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cinabro
Red Cap
Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 7:00 am Posts: 210
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Some set up and an adventure based on The Rise Of The Goblin Guild for Pathfinder. That is a quite a good one. Aron dropped out, he only played two actual sessions, and we elect to continue with Ekkie from the adventure being an NPC thief. At the end of this Seth and Jessica had to drop out, we fell to two players, and we had a bit of a hiatus as we scrambled for some more players. That would end well, as we shall see.
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Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:06 am |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
How Dare Seth and Jess want to start a family!
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Wed Aug 06, 2014 6:01 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Act 3: Death in Marnor
Tania decides that the adventuring life is just not for her, and says she will be going to her mother's people, the Sea Elves. Middlin' begins raving about the rising water and Mina suggests that he cannot be depended on to adventure any more. She employs him here at the Indecipherable Scroll. She also introduces the others to Odhran, a Dwarven bard, who has also seen visions of rising Elder Gods. He discovers that many of the local musicians dismiss Ate Eez Pop as a low quality, passing fad.
The next day Corbus of the Vale shows up warning Sansa about the Alchemical Oddities shop that he suggested to her as it contains a creepy giant plant. This simply intrigues Sansa. Corbus also mentions that his friend Lucius, an employee at the Great Library has gone missing. This bums Corbus out as Lucius would get him books and some times let him stay at his apartment under the nose of Lucius' facist landlady. Lucius is a strange guy. A few years ago he started acting strange, got tossed out of the Library, went on a years long sea voyage, returned about a year ago, seemed to be OK, and got his job back at the library. He has been acting strange again lately. Investigating Lucius' apartment they find a "To Do" list which mentions a meeting with Captain Scarbelly who they discover is a notorious pirate, currently in port.
They visit Alchemical Oddities, a small shop in the Eastern District, and see the creepy plant and the even more creepy proprietor. He becomes very angry when Sansa tries to get a piece of plant, throwing them out. Gerag and Odhran arrange a meeting with Captain Scarbelly and return to find Sansa and Ekkie about to execute a scheme to get a piece of the plant. Gerag simply goes in, his meer presence intimidates the proprietor, Sansa gets a cutting, while Corbus, Odhran, and Ekkie provide a distraction. They see Mad Donna performing her tribute to human sacrifice, Like a Virgin. They meet Captain Scarbelly who tells them that Lucius sailed with him some years ago, recently asked to see him, and asked nonsensical questions that he should have known the answers to about his time on his ship. Scarbelly does not reveal much about his past jouneys.
At the Great Library they meet Milos who is Lucius' boss. Lucius is a good librarian who was asked to leave when he went into part of the library forbidden to him. He returned and was rehired and has been doing well. He has not shown up to work the last few days, Milos assumes he is sick, and provides no further help on Lucius. A librarian here cannot ID Sansa's cutting and suggests she show it to Professor Kuzer at the University.
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Wed Aug 06, 2014 6:06 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
The next day as they make their way to the University they are ambushed by The Yellow Hats, some local thugs. In the street fight that follows they capture one of the thugs who tells them that one Enzo hired them to take out the party. Sansa is convinced this all about The Plant and Gerag is reminded of a nightmare that he had last night involving human headed rats struggling with a giant plant.
Returning to the University, Professor Kuzer ID's the plant as a Spawn of Vulthoom, who is an Elder Plant God. It creates Thralls of Vulthoom and eventually a gate is opened for Vulthoom himself to do very bad things. He gives them a letter to the Town Guard telling them of the severity of the Vulthoom threat, and excuses himself.
The party goes to see Captain Sondek who has learned nothing about the bugbear who was leading the thieving goblins, but does get together a detail to deal with Vulthoom. They descend on the shop, burn the plant, and arrest the raving proprietor.
They meet with Enzo and easily manage to capture him. He tells them that the Master ordered them deade. They meet at a Bricked Up House in Scurvey Town. There they find a tunnel behind a wine cask leading to a Temple to the Nameless One. They clash with primitive Snake Men, see a very frightening chamber, fight with some skeltons, gather the Book Of The Nameless One in a well stocked library, a letter mentioning the "Brotherhood" and "N'Tal", an unpleasant list, and have a final fight with Milos who is revealed to be a Cultist leader. They defeat the Cultists, rescue the badly battered Lucius, and finally manage to get out after running into more Primitive Snakemen and Cultists.
Stay tuned for Rats in the Walls.
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Fri Aug 08, 2014 12:08 pm |
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cinabro
Red Cap
Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 7:00 am Posts: 210
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
We were very fortunate to add Odhran and his player. He has been very imaginative and provided an excellent breath of fresh air to our efforts. This is mostly Death in Freeport which is being used as Marnor. It is a good adventure and simply sets us up for more. The long running struggle with The Plant is terribly amusing. I use die rolls to guide what happens and Sansa's interests and some unlikely rolls led to the long struggle with Vulthoom, the Eldar Plant God. There was no plan for this when I started, but character actions and the dice drove things in unexpected directions. As time as gone on in this campaign it has gone in many unexpected directions. I think this is a good thing, and I hope the players are continuing to enjoy it.
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Sat Aug 09, 2014 5:53 am |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Cinabro, I have to say for myself I am enjoying the current campaign. You are doing a great job at running a “sandbox” game. The style of the game really fits the characters and their players. Without a doubt Odhran has been the best player that we were able to recurit off the street, Not only in the game but also in the real world. Looking forward to the 23rd
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Sun Aug 10, 2014 2:41 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Act 4: Rats in the Walls
Back at the Indecipherable Scroll they have collected a Shield of Breaking, in form the town guard about the Temple to the Nameless One, and decide that the Book of the Nameless One is a nasty piece of work. Mina tells them what she knows about some of the things on their list. Lucius was clearly set up by Milos and they wanted to know about his travels and began torturing him when he could not answer their questions about his travels. He genuinely cannot remember and he is plagued by nightmares. He is most upset that they stole his books.
Trying to destroy the Book of the Nameless One Gerag goes to Sister Regina, and while she cannot destroy the book, she notes that Gerag is tainted by Vulthoom. She suggests that the Temple of Poseidon is the place to go for both of his needs. She warns him to avoid stress. Odhran tries to turn a captured Cultist into a spy, and that seems to work. His name is Lamar Bosi and is supposed to check in at the Old Whore, and bar in the docks. There Odhran meets Dardiana Chroster, aka Mad Donna. She tells him that Captain Councilman Tarmon, who is also a powerful magic user, is financing and encoraging the Ate Eez Pop fad. They see the Ate Eez Pop band the UT singing yet another homage to sacrifice, With Or Without You and the spend a pleasenat night togheter.
The next day Sister Regina fails to Purify both Gerag and Lucius, and they go to the Temple of Posiedon for help. Lucius stays there to heal more and they will try to purify them both at tomorrow's service. High Priestess Lorilee is disturbed by their story and urgently calls a meeting of those who may help in the struggle against the rising Elder Gods.
The next day the impressive ceremony at the Temple of Posiedon fails to fix Gerag. They see a newspaper story about the defeat of cultist up rising in Tlasha. Sansa heads down to the Cafe Ilkhan and finds Odhran canoodling with Dardiana and Corbus of the Vale who gives Sansa some "herb" to keep Gerag calm. Upon adminstering that to Gerag he falls asleep and has a disturbing dream about a menacing plant. The others head to the Bloodsalt and see a squalid ghetto with the red brick barracks of the bugbears, the red brick Alchemy Factory, and the precarious tower of Glitch. There are a pathetic bunch of sick and injured goblins and orcs at Glitch's door, and Sansa heals some while Dardiana and Odhran entertain them.
They meet Glitch, a goblin magic user who is doing his best to help his people. He tells them of the brutal nature of the bugbear's rule over the Bloodsalt, how the people are forced to seek the dangerous work in the Alchemy Factory, and that he gets help from the Temple of Athena (aka the Great Library), The University and Mina Gertz, who he claims is the smartest mage in the city. He also says that the snake people used to rule this area, fell in some castastrophe and are now divided into degenerate, primitives and the exalted sort who are adept at shape changing. Sansa becomes convinced that Mina is a snake person. He also tells that the red bricks weaken the barrier between worlds and probably contributes to why the bugbears are so nasty and that Alchemy Factory is so dangerous.
Dardianna is clearly moved by what she saw and herd in the Bloodsalt. She tells Odhran that one Miles Craxton, director of the arts in city and working for Captain Councilman Tarmon, paid her to get close to the party and report on their activities. She is not going to do that and takes her leave of the distressed Odhran who becomes drunk at the Cafe Ilkhan seeing Biceps Sterner Gnu perform his ode to self immolation, I'm On Fire.
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Sun Aug 10, 2014 2:45 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
The next day at the Temple of Athena, the Great Library, there is a large meeting about the recent out break of Cultists. They also note the respect that the powerful paty to Mina, and begin to realize that she may be more than a crazy inn keeper. Some seem committed to the struggle, Mina and the Temple of Posiedon, while others are not yet convinced, the Town Guard and the Temple of Athena. In fact the Town Guard is more concerned about a missing pearl merchant.
After the party and Mina make a to do list. Mina takes Gerag to her hidden lab, and in a rather impressive display of power pulls out of him a Spoor of Vulthoom. The others go to Otto's Blades and Baldrics in Scurvey Town to try to find some Fey that Sansa has heard are living there. They find evidence, leave a note, and buy Ekkie an expanding sword. Gerag asks Sister Regina to teach him the Ning Ring Broadsword and she begins.
Receiving a cryptic note they return to Otto's, stopping at the Scurvey Town Guard house where they are told that the missing pearl merchant, Marcione, was last seen in the company of some ladies who work at the Shy Mermaid.
At Otto's Gerag buys a very nice 9-Ring Broad Sword, Odhran leaves a wooden doll that he claims is a very sick Fey, and Sansa and Ekkie sneak below and see evidence that Otto is working with Fey. Exploring Scurvey Town guided by the cryptic note Odhran finds the Dead Pelican Bar, and confuses the patrons by asking after the Angry Turtle. Within he looses track of time and finds his boot being gnowed by a human headed rat. He reports back to the others about the Splayed Puffin, and Gerag recalls his nightmares that ended there. They head to the Shy Mermaid, which is a brothel, and Odhran hooks up with "Candy" who says that Marcione took her and another girl to the cock fights at the Stormy Gables three nights ago.
Back at the Indecipherable Mina got nothing but frustration at The Temple of Athena. They head back to the Dead Pelican and offer to clear the place of rats, find a basement passage to the sewers, and eventually find a nest of human headed rats and a pile of human body parts and a dead Fey. They dispatch the rats and find a large orange amulet which makes all of them hungry for raw meat.
Back at the Indecipherable Scroll McRund is performing King of Rock, and Mina destroys the Amulet and learns that it was dedicated to The Hunger, the Great Old One Rhan-Tegoth, who incites his followers to cannibalism.
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Wed Aug 13, 2014 4:36 pm |
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cinabro
Red Cap
Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 7:00 am Posts: 210
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
No module, just lots of character driven running about the city and setting them up for the next adventure. As greenbadge notes the campaign has become rather more of a sand box than usual. I think that is evidence of growth by me as a CK and the players who have gotten more comfortable just doing stuff rather than being nudged by me into action. Most amusing to me is when one character becomes convinced one of the NPC's is something and the dice reveal something rather more interesting. That will unfold very slowly over the course of the campaign, and with an already brewing idea, will lead to the next campaign.
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Thu Aug 14, 2014 7:07 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Act 5: A Missing Pearl (ongoing)
It is 1 February, Candlemas. Mina is making candles. Odhran writes a song about the being in Marnor, Turning Marnorese.
They return the dead Fey to Otto's. They are shocked to find that the wooden doll is now acting as greeter in the shop. At the Cafe Ilkhan Odhran performs his new song, it goes down very well and they invite him for a show on Saturday 11 Feb. They see La Hen Van performing Jump. Odhran asks after mushroom ice cream and is directed to the Dented Helm. At the Stormy Gables they meet Trixie, a very large transvestite who directs them to Gyni the fortune teller who was with Marcione. Odhran approaches her and she will tell his fortune back at her apartment. Trixie only allows Odhran upstairs. Gyni offers Odhran some tea which he quaffs, feels dizzy, and manages to hold off the murderous Gyni. She flees down the stairs, flying by Ekkie who had snuck in a back window. Downstairs Gerag is unable to get by Trixie, but Trixie also blocks the fleeing Gyni. Suddenly the room is full of blinding fog, and Gerag and Odhran manage to capture Gyni. They interogate her and she says that a Halfling called Welby knows where Marcione is. They dump her at the Scurvey Town Guard station and Detective Emisso convinces Trixie to let them search Gyni's apartment. There they find some of Marcione's effects and a barrel full of body parts. Gyni is clearly guilty and will be tried, found guilty and executed. Emisso encourages the party to follow up on Welby, and warns them about Gyni's bugbear boyfriend.
Back at the Indecipherable Scroll, Sansa has a package containing a ever buring fairy fire, allowing her to learn Hold Person, and an invite to the daily lighting of the Fairy Fire at Otto's in the early evening.
The next day there are news stories about Gyni and the party goes to the Bosun's Knot to find Welby. They find Welby that evening, he flees in a row boat, Sansa manages to hit him with a long bow shot, Ekkie stops the angry crowd with a Sneeze Powder grenade, and the party slips away. Odhran confronts a bouncer and convinces him to send a note to Welby asking to meet the party. Welby does not show that night. At the Cafe Ilkhan they see Bile Jolly performing Uptown Girl and encounter and uncharacteristically manic Corbus of the Vale who is taking interest in the performance. They also hit Otto's, meet the fire fairies, who give them 5 applications of Fairy Fire, learn that the male fire fairies are desperate for some female fairies, invite Sansa to their Saturday night party, purchase some sparking arrows, and get directed to Ningel's Concotions for more Sneezing Powder.
The next day they head out to the Harbor Halfling floating neighborhood. They meet Gartold Kingnetter who is distressed to hear that Welby might be involved with Gyni's nasty business. They get to Welby's boat, find some booby traps and blood stains. At his family's fish processing barge they struggle with Welby, his young cousins, and some dogs. They crush these folks, badly wounding one of the cousins, and capture the fleeing Welby. He tells them that Gyni would send him a signal, he would collect a body that she dumped in the harbor, and then go leave it at the Troll's Way dock. He would then send a signal and a hearse would come and pick up the body. He did this for money to pay his gambling depts. They turn Welby over to the Harbor Halflings for justice.
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Sun Aug 17, 2014 12:34 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Sansa goes to the Cafe Ilkhan and finds the very wild Corbus of the Vale. She tries to capture him, but he runs off. At the Temple of Posiedon they bring the healed up Lucius to the Indecipherable Scroll. They meet Tabios Kenos who is working with them on the cultist problem. Odhran goes to meet with Gyni who will executed tomorrow. He manages to get her to tell that she was also working with the mortician Arteud.
A reporter, Pernys Salmundo, turns up and gets some information about their investigation of the missing Marcione. At the Scurvey Town Guard station they learn that Arteud runs the Good Rest mortuary which is just out of town to the east. They go there, break into the body preperation room, subdue and tie up two helpers, encounter Arteud who fires Magic Missle at them, are attacked by an animate mirror, and capture him on the top floor. He confesses that he was working with Gyni and someone called Mary Black who took the corpses away. He takes them to his secret lab, tries to flee, gets Held by Sansa, and attacked by a swarm of body parts. They see bodies of hobos and someone they think is Marcione. They make Artued send a signal to Mary Black where they struggle with some Imps which Artued also says are annoying. From the roof they see skull headed cultists moving around the building. As they head down they smell smoke, Gerag fights with two of them, Sansa falls while trying to jump around the blockage, but falls and is knocked out. Odhran succeeds, but suddenly all are engulfed in an obscuring cloud. As the party stumbles out of the cloud, Odhram blows an alarm on a horn, they are attacked by a floating, bloody axe, and they see six of the cultists who demand Artued. Ekkie threatens to kill Artued, and does so as the cultists close in. At this point the cultists break off, and the building behind them is engulfed in fire. The party flees through the garage, find the helpers dead, and run off as the fire brigade turns up.
The next day the party reads of Gyni's execution, the fire at the mortuary, and the death of Bile Jolly. At the ruined morturary they smell pitch. Odhran gives Lucius a book which makes him very happy, and asks where he might find Corbus. Odhran decides to place a classified ad asking for information about Corbus.
Sansa asks Mina about water fairies and she suggest either the Sea Elves or the Nor River Goddess. In an attempt to find some compainionship for the fire fairies they head to the vice dens of Dreaming Street in Scurvey Town. At "The Giving Tree" they arrange for a couple of girls to dress as water fairies and visit the fire fairies this evening. At Otto's there are more such girls provided by Otto who tells them that he sees to all of the fire fairies needs in return for them doing work for him. They depart as the debauchery begins.
Sansa spends the rest of night with a dark elf called Avanzo who runs a brothel called "The Spider's Web". He directs her to some higher end establishments in the Old City and Merchants District where she might have better luck finding water fairies. Gerag and Odhran head to the Field of Honor, main square in the Eastern District. They participate in the amatuer fights, with Gerag actually emerging as the night's champion. He is approached by a couple of gladiator trainers, but turns them down. They see the Town Guard perform Every Breath You Take.
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Mon Aug 18, 2014 11:27 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
The next day they unsuccessfully look for Corbus, gather up the names of some Scurvey Town mortuaries and ship building establishments, visit the God Shop, and are directed to McGills Curio Shop for arcane books. Avanzo has left flowers for Sansa saying that he would like to see her again. Odhran and Ekkie check out the Boarded Up House, trying to recover Lucius' library, and find it heavily watched by the Town Guard. They are unable to get in.
The next day Detective Emisso asks what they know about the fire at the Goodrest Mortuary. Fortunately they tell him most of the truth as they were spotted fleeing the scene. When they mention Mary Black, he recalls the name and asks them meet him at the Scurvey Town Guard station tomorrow to consult the files.
They check out McGill's Curio shop, are let into the secret lower room, and rent a book on Vulthoom and buy a book on Dark Elves and the Underealm. At Ningel's Concotions they find a women who speaks a little Dwarvish and has Sneezing Powder Grenades, Flash Bangs, and Smoke Bombs. Odhran invites her to his performance at Cafe Ilkhan on the upcoming weekend.
Odhran and Sansa check out the House of Serenity, the best brothel in the city, but there are no fairies. They are directed to a place called Secret Flowers. At the Gentelman's Club, they are denied entrance but around back say that they are scouting for comforts for Gerag The Wise, a visting foreign dignatory. There are no fairies here, but members who must be sponsored by an existing member and pay an exhorbitant yearly fee, will eventually be provided with anything they desire.
A man turns up at the Indecipherable Scroll claiming that Corbus is at a place called the Cracked Pot, and is hanging around with one of the bar maids there.
Odhram reads the book on Vulthoom and realizes how incredibly difficult it is to grow the plant. Sansa also notices that the book has a minor curse on it, which they guess will execute if it is not returned on time. They decide to talk with Professor Kuzer about Vulthoom. At the University Kuzer confesses, under threat of physical harm, that he got a cutting of the Spawn of Vulthoom, got the insane shop keeper out of prison, and is growing a new Spawn of Vulthoom in the University's green house. He realizes that it has gotten out of hand, but does not know what to do as the shop keeper will not let any one harm the plant. Eventually they realize that simply burning the plant is too dangerous, they drag Kuzer to see Mina. She is very distressed, goes with them back to the University, and in another display of power, kills the obviously insane shop keeper and in a fiery struggle destroys the plant. Mina takes Kuzer and his students back to her lab, and removes Spoors of Vulthoom from them. She begins drinking heavily and notes that tomorrow she will have to take this to the Chancellor, much to Kuzer's distress, as the magic she used to disguise what was going on will wear off.
Ekkie spent the day with Lucius who has returned to his job at the Great Library. She does not want to do that again as it was so boring.
The party heads to the Cracked Pot to track down Corbus. They are directed to a waitress named Sayl. They listen to Chill Nillsop perform Take A Look At Me Now. They confront Corbus, and as he tries to flee, he slashes Sansa with a knife before they are able to subdue him. He is raving about the evils of Ate Eez Pop. They take him, and Sayl, to see Mina. She notes that Sayl is fine, but that Corbus was infected by a Spoor of Vulthoom, it germinated, and he suffered considerable damage when she removed it. This distresses Sansa after the suggestion is made that Corbus should be looked after by Sayl. They spend the night here.
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Wed Aug 20, 2014 3:35 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
The next day Captain Sondek turns up saying that as far as he has been able to tell that the bugbear leading the goblins in the sewers was a rogue, and not connected with those guarding the Bloodsalt. Eventually the cleric of the Fire Fairies, Throyen, turns up after an urgent message from Sansa. He agrees with Mina's unhappy assessment and Corbus departs with Sayl much to Sansa consternation.
Mina drags Kuzer to the University to see Chancellor Whitmire, who is old even for an elf. He greets Mina warmly and tells her that she is welcome back any time. After hearing Kuzer's story the Chancellor punishes Kuzer by withdrawing his funding, graduate students, and making him teach Freshman Rhetoric for the next few years.
They meet with Detectve Emisso. He tells them Mary Black has turned up in association with the powerful sorts of cultists sinces Sea Lord Drac's failed coup ten years ago. She has some association with the rich merchant Achronus family. They have an estate east of the city which is a constant source of problems, but the family's riches have made impossible for anything to stick. They hold frequent parties, and he also suggest that they speak with Professo Cloimser at the University as he is an expert on cultists. They go to see him and he guesses that Mary Black is an illegitamate daughter of the Achronus clan and is a follower of Xaoghul who encourages his followers to practice ritual cannibalism which will lead to power. He knows nothing about the recent discovery of the Temple of the Nameless One by the party, and will look into it. He also mentions that the good snake people are followers of Yig, a god of knowledge, and usually lay low here in the city. They warn him to take care as cultists are clearly active here in the city.
Avanzo turns up and warns Sansa that big time pimps are asking after water fairies, and this is not likely to end well. They spend the night together.
The next day Gerag notes from the newspaper that the Achronus have a monthly party and that one should be coming up soon. Odhran goes to the God Shop and orders some livery like that worn by the servants of the Achronus. They decide to try to get an invite for Gerag The Wise and his entourage to the upcoming Achronus party. Sansa and Ekkie go out to gather costumes and get a poor Oriental costume for Gerag, and garish clothes for themselves.
Mina has met Miles Craxton. Craxton has been ordered by Captain Councilman Tarmon to promote Ate Eez Pop, but that the bands must play a set of songs in a precise order. This is clearly some sort of invocation ritual, for what she does know. Crossbows and Marigolds plays Sweet Child O' Mine.
The next day there is a newspaper article about the mysterious Gerag The Wise who has unusual tastes, lots of money, and apparently won the recent amatuer fights in the Field of Honor. Odhran goes to the Achronus Estate posing as Gerag The Wise's servant. He meets with Anwys, the Acrhonus social secretary, who is very anxious to have Gerag The Wise attend the party tomorrow. Gerag The Wise will be accompanied by his current compainion, two servants, and later some fire fairies and water fairies will arrive for his entertainment. He will be picked up by a carriage at the University, he should be bowed to on greeting, should not be asked direct questions, not be touched, but does enjoy discussions on philosphy. He runs a mountain retreat in the orient where manuy come for spiritual guidance. Odhran leaves with an invitation, and the promise that all of Gerag The Wise's needs will be taken care of.
Sansa and Ekkie go to the God Shop to collect the Achronus livery. A shop patron notices that it is obviously flawed, and while Sansa wants to complain, Ekkie drags her out warning that this was likely done on purpose and it is best if they do not let the proprietor know that they are aware of the error.
Sansa goes to Otto's and invites the fire fairies to the Achronus party telling them will be lots of food, drink, and women like those who attend their parties. They are enthusiastic. She visits Avanzo and asks him to escort the fire fairies to the Achronus party and to bring along the two girls in water fairy costumes. He thanks her for the work.
Odhran spends the evening out talking about Gerag The Wise. He is the talk of the town.
The Achronus party is tomorrow, Friday, and the carriage will arrive at the University at 7:00. Saturday Odhran is scheduled to perform at the Cafe Ilkhan.
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Sat Aug 23, 2014 4:24 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
On the Thursday before the Achronus party, Odhran goes out and lets it be known that Gerag The Wise is interested in Black Magic.
On Friday Lucius decides that he is well enough to return home, and they decide that Ekkie no longer has to shadow him as nothing strange happened at the Great Library this week. They tell Mina that they are headed to the Achronus party tonight and she will come looking for them if they do not return by noon tomorrow. Odhran goes to the Dented Helm, finds it a Dwarven Gastro Pub, hits it off with Gerak, Dwarf ex-adventurer, is invited to perform next Saturday, and buys two expensive casks of Dwarf Whiskey. They meet the Achronus carriage at the University and are brought to the estate. Gerag is announced as Gerag The Wise, Master of Talkathee Mountain, Mystic of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and Black Belt with Three Stripes of Smasha. He draws lots of attention espousing asceticism and a personal journey as the path to enlightenment. He also recommends isolated places and the purity of physical competition. He suggest that Sister Regina in the in Fools Market is an excellent spiritual guide. Among the guests, Gerag is approached by the high priestess of Poseidon, the priest of Poseidon working with them on cultists, and a priest of Athena, but he lets them know that he is investigating and they quickly leave.
In the meantime the others are exploring. Odhran steals a set of Achronus livery, and meets ex-girlfriend Dardianna Chroster (aka Mad Donna) who has been reduced to waitressing since she has been unable to get work after refusing to spy on the party. Sansa and Ekkie find a couple coupling in an art studio, hear Lilac Meat performing Master of Puppets, and find that party guests are asked not to go up to the third floor. Avanzo arrives with some girls in tow and begins working the crowd advertising the services at his Scurvey Town establishment "The Spiders Web".
Odhran talks up Gerag's strength, and some wood is gathered for a Smasha demo, and as he finishes a spectacular display the Fire Fairies arrive. They are a big disruption eating food, drinking, dancing wildly, doing Karaoke, and propositioning random women. Odhran uses this as a chance to go up to the third floor carrying a cask of liquor. At the top a voice screams "For the hunger" and a guard appears. He uses the liquor to light the guard on fire and press forward. The people on the second floor raise the fire alarm, interrupting the others trying to get passed two unusual guards, grey skinned, smelling faintly of swamp, on the second floor. The two guards go towards the fire and the party finds an empty bed room and a self important necromancer from Mora coming out of another bed room. Ekkie robs the rooms.
Odhran enters a trophy room, hears a commotion in the next room, and finds two women struggling. He attacks the blonde in a white dress who was tying up a women in black. Three guards burst in and attack Odhran as he tries to crash through a window with the woman in black to the lower floors. He is unable to complete this as he is Held by woman in white. She orders one guard to restrain the woman in black, sends the other two to fight the fire, identifies herself as Kythra Achronus, and the other woman as Mary Black who is raving about The Hunger. Kythra expresses confusion as to what is going on, and a fogged memory of the last few months. After some discussion they decide that Mary Black should be brought to the Eastern District Town Guard Station accompanied by Odhran, his friends, and one Achronus guard. They head down stairs to find the others.
Meanwhile the others join the crowd downstairs where a very drunk Anwys, the Achronus Social Secretary, is encouraging the crowd to continue to enjoy the party while the fire is dealt with. The Fire Fairies begin to leave saying that the meat pies are "messed up," they are accompanied by some women, they invite Sansa, but she declines. Avanzo is also leaving, thanking Sansa for getting him and his girls here, and mentioning that he will make it up to her later.
They all meet, get in a carriage with a guard and Mary Black, who has been slugged into being quiet. On the ride, Odhran goads Gerag into attacking the guard, Ekkie stabs the guard who passes out, Sansa and Ekkie jump from the now speeding carriage, and Mary Black is thrown from the carriage. Gerag and Odhran eventually get the drivers to stop, but their attempts to convince them that Mary Black had gotten loose and was controlling them leads the drivers to flee into the night. The party gathers the battered Mary Black, and make their way to the Indecipherable Scroll, arriving after closing time.
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Sat Aug 23, 2014 4:26 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Friday 10 February
With the trussed and gagged Mary Black the party makes its way to the Indecipherable Scroll. Odhran slips into a near by bar and convinces the patrons there to verify that they have "been there all night". At the Scroll, Odhran attempts to intimidate Mary Black, but she continues to spout insane propaganda about The Hunger. Mina will have a look at her in the morning, and Gerag guards her over night while the others rest. He notes commotion out in the streets as a troop of Town Guard sweep by saying that they are looking for dangerous criminal loose in the city. They do not give him a second glance.
Saturday 12 February
Upon hearing Gerag's news they burn their costumes, attempt to get more out of Mary Black, until Gerag slugs her into silence. The morning paper has a deeply disturbed account of the party at the Achronus Estate last night, which provides no details on Gerag The Wise, his entourage, what happened, and has no mention of Mary Black. Mina notes that Mary black has some feint decaying magic on her, and realization strikes that the "meat pies" were likely made of victims and some sort of attempt to sow chaos and control those that partaked. Ekkie and Odhran had some.
Ekkie's haul is a book of photo-realistic pornography that becomes more strange as it nears the end showing humans in congress with tentacled horrors. All agree that is likely highly valuable. There is also a key made of a strange yellowish metal that Mina notes is well known as being amenable to being magicked. Within the book is a note:
Report back when the flowers start to bloom. The shiver and six nigleons will be ready then. Use P. the one who misdirects; he has a taste for the ladies. This will get you help from the wilted leaf in the market. She sells fruit and likes to tell stories. Sign and counter sign number three until further notice.
Brust, Praetor
It came out of the room of the Moran "Necromancer" which all agree is likely to have been some sort of spy. Mina notes that "nigleon" is an anagram of "legion" which is a Moran military formation and that "Praetor" is a sort of Moran official.
After some discussion they decide to turn Mary Black over to the Town Guard, put out that she is being held at the Scurvey Town Guard House, but actually put her in the dungeons of The Tombs in the Palace of Justice. The hope is that her followers will come looking for her and more can be learned about what is actually going on here.
They go to the Scurvey Town Guard House, find Detective Emisso, who goes along with their plan. He will take care of moving Mary Black discretely to The Palace of Justice, and beef up the guard here. Meanwhile Gerag trains with Sister Regina, tells her that she is likely to see an influx of interest, she already has, and she knows nothing of The Hunger.
At lunch time Avanzo turns up at the Scroll and invites Sansa out on a date. They end up at the Spider's Web, his brothel in Dreaming Street, which she finds creepy as it is decorated like a temple to the Spider Goddess of the Drow. He reassures it is just for show, but she finds some unpleasant magic. He tells her that he was on a mission to the surface world, something went wrong and the portal that was to get him back became broken. The only was back he knows are too dangerous and he had to find a way to survive.
Odhran collects Dardiana Chroster to prepare for his show tonight. She has adopted the new stage name of Dottie Danger and disguises herself with a platinum blonde wig.
Ekkie and Gerag go to the main market and try to figure out who "the wilted leaf in the market who sells fruit and tells stories" is. They get directed to Janis Hawthorn, a half-elf fruit seller who seems to talk more than she does business. Ekkie maintains a watch on her while Gerag checks out the Scurvey Town Guard House and buys a "potion of courage" at the Dented Helm.
They arrive at the Cafe Ilkhan for dinner and Odhran's peformance. They suffer through Atheism Or who play Janie's Got A Gun. Odhran and Dottie Danger's performance goes well. Ningel the Dwarfophile owner of an alchemy shop is there, telling Odhran that she enjoyed it very much, and he invites her to his performance a week from now at the Dented Helm.
They talk with Pernys Salmundo, reporter for The Shipping News. They feed her their story about Mary Black playing up the angle of human meat pies being consumed by the well heeled. They all agree not to explicitly mention the Achronus, and she promises to have the story out for tomorrow after she does some fact checking.
Back at the Scroll, Sansa mentions her misgivings about Avanzo and The Spider's Web to Mina who promises to investigate.
Captain Emisso turns up with the bad news that Mary Black was killed while attempting to escape. All but Gerag go to investigate and find that the guards assigned to transport her, trusted by Emisso, tell a consistent story but have no good explanation as to why they killed her.
Sunday 12 February
At Sister Regina's Sunday service, which is so crowded that it has to move to the steps of the Fool's Market, Gerag is approached by Rakgha Echew. He is a member of the city's army, and tells Gerag that word has reached them, he gives a long string of people who managed to connect Gerag with Gerag The Wise, that he may be help them with a problem of a necromantic nature they are having. He also indicates that no one in the army has any interest in revealing Gerag's secret identity. Apparently the city is guarded by six cannon that are in the towers of the wall surrounding the old city. To fire these cannon a person puts their hand on it and dies. They typically use condemned prisoners to fire the cannon, but one of the cannon no longer works. Can Gerag help? Gerag is a bit taken aback, asks how to get in touch (no problem, just go to one of the Old City towers where the army has a public office), and asks Odhran what the hell they are supposed to do now? Odhran thinks this is a great opportunity to get paid for doing nothing.
Captain Emisso turns up with Bob and Larry, the two guards who killed Mary Black. The exasperated Mina finds nothing unusual about them.
The morning paper turns up:
------------------------------------------------------------------ Dangerous Cultist Behind Fortune Teller Murders Captured by Town Guard
In a surprising development in the Fortune Teller murders, a dangerous cultist leader, Mary Black, has been captured by the Town Guard. A team of undercover investigators managed to discover that she was the behind the scenes puppet master of a cannibalistic cult. While Mary Black is not well known to the general public, she is well known to the Town Guard. She first surfaced during Sea Lord Drac's attempted coup, where she was among his misguided supporters. Like many she was only given mild punishment. Since she has had numerous brushes with the law and is suspected of leading a deluded and dangerous band of followers that are alleged to have comitted numerous unspeakable acts typically on the lowliest denizons of Scurvey Town.
The same undercover team that brought Gyni the Scurvey Town fortune teller to justice doggedly followed some loose ends left in the investigation of Gyni's murder spree. These included the ultimate destination of the bodies of Gyni's victims. They found that these bodies were being turned into meat pies by Mary Black and her gang. The pies were distributed in the city in an apparent attempt to gain control of the unfortunates who partook of them and thus widen the gang beholden to Mary Black. There is no evidence that this mad scheme actually worked.
Mary Black is being held at the Scurvey Town Guard House for further questioning. It is expected that she will be swiftly tried, found guilty, and executed. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Backpage article in the Shipping News ------------------------------------------------------------------ Music fans in Marnor enjoyed a real treat at the Cafe Ilkhan last night. A new artist appeared on the scene by the name of Odhran Khafush. A Dwarf who plays a Dwarven folk instrument that combines a drum and set of cymbals. He plays the instrument with great skill. He was accompanied by a female back up singer, also new to the scene, called Dottie Danger, whose accompainment gave depth and richness to a very enjoyable set of music. They performed a mix of Dwarven battle and folk songs, some standards, and a few originals. Standouts included "Battle In Black" the well known tale of the endless struggle of the Dwarves in the depths of the earth, and "Turning Marnorese" a catchy original about alienation and loss in our fair city. Khafush and Danger's set was very well received with the audience calling them back for two encores which led the two new comers to gamely improvise with enjoyable covers of some recent hits.
Opening for Khafush were the ever annoying Atheism Or, who tortured the audience with songs from their hit making days, when I am sure we were all under some evil spell as what else could explain these hacks ever becoming successful, which generated some scattered applause. They also insisted upon playing some of their recent offerings which sent a large portion of the audience to the bar in hopes of drinking themselves into a stupor to end the assault on their sensibilities that is Atheism Or. Thankfully, being the opening act, I only had to suffer through a short set from them.
Happily Khafush and Danger are scheduled to appear next Saturday at the Dented Helm, a venue prefect for this new, and I hope, soon to be in demand act appearing on the Marnorian music scene.
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Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:11 am |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
The Sunday paper arrives with stories about the capture of Mary Black and a favorable review of Odhran's and Dardianna Chroster's, aka Mad Donna's, aka Dottie Danger's concert at the Cafe Ilkhan. Gerag makes a recce of the Old City Walls. He can clearly see the very large guns at the tops of the towers. Odhran and Ekkie go to Argyle McGill's Curio Shop to return his book on Vulthoom and to try to sell the book of porn. McGill is very interested in the book of porn, offering a few 1000 GP, but they hold out for more. He says that he knows someone who will buy it, and he will arrange a meeting. Odhran borrows Vengenti's Guide To The Power of Death - Making The Dead Work For You, about necromantic power sources. It is due in a week. Odhran leaves the book with Lucius, the librarian, asking him to transcribe the chapters that might be relevant to the guns. He goes on to the Scurvey Town Guard house, where Detective Emisso that the lawyer looking for Mary Black will be delayed at least day trying to find her at the Tombs. He sends a note to Avanzo asking to meet in Old Town this evening.
Gerag and Sansa scout out the Main Market, which is closed today, and note that the stall of Janis Hawthorn has a great view of the Admiralty Dock, thus she can easily keep tabs on the Marnorian Navy, and the two Old Town Wall Towers that overlook the harbor. There is an address for Janis, in the Eastern District.
Odhran and Ekkie meet with Avanzo and ask him to dig up dirt on the lawyer looking for Mary Black, Uskok Skilton. He takes money, even though he says this is not his line of work. They break into the lawyer's office, note that it is well locked up, but besides discovering that there are more Achronus besides Kythras, they learn nothing else. To cover their tracks they scrawl revolutionary slogans on the walls.
Monday 13 February Odhran picks up transcriptions from Lucius. They all go to the Old City, meet Lieutenant Echew, and get a tour of the big guns. They see a practice round fired, but killing a condemned prisoner. They realize that the guns make the city almost impregnable. They are large enough to sink any ships approaching the harbor and cover the roads through the swamps. A limitation is that they are hard mounted on turn tables and it would be very hard and noticeable to move them around.
The non-working gun is one that covers the harbor. They learn that the guns have to be periodically "recharged" with a special ritual that also requires a human sacrifice. This gun failed in the usual way, but the recharging ritual, done twice by Sea Lord Tarmon, head of the Wizard's Guild, also the personage behind Ate Eez Pop, and whose minion sent Dardiana Chroster to spy on them, and once by another prominent Wizard Guild member, Rodsul Dartus, has not fixed the gun. A few other things have been tried. Basically the guns have a necromantic battery that powers the magical effect that turns a life into an explosion. This battery is what runs down and has to be recharged. Folks have tried grafting on a new battery, variant recharging rituals, installing other sorts of magical power sources, and even more strange things. Nothing has been successful. Odhran realizes that the recharging ritual is beyond his skills and probably needs a highly skilled mage. Detect magic reveals lots of magic on working guns, but only a little on the broken gun. Odhran's hammer vibrates a bunch near a working gun, but only a bit near the broken gun.
The guns were captured by pirates during the chaos surrounding the fall of the Moran Empire. They were brought to the city, and have defended it since. In contrast to the usual sloppy chaos that prevails in Marnor, they note that this operation seems very disciplined. They expect a proposal from Gerag The Wise including a cost estimate that they will cover. If the proposed fix succeeds then they will pay a very large bonus.
They return to the Indecipherable Scroll. Mina does not like Tarmon, is not a member of the Wizard's Guild, and will have nothing to do with the creepy guns. If they want to find a mage who is willing to go against the Wizard's Guild, in fact claims that they are a bunch of evil cultists, they should talk with Xort, who is some unknown sort of creature.
In the evening, Odhran goes to the Spider's Web, and while Avanzo is engaged has tryst with Alice. He too is creeped out by the decor and his hammer is vibrating. Avanzo has made no progress on learning about the lawyer Uskok Skilton, beyond knowing that he is the one that the rich go to if they are in real criminal trouble.
On Tuesday 14 February Gerag visits Sister Regina for training and she tells them that the donations from her larger flock allows her to move to place in Drac's End. At the Scurvey Town Guard House there is no news on Mary Black.
Mina returns to the Indecipherable Scroll after visiting the Spider's Web. She did not like what she found there, chaos corruption she says, had to get rough with Avanzo, and cleansed the place with fire. He is unconscious and his six girls, who are a big distraction, are here. She asks that the party get a hold of some money as Avanzo and his girls cannot stay here forever. Sansa takes Avanzo into her room, while two of the girls distract Odhran. He does manage to do some reading and learns that the broken gun either needs major repair, or that somehow the recharging ritual has not been successful.
Gerag goes to the Main Market, notes that many Moran sailors talk with Janis Hawthorn, and he meets with some of them in a bar. They mention that they are told to visit her when they get to Marnor, and tell her about their current voyage, what cargo their ship is carrying, market conditions, news, etc. They begin spouting Moran propaganda in praise of Emperor Devit, who has recently recaptured the whole of the Talian Peninsula, and has vowed to restore Mora to its former glory.
On Wednesday 15 February there is an article about the destruction of the Spider's Web. Avanzo is semi-conscious and mentions that his memories are hazy since the Achronus party, he and his girls did consume "meat" pies. He is frightened of Mina recalling wings, a bright, burning light, and then fire.
Captain Sondek arrives with three water fairies. He says that one of his patrols found them in the sewer tunnels east of the city, where the Achronus Mansion is. They are searching for their sister, Leenasa, who was kidnaped about a week ago. They have tracked her to some sort of cavern that connects with the sewer system. They know that their sister is in distress, being held against her will, and thinks that the people holding her mean to do her serious harm.
Odhran gets a note from Argyle McGill saying that they are to meet with Solestris Pine at his establishment, The Mouth of Hell, a notorious Scurvey Town gambling and entertainment house, late this evening about selling the Porn Book.
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Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:41 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Wednesday, 15 February around noon at the Indecipherable Scroll.
The party talks with the three water fairies. They express no interest in getting together with fire fairies, and are most interested in rescuing their sister. Sansa asks about connections with Fairy, and they say that away from the city, in the swampy river delta, that there are places. They are hungry and consume some raw fish that Gerag gathers for them. They like beer and flirt with Avanzo's girls and Odhran, who finds them rather creepy. Sansa consults Mina about what they have said and she confirms noting that she is not a big fan of water.
Odhran sends a note to Dardiana Chroster asking her to handle the possible sale of the Porn Book at the Mouth of Hell this evening. He leaves the book with Mina.
On their way to the sewers in the eastern part of city, Sansa visits Otto's and talks with the cleric of the fire fairies, Throyan. She tells him about the water fairies and their mission to rescue a captured sister. He provides her with the Cloak of Eleandra, which can heal a hurt Fey. He cryptically warns that it would be unwise for non-Fey to use it.
The water fairies lead them to a hole punched in the side of a sewer pipe. Within a guard in a skull mask asks "Who calls you forth?" and Odhran gives a muddled reply. "Excellent" is the response and the guard bekons them forward onto a boat floating in very large water filled cavern. Odhran gets on the boat, and Gerag takes the opportunity to punch the guard sending him into the water. The trashing guard attracts a large water hydra. The water fairies dive into the water, and all note that they change into transparent water snakes as they hit the water. They begin struggling with the hydra, while Sansa and Gerag fire at the beast. Odhran and Ekkie in the boat begin to row out to join the fight. The beast is defeated, but one of the fairies is badly hurt. The guard is captured and knocked out. The boat is filling with water, Ekkie and Odhran manage to get it back to the dock, and tie it off as it sinks. The hurt fairy dons the Cloak of Eleandra and is healed.
Inspecting the other boat they note a hole that can be stoppered, they enter along with the trussed cultist, and propelled by the fairies they cross the large, underground lake. At the other end there is a stone house and a cultist on the roof behind a parapet begins firing on them with crossbow, scoring some hits on Gerag. Ekkie begins climbing up the side, Odhran enters the smoke filled lower floor, and Sansa returns fire managing to score a hit on the well concealed cultist. Ekkie and Odhran, who eventually finds a ladder to the roof, finish off the cultist, who tumbles into the water. Within the house are some gears and a crank which are turned to raise a porticulus leading to another water filled room. Sansa cures Gerag.
There another building rises out of the water and they enter finding a room filled with pipes and valves being manipulated by a six armed humanoid swamp creature with black eyes like they saw within the Achronus Mansion. The creature turns some valves and is quickly dispatched. They note with disgust that four arms are grafted on to the creature. The water fairies tell them that they have to hurry as the water level is now rising, beyond are two large pipes that have begun spewing water into the cavern. They get passed this on the boat, go up a tunnel that ends in a metal hatch. They can hear voices beyond.
They burst into a horrible operating theatre where bodies and parts are being worked on by a human sporting a rapier and a knife and another swamp creature assistant. These two are overwhelmed by the party and the three water fairies who attack with clawed hands. Ekkie is badly hurt and Sansa has to heal her. They take a small iron chest that Ekkie IDs as being magically trapped. Beyond they find a cold storage room with bodies and parts. They begin moving down a corridor which the water fairies think will lead to their captured sister.
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Fri Oct 10, 2014 2:56 am |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Wednesday, 15 February
Creeping away from the hideous operating room and storage locker they encounter a temple devoted to The Hunger. As they cross it Odhran is siezed by an unnatural hunger and tries to head back to the storage locker for a snack. Sansa tries to use Hold Person on him, hits one of the water fairies who manages to shrug it off. Gerag tackles Odhran, and slaps him out of it. The same is repeated with Ekkie. Finally the horrid Temple is gotten through by shouting "For the Hunger." Sansa preys over the altar, Odhran reads runes on wall that are propaganda for The Hunger, and the water fairies steer the party to the left.
They enter a cavern, ignore a vault with a chest, and are attacked by some zombie-like things. Ekkie is discomfitted when the yellow metal key she has been wearing begins glowing hot. The "zombies" badly hurt Gerag, push Odhran into a pool of water where an enormous claw grabs him. Odhran is saved when all attack the claw, which drops him into the water, where he is fortunate to be rescued by a water fairey. The "zombies" are dispatched by the combined efforts of the party and the water faries. Gerag is given the Cloak of Eleandra, which partially cures his wounds, but leaves him "stoned" and incapable of acting independently. They focus on an elevator leading up, note that the corridor leading to the cavern is filling with water, and realize that they cannot go back.
Odhran, Ekkie, and one of the Fairies go up and see a cold furnace with some small gems lieing below it, and recently repaired gears and linkages. They realize that they are within some sort of monstrous, animated statue. Going up further they note two cultists working on repairs on mechanical mechanisms, and the 4th water fairey who is tied up. They attack the cultists, defeat them, cure the captured water fairey with the Cloak of Eleandra, and she "consumes" the two cultists leaving piles of dust behind.
She tells them that she was captured about a week ago to be entertainment for some grand personage. She was held in a house. Something went wrong and she was dragged here where she was abused by the cultists working on the statue and she thinks she was meant to be sacrificied to power up the statue. At the top level they see a constellation of rotating gems, and realize that the eyes of the statue can be opened. Looking out they realize that they are in the swamps east of the city, near the Achronus mansion, and that the statue is concealed by a layer of mud and plant growth making it look like a natural rocky out cropping. They try to do damage to the mechanisms inside the statue, and go out through the eyes.
They make their way back to the Indecipherable Scroll where it is early evening. They give Gerag a sleeping draught and talk with Mina about "The Idol That Walks," another item on their list from the Temple of the Nameless One. They agree that they need to destroy the Idol That Walks before it starts walking, but Mina is reluctant to so openly demonstrate her power. They hit upon using the city's eldritch guns, but are concerned that the city's military may prefer to use the Idol to aid in the city's defense. They decide to sleep on it.
Sansa tells the water fairies that the Cloak of Eleandra was from the Fire Fairies and that they should visit them to give thanks for helping to rescue their sister. They agree to do so tomorrow.
Dardianna Chroster turns up to deal with the Porn Book. She and Odhran head off to the Mouth of Hell to meet Argile McGile and Solestris Pine. They enter the Mouth of Hell where there is gambling, food, a bar, prostitutes, and a performance stage where some band is droning on about their love for Satan. Dardianna mentions that it opened recently, has been very popular as a place to go slumming, and that she is thankful that she does not have to work there. Pine is very gregarious and talks to many and gropes any of the female staff that he encounters.
Pine is very excited by the book revealing to them its history, which Odhran is vaguely aware of. Odhran says the book is for sale for 25kGP, which Pine accepts after some thought. He tells Odhran and Dardianna that they are his guest for the evening letting them eat, drink, and/or enjoy the prostitutes for free. He encourages them to use their money to gamble. They eat and drink expensively. As they break Pine tells McGill that they will discuss a finders fee for him, that will go to settle his gambling debts. Pine also agrees to see their act at the Dented Helm on Saturday to see if they are worthy of playing at the Mouth of Hell.
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Sat Nov 08, 2014 2:37 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Thursday 16 February
Odhran sells the gems he found in the Idol That Walks, finds them to be a bit valuable, and lies about their source. Gerag visits the Temple of Posiedon and speaks with Tabios Kenos, telling him about the party's recent activities. He will look into what the Morans might be up to here in Marnor. Sansa takes the Water Faireys to meet the Fire Faireys, and things go very well. Throyen, their cleric, teachers her the Aid spell and reveals that he knows a whole set of unusual spells that he can teach her. Odhran orders a high quality suit of armor. Sister Regina tells Gerag that she is relocating to a Drac's End location.
Odhran distributes the profits from selling the Porn Book and Mina manages to open the iron chest that they took from the horrible lab in the Hunger dungeion. Within is a Guide to the Worship of Xaoghul (aka The Hunger), a notebook on necromantic activities with notations by all three of the Achronus siblings, and The Grey Fragments of Malkith which has a set of necromantic spells ans some pages torn out.
They argue about what to do with the Idol That Walks and eventually decide to speak with the Fire Faireys about dismantling it. Also they decide to gather up those who were disturbed about cultist activity and see if they have any insights. Mina will arrange a meeting.
Friday 17 February
Odhran and Ekkie go to the Office of Swamp Lands and manage to buy the land on which the Idol That Walks sits. They now as land holders are responsible for helping to provide for the defense of the city. Gerag procures a Ring of Protection. Sansa speaks with the Fire Faireys, they are planning further get togethers with the Water Faireys, and describes the Idol That Walks. They recognize the pieces as valuable. Odhran and Ekkie see the Realtor Roberse Vlad to buy an apartment building in Drac's End for Avanzo's brothel. Odhran tells Avanzo that will not be a Spider Temple and has to include some space for music performance. Avanzo agrees and notes that the location is more upscale than his old place in Dreaming Street. Gerag the Wise has a note from Lieutenant Rakgha asking about his proposal to fix the broken Eldritch Gun. Mina reminds them of Xort, rogue mage, who may be willing to work with them. Odhran sends off a note to Xort inviting him to his performance tomorrow at the Dented Helm. Ekkie is sent off to procure credential identifying her as a lawyer.
Saturday 18 February
The league of anti-cultists meet at the Temple of Posiedon. The party tells them of their discovery of the Temple of the Nameless One under the bricked up house and the Temple of The Hunger and its connection with the Achronus. They also mention the evidence of Moran spying and try to link the Morans to the cultist activity. Captain Roberts mentions that the Morans are becoming more aggresive, but the current Sea Lord Marilise Maeorgan favors improved trade relations with the Morans. He asks for help from those in the room.
The Temple of Athena/Great Library agrees and will bring their concerns to the Sea Lord, while the Temple of Posiedon demurs as they are not convinced that the Morans are behind the cultist activity. The Town Guard agrees to deputize the party to continue their investigations.
Sansa tell them very emotionally about the pending mingling of the Fire and Water Faireys. The others are unimpressed.
Afterwards Mina tells them that she too is skeptical that the Morans are behind the cultist activty. What would be the point of taking over a city over run with cultists?
Ekkie begins drawing up a contract between the party and the Fire Faireys on the dismantling of the Idol That Walks. Odhran goes off to practice with Dottie Danger aka Mad Donna aka Dardianna Chroster. On the way to the show, Gerag and Sansa stop off at Otto's and tell the Fire Fairey's that they should keep an eye on the Idol That Walks.
At the Dented Helm besides the party Ningel, dwarfophile alchemist and sweet on Odhran, Solestris Pine, accompanied by a couple of floozies, are there. Xort, heavily robed and cowled with red glowing eyes and grey, wrinkled skin arrives. He thanks Odhran for inviting him, saying that he does not get out much. The opeing act is Rune Joy, doing their song Don't Stop Believin', featuring their lead singer who is apparently a minature troll. It goes will with the Dwarves, liking Odhran and Dottie Danger very much. Pine tells Odhran that his act is not appropriate for the Mouth of Hell. Ningel asks to see Odhran again.
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Fri Nov 21, 2014 5:00 pm |
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cinabro
Red Cap
Joined: Fri May 26, 2006 7:00 am Posts: 210
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
The last adventure was A Pound of Flesh from 0one Games. That was obviously a giant bargain as we played the hell out of it for many sessions. Excellent stuff.
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Sat Nov 22, 2014 5:46 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Sunday 19 February
Gerag visits Sister Regina's new worship site in Drac's End. It is much better than her old location in the Fool's Market and her flock has grown considerably. She warns agains the Temple of Ares.
Odhran and Ekkie go to Argyle McGill's Curio shop to return the treatise on Necromantic Energy. Odhran encourages Ekkie to buy a beginning law book which she does. He offers McGill the book on The Hunger, which he says is common and buys it for a small amount. McGill will have nothing to do with the notebook by the Achronus on necromancy, as it is far too dangerous. He advises destroying it. Odhran asks for a treatise on the Eldar Gods and buys the Text of the Golden Succubus which was authored by a famous madam, begins with a guide to the Eldar Gods, and then gets "more esoteric." It is expensive, but Odhran bargains with McGill about promoting his new house of entertainment for patrons of the Curio shop. McGill agrees to
this.
Mina spends some time with Avanzo. He is feeling much better, but wants out of here as he is afraid of Mina.
Odhran starts reading the Text of the Golden Succubus. It begins with a provenance of the Eldar Gods (they existed before time and stand apart from all other creation). He realizes that there are spells in the latter half of the book, but he cannot decipher them.
Monday 20 February
Roberse Vlad shows Ekkie and Odhran a potential location in Drac's End. It is a former small student dorm and with a bit of work will be ideal. It sells for 8000 GP with 10% down and a 5-year mortgage plan that leads to a net doubling of the cost. That is 800 GP is due on sale and for the next 59 months 257 GP is due.
When they get back to the Idecipherable Scroll, Swithto, the proprietor of the Bilge Rat, a tavern in the Docks, is there to ask Odhran to play a gig on Friday. Some of the Dwarf ship builders/repairers saw his Saturday show at the Dented Helm and recommended him. Odhran says yes, and asks to meet with those Dwarves, as he wants to hire them to fix up his new building. The girls and Avanzo are pleased to hear that they will be leaving here soon and can get back to work.
Aleksander Tovag turns up at the Indecipherable Scroll with Richard Ashton, who runs a Scribe shop in the Warehouse District. He has been unable to get to his shop since Friday. The block that his shop is run by one of the town's theives guilds and they regularly put up a sign telling all to stay away. He surmises that this is when they are moving contraband in and/or out of a warehouse on the block. Typically this lasts only a few hours, not days. Thus he is concerned. He tells them that he knows that secret passages connect all the buildings on the block, but is ignorant of the details. They will investigate after their meeting with Xort.
They meet with Xort on the broken Eldritch Gun. His office is in the Eastern District and is marked by a sign with a rune that no one recognizes. They are met by three minature "goblins" who act in concert, and a menacing, strange dog-like creature with a fang filled mouth. Xort reviews the materials and notes that only Sea Lord Tarmon and "another feckless member of the Guild" and one of "Tarmon's toadies" one Rodsul Dartus have tried the recharging ritual. He suggests that they are either incompetant or failed on purpose "enacting some cultist plot." He obviously has great contempt for the Wizards Guild. He suggests that he meets with the party again on Wednesday after he has had time to study the materials in more detail, and that they should arrange a meeting with the military on Thursday. They do this on their way back.
At mid-afternoon they enter the Scribe Shop. They explore the Scribe's Shop finding a safe with some money, a passage to the Warehouse, and ladder way to the Carpenters. In the Warehouse they find a man hanging from the walkway and some boxes. They explore the courtyard, and then enter the Potters. They find a clear sign of a struggle in the Potters. They cross to the Carpenters and find that the upper floor is a training area with blunted weapons, and a set of locked chests. There is also a dead man who has apparently cut his own throat and written "Forgive Us" on the wall in his own blood. Even more disturbing one of his hands has turned into a claw and some sort of growth has covered half of his face. While Ekkie and Sansa focus on the chests, Gerag explores the first floor of the Carpenters and Odhran the house between the Warehouse and the Inn. Odhran finds a copy of the popular but shoddy novel 50 Shades of Ulfire and a strong smell of decay. Upstairs he finds a man who has bashed his head out on a stone fire place. The man has left a note:
My Dear Christina
I hope that one day you will read this and know that in my final hours my only thoughts are of you and the boys. After what has happened here I cannot allow anyone to leave, even to deliver a letter, and that may be the only thing that saves the rest of the world from the Hell we now face.
Please know that we no inkling of what it was we did and that my men have sacrificed themselves to contain the Evil. I can do no less myself.
Pray for me if you must, but from what I have seen here, I cannot believe that his world is the creation of any loving Gods.
Goodbye, my love,
Kurt
He also finds a map of the city with some markings on itand a ring of keys.
Odhran moves on to the Inn, the Dog And Bastard. He enters via a rear store room that connects to the courtyard. He sees some barrels and a hatch leading below. As he is doing this and Gerag is entering the courtyard, they hear Ekkie and Sansa throwing a chest from the upper floor of the Carpenter into the courtyard. Ekkie was able to open the first two chests, found them empty, but failed on the third. Sansa and Ekkie decided to break it open by heaving it out the window to the courtyard below. It breaks open, but there is nothing within.
Odhran enters the main room of the Inn finding himself behind the bar. There is a man in the main room of the Inn, who is surprised by Odhran, but then moves to attack him with a knife. Odhran dispatches him quickly. The others hear the commotion in the Inn and find Odhran partaking of some of the distilled spirits he found behind the bar.
They debate whether to go down the hatch or to explore the other two buildings of the block that they have yet to enter. One is clearly a house, while the other is some sort of shop. It is late afternoon and starting to get dark.
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Sat Jan 03, 2015 2:35 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Monday 20 February
They go into the basement below the Dog and Bastard and see evidence of a struggle, connections to the sewer, another entrance that leads to the Potters and a very strong door with two locks. It is protected by a pit trap. Odhran has had enough and after scuffling with Gerag he goes back up to continue exploring. Below they have a key for one lock, Ekkie is able to pick the other, but Gerag is unable to force the door. Sansa detects magic, and they decide to head upstairs.
Odhran enters the remaining house, smells something awful upstairs, throws up, sees a pool of black goo with some bones, and finds a strange idol. The others join him and realize the idol is a puzzle box. They gather a sample of the goo in a glass jar.
They enter the last building, which is a butcher shop with rotting meat and a horrid, zombie dog. The dog has tentacles and hits Odhran while the others kill it. Odhran begins to not feel well and they quickly take him to Mina at the Indecipherable Scroll. She clearly sees that he is very sick and tell them to take him to the Temple of Posiedon where they hit him with a Cure Desease. He will be recovering here a few days.
Gerag gets the Town Guard to watch the block and let no one in or out. Ekkie goes to a magic shop and picks up a Scroll of Knock. Sansa takes the black goo to Ningel who will try to figure out what it is.
Tuesday 21 February
Ningel turns up in the morning telling them the black goo is some sort of preservative and not harmful. Whatever it was preserving is gone. Gerag tells the Town Gaurd to burn the Butcher Shop and the house with the goo. When they do this, it gets out of hand and half the block is destroyed. Ningel sells Ekkie two sneezing powders and a smoke bomb. Sansa and Ekkie bring the idol to Professor Cloimser, he cannot ID it, but will look into it.
Odhrn is doing OK, but they want to continue watching him. If all goes well, he will be released tomorrow. Ningel visits him, and he invites her to his upcoming concert on Friday.
Ekkie completes the purchase of the Old Dorm and asks about purchasing the block in the Warehouse district that Odhran thinks will soon be very cheap. Coilin Shipwright, a dwarf who works on ships, shows up to pursue repair work on the Old Dorm. After viewing he says that he and some of his mates will start on Saturday.
There is a note for the party from Roderigo, brother of the unfortunate pearl merchant Marcione, inviting them to join him at the Last Resort, the finest hotel in town, for dinner on Thursday. He would like to express his thanks for solving the mystery of his brother's death.
Sansa spends some time with Avanzo she tells him about the Old Dorm. He feels like tomorrow he will be well enough to relocate there. It is not ready for his girls to join him, but after the Dwarf work, it should be ready for them.
Sansa and Gerag visit Otto's. There they learn that the fairies seem to be hatching some rather frightening plans for the Idol That Walks. Sansa learns Summon Fey Kin. Gerag trains with Sister Regina.
Wednesday 22 February
Avanzo relocates to the Old Dorm. Odhran is well and released from the hospital. They reply to Roderigo and tell him that they will meet him Thursday.
They meet with Xort on fixing the broken Eldritch Gun. He suggests that he can perform the recharging ritual, but that it should be disguised as proposal to install a different kind of battery to replace a failing one. He suggests doing this Monday which will give him time to prepare and asking for 11kGP, 1k which he will need for materials and supplies, and they can split the remaining 10kGP. They, minus Xort, will meet with the military tomorrow to present their plan. Odhran pays Xort 1000 GP to work with him in the future. Xort agrees, but notes that he will be busy working on this over the next few
days.
As they leave they are attacked by some robed figures in green masks. One is slinging spells hitting Sansa with an Acid Arrow and Odhran and Gerag with Fear. Some others welding swords attack, and Xort's "dog" Spot joins in. Ekkie throws a smoke bomb which leads to the attackers scattering. Three are dispatched, but the others escape. Xort recognizes them as a cult called the Students of the Green Thing, who worship a big green rock that they found in the swamp. Their magic using leader is a member of the Wizards Guild and therefore is a "feckless cultist." He can learn more about them, but not until he is done with the Eldritch Guns.
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Sun Jan 18, 2015 9:43 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Wednesday 22 February
Gerag searches the bodies of the Students of the Green Thing and finds nothing. The Town Guard shows up and the party flashes their badges to get them to clean up. Xort cuts off the hand of one and says that he will use it to track down the Green Stone, but not until they are done taking care of the broken Eldritch Gun.
Gerag goes to see Sister Regina. She saw the Students of the Green Thing in the Fool's Market where they worshiped some green mud covered rock that they found in the swamp. Their leader was not a cleric, but some sort of wizard. He has a sword lesson.
Odhran goes to the Dented Helm where they know nothing about the Students of the Green Thing. He checks on his armor and finds that is going very well; it is of very high quality. It will be ready Monday. He visits the Realtor Roberse Vlad and asks after the block in the Warehouse District. Vlad tells him that it is a bad idea to pursue buying the block, but to go further Odhran should get in touch with Mr. Wednesday.
Sansa buys a nice dress for the visit to the Last Resort tomorrow and goes to the Old Dorm to see Avanzo. He is busy cleaning, etc. He plans a naughty school girl theme for the new brothel.
Back at the Indecipherable Scroll there are some folks from the Great Library asking about some books that they know that the party has. Specifically they are interested in the Grey Fragments of Malkith, which has some necromantic spells in it. They offer 10k GP for it, it is missing 1/3 of its pages, or 1k GP to make a copy. They also hint that any other texts they have could be very valuable. Odhran offers them a ledger, which they dismiss, and Sansa is suspicious of them, convincing the others to wait until she can talk with Lucius. They will send a full offer in the morning.
The Town Guard shows up saying that they have heard noise from inside the Dog and Bastard, and the party plans to head back in to the block that evening.
Sansa talks with Lucius at the Library. He tells them Aysil and his friends are members of the Library's acquisition staff. She begins talking about dubious magical books, and Lucius becomes uncomfortable. She asks him for some books, he is not a reference librarian, and helps her find a very basic book on demons, she asked about succubi, and a very good picture book of school girls, thinking she is helping Avanzo. The books are due in two weeks.
Back at the Indecipherable Scroll they talk about magical books and Lucius with Mina. Mina thinks the best they can do for Lucius is help him rebuild his lost library and that the Library is probably the best place for books of a dubious nature. The necromancy in the Grey Fragments of Malkith is a bit creepy, but healers learn that sort of magic, and would probably be fine at the Library.
They head back to the block. They tell the guard to only enter if they hear the code word "cantelope". They enter the pub, see nothing disturbed, and go down to the basement. They see unmoving figures and that the door to the vault is smashed. Gerag contemplates moving the figures into the sewers, Odhran talks him out of this, while Sansa heads into the vault. The figures begin to move and the tentacled zombies attack. Gerag is surrounded by three and hit repeatedly, Odhran and Ekkie fight off two, and one heads for Sansa, but falls into the pit trap. It is a desperate struggle featuring Gerag and Odhran taking many hits, Sansa falling into the pit, and five more tentacled zombies, three which fall into the pit, come from the vault. The zombies are dispatched, but Gerag and Odhran feel unwell. Sansa and Ekkie gather up some loot from the vault (clear glass ring, leather satchel, polished skull, purple gem, silver crown, and jade dragon) and they try to leave. They need the Guard's help to get Gerag out and Odhran tells the Guard to tell Mina to finish cleaning this place up.
At the hospital Gerag lapses into a coma, but the doctors think he will be OK in a few days. Odhran is out, but should be better in a couple of days. Sansa is in charge, and all can feel a great disturbance in the force.
Thursday 23 February
There is a note from the Acquisitions Department of the Great Library. Ekkie and Sansa go the Old City and meet with the military and present Xort's obfuscated plan for fixing the Eldritch Gun. They think that it sounds good, pay them 5.5k GP, schedule the fix on Monday at 9:00, and tell them that there will be an observer from the Wizard's Guild present to observe their fix.
Otto is at the Indecipherable Scroll. He is distressed that the Fire Fairies want to move his gas line to the Idol That Walks and start manufacturing some rather frightening robots. The Fire Fairies want to move out of the city, as their Water Fairy girlfriends do not like coming into the city. Otto, obviously, is refusing to allow this, and Ekkie points out that the party owns the Idol That Walks. After some discussion they plan to suggest that the Fire Fairies move their construction operation to the Idol That Walks, and produce less frightening robots. Otto will shut down his shop and all will talk with the Fairies next week.
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Sat Jan 31, 2015 1:38 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Thursday 23 February Continued
A message arrives at the Indecipherable Scroll saying that Odhran has recovered and is ready for release. Sansa goes to get him. The doctor tells her that he is surprised that Odhran has recovered so quickly, speculating that perhaps he has built up immunity from the previous attack. Sansa then becomes very annoying by questioning the care of Odhran and Gerag, who is unconscious and expected to remain so for a few more days. Sansa questions Odhran's plan to take one or more of Avanzo's girls with him this evening, to which he is incredulous as she plans to take Avanzo.
There is a letter from the Acquisitions Department at the Great Library offering 10k GP for the Grey Fragments of Malkith, 2.5k GP each for the books on the worship of the Nameless One and Xaoghul, and 1k GP for hand written texts or 1/10 as much to be able to make copies. They promise that the books would be properly cared for and if dangerous will only be made available to scholars authorized by the Temple of Athena.
Ekkie has reviewed the agreement with the Militia on fixing the Eldritch Gun. It seems standard, but Sansa is concerned that they will be liable if the gun remains broken. Ekkie notes that this is the point of having an observer present who will assure that nothing is done to harm the gun. Sansa further wonders if they can trust Xort, and Odhran notes that Xort has been more than fair with them. Sansa continues to hector Odhran about the upcoming evening, and he gathers up the books and heads off to the Great Library.
There he meets Asyil and sells off the books and the notebook of the Achronus on making zombie-like things netting 16.5 kGP. Asyil is very pleased and asks that any other books he finds be sold to the Great Library. Odhran asks for books about the Golden Succubus, and Aysil gives him a book by Shah Lammed Tilte called Dead Yellow Women. Odhran has heard of this author and knows that he is famous for lurid tales of hard boiled detective fiction. Aysil says, "Do not be fooled; he only writes what he has seen."
Odhran gets some clothes for the evening, visits Avanzo at the Old Dorm, which is going very well, and collects Lazi and Siouxsie, who look quite good, as his dates for the evening. They all return to the Scroll to pick up Sansa and Ekkie.
Sansa has visited Sister Regina and suggested that she send someone to the hospital to keep a watch on Gerag. Sister Regina will do this. She meets the others and they head to the Last Resort.
It is a beautiful five story building on the water front in the Merchant District. They are met by the halfling Bobbin Brandydale who upon learning that they are Roderigo's guests leads them to a large table in the restaurant. They are swarmed by servers and their every whim is satisfied. They note trays going up to the third floor. Roderigo comes down and thanks them for discovering what happened to his brother. They are a family of pearl merchants. Marcione was the gregarious salesman while Roderigo oversees pearl harvesting. They have an office in the Merchant District where their jewelry is sold. He suggests that they visit. They note Captain Horngold arrive with a sea chest and a giant crate that many bell hops have to help carry upstairs.
Countess Matilda arrives. Roderigo knows her, as his family provided some of the pearls for her famous necklace, The Tears of the Sea, that she is wearing. They have heard rumors that the necklace is better protection than a dozen armed men and/or that it is cursed. He takes them over for an introduction and a drink. She is gracious, but standoffish, and dismisses them when Baron de Clorevin arrives and draws her attention away from Odhran. Odhran does invite them to his performance at the Bilge Rat tomorrow.
Captain Horngold comes down for dinner, Sansa and Ekkie slip away to investigate, and Ekkie manages to get into his room. She finds the sea chest is filled with tropical art objects and the big crate has a stone sarcophogus.
When dinner is over Roderigo takes his leave, telling the party to stay as long as they like on his tab, and Odhran tells Lazi to accompany him upstairs. He gladly accepts. They note that the Captain is joined by someone who looks like a merchant,
Odhran and Siouxsie remain while the others go. Sansa and Ekkie are alarmed by Odhran's frequent invocations of the Golden Succubus. Avanzo knows nothing of this and he and Sansa spend a happy night together at the Old Dorm.
The Countess and Baron finish and go upstairs. The Captain and his friend go up and Odhran and Siouxsie follow. They knock on the Captains door and are introduced to Quelch. The Captain tells them that he and his crew found these items in a tropical locale and many of his crew died recovering them. The sarcophogus contains a mummy which he claims was taken from a sacred tomb of a tribal shamen. Quelch and Odhran begin bidding for the items, and Odhran triumphs, sealing the deal by promising the Captain that Siouxsie will remain with him after the particulars are worked out. Quelch leaves in disgust, and Odhran will return tomorrow with the funds and take away the items.
As Odhran heads down stairs he sees a young man unhappily drinking at the bar. He asks what is wrong and the man says that he has lost all his money in high stakes card game going on upstairs. Odhran is intrigued and goes up to join the game. He does not know it well, does not play for long, and hears a scream that he identifies as Lazi. He hastily follows the sound, hears a struggle, and bashes into the room.
He sees a nude Roderigo with a sword struggling with four masked men armed with clubs. Lazi is cowering in the bed. Roderigo fells one of the cultists, Odhran knocks out one from behind, and the two remaining try to flee. Roderigo fells one, but the remaining goes out the window with Odhran in pursuit. He is getting away from Odhran, but then stumbles and falls, and is tackled by Odhran before he can rise. Odhran drags him back to the Last Resort. The Town Guard has arrived, and they begin helping Odhran when he flashes his badge.
They question the cultist who tells them that the Master of the Nameless One ordered them to capture Roderigo. He does not know why, but he met the Master at the Mouth of Hell and he promises that loyal followers of the Nameless One will enjoy power and privilege upon the Nameless One's imminent arrival. The Guard takes the cultist away.
As this mess dies down the Countess is heard screaming that someone has stolen her necklace. She was awoken by the commotion, noted the missing necklace, and that the doors to her suite are locked. In place of the necklace is a black silk hankerchef which is the calling card of the notorious jewel thief known as The Ghost. The Baron arrives to console the Countess, and he organizes a search of the hotel. Odhran and the Guard help out. Odhran notices that someone entered the Countess's suite via the window.
During the search it is discovered that the Royal family of Kivel, an island city-state south of the Tasprian Pennisula which was recently taken by the Morans forcing the ruling family into exile, is found dead. Apparently their meal, taken in their suite, was poisoned.
The Tears of the Sea is not found. Odhran collects Lazi and Siouxsie and heads back to the Indecipherable Scroll. They do demand payment for their evening's activities.
Friday 24 February
The Shipping News arrives with an article about some of the events at the Last Resort last night. ------------------------------------------------------ Tumolt At The Last Resort
Yesterday evening the normally sophisticated atmosphere of the city's finest hotel was disturbed by a series of incredible events. The evening opened with a scene being caused by the wealthy merchant Bartholomew Hodden. For months rumors have circulated that his former actress wife, Imelda, has been in an improper relationship with the noted opera singer Thomas Rhymer. Apparently these rumors were true and Hodden caught the two lovers having a tryst in one of the hotel's luxury rooms. Rhymer was humilatingly driven from the hotel in his underwear, and Mrs. Hodden was seen sobbing in the street with her husband shouting at her, "Forget that prenup, babe. You will be lucky to keep your insanely huge breasts." We have changed this quote to remove inappropriate language.
This salacious event was tame besides an apparent attack on the noted pearl merchant Roderigo Lugo. He was staying at the hotel asleep in his room when four men burst into his room and tried to capture him. He fought back with a handy sward and felled one of the attackers. A member of the Town Guard was in the hotel on official business and investigated the commotion. He joined the fight and brought low another of the attackers. The remaining attackers tried to flee. One was killed by the skilled merchant and the other was captured by the Guard. The attacker made confused claims that he had religious motives for trying to kidnap the rich merchant, but a spokesman for the Town Guard discounted this making it clear that the attack was most likely an attempt to gather a large ransom from the prosperous Lugo family. The Guard also said that there seemed to be no connection between this attack on Roderigo Lugo and the death of his brother Marcione Lugo, one of the victims of the serial killer, Gyni the Fortune Teller, earlier this month.
In a final improbable event the famous socialite and philanthropist Countess Matilda was the victim of a bold theft by the famous jewel thief known as The Ghost. The Countess is a well known frequent visitor to the Last Resort, making it her in home in town, when she is visiting Marnor from her estate north of the city. She has been often seen around town at cultural and social events where she is usually sporting the incomperable pearl necklace known as the Tears of the Sea. The Countess had dinner at the hotel, was seen wearing the necklace, and retired to her suite after dinner. After the events surrounding the pearl merchant Roderigo Lugo, recounted above, and ironically rumored to be the supplier of some of pearls that went into the Tears of the Sea, the Countess informed the Guard that the necklace was missing from her suite. She was awakened by the stir caused by the attack on Lugo, and noted that the necklace was missing. In its place was a black, silk hankerchef which is the calling card of the infamous jewel thief known as The Ghost. The Countess noted that the doors to her suite were locked and a search by her and her staff did not find the necklace in her rooms. At this point she informed the Guard. The hotel was locked down and a search led by Baron de Clorevin, a recent visitor to the hotel, found no sign of the necklace. The inconsolable Countess would only say that she would give a large reward to whoever could return to her the precious Tears of the Sea. She refused further comment.
Very little is known about The Ghost. The thief has struck in Mora, Carson, Canvil, and Venga with the only evidence linking the crimes being a black, silk hankerchef left in place of the missing precious object. Stolen items include the diamond necklace known as the Satine, the large ruby set in a copper and gold mesh necklace called the Blood of the Dragon, and the string of rubies and diamonds arranged in heart shapes called the Pretty Woman. All of these items are rumored to have magical powers and are of mysterious provenance. Members of the Town Guard suspect that The Ghost has likely stolen other items, but the owners have not reported them missing. They also express bafflement, as the items would be difficult to turn into cash due to their fame, and, if they are magical, could not be broken up into individual gems without compromising their magical power.
Bobbin Brandydale, the proprietor of the Last Resort, expressed bafflement at the night's events. He said that the hotel and restaurant prided itself on providing complete service to its guests. He apologized if any other guests had been inconvienced and promised that the Last Resort would improve its security and its level of service. He urged any one contemplating a visit to the Last Resort to not be dissuaded by one "unfortunate night" and that any one wanting to visit the most elegant establishment in Marnor should be his guest at their earliest convenience. ------------------------------------------------------ Odrhan heads to the Last Resort to meet with Captain Horngold to pick up his objects. He cannot arrouse the Captain, gets the hotel staff to open the door. The Captain is not there, the sarcophogus is open and empty, and a window is broken. Bobbin is beside himself that there is yet another scandal at the hotel. Odhran assures him that all will be handled discreetly and calls for the Town Guard. Odhran writes a receipt for the sale of the items to him. The Guard arrives and after some investigation and questioning conclude that the Captain was likely a victim of one of his items. They will be on the look out for a murderous mummy. They gather some samples of the art and let Odhran take the rest of it, which he ships to the Old Dorm.
Odhran hears rumors that Janis Hawthorn, the half elven fruit merchant that the party suspects of being a Moran spy, has been arrested. Her stall in the Main Market is empty.
They have a note from Professor Cloimser at the University asking to meet. They go there and he apologizes. He has been unable to learn anything about the puzzle box idol that they recovered from The Block. Whatever cult it represents is too obscure. He also mentions that when he asked the Town Guard about visiting the Temple of the Nameless One that the party discovered beneath the bricked up house in the city, that he was refused. He finds that strange since he is their consultant on cultists. They share with him some of their recent adventures and he finds it unusual that cultists had interests in both Marcione and Roderigo Lugo.
Ekkie gathers some goblin help and they investigate the location on the map of the city that they found in The Block. It is a home and its outer walls seem to match the floor plan that they have. Sansa goes to the Library and asks about the Golden Succubus. A librarian shows her some back issues of the Shipping News from about 50 years ago. The Golden Succubus was a very well known high end brothel in the Merchant District. One night all of the residents and a bunch of well heeled patrons disappeared from the building. All that was found were signs of a struggle and blood stains. Sansa is a bit confused about exactly where it was located and what is there now. The paper speculates that the Golden Succubus is some sort of demon to which one trades one soul in return for sexual satisfaction, which was the rumor that fed the popularity of the brothel. She goes to Argile McGill's Curio Shop asking about books on The Golden Succubus, the Nameless One, and/or the Drow. He has nothing for her and she threatens him with fire.
Odhran and Dottie Danger have a very good concert at the Bilge Rat. The Baron is there accompanied by a young lady. Ningel is there and she finally succombs to Odhran's advances.
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Sat Feb 14, 2015 4:40 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Saturday 25 February
Gerag wakes up in the hospital. They say he can go, but should avoid stress for the weekend and come back on Monday for a visit. One of Sister Regina's followers, who has been on guard, escorts him to the see the Sister.
Sansa tries to find the location of the old Golden Succubus brothel, and locates the Salon du Masque. She is told that it is only open Thursday-Saturday evening and the entry cost is 100 GP. She says that she is writing a history and gets a meeting with The Countess on 3:00 on Monday.
At the Old Dorm the dwarf Coilin Shipwright and a few of his friends shows up to do work. They will work through the weekend and expect to be done Monday evening. They ask for 55 GP.
Odhran goes to the hospital and finds that Gerag has been released. He asks after Mummy attacks, but they have nothing.
Gerag visits Sister Regina, they spar, she beats him easily and she thinks he should take it easy until he finishes recovering. He tells her what happened at the block, gives him some sword training, and he heads back to the Indecipherable Scroll.
They all meet and talk and Sansa tells them her theory on the theft of the Tears of the Sea. Odhran tells them his recent obsession with the Golden Succubus has been to build up interest in the soon to be opened Old Dorm. He and Gerag plan to visit The Mouth of Hell this evening. Sansa is still disturbed by the Golden Succubus and talks with Mina. She is not convinced Odhran is behaving more oddly than usual and is anxious to get Avanzo's girls out of here. She is disturbed that Professor Cloimser was not allowed to visit the Temple of the Nameless One by the Town Guard.
Gerag goes to a magic shop in the Old City called the Wizard's Pouch asking about something to detect possession. They do not have anything, but tell him to stop back early next week and see what they can dig up. He also heads down to the docks and purchases two open tickets for a sea journey out of town. When he returns to the Scroll, Mina also expresses her worry about the Temple of the Nameless One.
Odhran explores the written work of Shah Lammed Tilte reading the Thin Man (a tale of a sophisticated husband and wife investigation team on the trail of a mysterious serial killer) and Blood Money ( a tale of a bank robbery that goes horribly wrong and the stony investigator with no name on the trail of the criminals).
Sansa and Ekkie go to Pearls by Lugo. Roderigo is not there, apparently returning to the family's island, and she makes arrangement to buy some bracelets for herself and the pending fairey baby. They will also make a cheap copy for public situations. She also learns that they work with an enchanter called Riet Botoce who has a shop in the Merchant District to add magical effects to their pearl jewelry and an insurance company called Solara's Protection, also in the Merchant District. She also notes that Pearls by Lugo has shops in the same cities that The Ghost has stolen items. Amazingly enough she does not threaten to burn the place down even once.
Odhran and Gerag go to the Mouth of Hell. They conclude that it is Applebees with gambling and whores. They hear Lichen Oilier doing his song Hello, a homage to stalking.
Sansa goes to the boarded up house and the guards there will not let her in even after she shows them her badge. They tell her that Sea Lord Tarmon has ordered it closed.
Sunday 26 February
On the streets there are pamphlets on red paper called The Rights of Man and the Urgency of Regicide. It mentions the fate of the royal family of Kival.
The party rests and trains. Gerag on the sword, Sansa visiting the fire faireys and learning the Consecrate Spell, and Odhran making elaborate and expensive plans for the opening of the
Old Dorm.
Monday 27 February
Odhran's armor is ready. It is very high quality.
Xort arrives for breakfast and they go to the Old City to repair the Eldritch Gun. Sea Lords Tarmon and Holliver are there. Tarmon objects to Xort doing anything to the gun, but Holliver tells him that his people have had their chance and not succeeded and that Xort should have a chance. Xort begins assisted by his three miniature goblins who keep a book open in front of him as he moves around performing the recharging ritual. His "dog" Spot stands guard. At the end all feel a powerful magical effect and Xort collapses in exhaustion. He says, "It is done, and done well." When a "condemned" is called for a test, Xort says that it is not necessary and that an animal will do fine. One is provided and a practice shell is loaded. It works. Holliver is very pleased, taunts Tarmon, and asks Xort to come see him after he has recovered.
Tarmon says that Xort was lucky and wants to meet with the party. Xort agrees that luck did play a role, but now none of the feckless cultists in the Wizard's Guild will ever laugh at him again. The party tells him that he should work on tracking down the Students of the Green Thing.
Tarmon tells the party that despite their success, he mistrusts them hiding behind the facade of "Gerag the Wise". No one understands the sacrifices that he is making to protect the city from threats that make the Morans look like boy scouts. They ask about the Temple of the Nameless One and he says that it is far too dangerous with an unstable portal which if disturbed could explode and take out half the city. He dismisses them and warns them to steer clear of him and his business.
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Sat Feb 28, 2015 1:29 pm |
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greenbadge
Hlobane Orc
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 103 Location: Novi, Michigan
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 Re: The Marnor Campaign
Monday 27 February
The militia gives the party a check for 5.5k GP for their repair of the Eldritch Gun.
Odhran spends the rest of the day planning the Old Dorm opening party.
Gerag goes to the Wizard's Pouch. They tell him that True Seeing would reveal any possession. They do not have one, but they will be on the look out for one for him. They also suggest detect alignment, etc. can also reveal clues of possession. Gerag buys a Protection from Arrows potion for 330 GP as a thank you gift for Xort.
Sansa visits Avanzo at the Old Dorm. He is very happy with how things are going here. They have a happy tryst.
Sansa and Ekkie goes to the Salon du Masque to meet with The Countess. They find that they have to wear a mask, there is selection provided, to go beyond the entrance hall. They meet The Countess in an office. She is alluring with an attractive body and eyes. She does not have any knowledge of The Golden Succubus, and she bought the property with the help of Roberse Vlad, the realtor. Its unpleasent history allowed her to pay less for it and adds to the mystery of her establishment. She invites Sansa to visit as her guest, elves are always good earners. Sansa says that she will come with her Drow boy friend, even more intriguing to The Countess, and they will come on Thursday evening.
Gerag visits the Hospital. They find no trace of the infection and poison.
In the evening they are passing through the Old City and see the Town Guard assault on the Wizard's Guild Hall. They see the skull gernades and Ekkie gets hurt by one. They enter the building and Gerag flashes his badge and talks with Captain Rudle. The Guard has been ordered to take over the building by Captain Holliver. Odhran gathers up one Julian who sees after the spell components supply for the Guild. He says that this is clearly some dispute among the Sea Lords. Odhran offers him protection, and they take him back to the Old Dorm, where Avanzo will be sure that he stays out of sight.
There they find that the repairs are complete and it has been done well. Odhran pays and thanks Coilin. Coilin notes that he and his Dwarf buddies have figured out what is going on here, and Odhran invites him to the opening on Friday, giving them a free evening including a visit.
Sansa cures Ekkie.
Odhran pens an angry letter to Sea Lord Holliver expressing concern about the attack on the Wizard's Guild Hall.
Tuesday 28 February
Front Page article in the Shipping News: ------------------------------------------ Town Guard Raids Wizard's Guild Hall
Members of the Town Guard were seen entering the Old City location of the Wizard's Guild Hall. They were reported to have been struggling with those within who were defending the premisses with some sort of thrown projectile which exploded into a shower burning hot black skulls. Despite the attempted defense the Guard were seen to be in full control of the compound late yesterday evening. There was no comment from any of the members of the Captian's Council or their staff. We did manage to learn that an emergency meeting of the Captain's Council had been scheduled for early this day. ------------------------------------------
Gerag sends his present to Xort. He visits Sister Regina who beats him easily. He tells her that he is planning dealings with Faireys and she warns him of their mercurial nature.
Odhran goes down to the main market and buys 500 GP worth of baubles to bring to the Faireys. As the party gathers, he sings to raise their spirits.
They discuss their plan. They will try to convince the Faireys to build useful stuff rather than scarey and frightening stuff. They let Mina know that if they do not return by tomorrow morning, then she should come looking for them at the Idol That Walks.
They meet at Otto's with Throyan, who speaks for the Fire Faireys and Otto. After some discussion they reach an agreement with the Fire Faireys. They get the use of the Idol That Walks, and are able to scavenge its materials in the manufacture of weapons and robots. They will continue to supply Otto with weapons as before and he will continue to see to their needs. In addition they will provide the members of the party with one "weapon" each year. Also each moon cycle they will manufacture one "robot" like the greeter in Otto's shop with some specification by Otto and the party. The Faireys and their allies will be able to turn the Idol That Walks into Fey Territory, defend it, and not expand the Fey Territory. They reach an agreement with Otto about moving the gas line and the flame to the Idol That Walks. Ekkie writes up the contract basing it on the old agreement the Fire Faireys had with Otto. The Faireys were motivated to relocate to the swamp as their Water Fairey girl friends do not like to come into the city. Thus they are pleased with the agreement.
Odhran gives the Faireys a token from his stash of stuff, and they give him a small jeweled frog with a wind-up key.
Talking with them takes most of the day. Afterwards they head back. Gerag does sword training with Sister Reginna. Odhran works on organizing the opening of the Old Dorm. Sansa learns the Entangle spell and tells Mina what happened in the only way she can. Playing at the Indecipherable Scroll is Seafarers Fort doing "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"
Wednesday 1 March
Front Page article in the Shipping News: ------------------------------------------ Town Guard Withdraws from Wizard's Guild Hall
The Town Guard has left the Wizard's Guild Hall. Guardsmen were seen to be leaving the building as known members of the Wizard's Guild arrived and entered the buildings of the compound. No one would comment on any of these puzzling events. It is not clear why the Guard wanted to enter the Wizard's Guild Hall, why this led to a struggle, and why the Guard would abandon the Hall after having taken it over for one day. Another mystery is why no one will comment on whatever it is that is going on. ------------------------------------------
Tabios Kenos finds the party to tell them that he checked in on Lucius yesterday and found him in some sort of trance. He thinks the party should keep an eye on him. Odhran gives Tabios three VIP passes to the opening of the Old
Dorm.
Ekkie hires some goblins to keep an eye on Lucius. Sansa, Ekkie and Gerag will go check out Lucius's apartment, while Odhran will go to the Great Library and check on Lucius. In the apartment, Ekkie gets them in, all looks OK. They do find the fragment of a translation about power sources and lubricants. Sansa checks for Magic, Chaos, and Evil and gets some feint hits of Chaos and Evil. They withdraw and keep watch. Odhran has lunch with Lucius. He seems OK, and Odhran notices the goblins keeping watch. He invites Lucius to the Old Dorm opening party.
They talk at the Idecipherable Scroll and agree to keep a close eye on Lucius. When he leaves the library at the end of the day, he is carrying a book. Sansa and Gerag go to the Library, it is after hours, but Gerag flashes he badge, gets in, and looking at the records they find that Lucius has not checked out a book recently.
They join Odhran and Ekkie who followed Lucius home. They see him come out, and he is in a sort of trance walking right past them without noticing them. He goes down to the border of the Merchant's District and the Docks, where he pulls up a sewer grate and enters the sewers. They follow him as he takes a circuitous path, and Ekkie is not even sure where they are. He eventually stops and opens a secret door in the side of tunnel. He enters and they follow. They are in a small metal room.
Lucius bumps into the back wall and asks where he is. They hear a loud sound and feel the floor shaking. They can see a small window, and dimly see a man operating some levers a ways away. Ekkie manages to climb through the window, while the others are having trouble standing on the shaking floor and seeing amid the dust. Gerag realizes that the top of the room hinges open and grabs onto the teeth of the ceiling lids. As the shaking grows worse they note that the floor is tilting and they can see the grinders that the stuff in the room should dump into as the far wall begins to hinge open. Sansa grabs onto Gerag who has a firm grasp on the cieling. Ekkie is clinging to the window. Odhran throws a rope with hook onto the window and hangs on. He grabs Lucius. They all manage to hang on as the floor tilts 45 degress and the room continues to shake. The shaking stops and the room returns to its original position.
They climb out the cieling and realize that they are in a masonry factory, Crocker's Bricks and Mortar. There is no sign of the operator, and even though Sansa wants to burn the place down they can see no obvious way to do this.
They confront Lucius who has no memory of the last few hours. He tells them that his job at the library is to maintain the machines that read the books that are encoded on all the skins of dead reptiles. He tells them that small things (snakes, lizards, etc.) make unexciting books such as cook books. Predators such as aligators make interesting books such as detective novels. Intelligent creatures such as lizard men, make valuable non-fiction like science or history. Magical creatures like dragons make magic books with spells, rituals, and such. It is a great secret and they can tell no one.
They convince him that he is in serious danger and he agrees that they take him to the Indecipherable Scroll as the "the lady there can protect me."
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Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:09 pm |
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