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Summary

April 18, 1236 (Evening)

Arriving at Melanie’s private patio, the group found half of the party goers conservatively dressed and the other half looking for some late night entertainment after this. Hannelore wore her new (less than an hour ago) peacock dress and introduced herself to Melanie. Melanie was interested in Fi’s hat and the creator of said hat, Driana Hodgkins. But really, she invited the group here to show Hawk off to the two major celebrities here.

Dorian Holphan is a skilled actor, comedian and investigator. He’s been following the performer Sal’nessee for quite some time and his missing person investigations have led him here. He seems quite interested in Nidri right now (Melanie and Lady Terria suspect it’s the tail.) Sal’nessee herself is often confused for a demon, but everyone comes to listen to her energizing songs.

Hawk accidentally sets up dates with Lady Terria and Abraxinal (luckily not at the same time) while Nidri purposely sets up a date with Dorian. Hawk accidentally sets up a date with Sal’nessee as well, before Melanie scales it back to mere singing lessons. Dorian starts a one-man play named “The Rise of the Phoenix” that leaves everyone in stitches, while Sal’nessee dances and sings about the raw freedom of choice.

Vegeta looks around the castle walls when he finds a trail of explosive powder leading from a hole in the wall of Melanie’s patio to an underground cave he needs to squeeze through. Fi and Melodie join him and they travel underground. Fi recognizes the tunnel as part of the fallout shelter, and they pass the other side of the tunnel with an unstable ceiling. Of note, they find a huge stash of explosive material underneath the Mel’s home. It’s clear this was where Magmere used its explosives. Melanie is so laissez faire about it that Melodie storms out of the party. Melanie ends the party and the party goers head home. Well, except Nidri.

April 19, 1236

The team talks to Micel Verdantflame, who is excited over the Black Sendine and Latrop’s artifact. He hands the party some money to buy the Black Sendrine and confirms the use of Latrop to open a portal to the realm of Stheno. Sendrine was some kind of transmutation mage who was drowned then converted herself into a mineral. Micel is certain someone opened a portal to the Realm of Stheno.

Meeting with Captain Dakan, he thanks the party for their rescue efforts and tells them one of the Magmere survivors is willing to talk. The team interrogates Alphose, asking him of his involvement and efforts in the attack. He was dispatched by a goblin explosive expert named Snock, who lives in the Docks District. Alphose didn’t know exactly why he was hired (vague revenge) or who hired Snock (the identity of “da boss”).

Claire’s informant pointed the team to Snock’s home: a hut deep in Harvest Wharf’s garbage dump in the Docks District. Vegeta noticed Snock’s home was surrounded by a trap: A land mine of some sort. He saw the first, but didn’t see the second. He was quickly blow off his feet as Snock and three other goblins emerged from the tent, weapons ready. Snock in particular rode some kind of wooden wolf construct named Wolf Blitzer. Luckily, Nidri was able to parley with him and Claire was able to talk to him for a bit.

Snock was paid well by “Da boss” to guard some explosives in the tunnels underneath the Mel Family residence. He noticed a “smelly lady” distract the guards who were supposed to guard the Mel Family entrance as Magmere delivered him the explosives. On the night he and Magmere agents were supposed to deliver the explosives to a more effective spot, Snock saw Da Boss throw a flare in and try to kill them all. Snock managed to take cover and fled. He found the guards’ bodies near his home in the garbage yard and has taken refuge from assassins ever since.

The team brings him to the East Ferren Trading Company. Melodie is at first furious that they brought the arsonist who almost blew up her home, but she eventually calms down. As Melodie escorts Snock to his new home, Marjorie apologizes for Melodie’s outburst. Nidri points out that Snock’s smelled Nidri, Da Boss, the stinky lady who led guards away from the Palace of the Old Queens, and smelled something when he entered Marjorie’s office. Nidri thinks he could smell something Magmere members carry around, but it’s just a hypothesis.

Feeling safe, Snock mentions the boss by name: Lord Argus Carfen.

April 20, 1236 AD

In the morning, the team heads to the barracks to report in and talk to Captain Dakan. He and his son Marxen are having a sparring match. Dakan is preparing for the missus to come tonight and hoped it would be a quiet day. The news of the dead guards come as quite the shock to him, but he’s surprised about the stinky woman. He is surprised by the accusations of Lord Carfen, a fellow ally and famous blacksmith whose family helped supply Harvest Wharf. Dakan will investigate the dead guards, while the team tracks down Lord Carfen.

Stories lead them to the warehouse district in Traderstrip. Claire hears rumors that Carfen has been inside a warehouse for several days. Sneaking in, they find a wounded man stuck in a crate, asking for help. The party closes in to help him, but Vegeta realizes it’s a trap! Carfen turns into a Div and swears at the party for interrupting his feast! They souls are his! He ambushes and cuts Fi down. Vegeta suffers a terrible curse, haunting his every action.

One of the doors opens. Fleir and Adrias Stonebottom step in. Fleir rushes off to fight for her master, while Adrias prepares some special aid to enhance his allies. They eventually defeat Carfen, and his body collapses into sand as he uses his last moments to thank them. Fi is brought back to the East Ferren Trading Company, where Adrias pays for Fi’s revival and restoration. Vegeta pays for Marjorie to rid him of curses.

Melodie is surprised that Lord Carfen was a div, but she’s more concerned about how much this news will devastate Lord Dakan. Adrias was investigating missing shipments from the Draugh Empire and had traced it down to this warehouse.

Before leaving the company, Fi spoke to the team about his near-death experience. A vision of Harvest Wharf collapsing, decimated by Devils, Div and Demons from the inside and obliterated by Angels, Archons and Azata hailing from Mardens City. A demon overwhelming Captain Dakan, killing him. A woman gave Fi and headband and apologized, urging Fi to continue.

The team decides to talk to Lord Dakan at his manor. He’s sitting in the mess hall with his son Marxen and his lady, an Elf named Shavani Tinderrain. The night is not a good one for Alexen, learning that his good friend was consumed by a div. Marxen notes that Lord Carfen never received the same fame he did, and it may have led to jealousy. Nidri notes how strange it is for a Div to possess someone, usually Demons possess. Still, Alexen is glad his friend thanked them for saving him before dying.

Events of Note

Chat Log

• Chat Log

Party

So this event was totally made up. Nidri doubled back to town to check to see if the Company had any assignments. Oh snap, they don’t. Uhhh...party!

I’ve been throwing the party in dank caves and xenophobic elves recently, so it was a good change of pace. It also gave you a chance to interact with more NPCs and influence the world a bit.

Good thing, too. This helped me make a couple of NPCs and have some nice interaction for later.

Snock “Battle”

Oops, I made that encounter too tough. Snock had +7 Ranged Touch attack bombs, fortified land mine traps, and a wooden wolf (lots of HP and Hardness) who was basically a tank. Luckily I had planned an out: Snock was Unfriendly rather than Hostile, and the mutagen he drank lowered his Wisdom, so he was pretty gullible. The wooden wolf...well you’ll see more of it later.

Carfen’s fight

It’s amazing what prep can do. The party was planning to sneak in, scout the warehouse, come back in the dead of night and be prepared for anything. Instead Carfen made a bad stealth check so you noticed, a good bluff check so you fell for it, and then bombarded you with gaze failures. And Fleir is stuck outside. I had a couple of failsafes ready, but nothing will stop a lucky crit especially on a fragile character like Fi.