Back to the action from our weekly game! We continue everyone’s mini-scenes (we’re actually off this week as our DM is out of town, but here’s the rest of what happened last week)
Zattera spends a few days milling about the city, finding his way back again and again to the Diamond Spider Tavern. There he plays some cards, competes in hand-ax and dagger throwing contests, and drinks many strong drinks. All-in-all his winnings and his drinking mean he comes out even in the coin-purse. One night while at the bar an older gentleman from his homeland enters, carrying a long thin package and searching for Zattera.
Soon this familiar face from his homeland finds him and Zattera recognizes him as Rastus, a trusted family servant. After some catching up Rastus shares that he is concerned for Zattera’s father’s health. He fears that he will not see many more harvests and urges Zattera to pay his aging father a visit soon. Then he presents him with the package. Opening it Zattera finds the most exquisite rapier that he’s ever laid his eyes on. As he feel the weight of it, the perfect balance, the level of detail and craftsmanship in even the smallest details, Rastus begins to tell him about his Grandfather. Zattera’s grandfather is a respected man on their island nation. Considered one of the founders of their lands. He was the one who introduced the growing of Sugar Cane and Tobacco and Zattera’s family has benefited from that legacy ever since. Rastus begins to share that he was more than just a farmer that he had a bit of a wild itch that needed scratching from time to time and that the rapier in Zattera’s hands was once his grandfather’s.
The rapier is know as The Wyern’s Sting and is a powerful magic weapon. Rastus has held it in secret since the death of it’s former owner with the instructions to pass it on to a descendant with the thirst for adventure. Rastus believes that Zattera’s wild-streak, the reason he left comfort and wealth and is now scraping by in the frigid north, came from his grandfather. After a night of remembering and catching up Rastus heads back to the port for his journey home, leaving Zattera with a new weapon, and a pouch of platinum pieces.
Magnus also winds up with a visitor from home. His twin sister Hild comes to see him just as he’s recovering from his near fatal illness. They catch up in Magnus’ workshop for hours one evening. Hild encourages Magnus to continue in his work as a mercenary, showing that his odd ways can be effective. She also leaves him with a few gifts; a key that she tells Magnus will work at a local band- just in case he’s in need of anything, and two kegs of refined fire-powder from Magnus’ former master’s laboratory. “You can’t let fear rule you,” Hild exhorts him as she notes the fear in his eyes. Magnus rubs his unscarred hand across his badly burnt arm and tells his beloved sister that he’ll do his best.
Sidron is studying at the library one evening when a librarian approaches him and hands him a book. Flipping through the pages he finds them all blank, except for one page. On that page is an address and a date and time. The date and time are for later this same day. Sidron cautiously makes his way to the address and finds himself in front of a palatial dwelling in a nicer part of NorthWood. After showing the guard the book with the address and time he is lead into the house, “They’re expecting you,” the guard tells him.
Once inside Sidron follows the guard’s instructions and enters into a very large circular study. Around the perimeter stand many robbed figures, of varying sizes. Some likely Halflings or Gnomes; others towering tall- Dragonborn or Goliaths. “Who will speak for this one?” a voice calls out and a thickly accented draconic voice quickly says, “I will speak for him.” Sidron instantly recognizes the voice of Arkul. Murmurs of acceptance AND murmurs of dissent fill the room. Soon a debate begins to swell starting as low whispers before rising to close to yelling voices. The bulk of the negative comments speak of Sidron’s Hobgoblin heritage.
“Silence!” the first voice rings out filling the room and bringing the debate to an end, “All this debate is for nothing if only one will speak for him, it takes two voices to be admitted to our number! Is there another who will speak for this one?”
Long seconds pass, the room silent. Not a foot shuffles, not a breath is heard being taken. It’s as if the entire group is holding their breath. Finally a figure steps forth and throwing his hood back to reveal his face Varon (Marast’s servant) speaks, “I will speak for this one.” The group all gasp as one. Sidron braces for the debate to begin again but it quickly becomes apparent that Varon carries no small weight in this group. Varon pulls his hood back on, obscuring his face and returns to his place near the wall. Sidron is given a ring with a sigil on it and Arkul steps forward and leads him out.
As Arkul leads him out of the house and back into the city streets he explains that Sidron is now part of a secret society dedicated to knowledge and understanding. It soon becomes apparent that they are heading back towards the library. Once there Arkul has Sidron show the main librarian his new ring. The librarian then leads them through the stacks and unlocks a door, gesturing for them to enter the descend a spiral staircase and emerge into a room filled with scrolls and book of deep and powerful arcane knowledge. “Brother, you now have access to ALL of this… Continue your research and share that knowledge and this knowledge will be shared with you!”
On that same evening Gax is floating above the snowy city streets via his Levitate spell. He’s telling his celestial father all about the party’s recent adventures, his own sort of “prayer time”. Never knowing if his mysterious father can hear him or not, Gax presses on- sure in his heart that he is heard. In mid-story Gax feels a warmth, as if he is encompassed by a presence. In his heart he discerns a voice. The voice says to him, “You are a kind man, and I give you this joy.” Then the warmth fades and as it does so Gax finds that there is a piece of clay in his hands. Without study or words Gax finds that he just knows what the lump of clay is about. Once a day he can mold the clay into an animal and that animal (or more than one) will appear for a short time. He sinks slowly back towards the Curios Company’s warehouse base still glowing from this interaction.
Jung is approached by the King’s elite forces, The Black Cloaks, and contracted to work with them as a local wilderness guide. She agrees and Sidron works up a contract and secures a payment channel for the work she will be doing with them.
Wolrf has once again left the city to go and wander the lethal winter wilderness. As he pursues his quarry through the icy wastes he continues to wrestle with the questions that plague him… Who is he? Where is his home? Why does he have no memory before he just came to himself, naked and cold in the Northern Reach?
Alone and chewing on these questions he finds his sleep plagued by dreams. In these dreams he is wielding a great sword, sheathed in blue flames. He is always fighting hordes of the most twisted and cruel demons. Just battle after battle, every dream so vivid! One night while having one of these dreams Wolrf awakens, Looking down he sees the ground where he had made his camp is charred and steaming, his bed-roll burnt to cinders. Then he realizes that he is hovering 15′ above that spot…
As the gang find themselves reconvening back to their HQ a messenger shows up looking for Gax. He’s been sent from Glodron (the owner of the Dire Wolf team they raced for in the Deepwinter Chase). It seems that his Alpha wolf is refusing to eat and is starving. He hired a druid to come and see what could be done for him and the druid found by speaking to the beast that a promise had been made to him by a large human that raced him during the Chase. That promise had not been kept and he’s refusing to eat till it’s fulfilled…
And that was where we wrapped up. Tune in next week to see how the gang handles this one and what other shenanigans the get into!
TOTMrpg 