Varony, Clairis 26th, 868 ID.
After the clash with the Score sellsword Drado, the PCs decide not to follow the surviving halfling crossbowman, noting that he's fled back in the direction of Hobfast. Kraalt Zu'ult heals both Luz and Mudghol of their wounds but ignores the rest of the party. Mordecai's remains, which are too mangled to tote back to the Keep, are buried here in the Tooth Marsh, and Ogeir performs final rites upon the unfortunate elf. His belongings are then re-distributed, and the PCs pick over Drado's equipment also, acquiring several masterwork goods and the man's strange scabbard.
The PCs then finish their escort task, turning a cloaked Kraalt over to the guards, who quickly whisk the orc away to a guard post so they can transport him in safety to the Regent-General. En route back to their hideout, the courier boy Polk spots our heroes, calling out Ogeir for a meeting at the Cathedral of Blades (he is to bring Tundra Wolf along). The party arrives at their headquarters only to find a strange pile of refuse outside the door, which turns out to be a pair of Stride members! Anemone Hosspotch and the dwarf Slab have survived a Score attack on Belowtown, in the Floivin Keep sewers. They describe the assailants, whom the PCs recognize to be Fancy Nan, Bread & Butter, Scroundel, and possibly Shalabarr Klasp himself.
Though the Stride survivors claim that the Royal Leathers clerks have sealed up the Lift to Belowtown, the PCs decide to investigate. They find that the leather shop has been robbed and two of the young clerks slain in a 2nd story chamber, then they set about looting the tanner Trifful's bank notice and objects of wealth, to return to him if they can recover him alive. The gate to the Lift is chained with several good locks, and does not appear to have been broken in, but there are clear signs of struggle within. Lexxie finds an orange tabby cat, and takes it with her. On the street, the PCs have spied two more of the monocled men they've been seeing of late.
Ogeir and Tundra Wolf travel to the Cathedral of Blades, where they are met by Bishop Brandler and Regent-General Gurd Gnarlbottom in civilian garb. They are warned of troubles to the north, where Vandrakki painted berzerkers have amassed to assault the province of Wintersbreath. Brandler and the Regent-General will be leading a force of 400 Eidolorn soldiers, including several officers and the archmage Spurr the Meticulous. They will meet with a larger host from Toul Tabor, Nobbish and Carbadi, and converge together at the small city of Vettlar, where they will join with Regent Balewhyte and prepare the repulsion of the savages. In his stead, Gurd has appointed Commander Doolan the temporary charge of Floivin Province.
Since Banghorn has not been heard from, the Regent-General promotes Ogeir the Hawk to the position of Lieutenant, now in charge of the group's covert operations. Mudghol is to act as serving liaison from the Arkana Arkiva. Since Spurr and Gurd are both leaving for the expedition, Mudghol will now report directly to Mistlethroe, and Ogeir to Captain Kennel of Floivin Keep. The Bishop and Regent-General also beseech Tundra Wolf to aid them in their campaign, and he cannot refuse, in dire fear for his people in Wintersbreath. Tundra Wolf says his goodbyes to Ogeir, and tells him to pass word to Mudghol that he will be missed.
A strange half-orc courier wearing a fishnet shirt seeks out Luz and Lexxie at the hideout. He is sent by Monch Gnarlbottom, who wants the PCs to do some stakeout work at the Dwarf Lord's Rest, east of Floivin Keep. The dwarf Slab makes a note that too many people seem to know the whereabouts of the PCs within the city, and perhaps a move is in order. The PCs can find Monch at either the Seven Flood Inn, or the following morning at the Market Square. Bulgoth is sent off with some money to fetch supplies and remain out of the PCs hair. He returns with a pair of buxom harlots, and tries to coax Ogeir, Mudghol and Slab into sharing them. They all refuse with various excuses, and Bulgoth leaves with the whores. Lexxie, Luz and Anemone leave to the Fiery Rat tavern, which is quite busy this night. They meet a strange man named Kalkan who is attempting to track their own Bulgoth! Lexxie buys a round of drinks for the patrons, and both she and Anemone are solicited by one Berkys Hosspotch, a robust halfling that doesn't want to take no for an answer.
Verne, Clairis 27th, 868 ID, i.e. 'The Night of Grand Fuckery'.
Bulgoth hasn't returned by morning, so the PCs just set out to Market Square, where they meet up with Monch, traveling with a bunch of aides and laborers whose purpose is to carry his purchases. They decide to discuss matters at the Twin Lizard Tap, and the dwarf noble's aides scurry about to join several tables for their large party. Monch treats all to a lovely brunch, but Ogeir refuses, stalking like an emo as he 'guards' the front of the inn. Monch has some concerns that there is corruption afoot at the Dwarf Lords' Rest, the resting place of his ancestors who still covet some great hidden wealth. Monch wants the PCs to scope out the situation and report back, noting that he may have further uses for them at the Rest in the near future.
The PCs decide to pack up some rations and head out before long, leaving Anemone of the Stride behind to watch their hideout, along with Bulgoth, who has finally returned. Bulgoth is told of the man Kalkan hunting him. The PCs travel East along the Vernal Wall, through the Crown Pasture, until they come to the base of the tomb, where they stake out the Eidolorn guard detachment. In the evening, Lexxie and Slab creep up to the camp to get a closer look or listen, while the rest of the PCs stay behind a nearby copse of trees in their own camp. They notice a man coming out of the tomb, which is supposedly against the rules, but Lexxie is soon spotted hiding in the tall grasses, and when Slab flees to warn the others, he too is caught! The PCs are rounded up and forced to deal with Sergeant Screyn, the soldier that emerged from the Rest, whom Lexxie finds somehow familiar.
After threats are exchanged and Ogeir attempts to pull rank, the PCs are marched back to Floivin Keep by two of the soldiers and Screyn, where they are brought before Captain Kennel, who is quite angry to have been woken at such a late hour. Kennel accosts Ogeir and then the others when they reveal that Monch has hired them to spy out the tomb, and claims the noble has tried such folly before, and probably wants to rob the tomb for the heirlooms the Eidolorn Empire will not grant his family. Kennel lets them off with a warning and then informs them he will be giving a talk to Monch the following day. Luz, Lexxie and Mudghol, realizing the Seven Flood Inn is closed, head straight to Gnarlbottom's manor to warn him directly.
After parlaying with the irate young gate guard Scorzus, the trio are let inside the manor. Monch is extremely upset that the PCs have been caught, calling them failures and slinging out some racial epithets at the half-orcs. He tells them they will not be paid aside from the deposit fee that was granted them for supplies. Luz becomes very offended by Monch, and after a warning, he decides to deal great bodily harm to the noble. A melee ensues, with Luz attacking the dwarf. Monch manages to flee to the second floor and lock himself into his bedchamber with his wife, and the gate guard Scorzus enters to deal with the violent outbreak. Luz dispatches the guard, and then Ymurf Gnarlbottom, son of Monch who bravely tries to repel the angered half-orc.
Mudghol flees the manor, after the DM docks his alignment from LG to Neutral. Lexxie attempts to slow her companion with a number of minor summoned elements, but these are unable to do more than distract the self-healing tank Luz, who knocks out Monch before his bloodlust recedes and he takes stock of the situation. Luz leaves the manor and decides to hide out at Royal Leathers, while Lexxie is left in a state of confusion...
PCs: Lexxie, Luz, Mudghol, Ogeir, Slab
NPCs
Berkys Hosspotch (halfling male): A robust halfling trader who is also quite the drunkard, Berkys attempts to seduce both Lexxie and Anemone Hosspotch after they buy the Fiery Rat patrons a round of drinks.
General Gurd Gnarlbottom (dwarf male): In civilian garb, the Regent-General appears as a stout and sturdy dwarf with pale, knotted muscles and a braided, amber beard and topknot. His hair is struck through with veins of silver, and his eyes glitter with a gold-flecked brown. He is portly, with a weighty midsection, and has a chipped war hammer hanging by his belt even in casual garb. Normally, he is adorned in a pricey suit of bronzed chain mail. Gurd has been made Regent-General after the strange passing of Regent Bauerkraft.
Kalkan (human male): Kalkan is a tall, limber man of his 30s, with narrow untrusting eyes of deep green. He wears a fine leather cloak above a tight cap, and studded leather armor slung with a number of blades of various shapes and sizes. His gloves don't hide the fact that he's missing two fingers from his left hand, and he has a number of small scars on his lips and chin. Kalkan is attempting to track down Bulgoth, for crimes of womanizing and gambling debts unpaid in Olgest, in the neighboring province of Toul Tabor. He encounters several of the PCs at the Fiery Rat Tavern, after Lexxie buys a round for all the patrons that night.
Scorzus (human male): Scorzus is the gate guard at the manor of Monch Gnarlbottom at Floivin Keep. He fights with a longsword. He is brave but seems relatively inexperienced, and is soon knocked out by Luz after the half-orc goes mad with rage, attempting to murder the dwarf noble Monch in his own home.
Sergeant Screyn (human male): Screyn appears with long, flowing dark hair and a pair of mismatched eyes, the left being red and green, the right darker brown. His chain mail shirt has seen great wear, and he covers it with a raggedy cloak. Screyn wields both a long and short sword. He's tasked with guarding the Dwarf Lord's Rest, but he also appears to enter the tomb, thus making the PCs suspicious. Lexxie swears she could recognize the man by his left eye.
Ymurf Gnarlbottom (dwarf male): Son of Monch Gnarlbottom, Ymurf bravely emerges from his quarters to protect his parents from the rampaging half-orc Luz, wielding only a war hammer and no armor. Luz takes down Ymurf, but doesn't kill the lad.
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