Aeshuura's DDEX 1-01 Defiance in Phlan (Adv League) (Inactive)

Game Master Aeshuura

Sir Adrian pulls up a chair to the Dragonborn's table.

So, my lady, do tell...what is your real reason for being in town? I can tell you are an adventuresome sort.

Persuasion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Presmer, you may read all of the Insight spoilers, though you think that Ander's spoiler makes the most sense for suspicious activity.

Sir Adrian pulls up a seat alongside Uriah, and the dragonborn woman seems to tense, occasionally looking toward the door. She looks like she wants to bolt, but she is not sure she can make it. Instead she says, "I'm not certain that I catch your meaning Sir. All I want is a simple meal."

EDIT: After the two half-elves break down the white dragonborn's walls, they find that she is exploring what she believes might be a score in the northern mountains. She shifts uncomfortably every once in a while and both Uriah and Sir Adrian can see a dark-stained bandage beneath her leather armor. When pressed about it, she confesses that she has been beset by bandits twice since arriving in the city.

Huh, Bandits eh. Well, don't I know the guy for you. See this dashing fellow here. Uriah jerks his head at Adrian He positively specializes in doing good deeds. Bandits are of a peculiar interest to him. Uriah says with a smile.

She smiles uncomfortably, "Please, do not trouble yourself for me. But I do appreciate the offer. Ever since I got to this rancid town, I have felt danger at every turn. Believe me when I say that I am happy that there is some good in this place. Perhaps someday I will actually come to trust someone here, but I just do not think that I am ready to do that just yet."

Uriah and Sir Ander, you think that you may have gotten through to this one. She still has refused your aid, but you think that she is truly appreciative of your company.

About that time, Wrathmire stoops to pretend to tie his bootlaces and manages to catch a glimpse of a long, dagger-like tooth in a glass case in the man's bag. You are just about to pass it off as a simple antique or rarity, a small arc of lightning runs the length of it. That causes the man to look down and snatch his bag away!

As the human yanks the bag away and the bag hits the table, the sound of shattering glass echoes through the room, followed by the screams of the man as his body is surrounded by blue crackling energy! He falls to the floor, the dagger-like object clutched in his hand. The dwarf lass pushes back her chair and runs for the door in terror!

What would you like to do?

Wrathmire dashes to the door and bars it.

You have some explaining, dwarf...

Sir Adrian winks at the Dragonborn, then draws his Greatsword as he rises and approaches the dwarf.

Indeed, spill it, now, or suffer the wrath of righteousness!

Intimidate: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

"Whoa!"

Ander grabs the nearest chair and attempts to knock the object from the man's hand without making direct contact. I figure a wooden chair might not carry the zap too well...?

Ander, make a Strength check.

Round 1

Wrathmire bars the dwarf's path, and Sir Adrian approaches her, booming his threat. The dwarf woman shrieks and breaks down, "I don't know! All I know is he was tryin' t' sell a blue dragon's tooth from the Quiverin' Forest!"

Both Wrathmire and Sir Adrian believe her, as she basically collapses in a sobbing mass.

STR: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Well, Blaizette, we seem to have found the item of power. Be careful there, Ander.

Ander, using a chair, knocks the tooth from the man's hand and it clatters to the floor. The lightning stays on the man, rather than the tooth, for a few seconds then jumps to the half-elf male a table away! Ander, using the chair gives you resistance to the damage, so you only take 1 hp of lightning damage rather than 2.

The original human man that was shocked, falls to the floor, unconscious.

"Out, out! Everyone, get some distance! Get back!" Ander desperately tries to get people to leave the building in the hopes of keeping this "jumping jolt" from having any more hosts.

Sir Adrian grabs the unconscious human who held the dagger and drags him outside before binding him with his rope.

Let's keep an eye on this one. He may well have a great deal to answer for when he comes to.

Arcana (Presmer): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Intelligence (Ander): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Intelligence (Ceidith): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Nature (Itzal): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Intelligence (Sir Adrian): 1d20 ⇒ 1
Intelligence (Uriah): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Intelligence (Wrathmire): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

As Ander and Sir Adrian clear the area, the lightning jumps again, this time across the room to the wild elf, causing her bow to drop to the ground.

A few seconds later, the lightning jumps again! It flies out the window and Wrathmire sees it hit a little human girl with safflowers in her hair!

Ander follows the lightning the best he can, terrified of the idea of losing track of it. When it jumps out the window, he follows. Do I need a check to shatter the window? Or is it open, broken by the magic, and/or easily shattered?

Assuming I can get through the window:

Seeing the lightning hit the girl, Ander desperately throws himself at her, hoping it will jump into him before it's too late for the girl.

Ceidith runs and grabs the tooth Ander!He throws it in the path of the lightning, attempting to absorb the lightning before it hits the girl.
Sorry guys, computer troubles again :(

No worries, Ceidith!

Ceidith snatches up the dragon's tooth and watching the bolt jump from person to person, prepares to throw the tooth in the way of the next jump. When it jumps through the window, he lets fly, but the lightning shoots right through it, continuing on toward its next target! The tooth clatters to the floor...

Ander, seeing it shoot through the window, follows with a leap! The wooden shutters bang hard against the wall as he flies through! In horror, he cannot force the lightning to hit him before it strikes the girl!

The girl writhes on the ground!

I am going to wait a little bit to let some of the others chime in and share some of their information before we continue.

Ceidith, that was a good idea, even if it didn't work. I am awarding you inspiration.

EDIT: It should tell you one thing, though. It seems that the tooth must be used like an item, rather than just be near the lightning.

In horror, he cannot force the lightning to hit him before it strikes the girl!

Just a note, I hadn't even thought I could get in its path; rather, I was intending to tackle the girl in hopes that the lightning would shift to me before fully killing her.

Oh, I must have misread it. I will expound on what happens in a bit.

Uriah points out the pattern See there! The bolt jumps from this one to that one, not unlike a musical score. See, High octave there, low there, back to high...Hmm. There might be a song here. Uriah hums musical notes in higher and lower pitches as the bolt darts around.

Running to the wounded girl, Ceidith shouts Come On! We're trying to help people, and all you're doing is humming!He then mulls it over for a second Wait.. No, you might be right
Thanks for the inspiration!

Uriah looks out the window, spying the flowers in the girl's hair then looks at wild elf's bow, made of the strange wood. The wood known as Morcant Burl is only found in the Quivering Forest... a forest where the safflowers grow in abundance.

Is anything else made from the same stuff, if so i will ask for the dagger and douse myself in whatever the substance, maybe a seed or an oil.

Not of the Morcant Burl, but you remember a flower stand around the corner that sells all kinds, including the safflowers. Assuming Uriah shares the information as he often does in his own flowery way...

In the tea house, the victims of the lightning, collapsing after the lightning left them, seemed to be dead but a few seconds later each rises, lightning still running up and down. They begin to shamble out to the street and each new victim joins the previous ones in a circle, lightning running amongst them.

Presmer snatches up the dragon's tooth and rushes out the Tea Kettle and around to the flower stand. The cleric grabs a handful of the safflowers, and just as he was about to crush them and wipe them all across his body, the lightning flies out from the girl before Ander and circles Presmer two or three times then flies into the dragon's tooth!

With that, the girl begins to fall, but Ander easily catches her, relieved that she is still breathing. Her eyes flutter soon flutter open to be greeted by Ander's worried expression.

The circle of victims fall to the ground in a heap as the lightning fades, and soon begin to stir.

Buhrell comes running up to Presmer, "Excellent work and quick thinking, all of you. I think I should take the tooth back to the Emerald Enclave. Perhaps they can figure out how keep it from causing such a ruckus again." The half-orc holds out his hand to Presmer, expectantly.

You can decide if you want to hand it over or not.

--

You find that the originator of this mess is named Trett, and he is still alive. He is a merchant that purchased the tooth from a traveling band. They showed him that it could be used to heat and work metal more easily than in a forge, and so he purchased it with the intent to sell it to the Ironworkers' Guild. That is where the dwarf woman, named Yanna Hammerbound, came in. She is a high-level representative of the guild and was excited at the prospect, but now wants nothing to do with such a danger.

Whether you give Buhrell the tooth or not, he pays you all the 100 gold pieces. He mentions that he has been keeping an eye on the guilds of Phlan and has noticed them gaining more and more power in the city lately. He suggests that perhaps you should keep an eye on them as well in the coming months. "Of course, any of you would be welcome in the Enclave. Let me know if any of you are interested," he calls over his shoulder as he heads off.

Ander takes a moment catching his breath, then quickly begins providing first aid to the affected civilians.

As Ander begins tending to those affected by the lightning, they each thank him for his help, each in their own way. The little girl gives him a big hug and runs off, presumably to her mother or father. The wild elf maiden nods curtly in thanks, but with a softness in her eyes that was not there before. The human man that started this whole fiasco thanks the merchant warrior profusely, promising never to do anything so foolish again. Soon, Blaizette and two of her sisters are out helping Ander and they quickly get everyone treated and on their way.

I kind of want to keep it but i will defer to the rest of their group for their decision.

You can chime in on whether you hand over the tooth or not. Sounds like Presmer want to keep it, but will defer to the rest of the party.

It has been almost a day since the events of the Evenfeast. The sun is setting in the West as you settle down for a tasty beverage at the Kettle. Whittlee, one of Madame Freona's five daughters, sees to the night's crowd. Her startlingly white hair is pulled back in a tight braid. You watch as she expertly juggles pots of tea, tankards of ale, flagons of wine, and other assorted mugs and cups with practiced ease.

The door to the Tea Kettle opens, revealing a worried-looking gnome. He wears patchwork clothes and wrings a floppy hat nervously in his calloused hands.

He peers around the room pensively, until his eyes settle on your group. He quickly walks toward you, ignoring the stares and whispered jibes from some of the patrons in the common room. "Are you the man they call Ander? My neighbor says that a man named Ander, who is staying here might help me. My girl is in terrible trouble. Will you hear me out? I have coin... I can pay!"

Oho! Word of Ander has spread! Could it be because of a well placed song... Uriah says and then

Here's your man! Ander the Bold! Champion of the masses! Uriah calls to the peasant gnome.

Itzal doesn't really care what happens to the tooth...Its apparent properties don't really interest her all that much.

What happened? What sort of trouble? Even though he was speaking to Ander, Itzal can't resist a call for help.

Wrathmire sets down his ale and gives his attention to the gnome.

"Those blaggards! They got me daughter!" the gnome grows animated, "They got me daughter! O' course, it's become quite standard fair, I go to Castle Valjevo, pay whatever fines and bring her home."

The old little gnome gets right up into Itzal's face, "But she wasn't there this time... I spread around a little coin, greased them corrupt blaggarts' palms, but they all claim ignorance! I'm at me wits end!"

Are you suggesting the occupants of this Castle stole your daughter for ransom and then decided to keep her? And, that this is a frequent occurrence?

Sir Adrian thinks hard on the name Valjevo to see if he can recall anything about the family's alliances in the past.

History: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

"Of course! Those Black Fist scoundrels! When I went to ask about in the seedier parts of town, I found a cutpurse that spoke of a secret prison that a small group of those fiends use to torture and murder prisoners without the Captain finding out. The pickpocket said he heard she stole something from one o' them, something valuable!" The look on his face softens as he pleads, "Please! Please find her, and bring her home!"

Confused, Ander says, "Hang on, so you're saying that there are people in this castle who routinely end up with your daughter there with them, and you pay to get her back over and over again? Am I understanding that right?"

Moreso, these are the very city guards protecting this town. The castle is the Black Fist Guards' prison. This ransoming is being done by the authorities?

Sorry, edited the above post while you two posted.

The gnome forces himself to stop and take a breath before starting again, "My girl is a good lass, she's just lost her way. When Villonah mother died, she became wild and inconsolable. She began to commit crimes as a way o' lashin' out. Nothin' big, minor stuff. They would land her a few days in lockup, or a fine, but it made her one of the 'usual suspects' for them Black Fists."

He quickly wipes away the tears rimming his eyes, "Last night, she was visiting me and a bunch o' them Black Fist came and arrested her. I asked what she was charged with this time, but they gave no response. In the past, as I said before, I went to Castle Valjevo, paid the fine and brought her home, but this time... They simply said she wasn't there! I asked them to check, I called them liars and finally they threw me out."

The old gnome takes a deep breath again, "I was panicking now, and scoured the city, greased some palms and found that cutpurse. I don't know if me girl is alive or dead, but can only pray that she yet breathes life."

Corruption, intrigue, Scoundrels! Sounds like your cup of tea Adrian!

"I searched and searched, and I found that the secret prison is located beneath the ruins of the Lyceum of the Black Lord. Although the burnt-out Lyceum has been converted into a make-shift shelter for the the displaced and injured, those blaggarts found and taken up residence in some chambers beneath... The people of ill-repute that I bought this information from say that there is a secret entrance from caves on the bank on the Stonajow. If you go and you find her, and find a way to release her, I can offer 50 gold pieces and... and..." he looks about his person and produces a fine magnifying glass, "And this! At the very least, it could fetch a pretty penny."

He looks at you all hopefully.

"Yes, of course we'll help," Ander says, with a tone suggesting it should have been a given. "The situation is peculiar, though. I'd say either there are a couple of Black Fist guards who are secretly up to other things without their superiors' knowledge, or else a couple of ne'er-do-wells managed to get a hold of some uniforms so they could snatch people with minimal resistance. Tell me, did you recognize the ones who took your daughter? Have you seen those same individuals among other officers, either before or since that night?"

The gnome shakes his head, "I would recognize them, if I saw them. But they were not commonly the ones arresting my girl. I may have seen one or two of them around among the Black Fist before, but I cannot rightly remember."

Yes! I shall come along as well!Ceidith wasn't really listening to the conversation, just polishing his weapons and contemplating whether to sell his shortbow Just follow the gold he mutters

Indeed, let us root out the reprobate guards.

You find that the gnome's name is Rillo along the way to the bank of the Stonajow river. It is only then, that you realize that he did not introduce himself.

Rillo leads you all to the caves on the riverbank, which turns out to be simply a tunnel that leads from the river through the city, several hundred yards underground, to a door that you believe leads to the secret chambers below the Lyceum. The tunnel is not lit.

The door seems locked, but anyone with proficiency in Thieves' Tools believes that they can open it fairly easily.

Otherwise, it looks like it could be bashed down, but that is likely to be less subtle.

Ceidith walks up to the door, and bending down, takes out his thieves tools. Taking out two tiny needles, Ceidith begins to pick the lock
Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18
Thieves Tools: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Wrathmire has his hand xbow ready to go.

Marching order? I have Ceidith in the front, at the door. Other than that it is kinda fair game. I am working on updating the map now.