23 Gozran 4708
The party spends its day-time hours in various pubs, trying to learn more about Rolth. Information is scarce: the man seems to be a drop-out student from the Academy. He must have been quite a freak, having been thrown out of the necromancy department for doing extremely nasty experiments on dead bodies. Sjo and Quint wonder out loud if he might have ... buried the corpses, not really sure on what kind of experiments would shock necromancers.
Rolth is also rumored to have killed several people, although there is no hard evidence. No one knows where to find him. After being expelled from the Academy he went 'underground' and he has been eluding the law since that time.
In the evening the four friends return to Exemplary Execrables in Old Korvosa, the theatre where Lick's new play will be performed for the first time. Despite the theater's 'bad' reputation all the seats are taken. Even the private balconies are filled. One holds a smart gentleman with a neat haircut of thick brown hair which is starting to go gray at the temples. The man also has piercing eyes and a firm chin. Quint identifies him as Neolandus Kalepopolis, the seneschal of Castle Korvosa. According to the bard this gentleman holds more power than his humble title suggests. Another balcony seats the theater's owner Pilts Swastel in a crumpled red outfit. His buckteeth stick out from under his nasty moustache. To his right sits a gaunt man with hollow cheeks and numerous colored stains covering his hands and clothes. This must be the painter Lick was talking about, Salvator Scream. Swastel is constantly nagging to a small figure on his left, who looks like a gnome. The small creature takes the stream of insults and complaints without flinching his one good eye.
The lights go out and ominous music flows into the room in ever increasing waves. After the bombastic overture has exploded in an atonal finale, the curtains open. The stage shows wild hills under a almost living blue sky. To the left is a circle of standing stones.
A fresh, innocent-looking girl walks on stage, accompanied by her family, who have decided to live in the hills. The girl's father is a big brute, who forbids his daughter to wander around the ancient Shoanti graves. Still, the girl drifts off to the stones every night, where humanoid demons appear, whispering of the return of their god-made-flesh Donodarr. While the demons murder unsuspecting travelers, the girl undergoes a severe punishment at the hands of her father for disobeying his orders. Although there are no real-life fatalities, not all of the blood and violence on stage seem to be an act, much to the appreciation of most of the crowd.
At last the god Donodarr appears, played by Lucian Lycan (Lick) himself. He has the father torn to pieces by his demons and impregnates the girl in a steaming primitive ritual. Despite the bloody, frightening and even sickening nature of the play, the dialogues are ingeniously well written, though their brilliance escapes most spectators, who simply get off on the blood and sex. They cheer wildly during the gory scenes and the finale sees two aroused men and a woman with bared breasts climb on stage. The 'demons' grab them and wrestle them to the floor, giving one of the men a bloody nose in the struggle.
When the play is over the crowd goes wild, cheering and applauding loudly. Pilts Swastel appears on stage and takes in the waves of applause with Lick and the other actors. Despite his bandy legs and frail shoulders, the theater's owner seems to grow taller when the crowd starts chanting his name. "Swastel! Swastel!" With a final bow he thanks his public. Then the curtains are drawn.
As the party is leaving the theater, a young girl approaches them: "Are you Quint, Sjo, Balian and Puk, Lucian Lycan's guests? Please follow me."
She escorts them to the back stage dressing rooms. Lick is chatting with his fellow actors, dressed only in a loincloth. He sips from a glass of wine. "My friends, welcome. I hope you enjoyed the show", he smiles. Before Quint can give him his analysis another young girl throws herself at Lick, kissing him fervently while fumbling with his loincloth. "You'll have to forgive me," Lick sighs, "the price of fame! You know Eel's End, right? Give me half an hour and meet me there." Then he gets dragged into his dressing room.
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Poor Lick, will his torments never end? :)
Nice... very nice! It makes me very happy to see some of the names from my game returning in this one as well! :) You're doing a great job making things fit together, intertwining various story elements. I hope your players are enjoying it!
Even if they aren't, it's a pleasure to read this as another ex-GM of this campaign. I'm very curious how you will present the rest of the campaign.
By the way, are your players reading this thread? How cautious must we be regarding spoilers?
Poor Lick, will his torments never end? :)
Nice... very nice! It makes me very happy to see some of the names from my game returning in this one as well! :) You're doing a great job making things fit together, intertwining various story elements. I hope your players are enjoying it!
Even if they aren't, it's a pleasure to read this as another ex-GM of this campaign. I'm very curious how you will present the rest of the campaign.
By the way, are your players reading this thread? How cautious must we be regarding spoilers?
Poor Lick, you say? Well, he is an NPC so anything can happen to him. Stay tuned if you want to know what's in store for the mad bard.
As far as I can tell, my players are enjoying the game so far, as am I. I think that at least two of them read this journal as well, so spoilers are indeed necessary. You noted that detail correctly, as I found its timing in the AP somewhat unfortunate. I also like giving the players a bit more time to explore the city and get to know its inhabitants, before shifting into gear and taking off on the mad rollercoaster that is Curse of the Crimson Throne.
While Quint and his companions are waiting for Lick on the deck of the Eel's End, they notice the arrival of Cheliax's smug ambassador, lord Amprei. The overdressed peacock heads straight for the Twin Tigers, the gambling den.
Lick doesn't arrive for another hour. He invites his friends over to the Dragon's Breath Corridor, where he starts snorting pesh. Puk joins his friends here tonight, but he doesn't feel at ease. Still, he resists temptation. Another familiar face in the drug den is Salvator Scream; the painter is totally high, thinking all people around him are blue. He babbles incoherently until he passes out. Lick pays the skinny, short man who pushes the drug cart to and fro a couple of silvers, to have his friend brought to the Goldenhawk "to sleep it off".
Lick is definitely in fine spirits, still floating on a cloud from the success of his play. After his first batch of pesh, he gets ready to move to the House of Clouds, when he suddenly freezes, grabs his head and tumbles over. He is squirming on the floor, moaning and screaming in pain. Sjo has no other choice than to carry him to the temple of Sarenrae to be tended. The young friends worry that the crazy bard's performance on stage has actually awoken some kind of demon and that Lick is now possessed.
Afterwards Sjo asks his friends to return to Eel's End. They wants to drop in on the Chelish ambassador. Anpugit, one of the Vudran managers of the gambling hall, welcomes his new guests inside. The ambassador is playing cards with some merchants. He seems to be in a good mood because luck - or skill - is at his side tonight. He even withstands Quint's vexatious remarks, explaining to his boorish fans that his station in Korvosa is very important, both politically and economically.
Quint concludes the evening in the arms of exotic Yuuna in The House in the Clouds, while his companions return to the old fishery to sleep.
24 Gozran 4708
Mouse is finally on the mend: his fever is down and he is out of his bed for the first time in days. Lerrim, the Shoanti boy, is still as introvert as ever and Mouse wonders whether his friend might be 'sick in his soul'. He asks Sjo to get the boy in touch with his Shoanti roots, hoping that will help him snap out of his apathy. Still there are not a lot of barbarians in Korvosa and those who are, are either completely out of touch with their culture, like Sjo, or living among the poorest of the poor, failing to make it in both the wilds and civilization.
Quint confirms that there are only a handful of barbarians living in the city, and adds that most of them don't even live within the city walls, but rather in the two communities on the far bank of the Jeggare River, Thief Camp and Trail's End. Both settlements have an ill repute for being pauperized and unsafe. Varisian gangs rule the streets and Korvosans of Chelish blood had better not go there unprotected. Since Thief Camp is rumored to be even more dangerous, Quint suggests trying Trail's End. Still he would like to pay a visit to the House of the Sun first, to check up on Lick.
The temple of Sarenrae basks in the early sunlight during morning mass on this beautiful Sunday. Sjo leads his friends to the infirmary. Lick's condition has hardly improved: he's caught in a delirious sleep. Sjo talks to Iris, the priestess who tends to the sick, and asks her to have highpriest Ezekiel Sollux check in on the patient personally later today.
Next the young companions cross North Bridge to get to Trail's End. The settlement is dreary indeed, with crooked houses and battered piers. Dozens of unkempt onlookers shoot unfriendly glances at the visitors, who spot a tall, skinny man with a bald head and tattoos over his torso. This man is clearly a Shoanti, although there is little about his broken frame that reminds them of the heroic barbarian warriors. When they address him, he points out that he is not looking for trouble and laughs when they ask for his help. Then he bolts as a group of Varisian gangsters approaches, Sczarni!
One of the gangsters offers to help the strangers with whatever they need, provided that they surrender all their weapons and wealth. After all, "Batista's information" has a price, he smiles. Sjo does not feel like negotiating on these ridiculous terms and simply spits in the man's face; not a smart move, considering that the Sczarni outnumber the companions two to one. Balian does not waste time and draws his new blade, swinging it in a wide arch at the head brute. The man takes a vicious cut, but does not go down yet. Puk seizes the opportunity and slips his short sword between the man's ribs. This time he drops on the ground. This only serves to ignite anger in the other seven thugs, who draw their knives or clubs to attack. Quint takes two hits and goes down quickly, the Sczarni seem to have a serious punch behind their blows. Puk suffers the same fate, leaving only Sjo and Balian to face the seven opponents.
Out of the blue a strong voice resounds: "Get back, you thugs!" Two men come running in: one of them is a strapping fellow armed with a spear, the other one is dressed in the garb of the Korvosan Guard. With one well-aimed swing of his sword he drops another Sczarni. The brutes drop back in the face of such a skilled guard and when another of their companions hits the ground, they run off.
The guard introduces himself as Grau Soldado. The man with the spear is Bayan, his brother. They have just returned from the service in the cathedral of Pharasma and are heading to Bayan's place for lunch. Grau invites the young visitors to join him, claiming that the house is much safer than the streets. Inside Bayan's wife Tayce is cooking stew, while his three children, Charlo, Rello and Brienna, are playing and laughing in the bedroom.
Grau is surprised to learn that Sjo and Quint have come to Trail's end looking for Shoanti. The only barbarians that live here, are pathetic losers, not even worthy of the name barbarian. He has heard of a delegation of Shoanti though, who are currently staying in the Gray District. He advises his guests to pay them a visit, but not before they have shared a meal with Bayan and his family.
After lunch Sjo leads his friends to the cathedral of Pharasma, picking up Lerrim on the way. A friendly young priestess leads them to two tents behind the church, where a dozen of proud warriors greet them. Their leader is an old shaman. The tall Shoanti is easily over 60 winters old and leans heavily on his walking stick, the polished femur of some giant beast crowned with a cougar's skull. His shirt is adorned with countless jangling animal bones. A bearskin cloak hangs about his bony shoulders and gray warpaint in the shape of a skull decorates his face. His eyes are even milkier than Sjo's, giving the impression that he is blind. A red-feathered crow sits on his shoulder. The shaman speaks with a deep voice and despite his white eyes, he looks at his guests as if he sees not only them, but their souls as well.
"Kel-grish, my name is Thousand-Bones, shaman of the Skoan-Quah, the clan of the Skull. This is my daughter-husband Fergal the Fang and his sons, my daughter-sons Arowan, Erogar and Gaekhen. How can we be of service to you?"
Sjo and Quint explain their plight: they freed young Lerrim recently from a child abuser, but the boy is still traumatized and does not speak, in fact he hasn't spoken in three years.
Gaekhen approaches the boy, looks him in the eye and says: "Storval dharanok ekbit roark Shoanti", which Quint recognizes as a typical greeting among Shoanti. It means 'thunder rolls over the Storval plateau'. To everyone's surprise Lerrim responds: "Ador roark sklar", 'and so rolls our fire', which identifies him as a member of the Sklar-quah, the clan of the Sun.
Thousand-Bones takes the boy apart to talk to him, while Sjo produces the only item he inherited from his Shoanti parents: the wooden board with his name. Gaekhen reads it: Shaoban. He says it is also a Sklar-Quah name, so Sjo is probably from the same clan as Lerrim, or at least one of his parents was, since Sjo seems to have more than Shoanti blood running through his veins. Gaekhen explains that the correct pronunciation of the name Shaoban is not 'Show-buhn', but 'Shee-buhn'. Sjo is confuses, Gaedran Lamm always claimed that his name had to be pronounced with the /ow/-sound and not with an /ee/. Quint is quick to point out that they had better not change his name from Sjo to She, since that would sound ridiculous.
Some time later Thousand-Bones returns with Lerrim. The boy has told him his story: three years ago he'd gone out hunting with his father. They were attacked by the Cinderlander, the scourge of the Sklar-Quah, a man of Chelish blood who dedicated his life to hunting down Shoanti. He shot Lerrim's father, decapitated him and planted his head on a pike, sticking two crossbow bolts through his eyes to prevent his soul from traveling to the happy hunting-grounds. Then he took young Lerrim to the city of Kaer Maga, where he sold him at 'Flesh Block', the slave market, to a Korvosan merchant. The merchant quickly learned that Shoanti do not make good slaves and traded the boy to Gaedran Lamm upon arriving in Korvosa.
Lerrim did not speak the language of the Korvosans at first, but he rapidly understood that keeping quiet got him into a lot less trouble than cursing and swearing in Shoanti. So the boy taught himself to shut up and continued doing so, even when he started to grasp the strange new language.
Thousand-Bones thanks the young heroes for their kindness toward one of his people and considers it an honor to look after the boy and return him to his clan. He also explains why he is here: his clan, the Skoan-Quah, are looking for a peaceful way for the Shoanti and the Korvosans to co-exist. Since his forefathers were driven out of the lowland more than two centuries ago, the people of Korvosa and his Shoanti brethren have stayed arch-enemies. Many Shoanti, especially the Sklar-Quah, who used to live on these shores, are still looking for revenge, while the Korvosan continue to hate the 'barbarians' like no-one else. Unfortunately peace is still far off, but the old shaman does not give up hope for a better future.
The Skoan-Quah are far more than Shoanti's diplomats though. They are the caretakers of the dead, first and foremost, among all Shoanti. This also explains Thousand-Bones' good relations with the church of Pharasma in Korvosa, since they have been entrusted with similar tasks. The clan of the Skull also track the oral history of their people, since they travel so freely among other clans and stress the importance of keeping the memory of the honorable dead alive.
Learning that the Skoan-Quah remember the stories of their forefathers, Quint asks the shaman whether he has ever heard of Donodarr. A friend performed some kind of ritual on stage to awaken the spirit of a Shoanti demon by that name. Since then he has been in a feverish delirium as if possessed. Thousand-Bones has indeed heard of Donodarr, although he was hardly a demon. Donodarr was one of the earliest warriors to lead the Sklar-Quah against the Chelish invaders on these shores. He died defending his homeland and was most likely buried somewhere on the mainland. It is possible that his spirit has not found peace and now haunts Quint's friend. The shaman promises to examine Lick if his friends manage to transport him to the Gray District.
Tippin' my hat to your ability to foreshadow so many later events and have your characters establish relations to several NPCs that will have an appearance later on. Absolutely brilliant stuff here!
Tippin' my hat to your ability to foreshadow so many later events and have your characters establish relations to several NPCs that will have an appearance later on. Absolutely brilliant stuff here!
Thanks for the compliment. I'm just trying to build a consistent world. I hope it may serve as an inspiration to others who are still planning on running this AP, just like others on these boards have been my muses.
The young friends bid the Shoanti goodbye and head back to the old fishery. Sjo picks up his old armor, wanting to return it to its owners of the Sable Company. His friends join him to their headquarters in the Great Tower. This huge building was one of Queen Domina's wildly expensive projects, with which she tried to rival Korvosa's ancient monuments: the Pillar Wall in the south, the Gatefoot and the mastaba under Castle Korvosa. On top of that she hoped to outshine the Acadamae, the only new building project in the city that was truly monumental in scope. The tower was never fully completed, as Domina died before it was finished and her son, the current king Eodred II, chose to save the city's treasury by cutting short the project by some fifty feet, thus warding the city from bankruptcy. Still, the Sable Company's base is an impressive landmark despite its proximity to the imposing Acadamae grounds.
After handing over his old armor, Sjo gets permission to take his friends to the top of the tower, to show them where he used to work. The ascent to the 19th floor is exhausting, but the view from the landing platform on the top floor is truly breathtaking. Unfortunately, Sjo's limited eyesight does not allow him to enjoy that.
After this little tourist stop Balian urges his companions to find out where Spyder is. Although the black dog has lived with Lick for five years and looked healthy, Balian feels that it should have been taken care of better, remembering how ill-trained the animal was. He also fears that Lick's recent illness and subsequent stay in the temple of Sarenrae, has left no one to look after the labrador. Balian's suspicions prove correct and with Puk's aid, the companions gain access to Lick's apartment, where the abandoned dog is very happy to see them. Balian decides to take Spyder and to start training him.
25 Gozran 4708
Quint suggests paying a visit to the Korvosan Guard, to find out whether they have more information on Rolth. Grau Soldado, the guard who saved them from the Sczarni thugs in Trail's End yesterday, is sparring in the courtyard with three other soldiers at once. A few moments later all three of them have bitten the dust. Several onlookers explain that Grau was trained in the Orisini Academy, where only the rich or very talented are schooled in the fine arts of fencing and swordplay. Needless to say Grau was one of the gifted ones. Rumor has it, though, that Orisini's current students lack the knack of his former pupils. Captain Jalento's son is one of those new trainees. The captain obviously uses his family's noble standing to get his son the proper education before introducing him to the ranks of the Korvosan Guard, since the boy is said to be somewhat of a wimp. Quint remembers Captain Jalento as the one who led the investigation into the murder of Boris Veldan five years ago in the Umbra Circus, although he was only a lieutenant back then. It seems that being of noble birth pays off when you work for the city.
After his exhibition Grau introduces the companions to his commander, Field Marshal Cressida Kroft. She confirms that Rolth is suspected of having murdered at least a dozen citizens over the last eight years, although there is no conclusive evidence. All of his victims were missing various body parts, probably enough to piece together a new corpse more than once over. Rolth started off as an Acadamae students at the necromancy department, but he was kicked out of the school for some unknown reason - after all, what happens in the Acadamae stays in the Acadamae. The man has proved most elusive and as yet no one has been able to discover his whereabouts.
A quick visit to the temple of Sarenrae teaches the companions that Lick's condition has not changed. Lick's girlfriend Isha has been at his side since he collapsed and hasn't slept yet. Balian and Sjo put Lick in a cart to transport him to the Shoanti in the Gray District, while Quint talks Isha into taking a little nap.
Thousand Bones, the Shoanti shaman, calls upon the spirits of his forefathers to tell him if Lick has been possessed by an ancient Shoanti ghost. While the medicine man is chanting in his tent over Lick's body, Lerrim tells his saviors that his fellow lambs paid him a visit earlier today. Sjo is very happy to see the young boy so active and talkative. An hour later Thousand Bones walks out of his yurt. The shaman rules out the idea of possession, claiming that Lick's condition is rather the opposite: there seems to be an emptiness inside of him. Since Thousand Bones' insight has proven to be the best so far, Quint suggests keeping Lick close-by, and has the ailing actor housed in the Cathedral of Pharasma.
Quint's bardic background teaches him that Lick's writings might actually hold a clue as to what happened to him. The companions make their way across the city once more to Exemplary Execrables in Old Korvosa, the theatre where Pilts Swastel holds all of Lick's manuscripts. The ratty patron of macabre arts quickly accommodates the companions, allowing them to go through Lick's last script and notes. With only the scenario in front of him, Quint is not distracted by all the gore and nudity like he was two days ago during the live play, and this time the literary brilliance of Lick's work does not escape his attention. When focusing on the ritual in the play which was used to summon the demon Donodarr, Quint feels like it is less of a Shoanti chant and more of an experimental poem. Moreover, Lick's notes contain a list of Shoanti names, some of which sound familiar. It appears to be an inventory of barbaric heroes and leaders who opposed the Korvosans in the course of history. Lick circled Donodarr, possibly because the name is less-known, but has a nice ring to it, the perfect name for his Shoanti demon. Pilts Swastel confirms that Lick spent quite a bit of time in the Leroung library to get background information on the Shoanti. He also explains where Greta lives, the innocent-looking girl who starred Lick's play as the vessel for Donodarr's seed.
Greta lives in a loft with a number of fellow actors. Most of them are even younger than Quint and his friends and Puk grows a bit pale when he sees that these budding actors are chilled out on drugs. Without Lick's brilliant words in her mouth, Greta makes a far less intelligent impression on the companions than she did two days ago, laying to rest any suspicions that she might have been involved in Lick's seizure.
The companions make one more stop before turning in for the night. Since the painter Salvator Scream cannot be found in Eel's End, the young friend locate his house on the Narrows of Saint Alika, a decrepit building resting between two of the many wooden bridges over the channel of water that separates Old Korvosa from the mainland. The locks on the doors are beyond Puk's skill to open, but Balian forces a window, allowing his halfling buddy to sneak in and open the front door from the inside. The painter's studio holds several gruesome paintings, with a recurrent theme of blue in each of them. Although some praise his work, Sjo and Balian feel like they could easily make something similar themselves. The painter's easel has been thrown on the ground, covering a trashed painting. Scream is sleeping in his bedroom, passed out from drugs. An empty teapot and a cup with a bottom of soothing cabble tea are by his side. It does not look like he will wake up soon. There are also many brightly-colored mushrooms growing outside of Scream's house. Although they are very poisonous, the artist uses them as pigment for his paint.
Upon returning to the old fishery Balian resumes his training sessions with the dog, while Sjo speaks with the four remaining lambs about their future. Since the boys have finished cleaning and tidying up the fishery, they offer to scour the streets of the city, looking for signs of either Rolth and his dark-haired companion or Gaedran Lamm and Hookshanks. They promise not to engage these enemies if they happen to find them.
26 Gozran 4708
Since Isha is one of the few the companions haven't interrogated yet with regard to Lick's sudden illness, they decide to look her up. She is still asleep in the infirmary of the temple of Sarenrae. The conversation with Lick's girlfriend confirms the friends' suspicions that Isha is innocent. When she learns that Lick is in the cathedral of Pharasma, the girl panics, afraid that her boyfriend has passed away. Pharasma is the goddess of death after all. Learning that Lick is still alive, she asks Balian and Sjo to transport him to his flat in Old Korvosa, hoping that his own bed might soothe whatever is ailing him.
Meanwhile Quint decides to examine Lick's older work, to see if his writings have always been so brilliant. If only his latest play was so exceptional, he might have made a deal with a devil or something to receive inspiration to write one 'superb' play. This infernal muse might have left him afterwards, explaining why there is an 'emptiness' inside him. This theory is even confirmed when Sjo recalls Lick's harrow reading. The mad bard allowed only one card to be read about him: the tyrant, a mighty blue dragon that clutches the world in its claws. According to Zellara it stood for a mighty force exerting control over the bard which could cause him great harm. Sjo remembers that Lick was distraught after hearing this message.
Quint pays another visit to Pilts Swastel's theatre and spends the rest of the days reading through the five plays Lick has written over the last year and a half. Although there is certainly some progression in his work, it has always been good from a literary point of view. His subjects however are consistently less high-classed, ranging from true horror in his first production to the more macabre and sexually inspired play the companions witnessed last Sunday. Still, nothing points to a sudden leap in quality.
Sjo goes to Zellara's parlor in Lancet Street, where he summons the fortune-teller's spirit from the Harrow deck. Zellara cannot provide more insight into the tyrant card she drew for Lick. The card pointed in a certain direction, as she unfolded when she drew it. It did not give her the power to look into Lick's head, however, so the card's precise meaning remains hidden to Zellara as well. She does support the theory that some kind of muse might have left Lick, leaving an 'emptiness' behind.
27 Gozran 4708
Quint takes his mates to the university of Korvosa to examine what Lick was researching there. A friendly history professor welcomes the young men and guides them through the library. His name is Cyril Fordyce, husband to Eliasia Leroung, the current headmistress of the university. Professor Fordyce is very forthcoming, disclosing that Lick spent close to three months between the books, reading up on any source about the Shoanti. He even inspired the professor to write a series about the years of struggle with the Shoanti tribes for the Korvosa Herald (the paper reserves its backside for the 'History of Korvosa'). The next issue will feature another of those 'Korvosa versus the Shoanti' episodes.
Only one of the books actually mentions the Shoanti 'Donodarr'. He must have been quite a hero among his people, slaying over a dozen of settlers in the early days of the conflict. Still the book describes him as a formidable menace, as it was written from the point of view of Donodarr's enemies, the Chelish settlers. Nothing suggests that Donodarr was a demon, although the ferocity with which he fought was fired by a monstrous rage.
Professor Fordyce also clarifies that there are no books written in Shoanti. The barbarians used their runic script only in stone, wood or tattoos, since they used no paper or parchment. Most of their writings can be found in the old burial mounds that used to dot the landscape or on their skins. One of the professor's wife's ancestors, the famous explorer Montlarion Jeggare, recorded the runic Shoanti language in a book, however. Sjo uses it to decipher the runes on the wooden board that he was found with as a baby, and arrives at 'Shaoban', so it puzzles him as well why his name should actually be pronounced Shee-buhn.
At the end of the day the companions go back home. Three days of research and questioning people have provided a hint of insight into Lick's illness, but nothing they discovered points to a possible source. Maybe they should just accept that some things are beyond their power to understand or unearth.
28 Gozran 4708
On the morrow of the 28th of Gozran, Isha turns up at the fishery's doorstep. Her eyes are red from crying. When she sees Quint and the others, tears start running down her face once more. Lick, she sobs, is dead.
While she was sleeping last night, he must have woken up from his delirious slumber and snuck out of the apartment. He broke into the Exemplary Execrables theater and hanged himself above the main stage. The last couple of days Lick has mostly been unconscious. The rare moments he was awake, he was ailing with fever. Isha remained by his side night and day, until she passed out from exhaustion last night. When she woke up this morning, she found Lick's bed abandoned. Not much later, an employee from Exemplary Execrables came by to bring her the terrible news. Pilts Swastel, the owner of the city's creepiest theater, had made a macabre discovery: Lick dangling from the rigging at the end of a rope!
Poor Lick, will his torments never end? :)
I guess it did ...
Professor Fordyce also clarifies that there are no books written in Shoanti. The barbarians used their runic script only in stone, wood or tattoos, since they used no paper or parchment. Most of their writings can be found in the old burial mounds that used to dot the landscape or on their skins. One of the professor's wife's ancestors, the famous explorer Montlarion Jeggare, recorded the runic Shoanti language in a book, however.
During last night's session I realized I made a mistake in the journal. Professor Fordyce' wife belongs to house Leroung, not house Jegarre, which stems from gentleman-explorer Montlarion Jeggare. Of course it is very plausible that the Leroung and Jegarre family in Korvosa have intertwined a couple of times over the last three centuries, so Montlarion Jegarre probably ranks among Eliasia Leroung's ancestors as well.
The companions head over to the theatre where Lick took his own life. The Korvosan Guard is already present and allows Sjo to take down Lick's body and examine it. The healer finds no traces of ill-treatment. It looks like the crazy bard first climbed up to the rigging to attach a rope to one of the beams. Then he made his way to the open stage, where he got on top of a ladder, slid the noose around his neck and kicked down the climbing tool. He did not break his neck falling down, but slowly suffocated. It puzzles the companions that Lick - who hasn't had a clear moment in five days - suddenly found enough clarity to perform this complicated suicide ritual.
With the Guard's permission the young friends transport Lick's body to the Gray District to deliver it to the church of Pharasma for burial. It turns out Lick is not the only artist who has died! Yesterday already saw the death by overdose of Guy Nolin, a sculptor, and this morning another suicide was brought in, Archibald Meerwater, a composer, who slit his own wrists.
The companions fear that these cases are somehow linked and approach Thousand Bones, asking him whether he can talk to the dead. The old Shoanti shaman confirms that such a power exists, but his divine arsenal do not include this option. He refers them to the priests of Pharasma. Brother Jasan is capable of performing the ritual, but the priest explains that it does not come cheap: 240 gold sails for one spell, no success guaranteed.
Hoping to uncover more on these mysterious deaths, Quint leads his friends to Citadel Volshyenek, where they gain another audience with Cressida Kroft. The Field Marshal certainly shares her visitors' concern, but the three apparent suicides have left her soldiers no workable clues. She allows the companions to perform their own investigation and hands them a document that orders her soldiers to cooperate.
Archibald Meerwater's home is a nice little villa in Southshore, the newest district in the city, where the up-and-coming live. His housekeeper is the one who found him early this morning in his bathtub, where he killed himself. Apparently something had happened to him last Starday, when he suddenly snapped. He just started screaming over and over again, going totally mad, so his housekeeper made him drink cabble tea to ease his mind. On Moonday, he finally made some sense, when he told her: "Lucienne, I'm lost." Meerwater has been successful for many years and his work was always performed in the Marble Dome. Lucienne claims to have little knowledge of music or culture, but she can confirm that her late boss's work was very heavy and over the top, although it never failed to move. His inspiration came mostly from old myths and legends.
The friends stop by the Marble Dome and meet the legendary director of Korvosa's opera house: Touran Palastus. The man is busy leading rehearsals, and snaps haughtily at his unwelcome visitors. He confirms that Meerwater was a brilliant composer, whose work was enjoyed in several corners of the world, including Magnimar and Cheliax. He is also familiar with Guy Nolin, who sculpted several exotic females that line the ceiling of the Marble Dome, although those must have been sculpted fifteen years ago or something. Palastus is not aware yet that Meerwater or Nolin have died, and although he regrets it, he is not distraught by the news: artists should go out in some tragic fashion!
Guy Nolin's residence is an old townhouse in North Point. The sculptor lived alone - as did the two other suicides Lick and Meerwater - although Nolin regularly had one of his models stay over. His latest subject was a young girl by the name of Sanja. According to the Korvosan Guard at the door she found the artist's body in his workshop yesterday. Nolin's work has only one theme: girls, usually in quite provocative poses. Despite their risqué nature, the statues do possess an unmistakable quality.
The guard leads the companions to the young model's flat in Old Korvosa. Sanja is a pretty Varisian girl with long black hair. She's willing to talk to Sjo and his friends if they buy her lunch at the Traveling Man. She was with Guy in his private quarters when he had some kind of seizure last Starday. He complained of a terrible headache, which lasted for days and kept him tied to his bed. Yesterday he made his way to his workshop and overdosed on shiver.
Fearing that more artists might suffer from similar conditions and consequently take their own lives, the young friends head over to Salvator Scream's place. The mad painter was already knocked out by drugs last week, at the time when the other artists were struck by their mysterious fits. When the companions wanted to talk to him three days ago, he was unconscious again from taking cabble. So he might very well be similarly effected as his three unfortunate co-artists.
Salvator's shabby studio is located just a few streets from the Traveling Man. Today the painter seems to be awake, although his breath reeks heavily of alcohol. He also admits to having lost his inspiration the last couple of days. He cannot explain where his creativity used to come from, it just flowed from his brush. When asked to describe his source of inspiration in more detail, Scream cannot give a straight answer, he only knows that it's 'blue'. He further denies being inspired by a 'living' muse, as he is rather clumsy around women, or by a certain deity. He has some sympathy for Shelyn, the goddess of beauty, but he just as easily says a prayer to Abadar, Sarenrae, Pharasma or even Asmodeus, when it suits his purpose. Although Scream is similarly suffering from artist's block, he does not give the impression of going down the same road as his fellow artists. Maybe the fact that he was knocked out cold when the crisis hit, somehow spared him from the deepest desperation that leads to suicide.
30 Gozran 4708
30 Gozran sees a grim and rainy morning. A dozen friends and fans of the deceased writer Lucian Lycan have shown up in the Gray District, including Isha, Pilts Swastel, his one-eyed gnome Jabbyr and seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis. The companions are present as well.
Archbishop Keppira d'Bear leads the service. Pharasma's high priestess is an older lady of Chelish blood. She covers her frail figure and long white hair in a heavy, gray cloak.
In a clear voice the bishop explains how Pharasma, in her capacity as deity of birth, gives life, which she later reclaims, being the goddess of death as well. When a mortal soul leaves this plane, it travels to Pharasma's Boneyard, where the Lady of Graves does not judge whether its death was justified or not. Instead she takes its complete life into consideration to decide in which heaven or hell the soul will spend eternity. Although the mistress of prophecy foresees where a particular soul will end up at the moment of its birth, she reserves her final verdict until the last possible minute, knowing that prophecies can be wrong of misinterpreted. While she believes in predestination, she also understands the need for vagueness to allow at least a hint of free will. The high priestess asks those present to share stories about Lucian Lycan to placate the goddess in her judgment.
Isha is the first to speak. Sobbing, she praises Lick's passion for art and his passion in love. Although he never said the words, she knows that he loved her, remembering a day, not too long ago, when she saw it in his eyes. It was last winter, when she had fallen on the ice and he had comforted her with words that could have featured in his best work.
Pilts Swastel continues, focusing on Lucian Lycan's genius, both as a writer and an actor. His plays were bigger than life itself and inspired many spectators, the owner of Exemplary Execrables proudly states. His life was filled with grand emotions, and, yes, lots of pain as well. The pain he had lived through so vividly in his youth was brilliantly reflected in his work. Swastel also adds that it is better to burn out quickly than to fade away.
Next Quint takes the floor. He reflects on Lick's youth, the harsh years under Gaedran Lamm's thumb. Although these years certainly left their mark on Lick, he also drew great inspiration from them for his work.
Finally Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis also has some kind words for the deplored artist. He counts himself lucky for having known this exceptional author. Although his themes were always dark and estranging, his work also showed unique literary talent, containing pearls that could move your heartstrings. The seneschal hopes that the writer will gain the recognition in death which he was denied in life.
Keppira d'Bear concludes the testimonies: "Oh, Pharasma, your servant Lucian Lycan needs your mercy. You have the power to condemn or reward him. If he was a devout and god-fearing man, reward him liberally. If he was sinner, please forgive him. We humbly implore you to look kindly on his soul."
After the ceremony everyone slowly walks to the Everyman Ward, where most Korvosans are buried. A number of younger priests entrust Lick's body to the earth. The high priestess hasn't joined the mourners, since Lick is not the only one to be buried today. The seneschal reveals that a fourth suicide victim is being buried today, an artistic glassblower, Harmon Hals, who set himself on fire. It has been a dark week for the arts in Korvosa, Kalepopolis admits.
The multiple suicides are confirmed in the latest edition of the Korvosa Herald. The two-weekly periodical also reports on the king's illness, which seems to be very hard to cure, and a girl from the small settlement of Sirathu, who has been speaking in strange voices. Some people claim she has the same talent for prophecy as Saint Alika, believing her to be blessed with Pharasma's gift of foresight as well. Last week her unconscious body was discovered next to an uncompleted fountain, which miraculously started flowing with pure and crystal clear water for the first time. The backside of the paper, which always contains tales from Korvosa's history, focuses on the battle against Shoanti chief Galstak Sevendeaths and the conquest of the mainland, which led to many families abandoning Edrin Island for the open space south of the narrows of Saint Alika.
4 Desnus 4708
This morning Kester informs the companions that Mouse and Korwick have not come home from their scouting trip yesterday. The boys have been roaming the city in pairs for the last couple of days, looking for signs of Gaedran Lamm or Rolth. Since these trips take them all over town, it is hard to tell where the two boys disappeared. The companions ask the two remaining boys to seek shelter in Zellara's parlor, while they look around the city for the other two kids. The city guard can't help them and mama Mira from the orphanage has not seen the boys in days. Although they keep their eyes and ears open, the four friends find no trail of the missing children.
5 Desnus 4708
The next morning Mouse suddenly bursts through the front door of the old fishery. Panting heavily, he stammers how he and Korwick were captured by Gaedran Lamm two days ago. Unless he leads the companions to Lamm's new hide-out immediately, the old crook will take Korwick's life.
Mouse takes the four heroes to another spot in the harbor, an abandoned warehouse that used to belong to the exiled Porphyria family. On the way over there he explains what happened the day before yesterday. He and Korwick had spotted Rolth and the black-haired lady in the harbor, boarding a ship. They had a dozen young girls with them, all of them ex-lambs, and they were carrying some heavy suitcases. Mouse and Korwick turned around to go and warn the heroes, finding Gaedran Lamm and the gnome Hookshanks in their backs, who quickly overpowered them. They were kept prisoner for two days in a place by the water, while Lamm and Hookshank were preparing the site for what was - most likely - a trap. This morning Lamm let Mouse go and told him to get 'those trouble seekers NOW' if they ever wanted to see Korwick alive again.
The rundown warehouse used to be connected to a pier, which collapsed many years ago. Only the back part of the pier remains, leaving a platform that is disconnected from the shore. The old poles that used to support the woodwork in between, are still standing, and have been connected by planks, leaving several possible routes to the back part. While Balian takes up position next to a window, the other three companions enter the building. Mouse runs off to warn the Korvosan Guard.
The trap that Gaedran Lamm has set out for them quickly reveals itself. The shadow of a man moves over a catwalk inside the building, pulling a rope that sets free two dream spiders from boxes next to the heroes. Across the maze of planks on the remaining back part of the pier, the companions make out a crane from which Korwick is hanging above the water. A hungry crocodile is in the river below him: Gobblegut. Gaedran Lamm and Hookshanks are both hiding on this platform, and the gnome's first act is to set the rope from which Korwick is dangling on fire.
Balian reacts quickly and takes out the dream spiders with two well-aimed arrows. The man on the catwalk turns out to be a Korvosan guard, who aims an arrow at Sjo, but misses him. The Shoanti oracle storms into the post supporting the catwalk, but the structure holds. Meanwhile Quint focuses his attention on Lamm, trying to take him down with a sleep spell, but the old crook resists. Lamm returns fire with his crossbow, hitting Puk in the chest. The halfling retreats into the building to be healed by Sjo, while Balian tries to hurt Hookshanks with his longbow, but the gnome is too well hidden behind some crates to be hit. The ranger also tries to draw some fire from Lamm and Hookshanks, but it is Quint who gets fired upon. Luckily the bolts miss their goal. Puk starts making his way across the planks to the platform, trying to keep balance while hoping the boards under his feet will not break. Fortunately the lithe little halfling is so light that none of the planks crack. Quint, who doesn't share Puk's nimbleness, also tries to get across, but quickly ends up in the water, drawing the crocodile to his position.
Meanwhile Sjo runs into the supporting pole again. The structure is shaking, but still holds, still the soldier above him now drops his bow and readies his shield and sword. He jumps down and stumbles to the ground. Sjo blazes fire through his morningstar and hits the guard heavily on the shoulder. The man returns the favor by slashing the Shoanti with his blade.
Balian decides to change target, hoping that the human Lamm will be easier for him to hit since humans are his favorite enemy. And yes, a first arrow wounds the old man! But it is Puk who steals the show: the halfling runs across another plank and then jumps to Korwick who's still dangling in front of him, using his momentum to swing the crane and the boy back to the platform. The burning rope snaps, but Korwick lands safely on the remaining part of the pier. Puk lands on his feet and gets ready to face Hookshanks.
Meanwhile Quint manages to avoid the snapping teeth of Gobblegut and climbs out of the water on top of one of the poles. He also dodges one of Lamm's bolts, but when he tries to move closer he tumbles into the water again. Amazingly the crocodile's teeth and tail miss him again, even when he swims across to the back platform and clambers out again.
Inside the warehouse, Sjo ducks under the guard's next swing and knocks him out, stabilizing him immediately thereafter to avoid him bleeding to death. Puk quickly takes down the gnome and then faces Lamm, slashing and stabbing him with his little short sword. Balian also fires another arrow into Lamm's tired frame, while Sjo plunges into the water to distract the crocodile. His new armor withstands the creatures ferocious bite, as his morningstar explodes in flames on the reptile's back.
Dripping with the harbor's water, but still not a single drop of blood, Quint finally gets on the platform and charges Lamm, dropping his old master with a slash of his sword. As Gobblegut retreats into the river, the heroes realize they are victorious!
Quint prevents Lamm from bleeding out and returns his unconscious body to the warehouse. Sjo sends some healing magic through the old creep's limbs, which wakes him up. Lamm is abhorred to be captured by his former lambs once more. He confesses to having seen Rolth and confirms that the man has left town, but does not know where to. Quint decides not to repeat his mistake and let the old crook live, so he finishes off Lamm once and for all before the Guard arrives. The soldier who was aiding Lamm is still knocked out, but Sjo quickly examines him and discovers the man is a drug addict. The companions hand him over to the Korvosan Guard.
Then they follow Mouse to docks where he spotted Rolth two days ago. Some dock hands inform them that the ship left the same day, destination Cheliax. The boat's name was The Delivery.
This session was a lot of fun, first of all because the fight itself was very cool. The halfling's swinging jump that saved little Korwick was very spectacular and Quint's luck in avoiding any damage was epic.
Secondly, the session provided some much needed closure. I have been feeding my players a number of red herrings , trying to foreshadow people or events. Of course, these red herrings can amount to too many unsolved cases: there was the Rolth thread, which won't be solved until much later; there was the artists' suicide storyline and then there was the unfinished business with Gaedran Lamm.
I already pointed out to my players that they shouldn't explore the artists' suicides any longer; we spent two sessions doing that. These sessions provided some very nice background information and interesting social contacts in the city, but the PCs were never supposed to solve this mystery. So it was no use continuing this wild goose chase.
The PCs also know that Rolth has left the city now, so they won't pursue this storyline anymore until I open it up again.
The only case that I could let them solve right now, was their vengeance on Lamm. So I decided not to postpone their new confrontation with Gaedran Lamm any longer and give my players one decent chance at closure. The fact that the session played out so nicely was a bonus!
Nice, it feels like it improved the story that he escaped the initial confrontation and that the PC's had to work a bit harder to finally get him; I'm guessing it was probably more satisfying for them in the long run?
Indeed. I think that by using the prelude and by facing Lamm twice, I overcame the problem that other campaigns ran into: the fact that Lamm was nothing but a side note. I believe that the old crook became more memorable in my campaign.
I also achieved two major goals before Lamm was defeated: the group has sufficient ties to want to stay together and the PCs have already developed a network of contacts in the city.
One of my players made a snap shot of our gaming table. You can see it here.
Wow, that looks nice! Do you have such detailed miniature settings for every encounter?
Well, we try to use Dwarven Forge and the compatible Psomminiature scenery with our mini's for the fights. It takes some time to set up, though, and since we're playing at a friend's house, I can't do that in advance, so that factor actually slows us down a bit. I have a pretty nice collection of scenery pieces which are stored in plastic boxes, but that also implies that I have to open maybe five boxes to set up one encounter.
I also painted some mini's especially for this campaign last summer, but I don't have a good camera yet to take pictures. Maybe in the future ... These figs are also spread out over several boxes, so while it is great to expand your personal collection of miniatures and scenery, it has one disadvantage: the more material you have, the longer it takes to find what you need.
The companions go look for the harbormaster and ask him what he knows about the Delivery and its cargo. The man says that the boat carried no goods, apart from food and supplies. Its only cargo was maybe two dozen passengers. The man denies knowing anything about girls being carried off against their wills, but confesses that the authorities can't check everything.
The young friends also pay a visit to field marshal Cressida Kroft. They explain to her what happened with Gaedran Lamm, only leaving out that the kept him alive at first and then finished him off anyway before the guards arrived. Kroft confirms that she doesn't like types like Lamm, who live on the edge of legality, and - by paying their vice taxes - are allowed to continue their shady business in the city. She assures the heroes that she will take care of the red tape and make sure that they will not get into trouble for carrying out justice.
When the companions tell her that Rolth has left town on a Chelish vessel with a dozen children, she fears that the girls will be sold as slaves in Cheliax. Quint wonders if the skinny creep has made more trips to the south over the last couple of years. Maybe that is why he was so hard to locate, because he wasn't always around.
6 Desnus 4708
The following morning someone knocks on the door of the old fishery. While Sjo is joking that adventure just comes knocking, he is surprised to find the sour-looking magistrate of commerce on his doorstep, Garrick Tann, Korvosa's tax collector, also known as the 'most hated man' in the city. He is accompanied by eight guards and two men wearing the colors of Abadar. The companions immediately recognize the magistrate and also remember that they lifted his purse when they were children, including his masterwork dagger, that now hangs on Puk's belt. Sjo shoves that halfling out of the way, while making polite conversation. Tann states that the companions owe the city ten percent of their income. Having heard that they were given 1 200 gold sails by the queen, he is here to collect 120 GP.
When the heroes don't pay him right away, Tann informs them that they have until the end of the month to pay up. They also have to declare any other income they have. They can do so in his office, which is located in the shadow of Citadel Volshyenek. The magistrate also notes that the friends are staying in an abandoned building, which by law should go to the city and can't just be taken over by anyone who feels like it. Still, these matters are not his to handle, although he will inform his colleague.
To avoid future embarrassment with another officer of the law, the companions and the four children living with them decide to move to Zellara's house in Lancet Street for now. They also go and pay their taxes, to avoid having Tann track them down again.
9 Desnus 4708
On the ninth of Desnus Mama Mira contacts the companions and invites them over to the orphanage. She wants to talk to them about Sarai and Lauro, the two halfling children they saved from Gaedran Lamm's lambs. She suspects that the children's grandmother is still alive and well, living somewhere outside the city She asks the heroes return the children to their family. Apparently the siblings' father Bono came from the small town of Heavengard. He moved to Korvosa after his wife had died giving birth to Lauro, when Sarai was only three years old. The girl still remembers playing with her old nana under the apple trees. Three years ago Bono passed away himself and orphaned Sarai en Lauro ended up in Lamm's clutches.
Since Mama Mira cannot leave her flock in the orphanage, she implores the heroes to take the brother and sister home. Heavengard is a cozy halfling settlement in a fertile valley at the foot of the Willspin Mountains, nestled quietly on the banks of the Jeggare River. Journeying there takes three days.
10-13 Desnus 4708
The companions follow the Jeggare river for three days until they reach the first fields and orchards of Heavengard. Suddenly they pick up screams and the smell of burning hay. Looking through a four-foot-high hedgerow, they notice three hulking scaly creatures leaning over a young halfling couple. The attackers are kicking a boy, while a girl with a torn dress is screaming her lungs out. Towering over the assailants is a smoking haystack, which was probably set on fire by the lizardman holding a smoldering torch. The two other lizardfolk have a wickedly barbed club in their hands.
The heroes intervene and Balian's greatsword chops down a lizardman warrior in one mighty stroke, while Sjo takes down a second enemy. The lone survivor turns and runs.
The halfling boy was beaten badly and has lost consciousness, a situation that Sjo's healing powers quickly rectify. The girl, Maisy Booginsfoot, thanks her saviors profusely and claims that the reptilemen ambushed her and her friend Jacob Merrybrow while they were ... looking for a stray goat. Quint realizes that the halflings were probably fooling around in the hay and smiles.
The companions join the young halfling couple to their village. Jacob and Maisy know Sarai's and Lauro's grandmother well. Her name is Mother Grundy, the town' herbalist, although most people have taken to calling her Mother Grumpy since her son and grandchildren left. They are convinced that she will be overjoyed to see her grandkids alive, but they suspect that she doesn't know that her son Bono has passed away, so they advise the visitors to be gentle when breaking this news.
Heavengard is nestled in a picturesque valley between rolling hillsides full of fruit trees. The Jeggare River cuts through the heart of the dale and leads the travelers to a dozen low wooden buildings and two stone ones. Although it has been a long time, Sarai remembers the way to her nana's house. The thick, aromatic smell of herbs pervades the air. Sarai approaches the door and notices that it is slightly ajar. Carefully she pushes it open and gazes into the room. Dried herbs hang from the ceiling and a large cauldron bubbles noisily over the fire. An old halfling woman with a few teeth missing looks up, surprised to see strangers on her porch.
"Nana?" Sarai whispers, "it's me, Sarai ... and Lauro ... we've come back."
"Sarai? Sarai, is that really you?" A broad smile appears on the woman's face as she wipes her hands with her apron and rushes to the halfling children in her door. "Sarai! Lauro! Oh, Cayden Cailean be praised, my grandchildren have returned to me!" Tears roll over the halfling's cheeks as she pulls the children to her breast. "And where is my son, where is Bono?" she sniffs.
"Oh, nana, daddy's gone. He died three years ago. A bad man took us and made us work as slaves, but these heroes saved us!" The old herbalist buries her head between the children's shoulders and cries, while a crowd of halflings has gathered outside her house, staring at the wonderful spectacle.
A small chubby halfling with elaborate curly hair and rich, purple clothes steps forward. He makes an elegant bow: "Welcome to our humble town, strangers. Allow me to introduce myself, mayor Ossy Applebottom, I'm delighted to make your acquaintance. I believe we owe you our gratitude for saving and returning some of our own. Please, would you do us the honor of joining us tonight for a small celebration as a token of appreciation? I invite you all to my house after sunset."
Jacob Merrybrow introduces his saviors to his family and his mother kindly offers the companions a place to stay at their farm.
Later that evening the companions join the Merrybrows for the party at the mayor's mansion, one of the two stone building in town and easily the largest structure. Rosebushes climb up the walls to the left and right of the front door and circle around a stone sign above the door that reads 'Theatre' The whole village has gathered inside, in what looks like a small theatre hall, which is very high for halfling standards and offers ample head space for even Sjo. The room explodes in loud applause as the heroes enter the auditorium. Puk is immediately surrounded by a number of girls. Maisy's sister Frida is clearly infatuated with the courageous rogue and the young halfling appreciates the attention.
Mayor Ossy Applebottom thanks the saviors again and entertains the crowd with some music. Afterwards he makes his way to the companions and starts chatting cheerfully. It turns out he did a bit of adventuring himself when he was younger, with Simo Sideburn and Addie Lightfoot, two other halflings, but they are retired now. Since then he has grown a bit, Ossy smiles, patting himself on his large belly.
The heroes accept Applebottom's invitation to take to the stage themselves. The mayor even joins them in an improvised version of 'the pied piper'. Ossy is clearly over the moon with visitors who appreciate the fine arts of theater, which seems to be his passion.
Although the unexpected return of Sarai and Lauro, the spectacular story of their rescue and the wonderful play of 'the pied piper' excites the halflings, the small folk are preoccupied with another matter. The lizardmen's attack on Maisy and Jacob is not an isolated incident, it seems. While the reptiles from the Broken Axe clan have never felt the urge to leave their homeland of the Feverglades before, they did so twice during the last week. Six days ago Ossy Applebottom and his men were attacked by the scaly monsters at the border of the glades and today the lizards made it all the way to Heavengard! Ossy claims that he and his men were gathering wood when a group of Broken Axe warriors attacked them. They barely managed to escape with their lives and both Simo and Addie were gravely wounded.
None of the halflings knows a lot about the Feverglades, other than that it is a dangerous and soggy place where they shouldn't venture. They claim that their habit of avoiding the swamps is part of a mutual understanding with the lizardfolk: the halflings don't go there and the lizardfolk don't come here. But now the agreement has been broken, although no one has any idea why the Broken Axe clan suddenly turned aggressive. It's probably in the monsters' nature.
Ossy also knows that the peace agreement between Heavengard and the Broken Axe clan dates way back to the days of Harv Mulder. Mulder was a strange dwarf who lived here more than a generation ago ... well, not "here" exactly, but in the swamps. He got on well with the lizardfolk and negotiated the treaty for the halflings. Mulder lived in a mill by the Jeggare River, in a place where the current was much stronger than here in Heavengard. As far as Ossy knows, only two men have ever ventured into the Feverglades, this Mulder dwarf and - three centuries ago - Montlarion Jeggare, the famous explorer who gave his name to the river.
Ossy praises his guests' courage and skill in battle once again and asks them if they want to help protect Heavengard from the attacks of the lizardfolk. He does not understand why the reptiles turned hostile, but it is clear they have become a threat. Today's attack proves their evil intent and it will take more than some simple farmers to defend the town.
He offers the companions 200 gold sails form his personal fortune to locate the Broken Axe clan and renegotiate the peace treaty. If the lizardfolk can't be swayed, the heroes should explore other options to keep the village safe. If necessary they should chase away the scaly folk. Ossy stresses again that the halflings don't stand a fighting chance against the Broken Axe clan. Fortunately no villager has died yet, but halflings' luck and Cayden Cailean won't protect them forever.
It is late when the companions turn in for the night. Sjo, Puk and Balian quickly sink into a deep sleep, but Quint is plagued by nightmares. He is wandering around a huge keep with high walls and oppressing hallways. He feels tiny, but his hands are enormous. His breath surges loudly through his throat and reverberates in his head. Every dark room is empty and it feels like the stone maze is closing in on him, when he suddenly arrives in a huge hall. The room is bare, except for a fireplace to Quint's left. Flames dance around and throw scary shadows on the walls. One of the dark shades floats closer and takes the shape of a skinny, old man with thin gray hair and hollow cheeks. He is dressed in a long nightgown and looks almost like a ghost. Then the man open his eyes, his fiery gaze burning a hole in Quint's heart, as he sighs: "Finally I understand, brother. You have betrayed me."
14 Desnus 4708
The next morning the adventurers prepare to head into the swamps. Mother Grundy makes them some lunch and warns them about the Feverglade mosquitoes. Those annoying insects transfer the feared swamp fever, but with Grundy's smelly smear, a repulsively reeking ointment, they can protect themselves. Grundy also hands the young friends a flask with a strange brown liquid. She calls it poison poison, a very strong antidote against swamp fever ... just in case.
Ossy Applebottom and his men accompany the heroes to the border of the glades, further down the Jeggare River. Ossy can't give them further instructions: since none of the halflings ever venture into the swamp, no one knows where the Broken Axe clan lives. He sends the companions off with a hearty farewell and reconfirms his hopes for a peaceful solution.
The swamp is initially less dirty than the travelers suspected. The Feverglades are not as stagnant as other swamps. The Jeggare River flows through its center and provides the entire area with plenty of fresh water. Fortunately today's water level is quite low, which will facilitate trekking through the marshes.
Still, not all corners of the swamp are equally accessible and after a few hours the paths become fewer and narrower. There are indeed a lot of mosquitoes, just as mother Grundy predicted, but the smelly smear keeps the pests away.
Suddenly the path gives way to stepping stones across a stretch of water. The big stones have been carefully placed to allow a creature with a stride similar to a human to cross. The surface of the stones shows the occasional scratch, which Balian believes were made by lizardmen feet. He also notices that the stones are sticking out more than one foot above the surface of the water and the brown and withered moss on their sides suggest that the water level used to be higher.
While making his way across the stones, Quint loses balance and tumbles into the filthy muck, where he is immediately attacked by an alligator. Balian jumps in next to him and cuts open the creature's leathery skin, but the ranger sees his friends missing their attacks and is violently snapped into the alligator's maw. Unable to wrestle from the sharp teeth, Balian is pulled under water as the swamp killer performs its feared death roll. He loses consciousness as his friends further attempts to harm the alligator or put it to sleep with magic fail horribly. The ranger is barely clinging to life when Sjo, who has joined him in the filth, sends some healing through him and finally kills the predator with a lucky swing of his burning morningstar. It takes four charges from the healing wand to return Balian to health.
Again a snapshot from our session: swamp encounter.
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The picture looks really nice. I think you're getting your money's worth with that alligator miniature, so far. :)
The companions resume their trek across the stepping stones. Past the crossing they see a small cluster of huts, made of wood and woven bulrushes. Wooden racks sport fresh fish drying in the sparse sunlight. Several lizardfolk with spears and clubs await the visitors around some kind of shrine in the center of the village: four standing axes arranged in a circle with their heads touching. Necklaces and personal items hang from these rusted weapons.
There are about two dozen lizardfolk present, including the women and children. Although they seem suspicious, they do not attack the strangers entering their village. One of the males slips into the water behind the huts and swims away in the direction of a small hillock, some 200 yards to the north. A single blackened tree stump sits on top of the mound.
Another lizardman with broad shoulders and a wicked club on his belt raises his hand as a peace sign. He also grumbles something in draconic to his fellow clan members in an effort to calm them down and keep them from attacking. Although he cannot speak common, he uses gestures to invite the visitors over to a wooden raft. When they have boarded, he slips into the water and pushes the primitive boat over to the hillock with the tree stump.
As the heroes climb the mound, they notice that the stump is hollow and hides the entrance to a dark cave. Below they hear the sound of something moving in the water, followed by a hissing voice: Sssss, I don't know whether to welcome you or curssssse you, ssstrangersss. You come here from that clan of falsssse little folk, I sssssee you even bring one of them to my home ... ssssss. We've never had any quarrel with them, that issss until resssssently. Two moonssss ago they entered our territory and they have been draining our ssswamp ever sssssinsssss.
Firsssst we waited for them to ssssstop, then we tried talking to them, but they killed our negossssiatorssss. Then we ssssent our warriorssss to the wheelhoussssse, but they were defeated.
Sssso a couple of dayssss ago I ssssent sssscoutssss to the little folk'ssss village. Although they alssso met with violensssse, I do believe that you are the anssswer to my sssscoutssss' pressssensssse. We are not looking for a war, sssso I will give you the opportunity to sssay your piessssse, but do not missstake thisss kindnesss for weaknessss, for if we have to, we will kill every one of thossssse ssssmallfolk, ssssss.
Quint admits that they were sent by the halfling chief to find out what is wrong in the swamp. He suggests going to the wheelhouse to check on what is going on there. The hissing voice informs him that since a number of little people moved into the wheelhouse, the water level has been dropping steadily. Eighteen days ago the clan sent negotiators to the house, but none returned. Ten days ago the lizardfolk organized an attack on the structure but they were all killed. Now the voice in the hole states that his people are planning to attack the halfling village itself. That is why they sent out scouts. The voice does not want to go to war, but he has to if the draining of the glades doesn't stop. Quint promises to help.
The lizardmen provide a scout who points the companions in the right direction. As they get closer, the marshes become drier and drier. They discover multiple pipes made of reed that were used to suck up the water. Someone is effectively draining the swamp!
A stone and wooden watermill with a slate roof stands on the banks of the Jeggare River. The water is flowing rapidly here and makes the big wheel turn fast. Around the building are a dozen lizardfolk heads on spikes. The beheaded bodies have been thrown in a big heap and burned. Further down the tree line are a few newly dug graves.
Four gnomes are hard at work next to the building, turning bamboo-like reed that grows on the river banks into pipes. Two sturdy dwarves are standing guard. When the companions approach them, they look very wary.
Quint demands to know what they are doing here, but when he claims he was been sent by halfling mayor Ossy Applebottom, the dwarven guard is confused. He wants to know if the companions are reinforcements, since Applebottom is his chef as well. The mayor is fully aware of what is going on here; he even helped defend the watermill against the lizardfolk attack last week! Quint and his friends realize they have been played for fools: the halfling mayor never wanted to achieve piece with the Broken Axe clan. He had sent the companions on a suicide mission, hoping they would take down as many lizardfolk as possible before being overrun themselves. Sjo and Quint understand they will have to return to Heavengard to solve the matter with mayor Applebottom.
The companions retreat before the sour conversation turns into a battle and make their way back to town. It is already late in the evening when they arrive. They head to the Merrybrow farm for a good night's sleep, but Jacob Merrybrow is enthusiastic to see them and hurries over to the mayor's house to warn him of the heroes' return.
Ossy Applebottom joins the party after a few minutes. He is accompanied by his two friends, Simo Sideburns and Addie Lightfoot. When the companions accuse Ossy of foul play, the halfling feigns innocence. He admits that he sent the heroes into the swamp to negotiate with the lizardfolk, but also to take matters into their own hands if the scaly ones did not agree to a peaceful solution. Apparently they failed to deliver on that last part.
When Sjo gets angry and wants to grab the mayor by his collar, the halflings react faster and draw their weapons. Simo flashes his small-sized rapier about and badly stabs Quint. Ossy mumbles the words of a spell and puts Balian, Puk and the dog Spyder to sleep. Sjo and Quint waste the first moments of battle waking their friends, while the three mean halflings press on. Puk engages Applebottom himself, but only manages to knick him. Sjo rushes to Quint's side and lands a mighty flaming blow on his attacker, Simo. Meanwhile Balian keeps Addie busy, who cannot strike true with his halfling longsword. The small fighter is the first to go down, when both Balian and Sjo surround him. Simo quaffs a healing potion while his boss heals himself with his bardic powers. Still, these magic treatments serve only to postpone the inevitable. As Quint and Puk take down Simo, Balian and Sjo force back Applebottom, who has little chance against the two tall humans towering over him. The mayor attempts one more sleep spell, but only Spyder is affected, before Sjo and Balian knock him out.
Quint and Sjo quickly make sure none of the defeated halflings bleed to death. Then they wonder how to proceed. Quint states that by Korvosan law, Applebottom hasn't done anything illegal: he purchased marsh land cheaply and then hired workers to drain it. Although the lizardfolk were here before the Korvosans, they are not recognized or protected by the law. This will make it very hard to have Applebottom convicted in Korvosa. Moreover, the local situation cannot wait for a legal solution from the capital, as the lizardfolk are preparing for war. As long as the gnomes and dwarves in the watermill continue draining the glades, there will be no peace. Heavengard will not survive long enough for an administrative fix.
Any solution the companions will come up with will most likely not please Applebottom. Still they are determined to try. A little psychological pressure might suffice to have Ossy Applebottom sign over the marsh lands, taking away his right to further drain the glades and reopening the possibility for a peaceful solution with the lizardfolk.
I like the way this adventure is built, it gives a tough choice to the players... Very nice.
The final discussion on whether Ossy Applebottom has actually done anything illegal or not, actually lasted for about an hour and a half. I just wrote down the gist of it.
At one point I even burst out laughing, remembering similar sessions when we had captured enemies alive and discussed at length what to do with them before someone finally got tired of it and simply bashed in the prisoners' heads. Still, Applebottom's chances look slightly better and I actually believe he might survive.
15 Desnus 4708
The companions spend the night in the mayor's manor, while keeping the Ozzy and his two minions locked up in the cellar. When mornings comes, all the halfling villagers gather at the house. They are not pleased when they find out Ossy Applebottom is behind the problems with the lizardfolk and that he tried to fool all of them for his personal gain.
Quint suggests that someone else assumes the position of mayor and appoints mother Grundy. His inspiring speech gets all the villagers to agree. Then he explains that he and his friends will take Ozzy over to the Broken Axe lizardfolk in order to negotiate a permanent solution.
While they are making their way through the swamp again, Sjo and Quint intimidate the former halfling mayor with horror stories of cruel lizardmen rituals. Ozzy offers the heroes more money, simply for letting him go, but they refuse. When they arrive at the Broken Axe settlement, they are taken to the island with the tree stump again, only this time they can enter the cave through an opening in the back of the hillock.
The leader of the clan turns out to be a glistening water naga, who goes by the name of Naamani. She is furious when she learns that Ozzy thinks himself the owner of swamp land, but when she squeezes him between her coils, the halfling readily agrees to sign all marshland over to the water naga and her tribe. The lizardfolk reward the companions for their good work by giving them a beautiful pearl.
Next stop is the watermill. The dwarves and gnomes are still at work, draining the glades, when the companions arrive. Quint states that the swamp has a different owner now, who has ordered the trespassers to stop their work and leave the Feverglades. He adds that Ozzy will pay them what is owed upon arrival in Heavengard. Gilas, the gnome engineer, realizes that he has no other option than to agree. So the dwarves and gnomes join the young heroes for Heavengard, but only after they have buried the lizardfolk heads. Gilas also confirms that the water level in the glades will return to normal in a few months time. The engineer shuts down the draining system and Quint and Balian sabotage the pumps, so no one can restart them by simply pulling a lever.
It is late in the afternoon when the party gets back to Heavengard. The locals have not been idle either: they have decided to strip the three traitors of all goods and banish them. One of their own, the village merchant Rollo, will travel to Korvosa tomorrow with three carts of goods. He will take Ozzy and his men and release them in Korvosa.
Mother Grundy also rewards the party. Since the halflings have no desire to gain from Ozzy's banishment, they have decided to award Ozzy's confiscated ring and Simo's armor to the heroes. Using Zellara's harrow deck, Sjo finds out that both items are magically enhanced: the gold band is a ring of protection +1, which goes to Balian, while the small sized studded leather +1 fits nicely around Puk's chest.
The party halfling also enjoys his last evening in Heavengard. The village youngster admire him as their personal hero and red-cheeked Frida is even more infatuated with him than before. Puk does not return to his bed that night.
Level up: level 2
16-18 Desnus 4708
The heroes return to Korvosa in the company of a small convoy. Merchant Rollo and his two sons ride on wagons and each carry one of the culprits. Simo and Addie prove to be no threat and are quickly relieved of their bonds. Even Ozzy is not tied up anymore on the second day of travel. He realizes that his scheme failed and he's lucky to have gotten away with his life.
After three days of travel Korvosa finally graces the horizon. While approaching their home city, the companions note that several small plumes of smoke rise up and a great number of travelers has been stopped at the gate, creating quite a queue. When they join the line, Quint learns that the king has died a couple of days ago. The city has been in chaos ever since. All non-natives are being denied entry to the city, so the four young friends have to say goodbye to their fellow travelers, as they are the only ones who are allowed in.
The companions quickly make their way to the High Bridge. Houses in East Shore have all shut their doors and shutters and there are only a few people in the streets. The ones who are, rush to their destinations as quickly as they can and keep their heads down. Someone has chalked a message on the wall of an old building: "No whore for queen!"
When they reach the High Bridge into the city proper, Quint, Sjo and Puk question some guards to find out what is going on in Korvosa. They learn that the king died on the thirteenth of Desnus. Unable to regain his health, Eodred was finally felled by his mysterious disease. None of his doctors or priests managed to find a cure. Riots erupted shortly after the monarch's death as people protested against his incapable, power-hungry widow Queen Ileosa assuming the throne. No one actually knows if the queen has what it takes to take over power, but the general consensus seems to be that Ileosa is nothing more than the "sois belle et tais-toi" (shut up and look nice) type, not fit to rule. There is even more worrying news, as seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis has disappeared shortly after the king's death. He is rumored to have died in the first riots.
Eodred's Walk, the square at the far end of the High Bridge, has been overrun by rioters. Several hundred protesters are pushing back Korvosan Guards in the direction of Citadel Volshyenek, the Guard's headquarters, shouting hateful words like: "Hang the b$%&#!" or "Down with the filthy usurper!" The demonstrators charge the soldiers and one of the guards loses his balance while his brothers in arms are trying to retreat. The crowd cheers and gets ready to tear the man to pieces.
Quint jumps in their midst and attempts to sway the attackers with words. He urges them to calm down and use common sense. He points to Korvosa's historical strength in unity. Both Puk and Quint recognize some dockworkers in the crowd whom they address in person. "Dorik, don't risk your life, your mother needs you!" "Gerrit, your wife's pregnant, don't do anything stupid!" Sjo throws in some religious motives: this riot goes against Abadar's need for structure, it undermines civilization. Quint also picks out the most hot-headed protestors and focuses his attention on them. Meanwhile Sjo and Balian pick up the unfortunate guard and return him to the safety of his brothers' ranks.
Quint's and Sjo's words persuade enough people in the crowd to step down and soon the mob disperses and the threat is averted. The last to leave are a number of head-strong troublemakers who look like the main agitators. But they also leave when they see that they have lost the crowd's support.
The companions join the guards to the citadel, where they meet up with Field Marshal Cressida Kroft. The leader of the guard looks tired, as she confesses to not having slept for a couple of days. Sjo offers to help and Kroft gladly takes him up on his offer.
She explains that a number of guards have failed to show up for duty. Although everyone was ordered to come in and serve, several soldiers refused, worrying more about their family's safety than the city's. While Cressida Kroft does not condone, she can understand why these guards have 'deserted'. Still she needs every able-bodied guard to be at his post right now. Moreover, this kind of behavior is bad for the morale of those who are present.
Yet, not all deserters have family. Some of them are simply using the riots as an excuse for personal gain. One such man is Verik Vancaskerin. Upon the king's death, he convinced several fellow guards of the queen's incompetence and together they deserted their posts. They have now set up shop in an old butcher's, All the World's Meat, in Northgate, handing out free meat to citizens in need, while spreading messages of hatred against Ileosa. Kroft does not dare to send in her own men to apprehend the deserters, fearing their talk of secession might infect even more guards. She also dislikes the idea of guards killing fellow soldiers. So she asks the companions to take care of the situation. She prefers the traitors alive, certainly Vancaskerin himself, as she wants to find out why he deserted.
After a quick stop in Zellara's house, where the remaining lambs are all safe, the companions head to the North Point district. As darkness is already upon them, they decide that it is not a good idea to go to the butcher's shop right now. Still, they use the first few nightly hours to gather some information on the place. The word is that a couple of guards have taken over the place and hand out free meat every morning. The deserters have taken to calling themselves the Cow Hammer Boys and rumor has it that you can hire them to get rid of small pests. Apparently they took care of Dicey Dewy, a local rogue, two nights ago. The thug has not been spotted since.
Someone else admits to having been inside the butcher's. A note on the wall says: "We provide what the queen can't", referring to the fact that most shops have been closed for the last four days and food has been getting scarce. There are four cow Hammer Boys: Baldrago, Malder, Parns and Karralo, all able-bodied and battle-hardened soldiers. Their boss, Vancaskerin, does not show his face very often. People say that he still wears his uniform. The companions decide to leave things for now. They will return in the morning and see if they can approach the deserters "peacefully".
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Oh, wow, they are only level 2... It seems that they have achieved so much already! (probably because of the introduction, when they were kids)
I liked the side-treck in Heavenguard. I was wondering:
Oh, wow, they are only level 2... It seems that they have achieved so much already! (probably because of the introduction, when they were kids)
I liked the side-treck in Heavenguard. I was wondering:
** spoiler omitted **
By having the PCs be absent from the city for a couple of days I created a timeframe that was big enough to set all of the chaos into motion.
19 Desnus 4708
Today marks the day that King Eodred II will be buried, but apparently it will not be a public event. So there is no way the companions will be able to witness the funeral, especially since - as Quint explains - the royal crypts are underneath the castle. Moreover, the king's burial will be a private ceremony within the castle walls, as the queen does not want to risk inviting more trouble in the city streets.
So the young friends are free to pursue their own little plot in North Point, where the butcher's shop known as All the World's Meat will be handing out free meat again to the unfortunate citizens who are finding it increasingly difficult to get food elsewhere. Quint suggests taking a diplomatic approach and after some deliberation the heroes decide to pose as sympathizers to the anti-queen movement.
When they arrive in Stirge Street they find the butcher's shop overrun by dozens of people. Only a few customers fit into the shop itself, so most clients crowd the street in front of the building. Balian inspects the house and finds out that the front door is not the only way inside. A cattle pen is built against the left side of the building and since it is open to the air, Puk can stand on Sjo's shoulders to sneak a peek over the wooden fence. He notices a side door leading into the back of the house. Still, this early hour is not fit for a covert operation, so the companions decide to take a frontal approach.
Sjo joins the crowd waiting outside the shop and start pushing everybody into a line to create some order. While everyone is reluctant to queue at first, it quickly becomes obvious that this orderly manner of waiting is much more enjoyable for all those present. Meanwhile Quint sweet-talks his way into the building, by claiming he only wants to talk to the men inside and is not interested in getting free meat. When the bystanders see his expensive attire, they believe him and allow him to cut in line. Two men are behind the counter in the cramped shop, where customers are standing elbow to elbow. Quint recognizes the man with the bushy unibrow and flat nose from the descriptions they got last night as Baldrago. He introduces himself as a sympathizer to the cause and agrees on returning in a few hours, when today's meat has run out and there are no more customers.
The companions continue maintaining order outside and Quint entertains the crowd with a bit of music and jokes about the queen and her Gray Maiden lovers. By noon Baldrago and his mate send home the remaining people waiting outside, as there is no more meat to hand out. There are only a few pieces left in the shop window, covered in flies, but those will stay there until the sun sets, so they urge the unfortunates who have to leave empty-handed, to try again then. Next they invite the companions inside. A short conversation reveals that the four men working for Verik Vancaskerin, the so-called Cow Hammer Boys, are not all that interested in sabotaging the queen. They certainly do not seem to be hard-line political activists. But maybe their boss is. Quint and his friends are allowed to go upstairs to talk to the man in charge.
The companions arrive in a room with a round table and some bedrolls on the floor. A clean-shaven man dressed in Korvosan livery and armor walks in and greets them. Although he seems to be slightly more politically motivated than his mates, he still does not come across as a hardliner at all. He seems to be more interested in keeping the poor people fed than in feeding them hatred against the queen. He is mostly worried what will happen when his shop runs out of animals to slaughter. Quint wonders if Verik had any support setting up this shop, but the former sergeant of the Guard gets vague at this point. He admits to having friends who arranged his little set-up, but claims not to be able to contact them himself. He also refuses to spill any more information on this as he says it is a private matter. Sjo hints at Quint not to press the subject and next it is Verik Vancaskerin's turn to ask the companions some questions. He informs about their motives and plans. When they claim they want to support the cause in a way similar to Vancaskerin, he agrees to let his 'employers' know when the contact him, although he has no clue when that will be.
The young friends return to Citadel Volshyenek. On their way over there, they pass a mad prophet on a street corner who has gathered some unlookers. The wild-haired old man preaches that "the eye of Groetus has turned from the Boneyard of Pharasma to look upon Korvosa", claiming that "Korvosa's darkest hour is still to come! It will spell doom for all! Time to make peace with your loved ones, before it's too late!" Sjo and Quint's witty remarks that they are already at peace with everyone and that if there will ever be an end of days, it is inherently drawing closer every day, makes the raving lunatic lost for words.
When the companions arrive in the Citadel, they come across some soldiers practicing in the courtyard. One of them, a woman in a helmet, faces a tall, cocky man, who taps his sword on his shield while joking: "So, you all expect me to hit a woman? Save yourself the trouble, honey, lay down and allow me to plunge my sword into your body." The woman suffers this jests undauntedly and return the favor: "From what I hear that sword of yours is not much more than a butter knife, Barvos. Come to mama, then we'll see who really has the balls in the family!"
The male guard dislikes being made fun of himself and leaps forward, lunging wildly at his female colleague, who deftly steps out of his reach and kicks him in the behind as he surges past her. The man returns more cautiously now, trying to force back the woman with more measured strikes. She catches each one of them with her sword or shield. The mere sound of the blows suggests that the man is putting a lot of his strength in them. Then the woman takes the offensive: she is quicker and more precise and now the man has to give way to her. When frustration takes over, he wildly bashes his shield against hers, putting all his body weight into the punch. His attack throws back the female guard a couple of feet and breaks her advancement. The two adversaries now start circling each other, using more predictable tactics trying to hit one another. After a few minutes the female guard seems to be getting tired, as her shield sags a few inches. Her opponent seizes the opportunity and leaps at her, but her tiredness was just a ruse. She dives under his sword and hooks her blade behind his foot, tripping him. As the male guard bites the dust, the woman kicks his weapon from his grip: "Those balls of yours need to grow some more, Barvos", she jokes.
Then the woman notices the companions. She removes her helmet to reveal a sea of lush red hair. As she faces the young heroes, they recognize her as Amarice, their former fellow lamb. She is madly enthusiastic about seeing her old friends and greets them warmly with big hugs and a broad smile of joy. Since she is still working at the moment, she agrees to meet the companions later this evening at the Travelling Man in Old Korvosa.
In Kroft's office the young heroes fill in the field marshal on Verik Vancaskerin's new operation. They explain that they discovered little political motivation in Verik and his men and wonder if anyone is forcing him to cooperate. Cressida clarifies that Verik is unmarried and has no ties in the city, since he immigrated here from Riddleport. So she does not believe that someone is threatening his loved ones to make him do something against his will, as he doesn't seem to have close relationships in town. There are hundreds of soldiers in the guard who would make much better targets for such a scheme than Vancaskerin. Sjo suspects they will have to search for whoever is 'sponsoring' Vancaskerin in Korvosa's higher circles, but cannot provide a ready answer to the question what drove the sergeant to quit his post.
Upon hearing that Vancaskerin is more worried about getting food to the people than spreading lies about the queen, the field marshal stresses once more that the companions have to do their best to take him alive, as her deserted sergeant might not be a bad man as such, just misguided. Still, his treason is a glowing ember of rebellion among other soldiers who contemplate quitting the Guard for personal reasons, most of them to protect their families. So the deserters have to be taken care of as soon as possible. The normal punishment for desertion in times of military need is death. Kroft says she is prepared to look at Verik's case personally to see if he merits a less severe punishment, but he will have to be punished one way or another. She also advises the companions to transport Verik and his men to the Longacre Building if they are taken alive. Longacre houses the city's courthouse and prison, and it is much closer to Vancaskerin's new headquarters than the Guard's Citadel.
After their visit to Cressida Kroft, the companions return to the north of the city, to Old Korvosa, where they hang around in the local pubs looking for more signs of trouble in the city. They learn that the Ironsooters, the men and women who work in the Ironworks, are on strike. They protest against the fact that Korvosa bans guilds. The mastersmith, Baris Trenchlow, has always been in favor of guilds and seizes this time of civil unrest to voice his opinion.
When evening arrives the young friends join Amarice in the Travelling Man. Their former lamb 'sister' is eager to learn what happened to them over the last four years. She also tells them that she joined the Guard almost immediately after they freed everyone, since she always dreamed of being a soldier and felt she would be safe from Lamm in the guards' ranks. She spent a few months in the Citadel's kitchens, but flirting with some of the soldiers sufficed to get her in the recruitment program. She has been a Korvosan guard for three years now. She has not stayed in touch with other former lambs, though.
She also enquired among her colleagues in the Citadel about Verik Vancaskerin and learned that he has a new girlfriend who has started seeing some three months ago. She does not know the girl's name, but rumor has it Verik is crazy about her.
After a lovely evening the companions return to All the World's Meat. They stake out the place for some time, until they see the four Cow Hammer boys leave. Puk follows the four deserters while his three friends make for the butcher's shop. Balian gets out his thieves' tools and picks the lock on the front door. The three companions quickly head upstairs and surprise Verik Vancaskerin in his private room. Verik is seated at his desk, carving the table with a dagger in his left fist while staring at a letter in his other hand. When the intruders reveal that they are here to arrest him, Vancaskerin draws his longsword and waits for them to attack. "Traitors sent by the queen", he hisses as he dodges under Balian greatsword and resists Quint's sleep spell. He swings at Balian with both his longsword and dagger. The ranger avoid the long blade, but is cut by the sidearm. Then Sjo hits the sergeant hard with his burning morningstar. Quint's second attempt at sleep is successful (finally!) and prematurely ends the fight. Balian and Sjo tie up the sleeping sergeant while Quint casts a detect magic, discovering that Vancaskerin's cloak and dagger are magical.
Then the bard examines the letter on the desk:
Dearest Verik
Stirge Street 22 houses an abandoned butcher's shop. The former owner died in prison, where he rotted away for not paying his taxes. The building itself has been in the city's custody since then, awaiting to be sold to cover the tax debt. You undoubtedly are familiar with our government's inefficiency, so it won't surprise you that the shop stood empty for more than a year.
Behind the boarded windows you'll find a decent place of business. If you reopen it, you can do more good for Korvosa's citizens than by playing sergeant and suppressing the good people of our city. A dear friend of mine wants to help the common man, but requires assistance from someone trustworthy. I know no one I trust more than you, my love. My friend will supply a number of animals for slaughter, so you can distribute their meat for free to the man in the street. For the common man will be the first victim of this incompetent harpy on the throne. We can't allow for our fellow citizens to starve to death, so we'll just have to provide what the queen can't.
I love you to pieces and I'm eternally yours ...
S
PUK, CG Male Halfling rogue (swashbuckler) 2
Init +5; Senses Perception +7
AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 15
hp 18 (2HD)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +1, +2 vs. fear
Defensive Abilities Evasion
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee main hand sword +2 (short/small/silver) +7 (1d4+2/19-20)
Melee off-hand masterwork sword (short/small) +6 (1d4/19-20)
Ranged sling staff (halfling) (small) +7 (1d6/x3)
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 15
Atk Options Sneak Attack 1d6
Abilities Str 10, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 10
Special Qualities Fearless, Halfling Luck, Keen Senses, Martial Training, Sure-Footed, Weapon Familiarity
Feats Martial Weapon Proficiency (Sling Staff (Halfling)), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +12, Acrobatics (Jump) +8, Bluff +5, Climb +6, Disable Device +10, Escape Artist +10, Perception +7, Ride +5, Sense Motive +4, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +14, Swim +4
Possessions masterwork sword (short/small); sword +2 (short/small/alchemical silver); studded leather +1 (small); Sling Staff (Halfling) (Small)
Fast-Talker You had a knack at getting yourself into trouble as a child, and as a result developed a silver tongue at an early age. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff checks, and Bluff is always a class skill for you.
Personal Addiction You were the addict. You blame Gaedren for your brush with death and hate how his drugs are causing similar problems among other youths. Fortunately, your body recovers quickly from toxins, and you have a +1 bonus on Fortitude saving throws.
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QUINTILIAN CG Male Human bard (court bard) 2
Init +2; Senses Perception +3
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15, Combat Expertise
hp 16 (2HD)
Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +2, +4 vs. Bardic Performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee longsword +3 (1d8+2/19-20)
Melee sap +3 (1d6+2)
Melee whip +3 (1d3+2)
Ranged shortbow +3 (1d6/x3)
Base Atk +1; CMB +3 (+5 trip); CMD 15 (17 vs trip)
Atk Options Combat Expertise, Improved Trip
Known Bard Spells (CL 2nd):
1st (3/day) (DC 14) - cure light wounds, innocence, sleep
0th (at will) (DC 13) - detect magic, ghost sound, light, lullaby, prestidigitation, read magic
Abilities Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 16
Special Armored Casting, Bardic Performance (9 rounds per day), Bonus Bard Spell (2x), Bonus Feat, Cantrips, Countersong, Distraction, Fascinate, Heraldic Expertise, Satire, Skilled, Well-Versed
Feats Combat Expertise, Improved Trip
Skills Acrobatics +3, Appraise +2, Bluff +8, Climb -1, Diplomacy +7, Disguise +3, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (Arcana) +6, Knowledge (Geography) +6, Knowledge (History) +6, Knowledge (Local) +7, Knowledge (Local/Art & music) +9, Knowledge (Nature) +6, Knowledge (Nobility) +6, Linguistics +6, Perception +3, Perform (Act) +8, Perform (Comedy) +7, Perform (Dance) +7, Perform (Oratory) +7, Perform (Sing) +7, Perform (String Instruments) +7, Sense Motive +3, Sleight of Hand +3, Spellcraft +6, Swim -1,
Possessions longsword; chain shirt; buckler; sap; wand of cure light wounds; whip; Shortbow
Trained actor You trained as a child to be an actor. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perform (act) and Perform (act) is always a class skill for you. You also gain a free skill point in Perform (act).
Fast-Talker You had a knack at getting yourself into trouble as a child, and as a result developed a silver tongue at an early age. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff checks, and Bluff is always a class skill for you.
Child of the Street You grew up on the streets of Korvosa, and as a result you have developed a knack for picking pockets and hiding small objects on your person. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Sleight of Hand checks, and SoH is always a class skill for you. You also gain a free skill point in SoH.
Satire (Su) A court bard can use performance to undermine the confidence of enemies who hear it, causing them to take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls (minimum 1) and a -1 penalty on saves against fear and charm effects as long as the bard continues performing. This penalty increases by -1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. Satire is a language-dependent, mind-affecting ability that uses audible components. This performance replaces inspire courage.
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BALIAN CG male Human ranger 2 (urban ranger)
Init +5; Senses Perception +6
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17
hp 22 (2HD)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +1
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee masterwork greatsword (two handed) +7 ((two handed) 2d6+6/19-20)
Ranged longbow (composite/strength rating+4) +5 (1d8+4/x3)
Melee masterwork dagger +7 (1d4+4/19-20)
Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 20
Atk Options Favored Enemy (Humanoid (Human)) +2
Abilities Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 7
Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Step Up
Skills Climb +4, Disable Device +3, Handle Animal +2, Heal +5, Intimidate +2, Knowledge (Geography) +3, Knowledge (Local) +2, Perception +6, Perform (Act) +3, Sense Motive +1, Sleight of Hand +4, Stealth +3, Survival +5, Survival (tracks) +6, Swim +4
Possessions masterwork greatsword; ring of protection +1; breastplate; masterwork dagger; Longbow (Composite/Strength Rating+4)
Trained actor You trained as a child to be an actor. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perform (act) and Perform (act) is always a class skill for you. You also gain a free skill point in Perform (act).
Child of the Streets You grew up on the streets of a large city, and as a result you have developed a knack for picking pockets and hiding small objects on your person. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Sleight of Hand checks, and Sleight of Hand is always a class skill for you.
Reactionary You were bullied often as a child, but never quite developed an offensive response. Instead, you became adept at anticipating sudden attacks and reacting to danger quickly. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Initiative checks.
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SHAOBAN, LN Male Human oracle 2
Init +0; Senses Darkvision (30 ft.), Perception +2, Clouded Vision
AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18
hp 16 (2HD)
Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +5
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee masterwork mace, heavy +4 (1d8+2)
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13
Known Oracle Spells (CL 1st):
1st (4/day) (DC 15) - burning hands, cure light wounds, magic weapon, shield of faith
0th (at will) (DC 14) - create water, detect magic, purify food and drink, read magic, stabilize
Abilities Str 14, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 18
Feats Armor Proficiency, Heavy, Lightning Reflexes
Skills Acrobatics -7, Acrobatics (Jump) -11, Bluff +6, Climb -5, Diplomacy +10, Disguise +4, Escape Artist -7, Heal +7, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Perception +2, Perform (Act) +9, Perform Ride -7, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand -2
Possessions masterwork mace, heavy; banded mail; shield, light steel
Clouded Vision Your eyes are obscured, making it difficult for you to see.
Flame Mysteries You draw upon the divine mystery of Flame to grant your spells and powers.
Touch of Flame (Su) As a standard action, you can perform a melee touch attack that deals 1d6 points of fire damage + 1 per two oracle levels. Alternatively you can use this power to ignite your weapon as a free action, adding the same amount of fire damage to each of your weapon attacks during that round. You can use this ability a number of times or rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier (7).
At 11th level, any weapon that you wield is treated as a flaming weapon, adding 1d6 points of fire damage + 1 per two oracle levels.
Trained actor You trained as a child to be an actor. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perform (act) and Perform (act) is always a class skill for you. You also gain a free skill point in Perform (act).
Child of the Streets You grew up on the streets of a large city, and as a result you have developed a knack for picking pockets and hiding small objects on your person. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Sleight of Hand checks, and Sleight of Hand is always a class skill for you.
Ease of Faith Your mentor, the person who invested your faith in you from an early age, took steps to ensure that you understood that what powers your divine magic is no different than that which powers the magic of other religions. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks, and Diplomacy is always a class skill for you.
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Spyder, N dog companion level 2
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)
hp 18 (2d8+4)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2
Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d4+1)
Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 15 (19 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon focus (bite)
Skills Acrobatics +3 (+11 jump), Perception +8, Survival +1, (+5 scent tracking), Swim +9
Racial Mods +4 Acrobatics when jumping, +4 Survival when tracking by scent, +4 to Swim
Just a quick note... as someone who is running this campaign (twice!), I really appreciate the amount of detail and effort you've put into this journal... it really brings the story alive and makes for a great read!
Many Thanks to you and your players :)
Tim
Thanks for the kind words. I hope you' re having fun as well, even the second time around.
The young heroes transport Verik Vancaskerin to Citadel Volshyenek. This time at night the streets are mostly clear of people, so they reach their destination without any trouble. Field marshal Cressida Kroft is still awake, although she looks tired. She is just saying goodbye to another guest, a priestess of Sarenrae. Sjo recognizes the woman as Sadira from his days in the temple of the sun goddess.
The companions quickly brief Kroft on how they arrested sergeant Vancaskerin and hand her the letter they found on his desk. She has Verik locked up in the dungeons and Sjo and Quint enter his cell to interrogate him. Verik claims that he's been doing more good for the people in Korvosa by handing out free meat than he ever could have done as a sergeant in the guard. The price of bread has tripled in the last couple of days and the poorer citizens simply can't afford to pay for their food. The riots in the city have also caused numerous businesses in town to temporarily close their doors, so a lot of families are without income at the moment. Vancaskerin also believes that his good deeds in All the Worlds Meat probably created more order in that corner of the city than the entire Guard did. Sjo doesn't care about the man's motives, saying that nothing excuses breaking his vow to the Korvosan Guard. A word is a word!
When Quint steers the conversation in a political direction, Vancaskerin freely admits that he has no love for the queen, seeing her as an incompetent little girl who only cares about her own beauty and luxury. If she is allowed to take the reigns over the city now, people will regret it later on. It's better to act sooner rather than later and have her removed from office now, before she can dig her nicely manicured claws into the position. Quint mocks the sergeant's naïveté, as he doesn't even seem to know who he is working for. Verik replies that he'd rather have someone in charge who feeds the people than someone who lets them starve. The queen has never shown any interest in the people of Korvosa in the past five years and her failure to get a grip on the situation now, only proves her incompetence.
When asked about his girlfriend, Verik admits that she is of Vudran descent and that her name is Selena. He met her only two months ago and has been seeing her irregularly. Apparently he doesn't even know where she lives or how he can get in touch with her. But she knows how to find him and when she does, they seem to share the same ideas on life and politics. They have been sharing their concerns on the queen's incompetence to rule since the king got ill and when Verik received her letter to help to poor people of Korvosa five days ago, he immediately rose to the occasion. Since then he has been waiting for Selena to drop by, eager to show her the good job he did with the butcher's shop. Unfortunately, she hasn't shown up yet. Quint is just flabbergasted by the sergeant's short-sightedness. He can't see he is being manipulated and he has no ideas who is really pulling the strings. He doesn't want queen Ileosa to sit on the throne, but he cannot present an alternative ruler.
Before they leave the man to rot in his cell, Quint and Sjo want to know more about Vancaskerin's allies, the four other deserters. Verik doesn't really know them that well, other than that they had a reputation for being pig-headed. They were known for giving their officers a hard time and trying to avoid getting the harder or more dangerous jobs. When Verik overheard them complaining about having to risk their lives in the riots to protect that stupid, self-loving little b$&#$ on the throne, he convinced them to join him in his new venture. They readily agreed and have been doing an excellent job so far. There has been plenty of meat every day, expertly butchered, so Verik has been letting them run the business, while he has been sulking away in his office, pining over Selena.
After a short report to Cressida Kroft, the companions return to All the World's Meat. Puk steps out of the shadows across the butcher's shop and informs his friends that the four men are back from a trip to Old Korvosa. There they kicked in the door of a small building and returned a few minutes later with the dead bodies of a man and a woman. They transported the corpses to the butcher's shop on a handcart, joking and laughing along the way.
Puk gets out his thieves' picks to pry open the front door. The shop itself is empty, as is the room upstairs where the four deserters normally sleep. Noise coming from the abattoir in the back gives away the butchers' presence, though. Puk makes his way around the house to keep an eye on the backdoor, should any of the Cow Hammer boys try to escape through there.
Meanwhile Sjo, Quint and Balian surprise the deserters in the grim killing floor, where they are cutting up the two corpses. A sleep spell from Quint's bag of tricks puts Baldrago and Malder down, while Sjo and Balian charge Karralo and Parns. Sjo fries them in a wave of flames, trying out his new spell burning hands. Parns draws his blade, but his swing is too high. Balian answers the missed attack with a true hit, cutting his opponent badly. Karralo tries to drive his butcher's axe in the ranger's chest, but he comes up short. While Sjo knocks down the badly wounded deserter, Quint approaches the combatants from behind and lashes out with his whip, pulling the axe-wielding fighter's weapon from his grasp. Only moments later Balian runs the traitor through, quickly ending the fight.
Puk and Balian tie up the sleeping opponents and hang them from the meat hooks on the ceiling rail. Baldrago is the first to be questioned. Sjo and Quint use torture to have him confess that the Cow Hammer Boys kill people for money and then cut up the bodies for meat. Quint gets so angry at this story that he flips out and cuts off the man's foot, after which the prisoner looses consciousness.
Malder is more forthcoming and wants to confess to everything. He is clearly willing to say anything to avoid torture. He claims to be sorry for his crimes, although his confession does not sound heart-felt. Apparently the four Cow Hammer boys have been killing people for a fee for a long time. They usually charge 50 gold sails for a kill. Tonight they had been hired by someone named Emric, who asked them to take out a love rival. The woman they killed was collateral damage, the rival's poor mother, who lived in the same house. Malder also adds that Verik Vancaskerin is totally ignorant of their under-the-counter mercenary work. The Cow Hammer boys joined the lovesick sergeant for two reasons: they did not want to risk their lives fighting off the riots in the streets and the butcher's shop actually provided an excellent way to get rid of the bodies, especially since Karralo's father was a butcher himself and the guard knew his way around the killing floor.
Malder is also prepared to tell the companions where the Cow Hammer boys keep their money, as long as he does not get tortured. There is a secret stash buried under the water trough in one of the animal pens. It holds a fair amount of gold and silver, as well as pieces of jewelry and gemstones. The total value of over 1,300 gold sails suggests that the boys have done their fair share of killings. The two surviving deserters are locked up in the dungeons beneath Citadel Volshyenek. The severity of their crimes leaves no question about their future fate: execution!
I've been spending a couple of days reconstructing some locations that are featured in my campaign, using my scenery material and miniatures. The terrain tiles and most of the furniture are pieces by Dwarven Forge and psomminiature, the miniatures are mostly by Reaper and Freebooter's Fate. Balian is a Warhammer fig (you may recognize the Aragorn miniature).
Since I do not play in my own home, but at a friend's place who lives an hour away, my roleplaying material is normally stored in his house. I brought most of it with me, but I still regret missing some scenery pieces or miniatures to make every set-up perfect.
I've rebuilt Gaedran Lamm's old fishery, part of Castle Korvosa and All the World's Meat and I've used my wife's Christmas gift, a camera, to photograph them. I also made some pictures for future adventures, which I will post after we have played through them.
You can find the pictures at Deviant art.
20 Desnus 4708
When the companions finally get out of bed that day it is already noon. After a hearty breakfast, which is indeed getting more expensive by the day, they head over to Citadel Volshyenek to report to Field Marshal Cressida Kroft. The commander of the Korvosan Guard looks tired, claiming she can count the hours she has slept during the last seven days on her two hands. She's already heard what happened at All the World's Meat and shares the companions' disgust at what the Cow Hammer boys were doing there: killing people for a fee and handing out the bodies as free meat. She has already confronted Verik Vancaskerin with the evil of his henchmen and it seems he was not in the loop. Kroft rewards the helpful adventurers by allowing them to keep the loot from the butcher's shop, including Verik's magical cloak of protection +1 and his silver dagger +2. Quint wraps the cape around his shoulders, while Puk replaces his main weapon with the dagger, which will serve him as a small sized short sword.
The young friends also report that there are some trouble at the Ironworks, the iron factory in Old Korvosa. They heard rumors that the Ironsooters are on strike, demanding that the city lifts its ban on guilds. The Field Marshal feels that the strikers' timing is extremely unlucky: by abusing the current chaos in Korvosa, they run the risk of being associated with the political agenda of the rioters and being punished severely. Especially since the Hellknights from Citadel Vraid arrived in Korvosa this morning to help maintain order. Kroft is clearly not a fan of the Order of the Nail, as she fears the Hellknights' dogmatic way of thinking and acting is far too direct and oppressive, and most likely aggressive. She asks the four heroes to look in on the matter and see if they can resolve the situation peacefully before it gets out of hand and things happen that cannot be reversed.
The companions leave the Citadel and walk over to the Gold Market first. Quint wants to buy a new masterwork whip, which he finds at the Trapper's Hole. Upon leaving the hunting shop the four friends notice a young nobleman who is being harassed by six dockworkers wielding clubs and daggers. "Bet'cha never worked an honest day's wage in your life, eh, Queen's man? M'brother had his arm crushed by a barrel on the docks when he was younger than you ... he'll never raise a mug of ale with that hand again!" Although the nobleman sports a rapier at his hip, he allows himself to be pushed around and does not fight back.
Quint snaps his new whip in the air, right next to the face of the man who seems to be the leader of the gang. "That's enough fun for today, guys, time to go now!" Seeing how the outnumber the newcomers six to four, the dockworkers do not back down. One of them vainly tries to strike Sjo, but when Balian skewers a first dockworker on his greatsword and Puk swiftly pricks his two small swords in a second one, dropping him, the rest of them run for it. The nobleman is very grateful , introducing himself as Amin Jalento, captain Jalento's son. His rescuers escort him to his house in South Shore and accept his invitation to come in for a drink. Amin explains that he is a student at Vencarlo Orisini's fencing academy, but he is not all that good at sword fighting. Still, his father insists he attends the lessons, as the captain would like to see his son follow in his footsteps and become a valuable officer in the Korvosan Guard. Amin pleads with his four guests not to tell his father what happened.
Next the companions make their way across the city to Old Korvosa. When they are in the north of the Heights, east of the Acadamae, they run into a mob of rioters who have been cornered by ten Hellknights. The fierce fighters mercilessly strike down the protesters, having killed about a dozen of them already. Quint tries to reason with the heavily armored warriors, but to no avail. The four friends then focus their efforts on helping the rioters escape the scene, but not before another dozen of them are struck down. The female signifier leading this squad of Hellknights allows the companions to treat the fallen, giving Quint, Sjo and Balian the opportunity to save half of them from bleeding to death. It is too late for the others. The signifier tells the helpful healers to spread the word: "Anyone who disrupts the peace will meet a similar fate! These problems will not last much longer!" When the knights are gone, Quint asks one of the survivors why they were protesting, hoping it was for something as noble as 'our children are hungry'. When the man responds that it was another manifestation against the queen, Quint's ideals are shattered and he now threatens to kill the man himself if he ever catches him in an anti-queen riot again.
When the companions arrive at the Ironworks in Old Korvosa, Quint asks to see the mastersmith in charge, Baris Trenchlow. After a short conversation they are allowed in his office. The broad-shouldered man might be bull-headed, but he is willing to listen to his guests. Although he does not necessarily agree that his timing is wrong, he can be convinced that his actions might be misinterpreted by the Hellknights, who favor swift justice over negotiations. For the safety of his factory and his men he consents to bury the hatchet for now, although he gets Quint to promise to use his silver tongue in future to speak in favor of guilds, when the time is right.
Since they are close to Eel's End, the friends pay another visit to the brothel, where Quint asks his Vudran lover Yuuna whether she knows another Vudran woman who goes by the name of Selena. Unfortunately Yuuna has never heard of her. The bard meets with a similar answer when he questions Anpugit and Rajeek, the two brother from Vudra who operate the gambling hall Twin Tigers.
The companions use the rest of the day to hang around the taverns in the neighborhood of All the world's Meat, looking for information about the mysterious Selena. Three innkeepers admit that a Vudran beauty has visited their establishment before, although she is not a frequent patron. She usually sits in a corner where she discusses things with other men in hushed tones. The three taverns where she has been spotted all border the north of the dock area, so the companions decide to explore that district closer tomorrow.
While visiting their final tavern for the evening, Balian recognizes a sad drunkard hanging over an empty jug. It is Grau Soldado, the guard who came to their aid with his brother when they were wandering around Trail's End looking for Shoanti and were set upon by the Sczarni. Grau is a mess, he reeks of stale sweat and ale. The recent riots have had a dire impact on his person, as his brother died while getting caught in the crossfire between protesters and the guard. Moreover, Grau lost four of his men in another violent brush-in with unsatisfied civilians and he was forced to kill seven marchers himself. Although they were troublemakers, they were still free-thinking Korvosan citizens who did not deserve to die. Sjo encourages the drunk sergeant to pull himself together and Quint points out that his brother's family needs him right now. Finally the companions carry him safely to the citadel, to sleep off his drunken stupor.
21 Desnus 4708
Figuring the mysterious Selena lives somewhere in the harbor district, the young friends try local bakers and butchers to see if any of them have a beautiful Vudran customer. Their first few attempts amount to nothing. When they visit their fourth baker, it turns out he is in the middle of being robbed. Quint calms down the edgy situation by talking to all the parties involved. When he learns that the five thieves need the bread to feed their starving children, he pays the baker and allows the culprits to leave unharmed, but not before warning them that something like this cannot happen again. The baker is still thrown, but grateful. He shakes his head when asked whether he has a Vudran woman among his regular customers. He's seen Vudrans before, mostly male, who probably belonged to some ship's crew, but he does not know of any bronze skinned belle living in the neighborhood.
In a warehouse on the docks a man cries out for aid. An enormous swarm of hungry rats has descended on his last supply of grain and is eating quickly through his stock. He curses the damned animals and begs bystanders to help. The companions leap to the rescue and chase off the rodents with their blades and Sjo's burning hands spells, but it turns out that most of the grain is irrevocably lost. The owner is disheartened and desperately tries to save what is left, but there is nothing the young heroes can do for him anymore, so they leave him to wallow in his misery.