I couldn't find a gaming group to play this AP so I went full crazy and started playing it by myself and writing what happens like it's a story. Only, I've got to the point where I have no one to read it so it's really hard to maintain interest in actually...writing it. I think if I get some interest here I'll begin posting what I've done so far and maybe actually finish this stupid game.
Why not I'll put the first part out there. Tell me what you think.
Hell’s Rebels Solo Game
Characters
Vartorio Jhaltero- Aasimar inquisitor (Infiltrator) of Milani
Vartorio was a bit of a scandal when he was born an aasimar to the sister of the Jhaltero patriarch. Any sign of celestial blood in Cheliax is usually frowned on with the blood of devils more highly valued, but as the child grew, his charming smile and silver tongue eased his parents worries. Little did they know that as the boy became a man and took his own position in the household had become a secret force for Milani, striking out against Thrune whenever he could. If it was the holy blood in his veins that made him this way or simply his own moral code is unclear, but his powers and drive to free Kintargo cannot be mistaken.
Horatio Horvo- Half- elf cleric (angelfire apostle) of Sarenrae
A classically trained healer in the Sarenrae church, Horatio displayed a unique talent at easing the suffering of the ill. Disturbed by the violence and tyranny of the Asmodean church in Cheliax, Horatio travelled to Kintargo after extensive, but ultimately futile, study of the seemingly only ray of hope in that dark land :the Silver Ravens.
Kitsurugi- Kitsune rouge (Kintargo rebel)
Coming from possibly the only family of kitsune in Kintargo, Kistrugi usually takes the form of a short youth; about his actually age, with messy hair and mischievous eyes. He enjoys a sharp wit and quick jab, but is chaffing under martial law. Any chance to free himself from the yoke of Thrune is welcome.
Marrin Del’lorin- Elf Magus
A trained fencer, Marrin began experimenting with spells to augment his lighting quick parries and thrusts, leading him to the world of the magus. His eleven love of freedom hates the rules applied by Thrune, but it was the mystery of the Devil's Bell's that really drew him to Kintargo, a city he's since fallen in love with a passion that only elves truly understand. He stands ready to help defend his new home with spell and blade.
Adventure 1- In Hell’s Bright Shadow
Part 1-Fledglings of Silver
It has been one week since Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune has displaced the previous Lord-Mayor, Jila Bainilus and placed Kintargo securely under Thrune control. Before Barzillai’s coming to the city Kintargo was far enough from Egorian to gardener some matter of self-governance and independence. With the rise of the Glorious Reclamation, a sect of Iomodean knights currently revolting in southeastern Cheliax, House Thrune has placed all major cities in Cheliax under martial law. Barzillai has acted extremely quickly, already enacting seven new proclamations, which while each are relatively minor in themselves, taken together are a clear sign of tighten government control. Jalia Bainilus, meanwhile, is nowhere to be found; the official story is she fled from the city. Today a protest is taking place in Aria Park against the new Thrune Lord-Mayor. Amongst the thrones of people are four men and women set to change the face of Cheliax forever.
Dozens of Kintargoens stand in the park bellow the Kintargo Opera House, Paracount Thrune’s new home in Kintargo. Many are shouting for Thrune to show himself, demanding explanations on the new proclamations or the return of Lord-Mayor Bainilus. Amongst the largest, and loudest, of these protestors is Vartorio Jhaletero, the eldest son of Lord Jhaletero’s youngest sister. The aasimar’s gold and silver hair and shinning bronze skin makes him an easy target to see as he stands in the front of the crowd demanding for Thrune’s appearance. His mostly red coat and light mace show him to be a follower of Asmodeus, but the tip of a Morningstar can be seen under his heavy wooden shield. Darting in and out of the crowd, always staying just out of reach is a young Tien man. He begins to slip his hand into the coin purse of one protester, who quickly turns around as he clumsily brushes his rump. More shocked than truly upset, the protest stares as the yellow-eyed boy winks at him before melting away into the crowd. Kitsurugi, the mischievous kitsune, has come to stir up trouble, but the prospect of something finally being done about the Thrune situation intrigues him too. He’s excited to see how the event plays out. A tall elf stands just outside the crowd, watching with nervous anticipation. In his long life has seen other such protests go sour too fast, and to Marrin Del’lorin this protest has all the signs of exploding soon. Originally coming to Kintargo from distant Almas to investigate the Devil’s Bells some years ago, Marrin fell in love with the city’s struggle to remain free of the devils that bound Cheliax so tightly. With Paracount Thrune’s arrival finally throwing the yoke of Thrune over his fair city, Marrin felt duty bound to come watch and hopefully direct the crowd when, not if, things go bad. A short half-elf named Horatio Horvo wanders the crowd, obviously looking for someone. Her lover, the half-elf Shensen, had disappeared soon after Barzillai came to power and her shop, the Silver Star burned down. Shensen was the prominent diva at the Kintargo Opera House and a devout follower of Sarenrae, like Horatio herself, and while their shared religion brought them together, their devotion to each other has grew to something more than just faith. Horatio has been frantic with worry, but a recent call from a mysterious contact has brought her to the protest looking for a human man wearing a black glove on his right hand and no glove on his left.
As the protest continues, more and more people join to voice their problems with Thrune’s rule, though a vocal pro-Thrune minority begins to form. Over the next 3 hours, the characters tried different actions, once per hour. Horatio notices a figure in the third floor window behind a curtain. Marrin uneasily scans the crowd but finds nothing new. Vartorio shouts for the Thrune supporters to leave, his golden eyes burning with righteous fury. He shouts so loud that a pack of the Thrune supporters leave, leaving the protesters around him impressed. Horatio scans the crowd for her contact, but couldn’t see him. Instead, she finds that there appears to be an undercurrent of organization amongst the crowds movements, almost like something is guiding people to certain locations in the crowd. Disquieted, she continues her search. Kisturugi wanders the crowd, enjoying the atmosphere and occasionally yelling his own anti-Thrune rants. Marrian notes a thief pickpocketing in the crowd. He shouts for the dottari, but the thief melts into the alleys as the dottari gives chase. Vartorio tries to likewise shout down the anarchist, but they push back with their own shouts, creating nothing but more noise. Horatio tries to find her contact again, but it’s like he’s not here yet. Seeing the dottari chase the other thief, Kisturugi decides to listen into the crowd for rumors, picking up one about Lord-Mayor Bainilus died when her she broke her neck falling down some stair instead of fleeing to Arcadia as is generally accepted. Kisturugi dismisses this rumor, mainly because it would be too anti-climactic for him. Marrin picks up on the unusual movements of the crowd. Horatio finally sees a man that should be her contact coming into the crowd and begins to move towards him. Vartorio, ignoring the anarchists, begins to organize the protests around him, shouting anti-Thrune slogans that they repeat after him. Kisturugi picks up another rumor of the Thrashing Badger burning down a few nights back. While the official story is a bar fight that got out of hand, most of the patrons of the Thrashing Badger were old professors or barristers, hardly the bar fight type. The Silver Star and the Victocora estate had also burned down recently in a disturbing trend.
The Devil Bells suddenly struck 3 chimes, for no apparent reason. As if on cue, the third story window of the Opera House swung open and Barzillai Thrune stides into view, reviling a middle-aged man in rich red, orange and black clothing with an imposing breastplate. With a sneer he addresses the quieting crowd.
“Ah, my adoring little chickadees. I am sorry to say I have not yet adapted to your quaint, country ways, being accustomed as I am to the sophistication of learning of Egorian. Nonetheless, know I have heard your concerns, and I appreciate your valued feedback, and I know we shall eventually find a mutual understanding in the fullness of time. I take pride in updating Kintargo’s quaint, outdated laws to the modern standards the city deserves, and strengthening its ties with the empire in these cruel times, but obviously I have approached my duties too aggressively. You say you chafe at the presence of non-natives in position of power? That authorities not of this city have no place as its leaders? That you will not be yoked by intruders? Your lord-mayor hears you. And so it is with a heavy hear that I issue this proclamation, in response to your demands: all ships’ captains are hereafter barred from leaving their vessels and setting foot on Kintargo docks or streets, under pain of…let’s say...squassation”
A round of resounding boos erupts from the crowd at this new proclamation. Confused, Kisturugi asks a local what “squassation” is and is told it’s a type of torture where the poor soul’s hands are tied together, and they are then hanged from their hands while a weight is tied to their feet, letting the cruel mistress of gravity stretch them until they snap. This new outrage proves to be too much for the crowd. An unseen assailant throws a pile of dung at the Paracount, which causes him to flinch away and spill wine on his fancy clothes. Finally done with these protest, Barzillai shouts down to the guards in front of the Opera house; “Enough of this! Nox, run them off, arrest them, kill them. I don’t care which!” Grimly, a human-appearing woman pulls out a glaive and advances towards the crowd with her dottari guards flanking her. As she get closer, it becomes clear she has no pupils. Terrified, a protester in the front of the crowd throws a dagger at her, and by sheer luck it sticks into her neck. She stumbles and with a grunt pulls out the offending blade, bringing forth a splurge of blood. As she pulls her hands away from the wound, Marrin sees that the wound had already closed. With a snarl, she whirls towards the Opera House and walks inside. At the same time, men and women around the crowd throwback clothes to revel matching uniforms and armbands, and drawing heavy maces, begin to beat back the crowd. Vartorio notices that most of these people were part of the Thrune supporters he couldn’t cower, a group called the Cheliax Citizen’s Group.
The battle was hard fought. The party had difficulty hitting the thugs and things looked grim, which was only exacerbated when two dottari guards joined the fray. Poor Horatio was struck down by a dottari mace but luckily stabilized and Kisturugi was left in a dazed and disabled state. In the end, two of the thugs were slain, as well as both dottari guards, but two thugs fled into the crowds. As the party watched the crowd riot, a roar was heard from the Opera House door. Nox had returned, with a Barzillai’s pet hell hound, Mephiry in tow. The fire breath of the beast quickly overtook the crowd, finally dispersing it. Thinking better to flee into the allies of Kintartgo, Vartorio slung Horatio over his shoulder while Marrin grabbed Kisturugi and the pair fled the scene of the riot.
In the safety of an ally, Vartorio provided first aid for Horatio, allowing her to come to consciousness. Confused, Horatio asked what happened. Vartorio explained that she was felled by a dottari mace and he carried her to safety. Groggy, Horatio looked around and noting Kisturugi and Marrin, she tried to cast a heal spell on herself, but the strain was too great and she fell back into unconsciousness. Slightly perturbed, Vartorio stabilized her and brought her back to consciousness again. Sheepish at her weakness, Horatio channel her goddess’ positive light a few times to bring everyone back to full health.
After Horatio healed the party, introductions were in order. By now Kitsurugi’s human form had run dry and he reverts to his kistune form to a few shocked gasps around the party. He simply shrugs and leans against the ally wall, explaining he was constantly shifting in and out of human form during the protest and most people weren’t looking hard enough to notice him. With a toothy grin he says there was lots of shouting, and the big, angry bronze man was drawing a lot of attention, motioning to Vartorio. Chuckling, Vartorio agrees, formally introducing himself as Vartoroio Jhaltero, eldest son of Count Canton Jhaltero’s youngest sister. Marrin exclaimed surprise that a noble was present at the protest, and such a vocal one at that. Vartorio explains that he has not real say in House Jhaltero, and his race makes him even less involved in politics, though Jhaltero has always been a supporter of Kintargo, not Thrune, and these new outrages cannot stand. Vartorio is more interested in Horatio, exclaiming that non-Asmodean clerics are rare, and those that worship Sarenrae even rarer. Horatio agrees, especially since most of the leadership of her church, including her lover Shensen have gone missing. Kisturugi nearly jumps out of his skin at this news. He is a great admirer of Shensen but had no idea she had a lover. With a lewd grin he asks Horatio what she’s like. Horatio develops a misty expression and simply says “She’s my sun.” Marrin clears his throat to interpret and introduces himself, explaining he came to Kintargo recently, only a few years ago, to study the Devil Bells but has since fallen in love with the city. He was at the protest to try and ensure what happened didn’t, and is ashamed to have failed. Kitsurugi slaps his back and tells him not to worry about, s%*$ happens and now the city will be more fun, if more tightly controlled. His eyes glint as he says they’ll figure out something to do about that. Horatio agrees, saying she was to meet a contact that said he had information about Shensen, and possibly this contact could help fight back against Thrune. Vartorio asked who this contact was, with Horatio saying she didn’t know, only what his call sign was. She thought she saw in him in the crowd before the riot started, but who knows where he is now. With little else to go on, and dottari guards out in force, the party decides to travel Redroof to The Blooming Rose, an inn where Marrin is currently staying since he liked the name, to discuss plans.
Walking through the back alleys of Kintargo to escape the dottari patrol, Kitsturugi hears the clashing of steel and a sharp grunt of a falling man. Turning to his companions with a smile he says “There’s a fight ahead!” and runs into the ally the sounds came from. Beleaguered but concerned, the party follows. They skid to a stop to see five more thugs surrounding a fallen man. Horatio immediately cries out, “That’s him! That’s my contatct!” which causes Vartorio to step forward.
“What have you done to that man?” he demands.
“It’s none of your concern, freaks. Get gone before we make you.”
“You lot get out of here before we’d have to hurt you. Badly” Vartorio states coolly.
“Hey boss, they don’t look like their kidding around. Is this old fart really worth it?” asks one of the thugs.
After a tense moment, the leader of the pack nods his head, and eyes never leaving Vartorio, motions for his group to head out. Horatio hurries over and channels energy yet again to heal the poor man. Groggy, the man coms too and after a brief start at the strange crew in front of him, offers his thanks. He introduces himself as Rexus Victocora and recognizes both Vartorio, who acknowledges his peer with a formal nod and Horatio. Horatio presses him immediately for information.
“What have you heard of my Shensen?” she demands.
“Not here my dear, the streets are, clearly, not safe. Let us retire to someone more private to talk of dear Kintargo and of course your Shensen. Unless there objections I recommend we travel to bookstore not far from here called Crissali’s Fine Tomes, which as an excellent back-room policy.” Rexus replies.
With no real objections the party follows Rexus to the book store. The proprietor, a pretty young lady, notes Rexus and his strange fellows and gives a wiry grin.
“Need the backroom for more reading time, Rexus?”
“If you please, Veronica.”
“Of course. Right this way.”
Veronica leads the party into a roomy reading room with enough chairs for each member to be seated comfortably. While most of the party sits, Kisturugi, back in his human guise to as they crossed into the bookstore, leans against a shelf, occasionally looking at books and shaking his head.
“So, what news?” asks Horatio.
“First, thank you again for that timely rescue,” starts Rexus, “Truth is, our meeting was no coincidence. I followed you from the protest earlier today, but in the panic that erupted I lost track of your group. You proved yourself to be people of uncommon skill, and I am a man of uncommon needs.
“My name is Rexus Victocora, and until last week’s Night of Ashes, I was one the city’s nobles. My parent’ s estate burned to the ground that night- I escaped simply because I was studying at the Alabaster Academy during the fire. There were other fires that night, as you know- fires that many believe were started by Barzillai Thrune or his agents in an attempt to squash any spirit of rebellion Kintargo might have.
“Now more than ever we need that spirit of rebellion to stay strong, but Thrune’s actions have driven into hiding those who would stay strong and resist. Those who could once rally the city to a cause, such as Lord-Mayor Juia Bainilus and my parents, and your dear Shensen Horatio, are missing at best, and are more likely dead. I cannot do this on my own but with the aid of talented citizens such as yourself, I have hope we can. Will you aid Kintargo? Will you save the city from the devil?”
“What of Shensen? Your note promised information about her!” demands Horatio.
“Aye, and it is ill news at that. Last seen reports of Shensen had her entering the Kintargo Opera House the day before the Night of Ashes. It is likely she still there if she yet lives, a prisoner of Thrune.”
“Then we must rescue her!” exclaims Horatio standing up.
“Peace, my lady. To simply rush into the Opera House is tantamount to suicide, and I do not believe Shensen would be happy if you killed yourself trying to rescue her. No, we must weaken Thrune enough, and become powerful, for a rescue attempt to not only be feasible, but successful.” Rexus explains.
After a moment of frustrated outrage and fear, Horatio sits down.
“You are right. Very well, I am with you.”
“As am I,” stated Vartorio, rising, “This is something I feel like I was born to do. No, I know I was. I only hope that The Everbloom stands with us.”
“You are a priest of Milani, are you not?” asks Horatio as the pieces fall together.
“Nay, I am her morningstar of justice.” Vartorio replies. Kitsurugi scoffs. Vartorio whirls on him. “And you? Are you with us?”
“That was a bit much,” the kitsune replies, but as he drops his human disgues and gives his toothy grin his eyes are alight with fire, “but yes, I am with you. This should be fun.”
“And myself as well,” states Marrin, standing, “Let us free this city we love so much.”
“Love is a strong word,” quips Kitsurugi, “but loosening Thrune’s chains and cause a good deal of mayhem in the meantime is a cause I can get behind.”
Rexus claps his hands. “Excellent. Then we are agreed. Our rebellion starts now!” Sheepish at his outburst, he starts before composing himself. “Now, we are in too deep I shall give up my secrets. My mother, before her death, was part of a secret society called the Sacred Order of Archivists, a band of Iroran scholars that worked to protect and restore history. I learned this when the day after the Night of Ashes I was approached by a woman named Larai Longroad, who claimed to be associated with my mother. She explained that she had visited my mother the day of the Night of Ashes giving her a note and a coffer of valuables, what is in essence my inheritance now. While she thought my mother over reacting, that night’s terrible events proved my mother right. She told me to meet her at her establishment, the Long Roads Coffeehouse if I ever need a place to sleep, which now I do. But hark, read the note and you’ll see what next we have to do.”
At this Rexus hands over a note that reads the following
“My dearest son,
If you are reading this, what I have feared has come to pass and I am dead. For many years, I have belonged to the Sacred Order of Archivist and have worked to free Kinntargo from Chelish rule. I have learned much about Kintargo’s secret history, and fear the time will soon come when the city needs the retune of its Silver Ravens. You have likely not heard of the Silver Ravens-few have. Mentions of them have been redacted by the agents of House Thrune but during the civil war, the Ravens worked to ensure Kintargo’s safety. They were heroes in their day, and I fear that Kintargo needs their again. Do not believe the governments’ claims that Lord-Mayor Bainilus abandoned us! Darker things are afoot and I fear that all who work against Thrune may find themselves in danger in the day ahead.
The Silver Ravens maintained numerous hideouts within Kinargo’s walls during the civil war. I have located one such site-the chambers below a building known today as the Fair Fortune Livery. If you are reading this, I was unable to seek further answers there myself. Gather heroes to your side, my son and search below the livery. There if my research is correct, you will find something to teach you more of the Silver Ravens and their legacy.
Do not let my death be in vain. Sand up for Kintargo. Bring the Silver Ravens back to life!”
“So this Fair Fortune Livery is the first stop in our rebellion.” Vartorio says.
“Aye. Here, take what is in this coffer. You shall need to fund the rebellion far more than I need for fine clothes or good wine. Just let me keep this key. It has sentimental value.”
“Of course, my good man. You are already too kind. Come, my friends, we have a city to save!” states Vartorio.
After a rest to recover their strength, the party reconvened at the Fair Fortune Livery in the early evening. However, the each arrived with ill news: their murder of the dottari guards were not unnoticed and now wanted posters with striking likeness of the party are posted around Kintargo. After their business at the Livery the party would need to find new plays to stay. Regardless, they were ready to investigate the old slaughterhouse, Rexus in tow.
A quick glance of the place reviled a decrepit old build, with the front door locked. After a few seconds and a mild grunt of annoyance, Kisturugi jimmied the lock. The door opened to an old stable, reeking of stale urine, with broken tables and chairs cluttered in dust covered thirteen horse stalls. A grated off alcove to the south-east seemed to have something useful behind it. However, a threat stopped the party from investigating. Three dogs, two mutts and a large mastiff, erupted into barks and rushed the party as they entered.
After a brief struggle the party slaied the dogs, with only Kisturgi being bit but one of the mutts, but he was quickly healed by Horatio. After a brief survey of the stables, two interesting things were found. Vartario spotted a ring in an alcove in the celling, which Kisturugi managed to climb up to, reviling it to be a platinum Julaic signet ring. In addition, a single key was found. The grate locking off other parts of the stable was locked, and with only a new key in fact, the party tried to it and it clicked. The grate opened to a killing floor from when the slaughterhouse was still operational. Peering around, an open trap door was found in the next room. When they entered the room, they found an old workshop, with various tools and slaughterhouse implants hanging from pegs on the wall. A noticeable layer of dust covered the room, with clear tracks around the room. The tracks were unknown to everyone at the party, including Rexus. As the party examined the room, noticing the open trap door, the tools on the pegs began the shake and rumble. A single hammer rose from its table, seeming to threaten the party. A cupboard opened with a slam with no provocation. Confused and alarmed, the party took defensive positions. Both Harccio and Vartorio understood that these events seemed to be a form of haunting, perhaps the pain from animals killed in the nearby room manifesting in their murder tools.
“Here friends, let me try something.” Harccio stood in the center of the room as tools continued to shake, and channeled Sarenrae’s holy light. As the holy light faded the tools continued the rattle. Confused, the cleric turned back to the party.
“What did you do?” asked a suspicious Kitsurugi, confused that he did not feel any healing energy though he clearly understood that some form of channeling had occurred.
“I sought to harm any haunts in the area with holy energy. However, it appears that nothing has changed to the area, which leads me to believe that this is not a haunt at all but some other force. Perhaps a spell of some sort?”
“it is possible I suppose,” stated Marrin, “though I am honestly likewise confused. Perhaps we should simply continue through yon trapdoor and be prepared if any of these tools move to threaten us.”
The party agreed and cautiously moved through the trap door, which opened to a 15-foot shaft with a ladder. Slowly the party entered, with none of the tools attacking anyone. The ladder leads to a room which also reaked of urine with obvious rats nests in the various crates and barrels around the room. As the final member stepped off the ladder, three dire rats charged out of the crates to attack, which were quickly dispatched. Once the rats lay dead, a soft, haunting tone of pipe music could be heard further in the building. Opening the door, the party found a large, sawdust covered hall. Bits of the masonry had been chewed away to revel animal tunnels. Steel rays lined the celling, fitted with occasional hooks, indicating this room may have been used to store meat. A collection of pillows had been chewed together to form a nest. Scattered throughout the room were five starved looking opossum-like humanoids. As the party entered, they shrieked in some strange language and moved to attack. As the dust cleared the party was victorious again, but alas, the dirty creatures had inflicted Horatio with their filth, causing her itch nearly uncontrollably.
“Filthy creatures, I’ll have to take a bath after this now,” Horatio complained.
A steal grate blocked a staircase to the east, but the key found upstairs worked again. After a brief struggle with the lock, the grate opened. The stairs lead to another door, which in turn lead to a large, circular room. In the room was a large, rancid pool of water, with bits of scattered plaster and masonry on the ground and in the pool. Where there was masonry left, sinister draws and fiendish marks were sketched into the walls and floor. Four greasy looking pillars covered in chains rose from the pool and were anchored to the celling. Within the pool itself were two shapeless mounds of flesh with half-formed limbs and a nebulous face. As the party entered, the flesh-forms turned towards the party and with a wordless groan they moved to attack.
“Lemures!” hissed Marrin, “The lowest form of devil-kind. Our non-sliver weapons will not be as effective. They resist many forms elemental magic, and are totally immune to fire or mind-affecting spells. This is ill-luck.”
The devil’s fiendish skin proved difficult to pierce with their standard weapons. However, after a hard fought battle the devil’s eventually melted away into Hell’s goo. Whipping their sweat away, the party turned to the markings on the walls and floor.
“Marrin, can you determine what these markings are for?” asked Vartorio.
“In truth, their meaning eludes me,” answered Marrin, “though one can assume they formed the bases of some sort of summoning ritual based on the presence of those lemures. However, I detect no magic here, so maybe they are no longer functional? Regardless, there is nothing else here for us and yet more to explore up ahead.”
Moving past the rancid pool, the party found the remains of the old hideout. Through crumpled walls and ruined doors, the outline of bunkhouses, kitchens and even a small armory were visible. An examination of the furthest room reviled yet another small nest, though this one was too small for rats or those creatures they fought before. With nothing else in view, the party continued their search, eventually finding three crates in the northwest corner. The first was unsealed and reviled various magical and non-magical equipment for the party to take. The second crate was locked, but after some time Kitsurugi succeeded in opening it, reviling a series of scrolls and documents.
“Ah, these must have been what my mother spoke of in her note!” exclaimed Rexus coming forward. “Hmm, these appear to be written in a cypher of three languages: celestial, Elven and Strix. It’ll take some time, but I believe I can decipher this once we leave this place.”
The last crate was unlocked and after rummaging through a layer of straw gave way to six silver raven figurines.
“By the gods,” whispered Rexus, “these are silver raven figurines of wondrous power. With but a thought they can turned into living metal ravens to send messages. These must be what the original Silver Ravens took their name from; with these we could talk to each other across the breadth of Kintargo and beyond with little to fear of Thurn’s prying eyes. This is a great find!”
Vartorio gathered up the ravens and gave one to each member of the party, including Rexus.
“My lord, are you sure? These are extremely valuable and should be best kept with leaders such as yourselves,” exclaimed a startled Rexus.
“Aye, and as a leader and founder of the Silver Ravens you deserve one of these ravens as much as any of us,” Explained Vartorio.
“’Tis true. Without you bringing us together we would not know of this place, let alone find these ravens. If we are to truly be called the reborn Silver Ravens, than the true founder is you” agreed Marrin.
“My friends, you deeply honor me,” managed an emotional Rexus, “Though it is you worthy people that should be the true leaders of our group. But I humbly accept this figure. Now that we have these documents my mother left me, we should travel to Laria’s coffeehouse. We’ll need a place to hide and I need a place to decode this cypher and Laria has already offered her services to me. It is fitting that she meets the new leaders of the Silver Ravens, as I am sure she’ll join our band.”
With agreements around the group, the party left Fair Fortune’s Livery and made their way to the Long Roads Coffehouse. The coffeehouse was full of people; young scholars and students studying late, with second or third sons and daughters of local nobles discussing the recent edicts by the new Lord-Mayor or other gossip. Laria, a blond Halfling woman, upon seeing the party with Rexus in tow, grabbed a nearby plate of pastries and hurried over.
“Rexus, I’m so glad to see you! And all of you as well, it has been too long! Come, let us retire to catch up,” she said bounding with energy. She abruptly thrusts the plate of pastries into Horatio’s hands and nearly shoves the party along through the common room, grabbing coffee along the way.
Once in the office, Laria turned to face the party. With a grin, Kitsurugi let his human form melt away to revile his true fox-like nature. Laria gasped with surprise, then turned serious.
“So Rexus, who are these people?”
“These people are lover as Kintargo, like you and I, and have agreed to reform the Silver Ravens. Together we travelled to Fair Fortune Livery and retrieved the documents my mother left me.”
At this Laria raised an eyebrow. “Really? Well then. So adventures, who are you and why did you want to reform the Silver Ravens? “
“I am Vartorio Jhaltero, eldest son of Count Jhaltero’s sister. My family have always been Kintargo’s supporters, and have long wished for an independent Kintargo, free of Thrune control. I am simply more motivated in my actions, guided as I am by The Everbloom to right this injustice against our city and its people.
“An aasimar and a follower of Milani? No wonder I haven’t heard of you before,” marked Laria.
“I am Horatio Horvo, servant of Sarenrae. The church of Asomedus and Thrune have hurt this land and it is Sarenrae’s will to heal those in pain. Alas, there is little hope in Cheliax, except for very vague stories of a rebel group named the Silver Ravens in Kintargo. The redactors of Thrune have been too through and I travelled here to find what I could, which has been nearly nothing. It was here I met Shensen, a fellow follower of Sarenrae and fell in love. Her disappearance has only strengthen my resolve.”
“You were Shensen’s secret lover?” asked a startled Laria, “I had heard rumors but nothing concrete. Yes, her disappearance was a nasty blow to Kintargo.”
“Rexus has told me that she is being held in the Opera House where Brazillai has taken up residence. I need to become stronger if I hope to free my love.”
“Fair enough. And you good elf?”
“I am Marrin Del’lorin. I was intrigued by stories of Kintargo’s Devil’s Bells and came here scant years ago to study them. Sadly, my research has been restricted by the Church of Asmodeus’ refusal to let me study them, or even enter the temple here at all. Still, I soon fell in love with Kintargo and its free spirit, and it hurts me deeply to see it being pressed upon by Thrune’s will. If I can help bring freedom to Kintargo, I will.”
“As for you, sir? I do not believe I’ve ever seen one of your kind before.” Remarked Laria to Kitsurugi.
“Oh, you likely have, even if you didn’t recognize it at the time,” he replied, changing back to his human form, “magic you know. It does great things. That aside, being under Thrune rubs me the wrong way. It’ll be too easy to say the wrong thing and go from having a good laugh to having a quick trip to the gallows. Beside, with the Opera House closed I can’t enjoy my favorite plays and we can’t have that.” He smiled, “If I can break some Thrune heads to let my tongue be loose again, I’ll take that chance.”
“Aye, it seems you are committed,” remarked Laria looking over the party. “So what did happen at the Livery? Find any good foes to fight?”
“There was a dual of lemrues we had to cut down.” Vartorio answered, “It appeared that had been summoned there somehow. There were many fiendish marks in their chamber, though we could not determine their intent. Regardless, we managed to slay the lemrues and send them back to the Hells.”
“Goodness, already you are devil-killers. Well then, I’ll let you into my confidence. I am a member of the Bellflower Network,” started Laria.
“A free Halfling in Cheliax being a Bellflower? Real surpise there,” joked Kitsurugi.
Lara chuckled, and then continued. “Aye, it is. As a Bellflower I have taken it upon myself to learn what I can about the other likeminded societies in Kintargo. If you want to restart the Silver Ravens, it may be worth knowing about these other groups. Most of these groups have since gone quiet with the recent Night of Ashes, my own involvement in the Bellflower Network not being excluded. I sent my last group of ex-slaves away only a few days ago and until things have calmed down I don’t wish to restart my involvement in rebellion. As for Lord-Mayor Bainilus, I don’t believe she ran off like Thrune states. I think’s captured or dead, but in all honesty she’s not really your concern right now, when you’ve just started your own rebellious group. Now an interesting group is the Hellknight Order of the Torrent, who Brazillai has recently replaced with his own pet order. Their leader could be a great ally but let things calm down first before reaching out; let the new Hellknights lose interest in watching the Torrent. As for the Sacred Order of Archivist, I had little contact with them outside of Rexus’ mother. I never even visited their headquarters. I’m as uninformed as you with the old Silver Ravens, though I think they headquartered at the opera house. I know there was a cult of Milani here, called the Rose of Kintargo, though if you don’t much about them Vartorio I doubt I know more. Same with followers of Sarenrae and yourself Horatio.”
“My, you gave us much to think about,Laria,” stated Vartorio.
“It’s important to have information if you wish to break laws,” Laria replied. “If you want you can stay here in the guestroom if you have nowhere else to go, or just want to hide out.”
“My good woman, you are most gracious,” said Marrin, “however can we repay you for all you’ve done for us.”
“Well, actually there is something,” replied Laria after a moment. “I have a series of chambers I’ve used to hide illicit goods and people, a place I call the Wasp Nest, under this coffeehouse. One my contacts and friends, a woman named Nan Comerivos, visited a few days ago to check his goods in the nest admist the troubles but hasn’t come back up since. I don’t know if he’s hurt, but every day I leave food out for him and it’s gone. I’ve just been too busy to check in on her. If you can figure out what happened to Nan you can use the Wasp Nest as a starting headquarters for the Silver Ravens.”
“It’s a deal!” exclaimed Kitsurugi.
Laria nods. “Okay, this way.”
Laria leads the party into the pantry and into a trapdoor to a dry cellar. Laria opens a secret door and motions the party through. The party enters to a long hallway that opens to the southeast into a large reservoir of water. A wooden pier extends out twenty feet into the water, while another twenty feet into the water, the top half of a statue of a beautiful elven women rises out of the water, which Vartorio noted as depicting Calistria. A foul smell, not like rotten meat, came from the pier. Two holes were knocked into the northwest wall to provide access to the chambers beyond. The party moved towards the pier when Kitsurugi stopped them.
“There’s a man under the pier. He looks eaten. I got a feeling it’s Nan. We should be ready to fight what got him.”
“I’ll go look. You all stay here.” Said Vartorio.
Vartorio looked under the pier and found the body. As he reached out to take out of the water, an albino alligator exploded out of the water next to him in attack. Luckily, the party quickly dispatched the alligator without much incident, the alligator’s body sinking into the water. However, mere seconds later, a large, humanoid bird with arms instead of wings burst out of the room from the west and charged Vartorio. This monstrous bird was also easily dispatched. Finally free, the party could examine the body of the man. It was clear that this man had been eaten by the alligator, but he could be identified as Nan thanks to Laria’s description of the man. He had a magic boot on his foot, though the other boot was missing. Looking at the alligator, Kitsurugi grimaced.
“I bet the pair for that boot is in the belly of the beast. Do we want to retrieve it?”
“They would make your life of tumbling through the enemy’s space much easier, Kitsurugi,” answered Marrin.
“Ugh. Fine, I’ll go get it.”
A short and messy work better Kitsurugi had both boots, and after a through washing put them on. “I’ll get them better later.”
Thinking to rid herself of what the strangle mongrel opossums from the Livery, Horatio sank into the stagnant water and give herself a quick wash.
The party continued south to a warehouse, with stacks of crates filling most the space. Two tables sit in the center, scattered with playing cards and a smoothing unlit, lantern. Three tengus stood at guard at the far end of the warehouse, weapons drawn and warry. The tengu in front, clearly the leader of the group called out to the party.
“So, are you here to take us away? Take us back to Riddleport? To prison?”
“No, no we are not, my lady,” started Vartorio coming forward. “We are here simply to investigate the dispearance of a friend of a friend, who we’ve since found. We mean you no harm and didn’t even know you were here.”
The tengus, put at ease by Vartorio’s words, lowered their weapons. “You aren’t here to take us away? I don’t quite understand. You were here for a friend?”
“Yes. Our friend, Larai, asked us to find her friend Nan, saying he had been down here for a few days. She was confused who was eating the food she left out. We found Nan, eaten by an alligator in the reservoir. It is clear now that you were the ones eating her food.” Vartorio replied.
“Oh, you were here for Nan. Then we owe you great apology, for it was not the alligator that killed your friend, but our wayward sister Chough. She has become more and more violent as she grew older, and it is because of her we are here. She killed someone in Riddleport, where we hail from, forcing us to free. It was Nan who agreed to smuggle us here, and he was supposed to lead us to another contact to take us to Westport, but when he came to us he said something about a new Lord-Mayor and too much security and fell back on our deal. In a rage Chough killed him and threw his body in the reservoir. We were forced to banish her to the other room. I fear she has passed a point of no return and must be dealt with.”
“Oh, that’s who that was. Sorry sister, but your sister forced our hand. She attacked us after we dealt with the alligator. We had to kill her. Sorry.” Kitsurugi said.
The tengus shocked faces met this proclamation but they quickly sobered. “Yes, this is right. I’m sorry for the trouble, and I thank you for the service you have done for us. Please, we simply want to leave this cursed city and be free. Can you help us?”
“Wait, my good ladies. It is true that this city is beset by a vile new Lord-Mayor and his edicts have made travel difficult. Instead of leaving, stay with us and help us free this city. We promise amnesty from any responsibility from Nan’s death and protection from any authorities from Riddleport. You are clearly skilled rouges. Let us make a free Kintargo where you do not have to hide in the darkness of basements but walk free and proud in the sun.”
There is a pause as the tengu sisters conferred amongst themselves before they turned back to the party.
“Oh right strangers. I am Korva Fushi and these are my sisters Jay, Maggie, and Treep. We will work with you to free this town, to free ourselves from our past deeds. If anything, just get us out of this bloody basement.”
“I am Vartorio Jhaltero, inquisitor of Milani and member of the Silver Ravens. This is Horatio Horvo, Marrin Del’lorin and Kisturugi. Welcome to the Silver Ravens, my friends.”
The party returned to Laria and delivered the sad news about Nan. While upset about his death, she was happy to at least understand what happened to her friend. She was surprised to hear of the Fushi sisters, but happy to hear that the Silver Ravens already had an infiltration team.
“Rest easy for today, heroes, for tomorrow you’ll start the fight for Kintargo in earnest.”
I got up to nearly the end of Adventure 4 before i stopped. Writing pathfinder while simultaneously playing pathfinder is hard.
Part 2- Rebuilding the Ravens
The next week past in a blur. Together with the Fushi sisters, the party cleaned out the Wasp Nest and created a suitable headquarters for the Silver Ravens; bringing in beds, tables, chairs and desks. Rexus started work on decoding the old Silver Raven documents, with Kitsurugi agreeing to help him. Together they found two notable pieces of information as they started. First, the Silver Ravens were established in 4606 AR in the wake of the chaos that swept over Cheliax after Aroden’s death to help protect the city of Kintargo from oppression. Second, the woman who founded the Silver Ravens was a mysterious elf known only as “jackdaw” a figure that before the advent of the age of Lost Omens, built herself into a sort of Kintargan folk hero who fought for the rights of the city’s downtrodden. The Fushi sisters were sent out to earn gold, which they succeed in.
As the second week started, Rexus approached the party.
“It has been a few weeks since the Night of Ashes. We now know that at least one of the buildings burned down, my families estate, were owned by revolutionaries.”
“Yes, and the Silver Star was owned by my Shensen, a follower of the Dawnflower,” continued Horatio.
“The Thrashing Badger, the third building burnt down, was a local gathering spot for followers of Milani. Only luck saved me from not being there that night it seems.” Put in Vartorio.
Rexus noded, “Aye, it is likely all three properties were destroyed to stamp out revolutionary feelings and kill those that could form rebellion. Good thing they missed us, eh?” he asked ruefully, “Regardless, it may not be a bad idea to examine these locations now that the dottari have moved on and see if they missed anything of value. If you can, I’d prefer you’d start with my family’s estate. I don’t think they’ll be anything there, but just in case, you know?”
“Of course Rexus. We’ll let at once.”
The Victocora estate was truly a ruin, charred rubble and lacking any bodies. Any hour of searching found nothing at all.
“Rexus was right, there’s nothing here. Let us move on.” Vartorio said.
The Thrashing Bader had not faired any better. It had actually collapsed into the river, with most of the ruin underwater.
“I doubt we’ll find much here. If anything did survive it’ll be lost to the river,” remarked Kitsurugi.
“Still, it wouldn’t hurt to look if only for a short while,” replied Vartorio, removing his armour and jumping into the river. An hour later, he returned, shaking his head. “Aye, there is nothing here for us. Let us continue on to the Silver Star.”
The remains of the Silver Star now lay in a sink hole, the building collapsed into the lower chambers. Horatio paused at the lip of the sinkhole to compose herself.
“You don’t need to join in us if you don’t want to,” offered Marrin.
“No, I must look as well. If my Shensen left anything for me, I will find it.”
The first hour proved fruitless, as the party picked and poked through the rubble. As Marrin looked over a pile of stones by one of the wall, it began to rumble and collapse over top of him.
“Marrin look out!” shouted Horatio.
Nimbly, Marrin darted out of the way before the wall could crush him.
“My thanks lady.” Marrin said to Horatio, bowing.
“Think nothing of it, “answered Horatio, “I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“Ho! Wat’s all this then?”
The party all turned to the lip of the sinkhole where four dirty men stood staring down at them. All were dressed in studded leather and clearly had murder in their hearts.
“Couldn’t help but hear that racket down there, could we boys? Now what are we to do? Trespassing in an off-limits area? Tut tut. That sort of thing could get a bloke arrested,” said the leader smiling. “Course, if you all dropped your gold and that shinny stuff, maybe we can overlook this little infringement.”
“Hah, you’re one to talk!” barked Kitsurugi, slipping to his natural form, “You all must be bold or stupid to make demands of us. I mean really, look at us. Look at him,” he said pointing at Vartorio, who was reading his weapons, “Do yourself a favor and piss off before you get yourselves hurt.”
The rouge leader, who had clearly not seen Vartorio, paled and turned to his companions. “Come on boys, let’s get out of here.”
Kitsurugi clicked his tongue at them as they left. “Idiots. Going to get themselves killed.”
The second hour proved much more fruitful. Horatio found an iron box that survived the fire. Inside were valuable scrolls and potions, which the party took. Leaving the Silver Star, Kitsurugi dodged one more falling wall on the way out.
As the party returned to Wasp Nest, the Fushi sisters had alarming news. A section of the storehouse connecting the Longroad Coffeehouse and the Wasp nest collapsed, exposing the entrance to the Wasp Nest. While no one was hurt and the damage minor, it was startling to the tengu sisters. It appeared to be simply age, but as Kitsurugi examined further, he noticed tool marks along the edges of the collapsed sections and found a hammer and chisel hidden nearby.
“Hmm…it appears we have a saboteur in our mix.” Kitsurugi said bringing forth the evidence to the party.
“It wouldn’t be any our allies,” started Marrin, “Both Laria and Rexus are too loyal to our cause to sabatoge us, and the tengu sisters would lose too much if they betrayed us. It must have been another source, though what I cannot think of. Maybe some fey or other tiny creature making mischief while hidden from sight? “
“Like an imp?” asked Horatio.
“Aye, an imp could hide while invisible and work while we are out of the Wasp Nest. Though why an imp would be tormenting us, I can’t think of. Imps are usually bound by contracts or are familiars of evil wizards. The chance of one just finding the Wasp Nest and deciding to cause trouble is not impossible but at the least unreasonable.”
“And Laria has been using the Nest for years. If it was haunted or an imp had found and made a mess she would have said something. No, this is recent,” put in Kitsurugi.
“Well the only recent writing we’ve brought into the Nest is the Silver Raven contracts. You don’t think one of those is an imp’s contract do you?”
“There is only one way to be sure. We have to look them over again.”
The party grabbed the Silver Raven documents from Rexus, excusing themselves as they looked them over. While none of the pages looked suspicious, Marrin, knowing infernal contracts are usually magical in nature, looked at the pages under a magical light. His diligence was rewarded, with one page appearing magical.
“Ah, this must be it. It is the only magical page in the bundle, but I can’t tell if it’s actually a contract or not. It appears to be disguised somehow.”
“To be safe, we should simply destroy it. That’ll send the imp back to the Hells, yes?” remarked Vartorio.
“That is usually how it works yes.”
Without any more fanfare, Vartorio took the page and touched it to the edge of the reading desks candle. There was a tiny “No!” in Infernal, as a tiny, red-skinned imp popped into view and charged the contract. But it was too late. The flames caught the edge of the paper and danced up it, consuming the whole thing in a manner of seconds. With a burst of purple smoke and a smell of brimstone, the imp faded from view.
“So it was an imp,” remarked Marrin, “Your quick action saved us quite a bit of headache it seems like, Vartorio.”
“Yes, though why a contract for an imp was buried within the documents of the Silver Ravens, I have a feeling we’ll never really know now.”
A few days later, Laria had a suggestion for the party.
“While a direct assault against Thrune right now is madness, the fact is we need supporters if our rebellion is to succeed. As such, rescuing those that have been imprisoned by Thrune is an excellent opening gambit. I’ve heard from my contacts that here is one such group being held captive at the Salliax Salt Works lead by the mercenary Forvian Crowe, a man I’ve worked with before. I’m sure if you rescue him he’ll join our cause. Plus, the group of thugs that are holding them captive are just more mercenaries, meaning their deaths won’t draw as much attention as true dottari.
“
“Excellent! Thank you Laria, you prove your worthiness yet again. Come friends, let us stab into the hearts of Thrune!” remarked Vartorio.
The party waited until night had fallen before moving towards the salt works. It was an ugly, squat building built around a low dome. Kitsurugi approached the front of the building in stealth and tried the door, which was unlocked. He slipped inside to look around. Unnoticed, he spotted 4 Cheliax Citizens Group thugs loitering around a large salt vat. A wicked idea came to him and he sent a series of dancing lights over the edge of the salt pit. Surprised, the thugs moved toward the pit to investigate. Waiting in position behind a crate, he let the thugs past him until the last one was beside him, when he struck. He took out the first guard, but the sound attracted another thug. Using his silver raven figurine, Kitsurugi gets the rest of the parties help to deal with the thugs in the main building. A quick examination of the building after the fight soon found the prisoners.
“Ho, who are you? What are you doing here?” asked one of them, obviously their leader.
“We are the Silver Ravens. We are here to rescue you,” answered Vartorio.
“Oh thank the gods. Quick, get us out of here,” responded the man, standing up.
“Peace my friend, we will get you free. Are there anymore of you?”
“No, though I must ask, have you killed Kossrani? The sadistic dwarf in charge?” asked the prisoner.
“No, we haven’t seen any dwarves. Where would he be?” asked Kitsurugi.
“He’s likely asleep still in the bunkhouse. We should deal with him before we leave so he won’t follow us.”
Kitsurugi smiled. “Leave that to me.”
The party moved to outside the bunkhouse, letting Kitsurugi slip in again. Silent as a mouse, he dispatched every guard in the bunkhouse with none the wiser, leaving nothing but bodies. His blood work done, Kiturugi rejoins the party.
“We should hide these bodies, unless we want to attract attention,” said Kitsurugi.
“Yes, let us search the place then use the ocean for to hide our misdeed,” agreed Vartorio.
As the party searched the bunkhouse, Horatio confronted Kitsurugi.
“Did you have to kill them all? We could have talked to them and saw if some of them could have been redeemed.”
Kitsurugi gave her a sideways stare. “Aye, we could have. But judging from the conditions of those men in the cells, these men were not good men. One even called the dwarf sadistic. I think we would have ended up in a fight regardless, lady. Isn’t it better to die in your sleep without us being hurt than a drawn out fight that hurts everyone?”
“I…suppose. It still doesn’t feel right to me.”
“I get it. It’s why I was the one that did it. But just a tip, if you’re serious about being part of this rebellion, you’re going to have to make hard choices. People will die. You’re going to be ready for that?”
Horatio was silent for a few moments before her face hardened. “Yes. The Dawnflower preaches redemption for those that can be redeemed, and swift justice for those that cannot. Thrune is beyond redemption, and those that serve the devils must be cut down if Kintargo is to be free.”
“There you go. And hey, if killing the unarmed still makes you queasy, you got me to help.”
Returning to the prisoners, their leader introduced himself as Forvian Crowe and promised to sign the praises of the Silver Raven to his friends. The party spent time to hide the bodies in the river, weighting them down with cobblestones. Satisifed with a nights work well done, the party left the salt works.
At the end of week, Rexus and Kitsurugi discovered more from the documents. Many of the Silver Ravens were adventurers or worshipers of Milani. Jackdaw, a swashbuckler, was the most powerful and influential of them all, but others who rose to particular prominence among the Silver Ravens were Amyreid (a female half-elf cleric of Milani), Ba (a male halfling enchanter), Kyda (a female human rogue/bard), and Brakisi (a male human urban ranger). The Silver Ravens defended Kintargo from being conquered no less than a dozen times during the Chelish Civil War: five times from power-hungry noble families, four times from agents of Thrune, once from an invasion of skum from the sea, once from a cabal of Nidalese vampires, and once from a blue dragon named Rivozair. Crowe’s team of mercenaries were added to the Silver Ravens.
As the third week starts, Laria came to the party with disturbing news.
“There have been a number of murders in the Devil’s Nursery; the tiefling section of town. The tieflings have gotten spoked, and it’s only a matter of time before they rise up in a riot. If you can solve these murder before that happens, and you make it clear it was the Silver Ravens that did, I’m sure it’ll be a great boon to our popularity and cause.”
“Of course! Come friends, to the Devil’s Nursery!”
The Devil’s Nursery was the slums of Redroof. As the party began their investigation, the tiefling occupants of the Nursery eyed them suspiciously. However, Vartorio’s joyful nature and easy words soon gave way to information. After four hours of talking, the party managed to discover the location of all three murders.
“Should we examine them?” asked Marrin.
“Likely,” responded Vartorio, “though only the most recent will likely have any clues. After all, the previous murders were committed nearly a week ago.”
“I can take you.”
The party turned to see a young tiefling watching them.
“I was the one that found poor Keal. I…I can take you to where he was.”
“What is your name, my dear?” asked Vartorio.
“Zea, sir.”
“Zea, please, lead on.”
Zea lead the party to a back alley in the corner of the Nursery. Sadly, they couldn’t find anything.
“Damnation!” cursed Vartorio. “Zea, could we examine the body?”
“No, that’s impossible. We cremate our dead to prevent them from returning as undead abominations. “
“Blast. We don’t have much to go on here do we?” spat Kitsurugi.
“No, we don’t. Guess we can’t do much but patrol the streets at night and hope.”
“You’ll do that for us?” asked Zea.
“Of course, my dear. We are the Silver Ravens. We are here to the people, no matter whom you are or where you live. We’ll get to the bottom of this, I swear,” answered Vartorio.
The party waited until night then set about looking for the killer. The Devil’s Nursery was a large area, and nearly by necessity the party split up to search. The first two nights were uneventful, but at last, the third night proved a success.
Vartorio, while walking alone, he heard the chattering of fairies. As he got closer to the sound, a pack of eight fairies rounded the corner, and seeing him walking alone, gleefully charged him. As the fairies moved to attack, Vartorio set off his silver raven to find his companions and join him. The fairies proved vicious creatures, nearly felling Vartio while they ripped out his teeth and pinched his fingers. Luckily, once he had slain two of their number, the rest fled, chattering angrily. Once he had slightly healed himself with potions, he gave chase. The rest of the party, found by his silver raven, followed it back to him.
“By the Dawnflower, what happened to you?” asked Horatio, finding Vartorio running through the streets.
“I think I found our killers. Spiteful little fey that stole my teeth. There were enough of them that I was overwhelmed but after I slew two of their number they ran. Come, let us find the rest and destroy them.”
It did not take long for Vartorio to hear the angry chattering of the fairies. The party followed it to behind a collapsed tavern. A hollow under the tavern was clearly where the sound was coming from.
“Here, let me,” said Marrin, stepping forward. With a quick series of movements, jets of flame burst from his hands and scorched into the hallow. There was an inhuman screech, and the fairies burst forth to attack, looking slightly worse for wear. The fairies were again hard to hit and harder to kill, but eventually the party managed.
“By the Everbloom, that took forever. If I never see a fey again it’ll be too soon,” spat Vartorio.
“Agreed,” said Marrin. “Should we look in their lair? To see if we can at least understand where these creatures came from?”
“Alright, I’ll take a look,” said Kitsurugi, kneeling down and digging his way into the lair. Inside, he found a disturbing wall of teeth of all aside. Shuddering, Kitsurugi looked past the teeth, and stopped cold. At the back of the lair was the body of a tiefling child, bound in tight sinews with its broken wrists and ankles bound by cold iron manacles. All but one of the teeth of the poor child was removed.
“Stand back, I’m coming out.”
Kitsurugi pulled out the child’s body to the horror of the party.
“What is this?” demanded Vartorio.
“I don’t know. I found him in the back of the hallow like this. Look at this. There’s writing on that sinew. Can any of you read that language?”
“No, though given a night’s rest I can cast a spell for you to read it. Here, we should give the body back to the community, let them bury it,” responded Horatio.
Returning to Zea with the body in tow, the party gave back the child to the tieflings. Vartorio asked politely for the burial to be halted just for a day, so that they could read whatever was on the bindings, which the leaders of the tieflings agreed to. The next day the party returned to the Devil’s Nest and Horatio cast a spell on Kitsurugi to let him read the writing.
“My good goddess,” he whispered, “This child was a sacrifice. This is a ritual in Aklo to summon those fey, with this child’s life as a vital component. The murder of the tieflings here was orchestrated by someone. It was intentional.”
“By the gods,” murmured the tielfling elders, “is there no end for the hatred of our kind?”
“Do not fear, my good people,” responded Vartorio, “We as the Silver Ravens will defend you and yours. I swear to keep you all safe and free us from the evils of Thrune.”
The tiefling child was properly interned and cremated and the party left the Devil’s Nursery with the tiefling’s thanks.
The next day, Rexus came to the party with more news.
“I have heard rumors of brawls starting to become more frequent at the Clenchjaw, a local tavern that was until recently indisposed to that sort of behaviour. Perhaps it’s worth looking into to try and find if there is a cause behind it before the dottari crack down and being arresting people. Who knows, you may even find some supporters there too.”
Curious, the part agreed and traveled to Clenchjaw, arriving in the early afternoon. It appeared to be a typical inn, though the proprietor, a large man who introduced himself as Rinston “Clenchjaw” Jon, seemed slow and listless. Vartorio’s cheery personality quickly drew him a crowd, and after asking about what’s been happening, heard a story of Clenchjaw falling asleep early in the evening (which was unusual as he used to be full of energy) before things turned south, with patrons feeling full of bliss and energy while strange challenges are whispered in their ears, or half seen rivals appear in the crowd. Some have seen a strange butterfly floating in the dark corners of the tavern.
“What do you think?” Vartorio asked the party.
“Hmm…”mused Marrin, “This sounds the work of a fairy or possible a faerie dragon. These creatures are not evil, but enjoy chaos and a tavern brawl is likely fun to them. I doubt they even know they’re possibly causing harm to patrons of this establishment. Here, let us look around and see if we can find it.”
It did not take long, thanks mostly due to the ability of the party to detect magical auras, to find the culprit. Marrin quickly noticed the aura of an invisibility spell and motioning the party, moved to confront the being. The aura suddenly moved off into a hallway and the party took pursuit. As the party rounded the corner, they spotted a tiny blue dragon with bright yellow butterfly wings.
“A faerie dragon,” murmed Marrin, “be at ease friends, these are good creatures. Ho friend, are you the one who are causing such mischief in this tavern?”
“Mischief? What mischief?” answered the dragon in a high pitch voice, “I’m just having fun. Things were so boring after the Thrashing Badger burnt down. This place was boring. Now, I’m making it fun! The fights are exciting, aren’t they?”
“You had a home at the Thrashing Badger?” asked Vartorio, surprised.
“I never knew. Still, yes, the fights are exciting but I must ask you to stop making the fights happen.”
“What? Why?”
“The fights are causing the government, the people that make the rules of this city, to take notice of this place. If they continue, the government may close this place, possibly hurting those that visit. If they find you, they’ll likely hurt you.”
“Why would they do that?”
“Because they are evil men who love their rules and their power more than the people they are supposed to serve. That is why we are fighting against them.”
“Oh, that sounds exciting. Let me help! I can fight too!”
Vartorio turned to the party, eyebrows raised.
“May as well,” said Kitsurugi, “It’s obvious the little bugger can cause all sorts of trouble. Might as well let him make trouble for us.”
“I agree. His magic could prove most useful for our cause.” Marrin put in.
Vartorio turned back to the dragon. “If you help, where would you stay?”
“With you obviously. Why even ask such a silly question?” responded the dragon.
“Do you promise not to use your abilities on our comrades? Only on our enemies?”
“Yep! You can count on me!”
After a moment, Vartorio nodded. “Alright. My name is Vartorio Jhaltero. That is Horatio Horvo, Marrin Del’lorin and Kitsurugi.”
“I’m Vendalfek!” said the dragon.
“Right then, Vendalfek. Welcome to the Silver Ravens.”
As the week ended, Rexus got more of the Silver Raven documents decoded. The Silver Ravens maintained their main headquarters in and below the Kintargo Opera House; unfortunately, no information in the documents indicates any other safe houses the group may have maintained. As Vartorio was walking through town, a small urchin gave him a bouquet of roses, who when questioned said a nice man paid him three gold to do so. Hidden in the bouquet was a note.
My Dear Ravens—
You are not alone in your fears for the nest we share, but for now, my flock and I must remain quiet and hidden. The time will soon come when we must meet, but until then, keep building your contacts and resources. Do not rush into opposition against our common enemy. The time to retake Kintargo will come, but to strike too soon will be to lose the war before it even begins. Recruit. Prepare. Remain strong in your patience. We shall speak soon.
—The Rose of Kintargo
“Ah, the cult of Milani still lives. We shall meet soon” whispered Vartorio.
The week started with terrible news. One of the tiefling elders the party helped from the Devil’s Nest arrived at the Longroad Coffeehouse looking very upset, asking for the party. The party took him into the Wasp Nest, where the old tiefling broke down into sobs and told the party that poor Zea had been arrested under charges of “conspiracy against Thrune” and was being doghoused in Aria Park. Doghousing was an unusually cruel form of torture where the victim was held in an cramped dog house with nails driven through the walls for days on end, being only let out at dawn and dusk to fight two or more feral dogs for food, when they are likely to be bit or worse before they can retreat into the dog house.
“By the Dawnflower, this will not stand. We will rescue poor Zea immediately, you have my word,” promised Horatio.
The party hurried to the Park, arriving early in the afternoon. On an island in the in a lily pound was the dog house where poor Zea was being held. At either end of the island where it was connected to the mainland via bridges were two Cheliax Citizens Group thugs with large, feral mastifs.
“Hmm…more of those thugs, and not a guard in sight…I doubt this execution is sanctioned by the dottari,” mused Marrin.
“It matters little with Zea in that house. We must get her out, “responded Vartorio.
“Of course, but how? If we start a fight in board daylight it’s bound to attract the dottari. Do you think we could sneak her out?” asked Marrin.
“Possibly,” said Kitsurugi, “though doing so won’t be easy. We don’t even know if she’s in there.”
“But we can find out,” said Vartorio, pulling out his silver raven. He whispered a word to the figure, and in an instant the bird flew out and over the heads of the thugs. Unseen the bird entered the doghouse, and a few moments later it came back out.
“Ah, a response. So Zea is in there! And she isn’t even bound by anything, simply how small that building is. So, how should we do this? Have Kitsurugi try to sneak her out? Talk reason into these thugs? Simply attack and be done with it?” asked Vartorio
“We should not attack out of hand if we can avoid it. Maybe a combination tactic? Let Kitsurugi try to sneak in while Vartorio distracts them? And if we have to fight simply knock out these thugs?”
“Yah, that may be the best idea. Let’s give it a-go.”
As Kitsurugi slipped away, Vartorio walked towards one of the group of thugs.
“What is happening here?” he asked.
“Move along, citizen, this doesn’t concern you,” said one of the thugs.
“I’m simply asking what this is. I have yet to see such a display like this before.”
“We’re doing the Lord-Mayor will,” answered the thug, “doghousing a filthy demon-spawn traitor. You want to take a bet to see how long she’ll last?” answered the thug.
“The Lord-Mayor’s will? But I see no dottari around, and I heard of no executions this day. Do you really have the Lord-Mayor authority to be doing this?”
“Aye, the Lord-Mayor said to deal with traitors, and that’s what we’re doing. What, do you have a problem?” said the thug, getting right up in Vartorio’s face.
At this point, Kitsurugi had sunk around and landed on the island. He slipped next to the doghouse and peered in. Poor Zea was squished into a space that was far too small for her, her head in her knees. When she felt Kitsurugi’s shadow over her, she looked up and moved to speak. Kitsurugi immediately put a finger to his mouth, and Zea nodded. He motioned for her to make her way out, which she slowly began to do so. The thug, completely engrossed with Vartorio did not notice the happenings on the island. The dogs however, were less interested. One of them noticed Kitsurugi and began to bark loudly.
“Hoi, mutt, what’s bothering you?” asked the thug holding the dog’s chain, turning to look at the island to see what the dog was barking at.
“Damn and blast,” cursed Vartorio, and struck out with the flat of his morning star.
The battle was difficult, as the thugs hit true and the party tired very hard not to kill any of the thugs. Sadly, Kitsurugi was cornered by a thug and, scared for his life, struck lethal damage against one thug. As the last two thugs saw their predicament, they chose to flee, and the party did likewise, having agreed to meet Zea at the Longroad Coffehouse. Fleeing into the streets the party made their way back to coffeehouse, and met Zea. They took her into the Wasp Nest and asked her story. Apparently, walking through town that morning she was accosted by the thugs who ganged up on her and knocked her out. She awoke in the doghouse and quickly understanding what was happening, could do nothing but wait. Luckily the party rescued her before any lasting harm could be done to her.
“This is twice now you’ve helped me. It would do me a great honour if I could repay this debt by joining your group. I may not be as strong or powerful as you, but I can help gather information, as I hear many rumors in the Devil’s Nest, and our gang of tieflings can help leave caches of items around town.”
“If you are willing to take the risk, we are willing to have you,” replied Vartorio.
‘Thank you, my friends. Though in truth, I actually have a favour as well. Many of the downtrodden of the Devil’s Nursery has started to join or form gangs for companionship and protection. One of these, the Red Jill’s, has been operation for a few years, but as recently gotten more and more aggressive, targeting anyone that isn’t a dottari or one of those Chelaix Citizen’s Group thugs. I fear for the tieflings who are part of this gang, for I have friends in the gang and they say these new aggressive orders are from their leader, an individual they have yet to actually meet. While I do not doubt many of the tieflings in the gang are striking out in personal hatred for those that oppress them, I think most of this violence comes from the leader themselves. If you could find and end the threat of their leader, I believe the other gang members will simply vanish back into the streets, or perhaps even join the Silver Ravens.”
“Hmm, it is worth investigating in any case. We can’t have these Red Jill’s attacking helpless citizens regardless, and having more supporters would be a great boon. Come; let us see what we can discover.”
The next day the party took to the streets to see what they could find. After an hour of aimless wondering the streets with no real luck, the party pass through an ally to see four tieflings waiting from them an ally, all dressed in red.
“You folks have been asking a lot of questions,” started the one in front, “which we don’t appreciate, do we boys?”
“Yes, we are looking for your hideout. You guys wouldn’t happen to know where that is?” drawled Kisturugi.
“Maybe, maybe not. Not like we’re going to tell you either way,” responded the one in front again.
“Oh, that’s too bad,” started Kitsurugi, who with a running start, jumped right over lead tiefling, drawing his dagger and pressing it up against his throat, “then you are no use to us. Guess we’ll have to kill you.”
“Wait, wait!” gasped the terrified tiefling, “ Scarplume keeps her nest in the bell tower of an abandoned shrine to Aroden in Temple Hill. Just look for the ruined buildings, you can’t miss it.”
“Good boy. That wasn’t so hard was it? Who is this Scarplume? I’m guessing your leader, but you said nest.”
The tielfing hesitated, but Kitsurugi pushed his blade closer, drawing a thin line of blood. The tiefling gave a yip of pain.
“A bird-lady! She really humans and tells us to attack them whenever we can. I heard she can do magic too!”
“Thanks. Now run along. And I would take off those stupid red robes if I were you. Don’t want to mistake you guys with others when we storm the place.”
Kisturugi spun the tiefling around and pushed him into his companions, forcing them off balance. With a squeal the poor tiefling ran, and after a moment hesitation his companions joined him.
“Kids,” shrugged Kitsurugi. “You just got to know how to talk to them.”
“A bird-lady huh? What do you think that means?” asked Marrin.
“He likely meant at Strix, a race of bird-like humanionds endemic to the area,” answered Vartorio, “There has been a long history of conflict between humans and strix in Chelaix, so this one’s hatred of humans is understandable. I’m just worried about its ability to fly. We’ll have to be sure to bring bows and be ready to deal with a ranged battle for once.”
After quickly stopping to get a crossbow for Horatio, the party travelled to Temple Hill, intent on find Scarplume’s nest. The tieflings word spoke true, and it did not take long for the party to find the abandoned orphanage and shrine of Aroden.
“I see three tieflings on the orphanages roof. They appear to be looking down at the street. If we enter the building we’re likely to draw attention,” noted Horatio.
“Aye, but we must get up to the roof somehow. None of us are good at climbing buildings, so we must hope there’s a ladder in of the buildings first floors.”
Horatio sighed. “You’re right. Just be ready for an ambush once we get onto the roof is all.”
Inside the orphanage was indeed a trap door that led to the roof. Once the party opened the door to the roof from the building they were in, Scarplume’s screech met them. It was a very hard fought battle, but eventually the strix fell to Marrin’s rapier after it had depleted its spells and had to move closer to attack. The tieflings fell soon after, the last one escaping off the roof. A quick examination of the strix’s layer brought much gold, and the exploits of the Silver Raven soon reach the city streets.
As the week ended, Rexus decoded more of the Silver Raven documents. The Silver Ravens were said to be able to use something called the “Song of Silver” to defend Kintargo when it was attacked by enemies, but sadly, no additional information as to what this mysterious song was can be found in these notes. Rexus implores the PCs to keep an eye out for further clues as to this intriguing notation.
It was a very buy month for the Silver Ravens. Tired, the party decided to take some time off and recuperate while they recruited more supporters. The next week Rexus finished decoding the Silver Raven documents. The last section translated speaks of how the leaders of the Silver Ravens had seen the proverbial writing on the wall—they knew House Thrune was likely to seize control, and had come to the difficult decision to surrender should this event come to pass, hoping to prevent Thrune from razing Kintargo. Indications exist that the cache of treasure and documents hidden in the Fair Fortune were intended to serve as a sort of time capsule, should Kintargo forget the Silver Ravens with the passage of time.
Have you considered play by post (PbP)? I'm pretty sure people do that on the Paizo forums. There's also sites like Giantitp and Mythweavers.
I didn't know about when I first started this nonsense, and I can't seem to find a game
I didn't know about when I first started this nonsense, and I can't seem to find a game
Take a look at mythweavers if you haven't. I don't think there's a Hell's Rebels game up atm but you could request one. I don't know about the PbP protocol here.
Have you considered play by post (PbP)? I'm pretty sure people do that on the Paizo forums. There's also sites like Giantitp and Mythweavers.
I've had zero luck getting picked up in a PbP game and find the process of trying to join a game appallingly opaque.
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Have you considered play by post (PbP)? I'm pretty sure people do that on the Paizo forums. There's also sites like Giantitp and Mythweavers.I've had zero luck getting picked up in a PbP game and find the process of trying to join a game appallingly opaque.
Really? Who in their right mind wouldn't want you in their game?
I must be doing it wrong. I've never gotten a nibble.
I must be doing it wrong. I've never gotten a nibble.
I've only ever used Giantitp and Mythweavers, but I can admit that applying for a PbP game can be pretty intensive especially with the frequency at which they die off.
That said, most of the games I've run have lasted several years on average.
I did manage to get a Pbp going of Strange Aeons's but I figured I might as well post the final bit of the first adventure. Like I said I got up to the last part of adventure 4, so I can do a lot more of these if there's interest.
Part 3- Redaction and Revenge
Two weeks later, things had calmed down in, relatively, in Kintargo. The Silver Ravens had grown,
gaining many supporters from the local population. Rexus and Kitsurugi had grown close; their easy,
joking manner playing off each other. Zea had started to follow Vartorio around, asking many questions
about Milani. Vartorio took this stride, patiently answering these questions and teaching her when she
had the chance. Marrin and Laria had become unexpected companions, both pragmatic and far-seeing.
At last, Rexus came to the party with a request. “My friends, it has been over a month since my
family’s estate burned down, but reading over the documents from the Fair Fortune Livery has led me
to the convection that my mother still lives.”
“But Rexus, if she did, wouldn’t she have made noise by now?” asked Kitsurugi.
“It is possible that she is hiding. As I mentioned before, my mother was a member of the Sacred Order
of Archivists. I failed to mention that the Order had a secret hideout in the museum of oddities called
Hocum’s Fantasmgorium.”
“Oh, you know, that makes a lot of sense,” joked Laria.
“Aye, the Fantasmgorium was built by a stage magician named Horcum who wanted to being joy back
to Kintargo following the Chelaix Civil War,” started Horatio, “ and while he started with success, the
novelty soon wore off and he went out of business.”
“And that was when the Sacred Order of Archivists swopped in and bought it.” Rexus finished.
“It’s worth a look either way, “stated Vartorio, “they’re might be useful information left by the
Archivists.”
“But how do we get in? You wouldn’t happen to have a key, would you Rexus?” joked Kisturugi.
“As a matter of fact, “Rexus smiled and pulled out the mythral key from the lockbox the party found
at the slaughterhouse. “This key should open many of the doors in the museum, including the front
door. Take it, and see if you can find anything. And if you find my mother, please, bring her back to
me.”
“Of course, Rexus. Come friends, we leave at once.”
Horcum’s Fantasagorium was a sprawling, single-story structure that certainly seen better days. The
building’s stone façade stood out amid the brick-lined walls of its neighboring structures, and
numerous windows to the left and right were boarded up. Signs advertised rates and incredible
exhibits within, and above everything a crimson sing announced “Horcum’s Fantasmagorium” A large
lock hung from the door.
“Here, let us see if Rexus’ key works, “said Kitsurugi, pulling out the mythral key. “Hmm, this lock is
very well repaired considering how shabby the rest of this place is. Ah, yep the key works.”
The front door opened to a small reception with a door off to the side and a large open display room.
The party decided to examine the door first. It opened to a box office, full of old props and costumes
and an empty lock box. Horatio found some money and a a ring of swimming lost on the floor behind
the podium however. Returning to the entrance hall, the party moved into the display room.
Macabre taxidermy and menacing skeletons lined the walls of the fifty-foot circular chamber. A
middling-quality fresco of terrifying and fantastic beasts lined the domed ceiling overhead. Large
double doors lay to the northeast, southeast and southwest; the northwest doors hang wide open. As
the party entered the room, two of the skeletons on display, labeled Arcadian Skunk Apes, shook
themselves free of their bonds and lumbered off their podiums to attack. The skeletons hit hard,
knocking out Kitsurugi and Marrin before Horatio could destroy them with positive energy. After the
combat, Vartorio had time to look at the various monsters on display, only to release most them were
skeletons of multiple animals cobbled together, though a couple real specimens including a mastodon
skull mislabelled as a cyclopes skull and a fang of the blue dragon Ravozair did exist. Entering the door
to left, a bring odor wafts from a dozen water-filled cases in the room, each a display of strange,
colorful sea creatures. Puddles of water covered the floor alongside shattered glass and fish
skeletons. A ten-foot square tank of murky water stands to the northeast. A quick glace saw various
fish species from the Nisroch Bay or Yolubilis River, though a large four-clawed reefclaw identified as a
“Quadclaw Marauder” was in the main tank.
Moving north; plants, rocks and hundreds of motionless specks fill the countless glass cases
throughout this long hall. The preserved husks of giant insects and arachnids-including a ten-foot- tall
spider-leer over the displays. A dead man’s body, swathed in red-and- black robes and covered in welt,
lies on the floor. Walking in, a collection of spiders burst out from the case above the dead man, but
Marrin simply walked over and burned them all to death.
“That man, he’s holding an unholy symbol of Asmodeus. The Thrune are here. We should have
known.” Horatio said.
“Aye, we will have to deal with to find the Order’s documents.” Vartorio replied.
Following the hall, a circular alcove off his hallway cradled a lovingly maintained statue of a regal man,
his arms outstretched and chest adorned with a carving of a winged eye. Empty pictures frames line
dthe walls.
“That’s a statue of Aroden. Seems like a shrine of some sort. Strange to have a shrine for a dead god,
but I understand the power of faith.” Vartorio said.
Following the hallway; wax replicas of various politicians, folk heroes, deities and creatures fill the
room, some laughably fake and others eerily lifelike. One in particular stands out- a depiction of a
man dressed in bloodstained professor’ robes. The figure wielded a bloody surgeon’s knife in one
hand, but its face had been melted away into an unrecognizable waxen mess save a for a single
glaring eye.
“The plaque says this guy is Professor Mangvhune-Temple Hill Slasher.” Kitsurgui said looking over the
wax figure.
“That man was a serial killer who was executed 116 years ago, though his legacy still lives on in the
urban legend, as we can clearly see.” Horatio explained.
Moving on; the next seires of open galleries may have once held numerous paintings and other
objects of curiosity in several glass cases but the displays are all empty. Inside were five zombies, all
dressed in noble guards, but were charred and had burned skin. After dispatching the zombies, a
quick examination of them revelled two of them had signet rings burned into their skins.
“Damn. Those are Victocora signet rings. They must be Rexus’ parents. Curse Thrune!” Victorio
muttered.
“We must tell Rexus when we’re done here. He deserves to know.”
A sudden noise from the next room drew their attention. The party looked at each other, nodded and
moved into the next room. This room’s shelves and displays seemed more akin to those one would
find in a storefront than a museum. While the shelves are relatively empty, what rubbish remained on
them further supports the conclusion that this was once some sort of shop. Four long tables in the
middle of the room seemed to have seen more recent use, their surfaces cluttered with papers and
objects. Four men in robes dressed in red and black flanked a red-haired man in a bright breastplate
with the symbol of Asmodeus on it.
“I wonder when we’d see more of you lot,” the man in the breastplate said, “Here to rescue your Irori
friends are you? Bit late for that. But don’t worry, you’ll join them soon enough!”
The following fight was fierce but soon the red-hair man gave way.
“I surrender!” cried the cleric, throwing down his weapons.
“Hold! Hold friends!” called Horatio, running up.
Kitsurugi, ready to deal to killing blow, slowly and reluctantly lowered his weapons.
“Oh right, servant of Asmodeus, explain. Who are you and what are you doing here?” asked Vartorio,
still menacing the cleric with his morningstar.
“My name is Azvernathi Raul, member of the church of Asmodeus. We are here at Lord-Mayor
Thrune’s orders, capturing what information we can from the remains of the Iorities, and destroy
what information is too dangerous to keep. We are up here to capture or kill those that come looking
for said information.”
“‘Up here’? What did you mean by that” asked Marrin.
“The actual headquarters of the Iorites are in a hidden basement. The statue of Aroden hides it via a
mechanism. In the eye in his chest is a lock, which you can turn much like a safe to spell Irori, and
then the statue moves to expose the basement.”
“Are there more of you down there?”
“Yes, nine redactors, an orgerkin, a summoned scriventie and Nox, the Lord-Mayor’s bodyguard, as
well his pet hell-hound.”
“Are they likely to come up to help you? Would they have heard us fight?
“I don’t think so. They don’t come up for days at a time and I hear it is very far down in the earth. I
have yet to be allowed down there, so I am unaware of the layout of the place, but no matter how
much noise we make up here they never join us.”
“What is Nox?” asked Marrin. “I saw her regenerate at the riot against Brazillai last month.”
“I’m not entirely sure myself,” Azvernathi answered, “I have little interaction with her. I know she has
some sort of connection to devils, but what type I don’t know.”
“Is she human?”
“I think so. I honestly don’t know.”
“Right, leave your arms and armour and leave Kintargo. If you ever return we will not accept your
surrender a second time.” Vartorio stated, realizing Azvernathi had nothing left to give the party.
“Wait, let me keep my armour and weapons and I will use what magic I have left on you.” Azvernathi
begged.
“No. Leave them and leave with your life, or stay here without them both.” Vartorio answered.
Grimacing, Azvernathi slowly and regretfully removed his armour and handed over his weapons. With
a final attempt to regain such dignity he could, he nobly stood, and left.
“Shouldn’t we kill him? He’ll just report us.” Kitsurugi asked.
“No, he’d risk too much of Brarzillai’s ire. He’ll leave. I saw it in his face.” Vartorio answered.
“Should we enter the basement now?” Marrin asked, “I have spent many resources and if we have
the opportunity to recover before we enter another fight I’d appreciate it.”
“I agree” Horatio put in.
“Yes, let’s rest.” Vartorio answered.
After selling their spoils and buying supplies, meeting and befriending the tengu Chuko who owned
The War Cage as well as meeting Zachrin Vhast who was the high priest of Shelyn at the Songbird Hall
who gave the party a powerful wand due to Marrin and Horatio’s religious beliefs, the party rested
and prepared to enter the basement. Solving the puzzle of the Aroden statue was simple once they
find the eye Azvernathi mentioned. With a soft rumble, the statue slid north, revealing a spiral
staircase down. A wrought-iron spiral stairway descended from the ceiling into a massive library.
Bookshelves, both freestanding and wall-mounted, rose up to a ceiling forty feet above. Ladders on
tracks allow access to the higher shelves, yet few books and scrolls remained. Bloodstains marred the
floor here and there, and some of the shelves bore what appeared to be recent battle damage. A
strange rune inscribed in a circle decorates the floor, which Vartorio identified as a Master’s Rebus, a
rune sacred to Iori.
“Hold. I cannot permit you go any further.”
The party, having descended the staircase and looking around the shelves, all whirled to find a
humanoid-figure of paper and silk with an iron tomb as a mask standing before the hallway leaving
the room.
“Who are you?” asked Vartorio.
“I am Yilliv.” It answered.
“If I may, what maner of creature are?” asked Marrin. “I have never seen such a being as you and I am
curious.
“I am a scrivenite. I hail from the Eternal City of Axis. We scrivenites are the historians, cartographers
and archivists of the multiverse.”
“Were you summoned here?”
“Indeed. I am bound to serve my master by protecting those within from intruders, such as you.”
“Have any of the redactors inside left?” Kitsurugi tentatively asked.
“Not in days. They continue to destroy precious knowledge as I stand here talking to you.”
“Precious knowledge? So you disagree with what they are doing. Would you aid us if we attack
them?” Marrin asked.
“No I cannot. Like I said, I bound by my contract to protect them and I shall.”
“So conflict is inevitable,” Marrin sighed. “ Before we start, may I ask. Is Nox within? What manner of
creature is she? I understand she is connected to devils somehow, but I’m not sure how.”
“She is a devil-bound. She has given her soul to a devil for power, including regeneration and being to
summon minor devils to her defence. If she dies her soul is forfeit, so she will never be raised.”
“Can her regeneration be circumspect in some way? I believe devils are weak to holy weapons. Would
she be the same?”
Yilliv nodded. “Yes, a holy weapon or holy spell would prevent her wounds from closing. In addition,
her regeneration does not prevent her from dying from other means than her wounds, such as
suffocation.”
“I thought so. Thank you. Now we may start.”
“You’re welcome. Just so you know, I have alerted those within to your presence. I apologize, but I
was ordered to do so and I am so bound.”
The scrivenite’s damage reduction made the fight long and difficult but eventually it fell. Once did,
four tombs tumbled from its body.
“What are these?” asked Kitsurugi, picking one up. “Hey, this book is about me! It’s things that I
forgot as we fought that book-man.”
“Interesting. Perhaps the creature took our memories and turned them into books. We should take
these and read them after we are done here.” Marrin mused.
Each took their book and look around. Kitsurugi found a small locked safe hidden behind a panel.
Rexus’ key opened it to many valuables. Opening the door, the party followed a series of stairs to a
long hallways flanked by doors on the left side. Turning down a hall the party found more doors.
Opening one, the party found a bedroom. On the bedside table was a painting of a young Rexus,
flanked by an old couple who were obvious his parents.
“That confirms it. Those zombies upstairs were Rexus’ parents. Damn and blast,” muttered Kitsurugi.
“Hoi, there’s a secret door here.” Horatio called over by the south wall.
With a bit of effort the party opened the door, leading to another set of bed rooms. Following the
hallway down the party found a new room. The overwhelming stench of rotting flesh filled the wide
table-strewn chamber. A web of barbed chains strangled its way throughout the room, supporting the
decayed corpse of a man in drab robes. At the center of the web, suspended above the flagstones by
its black iron tendrils, rested a fist-sized, twelve-sided box fashioned from wood and bronze. Wooden
cases along the southwestern wall had been smashed and overturned. Small pieces of paper covered
with notes were scattered throughout the room, as if someone hadbeen studying the strange tableau
for days.
As the party entered, Vartorio, looking around, noticed four of the redactors trying to hid throughout
the room. Pointing them out, the party attacked. After dispatching them, the party was free to
investigate the room. Marrin determined the man in the room and cube were likely result from a
bleeding of kyton-influenced corner of the Plane of Shadow. As both Marrin and Kitsurugi tried to
deactivate the device, barbed chains burst forth from the cube in the middle and struck them,
draining their strength. Clearly, they would not be able to deal with the cube or its poor victim.
Looking at the shelves, Marrin found many wards and sigils to warn about cursed items. Four slots
looked they once contained cursed items: a stand for an amulet or neckless with a note in celestial
(“markings seem intended to lure worshipers of Abadar into peril”); another shelf for bracers or
gloves; an empty book stand; and an shelf with a red-velvet cushion where a fist sized object once lay.
Kitsurugi found another hidden safe behind a panel, finding even more supplies. A single dose of
magical dust and a series of six books on the planes were also valuable. Using the found dust of
emulation, Marrin closed the gate and retrieved the wooden cube.
Moving through a lecture hall, the party entered a large common room with jars of preserved fruit
sand vegetables and stacks of salted meat fill shelves carved into the bedrock walls. A half-dozen
tables in the room are heaped with scrolls, books and parchments. Five redactors were waiting for the
party, with an ogrekin protecting the entrance to the room to the northeast. Even though the monks
had some unlucky critical hits to drop Marrin, the party succeeded in killing the redactors and the
ogrekin. Readying themselves, they moved into the final room. The eastern half of the colossal
chamber appears almost theater like, with an arched ceiling painted roughly like the night sky and
hanging lanterns radiant with cool, white flame. The room presented an incongruous sight this far
underground-a resplendent garden, complete with a babbling brook, a gravel footpath and all manner
of flowering and fruiting plants. The pathway wound through the lush grass, over a small footbridge
and to a book-covered knoll at the far end. The brook cascaded into the room from the north and
then flows through a grate to the south. Standing ready for a fight on the far edge of the brook stood
Nox with Mephiry. Without a word, she snarled and moved to attack.
After a hard fight, the party had Nox down, stable but not regenerating thanks to the scroll-enchanted
holy weapons of Marrin and Vartorio.
“Now what we do?” asked Kitsurugi.
“We kill her obviously. We saw her try to escape and we cannot let her return to Barazillai.” Vartorio
said bluntly.
“What? No, we must at least give her the chance of redemption. All enemies get at least one chance
to redeem themselves.” Horatio argued.
“Horatio, this creature has literally sold her soul to a devil. Even if you could redeem her, her soul is
already forfeit. It would be a moot point.”
“That is not the point, Vartorio. Sarenrae is clear. We must at least give her the chance to beg
forgiveness. To kill her while she is helpless is not even cruel, it’s evil.”
“I agree that striking down a helpless opponent makes me ill at ease, but if she would escape when
she awakes it would do us more harm than any possible good. If we have any hope to succeed in the
revolution, we must strike hard and true, no matter how sickly it makes us. We must show Barzillai
that we are not to be trifled with”
Horatio looked at Vartorio with digust. “So this is what Milani teaches her followers: to kill those who
cannot defend themselves. Where is the justice in that?”
Vartorio stormed very close to Horatio. “We met out justice so that others do not have. We bloody
our hands so that you do not have to. That is our burden to bear.”
“Kitsurugi, wait!”
Horatio and Vartorio turned, too late. Kitsurugi had deftly taken Marrin’s enchanted rapier and struck
Nox straight through the heart. With little fan fair, he stabbed her again and again, ensuring that she
would not rise again. Grimly, he whipped the blade off on Nox’s clothes and gave it back to a stunned
Marrin.
“What have you done?” Marrin whispered.
“What needed to be done.” Kitsurugi replied simply.
Vartorio turned back to a pale Horatio. After a tense minute, he sighed and seemed to deflate. “Well,
it is over now, either way. Let us examine the area before reporting back to Rexus.”
As the party looked over the items in the room, Vartorio took Kitsurugi aside. “Thank you, my friend.”
“Do not thank me.” Kitsurugi replied curtly. “You were right; we could not let that monster return to
Barzillai. But don’t be so bloodthirsty. It is unbecoming of you. Murder is not justice.”
Concerned, Vartorio watched Kitsurugi walk by, leaving him with much to think about.
The inner garden had many books, most of which were unknown to the party. They appeared to be
books that were journals of the members of the Sacred Order of Archivists. Understanding that they
would be useful, the party gathered them up, and agreed to read them latter.
Once the party returned to Coffeehouse, Kitsurugi gave the sad news about Rexu’s parents. The poor
man broke down and Kitsurugi held him while he cried. The morning after, lying in bed, Kitsurugi gave
Rexu his parent’s journals, who took them with great reverence. They read them together, basking in
new found love. Days later, Vartorio, reading over the journals, noticed something strange. In Porcia
Victorocora’s journal, there was an entry depecting a dangerous book called the Book of the Damned.
While the order held on to the book, only one man was able to read it recently, a traveller who called
himself “Trailblazer Huni”, which Marrin figured out as an anagram for Barzillai Thrune. Disturbed at
this news, Vartorio and Marrin could do little but regain their strength and wait to strike at Thrune yet
again.
As a more or less solo player for many years (I've just started teaching my daughter Pathfinder) I'd encourage you to please keep this up. Writing and playing is a struggle and I've experimented with many many methods over the years but it is good fun and worth persevering with.
Adventure 2- Turn of the Torrent
Part 1- The Ninth Proclamation
It has been two months since the formation of the Silver Ravens. Vartorio Jhaltero, the aasimar inquisitor of Milani and defacto leader of the Ravens, pensively reviews the documents recovered from Horcum’s Fantasmgorium again. The two weeks since the raid on the defunct museum had not been easy among the Ravens. Tensions were beginning to build amongst the relatively few members of the Ravens, particularly between Vartorio and Horatio, the cleric healer of Sarenrae. An argument over the final end of Nox, deceased bodyguard to Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune and tyrant of Kintargo in all but name, had made things awkward between the two. Horatio has become even more wary of Kitsurugi, the kitsune rouge who killed a helpless Nox to prevent her from returning to Barzillai. The kitsune’s ruthlessness disturbed Horatio, who had begun to doubt her resolve in revolting against Thrune. It was only the threat against her lover; the half-elf Shensen, who was presumably kept captive in Barzillai’s headquarters of the Kintargo Opera House prevented her from leaving. As for Kitsurugi, he was too busy comforting his new lover, Rexus Victocora, who was grieving the loss of his parents at Barzillai’s hands. Kitsurugi was also keeping an eye on Vartorio, whose drive to rid Kintargo of Thrune control was starting to push the man to a more violent temperament. Throughout all of this, the final leader of the Silver Ravens, the elf magus Marrin Del’lorin, did little but watch and fretted. Watching the cracks begin to show in the Silver Ravens, he had sworn to himself to be the glue to hold the best hope for his fair Kintargo together; whatever the cost.
To say the Silver Ravens had been idle throughout this drama would be a lie, however. They had continued to grow, attracting new members and becoming more solidified as a whole. In fact, they had begun to get too large for their current headquarters, the Wasp Nest; a series of chambers under the Long Road Coffeehouse owned by the halfing Laria Longroad, once member of the Bellflower Network and now Silver Raven. The hunt for a new, larger safe house had begun but to no success.
Barzillai had also not been idle. The week after he lost Nox, Barzillai issued a ninth procolmation: “By Order of the Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune, the congress of Hellknights known as the Order of the Torrent is from this day forward stripped of its charter! All of its holding and possessions are confiscated, its privileges and entitlements revoked, and its members declared outlaws! Steadfast citizens are commanded to turn over those members who have slipped the net of justice!” Public reactions had been mixed to this news. While Hellknights as a whole were mistrusted or disliked due to their unwavering enforcement of the law, the Order of the Torrent specialized in returning kidnap victims which gave them more popularity. In addition, Barzillai raised the toll of crossing the Bleakbridge from three copper to five silver, a relatively small raise but a burden on the common citizenry nonetheless.
Finally, Vartorio stood up from rereading the documents and came to a decision. Calling his comrades, he made a proclamation.
“We have been ideal too long. While we sit here Barzillai continues to gain strength. We must find more allies and take the fight to Thrune.”
“I agree we have been too long from the action, but what can we do?” answered Kitsurgui, “Our investigations of a new headquarters has been fruitless and without some lead on where to find allies I don’t know where to look.”
“Let us try to recall what Laria told us when we first formed the Ravens,” Horatio put in, “The Order of the Torrent would have been good allies, before Thrune outlawed them. If we could find the Rose of Kintargo, I’m sure we could get them to join our cause, though they continue to elude us. I’m sure there are some Cheliax military commanders sympathetic to our cause, though it is a great risk to speak to them. Without more direction, I’m also aimless.”
“Perhaps there I can help.” Marrin interjected smoothly. “This morning we received word from one Setrona Sabinus to come visit her at the Tooth and Nail.”
“Sabinus, you say. The leader of the Order of the Torrent’s name is Lictor Octavio Sabinus.” Vartorio mused, thinking back to his lessons as a Kintargo noble child.
Marrin nodded. “I think we can assume she has some relation to the Lictor and that this request is no coincidence. It’s the best lead we have right now to help us gain strength.”
“Agreed.” Vartio stated. “Come friends, let us go to Old Kintargo.”
Old Kintargo was, as the name suggests, the oldest section of the city. The Tooth and Nail was one part of a shabby-looking, one-story building; the other being a confectionary shop called the Sweet Tooth. When the party arrived, they found the common room of the tavern nearly empty, having only two other people in it.
“Ah, there you are. Hoi, Insome, why don’t take a break for a while,” the woman behind the bar said to the man cleaning tables. With a grunt and a nod, the man moved past the party and closed the door. “Come on over here; let me get you something to drink.”
Once the party was settled at the bar, the woman introduced herself as Setrona Sabinus and began her story. “My cousin Octavio is an obstinate and difficult man, but he’s also an honorable one. He’s led the Order of the Torrent for a decade, and during that time they’ve rescued dozens of missing people and other unfortunates from abduction. The order’s members aren’t all stationed here in Kintargo-they work throughout Avistan, after all, and I suppose it’s something of a blessing that most of their two dozen or so members were elsewhere when Barzillai made the order illegal. Those who are outside Cheliax are certainly lying low, awaiting word from their lector, but if we can find my cousin I’m certain he can be convinced to aid the Silver Ravens. He might grouse a bit at your methods, but I know for a fact that he’s no supporter of Thrune, and having his network of agents at your disposal can only help, right?
“In any event, assuming he’s not in clutches of House Thrune, I think I know where my cousin is. He’d probably hate me if he found out I told you this, but the Order of the Torrent sometimes uses a small shrine just south of the city in the Argo swamps as a safe house. The place is warded against magical observation, and they’ve used it in the past as a staging place for smuggling those they’ve rescued into or out of Kintargo. The place is the Shrine of Saint Senex, and if my cousin is anywhere he’s there.”
“The shrine is devoted to the memory of sailors who have lives at sea,“ Horatio explained, “Senex herself was an oracle hundreds of years ago who dedicated her life to reclaiming drowned bodies and returning their belongs to their families.”
Setrona nodded. “The shrine still has a few devotees and guardians that tend to it. I can’t imagine they would be happy to see us, but I’d prefer to find my cousin without bloodshed if possible.”
“’Us?’ Then you intend to come with us, even if there is danger?” Vartorio asked.
Setrona raised her head. “Of course. You’d need me to convince Octavio. Besides, he’s my family. I have to make sure he’s safe.”
The party looked at each other and nodded. “Very well. Come, let us find your cousin.”
The party made their way through Kintargo to its outskirts. As they pass through Kintargo and moved towards the Shrine of Saint Senex, they were accosted by four skum that raised from the Yolubilis River. With Setrona’s help the skum were quickly dispatched and the party continued on to the Shrine of Saint Senex. The shrine itself was a domed building made of driftwood and stone sitting on a hill, the only solid ground in the shallow bog surrounding it. Within the building were two humans, a man and woman with seashells and seaweed braided into their hair. With a start, they came to attention as the party entered.
“Who are you? Why did you come here?”
“We have come to find the Lictor of the Order of the Torrrent, Octavio Sabinus.” Vartorio answered.
“He has cast his breath upon the Stone many times, long a friend to our shrine. We honor those who honor the watery dead,” the elderly man answered.
“I don’t understand. Please sir, this woman is Octavio’s cousin. We are simply worried about his safety. If he is here can we please see him?”
The old man’s eyed Setrona for a moment before nodding. “Yes, I can see the resemblance. Sabinus is indeed here, for we have given him asylum. If you wish to speak to him we will let you into our sanctum, but be warned, for you must pass the guardians within to prove to Saint Senex that you are worthy to speak to a friend of the shrine.”
Moving to the alter; the old man pulled out a key and turned a hidden lock, pushing the stone aside. A ladder with rusty railings leads down fifteen feet to darkness. Continuing down the ladder the party passed through a dark and foggy mass that obscured their vision. Once through the fog, the party found a large room. The ceilings of the damp camber were seven feet high, bolstered by square supports of rough-hewn wood. A shallow pool of water lay in the northwest corner of the room, where a rust iron ladder descends from a hole in the ceiling above. An iron gate blocked access into a corridor to the east. Piles of sail canvas and jumbled coils of rope litter the stony floor, and the walls, floor and ceiling have been carved to look like wood. Brown paint clung in patches, and it’s easy to see how the room may have once looked very much like the hold of a ship. To the west stands a statue carved from driftwood depicting a woman dressed in robes, holding the body of a drowned sailor in her arms. As the party moved into the chamber, a booming voice issued from the statue.
“Those who would visit the drowned departed must to these lips the gift of lung’s bounty, lest my guardian stand before your approach.”
“What do you suppose that means?” asked Setrona.
“One can assume there is some ritual we must perform with this or we’ll have to fight something. Likely something frightening.” Marrin answered.
“I’m going to go check out that gate, see if it’s locked.” Kitsurugi said, starting into the chamber.
“No! Wait!” Marrin called, but too late.
The ropes and sails scatter throughout the room began to slide together and come together, and within moments had become a 7-foot-tall figure of knots and coils. With a yelp, Kitsurugi danced back and drew his swords, but the figure remained motionless. As time passed and the figure did not attack, slowly the party began to calm.
“It must be waiting for us to make the first move.” Vartorio said.
“Then let us figure out this ritual and see if it’ll let us move on.” Marrin said turning back to the statue.
Nervously, the party turned their backs on the rope creature and returned to the statue.
“That old man above said that Octavio had ‘cast his breath upon the Stone many times’,” Setrona said eying the statue, “Do you think that’s what the ‘lung’s bountry’ that voice meant?”
“Aye, here let us try that.” Vartorio moved up to the statue and exhaled deeply against the lips of the woman in the statue. After a period of time, it was clear nothing had happened.
“Hmm, if that not it, what else could it be?” Vartorio mused.
“Here, let me try something.” Horatio said, coming forward. Leaning, she exhaled onto the sailor in the statue. There was an audible click, and the rope figure dissolved back into different ropes. Horatio nodded. “Thought so. A drowned sailor has more need of the gift of breath than an alive saint.”
“Very cleaver,” Vartorio said earnestly. “Now come quickly, before this guardian resets.”
Swiftly, the party moved through the room into the next hallway. Following it around they found the sanctum. The seven-foot-high vault contained over three dozen human-shaped bundles of sailcloth, each wrapped tightly, sewn shut with heavy thread and laid respectfully side by side on the cold stone floor. A shallow pool of water lay in the southeast corner, while in the northeast corner of the room someone has set up camp. A tall mall was sitting over a small cooking fire, who stood as the party came into the room.
“These shrouded bodies are those of drowned sailors with no living relations, given a place of honor down here by the grace of Saint Senex.” He paused, then turned to the party, arms opened. “Those who see Octavio Sabinus have found him. His safe capture, however, is no certain thing.”
“Octavio!”
Setrona rushed past the party and threw herself at Octavio, hugging him tightly.
“S-Setrona! What are you doing here?”
“I came looking for you! I was so worried after Barzillai outlawed your order and you disappeared. I asked the Silver Ravens to help find you.”
At this Octavio looked up at the party, eyes narrowing. “Ah, so you are the Silver Ravens. I had heard of your exploits-both good and ill.” At this Horatio looked away guiltily.
“Please cousin, return with us to Kintargo. The city needs you and with the Silver Ravens we can be rid of Thrune once and for all. You can finally help the people like you always wanted without their devil-bound yoke over you.”
Octario sighed heavily. “You are certainly hopeful idealist, but in my experience passionate revolutionaries lack discipline. Like my cousin, you have good hearts, but it takes more than heart to stand up for what’s right. If I’m to throw in with the Silver Ravens, I need two things. First, I need to know that my surviving armigers are safe. Second, I need to know that the Silver Ravens are more than thugs who seek to fight in the streets- I need to know you can exercise subtlety and work at least partially within the bounds of the law to solve problems when such an option exists. As it so happens, this is a perfect chance for you to accomplish both goals. My men are being held in the Holding House. If you can rescue them, and do so with as much subtlety and little bloodshed as possible, I will be able to join your cause.”
“What do you suppose we do then?” asked Vartorio.
“If you can engineer forged transfer orders for the armigers, you could just take out them out of the prison with no one being the wiser.”
Kitsurugi smiled. “I’m sure Rexus and I could whip something up. Who would have thought: a Hellknight telling us to break the law?”
Octario smiled ruefully. “It is truly a sad state of affairs. Still, Barzillai has forced my hand.”
“Why do you think he outlawed your order?” Marrin asked.
Octario shook his head. “I’m not sure. We were investigating rumors that Lord-Mayor Bainilus didn’t actually flee the city for Arcadia as the government claims. I believe she’s been imprisoned-or worse- by Barzillai Thrune. It didn’t help that I took offense, quite publicly, at our new lord-mayor’s recruitment of the Order of the Rack as additional guards. The man spines webs like a spider, though I can’t decipher his design yet. Whatever his reason, I’ve come to believe it bodes ill for all of Kintargo.”
“In that we can agree.” Vartorio said, nodding. “We will save your men, Sabinus. You have my word.”