17/10/2009

F-413

Therendor 3rd, Zol, 998 Y.K.

Into the Sewers
1.30 a.m.
Fezzal Informs the group of several facts that Martell did not.
  1. He saw that it was shipped into the Sewers by goblinoids, he believes they are of the Skullgnawer tribe.
  2. The people who now have the consignment are likely to be Khyber Cultists.
  3. He feels that whatever is in the consignment it is particularly important. Leading him to believe that there is a greater power behind this group of dumb goblinoids.
  4. He is sure glad his contract with Martell is over, too many late night calls…
  5. It came in on the Silverwind which sailed from Vralkek in Droaam.
He leads you out of the taverns side entrance into a narrow alley and heads east into Precarious District. After a few twists and turns he heads down a darkened passageway and hoists up a storm drain cover.“Once we’re down there we’d all better pray it don’t rain or we’ll end up in the bay somewhere.” With a loud laugh, he looks at the groups faces, "only messin' with yer...."

He climbs down and beckons for you all to follow. He leads you on a winding trail through the sewers, going down several levels, the path back is practically impossible to remember. After an hour or so he stops.

“I will wait for you here to guide your return. If there is no sign of you by daybreak I will leave you assuming the worst. That gives you around 3 hours, head along this tunnel and take the first right and just keep going, good luck.”

The group followed the tunnel as instructed, travelling several hundred yards before coming across any sign of habitation. It was Ajax who found the trip wire and Anvil who triggered the alarm whilst trying to disarm it..... Whatever element of surprise they should have had was gone.
Some 2o feet up the narrow tunnel 2 hobgoblin guards were alerted and sprang into action before being swiftly despatched.

Guard Post
Debris has fallen from the tunnel’s sides as the structure has cracked, the way forward seems blocked at first but as you get closer there seems to be a path.
Passing through the debris you can see a large wooden door ahead bearing a crudely painted image, it appears to be a skull lying on it’s side with a bite taken from it – the symbol of the Skullgnawer tribe.

Ahead the locked door's lock was too complex for Anvil to deal with, at least with any kind of finesse, so he resorted to the warforged way of opening locked doors.

The Tunnel drops off to either side here, the smell of sewage is particularly pungent. Below a gushing river of effluence is carried toward the sea. The slight sound of whirring emanates from an extraction vent in the ceiling. Ahead steps lead up several feet to the left and periodically a flash followed by a sharp crack emanates from the recess at the top.

As the door splintered off its hinges with the force of the blow, the cracks and sparks of light could be detected ahead. Also the tunnel appeared to be blocked off by a heavy steel bulkhead.

Bulkhead
This heavy steel door seems to be some kind of bulkhead that has seized into place. Originally designed to roll aside, the edges have rusted into it’s runners. As a precaution it has also been barricaded from the other side, it cannot be opened by normal means.

Vermin Deterrant
At the top of the steps is a room that is basically a huge alcove. It seems to have been initially designed to keep unwanted guests from entering the complex beyond, today its purpose remains unchanged, only the unwanted guests are no longer the vermin or strange monsters that dwell in the sewers.
The first thing You notice about this room are the 4 contraptions down each side, a hemisphere of brightly polished metal on a thick shaft that appears to be coiled with copper. A spike protrudes from the centre of the hemisphere and the shaft is connected to a rune marked metal case that is set into the wall. On further investigation the floor seems to be made of sheets of steel that have obviously been regularly cleaned.As you watch one of the devices shoots a small bolt of lightning into the floor with a flash and a sharp crack. 20 feet across the other side of the room is a door, there is a semicircle cut out of the metal floor in front of the door so the floor there is stone.

This room was the first real problem for the group to come up against. The floor sent electricity through anything that it came into contact with, they (in rather macabre taste) threw one of the hobgoblin corpses onto the floor to see what would happen, and watched with concern as it cooked. Their eventual plan was simple, throw the broken door to cover the first 5 feet or so, and rubble to cover the next 5 feet. Although something in the rubble was conductive they were given enough cover for Ajax to leap across to the safety of the ground surrounding the door.

As he opened the door he was instantly assaulted by another hobgoblin, which was despatched in short order.

Generator
This room has an elaborate “pedestal” in the centre. Upon the “pedestal” is a glass dome which houses a metal rod that is inserted into the “pedestal”, electricity dances over the surface of the rod. A slot similar to a keyhole sits next to the dome.

Once Anvil was in this room he disabled the electrical floor and the others could cross in safety. One by one the rest of the group headed into the small room. Goblinoid voices could be heard ahead, and peering into the dark corridor they could see the small disfigured shape of a Dolgrim ahead. There was a corridor running off this one to the right and a set of stairs straight ahead that led to another door.
They headed down the corridor, eventually defeating the two guards, as they did so the door at the top of the stairs slowly began to open.
Anvil headed up the stairs slamming the door open to be faced with 6 hobgoblins and 4 more Dolgrim, a longer battle ensued but the group were eventually victorious. They appeared to be in some sort of sleeping quarters with two doors exiting the room. Both led into small utility rooms with no other exits.

Armoury
This is a poorly equipped armoury, several cheap or damaged pieces of armour and weapons lie scattered about the room in no particular order.

Store
Dried foodstuffs, old and decaying meats (some of which are of particularly dubious origin), sacks of dried fish and a few jars of pickles are scattered about the sparse shelving in this room.

As the room is being searched Anvil locates a secret door in one wall which he follows down a short tunnel to a strange looking shrine.

The Shrine to the Dragon Below
Six crudely carved pillars support the ceiling; they seem to be trying to emulate some kind of viscid, organic sinew, but the craftsmanship is poor. At the far side of the room flanked by curtains is a blasphemous altar, etchings of the symbol of the Dragon below adorn the altar upon which stands three gold candle-stick holders. The curtains have a crudely painted symbol upon them, probably painted in blood. The symbol appears to be some kind of star.

Within the room Anvil could see 2 hobgoblins worshipping at the altar and a strange looking priest flanked by a pair of eqaully strange cohorts, he is spotted as he closes the door.

Meanwhile.....
Lorric and Kapek decide that with the threat ahead they should keep an eye at the back of the group and so head to the corridor they passed. They take a hobgoblin rogue, that is trying to out flank them, unawares and remove him. The door ahead is just ajar and Kapek can make out another hobgoblin hiding in the shadows beyond. He is quickly killed by Lorric.
The room they are in seems to be some kind of makeshift brewery.

Brewery
This room has a strong smell of yeast and a close humidity. A network of pipes fills half the room, most are warm or hot to the touch. Among the pipes are barrels of fermenting liquids, it is unclear what the liquor is made of, but it is strong. Two doors leave this room to the south.
Anvil has the idea of turning one of these barrels of liquor into a rolloing bomb, so he rigs up a makeshift fuse, checks the flamability of the contents and rolls the barrel into the shrine. A good plan......
As the door is opened it becomes clear that the opponents inside have cast an obscuring mist spell and the shrine is all but invisible, also as the door is opened one of the adepts tries to drop a sleep spell on the party, but all make their saves.

Unbeknown to the group a simple create water spell dowses the fuse on the barrel.

Lorric drops a handful of caltrops to cover their rear and the group move into the thick mist of the shrine, leaving Katerina and Kapek to watch the rear, and wisely so. The two Dolgaunt cohorts of the priest had left the shrine through a side entrance and were seeking to surprise the groups rear, but they failed, although they did concern Kapek and Katerina by their very visage.
One by one the Khyber cultists are defeated and the group continue thier exploration of the complex.
They travel through the side door to the shrine, carefully deactivating a trap on the way and find their way to the Priest's quarters.

High Priest's Quarters
This room is filled with items of comfort and relative opulence. Fur rugs are adorned with feather pillows, a small furnace glows in one corner keeping the room warm. Several small chests are located around the pillows. There is a door in each wall of this room.
Most of the chests are filled with stones, cut glass and various other items that look as though they could be worth something, but aren't, and only a scattering of coins on the surface to make them appear more full.

The Three doors....
High Priest's Chamber
This room is filled with large feather cushions, silk sheets and the aromatic scent of incense (Heathrush - A herb which grows mainly in Darguun’s Torlaac Moors, commonly used in Goblinoid religious ceremonies).
Tattered old tapestries hang from the walls and several valuables lie about the room.

The Prison Cells
Stairs lead down 10 feet to a series of six barred iron doors.
6 cells line the walls here, 2 of which are locked with emaciated corpses slumped in them where they have been left to starve to death.

Slave’s room
Rough straw bedding is accompanied by the stench of stale urine and excrement. Manacles on the wall hold 3 slaves, 2 human women and 1 male Halfling. A set of keys hang on a hook by the door.
The prisoners names are Merena and Selfarn Wistman (human sisters) and Helfan Arl (Halfling) of House Ghallanda
Helfan Arl offers the group gold in exchange for his release and the retrieval of the barrel of Gatherhold Honey wine he was transporting when he was abducted.
The two girls have no idea why they were abducted, they assume they were to be some kind of sacrifice but have so far been either manacled on the wall or used as slaves.

Upon realising that was no further way ahead the group returned to the brewery and tried the other door. Asking the freed prisoners to wait in the brewery until further notice they head on.
Beyond the door the tunnel wound its way left and right with 2 sets of stairs along its path and ended in a door which was neither locked nor trapped. As the room was entered it became apparent that there were occupants in the form of 2 Dolgrims.

The Broken Pipe
An extraction pipe gently draws air through this room, the pipe has been torn open and a ladder leads down to the tunnel below.

One of the cratures managed to flee down the shaft after minor injuries, the other was not so lucky. Upon searching the dead dolgrim Lorric found a strange whistle on a chain around its neck. Anvil studied it realising that this golden whistle, shaped almost like a sinuous tentacle, radiated faint magics.

Lorric in a moment of impetuousness decided to simply blow the whistle to see what it did, with a strange gurgling squeal the thing seemed to writhe in his hand and from the shaft in the room he could hear soft thuding movement heading up the pipe.
Kapek took a look to see what was there but could see nothing, however as he leant into the pipe a crossbow bolt was fired from below, luckily missing him.

Once Anvil had made the hole in the pipe large enough to fit comfotably through it was time to move on.
Heading down the ladder first Anvil glanced up the pipe to see a shadowy shape crawling down at speed on strange suckered hands, the light glinting off two black eyes and the gradual baring of a row of pointed needle-like teeth. It headed past him with speed and into the tunnel below.

Once down Anvil could see the dolgrim that had fled here and he charged towards it, one by one the others followed.

Combat ensued an there were two of these strange shadowy creatures darting out of the darkness to attack the group, it seemed that their method of attack was to try and strangle their opponents, as Ajax found to his discontent.

To the north is a heavy steel bulkhead, you assume it is the other side of the one you came across earlier. Debris piled up against it houses the remains of many creatures.
To the south is an identical bulkhead, only this one is in working order, it bears the same star like symbol as was present on the curtains in the Shrine.

The Warehouse
As the bulkhead rolls open you realise that you have at last reached your destination, the air is heavy with the smell of spices, livestock and effluence. As you look into the warehouse to your left you can see stacks of crates piled high, some have burst open spilling their contents to the floor, they seem to be foodstuffs. Directly facing you is another bulkhead similar to the one you have just come through with a score or more barrels stacked to the left of it. To the right are stacks of crates and cages, most seem to be holding livestock of some kind, chickens, goats and lambs. As you peer into the darkness it seems that the crates get bigger as they reach the other side of the room.

There were several occupants of this room that the group could initially see, two dolgrims were tormenting the livestock in cages and on the other side of the room a dolgaunt was tentatively "tasting" spices from a spilled crate with his tentacles. As Anvil charged the closest, and the only one he had actually noticed, the battle began. Kapek used his preferred method of keeping just out of range and attacking with his reach weapon the Talenta Sharrash. Ajax charged in with reckless abandon and was soon surrounded by 2 dolgaunts which were significantly more adept at fighting than the previous ones the group had met, this led to a simple result, continued and repeated grappling by the aberrations which then gradually drained his constitution bringing him to the brink of death on more than one occasion. Lorric took great glee in the fact that Ajax was in this position as it meant that he could apply his sneak attack to the grappling dolgaunt. Another of Lorrics hare-brained ideas was to begin pushing crates onto the enemies, it worked to some degree but had more of an effect in slowing down everyones advances and freeing goats and chickens into the melee.
Eventually the battle was won and the group began to search for the crate, Loric found among the larger crates at the back of the warehouse.

Within the crate labelled F-413 sits a human child of about 10 years. His milky white eyes stare into nothing, He makes no response as you approach. The crate is locked with a heavy padlock; although you get the feeling that even if it were open the child would remain where he is.

The child is freed and the group decide to push on rather than returning the way they came, so they open the next bulkhead.
The bulkhead rolls aside to reveal a short passage with an extraction vent in the ceiling, several feet ahead the passage narrows and drops away to the sides where a torrent of raw sewage flows beneath, just over the bridge is another door.

The Laboratory
This room has the scent of death and evil clinging to it, even the censer burning pungent herbs in the corner cannot mask the vile stench of corruption. In the rooms centre is a wooden table with leather straps at the corners and the rusty hues of dried blood on and around it. To the side walls are benches with strange apparatus and brewing liquids that emit pungent gases.

Anvil quickly collects a crate from the warehouse and begins filling it with the alchemists laboratory equipment while the others anxiously watch the shadows. They then try the far door to see where that leads, hoping to find and easier way out......

The Chambers
Upon opening this door you get the feeling that the entire ambience has changed. Directly ahead about 15 feet is an ornate semicircular balcony and beyond that a large crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling glowing with a dim light. To either side hang heavy vermillion velvet curtains each emblazoned with the star design found in the Shrine.

As the group begin to peer over the blacony a figure rises from the level below, the tentacles around its mouth seemingly tasting the air. Levitating in mid-air the slow realisation of what this creature is creeps across Anvil's thought centre, "MIND-FLAYER!!!", he yells and slams the door, the party flee barring the bulkheads as best they can on their retreat, but this does not stop them noticing the strutts they place across the opening mechanisms taking the strain of something on the other side trying to force them open.

They head back as quickly as possible following the route they came by and collecting the freed prisoners on the way, they meet with Fezzal and continue at a brisk pace, not stopping until they feel the cool night air of the surface upon their faces.
The group head to the "Painted Heart" to retrieve their animals and bidding farewell to Fezzal they head across Sharn to take the child somewhere safe.

The Skullgnawer Temple Map
1. Entrance
2. Guardpost
3. Wooden Door
4. Effluent River
5. Bulkhead
6. Vermin Deterrant
7. Lightning Generator
8. Dolgrim Guards and Sleeping Quarters
9. Armoury
10. Store
11. Brewery
12. Shrine to the Dragon Below
13. High Priest's Quarters
14. Slaves
15. Prison Cells
16. High Priest's Chamber
17. Extraction Pipe
18. Continuation of the main tunnel
19. The Warehouse
20. Effluent River
21. The Laboratory
22. The Illithid's Chambers

The Calling

Therendor 2nd, Mol, 998 Y.K.

Each member of the group is approached on the 1st of Therendor by a gnome of House Sivis. They are handed a message that is masked by an illusory script spell that can only be read by the person for which it was intended.

Once the letter has been read the gnome takes the letter back and leaves.

It is noticed that this is a strange protocol as House Orien usually deliver messages not House Sivis.....

The Meeting
By day Felton’s Warehouse is a bustling company hauling crates to and from the docks
Lorric and Kapek notice that they are being observed as they approach the warehouse.

When the players arrive, the entrance doors are slightly ajar; a low light comes from somewhere deep within the building. Some of the party can hear movement inside the warehouse as they approach the door.

Within the warehouse, behind the boxes and crates is an office from which the light is emanating, the dull glow of a shuttered everbright lantern. This is where Martell d’Cannith awaits the players.

Behind a large desk sits a man in his mid to late thirties, a file in front of him, he is busy thumbing through sheets of paper as you arrive. He gestures for you to sit as he closes the file.

“Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Martell d’Cannith, please take a seat.”
A dark figure steps from the shadows and whispers something in the man’s ear. You were surprised you never saw him before but as he slips back into the darkness you can see why you overlooked him.


Once everyone is gathered Martell reaches under the desk and retrieves a small cylindrical item (about the size of a tin can), he closes the shutter on the everbright lantern briefly plunging everyone into darkness. He twists the top of the cylinder and strikes it hard upon the desk top. With a faint pop a small blue orb shoots upward about 4 feet and hovers briefly before a flat plane of light emits from it. The plane closes downward, much like an umbrella, in doing so a blue line moves down across everyone from their heads down; once this umbrella of light is closed a single beam of light connects the cylinder and the orb, which continues to glow.

“Everything bathed in the blue light is under the protection of a Non-detection spell – we don’t want our secrets getting out now do we?” Martell smiles and retakes his seat.

“Down to business. I’ve read through your particularly empty portfolios and despite the occasional infraction with the city guard you seem to be up to the task I’d like to hire you for.
You are all pretty much unknown in the circles that matter in Sharn and that is why you have been chosen, I don’t want any recognised faces.”


“Several years ago we “lost” a special consignment, in the past few days this consignment has resurfaced. Our people have traced it to a location in the Cogs. It will be your duty to retrieve consignment F-413 and upon completion you will be required to take it to a second location which will be disclosed at a later time."

At this point Anvil remembers seeing the code F-413 branded into the side of one of the crates they transported through the Stores 3 nights ago.

“This mission has the potential to either make you a reputable, well paid group of agents, or to destroy you. The choice is yours.”

The players are offered 200 gold upon the final delivery of the consignment. Begrudgingly the group accepts, some are more keen to do it than others

The darkened figure from behind Martell steps forward once more, “This is Velseth d’Thurrani,” says Martell, “He will be watching you as he has been for the last few days. Should you step out of line there will be several additions to the debris floating in the Hilt. This is too important to take risks!”

“You are to meet your contact, Fezzal Dh’urg, at the Painted Heart at 2.00 a.m. tonight.”
“These items may help”. He pushes a scroll case towards you, "Inside is a single scroll of identify and a wand of cure light wounds."

The Painted Heart
The Painted Heart is a sleazy tavern in the Greyflood area of the Cliffside District. It is a favourite place for dock workers to drink, especially those who are tired of the red light district, or too broke for it.
It is a particularly xenophobic place; everyone knows each other and will fight like animals if threatened. But for the main part most patrons keep themselves to themselves and will not be the cause of trouble, they are however frequently the end of it.
A half-orc barkeeper mops the bar with a stale smelling rag giving you a tired smile as you enter. Other than the barkeeper there are a handful of patrons here, at least one is unconscious.

A hobgoblin plays solitaire by the fire.

When Fezzal is approached he gathers his playing cards up and greets them.

“So you’re the unfortunates working for Martell eh?”

“Okay, so here’s the story so far. Three days ago a consignment arrived from Droaam. It was flagged by Cannith ‘coz they’ve been watching certain trade routes. Four damn years I’ve been watching those shipments, and then last Far it came in. Sailed in on the Silverwind, container F-413, pay day!”
He grins widely and takes a swig of his ale.
“You’ll be expectin’ me to show yer where it went I’m supposin’.”

Pearl's Safe Return

Olarune 28th, Sar, 998 Y.K.

Two hours after midnight the group return to "The Gaze" whereupon Pearl is returned to them, as promised. The Madame is aware of their success already, but she seems surprised that they managed to survive the ordeal.

They ask Katerina if she wishes to join their group as they are in need of a healer and she accepts, implying that her dealings with "The Eye" have left her all but destitute.

Pearl is confused and shaken due to the magics that were used in altering her memory, the secrets of the "Amber Eye" are not revealed easily. They quickly return her to the House Thuranni enclave, here they are paid as promised before returning to Anvil's home in the Cogs.

For the next two days they study the items they have found on the bodies of the gnolls, research new skills and train new abilities.


15/10/2009

Into the Stores

Olarune 27th, Far, 998 Y.K.

The group arrive back at the Thurrani enclave just after midnight, their first port of call is to ask for Taj, unfortunately he is not present at this time so they discuss further options. They feel that they can not abandon this investigation for two reasons, firstly there is limited time to save the girl, and secondly they can not be seen by the Deathsgate Guild to be giving up so easily or they will never be accepted. Amidst discussions of returning to the Grenn family tomb and investigating the Vol temple there they decide that the best course of action is to return to the Gaze and watch. Whilst hiding Anvil amongst the debris of a nearby alley they are disturbed by a contingent of 6 guards from the Gaze, they march towards the party with determination and shout, "Lorric the Iron Hand!! The Lady wishes an audience with you and your companions." They are swiftly escorted into the club and into the basement room. Interestingly enough, Lorric only introduced himself as Lorric, the Lady is obviously well connected.....

The Deal

The rest of the group meet the enigmatic Madame of the Gaze for the first time and although all of them see the strangely animated hood, only Kapek hears the gentle hissing from the shadows.
After some debate and the threat of how the Thuranni enclave would look much nicer with a "Statue" of Pearl decorating their foyer she suggests a course of action.

“Perhaps I could return her, obviously without the merest memory of our acquaintance, and perhaps you could do something for me……?”

“My people are scattered a little thin on the ground at the moment, threats from Daask are constant, and so I would ask you to simply escort a shipment from the docks in Precarious to the Stores.”

“Head to West Pier number 38 tomorrow night at 10.30 (p.m.), there is a shipment arriving for a client of mine, help get it safely to it’s destination and the girl will be released alive….”

“Meet Firthmel Shek by the ‘Silverwind’, by the time you arrive the shipment should be loaded onto his cart and he will be ready to go. There will likely be trouble, there always is, so be prepared.”

“I am sure that House Thuranni is paying you well enough for the girls safe return, why should I pay you when she is worth an extra 100 gold alive….” She says with a smirk.

After the meeting, Lorric is asked to remain for a few moments where the Madame warns him that he must be careful about the influences that are present within his organisation. She suggests that others have concerns that may push him in certain directions.

The group also manage to barter a 6 month pass to the establishment and Anvil gets the opportunity to examine a pair of the goggles that the door guards wear. He determines them to be imbued with the power to "Discern Shapechanger". The desk duty offers an interesting piece of information at this point, he lets the group know that the Tyrants are primarily changelings and for this reason they have to be particularly careful who enters the premises.

After a few drinks and other entertainments the group retire to Anvil's home in the cogs, preparing for tomorrow night.Lorric heads back to the House of the Long Arm, concerned about the conversation he had with the Lady, he finds no evidence to substantiate her claims.

Night Falls...
After a day spent relaxing or crafting the group decide to head out to the docks of Greyflood.

A cart drawn by two stocky horses stands by a vessel that may once have been glorious, but now looks as though it has seen one too many storms and pirate attacks. The dirty sails are tattered and the wood is warped and split, creaking loudly with each wave that creeps to the pier. There are two men stood in the dim light smoking and speaking in subdued voices, a young elf woman sits atop the wagon.
As you get closer you can see that one of the men is clad in splint-mail and carries a well used longsword by his side, the other is a simple dock worker wearing thin leather clothing.

They can see that the crew of the Silverwind is primarily human but the captain barking orders is a minotaur.

The elf woman is Katerina Penchurst, a healer and the man is a fighter called Leftan Krellson. The cart driver is simply a commoner who makes his living out of hauling freight.

The cart winds its way up the dizzying street that clings to the cliff face. Above you the cranes of Precarious haul their freight into the district, obviously your employer is unwilling to pay the costs for such a service, you curse as you see the narrow road stretching steeply ahead.“We will be staying on the main roads once we are out of Precarious and into the Stores, there are fewer guard patrols there and it’s quiet this time of night, we don’t want to get caught in a dead end with the enemy at our backs, so no shortcuts! Daask are cunning so keep your wits about you.”
After about 45 minutes of walking the streets become quieter as the bustle of Precarious is left behind and the darker stiller streets of the Stores surround you.

Ambush!!!
With a great whoosh and explosion burning barrels of oil and piles of timber are dropped behind the cart from a bridge some 100 feet up. The everburning torches in the street ahead are somehow extinguished. The street is plunged into darkness and the howls begin... Shek, the cart driver runs into nearest alleyway to hide and a few moments later a stifled grunt can be heard followed by a dull thud.

Hyenas in the side street begin to sniff the air looking for fresh meat.Howls and barks emanate from balconies, windows, rooftops and bridges, shapes can vaguely be seen jumping in excitement.

Hyenas accompanied by Gnoll warriors begin to attack.

The group has nowhere to go but forwards, they must fight...

After an arduous battle against the pack of gnolls and their hyenas all led by a flind, the group realise that they are not alone in this battle as gnoll bodies begin falling from the windows and balconies above.

Moments later as they are gathering the few pieces of loot from the gnolls they are approached by a handful of halflings. The Boromar clan are here.... They urge the group to move on as quickly as they can as it is still not safe. And after repairing Anvil who was rendered inert during the battle the group move on.

The cart is delivered safely to the warehouse and the group return to "The Gaze".

Tactical Map


11/10/2009

The Search for Work

Olarune 26th, Zor, 998 Y.K.

The group decide that they need to stick together in order to survive the harsh city.
As the sun rises they decide that the most opportune way for such a diverse group of individuals to earn gold is to join an adventurers guild. With the fact that they have been staying in Anvil's home in the Cogs they decided that they would head to the closest guildhouse and ask if they could join. They ended up on the doorstep of the Deathsgate Guild.
They were invite inside and were introduced to Vaenya, a roguish looking elf with a slight condescension in her smile, she informed the group that they would have to pay 13 gold up front (an annual fee) and gain the backing of at least five current members of the guild in order to join. She then introduced them to Erunn, a mage of some sort by his appearance, who was seeking to sponsor. He asked them to return in one week and he would have work for them.
As they were leaving Vaenya took them to one side and told them that if they were seeking immediate work then House Thuranni were currently hiring to find one of their entertainers, a young elf maiden named Pearl Kuinhon, who has gone missing.
So from here they took a skycoach to the affluent district of Dragon Towers and located the House Thuranni Enclave.
After a short discussion with Nithrandel the enclave's host they were hired to find the unfortunate dancer and with a sum of 100 gold and a further 100 if she was found and 100 if she was found alive, the group could not turn their noses up.
When asked about her movements on the night of her disappearance they were offered the following information....

Missing Dancer

Approximately two weeks ago (Mol 16th Olarune) Pearl Kuinhon of House Thuranni’s Entertainers guild was commissioned to perform for a private showing. She said goodbye to her young son paid the babysitter and headed out. This was the last time she was ever seen. Her babysitter reported her disappearance to the city watch but they have found nothing, people go missing on a daily basis in Sharn, unfortunately Pearl became just another statistic. Although the file remains open, the guard has stopped looking.

House Thuranni can offers the name and address of Pearl’s friend and babysitter. Dhremsha Juhra was paid 5 copper an hour to look after Melara Kuinhon, Pearl’s daughter. She was expecting to be there for at least 3 hours; however she fell asleep with her boyfriend, Grent Vrell, on the sofa at some point in the early hours. It was the following morning when she realized that things were not as they should be. Pearl had not returned. That was when she called the watch. They basically informed her that the disappearance of a whore was not unusual and that they didn’t hold much hope for finding her, at least not alive.
Pearl had told Dhremsha that she was seeing a regular client, someone quite important by all accounts.

She has a key to Pearls apartment.

The Kuinhon Residence
12 Sunset Walk, Lendys Tower, Oldkeep, Lower Dura.
The place where Pearl lived with her daughter.

This dwelling blends into the surrounding buildings and shops so well it could easily get passed by unnoticed. Even the door is totally nondescript.
Upon entering it is deceptively out of place. All preconceived ideas of what the interior of a slum dwelling should be like go out of the window as the living room is walked into.
The styles of décor are graceful and elven, the person who lived here obviously strived for a better life but didn’t have the funds to achieve her dream.
The curtains are drawn and a dim everbright lantern emits a faint warm orange glow. The room has a light musty smell as though it hasn’t been lived in for a while (over a week).

The dwelling hasn’t been touched since the babysitter left. No one has entered or left it is exactly as Dhreshma left it when she returned to her home with Melara.

Clues:
Diary – Pearl kept a diary under her bed. It is not a conventional journal, more a diary of events, an appointment book. The night of her disappearance she was to head to the “Hippogriff’s Wing”, room 15 to meet R. Tucked into the page is also a written note (not her writing) with directions to the “Hippogriff’s Wing”.

There is an earlier note from several days before that appointment, (Far 13th Olarune). It simply says:
“Meeting with Taj, House P re. R.”

This is obviously pertaining to the entertainer’s guild regarding Reordyn.
Taj is Tarajarl Wenst of House Thuranni.

The Hippogriff’s Wing
Songbird Avenue, Talan Tower, Hareth’s Folly, Middle Dura.

For a small sum of gold the proprietor (Gech) checked his rental log and found that on 16th Olarune room 15 was rented for 1 hour by Cathan ir’Demell at the cost of one gold.

It is common knowledge that Cathan ir’Demell is the Lord Mayor of Sharn – nobody books a room under their own name…..

For a little more gold Gech gives some information about who was here. But he is scared, really scared. Taking Lorric into the kitchens he reveals some more:
"If word gets out that I'm dealing information about these people my life will be destroyed."
"The man who paid for the room bore a ring of amber with a small onyx set in the centre – to look like an eye. These rings are only worn by people of prominence in an organisation known as “The Amber Eye”."

He can also tell them that the man left several minutes before the elf whore; once they’d left he has no clue about what happened to either of them.

Once the group left the inn they were caught up by a regular patron who overheard some of the conversation. The wily chap will not say a word without gold in his palm so begrudgingly the group oblige.
“I was heading home just after that elf whore left. She was quite a looker, out of my price range mind. Any ways it looked like she was heading to get a carriage from the transport station on Gelthen Way, mind you she never got that far. Some shady folk grabbed her from an alley, knocked her out cold. Well I would’a helped but I was a bit worse for wear,” he gestures at his tankard. ”so all I could do was watch helplessly as they took her off in a small skycoach.”
Upon investigating the alley they are beset upon by two muggers dressed in black with their fiendish rat companions. When the guard catch up with them it becomes obvious they are not to blame and they are asked to move along. They found nothing of interest and headed off to Dragon Towers in order to find out who Taj is.

The Entertainers Guild
Long Dance Way, Thuranni Tower, Dragon Towers, Upper Menthis. Thuranni Enclave.

The Entertainers Guild keeps a guild-house in the Lower levels of the Thuranni enclave. Here the players can find out several interesting details about Pearl and her client.
Taj – aka Tarajarl Wenst is available but has very little time. It seems that he is part of some other branch of the House to the people that hired the group, he seems to hold them in some contempt.

He can relay the following information:

Pearl was going to see a man who is a high ranking member of the “Amber Eye”, called Reordyn Emtaiurn.
“She was particularly useful in her position as we entertainers love to gossip”. She could impart some particularly interesting information on the organisation which could then be sold to interested parties.It is assumed that her child, Melara, is Reordyn’s although he doesn’t know it.
Reordyn is chief counsellor to the head of “The Amber Eye”.
“The Amber Eye” is an organisation operating out of Castellan that specialise in prostitution. They dabble in other areas but selling sex is where they excel. They are currently in some kind of covert war with a group known as “The Tyrants”.
Their base of operations is “The Gaze”, a large bordello in the Castellan district.
House Thuranni do not want to be seen to be interfering with the "Amber Eye" and as a result they have hired the group, as they bear no affiliations.
They are warned about contacting "The Tyrants" as they are a far worse danger than the current threat.

The Amber Eyes Relations
With regards to other criminal organisations “The Eye” is particularly territorial. Callestan is where it operates and it doesn’t tolerate trespassers.

The Boromar Clan utilise the “The Eye”. They are considered to be allied.
Daask are considered a threat.
The Tyrants are in direct competition with “The Eye”.

Reordyn Emtaiurn
Reordyn Emtaiurn lives well out of the poverty of the Lower Wards. He has a home in Oak Towers, Northedge where he lives with his wife and two children who are oblivious to his working day, let alone his interaction with a prostitute.
He is considered to be an upstanding member of the community. His office hours can sometimes be unseemly but his wife understands that when the Waste Extraction foreman is required on site he has to leave, those sewer pipes won’t fix themselves, and they do burst or clog with startling regularity.

The Gaze
Auspice Street, Juniper Tower, Callestan, Lower Dura.
The group decide to send someone into the bordello in order to see if they can spot Pearl, and so with a handful of gold the job falls to Lorric. His affinity for ale and women seems particularly apt for this scenario.

This establishment is perhaps one of the sleaziest in Sharn. Red everbright lanterns illuminate the painted slogan hanging from the wall. 2 large men stand either side of the door, each wearing a set of dark eye glasses, and carrying a selection of weapons. They eye everyone who enters with intense scrutiny.
There is a membership basis where patrons can buy a yearly, 6 monthly or monthly pass, however the guest fee for a nights entrance is 5 silver, payable to a half-orc behind a desk just inside the entrance. All weapons are to be left here or there will be no admittance.

The interior of the establishment is dark and has the pungent smells of stale beer, incense, sweat and other bodily scents. A quartet of musicians play in one corner, scantily clad women carry trays of drinks through the tables and there seems to be an abundance of single women here, each desperately trying to catch the attention of the patrons. A small stage has a provocative act singing a bawdy song whilst gradually removing items of clothing; she seems to have drawn quite a crowd.
As the evening progresses the club becomes more and more bawdy, in time a silence falls and the lights on the stage promise a show to remember.
The music flares into life as Pearl steps onto the stage and performs a wonderful and exotic, yet strangely clean, song and dance routine for the clientele.
Lorric sees his opportunity and begins to ask around on how to get some time alone with the beautiful elf. Asking at the bar he is introduced to the sleaze-bag that is Reordyn, and is told that time with her is only granted with permission of the Lady of the establishment, he is soon led through a secure door and down several steps to a basement room.
Beyond the door is a dim room thick with the scent of heavy incense, behind a large desk sits a figure wrapped in a hooded cloak, her face shrouded in shadow. As Lorric watches her he notices that her hood seems to move gently as though something beneath is writhing. She explains that the girl is a prize possession of the bordello and she does not come cheap, there is a cost of 50 gold for one hour with the elf and a chaperone will be present at all times. He is told that she will not be available tomorrow so he must make his desicion tonight.
Lorric leaves the club shortly after the meeting with the intent of returning with the gold, somewhere a bell strikes 11 o'clock.
Once he returns to the rest of the group they discuss their options.
  1. Raid the bordello and extract Pearl by force. This is discounted as they have counted at least 8 armed guards.
  2. Return to House Thuranni with news of their findings and an explaination that they can do no more.
  3. Assuming that she is going somewhere tonight, due to her not being available tomorrow, they should wait and watch the establishment.
Ajax decides at this point to try and find other entrance to the building, his thoughts are filled with arson. So he heads down a side alley to investigate a second entrance, he is spotted and soon ushered away from the building by 6 more guards. This compounds the argument against raiding the place, so they head back to the Thuranni enclave.



Lost Lives

Olarune 25th, Wir, 998 Y.K.

The group hurry about Sharn together trying to piece together the last few days of their lives and hoping to locate their animal companions and old friends.
They head to their respective homes and meet later that day in the 'Slaughterman's Delight', a tavern in the Firelight District and discuss what they have found and what they are to do next.

Ajax
When the game begins Ajax finds his thoughts are surprisingly lucid and clear. This is a massive change from the usual constant chattering, wailing and crying of hundreds of thoughts within his mind.
Although he finds it hard to remember he is aware that it is normally a great effort to clear his mind of the chaos.
This is due to the fact that whilst within Fallen district he takes on the ‘Memelith’ template. Should he ever return to the area then the voices gradually begin to return and once more he will find it difficult to remember any kind of life beyond the barbarism of Fallen.

However, this is the least of his worries, on the night that he was abducted everything changed….

“They” came for him in the night, dark masked figures floating silently down from the towers of Kenton (Tavick’s Landing, primarily shifter populated). It seems that hey knew exactly who they were coming for and did not deviate. The tribe stood strong as one, but they were overwhelmed and 18 members of the Black Claw tribe died that night before an unmarked skycoach took them away.
Now the survivors see Ajax as cursed and they will not let him return to the tribe, he must collect his belongings and never return.

Some of the tribe, Yulunga the tribal Shaman in particular, do not blame him and will try to talk to him given the opportunity.
He went back into the district of Fallen with the idea of somehow using the voices of the dead that haunt his mind to find answers. With time and effort he isolated a single voice, that of Xelphan, the younger Shaman of the tribe, his spirit could tell them little of what happened other than what Ajax already knew.
As they were waiting for Ajax the group encountered a group of Blood-Drinkers, they soon had to retreat out of Fallen as their opponents numbers grew.

Anvil
Anvil lives in a small residence in Blackbones, under Foundation (Tavick’s Landing) at the southern tip of Sharn.

“They” came for him at his home in the dead of night, and they took him.
His home is now a mess of broken glass and pottery, furniture is overturned and tables are smashed.
The front door is still locked and nothing has been taken.
According to Needle (a warforged leather worker who has a shop nearby) there were no witnesses that night as the tunnels were closed due to a curfew, acidic gas had ruptured a vent and was spilling out into the streets so the warning went out and everyone was restricted to their current locations. Nothing more was mentioned of the leak and there was no damage or casualties, although it was rumored that Anvil was caught in the gas and beyond repair.

Kapek
Kapek lives in a fine accomodation in the Little Plains District of Sharn.
When he returns his house is still locked and is left as it always is, the small stable is empty.

Kapeks mount was found wandering the street outside his residence by his elderly neighbours, Selman and Harriet Melarmot.

The following day his neighbours return it mount once they have realised that he is back, they say they found it wandering the street outside 12 nights ago and were just toying with the idea of selling it as it didn’t look like Kapek was going to be returning.

Lorric
There were no witnesses to his abduction, at least none who dare come forward. It is entirely possible that they took him from near or in his home, 'The Joy Street Hostel', a monastic house of the Order of the Long Arm in the Firelight district

To the Necropolis
The group decide that answers and REVENGE are in order and so they head across the city in order to the crypt that they were told was an entrance to a temple dedicated to the Blood of Vol. They had heard very little of this cult save that they are a religeon that has its roots in Karrnath and may have some links to the undead.
Luckily for them the Grenn family tomb proved too difficult for their lock-picking cababilities and so they decided to return when they could afford a set of masterwork lock-picks. This raised the question of acquiring gold.
The group head back into town discussing methods of how to earn cash

PRELUDE - Awakenings

Olarune 24th, Zol, 998 Y.K.

Prelude
Slowly you force your eyes to open, rubbing the crusted sleep from their corners. Your surroundings are dark and cool, a gentle humming emanates from somewhere beyond your senses. Gradually your eyes respond to their environment and the room you are in slips into focus. You are laid on a simple bed with a plain white gown to cover your modesty, an everbright lantern is shuttered to provide dim illumination, and you are alone.
You vaguely remember being submerged in some sort of liquid filled tank, unable to move and filled with fear, although you cannot remember why.
Upon examining themselves they find that they have several wounds that are in the process of healing and they seem weak and lethargic. Their memories are clean and they have no recollection of where they are, how they got here or even who they are, beside their names….

Within a few minutes your room door is opened and you are led from your chamber, by a single heavily armoured warforged.

Warforged Awakening
A bright and sudden flare into consciousness fills your senses with overwhelming sound and colours.“This one’s awake”, comes a voice from nearby. As you begin to gather your faculties you realise that you are in some kind of workshop, submerged waist deep in a vat of resinous liquid, various metal bands hum about your arms and head infusing you with a sense of vitality and well-being.Several humans begin to scurry about you, detaching various implements before you are carefully hoisted from the vat of liquid and polished to a high sheen. Once you have been suitably cleaned and polished you see another warforged enter the workshop. The little humans who seem to have been taking a great amount of pride in their work on you take a step back with wide smiles.“This one seems to be ready now. Number 6, take him to meet the others.”With that the heavily armoured warforged steps forward, “Follow me” it says then turns and heads out of the workshop.

You travel down several clinically clean corridors into a simple square room with smooth rendered white walls and a black polished tile floor. Several comfortable looking chairs face a desk on one side of the room, and on the opposite wall from you is another door.


One by one the players are led into a plain white room by their warforged chaperone, here they are asked to take a seat, and their questions will be answered as soon as everyone is gathered. The room’s door is locked after each entry. A second door faces this one on the opposite side of the room, this too is firmly locked.
There is one other person that is brought into the room, a Kalashtar named Alatheus.

First Meetings...?
As each of the characters meet they feel a certain sense of recognition, but it is distant and dreamlike. Once all the characters are gathered they have approximately 5 minutes before the room is entered again, this time by an authoritative figure who introduces himself as Master Frehsys, artificer of House Cannith, and two armed guards, the Master speaks;

“Greetings, I am glad to see that you have all regained consciousness, you had us all quite worried for a few days. My name is Master Frehsys d’Cannith. My apologies if your memories are a little vague at the moment, do not worry they will return in a little while, we had to administer certain rare herbs and devices in order that you could fight the charms that had been placed upon you.”

“Ten nights ago you were found by a small contingent of my men within the City of the Dead. Their reasons for being there cannot be disclosed, however, they were investigating a Mausoleum that has been converted into a temple of Vol. To all intents and purposes my men were never there, I would like it to remain that way if you would be so kind. Anyway, you were found within this temple, and you were certainly rescued from a fate worse than death.”

“I can tell you little else of this situation as it may compromise my own plans….”

“I am not at liberty to reveal your current location, suffice t say that you are not within Sharn’s city limits. However you will be returned shortly.”

“The treatment you have received here was costly to say the least and once you have been returned you will be contacted with regards payment.”

“I can give you the location of the Vol temple should you wish to return there, but I would strongly recommend against that course of action for your own safety.”

“Your belongings are through the other door,” he gestures across the room, “you may retrieve them now. Please leave your gowns on the table provided.”


Leaving the Complex
You are escorted through several more clinical corridors until you arrive at a small cage that seems to be at the bottom of vertical shaft. A small control box has various dials and valves that control devices beyond your view and 2 large levers stand beside.
You are ushered into the cage and with a few tweaks and a pull of one of the levers the cage begins to rise up the shaft.
After some 5 minutes of ascent the cage grinds to a halt and you are escorted through more corridors, these seem somewhat less clinical and are busier. Eventually after many twists and turns you are taken into a large circular room, some 200 feet across, within are several strange skycoaches that look as though they should be being pulled along the lightning rail, their windows are blacked out and there is a strong almost overwhelming menthol smell.

You are ushered onto one of these skycoaches and invited to take a seat until the flight is due to commence.

Once you are all in the coach the door closes, you feel a gathering of energy and a gentle crackling sound emanates from a large crystal set into the ceiling, a moment later there is an explosive crack of sound and light, even as you reactively close your eyes you can see the powerful energy flooding through your eyelids and then there is darkness and silence.

There is the sound of the gentle voice of Frehsys in your mind, “Please remain calm, this is not a permanent effect, and once we arrive in Sharn it will be removed. I will be putting a scented hood over your heads while we travel, it is a most pleasant scent, please try to relax you will be home shortly.”

The return journey takes somewhere in the region of 2 hours when you feel the Skycoach setting down on solid ground and your scented hoods are removed
Once more you hear the voice in your head, “You are about to be subjected to an invisibility spell, please do not resist or this will only take longer, once you are invisible you will be escorted from the coach and led into the street, from there our journey together is at an end and you will be contacted at a later date by my colleagues.”

You are led out of the coach one by one and you can feel the damp humid air that is familiar to the City of Towers and as your vision and hearing begin to return you can see the skycoach that brought you is already ascending far above you.


It doesn’t take long for the PCs to find out that they are in Lower Dura, The Stores. The time is roughly 10 p.m. and the streets are practically deserted.

Upon returning to Sharn the PCs begin to regain the memories of their former life, but nothing of their abduction.

Introduction

Hi there.

This blog is an archive of events and situations that have occured within the Eberron campaign that I am running for my friends.
We play weekly and I'm not sure just how long this will take as players are notorious for going off the plot and into strange tangents that you couldn't dream up.

My aim is to try and recapture the magic and enthusiasm of my early years of roleplaying, the variety of environments, monsters and scenarios that were so simple back then. But I hope to combine this with the complexity of intricate plot-lines and the darkness that sits beneath the surface of Eberron.
I will be posting the events of each game along with maps, diagrams, pictures,  and verbal descriptions of locations and foes encountered. There will also be insertions from the players and updates to the forum (including a list of NPCs, locations and organisations) that I am running alongside this blog. Unfortunately the forum is membership by invite only, however several forums are open to the public to view.

Hopefully it will be enjoyed by all, and hopefully i can keep up with this blog.
Please enjoy reading and forgive my poor grammar and spelling.
I haven't run a game in many years and its been over a decade since I ran a game for a group so I'm a bit nervous to say the least - so fingers crossed....


My players are:
James - Anvil Hammer Hands - Warforged Artificer
Chris -Lorric the Iron Fist - Human (Drunken) Monk of the Long Arm
Ian - Kapek Redhorn - Talenta Halfling Ranger (Dinosaur Rider)
Dave - Ajax - Shifter Scout (Urban)

Player comments are posted in the following format and are only edited for spelling, content is not changed.
*Player comments
Player descriptive text........

Throughout the blog i have tried to differentiate with narrative and descriptive text by italicising narrative.

The question is - Why is it titled "The Point of Infinity"?
All will be revealed in time as the unfolding of the Draconic Prophecy....


I would like to apologise to anyone who is offended at my using their artwork. I would like to thank them all for doing such a fantastic job and should they wish for me to either remove it or give them credit then please just let me know. I can not locate artists or sources at this point as i have been collecting these pictures for many years. I do not wish to infringe upon any copyright laws i am merely trying to portray the world as i see it.
You can contact me here - spikeybrain@googlemail.com - But i don't often check this account so please be patient.
Thanks - The Point of Infinity.