A:7 Following the Trail of Alun Northstag

Starring: βέλος, Diantha val'Emman, Kweto Lucullus, Jayvin De-gaul, Brand and introducing Vicente Eisner
Guest Starring: Marcel Wilhem, Stefan and Stefanie Wilhem, Iskander val'Mehan, Jon Arryn, Arden Blackeye, Lanky Half Orc, Bronislaw val'Abebi, Akar Manzoor and Makram Faatir, Iron Soul Prisoner, and Hobgoblin Cleric
Challenge: Giant Ant/Wasp Insect; Blackwand Thieves Guild; Half-hobgoblin archers in a tower
Location: Aliegis; Blackwand; River crossing on the road to Grokha
Date Played: 16 Aug 2009

Brand boards the Maidenhead to join the party in Blackwand

The party had arrived in Blackwand, a free city filled with adventurers and caverns. The city is ruled by an old adventurer's guild that has built a castle on the site. The party searches out the Hungry Warrior Inn, where Bronislaw Val' will be providing a safehouse for the Wilhelms.

Mauritius: I've never liked boats. I found that water is not very legionaire friendly. Poor Bob, he never lived up to his name on that one fateful voyage.

Vicente Eisner: Brand meets Vicente and a bald monk. The Monk is selling ravens while Vicente, a druid, is a traveler that barters when possible to earn his keep. Brand asked Vicente to join him as his friends often get injured and are in need of someone who has the ability to heal. The bald monk says he is on a quest to find the cup barrier whom he must help with his "virgin" hands.

Thieves Guild teaches the party a lesson?

A couple of thugs take to interrogating Jayvin to try to find out about thieves guild membership. They won't take "I'm not a member of the local thieves' guild" as an answer, and storm off. After they make sure that Marcel and his family will be safe in the safehouse (the party isn't sure -- there are people outside across the street keeping eyes on the place), the party separates to do their own activities. Belos goes to teach some underclassed some archery and fletching; Jayvin accompanies Kweto to ask about Alun around town; Mauritius goes to help his legion; Diantha stays behind to spend time in the inn.

Later in the day, as the party has regrouped for the evening, the thugs from earlier in the day attack Jayvin. They say there's only room for one guild in town, and, since he's not a member of theirs, he must be taken care of. A long battle ensues, with the party eventually being victorious. (In a strange twist of fate, at exactly the same time, Vincente and Brand, along with their new friends on the ship, battle a sea monster of some sort.)

Mauritius: I'm sure Starlet had something to do with this. She most likely game them all her money to dress them in fineries and we never saw it coming. Ugh, my head is spinning. I don't know what is going on with my memory these days.

Kweto Lucullus The Sanctorum seems to have been confused with a gang. So where are my bitchazz and coin? I was outflanked and somehow the rest of the company managed to subdue the gang. I heard Wilhelm and Dianthia talking while I recovered. I’ll need to find an alchemist to find a flame retardant blanket soon. Caught rumors of the other scholars that Alun was meeting who had no idea what he was investigating either. They did lead me to a caravan that he was forming to travel to Wan.

Kweto Lucullus Brand delivered the copy cup, his snarky attitude, and two travelers the next day. One was an altherian bother and the other seems to be an informant. As they are useful we’ll test them out until our quartermaster returns from his token orgy.

Mauritius seeks cups, finds love

The replica, Brand, Vincente and the monk meet up with the main party. Vincente and the monk are recruited. Brand gifts an novelty cup to Mauritius.

Mauritius: I did the what with the who? This whole recent trip seems like a daze that I can only see through others eyes. A warm fuzzy feeling inside and a cup. Well, I hope it was a large cup...

Seeking Northstag, Find Iron Soul Monks

Alun Northstag was indeed in town. He left, however. The Cult of the Frog was looking for him and he fled them, fast. He had made arrangements with the Iron Soul Monks to travel together for strength in numbers. They were headed towards Whon, in Kio, by way of Grokha. The party meets up with these monks and decides to travel with them along the same way that is normally taken. They hope to meet up with Alun on the way. The monks, who are dark kin, are escorting a prisoner -- one of their own -- who killed their master.

Mauritius: Who would want a soul of iron? That would sure make it hard to ascend into the heavens. I find these people very silly and wish them to go away.

Kweto Lucullus Spoke with the leader of the Iron Soul monks, Makrim Fakir, about Alun. All he knew was he left early after some trouble with the Cult of the Frog? The monks are transporting a prisoner back to their abbey for execution. As traveling companions the monks are horrible, they can’t even cook.

Toll bridge has no Troll

While traveling, there's a chaotic scene at a river crossing. A farmer was trying to cross a bridge with his herd. However, some vagabonds had taken over the towers (which are usually vacant) that overlook the bridge and were asking for outrageous tolls. The party plots, and manages to get close to the tower by feigning that they'll pay a toll (having borrowed three of the farmer's pigs). They take the bandits friends by surprise and manage to defeat them. Their cohesion was poor. Their leader, a knight, is dealt a coup de grace by Belos, and most of the rest are spared. The cleric among them is put in charge of the group by the party, who suggests they take up long-term residence in the towers and defend the countryside and make it safer for the farmers and travelers around. They can ask for tolls to fund their endeavors, but they should ask for small and reasonable tolls. Such a service to society should be looked highly upon and the populace might just embrace them. The farmer is grateful.

Kweto Lucullus We encountered a slight hitch in our travels after finding some goblinoids charging an exorbitant bridge toll. Eventually decided to assault the position because of the monks prisoner having too much of an eye for escape. Under the ruse of negotiating the toll Jayvin got them to lower there guard. This allowed me to hook a rope up the tower and others to gain cover from the arrows. I quickly climbed to the top of the tower since the goblinoids had little idea how to repel a siege. Once there I was able to hold the top but my companions nearly waited too long in backing up my position.

Kweto Lucullus Beaten, the goblinoids promised to leave the area with there wounded. They seemed trustworthy even if they were too greedy. Crossing the river puts us outside of Coryan so it is probably safe for me to wear Akeldama openly again.

Rewards

Thieves Guild

Studded Leather (5)

Shortsword, masterwork (5)

Buckler (5)

Dagger (5)

GP TBD

Farmers at the tower are grateful and give the party the following

Three pigs that the party used (especially mauritius. You sick bastard with a cup)

Beef Cow

Dairy Cow