LRC:Shieldmeet

Attendance: Daryl, Frank, Ryan, and Joe

Ruha's Fire Display Ends the Midsummer Celebration

After leaving Meriae to deal with the three dead thugs and two live ones, Robhim, Wolfdale, Brennell, Dookette, Dmitrii, and Blue make their way to Ellison Park, where Ruha will be putting on a fire display to close the Midsummer Festival.

The crowd at Ellison Park is vast and high in the air Ruha, Duncan, and Shad can be seen having a picnic on a magic carpet as they wait for the sun to set. As the last glow of daylight fades from the sky, Ruha's carpet descends to the stage in the center of the park, Shad and Duncan step off of the carpet, and Ruha is suddenly engulfed in flames as the carpet rises once again into the air, trailing flames. Ruha begins casting fireballs high into the air and they explode into bursts and the crowd cheers. Cones of fire shoot high into the air, hitting illusionary mini dragons (controlled by illusionists on the ground). Some of Ruha's most visual displays weren't actual fire spells, but illusions instead.

Wolfdale, who had separated from his companions, noticed a familiar face in the crowd—Asper! Asper was having a conversation with Captain Liston Ironhelm, and the two seemed to be friendly. During the finale Wolfdale made his way closer and closer to them and as they left the park he continued to follow them. After they turned a corner Asper was gone and Wolfdale overheard some crowdspeople talking about how "that man just disappeared".

Robhim, still disguised as Victor, charmed a squirrel and used it to begin discussing with children and families urban ecology. People around were very disturbed at the use of magic, by a Harpell, in public -- but they eventually warmed to it and enjoyed the lecture. That is, until Dookette ruined it with some very dark comments involving squirrels and sexual activities.

An Eventful Night...

After Wolfdale returned to the group and informed them of the connection between Asper and Ironhelm, everyone began to get nervous about the implications from that. Namely the connection between Ironhelm and Prime Minister Talen. While debating over the seriousness of the information, there was a knock at the door of their room at the Gilded Blade Inn.

Answering the door cautiously—actually expecting an attack—is a waiter with the cheese and wine that the party requested.

The party decides to try and use this information to try and make sure that Talen is not elected King by the nobles on Shieldmeet. Robhim, disguised by a Veil spell as Victor Harpell, and Blue go in search of Harlann. Brennel and Dookette, who are disguised as a formorian worker and halfling cleric of Mystra respectively, seek out Roscoe to sell the information, and Wolfdale, disguised as Vincent Harpell, decides to take the information to the most dangerous person they know: Jones.

In the bar on the way out Wolfdale is accosted by a rugged-looking man in a cowhand's hat, weathered leather armor, carrying a bandolier of wands and pouches. Resting on his shoulder is a small raven. He casually lights a thick cigar as he asks Wolfdale why they are staying at the Gilded Blade. As Wolfdale starts to reply, Robhim and Blue come down the stairs and the strange man walks over to Robhim, asking him why he isn't staying at Scarletstone. Robhim replies that he has something to do and leaves, with the strange man, Smokin' Joe Harpell, following.

Hofflepuff's Kegger

Dookette's costume granted Brennel's and her entrance to Hofflepuff's house. Almost immediately, Dookette began fraternizing with her "fellow" halflings. Brennel sought out Roscoe, and with a little trouble, was able to convince him of his true identity. Shortly afterward, they were talking business , and decided to split the price fetched by the scandalous information detailing a friendly relationship between Catain Liston Ironhelm and Asper. With more development, the party believes it could link Talen to the assassination of the Lord King Dac'Angelo.

After the agreement, Brennel discovered Dookette completely inebriated. It was time to go, but Dookette wasn't done for the night. After shown her drinking prowess, she became curious to see if her male illusion could perform as intended in bed. She then proceeded to bring two heavily made-up, badly dressed halfing girls back to the hotel.

Despite Brennel's attempts to get the girls removed from the premises by claiming that they were prostitutes soliciting outside, they made it to the party's double-room.

Finding Harlann

Smokin Joe followed Robhim for quite some time, eventually seeing through the disguise and learning that it was not indeed his father he was following. Shannon had apparently scried for Victor and located Robhim-Veiled-Victor. Shannon and Smokin Joe do not get along very well, being bullied to the bully.

First, they tried Cendrell's, but she wasn't home. Then they tried other locations where Harlann may be (including asking soldiers, who would not reveal his location). Mission failed.

Pig and Whistle

In the morning the party finds that Wolfdale has not yet returned from his trip into the Dark Wood. A slight rap on the door is Shannon Harpell, who has come to disguise the party for the day. He again makes them appear as members of the Harpell family and tells the party to meet Alicia at the Pig and Whistle tavern to discuss the days events.

As the party leaves the Gilded Blade for their meeting, Blue leads the party to see something at the Meadmaker Road. Hanging from one of the posts is the unconscious and nearly dead form of Wolfdale. It is apparent that he found Jones. Blue and Robhim nurse him to consciousness and heal him up, finding that Wolfdale is reluctant to say more than he found Jones. A strange brand is burned into Wolfdale's back.

Once the party arrives at the Pig and Whistle tavern, a moon elven warrior introduces himself as A'Dam, and he is to speak with the party in Alicia's stead. Naturally hesistant of strangers at this point, Robhim casts Detect Magic on him from afar, confirming that he was using a Hat of Disguise. Knowing that Asper is rumored to use one, the party bolts.

As the party leaves to seek out Alicia, A'Dam begins to follow the party. Wolfdale, Dmitrii, Blue, Brennell set an ambush for him, while Robhim and Dookette hurry to seek out Alicia, hoping the others buy some time for them. As A'Dam approaches, it's obvious to him that Dmitrii and others are waiting to ambush him. He tells them that he is Alicia, using a Hat of Disguise. She confirms her identity and everyone relaxes and joins her for morningfeast.

Alicia tells the party that today the Hand of Kelemvor will be trying to divine the location of the soul of Dac'Angelo. If the Hand cannot find it, Dac'Angelo will be buried and a new King will be voted in by the nobles. If that happens, Alicia and Lori will attempt to argue for more time to find the soul before announcing a new King.

The Asper-Liston-Talen connection was given to Alicia, and it was hoped that she could use it during the deliberations of the nobles against him.

After the open council with the people, the Defenders of the Rings will be meeting at Scarletstone and the party will present the Ring of the Waves at that meeting.

The Fate of the King's Soul

As you arrive at the palace, you can see that most of the city has filed into the palace grounds and out into the Pastoral Gardens. (You notice Jar Jar valiantly defending a garden from trampling.) As you make your way through the crowd you manage to get into the palace area where you can see that a stage has been placed in the front of the palace. On the stage sits empty chairs, a large podium with the crest of Lone Rock City on it, and at the podium is Shannon Harpell, asking everyone to be patient, we will be observing the day of open council with the ruling nobles.

After some time has passed, the doors to the palace open. Shannon Harpell begins announcing everyone as they walk out of the palace;

• First is a dwarven battle-rager with a rather large and nasty-looking spike on the top of his armor who Shannon introduces as Bam Timpan, battlerager of the Meadmaker clan;
• Lady Cendrell, of the Iron Men Elite Force;
• Alicia Humphrey, Assistant Headmistress of the Harpell School of Wizardry;
• Lady Lori Harpell, Archmage of Lone Rock City and Headmistress of the Harpell School of Wizardry;
• Delirium Harpell, Court Arcanist;
• Duncan McBride, Leiutenant of the Iron Men Elite Force;
• Layna, General of the Iron Men Elite Force;
• Evan Stormhandle, recently appointed Leiutenant of the to be formed Lone Rock City Navy;
• Lord Harlann McInnis, General of the Armed Forces of Lone Rock City;
• Lord Netsuo Nishi, head of the Dark Dog fraternity;
• Lance Brightfist, the Dawnbringer;
• Phil Flannagan, servant of the Winsome Rose (Hanali Celanil, elven deity)
• Shadanar Whisperdale, Lieutenant of the Iron Men Special Forces
• Ruha, Lieutenant of the Iron Men Special Forces
• Whoopi Broomuser-Meadmaker, Lordess of the Meadmaker Clan and High Priestess of the Silent Keeper (Dumathoin, dwarven diety)
• Yondbé, High Priest of the Great Mother and Master Gardener of Lone Rock City (Chauntea)

Shannon continues to introduce nobles, until he gets to...

• Lord Talen Pringles, Prime Minister of Lone Rock City and his wife, Lady Rebecca Harpell, Archwizardess of the Harpell School of Wizardry and Member of the Order of the Breeze arcanists.

Once everyone has come out and taken their positions on the stage, a hush goes over the crowd. The palace doors have begun to ooze shadows out onto the stage as gruesome form steps out of the palace. Clad in purple ceremonial robes and a black cloak strides a man with translucsent skin that reveals the blood vessels and bone underneath. As he strides forward, women in the crowd begin to scream. He reaches the podium, and in a deep resonating baritone he speaks,...

• Fear me not mortals, for I have not come for any of you. I am Montage Darkstar, the Right Hand of Kelemvor who is the Judge of the Damned. In life I was a black-hearted servant of Cyric, sent forward to adventure to Lone Rock City and spoil the adventurers who would be sent forward to spare the life of Lord King Dac'Angelo and to ensure that darkness would spread across the land. While traveling with the fine and noble group of adventurers I was shown that goodness was more than just the "enemy". Good was happiness, joy, laughter. Things that I had thought that I had experienced but I had truly not. With them I learned to value good, and began working to amend my ways. I turned away from Cyric, was brutalized by the bastard for it, and turned to Kelemvor. The Lord of the Dead welcomed me with open arms. Due to the traveling that I did on behalf of Lord King Dac'Angelo I ascended to become the Right Hand of Kelemvor.
• Today I spoke with Kelemvor, the god of dead, to divine the location of the soul of Lord King Dac'Angelo. His soul is not in the book of the dead. Let his burial begin.

Netsuo Nishi, Harlann McInnis, Cendrell, Lori Harpell, Whoopi Broomuser, and Talen go into the palace and then come out carrying a large orante coffin. The crowd parts as the Hand of Kelemvor leads the procession to a graveyard to the side of the palace in the Pastoral Gardens. Lori casts a spell with one hand and waves a stone door open. The pallbearers gently and reluctantly place the coffin in the tomb. Lori slowly waves the stone door closed.

The Hand of Kelemvor leads the massive crowd in a funeral rite that lasts about an hour. At the end of the rite, Shannon steps up and says, "The King is dead [definitely]. Now it is time to coronate the new king."

Harlann storms off.

Coronation

Lori Harpell steps up to the podium and speaks, "Since the former Lord King Dac'Angelo did not name an heir, it was the duty of the nobles of Lone Rock City to address this matter. Firstly, we have determined that the title "Lord King" is to be retired. Henceforth the leaders of the nation of Lone Rock will be referred to as either King, Lord, or Master, per the wishes of each King. After much deliberation amoungst the nobles of Lone Rock City we put the issue to a vote. I would like to introduce to the citizens of Lone Rock City the new King of Lone Rock, Prime Minister Talen Pringles.

Talen stands up and bows at Lori, then the gathered Lords and Ladies, and then at the crowd and walks up to the podium. "Greetings citizens of Lone Rock City, from your new King." An arrow pierces Talen's neck, only partially deflected by a protective ward, another arrow is ably dodged by Talen, a third arrow strikes Talen in the shoulder, it's blow softened by a protective ward, and a fourth arrow thunks loudly into the floor of the stage. Screaming from a rooftop in the distance is the form of the archer, yelling, "That's my vote!" as he jumps off the rooftop.

Cendrell immediate leaps to her feat with her sword in her hand and teleports. Netsuo Nishi jumps out of his seat and off the stage, transforming in midair into a fearsome panther and bounds off in the direction of the would-be assassin, followed by kobold ninjas that seem to spring from nowhere.

Arena Combats

During the arena combats, we met our foe-to-be in courts, the wife of the thug that assaulted us and her children seated in front of us. Robhim charmed a rat to have the children play with it. The fight was between Shad and someoneelsewhothecrowdbooed, Gildrath the giant. Shad won, with good showmanship.

Presenting the Ring of the Waves

The party meets Alicia (who gives us instructions) and Shannon (who dispels Veil) in Scarletstone at the evening to present ring to the group of "special people", including Alicia Humphrey, Bam Timpan, Cendrell, Lori Harpell, Montage Darkstar (The Hand of Kelemvor), Netsuo Nishi, and the newly crowned King Talen, but excluding Harlann. There's an additional empty seat we're not exactly sure who is supposed to sit in. It is noted that Harlann has stepped down from General and his replacement was not yet named, and there were changes amongst the Iron Men leadership, notably that Layna was now the General of the Iron Men.

In the room is a diamond sphere with ten insets for rings, three of which are filled. Talen asks that we keep this ring active (implying that the sphere nullifies them) for use in the upcoming wars, and bids that Dookette keep it. He affirms that he'll "reward" us later. However, first, we must confirm the status of the ring. He requests that Alicia detect magic it, but Robhim steps in and volunteers to do so, and blinds himself with five overpowering sources of magic.

Dinner and care arrangements are made with Peek-A-Boo in Scarletstone.

Lone Rock City: Gaming Sessions

Welcome to the Island, Back Alleys, Into the Woods, Rumblings, Underground, Defeating the Kocraken, "Mining Accident", The King's Murder, Long Live the King?, Tangled Trees, Heading Home, At Sea, Back in the City, God Shopping, Attacking the Darkness (Janus Raid), Under the Sea, Cavern of Deep Sashelas, Cavern of Deep Sashelas, part 2, Realm of the Dolphions, Meadmaker Mashup, Shieldmeet, Tending to Business, Fantine Taylor vs the Party, The Rescue of Delicious Harpell, Hunting Harpells, Attack of the 50 foot Ooze, Champions of Good?, Down the Rabbit Hole, Three Strikes, The King's Men, Heist, Prologue, Heist, Save the Beast, Rescue from the Duergar, Devil Elves Infest the Dark Wood, Artifact Evacuation, Rods of Thinuan Discovered, We Three Kings, Ghost from the past, Father and Daughter, Visiting the Elin of Nomin, The View From Inside The Jail, Hunting the Darkness, The Servant's Last Dance, Amnesia (Alternate World), Wedding and the End of the World (Alternate World), In the Garden of Evil, Deal with the Devil, The Death of Janus, Social Obligations, Bugs in the Floor, Finding Glimwocket, Return of Brennel, Quest for the Birthday Present (part 1), Quest for the Birthday Present (part 2), Ist'Vaech Is Having A Baby!, Fighting the Blood Clan, Defending the Muir Hole, Garrison of the Gale Grand Gala, Regicide, Bridezilla, Emergence of Nightbringer, Death and Return of Ist'Vaech, Dwarf Ghost and Riddles, Returned the Soulstone (in the Mail), Snubbed by the Githyanki, The Darkness Inside, Trip to Waterdeep, Kobolds Killing Cattle, Liberator Terrorist Attack, Liberators Secret Complex (multi-session), Wes Escapes From The Underworld, The Guards Kill Lemures Without Dying, Lil' Robby, No One Trusts Talen, Battle Interactive, Harlann's Evacuation,

Alternate World Sessions: Amnesia (Alternate World), Wedding and the End of the World (Alternate World),

Party Members: Simon, Robhim, Wolfdale, Ist'Vaech, Wes Temple, Vaeriasa, Vaeriasa Spells, Vaeriasa Special Abilities, Dragonform, Brave Iron Man (Guy),

Warriors of the Morning Breeze: Brennel, Simon, Robhim, Wolfdale, Dookette, Nan'lhach, Dmitrii, Ist'Vaech, Grim Greycastle, Sir Valans, Vaeriasa,