5 April 2019

Our adventurers awaken in Gracklestugh after a long night's rest at the inn called Gholbrorn's Lair. The terrible smoke and smog is beginning to affect some of them. Especially Caius and Ezri who upon waking discover they're suffering from a bad case of gracklelung and not feeling well at all. Autun soothes them through the laying on of hands and they feel better. The three keepers of the Inn see this and fail to hide their growing interest in Autun and his abilities. A giant who can carry beer kegs and cure disease, might be worth something...

The party eats breakfast, a hearty meal of oatmeal and beer with some kind of sweet sorghum like material mixed into the oatmeal. Over breakfast they plan their day. They know a trip to Overlake Hold to talk with Captain of the Guard Errde Blackskull is necessary, and a top priority. But the gang also has an appointment to meet with the merchant Werz Saltbaron to pick up the spell gems to be transported to the city of the deep gnomes. The party agrees to visit Overlake Hold first, and then meet the merchant second.

After breakfast Kais asks the barkeepers about unusual events that they might have noticed, sharing that they witnessed a fight in the Shattered Spire tavern where the combatants could not remember why they were fighting. The barkeepers respond that fights and disturbances are not unusual, but then after a bit more pushing admit there have been some strange occurrences lately. There has been trouble with trade. Refugees have been coming to the city and trade routes have been getting attacked by strange beasts more often than regular. There has been a general uptick in violent activity affecting trade routes and this has placed pressure on merchants within the city. At this the party tells the barkeep of their recent adventures and concerns with the abyss leaking into the underworld. The innkeeper then tells of the derro, the former slaves of the grey dwarves. Droki, the derro in the tentacled hat is mentioned. The barkeep knows little of Droki, but warns the adventurers from venturing into the part of the city controlled by the derro. They may be free of slavery, but not poverty, and there are many desperate derro who would see the adventurers as easy prey.

Half-way to Overlake Hold the party notices they're being followed. At this, and using hand signals, Autun drops to the back of the party with Bree and Jimjar immediately in front, hidden from view. Once hidden Bree casts invisibility on herself and Jimjar. They then break off from the party, wait, and begin following from a distance. Remaining stealthy they hear footsteps immediately in front of them while a staged argument creating a bit of ruckus carries on between Caius, Ezri and Autun over something insignificant. Jimjar sneaks closer to the footsteps and, after determining the best she can where the footsteps are, Bree casts Faerie Fire at the location. Both Jimjar the maker of the footsteps successfully dodge the Fire of Faeries, remaining unilluminated. A hanging lamp post glows bright purple.

But then a grey dwark materializes wearing the sigil of the city guard. He is clearly annoyed at someone trying to cast Faerie Fire on him and demands that the invisible caster materialize. Bree materializes herself, but Jimjar remains hidden. The guard knows there were two and again demands the 2nd materialize, thus Jimjar then also appears. Gruff conversation ensues and the party agrees to be escorted to Neverlake Hold, not sure if they are under arrest.

Upon reaching Overlake Hold the party is put through a series of bureaucratic exercises, bookkeeping, registering, dirty looks, uncomfortable seats in waiting areas, etc. One such exercise requires the party to give the name of their group, and after much deliberation the party decides to be called Stool's Irregulars in honor of their fallen myconid comrade. They finally gain an audience with Errde Blackskull and have an attempt to explain their past and the threat that the city is in. Surprisingly, the meeting goes better than expected and Errde not only believes them, but agrees to work with them.

They sign a contract with the city guard that lays out their arrangement. The party will provide proof of corruption within the city or the ranks of the city guard. For each such instance of proof Stool's Irregulars will receive 150GP, but it must be real proof and they are only interested in activities occurring within the city walls. In addition when the contract ends the party will be granted safe passage out of the city and on their way. The contract can be terminated at any time by either party. Bree casts Comprehend Languages, and reads the contract before everyone makes their mark of agreement on it. All members of Stool's Irregulars then receive official city guard badges, they have been deputized.

The newly named Stool's Irregulars then decide to make their way to the docks to meet Werz Saltbaron and pick up the rubies. Nothing happens on the way there, but once they arrive they notice the merchant standing at the end of a pier above the water. Autun notices something moving below the merchant and warns the party. They decide to stay on the shore and call out to the merchant. At that, two grey dwarves emerge from the water underneath the dock where the merchant is standing and, jumping up to his height, stab him in the gut twice with knives that cannot be seen.

Seeing this, Caius immediately heals him from afar and Bree bolts to his aid. After some confusion, Werz is helped to the shore by Kais and Ezri and saved from death by more healing from Autun. He doesn't know who might have hired the assassins, but he recognizes them as members of the Empty Scabbards, assassins for hire. He tells of a recent feud he has had with Gorglak, a corrupt member of the city guard who unlike most greydwarves, lusts for magic and not money. But he can't imagine that Gorglak would do such a thing. Bree, perhaps foolishly, shows her badge to him and the party then explains that they are working with the city guards to find corruption within their ranks. Werz seems winded and somewhat confused from someone trying to kill him, but decides to stay hidden at his sister's house until this blows over a bit. His life is clearly in danger. If the party needs to contact him they can leave a message at the Shattered Spire. Before leaving the party takes possession of the spell gems.

Bree believes that the real goal of the assassins was to frame the Irregulars in the murder of Werz. Other members are not quite sure what the goal of the assassins was.

The party heads to the Shattered Spire and buys 7 beers for 3cp each. Caius then gets a booking for the night with a 10% cut of the bar profits above normal. Kais buys a lute for 35GP. Caius plays his heart out supported by Kais and Bree, again telling his lesson of "Resist the Abyss". Droki is spotted again in the crowd but Autun, Ezri, Jimjar and Shuushar note otherwise nothing out of the ordinary.

Caius earns 25GP for his efforts.

The sessions ends before the Stool's Irregulars head off to their second gig of the night.

Inventory

Gained

• PURCHASED 210 rations
• PURCHASED 50 ft hemp + 50 feet silk rope
• PURCHASED fishing tackle x4
• PURCHASED 20 gp of spell components for Find Familiar
• 5gp of gems + 15sp
• bag of magical rubies for delivery
• 25GP for Caius' bard act

Lost

• 21CP for beer
• 35GP for lute
• cost of our rooms (?GP)
• cost of the above PURCHASED items

Party inventory (excluding Gained items above)

• 80cp 451sp 206gp 17pl
• misc gems worth 15gp
• 7 gems x 2gp each

• all of our original possessions, except disposables

• Potions of Greater Healing, 1 each (4d4+2)
• 2 potions of healing
• 2 gourds of antitoxin (gives 1 hour of advantage on saving throws against poison)
• 1 flask of holy water (carried by Autun)
• 11 unicorn hooves (goodberry)
• spell component pouch
• diamond worth 300gp

• bag of holding
• scroll of Protection From Fiends in a box of surface wood
• one pair of spectacles of darkvision
• a Quiver of Ehlonna (carried by Kais)
• Bree's Book of Shadows

• thieves' lantern (carried by Kais)
• pouch with incense (worth 5gp)
• a Dwarvish recipe book
• a Dwarvish poetry book
• a bone flute
• a strange hourglass (worth 2gp)
• bracelet (silver) worth 6gp
• silver hand mirror
• small wood box
• silver headdress
• 3 rings with gems (from dead drow)
• 2 longbows (one kept by Kais, one kept by Autun)
• necklace with 3 headed flail
• decorated quiver (5gp)
• drow underwear
• a bunch of hairpins (fished out from between the teeth of the elf-Quaggoth)

• plush purple velvet cloak (worn by Autun)
• shield (carried by Caius)
• silvered sickle (carried by Ezri)
• 1 studded leather armor (kept by Kais)
• 1 bag of pitons (kept by Kais)
• 2 short swords (kept by Kais)
• 3 daggers (kept by Kais)
• 1 hand crossbow (kept by Kais)
• 1 bag of caltrops (kept by Kais)
• some rope

• 24 +1 arrows
• some arrows
• some spears
• some crossbow bolts

• (drow) rations
• a lot of salt
• a lot of fish
• blue cap mushroom spores
• water orbs
• shambling mound debris (tinder)

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Prior: 29 March 2019, All: Play_Sessions, Next: 12 April 2019