Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)

Hand of the Master - Conclusion

With Elabac’s safe return and the true threat revealed, the dwarves of Solanos Mor returned to their normal lives. They were on a ship bound for Freeport at the behest of Brother Egil.

“Congratulations,” said Vlad to Beldin. “I heard you were made Elabac’s apprentice.”

Beldin nodded. “It is not the way I would have preferred to gain the position,” he said. “But it is an honor nonetheless.”

“We should be congratulating you,” Sebastian said to Vlad. “Scouting parties reported that the Reavers abandoned the camp with the death of their commander.”

Vlad shrugged. “I had no idea that crazy elf I killed back in Freeport was the commander’s lover. What she saw in that dwarf, I have no idea.”

“That wouldn’t be the first time an elf took a liking to someone unlikable,” said Kham with a smirk.

“Perhaps we all owe our gratitude to you, Kham,” said Beldin. “Jarel has been quite a boon.”

Sebastian nodded in agreement. “He revealed all he knows of the Reavers. Many dwarves are still angry at the Reavers for twice attempting to kill Elabac, but nothing can be done until they are found again.”

“Jarel finally seems to have found peace,” said Beldin. “And what about you, Kham? Did you find what you came to Solanos Mor for?”

Kham took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t call it peace, exactly.”

“What did you find then?” asked Bijoux.

“War,” said Kham, patting the hilt of Fleshripper. “I found war.”

Chapter 21: Terror in Freeport - Introduction

This is the second in the Freeport series of modules, "Terror in Freeport," written by Chris Pramas and (loosely) set in the Arcanis setting. You can read more about Arcanis at http://www.onaraonline.org. Please note: This adventure contains spoilers!

Our cast of characters includes:

· Dungeon Master: Michael Tresca (http://michael.tresca.net)
· Beldin Soulforge (dwarf fighter) played by Joe Lalumia
· Bijoux (fihali druid) played by Melissa Tresca
· Calactyte (ss’ressen barbarian) played by Joe Tresca (http://www.creepyportfolio.com)
· Kham Val’Abebi(val rogue/psychic warrior) played by Jeremy Ortiz (http://www.ninjarobotstudios.com)
· Ilmarė Galen (elf bard/fighter) played by Amber Tresca
· Sebastian Arnyal (dark-kin sorcerer) played by George Webster
· Vlad Martell (human fighter) played by Matt Hammer

Ah, Freeport. Freeport’s an adventurer city, ill defined (except that, ya know, it has pirates and cultists) but accepting of everyone, including Calactyte the big ss’ressen lizard and Bijoux the weird flying cat girl. So it’s only natural that those two should make it their home.

More importantly, it’s Kham’s home turf. That can be a good or bad thing, depending on the circumstances.

The highlight of this adventure was the death trap. I put the pressure on by using an hourglass, pounding music, and screaming, “NEW ROUND! WHAT DO YOU DO?” Fortunately…well, you’ll see for yourself.

I like this adventure less than the first in the Freeport trilogy, mostly because it has a bit more railroading and gullibility on the part of the PCs. There’s nothing quite like having a plot device lead to a certain death trap, and somewhere in between you track an impostor through a sewer to a temple that just happens to be under the main bad guy’s house. Okay, sure, whatever.

Mostly, this adventure is just a set up for the third adventure in the series. Given how it ends, you really can’t just have the PCs leave town without questioning their sanity. Not that any of them are necessarily sane…

Terror in Freeport - Prologue

“Nice sword,” said Kham, admiring his Milandisian companion’s blade.

Vlad beamed like a new father at his reforged longsword, laid out on the table at the Pale Plate. “Elabac called it ‘Grungronazharr.’ It means ‘Forged of Fire.’”

“He gave all of us weapons,” said Beldin at his side. A dwarven waraxe was strapped to his axe. “Master Elabac was very generous.”

“At least this time he didn’t turn down immortality,” muttered Kham.

“Speaking of past mistakes,” said Vlad. He nodded towards a man who had just entered the room.

Brother Egil hailed them with a stiff wave of his hand. He crossed through the tables, moving quickly, his eyes darting from patron to patron.

“It’s good to see you again,” said Egil, taking a seat against the wall. He addressed Cal. “Lucius asks after you.” He turned to address the others. “I trust you are all well.”

“I do not believe we have been formally introduced. I am Sebastian Arnyal.” Sebastian indicated his dwarf companion with the back of his hand. “This is Beldin, recently Master Elabac’s apprentice. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Kham leaned back in his chair. “Speak for yourself.”

“Likewise,” said Egil. “Where is Ilmarė?”

“With Quint—“ said Kham. Vlad elbowed him. “Not here.”

“Oh,” said Egil. “I am glad that any of you came at all.” His gaze wandered.

“Your note was urgent,” said Kham, irritated by Egil’s lack of focus. “What’s up?”

Egil took a deep breath and leaned close. “Forgive me for being distracted. I believe someone is trying to undo the good work you’ve done for Freeport.”

“What do you mean?” asked Vlad.

Egil glanced nervously around the room before continuing. “Things…have been happening. I’m not sure I can be any more specific than that.”

Kham took a sip from his mug. “Try.”

“Over the past month, I’ve been sensing a change in the atmosphere. I’ve lived here all my life, but now the city feels strange to me. The street seems full of eyes but not faces. I notice movement at the limits of my vision. I see shapes at the window when I’m alone in a room.”

“You hear footfalls behind you on the street.” Kham peered at Egil over his lenses. “But when you turn there’s nothing. Right?”

Egil looked at Kham curiously. “Yes.”

“I know the feeling,” said Kham.

“Perhaps it’s only nerves,” said Sebastian. “Freeport can do that to you.”

“I could almost believe that,” said Egil. “But then there was the intruder.”

“Where?” asked Vlad.

“I was with Lucius when I saw it.”

“How’s Lucius?” asked Cal.

“Lucius has been…well, it’s been difficult for him to readjust. I’m sure you can understand. First the possession, then the kidnapping…we try to make him as comfortable as possible, but there are some things beyond even prayer. For days he has been collapsing at his desk—he becomes feverish and faints dead away. One of us always takes him home after such a spell.”

“Yeah, tough life,” said Kham. He waved the waitress over to refill his mug. “You were saying?”

“Last week was my turn. I laid him down on his cot and sat to catch my breath. I just closed my eyes for a moment—then all of a sudden I was awake, and it was the middle of the night. I started to rise, but some instinct told me not to. I sat with my eyes half-open, waiting for them to adjust to the dark. I felt its presence before I saw it: a patch of dark gliding across the room like the shadow of a cloud. I was too terrified to breathe. “What air I could force down carried a curious odor—something clean but…dense. Something like water on rocks. Something like…”

Egil’s gaze wandered over to Calactyte.

The big lizard blinked back at him. “What?”

“Like a serpent,” Egil said quickly. “I watched this figure move about the room. Poking through drawers. Examining books.”

“Well, we know it wasn’t this serpent,” said Kham, referring to Calactyte’s illiteracy.

“Huh?” asked Cal.

“I couldn’t imagine what it wanted to steal, since our order takes a vow of poverty. Then it found what it was looking for—a long roll of parchment. It stashed the parchment in the folds of its cape and left as silently as it had come.”

“Did you tell Lucius?” asked Vlad.

Egil shook his head. “I can’t bring myself to tell him. I fear it may destroy what’s left of his sanity. I am afraid for myself also, and for the city.”

“Freeport?” asked Bijoux. “It seems like a tough city.”

“You suspect the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign,” said Sebastian. “Don’t you?”

“I don’t believe the Council really is cleaning out the former lair of the Brotherhood,” said Egil. “I suspect something sinister at work here, more than mere carelessness. Milos lived among us too long in a false shape. He convinced my order that he was a dedicated worker—not to mention human. Who knows how many other forms he took, how many other people he deceived? And who knows how many others of his kind are here now?”

“You’re starting to sound like Dril,” said Kham. He indicated Cal with a slosh of his mug. “Not all the scaly folk are bad.”

Cal’s eyes narrowed to slits. “The ssanu are,” said the ss’ressen. “If they’re here in Freeport, I’ll hunt every one of them down.”

“Thank you,” said Egil. “I cannot rest until this matter is settled. I would like to engage your services once again—to find out the real situation at the ssanu temple and to uncover just what kind of inroads Milos made in town.”

“How much?” asked Vlad.

Egil looked taken aback. “One hundred imperials each, plus expenses.”

“We’ll do it,” said Kham. “Sounds like the gator’s in for free.”

“And you, Kham?” asked Egil.

“Just pay my tab,” he said. He leaned closer to whisper to Egil. “And then when this is all over, I want you to share how you can afford nearly seven hundred imperials when the Brothers of Althares take a vow of poverty.”

Egil merely nodded back.

Terror in Freeport - Part 1a: The Marquis Moon

The Marquis Moon was two stories of haphazard brickwork in the Old City. Inside, the mood was subdued.

“You sure this is the place?” asked Vlad.

Kham nodded. “There are better places to eat and sleep in the city, and everybody knows it. But Milos went by the name of Devlin, and I traced the room he rented to here.”

Two drunken dwarves conferred quietly in one corner.

“Oh, hi Kham,” said a scowling fellow behind the desk. “Haven’t seen you here in awhile.” He never bothered to make eye contact, instead preferring to pick at his fingernails with a knife. He seemed to get a leisurely kick out of it.

“Hi Ficca. We need to see Devlin’s room.”

“That’s nice,” said Ficca.

Kham sighed and plunked some coins on the table. Keys flew back at him so fast that he barely snatched them out of the air.

“Great security,” said Vlad as they climbed the steps to Milos’ former room. “No wonder they had snakes living here.”

Terror in Freeport - Part 1b: The Marquis Moon

“Seems like the snakes like things neat,” said Kham, looking around the room.

The quarters were small; a single room perhaps twenty feet by twenty feet.

“I get the impression he drew a map of it when he moved in to use every inch efficiently,” said Sebastian.

The walls were invisible, hidden behind bookcases heaped with scrolls and shelves arranged with half-melted ritual candles, leaden icons and a large collection of brightly polished rocks. Staves, canes, and other ornamental trifles filled every alcove and fit snugly against the masonry.

Bijoux sniffed the air. “Incense,” she said. She pointed one claw at the stove in the center of the room.

There was little furniture. No bed, for one thing; the floor near the stove was strewn with thick, tasseled pillows. There was no desk either, although there was a portable writing stand pushed against one of the bookcases. Milos’ clothes were folded neatly and stacked against one wall.

“Spread out,” said Beldin. “Look for anything unusual.”

It didn’t take long. Sebastian held up a book. “I found this behind the shelves.”

The book was titled, “An Accounte of Metalls Base and Pure.” Sebastian handed it to Beldin.

“I’ve read this book before,” said the dwarf. “But it didn’t have this on the back.” He displayed the back cover.

Sketched onto the back page of the book was a full-page drawing of a lighthouse, covered with arcane mathematical formulas; arrows pointed to a number of blocks on the structure. In the margins was a recurring doodle: the letter “V” superimposed on a circle.

“Some of the books have been replaced,” said Bijoux. She ran one claw along the spine of “A Monthe Among the Horse-Rats.” “Some are covered in dust, others are not.”

“I think we need to have another chat with my friend Ficca,” said Kham.

Terror in Freeport - Part 1c: The Marquis Moon

“You’re sure you didn’t see anyone go into Devlin’s room?” asked Kham. He was waffling between shooting the man in the face and bribing him with more gold.

Before Ficca could provide another lame excuse, a dwarf staggered over to them. “Hey, Beldin! Congratsh! I heard you were jusht made Elabac’s apprentish!” The dwarf threw one arm around Beldin, who looked less than pleased at the attention.

“Uh, thanks. Do I know you?”

“Oh shure, everybody knowsh you!” said the dwarf, completely misunderstanding Beldin. “I couldn’t help hearin’ you ashkin’ after goingsh-on upstairsh. Could be I know a thing or two.”

Kham was about to say something, but Sebastian interrupted. “I know how to handle dwarves,” he said with a smirk. “Ficca, please refill mister…”

“Rottenjonesh,” said the dwarf. “You can call me Rottenjonesh.”

“Mister Rottenjones’ mug.”

Ficca shrugged and refilled Rottenjones’ mug with something from a pitcher.

“I wash headin’ up to me room one night, maybe a couple o’ weeksh ago, when I bumpsh into a couple of shtrange-lookin’ fellersh leaving that room.”

“Did they say anything?” asked Kham.

“They told me to shod off, is what they shaid. They shaid they wash on official Council business.” Rottenjones rolled his eyes.

Sebastian ordered another mug for the dwarf.

After a long, slow slurp, Rottenjones continued. “I remember shomethin’ elshe now. Took me back to my boyhood, it did. They shmelled like the tunnelsh of Sholanos Mor.”

“Let me guess.” Kham jabbed a thumb in Cal’s direction. “They smelled like him?”

Rottenjones nodded vigorously.

“Hey!” said Cal.

Terror in Freeport - Part 2: A Shout in the Street

“Help!” shouted a plaintive cry in front of the Marquis Moon.

Vlad searched for the source. “There!” he pointed at a spindly-looking teenager clutching a messenger’s satchel. He was surrounded by three grinning orcs with very large weapons.

Kham leisurely inserted himself into the crowd. “Hey now, let’s everyone calm down a second.”

The kid ran behind Beldin and cowered.

“Calm down?” asked one of the orcs. He laughed, long and loud. “This be none o’ yer business. If ye know what’s good fer ye, ye’ll stay ou’ o’ ‘t.”

Kham sighed. “You really don’t want to do this.” Vlad and Cal stepped up behind him, weapons drawn.

The messenger took off down the street at a full clip in the opposite direction.

One of the orcs swung at Kham’s head with his axe, but Fleshripper was out in a flash to block the attack.

“This is ridiculous,” said Sebastian. “Fuco aspergo!”

The two orcs to either side of the leader went down hard as Sebastian’s color magic washed over them. Then Kham lunged, and Fleshripper pierced the leader’s shoulder. The orc fell to the ground.

”This is too easy.” Kham pulled back from the melee to look around. “Something’s wrong.”

“The book!” shouted Beldin. “It’s missing!”

“Damn it, the oldest trick in the book,” muttered Kham. He took off in pursuit of the kid.

“Bijoux,” shouted Sebastian, “track that boy down!”

Bijoux launched herself into the air.

Sebastian huffed alongside Kham. “Why would they steal that book?”

“I don’t know,” said Kham, easily keeping pace. “But I bet the kid will.”

Terror in Freeport - Part 3: Stonewalling

They worked their way through side streets until coming upon the rotting hovel that once held a terrible secret. It hadn’t changed much since they saw it last—a one-story structure of knotted plans with bricks for windows. The only difference was the street scene. Three soldiers were standing guard at the front entrance.

Bijoux landed lightly at the top of the bricked up house. She pointed downwards with one claw. The fihali had tracked the boy’s scent to this location.

Sebastian stepped up to the three guardsmen. “Let us pass.”

“Says who?” asked the leader of the guardsmen.

Sebastian squinted at the armband on the guardsman’s left arm. A “V” was superimposed on the city seal. He hesitated for a moment.

“Chief Councilor Verlaine,” interjected Vlad.

“Yes,” Sebastian repeated. “Verlaine.” Sebastian indicated the large ss’ressen and the stumpy dwarf that flanked him on either side. “I’m not going to ask you again. Let us pass. We are in pursuit of a criminal. Surely, you saw him run through here.”

The guards exchanged looks.

“You are wasting precious time,” snarled Sebastian, all business. “Or we can just report to Verlaine that you delayed us in apprehending a fugitive.”

Finally, the leader nodded and let them pass.

Inside the former temple, not much had visibly changed. Bijoux was sniffing the ground while Kham kicked up dust.

“How did you two get here so fast?” asked Sebastian.

“Secret entrance around the back,” said Kham.

“I flew in through a hole in the roof,” said Bijoux. “Look here. There are faint footprints and marks on the floor.”

There were pinpoint holes in the dust where toes should be, indicating keenly sharp claws and big, sweeping grooves that could only be made by a tail.

Kham looked down. “And they’re clearly not human.”

“Now what?” asked Vlad.

“Now we go to my favorite place,” said Kham.

“And that is?” asked Sebastian.

Kham walked down the steps out of sight. “The wine cellar.”

Terror in Freeport - Part 4: The Temple of the Unspeakable One

“Well, it all still looks the same,” said Vlad.

The erstwhile seat of the Unspeakable One’s cult sat empty—yet somehow it was more ominous for all that. The altar and statue had been hauled off, with gashes in the stone floor marking their exit. The yellow symbol that once graced the far wall was chiseled away and removed. There was even some preliminary chipping at the frescoes lining the room.

Something heavy dropped to the ground. Two ssanu dumped what they were carrying: a large chest. Behind them, a human woman garbed in black leather pointed a staff at them. “Intruders! Kill them!”

“How authentic. They got every detail right,” said Kham with a wry smile, “down to the raving cultists.”

Calactyte lifted his axe overhead. His earflaps fanned outwards; muscles bulged. With a bellow of rage, Cal charged towards the four ssanu.

“What’s wrong with Cal?” asked Sebastian.

“The big lizard don’t like snakes,” said Kham. “Go figure.”

Kham’s usual smirk suddenly faded. With slow precision, he grabbed Fleshripper and lifted it overhead, mimicking Cal’s actions. Then he charged after the cult leader.

“Not Kham too!” shouted Sebastian. “What’s gotten into everybody?”

Beldin and Vlad looked at each other. “Careful,” said Vlad. “Don’t look into their eyes.” Then Milandisian and dwarf waded into the fray, weapons held high.

Sebastian blinked. “Why?” he asked, peering at the melee. “I don’t see…”

One of the ssanu’s head bobbed. Its coal-like eyes focused on Sebastian. They locked gazes.

“Kneel before the Unssspeakable One’sss glory!” it hissed.

Bijoux blinked and began to kneel.

“Your mind powers will not work on me, snake,” shouted the dark-kin. “Ustilo radius!” Two beams of fire coruscated from his outstretched fingers and blasted the ssanu square in the face. It flailed backwards with a hiss.

Bijoux stopped in mid-kneel and shook her head. “What just happened?

“An old ssanu mind trick,” muttered Sebastian. “Don’t meet their gaze.”

Kham ducked the sweep of the lead cultist’s lajatang. “The Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign will bring the Unspeakable One to Onara!” she shrieked.

“When you see him,” Kham pulled back Fleshripper. “You can tell him I said ‘hi.’” Then he plunged the blade through the woman’s torso. With another wail, she slipped off the blade in a pool of gore.

When Kham finally calmed down to look around him, the other ssanu were all dead. Cal continued to hack at the bloody corpse of one of them. Beldin was crouched over the chest they were carrying.

The dwarf held up a brick to the light. “There’s a seam in the middle of these bricks.” He snapped it with some effort. In the center of each half was a replica of the temple’s strange yellow symbol, printed in shimmering gold ink.

“Bricks?” asked Vlad. “What does the Brotherhood want with bricks?”

“They’re building blocks for a summoning circle,” said Sebastian. “Verlaine’s book had drawings of a lighthouse. They’re going to use it to summon the Unspeakable One!”

“There’s an address on the side of the crate,” said Beldin. “100 Wave Avenue.”

“Of course.” Kham wiped the gore of Fleshripper with care and sheathed it. “Of course it would be that address.”

“You know where this place is?” asked Vlad.

“Yep,” said Kham. “That’s Chief Councilor Verlaine’s house.”

Terror in Freeport - Part 5: Office of Public Records

“I’m not sure why you’re carrying that thing around,” said Kham to Beldin.

“I’ve never seen a weapon like this before,” said Beldin of the sickle-shaped lajatang. “It could come in handy.”

They were standing in the Office of Public Records, a grandiose title for a disorganized collection of papers stuffed into an old storehouse in the Warehouse District.

“I didn’t know pirates kept records,” said Sebastian.

“They don’t,” said a beady-eyed man. “What’s here be mostly recent history. What’s ‘t t’ ye?”

Sebastian smiled at him. “We heard you were the ship’s cook on the Shrike under Captain Baldric.”

“Aye.”

“And that you got kicked off for trying to boil a cat.”

Reed’s beady eyes shifted to Bijoux. “Aye,” he said a little more slowly.

“Captain Baldric mentioned that you might have access to records about a certain Councilor.”

“Which one?”

Sebastian lowered his voice. “Verlaine.”

“Aye. I’ve got records on th’ lad.”

“So then can we see them?”

“No.”

Sebastian slid two imperials towards Reed. “How about now?”

“Ye`ve got t' be kiddin' me,” Reed didn’t even look at them. “That`s nay enough t' pay fer a drink.”

Kham plunked down two pieces of metal next to the coins.

Reed squinted. “What’s that supposed to be?”

They were bullets. Reed’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Who do ye think ye be—Verlaine’s thugs?”

BLAM!

“Ye shot me!” Reed fell to the ground, clutching his thigh. “Ye shot me in th’ leg!”

Kham’s picked up the two bullets from the pile.

Sebastian shook his head in disbelief. He leaned down and put one sympathetic hand on Reed’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, he’s a little hot-headed sometimes. This healing potion will make the pain go away.”

Kham inserted one bullet into one of his pistols, staring at Reed the whole time.

Reed reached for the potion vial, but Sebastian held it out of his reach.

“I’m sure you’ll be so grateful that you’ll show us the records we were looking for.” Behind Sebastian, Kham inserted the other bullet into one of his pistols. “I recommend you make up your mind quickly.”

“Aye,” said Reed. The record keeper gulped down the potion’s contents.

Cal turned to Bijoux. “And they say I’m scary.”