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Adventure #2 - The Dying Skyseer
"Firestarters"
The party returned to Parity Lake to head off the predicted attack on Secombes factory. As they approached the building they noticed activity beside it. Regan, pleased to be back on the streets of Flint, darted off into the shadows and scouted ahead. There were two tough looking Dragonborn at the factory, one on the roof, who were directing a group of rough looking men who looked like they were going to set fire to something. A cart had been positioned in an alley to the side of the factory and everything looked very suspicious. Regan reported back and the party fired impressively into immediate action, though it was not clear anyone knew what anyone else was doing. Regan slipped unseen along the side of the factory, making his way to the roof. Tobal and Knuck crept around the back of the building to the alley containing the cart. Vash and Gideon stood scratching their heads as Maisie and Murdoch walked straight down the road towards the men and Dragonborn outside the factory.
In an effort to appear unthreatening and oblivious, the pair sauntered down the road, swaying slightly, Maisie clutching her Ukelelie and Murdoch in his finery, as if returning from a particularly entertaining night on the town. They must have been very drunk and very lost to have ended up in the Factory District of Parity Lake, renowned more for industrial accidents and stabbings than refined entertainment. Murdoch lurched up to the suspected arsonists and greeted the Dragonborn as he would an old friend, throwing his arms around a couple of the ruffians for good measure. Maisie started to play a particularly absorbing tune on her Ukelelie which became a source of great fascination to the Dragonborn, including the one on the roof who lent over the edge to see who was capable of making such a hideous noise.
Tobal and Knuck arrived at the alley and saw the cart was stuffed full of explosives. Intent on making some signal to spur the party into action, Tobal did the safest thing possible and fired a stone at high velocity into the back of the cart from his slingshot.
It is only really possible to explain away the cavalier antics of the party by remembering that they had spent most of the previous night freezing cold with no sleep , under attack mentally and physically by supernatural horrors.
At a shout from Tobal, miraculously not accompanied by a massive explosion from the cart, the party sprang again into action.
Tobal cast an Entangle spell to slow everyone down, with slightly more accuracy it must be said than his previous attempt.
Murdoch endeavoured to crack the heads together of the men he held in his arms in friendly embrace. A combination of greasy hair, slippery silk shirt and fundamental lack of strength meant the attempt failed and left Murdoch standing with his arms crossed in the middle of the street. He continued with his false familiarity even when the men attacked him with daggers and the Dragonborn attempted to remove his head from his shoulders with a large, curved blade.
Maisie was simultaneously assaulted by another couple of hoodlums whose hatred for her music had finally spilt over into violence.
Up on the roof, the Dragonborn took a scroll from his pocket and started to read the arcane text thereon, an attempt which failed utterly and resulted in the scroll crumbling harmlessly to dust in his fingers. With a curse the Dragonborn jumped off the roof, rolled extravagantly on the pavement and dived into Parity Lake. Another curse was uttered from the roof by Regan, who had been carefully taking aim at the back of the Dragonborns head and was annoyed his target had un-sportingly moved.
Down on the street it was all bullets, charging birds, swinging swords, "How the Devil are you Old Chap" and foliage. The remaining Dragonborn, despite some pretty serious and career threatening injuries, escaped and joined his fellow swimming at dolphin-like speed across the Lake to safety. The men, deserted by their leaders, surrendered forthwith. When interrogated about 'who' had hired them they had nothing to say. When asked 'why' most of them responded by saying that they liked to watch things burn.
As men bearing long brushes arrived to remove the immense tangle of vines, thorns and creepers from the street and give people a chance to get to work, a bright yellow Canary suddenly swooped down and landed lightly on the top of Knucks head. The little creature proceeded to make itself at home, obligingly pecking some tiny parasites that crawled in the rank, untended feathers of the Axe-Beaks head. At the same time a disembodied wind-borne voice suggested that if they wished to speak to Gale, the supposed leader of the Rebels fighting the industrialisation process in Flint, they should ask the Wind. The party duly did and arranged to meet the mysterious Gale later that day in the Cloudwood.
The party then returned to RHC HQ and brought Inspector Delft up to speed with everything that had happened. No-one revealed they were meeting Gale later, though Murdoch did mention that they were 'Following another Lead'.
So the party set off into the Cloudwood, the Canary leading the way via discrete taps and scratches on Knucks head to point him in the right direction. They were led deep into the forest, to a majestic waterfall in a wooded, scented glen. The Canary took flight from Knucks head and the party watched it flutter up the course of the waterfall to alight on the outstretched hand of a beautiful Eladrin Maiden who floated just above the foaming waters in a dress of deepest blue. With a swirl of popping flowers, the Canary vanished and the Maiden drifted down on gossamer wisps of cloud to where the party waited. 'Ahh…the terrorist', scowled Murdoch. Regan elbowed forward past the half-orc and nodded a polite bow to the Maiden and said softly, 'We are here to talk'. He then stepped back beside Murdoch, who was flicking the cuffs of his shirt disdainfully, and whispered 'One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter'.
The Maiden stepped lightly forward and spoke.
'I am Gale. I am glad you have come without malice, I will tell you what I know'
Gale claimed to have nothing to do with the fires and sabotage inflicted on Flint industry. She spoke about the Danoran embassy raid and the proof of Danoran involvement in the troubles of Risur. She also mentioned a 'Bleak Gate' to another Plane and visions of flame-bearing creatures marching through Flints streets. There was evidence of minor portals to this mysterious plane throughout Flint, most of them centred on factories that had already gone up in smoke or suffered theft and destruction in some way. Everything hinted at the involvement of as yet unknown but definitely dark and malevolent forces. It was possible these same forces were linked to the ethereal creature that had assaulted them at the abandoned abbey when the Doctor was rescued and on Cauldron Hill while the old Skyseer sought his vision. The man who sat outside the abandoned abbey, sipping Gin and threatening to kill children with a mob of ugly shadow goblins swarming around him also seemed a suitable candidate for membership of this group.
Gale then took her leave, grateful again to the party for not meeting her with loaded weapons and aggression. The party returned to Flint from the Cloudwood. When they arrived Vash was handed a mysterious note by a courier. After opening and reading it, he vanished without a word to meet with someone.
The rest of the party fell to discussing the reasons for what was happening at the particular moment of history they found themselves in.
Regan spoke for Gale and the anti-industrialisation lobby. Maisie accused Regan of being bewitched by a beautiful woman. From Regans perspective the truth was he sided with Gale because he agreed with her agenda. The fact he was also physically attracted to the beautiful Eladrin Maiden was another thing entirely, or maybe it just flowed with the meeting of minds, he mused.
Regan speculated that the Danorans and some unknown forces were the real enemy, perhaps using the rebels as cover to deflect attention from them and their own agenda, which he suggested was nothing less than the destruction of Risur.
Regan muttered and cleaned his guns, which were themselves an ironic symbol of advancing industrialisation as Maisie helpfully pointed out. Regan considered the fact that even by just living in Flint they were part of the system, but that didn't mean it was right or it could not be changed. He suggested that If the Danorans got their way the likes of those versed in magic, as Maisie and Tobal were, would not be welcome.
Tobal suggested the search for a middle way was most likely to benefit everyone.
Murdoch pragmatically suggested that things may become clearer if they just got on with the investigation.
Knuck was meanwhile wondering where the attractive and helpful little Canary had vanished to as his head was starting to itch.
The party resolved to see if the old Skyseer could shed any light, but all they got was a number of baffling visions that did nothing but muddy the water further. Tobal reported a vision he himself had had that involved a Tiger and an old, falling blue star which needed to be caught as all other stars fell with it. Everyone agreed that it was of great significance, but had no idea what it actually meant. Tobal vowed to investigate further.
Vash returned from his secret liason and announced he was in possession of a spell that would reveal the location of any activity related to the Bleak Gate. He also knew when and where the next factory attack would occur.
The party decided to lay an ambush.
