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

[talien]

Assault Upon the Gate of Tears - Part 2: The Courtyard of Rebirth

They mounted the staircase that led up to the city proper. The section of the island appeared to have been excavated in tiers. The lowest was the harbor and dock area. The next highest was not the main plateau.

“This is the Courtyard of Rebirth,” said Holden. “Harvesters bring their victims here to be put on the Stage and sold to the highest bidder.”

Kham looked bout the small tier. The buildings were an amalgamation of styles and shapes. They were arranged around a central square. At the center of the square was a state of a bare-chested, powerfully built man, his arms outstretched. Around the statue were three small structures that looked like shrines. In one, a man kneeled as if in prayer before it.

“And that?” Kham nodded in the direction of the statue.

“Those are the Blessing Houses,” said Holden. “That statue is of the Sorcerer-King. Harvesters who tithe their magic in prayer receive a blessing in return.”

“A religion that gives something back for once,” said Ilmarė.

“Come on,” said Quintus. He made entered one of the buildings, where Harvesters and others moved in and out.

The room was luxuriously decorated with plush pillows, thick area rugs and tapestries. Incense burned in two hanging bowls. Strategically placed light globes illuminated the chamber.

Seated upon a plush pillow was a huge man flanked by two grim and deadly looking guards. The obese man wore a large, flowing robe that threatened to rip at his slightest movement. Jewelry adorned his neck, wrists and fingers, but they had been on for so long that the fat had grown around them. A thin sheen of sweat covered him from his shaved head to his pudgy, porcine fingers. The musty smell of human stink was thick in the air.

“Gorman,” said Holden out of the side of his mouth.

At their entrance, Gorman looked up from a scroll and gave a toothy grin. He chuckled, sending ripples cascading through his many chins.

“Welcome, blessed Harvesters,” said Gorman in an effeminately high voice. “I trust the harvest has been fruitful and plentiful. I see you have liberated another from the infidels.”

“We have indeed,” said Quintus, squeezing Cassicus’ shoulder.

“Blessed is the offering that we deliver to His Sorcerous Majesty,” said Gorman. “Who have you brought to my House?”

“This is Cassicus val’Tensen,” said Quintus in measured tones. “He is the son of Augustus val’Tensen, a Coryani senator.”

The fat around Gorman’s eyes wiggled. “An excellent prize indeed!” He leaned forward, and pillows slid out from beneath his bulk. “Fear not, boy. Your life will now begin anew.” Gorman looked up, a false smile on his lips. “Who delivers him to his salvation?”

Quintus thought for a moment. “Flavius.”

“Flavius? I’ve never heard of you. Of what Finger?”

“The fourth one,” said Quintus confidently.

“The fourth what?” asked Gorman.

“Wine Drinkers,” whispered Holden behind Quintus.

“Flavius of the Wine Drinkers,” said Quintus. “It was all I could do not to tear the boy’s throat out myself. He is bursting with energy.”

Gorman leaned back, satisfied. “The boy looks sickly. He may not survive the indoctrination.”

“He is well enough,” said Quintus. “Stand up straight, boy!” He shoved Cassicus forward.

Cassicus tried to straighten up, but his weariness was visible.

“Turn around!” snapped Quintus.

Cassicus, slowly, wearily turned in a full circle. When he faced Quintus, there was a grim smile of satisfaction on his lips. It disappeared just as quickly as he turned back to face Gorman.

“Hmm,” said Gorman. “The most I can give you is 50 Cerventens.”

“Do you take me for a fool?” snarled Quintus. “150 Cerventens!”

“150? You drive a hard bargain. 110.”

“125.”

“Done,” said Gorman. He waved one jiggling limb of fat to his guards. “Take him away.”

A pouch was thrown to Vlad by the other guard. He caught it and looked inside.

”Steel?” said Vlad, surprised.

“Treat it like gold,” said Holden. “It’s Ymandragore’s currency.”

“Let us toast to your glorious find,” said Gorman. He clapped his hands, causing an earthquake of fat to wave across his body.

The guards threw a wineskin to Kham. Kham looked around, shrugged, and downed much of its contents as Gorman slurped from a goblet.

“And now we have other business to attend to,” said Quintus. He whirled, and the others followed.

“You did well,” said Holden.

“Too well,” said Ilmarė. “You sent a child to certain death. You did not have to make the boy dance.”

“I gave a senator’s son a glorious end,” said Quintus, keeping his eyes straight ahead. “I did not ask you to come.”

Kham took another swig of the wineskin and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. For once he was silent.

He looked back over his shoulder at the statue of the Sorcerer-King. Then Kham swallowed the rest of the wine in the wineskin.

 

[talien]

Assault Upon the Gate of Tears - Part 3: The House That Lucius Built

Holden led them up to the next tier, the city proper. Buildings of all sizes and architectural styles crowded thoroughfares that haphazardly opened up into plazas before spiraling away as streets, alleyways, and narrow dogtrots.

Heading off towards the east, Holden followed a path that meandered for quite a few miles. Their disguises helped shield them from the curious.

“Nobody makes eye contact,” said Vlad.

Everyone they passed in the various squares and plazas did their best to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

“It’s a way of life here,” said Holden. “It’s best to avoid attention from Harvesters, even in their homeland.”

The drizzle became a small deluge as they arrived at their destination. There, on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by a high stone wall, was the personal villa of Lucious Orata, Master of the Ordainers. A wooden gate was the most obvious means of entry.

Quintus pushed it open. Beyond was a well-kept lawn and a Coryani-style manse.

“Interesting,” said Holden. “Looks like Orata liked Coryani so much he recreated it here.”

“Yeah, real interesting,” said Kham. A marbled portico, held by many fluted columns, surrounded the southern and eastern sides of the villa.

The manse itself was a two-story affair, with formidable bronze double doors filling the main entrances.

“No windows,” said Vlad. “It’s built like a fortress.”

Kham walked up to the door and pulled a dagger from the folds of his robe. “I’ll take care of this.”

The hilt of the dagger popped out to reveal connected lockpicks. Kham inserted a series of them into the lock, one after the other. After a series of clicks and snaps, the door sprung open.

Kham smirked over his shoulder. “Piece of CAAAAH!”

Two large claws yanked him through the doorway and out of sight.

 

[talien]

Assault Upon the Gate of Tears - Part 4a: The Grand Hall

The immense hall was pitch black, with only a light afterglow coming from the side hallways. Pinioned between two columns was a large, white sheet that extended from the second story landing to the floor. It flowed languidly from some unseen breeze. A set of stairs leading to the second floor was directly north of the entrance. Before the entire spectacle was Kham with a panther on his back.

“Get it off me!” he shrieked. The panther’s rear claws dug in over Kham’s gut, tearing through the Harvester robe. Only the Sicarite leather that he had recently purchased saved him from being disemboweled.

Quintus unfolded his longspear from beneath the folds of his cloak. Another panther roared a charge and leaped at Vlad; it was all the warrior could do to keep his shield between them.

“Holden, you’re with me. Ilmarė, help Vlad!” said Quintus.

Kham stopped moving. The panther snapped its jaws towards his neck…

Only to meet the bayonet at the end of Holden’s rifle. Then Quintus rammed the panther hard with his shield, forcing it off of Kham’s body.

The Elorii had her bow out in a flash. An arrow flashed across Quintus’ field of vision as she fired. It was met with a howl from the other panther.

The first panther hissed as it regained its footing and prepared for another leap. Quintus crouched and waited.

It launched itself into the air, only to be met by Quintus’ longspear. The panther howled piteously as it impaled itself on his spear. Then it fell silent.

Vlad walked back towards his companions, his blade wet with panther blood. Even a panther’s claws were no match for Nierite full plate. He looked down at Kham.

“Is he…?”

Quintus the back of one hand to Kham’s throat. “He’ll survive…by Illiir’s Grace,” he said.

“Thanks for your help,” Vlad said to Ilmarė. “But I really didn’t…” he noticed she still had another arrow knocked.

“Don’t look now,” she whispered. “But we’ve got company.”

 

[talien]

Assault Upon the Gate of Tears - Part 4b: The Grand Hall

Quintus loomed over one of the goblin servants. It was so terrified that it was groveling, rolling around on the ground with limbs spread in supplication. Huddled behind it were over a dozen of its companions.

“Don’t hurt us!” it squealed. “Don’t hurt ussss!”

“Get up, I can’t talk to you like that.”

The goblin shakily rose to his feet, but it refused to look up at Quintus. “It won’t hurt usss, will it?”

Quintus sighed. “Where is your master?”

“The Master left three risings ago.”

“Risings?” asked Holden.

Ilmarė seemed amused. “I think that’s goblin for days.”

“Yes, yes, risings!” the goblin repeated.

“Three days,” said Quintus. “Did he leave with anyone?”

“Oh yessss,” the goblin said. “The Master left with the strange man with a large head.”

“Large head?” Kham winced as he sat down to lean against a nearby wall. “As in, big ego?”

The goblin blinked. The concept of an ego may as well have been formulated in another dimension.

“Was an Elorii with them?” asked Quintus. He pointed to Ilmarė. “Like her?”

The goblin shook his head furiously. “N-no. We have not seen one like her for many, many, many risings.” The goblin cringed at having to provide a negative answer to Quintus. “Please don’t hurt ussss!”

Kham spat out some blood on the floor. “Are there any more beasts like the ones that attacked us?”

“No, none! At least, not down here…”

Vlad joined Quintus to loom over the goblin. “But upstairs?”

“We don’t go upstairs!” said the goblin.

“Ghosts,” whispered one of the other goblins.

“Yes, ghosts,” murmured the pack of them, each whispering to each other in turn.

“The ghost is upstairs!” It pointed one tiny bony finger at the flapping sheet. “The sheet protects us!”

Quintus stared up at the ceiling. “How do you know there’s a ghost?”

There was a long, low noise from the ceiling. It was the sound of something rolling across the second floor.

“We are doomed!” whispered the lead goblin. He was met with wails of “doomed!” and “woe is us!”

“Stop that!” shouted Quintus.

They immediately became silent. Some of the goblins tried to cower behind the others in front.

Quintus picked up his longspear and shield again. He looked over at Kham. “Are you up to ghost hunting today?”

Kham stared back at Quintus for a long moment, arms crossed. Finally, he said, “Fine. But this time, YOU open the door.”

 

[talien]

Assault Upon the Gate of Tears - Part 5a: Imprisonment!

The door before them appeared to resemble all the others in the manse. Before Quintus reached the handle, the strange rolling sound began again.

Kham drew two of his pistols. He smiled sweetly at Ilmarė. “Ladies first.”

She muttered something in Elorii at him. The rolling noise stopped.

Quintus tried the doorknob. “It’s locked.” He turned to Vlad. “Vlad, unlock it.”

Vlad snapped the visor of his helmet down with a nod. With a roar, Vlad kicked the door just above the doorknob. The combined weight of his plate armor and force splintered the door open. He entered with shield and blade at the ready.

“Looks like you’re out of the lock picking business,” said Ilmarė.

There was the sound of splintered wood and Vlad stumbled back out of the doorway with a fist-sized dent in his shield. “Something big,” he said.

“And angry,” said Kham, pointing at the thing that shambled through the doorway.

It looked as though it had been constructed from a grisly assortment of decaying human body parts. They were all stitched and bolted together into a form taller than a living man.

“Golem!” shouted Ilmarė.

Quintus stabbed it in the chest with his spear, but the golem kept coming. It swatted at Quintus with a huge hand that was attached backwards to its wrist.

With a metallic clang, Quintus slid backwards from the impact. He absorbed the brunt of the blow with his shield, but the blow still numbed his arm.

An arrow bounced off of the golem’s head.

“Get clear!” shouted Holden. He kneeled and aimed.

KA-BLAM!

The golem pounded out of the cloud of smoke in the aftermath of the rifle’s shot. Its chest was blackened, but the leathery flesh was still intact.

“It’s immune to weapons!” shouted Vlad. He stabbed at the golem, but his blade bounced off the sutures across its back. It swung a fist at him, just missing his head.

“Amateurs,” muttered Kham. He upended a vial of viscous oil into a pouch full of bullets.

Holden dropped his rifle and pointed his fingers in a fan-like gesture towards the golem. “Incensio terum!”

A wide gout of flames washed over the golem. Bits of its hair burnt off, but it didn’t even flinch.

“We need magic,” said Ilmarė through gritted teeth. “Even dwarven quality is not enough to stop this thing.” She drew Captain Bezyli’s knife, but it looked like a toothpick in comparison to the golem’s hulking form.

Vlad nodded and drew the magical dagger from his belt. “I’ll keep it busy,” he said.

The warrior leaped onto the back of the golem as it clumsily swung at him again. The blow missed and smashed through the plaster wall. Then he stabbed it again and again as the golem whirled around in rage.

BLAM! BLAM!

Two smoking holes opened in the golem’s chest. Sutures tore at the wounds. The golem collapsed in a pile of brittle body parts.

Vlad’s gauntleted hand stuck out from the pile. From somewhere in the morass of flesh and stitches came, “nice shot Kham.”

Kham grunted as he stepped around the pile into the room. “Maybe you should leave the door opening to me.”

 

[talien]

Assault Upon the Gate of Tears - Part 5b: Imprisonment!

It was clear the room was once used as a private study, but most of the furnishings and accessories had been removed. Only a pair of empty bookcases remained. Upon one of the shelves was a glass globe the size of a human fist.

“I think there’s something in that globe,” said Ilmarė, pointing at the glass sphere.

“Something?” asked Vlad.

“It looks like…a little person.”

“What’s he doing?” asked Holden.

Ilmarė picked up the sphere and held it to the light. Then she shook it. “Not much. He’s dead.”

“Let me see it?” asked Vlad. She threw it to the warrior.

Suddenly, the thrumming, rolling noise started again. Another of the glass globes rolled on the floor towards Kham. A being was vigorously running inside of it.

“If that’s a hamster, I’m leaving,” said Kham.

Within the glass sphere was an Elorii, pounding furiously at his prison. He was yelling at the top of his lungs, but it was nearly impossible to hear due to his reduced size.

Kham picked it up and put his ear to the sphere. “I think he’s saying, ‘Trees free at brunch’.”

“Give me that!” Ilmarė snatched the globe from Kham and listened. Then she threw it to the ground. The globe shattered on impact.

“He was shouting ‘Free me at once!’” said Ilmarė. “Idiot.”

The enchantment that shrank the Elorii was undone. Before their very eyes, the being grew to full size…and then even larger.

“Did someone overdo the enchantment?” asked Vlad.

“Show some respect,” snapped Ilmarė. She curtsied low before the Elorii as he unfolded himself. “Elorii grow with age.” He towered over them at nearly eight feet in height.

“Then he must be really old,” said Kham.

“Who are you and why are you here?” he said in a deep, commanding voice.

Quintus stared up at him defiantly. “Who are you?”

“Who asks Xerxes such a question?” boomed the Elorii.

“Well that answers that,” said Kham.

“We’re here to rescue you,” said Holden. “Your daughter, Sevestia, sent us.”

Xerxes relaxed a bit. “Very well. You may rise,” he said to Ilmarė. She rose to her feet. “I cannot leave,” he said. “Not yet.”

“Why not?” asked Kham.

“Because we have an assassination to stop,” said Xerxes. He strode out the door past them.

Ilmarė followed behind him without looking at the others. Holden sighed and followed after. Kham and Quintus exchanged looks.

There was a crack behind them. Vlad looked down at the corpse that was formerly encased in the sphere, now enlarged to its full size.

“That’s weird,” said Vlad.

Quintus kneeled down to inspect the corpse.

“What?” asked Kham.

“That looks like the corpse of Master Theron,” said Vlad.

“Didn’t we just see him a few days ago?” asked Vlad.

The legionnaire rose to his feet. “And it looks like he’s been dead for months.”

 

[talien]

Assault Upon the Gate of Tears - Part 6: Ambush

“So, why are we doing this again?” asked Kham as they followed Xerxes through the maze that was Ymandragore.

“Gemellus Pravus is marked for assassination by Orata,” said Ilmarė.

“And that is…?” asked Vlad.

“The second to the Sorcerer-King,” said Holden. “When Gemellus was taken to the Isle centuries ago, it was Xerxes that began his training and groomed him for the position he now holds.”

Though Xerxes towered over the citizenry, the people seemed to be paying more attention to scurrying in and out of shops and awnings to escape the incessant downpour than spending time gawking.

“The boy also tempers the Sorcerer-King’s rule,” said Ilmarė. “Orata gloated that Gemellus’ death will be the harbinger of a bloodbath the likes of which Ymandragore has never seen.”

“And he’s not going to leave until we try to stop it,” said Quintus with a note of resignation.

“Right,” said Ilmarė.

Even the occasional Enforcerer seemed to pay little notice to them. “Gemellus’ one fault is that he is a being of habit,” said Xerxes over his shoulder. “Every evening, he takes his walking throne and makes a small circuit of the interior of the city. He thinks it keeps him in touch with the goings on of the city.”

“Orata is counting on his habitual movement through certain squares and marketplaces for the assassination,” said Ilmarė.

They splashed through a puddle-strewn alley when Xerxes abruptly called them to a halt. Kham peered around the corner.

It was a medium-sized plaza. Though not mobbed with people, there were some Ymandrakes looking through merchant wares or getting a late night drink in the square. More than enough to serve Orata’s purposes.

“He’s coming,” said Ilmarė.

From the far end, they could hear the slow and steady steps of Gemellus’ walking throne.

“Who’s that?” asked Kham, pointing at a man whose skin was mostly scabs, with burns covering most of his body.

“That’s a highly placed member of the Order of the Green Flame,” said Holden as he loaded his rifle. “They excel at fire magic. In fact, they burn their own bodies to fuel it.”

“He’s smiling,” said Kham.

“From the looks of it, he has no lips,” said Vlad. “He’s always smiling.”

“That’s our assassin!” shouted Kham, drawing both pistols. “I’m on him!”

The assassin drew a sword that burst into flames just as Gemellus’ magical chair strode into the square. At the same time, a loud explosion sounded off from beneath Gemellus’ chair.

The Green Flame sorcerer turned towards Xerxes. ”Casses!” he said as he pointed at the Elorii.

An expanding stream of webbing ensnared everyone but Kham. He ran low to the ground, zigzagging in and out across the stalls.

Gemellus was bleeding from the ears and nose, unconscious in the wreckage of his throne.

There was the twang of a crossbow string and a bolt thudded into the cobblestone near Gemellus’ head.

“Sniper on the roof!” shouted Kham, pointing with one of his pistols at another man wielding a heavy crossbow. He was busy reloading. Kham fired.

BLAM! The crossbowman hunkered down behind the edge of the building he stood on.

The Green Flame sorcerer pulled a wand from his robes.

“Ah crap,” said Kham. He dove to the side as a fan of flames streamed from the wand and ignited the webbing. Quintus and Vlad struggled to free themselves from the flaming web, but most of it burned off.

As Kham rose to his feet, a blade whistled towards his head. He ducked just in time.

“How many of you guys ARE there?” asked Kham. He fired on his newest opponent but the bullet ricocheted off of his buckler. “Vlad, a little help?!”

Vlad pounded up behind the third assassin. The assassin spun just in time to block Vlad’s slash, stumbling backwards into a pile of stacked fruit.

Quintus’ longspear stabbed at the first assassin, forcing him to roll to the ground.

“Let’s see how you do without your wand,” snarled Quintus.

SPTANG!

A bolt struck Quintus’ shield and then with a whirring squeal, it burrowed its way through it to the other side.

“Magic bolts,” said Quintus. “Careful!”

Something struck Vlad’s armor. He grunted as the bolt spiraled through layers of plate and leather. Blood welled out of the hole.

The crack of a rifle shot echoed across the square. The Green Flame assassin clutched his thigh. Vlad used the distraction to stab him in the throat.

Kham ran over to Gemellus. “I don’t know who you are, but you better be worth it.” He dragged the man out of the wreckage.

Qutinus pointed at the sniper on the roof. “Stop him!” he shouted.

“I can’t get a shot!” shouted Ilmarė.

Holden finished reloading and aimed his rifle. “Me neither.” He began rifling through his satchel. “So we’ll have to hit him with a broader blast.”

“You’re going to throw a grenade at him?” asked Xerxes in disbelief.

Holden sparked his flint and steel and something hissed in response from his satchel. “Not a grenade,” he said. “All of them.”

“Get down!” shouted Ilmarė.

With a mighty hurl, Holden tossed the sizzling satchel at the sniper.

The explosion rocked the plaza as blackened fruit, tents, and clothing of all sorts drifted down around them.

Kham stood up. He had just finished administering a healing potion to Gemellus. “And they worry about me?”

 

[talien]

Assault Upon the Gate of Tears - Conclusion

One moment Gemellus and Xerxes began to have a conversation. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the next moment Gemellus stood before them, fully restored.

“What just happened?” asked Vlad.

“Time-distortion magic,” said Ilmarė.

“Xerxes has informed me that I have you to thank for my continued health,” said Gemellus in a voice brimming with barely controlled anger. “For that I thank you.”

“We did what we had to,” said Quintus. “For the greater good.”

“My former mentor has also informed me of the plot of Lucious Orata and his subsequent imprisonment,” said Gemellus. “Xerxes is no longer safe upon the Isle until the traitors can no be ferreted out. I will allow you to leave with him.”

“I don’t think you could keep him here if he wished to leave,” said Ilmarė with a sneer.

“Know this: should you ever step foot upon my homeland again, or cross paths with my people, our parting shall not be as cordial,” said Gemellus.

Quintus met his gaze without wavering. “I’m counting on it,” he said.

Peering into an ornate amulet around his neck, Gemellus said, “ah, there’s your ship right now.” He turned to Xerxes with a slight smile. “I will miss you, my old friend. Thank you for all your years of…instruction.”

“YOU’RE! WELCOME!” shouted Kham at the top of his lungs.

Gemellus passed his hand in their direction and…then they were on the heaving deck of the Way of the Pearl.

Shout of surprise quickly turned to cheers of glee as Hawk and Shield members on deck realized they returned.

Within moments, Master Ecor and Y’vigne were on deck.

“We’re alive!” shouted Kham. “And look who we brought with us!” He grabbed Y’vigne and kissed her on the lips. She squealed in protest but, fortunately, didn’t slap him.

Xerxes looked about the ship. Sevestia climbed from below decks and smiled uncertainly at her father. The two held each other wordlessly. The crew parted to give them some privacy.

Holden debriefed Ecor and Y’vigne. “Thanks to them,” he nodded towards Quintus and the others, “the plot of the traitor Orata has been foiled. We have put the members of the Hawk and Shield in a position to deal with him personally.”

Y’vigne smiled at Kham. “Know that you have our undying gratitude. Should you ever have need of us, show this and we will aid you as best we can.” She pressed a golden emblem of a Hawk with its wings spread, perched upon a shield, into Kham’s hands. There was one for each of them.

“I don’t get it,” said Vlad. “We stopped the assassination, but the corpses of the assassins turned featureless.”

“Doppelgangers,” said Holden. “Lucious’ plan was to create a civil war by having the assassins pose as high-ranking Harvesters.”

Above deck, Ilmarė and Quintus stood next to each other, staring out at the sunrise.

“Another pin,” said Ilmarė, turning the hawk over in her hand. “I’m running out of places to put them.”

“I can hold them for you, if you like,” said Quintus, looking straight ahead. “I don’t have much of a home yet, but I hope to acquire a small property, maybe a farm…” he trailed off.

“I had forgotten what having a family is like,” said Ilmarė. “Sevestia and Xerxes reminded me of feelings I have not had in a very long time.”

“Yes,” said Quintus. “In times of war, love can be a weakness or a strength. It all depends on whether the object your affection is at your side…or at your back.”

Ilmarė smiled sideways at the human who stood beside her. “I think it’s a strength.”

They said nothing more. With the dawning of a new day, the Way of the Pearl headed back to the mainland and away from the foulness that was the Isle of Tears.

 

[Thanediel]

Very nice! As a relatively-new LA player, I love being able to read stuff about modules I missed and which are now retired.

Are you going to continue posting about more recent adventures or is this SH now at an end? I confess I would miss Quintus and Kham most if that happened

 

[talien]

We ain't done yet!

The good news is that the campaign is now on Chapter 32 and we just completed Chapter 12. There's a LOT of story yet to be told.

That said, the campaign's tone will shift when I took over as primary DM, with more of a Cthulhu-esque emphasis on cults in Freeport. You'll see that shift as we delve into the Year Two Living Arcanis adventures.

Unfortunately, this does mean that the Kham/Quintus rivalry and the Ilmare/Quintus romance don't get as much time because I'm not playing Quintus. Rest assured, the events that take place in the Living Arcanis adventures continue to play out. Here's a sneak preview of what happens two our gang in Year Two:

* A Senator asks for help, then gets the gang in a lot of trouble.
* Quintus gets one step closer to owning that farm he always dreamed of.
* Quintus and Ilmare's relationship gets...awkward.
* Beldin goes back to his roots to deal with issues of succession.
* Kham catches up with his estranged father.
* And more!

Thanks for your feedback, the players love to hear what people think of the game. Trust me, Kham's player pays very close attention to what I write and soundly chastizes me when I get it wrong.