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[Zeitgeist] Chronicles of Unit 42
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<blockquote data-quote="d2OKC" data-source="post: 6032868" data-attributes="member: 97351"><p>Played for a few more hours yesterday. We didn't get as much investigating done, because the fight with the Waryeyes took up most of the evening. It was still a lot of fun, and the players appreciated a good, old fashioned set-piece battle.</p><p></p><p>===</p><p></p><p>Unit 42 woke up at Nevard's Henge on the morning of the 2nd day of Summer in the year 501 A.O.V. with a few solid leads for their case. They had the names of two of Nilasa's accomplices (Travis Starter and Ford Sorghum). They had sent the vials of fey pepper and the used elixir of invisibility to the arcane lab back at RHC headquarters. And they had a promise from Nevard to connect them with Gale if they got permission from Reed Macbannin, mayor of the Nettles, to let them up on Cauldron Hill for a night of skyseeing. They were ready for another productive day.</p><p></p><p>They met up with their boss, Assistant Chief Inspector Stover Delft, and ran him through the leads they had followed and what they intended for that day. He nodded in satisfaction, and agreed to help make an appointment for them to meet Macbannin that afternoon. He also gave them the results of the tests they had run on the elixir and the fey pepper, which pointed towards Pine Island. With another day the lab could pinpoint the exact shop. They also got a location on Starter and Sorghum, at the Goodson Estuarial Reformatory, which also happened to be in Pine Island. They decided to kill two birds with one stone, and head that direction.</p><p></p><p>They arrived at the floating prison at about 11 o'clock and arranged with Derek Goodson to see the two men, in separate rooms, so they could get their information and corroborate it immediately. They thought about using a good-cop-bad-cop strategy, but Reynard was the only member of the unit who was trained in interrogation, so they decided he would play both parts, and just shift into his hybrid fox form for the bad-cop parts.</p><p></p><p>It was pretty unnecessary. He cracked Sorghum almost immediately, and even agreed to see about letting in some of this lady friends in exchange for the information. On a sheet of parchment, Sorghum wrote down what he knew - Nilasa had bragged about a job for some family from Crissilyr, and had mentioned an accomplice for the job named the "House Elf". He didn't know much more than that.</p><p></p><p>Starter wasn't as easy to crack, but he was more willing to work with the constables when they agreed to see about letting his son visit. He also described the job Nilasa bragged about, and added that it was for a cache of wands stolen from an eldritch repository, and the exchange would take place on the evening of the 4th.</p><p></p><p>Armed with this new information, the constables decided to scout the streets for their drug dealer, and then maybe look up this "House Elf" afterwards, if they had time before their meeting with Macbannin. An hour later, they had a name: Danisca Waryeye.</p><p></p><p>They tromped up to her shop and found it, and another small shop, situated off from the main row of buildings. Out of curiosity, they checked to see what the other shop was. As luck would have it, the sign outside read "The House Elf". Startled by this good fortune, they decided to pay Danisca a visit.</p><p></p><p>Inside the shop, after speaking with the guard outside briefly (also where Casimiro del Garra's owlbear had to stay, because he was too big to fit inside the shop), they found a variety of healing potions, as well as more commercial "Love Potions" and "Elixirs of Luck". After looking about for a bit, Danisca emerged and asked what she could do for the RHC. After a few pleasantries, and asking about Danisca's relationship with Nilasa, the unit leaned on her pretty hard, saying they knew she supplied the fey pepper and the elixir she used that got her killed at the consulate. </p><p></p><p>When they refused the water she offered, she began casting a spell, and combat ensued!</p><p></p><p>They were able to get the drop on her and took her down pretty quickly. As she fell, she screamed for her husband Blander. The guard outside the door slowly backed away and left the scene, not wanting to get into trouble with the RHC.</p><p></p><p>Casimiro went down the hallway to investigate, and triggered the dreaming dust trap as he opened the door to the lab, but quickly shook off the effects. Almost immediately, another gnome burst through the back door, led by a pair of large, angry badgers, and immediately knocked Casimiro back into the hallway where the animals were able to pounce on him. </p><p></p><p>There was a brief tussle with the badgers, just long enough for Blander to realize he was outmatched, and he ran for the door again, narrowly avoiding a sneak attack from Reynard, and sprinted into his own workshop.</p><p></p><p>Victor Bays, Gareth Carter, and Reginald Battersea chased after him while Casimiro stayed behind to restrain Danisca and Reynard decided to run around to the other side of the building. Inside the magician's workshop, the other three quickly climbed the catwalks to get a better view. Gareth nearly fell victim to one of the drowning tanks, but all were able to avoid the trapped floor of the workshop. When they couldn't find the gnome inside the workshop, they decided to cut their losses and head back to get Danisca.</p><p></p><p>That was when they ran into Blander outside the theater, running for his wife. They surrounded him and Casimiro's spiritual companion knocked him unconscious.</p><p></p><p>They deposited the gnomes' bodies at the local police station, and asked if they would mind taking them to RHC headquarters so they could question them later. The police agreed, and Unit 42 headed toward the Nettles.</p><p></p><p>They arrived around 2 in the afternoon, and made their way through the slums, and up to the extravagant mansion of Reed Macbannin. As they arrived, Macbannin's butler approached and told them it would only be a few minutes before Macbannin was ready for them, and offered refreshments if they wanted them. Gareth Carter recognized that the butler had a soldier's posture.</p><p></p><p>They agreed to wait. A few minutes later a messenger came out and lit a cigarette, which they immediately identified by smell as leaf of Nicodemus, and gave a short rhetorical speech about the suffering of the people in the Nettles, and how he'd give anything to help them from it. They agreed, shook hands, and the messenger rode off as the butler came back out to take them to their meeting.</p><p></p><p>As they described to Macbannin what they needed, he frowned. But, after a bit of consideration, he grinned and agreed to let them take the skyseer up Cauldron Hill, and began going through all the precautions they would need to take (rusted iron amulets, goats blood, fire for warmth, etc.), and said the only condition was they had to come back through his manor on the way home for cleansing. They agreed, and went off to pick up Nevard from his camp.</p><p></p><p>===</p><p></p><p>A few notes.</p><p></p><p>I was a bit worried about the fight, after they took out Danisca in the first round. I roll everything in front of the players, and don't particularly like to fudge things like damage and initiative. I did beef up her defenses a bit, but left her HP total alone. Four of the five PCs beat her in initiative, and the apothecary guard (there was only one, because I made the badgers more powerful), rolled lowest out of everyone.</p><p></p><p>So, it seemed like it would be a super quick and easy victory for them. I'm glad I was wrong. </p><p></p><p>Blander mostly stayed behind cover while the two badgers charged and attacked in melee. I gave them an ability similar to the one the halfling had on the Coaltongue, where they could knock someone prone and then stand on top of them. Also, I made them brutes instead of minions...</p><p></p><p>After dispatching those, however, Blander ran, and the PCs spent another 7 rounds or so chasing him through the alley ways and his workshop before finally taking him down. It was almost more fun for me, as the DM, to run this kind of combat, because it meant we got to use a lot of board space and had a combat that ranged all over, instead of in a tight area, like a lot of combats tend to go.</p><p></p><p>The other thing about this time that was strange: last session, they were very careful to not reveal anything about Nilasa's fate to the people they were interrogating. They were almost too careful with some of the people they needed information from. This time, while talking to Starter, Sorghum and Danisca, they were very heavy-handed and almost aggressive. I think they were ready for a fight today. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>It was a fun session, and it looks like next time will be starting with their ascent up Cauldron Hill. Very excited for that!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="d2OKC, post: 6032868, member: 97351"] Played for a few more hours yesterday. We didn't get as much investigating done, because the fight with the Waryeyes took up most of the evening. It was still a lot of fun, and the players appreciated a good, old fashioned set-piece battle. === Unit 42 woke up at Nevard's Henge on the morning of the 2nd day of Summer in the year 501 A.O.V. with a few solid leads for their case. They had the names of two of Nilasa's accomplices (Travis Starter and Ford Sorghum). They had sent the vials of fey pepper and the used elixir of invisibility to the arcane lab back at RHC headquarters. And they had a promise from Nevard to connect them with Gale if they got permission from Reed Macbannin, mayor of the Nettles, to let them up on Cauldron Hill for a night of skyseeing. They were ready for another productive day. They met up with their boss, Assistant Chief Inspector Stover Delft, and ran him through the leads they had followed and what they intended for that day. He nodded in satisfaction, and agreed to help make an appointment for them to meet Macbannin that afternoon. He also gave them the results of the tests they had run on the elixir and the fey pepper, which pointed towards Pine Island. With another day the lab could pinpoint the exact shop. They also got a location on Starter and Sorghum, at the Goodson Estuarial Reformatory, which also happened to be in Pine Island. They decided to kill two birds with one stone, and head that direction. They arrived at the floating prison at about 11 o'clock and arranged with Derek Goodson to see the two men, in separate rooms, so they could get their information and corroborate it immediately. They thought about using a good-cop-bad-cop strategy, but Reynard was the only member of the unit who was trained in interrogation, so they decided he would play both parts, and just shift into his hybrid fox form for the bad-cop parts. It was pretty unnecessary. He cracked Sorghum almost immediately, and even agreed to see about letting in some of this lady friends in exchange for the information. On a sheet of parchment, Sorghum wrote down what he knew - Nilasa had bragged about a job for some family from Crissilyr, and had mentioned an accomplice for the job named the "House Elf". He didn't know much more than that. Starter wasn't as easy to crack, but he was more willing to work with the constables when they agreed to see about letting his son visit. He also described the job Nilasa bragged about, and added that it was for a cache of wands stolen from an eldritch repository, and the exchange would take place on the evening of the 4th. Armed with this new information, the constables decided to scout the streets for their drug dealer, and then maybe look up this "House Elf" afterwards, if they had time before their meeting with Macbannin. An hour later, they had a name: Danisca Waryeye. They tromped up to her shop and found it, and another small shop, situated off from the main row of buildings. Out of curiosity, they checked to see what the other shop was. As luck would have it, the sign outside read "The House Elf". Startled by this good fortune, they decided to pay Danisca a visit. Inside the shop, after speaking with the guard outside briefly (also where Casimiro del Garra's owlbear had to stay, because he was too big to fit inside the shop), they found a variety of healing potions, as well as more commercial "Love Potions" and "Elixirs of Luck". After looking about for a bit, Danisca emerged and asked what she could do for the RHC. After a few pleasantries, and asking about Danisca's relationship with Nilasa, the unit leaned on her pretty hard, saying they knew she supplied the fey pepper and the elixir she used that got her killed at the consulate. When they refused the water she offered, she began casting a spell, and combat ensued! They were able to get the drop on her and took her down pretty quickly. As she fell, she screamed for her husband Blander. The guard outside the door slowly backed away and left the scene, not wanting to get into trouble with the RHC. Casimiro went down the hallway to investigate, and triggered the dreaming dust trap as he opened the door to the lab, but quickly shook off the effects. Almost immediately, another gnome burst through the back door, led by a pair of large, angry badgers, and immediately knocked Casimiro back into the hallway where the animals were able to pounce on him. There was a brief tussle with the badgers, just long enough for Blander to realize he was outmatched, and he ran for the door again, narrowly avoiding a sneak attack from Reynard, and sprinted into his own workshop. Victor Bays, Gareth Carter, and Reginald Battersea chased after him while Casimiro stayed behind to restrain Danisca and Reynard decided to run around to the other side of the building. Inside the magician's workshop, the other three quickly climbed the catwalks to get a better view. Gareth nearly fell victim to one of the drowning tanks, but all were able to avoid the trapped floor of the workshop. When they couldn't find the gnome inside the workshop, they decided to cut their losses and head back to get Danisca. That was when they ran into Blander outside the theater, running for his wife. They surrounded him and Casimiro's spiritual companion knocked him unconscious. They deposited the gnomes' bodies at the local police station, and asked if they would mind taking them to RHC headquarters so they could question them later. The police agreed, and Unit 42 headed toward the Nettles. They arrived around 2 in the afternoon, and made their way through the slums, and up to the extravagant mansion of Reed Macbannin. As they arrived, Macbannin's butler approached and told them it would only be a few minutes before Macbannin was ready for them, and offered refreshments if they wanted them. Gareth Carter recognized that the butler had a soldier's posture. They agreed to wait. A few minutes later a messenger came out and lit a cigarette, which they immediately identified by smell as leaf of Nicodemus, and gave a short rhetorical speech about the suffering of the people in the Nettles, and how he'd give anything to help them from it. They agreed, shook hands, and the messenger rode off as the butler came back out to take them to their meeting. As they described to Macbannin what they needed, he frowned. But, after a bit of consideration, he grinned and agreed to let them take the skyseer up Cauldron Hill, and began going through all the precautions they would need to take (rusted iron amulets, goats blood, fire for warmth, etc.), and said the only condition was they had to come back through his manor on the way home for cleansing. They agreed, and went off to pick up Nevard from his camp. === A few notes. I was a bit worried about the fight, after they took out Danisca in the first round. I roll everything in front of the players, and don't particularly like to fudge things like damage and initiative. I did beef up her defenses a bit, but left her HP total alone. Four of the five PCs beat her in initiative, and the apothecary guard (there was only one, because I made the badgers more powerful), rolled lowest out of everyone. So, it seemed like it would be a super quick and easy victory for them. I'm glad I was wrong. Blander mostly stayed behind cover while the two badgers charged and attacked in melee. I gave them an ability similar to the one the halfling had on the Coaltongue, where they could knock someone prone and then stand on top of them. Also, I made them brutes instead of minions... After dispatching those, however, Blander ran, and the PCs spent another 7 rounds or so chasing him through the alley ways and his workshop before finally taking him down. It was almost more fun for me, as the DM, to run this kind of combat, because it meant we got to use a lot of board space and had a combat that ranged all over, instead of in a tight area, like a lot of combats tend to go. The other thing about this time that was strange: last session, they were very careful to not reveal anything about Nilasa's fate to the people they were interrogating. They were almost too careful with some of the people they needed information from. This time, while talking to Starter, Sorghum and Danisca, they were very heavy-handed and almost aggressive. I think they were ready for a fight today. :) It was a fun session, and it looks like next time will be starting with their ascent up Cauldron Hill. Very excited for that! [/QUOTE]
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