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Aphonion Tales: Ravenskrag and the Shadowline, a preteen D&D game (lightly edited notes, COMPLETED on 1/20/23)
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<blockquote data-quote="CPaladin" data-source="post: 8434003" data-attributes="member: 7030144"><p>Session 26 (April 17, 2021)</p><p></p><p>4 O-Zar</p><p>They go to the mess in the morning. An older, graying man in trim armor with the emblem of Vitrix-Henoxi stamped in his armor, approaches.</p><p></p><p>“An interesting group, an interesting group. What has led you here?”</p><p></p><p>“Brunhilde” answers. “The job offer seemed good enough.”</p><p></p><p>“It pays well, and we don’t ask questions. Have you been a mercenary long?”</p><p></p><p>“No.”</p><p></p><p>“Neither have I, but there comes a time, there comes a time.”</p><p></p><p>“What did you do before you were a mercenary?”</p><p></p><p>“I was a member of the guard of a kov in Hanal. My kov is no more, and so I became a mercenary. I brought my troops with me, and here we are. Do not take any work in Hanal,” the captain cautions.</p><p></p><p>He signals a lieutenant over, who issues them tabards and tells them they’ll need to show their skills in a room down the hall.</p><p></p><p>“Do you know where we can find out more about what we’re doing?”</p><p></p><p>“Nobody knows, though most of us suspect that we’re going to be part of an effort to overthrow the city government.”</p><p></p><p>“That’s what we’ve heard, too.”</p><p></p><p>“We’ve heard that Sir Clarence may not be as Paranswarmian as he seems.”</p><p></p><p>“My captain suspects this, too, and it troubles him. But the pay is good, and what can we do?”</p><p></p><p>“Is your captain head of all of us? Does Sir Clarence have his own man or woman as head?”</p><p></p><p>“He has a captain of his personal guard, but he leaves the mercenaries to ourselves. Captain Goddard is the most senior and experienced officer among us, so he was put in charge of all of the mercenaries. Only the Mandrathians are even close in experience. We fought our way all the way back to the kov’s citadel. He then ordered us to leave and to take his child to safety, but they tracked us with hounds—and things that were worse than hounds. It was terrible. The child did not make it, but we did. And so we came here, and that dreadful experience put our captain in charge.”</p><p></p><p>They go back to the room. Since Captain Goddard seems devout, they think that if they could prove Sir Clarence is in league with demons, they could turn him and the Paranswarmian priests.</p><p></p><p>They talk about it, and then Runor suggests scrying on Sir Clarence with Clairvoyance—perhaps tonight, when there are propitious moons for summoning. We think about the tower, which has a top floor with windows that bulges out from lower tower. Runor decides to try a test run, and he casts Clairvoyance. He sees an opulent room, with runes around the walls that he can’t see clearly, even through the Clairvoyance. The puce carpeting seems to be undulating, which might be a trick of the light. It’s very think carpeting. There is a variety of alchemical equipment, some of it on a thin table, covered in puce cloth, on a three step dais. There is a curved knife on the table and some other odd things, though no statue.</p><p></p><p>Runor switches to listening, and he hears a murmuring of voices. He can’t make out anything they are saying, but the sound is disturbing and seems to confuse him a little. He easily makes a Wisdom save. It seems to be coming from the floor, somehow.</p><p></p><p>Runor switches back, and after a little while, he sees a small faun or goat enter the room. It prances across to the table, seeming to be careful to only step on certain spots. Runor makes a map of where those spots were. When it reaches the low table, it transforms into a brown, 4-foot tall creature with fur, a bulbous nose, and wings. He recognizes it as a quasit. It picks up an alembic, with a viscous red liquid that swirls in it, and then carefully prances back out.</p><p></p><p>Shortly after the Clairvoyance expires, a sergeant tells us that in two hours we need to go to the display room to show off our martial ability and get our regular duties assigned.</p><p></p><p>The group discusses, and decides to tell the priest of Paranswarm, Father Bernardo, during the time in between. So the whole group goes to see Father Bernardo. Runor decides to pretend to be a not very religious follower of Dain, to explain why he doesn’t want any blessing.</p><p></p><p>The group pretends that “Helmut” scried on the room instead of Runor. “Helmut” describes what Runor saw, being careful to describe the quasit in detail. Aleep points out that it is a Lesser Festival of Mists tonight, which is magically powerful.</p><p></p><p>The priest says that the liquid could be red mercury, which some alchemists purify to create the elixir of life. Theoretically, it can be used to live forever, without needing to become a lich. He also says that the creature could be a quasit, which means that Sir Clarence might be working with the Ruinous Powers. He resolves to cast his own Clairvoyance. He tells us to come back after nightfall to discuss with him.</p><p></p><p>The group then goes to the display room. They see the captain behind a table, along with the mage clerk that they sold the bear claws to. They hope that the disguises fool him, but the mage doesn’t seem to be paying much attention and wasn’t at the previous occasion, so doesn’t notice that he might have seen us before.</p><p></p><p>“Each of you must demonstrate… wait, is that a lyon of Paranswarm?”</p><p></p><p>“We don’t know, she took oath not to speak.”</p><p></p><p>“Oh, she must be then, only lyons take oaths like that.”</p><p></p><p>“Each you must demonstrate your martial expertise so we can see what we’re capable of.”</p><p></p><p>The group talks among themselves. Aleep asks Brunhilde whether he should give a good demonstration, okay, or bad. She says good to impress them, so he casts a fireball that explodes overhead in the cavernous room stopping about five feet above their heads.</p><p></p><p>The mage suddenly takes a keen interest, and watches everyone carefully, examining the group.</p><p></p><p>“Magnificent! These would be wasted on patrols in the city, wasted in guarding the underways. We must find a better duty for them. They are brilliant, brilliant," says the mage.</p><p></p><p>“They are. What do you suggest?”</p><p></p><p>“The Master has asked me to find a group that could take a special shipment from Westhaven and return. I think they could do it.”</p><p></p><p>“The lord of Westhaven is no friend to our master.” The Captain’s lips curl as he says the word “master” as if it is distasteful. “But the lord of Westhaven does have great respect for adventures… Very well. I will instruct them personally and send them on the mission. You can tell your master… the master… that they are the best of the lot, and I will send them on the mission.”</p><p></p><p>The captain speaks to the group after the mage leaves. “I know that you have taken Sir Clarence’s coin. But as your commanding officer, I would take it as a personal favor if you somehow accidentally saw what was in the shipment. We normally send things to the border—we send food and things of value to the border. It is strange that something would be sent from the border to here, and for some reason, Sir Clarence does not want it sent with normal guards. I can send you with a homing pigeon. The master of the roost has been with me for a long time.”</p><p></p><p>He then wants them to leave immediately. We ask to see Father Bernardo before we leave.</p><p></p><p>Father Bernardo sighs. “You are correct. I watched part of a very unsettling operation. He is producing elixirs of life in very small quantities. With enough, he could immortalize himself. But he is doing it with the assistance of demonic powers. That was a quasit you saw. And it’s not the worst. I saw a vrock in the tower as well.”</p><p></p><p>“A vrock?” Marreep asks.</p><p></p><p>“A nasty buzzard demon.”</p><p></p><p>They tell him they’re going to Westhaven. He says that if they are not back in a fortnight—which they should be—he will try to convince the three cleric-led groups to decamp.</p><p></p><p>Helmut says, “Helmut think you might talk to Captain Goddard, too. Captain Goddard very devoted to dragon-saint.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes, he’s asked me to bless several things in the little time I have been here. This is a good idea.”</p><p></p><p>On the way out, they sneak over to the Dogaressa’s palace, to tell her about the situation and that there may be groups of mercenaries leaving Sir Clarence’s service soon that she might be able to hire.</p><p>[End session 26]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CPaladin, post: 8434003, member: 7030144"] Session 26 (April 17, 2021) 4 O-Zar They go to the mess in the morning. An older, graying man in trim armor with the emblem of Vitrix-Henoxi stamped in his armor, approaches. “An interesting group, an interesting group. What has led you here?” “Brunhilde” answers. “The job offer seemed good enough.” “It pays well, and we don’t ask questions. Have you been a mercenary long?” “No.” “Neither have I, but there comes a time, there comes a time.” “What did you do before you were a mercenary?” “I was a member of the guard of a kov in Hanal. My kov is no more, and so I became a mercenary. I brought my troops with me, and here we are. Do not take any work in Hanal,” the captain cautions. He signals a lieutenant over, who issues them tabards and tells them they’ll need to show their skills in a room down the hall. “Do you know where we can find out more about what we’re doing?” “Nobody knows, though most of us suspect that we’re going to be part of an effort to overthrow the city government.” “That’s what we’ve heard, too.” “We’ve heard that Sir Clarence may not be as Paranswarmian as he seems.” “My captain suspects this, too, and it troubles him. But the pay is good, and what can we do?” “Is your captain head of all of us? Does Sir Clarence have his own man or woman as head?” “He has a captain of his personal guard, but he leaves the mercenaries to ourselves. Captain Goddard is the most senior and experienced officer among us, so he was put in charge of all of the mercenaries. Only the Mandrathians are even close in experience. We fought our way all the way back to the kov’s citadel. He then ordered us to leave and to take his child to safety, but they tracked us with hounds—and things that were worse than hounds. It was terrible. The child did not make it, but we did. And so we came here, and that dreadful experience put our captain in charge.” They go back to the room. Since Captain Goddard seems devout, they think that if they could prove Sir Clarence is in league with demons, they could turn him and the Paranswarmian priests. They talk about it, and then Runor suggests scrying on Sir Clarence with Clairvoyance—perhaps tonight, when there are propitious moons for summoning. We think about the tower, which has a top floor with windows that bulges out from lower tower. Runor decides to try a test run, and he casts Clairvoyance. He sees an opulent room, with runes around the walls that he can’t see clearly, even through the Clairvoyance. The puce carpeting seems to be undulating, which might be a trick of the light. It’s very think carpeting. There is a variety of alchemical equipment, some of it on a thin table, covered in puce cloth, on a three step dais. There is a curved knife on the table and some other odd things, though no statue. Runor switches to listening, and he hears a murmuring of voices. He can’t make out anything they are saying, but the sound is disturbing and seems to confuse him a little. He easily makes a Wisdom save. It seems to be coming from the floor, somehow. Runor switches back, and after a little while, he sees a small faun or goat enter the room. It prances across to the table, seeming to be careful to only step on certain spots. Runor makes a map of where those spots were. When it reaches the low table, it transforms into a brown, 4-foot tall creature with fur, a bulbous nose, and wings. He recognizes it as a quasit. It picks up an alembic, with a viscous red liquid that swirls in it, and then carefully prances back out. Shortly after the Clairvoyance expires, a sergeant tells us that in two hours we need to go to the display room to show off our martial ability and get our regular duties assigned. The group discusses, and decides to tell the priest of Paranswarm, Father Bernardo, during the time in between. So the whole group goes to see Father Bernardo. Runor decides to pretend to be a not very religious follower of Dain, to explain why he doesn’t want any blessing. The group pretends that “Helmut” scried on the room instead of Runor. “Helmut” describes what Runor saw, being careful to describe the quasit in detail. Aleep points out that it is a Lesser Festival of Mists tonight, which is magically powerful. The priest says that the liquid could be red mercury, which some alchemists purify to create the elixir of life. Theoretically, it can be used to live forever, without needing to become a lich. He also says that the creature could be a quasit, which means that Sir Clarence might be working with the Ruinous Powers. He resolves to cast his own Clairvoyance. He tells us to come back after nightfall to discuss with him. The group then goes to the display room. They see the captain behind a table, along with the mage clerk that they sold the bear claws to. They hope that the disguises fool him, but the mage doesn’t seem to be paying much attention and wasn’t at the previous occasion, so doesn’t notice that he might have seen us before. “Each of you must demonstrate… wait, is that a lyon of Paranswarm?” “We don’t know, she took oath not to speak.” “Oh, she must be then, only lyons take oaths like that.” “Each you must demonstrate your martial expertise so we can see what we’re capable of.” The group talks among themselves. Aleep asks Brunhilde whether he should give a good demonstration, okay, or bad. She says good to impress them, so he casts a fireball that explodes overhead in the cavernous room stopping about five feet above their heads. The mage suddenly takes a keen interest, and watches everyone carefully, examining the group. “Magnificent! These would be wasted on patrols in the city, wasted in guarding the underways. We must find a better duty for them. They are brilliant, brilliant," says the mage. “They are. What do you suggest?” “The Master has asked me to find a group that could take a special shipment from Westhaven and return. I think they could do it.” “The lord of Westhaven is no friend to our master.” The Captain’s lips curl as he says the word “master” as if it is distasteful. “But the lord of Westhaven does have great respect for adventures… Very well. I will instruct them personally and send them on the mission. You can tell your master… the master… that they are the best of the lot, and I will send them on the mission.” The captain speaks to the group after the mage leaves. “I know that you have taken Sir Clarence’s coin. But as your commanding officer, I would take it as a personal favor if you somehow accidentally saw what was in the shipment. We normally send things to the border—we send food and things of value to the border. It is strange that something would be sent from the border to here, and for some reason, Sir Clarence does not want it sent with normal guards. I can send you with a homing pigeon. The master of the roost has been with me for a long time.” He then wants them to leave immediately. We ask to see Father Bernardo before we leave. Father Bernardo sighs. “You are correct. I watched part of a very unsettling operation. He is producing elixirs of life in very small quantities. With enough, he could immortalize himself. But he is doing it with the assistance of demonic powers. That was a quasit you saw. And it’s not the worst. I saw a vrock in the tower as well.” “A vrock?” Marreep asks. “A nasty buzzard demon.” They tell him they’re going to Westhaven. He says that if they are not back in a fortnight—which they should be—he will try to convince the three cleric-led groups to decamp. Helmut says, “Helmut think you might talk to Captain Goddard, too. Captain Goddard very devoted to dragon-saint.” “Yes, he’s asked me to bless several things in the little time I have been here. This is a good idea.” On the way out, they sneak over to the Dogaressa’s palace, to tell her about the situation and that there may be groups of mercenaries leaving Sir Clarence’s service soon that she might be able to hire. [End session 26] [/QUOTE]
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