drnuncheon's Freeport Story Hour - Book II: Inheritance
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drnuncheon
Explorer
Session Five, Part Three/Session Six, Part One
Session Five, Part Three
Katya began to speak, low and melodious, but penetrating - speaking words Di'Fier could not understand. The raging berserker before him faltered, and the axe lowered far more slowly than its weilder had originally intended.
Behind him, he could hear Quooral turn, hear Glunnyn's ragged breathing, and then the deep voice of the genasi telling the sorcerer at the end of the alley, "You are under arrest." He took a step back, sagging against the wall, and dug a healing potion from his belt as the half-orc started to slink away.
But there was one member of the Claw left, and he was untouched by the spell. The dwarf studied Katya, raising his sword and then driving it home in her thigh, shattering her concentration on the spell.
Stifling a curse, Katya lashed out with her fist, rocking the dwarf back with a bone-crushing blow. One hand flew to his chest as he judged the strength of the hit, and then he was running as fast as his magically-augmented legs would take him.
Katya limped over to Di'Fier as Quooral made his way up the alley, his hand nearly enclosing the neck of his captive. "Got one," he rumbled.
"Drusilia."
"Yes, Papa."
"I have a job for you. Come into my office."
She sat down across from her father, Ellerand following like a guardian shadow. She saw her father watching her bodyguard, noting that the young elf was careful even inside the Naïlo home. Perhaps it was imagination, but she thought she saw a slight smile of approval flicker across his features.
"While I am loathe to put you in the path of danger, the situation calls for a representative who will display my commitment to the enterprise," Tensin began. "I have decided to propose-"
"- an alliance," Dru finished. "With Finn." She sat back, a pleased grin on her face that she had figured out Papa's plan. His face remained unreadable, and he studied her a moment, as if trying to discern the source of her insight.
"Just so. Finn, Gallowglass, and the dockside gangs. I will be sending an emissary to each, and I have reason to believe that they will be receptive. Set up a meeting. Tomorrow."
- End of Session Five -
Compiler's Note: I didn't realize how short this update was going to be, so I'll just include some of Session Six.
Session Six, Part One: Question and Answer
"...so based on everything we've found, it seems as if this Dragon's Claw organization is moving into the city," Di'Fier finished. "The prisoner won't talk, and he's resisted Glunnyn's magic, but at least we've got confimation that they were after Nofur Roberts."
Donnach frowned. "Four missing girls? Why haven't we heard?"
"I think they've been told not to talk to us," Di'Fier answered. "They may be trying to influence the Captain's Council...maybe, I don't know, put their own people on it."
"They're trying to eliminate the competition," observed Katya. "By manipulating this crackdown."
Donnach looked down at his desk, then leveled his gaze at Di'Fier. "Do whatever you have to to make him talk."
"Quooral, ungag him." Di'Fier looked at the prisoner. "What is your name?"
Sullen silence.
The mage's fist fired forward from the shoulder, slamming into the prisoner's face. There was a crack, and the chair rocked backwards. Quooral caught it and shoved it forward.
"What. Is your. Name?"
Silence.
Di'Fier turned to Katya, standing in the shadows. "I was trying to be nice, and not have Quooral hit him."
"I could hit him," the genasi offered.
"That's all right, Quooral. Just wait outside. We'll call you if we need you." Di'Fier turned back to look at Katya.
The priestess' face was drawn and pale. She didn't like playing it this way...but the Captain had told Di'Fier to do whatever it took. "If he doesn't answer," she said, "I guess we'll have to kill him. The jail's too full to keep anyone else."
Di'Fier nodded, watching the prisoner's eyes move from Katya to him. "That's right. They gave us a lot of extra powers thanks to the crackdown you and your friends asked for."
The man swallowed. "You can't kill me," he said, but the quaver in his voice gave the lie to his false bravado. "You need to know what I know."
The mage shrugged. "My last partner had a penchant for interrogating corpses..."
"Vagn. My name is Vagn."
Katya leaned forward. "Why were you trying to kidnap that girl?"
Good work, Katya. Once they start talking, it's a lot harder for them to stop, Di'Fier thought.
"We were told to. She was a witness. She was with the one we wanted." Vagn laughed, bitterly. "You fooled us good."
"How long have you been here?" Katya shot back.
"I - I got into town for Swagfest, with some of the rest of the crew."
"Why are you moving in on Freeport?"
"It's the boss' big shot. He wasn't going to advance any more in the organization." Vagn looked at the two of them and leaned forward. "Maybe...maybe the boss could make it worth it for you guys."
Di'Fier snorted. "I've already turned down Finn."
Like a drowning man seizing at a straw, Vagn leaned forward. "Finn? Finn is small potatoes. How do you do your magic? Is it in the blood?"
"Mostly books."
"Too bad." Vagn leaned back into his chair.
"So, do we keep him over night?"
Di'Fier considered it. "I think so. Have Quooral and Jemis watch the door while Ashrem meditates, then put him on guard duty. I'll tell Glunnyn to make sure and have his mind-reading spell prepared tomorrow, and we'll see what other songs this one will sing."
Session Five, Part Three
Katya began to speak, low and melodious, but penetrating - speaking words Di'Fier could not understand. The raging berserker before him faltered, and the axe lowered far more slowly than its weilder had originally intended.
Behind him, he could hear Quooral turn, hear Glunnyn's ragged breathing, and then the deep voice of the genasi telling the sorcerer at the end of the alley, "You are under arrest." He took a step back, sagging against the wall, and dug a healing potion from his belt as the half-orc started to slink away.
But there was one member of the Claw left, and he was untouched by the spell. The dwarf studied Katya, raising his sword and then driving it home in her thigh, shattering her concentration on the spell.
Stifling a curse, Katya lashed out with her fist, rocking the dwarf back with a bone-crushing blow. One hand flew to his chest as he judged the strength of the hit, and then he was running as fast as his magically-augmented legs would take him.
Katya limped over to Di'Fier as Quooral made his way up the alley, his hand nearly enclosing the neck of his captive. "Got one," he rumbled.
"Drusilia."
"Yes, Papa."
"I have a job for you. Come into my office."
She sat down across from her father, Ellerand following like a guardian shadow. She saw her father watching her bodyguard, noting that the young elf was careful even inside the Naïlo home. Perhaps it was imagination, but she thought she saw a slight smile of approval flicker across his features.
"While I am loathe to put you in the path of danger, the situation calls for a representative who will display my commitment to the enterprise," Tensin began. "I have decided to propose-"
"- an alliance," Dru finished. "With Finn." She sat back, a pleased grin on her face that she had figured out Papa's plan. His face remained unreadable, and he studied her a moment, as if trying to discern the source of her insight.
"Just so. Finn, Gallowglass, and the dockside gangs. I will be sending an emissary to each, and I have reason to believe that they will be receptive. Set up a meeting. Tomorrow."
- End of Session Five -
Compiler's Note: I didn't realize how short this update was going to be, so I'll just include some of Session Six.
Session Six, Part One: Question and Answer
"...so based on everything we've found, it seems as if this Dragon's Claw organization is moving into the city," Di'Fier finished. "The prisoner won't talk, and he's resisted Glunnyn's magic, but at least we've got confimation that they were after Nofur Roberts."
Donnach frowned. "Four missing girls? Why haven't we heard?"
"I think they've been told not to talk to us," Di'Fier answered. "They may be trying to influence the Captain's Council...maybe, I don't know, put their own people on it."
"They're trying to eliminate the competition," observed Katya. "By manipulating this crackdown."
Donnach looked down at his desk, then leveled his gaze at Di'Fier. "Do whatever you have to to make him talk."
"Quooral, ungag him." Di'Fier looked at the prisoner. "What is your name?"
Sullen silence.
The mage's fist fired forward from the shoulder, slamming into the prisoner's face. There was a crack, and the chair rocked backwards. Quooral caught it and shoved it forward.
"What. Is your. Name?"
Silence.
Di'Fier turned to Katya, standing in the shadows. "I was trying to be nice, and not have Quooral hit him."
"I could hit him," the genasi offered.
"That's all right, Quooral. Just wait outside. We'll call you if we need you." Di'Fier turned back to look at Katya.
The priestess' face was drawn and pale. She didn't like playing it this way...but the Captain had told Di'Fier to do whatever it took. "If he doesn't answer," she said, "I guess we'll have to kill him. The jail's too full to keep anyone else."
Di'Fier nodded, watching the prisoner's eyes move from Katya to him. "That's right. They gave us a lot of extra powers thanks to the crackdown you and your friends asked for."
The man swallowed. "You can't kill me," he said, but the quaver in his voice gave the lie to his false bravado. "You need to know what I know."
The mage shrugged. "My last partner had a penchant for interrogating corpses..."
"Vagn. My name is Vagn."
Katya leaned forward. "Why were you trying to kidnap that girl?"
Good work, Katya. Once they start talking, it's a lot harder for them to stop, Di'Fier thought.
"We were told to. She was a witness. She was with the one we wanted." Vagn laughed, bitterly. "You fooled us good."
"How long have you been here?" Katya shot back.
"I - I got into town for Swagfest, with some of the rest of the crew."
"Why are you moving in on Freeport?"
"It's the boss' big shot. He wasn't going to advance any more in the organization." Vagn looked at the two of them and leaned forward. "Maybe...maybe the boss could make it worth it for you guys."
Di'Fier snorted. "I've already turned down Finn."
Like a drowning man seizing at a straw, Vagn leaned forward. "Finn? Finn is small potatoes. How do you do your magic? Is it in the blood?"
"Mostly books."
"Too bad." Vagn leaned back into his chair.
"So, do we keep him over night?"
Di'Fier considered it. "I think so. Have Quooral and Jemis watch the door while Ashrem meditates, then put him on guard duty. I'll tell Glunnyn to make sure and have his mind-reading spell prepared tomorrow, and we'll see what other songs this one will sing."
drnuncheon
Explorer
Session Six, Part Two: "Leaderless?!"
The door opened slowly, and the pinched face of Alust glared out at Dru. His eyes narrowed as they went from her to Ellerand and back, but the mage opened the door the rest of the way. "Oh," he said, in a tone that did nothing to hide his distaste.
Dru smiled as best she could. "Good morning, Alust. May we come in?"
He shrugged, turning away. "Do as you please." He took a few steps into the room, then turned to face them as the door closed. "What do you want?"
"Do you know where Ivellimor went last night?"
"Ivellimor," the elf sneered, "has proven himself to be a fair-weather friend of late. I do not know where he is. Nor do I care."
In two swift steps Dru crossed the room, seizing Alust by the shirt and slamming the smaller elf against the wall. Ivellimor was missing, in danger, and all Alust could do was complain? "He is part of the organization," she said through clenched teeth.
"Put me down!" the mage spat, and pulled his clothing back into place as she released him. "I have no idea where he went."
"You had best stop and examine your loyalties," Dru informed him. "You are beginning to look suspicious."
"Who are you to question my loyalties?" Alust bristled. "You, who went off to join the guard..."
"The Watch." Dru's lips pressed into a thin line.
A satisfied smirk apprared on his face. "You see?"
Dru raised her chin. "During my time with the Watch," she enunciated, "I did my job and nothing else. I did nothing to hurt the organization."
His voice dropped lower. "Perhaps not. But..." and here, a menacing insinuation crept into his tone, "...you certainly hurt your father. Didn't you?"
"What do you mean by that?" Her hand had balled into a fist of its own accord, trembling at her side.
"You know exactly what I mean."
There was a dull crunch, and Alust staggered backward into the wall, bright red blood pouring from beneath the hands that clutched his shattered nose. Dru cocked her fist for another blow.
"You...b-tch! Get out!"
Dru flared. "You're the one that's always talking against Papa!" she snarled.
"Get...out."
Dru took a potion from her cloak. "Take this, then, and tell me your side."
Alust's eyes glared up at her over his hands, the anger burning through involuntary tears of pain. He spoke slowly and deliberately. "I don't trust you."
Dru turned away. "All right. I'll leave. But I'll be forced to assume that your loyalties are indeed compromised, since you won’t even defend yourself."
"You would think that, wouldn't you?" Alust straightened slowly, wiping a blood-soaked hand on his shirt. "And you’re going to go straight to your Papa and tell him, won’t you?"
"You could tell me your side of the story. Then I wouldn't have to."
He looked contemptuously at her. "You wouldn't tell it to him anyway. Now get out."
The door closed behind them, and Ellerand turned to look at Dru. "You know, I almost feel sorry for him."
"Why?"
"Because he has made an enemy out of you."
Compiler's Note: This is the point in game time where the first issue of The Shipping News I posted was actually published.
"Leaderless?!" Di'Fier spluttered, staring in astonishment at the paper.
Jaffar shrugged. "You expect accuracy from the Shipping News? Not in anything but the ship's timetables."
"Ashrem, how's the prisoner?"
"He's a bit upset at being tied to a chair all night," the elf smirked. "He kept wanting to 'talk in private' to me, so I gagged him again."
Di'Fier nodded. "All right, let's see what he has to say. Glunnyn, you're ready?"
"Yes, the spell should have no problem working through the door...yes, I can read him now. Just ask the leading questions to bring the subjects to his mind."
Di'Fier opened the door and stepped inside with Katya. At a nod, she loosened Vagn's gag.
"How 'bout some food," their prisoner grumbled. "An' a chance to stretch my legs."
"Food's on the way," Di'Fier said curtly. "Are you ready to talk a little bit more about what you're doing here?"
He chuckled. "Some big things are going down," he said. "You'd better be on the right side when they do."
Di'Fier rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "I hadn't realized that something big was happening. I have not yet accepted the other offer..."
Vagn leaned forward as far as the ropes would allow. "Whoever's makin' this other offer might not be around to make good on it."
Di'Fier nodded. "Who's your boss?"
"I told you, I can't tell you that."
"So you can't tell me his name...where to find him, a good place to meet him...can you even tell me the name of the organization?"
Vang nodded. "The Dragon's Claw."
Di'Fier shrugged, dryly commenting: "Never heard of them. But...I think we'll release you. We won't have anyone follow you. Take all the precautions you like. We'll have to keep you for another day or so, to make thing slook good, but the jails are just too full..." He paused a moment. "It'd be nice to know where I could meet your boss."
Vagn nodded. "I'll set up a meeting."
They exited, and Di'Fier looked down at his fellow wizard. "What did you get?"
"He's quite happy that you have apparently decided to 'play ball'," Glunnyn reported. "He doesn't know where the leader is staying, although I got the impression of a rather large man, and a name: Ulric."
Di'Fier walked slowly to his desk, sliding the drawer open and pulling out the list of guests from the last Wizard's Guild dinner. He ran a finger down the list of names, until he found the one he was looking for:
Dragosani, Ilse (Highgate Wizard's Guild) & son, Ulric.
The door opened slowly, and the pinched face of Alust glared out at Dru. His eyes narrowed as they went from her to Ellerand and back, but the mage opened the door the rest of the way. "Oh," he said, in a tone that did nothing to hide his distaste.
Dru smiled as best she could. "Good morning, Alust. May we come in?"
He shrugged, turning away. "Do as you please." He took a few steps into the room, then turned to face them as the door closed. "What do you want?"
"Do you know where Ivellimor went last night?"
"Ivellimor," the elf sneered, "has proven himself to be a fair-weather friend of late. I do not know where he is. Nor do I care."
In two swift steps Dru crossed the room, seizing Alust by the shirt and slamming the smaller elf against the wall. Ivellimor was missing, in danger, and all Alust could do was complain? "He is part of the organization," she said through clenched teeth.
"Put me down!" the mage spat, and pulled his clothing back into place as she released him. "I have no idea where he went."
"You had best stop and examine your loyalties," Dru informed him. "You are beginning to look suspicious."
"Who are you to question my loyalties?" Alust bristled. "You, who went off to join the guard..."
"The Watch." Dru's lips pressed into a thin line.
A satisfied smirk apprared on his face. "You see?"
Dru raised her chin. "During my time with the Watch," she enunciated, "I did my job and nothing else. I did nothing to hurt the organization."
His voice dropped lower. "Perhaps not. But..." and here, a menacing insinuation crept into his tone, "...you certainly hurt your father. Didn't you?"
"What do you mean by that?" Her hand had balled into a fist of its own accord, trembling at her side.
"You know exactly what I mean."
There was a dull crunch, and Alust staggered backward into the wall, bright red blood pouring from beneath the hands that clutched his shattered nose. Dru cocked her fist for another blow.
"You...b-tch! Get out!"
Dru flared. "You're the one that's always talking against Papa!" she snarled.
"Get...out."
Dru took a potion from her cloak. "Take this, then, and tell me your side."
Alust's eyes glared up at her over his hands, the anger burning through involuntary tears of pain. He spoke slowly and deliberately. "I don't trust you."
Dru turned away. "All right. I'll leave. But I'll be forced to assume that your loyalties are indeed compromised, since you won’t even defend yourself."
"You would think that, wouldn't you?" Alust straightened slowly, wiping a blood-soaked hand on his shirt. "And you’re going to go straight to your Papa and tell him, won’t you?"
"You could tell me your side of the story. Then I wouldn't have to."
He looked contemptuously at her. "You wouldn't tell it to him anyway. Now get out."
The door closed behind them, and Ellerand turned to look at Dru. "You know, I almost feel sorry for him."
"Why?"
"Because he has made an enemy out of you."
Compiler's Note: This is the point in game time where the first issue of The Shipping News I posted was actually published.
"Leaderless?!" Di'Fier spluttered, staring in astonishment at the paper.
Jaffar shrugged. "You expect accuracy from the Shipping News? Not in anything but the ship's timetables."
"Ashrem, how's the prisoner?"
"He's a bit upset at being tied to a chair all night," the elf smirked. "He kept wanting to 'talk in private' to me, so I gagged him again."
Di'Fier nodded. "All right, let's see what he has to say. Glunnyn, you're ready?"
"Yes, the spell should have no problem working through the door...yes, I can read him now. Just ask the leading questions to bring the subjects to his mind."
Di'Fier opened the door and stepped inside with Katya. At a nod, she loosened Vagn's gag.
"How 'bout some food," their prisoner grumbled. "An' a chance to stretch my legs."
"Food's on the way," Di'Fier said curtly. "Are you ready to talk a little bit more about what you're doing here?"
He chuckled. "Some big things are going down," he said. "You'd better be on the right side when they do."
Di'Fier rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "I hadn't realized that something big was happening. I have not yet accepted the other offer..."
Vagn leaned forward as far as the ropes would allow. "Whoever's makin' this other offer might not be around to make good on it."
Di'Fier nodded. "Who's your boss?"
"I told you, I can't tell you that."
"So you can't tell me his name...where to find him, a good place to meet him...can you even tell me the name of the organization?"
Vang nodded. "The Dragon's Claw."
Di'Fier shrugged, dryly commenting: "Never heard of them. But...I think we'll release you. We won't have anyone follow you. Take all the precautions you like. We'll have to keep you for another day or so, to make thing slook good, but the jails are just too full..." He paused a moment. "It'd be nice to know where I could meet your boss."
Vagn nodded. "I'll set up a meeting."
They exited, and Di'Fier looked down at his fellow wizard. "What did you get?"
"He's quite happy that you have apparently decided to 'play ball'," Glunnyn reported. "He doesn't know where the leader is staying, although I got the impression of a rather large man, and a name: Ulric."
Di'Fier walked slowly to his desk, sliding the drawer open and pulling out the list of guests from the last Wizard's Guild dinner. He ran a finger down the list of names, until he found the one he was looking for:
Dragosani, Ilse (Highgate Wizard's Guild) & son, Ulric.
Jon Potter
First Post
Great job with this storyhour, drnuncheon.
If anything, I'm enjoying Book II even more than Book I. And that's saying something because I REALLY liked the Freeport Trilogy and I'm a sucker for Mythos references of any kind.
This mystery/investigation adventure is thoroughly engaging.
If anything, I'm enjoying Book II even more than Book I. And that's saying something because I REALLY liked the Freeport Trilogy and I'm a sucker for Mythos references of any kind.
This mystery/investigation adventure is thoroughly engaging.
drnuncheon
Explorer
Thanks, Jon! I'm glad everyone seems to be enjoying this as much as I am.
I don't know that it comes across as much in the story hour as it does in the game, but Book II has seen a lot more character development from both sides - it's definitely moving away from the pulpy adventure feel of the early sessions and into something with a bit more depth.
I think that now Dru and Di'Fier are separated, you can see more of the effect they had on each other when they were together. That really shows up next session when our heros are reunited to investigate the mysterious ghost ship reported in the Shipping News...
J
I don't know that it comes across as much in the story hour as it does in the game, but Book II has seen a lot more character development from both sides - it's definitely moving away from the pulpy adventure feel of the early sessions and into something with a bit more depth.
I think that now Dru and Di'Fier are separated, you can see more of the effect they had on each other when they were together. That really shows up next session when our heros are reunited to investigate the mysterious ghost ship reported in the Shipping News...
J
Jon Potter
First Post
drnuncheon said:
It definitely comes across! And not just with D & D, either (although they both continue to come into their own as characters). Each of the NPCs seems to have much more to them than just a stat block. I especially like the twists that you've shown shown us with existing NPCs from Book I, such as Jaffar. They seem to be growing and developing very organically, not because of (or in spite of ) PC actions, but regardless of them. It makes the entire city seem much more alive.
