drnuncheon's Freeport Story Hour

[drnuncheon]

Faithful readers, your patience has not been in vain. I have finally conquered my writer's block (what CR is that? I wanna figure out the XP) and posted Session Eleven, Part One. The link is at the bottom of the post.

Meanwhile, Dru and Di'Fier have charged headlong into Madness in Freeport, as they race against time to unravel the plans of the Brotherhood before they come to fruition.

The end of Madness in Freeport will also be the end of Book One: Brotherhood. Don't worry, I've got plenty of plans for Book Two: Inheritance - but there's still a lot left to plan. So, at the end of Book One, drnuncheon's Freeport Story Hour will be taking a brief hiatus as Dru runs a short (2-3 session) game and I rest my brain. (Look for it on these boards - one of us will write it up!) Then it's back to the mean streets of Freeport...and beyond, as Di'Fier and Dru both discover some surprising things about the people they thought they knew: their families.

Now, without further ado, Session Eleven, Part One: This is a Bust
http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&postid=158018#post158018

 

[Horacio]

HEy, good update, really good!
I want more

BTW, at last I have Freeport: City of Adventure in my little hands!!!!!!!!!

 

[drnuncheon]

Session Twelve, Part One: How many people are trying to kill you, anyway?

Compiler's Note: This post and those following contain spoilers for the free adventure "Holiday in the Sun", available at Green Ronin's website. On the other hand, they've been twisted from here halfway to the mainland, so you could also amuse yourself by downloading it and seeing the changes that were made. Except you two, Dru and Di'Fier!

Swagfest! A celebration of the Great Raid led by Captains Drac and Francisco two hundred years ago - a raid that marked the birth of Freeport as a naval power to be reckoned with, and brought uncounted riches to the city.

Swagfest! A time of debauchery and decadence, of plunder and pillage, a last blowout before the weather turns and the port is all but closed.

Swagfest! The rowdiest festival of the year, it shuts down the city for two days: one to celebrate and one to recover.

But this year's Swagfest was more special than most. It was the bicentennial of the birth of the city, true. But it had also become a week-long celebration to mark the completion of the project which has dominated the city for the last decade: the Lighthouse of Drac - or, as its detractors called it, "Milton's Folly."

And known only to a few, something else entirely was coming to fruition. In the dank tunnels below the streets, they waited. In the winding alleys of the Old City, they watched. The storms were coming, and far sooner than the citizens of Freeport could guess.

Freeport, perhaps more than any city, thrived on gossip. The merchants relied on it for advance notice. The beggars sold it for coin and bread. Noble and commoner alike united in their fascination for the stuff. So it is not unusual that even the dingy headquarters of the City Watch might be a marketplace for rumor and hearsay, as the Watchmen prepare for the festival.

"Looks like Lydon's going all out for this."

"Yeah, he wants the popular support for his Council nomination. Sucking up to the masses."

"Digging himself deeper, what I heard. Crookshank said he in big to Finn from his gambling, and Finn ain't too happy that Lydon's throwing a party 'stead of paying him back."

"...heard he hired the Council of Wrath."

The voices paused a moment.

"Yer sh-ttin' me."

"S'what I heard."

"Hell, they got their work cut out for 'em. You hear who's playing undercover angels to Lydon?"

"Nah, who?"

"Dru, Di'Fier," Jaffar rasped in greeting. "Antone and me have been checking the crowd just like you said, but it seems pretty usual. Most'v'em are drunk already."

Behind the three, on the stage that had been assembled, the massive bulk of Captain Lydon was surrounded by his cronies, admirers, and a pair of barely clothed women. Dru eyed the assemblage sourly. "Remind me again how we got into this?"

Her partner shrugged, sending his raven to check on the windows overlooking the square. "Captain Donnach said he asked for us by name."

"Great. Well, we'd better spread out."

Di'Fier took up a position by the stage, and slipped behind it with a nod to the guard posted there. Out of sight, he chanted the words to a spell that would allow him to detect magic. Then, slowly, his concentration on the spell, he moved back into the crowd and began scanning it.

Dru glanced up at the window. Lydon was about to give his speech, and that was the third time she'd seen movement from it - and not like the other windows, where the onlookers leaned out for a better view. She didn't like it. Not at all. Pushing into the crowd, she began to use her elbows to jostle her way closer to the stage.

"Aarrrrrr, mateys," the captain roared, and the masses roared back. "Welcome...to...SWAGFEST!" More cheers punctuated his words. "It be my honor to open the festivities this year!"

Hmm...not much to see, thought Di'Fier as he scanned the crowd. Most of it was quite mundane. Movement cought his eye, and he turned his gaze onstage. One of Lydon's wenches was adjusting what little clothing covered her, and from here he had an amazing view...but the barest hint of a glow had caught his eye. A glow that meant magic.

Lydon continued, unaware. "As ye know, the Sea Lord be busy with his lighthouse," a pause for the requisite chuckle from the onlookers, "and so it fall upon yer humble cap'n to take this duty. Are ye ready...for plunder and pillage?"

DANGERDEATHPREDATOR! The feeling of fear slammed into his brain, and reflexively Di'Fier's head spun towards the source: Ampiel, circling and fluttering at an empty window. Or was it?

Dru pummeled a swath through the crowd, leaving sore ribs and feet behind her, along with a string of people wondering if the little elven woman had really hit them that hard. She was almost at the base of the stage, and glanced over to see her partner staring at the window. Good, he sees it too, she thought, and then glanced up at Lydon. Her eyes widened as she saw a glint of well-concealed steel slip into the hand of one of the wenches flanking him.

Di'Fier fumbled with his wand, trying to get it out in the midst of the crowd, hoping it could reach as far as the shadow at the window.

"Two hundred years ago, the fleet of Freeport first took to the waves!" The sound of the crowd was like those waves, magnified a thousandfold. Dru could barely hear Lydon, and he'd never hear her in time. "Two mighty captains had we, and the landlubbers shuddered..."

She lunged. Her fingers brushed the ankle of the woman, but she was too late. The woman took a step back, her eyes never leaving the Captain.

"...as the cap'n's gave them fire..."

An arrow arced through the air towards Lydon.

"and Freeport steel!"

The knife went into his back.

 

[Jon Potter]

Very Nice.

Good work, as always...

 

[Horacio]

Yes, as usual, great!

 

[drnuncheon]

Good grief. Between the time I post that from home and the time I check from work, you guys have both responded. I guess it's good to have devoted readers. (Horacio, when do you sleep?)

Obviously, though, since you're not cursing my name, I need to make my cliffhangers bigger. Now where'd I put that dragon...?

J

(Jon, I finally saw your mail...after my block broke. Heh. It got caught in my spam filter for some reason, which is why I never wrote back. I wasn't ignoring you! Thanks for the offer...)

 

[Horacio]

(Horacio, when do you sleep?)

Why do you think I need to sleep?
Maybe I don't exist really, maybe I'm a sort of AI program designed by Morrus and Piratecat to bump story hours...
Maybe...

 

[Thorntangle]

Turnips!

Great updates! I'm late, but still to be counted as a loyal fan, Doc.

I remember Di'Fier's father and the turnip connection. I guess the turnip "seeds" planted earlier are growing into fruition? What does it all mean? Does Di'Fier's father mastermind an evil turnip cartel in Freeport engineering a capture of the turnip market?

 

[drnuncheon]

Re: Turnips!

I remember Di'Fier's father and the turnip connection. I guess the turnip "seeds" planted earlier are growing into fruition? What does it all mean? Does Di'Fier's father mastermind an evil turnip cartel in Freeport engineering a capture of the turnip market?

Curse you! Yes, Di'Fier's father is in league with Lucius. Forget vanilla beans, they're driving the price of turnips up! They plan to use the lighthouse to misdirect ships full of turnips and sink them, thus closing the city off to imported turnips.

But now that you've revealed my insidious plan, I'll have to come up with something else. Maybe this is all the work of a secret cult of underground snake people...

J
...nah, they'd never buy it...

 

[drnuncheon]

Session Twelve, Part Two: Like a Rat in a Cage

Lydon stumbled, twisted, the knife cutting a jagged gash into his side. The arrow struck home in the stage to his left. Growling, the would-be assassin raised the knife again.

Dru reached for the Captain's leg to drag him out of danger, but the sailor was operating on instinct, and stumbled away from her grasping hand. Behind her, Di'Fier had finally drawn his wand, and a bolt of arcane energy slammed into the woman on the stage. The Captain ran to the edge of the patform, tripping and falling to the ground, and in an instant the killer was above him, slashing with the knife.

Dru dove and slid onto the stage, rolling to her feet and drawing her blade. She caught a flicker of motion from the corner of her eye, and the buckler on her arm knocked a second arrow from the sky. Her wild slash at the assassin did not connect, but drove her into the path of Di'Fier's shortsword. As Lydon crawled to his feet and lumbered forward, the woman slashed him again with her blade - then spun, ducking and twisting under the Watchmen's strikes, and vanished into the dark water of the harbor.

Antone stepped in front of the captain as Di'Fier pointed out the window the arrows were coming from. Dru leapt from the stage to land by Lydon, already pulling a curative potion from her pouch as her partner strung his bow. She tried to shield his bulk behind her body, but an arrow still managed to hit home.

As Di'Fier raised his bow and aimed, Dru fumbled with the wand of shield she'd taken from Kenzil, trying vainly to make it work. Her partner released his shaft, which sailed into the window - and the shadowy figure there disappeared farther back into the room.

"Antone, Jaffar! Get to that building!" At Di'Fier's command, the two began shoving their way through the crowds. Follow! the mage told Ampiel, only to be met with a sense of frustration as the raven battered at the door leading out of the room - a door the sniper had slammed behind him.

Captain Lydon struggled to his feet and dusted himself off, climbing back to the stage. Someone in the panicking crowd noticed, and the reaction spread: people turned, saw the Captain returning to his place...and the cheers began.

Lydon held up his hands. "Francisco be not the only cap'n with a knife in his back!" he called, and the crowd roared its approval. "Now...while we wait for the ale...let Swagfest commence!" He descended once again, waving to the cheering multitudes.

Dru and Di'Fier flanked him protectively. He turned to the two of them. "That were a nice bit o'work you did there. What were yer names again?"

"Dru."

"Di'Fier." The young mage looked across at his partner...who bore a similarly puzzled expression.

"Dru and Di'Fier. I'll remember that. But now I need to speak with the people." The Captain grinned. "Show them that I'm not afraid. Stand back, don't be so obvious." And he moved off.

"Didn't Captain Donnach says he asked for us by name?" frowned Dru.

"He's not the most helpful protectee," grumbled Dru, as they trudged after Lydon. "No idea who's behind it, refuses to let us near him. It's like he wants to be killed."

Ahead, the Captain turned. "Got to let out some of the ale," he roared. I'll be just down 'ere." With that, he staggered down an alley.

"This is like a bad dream," muttered Di'Fier. "Ampiel, go follow him." The bird flapped twice from his perch on the mage's shoulder, then flew down the alley after Lydon.

"Where's your sword, anyway?" Dru asked. "Ampiel's upset that you took his perch away."

Di'Fier chuckled. "He'll have it back soon enough. I left it with Garto - spent some of the money we've collected to have it enchanted. I want to be ready for anything at the Lighthouse Ball."

"And he was willing to do that during Swagfest?" Dru's brow wrinkled. "I can't imagine anyone doing work this week. Except taverners and innkeeps."

Di'Fier shrugged. "He said he drinks himself under the table every other night, and he needed a rest. He's a strange one."

MURDERDEATHPREDATOR! Di'Fier was running even before the feeling was fully formed, and Dru was a step behind him. As they skidded into the alley, they saw Lydon at the other end, with another man. Ampiel flapped crazily in midair as the two stared at him, then turned to look at the charging Watch.

Lydon pulled a dagger from his belt and slashed the air near the man. "Hah! Attack me will you?"

The man turned and ran.

"And stay away!" Turning to the Watchmen, he grinned. "Nothing to worry about. It's about time for One-Eyed Jack's Stand..."

Dru watched the third contestant being untethered from the post and dragged off. The dozen 'fishmen' leaned on their padded poles as they waited for the next brave soul. She shook her head slowly. "Humans."

"Dru. Di'Fier." A voice jerked her out of her thoughts.

"Captain Donnach!"

"At ease. I heard there was a little trouble this morning." The Captain looked over the two of them as they nodded. "Good work. Unfortunately, your undercover status is compromised, so I've assigned Mahmoud and Konstantine to the job. Take the rest of the afternoon off."

The pair nodded, and headed back to headquarters.

"Where's Donnach?" Dru asked as she came in.

"He headed off to Swagfest. He was looking for you two."

Dru glanced at Di'Fier. "I guess it really was him."

Her partner shrugged.

"Well, I'm going to go see what the festival is like."

"I think I'm going to sit down and rest for a while," mused Di'Fier. "Maybe read that book we got from the serpent temple. I'll see you later."

Dru wandered through the wagons that had arrived for Swagfest. The quality of the guards he hired is awful, she thought. I didn't even have to try to get back here. I could be an assassin, or a thief...

She paused by a large covered wagon, glancing around. Nobody was watching - they were all consumed in keeping the ale flowing and the other necessities of the festival. She leaned up against the frame...

...and heard a scratching noise. Faint, persistant scratching.

Warily, she crept around to the end of the wagon. Normally the translucent cover would have let in some afternoon light, but the wagon was parked in the shadow of a building. She took a moment to let her eyes adjust...and saw movement.

Dru glanced about, and carefully put one foot on the baseboard of the wagon. Levering herself slowly inside, she crept forward until she could see the source of the movement.

An iron cage with a wooden floor stood behind some crates and boxes. Its occupant stared up at her from where it had been futilely scratching away at the base of one of the bars. Its emaciated arms shook from the effort, and the brown fur on them was matted and ill-smelling. Its naked pink tail twitched feebly in the straw on the cage floor, and whiskers and ears twitched. And although the pitiful creature seemed far from human, there was no mistaking the light of intelligence in its crimson eyes.