Module 102: “Tiger by the tail" Played August 12, 2001 + January 6, 2002 (Games #782 & 799)
Part 1: September 29, 1018:
It has been two-and-a-half week since the high-level party departed for the Orient. Activity on the island has continued, with party members busy getting their homes back together. All of the fallen timber has been converting into building lumber, building stones have been gathered or quarried, and architectural drawings have been completed for all of the new buildings.
Included with construction plans are new houses for all fifty-five crew-members; a barracks for the thirty-four Jawlt navy enlisted personnel, individual quarters for the six Jawlt navy officers; docks for the four ships as well as visiting ships; farmhouses and barns for the six new farmers; a new tavern; reconstruction and expansion of the inn; a new general store; a new livery stable; reconstruction of YON church; and finally walls and fencing to identify the public vs. private sections of the island.
With the approximately two hundred laborers available (including the ships’ crew; Jawlt navy sailors, Thenossian mercenaries, and twenty-four dwarven volunteers from both Nova and Zalpar) a schedule is set to get most of the exterior construction completed prior to the first major snowfall, which is anticipated for mid-December. Interior construction will continue throughout the winter. Spring will then be spent preparing the farmlands for planting and the construction of the walls and fences. Jerry will serve as the project manager, delegating construction team supervision to Silver Moon Ship Captain Jacob, Jawlt Navy Ship Captain Milner, the Zalparian dwarven construction worker Harback, Inn and Tavern keeper Henry, and the monk Luekia.
Beulla, Jaime, Kharole and Vincenzo have been busy preparing the school for an influx of new students (the new farmers, the Jawlt Navy officers and some of the new crewmembers have families with children, as well as the addition of Prince Matthew). Alton and Silas have been repaired the newly acquired stagecoach, to be used daily to transport the children between the town and school (with Silas Junior continuously whining how they should use Alton’s Jeep instead, as it is more fun since it goes a lot faster). Having gotten a taste of “adventure” during the recent island escapades, Beulla’s daughter Janet has organized a group of the older children as a self-contained adventuring-team, under the name “Silver Moon: The Next Generation”, necessitating a change in the school curriculum to include team training sessions (with Isaiah suggesting that these teamwork sessions be mandatory for select party members as well).
Instead of Cassie or Serita, those player’s character chooses Jaime (aka Mrs. Sweetness), much to the regret of Dennis’s player who comments “Look what Dennis will have to put up with.” The day begins with the characters of Blake, Blip, Dennismore, Guice and Jaime gathering at Jerry’s Café (the makeshift tarp and tent setup that he is using as an interim tavern until the weather gets too cold). Each of these four had the same dream the night before about needing to go to Jawltorn. Both Dennis and Guice’s players comment about how modules, which begin with dreams, are usually bad news for everyone.
Since they are planning to now go to Jawltorn, Jerry says that he’ll give them a few thousand gold pieces to buy more booze with, as the construction crew is close to wiping out his current supply. “A few thousand, great..” says Dennis, holding out his hand. Jerry returns with a large sack of coins, looks at Blake, Blip and Dennis, and says “You know that old cliché about there being honor among thieves. Well, I don’t believe in clichés” and hands the bag to Jaime.
They request the use of one of the ships to take them to Jawltorn. Jacob questions whether he can spare any of his men from construction detail to crew it, until Jerry points out that they are running low on alcohol. The ship Bronze Star is immediately assigned, with Hans and Ssam as the ship officers, along with ten crewmembers – five experienced and five of the new ones. Jaime and Blip gather some of their own handmade items to sell during the same trip. The ship sets sail late morning.
September 30, 1018:
The ship arrives in the city of Jawltorn mid-afternoon. Showing that their priorities are in order, the three thieves and Guice decide to go scout out the best place to buy the alcohol. Jaime yells out after them “If you guys get arrested I will be very angry, and have to put you into a time out.” “Who does she think we are, her kids?” comments Blip. Looking at Blip and Blake Dennis replies “Well, you two are short enough to be them.”
After making arrangements to buy the booze the next day, they find Jaime. The players look to the DM and ask “The dream told us to come here. Where in the city are we most compelled to go?” “Other than jail, out of habit,” Tim comments. The DM says that there is no place in particular. Jaime suggests “Going to a church to seek divine guidance.” “I’d rather sit on a spike,” answers Dennis.
The party debate staying at Kindor’s castle, but opt instead to find standard lodgings. They find rooms at the Inn of the Creaking Cricket, as Jaime says that a cricket is a good luck symbol. “Fine, as long as there aren’t any actual crickets keeping us awake,” comments Dennis. The group gets some supper, leading to a side conversation about the recent PBS documentary about hot dog stands, a follow-up documentary in a series that included ice cream stands, diners and amusement parks.
October 1, 1018:
During the night the five characters each have another dream, telling them that a messenger will approach them this evening at suppertime. In the meanwhile, they finalize the purchase of the booze and arrange to have it delivered to the ship. Blip and Jamie carry out their own business transactions with the homemade craft items.
At suppertime all are gathered at a table in the inn, and are then joined by the monk Purge, who they have not seen in over two years. “Hello tall, dark and weird, long time no see,” says Dennis. “You wouldn’t happen to be the messenger we’re waiting for?” Jamie asks. “The one we are waiting for? What is this, a ghost from ‘A Christmas Carol’? comments Guice. Purge indicates that he is, and that he has been asked to lead them to a place a few miles outside of the city, where someone will meet them at midnight.” “Great, then there’s no huge hurry,” says Blip, “have a seat and get a bite,” says Blip. They ask if they should bring their stuff, to which Purge says he does not know, but they should probably be prepared for any eventuality.
Shortly after sunset they reach the spot that Purge had been instructed to bring them, around two hundred yards off the road, a few miles northeast of the city’s northeastern gate. They stop in front of a rusty sword sticking out of the ground. “What’s with the pig-sticker?” asks Dennis. “It is a grave marker,” Purge replies. “How nice, a grave, just where I want to be after dark,” Guice says. “Whose grave?” asks Blip. Purge reads a small plaque affixed to a stone near the sword, which reads “Here lays the grave of Sir Goodfellow, a Paladin of YON”.
This leads to a brief conversation of who Sir Goodfellow was. “Wasn’t he killed attacking a castle? asks Blip. “I believe he got run over by a wagon,” comments Blake. “No, he got killed by orcs while leading the party to Grammel, Says Dennis. “I think that was Denny” answers Guice. “Not me,” says Dennismore. “No, Denny not Dennis,” says Guice. Don’t you guys remember, we helped his ghost out before,” says Jamie, “He had us resurrect a bunch of people including my sister Beulla.” “Oh yeah,” says Dennis, “that was a long time ago.”
Purge reminds them that the group who participated on that adventure included all present except for Guice. “Then why am I here?” Guice asks Purge. “Don’t look at me,” says Purge, “I just had a dream that told me to bring you guys here.” Jamie remembers that previously Sir Goodfellow appeared before them at midnight, and suggests that they wait until them. Dennis comments “I don’t know about this Scooby Doo kind of stuff, it’s always the black guy who gets killed first.” “There was no black guy in Scooby Doo?” Guice’s player adds. “Sure there was, when they teamed up with the Harlem Globetrotters,” the DM answers.
October 2, 1018:
At mid-night, the disembodied spirit of Sir. Goodfellow appears before the party. “Hello again,” the deep and melodic voice says. “Hello,” Jaime says in a perky voice, “Are you having a nice day?” “A nice day? Jaime, he’s dead,” comments Blip.
Goodfellow thanks them all for answering his call, reminding them of the mission he had sent them on exactly five years and four months earlier. He says that that mission took place eight years following his death, but that mission was not done properly, so he was being made to wait another eight years. The gods took pity on him, and have only made him wait two-thirds of that amount of time before calling back together those to fix what had not been done right the previous time.” “You’re saying we screwed up?” says Blip. “Well, that’s kind of our motto,” comments Dennis. He then looks to Goodfellow and adds “Look buddy, you paid for the B-team, you get B-team results.”
“What did we do wrong?” Jamie asks. Goodfellow explains how with the resurrection of one of the bodies, Vilicus Dulcis, the body was found in the town of Nottingham, in the basement of a house of ill repute, which was run by were-tigers. The party had been told that the were-tigers had great influence in the town, and the party left it that way, with the neutral-to-evil creatures still in charge. Now, over five years later, these creatures wield even greater power, and it is this situation that they need to correct.”
“OK, that’s them, what about me?” comments Guice. Goodfellow explains how in addition to the other five present, the party on the previous mission included a cleric named Morrgan, but that he is now dead. Guice was chosen to fill his spot, as there are currently no Paladins on the Island, so a ranger was chosen as he was one of good alignment. “Gods help you all,” says Guice, shaking his head, “I’m your moral center!”
Goodfellow explains how a total of six were-tigers now run the town. In addition to the four at the cathouse, there is another at the town’s main inn as well as one at the local hospital. Through these three places they have had access to all of the prominent people in the town, including the YON high priest. They have attacked each of these prominent people, enough to cause lycanthropy, but through the inn and hospital have continuously administered an antidote to keep this condition in check, with the people being under the control of the were-tigers without fully becoming lycanthropes themselves. Goodfellow says that the party needs to infiltrate this hospital and inn, to remove these antidote potions, to expose the were-tigers.
Blip immediately sees the flaw of this plan, saying “Wait a minute, won’t that just turn ALL of the town into were-tigers? How will that make the situation better?” Goodfellow has no immediate answer, commenting “I don’t know. That is all I was instructed to tell you. Perhaps by making it more obvious that they have been exposed to lycanthropy they can then be cured before fully succumbing to it?”
Jaime reminds everyone present that during the earlier mission they had personally promised the lycanthropes that they would not expose them. She turns to Goodfellow, asking “Are you now telling us to break our promise? How is that the lawful-good thing to do?” Again, Goodfellow has no immediate answer to this line of questioning. He reminds them that these lycanthropes are evil. “So are you saying that it is OK to lie to evil creatures?” asks Guice. “No,” says Goodfellow, and replies to Guice “YOU never made that promise”. “No, he didn’t, just the rest of us who he will be with,” comments Blip, “How does that make it any different?”
Goodfellow says that he will have to ask these questions to the servants of YON that sent him here, but that he has been told that this is the only way that he will be allowed to move out of limbo and on to his preferred afterlife. He says that he will seek the answer to these questions and speak to them the following night at midnight. He suggests that they move on in the direction of Nottingham, as the full moon is only six days away, and at that point the were-tigers strength will be at its highest. The spirit then leaves.
Blip is the first to speak, saying “Full moon in six days? Sounds like the best time for us to be there is two weeks after that.” “Goodfellow probably can’t wait that long,” says Jamie. “Why not?” asks Blip, “He’s been in limbo for over thirteen years, what difference do a few weeks make?”
The group has a discussion about what to do next. Blip says that it doesn’t make sense that a party of mostly thieves, and no cleric, would be sent to cure a town of lycanthropy. “No, but we are the best qualified to steal this antidote,” says Dennis, “which we figure will only make things worse.” “This whole thing doesn’t make sense,” says Guice, “Why would lawful good deities ask you guys to break a promise that you made?” “For the greater good,” comments Purge. “Greater good my ass,” says Dennis, “there’s nothing in it for us, and who wants to make enemies of lycanthropes?”
Jaime says that “We should help Goodfellow, but what really doesn’t make any sense is that YON and his followers have broken the promise that they made to him. They promised Sir. Goodfellow in 1013 that if we successfully did all that was asked of us, he would then be granted his afterlife. We did that, and they then reneged on their promise to him due to a technicality, which wasn’t even part of the original mission. Does that sound right? When do lawful-good gods break their word to their paladins?”
The group discusses what to do next. Blake suggests just doing as asked, and heading towards Nottingham until the following night, when Sir. Goodfellow can get them answers to their questions. Jamie say that going to Nottingham sounds OK, but instead of opposing the were-tigers they should meet with them to discuss the situation. This sounds like a really bad idea to the others. The unanimous decision reached is to “sleep on it, and decide what to do in the morning.”
