| Current Campaign: New Blood For An Old Sword | |
| Episode 4: "Trickery at Taros" | |
| Year: 1763 Summer | |
| Location: Taros | |
PCs:
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NPCs:
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| Previous Episode: "Rank Mummery" | |
| Next Episode: "The Defenders of Eatonshire" | |
| Previous Campaign: The Knights of Eaton | |
Orlin's Troupe, led now by Artemis, plots its escape from Taros; Carlo runs afoul of familiar foes; a stopover at a peculiar manor; an embittered enemy strikes.
Story
Act One: Artemis Plans His Escape and Carlo Is Restored
Young Darren spends the morning walking the market square and pilfering breakfast from separate vendors. He listens intently to the gossip and learns that the strange man he had helped last evening is a suspect in the killing of the bastard son of local lord Edgar Fain: Rand the Rapacious. Rand was a noted swindler and cutthroat and the other body lying dead was his toady Blacktooth Brindal. Rand and Blacktooth will not be missed by those agents of civil authority, but the law demands his killer be brought before Lord Fain. Darren returns to the crawlspace of The Pepper Pot and sits behind the walls of Julian's suite and listens in as he eats his breakfast.
Artemis paces the length of the suite, planning his escape from Taros. He orders Dain to find the weakest security points in the town and tasks Julian and Owen with fetching breakfast and coffee. Artemis asks Jaffer and Ishaq to visit the guildhall and collect five capable mercenaries who are familiar with the area. Reon, restless and irritable at the prospect of being confined, opens the suite window and casts a flight spell upon himself. He drifts out of The Pepper Pot and is ordered down by guards, who march him to jail.
His fever broken, Carlo rises from bed and groans in pain. He rubs the bandages securing his fractured ribs and looks about him. He'd lost track of time since being fished out of the river by passerby and brought to Taros. His kit clearly identified him as a mercenary with the Dread Legion company, so he was taking to the guildhall and permitted to recuperate there. The healers of Taros had been called away for a ceremony and so Carlo was forced to recover without the aid of mana. Clay Chooser, a local of Taros and the corporal stationed at the guildhall, had monitored him through his convalescence.
Upon seeing Carlo's fever break, Chooser deems it safe for him to move about. He accesses his local contacts, and with the riches gained by Carlo in Azedoma, tithes a quarter of it to the nearest temple of Yllion for Carlo to be fully restored. Carlo, with one hand around Chooser's shoulder and the other on a crutch, ambles to the temple. He is received by two monks who place him on a litter and carry him to their sacred chambers as Clay sits and waits in the nave. From the chambers he hears a consistent low chanting and aroma of incense hangs heavy in the air. Two men seated in pews near the front had watched them enter, and as Clay takes a seat one of them approaches him and sits nearby. He introduces himself as Tobias.
"That one of the fellows from Azedoma?" He asks.
Clay confirms his question and Tobias returns to his seat next to his companion and whispers to him. The companion rises and leaves the temple, returning later with a small sack. He carries it to the door of the sacred chambers and presents it to a priest, who returns to the chamber. Moments later Clay hears the low chant rise into a chorus of voices and, after many minutes, a brilliant illumination shines through the cracks and crannies followed by a deafening peal of thunder. The two men in the front pews rise to exit the temple and before leaving Tobias turns to Clay and winks.
Half an hour later Carlo is escorted from the sacred chamber wearing linen robes. He is followed by a young monk bearing his items in a wicker basket.
"All that was for you?" Clay asks in astonishment.
"No, that was for someone in the courtyard. They fixed me up after him." Carlo receives the basket and they walk outside, where he sees Jacob the ogre and Erik Dunwing standing at the foot of the stairs and gazing up at him. Carlo drops the basket and fumbles for his sword but a voice from behind warns him, "Nope." He turns to see Tobias pointing a crossbow at him from behind the temple door.
"Can't shed blood on sacred ground, Carlo. Why don't you come on down here," says Jacob.
Jaffer and Ishaq round the corner on their way to the guildhall and they are momentarily stunned to see Carlo alive.
"Hey…" Jaffer begins but his stopped suddenly by the sight of Erik Dunwing, whom he had shot in the forests outside Larkos. "…oh. Hello." Everyone draws a weapon.
Wielding his sword, Carlo descends the stairs, saying, "Wait…I have Mayfn's head."
"Not anymore," replies Tobias. "He'll probably be wanting his sword back too."
Ishaq, taking the initiative, asks, "Gentlemen, are you looking for work? I've got a contract that pays big and I'm in need of five swords who know the area."
Darren follows Julian, Owen and Delvin to the marketplace and watches them carefully as they go about the square. He approaches a guard and whispers to him conspiratorially, "I know who killed that bastard lord the other night." The guard, incredulous, waves him away but Darren persists. Annoyed, the guard clutches Darren by his cloak and waves to his fellows. "Alright, welp—it's off to the barbican with you." Darren adroitly spins out of the grip, leaving his cloak behind, and ducks beneath a merchant's table. The guard curses and gives chase, but Darren tips a display stand at him and the guard stumbles and crashes through two merchant stands before falling to the ground. His fellows witness this and chase Darren, who grabs a merchant's cowl from off his post and wraps it around himself. He jumps upon another table, points at Julian, Owen and Delvin and shouts, "Them: they killed the lord!"
Julian drops his coffee and shouts, "Run!" and flees. Owen and Delvin pause a beat and then do likewise. The guards stand momentarily confused, which provides enough time for Darren to get away and for Julian and company to duck into an alleyway and get their bearings. In his panic, Julian put the marketplace between them and The Pepper Pot, but they corner Darren in an alleyway. The young urchin promises them he can get them back to the tavern unseen if they agree not to accost him for the marketplace fiasco. With some measure of reluctance, they agree and he leads them through an elaborate labyrinth of hidden passageways.
Carlo, Clay, Tobias and Jacob sign up with Ishaq, who tells them to meet up in 30 minutes at The Pepper Pot. Erik bitterly contests the turn of events, calling his companions turncoats. Jacob reaches for his sword but Tobias stays his hand and tells Erik, "you should leave town immediately, son." Erik, intimidated, stalks off angrily. Carlo and Clay return to the guildhall to collect their items. As he closes the door to his room, Carlo is met by Mayfn, who is standing behind the door and holding his sword.
"I hope it kept its edge," he smiles and partially unsheathes it. Carlo opens his mouth to speak as Mayfn swings the half-sheathed sword—pommel first—at Carlo; the pommel strikes his forehead and the sword slides back into its sheath, slicing the tip of Carlo's nose off. Mayfn hooks the sword onto his belt and darts from the room. Cursing, Carlo retrieves his nose and hurries back to the temple to have it healed before he heads to The Pepper Pot.
Act Two: Escape and Lord Lokran's
Darren safely escorts Owen, Delvin, and Julian back to the suite, where Artemis is receiving a report from Dain about the least-guarded gate in town. Darren, whose knowledge of Taros is extensive, confirms Dain's report and offers his expertise in exchange for joining with the group and leaving town. Jaffer and Ishaq arrive with the mercenaries in tow and, upon being apprised of the situation, Jaffer suggests Darren prove himself by securing them fake papers or town guard clothing. Darren accepts the challenge and exits the room, returning shortly with a sack filled with tunics bearing the colors of the town guard. Artemis enlists the boy and the men-at-arms in the group suit up.
With the troupe in tow, Artemis leads the group on horseback to the sparsely-guarded Biter's Gate and orders the young guard posted to lift the portcullis and let them pass. He complies but as they pass beneath it, one of the guardsmen recognizes Julian and shouts to the gatehouse to close the portcullis. At this, everyone makes a mad dash out of the town. Artemis's hired guard smashes their way through the thin defense and the group flees towards the woods.
The gate tolls the alarm bell, which gets the attention of a young mage named Ambrose who wishes to leave the city. He sees the commotion down the street and thinks now is as good a time as ever to make his own escape from the city, so he takes flight over the wall. In mid-flight he sees archers emerge from the gate house and take aim at him. A flurry of arrows zip by him and he is struck in the torso and so plummets towards the wall. He regains his composure enough to maintain a wobbly course towards the woods and is struck by a second volley from the wall. As he reaches the treeline he falls to earth and is collected by the mercenary Tobias.
The group races into the woods, discarding their false tunics and making their way west towards the city of Wodend. Mayfn and Clay lead a small contingent to circle back and, in the dead of night, steal away with Orlin's wagons and horses that had been parked outside the city.
Artemis claims, should they reach the port of Gowen, he will be hosted by one of the lords of that city. Dain is the most familiar with the terrain, so he leads the caravan there. A week later they arrive at Bryce Lokran's estate and the lord warmly welcomes them. The troupe parks the wagons on his grounds and make camp while Artemis chats with Lord Lokran in his solar. Delvin and Owen are greeted by one of Lokran's hired guards, a faun named Cardonia, who boasts of her prowess in combat. Julian notes that Lokran seems to be a man with peculiar tastes and the others agree: his topiary garden is filled with fanciful and sensuous figures, and his grounds are populated by exotic creatures.
Lokran emerges from the hall delighted by the news that Artemis travels with artists and performers; he orders his staff to begin preparing a banquet and invites everyone present to dine with him once they've refreshed themselves in his bath house. That evening they settle in to Lokran's great hall and feast and as the wine flows, the performers among the troupe recount their misadventures to the delight of Lokran and his guests. Julian lifts his glass and toasts to the good health of Orlin and Reon, who yet remain in Taros. Owen recites lines from Lokran's favorite ballads as Thwain plays a traditional tune on the lute.
Outside, the mercenaries gather around the open hearth and drink from Lokran's store of mead while they are served food by his servants. Cardonia trades barbs with Clay, who challenges the faun to a duel. Jacob throws down a cloak and the men all place bets on their favorite to win. As the bout begins Darren sidles up to the cloak and attempts to steal some money while everyone's attention is turned, but Jacob spins and clutches the boy by the arm.
"I won't yank this off you because you helped us out of Taros, and mainly because I've had my fill of sweet meats for the evening. Don't let me catch you near the purse again, laddie." Darren, suitably intimidated, rushes off to the opposite side of the match. He approaches Carlo, who is idly playing the baliset, and the two strike up a friendly conversation while Clay and Cardonia thrash each other.
Inside, Julian divulges Artemis's killing of Rand and Blacktooth and his hiring on of the troupe and mercenaries. Artemis goes ashen and Lokran raises an eyebrow. Owen lets out a worrisome moan.
"Was I not supposed to tell that part? Er…sorry, m'lords." says Julian, awkwardly bowing before plopping back into his chair.
"The killing of a lord's child, bastard though he may be, is a grave offense to many," Lokran rises and weaves a spell with his hands. The chair Artemis sits upon suddenly sprouts thick wooden tendrils, which bind his arms to the armrests. Lokran declares that he will hold an impromptu court before his guests, so that Artemis may answer for his follies.
"My house is at odds with House Fain, but the law is the law. Good sir, I am obliged to judge upon this matter before I permit you to passage into my lands," he says before calling forth the troupe to deliver their sides of the matter. When the final guest has spoken, Lokran turns to Julian and says, "Here I forgo judgement and ask you, peer to peer: what should be the fate of our fellow lord?"
"This!" Julian asserts, tossing his cup of wine into the face of the accused. Artemis sputtering indignantly and, before he can regain his composure, Lokran bellows with laughter.
"It is decided! Death by chocolate!" He rises and hurls a pastry at Artemis. Soon everyone at the table follows suit, throwing all manner of food at the cornered lord. Lokran releases his spell and Artemis rises angrily, clutching a cutting knife in his hand. He looks around the room, mutters a curse, and strides out.
Outside, Cardonia and Clay continue, bloody and bruised. The fight comes to its end when Clay delivers a powerful heel kick that breaks the faun's leg. Cardonia collapses and Clay stumbles towards the hearth and falls, exhausted. The others lift them into the supply wagon and return to drinking and singing around the fire.
Act Three: Waylaid By Dunwing
The next morning Artemis bitterly orders his attendants to break camp and prepare to trek south to Larkos. He announces his refusal to enter Gowan out of principle, due to the effrontery of Lord Lokran. Julian confesses that Lokran has asked him to stay on at the lord's court, while Jaffer reveals he has business in Wodend and will travel there.
The trek south to Larkos is without trouble and on the twelfth night of their trip they camp alongside the forest road. Ishaq is on guard late into the evening when he sees movement in the trees. He stirs Dain and as Dain wakes his fellow men-at-arms Ishaq slips into the woods to uncover the cause of the disturbance. He immediately sees a host of armed men closing in on their campground and, as he draws his blade and cuts one down, he shouts a warning to his companions. A volley of arrows launches from a dozen hidden bows and strikes Ambrose, Owen and Jacob. Fear and confusion prevail as a host of armored men bolt from the cover of the woods and smash into the encampment.
Jacob, Tobias and Carlo hurl themselves into the thick of the enemy while Artemis urges his companions to fall back into a defensive circle. Darren grips the wounded Owen by the shirt and drags him underneath a wagon. He grabs a sword from the corpse of a fallen enemy and with it he hacks at a foe from behind. The man groans and crumples to the ground, mortally wounded. Darren recoils in horror and the blade falls from his trembling hands—he runs back to Owen, who is being tended to by Delvin.
Dain and Clay break off from the fight and, with Ishaq, outflank the enemy. They circle back into the woods where they find and slay the archers, most of whom they catch unawares.
Jacob, the target of many of the archers arrows, falters and kneels from his numerous wounds. Tobias and Carlo rush to his side, cutting down the enemies in their path. Thwain, hearing the drum of approaching horse hooves, turns in time to receive a fatal saber slash that opens him from sternum to shoulder. He dies before he hits the ground. Erik Dunwing rears his horse and shouts:
"Deliver to me the miscreant Jaffer, or we'll cut you down and leave you fodder for the crows!"
"Jaffer is no longer with us, you fool!" Carlo shouts.
Tobias curses him, "Damn you, Erik—you'll pay for this."
Erik orders his archers to fire, but is met with silence from the woods. He turns to see Dain, Ishaq and Cardonia jogging out of the forest, their weapons fresh with blood. He realizes too late that his ambush has failed and reels his horse back to the road. Cardonia tries to cut him off, but Erik lifts a spear and hurls it at the fawn, striking him square in the belly. Cardonia skids backwards into a hollow and falls, stunned and still. Clay scoops a stray arrow from the ground, notches it, and fires at the retreating lieutenant. The arrow strikes Dunwing in the shoulder; he grunts and leans forward in his saddle but his horse continues its gallop, away into the night.
Ambrose, injured himself, tends to the other wounded as best he can, but Jacob's injuries are serious. Hours later, at dawn's first light, Tobias loads the ogre onto a wagon and claims his severance from Artemis. He says his goodbyes and rides back the way the group came towards the small town of Coslen to have Jacob healed at the temple there.
The group arrives in Larkos five days later. Artemis pays the troupe a princely sum for their troubles and arranges for them to be restored at the city temple. Owen, Delvin, and Hendricks combine a portion of their monies to send a messenger to Taros to post bail for Reon and Ordath. Afterwards they lodge together at the Regal Gryphon and make plans to collaborate on a play based on their adventures.
Carlo asks Ambrose to disguise him so that he may attend the slave auctions and continue his search for his children. Ambrose succeeds in cloaking the mercenary and he attends the auctions along with Clay and Darren. They spend most of the day on the wharf, asking questions and seeking clues. Carlo is approached by Cromwell, who has been alerted to the inquisitive stranger, and he vaguely recognizes the mercenary's voice. Before he can make the connection, Darren flirts with Cromwell and distracts his attention. Cromwell is taken by the young man and invites him to his villa, while Carlo and Clay leave the auction square. On their way out, Carlo recognizes two fellow warriors from Treefall being sold: Kamil Jarthul and Angus Redgud. He uses what money he has left over to secure their freedom. He learns from Kamil that there is an underground group adversarial to slavery who have a base in Eatonshire, and that they often keep a secret ledger of slave sales—he may find information there.
Artimus charters a vessel bound for Kandorr City. Dain, Cardonia and Ishaq leave Artemis's employ, as they express their reluctance to venture to the war-torn lands of Bereth. Carlo, Clay, and Ambrose accompany the lord and they sail off to Bereth together.