This is from a botched attempt at running two campaigns side-by-side some time around 2024. Based on, I think, Pathfinder 1e. I honestly cannot remember which Paizo campaigns were picked and used for inspiration, but due to constraints and schedules, I had to merge the two campaigns together. It wasn't really fun having one or two players constantly showing up and the rest of the party being MIA. No one's fault but it just wasn't in the cards. I never really finished this campaign, which was a decision that all players and myself agreed upon. It became pretty hard managing a full group once I ended up merging them, after months of inconsistent party sessions.
NOTE: Looks like I had Jade Regent Adventure Path and Curse of the Crimson Throne Adventure Path.
The AUDACITY Session 0:
Our adventurers find themselves at a crossroads, unknowing that the others exist. What connects them? They share a bardic orc father who got around with all the ladies. Upon parting ways, he gave each of their mothers a shard of a mysterious crystal that seems to glow and even hum when one another get within close proximity. Having no idea what the crystal signifies let alone what powers it may hold, our adventurers might have bit off more than they can handle when they find themselves involved with a traveling caravan. What drew them here? What caused their fates to meet? Only time will tell.
The Darkness Comes Session 0:
Some lonely travelers find themselves in a strange city, filled with new sights, sounds, and smells. Little do they know that their arrival has been such an untimely event, to which they must band together in order to survive. Chaos, darkness, mayhem, death, and pure evil all have their influence somewhere close to our adventurers. Will they take control of the situation at hand? Will they triumph over everything thrown at them? Hope is all that we can expect for this random party of badasses.
The AUDACITY Session 1:
We find our adventurers wandering in Sandpoint, a small fishing town. The day to day bustling from all walks of life can be seen doing trades, socializing, and even the sketchy activities lurking in the dark alleys. A sweet melody can be heard on the wind, coming from a certain tavern called the Rusty Dragon down by the southern-most bridge entry into the town. As dusk falls upon the town, our first adventurer can be spotted in the nearby woods. She seems intrigued by the melody coming from the tavern and decides to investigate further. Bellarael, a half-orc half-elf druid, isn't much of a socialite let alone someone use to a town setting. This song though, it sounds so familiar and genuine. This song has coaxed her into dismissing all of that and convinces her into crossing the bridge into Sandpoint. She soon finds herself standing outside of the Rusty Dragon, looking around the area as if reassuring herself that this is indeed, the location of the familiar tune. Bracing herself for what may come, she enters the Rusty Dragon.
Ra'z Yuri finds himself cold and on solid ground after weeks at sea. Being left on the sea docks in the south western area of Sandpoint, he starts to think of his next step. Pulling his hood over his head, he starts to make his way into Sandpoint. His half-orc half-human ears pick up on a welcoming tune, floating on the air. Where has this tune been heard from before? Entranced by the song, he wades through the bustling townsfolk towards a tavern in southeastern part of Sandpoint. Standing outside the entrance to the Rusty Dragon, Ra'z pulls his hood back just a tad to ensure that this is the place of origination. Pulling the hood down again, he makes his way to the door and enters.
Hurv Gox, a half-orc half-human monk, finds himself in the outliers of a small fishing town named Sandpoint. With a knapsack over his shoulder and a quarterstaff in hand, he crosses the eastern bridge and kneels at a religious alter, paying his respects with prayer. Standing up and taking every sight in for the first time, he takes a deep breath and moves further in to the bustling streets as dusk falls. As he searches for a place of food, he hears a familiar song entwined in the ebbs of street sounds. He blindly follows the melody, heading south to a tavern named the Rusty Dragon. Being that he has never been in a tavern before, he braces himself for what is to come as he pushes the tavern doors open and enters.
Keystone lumbers his way towards the stone archway of Sandpoint with a large bag in tow. Tired from his recent bounty hunt, he enters the town from the north, being sure to head straight towards the guild that posted the bounty. Dropping the bag and collecting the reward, Keystone moves towards a few known taverns that have a reputation of "shady work". Not really wanting to get involved with another bad deal, he passes on them, traveling further into the system of street cart vendors and people hurrying home for dinner. His half-orc half-human ears pick up on a haunting tune, dancing on the twirls of air in the streets. As if the music manifested a hand, Keystone finds himself being led down the streets of Sandpoint, towards the doors of a tavern named the Rusty Dragon. He comes to his senses and realizes that this tavern seems legit for work. Intrigued by what has led him here, he enters the doors as dusk falls and the street lamps light.
Bellarael saw a group of people gathered towards the back wall of the tavern, as if huddled around something important. She walks towards the group, thinking that the source of the song must be there. Upon listening to the others chatter, she learns that the singer of the melodious tune had left the tavern not too long ago, via the back door just within reach. Something within her spurs her into action and she runs towards the door, exiting the tavern to see....nothing. The street was empty with no sign of life anywhere. Saddened by this, she turns back towards the tavern but feels a strange warmth in her satchel strapped to her thigh. Palming the area, she realizes that the small, crystal shard her mother gave her as a child was...warm. Lifting the flap of the satchel, she sees a purple hue emitting from the shard. Worried that something might be wrong, she closes the flap and makes her way back inside, hoping to not draw attention. Sniffing the air, the delectable smells tantalize her tongue and trigger her legs to wander over towards the bar. She leans against the bar, noticing a handsome half-orc half-human sitting nearby at a table. Her leg pocket starts to feel warm again. Not knowing what to do, she sits and waits for something to happen.
Lingering near the back door, off to the side from the small mass of people, Ra'z lurked in the shadowy parts of the tavern. Who the singer was, he doesn't know but he will find out. He felt a warmth coming from his chest, beneath his clothes. He placed a hand on the source of the warmth and realized it was a the crystal shard his mother had bestowed to him and his twin brother. The shard was something his mother cherished, a reminder of his estranged father. When Ra'z decided that enough was enough with the Amanandaran military, he packed up his things and took the shard without a second thought. He was abandoning the military camp and leaving everything he knew behind. Realizing he had taken the shard, he bound one end in a thin, leather strap and fashioned it into a necklace. Using it as a reminder of who he was and where he came from, he kept the shard close to him yet hidden from the world. Why was is warm? He pulled his clothing away to glance down at the shard. He noticed it was glowing purple. What was going on? On the borderline of being frantic, Ra'z withdrew himself to the far end of tavern and sat down at an empty table. The crystal stopped glowing. As he was calming his thoughts, he saw a disheveled half-orc half-elf walking in from the back alley door. Strange to see in a place like this, he made a mental note of where the crystal started glowing and possible causes, that disheveled person being one of them. Suddenly, from out of thin air, Ameiko appears beside his table. "Hey there. Is there anything I can get for you this evening?" Startled, Ra'z jumps in his chair and turns sharply towards Ameiko, placing his hand into his cloak. Not knowing what is going on with this customer, Ameiko thinks that perhaps this one doesn't speak common tongue. She repeats her lines, this time adding in gestures in case he didn't know what food and beverage were. Ra'z responds with gestures, saying no, I'm fine. She walks away after telling him to find her if he needs something. As he made his final glance around the tavern, he noticed another half-orc half-human not far from the first one. This one had placed something down on the table in front of him, along with a bag of something else. He lingers in thought while watching that table.
Overwhelmed by the amazing smells the tavern held within it's walls, Hurv Gox's mouth started watering. Looking around, he noticed an unoccupied table near a rail, on the elevated floor of the tavern's north wall. He seated himself there, providing a decent view of the rest of the tavern's floor. Soon enough, a waitress appears. She looked as if she wore a forced smile, perhaps hiding a tired and worn out face beneath. "Hey there. My name is Ameiko and I'll be your host this evening. What can I get for you?". She seemed pleasant enough. Pondering of what to order, he decided on a beef stew, bread, and ale. "Do you happen to know who was singing here just a moment ago?" he asked. Adding some extra coinage to his hostess, she answered "He's a traveling bard. His name is Andre." Pondering a little bit, Hurv asks "Do you know when he'll be back?" Shaking her head, Ameiko replies "He's pretty famous, so I doubt any time soon. We haven't seen him for well over five years since he's booked in the much larger cities." Acknowledging this, he places his order and watches Ameiko walk to the other side of the tavern, disappearing into the kitchen. As his gaze wandered, he noticed another half-orc in the tavern. This one was dressed in heavy looking armor and held kind of a battle-worn aura. He noticed a set of dice in front him on the table, looking as if he was waiting for someone that would never come. Making a mental note to join him in a game of dice, his eyes wandered towards the back bar area. He noticed something...different. There was a half-orc half-elf shambling towards the back bar area. The appearance of this individual was very out of place. Various sticks and leaves were woven throughout her hair and her clothing was something he heard about in children's stories - wilderness. She looked as if she had just walked in from the woods outside the town. Odd, he thought. He made a mental note to speak with them later. Perhaps they would like to become a sparring partner in this new place. Ameiko had reappeared at his table without him noticing her arrival, placing his food and beverage. Seemingly lost in thought, she told him the price, accepted payment, and walked off. Hurv looked at the food in front, glanced back at the two half-orcs, and started eating. How delicious the food was.
Keystone, thirsty from the bounty hunt earlier, sits down at an empty table near the bar in the back of the Rusty Dragon. He notices the table he picked had a built in game board, yet no tokens were present. Thinking about things that happened earlier, he pulls out a set of dice. While fumbling in his leg pocket, he noticed the crystal shard he carried with him was glowing. Reaching for it, he felt warmth emitting. Strange he thought to himself. He pulled it out and placed it on the table in front of him. It's never done anything like this before. Pouring through his memories of his childhood, all he could remember was his mother who gave him the shard, the horrible fire, and the countless villages he encountered while looking for his father and the culprit to the fire. Ameiko approaches his table. Nothing really stood out from the hostess's features. She looked plain and just like any other body in this town. He smiled at her, ordered a beer, and waited. Perhaps what was causing the crystal to do these strange things will emerge. Glimpsing over the rest of the company in the tavern, he notices a half-orc half-human on his left, way down on the other side of the tavern. Strange. In all of his travels, he doesn't really pass by a lot of half-orcs. Mostly because they are ostracized from most social places and gatherings. They briefly made eye contact, nodded and went back to perusing the rest of the tavern. Further back and to the right of that half-orc, Keystone saw a shady figure duck out the back alley door. He might have to watch himself later tonight when leaving the tavern. On his right, he sees a half-orc half-elf approaching the bar. To see such a mix of orc and elf, he was taken aback. Besides the sheer fact that half-orcs are rare to see, having three in one place was bizarre. He glanced her over, noticing the wild look in her appearance. Not one of the city or even town dwelling folk he thought. He's seen others similar to how she looked throughout his travels and work. Usually kept to themselves and called themselves druids. Why would a person like that be here? As the disheveled being approached the bar, closer to him, he saw the glow in his crystal grow brighter. Just then, Ameiko arrives with his beer. "Ah, thank you. Would you be so kind to give a beer to that lady over at the bar for me? You can place it on my tab" as he points to Bellarael. "I also noticed you speaking with some gentlemen over on the other side of the tavern. Do you happen to know who they are?" as he slides a few gold pieces in her direction. Ameiko looks down at the extra coins, then looks back to Keystone with a face of tiredness and a look of 'really bro'. "I appreciate the offer but I don't require coinage to tell you what I don't know. All I know is that they came in about the same time you did. The one fellow in the back seems a bit jumpy, so you might want to approach with caution." Ameiko excuses herself and walks back to behind the bar, giving the beer to Bellarael. Now we shall see, he thought to himself.
Ameiko approaches Bellarael from the other side of the bar. Getting some weird vibes as the half-orc looks her up and down, she hands a beer to her and asks if she needs anything else. Bellarael, in turn, asks who sent the beer. Nodding in Keystone's direction, Ameiko looks at her customer with a face of conduct. Getting right down to business, Bellarael asks "I'm good on food. I had a feast before arriving here. Do you know who the musician was earlier?". Ameiko, starting to piece some things together in her head, responds. "His name is Andre and he performs for us once in awhile. Last time we had him here was about five years ago just because he is super popular. If you're wanting to track his performances, you need to just follow the fliers for his next performance." Nodding in acknowledgement, Bellarael then asks if Ameiko knows where Andre would be staying for the night. Ameiko shakes her head and replies that he usually shows up for the performance and then leaves straight away, usually over by the docks. Bellarael takes the beer and says thanks with a smile, turning towards Keystone. She takes a deep sniff, licks the foam, and drinks it all in one gulp just as Keystone makes eye contact. His jaw dropped.
Hurv finishes his dinner and makes his way towards the dice laying on the table, waiting to introduce himself to Keystone. As if on cue, Keystone greets Hurv in Orc'ish tongue, welcoming him to the table. As he takes a seat, he notices warmth coming from a pocket. Paying no attention to it initially, both Hurv and Keystone agree to best of four games of dice. Loser buys drinks. As the rolls start, the crystal shard Keystone placed on the table is intensely glowing and a slight hum can be heard. Reaching into his pocket, Hurv brings out his shard of crystal and looks at it under the table. Keystone notices the glowing shard Hurv carries. "Hey, that's a nice piece of crystal you have there. It looks very similar to...mine..." as he glances at his on the table. Hurv nods in agreement as Keystone hails down Ameiko for a round of beer for the table. A loud belch emits from Bellarael in the distance, eliciting an "Impressive" shout from Keystone. Bellarael grunts an orc'ish laugh.
As time passes by,Ra'z sees that the half-orc is joined by another half-orc. Strange. Perhaps they know each other and are discussing events. Ra'z stands and approaches cautiously, ensuring that he stays unnoticed. As he gets closer, his crystal starts to warm, causing panic. After collecting his thoughts, he pulls his hood up and leaves out the back alley door. He will make an effort to follow those two when the tavern closes. Maybe he can find out more information about what happened. With that, he disappeared down a nearby alley in the manner of a homeless wanderer, into the darkness.
As Bellarael hails Ameiko for another beer, she grabs her by the hand and pats her roughly on the head. Giving praise and several thank yous, she releases Ameiko as the hostess walks to the bar for another beer. Ameiko repeats in her head that this is just a part of the job, just accept it. Waiting for her beer to arrive, Bellarael starts licking her lips, tapping her thighs and eyes the table where Keystone and Hurv are playing dice. Ameiko returns with the beer and hands it to Bellarael, making sure to keep some distance between. Keystone glances over at Bellarael when the exchange between her and Ameiko takes place. He nods to Hurv and says "That's definitely one of our own." With that, Keystone motions towards Bellarael to join them over at the table, being that there was an open seat waiting for company. She shambles towards the table, grinning as big as possible with beer in tow. "Thank you for the beer?" she manages to say, as she approaches Keystone. He nods as she takes a seat. With the latest member joining the table, the crystal shard from Keystone starts to hum even louder than before. "I see that you are of mixed orc yourself" Keystone says while making eye contact to Bellarael. "My fellow dice player over here is also of mixed orc." Bellarael attempts to introduce herself to the party. "My name is Bella" she spurts out. "My name is Keystone and this gentleman over here hasn't introduced himself yet" as Keystone motions towards Hurv. Hurv, not realizing that he forgot to do simple introduction upon sitting, quickly introduces himself "My name is Hurv."
As the party settles in at the table, Keystone brings to their attention the crystal shard. "Have either of you guys seen something like this before?" he asks. Bellarael pulls her crystal shard out and places it on the table in front of her. "No" is all she manages to say, entranced by the eerily similar look as Keystone's. Hurv pulls his back out of his pocket and places it down in front of him on the table. "Never seen mine do anything like this before." When all three shards are placed on the table, some similar shapes are noticed by Bella. She gently grabs the other two shards and starts looking for the connection. The shards are glowing an intense purple hue, have a warmth to them as a pleasant fire on a cold night, and a hum so loud that it starts to drown out the other sounds in the tavern. Hurv mentions that if she breaks his, he will have to beat her up. Bellarael gives a toothy grin and a giggle grunt as she continues to find the connection. Keystone mentions that the shard is all he has of his mother. Hurv mentions that his shard is all that his mother left him as he inquires Keystone for another dice game. Keystone obliges.
"Did anyone notice the skinny, nervous looking fellow that was lurking in the back corner earlier?" Hurv nods in agreement and mentions that he might be of the sketchy type. Perhaps the group should keep an eye on him if he reappears later tonight. Bella finds two shards that fit together perfectly, but the third seems to have a part that is missing. Showing her findings, she mentions that she too, saw the strange fellow earlier. Keystone mentions that perhaps they should track him down later tonight. As if on cue, Ameiko arrives with the final beers for the group. "Since I've never seen any of you here before, I'm going to assume you are all from out of town. If you would like, I can offer you rooms, a public bath, and laundry service for a mere 2 gold pieces 3 silver each." Each person at the table decided that a room, bath, and launder would be great since it has been a great deal of time since the last time. Hurv glances at Keystone and a defeated, happy sigh emits from losing player. As Keystone starts to count out the gold and silver pieces, Bellarael slams down 2 gold pieces and gives him a goofy smile. Thanking her, Keystone hands the coinage to Ameiko and the party follow her up the back stairs to the first floor lodging. As the last of the group disappears, Ra'z enters the tavern once again. Since the lights outside started to dim and that the curious characters from before never emerged, he could only assume that they were staying the night. Pacing around the bar area, he waits for Ameiko's return.
Once upstairs, Ameiko shows the trio the public bathing area, handing each one a token with a number on it, and an empty basket. "These are for your assigned rooms and the basket is for your clothing. If you could place the garments in the basket and leave it for the staff, it'll be ready for you by morning. Bellarael hurridly strips down naked, tossing her soiled clothing in the basket and hands it to Ameiko. She then starts to enjoy the room, seemingly impressed of what a bath is according to Ameiko. With a sigh, Ameiko then takes Keystone and Hurv to their rooms, leaving a naked Bellarael in the public bath, basket in hand.
Finished with her latest customer assignments, Ameiko decends the stairs to find a Ra'z, pacing the bar area. Recognizing him as the jumpy customer from before, she approaches with caution. Ra'z, seeing Ameiko appear, holds back his angst when asking where the trio sitting at a particular table went. Ameiko, not knowing what is going on with all of these half-orcs, replies "They chose to stay the night. Were you looking to stay the night as well? We offer a room, a public bath, and laundry if you wish to utilize those services." Ra'z, having not a lot of coin on his person, offers the 1 piece of gold and his hands to work for his stay. Not understanding fully what this half-orc's internal demons are doing behind the closed doors, Ameiko sighs, takes the 1 gold piece, and asks for Ra'z to follow her into the kitchen.
Tune in next time for what happens next!
NOTE: I am LOOSELY basing some of this campaign off of the Jade Regent Adventure Path. My reasoning is that I have never played a Pathfinder game in my life and I needed something established to learn from. I am a bit more of a demented, let's-see-what-happens-with-this kind of DM. Please don't come at me and tell me I'm doing things wrong. It'll do nothing.
The Darkness Comes Session 1:
Within the dark streets of Korvosa, we come across some curious things from time to time. Being that this city has been cursed throughout the centuries, rumors spread far and wide about strange happenstances. We find our adventurers entering the city from the south, each just a temporary passerby. Through the shabby buildings along the entrance, a secret waits for them. As they wander the dark streets alone, each adventurer gets an uneasy feeling that they need to check their pockets. Within a pocket, a harrow card is found. Curious about the origin, each adventurer flips it over to the other side, seeing that a message has been written. Looking around, each adventurer questions who could have slipped this card into their pocket? Where? Each one hasn't seen another living soul for a good amount of time. Rereading the message:
I know what you seek. Someone has wronged me and I know that you want to help. I know where he dwells, yet cannot strike at him. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street as soon as possible. Others like you will be there. This man must meet his fate and justice must be done.
Scarr, a lost ronin samurai, doesn't know what to make of this card. Being that he is in search of a few answers to questions he can only begin to fathom, he makes the choice to head towards the address listed. Thankfully, the cover of the night helps him navigate the maze of Korvosa's streets and alleys with ease. He makes his way towards the watery edge, looking for a residence that exists at 3 Lancet Street. With the keen smell that all Rougarous have, he doesn't smell anything out of the ordinary in the area, just a bunch of incense emitting from the closed door. Still holding his guard up, he opens the door and walks in.
Gash, craving some bloodlust and action ever since arriving into the city, decides to make her way to the address. She makes sure to keep herself well hidden amongst the dark streets, ensuring to keep the bright light out of her Kuru sight. In the past, Gash found that a lot of passerbys were generally startled by her appearance, having her entire face tattooed with religious symbols and stories from the past. Last thing she wants to do is draw attention to herself, lurking in the shadows. She starts to feel the arcane power stir within her bloodrager veins. Perhaps one of the gods she speaks of is calling for her help? Wouldn't be the first time, but this card trick was something new. Stumbling upon the street called Lancet, she makes her way towards the waters edge. Finally, the house stands before her.
As Koko Malic replaces the card back into his pocket, he decides whether it would be worth the investment or not. Not seeing much detail of this request, he sneaks a path towards Lancet Street. Being cautious as to not be noticed, he instinctively navigates the alleys towards the address. His recent yearn for spilling and drinking blood holds his hopes high that there will be some action and an even bigger reward from this curious card. Perhaps there is a vampire that needs to be killed? Would it be a worthy opponent to his recent turn to the undead path? Inquisitive as most Catfolk are, Koko is no different. Before he knows it, he finds himself staring at the house address.
As Scarr closes the door behind him, he realizes that he is alone in the dimly lit room. He can see that there are various incense sticks on the walls, with various tapestries covering the other spaces. There are mixed rugs on the floor and a large wooden table offset from the main door. He sees a small basket underneath the table, food and beverage inside. Not sure what to expect, he does a little bit of exploration of the initial room. Noticing a written letter that is seemingly addressed to any fresh newcomer, he reads:
Thank you for coming. I had to step out for a bit, but shall return shortly. Please, have a seat while you wait. The basket under the table contains bread and drink for you.
Still not sure of the recent findings, Scarr decides to stand ready and waits. As time passes by, the door opens and Gash enters. Not expecting to see anyone in the room, Scarr takes a step back and makes a slight bow, showing he means no threat. Gash, understanding the motion, does the same in return. Soon after, Koko enters the residence, looking up at both Gash and Scarr as he quietly closes the door behind him.
Scarr decides to speak his mind to the recent additions to the room. "Uh, hello. Are...are you here to kill me?" as he reaches down for his nodachi. Koko, realizing what is going on, replies "Nope, not here to kill you. I'm here because of a stupid card. My name is Koko." Gash clears her throat and says "Yeah, I got a card too." while making eye contact with the others. Resuming the awkwardness that Scarr embodies, he mentions that there is a note stating that their host has stepped out for a bit and that there is food and drink under the table. He slides the note on the table towards the others, ensuring that they see the note for themselves. "I'm not sure I trust strange food and drink from someone we don't know yet, but help yourselves." Gash shrugs and seems indifferent to the offer while Koko begins to search the premise for money. All he finds are various trinkets.
As the awkward silence settles upon the three, the door opens once again and Zellara enters. She smiles sweetly towards her new found company and begins to break the tension. "Thank you for coming" as she takes a seat at the table. "Please, take a seat so that we may talk." Scarr speaks up "Who the hell are you?" and takes a slight step forward, hand still at the ready. "My name is Zellara and this is my home. I'm glad you all received my message and found your way here." She pulls out a harrow deck and begins to shuffle the deck, making eye contact with each member of the new found party. Scarr, still not comfortable with the latest person in the room, "Look lady, I'm not here to gamble. I want to know if you are a threat." Zellara turns towards Scarr and repeats her thanks to him. She then turns towards the rest of her audience and starts her story:
Thank you for responding to my call, even if it was through an unconventional method. I have reason to remain hidden as you will see. A terrible man has done something atrocious and if he KNEW that I was reaching out for help, he would do the same to you. This is a man you do not know, but for those who have lived here for any length of time know what he is capable of. I reached out to you specifically because he doesn't know of you let alone of your existence.
As Zellara continues to shuffle her cards, she looks at each party member as if sizing them up for the challenge ahead. Gash speaks up and says "Why should we trust you." Zellara turns and responds "There really isn't anything that can say or do to ensure to you that I am a trustworthy person. All I can say is that if you cross this man who did this unspeakable thing to me, you will wish you took heed of what I've disclosed tonight." Koko, quick to the next question "Are we getting paid?" Zellara turns towards him. "Yes, you will be rewarded nicely for this task." Gash, now interested in the reward, "How much?" "I can easily do 200 gold per person, if you survive." Koko, Gash, and Scarr are taken by surprise at how much each could earn for doing such a trivial job.
Koko, being of a sly personality, decides to try his luck at bluffing Zellara and getting paid before the job is done. Zellara turns to Koko, with an unsettling poised smile as if she was looking right through him. She pulls a card out of her deck, holding the face of the card towards Koko. The image on the card is faded and without much detail of anything. As Koko stares at the card, a word starts to bleed through the card: liar. Zellara returns the card and continues to shuffle the deck. "I can understand why you would be skeptical into helping a stranger like me. Let me give you some information. The man I'm in need of help of disposing of is named Gaedren Lamm. He is the absolute worst of enemies and if anyone crosses him poorly, they suffer the consequences. About a year ago, he took my most important harrow deck from me. This deck meant a lot to me, being passed down from generations and what my life's work was centered around." Gash and Koko both stare intently at Zellara. "You're willing to pay that much just for a harrow deck?" Koko states. Gash nods in agreement "That is an awful lot of money." Zellara sighs and places her deck of cards down on the table in front of her. "I can tell this is going to take some more convincing for you all to help me." She stands and gently puts her hands underneath her head and without effort, lifts her now detached head from her neck. "If you don't help me with this task, this too shall happen to you" Zellara's cradled head utters. All party members are stunned and stay silent. Gash whispers a "What the fuck" while Koko speaks up "So when are we getting started because that is not happening to me."
Scarr, still on the fence with this entire situation unraveling before him, clears his throat. "I'm still deciding if I should trust you." Gash sharply replies "We were all given a card with a job, so just do the fucking job." Still doubful, Scarr states "I mean, all we've seen are two party tricks." Koko chirps up "200 gold. Can you imagine what you can do with all that?" Scarr retorts that where he comes from, money doesn't mean much. Gash mentions that all she wants to do is cause mayhem so either tap her in or she's going home. Zellara continues. "My son tried to get my deck back, but Gaedren found out and filleted my son in front of me on the street. This man knows nothing of mercy and will do whatever he deems fit to make him feel powerful. I went to the guard and they did nothing to help me avenge my son, let alone help recovery my stolen property. No one in this city will help take Gaedren down due to fear. My only hope is that new visitors like yourselves would be willing to take on this horrible man. All I have is 600 gold readily available and whatever you find in Gaedren's dwelling will be yours for the taking. I know where he lives. Please help me." Scarr sighs and says "Well, I'm in. I've been dying for a good fight. My only problem is that I still don't know your name" as he turns towards Gash. "What is with you and knowing names? We have a job to do, so let's go!" Gash angrily responds. Scarr mentions that names are important where he comes from, but he will join in hopes that he can learn Gash's name in time. Gash stands up and walks towards the door. "You all coming or what." Zellara turns and says to the new found adventurer group "Thank you for doing this task that so many others refused to do" and with that, disappears into thin air. Gash exits through the door, hearing Scarr calling his companions 'friends'. She yells back and says "Nope, not friends." Scarr responds with "Fine, you can be called the Bossy One." Everyone leaves the house behind in the dark.
Koko speaks up while following Gash close behind "I'm kind of parched. Perhaps I can catch up to you in a bit? Going to head over to a tavern." Gash and Scarr look towards Koko and ponder the situation. "I'm sure we could all head over to a tavern in preparation to this murder" Scarr agrees. As they approach a nearby tavern, they look around, knowing that they could be watched by Gaedren's eyes.
Entering the tavern, Scarr starts to reminisce about his old days of tavern hopping, mentioning an old sparring buddy that kicked his ass several times over. Neolandus, the barkeep, approaches the bar our adventurers took up residence at. Upon initial inspection, Neolandus looks like he has seen better days and weeks, being covered in recovering bruises and cuts. With a chipper attitude, he asks the newcomers what they would like to order. Scarr orders a milk for Koko and a milk for himself, while Gash orders a strong bodied brew. Koko asks Neolandus "Is there anyone in the bar who is super drunk?" Confused but not surprised, Neolandus replies "Uh, no? Just the normal patrons. Still kind of early in the night though." Koko offers to start a tab, offering his pistol as collateral. Scarr whispers to Koko "Is that for all of us?" Koko shrugs and indicates he hopes so, but whatever happens happens. Scarr then pulls everyone off to the side and inquires "Should we ask this guy if he knows anything about a guy that decapitates people?" Gash interrupts and offers to ask Neolandus about decapitation "Hey barkeep, who the fuck are you?" Neolandus turns to Gash "My name is Neolandus, and you are?" Quick to respond, Gash says "Not important. Do you know of anyone who does decapitation in these parts?" Snorting a laugh, Neolandus responds "Oh, well that could be anyone really. We have a small thieves guild on the outskirts just east of the city who meddle in that type of deed." Shaking her head, Gash interrupts "No, like do you know of some guy named Gaedren Lamm? Like do you know where we could find him?" Visibly shaking off some type of PTSD, Neolandus wearily replies "You don't want to deal with Gaedren Lamm. He is awful and not someone to mess with." Gash, visibly irritated by the interrogation "Look, we're here to kill him. Just tell us what we need to know." Neolandus sighs and tries to sway the group from seeking out this murderous man. Clearly unimpressed by the information being withheld inside Neolandus's tongue, Koko and Gash walk over to an unoccupied table. Scarr attempts to get information from Neolandus one more time. "Look here buddy, my cat friend over there...you don't want to piss him off. I've seen what happens and you don't want that. My other friend, I saw her cut a man in half once. Was not pretty. So please, just tell what you know because this Gaedren Lamm guy is easy." Neolandus gives Scarr a deadass look and in a low voice tells him "Look buddy. I've never seen you guys before and I don't want to see you get involved with the bad comings of Gaedren Lamm. Seriously, you don't want to mess with him. But, if you must, meet me after closing and I'll tell you." Scarr, satisfied with this information, pulls Neolandus close and wraps his arm around his head "Look, I hope you're not wanting to screw us over because my weapon is thirsty and it would be a shame if it was your blood shed." He gently lets go of Neolandus and joins the rest of the party at the table. Koko shouts out to Neolandus, asking for a fish dish. Taking this as the table being ready for an actual order, Neolandus approaches. Koko asks for a fish and milk, Gash orders a bloody and rare steak with a beer, and Scarr skips ordering completely. Before Neolandus leaves, Koko grabs him by the shirt and inquires about the thieves guild and blood shed. Not quite sure what to say, Neolandus responds "I'm not sure about what they do with their victims postmortem, but if you're that hellbent on having blood...there is a pig in the back that was slaughtered for tonight's menu. I can give you a large bucket of that if you want." Koko nods his head in agreement and releases the shirt.
As Neolandus leaves, Scarr takes the rest of the group in his arms and asks them if they can trust Neolandus in NOT poisoning their food. Koko speaks up and mentions he can detect most poisons. Koko and Scarr start talking about how to split the tab later, while Gash straight up mentions killing the barkeep so no tab will be paid. Neolandus returns with their orders, including the bucket of blood for Koko. Koko asks for the meal to be placed on his tab and with that Neolandus returns to the bar. Before consuming, Koko does a poison check on everything, not seeing anything out of the norm. Scarr notices Koko putting the blood in the waterskin, wondering what the hell is wrong with that picture. Suddenly Zellara appears at the table, wearing that same smile she held earlier. She warns the party that Neolandus isn't someone to trust in regards to Gaedren's location. He isn't a bad person, just scared. Koko asks "How come you just blip in and out whenever you want?" Zellara responds "Because I'm dead. It takes a lot of energy to manifest this much just to speak with you." Scarr turns to Zellara "Wait, so you're DEAD dead? Not half dead?" Zellara, dumbfounded by this question, just looks to him with utter confusion. She tries to reassure to the party that Neolandus is not a threat and it would be disadvantageous to kill him. In agreement, the party dismiss the thought of murdering Neolandus. Koko asks Zellara how she plans to pay them if she is dead. She turns towards him and tells him that there is a place they can access for the reward, but until she knows the deed is done the location will remain hidden.
Neolandus re approaches the group, seeing Zellera's ghost and now knowing that they are to be trusted. He offers them a handsome reward if they succeed in killing Gaedren, giving them the promise to disclose everything he knows of in regards to future dealings. The deal is further sweetened by clearing the group's bar tab. All Neolandus asks for is the head of Gaedren Lamm. The group agrees. With that, Zellara disappears once again. The group finish their meal and stand up, leaving the tavern in search of Gaedren Lamm's life.
Going to the docks of the Old Fishery, the group find themselves in search of an easy entrance. Not seeing anything readily accessible and a locked door, Gash attempts to plow the door down, leaving a dent. The lock, unphased by the brute force, stays put. There is a loud sound coming from inside, as if papers flew and a large chair slid on the wooden floor. The loud thudding footsteps approach.
Tune in next time for what happens next!
The AUDACITY Session 2:
NOTE: This is kind of short because I had to merge the 2 groups I'm currently DM'ing for together and we didn't have a lot of time to spare for this session.
Ameiko walks down the hallway of the upstairs lodging area, checking the inn's guests from the previous night. Hurv and Keystone emerge from their assigned rooms, dressed and refreshed. Keystone greets Hurv with morning pleasantries such as sleeping well and what a good morning it was. Hurv sees Ameiko approaching them and asks if she could point him to the nearest Yelper for a positive review. Puzzled, she smiles and shakes her head. She doesn't encounter monks that often, let alone halforc monks. Must be a strange custom. Keystone clears his throat and inquires to where the fourth halforc went that was in the tavern last night. Ameiko informs that Ra'z offered labor in exchange for a place to stay for the night; predominately the kitchen area was his assignment. With a more sullen look, Ameiko continues to inform the party that the OTHER halforc that checked in with them was found drowning in the baths, perhaps due to too much alcohol. She was removed from the premise and taken to the nearby hospital in hopes that she can be saved. Keystone, thinking quickly, inquires if the halforc's belongings were taken with her to which Ameiko responds that they are locked away in the backroom for safe keeping. Upon being discharged from the hospital, she will return to collect her things. Hurv and Keystone excuse themselves for a brief moment, discussing that there was a piece of the crystal in the belongings. If they can't retrieve it, their quest will come to a standstill.
Ameiko, clearly hesitant if she should ask her guests for a favor, starts to shift in place. Noticing the struggle, Hurv speaks up "Is there something we can assist you with?" As if by a snap of fingers, Ameiko's eyes light up. "I don't know if it's my place to ask of you both, but there have been some rumors from various travelers that have passed through that have me worried. You see, I have a family member in a nearby town and if these rumors are true, I'm afraid she might be in trouble." Taking the cue for possible money involvement, Keystone chimes in. "I'm sure my friend here and I can take care of this errand for you. If I may, is your family member uh...well to do? You know, fatten the pockets a little?" Ameiko gives Keystone a what-the-fuck look that gets quickly replaced by a whatever-just-continue-the-conversation look. "Uh, I'm not quite sure since we've lost touch over the years but I'm still really concerned about them. If it would help, I am willing to give you supplies, travel, and gold to get you over there safe and sound." Raising his hand, Keystone gives the motion of say-no-more. "Mi'lady, you had me at gold."
Escorting the two downstairs, Ameiko turns and asks for them to wait until she returns. She states that she needs to inform Sandru that there will be late additions to the party and that she must catch him before he departs for his store. Stepping out, Hurv and Keystone find themselves alone in the tavern. Even the general staff haven't shown up. Keystone starts brainstorming about where Bellarael's items could be stored in the premises. Hurv gives him a quizzical look as if they were about to steal something. Keystone reassures Hurv that they are simply borrowing the crystal shard and that upon the completion of the quest, they will return it to her. Hurv seems to believe Keystone, yet not. Without arguing with the stubborn halforc, Hurv suggests that perhaps the items could be stored by the kitchen.
Upon entering the kitchen, the party seems to come up empty handed. Nothing really stands out here besides typical kitchen items. Just as they are about to look elsewhere, Hurv notices a latched door outside. Possibly a cellar? Hurv nudges Keystone and nods his head towards the cellar outside. Moving outside, the two find that there isn't much keeping this hatch safely closed since the chain wasn't locked. Hurv decides to go down and check, knowing that his cohort would probably make off with other things that didn't belong to him. Also, leaving someone to keep an eye out would be a good option.
When Hurv gets down into the cellar, he starts looking around for items that previous guest may have left. Searching through the first few rooms, he only finds general stock and large chests from ages ago. Hurv slowly proceeds to check the rooms, ensuring that he does a clean sweep in looking for Bellarael's belongings. Eventually he finds the room that looks like more recent activity occurred. Not being able to recall her room number, he starts rummaging carefully through the items on the shelving. Luckily, he starts to hear a humming and notices a glow coming from a nearby unit. Being careful to take the crystal shard without disturbing anything else, Hurv leaves the cellar and rejoins Keystone up top.
Hurrying back inside the tavern, Hurv and Keystone make it look like they didn't just steal from the cellar in the back. Ameiko returns a few minutes later, huge smile on her face. Hurv asks Ameiko "So uh, what does your family member look like? Also, what is the message you want us to provide?" Ameiko hands them a pamphlet and responds "She looks a lot like me. Here, give her this. She'll understand." Providing the directions towards Sandru's shop, the group parts ways. Little did they know, Ra'z would be rushing ahead to join the entourage before their arrival.
Upon arriving on the footsteps of the shop Ameiko sent them to, Hurv and Keystone check out the surroundings. The shop front looked pretty well kept so without further hesitation, the duo entered. They see an average human standing behind the counter at the back of the merchant shop. Hurv slowly approaches the counter while Keystone peruses the various wares. Arriving at the destination, Hurv clears his throat while the man busies himself in numerous ledgers and papers. Not missing a beat, the gentleman continues on with his work, but acknowledges the presence of a customer.
"I will be with you in just one moment! Almost finished with this entry and I'll be all yours" Sandru states with confidence. Keystone approaches the counter soon after, fiddling with a bauble on display. Sandru, closing the ledger and placing them in a box behind the counter stands up and straightens his attire. "What can I get you this fine evening?" Hurv, preparing to speak, gets interrupted by Keystone's blunt introduction. "We're here for the caravan" Keystone belts out, followed by Hurv's more polite "Ameiko sent us." Sandru, recognizing that these must be the last two travelers to arrive perks up. "Oh fantastic! If you've got anything in mind that you wish to purchase before we set out, do so now. I must close the shop until we return." They do a quick scan of the shop, select some items for purchase, complete the transaction, then head out behind Sandru as the doors are locked.
Turning around to face the road in front of the store, Hurv and Keystone look upon their new-found company. Not much to look at from first glance, they scan over the three strangers, four including Sandru. One of the strangers look vaguely familiar from the tavern, but due to the darkness of the night and the hidden face, it was hard to discern. Brief introductions are made amongst the company and the group sets off for their adventure.
During the journey to their destination, the caravan makes a stop in a city that originally seemed a bit run down, but that was due to poorly managed slums guarding one of the main entrances. Not wanting to part from the caravan, Hurv and Keystone stick to the more promising looking caravan members as they wander through the streets of Korvosa. Ra'z follows after the trio, ensuring he isn't seen let alone lose sight of them. As they pass by a few more streets, Hurv, Keystone, and Ra'z get a strange sensation from a pocket of their attire. The three of them stop, pulling what seems to be an old, worn harrow card from their pockets. Turning the card over, they find etched wording in what looks to be blood: I know what you seek. Someone has wronged me and I know that you want to help. I know where he dwells yet cannot strike at him. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street as soon as possible. Others like you will be there. This man must meet his fate and justice must be done. Hurv and Keystone look at each other and at their cards. Ra'z, hiding behind a nearby lamp post, eyes the same card in his hand that the others seem to hold. All three set out to Lancet Street to find out the answer to their question: who and why.
After many wrong turns and bumps into strangers, the trio find themselves outside 3 Lancet Street. The dwelling seems cold and abandoned. Keystone slowly enters the residence, showcasing his lack of fear for what may lurk in the shadows. Hurv finds a note with another address written and left on the cold table, listing a name of an abandoned place they passed by earlier. The curiosity has peaked further in the trio as they set out towards the address.
Tune in next time for what happens next!
NOTE: I am super sorry in how long this has actually taken me to getting around to writing this up. It's been like, 4 months but IRL took presidence.
The Darkness Comes Session 2:
Just as the loud footsteps approached the door, they suddenly turned and heading towards what seemed the back of the room. Another door was heard, opening then closing as the footsteps faded away. Gash slowly follows the sounds around the corner of the building, creeping her way in the darkness as to not alert anyone nearby. Scarr and Koko follow suit, being sure to keep as quiet as possible. When Gash and Scarr step on the creaky boards of the dilapidated walkway on the side of the Old Fishery, Koko feels super hesitant. Scarr decides to take Koko onto his shoulders, but when the both of them step onto the boards, the planks start to strain severely under the combined weight. With that, the duo separate and Koko finds himself towards the front of the trio, leading the way into the darkness.
Koko suddenly senses that there is "something" in the water ahead. He makes mention that there is a fin in the water, possibly looking for its next meal. Gash and Scarr ask for some more details, such as size, to which Koko describes the battle-worn look of the giant fin, complete with chunks of flesh missing and some deep scarring. Koko then asks for the rest of the team to possibly turn back because of the unsettling feeling the fin monster gives. Gash mentions to Koko that he might need more blood, so what better chance than this? Dismissing the dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach, Koko presses on, looking for a way out. Gash moves behind Koko and suddenly pushes him into the watery depths below. Scarr, upon seeing this transaction take place, shouts to him that he should just start stabbing the shark. Sputtering in the cold water, Koko frantically stabs the shark with the knifeboot after having a close call with it's teeth. Seeing that Koko might not fair well with the shark encounter, Scarr asks Gash to tie her whip around his midsection, just in case she needs to rescue Koko and needs a way out. Gash looks to Scarr and sheepishly, Scarr mentions he can't swim. Sighing, Gash replies to Scarr "Just throw me in with Koko". With that, Scarr picks Gash up and tosses her into the water. Clambering to get on top of the shark, Gash mounts the wounded shark and stabs it with her sawtoothed saber. Striking the final blow, Gash feels the life leave the shark and starts swimming back towards the dock. Koko, having a judgemental glower towards Scarr and Gash, awaits for Scarr to toss the other end of the whip into the water. With that, the party reunites on the docks, 2 of them soaking wet.
Resuming their mission to finding another way in, they come across a door that seems easier to open. Upon inspection, they realize it would be pretty simple to unlock it with a lockpicking set, which none seem to have on their person. Seeing that Koko could use some healing, a lockpick set to be purchased, and a few other items, the party sets off back into town before another attempt. Their first stop will be the tavern, looking for information from Neolandus.
Scarr runs up to Neolandus, asking where a good store would be for procuring some items, such as a lockpick. Neolandus looks at Scarr with thoughts that this group just might be the real deal. He gives Scarr directions to a nearby general goods store and asks if they needed anything else. Gash speaks up and mentions that she could go for some food and Scarr orders a roasted chicken and water. The party and Neolandus look towards Scarr as if he just did something horrendous, but ended up dismissing his weird ways. As the party goes to sit down and wait for their orders, Gash starts planning out what to do next. "We need to find the store first, but what about the thing inside the building? It sounded HUGE." Scarr looks towards the group. "Well, whatever it was, it moved a table next to the first door. Best chance we have now is to try lockpicking that second door we found." He turns to Koko "Do you know how to lockpick?" Koko clears his throat "I mean, it's been awhile but I think I'm up for the task. Would be nice if I could get a towel to dry off though. Also, I'm not going to pay for the lockpicks." Gash, seeing that Koko is still upset about being pushed into the water "Alright, we can both pitch in and buy the lockpick set for you." As the conversation dies down, Neolandus approaches the table with their orders. Worried about the answer he might receive, Neolandus looks at Koko and addresses the party "Uh, I hate to ask but uh...what exactly happened at the Old Fishery?" Koko mutters under his breath about killing a shark. "Oh, you managed to kill that old thing? Usually when someone fails to make Gaedren happy, they get tossed into the water and basically fed the shark." Koko mentions that he was pushed into the water as well, glowering at Gash and Scarr. Neolandus pips up "So...does that mean you've MET Gaedren?" Gash chips in "Possibly, but we don't really know for sure. See, the door we found was locked but someone was inside. They blocked our path for that door with something heavy. Now we've got to pick a lock on another door just to gain entrance." Neolandus ponders about this whole situation. Gash asks Neolandus what he plans on doing with Gaedren's head once they bring it to him, to which he responds that the head will be used as a victory symbol for the city. Nodding for understanding, Neolandus parts ways and leaves the party to eat.
As the party departs the tavern and wanders towards the store Neolandus pointed them towards, Gash makes small talk with Koko. "I hope you understand that what happened earlier with the shark and pushing, it was because I needed a distraction for the shark. I hope this means you won't leave with harsh feelings." Koko snorts "I'm just sticking around for the money." The small talk dwindles down yet again.
Arriving on the doorstep of the merchant shop, the party enters. The lights are a pretty welcoming sight, showing all sorts of items on the shelving. By the back counter, a dark skinned human is seen tending various ledgers. Hearing the door bell chime, she pips up and offers assistance to the new customers once she is done with an order. The adventurers split up and start perusing the inventory, looking at everything that strikes their fancy. Scarr looks for ropes and potions while Gash looks for lockpicks and weapons. Koko's eyes grow large when he sees a shiny butterfly knife. Bringing their items to the counter, they make the transaction. Upon completion, Scarr turns to Landrima and inquires "Hey, we're new here and have a job. Do you have any information in regards to Braiden, Laiden Jamm, or something like that?" Landrima's response is one of confusion. "I'm sorry but none of those names ring a bell." Gash nudges Scarr in the ribs. Scarr clears his throat "My mistake, do you know of a man named Gaedren Lamm?" The face on Landrima changes to one of fear. She shakes her head, clearing her throat "I don't recommend that you get involved with that man in any manner." Koko nudges Scarr in the ribs this time, indicating that he needs to have a word with him. Leaning down, Scarr puts an ear to Koko, making sure others cannot overhear the conversation. "Hey, just a thought but MAYBE we shouldn't be asking random strangers about a big baddie here. They might be in cahoots with him and tip him off that WE are looking to kill him." Scarr, nodding in agreement, stands back up. Waiving thanks and goodbyes, the party dispatches from the shop.
Rushing back to the Old Fishery, the trio performs a quick check around the perimeter. Nothing seems to have changed from their disturbance earlier. Koko makes his way to the side door and starts attempting to pick the lock while Scarr and Gash keep a lookout. Once the lock pops, Gash moves the hinges away, alerting someone or something of their presence just on the other side of the door. Upon entering the room, the party is met with Yargin, a visually upset blonde human. "Who the hell are you and why the hell are you here?!"
Tune in next time for what is in store!
Session 3 - The Merge:
NOTE: Going to rename this as The Audacity of the Darkness.
NOTE: This is my first entry where my 2 campaigns were merged together so there is a LOT of things going on.
Koko, Scarr, and Gash find themselves inside the room, face to face with a visually upset man whose room they just broke into. "I'll ask again. Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?!" The upset man, Yargin, starts to step forward in an offensive manner. Koko shouts back at Yargin "I'll tell you why we're here!" then nudges Scarr asking what they should do. Scarr speaks up "Good day sir. You, uh, look like a friendly person. Um, could we speak with you for a second? I'm sure we won't take up much of your time. My name's Scarr, what's your name?" Looking seriously perturbed, sizing up each of the intruders, Yargin reaches for his crossbow that hangs on his back. "You need to leave" utters Yargin as he loads the crossbow. Scarr attempts to leap at Yargin but gets stuck on the desk corner.
Hurv and Keystone are a bit hesitant to join the fight that seems to have started inside. They decide to start a game of dice while waiting things out. Ra'z, sneaking into a nearby bush, prepares to introduce himself properly to the other two half-orcs. Stepping out, dropping the hood of his cloak, Ra'z approaches and says "Hello" in an awkward tone. Hurv and Keystone glance towards Ra'z.and nod in acknowledgement as they continue their dice game. Clearing his throat, Ra'z speaks up again "I've got some questions for the both of you." Before anything could be discussed further, shouting can be heard from the building. In reaction to the raised voices, other voices can be heard from around the property. Ra'z holds up his crystal that hangs from his necklace, showing it to the others. "I have questions about this, more importantly about the ones you have." Hurv replies to Ra'z that he should perhaps put that away until the current situation dies down because that crystal could be seen as a beacon. Keystone agrees and starts looking around their surroundings. Ra'z starts looking around as well, spotting an alligator that just came around the corner of the old fishery. He points at it and makes the call. Hurv and Keystone gather up their weapons and prepare for a fight.
Koko pulls out the pistol from his inner coat pocket and aims it straight at Yargin. Being too slow to dodge, Yargin gets shot in the chest and stumbles towards Gash. Reaching for her whip, Gash cracks it hard onto Yargin's side. Yargin drops his crossbow and reaches for his dagger, lunging at Gash while he clutches his wounded chest. Landing a solid hit into Gash's side, Yargin gets tackled by Scarr, then stabbed by the nodachi. Belting out a bloody burble, Yargin moans into silence, the life leaving his corpse.
Keystone, Ra'z and Hurv have a staredown with the approaching alligator. Ra'z fires a few shots at the alligator, hoping to slow it down a bit or scare it off. Hurv readies his quarterstaff while Keystone steps in between him and the alligator and yells at the top of his lungs "Hey scale-y butt! You look like my next pair of boots!" The sheer sound from Keystone's voice caused the alligator to turn a 180 and run back around the corner it once came from. Ra'z looks at the other two and suggests that they go inside for safety. Keystone nods and inquires as to how Ra'z should be addressed since he hasn't formerly introduced himself. With a tired look, Ra'z says "Just Ra'z will be enough." In response, Keystone accepts the information and responds with "My name is Keystone and I may or may not be your half-brother." Hurv chimes in with "I'm just Hurv.". Nods in agreement are made and the trio makes their way towards the same entrance Koko, Scarr, and Gash entered before.
Ra'z draws his bow as he peeks around the corner of the open door, whispering to the other two that he's got them covered. Keystone knocks super loud on the door frame, announcing their presence to the other group. "Hello? Anyone in here?" belts Keystone. Koko tries to convince the half-orc trio that no one was home while Scarr approaches the doorway. "Excuse our friend here. We mean no harm. We were investigating and this dude just attacked us. It was intense." Scarr motions to the lifeless corpse of Yargin in the background. Keystone does a room check for an overall vibe and asks just for a straight up answer. Scarr raises his hands up, then places his hands on Gash and Koko's heads, stating that these were his friends. He further explains that they attempted to have a civil conversation with the dead man in the background, but he was having none of it and reached for his crossbow. Ra'z steps into the conversation and inquires if the man was here before or after the opposing parties entrance. Scarr continues to explain that they were sent on a quest from a ghost lady to deal with a very bad man that lives here. Gash pipes in that they were just doing what they were asked to do. Suddenly, the ghost of Zellara appears in the middle of the room. Ra'z shoots an arrow, completely passing through the ghost form.
As the room focuses on Zellara's ghost in the room, she looks at every single person in the room with a pleased look at her choice in heroes. "I'm so happy you have found each other. This is, I'm afraid, where things will start to get harder for you. This man here was not who you needed to kill. This was Yargin, the right hand man of Gaedren. Gaedren still lives and is located in the basement of this facility. Once you dispatch him, I'll show you where the money is." With that, Zellara poofs out. The squabbling between Keystone and Ra'z when Keystone calls Ra'z a half-elf-orc "brother" and Ra'z calling out the fact orcs have pointy ears ensues in the background while the rest of the party start pondering of what to do next. Koko starts lockpicking the door behind Ra'z while Hurv introduces the half-orcs to Scarr's party. Ra'z breaks the squabble with Keystone and starts asking about the crystals from earlier. Hurv and Keystone state that the crystal was given to them from their mother, causing Ra'z to narrow his eyes and says the same. Suddenly, Koko's ears perk up. Shushing the people around him, he says he hears a scratching sound coming from the other door, opposite side of the room. Ra'z slowly creeps towards that door, hearing the scratching sound as well. He turns to face the rest of the room, holding a finger to his lips and getting his bow ready. Following suit, everyone readies their weapons while Keystones kicks the door open. A yelp and a whimper is heard from the other room and a very angry dog emerges. Keystone grabs the dog and holds it by the scruff. Scarr offers some food rations to the restrained dog, calming it down. Koko manages to finally open the locked door but doesn't enter. Gash, hearing something from within, approaches the door and peers inside. Not quite being able to see far into the room, she stares, backs away slowly, and shuts the door. She doesn't discuss what she heard and possibly saw in the room, but makes a straight line for the other door that the dog came from. As the group goes into the next room, they feel like they're getting further away from their target.
Tune in next time!