Ghosts of Saltmarsh (cbaer8) - Campaign Thread

Los agrees to the list of items and the terms. He will arrange delivery of the items to the Seaton Hotel tomorrow.

Unless there is further business, the group reconvenes at the hotel by dinnertime (Kei is already passed out) and the group enjoys a very enjoyable (if somewhat gluttonous) long rest. The night passes uneventfully, and the accommodations are excellent.

~*~*~

Does anyone have any business for the following day, prior to the meeting with Aubreck at dinnertime?

Gerrard:

With Kei asleep, the remainder of the evening is quiet, and Gerrard arranges for all to be properly set in place for the evening, including Kei in his bed with a tonic at his bedside for the inevitable hangover.
     

     When the packages arrive, Gerrard pockets the two healing potions and picks up the wrapped shields, surreptitiously checking which is which.  He then walks over to Dwal and says, “A gift for you, Brother Fiercehammer,” handing him the +1 Shield.

    To Kei, he hands over another package, this one containing the Sentinel Shield, saying, “And a gift for you as well, Master Kei.”

Kei 

"Ooooh, you nasty mistress" he wakes early enough and downs the glass of liquid he doesn't remember setting at his side. "Liquor is an evil Queen." He holds his head as he stands, unsteadily. He kicks the chair leg and curses some unknown deity. He looks around at the now (presumably) clean room for evidence of the party he can't remember having.

When Gerrard approaches carrying a large parcel Kei reaches out and places a hand on the nobles shoulder. Looking him in the eyes he says "have you seen the halfling? I think I remember seeing him running around half baked. And something about getting a tattoo." As he is handed the shield a tear swells in his eyes. "For me? Thank you Gerrard." The use of the nobles full name shocks both himself and Gerrard. 

The pounding in his head and the gesture from his friend nearly makes him forget about the previous day's mission. He recounts the tale of the dismembered body to Gerrard and Dwal. When finished he sits and nurses his head while admiring his new shield.

Dwal

"Thank ye lad." Dwal tells Gerrard. Dwal will look the shield over as they walk and make his plans on what to do next.

Once they enter the room and find Kei, Dwal will listen but say little. 
"Well," Dwal says. "At least they started drinkin' after their little escapade."  

After hearing Kei's revelation about Aubreck and his lackey, Dwal will set back and try and think things through. 
"It sounds ta me that we killed 2 demons ta create another," he remarks. 
Dwal turns to Gerrard. "So, do we wait or do we give word ta yer kin and let them deal with 'em?" he asks. 

Gerrard:

”I’m not sure I follow, Brother Fiercehammer.  Are you saying Aubrek is in league with the murdering miscreants?” asks Gerrard.

OOC:  Has Gerrard heard of any unsavory incidents recently with gnawed bodies showing up?  d20 roll if needed:  2

Peri:

Shortly after the more responsible party members rouse Kei, Peri turns up at the door. His hair mostly fallen out of its braid, a bruise showing under one eye, but his clothes are still neat and clean. He strolls in grinning, carrying a tray of pastries with a couple already gone. "Mornin' all! Everyone make good use of their first night in town? Gerrard! Thanks again for the fancy duds -- I'm not sayin' where they spent the night, but it sure weren't a laundry, and look! Good as though they'd been fresh-pressed here at Hotel Fancypants! Anyhow, here's breakfast. Got coffee and tea comin' behind me. I tell ya, I could get used to gettin' catered to!" He sets the tray on the table and tucks in as though it was just another breakfast, happy as a fat rat from a night of undisclosed debauchery. He munches a few pastries as Kei relates their scouting.

 Are you saying Aubrek is in league with the murdering miscreants?

"Can't say for sure Aubrek's involved in the killin'. Him and Vertheg were just talkin' merchant business when I was listenin'; no mention of anything shady. But somehow Vertheg beat us here from Saltmarsh. And together with all the other stuff with demons and Iuz and chewed up corpses from the cellar, somethin' smells rotten."

Dwal

Dwal nods. "There ain't no things as coincidences," Dwal says. "It's all shady an' we're wrapped up in it. What would happen if they was discovered ta be worse off then them demons? We ain't been too quiet about our part an' if yer family found out about it, without you sayin' anything, what would they think about you? You not followin' along with them might, I am just sayin' MIGHT, make 'em think ya have more of a hand in what ever is going on than ya do" 
Dwal pauses and listens to Peri's input then speaks up.
"I'm with tha halfling on this. Iuz and his lackey's are all over tha place, from Saltmarsh ta here. This Aubreck is bein' just as shady an' I'm not sure he ain't part of it all."

Dwal sits back and strokes his beard and thinks things over. 

"What does this part of tha world have that a far away demigod would want?" Dwal mumbles to himself, thinking out loud. 

The two shields arrive wrapped in old cloths and packed with straw in a smallish wooden crate. The Shield, +1 is very old, wooden, even split in places, but the ancient wood is as hard as steel. It looks more like an antique from a museum than proper gear, but nevertheless, an inspection proves it to be deceivingly functional.

The Sentinel Shield is emblazoned with an abstracted human eye in tones of blue and grey. 

They are accompanied by two vials of (common) Potions of Healing.

OOC: Has Gerrard heard of any unsavory incidents recently with gnawed bodies showing up? d20 roll if needed: 2

Gerrard recalls that all sorts of unsavory things have happened in Seaton, although half-gnawed bodies is a new one to him. The Seaton city guard keep order with an iron fist, but much of their force is for show and concentrated in the city center and important commercial districts; certain neighborhoods are left to their own quiet debauchery (and justice.)

You have dinner plans at "The Hatchet," the tavern where you last spoke to Aubreck. It is approaching dinnertime.

Gerrard:

”I have not heard of such killings, though I must admit to a rather sheltered life within the capitol.  Perhaps Aubrek had the misfortune to choose a meetup place near a murderous group operating out of the cellars.  The sudden appearance of Vertheg is troubling, though I suppose magical means of transport might have been used,” says Gerrard directly.

“I do have the tendency to see the best in people and perhaps not see betrayal coming, Brother Fiercehammer.  I will follow your wise lead in this matter,” he adds humbly.

”In the meantime, let’s enjoy breakfast as I continue to shirk my responsibilities as dictated by my mother,” he smiles, adding to Peri, “Thank you for breakfast,” as he begins to eat.

….

Later in the day after the items are delivered, he says, “Shall we head to dinner and see what awaits us?”

As the early wintertime sun begins to set, the four adventurers exit the hotel (over offers of things like umbrellas, scarves, and snacks from the hotel staff, together with offers of liveries, directions, and protection. Let me know if you choose to avail yourselves of any.)

It's a short walk to the tavern, which is located just a few blocks away; maybe a fifteen-minute walk. The city guard is very present in the town square where the hotel is located, as well as on the busy thoroughfare you travel upon. Traffic is heavy.

You arrive at the Hatchet at the appointed time and are ushered into the busy tavern warmly by the host and seated at the same table you sat at the previous day. Aubreck is nowhere to be seen, but a note awaits you on the table. Peri can read it, as it is written in Halfling. It reads, "My apologies. Meet me at the Anchor - it's a tavern nearly across the street. Exit through the kitchen, and please don't draw attention. Destroy this note. ~A"

Gerrard:

”Ah, it seems our host hasn’t arrived yet—look, maybe that note will explain things,” says Gerrard, then wrinkles his nose in confusion when he can’t read the script.

Kei 

The walking seems to take the edge off his aching head. Perhaps it's the fresh air. Whichever the reason, he keeps pace with the group however upon entering the tavern he is assaulted by the smell of stale beer and sweaty patrons. His body instinctively reacts - he swallows hard trying to keep down the food from earlier. Turning to his partner in wine he groans his discomfort. "Don't know about you, but I'll be happy to not take a drop of liquor for a while".  He slumps in a chair at their appointed table, absentmindedly thumbing through his deck of antique cards. He continues to shuffle and spin cards through his hands til one falls face up on the table. 5

Peri:

Peri looks at the note. He gestures to the others to lean in close and reads it to them in a whisper, then uses it to light his pipe. "Never had much need for banks, but I don't imagine this is the normal way of doin' business. We should have a drink before we go, though. Looks suspicious when a group sits down, then leaves without orderin' anything. Then maybe we sneak out two at a time."

The party has a quick ale as Kei drinks a glass of water and fidgets with his cards. The tavern is even busier than the last time, full of off-duty guards, merchants, and mid-level city bureaucrats. Once again, Gerrard feels the eyes of recognition upon him, although nobody approaches him. The kitchen door evidently leads to a back exit and the lavatories - patrons are allowed to use it, although not many do.

Dwal

"With all this secrecy," says Dwal. "We best keep a rear watch ta see if we are being followed," he suggests.

With that Dwal will move with the group but, try and keep an eye out for anyone following us.

Perception: 22

Paying the small tab, the party follows Peri's suggestion and carefully leaves in pairs through the kitchen exit. Dwal notices that Gerrard's departure isn't unnoticed - he's clearly a bit of a celebrity around here - but nobody appears to attempt to follow them. The kitchen exit dumps them into the network of narrow (and now pitch-black) alleys that Kei and Peri began to explore earlier, but it's a straight shot back to the main road that the Hatchet is on. Nobody is outside except a cook who passes them to return back inside the building, and a few rats watching from the shadows.

The Anchor - another tavern - is clearly visible; it's diagonally situated across the street. It is nearly as busy, and has a similar - if maybe slightly lower-brow - clientele, with a few nonhuman races mixed in. The host - a rotund, serious, middle-aged human woman - ushers you in. Clearly expecting you, she ushers you straight through the main room and into a private room in the back. Inside is Aubreck and Verteg, enjoying a large plate of fried fish and porter. They smile and beckon you in. The host closes the door behind her as she leaves.

"Gentlemen! Good to see you again!" spouts Aubreck.

Peri:

"Vertheg? When did you get here? I thought you were mindin' the store while Aubrek was away?" Peri hops onto a chair and helps himself to a piece of fish.

Gerrard:

Looking around a bit hesitantly, Gerrard approaches and sits down, saying quietly, “Indeed, why all the secrecy?”

Dwal

"Alright, I had about enough of this cloak an' dagger." Dwal says. "Out with it. What dangers are you, an' ultimately we, facing?"

"Lots of good fish here; more coming. Please dig in!" spouts Aubreck. Vertheg nods to everything Aubreck says, and silently eats.

"Vertheg had an important delivery to make, and he wound up taking a slightly shorter – and as it turned out, less treacherous – route than we did."

He takes another sip of porter.

"The secrecy is purely precaution, as frankly, we don't know what the danger is. It's clear that somebody was watching our movement, and maybe that person is dead now, thanks to your timely defense. But something doesn't add up, and until we identify the source of that leak, you'll find that I'll be taking extra precautions, and I suggest you consider doing the same."

"Good news, however," he continues. "You should be paid in three days' time. The gods of bureaucracy are smiling upon us this week. We'll deliver you your promised share in three days. Shall we schedule another dinner date for then? Say, right here in this fine establishment?"