The criminal gang made an attempt to kill us that very night, by setting up an ambush in an alley near our inn. We reacted well and were able to fend of the attackers, but did not take any prisoners.
As we returned to the inn, we realized that the ambush had been prepared by people who knew of our whereabouts and that we were under vigilance. That very night we setup a strong guard so that we could rest peacefully.
The next day was almost disastrous.
As we woke up we decided to go on investigating and trying to prove our innocence. We knew already that everything that happened in this town was seen by prying eyes and sent as information to a certain house in the marketplace.
Adolfiel decided to use the same methods they were using on us on that very house and spent the day learning about it. What she found out that day proved invaluable and probably saved our lives.
The rest of the group went on investigating around town. Mandin, the elves and the guards were to stay at the inn waiting for the permission for the ship to leave port.
As we had feared, there were spies all around us.
At a certain given moment we split up, with the cleric going to the house of healing and the mage going to the library. Tyrion and me were to go to the marketplace to look for Adolfiel and get the latest information.
At that moment, the assassin hit.
He had been waiting for us to relax our vigilance, split up and find a weaker opponent that he could easily defeat. He made a mistake by attacking us and not the cleric or the mage, because we survived his attack...barely.
As soon as we started fighting him, we realized he was easily powerful enough as to kill us both. Whoever wanted us dead had come to the conclusion that sending weaklings against us would not work and had decided to pay real money for real might. Thus, this assassin and thus, Tyrion and I were outclassed.
The combat tested us both to the limit. We were resourceful and competent, tried to team up, protect the other and profit from being two on one, but it was not enough, not today.
Very soon we started retreating and trying to escape cleanly. We combined our skills and performed manoeuvres that would have easily worked in normal situations.
The assassin followed us relentlessly and caught up with us over and over again. He poisoned us, made us blinded and paralysed, and run after us like an unstoppable tide.
We felt despair and tiredness dragging us down as the combat went on.
If this did not stop soon, we would be dead.
And finally, at the very last moment, the city guards finally appeared. They had come after the shouts and even though city guards are not known for their speed going towards trouble, they eventually got there.
As soon as he saw them, the assassin smiled, blinked at us, turned round and left, letting us live... for the moment.
The situation was very serious. We realized that we could not stay any longer on the streets, as the third attack would probably not miss again and someone in the group would fall.
We assembled the group in the local temple under protection from the priest. As we prepared to sleep, the balance of the day was bad, very bad.
Tyrion and I were spent, the ship was still blocked and we were still under accusation. We did not know who was attacking us nor how strong the enemy was and we did not dare to got out on the street nor return to our quarters.
But worse of all, the group was not complete.
The elves, Mandin and the guards were still at the inn, unaware of the day's events.
We could not go there to warn them, we were under siege.
The rope was closing around our necks and we were starting to feel it tight. In a few hours we would be choking...
Session 17: Beggars can't be Choosers
The streets of Fort Eyrie are a hornet's nest - and somebody stirred it...
Halflings and more halflings
The group arrived to Fort Eyre without too much trouble. In the road we had the time to get to know each other better and to broadly set up our master plan for the future.
The party seemed decided to go on searching for the missing slaves and searching for the pirate who took them away seemed the best way to do it.
Or intentions in Fort Eyre were to replenish our equipment, send Mandin, his guards and the three freed elves safely in their way and find some ship to take us north, at the very least to Marshport without passing through Poisson again.
This plan seemed sensible and not very difficult to accomplish. However, when there are halflings around, no plan works in a simple way.
The arrival to Poisson proved troublesome. We avoided paying the incredibly high "door taxes" for our cart by selling it to a local tradesman.
Up to that moment, our plans seemed to be progressing slowly but surely. We had good lodgings for the night, a passage in a big ship leaving the next day for Marshport and no problems of importance.
It did not last long.
Unfortunately, the guards did not like that we didn't bow to their corrupt ways and accused us of a crime that they themselves had committed.
The local captain, as good intentioned as he was, was also as thick as a brick and gullible as a sheep. He believed every word from the corrupt sergeant (we will have words, this sergeant and me) and ordered us not to leave the town.
He also ordered the ship to remain in port until things were more clear.
To make matters worse, the local criminal gang got wind of our interest for the pirate.
The clouds were gathering over our heads and we were not ready for the storm.
It took us some time to realize that this day's events would later spiral into combat, pain and death.
The party seemed decided to go on searching for the missing slaves and searching for the pirate who took them away seemed the best way to do it.
Or intentions in Fort Eyre were to replenish our equipment, send Mandin, his guards and the three freed elves safely in their way and find some ship to take us north, at the very least to Marshport without passing through Poisson again.
This plan seemed sensible and not very difficult to accomplish. However, when there are halflings around, no plan works in a simple way.
The arrival to Poisson proved troublesome. We avoided paying the incredibly high "door taxes" for our cart by selling it to a local tradesman.
Up to that moment, our plans seemed to be progressing slowly but surely. We had good lodgings for the night, a passage in a big ship leaving the next day for Marshport and no problems of importance.
It did not last long.
Unfortunately, the guards did not like that we didn't bow to their corrupt ways and accused us of a crime that they themselves had committed.
The local captain, as good intentioned as he was, was also as thick as a brick and gullible as a sheep. He believed every word from the corrupt sergeant (we will have words, this sergeant and me) and ordered us not to leave the town.
He also ordered the ship to remain in port until things were more clear.
To make matters worse, the local criminal gang got wind of our interest for the pirate.
The clouds were gathering over our heads and we were not ready for the storm.
It took us some time to realize that this day's events would later spiral into combat, pain and death.
Session 16: Dusk at Fort Eyrie
The party arrive at Fort Eyrie, but their investigations attract unwanted attention from both the guards and the local criminals...
Kruthiks, Magic and Ripping-Offs
Ill-prepared for the task at hand and with no clue of exactly what we were intended to accomplish, we entered the blood-reeking tunnels... We were soon assaulted by all sides by scary insectoid monstrosities, critters able to play the hit and hide game to almost perfection: the kruthiks.
As we proceeded further into the bowels of the earth, I pondered Sionas' words... what secret was he hiding from me? Could the caverns hide some powerful ley lines that would empower rituals conducted in the caverns? Was he summoning devils to his command, his red swollen eyes being a clue to his infernal interactions? Was it an area of wild magic, where no spell would work the same as usual? I decided to do some tests, out of the eyes of the spying guard that Sionas had sent to "protect" us... I started with silly cantrips and petty tricks but, soon, not seeing any effect to my spells, I decided Sionas had probably duped us, his demands not to use magic only some kind of twisted humour, and I decided to use any of the spells I had at my disposal.
And it was in due time, as in those caverns we almost found death at the claws and fangs of a Kruthik monstrosity, a gargantuan hive mother, surrounded by her horrific brood. The spy Sionas had sent with us died in that cavern, and we all could have perished, had we not used all our available resources in the difficult battle.
When, bloody and beaten, we exited the tunnels to tell Sionas of our success, the tricky wizard received us with anger and malice. He yelled at us, called us incompetents and told us that our use of magic had destroyed his experiments, a work of at least 30 years. He would not let the slaves free, even when we offered him more help to eradicate the Kruthik infestation and information on the wonders we had discovered during our travels.
We left Sionas' tower, intent on freeing the slaves using trickery, considering he would not free them otherwise. In the next days, the Halflings kept working in the tower, probably Sionas did not want to end abruptly his works at the tower, so that he would not angry them. We decided our best bet would be to make Sionas feel insecure by finding ways to make his position in Poisson uncomfortable.
So, while some in the group started spreading rumours that his treasure was false and running out, others tried to investigate further, but the only strange events were a couple of disappearances and some Halfling husbands cheating their wives: as days passed by it became clear that most Halflings, at least in Poisson, are cheaters by nature, and that their love of their Barrel of Ale god is lesser than their need to rip their visitors off. They overcharged us for everything: the food, the drinks, the rooms, the information they gave us...
We were desperate and clueless on how to proceed, when the slave that had helped us in the Kruthik lair, Leonardo, found us. He had been able to escape and had a plan: he would discredit the Wizard further and dupe the Mayor into calling Sionas for a meeting. With the wizard far away from the tower it would be easy enough to free the slaves. Tyrion then proposed using a cart to, disguised as merchants, enter the tower.
The plan seemed sound enough, so we gave it a try. Leonardo told the mayor that the wizard was running out of money, and convinced him to call for a meeting with Sionas.
In the morning, while the wizard rode to Poisson to meet the mayor, Tyrion, Leonardo and Vistra approached the tower disguised as merchants.
Unluckily for us, while approaching the tower, Leonardo was recognised by the guards at the entrance. It was not a big problem, as the guards were not in the mood for a fight, but Sionas had protected all doors magically and, unable to break them down easily, we aborted the attempt.
The plan had an unexpected effect, though, as Sionas grew paranoid. He decided that, as his works in the tower no longer had any sense, he would better leave before the Halflings realised that he was indeed running low on money. One day after a payday, and while the Halflings were paying attention to their Big Beer Barrel, Sionas packed his treasure and equipment and left the tower.
Part of the group had been monitoring the tower. When they saw the wizard leave, they waited some moments for him to get away, approached the tower and freed the slaves. The guards and Mandin decided to accompany us to Fort Eyrie, as they were now unemployed and would take Aygon's job offer.
As we proceeded further into the bowels of the earth, I pondered Sionas' words... what secret was he hiding from me? Could the caverns hide some powerful ley lines that would empower rituals conducted in the caverns? Was he summoning devils to his command, his red swollen eyes being a clue to his infernal interactions? Was it an area of wild magic, where no spell would work the same as usual? I decided to do some tests, out of the eyes of the spying guard that Sionas had sent to "protect" us... I started with silly cantrips and petty tricks but, soon, not seeing any effect to my spells, I decided Sionas had probably duped us, his demands not to use magic only some kind of twisted humour, and I decided to use any of the spells I had at my disposal.
And it was in due time, as in those caverns we almost found death at the claws and fangs of a Kruthik monstrosity, a gargantuan hive mother, surrounded by her horrific brood. The spy Sionas had sent with us died in that cavern, and we all could have perished, had we not used all our available resources in the difficult battle.
When, bloody and beaten, we exited the tunnels to tell Sionas of our success, the tricky wizard received us with anger and malice. He yelled at us, called us incompetents and told us that our use of magic had destroyed his experiments, a work of at least 30 years. He would not let the slaves free, even when we offered him more help to eradicate the Kruthik infestation and information on the wonders we had discovered during our travels.
We left Sionas' tower, intent on freeing the slaves using trickery, considering he would not free them otherwise. In the next days, the Halflings kept working in the tower, probably Sionas did not want to end abruptly his works at the tower, so that he would not angry them. We decided our best bet would be to make Sionas feel insecure by finding ways to make his position in Poisson uncomfortable.
So, while some in the group started spreading rumours that his treasure was false and running out, others tried to investigate further, but the only strange events were a couple of disappearances and some Halfling husbands cheating their wives: as days passed by it became clear that most Halflings, at least in Poisson, are cheaters by nature, and that their love of their Barrel of Ale god is lesser than their need to rip their visitors off. They overcharged us for everything: the food, the drinks, the rooms, the information they gave us...
We were desperate and clueless on how to proceed, when the slave that had helped us in the Kruthik lair, Leonardo, found us. He had been able to escape and had a plan: he would discredit the Wizard further and dupe the Mayor into calling Sionas for a meeting. With the wizard far away from the tower it would be easy enough to free the slaves. Tyrion then proposed using a cart to, disguised as merchants, enter the tower.
The plan seemed sound enough, so we gave it a try. Leonardo told the mayor that the wizard was running out of money, and convinced him to call for a meeting with Sionas.
In the morning, while the wizard rode to Poisson to meet the mayor, Tyrion, Leonardo and Vistra approached the tower disguised as merchants.
Unluckily for us, while approaching the tower, Leonardo was recognised by the guards at the entrance. It was not a big problem, as the guards were not in the mood for a fight, but Sionas had protected all doors magically and, unable to break them down easily, we aborted the attempt.
The plan had an unexpected effect, though, as Sionas grew paranoid. He decided that, as his works in the tower no longer had any sense, he would better leave before the Halflings realised that he was indeed running low on money. One day after a payday, and while the Halflings were paying attention to their Big Beer Barrel, Sionas packed his treasure and equipment and left the tower.
Part of the group had been monitoring the tower. When they saw the wizard leave, they waited some moments for him to get away, approached the tower and freed the slaves. The guards and Mandin decided to accompany us to Fort Eyrie, as they were now unemployed and would take Aygon's job offer.
Rescue success
Well,
it turned out that the wizard Sionas what not too happy with our performance. To be honest, I think that "not too happy" is an understatement, I would rather say that he was looking at us with murderous intent.
As we had to use magic to get rid of the insect queen ( or maybe because our own wizard had itching fingers... I understand myself), we destroyed what the wizard was looking for in the caves. Needless to say that he refused to free the slaves as agreed and we left, fearing that Sarielle's tongue would get us killed.
Of course, we couldn't let the slaves in this predicament and we planned to free them during a rescue attempt. We had some inside information when Leonardino escaped by himself and decided to act when Sionas would be in a meeting with the mayor. Disguised as workers, Leonardino and I came with a fake delivery of food with fake barrels to make the prisonners escape without the army of halfling workers noticing.
It went immediatly wrong as the guards saw throught Leonardino's disguise but thanks to our charisma and the belief in our just cause, we manage to convince them to let us in and discuss with their boss, Mandin. We were nearly discovered as the halflings made the barrel containing Vistra fall. Hopefully, I manage to cover the blunder and we went in.
It turned out that Mandin was being held inside the tower throught doors magically locked because of sionas' paranoia and with all the workers, it was not managable to break in unnoticed. we didn't know either what consequences could bring the breaking of a magically sealed door... my fear was a angry wizard teleporting right next to us.
Well, we decided to keep watch on the tower to wait for other oppotunities, especially as the worker's pay day was coming. We knew that the finances of the wizard were running low but we ignored to what extend. Desillusion came as the wizard paid the workers as scheduled... but no sooner that we feared we could never free the slaves, that we witnessed the wizard fleeing the tower under cover of the night. As we came checking, the guards were also packing with Mandin and told us that there were too much unrest with the halflings because of our stunts for the wizard to stay around.
We took the slaves with us and travelled with the guards to Fort Eyrie in order to find a boat to bring them home... and of course to put as many miles as we can between us and an angry mob of unemployed halfling looking for scpapegoats.
In the end, we did not heroically freed the slave through an epic fight against evil mages but considering the conditions, I am happy of the outcome of this adventure: slaves freed, no casualties for the innocents and all of us healthy enough too go on looking for the slavers.
To me, that was a full success.
it turned out that the wizard Sionas what not too happy with our performance. To be honest, I think that "not too happy" is an understatement, I would rather say that he was looking at us with murderous intent.
As we had to use magic to get rid of the insect queen ( or maybe because our own wizard had itching fingers... I understand myself), we destroyed what the wizard was looking for in the caves. Needless to say that he refused to free the slaves as agreed and we left, fearing that Sarielle's tongue would get us killed.
Of course, we couldn't let the slaves in this predicament and we planned to free them during a rescue attempt. We had some inside information when Leonardino escaped by himself and decided to act when Sionas would be in a meeting with the mayor. Disguised as workers, Leonardino and I came with a fake delivery of food with fake barrels to make the prisonners escape without the army of halfling workers noticing.
It went immediatly wrong as the guards saw throught Leonardino's disguise but thanks to our charisma and the belief in our just cause, we manage to convince them to let us in and discuss with their boss, Mandin. We were nearly discovered as the halflings made the barrel containing Vistra fall. Hopefully, I manage to cover the blunder and we went in.
It turned out that Mandin was being held inside the tower throught doors magically locked because of sionas' paranoia and with all the workers, it was not managable to break in unnoticed. we didn't know either what consequences could bring the breaking of a magically sealed door... my fear was a angry wizard teleporting right next to us.
Well, we decided to keep watch on the tower to wait for other oppotunities, especially as the worker's pay day was coming. We knew that the finances of the wizard were running low but we ignored to what extend. Desillusion came as the wizard paid the workers as scheduled... but no sooner that we feared we could never free the slaves, that we witnessed the wizard fleeing the tower under cover of the night. As we came checking, the guards were also packing with Mandin and told us that there were too much unrest with the halflings because of our stunts for the wizard to stay around.
We took the slaves with us and travelled with the guards to Fort Eyrie in order to find a boat to bring them home... and of course to put as many miles as we can between us and an angry mob of unemployed halfling looking for scpapegoats.
In the end, we did not heroically freed the slave through an epic fight against evil mages but considering the conditions, I am happy of the outcome of this adventure: slaves freed, no casualties for the innocents and all of us healthy enough too go on looking for the slavers.
To me, that was a full success.
When destiny looks at you
At that moment everything suddenly made sense, that was my destiny and my privilege. I would return to my family's name the honours it had always deserved. We would be respected again in Leavendale as we were in the past.
The gods had spoken by putting the whole village into danger and enslaving most of them. This is what happens when you embrace anarco-syndicalism and stop following the natural leaders.
During the first weeks after the attack, I had been too much in shock as to react. However, as time passed and the long hours of wait before the next work shift in the mines came, I came to the conclusion that I had been truly blessed. I had been trained all my life to perform a duty and until the day the slavers came, it seemed all my work, leadership and education were not needed or wanted.
But the occasion had arrived. Contrary to my father and his father, during my lifetime the whole village was in danger and needed its protector.
I would free all of them and bring them back to Leavendale so they could tell everyone what I had known all along, that anarco-syndicalism is wrong and that my family's rule is the best for them.
So when the adventurer's party showed up, it was not too surprising, the gods were merely giving me the starting push in my life's quest.
The first moments seemed encouraging, it seemed it would be easy enough to free the first slaves. Furthermore, it would be done by preforming a good deed that could also allow me to get to know better my helpers and see if they were worthy of coming along in my quest. I was unable to reach a proper conclusion, as it was not so clear.
They proved to be capable of winning a battle but seemed incapable of winning a war. Most of the Krucix died but almost all of us were nearly killed and we were unable to free the slaves. They needed a leader.
I was still captured, but the opportunity of having help outside the tower was too good to let pass. My relationship with Mandin and my family's famous diplomacy skills allowed me to set up a plan for a coordinated escape by sending the party a coded message.
However, the message was not well received and not well understood. They really needed a leader.
The plan was aborted and I had to think something else.
Mandin was growing uneasy. The mine seemed pointless, the halfling workers had an unquenchable thirst for easy money and could turn dangerous with a blink.
He agreed to let me go on one condition, that I would help him with my party if push came to shove with the Halflings.
And so I escaped, leaving behind three other Elves and vowing to come back.
Once I was able to contact the group of adventurers, I set in motion my new plan. The idea was to lure the wizard away from the tower so we could get in an rescue the prisioners. A simple negotiation with the Major provided the necessary time for a daring rescue.
The group's fighter suggested a classic Troy horse maneouver and I agreed on it. Well executed, the plan would be bold and fast, as good plans should.
However, the wizard had seen the intentions of our group and protected his site from any attack. We had to withdraw with a lot of information and no slaves.
Luckily, all our tactic defeats finally gave a strategic victory, as the wizard became more and more uneasy with his situation in Poisson. He felt the pressure of the group from the outside of his tower, but he had no enemy to fight, no target to aim at.
Pacience and prudence finally were our blessing. One night we saw from our vigilance posts the wizard pack and leave the tower.
We had been to him "like shadows in his dreams and had grown and grown inside his head until his will had given up".
Just like Son Tzo wrote in his "art of warfare against class 20 wizards" it should be done.
They needed a leader. And now they have one.
Without any violence, we simply entered the tower, freed the slaves and formed a new party with Mandin, the guards, the free elves the group of adventurers and me.
I pointed west and we all set off.
To Fort Eyre.
My quest had begun.
The gods had spoken by putting the whole village into danger and enslaving most of them. This is what happens when you embrace anarco-syndicalism and stop following the natural leaders.
During the first weeks after the attack, I had been too much in shock as to react. However, as time passed and the long hours of wait before the next work shift in the mines came, I came to the conclusion that I had been truly blessed. I had been trained all my life to perform a duty and until the day the slavers came, it seemed all my work, leadership and education were not needed or wanted.
But the occasion had arrived. Contrary to my father and his father, during my lifetime the whole village was in danger and needed its protector.
I would free all of them and bring them back to Leavendale so they could tell everyone what I had known all along, that anarco-syndicalism is wrong and that my family's rule is the best for them.
So when the adventurer's party showed up, it was not too surprising, the gods were merely giving me the starting push in my life's quest.
The first moments seemed encouraging, it seemed it would be easy enough to free the first slaves. Furthermore, it would be done by preforming a good deed that could also allow me to get to know better my helpers and see if they were worthy of coming along in my quest. I was unable to reach a proper conclusion, as it was not so clear.
They proved to be capable of winning a battle but seemed incapable of winning a war. Most of the Krucix died but almost all of us were nearly killed and we were unable to free the slaves. They needed a leader.
I was still captured, but the opportunity of having help outside the tower was too good to let pass. My relationship with Mandin and my family's famous diplomacy skills allowed me to set up a plan for a coordinated escape by sending the party a coded message.
However, the message was not well received and not well understood. They really needed a leader.
The plan was aborted and I had to think something else.
Mandin was growing uneasy. The mine seemed pointless, the halfling workers had an unquenchable thirst for easy money and could turn dangerous with a blink.
He agreed to let me go on one condition, that I would help him with my party if push came to shove with the Halflings.
And so I escaped, leaving behind three other Elves and vowing to come back.
Once I was able to contact the group of adventurers, I set in motion my new plan. The idea was to lure the wizard away from the tower so we could get in an rescue the prisioners. A simple negotiation with the Major provided the necessary time for a daring rescue.
The group's fighter suggested a classic Troy horse maneouver and I agreed on it. Well executed, the plan would be bold and fast, as good plans should.
However, the wizard had seen the intentions of our group and protected his site from any attack. We had to withdraw with a lot of information and no slaves.
Luckily, all our tactic defeats finally gave a strategic victory, as the wizard became more and more uneasy with his situation in Poisson. He felt the pressure of the group from the outside of his tower, but he had no enemy to fight, no target to aim at.
Pacience and prudence finally were our blessing. One night we saw from our vigilance posts the wizard pack and leave the tower.
We had been to him "like shadows in his dreams and had grown and grown inside his head until his will had given up".
Just like Son Tzo wrote in his "art of warfare against class 20 wizards" it should be done.
They needed a leader. And now they have one.
Without any violence, we simply entered the tower, freed the slaves and formed a new party with Mandin, the guards, the free elves the group of adventurers and me.
I pointed west and we all set off.
To Fort Eyre.
My quest had begun.
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