Session 7 - Wandering and Wondering

This is the 7th session of the campaign Echoes 2.

Summary
The Patrons spent their morning at the Jaunt discussing their next course of action. They decided to speak with many of their contacts and determine the best way to earn some money in the city.

They decided to head to the Quiet Kettle and speak with Dumont about the job he had promised. He promised to let them in on a job, but only if they agreed to the job before he told them what it entailed, for their own safety. After agreeing he told Themus that the next job may end up involving his Uncle. Part of the paperwork that was hidden away and claimed during the airship heist were documents planted by people working for Dumont. These documents tracked people who would consistently enter and exit city entrances, and Dumont would know at a certain point if these people were criminals and look into who they work for. Searching through the documents Dumont found a golden-skinned tiefling fitting Themus’s description for his uncle. This tiefling was often seen moving in and out of the city of Bitterhold via ship. Then was seen entering Falkswald for a time, and left, eventually making his way into Kronstrad. The other thing that Dumont noted was that upon entering Kronstrad this Tiefling was seen with known members of the Carposi Family, which is a criminal organization run by a Veritian born man named Vincenzo Carposi.

Dumont’s job would have the Patrons interact directly with the Carposi Family, and could potentially have this gold-skinned tiefling show up once again, while also helping Dumont. The job was described as follows: There is an auction house in the Riff called the Quartermaster run by Sivrin Zilnia. She works in conjunction with a pirate crew from Wulfhaven called The Buddies, and their captain Buddy Bridges, a notoriously kind privateer and treasure hunter. In three days time, they are auctioning off an item called the Smoking Crown of Bitter King Kaligar, who was a warlord from the Isle of Paldae. Dumont knows that Vincenzo Carposi wants to use this evil crown to bend the will of others to his own. Dumont wants the Patrons to attend the Quartermaster, under some sort of guise, mingle with the high falutin society, bid on smaller items, but most importantly to drive up the price of the crown to at least 10,000 gold pieces. Vincenzo wants the crown, people know this, so nobody would be willing to outbid him out of fear. He would likely get the crown for much cheaper, and to really burn a hole in his pocket Dumont wants the group to fake bid on the item and force Vincenzo to spend more of his money. After Vincenzo gets the crown Dumont wants the Patrons to steal it, and then get rid of it.

There are plenty of risks involved in this, from faking who they are, acting natural when bidding on the Crown, and most importantly stealing the crown without garnering too much attention. Sivrin is known for her harsh policy of, “Once you hand over the money, that’s it, anything else that happens isn’t my problem.” so the ideal situation of stealing the crown means that Vincenzo loses his money and the item, lose lose. Ultimately, Dumont is using this opportunity to get a powerful magic item, known for its powers to control people, out of the hands of a powerful mob boss who’s ruining Kronstrad. Dumont believes that this will cause Vincenzo to panic and start sending more of his men into the streets to collect debts, and maybe this gold tielfing will show up again. Dumont is giving the party 5000 gold pieces to bid on items during the auction, and they can keep any amount of items and money they acquire/don’t use. The Patrons agree to this deal and have a few days to plan the heist.

Acaelus asked Dumont if he could look into the trial of his grandfather, and after getting some coin Dumont told him that the trial will start the 20th of Broljus, last a week, and his grandfather would likely be killed the next day. After the party left Autumn stayed behind and asked Dumont if he could track down a woman named Joleen, who Autumn described as homeless. Dumont agreed to start looking into it.

After speaking with Dumont the party headed to the Birthhome in the Furrows so that Autumn can communicate once again with the Birthtree. The party witnessed the blooming greenery within the district, spotted many of the chalk-like stone structures known as the Ruins of the Allmother, and met with Gardener Jem who had previously helped Emeran and Autumn. Jem showed them around the Birthhome and asked them to help him in prayer before entering the center of the temple beneath the Birthtree. During this prayer, Astraea felt a familiar feel, like she had been here before. When she opened her eyes she saw a woman of dark skin, with glowing white tattoos and bright white eyes laying on the floor and dying of a stab wound in her chest. And then the memory faded.

Entering the temple interior the group stepped onto the dirt floors and witnessed the massive roots of the Birthtree clinging to the walls, ceiling, and floors. There was a central pool of water with slight wisps of light emerging from the glowing bluish water. Jem explained that this place is partially of the Feywild, and that once a great Fey had died here creating the Birthtree. Jem and Autumn stepped into the pool to receive visions from the Birthtree, while the other party members clung to the roots of the tree in hopes that they may also witness.

The vision was one similar to the last one Autumn received, being thrust to the center of the earth and feeling cold and alone, and the earth itself seemingly dying all around. Then, suddenly, a yellow light appeared. Autumn felt that the light should not be here. And then they emerged from the pool. The party discussed the possibility of the yellow light being a connection to the Yellow King. Jem insisted that it likely wasn’t the Yellow King, but promised the group to reach out to Lord Weston Valkwraith of Greypeak and let him know.

Jem also informed the group about the developing divide between the Gardners within the city. Gardener Clark wants to mobilize and train a group of Gardeners to deal with the supposed threat of demonic incursion, as one done during the time of the Old Way. He is planning on traveling to what was once the island of Goldsand, now supposedly sunk into the sea, Clark believes that the island had sunk due to a demonic incursion as opposed to the more likely event that the volcano Brightspike had erupted.

The party then made their way back to the Gullies and to the Padlock Tome to acquire some books and look into the man who had been hanging around the place. After confirming with Mabel that the man in question was in the bookstore, Acaelus turned himself invisible and approached the man. He was wearing fine clothing, a worn cloak, and had gross yellowish teeth. He seemed to hear Acaelus despite being invisible, and started to cast a spell of “See Invisibility”, Acaelus was able to get to the adjacent bookshelf but seemed too suspicious, and the man made his way out of the building, despite Themus and Elias’s pleading for him to stay. Themus went running after the man and was able to track him down. His name is Mert, and he apparently works with an organization called the Friends of the Blue Lady, in some apparent worship of the Teacher, and the magical book he placed in the library was a “challenge” and he went on to say that these challenges were a way to test magic users into joining the group. Mert mentioned that two of the other three members were named Cewyn and Littlefoot. He asked if the group wanted further challenges they could find one of the members hanging out beneath the statue to the Teacher in Lady’s Square.

The party bought a few books. Astrea bought “The Divine Tragedy & The Great Fall” a history book about those eras, and “The Long Reign of the Salt Sea". Autumn got a book called “The Long Summer” by Gustave Vonne. Acaelus got a book called “The Last Mixtures” by Auren Welk.

The group arrived back at the Jaunt to eat, and discuss what they had learned. Then they made their way to Fortunate Road to meet with the war veterans there and to speak with Bryden Dwyer who seemed to be the CO for many of the soldiers without pay. When they arrived at the church dedicated to the Pilgrim it resembled a bar much more than it resembled a holy site. There were some priests tending to a bar, while others were giving advice to the many soldiers who seem to be staying here. The Patrons met with Graham who they had seen earlier leaving the District Warden’s home before the Patrons did the heist there. He talked with them about the goings-on, and that the soldiers had no real plans as of now. The party asked to see Dwyer, and while they waited they played a song which got a decent reception.

The party met with Dwyer in the basement of the church, which seemed to contain another bar and around two dozen more soldiers. They spoke with Dwyer for a time about having the soldiers join the guards since many of the guards of the Gullies had died during the Kegger attack, or to have Dwyer try to become District Warden now that Greatbelly was arrested. Themus noticed that while this conversation was happening Dwyer was speaking to someone else in the room in Thieves Cant, seemingly the real Dwyer who didn’t want the party to know who he was. Themus whispered this info to Elias, but neither of them could spot the real Dwyer in the room.

Acaelus asked Dwyer about what happened during the Rust Port Massacre which caused General Volduin and Acaelus’s grandfather to be tried for war crimes. Dwyer explained that Vandin Hamish (Acealus’s Grandpa) entered a cave, which supposedly housed citizens of Rust Port who were hiding from the war, with 9 other members of the Junagauge Arcanis, and he was the only one to leave the cave alive. Apparently, there were around 100 dead civilians, all of which were “turned to stone”, but nobody is sure the validity of that part of the story.

Eventually, Elias brought up that Dwyer was using Thieves Cant, which caused the fake Dwyer to end the meeting, though he seemed like he would try to have some of the vets try to become guards. After the meeting, Graham apologized for the subterfuge but says that Dwyer fears for his life since the riots.

During that night the Patrons were each left to do their own thing. Emeran went to the Jaunt and helped out. Themus played cards, broke even, and complained about it all night to Joy. Autumn played at the Pennypot and earned some coin. Elias visited Agnes Detter, bringing her some flowers and fresh bread, she was the usual curmudgeon but softened slightly. He also fixed her door best he could. Astrea started to read “The Divine Tragedy & The Great Fall” and learned the basic setup for the events that transpired before the war, the thriving Empire of Vuesella, the gods walking amongst their people, and establishing who the demons were in the battles to come. Acaelus sent another message to his Junaguage Arcanis contact with the Message Rock and finished reading House of Wolves.

The next morning the party awoke to the sound of guards marching and witnessed the arrival of the guards of the Emerald Eyes. Seren arrived to tell the party that a member of the chosen council had arrived to treat with the party. They discovered that Sir Jamie Nightdane, Esquire was the council member who wanted to speak with the party. He wore elaborate dress wear and carried a cane with an immaculate emerald as its pommel. He is known for being a magic-user of sorcerous origin, was elected to his position on the Emerald Eyes, and is a celebrity in the city for his status and because his Soul has been Awoken, and glows a bright red color.

He is here on behalf of the city to award the party with the money promised to them for saving the Gullies from the Kegger attack. He gives the party 3,500 gold pieces, two experimental magical gems, and the Strings of Sevenfingers. He also heeds them that they may be important in the upcoming election for a new District Warden and gives them a piece of advice, “Do not trust Callie Wingright.” Apparently, Callie Wingright has had previous connections with the Pocket and is cut from the same cloth that elected the corrupt Sazo. Callie owns the largest Stablehouse in the city and is said to use her horses to run messages across the city. Nightdane also mentions some of the other people who are looking to be elected: Damatucus Arborback, Arduke Cobbleway, Ernoc McCoy, Matron Olivia Liemander, and Coinmaster Barton Rossi.

After Nightdane leaves, the party decides to try and earn some extra coin, and look into the last of the major jobs left posted on the Jaunt’s request board. They go and help a man named Builder Mason Welt, a priest of the Builder. He wants the group to tell his grandson to come home. His grandson Wally lives in a boarding house where he goes to school, and when he rarely visits Mason he is covered in bruises and dirt, and Mason suspects that kids are picking on him. Mason’s daughter, Wally’s mom, Wendy was killed during the Dunland Civil War, and Mason believes that Wally didn’t fully grasp the truth in that news when Mason told him. The group picked up a scent with Flora by finding some of Wally’s schematics and tracked him down. He and his crew of friends were hanging out on a roof near the school, each with their own large backpacks.

When they confront the hooligans, Wally offers the group a challenge (Mason seemingly has sent others to try and convince Wally) that if they catch the group he will go home. Acaelus and Autumn put the other four kids to sleep immediately, Wally freaks out and jumps off the building, using his backpack which is actually an invention of his with gliding wings. The Patrons chase down Wally, and Astraea tackles him. The group assures Wally about his mom, and help comfort him, and he agrees to go back home. The party receives 200 gold for their work, and that’s where the session ended.