Review (11/21/2013)

Our climb up the Stormhaven hierarchy continued Thursday with Jaren spending the day at the Black Crown and the rest of the Sons keeping together and going out to the Sunbow Mansion. Checking on the condition of our investments we are seen by Tarken who tells us about the minor paradoxes he and the mansion are experiencing.

“It was like one moment it was business as usual then- in a blink- all was… different,” 4 employees went missing and to make matters worse all the gold from the day’s business was gone. All in all, five thousand gold pieces were lost so Auge puts up 2,500 gold operating funds for Sunbow to stay open. Among the missing employees were 3 tieflings (who bore no scent aside the burning odor of brimstone) and a 4th mysterious individual identified as Wenstafani. Obviously an outside of some kind. (Auge got her scent)

With the problem of money out of the way Tarken expressed the need for more help. Versel devises a plan; appeal to the many Twilight House immigrants for whore tryouts; it was the first of two brilliant ideas he had that day. “Do you want to be a ho? Do it at the ‘bow.” Durg the sloganist.

300 gold pieces were spent in spreading news of Sunbow's job opportunities before we depart from said Mansion and on to the Liquor Commission.

Meeting with Torgar Longbrow (Tamros’ brother) we find he also laments of minor disasters after ‘the

event.’ Likewise here, people are missing as well as a whole week’s worth of raw material components the brewery uses. An incredible overflow occurred in a blink spreading suds and ale all over the LC. It was surmised by us that the brewery’s machines (akin to constructs for this argument) continued to run unabated during the Time Stop creating the mess and consuming all the raw brewery ingredients; twenty thousand in overall value. We also arrange Sunbow to be prioritized for delivery.

Leaving Torgar to his LC duties in light of the catastrophe we seek out Gerto and question him on Torgar and Gerto’s palaver and learn somegruesome details of Mons Montis…

• The prison is under water and under extreme pressure and depth.
• A placental sac protected him from the harsh elements. While in this membrane he was not in control of his conscious mind.
• In time Gerto was raised from deeper levels to utilize his skills in expanding the prison for specialized or unique individuals. When providing this skilled work he was more in control of his conscious mind.
• Not sure about the details of how he escaped only that he found himself in the drift downs and in control of his faculties. (This is a red flag for Auge, Gerto may be a mole- we need to investigate further)
• Gerto's description of the jailer is consistent with an Aboleth but also describes two accomplices: an illithid and a derro.
• Other notable details: sharks were used as ‘watch dogs’ and something about a giant eyeball as a prisoner.

After the Liquor Commission Auge, Durg and Versel return to the Cinder Block where Auge meets with the White Spider, Kiton, Spade and Farley after their assignment. They proudly bring in 2000 gold but Auge instructs them to take it to the LC and assist them in recouping the remaining 18,000 necessary to replenish their inventory. They are to complete this task before reporting back for rewards.

3pm. The three of us decide to investigate the abandoned Staircase Keep to ascertain the motives of the evacuated Socordia- has she returned? Will she return?

Upon arrival we find Hanan, the dire-bat jokey and stabler, preparing to make some kind of stealthy hit on the keep now that Socordia is gone. Fighting our way through minor raptorians Hanan explains he has some personal items still in the keep and wishes to obtain them.

Standing in is way are 6 binded troll half-dragons, clearly throngs or offspring of the dragon of sloth. The 'tragons' were bridled to the Staircase Keep by some kind of truename magic and thus guarded the aviary. Wanting to converse with the half-dragons anyway, Auge devises a plan to make Hanan invisible and untraceable by scent while we ‘distract’ the tragons. He enthusiastically agrees.

We approach and land as nonthreatening as we can be, near the aerie. After some tense moments we discover that they are mildly intelligent and because of their binding- they were hungry. We fed them dead raptorians to gain favor and they in turn offered no significant information on their ‘creator’ or if she will return. Auge and Versel suspect these creatures are likely guarding her horde in the aviary, but decide it is best to wait and see if Socordia returns before taking any action towards that. 

We reunite with Hanan at the Cinder Block stables where he claims success! Recounting his goal to successfully modify and mate dire versions of flying creatures. He was able to retrieve an chemical formula book for modifying species and a pair of assisting gloves for mating of such creatures. (the right hand assisting glove AND the rare limited edition left hand!) Joy!

6pm Versel and Durg ‘hang fliers’ for the whore tryouts while Auge studies the masterwork watermark forge kits...

• Only one primary kit makes the masterwork watermarks; valued at 1,000 gold.
• Makes 20 units before 300 gold must be spent in upkeep of the kit.
• The other six kits add/modify signifiers to existing watermarks.
• Craft wondrous item feat is required to forge the watermarks.
• Auge can make the watermarks/ Jaren to eventually enchant them. 
• Completed watermarks are valued at 10,000 gold (cost to create 5,000)
• Each forge kit is valued at 300 gold.

Later that night at the Halls of Voices we discover that large groups of people have come to tell their version of ‘the event’; the majority of who believes it akin to a religious event, with many giving witness. Our arrival was met with unease as well as exhalation from the masses but for Durg and Auge it was Versel’s second brilliant idea.

Gretchen VanFleet introduces and then formally surrenders the floor to council member Versel who, as a matter of fact, had something to say on the… ‘event’. In a fugue of inspiration, Versel pinned the entire event and its fallout on the illithids. "It was the mind-flayers to can manipulate your thoughts, make things seem real or not, and it was all part of some horrific brain harvest." 

It was magical... It also had immediate effect; the people had found solidarity and order out of chaos in a common enemy. Noble families cast off minor grievances between themselves in spirited accords dedicated to thwarting the squid-heads; there was public outcry in favor of us: masters of Red Keep; and key social maneuvering. We don’t do anything for free so this seemed like the perfect time to drum up top level support hopefully landing some water-breathing aid and the like to use when we go after the jailer. 

 

It should be noted how quickly propaganda on the illithids spread through Stormhaven.

We begin next session Friday morning at the Cinder Block where a mob of people have gathered for purposes unknown.