Malta Session 25: 02/08/2018 Going somewhere?, The Deep Falcon, and The Death of The Hunter

We begin this week’s session the next morning in the Roulette Room after resquing Esterhat and a Halfling named Er’it two days after arriving at Selmunett Island. Er’it, sleept fitfully after receiving some healing overnight and later in the middle of the night Addelmy eventually arrives, having taken her time as not to arouse attention, she tells us that most believe House Mortuus and rival acrobats are responsible for the cage break-ins. Meanwhile Esterhat sleeps.

When Er’it awakes he tells Lex he had been tracking necromancers he believes are undead, there are a series of child cages in the lower levels beyond the sewer grates like the ones we’ve seen on the island. Furthermore there is equipment both magical and otherwise he believes are being stockpiled for trade with drow that live further below the island. Er’it was discovered hiding in one of the child cages before he was found. His bounty was set high.

Later that morning Lex disguises the Halfling, as well as Addelmy and Esterhat as we head to Spiderhouse Apartments to confront who ever we find hiding in Addelmy’s apartment. Lermang is with us too. We run into Peren who has a message from Sciortino who is on NE Island and promotes “treasures abound as well as the dwarf Hunter we are looking.”

After a polite invitation to return to Malta Peren says he has a place at a casino room and plans on staying on Selmunett; but in the meantime will be happy to eventually escort our new companions back to the Black Rose after our business at the Spiderhouse is complete.

There are eleven of us now as we stroll among the island ebb and flow of the day. When we arrive at the Spiderhouse we encounter the husband as well as three other fetchlings leaving the apartment building; the shitbag husband looks to be carrying all his worldly possessions. Also at this time Lex scans about and sees possibly others, including a firbolg, milling about. Lete: “Going somewhere?”

 

The Husband

We engage the fetchlings and capture Addlemy’s husband. We retrieve off the fetchlings: 3 potions of CMW, two other potions, 3 magical studded leather and magical light steel shield, 6 sunrods, 3 thieves tools, 402 gold pcs. This husband wore +1 leather armor, masterwork dagger, and possessed various disguises as well as 560 gp and doses of keif (an exotic drug).

The husband is told he is going to take us to his son; he hesitantly agrees and explains he was hoping for passage to Hagar Qim and ‘they’ were going to train the boy. His brother is set up now and likely gambling at the Lagoon. The Deep Falcon is the ship where is son is; there, gifted children the Hunter has sold to the Egyptians are on the Deep Falcon, the other untalented children are put on another ship and doesn’t seem to know where these other children are going.

We include Lermang the girls and send Perin to tell Dentach we are leaving now, however when we arrive we are pleasantly surprised to find the crew all present. We agree to head back to the Black Rose and sail around to the NE satellite island. We have a ship wide meeting and explain our intentions to save children from Egyptians and to be prepared for anything- we will be going against The Hunter.

A short time later our characters come upon the large Deep Falcon and set our skills and fury upon mercenaries, Grey Warriors and Hunter alike. We kill the Hunter but not before arousing the attention from two flanking ships who seem to be readying themselves for action.

It is at this moment when we begin next week’s session.

The Art of Sicuramente

"Now we will begin the lesson.  Remember, this is not the iron dance of the armored warrior we are learning, the knight's dance, hacking and hammering, no. This is the bravo's dance, the water dance, swift and sudden. All men are made of water, do you know this? When you pierce them, the water leaks out and they die."
Preface from The Art of Sicuramente by
Marco Andrezi

The Silver Rapier VH - A Message for Marco

This information was much more difficult to acquire than anticipated and seems to have some level of intrigue and danger attached to it.  Despite the difficulty in finding out more about the weapon, the information itself is relatively simple.  The masterwork weapon is an ancient blade, one of several crafted by guild masters of an ancient city from the continent.   Lore says that during the time before the dawning, there were no other cities on the continent, so the guild master’s ruled a place whose moniker was simply, “The City”.  Due to unknown otherworldly enemies, the guild masters of each guild crafted great magical weapons to provide their champions a means to combat the threat.  One of those weapons was the silver rapier emblazoned with its crafter's mark of VH.  Obviously over time the magic of the blade has been lost for whatever reasons. 

Regarding the danger and intrigue I had mentioned, it would seem that several archaeological digs have begun on the continent, the majority of which seem to be under the competitive auspices of several dragons serving Tiamat.  This has caused some upheaval among the Egyptians who have seen several of their family crypts and funerary items raided.  These digs have filled the seas around Malta with collectors of lost treasures along with an unspoken rivalry between the Persians and Egyptians.  The MerchantPrince Ffahra Ffahra is seeking treasures related to your blade, believing that the ancient guilds books have been found, along with an ancient spellbook that would reveal the manner of the ancient weapon’s creation.  Several treasure hunters are seeking a ship, The Gemcutter, said to carry these books and other items of value.  I also came across conflicting information identifying the ship as The Gleeful Skipper.

Besides the aforementioned Merchant Prince, I have discovered two other groups that have been pursuing these and other ancient items.  The first I’m not sure is seeking the items for any other purpose than to deny their recovery to others, his name is Naxxar an elf wizard of great power.  The second group very little is known about other than a great fear of them, a death cult of necromancers known as The Servants of Decay.

A Servant of Decay

Finally if it matters the crafter’s mark of VH stands for something along the lines of Von or Van Hellthing, Hellding, or Hellsing, with many a variation in spelling.

MM (Melissa Mithna)

Malta Session 24: 01/31/2018 Roulette House, Game Demos, and Freeing Esterhat

We begin this week’s session on deck of the Black Rose (the disguised Bonded Mind) preparing to make IL-Kataniz’s cargo delivery to The Luna Knights and Crown shortly after midday. Along the way our characters are accompanied by Evagara, Peren and Dentach however there are a few ships that have to be off loaded before us so it is a bit later before we unload; when the cargo is ready to cross the bridge to the main island Jabari uses a wand of heroism for everyone. Waiting for us across the bridge is Lermang, the man in ogre form, as well as three casino guards Dentach arranged for. At the entrance to Selmunett Peren breaks off from our main group.

Along the thoroughfare we see a lot of buildings each themed and tailored to each of the four casinos. Circular paper lights hang between hanging cages; some occupied some emptied, each of similar design.

Luna Knights and Crown appears at first like a carnival carousel using illusions and stage-craft; however we descend down a service path and to a delivery entrance, we are led there by the Knights and Crown guards. We find that the building is circular like a crown; eventually our characters are met by the ugliest person we’ve collectively seen. We guess him to be a tall human, with a misshapen face- his handle is Urnold. He gives us signed receipts with stamps and when he does the smell of the man nearly overtakes us. Urnold also supplies us with 100 gp in casino coupons. Dentach explains the delivery is on time and the coupons are a bonus, he asks if we are leaving and asks to return to Malta with us. We plan on staying at the Knights and Crown for the night.

Upon entering we are immediately aware of the din of a casino: callers, music, and conversation both of the mundane kind as well as outbursts of excitement. We are met by a hostess armed with cigars and a friendly smile who informs us of the entertainment for the night as are invited in. We see a variety of races most of the adventuring type. We decide to split up and look for Addelmy.

Eventually Carlo, Lex, Marco and Evagara find Addelmy working a roulette table. Jabari, Lermang, and Lete encounter a gnome equipped with a stogie who attempts to recruit us for a fight ‘downstairs’. Smelling a trap we decline the offer but overhear the gnome telling someone to keep an eye on us. We chance upon the ‘Last Chance Saloon’ but are warned against entering the area by one of the guards as it is literally one’s last chance. Jabari takes the opportunity to ask the guard what the house’s favorite game is: torture challenges, vice or power or the fights. The conversation eventually wanes until Lete offers a small bribe which informs us that the most valuable fights are at house Mortuus- so don’t take them. None of the other casinos offer a ‘last chance’. As we leave our characters see a pair of boots belonging to an unknown and unseen eavesdropper.

Meanwhile, Lex sits at Addelmy’s roulette table when Evagara and Marco locate the ‘Alchemist’ table. At the alchemist she find games of chance where the winner receives a potion or alchemist item. Evagara inquiries about wagering a potion of fly and learns those games are reserved for the evening. She returns to Marco’s side and decides to watch the dealer for characteristics to exploit later. After a time, they see how the dealer is able to drop and add vials in a three card Monty stylized game of chance. They do however witness someone winning.

At the roulette table Lex cashes in the 100 gp voucher with Addelmy who offers to teach him the game. (6 game demos earns a free rank in Profession: Gambling) About an hour goes by before there is a pause in the game and Addelmy is able to speak freely. She asks Lex about the sincerity of his offer to help. Her son is being held by her brother and treacherous husband and fears the child will be payment to the Boffa family to pay down their debts and to be entered into slavery. Her brother is a gambling addict and is at the Lagoon; her husband is lying low and is probably at the apartment. She suspects her six year old son is in a ship around NE island. Her son is valued because of his sorcerous powers. Lex offers to take them back to Malta after this utter betrayal. Lex promises to see what we can do and asks about ways to address Esterhat’s situation. Meanwhile Lex ‘wins’ a complementary room at Roulette house, (as a way to stay in contact) and refers Lex to Reyen at a nearby poker table. Carlo and Lex tips her before they leave- Lex tips twice to further the ‘business as usual’ with the comely lady at the roulette table ruse.

Our characters meet back up and learn of the horrible situation Addelmy is in, each of us appalled in our own way. After this we decide to play demos for the rest of the night. We start with poker…

Reyen is a catfolk and poker training takes about an hour. During this time Lex drops his name and alludes to how we were referred from the roulette table. As subtle as possible we explain Esterhat’s situation and we are told there may be another way to get her free. Reyen explains tonight during the acrobat show… accidents are known to happen. This conversation is disguised in game phrases between hands. Furthermore if more than one were to escape then victory is almost guaranteed.

After the game demos our characters decide to eat before the acrobatic performances, which begin shortly after nine this evening. We arrange room service at the Roulette Room. After this we decide to look around and attempt to find Esterhat’s cage and formulate a plan for Lex to attempt to fly invisibly freeing as many, including Esterhat, as he could. We decide to scout it out using the chain bridges.

Along the way Carlo and Lex encounter a woman tiefling carrying small dolls of different knighthoods across the world that move and eerily talk on their own while surveying the chain bridges. Lex inquires about the dolls learning they are a popular item that performs various tasks to mainly torment cage dwellers and add to the sinister island fun.

On the bridge Lex learns of tolls to other casinos as well as noting it as a discrete location to meet. Lex sees several groups, acrobats, wearing performance masks as part of their Alibaba outfits- from animals to undisguised changelings. In the air several bat like humanoids flying casually about including a flying ape-man as well as a flying Minotaur. Lex’s supernatural like perception picks up on that each of these creatures have the scent ability. Each of them pays the toll to house Mortuus and head across the bridge.

On the ground Jabari and Lete survey the area when Jabari spots a small creature flying and following Lex above. This information is relayed and as flying doll, like a cavalier on a flying steed, is revealed following the group on the chain bridge.

About three quarters across we see a group of four cloaked individuals paying the toll of the bridge Lex is on. Getting closer Lex sees the decrepit hands of the passersby. The acrobatics begins with fireworks and ceremony as the group on the bridge notice the smell of death coming from the cloaked group causing Lex to become sickened just as he approaches the first group of cages. Here they see a tall humanoid with bat like wings (Therrod) negotiating with another individuals, all the cages here are full save for Esterhat. Following an insightful clue Lex eventually finds Esterhat.

Esterhat

On the ground two comely women approach Jabari and Lete and are invited to an ‘exciting time’, combat breaks out however and Jabari and Lete are able to avoid the women and their hallow flirtations.

Our characters meet back up at the Roulette room to discuss options; Lete lags behind in case anyone is following us. Lex support the existing plan including distractions and air support if Lex’s antics are detects as well as a summoned air elemental from Evagara should the need arise.

Les frees the fist Halfling, skips ‘Kinky Joe’, and moves to Esterhat’s cage throws her come entertainers clothes before hastily moving on to the fourth cage where ‘Kinky John’ sits enjoying himself too much. The Kinky bros. were later discovered to be guards. The fifth cage is opened freeing a worked over man as is the sixth cage containing a Halfling named Er'it who asks for aid as his fingers are broken. Lex gives Esterhat a potion of invisibility and mentions the name Metas in hushed tones and says room 213 Roulette Room. Lex goes back for the Halfling and flys the little guy to Lete and Jabari on the ground.

We pick up back next Thursday back in the Roulette Room.