Session 1: Revelry in Northgate (part 1)

Starday, Swordmoot the 21^st

Victoryfest!

This annual celebration of the sacking of Kadimos and triumph over the Nydissians has become less a victory celebration and more an excuse for wanton revelry.

Of the five friends, four of them (Caron, Roch, Eckhard, and Randy ) joined together for the celebration at their newfound haven of choice - the Farmer's Lament. Randy had suggested that Pableo, being Nydissian, keep a low profile and stay hidden, for very drunk Argosans might use the historic conflict as an excuse to show intolerance and bigotry (and Pabby’s player could not attend the session).

Caron had been well-soused even before the others arrived and it wasn’t much past 4 pm when a messenger from the University entered the tavern with a summons for Eckhard. It seems that his patron, Mistress Aria, had been requested a favor by a well-to-do friend and patron to the College, Lady Hargraves. 

Upon arrival to the busy Mistress’s chambers, Eckard was told to gather his friends and attend Lady Hargraves, for earlier in the day, Hargraves’ husband, Lord Jaykin, slipped away, stating he had a quick business errand and that he would surely return by suppertime.

Suppertime came and went, and Lady Hargraves is furious that not only did her husband pull the wool over her eyes, but he is currently out on the town partaking in the revelry. She is beyond humiliated and thus called on her close friend to recruit some trusty locals to assist her plight. 

As there was a promise of payment, Eckhard, made a bee-line (by way of the Lament to gather his companions) to the Hargraves manse in Maldran’s Ward.

A typically snooty manservant (they think his name was Jeeves or Chives or Edmond or some such - alcohol, after all) greeted the party and was wholly unimpressed with their low mien and slovenly appearance, not to mention the reek of cheap ale. Once Eckhard presented him with Mistress Aria’s letter of introduction, they were begrudgingly admitted, and escorted through the tight hallway into a cozy yet finely-appointed sitting room, replete with knick-knacks and trappings befitting a widely-traveled merchant. 

The Hargraves name is well known throughout highborn circles in Northgate, having made their fortune in textiles, food (and rumors of not a small amount of illegal smuggling).

While waiting for Charles/Niles/Wadsworth’s return, and against explicit orders not to touch anything, Eckhard decided to fiddle with one of the trinkets, an engraved pewter skull resting on a silver stand on a nearby table. 

He knew it was trouble the instant he touched it, for he could feel fell magic pulsing through it. So, acting quickly, he flung it away, tossing it in Randy’s general direction. Instinctively Randy grabbed at it, and promptly convulsed, shivering as the magic coursed through him. He slumped into the cushions and the malign tshatshke fell to the floor and rolled under the sofa.

Before they were able to retrieve the thing, Higginbottom/Crippins/Bunter the Butler returned, announcing the Lady Hargraves would receive them in her bed-chamber, as she was overwrought with distress and planed retire anon, once the group agreed to track down and return her delinquent spouse. 

The group was able to rouse Randy before they made their way upstairs for the audience with their new employer.

She tells the group that Lord Hargrave’s carousings tend to involve punching other lords, setting stables on fire, emptying his gold purse in some of the less reputable “dancing” houses, and so on. Conduct that is heavily frowned upon in certain circles, in particular, Lady Hargraves’ circle.

The lady wants her husband returned home tonight, ASAP. She points to the huge portrait on the finely-papered wall of the bedroom as an aid in identifying her husband. She is willing to pay a significant “finder’s fee” of 200 gp, on the condition that the party acts discretely and attempts to minimize embarrassment. If successful, Lady Hargraves mentions she will owe the party a big favor, which they can call on at some future time.

To be perfectly frank, Lady Hargraves admits, she has no real idea where Lord Jaykin is, but previously he’s visited pretty much every tavern, gambling den, and “dancing house” in town. She suggests starting with some of the local drinking holes.

Once back on the street, amongst the revelry and fireworks, the group discussed their options. Caron vaguely recalled that he saw a rotund fellow who looked like the man in the painting, earlier that day, in the Lament. He'd been chatting with a very large Varnori. Eckhard, being a Northgate local, knows of a tavern very close by. They decided to split up, Roch and Caron to go back to the Lament and see if Hargraves is there, or perhaps ask that Varnori if he knows where the lord might be. Eckhard and Randy head off for Nobby’s Alehouse around the corner. They agree to meet back up at The Fey Arches in Yûln Varsune once they’ve visited their respective locations.

It turns out that Nobby’s Alehouse is a hoity-toity upper-class joint, and requires a dress code that is beyond even Eckhard, the better-dressed party member. The very tall Nydissian doorman, Mr. Grunmold would not admit them, despite their best attempts to cajole or bluff their way past. During the discussion in the lobby, however, they notice a well-to-do man who obviously knew Hargraves, from the expression of disdain at the mention of his wife (along with a not-so-quiet utterance of  “insufferable battle-ax!”)

Earlier, they had passed a festival tent that acted as a hub for the fire brigade (Victoryfest’s fireworks are notorious for starting many a roof fire). So Eckhard and Randy set off to see if they could somehow steal some garb or hats or some-such to pose as part of the fire brigade, to gain access to Nobby's. Luckily, as they approached this fire-post, the Sergeant, a fellow named Futz, mistook them for some urgently needed volunteers, and with a nominal deposit and a promise of six copper pieces pay for two hours work, he handed them each a fireman’s baldric and an alchemical fire-putter-outer (some kind of expanding foam), with no other questions asked. Of course, they did not attend the fires as they were directed, but went back to Nobby’s, pushing past the doorman with the lie that the smell of smoke was reported. While Eckhard went to “examine the premises,” Randy carried on a short conversation with the fellow at the bar, one of Hargrave’s cronies, who ‘confided’ that his friend was surely at Bunderstone’s, an inn located near the city gate. Randy had the feeling that this Willet fellow was intentionally steering them in the wrong direction and thereby protecting his friend. Before he could be further interrogated, Mr Grunmold not-so-gently escorted them from the premises.

Back at the Lament, Roch and Caron arrived to find the place overfull with patrons, primarily students from the nearby College, partying as if it were the end of days. It took a bit of effort, but the pair pushed their way to the bar, where they learned that the 7-foot tall, hugely boisterous Varnori’s name was Hergmarr. Hergmarr confirmed that Hargraves was there earlier in the day, but would only tell them where he thinks the fat merchant went if Caron bests him in an arm wrestle.

It wasn’t a close contest, although Caron did manage to win one of the three rounds. But as they treated the Varnori honorably, and also shared a tankard with him, he revealed that Hargraves was going to the Rat Trap, on the docks… or had perhaps already been there earlier in the day. Hergmarr admitted that he had been drinking all day and that his memory gets cloudy when he drinks.

So it was off to the Fey Arches for Caron and Roch, neither of whom knew the town well enough to meet up anywhere else. They arrived well before their friends, who’d decided to stop by Elfhome, as it was on the way. Witnessing its vastness, and with no clear sighting of Hargraves, Randy and Eckhard decided to move on to the prescribed meeting place rather than spend more time investigating the fancy inn. 

Roch and Caron had nearly given up on their fellows, as it was nearly 9 pm by now and a steady rain now pelted down on them. The night was still young, but the waiting was tedious and got them no closer to finding Hargraves. Luckily, just as they discussed moving on to the waterfront and The Rat Trap, their friends arrived. A good ten minutes later, after having exchanged information, the reassembled group was ready to depart. Unfortunately, this was the very same moment that a large group-fourteen in all-of red-shrouded Anointed, led by a single Disciple called out to them. The Anointed were on the streets searching for edict transgressors. And this festival had proven quite lucrative for them. The four companions, to these fanatics, clearly appeared odd and out of place, assembled as they were in the ancient elven ruins for no apparently justifiable reason. Also, Roch was carrying a spear, and metal weapons required a license from the city administration, which likely he did not possess (Roch did not even know about such a license requirement). Also, carrying silver was banned by recent decree, and the off-chance of finding silver on these loiterers would serve to line the Anointed’s pockets (being immune to the edict).

“Stand down, you miscreants,” the Disciple called as a peal of thunder echoed through the oddly-arched ruins. “Our crossbows will cut you down if you run. You’ve no choice but to submit to a search, otherwise is certain death!”

This was the cliffhanger ending to our first session.