Session Twenty-Nine (Graveyard of Empires Summary)
Session 29 – Oct 15, 2014
Just before dusk, 20th of Laureldon.
After leaving Joeldia the money changer, we see a couple of city guardsmen talking to a young man on the street to the 12th knight. The young man notices and obviously recognizes the party. We approach remembering the young man as one of the 12th Knight’s patrons. He nods at Axel as the guardsmen are carefully not paying attention to what’s going on. The young man asks for Finkelmur , smiling at our old mage when he catches Fink’s attention.
He asks us to follow him. His employer would like to speak with Finkelmur. We follow him into an enclosed garden down the road from the 12th knight. Orion, Axel, Chuq, Finkelmur, Thorfus follow into the garden. A man is sitting under a tree accompanied by a tough looking dwarf with a battle axe, he is Philip Vigor the gem merchant. The guardsmen block the doorway.
“Come closer, its safe” he says. “Your wizard might have tampered with a business transaction. You are from Midmark and have a rep. Finding you was not too hard since your staying at the 12th knight.” He demands the cost of the gems plus 50% interest, about 180gp. Or he wants the Enlarge spell removed from Finkelmur’s spell book. To settle his grievances, Axel agrees that Philip Vigor gets first appraisal rights on all our gems up to 180gp. After Philip suggests we will have a blank slate for any future gem dealing. Philip promises not to smear Finkelmur’s reputation in town but has refused to do any future business with Finkelmur.
Later at the 12th knight the innkeeper, Jahares Frank, has heard about our time in the jungle. He congratulates us on our Merchant’s Haven rescue and treats us to diner. Tastes better than Grade D but edible!
5 people arrive while we are eating. Four of them are refugees (Bess, Clarice Higgen, Averal, Millie) from Merchant’s Haven. Aelf’s brother in law Almeris Griffeth confirms our identity. Thanking us for our good work, he rewards us with 600gp.
Almeris knows that Gerrai Pevral has mentioned other merchants want the fjord kobolds taken care of. When discussing the gremlins, Almeris attests to the veracity of Arnold the unlucky Guardsman.
Finkelmur decides to pay off Vigor with his own money (Ashton contributes his share of the reward) on the next day (21st of Laureldon).
Gerrai Pevral enters the 12th Knight with 7 other people. He speaks with Jahares first then asks us to join us in a private room for a conference with his companions. They are Emery Langstirap, a female Elf of Crimson Caravan; Wulfriche Cartwright, a human man of Cartwright Tradesmen; Anise Thwayte, a human woman of Anise’s Wagonneers; Alvin Morshank, a human man of Alvin Morshank’s Independent Trading Coster; Fulchard Dalknotte a dwarven man of Twin River Caravans; and Walter Watford human man of Blue Bell Tradesmen. Each are willing to pay 150gp to free the fjord of kobolds. Plus Gerrai’s original bounty of 300gp for his missing employees is also on the table. This job could net a total of 1,350gp!
Fulchard wants to know about our history and is most impressed some of the group have dealt with Automatoms. Emery negotiates the specifics of freeing the fjord of the kobold threat and records all the riders into a contract. Starchie’s Boize all individually sign the deal.
After signing, Emery stays behind to talk to us privately. She represents another party interested in clearing the fjord. This person needs strict confidentiality; we agree to meet this person. Gerrai enquires if everything’s OK, we allay his concerns. We all enter a shaded carriage which travels for some time. At a stop, the carriage is told to go the back way.
Exiting the carriage, we are at The Lone Barrel, a nice little tavern in high town. Here are Phyllis Chombaire, and Odard Breverman of the Council of Ten. They want us to open the fjord and foil the punters (Bargemen’s Guild). One of the Dwarfs (or is it Dwarves?) tells them of the Punters offer of 400gp to disregard the fjord kobolds. We learn the Punters are trying to gain a voting majority in the Council of Ten. Fens Edge, the Sink, East, West and Far Harbors will likely have Punter representatives in the Council after the next year end election. Freeing the fjord can hold the electoral divide at a stalemate. They are looking for proof of collusion between the kobolds and the Punters. Their deal is more money and some help.
Odard suggests doubling the reward by matching the merchant’s offer (about 1,350gp); and the Mercer’s Guild bonus: free training and discounts with associated traders.
We learn more about the punters. They are strongly suspected of being involved in slavery. Unlike Merchant’s Haven, the town of Caligan, an odd little town, is the home of several captains that don’t seem to bring any goods into town. They have steady business witnessed by frequent coming and going of naval trade but do not trade with any businesses in Vargen.
Phyllis offers 20 guild guardsmen as support. They will be under our command. Composed of a mixed group. Avalard Pichter will serve double duty as the guardsmen captain and observer for Perval’s consortium. He has grey eyes, medium brown matted hair to his chest, and likes to stay clean shaven.
We leave after verbally agreeing to begin the campaign on the second day hence (22nd of Laureldon) then return to the 12th Knight to prepare our Gremlin ambush.
At the intersection by the money changer, we searches for new construction, illusions and traps. Nothing is found. We assume ambush position. The monk keeps overlook atop the city wall, Finkelmur is the “mark’ and loiters in the intersection. Everyone else flanks the intersection covering with swords, crossbows or spells. Our wagon is positioned close to the intersection for cover and a higher casting position for Ashton and Orion. Axel covers the two nearby. We all keep vigil for a several hours after midnight. During our stake out, Wall District guardsmen patrols saunter by us, typically verbally ribbing our efforts – “Any Gremlins yet?”, usually precedes a snicker.
From the city wall, the monk can see that the copse abuts the city wall here and runs from the Wall District gate to the next tower about 100 yards wide in total.
After the third hour, Chuq hears laughter from the copse. Figures dash over the wall seeming to defy gravity by running up the vertical wall as if standing on the ground. Near Finkelmur they halt. It appears like 3 males and 1 female 2 foot tall people in forest colored clothes. After a brief moment, they move to pass Finkelmur. The trap is sprung!
Dashing about in blur, the ‘Gremlins’ dodge our spells and missiles. Their little swords flashing almost faster than the eye can follow. Then, Finklemur is struck but stays on his feet after resisting some sort of poison. He then falls to the ground when struck a second time! Ashton also falls to a Gremlin’s melee attack. Things are not going the Starchie’s Boize way!
Chuq runs along the city wall to the city gate for help. There, Ellisondro the guards man answers Chuq’s plea for help, he leaves his subordinates at the gate. At the same time, in the intersection, Axel lands a blow on a Gremlin. It breaks their morale and as a group they flee the way they came. All four escape without any other injuries. Ellisondro arrives with 5 other Wall District guards and can see how difficult a time we had. After another 5sp tip from Chuq, Ellisondro offers to fetch a healer from the temple of Merendur after his shift ends at 6am. Typically, the other 5 guards don’t believe we actually fought anyone.
Jahares Frank at the 12th knight hears our story and has no clue what we faced from out account of events. We hear a whisper from Finkelmur in his delirium. It sounded like “Quickliiiiinnng” Those that can, rest.
After sunup, 21st of Laureldon
Fink and Ashton are healed by Sister Huget of the Temple of Merendur. Fink has lost the use of his right arm for three weeks. He questions his worth to the group. The Starchie’s Boize won’t hear it, once a Starchie, always a Starchie! Sister Huget suggests Father Maurice can help with his injury.