05 - Marinas & Monkeys
Previous session: 04 - Breaking in the Lab
Interrogating Wingnut...
We're letting Bron's boys finishing their work, while we wrap up on our side with Wingnut knocked out. We decided to go into the woods to be able to ask questions without bringing (too much) attention.
Once arrived, Persy wants to bury the corpses from the hole, however they are all gone.
Willum asked in Celestial where the bodies are gone. But it's the silence. He insults the entity and gets out the hole. Persy tries to ask in Infernal this time, but no answer either.
From what, we decided to get back to Wingnut and ask him a few questions, being helped of Willum's tabled to know if he's being truthful (but it works only with Yes/No questions).
We started with a simple question: "Did you made the robots suits?". He answered "Yes", but it was a lie. From that, Willum reminded that if he's not truthful and honest, he'll pay for it.
[Medicine check - Pass ✔] As from his lie, Willum manages to hurt him without killing them, then heals him back again, then proceeds to the questions:
- Did you made them (the suits)?
- Not from scratch, but he improved them
- Where did you found the suits?
- It was found further in North, in a Giant's tomb, Lord Wringer found them
- Did the suits had runes upon arrival?
- Yes (truth)
- Where? (trying to push further)
- Up in North in uncharted territories
- If spared, willing to help us?
- He asked for more info, and wants money.
- Do you know Lord Wringer personally?
- Yes (as he went to school with) - which he describes as a kind of narcissist
- Do you know who is this mysterious beneficiary?
- No, Lord Wringer doesn't share info with others
- Do you know about a certain Ludwig (half-orc, broken tusk, grey hair)?
- No, as he never leaves the Lab. (truth)
- Who could know that?
- Mr. Laughton could know (as we killed the spy already)
- What experiments you're working on at the moment?
- Changes from Lord Wringer recently?
- Became more short fused with time, used to be a charming guy (even with being a prick).
- (Wingnut flexed as he has books published)
- Loyal to Lord Wringer ?
- No (truth)
- Going to fuck us over with time?
- Perhaps (depends on how it goes)
- Is Wingnut his real name?
- No, is Geralde.
- Partnership with Persy?
- No, Persy should be working for him.
We stroke a deal done with Wingnut to spare him and let him go, if he doesn't go against us while taking down the Collars.
The following morning... (Friday)...
Deadlines:
- ✔Honor among Smiths: Bron wants to see us after the operation
- Hosta: We need to find a solution for her today
Going to the Forges...
The Forges looks pretty active when we arrived. As we're checking with Bron about the results of last evening's heist, he confirms that it is indeed active.
↪ We have access to the forge for our own benefice.
He's also asking for new favor: He's asking for his eye against a copy of the Skeleton key of the Collars' HQ.
From what he said, Cyclops' eye is going back to the crystal where the Cyclops to where they're born if they're detached.
From that visit, we decided to go the Brothel to save Hosta.
Rescue of Hosta...
The smell of fish is stronger than usual upon arriving. We see a curious scene when arriving. Someone filled the brothelhood with dead fish (where the workers are removing the fish). We're discussing between ourselves that it could be from Or's visit to Jonni.
Upon mentioning them, Or appeared behind us. It seems to be definitively their work, and left after we drifted away in our discussion as we usually do. From that, we establish the following plan:
- Nesvalyn enters Jonquil's Delight (as he's the only one not wanted).
- He meets Hosta and get a room
- They both sneak out using the magical items at our disposition (Cloak of Elvenkind + Robe of Alter Self).
- We regroup and then we take her out of town using the maritime route.
From that, we execute the plan.
Exfiltrating Hosta...
Nesvalyn enters Jonquil's Delight. Upon reaching the reception, where he's not greeted by the regular Aasimar, but by a younger woman instead.
He enters the lounge, where he notices only a few people in the lounge. He notices Hosta and then reveals he's with Willum and plans to help her escape. From that, she proposes the following plan to escape:
- We take a room
- We sneak into the employees' room to get her stuff back
- Go back to the room
- Leave by the window.
Nesvalyn let her lead as she knows more the place. We're taking a room (-25 gold from Nesvalyn's pouch), and we're heading downstairs first which happens to be a dressing room. Many mirrors are here and covered, where we notice that someone is under the blanket using the mirror, but doesn't seem to pay much attention.
Hosta grabs her stuff while Nesvalyn is waiting, and we head to the room.
From there, the plan is to get out from the window, except the room is on the 2nd floor.
Having a sparkle of inspiration, Nesvalyn jumps with Hosta holding on him, and he deploys spectral wings to glide down safely to the street.
Gem Flight for the first time (feature not revealed to the party yet)
Reaching to the docks...
[Perception check - Pass ✔] We noticed no Collars in sight in town.
From this feeling, Willum uses his Divine Sense, but detects nothing.
[Stealth check] - We're trying to blend in the crowd (with Pass without trace active).
We manage to reach a boat leaving later today, with a 60 gold fee (payed by Willum).
[Perception check - Pass ✔] Graath notices a white fur monkey while the party is paying and settling details for Hosta's travel. Graath shows some fruits from his ration, where the monkey starts to reach Graath. The monkey stops and looks at Hosta and starts to scream.
[Attack rolls - Fail ❌] No hit landed from Graath and Persy.
We hear a wave of monkeys coming by, with a taller monkey with a wooden shaft (Howler ?). He screeches louder and the monkeys seem more enraged.
Only Nesvalyn gets back from the surface. (Persy and Willum are unconscious and at Death's door).
We managed to bring back Persy and Willum to consciousness.
Upon observing, we notice many dead and all the ships are destroyed. Upon realizing that, we're looking for Hosta. We found her, but not in time, as she did not survived the wave. 💀
[Persuasion check - Pass ✔] Nesvalyn starts a battle cry to get the attention from the survivors, to rally against Collars, as he's done that the people are the collateral damage of the Collars and just disposable resources.
Downtime activity...
- Graath is resurrecting Hosta
- The voices (probably the spirits) asking why he's saving her upon saying it is a waste. A final voice chimes in and says "Ah. A true sacrifice.".
- Nesvalyn helps the refugees then checks with Raina.
- When asked, he presented himself with his codename (Phoenix) and got entitled "Phoenix the hero of Saltspocket".
- [Persuasion check] Nesvalyn tries to get some intel with Raina:
- When asked about the suits, she mentions that the Giants had magic to make stone move like flesh, like animated statues. The robot suits are likely technomagic taped on these guardians.
- When asked about the Exodus, she stays vague and doesn't want to talk about that. Nesvalyn chose to not push further and respects her choice.
- Persy is going to the Forges while tagging what he did with the Monkey leader corpse.
- [Investigation check] Persy analyses the Cold Iron ingots.
- Reylynn experiments with poisons.
- [Survival check] Found some plants to make someone sick.
- Willum observes the ritual.
At the end of the ritual (when the candle turns off), Hosta gasps back after a few seconds and coughs water (she resurrected 👼).
Willum investigates her and checks if she's really alive.
- [Investigation check] Nothing seems wrong with her.
- [Divine Sense] A faint energy of Celestial presence.
Next session: 06 - Graves & Giants