Session 4 - A Clean Burn

Roallet’s Investigators fan out as they continue examining the basement. Kas and Paws pursue mending with the shattered mirror, talking about planar phenomenon as they work. Kas appears mesmerized by the reflective surface and wants to find a way into the Shadowfell in pursuit of Valon. Paws’s enthusiasm is more tempered and suggests finding out some way to make contact and assess the situation before diving into a rescue mission.

· Harvey and Vic find a trap door blocked by rubble from the other side. Vic forces it open and Harvey clocks the former structure above (across the street from the ruined footprint of the cobbler’s shop), less ruined than the cobbler’s shop, as residential, likely apartments.

· Searos’s initial assessment of the blaze during his and Harvey’s recon mission couldn’t pinpoint a source, such was the intensity of the destruction. Having explored the basement, Searos adds the following notes to a picture that is beginning to form:

o Since the basement is free of fire damage, the fire likely started on the first floor.

o The wall against which the mirror was found is the most intact wall in the entire building, though not by much.

· The investigators brainstorm several theories.

o Vic’s thoughts run along the lines of:

§ Did someone break in and set the fire? Was it a retaliation?

§ Was it simply accidental?

§ Could it have been this “Valon”, whoever he is?

§ Was someone trying to get out and took the center piece of mirror?

o Harvey wonders if the mirror was magical in nature.

o Paws wonders if the mirror was punched, explaining the hole at its center.

· At circular platforms, Harvey catches some details that escaped Vic, which he does not share with the rest of the group: ||each are marked with symbols in thieves’ cant.

o Two platforms bear markings which indicate a door, passage, or entryway that is shut, guarded, or a dead end.

o One platform bears a marking indicating a door, passage, or entryway which has unascertained, untested, or unassessed security measures.||

· Vic intercepts Ned as the guard begins another circuit of his watch, exploiting Ned’s admiration for Roallet’s Investigators and his entrenched training. He divulges:

o The adjacent burned building was a rent-by-the-hour establishment.

§ Rooms were rented out independently and the building itself did not have a regular staff.

§ Clients and proprietors met externally and would rent the rooms to conduct…business.

§ Ned naturally isn’t acquainted with specifics, as the pay for a Daggerford guard isn’t terribly high, but the establishment seems popular, especially so close to the docks.

o Ned and the other two guards apprehended a pair of prying eyes but took them straight to Roallet without question.

· Paws and Kas finish mending the mirror as best they can. Kas works from the frame inward and is successful at securing larger border shards to the frame, but it is far from perfect. She thinks it would be stable enough to move, but many tiny pieces are missing or destroyed. She casts darkness on the mirror to conceal it for a few minutes.

· The Investigators return Roallet, who attentively listens to their account while taking diligent notes and asking specific follow-up questions throughout the debriefing, conducted largely by Paws. The Investigators relay the following:

o A description of Loudwater, their encounter with carnivorous plants caged in glass cylinders (much like the ones they found in the ruined basement), the Dwarvish clones, and Nin, who Kas characterizes as an anonymous helper who she does not identify by name but describes physically.

o An account of the findings at the ruined cobbler’s shop, including the mirror, the teleportation circles, and the stairs to the adjacent building.

o Their best assessments: a possible snatch-and-grab, and inside job, and/or a widespread operation in trafficking in magical creatures.

· Roallet dismisses the group after their debriefing, rebuffing their interest in talking to the captured prisoner. Vic’s sense is that she has used the group for her stated purposes and no longer requires their services for further follow-up, preferring to use her own channels for the remainder of the investigation. She offer’s a generous amount of assistance to the group in general, and to Vic’s errand specifically, including an offer of her best archer along with transportation.

· Back in the chill air of a Daggerford night, Harvey wants to find a sleazy dive. After a bungled false start, Vic quickly finds another prime establishment. After an exchange with the taciturn bouncer, the Investigators descend into a raucous underground fighting ring.

· Drinks materialize among the ravenous, shabby crowd. The air is filled with dross haze and adrenaline. Copper and silver coins clink as they pass between hands of gamblers and the presiding goblinoid bookie. Whispered conversations are drowned out by the thud of fists, the tearing of flesh, and the breaking of bone from the ring’s current combatants. Harvey, at home, melts into the crowd while Vic and Paws arrange a match of their own with the venerable Goliath ringmaster below the dark, frostbitten alleyways of Daggerford.

Its a 5-foot mirror and those are most of but not all the pieces, evidenced by the fragments embedded in a spray around the ground floor and some small fragments still clinging to the ruined frame, some probably in the rubble

So then chunks represented there, which i in no way anticipated on being really accurate, are going to be around a foot or so.

I have mending!

Kas wants to try and mend the mirror and create a bigger piece. Maybe save one for me. occupied for at least 15min. working on the outside. with paws.

there was an access door to the subterrainean area of the cobbler shop from outside the shop.

private residence nearby.

while kas and paws work on the mirror, kas asks the smartest person she knows about the shadowfell and how to het there.

the rest explores. vic and harvey explore a room

coomunication first is the priroirty!!!! then look for portals. then go kidnap him. probably shouldn't just grab him away from the raven queen!

Gotta talk to him. mirrors? candelkeep will have the answers?

the mirror is really hanging on by a thread. missing slivers and gaps. material lacking. shattered mirror still.

Kas will do the lines of the mirror between. the cracks.

step back,

Vic doubts Valon goodness and Kas is angered! you don't know him!!!

Kas cannot find a middle piece and she really wants it.

Harvey mentions magic mirror. there does seem to be a lot about the mirror.

maybe someone punched it. or ran away and took a piece to hide.

Harvey seems scratch marks along the teleportation circle.

thieves cant on the pads. two have symbols in shape of closed door with X on it. blocked passage. thrid has a door with line through it. doorway with unknown security measures. Harvey doesn't tell anyone.

Find Ned. vic says we need to find a bookish person.

Kas will mend the rest she can. the cracks between her. entranced. blood. This is harder! the middle will NOT connect. Paws and the rest of the party head off and Kas is determined to stay. she is fascinated now

The party emerges from the hole and sees Ned the guard walking around the corner. briskly. agitated. can I report what you found to rolatt? I can do it.

no rest for the wicked. had a bit of a run in. Vic is worried.

vic thinks maybe he is green and prehaps telling the truth.

take a seat ned. commanding VIC presense!

How lived there in the place next to the cobbler? Rent by the hour place

my understanding of the operation is that it didn't maintain a regular staff.not like a typical house of such style. both vclientale and people peddler their wares came from elsewhere.

Not anymore a SIR.

prying eyes have been detained. rolatt.

Good Job Ned. Paws gives Ned a nice spoon. but ned rejects. doesn't want to take bribes.

shift ends at sunrise. paws will slip him a spoon.

ned says its a real honor working with the group

vic jokingly accuses paws of stealithy sneaky stuff.

he seems lawfull.

is it kas or kasiana? -vic kasiana is technically fine but that's what we called her when she was dead.

vic thinks it's weird about kas being dead, paws tries tio steer the convo away.

as paws reaches the hole in the floorboards.

kas got the mirror as good as it's going to get. it will never be pristine again. hopefully will be stable enough to be moved.

why were you talking about death. paws continues. we talk about death and i say how i would be a fascinating subject. bet there wasn't anything like me before.

Paws gently convinces me out. I worry about the mirror. I just finished it.

darkness on the mirror. don't summon anything, or start a fire. NAT 20 on the mirror.

I join the group.

we make our way through the darkened streets of daggerfor. about 9pm right now.

"investiagtors" Roalatt making notes.

paws explains about our other cobbler. and the plants and the glass.

paws looks to see if kas is okay with her revealing the mirro.

Kas is okay about sharing the mirror but she wants time with it. just be careful.

roalatt what is our assement of what happened and how. best guess?

Vippi. Nin? we made a friend. she should have known what needed to be broken.

how did the blaze start?

Kas feels guilty ratting out Nin. she didn't want to lie but she didn't want to reveal her. but if she is getting revenge on these cobblers, it's important.

Paws explains the clones. paws explains Nin.

Rolatt and the guard owes us.

a volunteer, finest guard to vic's errand. as well has teleportation.

time is of the essence for vic's errand. archer who would take an interest.

1-2 follow up: house of pleasure next to the cobbler. who ran that? you've provided enough information. she has her own network and ability to follow up.

Ned is a good one. Rolatt choses her guards herself very carefully.

rolatt will give us shinies.

paws gives her a fork for her troubles.

Vic feels like roaltt is being cagey.

the party goes to a bar.. harvey want a dive bar.

first try, they reject us.

Vic uses his watcher eye. Vic can find the shadiest parts.

another place. shady.

rough looking bouncer waiting. maybe asleep.

paws goes up.

trying to convince him to let us in. hiest. looking to hire?

smells like a frat house basement. beer saturate carpet.

Kas is used to beer but damn. not frat.

vic pulls out a cigar. anyone we should talk to? you'll see.

Vic asks paws to punch him. make him bleed alittle.

the door closes behind us. top of a staircase leads down. smells and chers from below.

teh cheers get louder and louder. below the chers, we hear a wet thumping of flesh on flesh. grunts and crushing. bone agsint flesh. people drinking heavily, smoking and a ring of combattes. bare to teh waist pounding each other into the ground. blood, teeth.

broker taking bets, keeping scores. people exciting themselves up to go into the ring. adrenaline and fear. rank.

Kas is surpised. and Harvey is excited. harvey tries to stealth away.

Kas lost harvey, everyone else has their eye on him still.

the energy is exciting. how's table service going! can i help?

disoriented. bar are is not that i'm used to. I see two serving people. i'll offer to help.

there is dross as well.

Paws wants to get into the ring. these are strong people but they are ordinary people. dock workers,farmers, regular people. paws has no doubt she could eviserate them with her pnky.

kas wil heal her or the ones she murders.

vic and paws go to the broker to enter the ring. FRESH MEAT.

heavy footsetps. olf goliath stops down over the entryway and peers down at them.

CLAWS and Vic. nods twice at the goblin broker. adds their names to the list. network of tournatment style. rules. no equipemtn, no armor, no weapons, no magic, no help from outside the ring, you go until one of you can't go anymore.

after it's done, you make sure someone is able to cart your body away.

vic and paws back and forth.

final crunch as the contestant with the dislocated jaw is stomped literally into the ground. cheers erupt into the room and drowning out the laugh of the goliath.

Vic catches searos to make a scenec. kas is wathcing the server.

find the nicest one. charm. loks liek you need some help with all these people and i'm looking for work. expert server. test run tonight, free of charge then hire me if I do well!

i want to buy a jug and start pouring.

Kas goes back to the mirror. talk to valon. or the mirror. maybe morning? middle of the night?

Session 4 - A Clean Burn

By Kasiana

Loading

Loading