Session Forty-Four (Graveyard of Empires Summary)

Session 44 – Feb 18, 2015

13th of Denrilden, very early morning

The dwarves agree to set their picks and shovels aside while we interview the former lambs resting in the dining hall. (This must have really hurt Angry Jacks feelings, he is more than taciturn the rest of the time…)Their answers do little to deduct the source of the tapping. Few have been here long enough to notice any sounds from below their cells.

Watches are set to hear for tapping in the dungeon. Ashton’s group, the 2nd watch, hears tapping. Thorfus’s makeshift water meter is vibrating slightly. Ashton dashes up the stairs and wakes the Boys but not the spell casters. Thorfus insists the ‘fire egg’ be left in the chest for now. Returning to the dungeon without it, Thorfus notices the tapping has slowed in frequency and intensity as we wander about looking for clues.

Fearing our chance is slipping, he taps the floor with his dagger in response in the center of the dungeon. Coincidentally the spot is directly below where the ‘fire egg’ was suspended before we safely removed it. We’re all shocked when three loud booms follow. It’s no doubt a reply to Thorfus’ taps. He follows with two taps of his dagger’s pommel. Now we hear scratching from below.

Chuq suggests we use the ‘fire egg’ to illicit more of a response from whatever is below. Our large chest is brought down by the faithful Mercer muscle. Kept at the foot of the eastern stairs, the lid is opened. We pause to listen. Then the egg and chain are lifted and slowly moved to the center of the dungeon. Once there, a mewling noise can be heard from below. We try to ‘sound’ out the space below by moving the ‘fire egg’ to the southwest edge of the room. It doesn’t work. The ‘egg’ is placed back in the chest and we call it a night.

After daybreak, Finkelmur suggests he might use a reverse enlarge spell on sections of the dungeon the floor to access the space below. Before we have a chance to develop a plan around this idea, Recusin the Mercer Man guarding the front gate to the fort alerts us that things are happening in the Kaligan harbor. Captain Junkyn has sent a deck hand to alert us the harbor is blockaded.

The people in the dining hall are organized while most of us head to the top of the tower to look for ourselves. A sizable warship is mooring near the Bawdy Bachelor. A larger warship is keeping station in the harbor while a third blocks the entrance. Through the looking glass we see Perrett and Master Dain boarding a launch with soldiers and a priest.

Down to the dock! Thorfus ahoys Perrette. Everyone in his party are visibly more relaxed when they see the Starchie Boys. Perrette’s party mistook the Bawdy Bachelor for the Dusty Gnome. We explain the Dusty Gnome got away before we arrived. Perrette handles the introductions. Admiral Brigitta Dyconson commands the Midmark Navy taskforce. Her command includes Alcock Barker, scout of the Midmark Militia; Godfry Gotokirke, swordsman in the Midmark Militia; Jacklyn Megmaiden, a Midmark Militia Magic-User. They are accompanied by a cleric of the Ark, Dagaric Clifford and Master Dain of the Order of the Celestial Dragon.

Perrette has word from Midmark and Lord Thorton. From Lord Thorton a sealed letter:

To Axel, Thorfus, et. al.: There have been some surprising developments here in Midmark since Perrette returned, and I have the uneasy feeling that your group somehow figures into them. As you may have already heard, on the evening of the 11th, Arden Grell was found dead in his apartments – apparently killed by his own hand after (most conveniently) penning a letter taking full responsibility for selling slaves to rogue elements of the Bargemen’s Guild under the direction of one Rotho Waterman. His nephew (Alain Grell), meanwhile, has disappeared from the city. This undoubtedly makes Teverik Anduril’s election as Lord Mayor less chancy, but my instinct tells me that this is a gift to be treated with some suspicion. To wit, as you read this (if not before), Perette should have arrived in Kaligan to ensure that Arden’s suicide doesn’t prove contagious among his co-conspirators. You can meet him there if you wish, or wait for him in Vargen where he should be arriving shortly. Either way, I would appreciate hearing through his agency your candid opinion on these events. Lord Ardwine Thornton

Copy of Grell’s suicide note:

I have betrayed my commitment to upholding the laws of Midmark and the honor of the Grell family. For my offenses, there is no forgiveness and justice can only be had with a hangman’s noose. For my crimes in abetting Rotho Waterman’s slavery ring, I pass judgment one last time –against myself, Arden Grell, once chief magistrate of the City of Midmark and forevermore criminal. Goodbye.

Third Letter :

Greetings, friends! It relieved me to no end when Lord Thornton’s man returned from Vargen with news that you had arrived there safely. I worried that you may have been lost and that, what with the previous adventurers who vanished, our little venture was cursed. Thankfully that doesn’t appear to be the case. You should know that Elspeth sends her regards and that Faldspar has moved back into the townhouse while searching for Tarion (with some help from that Sthorm fellow). From the looks of him, I would say that Elspeth is keeping him well-fed! More seriously, I write to let you know that my cousin Ghermin recently left Xenilum’Khel and will be setting up a temporary shop in the small adventurers’ encampment within the ruins of Xen’Khel. While I have not shared the specifics of your business in the ruins, he has been made aware that your group may be bringing up new treasures from the deeps. He has agreed to act as my agent for the purposes of buying these treasures (since our agreement gives me right of refusal on anything you liberate from Xen’Khel and subsequently choose to sell), which should make your venture somewhat easier. I would ask, though, that you send a detailed list of anything Ghermin buys on my behalf – just so I can double-check the information he shares with me! Anyway, I hope your good fortune continues and I look forward to knowing soon if my hunch about Xen’Khel’s secrects is correct. Desric Three-horn

The letters are mostly read out load, until more sensitive passages are reached. Admiral Dyconson’s mission was to arrest the captain and crew or the Dusty Gnome, rescue any lambs and return them safely home, then take Perrett to Vargen for further investigation and interview Patriarch Galen and the Bargemen’s Guild leader Peter Thorell. To her party, we report our efforts in Kaligan and suggest they all join us in the fort to inspect the liberated lambs and the documents we discovered.

As we all proceed to the fort, Chuq presents his qualifications for advancing to Brother of the Order to Master Dain. The master agrees Chuq is ready and volunteers to teach him the skills. Master Dain asks after the suitability of the former slaver fort for the Orders new home. Chuq explains the poor condition of the fort but suggests the two empty warehouses are not only newer but more appropriate for the Order’s needs. It’s decided the two will inspect the warehouses after reviewing the fort. The conversation moves to our ‘fire egg’. Based on our description, Master Dain says we have a Phoenix Egg. An old imperial anti-fortification weapon that leaks sheets of flame when bursts. The sheets typically spread along the floor from the point of impact.

At the fort, Perette, Dagaric and Alcock review the charts and ledgers we found. They conclude there isn’t any new info to suggest further investigation, just more material evidence. We tell our tapping tale from last night. Admiral Dyconson explains the fort was a former MidMark Navy outpost fallen into disuse over the years. She knows the nearby cliffs contain a cave complex that has not been mapped. Admitting that the navy has no plans to restaff the fort, she welcomes the idea of the Order moving into the warehouse to keep an eye on the village and any other slavers returning. She also seems amenable to the Boys improving the fort and exploring the cliff caves. Everyone shares our conclusion the slaver ring involves agents of the Empire when we show the platinum pieces we found.

Those of the Starchie Boys that can are offered free training by their corresponding professionals in Admiral Dyconson’s party. No doubt as a reward for our help in shutting down this slaver hub. We ask Perrette if he would like to spelunk with us. He’d like to but has to board the the Leering Sherif to Vargen so that he can interview Peter Thorell and Patriarch Galen. Adelard tasks some Mercer Men to guard the fort when we return to Kaligan harbor.

Before we all set off, Perette approaches one of the lambs, Merget Behme, to closely admire her hair. The mouthy prisoner from last night charges Perette from behind. Axel intervenes and the jerk dodges around him. Chuq sees the two scuffle and delivers a text book ‘The worm bores the apple’. The sap is paralyzed for three minutes. Merget explains that Alaine Grell’s gang tried to harvest her hair when she lived in Midmark. Knowing how sensitive she is about her tresses, her protector only had her safety in mind. She knows she is safer among the Boys than with her champion. They both quietly follow us all to the harbor.

The liberated prisoners are ferried by four launches to the ship bound for Midmark. Perrette wants to investigate the village for further leads to the Dusty Gnome. The crowd at the Broken Oar don’t say much even though it looks like most of the village are gathered here. All of the fisherman are present, their way to work being blocked by the Admiral’s armada.

Will Spayne of the Broken Oar, “the best inn on Midland” comes forward. He tells us Raneir (Captain) built the warehouse 6 years ago. The locals pay no heed to the Fort because it’s haunted. 50 years ago there were some caves below the fort. A storm collapsed the caves and now the spirits are trapped forever in the fort. When asked about the slavers, he only says the “Captains were good fellows and since they only came out of night” He had no idea what they did in the warehouses.” Crispieonus Eckmire captains The Flaming Maid. Ranier captains the Dusty Gnome.

Now we want to interview any family of either crew in Kaligan. Spayne tells us that would be Susanna Vilant, wife of Kendal and Arbella. They are fetched but their testimony adds nothing. Spayne tells us Dennet Castelton, Gilly Owsteby, Orrick Southampton and Grimbold Groneman are crew members of either the Flaming Maid or the Dusty Gnome that have left open tabs at the Broken Oar. More names to add to the Wanted List. During the interviews, we search the 2nd floor rooms off the balcony overlooking the common room and the 1st floor rooms. All are vacant but nothing is learned.

Before we end for the day, Perrette does ferrette out a story of a wizard in the foot hills northwest of Kalligan that has bought slaves. No name but only a direction to follow. The next week will see Ashton, Chuq and Finklemur train to their next levels while Axel and Thorfus travel to Midmark with the liberated lambs.

While in Midmark, the two dwarves plan to:

1. Visit Em’s parents and update them on the search’s progress

2. Visit Desric Three-horn to update him on Xen’Khel mission

3. Visit Elspeth at the Cock & Bull and check on the townhouse/Faldspar

4. Visit Roland’s Gems & Jewelry Shop to sell turquoise stones

5. Visit Aldous Runnelbrook to sell the kobolds’ stolen tapestries

6. Visit Ir’Alle and see what’s new with the tombs

When we are back together, we will enact Finkelmur’s plan to shrink the floor of the dungeon. Will it be animal, vegetable or mineral down there?