The City of Blades

After a long travel, the party finally arrives at an unfriendly, but at least intact settlement. Now they just need to avoid getting sold into slavery, or found by Ilvara's agents.   Things in this section     A difficult arrival The Seal of the Locksmith Themberchaud's request Corruption is rife   They have arrived safely in Gracklstugh, and for now, are relatively unobserved. Having hired a room in the Ghohlbron's Lair, they have successfully bluffed their way through a checkpoint and delivered the orichalcum and seal to Zadum Dwellmaker. Four of them have entered into his employ, as guards while he completes an order for the Deep King. This will let them operate with some impunity outside of the Darklake district, provided they can conceivably claim to be on work business.   The majority of the party is still on the boat, where they will be safeish for a few days until their boat attracts attention, dormant as it is on the dock and covered in too many people.   Other development: Alpinia has bought an necklace and a morningstar for Derendil. Andraste has begun inquiries into a new set of armour. Sarith has been promoted into a first level fighter. The amrour smith might recommend Breastplate or half plate to Andraste, as it's cheaper and will be quicker to make.   What will happen this session:   After heading back to the boat to check on their companions, the encounter with the mad stone giant will play out. Depending on the parities role in the encounter, they might get authority to visit Cairngorm Cavern, and receive and audience with the stonespeaker.     Later in the day, a large group of Derro rioters makes their way through parts of the city, 5 of them detaching to attack the party. If they're around the Western part of the Cavern, the party might need to go and protect their current employer. otherwise the five that attack the party fight until killed or knocked unconscious. The party does get some local credit for assisting in putting down the rioters.   19/4/21   Wandered about, witnessed a confrontation between Guards and derro. Spoke to some psions, worked out that bad shit is going down. Resupplied from Moroc Blackhammer, and learned the details of their contract.     Session date 26/4/21 Present: Andraste, Ephrael and Mavis.   Arrived, and spoke too Moroc Blackhammer about the current situation and supplies. Wandered about, spoke to an apothocary about Sarith and curses. Mavis was reminded of her classes abilities. Outside, without Andraste, they fought a small number of Derro, knocking most of them unconscious. They've had a good word put in for them at Overlake hold.     Still prepared: The Stone Giant encounter, the meeting with Ulse Henstak.   Party acquired some shit, got a little bit of dosh and cured Sarith of his disease. He's still a bit fucked in the head, but won't get yoinked by fungi anymore.     Session plan 21.5.21 Party is now ending the day. Some research was done but they didn't find anything of particular interest. They need to pay for Tavern life and food again, with Sarith and Ront showing the 6 gp they've received for the 3rd and 4th hired person. The coming day the following events will happen.   1. Jimjar will come and get the party, telling them a wharf inspector has arrived and that they need to get ready with some explaining. 2. The armour markets open, with every amourer loyal too clan Thrazgad presenting themselves. 3. The giant will attack, giving the party the oppurtunity to get XP and further ingratiate themselves in with the locals.   The inspector has observed the boat and the sleeping inhabitants for a few days and now requires an official declaration: Whose ship is it, What is the ship called, and what is the purpose of the visit.   The armourers are spread out in a massive variety, mostly rough and ready chainmail, or simple scale shirts, but most have at least one or two completes sets of plate and a handful of . A drow delegation is selling some lighter armourers, mostly hardened leathers. You spot the specialist you've been told about quite easily, where members of another drow delegation and some orcish mercenaries are milling and doing trade with group of 5 or so Duergar, all of wear badges with a crimson helmet on their shoulders.     As the shopping and negotiating continues, a giant will smash through one of the doors and make for the market, screaming, a second head sprouting from his shoulder. If the party defeats it, the Duergar guards will treat them with respect, though they won't break the law for them. This will last for quite some time.   Party did not spare the giant, and he's now a smeary mess, taken back to Cairngorm cavern. They've also agreed to assist Ylsa Henstak with her undertaking to find the source of the surface jewellery that keeps showing up amongst the Derro in Gracklstugh. At the moment, perhaps they're receiving it in exchange for information from a Drow encampment just outside the city. They also intend to hang around for a bit longer and make some money to get upgrades.   The investigation. Going and asking Derro in their settlements in east and west cleft is probably a bad idea. Derro don't like strangers, especially not those who walk around and ask pointed questions, but they might have some luck. Winning over the Derro populace is even harder than the Duergar, but bribery with lies behind it is a pretty good way to go. Other than that, we shall start to crank signs of Drow pursuit, perhaps the identification of the house sigil by Sarith, or by another encounter by the Drow diplomat, under the guise of asking the travellers for unusual sites and sounds.   We might go the diplomat route, the Drow ambassador known as Reverom from House Baenre asking to meet the party in his quarters of the Gholbron's Lair. He won't ask how they went into the underdark, claiming to be unwilling to pay for the price of such information, but will instead try to ask them about strange sites, areas where combat was joined any anything else, to ensure he has the right people to finger for Ilvara..   So successfully grabbed Droki from the caves, and had dinner with Reverom. As they leave, Ephrael sees some Elvish muttering and Reverom laughs. She can't speak Elvish, so can't understand it. Later in the day, Xalith will begin to shadow them. They'll likely head back too the caverns after long resting, to discover the Derro with a dog and find more information about either the Savant traitor and the source of the items.   They've paid for 9 days in the tavern for the whole crew, them included. 8 remain. Andraste and Alpinia murdered a lot of stuff. They found and sort of figured out the pillar. They've fought the Ettin, and taken a hell of a hit to do so, but at least they won't have to deal with it when they're fighting the rest of the gang. I hope they remember the dog owner is the one they had a lead on for the rare jewellery. Important notes: Mavis has a pet Ferret that is fiendish, fitting for a ferret but might cause trouble. I'm pretty sure that's all.   OK. They've disposed of the cultists. They've uncovered the location of the jewellery smuggling. They've acquired a jewel and the stonespeaker crystal from Stonespeaker Hgrum. They've caroused, transforming the game into the bisexual disaster experience. They (Andraste and Ephrael) attempted to seduce the Drow spy Xalith. Mavis successfully seduced Ront, despite the language and cultural barrier. She also hired some orc mercenaries too write him a love letter. Andraste hired the captain of this band to go to bed, not to sleep with but too steal his armour. She then unstole his armour. Then they all slept.   Come morning: Zadun will meet them for breakfast, having heard some rumours about them working for the stone guard, and too examine the locks due too a supposed breakin that happened in the Tavern last night. He'll check what it is they intend to do following some investigating. If they aren't heading to Thralmazzah   Nanny plunk has helped dispose of the evidence of the break in. They've confessed too some wild crimes too the jeweler informers, and are now circling around to take them out. If they fail, evidence that they have something very, very illegal will be presented, and Illvara will kindly take them off the hands of the Stone Guard.   Music: The Common Dwarf and Combat Lawgiver NPCs: Zadun Dwellmarker, Moroc Blackhammer, Erde Blackskull, Reverom Baenre, Ylsa Henstak, Tok, Xalith.