Session 4
The schooner pulls into Port Wingar three days after leaving Sunnuth, guided by a fancifully dressed young man. The man introduces himself and heartily welcomes the party to Wingar. The party asks him if he has seen a group of eight humans and 12 halflings, he tells them that they came to town three days ago, visited the Wingar Royal Library and left town through the north gate yesterday. He answers some more brief questions and directs the party to the Golden Troll Alehouse. The party thanks him with a generous tip and he moves to greet others.
Dael departs to visit her own home and Rilken secretly follows her, while the party moves to the Golden Troll Alehouse. The atmosphere is less jovial than expected. The party moves towards the bar and are met by a large human with slightly grey skin. He introduces himeself as Grikson Kogaine, owner of the Golden Troll. The party sit around a table and enjoy a sparse meal while discussing their next plan. Alistyre orders the finest drink in the house and is served a fresh clay mug of rust monster milk.
Rilken follows Dael to her house above a gunsmith called Keniryn's Fine Pistols. Dael stays in her home for hours until Rilken knocks on the door and is told by Dael that she will meet him with the others at the Golden Troll in the morning. Rilken goes to the alehouse and the party decide that they need to visit the Wingar library to do some additional research.
Port Wingar Royal library
The Wingar Royal Library is the largest library in Findle after the Findle Royal Library was burned to the ground following claims of cult activity. The party is greeted and shadowed by a gnome librarian named Slimwig Stapler. He answers any questions, inform Illiaph that a message is waiting for one of his house at the Wingar Royal Posthouse. He seems to get anxious when the party move to a certain bookshelf labeled ADVANCED EXTRA-PLANAR CARTOGRAPHY. The party tries various ways to distract Slimwig before Shalazar became impatient and gave the bookshelf a hearty shove. It didnt fall over, but there was a snapping sound and the bookshelf screeched several inches along an previously invisible track. The wall behind the bookshelf has a faint crease.
SHHHHH!!! The party is then forced out of the library for damaging library property.
They find themselves on the street as the public oil lamps are being lit for the night. They head back to the Golden Troll for the night and meet up with Dael in the morning.
In the morning Dael oddly informs Illiaph that he has a message at the posthouse. The message has been here for 2 days and is sealed with a Blackwell signet. It invites the reader and a company of two to a meeting with the young lord.
The rest of the day is spent shopping for equipment and finer clothes in preparation for the evenings diner with Terron Blackwell. The party decides that in addition to Illiaph, Rilken and Al will go.
The Blackwell manor in Wingar seems unkempt, almost abandoned. The Blackwell escorts explain that the family has not stayed in the manor in several centuries. The house has served as a place for sparse social events or rented to other noble families since a fateful series of break ins in the fourth era.
Dinner is brief and each of the guests show a certain measure of discomfort. Aside from Illiaph, Al and Rilken, guests include;
Imzaeras Keniryn - a semi-famous drow gumsmith and ownder of Keniryn's Fine Pistols
Gianni Wingar - Second son of Portolomaine Wingar and general of the Wingar militia
Rosandro Legault - Emissary sent on behalf of Lassandra Legault
Terron Blackwell explains the reasons behind their meeting during the first course. Strangely enough he doesn't eat a bite, but downs several glasses of rust monster milk.
Terron Blackwell
"I brought you all here to discuss an opportunity. I will be leading an expedition to the cursed island of Narrock. With my recent aquisitions I'm sure that we can finally unlock the secrets of the Tengu city of Shra."
Gianni Wingar
"Shra again Terron? Is that all you ever think about? What even is a Tengu?"
Terron Blackwell
"Yes Shra! It always comes to Shra! The Tengu were a race beyond power! Their wealth and magic could turn the tide in this battle."
Imzaeras Keniryn
"What battle is that Terron?"
Gianni Wingar
"Seriously, what's a Tengu?"
Terron Blackwell
"The battle... against the famine. Our country is starving and with the recent loss of Crimbury, half of the farmland in Findle with go fallow for a year while the trade routes are rebuilt. The wealth of a nation lays in the city of Shra. With that we could be richer than Thessan."
Gianni Wingar turns to Illiaph and company
Gianni Wingar
"What in Lugun's name is a Tengu?"
Rilken shifts uncomfotably before Terron slams his fist on the table pointing at Rilken.
Terron Blackwell
"A Tengu is what the Kenku were. They were once a powerful race, not the broken crows you see in the slums. Read some history sometime Gianni! We're heading out on this expedition in one week. What I need from each of you are men and supplies."
Terron goes into detail regarding the expedition, describing a 3 week journy by ship down the coast of Hul to reach the Island of Narrock. His allies in the Vuldoni city of Hopelight will be waiting to greet them. From there it will be a week long journy to the city of Shra.
Rosandro Legault chimes in stating that House Legault will be providing most of the funding and 2 ships. They will be prepped and ready at the Wingar docks in 6 days. He points to Illiaph and company explaining that Lassandra Legault has recomended these three and their party as perfect dungeon delvers.
Terron Blackwell agrees, exclaiming his appreciation at having a kenku on this mission.
Imzaeras Keniryn will be supplying dragonpowder and maintaining the weapon stores and demolition materials for the trip. His excitement at working for such prestigious houses is obvious.
Gianni Wingar offers 50 of his mercenaries to help man the ships and support the diggers as they travel through the cursed island of Narrock.
Terron Blackwell
"The pact is sealed then. Enjoy your dinner. I'll meet you all here in one week. I apologize but I have some business in Meles."
The party finishes their meal before leaving with Imzaeras. He is thrilled at the idea of making a name for his business and wishes the party a good night before heading to his home above Keniryn's Fine Pistols. Down the road, Rilken spots two men, one young and missing his left eye and left hand and one old missing just his left hand. They knock four times before being let in the darkened library.
The three rush back to meet up at the Golden Troll. Rilken has some suspicious questions regarding Dael and Imzaeras and Dael confesses that they are married. She promised him that she would not interfere with his business with the Blackwells, but she can't let them go. She'll have to travel in disguise. The party agrees. Shalazar chimes in regarding the strange book case at the library. The party decide that since they have some downtime, they will try to investigate.
The party leave the Golden Troll and head into the night. The oil lamps are nearly burned out and they estimate that it is well after midnight.
The Wingar Royal library is dark and quiet. The party creep across the street to come up with a plan. They decide they need their own blue cowls to sneak in undetected. There just so happens to be a clothing shop nearby called the Frilled Dandy. They break in and help themselves to some blue cloth. Dael feels guilt and leaves some gold behind. The party knocks four times on the library door. Candlelight flickers as the door opens and a familiar gnome greets them.
Slimwig Stapler
"It's you? I didn't realize you were with Vis. What are you doing here so late? Are you here for your sacrifice as well?"
The party nods and is let in to the library. They follow Slimwig to the bookshelf.
Slimwig Stapler
"You fools should have waited for night. You could have given us all away. This could have been another disaster like the one 150 years ago at the Findle library."
Slimwig flips a series of hidden switches and the bookcase and wall slide appart revealing a passageway down into the earth.
Slimwig Stapler
"Do what you need to do. The others are waiting. And be quick about it, we must be quick."
The party takes this opportunity to jump Slimwig. In a moment he's on the floor and Dael is tying him up. Just as she ensures that Slimwig will live, Illiaph's eldrich blast ensures that he wont. Dael is mortified but they don't stop to address this. Cultists of Vis are heard chanting from the passage below.
The passage is long and dotted with alcoves each with a mummified left hand holding a candle. The disguised party reach the end and find two cowld cultists standing over a meter wide pool of inky blackness. They drop severed hands and eyes into the pit before greeting the party as fellow believers. Rilken takes advantage of this gesture of hospitality to shove the younger cultist into the pool. He sinks quickly without a sound. The other puts up a short fight before being charmed by Als magic.
Believing himself to be a friend of the party, he insists that he complete the ritual, and refuses to answer questions regarding Vis, the lord of secrets. The party see the futility of letting him live and dispatch him quickly.
Disapointed with the fact that they've killed all the cultists without getting any answers. The party decide to leave and plan to bury the passageway with their dragonpowder keg once they reach the surface.
Unfortunately the red cloaked hobgoblin wizard and additional cultists have other plans. They charge the party and easily overwhelm Rilken. Shadows seep from the walls and flank the party.
The battle is feirce as the red cloaked hobgoblin and blue cowld eldrich knights put up quite a fight. Dael refrains from using her firearms to try and prevent the battle from drawing too much attention but her plan is rendered moot as one of the eldrich knights pulls out a dragonpowder grenade. The resulting explosion kills him and severely damages the party. They flee before the explosion gathers too much attention, but not before swiping a strange dagger and scroll from the hobgoblin.
The party make it safely back to the Golden Troll to rest and try to make sence of what just happened. They investigate the dagger and translate and read the scroll, which turns out to be a letter written in orcish.
The dagger seems to be magical and has handle shaped like a centipede. It is obviously of Danasian make. An identify spell is required to learn more of its properties.
Scro Letter to Klekopatros the Red