Adventure Log #18

Adventure Log #18 (Hard Pass/Beryl’s Hold)

Aki-Professional killer
Magnus-Mage
Marcus-Paladin of Chaldisaya
Morgan-High Priestess
Paladin Henry-How long have I been gone?
Serrif-Fighter with an “evil” twin
Scalla-Mage
Ulysses-Rogue

The party was heading along the Western Trade road. Hearing a rumbling behind them they see a coach rumbling up over the rise behind them. After deciding that they can afford the luxury they flag it down and hop on board. In most cases my world has an intricate and safe coach system but usually the adventures take place far from where it’s running).

The adventurers arrive in the village of Beryl Hold (true to its name there is a small fortification on the edge of the village) and are directed to the local inn (The Bell). After renting a large private room on the ground floor they discuss strategy and whether or not they should look into what’s going on with Alyene (Al Seen) or should they just push on to Modem/Kodai as quickly as possible.
At one point they are interrupted by a woman mistakenly entering the room. By her manner and dress she’s obviously a Ta (courtesan) the parties invites her to stay and keeps the conversation going. Paladin Marcus plays a few tunes on the Glee he bought a while ago and everyone is having a good time. Eventually they adventurers begin to turn in for the night and the Ta (Lillie) offers to take a walk with Paladin Marcus in the garden. Priestess Morgan says that Marcus should keep to the memory of his dead wife and leave the Ta alone. Lille and Morgan have words about whether or not the goddess would approve and eventually Lillie and the paladin leave for their “walk”. Eventually the paladin returns and Ulysses and Serif each take a turn “walking” with Lillie.

Later that evening while Ulysses hears a small voice from his backpack. When he opens it and sees the finger scraper he liberated from the Lair of Snargassie has changed. The device which once looked like a simple wrench like contraption used for skinning victim’s fingers is now clean and well made. Ulysses and the device have a long conversation. The device says its name is Skinner and is hungry for a nibble of flesh. The device has little direct information to impart except the fact that it’s hungry. The rest of the party asks Ulysses who’s he’s talking to and the rogue proceeds to open and close the contraptions jaws while speaking in a falsetto. Most of the other characters feel that maybe Ulysses is under a bit of strain and should be carefully watched.

The next morning the party gets ready to go and since everyone seems to still have the flesh on all of their fingers they quickly make for the coach.
The day of travel is uneventful and by evening they arrive at the village of Robyn Town and are directed to the Red Goose Inn for accommodations. The Red Goose is situated underground with only the common area open to the sky, the rooms are clustered around the opening and open directly onto the common room. That night while drinking one of the bars occupants greets Aki by her Tropadorian name Esenith and proceeds to ask her how she’s been. The being, a seven- foot tall stick figure like humanoid listens to Aki’s plight with interest. When Paladin Marcus tries to engage the creature in conversation it listens to him and then with a condescending tone disappears. The rest of the night is uneventful except for Aki having another set of “Past Dreams”. In this one she is talking to a person named Djern Lonell one of the Ridden of her father’s forces. Lonell is trying to convince her to side against her father in unleashing the Ritual of True Death on the world. When Jkenna Tropador enters he takes Aki to a room and shows her a scrying device (possible one of the Windows of the World). He talks about something called “The Core Being” and how he needs to use the Ritual of True Death to balance the scales. Aki wakes up more confused than before.

The next day the coach heads into the city of Red Jack. The city sits astride the Sylvan Way one of the major trade routes on the world. The city is full of merchants and such. The party stops and takes lodging at the Silence at Noon a very upscale inn. In the night Scala has a vision of the Lady Chaldisaya who tells her that she has been a good follower and since she has become a priestess (a novate) the goddess returns her foot to her.

The next day after a bit of snooping around they learn that currently the 10th Alt (military unit) is in town up at the strong point (400 soldiers plus auxiliaries). Marcus and a couple of the others go to the keep to ask about Alyene but mispronouncing it (this probably saved their lives). The altmen on duty tell them that they don’t have any one by that name and that they should check with the local authorities. After doing some detective work and spreading some money around they find out that they’ve been mispronouncing his name and that there is a bandit in royal custody (In this case it was a good thing they asked for an incorrect name since using his correct one would have made them objects of suspicion).

The rest of the time is spend mending from the overland treck and drinking expensive wines. Part of the night is also spent by Serif meeting some of the nightlife, two of whom named Hij and Tra. The two working girls decide to attach themselves to Serif and spend the night with him. The next morning they’re still around. They accompany him on his errands around the city.
Aki and Scala go up the strongpoint and try to find out more information. Scala comes across an alehouse called The Sorceress Foot. She doesn’t catch the name at first but later one of the others overhears a couple of Altman complaining about the sudden name change of their establishment. Scala is busy getting one of the Senior Altman drunk and getting him to take her into the strong point to watch the prisoner’s execution. Unfortunatly he’s too drunk to any good. When she leaves she’s told about the name of the alehouse and wonders why the name was suddenly changed.