Varisia: Rise of the Runelords: May 2014

7/11/4708 AR

Ceremony at Castle Korvosa - Commandant Endrin tries to assassinate Queen Ileosa after she orders the Sable Company disbanded; she kills him. The Gray Maidens quell subsequent unrest.

8/11/4708

Dusk - Marshall Croft summons Kaz, Vemi and Naglatha, asks them to find Vencarlo Orisini. Naglatha visits Girrigrz the wererat and arranges to be shown a way to Old Korvosa via the sewers.

9/11/4708

Kaz,Vemi & Naglatha swim the Narrows before dawn and enter Old Korvosa. They find the Orisini Academy burnt to the ground. In Orisini's house they are ambushed by two Red Mantis assassins,who kill Naglatha's animal companion Megrim before being dispatched.

They meet Amin Jalento, who was Vencarlo's student at the Academy. He points them to the painter Salvator Scream. They leave the dog's Megrim body safely at Kaz's old garret. At Salvator's decaying house they find him missing, but a weird elf girl is present, Laori Vaius - apparently a powerful Cleric of Zun-Kuthon, the Midnight Lord! She says she too is seeking Salvator Scream,but he is being held by Pilts Wastel, the 'Emperor of Old Korvosa'.

XP
Negotiate with Girrigz, get to Old Korvosa - XP 800
Defeat 2 Red Mantis Assassins at Vencarlo's house - CR 6 XP 2400x2=4800
Find Blackjack gear: XP 800
Talking with Amin Jalento: 800
Talking with Laori Vaus XP 1600
Total: 8800/3=2933
2933+24678=27611
35,000 for Level 7.

XP
Undead Attack
6 skeletons 133x6=800
4 zombies 200x4=800
G8 The Vats
6 Priests 400x6=2400
5 Physicians 200x5=1000
G13 Hall of Pestilence
6 priests 400x6=2400
Leukodaemon 4800
G14 Inner Sanctum
Lady Andaisin - 3200
Andaisin Reborn - 3200
G11 Arkminos Laboratory
Freeing Ruan Mirakova from Ramoska Arkminos - 3200
Total: 21800/4 = 5450 each
Bonus: Rescuing victims from the Hospice - 1200/4= +300 each=5750 each

5750+18928=24678
23,000 XP for Level 6.

LEVEL 6 REACHED

35,000 for Level 7.

Sir Jereth Rogare just killed Dr Davaulus upstairs; Davaulus' blood-splattered notes have more evidence of his complicity in spreading the plague. Sir Rogare would like the truth made public, but he's already late for his rendezvous to exit the city (so probably some self-flagellation for him tonight...), and will defer to you if you want it kept quiet. Several enemies escaped during the fighting upstairs, including the Gray Maiden corporal, the nurse at the front desk, and possibly more Maidens and Physicians - "it got a bit confused up there...". At any rate Sir Rogare thanks you for your assistance and asks you to deliver Dr Davaulus' notes and any other info you found to the Temple of Abadar to help them fight the Plague.

While Kaz and Naglatha are away alerting Field Marshal Kroft and the Temple of Pharasma, Vemior would like to take the time to do a more thorough search of the building.

"Durnhelm, care to wander with me and see if we can't augment our wages?"

Vemior's aware that there's a couple of rooms in the temple he didn't so much as look inside (one immediately to the left of the lift- one, I think, on the right-hand side of the catwalk room) and another that was only glanced briefly- opposite Rolth's chamber. So he believes it probably wouldn't hurt to backtrack through the complex looking closely for further evidence of conspiracy (or valuables) before heading up to search the second floor.

GM: Vemi & Durnhelm search the temple of Urgathoa. The storage chambers south of the catwalk/blood vats chamber hold only barrels of water, kindling, and long stirring poles, and rubble in the eastern one. The room to the north of the temple antechamber (turn left from the lift as you enter) has cabinets and low benches, four beaked plague masks and leather doctors' coats hang from hooks; in the cabinets are more robes, boots, wide-brimmed hats, and the solid canes/clubs the physicians carried. Behind the western cabinet's glass door are four healer's kits and 23 large black onyx gems worth 50gp each, so 23x50=1150gp total. At the back of the cabinet are four identical potion flasks which radiate magic.

Naglatha Kaz & Sir Rogare inform Marshall Croft what has transpired, she seems shocked but perhaps not altogether surprised, given what Rogare already told here, and sends a squad to secure the building, while runners inform the temples of Abadar and Pharasma of the uncovered corruption.

Sir Rogare thanks Naglatha and Kaz one final time before mounting up with last surviving armiger and galloping out of the city to catch the tail end of the departing Hellknight column returning to Citadel Vraid. Priests of Abadar including Ishani Dhatri come to attend the Hospice; some of the more robust plague sufferers are evacuated. Ironically, with no remove disease spells available, it's deemed best to leave those worst afflicted in the hospice, with water and prayers to ease their passing. Ishani thanks Durnhelm & Vemi gravely; they notice him sneaking a free 'remove disease' onto a dying young boy when none of the other priests are looking. The spell fails - Ishani sighs sadly as the boy expires, and closes the youth's eyes.
Marshall Croft files a report to the Castle, in which the PCs' role is diplomatically downplayed - essentially Kaz, Vemi, Naglatha & Durnhelm acting as assistants to the over-zealous Hell Knight Sir Jereth Rogare, helping him to defeat the plague cult, but also saving several of the Gray Maidens from summary execution at his bloody hands (ie almost the opposite of what actually happened.)

With Davaulus and Lady Andaisin defeated, the unnaturally swift propagation of the Blood Veil ends; over the next two weeks it begins to stutter out as the plague comes under control in most areas, though remaining well entrenched for a while in the overcrowded tenements of quarantined Old Korvosa. The word from the castle is that the Queen was duped by the nefarious Dr Davaulus, in league with the cult of Urgathoa; the Gray Maidens either had no knowledge of what was going on, or were under magical compulsion. Surviving Physicians are summarily tried and executed en masse, while the Gray Maidens are found innocent of wrongdoing (and will be offered counselling for the trauma they suffered).
Not everyone believes that the Queen was innocent, for Davaulus was known to be an old associate of her Arvaxi family in Cheliax, but the city is too wounded to contemplate another uprising. And the Gray Maidens swiftly become more prominent on the streets, replacing the departed Hellknights and enforcing brutal justice against lawbreakers.

Justice Zenobia Zenderholm tries Jolistina Susperio for mass murder at Carowyn Manor, and treason through plague-spreading. Jolistina is found guilty and sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered, much to her delight: "I'm coming, Rolfie! I'm coming!"

The con artist Vendra Loaggri is tried by a lesser arbiter on charges of fraud, plague spreading, and manslaughter through depraved indifference. She is convicted on the fraud charge; Vendra's lawyer successfully argues that there is no proof that anyone contracted Blood Veil through her actions, and that those left uncured would either have died anyway, or else had the money to cure themselves magically. Vendra is sentenced to ten years' Indentured labour. The prosecution appeals the verdict; Senior Arbiter Zenderholm doubles the sentence to twenty years. Vendra is sent off to spin yarn instead of yarns.

As the plague dies down, the four heroes - Kaz, Vemi, Naglatha and Durnhelm - receive thanks for their many efforts. Tayce Soldado, whose daughter Brienna was saved early on, organises a large dinner in their honour at Trail's End, attended by many of the local Varisian families who bring small gifts. Among those attending are the Mirakova siblings, Deyanira and Ruan - Deyanira starry-eyed for Vemi; Ruan mostly recovered from his tortures, but still pale and withdrawn. Deyanira tells everyone what happened; Kaz, Vemi, Naglatha and Durnhelm all receive gifts worth 250gp each.

Eries Yelloweyes and other Vault dwellers thank Naglatha for apparently averting Girrigz's war with the surface world, even Girrigz himself seems somewhat mellowed, for there have been no more raids from above (mostly thanks to Kaz having had a few words with Muttonchops, the dockhand agitator). Naglatha receives gifts from the Vault folk worth another 250gp.

(29/10/4708 AR Rise of the Rune Lords "Burnt Offerings" - the town of Sandpoint on the Lost Coast is sacked and burned by a Goblin horde under Nualia.)

31/10/4708: On the last day of the month, with the Blood Veil Plague now officially eradicated everywhere outside quarantined Old Korvosa (and some signs it's beginning to subside there too); a ceremony is held at the Citadel to thank Kaz, Vemi, Naglatha and Durnhelm for their extensive efforts for the city - from Kaz's early alert about the tainted silver coins, through dealing with the fake potion-seller, apprehending Jolistina Susperio, and most importantly aiding the Hell Knights to cleanse the source of the corruption at the Temple of Urgathoa. All four are given full commissions in the Korvosan Guard, Durnhelm as a First Lieutenant and the others as junior Lieutenants. Croft pins rank epaulettes on their shoulders, and opens the Citadel Armoury to them.

Each PC can select equipment from the stores worth up to 2500gp - including early firearms & nearly everything from Ultimate Equipment, and +1 weapons & armour.
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Naglatha will have made a point of escorting the kidnapped stable lad from Sable Company back to their headquarters once the authorities had been alerted to the existence of the Temple of Urgathoa. While there she'll mention that she aspires to join Sable Company some day.

At the Great Tower a Sable Company quartermaster thanks Naglatha, takes back the stableboy, and asks Naglatha to wait. Shortly thereafter she is escorted into the presence of the noble Commandant, Marcus Thalissinus Endrin, who looks gravely worried. He quizzes Naglatha at length about exactly what happened at the Hospice, and eventually asks if there is evidence that the Queen was responsible for the plot against Korvosa.

Commandant Endrin: "If the Queen did this, she will pay for her crimes. No one is above the Law - and no one is above Justice." He sets his jaw grimly.

Did Commandant Endrin make any comment when Naglatha mentioned she hopes it might be possible for her to join Sable Company one day?

The Sable Company has plenty of vacancies currently since the Gray Maidens conscripted most of their female cadets. Commandant Endrin tells Naglatha she is very welcome to join the next cadet intake on 1/11. Training to full Sable Company Marine is an intensive six month program at the Endrin Military Academy, which includes bonding with a young hippogriff. Of course many recruits wash out in training.
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She'll also visit the Vaults and give Girrigz two potions of CMW "just in case of trouble" and she also gives a potion of CLW to Eries Yelloweyes.

Old Eries thanks Naglatha, looking at the yellowish fluid quizzically:
"Should be useful for a rainy day..."
Girrigz Ripperclaws accepts the greenish cmw potions cheerfully, grinning:
"Cheers Naglatha! You're a good sort; little makes me glad I din't rip yer throat out!"
He winks.

Varisia: Rise of the Runelords

Sunday, 25 May 2014

Session 9 7-9/11/4708 - Death of Sable Company

Monday, 19 May 2014

Gorum's Workbench

Sunday, 11 May 2014

Session 8 RL6 14-31/10/4708 Chosen of Urgathoa (29/10 Sandpoint Sacked by Nualia)

Friday, 9 May 2014

Summer/Autumn 2014 Provisional Schedule