The party has now learned about the BBG and minions for the campaign - an Illithyd for sure, and most likely a Black Dragon.
And I have nothing more to say about any of that. But I will smile.
Write up follows:
The group continued on their way to Thak at the lower reaches of the Morata Mountains, situated in the valley of three decent sized hills, the walled city of Thak covers about 5 square miles and is home to a diverse number of races and people; roughly 4,500 citizens in all.
We were stopped at the main gate and the cargo and paperwork checked before allowed in. From there we went to the waystation where the wagons and cargo were taken and we were assured that the return load would be on board much later tonight in line with the trip tomorrow. We then helped Siggurd off the wagon and the party walked slowly to the northeast section of town and the Darbeard Demesne.
At the gates we were recognized and let in, a number of our former coworkers and companions coming forward to wish us well, slap our backs, and comment on how good we were looking. The sight of Siggurd prompted lots of snide comments and tossed rocks and rotting fruit but we held most of the angry people at bay and continued on our way to Tropor’s Manorhouse. Korsdottr, the dwarven caravan master found us on the way and we spoke about House Brinster, the improving fortunes of House Darbeard, the smaller jobs being done, and House Darbeard had joined up with another benefactor to carry them through this difficult time.
She was pleased as hell to see Siggurd captured and reminded the very quiet gambler and caravaneer that he owes a debt in this life and the next. At this point Tropor came out of the Manorhouse, trailed by his Controller Saravia and another younger dwarf identified as Banders. Tropor gave everyone a massive hug, lots of back slapping, and wished Barb the best with the party, “As they are the best group of people we’ve had working for us for a few years.”
He wanted to bring Siggurd in and talked about how weird and auspicious it was that the group had arrived. It seems that some people from the Kingdom of Lord Emberwyne, a benefactor that Tropor has been dealing with to combat the loss of Fingelt’s Mine for now, had arrived YESTERDAY, and they had come at the urgings of a seer that was referred to as The Ambassador.
It seems that Siggurd had stolen something of value from the Darbeards and Lord Emberwyne and they were going to question him now. We had a strong suspicion of what it was, but said nothing.
We entered the Manor House and made out way to the back of the main hall where a spiral stairs took us up slowly to the 4th floor of the tower where the donjon and treasury was located. Saravia went to the treasury door and began counting out silver to pay us for our bounty, while Siggurd opened the other door and revealed a torture chamber and three figures within.
There was a dusky skinned woman with very white teeth and purply/black hair – named Rhenna Dracothrall. There was a dusky skinned mountain dwarf as well, reddish hair, wide broken nose – named Olaff Olaffson. And there was a hooded figure wearing a wooden mask painted faded olive green, robes a motley mix of assorted colors, and hands and arms wrapped in loose folds of bandages (like a leper) – referred to as “The Ambassador”. Introductions were made; Rhenna was inviting and easy to speak with, Olaff seemed crude, cursey, and abrupt, and the Ambassador said nothing – merely stared at everyone.
Without much of a by-your-leave, Siggurd was strapped down and foot and thumb racks and bolted in place. Olaff kept looking at Siggurd from the corner of his eye and walking around him. Rhenna is asking the party how they managed to capture Siggurd who by all accounts is a skilled swordsman. Tropor is gleefully rubbing his fingers while Saravia is in the hall with a scale and stacks of silver, making sure the group is getting the right amount. The Ambassador merely seemed to be watching Siggurd from behind his mask – eerily quiet.
There was a faint subsonic hum in the air and Siggurd leaned forward groaning. He blinked his eyes and shook his head. Olaff got pissed and snatching a hot pincher from the brazier held it in front of Siggurd’s face screaming, “Where the Fonging Hell in Frigga’s Frozen Asscheeks is it, ya lackabout fuckwit?!” The faint subsonic hum seemed to fill the air again and Siggurd groaned again, his left eye looks bloodshot now and there is a trickle of blood under his left nostril. The Ambassador continues to stand there unmoving and silent while Rhenna chats up a storm and Olaff blusters and stomps about. Tropor tightens two of the screws on the foot rack and Siggurd now hisses in pain. “That’s for Nuggle, you fucking scumbag,” he says.
“Just give up what you’ve stolen and we can end this swiftly.” The party is looking ill and wants to get out of here, asking Saravia to hurry it up. The Controller is going as fast as he could and even Rhenna makes her way to the landing to avoid seeing the torture going on.
After a lull we heard Siggurd croak out, “Lo, there do I see my father…” before groaning as the subsonic hum grows and he shakes for almost 5 seconds. After some time he manages to get his breath back and Tropor now has his hands on the thumb screws. “You were saying?” he asks. “Give it up murderer and thief and die without shatting up your drawers and some dignity.”
“Lo, there do I see my mother, my sisters, and my brothers…” and more subsonic humming and Olaff is practically drooling as he watches the spectacle. Blood is oozing down Siggurd’s ears and out his left eye now. Saravia comes in and lays his hand on the party’s shoulder and Rhenna, telling them to come with him to the parlor and leave Tropor, Olaff, and the Ambassador to this. The group follows as the groans turn to shrieks and then there is the hissing sound of burning flesh and Olaff shouting, “Fucking talk, ya fornicating assbag! Thor take ya and use yer face fer an ashtray!” and then more groaning and screaming and dull sounding subsonics.
At the base of the donjon tower, Saravia closes the door and the sounds are gone and the group goes to the parlor with him and Rhenna where some brandy cordials have been laid out along with a tray of candied meats and dried sugared fruits. The group talks to Saravia and Rhenna for a bit. Rhenna is very smart and watches the group asking again on how they fought Siggurd, his skills, anything weird happen during the fights.
However, not even a half hour later Tropor, Olaff, and the Ambassador come in frustrated. “Did you get what you needed from him,” Rhenna asks and Olaff loses his crap and says, “Fucker went and dropped dead! Dead! Ain’t no Hel-blasted reason for him to be up and dead like that!”
Tropor suggests that he was questioned too hard and Olaff agrees and the Ambassador replies in a watery voice, “For all his vaunted skills and strengths, he had neither the stamina nor the life force that you had led our Lord to believe. He was questioned EXACTLY as deeply as he needed to be. You should have withheld the physical torture until I had finished questioning him.”
Olaff and the Ambassador go back a forth a bit until Tropor shakes his head and slams his hand down. “Siggurd was many things, and hid his lies and thievery deep under my good will and trusting nature. But as of now I have no idea where to find my…”At a clearing of Rhenna’s throat he back pedals, “where to find our missing goods.”
“What about a Death Speaker? There are some in Sorton I’ve heard, pretty skilled ones at that.” Rhenna asked
The Ambassador replied, “It doesn’t work like that. If it did we’d have had the stolen goods in our hands 5 years earlier.” He then sounds like he clears his throat, however Barb stiffens a bit as she can understand the throat clearing through the Ravenstone as the Ambassador saying, “By Yogsothoth, you hairless apes are so stupid it’s amazing that you can even speak.” And it was in Illithyd. Fuck.
At this point and at Barb’s urging we want to leave and thank Tropor and Saravia for the 900 nobles, foregoing the option to stay the night, saying that we have a room “at an inn in town”. It was here that Avulstein then asked if Siggurd was dead, could he have the body for necromantic research since he was a wizard. The Ambassador looked at him strangely and replied negatively as they had other ways to hopefully question the passed on Siggurd. So we left, the Ambassador watching the party, Avulstein the most.
We went to a local tavern and got a room for all of us, made sure it was secured, and then talked about what happened. We feel that we threw off suspicion since they were surprised we were able to beat Siggurd in a fight, and expressed often that he was the not the most skilled of the fighters, the dwarven woman was. Barb told us about the Illithyd/Ambassador and Avulstein filled in some knowledge he had on the matter. Race of beings from another world or dimension who came here and saw all other races as food and/or below them.
And Rhenna Dracothrall? Lord Emberwyne was a dragon? Maybe, who knows. But it fits the narrative since Siggurd’s father took the Ravenstone from a dragon and sought to keep it from them for 15 years before passing it to his son. This dragon and Tropor Darbeard have to be aligned together and the presence of a mind flayer needlessly complicates the entire thing. Also, the thought from Darius is that Rhenna might actually be a drow and subtly disguised as a human.
We wanted to stay out of the Common Room so we ordered food and beer and hid in the chamber. It was a good thing because Olaff Olaffson did walk in, drinking and looking around for a minute (missed the 2 members at the bar) before grumbling and leaving. What did he want? No one cares, just keep out of his way.
The next morning we are up early, eat, load everything on the wagon, and hit the gates of Thak by 7:30 to roll out of here. And on the walls of Thak over the gates is the bandaged and robed figure of the Ambassador, watching the group as they rode off.
The trip from Thak is without issue and they arrive in Sorton a day and a half later, about a day before the caravan is to take them to Base Camp. They are paid by 3rd Reeve Spearo and the group leaves the next noon for the 3 day journey to Base Camp. They arrive on Workmonth the 1st and we hear from first the Bailiff Youngston Illytch as to what’s been going on, then from Bobkins who wants to go back and hire a bunch of people to find his friends.
We discuss how that isn’t going to happen for a while until we hear a single blast and the entire Camp empties out to see the “B” team, laden down and tired, arrive back here and tell their tale of heroism and deeds. The entire team is stunned, did all that happen? Have the underestimated the B team all this time? They team confers with the A team and lets them know what happened before loading up on the caravan and heading BACK to Sorton for their training and to sell off what treasures they discovered. It was now 4:30 in the afternoon on Workmonth the 1st and the party was going to discuss what was to happen next and how to go about it.
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