Session 33
Bellor Ruthenia, 5th level Moravian Shieldsman
Zoe of Zoe, 5th level Colonist Thief
Tune of Santa Monica, 6th level Stranger Sorcerer
Itchy of the Brotherhood of the Dawn, 7th level Colonist Cleric
Shaan Solo, 7th level Colonist Bounty Hunter
The party has been working out of Pentastadion for the past few months, adventuring professionally as "The Company of the Belching Dragon". They have taken on odd delving jobs outside of town and under Pentastadion itself, and have attracted the attention of one of the powerful Syndics. Her attendant, Rolando Blackman, recently negotiated with them, and they contracted to do a practice job: to explore and map a newly discovered underground complex accessible only through the cellar of a brewery in the warehouse district of Pentastadion.
The last session (32) found the Company venturing through the strange hidden door behind the brewery's mash tun again, descending a long stair and exploring what they would discover was the Den of the Thief Kings. They cautiously moved through several decrepit rooms until they entered a small gallery with portraits hung on all the walls. Two disparate figures stood on the far side of the room, stock still and unresponsive, staring at a large portrait of a human man. Upon inspection, the two figures turned out to be a scruffy barbarian type, with pale skin and scant clothing, and a tall, thin, erudite looking man in a robe. Both appeared alive and well, but completely still. Tune judged them frozen somehow, perhaps by gazing at the portrait, and had Bellor throw a cloak over the painting. They examined the rest of the room and found nothing, so as a last measure, Itchy called upon the power of Solus to banish any magical effect in the room. In a flash of action, both men came to life. The barbarian spun around and, seeing a sinister figure at his shoulder, stabbed the man in heart. A tense standoff ensued between barbarian and adventurers while the robed man's life quickly ebbed away. After attempts at communication proved futile, the party slowly backed out of the room and left the barbarian some space to leave safely.
More exploration of rooms followed, with the discovery of an empty lair and a shadowy altercation with foul humanoids resembling hyenas and covered with coarse bristling fur. Arrows, plasma blasts and arcane bolts of energy flew back and forth, and several hyena men were slain. The battle brought on fatigue, however, so the Company retired to a defensible room and locked themselves within for the night.
Session 33 began with the Company rising from a fitful rest in the small room. Shaan smelled the odor of oil, while Zoe could hear several figures moving in the hallway outside. Abandoning the better part of valor, Bellor threw open the door and Itchy charged into what he assumed was combat. He guessed right and was able to engage the last two of the hyena men before they escaped down the hallway. Itchy slew one, but the other shot a flaming arrow that brought fire licking all about the cleric's divine boots. Itchy ran to escape the burning oil and Shaan sniped the last of the bestial fiends with a powerful blast of his plasma rifle.
The Company paused to catch its breath, then continued to explore the rest of the Den. Among other things, they found a prop room used by an ancient thieves' guild. Costumes and wigs filled numerous chests and wardrobes, but the main attraction was a raised platform set before a mirrored triptych. A multitude of chains hung down with handles on them. Itchy was the first to ascend the platform and pull a chain, finding himself immediately 30 lbs. heavier! Disgusted but undaunted, he pulled again, and was rewarded with a Fu Manchu.
The Company moved on, encountering a shrine to Hermes wherein they gambled with the god, and other less exciting rooms. (I can't remember anything else, honestly).
When they finished mapping the floor, they ascended the stairs and were immediately intercepted by Rolando Blackman's henchmen, who directed them quickly through panic-stricken streets. Something was very amiss in the city by the sea. But that's where we leave our party...
[I've forgotten big chunks of these sessions, apparently, and must set about fixing that by writing notes soon after the next session.]
Next installment: Panic in Pentastadion!
