Ajar
Explorer
So in talking to my players, they were very, very close to intervening at the arena. If I'd had Andrei beg them for help while hanging from their balcony, instead of being busy batting at the flames, it probably would have pushed them over. But I didn't, and they didn't! So here we are.
Vesta and Reginald's consciousness fragment engaged Father Balthazar while Viveen tried to take control of the carriage from the guards driving it. Vesta managed to teleport Balthazar out of the carriage and then action point to fey stop back in, so Viveen got it moving. However, in addition to the carriage guards, Balthazar had two frost mage guards in one of the other carriages. They came out and started using their ray of frost to slow the horses drawing Isobel's carriage, keeping Viveen from making a getaway.
As the battle progressed, Lord Kulp emerged from the third carriage. He surveyed the scene and ordered his arena guards -- who were escorting the carriages under Kulp's jurisdiction -- to stand down. Kulp had been quite displeased by the display at the arena, but felt bound by duty to provide the escort. However, the attack on Balthazar was an opportunity, and he decided to let it play out. That left Balthazar's personal guards, which still substantially outnumbered the three constables.
Elanor came out of the fourth carriage, saw what was happening, and stormed up to Kulp, demanding that he order his guards to support Balthazar. Kulp declined.
Meanwhile, Viveen, Vesta, and Reginald's consciousness fragment managed to keep the carriage moving with Isobel inside, and finally dropped Balthazar after a pitched battle that saw both Viveen and Vesta nearly fall.
Seeing the battle decided, Kulp boomed a Vekeshi greeting to Vesta, asking him to stop the carriage. He told them that if they allowed his guards to escort them back to the arena, the evening's events would be deemed to have transpired under Kulp's jurisdiction, whereas if they left with Isobel now, they would be considered criminals. That made it an easy decision for them.
In Kulp's chambers at the arena, they talked with Isobel, who decided that she wanted to go to Risur to meet Gale. Viveen and Vesta told Isobel and Kulp that they would send Rock Rackus to deliver her safely to Flint.
*
Meanwhile, Murdok and Bela, quite put out by the decision of their colleagues to intervene and risk their cover, went to Rock Rackus' concert. Backstage, Rock asked them where the other constables were, but accepted the non-answer he received. He asked them if they needed any favours, and Murdok asked if he knew anywhere good to get a drink.
Rock Rackus? Know where to get a drink? Why, of course he did! He handed out guest passes to Bela and Murdok, then went with them to a nightclub with a line going around the block -- that they jumped with their passes. Inside, there were wizards making smoke, wizards making lights, alchemists making drinks, and a lot of people having a very good time. Murdok drank variously coloured concoctions that made her urine light up the toilet bowl in those colours. Bela had a highly volatile drink that nearly exploded when his hand shook for a moment. Rock Rackus got thoroughly drunk.
Much, much later, the rest of the group finally showed up. Murdok didn't really say a word to them, but Bela at least acknowledged them. Viveen asked Rock if he'd be willing to transport Isobel back to Risur, and he agreed readily, although he made a point of asking if she was fair game for his flirtations. Viveen noted that Isobel had been through kind of a lot recently, and Rock said he understood.
One of the many perks of hitting up a trendy nightclub in Nalaam was the apothecary around the corner selling sober-up vials at all hours of the night. Since the party is generally quite interested in consumables, they asked what else might be on offer... there was a universal solvent, but they all declined. (Alas.)
With only a couple of hours left until the train was departing, they concluded that it was time to head back.
*
Murdok and Bela took short naps, since they didn't need a full extended rest. Reginald, Viveen, and Vesta did spend most of the day resting.
Rumours of yet another grisly murder were completely unsurprising to the constables. Bela continued chatting up his sea captain cabinmate for seafaring tips.
Murdok decided that since no one had talked to Luc or Ottavia yet, that she would go knock on their door. When Luc asked who it was and what they wanted, Murdok identified herself by her alias and said she wished to consult the oracle. They let her in.
"I'm being hunted by a conspiracy called the Obscurati," Murok told Ottavia. "And I don't know much about them or what I can do about it."
Ottavia was somewhat taken aback, but decided to play the role of the Clergy Oracle, and performed a 'reading.' She told Murdok that there was a web around her, but that she was not at its centre, and that she saw the ocean, or the shoreline, or something similar in Murdok's future. Murdok thanked her and left. Murdok did make an Insight check here, but it was far inferior to Ottavia's bluff.
*
With everyone back in their cabins, Luc sprung his trap. Having had runes placed in each constable's cabin the previous night while they were out on the town, he activated his lantern a few miles out of Sid Minos and warped them all (along with Boone and a few bystanders) into Nem.
That was where we stopped. I'll be pretty curious to see how they handle this one.
Vesta and Reginald's consciousness fragment engaged Father Balthazar while Viveen tried to take control of the carriage from the guards driving it. Vesta managed to teleport Balthazar out of the carriage and then action point to fey stop back in, so Viveen got it moving. However, in addition to the carriage guards, Balthazar had two frost mage guards in one of the other carriages. They came out and started using their ray of frost to slow the horses drawing Isobel's carriage, keeping Viveen from making a getaway.
As the battle progressed, Lord Kulp emerged from the third carriage. He surveyed the scene and ordered his arena guards -- who were escorting the carriages under Kulp's jurisdiction -- to stand down. Kulp had been quite displeased by the display at the arena, but felt bound by duty to provide the escort. However, the attack on Balthazar was an opportunity, and he decided to let it play out. That left Balthazar's personal guards, which still substantially outnumbered the three constables.
Elanor came out of the fourth carriage, saw what was happening, and stormed up to Kulp, demanding that he order his guards to support Balthazar. Kulp declined.
Meanwhile, Viveen, Vesta, and Reginald's consciousness fragment managed to keep the carriage moving with Isobel inside, and finally dropped Balthazar after a pitched battle that saw both Viveen and Vesta nearly fall.
Seeing the battle decided, Kulp boomed a Vekeshi greeting to Vesta, asking him to stop the carriage. He told them that if they allowed his guards to escort them back to the arena, the evening's events would be deemed to have transpired under Kulp's jurisdiction, whereas if they left with Isobel now, they would be considered criminals. That made it an easy decision for them.
In Kulp's chambers at the arena, they talked with Isobel, who decided that she wanted to go to Risur to meet Gale. Viveen and Vesta told Isobel and Kulp that they would send Rock Rackus to deliver her safely to Flint.
*
Meanwhile, Murdok and Bela, quite put out by the decision of their colleagues to intervene and risk their cover, went to Rock Rackus' concert. Backstage, Rock asked them where the other constables were, but accepted the non-answer he received. He asked them if they needed any favours, and Murdok asked if he knew anywhere good to get a drink.
Rock Rackus? Know where to get a drink? Why, of course he did! He handed out guest passes to Bela and Murdok, then went with them to a nightclub with a line going around the block -- that they jumped with their passes. Inside, there were wizards making smoke, wizards making lights, alchemists making drinks, and a lot of people having a very good time. Murdok drank variously coloured concoctions that made her urine light up the toilet bowl in those colours. Bela had a highly volatile drink that nearly exploded when his hand shook for a moment. Rock Rackus got thoroughly drunk.
Much, much later, the rest of the group finally showed up. Murdok didn't really say a word to them, but Bela at least acknowledged them. Viveen asked Rock if he'd be willing to transport Isobel back to Risur, and he agreed readily, although he made a point of asking if she was fair game for his flirtations. Viveen noted that Isobel had been through kind of a lot recently, and Rock said he understood.
One of the many perks of hitting up a trendy nightclub in Nalaam was the apothecary around the corner selling sober-up vials at all hours of the night. Since the party is generally quite interested in consumables, they asked what else might be on offer... there was a universal solvent, but they all declined. (Alas.)
With only a couple of hours left until the train was departing, they concluded that it was time to head back.
*
Murdok and Bela took short naps, since they didn't need a full extended rest. Reginald, Viveen, and Vesta did spend most of the day resting.
Rumours of yet another grisly murder were completely unsurprising to the constables. Bela continued chatting up his sea captain cabinmate for seafaring tips.
Murdok decided that since no one had talked to Luc or Ottavia yet, that she would go knock on their door. When Luc asked who it was and what they wanted, Murdok identified herself by her alias and said she wished to consult the oracle. They let her in.
"I'm being hunted by a conspiracy called the Obscurati," Murok told Ottavia. "And I don't know much about them or what I can do about it."
Ottavia was somewhat taken aback, but decided to play the role of the Clergy Oracle, and performed a 'reading.' She told Murdok that there was a web around her, but that she was not at its centre, and that she saw the ocean, or the shoreline, or something similar in Murdok's future. Murdok thanked her and left. Murdok did make an Insight check here, but it was far inferior to Ottavia's bluff.
*
With everyone back in their cabins, Luc sprung his trap. Having had runes placed in each constable's cabin the previous night while they were out on the town, he activated his lantern a few miles out of Sid Minos and warped them all (along with Boone and a few bystanders) into Nem.
That was where we stopped. I'll be pretty curious to see how they handle this one.