The+Winding+Road+Diary

Part One

In early summer, a large crowd gathered at the Chicken to hear the lovely malinorian bards Noralindel (black hair) and Saryina (blonde) perform the epic Fall of the House of Kanwusaba. Following the performance, the heir to the deposed Kanwusaba dynasty, the glorious avid, Maharat the 36th, sometimes called the Lame, sometimes called the Jade Peacock, arose to beseech the audience for volunteers to join his cause and to help him regain the Feathered Throne. Six brave young would-be-heroes stepped forward, and soon Zahn and Alyri, Strongbow and Gimlet Eye, Octavia and Oli were being toasted by the veterans, except for the knight Rinfuror, who departed angrily. They made arrangements to meet their new patron on the morrow to discuss the details of the throne might be won, and were disconcerted to learn that an organization called the Last Tide, known for its power and ruthlessness, had taken the kingdom of the Maharats and was therefore now the enemy of the party. A few of the other patrons made particularly strong impressions on the party, from the carp man shaman Yu Zhanshi to a pair of chess maestro malinor.

Maharat met the party at his house discreetly tucked away near the gate connecting the Crossroads and the Wise Wood. There he explained that his one remaining lead was a hobgoblin fixer named Crookjaws who was a known associate of the Last Tide. It is Maharat's hope that the hobgoblin can be a source of information leading to the recovery of an item of power that was the key to overthrowing his family and is essential in gaining his revenge. The party began investigating the //Basilisk//, a pirate vessel upon which Crookjaws arrived in the city, and the fixer's whereabouts. In the course of the investigation they ate seafood from the cart of the dwarven vendor Grimsk, made friends with a cabin boy from the //Basilisk//, Timmy, and reunited (Gimlet Eye) with Reel and Bait (an ursadon and mongoose man) who are two of the worst kind of pirates aboard the //Sea Sow//. They learned from Bait of a poker game the Basilisk's captain (Captain Dirk) runs, and hoped perhaps to use that advantageously.

The others helped around the inn where Maharat has arranged for them to take rooms, or rested. Oli was surprised when his goblin friends Renk and Tonk suddenly showed up with a captive in tow. It was the man that had conned Oli a few days earlier. After a great deal of arguing, mild corporal punishment, and threats, the man was eventually turned over into the custody of guardsman Ducane. The party gathered at the Chicken to discuss their findings and what to do next.





__**Part 2: On the Trail of Crookjaw**__

The party was visited by two members of the adventuring fraternity known as the Brotherhood, based at the Halls of Heraldry. Snurl the armadillon (with a limp due to an injury years before to his right leg) and Holocaust the Bandaged Ogre (97.6 % burns suffered recently), offered a hearty welcome into the adventuring life, words of caution and wisdom, and other pieces of helpful advice.

Dinner was enjoyable, and concluded with a bit of subtle advice to Alyri from one of the Bratwurst Brothers (he suggested she keep her voice down while discussing details of their quest). Dessert was provided by an unexpected showdown in the street outside the inn. Six Shadow Hunters of the Crimson Torches (a band of zealots so extreme that Streck and Melhausen refuse to ally with them) called Heinrick Durksen into the street. He obliged, and it seems as if he was once associated with them, or even a member of the Torches. Things were prevented from coming to a violent intersection by the arrival of two Shaper wizards resplendent in their golden skin. One appeared as a gorgon (minus the terrifying hair) and the other was an elf of such antiquity that he looked very old. The Torches dispersed with threats and the Lioness kept Durksen company at his table the rest of the evening.

Oli visited Ducane, providing him with a cherry pie for Mother Ducane, and learning that a local printer had mentioned having trouble with a hobgoblin just a day or two earlier. On his way back to the Chicken, Oli was amazed to see a small fortress on wheels being pulled through the streets, accompanied by fierce warriors on horseback. While waiting for the procession to pass the cavalier spied who he believed to be the hobgoblin, taller and broader than average for his race, with a badly burned jaw and lower faced. Once the dust from the fortress's passing had cleared, however, the hobgoblin was not to be found.

Renk and Tonk showed up immediately thereafter to liven up the evening. There was an enlightening discussion about bombing the Crimson Torches as they passed, and of the efficacy of not one net but two.

Alyri, Gimlet, and Octavia decided to go to the docks to stake out the //Basilisk//. They were rewarded by seeing who they thought might be a hobgoblin board the ship and then leave with a piscine pirate captain they later learned is named Marlin Red (he is a swordfish man). During their stakeout, Octavia made friends with a few rats and pigeons, and learned of the dangers lurking beneath the docks.

Alyri and Gimlet tailed the hobgoblin and Marlin Red as they left the docks area and made their way to the Shadow Gate. While lurking in the darkness they were greeted by a richly-attired elf of extreme paleness. His compliments to Alyri were not well-received and after a few words he left in disappointment. In the meantime, the quarry had passed through the gate.

Once everyone returned to the Chicken they shared their tales. Oli was outraged to learn that vampires ("abominations that helped to bring about the Long Night!") were in town, and that Alyri and Gimlet has spoken to one. In Gimlet's defense, he had never heard of a vampire before meeting the elf. NOTE: At this point, the elf's vampire status was purely conjecture, true though it proved.

Mrs. Halmer arrived to demand the party pipe down, and there ensued a conversation during which she learned of the vampire. She expressly forbade Alyri to have further dealings with the Shadow, threatening to toss the party out if the assassin did otherwise.

Next morning, the Zhan and Strongbow visited //Ibis's Ink and Printing// where they met a very efficient (an clearly in charge) gnome named Felix and an addled Mr. Ibis (a small Ibis man in grey plumage and clearly of advanced age). They learned that the hobgoblin wanted Silverthread Ink (used primarily for magical contracts) and that Mr. Ibis really likes sandwiches.



While Oli, Zhan, and Strongbow kept an eye out for the hobgoblin in the vicinity of the mobile fortress, Gimlet and Octavia ventured down to the docks to see if they could find out about Marlin Red. Gimlet spoke with Peg-leg Pete, who mostly laughed at the idea of the frogman and Octavia joining up with Marlin Red's crew. Attempting to speak like a street tough (using Alyri's profane approach as a template) Octavia demanded information from an ogress in human form (think the Beast from Glee...yes, I made a Glee reference...for John) named Jennifer. Octavia succeeded in getting thrown into the bay and Gimlet dove in to help her. They were both injured (broken nose for Octavia and two broken ribs on the left side for Gimlet) when Jennifer hurled a large empty crate into them. Jennifer then picked up a much heavier crate to finish them off, but got to close to the edge of the docks and plunged into the water. It was at that point that shouts of, "Shark!" echoed across the bay.



It turned out that Jennifer could not swim, so Gimlet tried to use some of the lines of rope hurled by nearby seamen to form a harness around the huge woman, meanwhile trying not be pummeled to death by her panicked flailing. Octavia thought she might be able to soothe the incoming shark and so swam out to meet it, much to the amazement of everyone at the docks. She had no idea that it was Devilfin, a legendary beast. Gimlet eventually succeeded in saving Jennifer, but Octavia would have met a messy red end (its seems that Devilfin was not impressed by her attempts to make friends) if not for the efforts of Peg-leg Pete. Seeing the cause of his one-legged state, filled with the righteous might of the wronged, Pete lifted the slender harpoon he had sharpened and cared for over many years praying that one day he would get the chance for revenge against the monster of the deep that had taken his leg as a young man. Limping at great speed, for Pete, along the docks, as the fifty-foot long shark closed to within ten yards of Octavia, Pete drew back the harpoon, and his peg leg stuck fast in a knothole, snapping violently and sending the doomed man pitching into the sea.

With a single flash of his powerful tail, Devilfin turned from Octavia to the blood he remembered from long ago and devoured Pete in a single bite. As the shark moved out to sea, Octavia was pulled aboard the //Firewater,// Red Marlin's ship. He was very drunk and heartily impressed by her insane bravery, and invited her to Captain Dirk's poker game aboard the Basilisk. He gave her the false name of Lady Blood, and said she could claim to be a Free Cities captain recently arrived in town in command of the the Bloody Murder Killer (I know the name is wrong...email me and I'll put the right one).

Gimlet and Jennifer became blood kin by pressing together their slashed palms, and Jennifer agreed to serve as a guard for Octavia at the poker game.

Meanwhile, Alyri of course entered the Shadows. Impressed by the scale of the forested, mountainous terrain, she made her way to the village of Dire Veil. She spoke with creepy carpenter Rolf who seemed worried that she had not received "the Lord's blessing". She entered the //Old Gravestone Inn// where she was met by blank stares. From the bartender, a tall, red-haired older man who did not give his name, she learned that she should leave before full dark and that it would be a good idea to get a sash (a sign of official guest status from the Count or his representatives) in order to be less likely to be hunted. She hurriedly left, deciding to come back on horseback next time to cover more ground, and to get a sash. She also learned that the pale elf she and Gimlet met the night before was Lord Drakon, a vampire lieutenant of the ruler of the Shadow Lord, Count von Karlov. Drakon oversees operations from the town of Morbid some distance from Dire Veil.

The session ended with the party wondering how best to approach the upcoming card game aboard the //Basilisk//.

__**Part Three**__

After a strategy session at the //Chicken//, the party (known as The Bard's Song for the musical epic that drew them together) decided to split up for the day. Zhan, Oli and Strongbow visited the Khazak camp where the last preparations were underway for their departure, and that of their mobile fortress, on the following day. Oli made friends with Screaming Horse, Little Snake, and several other Khazak warriors enjoying their midday meal. Strongbow had a strange conversation with an elderly couple that keep the collected written wisdom of the Khazak people, and Zhan got a better idea of the range of products and services available in the Great Market of the Crossroads.



On his way back to the inn, Oli encountered Renk and Tonk in the act of running a jewelry con. He dragged them to Officer Ducane, threatening to have them locked our worse. They promised to behave, and made themselves scarce.

Meanwhile, Octavia, Gimlet, and Alyri enjoyed a trip through the calming old growth Wise Wood and into the continual party and performance that is the Masquerade. A bit bewildered by all the sights and sounds, they navigated their way to a theater called the Gilded Lily. There they were given an audience by the great thespian and friend of Octavia known to most as The King. He advised Octavia on how to use the correct speech and mannerisms to pose as a pirate captain, got Gimlet set as a juggling fool, and loaned Alyri a fishnet garment to help her portray the eye-candy Captain Lady Blood (Octavia's nom de corsair) would be expected to bring to the game. The party departed, with Alyri stopping off at a local bordello to contract with one of the young women for lessons on seduction.

The "pirates" made their way to the docks where they rendezvoused with Jennifer (rather drunk already) and were shown on board the ship. Zhan, Strongbow, and Oli hid near the //Basilisk// in order to give aid if it was needed.

The game consisted of Captain Dirk of the //Basilisk//, Red Marlin of the //Firewater//, Captain Lady Blood of the //Shadowgale// (imaginary), and John Salamander of the //Golden Lady//. Surprisingly, Noralindel was in the company of John Salamander, but neither she nor the party members commented on that fact during the game. Of great surprise was that the two "cabin boys" serving drink during the game were none other than Renk and Tonk in false whiskers and pirate get up.



It was a spirited few hours of River Catchin' Whore, during which it was learned that a civil war had recently split the Last Tide into three factions: Black Skimmers, Sand Claws, and Razorfins. The hobgoblin had been brought to town to broker an agreement between the Black Skimmers (of which the other pirate captains at the table were members or allies) and the Sand Claws. They waited long for his return.

Lady Captain Blood won the final hand, by which she won the sponsorship of the captains. She is now in expectation with a final interview to see if she is officially accepted as a Black Skimmer ally. Crookjaw arrived just in time for Renk and Tonk to burst in with lit explosives demanding the card players' money. A split second later, as series of buffets struck the //Basilisk// and it quickly became clear that the ship was under attack by something of great power. Dousing the wicks, Renk and Tonk vanished the way they had come, and the pirates and attendants spilled out of the playing area to deal with the attack, scooping up their winnings as they went.

The party helped repel an attack by pirates of the Sand Claws (if Crookjaws's verbalized surmise was true) that had decided to betray their Black Skimmer allies. A huge crab/squid monster was attacking the stern of the //Basilisk// while the pirates were boarding from all sides. Oli, Zhan, and Strongbow hustled from hiding to support their friends. Seven or so pirates lost their lives to the Bard's Song, as did a seaweed monstrosity that was brought down by attacks from the entire party, Oli scoring the killing blow. With a word of holy contempt he set the sludge aflame until nothing of the offense remained. Gimlet called upon the healing magic at his command, fueling it with the water brought on deck by the soaked attackers in order to restore his friends. It should also be noted that Jennifer tanked the fight admirably, and ran off in search of more plentiful targets at one point.

The session ended with the party turning in search of more enemies, unsure if the Battle of the Basilisk had yet been won.

__**Part Four**__

The Bard's Song learned that they were essential in defeating the attack on the //Basilisk//. Making their way to the stern of the vessel they saw the crustacean monstrosity disappear beneath the waves as it made its way, burned and pierced, out to sea. Captain Dirk was raving about treachery and damage to his ship, and they found that mos of Red Marlin's officers had been killed and the captain of the Firewater himself had received a blow from the monster's claw that left him unconscious. Captain Lady Blood gave orders to take the stricken swordfish man back to his ship and made arrangements to be in touch with Dirk who said he would need several days at least at the shipyard for repairs.

Aboard the Firewater, Gimlet provided what medical comfort he could but Red Marlin still did not awaken. He was left in the care Peg a'Sus, a fanatically loyal sailor that had served long with Marlin. Jennifer also promised to check in on him in the morning before going about her job at the harbor. The party returned to the Chicken for much needed rest.

In the morning the Bard's Song visited Maharati in his home in the Crossroads near the Wise Wood, catching him up on what they had learned about Crookjaw and the Last Tide. Surprised and delighted to learn about the civil war and factionalism among the ranks of his enemies, he rewarded each member of the party with a small bag of gemstones of various kinds. He seemed particularly concerned that the young adventurers not get in too deep pretending to be veterans of the Last Tide's piratical wing, and reiterated his belief that Crookjaws held the key to the quest.

Alyri borrowed some writing paper from Maharat, brought by his shoebill servant, and wrote out a request for safe travel in the Shadow. As the party made their goodbyes to the peacock heir and went about various errands, the young assassin made her way to the Shadow Gate to deliver her letter. Not far from her destination she was waylaid by means of a knockout bomb of some type and awoke to find her money, her cloak, harness, boots,and custom-made swords gone! Because she had no money she could not pay the fee for the letter delivery (the muggers had not taken the envelope with the request) and so returned in fury and embarassment to the Chicken.

Octavia meanwhile requested that Mitre let her know if any sailor types came to the Chicken or were seen hanging around and Strongbow began making inquiries about Noralindel, learning that she had sent word to the Chicken the previous evening to say she would not be able to perform. After a visit to the docks it was discovered that Red Marlin had not improved and would need more serious healing if he was to survive. Strongbow began looking for somone at the inn with experience or a recommendation, finally being guided to the Bratwurst brother Arnwulf, a powerful priest of Kral Vernus.

During the discussions with Arnwulf it became clear that the priest was uninterested in helping without finding a suitable connection to fire, either in the patient or the story around his wounding. Strongbow through very quick thinking pointed out that Red Marlin's ship is named the Firewater, he is himself red life living flame, and while fighting an abomination from the sea last night during the battle in which Marlin was wounded Oli used magical fire to scour away the last foul traces of the horror. Arnwulf became very interested, believing deeply in omens and enjoying tales of battle and burning things, and told Strongbow to send Oli to him when the troll returned to the inn.



Gimlet and Octavia decided to accompany Alyri to Yanuk's Emporium (Yanuk is of the sun bear ursadon race, friendly, joking, and knowledgeable) to replace her stolen items. They then returned to the area of the Crossroads near the Shadow Gate where Alyri was waylaid in order to find out who committed the crime. Using her substantial skills in shadowing and stealth, Alyri gained information from two members of the Savage Dragons thieves guild, but was left uncertain as to the perpetrators. Through the crowd she thought she glimpsed the boy thief she had recently interrogated dash into the alley where she had been attacked. Hurrying in pursuit, in spite of her raised awareness, she again was ambushed and robbed. Fortunately, only the single gold coin in her possession and her swords were taken since Gimlet and Octavia made enough noise as they ran up from the potato vendor in support to chase away her attackers. Gimlet quickly climbed the wall in time to see what appeared to be a little boy disappearing across the rooftops.



Furious and ashamed, Alyri delivered her letter (Octavia loaned her another gold) to the Shadow Gate guards, one of whom became friendly with Octavia. They were both interested in the origins of the other and the druid learned that the guards were "fang-touched", meaning they had been bitten by a vampire and thereby given certain attributes such as increased speed and strength, but they had not been turned to vampire themselves so they could serve during daylight hours.

A second trips to Yanuk's secured more swords, a jest from Yanuk, and an interesting conversation between he and Gimlet during which the frog man learned that Yanuk had once adventured with one of Gimlet's folk, a savage fighter named Red Orchid Star. Promising to share more stories over dinner at the Chicken, Gimlet and the others left the Emporium.

It was suggested by several party members that perhaps Renk and Tonk might use their contacts with the Bannipor's underbelly to determine who robbed Alyri. Oli agreed to seek them out and made his way toward the Coin Gate. True to form, he encountered them as they were leaving the Coin in the company of a pair of goblin trollops. They were very well dressed, clearly drunk, high or both, and each bore a familiar sword across his back. Pulling them aside for a chat, Oli "learned" that they had found a bag of money and used it to buy their new clothes ("tryin' to look more respectable, Oli, like you said we should") and the swords of Alyri that Oli now repossessed. Unconvinced of their story, the cavalier threatened once again to cut them off if they did not mend their ways, and to turn them over to Guardsman Ducane if he found out they were lying about how they came to possess the swords.



Oli returned to the inn with Alyri's blades, giving the goblins' version of events. Alyri was delighted to receive the weapons and kept an open but suspicious mind for the moment regarding the tale. Strongbow soon thereafter introduced Oli to Arnwulf, Archimedes, and Athus Bratwurst and a great deal of story-telling and drinking and eating, and drinking and drinking ensued. Archimedes turned out to be a high priest of Murdin Scalebreaker and Athus (the eldest of the three by two-hundred years) was an Oblation Priest of the ancient god Nobis, explaining that the old ways and old faiths lived on as long as there were believers. Oli further learned that there were ten Bratwurst brothers in all, each one a powerful priest of a different entity, all raised at the Old Mountain itself in the venerable traditions of their people.

They were outraged to learn of the darkness against which Oli's order fought without reinforcement, and it was decided that they would help Red Marlin. Marching drunkenly forth to the docks, they ordered Jennifer to build a raft out of crates. Using it as a ritual platform, Arnwulf and the unconscious Red Marlin pushed off from the Firewater. The priest of Kral Vernus put a great deal of pirate rum to use as an accelerant, setting the crates on fire to fuel his spell. The water rose as it boiled, fire seemed to consume both Arnwulf and Red Marlin and at last a great pillar of flame arose and a flash of light broke with a thunder clap across the bay. Sailors thirty miles away wondered how many ships had exploded when they saw the distant flash. When the folks aboard the Firewater regained their feet they say Arnwulf walking across the water on a bridge of living fire, carrying Red Marlin. They were both brought aboard and Red Marlin looked noticeably better. The priest said that he would awaken on the morrow and ordered that everything in the hold that was an alcoholic beverage be brought topside for a celebration.

At dawn, through the streets of the Crossroads, three burly dwarves could be seen carrying a frog man, a woman clad in nomad's garb, and a river troll in full armor. 'Ah', thought the onlookers, 'another Bratwurst Brothers party.' The dwarves delivered the unconscious members of the Bard's Song to Keg who was on duty, giving him small vials of liquid to help ward off the brutal hangovers each would have.

After half a day of rest, Octavia and Gimlet visited Red Marlin. Gimlet consoled Jennifer (very drunk and recently fired) while Octavia and Red Marlin frankly discussed the fact that she was not really a pirate captain, why Red Marlin had asked her to parade as one in the first place (to put the others off guard) and where the plotting should go from there. The possibility of stealing a ship was raised, or not. Gimlet and Octavia left the dockyards with Jennifer with them, taking her to the Bucket where Oli recently stayed.

Oli was approached by Renk and Tonk who seemed to want to make some amends for their larcenous and deceptive ways.They were horrified They offered a Cat's Eye ring to be given to Alyri for the "mistake" regarding her muggings, and a key they took off of Crookjaw because they knew Oli had said it was important to find out about the hobgoblin. There was also use of the word allegedly a fair amount. Unfortunately for them, Oli revealed that he had just learned (from a guilty conscious-plagued Gimlet) that Renk and Tonk had tried to rob the card game aboard the Basilisk. He told them that it pained him to say it, but he would have no further contact with them. Throwing his thirty gold into the street at their feet he said he hoped they spent it well, and then went back into the inn.

The cavalier announced to the party that he had made a break with Renk and Tonk, explaining why, and was surprised when Alyri came to their defense, urging him not to part ways with the goblins, but to continue to mentor and try to reform them. Oli did not seem convinced that was possible, but resolved to consider her words. With that, and the question of whether to continue the pirate's life or to focus on the hobgoblin, and perhaps whatever the key opened, the party contemplated getting dinner.