Session 8: Somebody Set Us Up The Bombs

General Summary

Aboard The Windward Serpent, the party set out to explore the casino and expose, if not prevent, the Ebon Axes' plot against the Serpent. The group was first drawn towards the Serpent's Slither, a racetrack where 5 small snakes would race from start to finish, with the casino taking wagers on which snake would win. Coming upon the table as one race was drawing to a close, the party attempted to question some of the gamblers who wagered on the previous race, with Ogvai getting some information out of Dresk, a blue dragonborn dealer in high-end weapons out of Pitfrey Hollow. Rome and Doug both bet on the previous race's last-place snake, a smaller one with blue scales, swirled with green. Rome cast Speak With Animals on herself to give the snake, whom she named Frederick, a pep talk. A guard spotted Rome, but as Bilius, an older gnome who organized the races and provided commentary, didn't detect any magic on the snakes themselves, Rome was let off with a warning. In a close race, Frederick managed hold onto an early lead, winning Rome and Doug some money.   While returning from the central bar to the racetrack, Ogvai's Detect Magic identified a crystal in a leather bag, hidden in one of the brass planters. He turned it over to a guard at the bar and regrouped with the party, informing them of what he'd found. Spreading out to look for more crystals, Ogvai surveiled the entrance, while the rest of the party passed through the central restaurant and into the black market area. The stalls were filled with many wares, but the party didn't spot anything else. Giving up on the entrance, Ogvai passed through the restaurant, spotting a second crystal in a side booth. He then detect a third, carried by a gnome who tried to pass through the restaurant close to Ogvai, returning to the casino. The gnome was nabbed by a guard as he tried to reenter the casino, and was led away to the offices and holding cells.   The party finally deduced what was going on when a goliath male entered one of the private meeting rooms off the main black market area, and exited shortly after, carrying a crystal. He headed to the far end of the market, where the guards arrested him. Rome entered the room and saw an elderly dwarf in a chair in the corner; without looking up, the dwarf told her to "take one from under the table and go". Beneath the table, Rome saw three crates of crystals, two full and one nearly empty. Informing the others of what she'd found, they all rushed in, restraining the dwarf. He identified himself as Gareth, a regular vendor at the black market. He had been instructed to bring the three crates aboard the airship and place them in the private room, where others would collect them. His children and grandchild were being held hostage in his home, near the Mithril-Bound Keg in Dun Girimbor's Market District.   Believing him, the party opted to let things play out. By Rome's estimate, each crate held around seven crystals, and they were only aware of the location of five, so the party returned, attempting to find them. Ogvai headed to the holding cells to question the gnome and goliath. The gnome was surly, but the goliath revealed that he was an Axe agent whose job was to pick up a crystal, plant it somewhere on the airship or carry it on his person, and wait for a signal given through a magical ring he wore. He was then to detonate the crystal and use his poker chip to teleport off the ship.   Meanwhile, Doug, Rome, and Tamugar headed back to their suite to collect the other mirror. A the top of the stairs to the second floor, Doug spotted a crystal in one of the chandeliers, and he notified a guard outside their block of hotel rooms. Briefing Kina, the party emerged again onto the balcony, only to spot a halfling, with short blonde hair and glasses, run to the central bar below, jump on top, and throw a crystal towards the office doors, declaring this a blow struck by the Ebon Axes. Doug and Rome instinctively dove over the balcony, attempting to catch it. Both landed on their backs on a card table below, but Rome managed to catch the crystal and dispose of it by placing it in Doug's mirror, causing it to drop to the earth below via the other mirror which was suspended by a chain outside the airship. Tamugar charged down the stairs, attempting to detain the halfling, but he tripped over a chair pushed back from a card table near the bar, looking up just in time to see the halfling use a poker chip and teleport away.   With the threat seemingly over, Talienne had the party and Kina brought to her. In recognition of the party's service in identifying and helping to neutralize the threat, she offered them each 1,000 gp. In addition, she granted them permanent access to the Windward Serpent, allowing them to collect a poker chip each when they were ready to depart the airship. Each poker chip was the upgraded version that allowed the bearer to teleport directly into the hotel area; in the party's case, into a suite. Rome asked if she could buy Frederick, but Talienne benevolently granted him to her for free. Kina, while the party was disposing of the explosive thrown by the halfling, had contacted Vigilance, who had quickly mobilized and saved Gareth's family from the Ebon Axes who had held them hostage.   Collecting the snake from Bilius, the party regrouped in their suite, with Kina asking them to consider next steps.

Rewards Granted

• 100 gp each to allow the party to participate in casino games
• 25 gp for betting on Frederick (Rome)
• 30 gp for betting on Frederick (Doug)
• Frederick, a small, blue-scaled snake with green swirls
• 1,000 gp each for stopping the Ebon Axes

Notes

Takes place on YA 2269, The Panther, day 10