Session 272 - The Busted Nut

General Summary

15^th to 20^th of Peonu to (Second Month of Spring) 726TR

The Story So Far

Cassius, a Bounty Hunter, is on the trail of Diggin Whetson, an elusive grave robber, wanted alive for questioning.

This is the continuation of Session 270 - Rewards and Grave Robbers.

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Location - The City of Tashal in the Kingdom of Kaldor.

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Party 1 – Understanding the Bounty

As the miscreant Diggin Whetson has evaded capture, Cassius does some investigations. He is known to frequent the seedy Busted Nut tavern, an establishment operated by the Thieves Guild. However, Cassius thinks the grave robber may not show his face until he feels safe, so he decides to get some background information.

Cassius visits the organization that placed the bounty. The local temple of Halea, the Church of the Bygone Dream. He is met by the temple's high Priestess, the charming and very well-informed Queen-Mistress Silena Ekiar.

Queen-Mistress Silena explains that this is a Temple Crime, with Diggin Whetson having robbed the grave of a worshiper and taken something of value. He is wanted to be brought in for questioning and punishment. She supplies a writ for Cassius to use in the event that he is questioned by the town guard while going about his profession (i.e., Bounty Hunting) and says she will provide a performance bonus if he can capture the bounty within three days.

Part 2 - Proper Protocols

Cassius plans to corner Diggin either when he is in or leaves the Busted Nut tavern. However, as he does want not to have any unpleasantness or misunderstanding with the Thieves Guild, he decides to visit them and "pay respects." He gains an audience with its owner, the indomitable Perla Rabeta, under the watchful eyes of a dangerous-looking thug. Perla is pleased that he has chosen to get permission to capture Diggin Whetson. He is a freelancer and not part of her organization, so she does not have objections. Even the unscrupulous Peral finds digging up corpses distasteful. However, the deed must be done outside of her establishment. When Cassius asks if he can use some of her organization for help, she directs him to Barret, one of the beggars who frequent the front doors of the Busted Nut.

The slimy Barret agrees to help and comments that Diggin smells of death and chemicals. Rumor has it he has robbed the Temple of Peoni of holy water, probably a wise precaution for a grave robber. He is experienced in the alchemical arts. Two days later, he informs Cassius that Diggin has just arrived at the Busted Nut. Cassius pays the smelly beggar to tell Diggin that a scarred bounty hunter is asking after him, and he is about to come through the tavern's main entrance. Diggen believes him and runs out the back door into a side alleyway where Cassius and Salvador have prepared an ambush.

Part 3- A Grave Robber

The Heroes hide in the back alleyway as Diggin Whetson emerges; he spots Salvador but not Cassius. The grave robber proves surprisingly dangerous, using his alchemical mixtures to stun Cassius and delivering a shovel strike to his head, knocking Cassius out. However, Diggin makes the mistake of insulting Salvador and his religion. He is quickly taken down by the combination of a spear strike and the Aimiru created from his magical Turquoise Figurine.

Salvador dumps Diggin's body into an empty barrel, and he and Cassius roll it to the temple. The Queen-Mistress is delighted and pays Kurgan the bounty with the agreed bonus.

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Location - In the Wilderness along Noron's Trail in the Kingdom of Kaldor.

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Part 4 - Stuck In The Mud

Berda has spent the last few days planning her trip north, reviewing maps, and speaking to the Ivinian travelers at the city's temple of Sarajin, the Viking god of the northlands. She declares it is time to leave. She intends to travel to Ivinia via Noron's Way, a trade route named after the giant Noron, who has a keep halfway along it. Berda says she met Noron when he visited her father twenty years ago and warns him not to hunt boar on the way; Noron is a shapechanger and often takes the form of an irritable giant boar.

Collecting his pet Bear from the woods, Cassius leads the party north. Not long after passing the last civilized settlement, the spring rains fall, muddying the trail and attracting nefarious element forces. A small mud element ambushes the party, enveloping Cassius in a sickly mass. The Mudwretch is a dangerous opponent, spitting out stinking, sticky, bloody mud and resisting much of the hero's weapons, but it is eventually destroyed.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

Silena Ekiar, High Priestess.

Perla Rabeta.

Barret the Beggar.

Challenges Overcome

Captured Diggin, L2 Grave Robber.

Destoyed 1 Mudwretch.

Rewards

The Bounty on Diggin Whetson.

Created Content

Vlasta Infusion.

Related Reports

Temple of Ilvir - Church of the Yellow Hand - Updated.

The Busted Nut.

Temple of Halea - Church of the Bygone Dream.

Player Characters

Cassius - Human - L1 Ranger.

Salvador - Human - L1 Cleric of Ilvir (Change).

NPC Character Status

Berda - Dwarf - L1 Fighter.

Next Session

Session 274 - The Giant Noron.