Session 23: Best Laid Plans
General Summary
Previous Session: Session 22: A Tall Order
The Lads had gathered in Jaraleto's room where Muda and Hettle share their findings on Zesto's Finest.
Hettle heard from the receptionist that Zesto is egotistical, and Muda found that Zesto refused to show him anything relating to how the trinkets are made.
To pass the time, the Lads go to the local tavern on the other side of town, The Good Business, to look for any bounties.
One bounty asks for someone to find stolen earrings from bandits in the eastern forest, and the other is a merchant caravan looking for armed security to escort them to Rizno.
They take the bounty for the missing earrings and head to the address listed. Before leaving, Muda goes to the barkeep and asks about any rumors going around in town.
The only thing the barkeep tells him is that people have been having nightmares for a while now, and Agomal has been a savior to those afflicted.
At the listed address, a woman tells the party that bandits ripped the earrings from her ears and ran out the eastern gate. She promises them 10 GP for returning the heirloom earrings.
The Party leaves town and heads into the eastern forest. After traveling for 4 hours, they spot a lone bandit sitting at a campfire.
They slowly approach before questioning the bloody, shaking bandit. He recounts his group's stealing of the earrings and subsequent descent into killing each other until only he was left.
He offers the earrings up, begging the party to take them. Jaraleto takes them, and the bandit reaches for his dagger before slitting his own throat.
Jaraleto closes up his wounds, bringing him back from the brink of death before the bandit makes an attempt to flee. Hettle slows him and Glen ties him up.
Some of the Lads talk to the bandit, both assuring him that he is not beyond redemption and that suicide would be disrespectful to his dead compatriots.
He remains silent as the party carries him back to Norlun. Once they reach the gates of town the party turns the bandit in.
The Lads then turn in the earrings to the tearfully grateful woman.
The Lads regroup at Ariel's and eat. They then return to Jaraleto's room and plan to sneak into Zesto's during the night.
While watching Zesto's, Muda notices the receptionist leave and tells Glen to look outside. Glen immediately sprints outside and chases her.
He says that he has an offer for her but she is frightened and begins running, screaming for help. Glen quickly disguises himself as the High Priest of the Church.
He is noticed by a group of 4 commoners, so he tosses 4 GP on the ground by them and motions for them to be quiet. They take the gold and leave, saying nothing.
Glen, as the priest, asks the guards what is happening and they tell him to not worry. He leaves, hearing the flustered woman pleading to the guards who do not believe her.
Glen returns to Ariel's, changing back to himself, and tells the party that he can now disguise himself as the receptionist.
The Lads separate and discretely stand at various locations in Ariel's with a view of Zesto's. Glen goes to Zesto's as the receptionist and is let in, saying she had forgotten her keys in Zesto's office.
The guards on the first and second floor believe her, but the Acrusian Champion standing outside Zesto's office does not. Before he can grab his sword, Glen jumps out of the third-floor window.
He quickly teleports to the Ethereal Plane and back again to prevent any fall damage as a nearby guard sees the disguised Glen and chases after him.
Running behind Ariel's, the guard sees Glen transform back so Glen casts Charm Person. He convinces the guard to follow him to Agomal's, saying Agomal could give him memories.
There, Glen knocks and finds the door is locked with no one answering. They then return to Ariel's and, as Glen sees Hettle in a window, waves at him as the guard joins him.
Muda and Hettle then notice 6 individuals standing below the broken window at Zesto's who notice Glen and the guard and point at them.
As Glen and the guard enter Ariel's, Zesto's employees run towards the inn.
Next Session: Session 24
