Session 4: The return to Raam Report

General Summary

~Recounted from Osiris’ memories     Well, there we were trekking through the badlands again, headed for Raam. Fallen Templar Dolahan promised us Breakshore if we ran an “errand” for him. He wanted a rare and precious red stone. Fantastic. Not much info for us to go on.     It seems we all had our own reasons for going to Raam.   · Having allies in Breakshore is good for House Rees’ business.   · I was also going to investigate some rumors that “Osiris” was spotted there.   · Gar was helping his protector Zwerk earn fame and fortune by acquiring Breakshore, and of course he’s always looking for investors for his fruit business.   · I’m not sure why Akassia, T’Chai, or Nuuta were there     Our Thri-Kreen escort left us we rode our Crodlu for some time before we came upon a huge Fortress Caravan flying four red flags of House M’Ke being pulled by Mekillots. I’m not sure exactly what happened but somehow Akassia’s Crodlu wandered too closely to the Mekillot’s maw, and was eaten. Akassia managed to get free, and she called to those inside the caravan asking for compensation. They initially laughed at her, but I whispered she should mention the wrath of House Rees if she was not repaid. She couldn’t keep the name Aeolus of House Rees straight, and she said she worked with the Aeolians. At any rate, a rope ladder was lowered, and Akassia climbed aboard. We sat baking in the hot sun as we waited for an hour before Akassia returned, her purse clinking with 400 ceramic pieces she had received in compensation from Teego M’Ke.     Some time later, we arrived at the gates of Raam. There was a train of people waiting to subject their goods to inspection and to pay the 5-ceramic toll for entering the city. Because he’s a Thri-Kreen, T’Chai was turned away at the gate. Because she pissed off captain of the guard, Akassia had to pay 10 ceramics. Zwerk tended to Gar’s cart. Nuuta dashed off and disappeared.     As the rest of us walked through the Coin Quarter, a hive of scum and villainy, white, chalky, and oily ash filled the air and settled on every surface. We looked up at the gigantic Raam Crematory that loomed before us. Eager to get out of the choking air, we sought lodging at the Fat Gorak, a seedy, disreputable establishment and each paid 14 ceramics for a bed. Akassia and I knew asking people if they have seen rocks would make us seem simpleminded and foolish, so we silently agreed to let Gar do it. He asked the innkeeper who looked at him sideways and then went back to his business. Tired after our travels, we sought sustenance. A young serving girl Asseet served us drink, kebabs, eggs, and other morsels. I slipped her 5 ceramics to secure her loyalty and to have another set of ears and source of information in the city. Gar asked Asseet about the rocks, and she looked at him in confusion.     Gar once again brought up his healing fruit business, and my ears automatically began to tune out him and discussion of his dreams for healing fruit and Breakshore. *Sigh* The Half-Elf is forgetful and lost among people, but she can shoot. The beggar dwarf is annoyingly persistent but somehow he can keep us all standing in a fight. I do need allies in this hostile territory. For now our paths have converged and our goals are in alignment.     While I was lost in thought, a drunkard stumbled over and fell among the food on our table, moaning about being a dead man. He introduced himself as Taro, a tax collector for House M’Ke. Shelly, a seller of shells had smuggled in a shipment of chitin and other shells, and failed to pay Taro tariffs. Akassia made a deal with Taro that we would get a percentage of the owned sum if we helped him. He would also help us get into the Nobles’ Quarter. Shelly had apparently sold the shells to a sculptor, an armorer, and another individual.     We decided the sculptor would be the easiest to extract information from. We never suspected that the sculptor would be Ushuch, a legendary Half-Giant sculptor who does sculpture to suppress his anger. We impersonated Mansabar Templars who were there to confiscate the chitin and shells. We convinced Ushuch to give up 40 ceramics worth of shells, and left him the rest to make his sculpting tools. Gar was not happy that we had extorted him. Ushuch told us that Shelly has a slave girl girlfriend whom he often visits at the Crematory.     We looked for them at the Crematory and found Shelly and Xixi fornicating in the backroom. Akassia choked the naked Shelly with one hand and pinned him up against the wall. In his bag he had 300 ceramics and 100 ceramics worth of chitin. She convinced him to pay 10% more tariffs on all shipments during the next month, and to give Ushuch his next shipment for free. Gar was pleased.     We went back to Taro at the Fat Gorak. Taro too was pleased. He paid us 60 ceramics, sought the services of a tailor, and paid for Akassia and Gar’s tailoring. I took the chitin we acquired and sought out an armorer to fix my breastplate.     In the Nobles’ Quarter, the Alhamat Estate was throwing a lavish party. Before we approached the estate’s entrance, we were debating how to play it. Should I go in as myself? What if someone mistakes me as the other me? I probably should have brought a beard. Gar proposed the idea of slathering mud on my face and helping me grow a moss beard. Typical Gar. In the end, we decided I should act as myself. We approached as House Rees and company, and I flashed my signet ring, gaining us entry.     The party was intimate to say the least. We actually felt overdressed because half the guests were not wearing anything at all. Members of nearly every race save Thri-Kreen were present, so we really got to know their anatomy in ways we wished we hadn’t. All inhibitions were clearly thrown out the window. Akassia jumped right in and found some company. I used my psionic powers to search for sources of great power.     Gar was wandering around goggle-eyed as he looked for the red stone. He was so shocked from seeing the genitalia of so many species he actually fell onto a busy couple. I was drawn to an attractive and scantily clad, half-naked woman reclining on a chair. There was a man kneeling before her with his face busy at work between her legs. She appeared bored. I raised my wineglass at her and she did the same. She waved the man away and beckoned for me to come over. I told her that my friends and I were looking for business opportunities. She called me over to a private room.     “It has been a long time since I saw the face of Albeorn,” she said.     “What? Who is Albeorn?”     “If you do not know that, you know nothing. You are a lost puppy.”   “Who are YOU?”     “Tell Albeorn you are delivering a message from a Queen!”     The Queen shouted “Leave!” in a terrible voice that was half woman, half demon. The music stopped and all the guests scrambled to clear out. I was seized in an iron grip of psionic energy, slammed against the wall, and enclosed in crystal. Gar and a very naked Akassia came running in and the Queen conjured an obsidian sphere by drawing magic from both of them.     “You dare bring me a vessel of the king? You will go to the Pit!”     Then everything went black. I don’t remember much after that.     We awoke in darkness under a gigantic wooden box. Together we lifted up the box. Light spilled in and a great cry arose. We were naked save for loincloths. We were in a gigantic canyon where box seats were carved into the cliff wall.   The box seats were full of people shouting and clapping at our appearance.     As a former gladiator, I know an arena when I see it. I surveyed our surroundings. There were three ants as large as Mekillots moving to surround us.   As for weapons, there was only a barrel of crude clubs some distance from us.     Unclad and unarmed. Yes, indeed. We were in a tight spot.