Session 8: New Hives and Questionable Vibes

General Summary

The party last left off speaking to Alton Goodbarrel in the Ahrensport Dock Ward   Party stopped by Lord Vardas' Keep to make an appointment to see him the next day, then spent the rest of the afternoon looking for a place to get Zoran armor but found The Iron Woman after it closed

• Noticed the tall and short guards but did not engage/meet them

• Ate the "Bats but not bats" special and "Go Batty" drink
• Abe spoke with Jane Woodleav and learned that she works as a cleric for Helm in the temple district of Ahrensport, but it's not a very exciting job because the city isn't super religion-centric
• Abe slept at the Jolly Bats (storm looked to be coming in, didn't want to sleep on the deck of the ship) Bel and Zoran slept back on The Endeavor

• Met Banain, who was just opening up shop -- she made a comment about how he wasn't the iron woman (he replied "no, that would be my wife")
• After entering, he took a look at her and looked through the stock realized they didn't have any pauldrons her size (she's exceptionally built, that's typically made to order) but if offered if she brought it down to the smithy they could re-face what you've got for around 10 gold, and arrange for new padding and dressings for another 2 gold
• She made her way down to the smithy, sort of recognized Kaitryn Havenore, who was taking on the actual work and adding an etching of a dragon head for Bahamut. Went in to talk to the Iron Woman herself (Kali) and agreed on the price as quoted by Banain and said she could pick it up at the shop between 4:30 and 5pm.
• During the discussion, Kaitryn's name came up, and Zoran made the connection back to the way in, and remembered her father was a blacksmith in Vuhn -- asked about this and found out Kaitryn had been sending him letters but wasn't getting any back for weeks now. Zoran agreed to deliver a letter to her dad in Vuhn since they're heading that way. Zoran also asked if Kaitryn knew anyone in charge in Vuhn, which she didn't, but said Zoran could ask her dad when she meets him. Address to Donal's smithy (or home? TBD) is on the envelope.

• Whole area was very quiet, serene
• Did a religion check and found the Temple of Helm - Ahrensport
• Went in, saw Jane, chatted a bit -- found out that Jane pledged herself to Helm and was assigned to work in Ahrensport -- not really a super religious place or a common place for Helm's followers (more in Mitterdens) but she does see people come through for their travels
• Abe was very respectful and inquisitive, she offered to bless him
• Bless ceremony: sword in circle around him, hammered at the 4 cardinal points. Effectively the Dedication ceremony

• Khalib Saphbran brought them to Vardas' office, introductions made with Bel and Vardas and Khalib
• Lord Vardas would’ve heard of all trade not making it from Vuhn — if can stop it, he’ll offer them something... Khalib suggested - well let's see 2 weeks of lost sales thus far from Vuhn that are known of and probably another two weeks that we haven’t yet heard about because word travels far too slow — if you can stop this, I think half the import tax on the next two months shipments from Vuhn would be reasonable, no? Import tax is 4%, so 2% — based on historical data this should be roughly 400 gp (could have this immediately upon their return or wait two months to see if the actual is higher or lower)
• PCs chose to wait 2 months under the assumption that trade from Vuhn will be higher than historical data due to lack of recent shipments
• Bel asked if he could put a hive anywhere
• Vardas offered to show Bel around his gardens to find a suitable place
• Bel chose to put the hive off to the right side of the gardens, near the kitchen garden
• Summoned 10 bees
• Zoran and Abe asked if they could peruse his library again
• Looking for the Red Travel Journal again
• Not located on the same shelf as before
• Asked Khalib if he knew of it, or where it was, he said he wasn't familiar but would go ask the head maid if she had been rearranging
• Abe noticed that he seemed a little uncomfortable when he said that, but not sure why
• Eventually found it tucked in the drawer of a side table, underneath some sheaves of parchment
• Waited for Khalib to come back but he didn't, went back to Vardas's office and asked if they could take the journal with them -- he said sure, he didn't know it existed so he clearly didn't need it
• PCs asked him to let Khalib know they had it so that he didn't have to keep looking/asking around for it