Session XIV: At the Manticore Tavern
General Summary
The Party have come by a long and weary road to reach Lyspont, chief city of the Kingdom of Novarra. At their friend Chareth's behest, they make tentative plans to continue to the Cutestory Estate, Chareth's ancestral home. From a gate-side notice board, they learn of bandits threatening the road they plan to take, so, being enterprising sorts, they visit the office of the Lord Mayor, Asher, to negotiate a bounty. Afterward, they proceed to the Manticore, Lyspont's most popular tavern, where they had planned to meet Chareth. There, Ragal and Jessie arrange a coach from the barkeep and Ye-Haul franchise manager. Zélie strikes up a conversation with another group of adventuring types at a tavern table. They recognize the monk and her companions thanks to their familiarity with Stefano Stonewell and his songs about the Party. However, they promptly reveal themselves to be mean girls when they start to mock Stefano and insinuate that Zélie and her party are cut from the same tacky cloth as the bard. Lykee meanwhile makes the acquaintance of a nobleman, Lord Vincent, Duke of Kypwe, who says that he has come to town for an important council called by the king. Before Vincent can say more, however, Lykee's attention is drawn to a group of taven toughs who have begun to threaten Ragal and Jessie once they realized they had been traveling with Chareth. During a tense standoff, the toughs brag about capturing and delivering many a Cutestory for their unnamed employer. Confident of their own prowess, they attack the Party there in the tavern as the other patrons look on, but through a deft mixture of magical commands and suggestions, dexterous trickery, and Ragal's magical steed, the Party easily defeat them, running down the last of the brutes, a rapscallion named Polecat, in an alley behind the tavern. There, they rescue Chareth, who had been jumped and kidnapped earlier by these thugs. Back in the Manticore, Chareth thanks the Party for his rescue. He and Vincent reunite and the Party learn that they are lifelong friends. With Chareth vouching for them, Vincent agrees to divulge more about the council, even inviting the Party to come tell the king what they know. However, Chareth tells them that he will not attend, as he believes his business at home is too urgent. He gives Vincent and our heroes permission to speak on his behalf.
Character(s) interacted with
- Vincent Kypwe
- Chareth Cutestory
- Polecat
- Skeeter
- Ricardo
