The Devonshire Problem

Sessions 14 - 19

The party takes some time to recover from the events in Two Pines, relaxing and attending to personal errands in Nettle Lake. However, Qas and Bara notice that they are being watched and followed. Looking to regroup and avoid trouble, they meet with Rayne at the Dancing Keg Inn and decide to head, as a group, to the library to see if they can drum up any new information about the Amaelian family and Verant. After finding some potential leads, the party returns to The Dancing Keg Inn, only to be confronted by the men of the Devonshire family. Orryn Devonshire insists that the party needs to repay him for the damage they did to his son, Badelyn, during the encounter in Miller's Bend. The party cows the merchant and his entourage, but he swears that the party has not heard the last of them.
The following day, Bara informs the party of some leads about the Amaelians she found during her reading. Still uneasy after their run-in with the Devonshire family, the party decides to head to the library as a group again. En route, they run into Captain Engelson, who informs them that Orryn Devonshire has enacted a civil suit against them, and that they should stay in the local area and try to avoid trouble. Several hours later, having completed their research at the library, the party starts to return to their homes when they spot someone being accosted in a nearby side road. Sensing something is amiss, they follow cautiously, springing a failed ambush by Malorek, and the remnants of his gang. The party is able to defeat and capture some of their would-be attackers, though Malorek is able to escape yet again. During the encounter, however, he lets slip that his group had been hired to attack the group, which the party relays to the local guards. Intrigued, Captain Engelson promises to look into the situation personally before the party finally returns to their homes.
In an attempt to lay low, the party starts spending more of their time at the library, researching clues into Verant and the Amaelians. One day, they notice a member of the City Guard subtly sliding the librarian Bilia something. She points the guard to the party, and he moves to engage them in conversation, introducing himself as Officer Jespen and stating that Captain Engelson wants them to start looking into the plot against them. The party senses that something is wrong, playing along but when he leaves, they confront Bilia. She tries to lie to them about her connection to the man, but they catch her and learn that he is probably not a member of the guard, and that she knew him from "before she worked at the library." They take this information to Captain Engleson, who is concerned by the development and vows to look into the issue, telling them that if anything else comes up, to talk only to one of her sergeants, whom she trusts. The party agrees and heads out to gather character witnesses for their case against the Devonshires when they spot the shady guardsman in plainclothes. They stalk him to a poorer section of town, watching him enter a flophouse that they identify as a likely haven for criminals. The party questions some of the locals and learn that the business is a front for Malorek's gang, which they report back to the sergeant of the guard. He lets them know that while the guard will look into the business, without hard evidence, any action by the guard will take time and investigation. The following day, the party heads back to the library to continue their research when "Officer Jespen" returns and tries to get them to raid Malorek's hideout. The party refuses, toying with him and egging him on without revealing that they are on to him. Finally, in a huff, he bids them farewell and leaves them to their books.
After a long week of waiting, the court date for the party to meet with the local magistrate finally arrives. After a tense wait, the party is escorted into Magistrate Balus's chambers, where they square off with Orryn and Badelyn Devonshire. Each side is given the chance to present their case; and while Bara and Qas make good arguments about their actions in Miller's Bend, Orryn and Badelyn are able to weasel out a solid case against them thanks in no small part to Rayne losing her temper during questioning. Ultimately, Magistrate Balus rules against the party, but defers his sentencing for two days at the party's request so they can receive the character references they had sent for, placing Rayne in probation and forbidding her from leaving town. Orryn is displeased, but takes his victory and leaves the chambers with a smug sneer. Disheartened by the loss in court, and the impending judgement, the party is spurred to action. They start planning to raid Malorek's hideout, if not to prove any ties between the thug and the shady Devonshire family, then to at least take out one of their immediate adversaries and (hopefully) endear themselves further to the law enforcement of Nettle Lake. Finally agreeing to make a night raid against the gang the following evening, the party prepares for the battle that lies ahead.
After sneaking up to Malorek's hideout, and scaring off the guard, they walk into the building, taking the other gang members by surprise. There is a tense exchange where the party tries to bluff their way in to the hideout, but things turn sour and a fight breaks out. The brawl takes several minutes, and has several close calls for the party, but the party is able to finally take down Malorek. They loot the hideout and gather up the survivors, marching them to the nearest guard house. Malorek manages to cause a diversion, which allows his men to escape, but can't get away and is turned over to the authorities. The party is promised a reward at the guard main headquarters the following day, which they claim on their way to court. Captain Engelson is suprised to discover that the party was responsible for taking down Malorek's gang, and thanks them for their efforts, promising to send men to look into the hideout immediately. With nothing more they can do, the party heads to the magistrate's chambers to await his final sentencing for Rayne.
At court, Magistrate Balus finds Rayne guilty of "use of undue force," and fines her 250 gold to pay for the healing that Badelyn Devonshire required, as well as serving a week in jail. He does not award Orryn any additional damages, and places the blame for the assault solely at the feet of the young Devonshire. Orryn swears once again that the party has not seen the last of him and storms out as the guards escort Rayne to the prison. While Rayne is imprisoned, the Bara and Qas manage her affairs in town, and lets Wrellen Demiers know about the events that transpired. On the day of Rayne's release, Captian Engelson arrives at the Dancing Keg Inn and escorts Qas and Bara to the magistrate's chambers where they meet with Rayne, Wrellen, and a very confused Orryn Devonshire. Captain Engelson explains that Malorek confessed to conspiring with Orryn to take down the party, then arrests Orryn on the spot. On his way out the door, Orryn curses the party as "a rag-tag group of Red Blade outcasts," which the party jokingly adopts as their official moniker before heading out for celebratory drinks at the Dancing Keg Inn.

Relations

Protagonists

• Bara

• Rayne

• Qas

Allies

• Wrellen Demiers - The innkeeper of the Dancing Keg Inn, and Rayne's landlord. His popular establishment offers the party a place to regroup and meet publicly, as well as a place to spend time among friends and allies.
• Captain Engelson - The captain of the Nettle Lake City Guard responsible for Rayne's juvenile arrests, she finds herself helping the party take down their criminal adversaries.

Neutrals/Bystanders

• Bilia Underbottom - A custodian at the Nettle Lake Library responsible for maintaining the building and helping patrons navigate the collection.
• Master Hillenfield - The curator for the Nettle Lake Library, and a ravenous bibliophile.
• Magistrate Balus - The local magistrate for Nettle Lake, the elderly Balus is seen as a beacon of honesty and justice in town.

Adversaries

• The Devonshires - Orryn and his son Badelyn are known in merchant circles to be a bit underhanded and ruthless in their dealings.
• Malorek - A local gang leader in Nettle Lake known as "The Bloody Fist," with a reputation for ruthlessness and brutality.
• "Officer Jespen" - A man claiming to be a member of the City Guard, but appears to actually be working for the criminal underground.

Parent Plot

Making a Name in Coralous

Related Locations

• Nettle Lake (Town)