Session 16: Common Interests
Brussendar 10-11. Catha is waxing crescent.
General Summary
Realizing that they may be in over their heads, a break-in team consisting of Gorem, Emeric, and Plundertooth decided to seek the aid of Ulfgar in covering up a series of crimes that they committed in the course of plundering the home of Aloysia Telfan in search of a journal owned by the tiefling scholar named Question. However, Aloysia was one step ahead of them and confronted the looters at the threshold of her home. She did not immediately summon the authorities, however, in fact she assisted in making sure that there would be no witnesses to the slaying of members of the Aurora Watch who had earlier tried to intervene in the burglary. Instead she made the criminals a deal: she would say nothing of the matter and even pay them for their services, if they worked together towards a common interest, which to her means reaching a site deep within the Betrayers' Rise, an evil temple that overlooks the town of Bazzoxan. With the promise of further discussion to follow, the group was allowed to leave and rejoin their friends at the Ready Room Inn.
The following morning, much discussion ensued on the best course of action. The Trusty Centaurs presented themselves to Verin Thelyss as promised, and he made plain that while their presence in his town would be tolerated, they were not so trusted as to be permitted free access to the Betrayers' Rise. Further, he let it be known that with the drums of war beating to the west against the Kryn Dynasty's continental rivals, the Dwendalian Empire, many of his forces had been diverted, jeopardizing progress he had made against routine demonic incursions from the temple and stretching his forces almost unbearably thin. He feared that in this moment of weakness, a cell of the Children of Malice was planning to strike, though where, when, and with what means remained unclear. He let our heroes know that increased cultist activity had been seen around the hidden entrance to a portion of the Rise known as the Queen's Cage, which lay a short trek to the west, among the foothills of the Penumbra Range mountains. He promised them a monetary reward and his full support in entering any portion of the Rise that they wished, should they disrupt the cult's activities and return with proof of having done so.
A meeting of sorts was held with Prolix Yusaf, the third visiting scholar in town, involving forensic investigation of a demon carcass and a revelation that while he was posing as an archaeologist, Prolix saw himself as a spy, sent to Bazzoxan to ascertain the true intentions and activities of Aloysia. While that is his main purpose in town, he did seem to relish prospect of a linguistic puzzle and to that end did agree (for a modest fee) to accompany the adventurers on a trek out of town to "read a sign."
Lastly, another meeting was had with Aloysia, wherein our protagonists indicated their desire to take her up on her offer to hire them as escorts for a trek within the temple. However, she indicated this task would be much easier should they acquire the permission of the Taskhand, Verin.
Rewards Granted
Actually, lost silver raven statue :-(
Character(s) interacted with
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Report Date
07 Jan 2025
Primary Location
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