Summary
CW: Capitalism, Genocide, Traumatic Survival Situations, Child Endangerment
The party has mysteries to solve, people to save, and now, a baby to take care of. The answers to all these things lie in the belly of the beast, so the party journeys to Acropolis, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Kauvet, to connect with old friends and new allies.
Synopsis
Thrown off balance by a series of shocking revelations, the party tries to piece together enough clues to figure out their next step.
The party knows that Biem is the son of Vincent’s former companion, Jox. They know Jox, who Vincent thought dead, is not only alive but has recently been imprisoned by the crown as a direct result of the party’s actions. Attempting to magically communicate with Jox, Vincent reaches out to him via the Sending spell for more information. Jox replies with only one word: “Graybone.” The party, at a loss for what that could mean, pulls all the resources they have to solve this cryptic clue. Otto contacts his wife in Little City, who is unable to help. Tasha reaches out to her old friend, Cassia in Acropolis. Cassia doesn’t answer the question, but rather gives Tasha a location in Acropolis to meet her immediately.
The party, sans Henry who disappeares into another portal with Fred the Pixie at his side, sets out toward Acropolis with Biem in stride. Aside from the stress and uncertainty of their current predicament, the party has a lost child, practically a baby, to take care of. They play games, collect rocks, examine magical artifacts, exchange gifts, tell bedtime stories and have dance parties.
After days of traveling together, including a close call with the less-than-trustworthy Brandash Alkite, the party is able to see first-hand just how harmful the king’s recent actions have been to people like Biem. Following a series of adventures together, Otto is crowned the King of Rocks, Biem is dubbed the Prince of Rocks and takes on a new changeling form as a mini recreation of Otto.
Arriving in the southern district of the capital city, the party heads directly to Cassia’s meeting location, a cafe/bakery nestled at the intersection of multiple districts including the Swamp. The party places their order waiting for Cassia, but soon the whole cafe has cleared out and a minotaur looking different than Cassia usually looks is standing in the shadows.
After a tense meeting full of exchanging cryptic information, Biem and Tasha are able to relax Cassia to the point where she agrees to bring the group to Graybone. She leads them through the Swamp to a secret entrance leading into the sewers and eventually into the bustling underground society of the Ratway.
Made up of wounded, merchants, tradesmen, fugitives, and insurgents against the crown, the Swamp Rats form the closest thing to a resistance the enemies of King Amias Lavandin have been able to pull together, and they hide right under his nose. They are led by a formidable dwarven warrior, tempered by over two centuries of battle and hardship. This is Graybone Brook, and the respect and fear he commands is immediately clear.
After a series of less-than-smooth interactions, he and the party find common ground. They are offered shelter in the Ratway and promised that, come morning, plans to find and rescue Jox and the other changelings, will be set in motion.
The group begins integrating into the Ratway, helping with upkeep and healing and meeting other members of the group. Before settling in for the night, Otto makes an unexpected call to an old companion and Tasha has a shrouded meeting with Cassia, who is masquerading as a barbarian among the Swamp Rats. Vincent tries to speak with Jox again and is more successful this time, but his imprisonment seems to spell more danger for all involved than they even considered.
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