Session 44
The following morning, Gaston came to the Gruesome Hamsters inn once again to find Typhon and a bruised Bloodbane eating breakfast. He approached them and informed them that their mutual employer had work for them and that he was waiting on them. The two adventurers finished off their meals, and then accompanied Gaston to Redford Keep. The morning was a nice sunny one and there were lots of people out on the streets taking care of their businesses and running errands. They arrived at the ramp leading into the keep after a short and brisk walk. Gaston led the two through the hallways and up into the second floor to the office of Qidius Hazeflower.
They opened the heavy wooden door and there sat Qidius at his desk chatting with Parker Adams. Qidius looked at Bloodbane and Typhon and gave them a smile. He turned to his long trusted lieutenant, Parker, and dismissed him. Parker gave him a puzzled look, his eyes darting back and forth between Qidius and the Party members. He had never been dismissed like this before, as respectful as it was, and it was certainly never in front of low level operatives. Nevertheless, Parker got up and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Qidius greeted his new agents warmly and bade them to take a seat. He took a breath and began to speak softly, as he usually did. He informed them that he had some recent information about a minor noble named Emynwell Dalicarlia, who lives nearby outside of Elderburgh. According to the information, Lord Dalicarlia had been supplying their enemies with weapons. Their mission was to stop the flow of weapons, preferably by eliminating Lord Dalicarlia. Typhon and Bloodbane agreed, and Qidius provided them with directions to the Dalicarlia estate.
It was a rather short jaunt to Lord Dalicarlia's estate. The home itself sat on about two acres worth of land, and the house was a two story wooden structure, that was rather expansive both north and south. A gravel path lined with shoulder-high hedges led to the front door where two soldiers stood guard. Typhon and Bloodbane decided to attempt a stealth approach, and sneaked around the north side of the manor. There, Typhon cast prestidigitation and managed to draw the attention of both guards. As they came around to investigate, Bloodbane prepared himself to strike. The guard rounded the corner and Bloodbane cut him in half with a single blow. The second guard looked on in shock and awe as Bloodbane's axe cleaved him wide open as well. That was surprisingly easy. Typhon took a good long look at one of the dead guards and cast disguise self.
The pair approached the door and prepared to enter. Typhon, disguised as one of the guards, knocked on the door while Bloodbane hung back. An elderly dark-skinned man with a kind face opened and greeted the familiar face of the guard standing in front of him. Typhon ushered the old man, Lord Dalicarlia, into the house and closed the door behind him. He told the noble that there was a dangerous person on the grounds, and that he must barricade himself into his room. Without questioning, Lord Dalicarlia headed straight for his study where he locked the door. A moment later, Bloodbane entered the house. The two of them - Bloodbane and the disguised Typhon - proceeded to make a ruckus to make it appear as though a fight had broken out. Typhon called out to the frightened lord and beckoned him to come out. As soon as he opened the door, Bloodbane shoved himself into the room, forcing Lord Dalicarlia back toward the window. Bloodbane restrained him without incident.
Typhon stepped forward and the terrified noble demanded an explanation. The elf wizard transformed back into his normal self and then began to interrogate Lord Dalicarlia. Typhon cast his charm spell and soon Lord Dalicarlia began telling them everything. It was all true: Lord Dalicarlia and others had been supplying weapons and material to forces in the east. But not to the destination expected. They had been sending them to the soldiers and militias out there, since they could get no help from the capitol. A handful of nobles decided to take it upon themselves to supply their defenses, while they continued to work at higher levels to gain support. This flew in the face of what Qidius had told them. Could his information have been wrong? Nevertheless, Lord Dalicarlia showed Typhon and Bloodbane the weapons that were due to be shipped out the next day.
The two confused adventurers took Lord Dalicarlia back to Elderburgh, riding straight to Redford Keep. They hoped to find Parker Adams and seek his council. As luck would have it, Parker was walking out of the castle just at the moment they pulled up. They approached him and asked for a quick, discrete meeting. Parker agreed, and the group of them went to the nearby Mute Alligator Bar. While there, they explained the situation to Parker, and they were able to convince Lord Dalicarlia to cease his shipments of weaponry. Parker ordered a round of honeymeade for the entire table and Typhon requested a private audience with him outside. Parker and Typhon stepped outside and Parker asked about Qidius. He asked what kind of person he was and how he responds to this kind of alteration of his directives. And lastly, he asked what he should do. Parker attempted to comfort him, and told him that Qidius is generally fairly calm and that they should just tell him the truth. Parker concurred and the pair returned to Bloodbane and collected the pair before returning to the keep.
As they pulled up to the castle, they could see Qimys running around and playing. Qidius stood there smiling. Until he saw Lord Dalicarlia and his gear in tow with Bloodbane and Typhon. Parker walked over to Gaston, who was waiting alongside Qidius. The older man's face quickly turned from a smile to a scowl. He demanded to know why Lord Dalicarlia was there and more importantly, why he was alive. Typhon began to explain that the noble had actually been funneling weapons to soldiers and militia fighting the goblins, not to goblins themselves. Qidius looked at the elf adventurer and frowned. He mentioned how disappointed he was and how he had hoped that they could work together. Now, he realized that that would not be a possibility and that he would have to take matters into his own hands. He wanted to show these sniveling sycophants that claim nobility based on birth that the common man holds the true power. With that, clashed his fists together in front of him, opening a portal behind him. Qidius threw Qimys through the black, swirling tear in space and time. He gave Parker and Gaston orders to finish them off and then he stepped through the portal himself. It slammed shut behind him.
Parker and Gaston turned to a bewildered Typhon and Bloodbane. Parker shook and extended his neck in an unnatural manner. He transformed in front of everyone into a grey, featureless figure. Parker had been a doppleganger! The creature and Gaston attacked, but Typhon shot off a quick cast of Bibsby's Hand and seized the being. Bloodbane dodged Gaston's dagger strikes and quickly returned the favor with his axe, slaying the spy that he had known and fought side-by-side with for weeks now. It pained him, but Bloodbane cut down Gaston with a few quick swings of Ravager. Typhon, meanwhile, crushed the doppleganger in his ghostly hand. The creature went limp and Typhon dropped it.
Bloodbane and Typhon looked at each other and ran upstairs to Qidius's office. There they found the real Parker Adams tied up, gagged, and beaten laying on the floor. The untied and revived him. Typhon explained what had happened and Parker explained his side of events. They went and got Sylrieth from her room across the hall and explained that Qimys had been taken. After calming down, she reminded the others that the dwarves of Clan Hammersmith had one part of the Staff of Bael while the ancestors of The Tuvocan Empire received the third part. Qidius now had the Eye of Bael and was likely looking for the other two parts.
The group discussed strategy briefly, and Parker decided that he would travel to Sunhall to petition King Reynard Summerbrace for assistance, while Sylrieth would seek the help of her sisters in the Sisterhood of the Gentle Snow and the Party would travel to meet with the dwarves of Clan Hammersmith.
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