Iketa

Life, Organisation Association

The group heads to Iketa to investigate a mysterious group called the Gilded Complex.

Session 69: Iketa
The group plans to leave Meinheld for Iketa in attempt to follow up on E4’s involvement with the Gilded Complex. On the day of departure, Shistner meets with Vel to address their conversation about the man that killed his family, the day before, and gives you two magic papers to get in contact with him if need be. Sal tells Alaine about the two people he heard scheming, the one night. She said she generally feels safe here, but she’ll keep a look out. The group discuss the uncertainty of teleportation via chis staff, and ultimately decide to start their journey with a tree stride assist from Keenor. Seconds before teleporting out, Axel rushes over and poorly attempt an Oath to Helm to Eri.
As Keenor opens up a tree to the outskirts of Iketa, Eri immediately becomes very sick, leaving her a shell of her former self, Tem scares a little farmer boy, and Sal goads him into breaking his tooth on a seed that was enchanted to taste like mulberries. The boy takes you to his grandma who falls in love with Sal when he asks directions to the city and invites you in for tea, which everyone refuses. After entering the Holy city of Iketa, Vel and Sal squabble over the plans for the day, as elves sporadically walk up to you and splash water on you from silver bowls. Tem looks for fast food, but is only recommended "Organic Foods of the Divine, come sit and stay a while."
So, you all head South of the city, and eventually find a butchershop/restaurant called Animal Slices, where you get a bunch of turkey and chicken legs, margaritas, and some extra sloppy Relmesh. Here you plan for half of you go shopping for potions, maps and stuff, the others to scout out the Wooden Thump Inn, and Tem sets a date with the waitress after she gets out of work. You all split, and on the south side town, Tem buys a map of Iketa and some rations from the Sweet General Store, and Brogg buys two potions of healing from the Majestic Incense. On the North side of town, the Vel and Chi do a perimeter of the Wooden Thump Inn, as Sal disguises himself as a weird old man named Gil, and head into the Inn. Once inside the divey building, Gil accosts the inn-keep, insulting his establishment several times to the man’s face in the process, and then proceeds to take in large quantities of alcohol. Altogether, the three a door inside that may lead out to a connected building on the south of the inn.  

Session 70: Fphthshphth
You find yourselves in Iketa, the religious hub of Bewylndir, seeking information on the Gilded Complex—a mysterious group linked to E4. Why? Well, for one they appear to have some connection to Semena Mertvyhk, an overzealous blood hunter who betrayed of Vel’s found family, the Ancestral Order. But secondly, you all had learned that an individual (Rockwell Clement’s former employer) tried to kidnap Rig to get to E4, the same individual that Brogg found was tied to the nightmare cult of Gogia. Perhaps they have ties to this Gilded Complex group as well.
This information could be paramount to finding a way to put a stop into your nightmarish decent into madness, as well as a corrupted mage’s ascent into political power. The upside to this, you know the phrase E4 was intended to say to the barkeep at the Gilded Complex, the downside, that’s all you know and E4 is not here.
Last session, Tem went on a date, while the rest of the crew talked over their plans for the Gilded Complex, particularly discussing the feasibility of acting as an "employee of E4." while Chi raised concerns about maintaining their cover. Before heading to the inn, the group visited the Phthth Festival, where Brogg, Chi, Eri, and Sal where the lucky chosen individuals to be blessed by High Priestess Uldrin, granting advantage on Wisdom checks and saves, and also, publicity. Chi and Vel visited Thilwin threads and you all prepared for your encounter. At the Wooden Thump Inn, unexpectedly crowded with close to 20 people (mostly all tourists), Brogg and Eri sat with an angry patron they quickly drove out of the bar, Vel bought beers for a trio of drunken brothers, and Sal waited for Tem at “The Grove”.  

Session 71: I’d like a cider, hold the apples.
Everyone meets at the bar, and Sal initiates with the code words, “I’ll have a cidar, hold the apples” to the bartender of the Wooden Thump Inn. Throughout the next hour or so, a signal is likely sent out by him, and a man with a stupid nose piercing enters the Inn, and eventually leads Sal out the back of the building. He’s followed by Vel, then Brogg, Chi, and Eri, then Tem, some of who followed a convenient trail of peanuts and mulberries, others who sped forward in stealth. Sal found himself in front of a woman who goes by Wick, and addressed himself as Klein.
Meanwhile, outside the rest of the party had spotted/or been spotted by several brown cloaked individuals, and decided attempt to knock them unconscious. First, Vel snuck up on the north only to miss his attack, and end up in a knock down brawl before the front door of the house Sal was in. In the south, Eri, Chi, and Brogg together did succeed in knocking him out, but not before him yelling for another goon to come to his aid.
During this, inside the building Sal attempted to pass himself off as an employee of “The Weapon” (E4), and draw some information out of Wick. Wick suspiciously proceeded to inquire about Kleins motives, the specifics on “the Weapon,” as well as its whereabouts, but grew frustrated and anxious as she was met by deflection. And just as Vel and the cloaked figure wrestled their way toward the front door of the building, Wick left Sal in the room and enacted a plan which sent a torch hurtling into his room which was also full of black powder and it exploded.
Chaos ensued as the fractured groups of the CR5, coalesced with the each other and the Gilded Complex, where all of you found that none of the three desperate plans went as they were supposed to, and also Tem was no where in sight. With some Complex heading southeast, some heading east, and one of the randomly sprinting west, you all begin to follow in various directions. Chi lands a clutch brand of castigation on one, but between some nasty brushes with poisoned weaponry and encroaching guards, your plans quickly revert to damage control as you all begin to flee. In attempt to ward off a guard that’s getting dangerously close to where the rest of the group is, Sal breaks invisibility to suggest a guard to call the fire martial on the burning building.  

Session 72: Selunite Hideout
In Iketa, you set out to investigate the Gilded Complex, a secret assassin guild who seem to be connected to figures like E4, Rockwell Clement, and Semena Mertyvyk, and potentially more. You set out leverage E4’s meeting with the complex as a means to find answers, however a series of miscommunications and misfortunes, resulted in a botched meeting forcing the Complex to abort their mission. You retreated back to “The Grove” (a few people saw Sal and Eri), but not before kidnapping one of the Complex henchman, who turned out to be a very small Giff named Doo Meng, a former pirate turned assassin who sailed with Captain Shou Long Bou, and the Bou Battalian which had kidnapped him at a young age and turned him to a life of piracy. He reveal to you that the aim of the explosive was not necessarily to kill Sal, but as a fail-safe in case their handoff was comprised, and their dangerous secret weapon instead turned on them. Doo Meng then offered intel in exchange for helping him free his loose-lipped friend and initiator into the Complex, Knife Switch (a.k.a Ermin). You all struck an accord, and he revealed that Ermin told him, that Wick is 1) very sexy, and 2) has a hire-up in the Complex, one who she is threatened by. After promising him an entire boat, Doo Meng joined you all as Chi tracked down one of the branded Complex members to an old Selunite Church in woods northeast of the city. As several of you stealthed forward, you heard members on the inside speculating on the identity and prowess of who you know to be E4, before Doo Meng gave you positions away, leading to a fight, and the brutal execution of Knives Snap and Crackle, and sparing only Pop who ran off into the night. You all ventured down basement, through a hidden entrance, into the temple catacombs, throwing Crackle’s head down the stairs each time you entered a new room. Here you found Switch, locked up and unconscious, for his gossip and disloyalty. After you freed him, he explained that Wick was brought into the Complex as a partner to their leader, but was deceived and manipulated into her role and now operates under the threat of exposure. You all proceed further down disarming most of the traps along the way, until you can here Wick’s voice coming from a terminal corridor, “Jawrek’s little shipment has clearly been compromised. And if its as dangerous as he says, then there’s not much we can do here. Jath, take Pops crew and make preparations to held to Bewylndir. You’re heading out at first light.” You all race past a dangerous electrical trap, inevitably disarming it with a 3rd level spell just in the nick of time and preventing its loud buzz from giving away your presence, before finding yourself before a long descending staircase, which you promptly threw Crackle’s head down one more time.  

Session 73: Diplomacy with Wick
After an aggressive entry into the ancient Selunite catacombs to kill the assassins known as the Gilded Complex, tensions eased as Vel and Wick agreed to exchange information under Eri’s Zone of Truth. You learned about the Gilded Complex’s inner workings and revealed details about the Coast Guard and E4, but what truly caught Wick’s attention was Sal’s offhand remark about killing her boss. Wick had met Jawrek through a friend, agreeing to divide territory—he controlled Bewylndir while she oversaw Iketa. However, she soon realized he manipulated her, using her past and deeds as leverage. Jawrek and a mage from Behemith, Kurren, are the last surviving members of the original guild, which E4 appears to have played a large role in dismantling. Shortly after, the Coastguard uncovered intelligence regarding the Complex’s "secret weapon," and systematically eliminated the few Complex left involved in the dismantling of E4, leaving Jawrek as the only known survivor. Wick revealed Jawrek bases at the Traveler’s Rest Bathhouse in Kinspire and suggested meeting at the Nook Tavern in around two weeks. Plans were made to infiltrate and eliminate him, with Wick offering entry but advising against a reckless approach. Tem suggested luring him out, and Wick noted their knowledge of E4, Rig, and Tem could be useful. Before parting ways, the group looted the sarcophagus of a once highly influential priestess and procured a very nice scimitar which they handed off to Vel. Vel focused on attempting to seduce Wick, inviting her to travel with them. Everyone else camped in the cathedral, except Eri, who stayed upstairs, and Vel, who returned to The Grove to await Wick. You all chose next to head to Bewylndir where, a Pheonix Stockhouse, Berezhki, and the Gilded Complex and more wait for you.  

Session 74: Arrival in Bewylndir
We opened last time with Sal having a nightmare about the sword he and Tem stole for Vel, and also Brogg having a nightmare about Sal having a nightmare about the sword they stole. Vel met with Wick one last time, and got a napkin schematic of “The Traveler’s Respite,” the bath house owned by the Gilded Complex. Everyone regrouped at the temple, and breifly debated putting Vel's new sword back, but ultimately shelved it and teleported to Bewyldnir with Chi.