ATG Mission 9 - Time Catches Up

Previously on Liters of Tomorrow...

Blizzard Hops, Baji, Eula, and Akuma found themselves teleported by the piece of the control rod to Kalevoor Castle.  It seemed to sense it's other version of itself in this timeline and flared to life directing you into the castle.  Inside however was a professor Marius Domalus hosting a rather genteel seminar on ornithology and magic based evolution of species of birds.  He allowed you free run of the castle and only asked for some conversation and information about a certain princess Mewtoolian Moon.  
In reality the professor was the dangerous psionic dragon known as Malavoor Doh'Malis and castle Kalevoor his lair.  He brutally beat the team down capturing most of them and forcing Blizzard Hops to call out to Mew using a psychic distress call.  Mew rallied Vom Fass and Karnac to attempt a rescue operation and they used Vom Fass' teleportation spell to arrive at the castle. 
Meanwhile, Eula had fled into the mirror dimension utilizing her magic items keeping her safe from the dragon but cut off from her teammates.  She slipped away in the underground lair of the dragon and found herself in the dragon's summoning chamber.  An egg shaped device made of a smooth black stone sat in the center of the room.  Using her vast arcane knowledge Eula opened the device to find a human man within.  The two spoke and calmed themselves with some tea. He introduced himself as Ijin a man seemingly unbound from his reality.  The man utilized his healer's kit to bind some of Eula's wounds and they set out to help Eula's friends escape their bonds. 
Karnac and Vom Fass took off into the air using Karnac's tattoo wings and Mew mounted her horse Nightmare to ride up heroically to the castle gates.  Karnac and Vom Fass found blizzard Hops bound to the massive ice spire in the center of the castle.  These blue crystal ice spires seemed to be the energy source and engine of the floating island that Kalevoor Castle sits upon.  Freeing Hops they were attacked by some of the servants who turned out to be disguised Nothics.  Despite taking some necrotic damage they easily dispatched them.  
From their they descended down into the castle's depths guided by Hops who knew the way.  In the great circular dragon chamber they faced Malavoor himself flanked by a demon and a tentacled mind witness.  From the far side of the chamber appeared Ijin and Eula.  Utilizing teamwork rarely seen amongst them Karnac, Vom Fass and Mew created a strong frontal strike while Ijin and Eula engaged the dragon on the ground.  Getting into dangerously close proximity Ijin used his sword to strike the underside and then leapt onto the dragon, distracting it enough for the rest of the team blast it with spells and psionic blades until it fell.  With the dragon defeated the team freed their compatriots and once more used Vom Fass' teleportation circle to travel back to Tellenor.  The remaining guests of the castle with their brain washing removed traveled with you and now are being helped by the local townsfolk.  
Though tired and physically beat up all of you went to the Blizzard Hops Tavern and distillery for a drink.  The strange man known as Ijin Matsushige joined you briefly and then began to walk the town's streets deep in thought.  He struck up a conversation with one of the children in town who took an interest in his sword.  Suddenly several portals opened and a squad of TVA officers trained their guns upon him accusing him of several time crimes.  Let's return now to the streets of Tellenor...

Plot points/Scenes

Begin in Tellenor

Ijin, you stand there still and calm as the strange men surround you. The air around you crisp and cold since we are in Penthaheim winter as well. Just cold enough to create a small puff of white as you breathe out. The leader's helmet is marked with a white paint which reads INV5684. "Ijin Matsushige, I am TVA investigator 5684 and you are under arrest for unauthorized and dangerous travel through time and space. Drop your weapon and put your hands in the air." These strange soldiers also have puffs of white as they breathe which means they are here and not projections and illusions. Petey Pollivar huddles at your knees clearly terrified but trying to act tough. "Ikki and Pip ain't gonna believe this one...". Ijin what would you like to do?
[If he tries to talk his way out of this some responses "Look pal tell it to your council my only job is to bring you in." OR the classic "I don't care!"  if Ijin asks what his crimes are he can list a few "Moving between timelines either physically or moving one's conciousness, Traversing parallel dimensions without a license, Breaking laws pertaining to spatial positioning in spacetime, look man, I'm just here to bring you in.  Drop your weapon and come peacefully.  You council will be provided to you once you are in custody.]
The rest of you are not far off roll perception checks to see if you hear any of this. As some of the troopers see members of the original Adventure Team Grimm they scream in alarm. "Commander! HVT's in sight highly dangerous!" The commander responds with "I see them!" He speaks into a comms device built into his helmet "This is agent 6501 requesting backup! Send in the 1027!! I repeat send in the 1027!!" A portal opens above you and a huge mechanoid drops through. As it hits the ground it kicks up rocks and dirt and lands with a small earthquake level thud. Roll a dexterity saving throw! [A DC 16 or below means a PC is knocked prone and takes 2d6 damage.]

As ATG finished the battle or close to it a final portal will open. A human woman with a stern face probably in her sixties walks forward. She has no weapons just a clipboard with documents, she wears a dark grey pant suit with long dark green jacket with big silver buttons going down the front. Her hair is pulled back neatly under a tight grey beret like cap.
"Cease all hostilities! I bring a proclamation." She pulls down a scroll on her clipboard. " Adventure Team Grimm your case file has been placed into observation. I see by your blank stares that you maybe having trouble following me. It means the TVA hasn't deciphered the reason you are time jumping and has determined that your movements aren't voluntary. Therefore some outside force, divine or interdimensional is forcing this upon you. You and those that associate with you are considered off limits by our investigators and troopers. Until something changes in your situation you will no longer hear from us." [DM Note: this is TVA head of operations Jenna Sivolka a human woman in her 60's that looks a lot like Roseanna Arquette from severance.]
At this point the team should be pretty beaten up and tired, they can grab a drink and then grab a long rest. When they arrive back at the Owlbear's Egg they encounter Bert, Belba, and Yorus who are still getting the place ship shape and up to snuff. They have gathered any belongings that survived the explosion of the Void Omen and are purchasing new stores for the place. Bert will approach with a list and bills for the team.
"Welcome back you lot! Lady Mew aren't you a sight to see and you have brought several guests as well." He leads you inside to the wide open bar space and instead of the moldy old alcohol smell and dusty surfaces you see a polished bar and smell fresh wood cleaner. Belba stands behind the bar stocking some new bottles and waves. Yorus Carobelt walks in with a knit bag of fresh onions and sees Hops and all of you. He walks right up to hops a tear forming in his eyes "Master Hops, I just wanted to thank you for savin' me life. It's the best thing anyone has ever done for me."
Belba offers a meal if anyone is hungry. "Plenty of tables and chairs in here and I've wiped everything down. I've got a stew on or some roasted rabbit cooked with fried potatoes. Anyone hungry?" Bert heads behind the bar and pulls out some Blizzard Hops whiskey and taps a hogshead of ale. "Drinks on me! who needs one!"
Next The three show you to the several rooms upstairs. Each has been properly outfitted with sheets and a wash basin and chamber pot. Most of you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow. The following morning who wakes first and what do you do?
A knock can be heard at the front door. As Bert heads over to answer it he mutters to himself "Now who could that be this time of morning..." At the door stands Arfred Willowhorne the head detective of the Kerraguard with his partner Krin Birch. "Was wondering If I could have a word with Hops or the drow woman. Possibly that rabbit fellow as well. We are looking for Stullius Stirge and we wondering if any of them had seen him. There were reports of loud noises and screams coming from the stirge house a few nights back and you lot exiting the building. Care to give me a report of the goings on there?" He looks down at his notebook "We found an enormous amount of blood splatter on the floors throughout the upstairs living space. I had a Dwindlehooke in their to take a look at pieces of some kind of magical stone as well. He confirmed some summoning magic, what did you folks see?"

Enric Maglar Lenshear

At some point during the day as you move about town you are approached by a young elven man in a fine red jacket. He introduces himself as a paige working for Lord Lenshear from the Fletching. "Master Lenshear would like to have a meeting with you at your earliest convenience. He is staying at the Green Arch Inn at the pleasure of the Duke."
Meeting with Lenshear you see a splendidly dressed elven man with short white hair and a strange monacle over his right eye. He wears a bright red coat and dark grey pressed pants. A light purple shirt can be seen at the collar and the cuffs. There are gold and silver metallic insets at most of the seams sewn into the clothing. He looks confidently at you as you cross the room.
[DM Note: anyone who tries to pickpocket or touch Lenshear will take a strong electric shock Con Save DC 18. If he is attacked or molested he will teleport away using a device he has constructed or possibly fly into the air. ]
"Ah, the experienced travelers known as Adventure Team Grimm, I was saddened to hear of your employer's death. My condolences. I am looking for a man you used to associate with, a King Arric Lee. He was said to be last seen sailing aboard your vessel the Wet Dream. He is in possession of an artifact I am looking to acquire. Believe me no harm will befall him and I will offer him a good price for the item."

Themes

The Jolar Skinners - 

No matter which tavern or bar they are at there are a group of mercenaries in town known as the Jolar Skinners.  This group of powerful sellswords and warriors has left their army contracts and banded together to use the chaos of the current war to rape, steal and pillage the other parts of Penthaheim left behind. Most of them were contracted by one of the armies to act as soldiers but either defected or were left behind due to injury. Now they roam the middle of the country in loose bands looking for cheap or free beer and push around the denizens of small towns for weeks on end until their fun is over.
Most of the group is made up of humans, dwarves, and half orcs who are skilled fighters and rangers. Many of then come from the barbarian tribes of the Aerodon steppe. The Jolar settlement is known for producing skilled fighters and barbarians.
They will goad and bully anyone in their way and they are not afraid of starting a fight.  They are harassing the denizens of Tellenor, stealing coin, hitting on women in a lewd way and even flaunting the Kerraguard who are not at their best right now after the occupation.
You hear a slam of the side door of the tavern and a woman runs out tears in her eyes.  The door slams open once more and a muscular human man rushes out with a hungry grin. "Come on Love, we aren't finished yet!  Let's find a private place to continue this..."

Structure

Exposition

Skinners in Town - 
Ristabo Haunch - a half orc man and a barbarian.  He is your tradtional dark green skin yellow tusked Half orc.  He has a large black pony tail of hair that hangs down his back.  He looks a lot like Jason Mamoa and smiles often when he sees woman of any type
Calios Storm - Human, fighter - Looks a lot like Jon Bernthal, tight close cropped hair big scar on his lip and black leather armor arrayed with pouches.
Shayne Cogburn - Human Fighter - Dark Maroon Shirt and brown curly hair.  Wears chain mail underneath and favors a sword.  He often twirls a small dagger on his finger and has the mark of a leader. 
Beschloss - Half Orc Barbarian.  Bald with lime green skin.  His lower jaw and chin are huge and outfitted with tusks he hasn't chiseled in months.  Ravenously hungry and will deman food and drink over and over. 
Warden Gentle - Dark black dreadlocks and dark skin, he wears a navy blue dyed leather armor which marks him as a former soldier for The Army of Penthos.  He stands back and watches everyone ready to pounce on a caster or cleric.  He looks a lot like Idris Elba.
Krazno - Full on Orc, and he is large.  Stands almost 9' feet tall and his belly and chest are very round and he wields a big axe.  He can almost never fit into buildings so he either sits out back or out front waiting for someone to bring him an entire keg of ale.

Conflict

NOTES the Citizens of Tellenor :
-Paste Pot Pete Pollivar is married to Trusilla Fane. They have a son named Petey Pollivar.Carpenter
- Gerebor Grummsh, He is married to a human man named Estabor. They have a son named Rilius.
-Alchemist - Rasturus he is allied with the Cog and Gear
-Armorer - Blassy Aninore, human woman. She is married to a human man named Zork Clemmon. They have two kids a boy named Porty and a daughter named Rizza.
-Smithy - Gorbus Broluton a Dwarven man married to a human woman named Cassy Broluton. They have a daughter and a son named Imogene and Rusty.
-Clarus Spice Market - Keregano Clarus, human man is married to a half elven woman named Augustine Clarus. Temple to Corsun - Perrilan Nuct, Human man
-Artificer- Gazza Dwindlehooke, gnome man allied with the Cog and Gear
-Honcho Stables - Honcho Panza, human man is married to a dwarven woman named Lassis Groundtooth. They have a son named Villi.
Karbulon Bazzaar - Ellerin K’arbulon
-Leatherworks - Velebrush Athagar, Half-orc man
-Morchu Hammerash is the smith of the Cog and Gear he is married to Parna Eve of the Blizzard Hops Tavern.
-Hooper’s General Store - Mr. Hooper, an elderly human man who is going senile.
-Nock’s Clothier - Westarius Nock an Elderly Tiefling man and his wife a half elven woman named Estelle Nuct. She is the mother to Perrilan Nuct.

Plurius Docks, dockmaster - Sestun Trev a Water Genasi man and other workers are Gustav Graves a human man, Abal Amal a Tiefling woman, and a dwarven woman named Umber Stumpf.
-Scribes and Noble - Erandelle Yostele, Drow Woman
-Shrine to Azurat - A female Aasimar named The Weave's Touch. She is assisted by a firbolg man named Cave Carson
-Stirge’s Sting Distillery - Stullius Stirge. He will be responsible for using the gem in the cave. He is getting revenge on Blizzard Hops and the underwing brewery and SMOG for destroying his business!
Tellurian Glass - Teluris Amasur, Tiefling man
Green Arch Inn - Gaelus Durriban, Halfling man is the owner. Inside the Green Arch inn is storefront for the Courier company known as SwiftWing Messages. This is a business run by an Aarokocra couple who have a son named Ikki Ta’Kik. They are the owlish looking folk by the names of Willa and Mokki Ta’Kik.
The sparkling Gem, Brothel - Belle Swearingen - Dwarven woman
Underwing Brewery - Bailincourt Hopfoot, Halfling man
Your Felushian Tailor - Felush under the rock , tabaxi man
-Duke Karbald Kerrigan and Duchess Harmony Nellis Kerrigan Both of them are the grandparents of Dusty Gorf the Tiefling Warlock. His mom is a Tiefling woman named Filla Wintergreen and his dad is a human man named Codius Kerrigan.

-Harv Leder - manager at Blizzard hops. Married to Maggie Leder. They have a son named Grigg
-Parna Eve - Wood Elf bartender at Blizzard Hops. She is married to Morchu Hammerash. They have a daughter named Yasmin
-Clorthos Crom - Bartender at Blizzard Hops, married to Lisbeth Crom Platter. A Halfling woman. They have a son named Ulstin.

Rising Action

Need to create our version of Ijin Matsushige who exists in our world.  This version is much darker and more evil.  Need to make it so that Justin's Ijin will have to kill ours before he does something really bad.  Let's make him an assassin working with an adventuring group tasked with killing an elven ambassador trying to draw them into the war.  The Morendath Ever'rend have been orchestrating all of this to create a world war for the surface dwellers.  Assassinating a high ranking diplomat of the elven Ora Kingdom and framing someone from Lamborginus would draw the ire of the whole kingdom.  Attempting to break the Durrilan Thelypteris Concordat of SF 341 would cause a civil war once more in the elven kingdoms thus plunging all of Tellenheim into a continent wide conflict.  Need to center all of this on the Points.  It's the one place, like vegas, which holds no political allegiance with any country or city.  Create the rival adventuring party with our version of Ijin and then have the two notice each other.  When Justin confronts our Ijin, who looks just like him just with a close cropped haircut and a full beard, he will see the perfect guy to frame for the assassination.  There were hundreds of secret documents and communique left by the Morendath Ever'rend that someone in town could have translated and decrypted the codes.  Either Trusilla or Derek Jondunlass would be good for this.  
Have the Knights of Aventador attack Agrimor's Stronghold!  The team will need to defend the compound or everything they have put there safely will be in the hands of the Lamborignus and the Archos Divinus.  Note that Panthrus Murcielagus is Mew's real father and he is the Archos Divinus.  
The next piece of the control rod is in the Points in Oraheim.  There are several layers of ancient cities buried beneath the current town.  They can also try to find Sparacus Saviori the wizard to help them learn to use the control rod.  He is still on his floating orb island somewhere in the Wyvern Sea.  
Note that Enric Lenshear is still trying to find and kill Kal and take his Magnesis rune. 
Mr. Nyx idea!  He mind swaps the characters!  Vom Fass into Mew's body! Hops into Mew!  Karnac into Hops!

Climax

Assassination at the Points

As you complete your day about town you are approached by Trusilla Fane, The attractive Half orc woman has her hair pulled back and her glasses firmly fixed in place. She means business. "I realize PACT is a mess right not and we really need to invite some of the other adventure teams to the stronghold to reorganize, but this might be more important right now. Follow me to the castle we need to meet with the duke right away. I invited Ontus Jostle from home office to give us a hand." She gathers you all and begins to walk quickly to the castle. As you walk up the hill you see the great Castle Kelleborne towering over you. You think back to the battle against the Knight of Aventador and his soldiers. You also remember taking the castle from the uppermost floors and descending downward. Doing this you broke into a room of Drow mercenaries who seemed to be feeding the Knight information and battle plans. You also remember the state of the townspeople during their occupation including the heroic Kerra guardsman Derek Jondunlass who lost his hand being tortured by those drow before you rescued him.
Trusilla Fane, The Duke, and Derek Jondunlass have brought in Ontus Jostle who is a bit of an expert in elven history and Drow foreign affairs. They have spent the last couple weeks decoding the documents left by the Morendath Ever'rend. They are a group of mercenaries and spies who have spent the last 3 years working with Lamborginus and the Knight's of Aventador. As Ontus explains all of that was part of a greater darker plan these particular drow have been formulating for a decade. He lays out the documents and points to several pieces of parchment written in a complex cipher. "This war between Lamborginus and Penthos was just the first step. As you see here they mention the Durrilan Thelypteris Concordat of SF 341. Mr. Akuma would you please explain the significance of that?"

"Looking at their most recent missives you can see here they mention a festival taking place in the points this week. The Festival of White and Gold, it is an annual festival originally presented to honor one of the greatest treaty achievements of all history. Of course the points being the points it is nowadays an excuse to drink heavily and gamble even more." You see him begin to huff and murmur about the ills of society. Trusilla gets him back on track with a "Ah-hem..." He continues "Anyway they mention an elven diplomat by the name of Garizon Opan Thelypteris. He is a baron of House Thelypteris and a descendant of Perrilan Thelypteris the original signer of the Concordat." He looks up as all of you begin with dumb questions. "I see by your dull eyes and your mammalian need for chewing your cud that you do not understand the significance of this. If this Morendath Ever'rend assassinates Garizon and blames Lamborginus or Penthos you could draw the entire forest realms into this conflict. I won't bore you with the details of the web of treaties between all of those kingdoms but suffice to say you would have a continent wide conflict that benefits only one group, The Morendath Ever'rend and whatever plans they have for the underdark."

"Considering the wealth of skills adventure Team Grimm possesses you are uniquely qualified to travel to the points and prevent this assassination and you only have a few days to do it. Baron Garizon Thelypteris arrives in the morning and will be at the festival for only two days."

Note: the kicker is that the assassin they have hired is our Ijin Matsushige. Luckily we have Justin's Ijin to identify and stop him before he does the deed. Morendath Ever'rend has hired their own group of mercenaries, The Crimson Vettel, to make trouble and draw the eyes of the guard and the elves while Ijin gets in position to do the job. This group have a psionic rogue with a slow charm that will vibrate and explode when Mew uses her bloodquick charm. Make this happen.
[DM Note: This is the White Gold Festival that celebrates the Concordat. There is a parade that runs through the city which Garizon will be the guest of honor and lead speaker for. This will create a perfect setting to assassinate him. Our assassin is Ijin Matsushige but our world's version. Once he meets the new Ijin he has the perfect patsy to place the blame on. Hopefully Ijin arrives at the area where the sniping happened and have a dead body their that implicates him. Our Ijin has hired the Crimson Vettel to run interference for him and keep any pesky adventuring parties off his back. He's clever like that. Have the Crimson Vettel attack and keep everyone busy during the parade and try to target Ijin by making a perception check to see the sniper from the window. Hopefully he goes alone to investigate just to see himself there and a dead guard on the floor. ]
Also foil any stealth checks by Blizzard Hops by having the control rod flare to life! The other section is deep beneath the city and the rod senses it. Don't forget to destroy Mew's Blood Quick charm.

Falling Action

Stinger

Ijin as you follow the rest of the team and sit down in the tavern/Casino you look around you.  As a reflex you scan the area for strange, interesting, or dangerous figures or situations.  Groups of all races and manner of being move about the room in states of revelry, angry displays of bravado or just drunken melancholy.  You think to yourself of all the similarities between your world and this odd alternate reality you have been dragged to.  Just as you are about to give yourself the all clear signal you see another pair of eyes looking back at you. Of course that is not the most alarming part often you lock eyes with another rogue or paladin doing the same thing in this situation.  These eyes are your eyes.  A man at another table looks exactly like you and he looks at you.  His hair is different, unlike your pulled back mane he has a close cropped haircut and a tight black beard.  He wears simple leather armor that looks easy to move in but certainly not shiny and new, it's seen some use.  Roll a perception check.  [DC 15 or above , you see his eyes and the muscles under his eyebrows twitch ever so slightly.  He is just as surprised as you are and you can tell.]  He looks at you cooly and totally under control of himself.  He points to a door on the balcony above and mouths the words "Two minutes" then he gets up from the table and disappears.  
As you walk through the doorway you feel a knife at your throat. In a hoarse whisper he angrily says "What are you? Doppleganger? Disguise spell? Polymorphed?  Spill it."  As you attempt to explain yourself or construct a working lie he pulls out a small stone and waves it up and down you.  "So you are not magicked in any way, are you really just a guy who looks like me? Could I be that lucky?  Let me introduce myself, I'm Ijin Matsushige."

Resolution

For next week!

Let the team explore the points and tell them all about the parade and festival the next day.  The parade starts at noon and their will be fireworks and magical illusions that will help obstruct vision so that our assassin can kill the ambassador.  The elven ambassador will ride an open carriage in the middle of the parade since he is the guest of honor.  As the team tries to find the shooter they will be attacked by the crimson Vettel mercenaries.  Need a good street battle map and tall building battle map, plus tokens for Roll20.
Next up is the control rod flaring to life and point down into the city!
The team will need to move down into the depths where the control rod will create dangerous scenarios for them to fight.  Dozens of different alternate versions of themselves will begin to show up to stop and kill them.  Alternate reality versions of Dendrick but completely evil and dangerous.  Alternate reality versions of Lich Cog, Storm GIant Hops, Evil Mew, dragon Vom Fass, Khalesite Spawn Karnac and more!

Burt Oberton - Chief of staff. Burt was one of the captives of Mr. Nyx in his dark carnival he was abducted by the imp in the year sf 2735. Initially disoriented and frightened, he now is exploring the city of Tellenor and has fulfilled the role of majordomo for the headquarters. A human male of about 50 years old he was a tavern owner in his old life and may have some knowledge about the past.

A half elven woman named Belba Caraway is the maintenance chief - abducted by Mr. Nyx in the year sf 2754, in her previous life she was a carpenter and a silver smith. After being freed by the adventuring party she was almost catatonic after her ordeal, but working with Burt she has begun to recover and in the last month has regained her speech and skills.

Yorus Carobelt a Halfling man is the chef and bartender - The last rescue from Mr. Nyx’s dark carnival freak show he was captured in sf 2726. At first he was also in severe shock and not responsive. In the last month he has regained his speech and abilities by cooking and working with food. Always his first love, he finds comfort and control in cooking. Yorus is originally from Kierkewoode in the west of Tellenheim.
Arfred Willowhorne is the captain of the guard. A level 6 fighter/champion he is a man in his 50's with a thick mutton chop mustache situation. his hair is salt and pepper and he has just the beginnings of a beer belly. His partner is a female halfling monk who studied with the fifth element. The sides of her head are shaved and her long brown topknot is held aloft by a leather cord. Though small she is an imposing figure due to her placid demeanor and checked emotions. Her name is Krin Birch. Whenever an explosion goes off or a dangerous monster wanders close to town they will investigate.