Session 4 ¾: Please, Sir, Can we have some Funds?

General Summary

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Capitalizing the Profit: Eldin & Slab

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020, 8pm-10:30pm

Eldin and Slab make their way to Murdeg - Capital of Ghiz, to meet with Lodun's contact there. Rodrick de'Gambit is known for being an honest merchant, taking care to do the best with what items he has available, and though occasionally his wares are hit-or-miss, he's known to be a fair and reasonable man. Paid for by the estate, the pair commission a stagecoach for travel from Siarhaven to the capital, their journey peaceful and seemingly uneventful. Reaching de'Gambit's Emporium: Odds & Oddities, they step inside to find the place cluttered but spacious and having it's own sort of organization in its madness, cluttered but with enough space to just make it through without breaking things. Rodrick is a quirky man, as is fitting for his shop, who met Lodun as an adventuring partner; he only no longer adventures himself due to a former injury in the action, a longsword to the gut. Apparently, the store has a "100 Gold Section" as well as a "Have a Bigger Wallet" section.
Seeing as these are adventurers in a magic item shop, the first order of business is obviously to spend money.
As it stands, Rodrick is not currently capable of investing in the estate, as he make the mistake, in a drunken haze, in betting against the reigning Champion in the gladiatorial games; this wouldn't normally be a problem --- he only has to lose --- but he has had ten straight wins and shows no sign of stopping. Having used Enhance Ability before this particular conversation, he managed to convince Rodrick not only to invest in the estate itself, upon their success, but also to pay him specifically for services rendered. He promised to pay him with an item from the shop, once he found one that would be satisfactory. Deliberating between the pair of them, they consider that, perhaps sneaking and poisoning the champion would not be the best idea, so they opt to attempt to enter the tournament. Discovering that only one of the eight potential slots is available, they request to see the roster, in order to see if they can... convince anyone to give them their slot. Slab enters to make sure that the last spot is at least set in stone, while Eldin reads over the list:
The Champion, known as "The Hound"
Quickdraw
The Hammer
Stone Fist
The Silence
Bob (a local favorite, though he never wins)
Rook Eldin, "The Wanderer"
Slab, known as "The Iceberg"
With their names recounted to memory, they decide that their first order of business is to check the nearest bar, a packed location full of parties. Slab walks in and immediately shouts the list of names, looking to see if any of them are there. This interrupts all the antics, and a dwarf walks up to him. Slab instigates a fight, stating that Eldin has thinks he's a pussy. Rook, as the dwarf turns out to be, is a newcomer with big plans to win the tournament. Eldin asks him to go outside with him, standing in front of the pub, where he none-too-subtly threatens Rook, who has trained for this specific event his entire life. Surprisingly, he is able to convince him to back out of the tournament in this manner, and takes Eldin takes his place. His companion is surprised to see Eldin return, having gotten comfortable with a drink and expected the elf to get his ass kicked.
Spending the night at a nice inn nearby for 1GP each, the two wake up bright and early for the event of the season. Arriving at the arena for the tournament, they are ushered to their own rooms for preparation. They are instructed to remove armor --- they may use shields --- but must otherwise use the equipment provided, which has been specifically tailored for non-lethal damage. Eldin, under the moniker, "The Wanderer" is lined up for the first match against the half-elf archer contender, "Quickdraw". Winning the challenge by a longshort, Eldin moved on to the next bracket. Slab was next, under the moniker of "The Iceberg" was matched up against a woman armed with a shortsword, under the name, "The Silence". With aid from his Goddess, technically, Slab finished his own fight with flying colors. For Eldin's second challenge, he was matched up against the reigning champion, "The Hound". Sadly, his victory is short-lived as he ended up matched against Slab, losing to his fellow party member, who thus won the tournament. This made them more than good on their deal with Rodrick, and de'Gambit's is saved. Slab, upon his return with the joyous news, strongly discouraged the shopkeep from drinking again in the future. Making good on his arrangement with Slab, Rodrick awarded him a Sentinel Shield, "free" of charge.

Beach better have my Money: Duul & Emyr

Thursday, November 19th, 2020, 6:30pm-9:30pm

The pair make their way by bear-back to the coastal city of -, intending to meet up with Sirene Galwind. Her father had been one of Lodun's business partners for many years, but following his passing, she has decided that the debt and arrangement is not hers to bear and has opted not to honor the deal. Making their way through the docks, they discovered a well-educated dockworker named Bill who was able to inform them of the state of affairs. Galwind Shipping is known to be the most successful with ocean-based transport, and have established a name for themselves for doing so quickly, efficiently, and safely, anywhere around the continent. Duul proposes that they split up for intel purposes, opting to look for local jobs to get into the company's favors. The main goal is also to know who they're dealing with prior to their first contact with the heiress. Following some comments by Emyr, the local nobility now see riding bears as a symbol of wealth and now all want to achieve this feat as a status symbol.
Reaching the main warehouse, they discuss with the local management about the prospect of reestablishing the working relationship between the Galwind family and the Lodun estate. Offering an exchange of funding for treasures and knowledge to the company. He sent along one of his men to work out the details with Lady Galwind's personal secretary before sending the party on their way to make good on their potential meeting. Having been requested to dismount the bear, the party warns them of the dangers of separating Chompsky from her caretakers. Pressured by their words, they allow her through the main gates, though this runs the risk of the bear acting out upon losing sight of her handlers. Instead, the adventurers work to find a way to keep Chompsky with them during the meeting, any way that they can. After a brief meeting with the secretary, where they claim that Chompsky, with no details, is Emyr's service animal, Duul sends his new field mouse familiar to the office after the secretary in order to spy on Lady Galwind. Spying on the Lady through the familiar's eyes, he catches her working on paperwork that she stores in a safe behind a painting in the office. She proceeds then to meet them outside.

"Would you like to end our other agreement where Lodun was a 45% shareholder in your father's ventures?" - Duul Painted-Hide

In their attempts at persuading her, they offer sole rights to publication and relics. Their attempts are as eccentric and lucrative as Lodun himself, but appear successful at the end of the day. In fact, she offers to up a quest for the exchange of accepting their offers; handle an issue she is having where one of her warehouses has been raided repeatedly and her men knocked out before anyone can react. After having the field mouse detect that there is magic behind the formerly mentioned painting, he had the mouse return to him through the window before they left. He introduces Ourse (French for "Bear"), the mouse, to Emyr, who just nods and accepts this new reality.

"So, I have one question for ya. How big of a box would you need to ship a bear?" - Duul Painted-Hide

As it turns out, the warehouse in question is the one with the local manager they'd spoken to early. He doesn't clarify much in regards to what has happened, stating that the goods are "precious cargo" labelled only by where they are from and going to, rather than by their contents. The raids have been happening monthly, when they have their biggest shipments. One of their plans involves hiding Chompsky in the biggest crate they could find. The boss is to know of the truth of this "shipment", but none of the other employees; Chompsky (and by effect, Emyr), are to be used as bait. Between patrols, Duul is making trips to and from the crates housing his companions for food and drink. If needed in order to keep Chompsky fed, Duul's familiar is going to be kept inside with them, taking on whatever forms are necessary to supply the bear with food.
Camping out with pass without a trace active inside the crate, Duul waits a few minutes before peaking out of their false panel in the crate, he finds that one of the guards nearby has been knocked unconscious. He resuscitates him and the man becomes far too loud asking what happened. Three people leap down from the balcony to meet them, and Duul releases Emyr, mounted on Chompsky, from the crate. Combat then proceeds with the intent to take two of the adversaries hostage. This doesn't end up going quite as planned, in no small part because a lady from Emyr's past, Wynne, who trained him as a Ranger, shows up. As it turns out, the "high ticket items" that have been raided from the warehouses since Lord Galwind's death have actually been part of a slave trade endeavor his daughter has undertaken. While Emyr deals with the hostages at the warehouse, Duul makes his way to the estate to meet back up with their investor-turned-contractor.
Duul informs Lady Galwind that the warehouse raids have been being performed by "extremists" that have been out in an attempt to foil slave trade in the area. He assured her that he did not believe such accusations, which she denied besides the point, and took his leave to wait in the courtyard while his mouse spied, under the guise of waiting for medical aid to arrive for Emyr. Soon afterward, however, a man appeared in the office with her, having a much more secretive meeting with her. She asked what they would do, now, assuring that she could take out any and all witnesses that might suspect. Discovering the mouse, he denied her proposals and set the estate ablaze. Immediately making his way back to the warehouse to retrieve Emyr, who had released Wynne prior to his return. Additionally, he disguised the deceased guardsman as one of Wynne's men and had Chompsky pummel him, in an attempt to further their story. Informing him that they needed to leave now, gesturing to the pillar of smoke they were leaving behind, he hops aboard the bear and they make their way out.
Over the course of their journey, Duul makes the comment that they likely will be able to obtain the rights to the estate and company, though not necessarily by legal means. He states that the scribes and other members of the estate might be able to forge any documents necessary for Lodun to "inherit" the Galwind properties.

Highway Robbery: Ghozun & Lavug

Friday, November 20th, 2020 6:30pm-9:30pm

Taking the "Ghizian Express' to meet up with their contact, Ghozun almost immediately decides that he does, in fact, need shoes in order to meet with anyone of any form of import. Finding an elderly halfling cobbler in his shop, "Cobble Cobble Shoe Store," he finds that, of course, no one just outright carries shoes in his size. He pressures the cobbler for the commission, though they are only really able to fashion a pair of sandles in such a short timeframe, though Ghozun has no idea what such things even are. He offers him a pair of leather sandals for free, with the boot commission coming in at a total of 3GP. He tried to offer Juan as partial payment, offending the halfling, before abandoning the idea altogether and saying that he will be back the following day for his boots. Lavug then informs him that, while they are at it, they should probably get the Tiefling-Orc a shirt as well, though he was grossly opposed to the notion. Somehow, this exchange turned into Ghozun being handed an unloaded gun, to which he immediately looked down the barrel. Lavug immediately confiscated it back.
Arriving at the trade hub around evening, they set out looking for their contact, Silver, though they have no actual description of the man. Asking around, they end up directed towards his office, where they make their way to. They find that the door to his office has clearly seen better days, though it's likely a secondhand contraption. Stating themselves as representatives of Lodun, they are invited in, told that they are late. They find inside a Goblin, who is immediately excited that they appear to also be from Dig, and he is even aware of Ghozun's family name. Dismissing his homesickness, they proceed to the meeting proper, where he states that they could feasibly work out a deal. As these tales go, however, they of course need to do a favor for a favor. His caravans have been raided, with 70-100% of his ore transports being looted or destroyed and his men slaughtered. He suspects this to be the work of ferals. In his ramblings about why he is against ferals, he also reveals where his name comes from, or at least some form of connection to it, with his teeth replaced by silver replicas of such. With no substantial leads to go on, aside from a general location of "around the border," no matter the route taken, they are left with little other choice but to head out and intercept the next shipment before they can be attacked. Supplying them with the company's fastest horses that Silver can threaten pay his way to give them, he sends them on their way, thankful to not have to deal with the bureaucracy and questions of "brainy folk."

"We're going to be fighting people soon. What's not to be happy about?" - Ghozun Painted-Hide

Successfully interrupting the caravan, they present the leader with a letter from Silver, leading them to feel insulted that not only were more people suddenly sent off, but that it was only a pair of random fighters they know nothing of. Ghozun is gleeful at the prospect of the coming fight, and Lavug immediately sets to work making sure all of his weapons are battle-ready. Realizing the source of his delight, the leader immediately catches on that the pair are, most certainly, from Dig. The whole caravan appears to be made up of eight mounted guards (including the leader) armed with modified muskets guarding three carts of goods. Atop each carriage is another gunner, for a total of eleven allies. 
During their travels, Ghozun notices fire coming their way, landing in and blocking the road before them. He has time enough to warn the rest of the men, but time for little else. They are then ambushed by a group of ferals, whom Lavug immediately is exasperated over having to deal with: "Savages." Combat begins. During the fight, Ghozun deflected an arrow with his peck, disarming a goblin in the process, though he also received a scar across his chest from a later attack. While the raid party seems unphased by any of their numbers dropping, the caravan is more shaken, with two of the guards felled by their forces. Lavug frowned as he surveyed the battlefield, removing his glasses from his face and leaving them neatly protected before digging his heels in and proceeding with the attack. Juking his orcish opponent with a quarterstaff attack, he proceeds to blow him up with his cannon. Ghozun followed up this display by decapitating one of the goblins pounding on his chest; the force of his swing, however, was so great as to carry his greataxe into the chest of the previously surviving goblin, killing them both. All is not well, however, as they are almost immediately interrupted by a cry of, "Ogres!" Two such beasts can be seen climbing over the ridge and into the fray. Three of the surviving caravan guards join the adventurers while the remaining six take on the other. The guards, including the party, make decently short work of the ogres, leaving the caravan unravished. With the battle won, Ghozun pats Lavug on the shoulder, enthused by the fun, and Lavug redons his glasses.
Without all the houses surviving, some of the remaining members are forced to ride on the carriages, but they make it back safely with no further incidents. Silver greets them excitedly, beaming at the group happily. With their end of the bargain held, Silver tells them that his secretary will handle the details and tells them he'll have one of his contacts craft them each a Wofrite melee weapon; guns are too unstable for the metal to be safely used for such endeavors. Ghozun requests a greataxe; for Lavug, he requests his quarterstaff off of him to make him his own custom weapon. Their new weapons will be shipped to the estate. Curious, Lavug inquires about the modified muskets Silver's men had, asking where they had gotten them; they are part of a deal of Ghiz's trading company, though Silver is not quite sure of the details. The weapons in question take three shots before they must be reloaded, making them more efficient than most firearms currently on the market. Bidding them farewell, he leaves the party to their own devices. Lavug and Ghozun then proceed back to "Cobble Cobble" to retrieve Ghozun's commissioned leather boots. They are etched with a goldfish design on the sides, leading to a wide, ear-to-ear grin from the Tiefling-Orc. He happily claps the man on the back, accidentally causing him to tumble over. Helping him up and apologizing, he requests socks. He ends up with a pair of what end up being ankle socks for the time being, but at least it is something. With their business concluded, the pair make their way back to the Lodun Estate.

"You put Juan on my boots!!!" - Ghozun

Report Date

18 Nov 2020