L2: The Assassin’s Knot

Dean (Thic Duc), Chris (Tiberium), Matt (Barron), Mariel (Leah), Coby (Warin), Jeff (Amathar), Leah (Ahira), Brian (Pyrzival), and Sherrie (Mirabelle) are returning cast members.

We left the Band of Misfits investigating a murder in Garrotten. They had recently captured Oscar and Basmar, suspecting the former of being involved with the Duke’s assassination and the latter of delivering the assassin (possibly without knowing his purpose). Basmar was released after being interrogated, but Oscar was retained, receiving religious instruction from Thic Duc and Warin.

Thic Duc promptly discovered, by accident, the local alchemist. Healing potions are available at 100gp but consultations are only by appointment.

From Oscar’s admissions they learned of dead drops in the castle (just inside the gate, behind a loose stone in the wall) and church graveyard (a hollow spot in a gravestone) that the assassin’s guild used to communicate. Conducting surveillance on the dead drop location suggested Lothar was the likely recipient of the messages, so the party arranged to abduct him for questioning. When they arrived, Lothar was deep in conversation with Krak while he worked. Thic Duc lured Krak away while the abduction took place by promising information on Tiberium, and when Lothar called for help, punched Krak and promptly ran away. Krak was unable to catch him.

Interrogating Lothar revealed little, though he did mention that he had seen Harmin reading a note while walking away from the dead drop location. Perhaps Harmin was checking the drop? Certainly he has done other things to cause suspicion, most prominently inquiring about the price of the gems in Harper’s holy symbol.

The party then set up camp for the night, naming setting a watch rotation. The second watch noticed – unfortunately after the fact – that Lothar had escaped his bonds and the smuggler’s cave they were hiding in. Anticipating an ambush from the assassin’s guild, the party set up their own counter-ambush, successfully defeating a crack squad of orcs led by Arak, one of the orcs from the castle. He refused to talk, and was killed during aggressive interrogation by Ahira. She claims it was unintentional. Tiberium walked away in disgust at that point.

After defeating the squad of orcs, the party moved to a hidden, improvised camp elsewhere in the forest and rested until Barron was ready for action. Tiberium kept his distance but remained with the group, clearly troubled.

To be continued…

Treasure

For reference: 200 cp = 20 sp = 2 ep = 1 gp = 1/5 pp 9 gems at 50gp each -100gp Thic Duc bought a healing potion Treasure: 450gp (41gp each)

Experience

Base xp for showing up: 100xp each
Journal entries, sketches, or baked goods (): 500xp (individually)
Exposing and interrogating Lothar: 1000xp
Intercepting a note: 1000xp
Defeating the first orc squad: 2490xp
Treasure: 450xp
Group Total: 5840xp (648xp each)

Roleplaying moments and quotables

"Dead shrimp don't roll!"
"It's Moby Thic!"

Dangling Threads of Fate

The Duke of Highport is dead, killed on his wedding night, in a locked room alone with the Princess
The Wizard Jim is also dead, killed a few days later, by an unknown assailant
Pyro has fallen in battle...
How to invest your ill-gotten gains...