CoL Recap: Intrigue in Rekkenmark

Dravago 24, YK 1000

Torgen's prophecy: "The Shining Tome of Prophecy defends our lineage. I cache it beside the torn earth, lest ill befall me."

Danger Twins investigating theft of Karrnathi King's money from Kundarak vault in Rekkenmark, Phiarlan spy (Codename: Quill) originally sent hasn't reported in. Hired Alain to help twins put together a team to look into it.

3000 gp to go to Rekkenmark, 3000 gp on successful completion
-320 gp to Rekkenmark on lightning rail, through the Rekkenwood (4.5 Hour Journey)

Halax ir'Wynarn - Youngest son of Boranel, King of Breland - Soon to graduate from Rekkenmark Academy

Invitations to graduation ceremony and reception for three of us, Danger Twins are performing Cirque de Changeling

Xiu and Magnus go out to try and fence loot, seek information

Xao, Torgen and Alain find a safehouse just in case - Alain criticals his History roll for the city, he knows that Cannith have a warehouse here not in use, was used during the war to store all manner of things. We find it is not unoccupied. Crossbowmen on the rooftops.

Torgen examines defenses, determines gang is small and inexperienced. Xau shapeshifts, goes to doorway and meets dirty, gruff-looking man, convinces him he's a potential new recruit and gains entrance. There are eight humans here, making soap. ;)

The "Black Network" is what they call themselves, Xao indicates that he's heard rumors about their skill and tries to "talk his way into the gang." Has to prove himself by dueling to first blood. He downplays his ability, but gets first blood, cutting the opponent across his hand. They tell him to get them some food.

-5 gp to get food for "Black Network"

Xiu spots a pickpocket planning to steal from her, talks to him at knife-point, Magnus keeps an eye out to see if he has any backup. Xiu wants him to help find the black market, selling something rare and unusual, he indicates that he's seen "a lot of that kind of thing lately." Magnus spots the pickpocket's partner, a woman a block down in an alley. He waves at her, and she runs away.

Xiu starts talking trash to the pickpocket, asking him what he's moved before, and whether or not his contact can handle what she's trying to sell. Magnus suggests that she take the knife away, says "his friend left," which makes the pickpocket even more nervous. Xiu takes the knife away from his throat, indicates "I'm better throwing these things than using them up close, don't try to run."

Pickpocket ready to make an introduction to Finn, the best fence in Rekkenmark... that he knows. He's heard rumors that Finn has turned down some work because he couldn't handle the amount of money involved, which is unusual for Rekkenmark and for Finn.

Leads them into the alleys, Magnus keeps track as if he were in a dungeon, they walk into a small stone building in the rundown part of town. On the inside, it's outfitted as a shrine to the Dark Six with gruesome masks on the wall. Gentleman wearing mostly black turns around and frowns at the strangers.

Puts the frown away when he sees business might be involved. "Greetings and may the blessings of the Six be upon you."

Xiu implies the pickpocket has been saying bad things about him, which probably means the end of the pickpocket. She wants to trade her goods for information or other goods. "I'm willing to work on the barter system."

She tries to Bluff him into believing that the scepter she has is rare and valuable, but she doesn't have it with her. "It sounds very valuable."

He opens a secret compartment beneath a dragon's head mask, returns with a pair of goggles. He infers from her description of the performer gone missing that she's with House Thuranni, and she doesn't correct him. Then asks about an individual showing a lot of money and trying to move merchandise.

Finn says there's one new individual in town, asks about the scepter. "You say it has an emerald the size of a crab-apple?" She makes another Bluff check (crit) and says "I was goiing to say the size of a melon."

Finn says to come back tonight with the scepter, he says he'll deliver the erstwhile fence to them. Magnus makes an insight check to determine if they're being set up, and decides he's on the up and up, and is eager to eliminate his competition with massive payment for doing so. "It would be unfortunate if we were to disappear here," Magnus tells him.

Skill challenge complete (280 XP)

Xao brings food back to the Black Network, with a story that we caught him trying to steal to get an introduction and we are introduced as badasses, trying to look intimidating (and not being particularly effective). They see through the story. Zac, the older man, picks up on the untruth.

We failed the skill challenge to use the warehouse, they tell us to get out, we're not intimidating enough. "We have eyes everywhere!" Xao drops his disguise and tells them "Eyes are useless if you're too blind to see."

That gives them pause, and Xao then warns them not to mess with us, impetuous youth tries to attack and misses him, Xao acrobatically spins to the side and puts his own blade to his throat. Torgen sees that Zac is showing a lot of concern for "Matthew" the youth. "It's a big warehouse. We can stay out of each other's way." "Or not," Xao says, pushing the blade a bit more.

A deal is worked out for us to use half of the warehouse and to leave each other alone.

We go to Rekkenmark Academy to go to the graduation ceremony. The sergeant of the outer guard accosts us, we give him the invitations, he is not happy that we are late. Danger twins head backstage, we enter the main hall.

The Danger twins search backstage for any clues left by Quill, notice that one of the makeup tables has a feather quill pen among the detritus. Don't have time to investigate before going out to perform. The rest of us go to join the audience. There are probably some Wynarns in attendance. Recognize Baron Xorlan d'Cannith, who has powerful allies in Karrnath and has the strongest claim to rulership of the House.

Xiu finds that the quill is custom-designed, and has room for a message inside. She finds a coded message from Quill: "Brennen Dravago 2 - 11 PM at Lightning Rail." Clearly this is when Taen lost contact.

We go to the reception afterwards, out on the parade grounds, catered by House Ghallanda.

Xao and Xiu circulate, talk and try to find out if anyone has been robbed lately, or find out anything about Brennen. They eavesdrop and hear buzz about whether or not Kaius's plan to rebuild the White Arch bridge will succeed.

Alain talks to Xorlan, gives him his home address in Korth, asks about Brennen, the White Arch bridge, missing Phiarlan operatives, gains no particular knowledge but makes an important contact. Xao goes to talk to the Baron's wife and the Karrnathi royalty with her, they are in conversation about Karrnathi ore output over the next two years. They are a bit standoffish, but the Karrnathi has a conversation about the rapier vs. the greatsword with him.

Xau brings Xiu over to get an introduction to Karrnathi royalty, Hyran ir'Tennet, civic minister of Karrnath. Xiu asks about the amount of steel being used, and who might be doing what with all that steel. Magnus hears a lot of military discussions about comparative defenses. Xau finds out that the Baroness runs the business side of Cannith East. Xiu takes Hyran over to the bar, and tries to get information out of him. She hears more about the bridge project, says it's amazing that they're finally able to afford it, asks how far off it is. Hasn't been presented to Parliament yet, not certain to happen.

Possibly a Parliament of Funk. "What say you, Minister Bootsy?"

Go to meet Finn's contact that night. He spots them on the bridge, Finn has the fence in manacles, asks to see the scepter. Xiu gets him to confirm that he fenced a silver shield, which Magnus confirms with a wave is one of the items we're looking for. When she produces the scepter, Xau notices that Finn seems nervous, and probably doesn't have reinforcements.

Finn spots Alain moving past an arrow slit, freaks out, Xiu gives him the scepter, he runs out, gets filled with arrows and died. Alain bursts in, sees the dead Finn, and the man in manacles fades from view. He sticks his dagger in Xiu's ribs, reappears, Alain blasts him with Aggravating Force.



Torgen runs into the building, and an assassin drops off the roof and tries to stab him. Alain and Xiu notice that the guy in chains bears the Mark of Shadow. Assassin stabs Torgen with poisoned blade, blinding him. Another one drops off and stabs him as well. Magnus charges the second assassin with Bull Charge, pushing the assassin into the room and then secondary attacks him with a critical hit, knocking him prone and causing a jagged wound by hacking off most of his achilles tendon. Alain is hit and blinded by another assassin.



Xiu flanks and hits him with Bloodbath. Lead assassin (in chains) shifts out of flank, attacks Xiu and misses.

Blinded, Alain rolls a lightning sphere at two assassins, hitting one of them (Torchy, who is dazed and grants combat advantage to dwarves) and missing the prone one, then saves against blindness. Torgen, still blinded, uses tremors on the two assassins next to him. missing the downed one and hitting Torchy, the one who is standing, saves against poison due to dwarf metabolism, takes poison damage from aftereffect.

Xao moves to flank with Xiu, aims disheartening strike and crits lead assassin with his vicious rapier and bloodying (bruising) him. Ork, the prone assassin, takes ongoing damage, stands up, uses swift hand strike on Magnus and missing, but secondary attack hits him, almost getting rid of his temporary hit points. He tries to shift, but Magnus's combat challenge (crit) prevents him from moving and bloodies him.

Torchy the assassin uses his short sword and misses Torgen, Magnus uses hack and hewe on Ork and Torchy, misses Ork but hits Torchy for minor damage. Last hidden assassin appears, firing poisoned crossbow bolt into Magnus and blinding him. Alain is hit with a crossbow bolt and blinded. Xiu uses her changeling trick, then attacks with Rogue's Luck against lead assassin. stabbing him twice and leaving him in bad shape, and he turns invisible and runs away out the back door.

Alain hears female assassin whispering "Brennen, you coward!", uses his second wind and is no longer blinded.

Torgen runs after Brennen, drawing attacks of opportunity from Torchy and the other male assassin, one of whom hits and poisons him. He doesn't see Brennen, but turns back attack the other assassin and hit him with a crit, leaving him with a bleeding gash. He recovers from blindness and takes poison damage.

Xao moves next to his sister and is still blinded. Ork crits Magnus, who uses his shield to turn it into a regular hit, uses unbreakable to reduce damage, and is then blinded by poison. Seeing that Magnus is blinded, Ork flees onto the bridge. Torchy swings and misses Magnus, then shifts outside. Magnus shakes off the blindness, takes poison damage and moves over to use Knee Breaker on the female assassin, slowing her down, and yells for someone to block the door.