September 07, 2024

Hook

A plague has swept through noble Victoria. Not one of pus and pestilence, but a plague of calm, never-ending sleep. No man, from peasant to king, is safe from its touch. The powers of Shinneok are struggling to research this Sleeping Plague, hoping to find some form of treatment. While most researchers are scouring medical texts or examining the afflicted, the Holy Church of Ninism has taken a different approach. They believe that this is no mere plague, but a heretical attack on the followers of Ninos, and they demand retribution. Now, the once peaceful nights in Victoria have given way to witch hunts and executions. There is no logic, no reason. Only fear, paranoia, and deceit. The Church slaughters their flock, hoping to find a wolf that may not even exist. In the less reputable parts of Victoria, a freelance “intelligence” organization known as the Jacks run their operations. This new age of strife and uncertainty makes for very profitable business. One fateful day, a job listing is posted on the boards of run-down taverns used as Jack hideouts: Shepherds Wanted: Guide Lost Sheep. Most would dismiss the request at the headline, but you notice the sizable sum of gold offered as payment. Nobody would hire an adventurer to guide livestock, but you’re quite certain this isn't the type of lamb you find out in the fields. After all, there’s an execution only a few days away…

Plot Synopsis

Session 2:
The session starts off with the party securing the guards they defeated and taking their uniforms. Clement arrives and comments on their interesting choice of tactics to get the uniforms, but admits it worked well enough. Clement’s horse was stolen, so he can’t go with the veteran party, and will instead be helping out the newbies. He suggests that, since there’s a few more hours before the execution, the party goes shopping in order to prepare for what comes next.

Clement leads the group to a small shop called Jhon Ceeotay, which inside is massively cluttered, and the proprietor, Jhon, tells the party about “The Voices” that bring him things. The party stocks up on grenades, Raspberry Tonics (though Skib knocks over a large display of them), and a magical Brick of Throwing purchased by Lapis. Bahl attempts to steal a dagger, but is noticed by Jhon, so the party makes a hasty exit, after which the store inexplicably explodes.

That night, returning to the execution scene described back in session 1, the Executioner is interrupted by a gunshot which sends him toppling off the execution platform, and Aiko Ebenard is whisked away by the veterans, with most of the guards and the Executioner in pursuit. The party approaches the remaining guards wearing their stolen uniforms, and convinces them to join the chase before freeing the remaining Ebenards. Their escape is interrupted by the return of the Executioner, who realized it made little sense for Aiko to abandon her family for her own rescue. Rosse and Skib blast the Executioner with lightning, and Yaupon throws a sleep bombard, but he is unmoved, and Clement recommends that the party flee while they have the chance.

Due to the Executioner’s heavy armor slowing him significantly, the party manages to put some distance between them before debating how to proceed. Luin creates a small portal back to the safehouse to allow the baby Artur and Cyrus in a bag of holding to slip through, while Yaupon summons a Sharze to fly himself and Kyla to the safehouse. The remaining party members make their way through the streets, but as they make their way through a construction area they meet a Desert Sandtail in nondescript robes. Though Bahl is initially excited to see another of his kind, the stranger behaves suspiciously, clearly seeing George Ebenard and making it obvious he knows the party to not be guards, though he never says it outright. Luin attempts to read the strangers thoughts, but only gets the impression that the stranger is like a cat playing with his food. After Bahl aggressively tells the stranger to get out of their way, he seems to leave without incident.

Arriving back at the safehouse, the party finds that not only is the stranger there, but that the Executioner has tracked them, and is followed by dozens of guards. The group quickly makes their way inside, but not before the Executioner unleashes a blast from his sword which cleaves off Clement’s leg. The party prepares for the impending assault, with Cyrus pouring flammable oil over the stairs, and the rest breaking open a back window that leads out into the river. With the guards beginning to storm in, most of the party jumps into the river, after casting protective spells on the Ebenards, and though there’s some turbulence Lapis and Flubs are able to assist the others with their Semi-Aquatic skills and Neptunite magic to take everyone down river to where the ship awaits. Cyrus elects to stay behind, dashing through the guards and out the front window to retrieve Clement’s severed leg before jumping into the river himself. Yaupon flies and manages to reach the ship first, informing the captain of the situation and beginning to help him gather the crew as session ends.

Noteworthy Postgame Events