January 23, 2010

Hook

Discrete group needed for a suck mission that really needs doing. See Gil.

Plot Synopsis

A group assembles at Gils. Gil looks unhappy and reminds the group that this mission is one of those that needs to be done but there's no real pride in it. He also informs them that before he can even talk about the mission they all have to swear on an item he produces that they will never speak of the mission while on it and that they'll forget it once its done. Payment will be put in escrow and will be released when the mission is accomplished.

The party agrees to the terms. Gil activates the cone of silence and explains the situation. He tells the party that the members of the lordship have a special relationship with the land and so do their children. Because of this there are inviolate rules about when a lord (or lady) can produce a child. Word has been heard that this rule has been violated and this has produced a situation that could cause a civil war. The location of the child is known and the party's job is to kill the child and then to toss a magical coin on it. Gil warns the party to not be anywhere near the item when it hits the body and that it will remove all evidence of the crime.

The party is iffy about killing a child but Gil talks them into it. The party takes the coin and procede based on Gil's directions. They arrive at a seaside village which looks unpopulated. They procede to the house as directed. Claude takes up position on a roof next door and watches windows and surrounding houses. The main party go to the front door and knock. They are met with a spray of bullets as two men open the door. Past the men they see an 8 year old child heading up a flight of stairs with a woman. They respond with the usual hail of lightning bolts and fireballs.

A door opens across the street and three men come out and head toward the house. Cluade drops all three before they cross the street. One of the guards in the doorway falls and the other rushes up the stairs. The woman on the stairs falls and the child keeps running. Claude sees the boy enter a room and go into a closet. One of the guards enters the room and moves toward the closet but claude pins him to the wall with a shot from his greatbow.

The remaining party enter the upstairs room to find the guard pinned and the child missing. They look into the closet and see a ladder going downward. They pursue and corner the boy in a small room downstairs. Dena creates lava and the room, the boy and the entire house catches fire. The party notices the boy isn't moving and discover he was a projection. Claude and Erica catch the real boy as he leaves the house. Before they can complete their mission the boy informs them that this whole mission was a setup and he can prove it.
He refuses to give his name claiming he has had prior dealings with claude and that claude would likely kill him if he knew the truth.

The boy produces a document from Lord Drasik detailing this whole seaside child setup. The party doesn't really buy into it and the boy says they can go ask Drasik directly. The party decides that the boy is definately not Drasik's so asking shouldn't hurt. They port to Lady Shaylin's because some of them have a good relationship with her and its best to cover your bases.

Shaylin takes one look at the situation and orders her handler to fetch Drasik and Gil. Drasik arrives first and the two lords have a quick head to head. Gil arrives but claims to know nothing of the situation. Dena recovers his memories at which point Gil looks a little sick and a lot scared and mumbles something about knowing too much. The story is corraborated and it is determined that Lord Briss contracted Gil to make this kill.

Drasik tells the party that the lordship is split over an internal decision. The progeny story is BS and the seaside lure was there in case one of the otherside wanted to make a serious point in their argument. Shaylin ducks out at this point and Drasik takes the party back to his library. He sends the boy to take care of Gil (watchover). He pulls an antique sword down from his fireplace and gives it to Claude saying "i hear you can handle this". He then writes off a quick letter and poofs it to Briss. "There he, knows we're coming. Lets go. This has to be handled ruthlesslesly. Everyone keep the heat on, no letup. Claude, take Briss as fast as possible".

He opens a portal and they step through into Briss' music room. Briss is there with two half naked men. The party immediately opens up with a magical bombard and claude rushes in. The first volley seems to have no effect and the party is met with strong magical resistance and takes a lot of damage. They persist and within seconds claude starts dealing damage. Briss looks shocked and screams something at Drasik about being a traitor. No quarter is given and all three of the party's opponents are dead before they can resist much more.

Drasik tosses the magical coin on Briss' body and orders everyone back through the portal. He makes it clear if any word of this is ever heard he will personally hunt down the source and kill them a thousand times and then leave them in perpetual torture. Claude and Drasik have a private chat and Claude is inducted into Centralian Intelligence and given access to "know things".

The party discovers that the site of Briss' mansion is entirely bare within 200 yards of the house. Magical delves show that nothing was ever there. Its a historical void. As time passes people begin to forget Briss even existed. Paintings of him dissappear. Documents with his name on them seem changed. Within 6 weeks only the party involved in the incident remember it or Briss. The same is true of the servants who were working at the time and were also vanished.

Noteworthy Postgame Events