(G352 21/04/2018 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA29

(G352 21/04/2018 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA29

DAY 327 (Midwinter)(January)

Today was another day in the DAW for Fenrir and Veddic, but it was another easy one due to the inclement weather. Jenders, Dressdelle's old companion, was also there. He was a tough looking dragon shaman with big leathery wings on his back.
He didn't seem to think much of Fenrir.

At seven o'clock they returned to Spectre Island.

Random seemed to be having supply issues. He needed more food and water but didn't want to bring in too many supply vessels incase it drew unwanted attention. Veddic decided to help with  daily multiple castings of 'Create Food and Water'.

DAY 328 (1st Alturiak)(February)

Another day at work for Fenrir and Veddic. Flurries of snow kept them grounded for most of the day.

The only incident was a young female dwarf flying into the city on a giant eagle. She seemed  nice enough and she handed over 10 gold as a 'Benevolent donation'. Dressdelle (who was keeping warm on the watchtower roof) told him later he should have asked for a lot more.

He spent the rest of the day talking to Dressdelle, trying to make friends with her and draw out information. You may remember that Random had asked him to find out about the 'Magpie Affair'.

On their return to Spectre Island they found that Rizole had turned up there. You may remember she was a rogue we met back in my Sea Wyvern days down in Chult. She later became a warlock with a bit of a crush on Fenrir. He was a bit wary of her.
She talked to him alone on the cliff top.
'Don't forget you owe the demons a big favour for them pulling your fat out of the fire back in Castle Cormaeril,' she informed him.


DAY 329 (2nd Alturiak)(February)

They dropped Rizole off in town to ask around about the 'Magpie Affair' then went to work.

They were paid today, for their first month's work. Arahel's wages were put towards a small memorial to her in the 'Watch Park' as she had died in the line of duty.

Fenrir took Dressdelle to the Spitting Cockatrice that evening. He tried to charm her but she fended him off with a 'don't be silly young man!'

They had a decent enough evening though and he escorted her home before returning to Spectre Island.

Between him and Rizole they learned the following facts about the Magpie Affair

- Dressdelle is an 'ex' war wizard from Cormyr. The War Wizards are a group of battle-mages and sorcerers loyal to the Crown of  Cormyr. They are led by the Royal Mage of Cormyr.

- Whatever happened, it involved a big fight at Castle Bleth where many guards died and also two of Dressdelle's friends. One other escaped

- Dressdelle has been doing community service in Westgate ever since

When he heard about that Random also told them that he remembered something about a thing called the 'Abraxus Affair' a big scandal in Cormyr that resulted in the exile of House Bleth and the Fire Knives to Westgate. How it all connected together though, he didn't know.

DAY 330 (3rd Alturiak)(February)

The lads reported for work as usual. It was a day of high winds and limited flying, so as usual they watched the city from the Watch Tower battlements while drinking endless cups of tea and eating multiple breakfasts and lunches.

Dressdelle was two hours late to work, probably due to having a slight hangover from the night before.

They stopped an elven druid flying out of the city. She seemed nice enough, her name was  Silaqui Starflame, so they let her go on her way.

Back at the island Rizole told them she had been around every tavern and information merchant in the city but all she had learned was this :

- Nobody knows what the Magpie is, but rumours abound. Most think its a super powerful magic item

- The term 'Magpie' was used by a House Bleth noble but he now denies it

Fenrir spent the evening chatting to Random and Rizole. He found their company strangely restful, as Random was a tiefling and Rizole was a fellow warlock. None of them had to pretend to be anything other than what they were (i.e. very dodgy!)

DAY 331 (4th Alturiak)(February)

Another day at work for Fenrir and Veddic. It was overcast, but there was no effect to their flying so they patrolled the skies above Westgate, keeping the city safe.

Dressdelle mentioned a Debutante Ball she had been invited to, but had no one to escort her. She wondered if Fenrir might be interested. He bit her hand off.

After work he got changed into decent togs back on the island then met Dressdelle outside Castle Urdo as arranged.

She warned him that Reogeg Eysmile, the chief 'Finger' of the Watch was also there. The Fingers were internal affairs.
She told him not to talk to him, but he did anyway. Eysmile asked about Lady Dreggleblot and about Castle Cormaeril. Fenrir answered with a mixture of truth and lies, placing all blame on Arahel where it was needed. He denied seeing a demon at the castle.

Dressdelle frantically waved him over and talked to him privately.
'Are you nuts? I told you not to talk to him!'
When Fenrir shrugged she then said. 'He never asks a question unless he already knows the answer. Don't be fooled by the nice little old man act, he's very clever and ruthless.'

The ball was fun for Fenrir, but all the girls were too young and innocent to be let anywhere near him.

He returned to the Island around midnight.


DAY 332 (5th Alturiak)(February)

There was a dead dog on the doorstep of the cottage in the morning. No one had any idea of how it could have gotten there. Fenrir wondered if it was a message from the demons or if he was just being paranoid.

Regardless of that, he and Veddic reported for work as usual. They only event of any interest was a half-orc maiden called Dedre Cruncher leaving the city on a giant 'Magnificent Silver Bird' (or Argentavis). They tried to stop her but she flew off at high speed shouting 'Eat my feathers, copper!'

Dressdelle was five hours late for work. Fenrir wondered it she was hung over again or was becoming more lazy now that he and Veddic were there.

After work he went to speak to Ynar Shieldblazon, a bard they had used in the past, but he told them they had probably learned all there was to know in the city about the Magpie Affair.
'Only Dressdelle herself and House Bleth know the rest,' he told them.


DAY 333 (5th Alturiak)(February)

At work today, a lovely woman on a flying carpet (being flown by a man in flowing robes) entered the city.
'One for you,' said Dressdelle with a wink to Fenrir.
He asked her few questions and she told him she'd be in the Blue Banner Inn. When she said she could use some company as she was all alone Fenrir gave her a smile and said he would see what he could do.

After that he got permission from Dressdelle to leave early, a Cure Disease from Veddic (since he'd been dipping his wick here, there and everywhere lately!) and met his new friend at the  Blue Banner at eight in the evening.

When she was ready, she took them to a restaurant a few streets away that she said had been recommended to her. Fenrir followed along, lost in her beauty.

They got a table and their evening went well enough until she got up to 'powder her nose' and headed towards a door at the back. Fenrir glanced down at his food and when he looked up the entire restaurant was coming at him with knives and crossbows!

The merchants at the table next to them, the friends at the main table, the couple in the corner, and all the waiters and cooks, let fly with crossbow bolts and throwing daggers. As he dodged and weaved he shouted, 'You have one chance to call this off!'

They didn't though, so he flew up in the air and went invisible. The "merchants" had a big sack of muslin bags of flour that they began to throw about the place. This gave everyone a rough idea of where Fenrir was.

Fenrir used his eldritch blast in a cone formation to hit large areas of the restaurant in one go. The attackers were fearless in their assault on the warlock but he was much more powerful than them and in less than a minute he had slaughtered them all. Bodies and blood lay everywhere, mixed in with the flour that lay on all the flat surfaces. It was a macabre sight.

As he wiped his face and spat out the flour in his mouth a man entered by the main door. He was tall, dark and dressed in black. As he entered he quietly sang;

''
Hey, Been trying to meet you
Hey, Must be a devil between us
Or whores in my head
Whores at the door
Whore in my bed
But hey
Where
Have you
Been?
''

Fenrir wasn't sure what was going on. The man then said;
'Nevermind, just my little joke. You know, we should be on the same side, should we not? What a mess you just made here. Tut-tut. I think the watch must be on their way. Well, it was nice meeting you.Do you have any idea what's going on in this city? Any idea at all? You are on the wrong side. No? You are just a pawn then. A mindless tool of some higher authority. Replaceable. Expendable. Killing you would be fun, but they'd just send someone else.
Oh, here come the watch now. Be seeing you!'

Fenrir growled and blasted the man in the leg.
'Ouch that hurt, anyway bye bye,' the man said as he shut the door behind him.

Fenrir decided to stay and explain things to the watch. A constable and four watchmen arrived. When they saw the scale of the violence the sergeant was summoned.

It took about an hour to sort out. Among other things the sergeant said;

'Oh yes, it looks like they are all low level thugs and rogues. Most of them, you've done a favour to the world by killing them. Shame you killed that old fellow over there though, old Mannie Man wasn't much harm to anyone probably just took a few silver to convince him to join in the attack. Mannie was very stupid. Shame about how his six kids won't have a father now. And... awww... you killed Sweatpea. (the constable referred to the young lady that lured Fenrir into the trap in the first place) She was always a naughty girl right enough, but she was so beautiful and charming she always got away with it. Until now I suppose, oh well.'

In the back room they also found the real owner of the establishment, dead with his throat cut. Fenrir had killed fourteen people.

He didn't get back to the island until five in the morning. As he arrived in, covered in blood and flour,  Veddic asked, 'Err... how did your date go?'

As he washed up, Random (who rarely slept) told him;
'That would have been Fayder, the assassin I told you about. He's cunning like a fox. Unlucky for him though I'm even more cunning-er. Don't worry, I'll come up with a plan to get rid of him.'


DAY 334 (6th Alturiak)(February)

A tired Fenrir woke up and got ready for work at dawn. As he looked at his sleepy face in the mirror, it shattered and the pieces fell on the floor. Rizole gave him a meaningful look.

He sighed, walked out the door of the cottage and flew off with the sun rising before him. Veddic grabbed a roll for breakfast and leapt on his carpet to follow.

After work Random had some information for them.
'Go talk to a man called Fillais Bleth, he may well know where the Magpie is. He's old, senile and supposedly in charge of the construction of Castle Bleth. If it's in their anywhere he should know about it. Spin him some story and he's sure to tell you.'

Fenrir returned to Westgate that night and found Fillais in a house next to the Castle. It was child's play for him to talk the daft old man into telling him the location of the Magpie.
'Oh it's well hidden, don't worry young man!' declared the old aristocrat, 'Where we keep all the things we want to remain hidden, in a place two days ride from here called Castle Dread!'