(G367 01/09/2018 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA43

(G367 01/09/2018 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) WA43

[Meanwhile, back in Westgate, the Day Air Watch were about to earn their pay.]

DAY 386 (24th Ches)(March)

It was an overcast day today when Fenrir, Zeni and Relleme met up for another round of protecting the skies over Westgate. It was business as usual, they were watching the city from the highest tower on the south wall, when one of them spotted a large bulbous object floating up from behind a temple spire.
It was about fifteen feet across, but the tentacles dangling from its main round body were almost thirty feet long. They didn't know it at the time but it was some kind of monstrously huge grell.
It was unnaturally fast too, once it had cleared the spire it came towards the wall almost as fast as an eagle in flight. Fenrir managed to shoot it a couple of times but it still made it to the tower and entwined the top of it with its some of its tentacles while using the others to lash out at its attackers.
One stung Fenrir and paralysed him. Unable to move his arms or speak, he was helpless to prevent Zeni being killed and her body being dragged up into the things huge beak.
Relleme dragged Fenrir down the stairs of the tower just as he was realising that the magic of his wings was still working. As the paralysis faded he made his way back up to the top of the tower, but the grell was flying south, off into the distance. He sent Relleme to tell Trepplemar of Zeni's death.

An hour later Trepplemar herself showed up. She said that they would send someone to attempt to follow the grell and see where it went. Fenrir went and took a look at the part of the city the monster had come from and found a four storey house with half its roof missing. Inside the roof was a room that looked like a wizard's laboratory. He helped himself to a couple of things that looked magical and left.


DAY 387 (25th Ches)(March)

And so the Day Air Watch today was just Fenrir and Relleme. Zeni was buried later that evening in a grave paid for by the watch.

Afterwards Fenrir invited Relleme back to his house and they had a few drinks to Zeni's memory. In truth neither of them had known her that long or that well.

Relleme left at about ten, flying home on her Giant Celestial Bee "Honey".


DAY 388 (26th Ches)(March)

Another day in the Air Watch for Fenrir. A mithril shirt was organised for Relleme and some potions of Mage Armour.

After work, as he relaxed at home, Jasper the housekeeper came to tell him there was a gentleman at the door called Erinod Bale.
Hmm, that name rings a bell, thought Fenrir to himself.

It was, of course, the baker he had murdered six days ago, resurrected somehow and now come for a visit. He was wearing his best clothes, presumably, although one sleeve of his coat was frayed and his hat was crooked.

When they were alone in the drawing room Mr Bale spoke.
'Hello, Mr Thunderstaff!'
'No one here of that name,' retorted Fenrir.
'Oh, don't worry, where I have been - we know you very well.'
'Where have you been?'
'The lowest pits of hell, thanks to you!'
They exchanged threats and bandied some more words. Mr Bale was not at all well disposed towards Fenrir at all.
'I'll take my leave of you now young man. I'll be back soon though, when we have another job for you. Take care of yourself.'

Fenrir was worried, perhaps, but not overly concerned, this was far from his first dealings with demons. Still, he did go and talk to Veddic about spells such as 'Glyph of Warding' and 'Forbiddance'.


DAY 389 (27th Ches)(March)

Just Fenrir and Relleme again today in the watch. At some point Fenrir went again to Trepplemar to talk about recruiting more people for the DAW.
Again she said, 'Yes. Do it!'

Towards the latter part of his shift, Fenrir sat on a chair on the top of the tallest tower on the South Wall, eating and drinking his favourite Westgate food and drink.
(Wafer thin fried potatoes flavoured with salt or cheese and dried onions, washed down with a pint of a local drink that sounds vile to me called 'Vokank Ola'. As far as I can make out it consists mainly of carbonated water mixed with various root extracts that give it its nasty black colour. It's alcoholic kick comes from a shot of fermented potato peelings. It sounds foul, it is foul, but Fenrir had developed a strong taste for it and often drank two or three pints of the stuff in one sitting.)

Trepplemar had said he could recruit during work time so he flew over to the temple of Lythander, known as the 'Morningstar Haven'.
He managed to talk to Lady Sunrise Tylanna of the Seventh Rose, who was a paladin and head of the temple.
They talked for half an hour or so and she said that she would see what she could do, but that 'we are just twenty-four clerics, paladins and adepts here.
We are kept busy enough healing the sick and injured of they city. I think the city is better served by us being here.'

Back at his chair, necking another pint of 'Ola' he indulged in some moaning.
'Huh! The temples will be no help! I don't know what to do now. I don't know the city well enough.'

'Well, boss...' said Relleme, who had been in Westgate an even shorter time than Fenrir and was rapidly turning out to be the brains of this operation. 'I could think of a few things.'
Fenrir shrugged and made a gesture for her to speak.
'Well, boss, haven't you got that friend you sometimes mention, you said he's a "random" sort of fellow, but has lots of money or something. Then there is the Mercenary Guild, the recruitment guy is called Varen Malavhan. From what I've heard he's a nice fellow, maybe he would know someone. Oh, and have you specifically asked around in the regular ground watch if there is anyone that wants to join? I mean, we've a spare broomstick now, poor Zeni, all we need is some tough guy with a crossbow to sit on it. Oh, and here's another idea, that guy that writes the chapbook stories about the Air Watch, what's his name? Oh, it's Modrick Templeman. You could track him down and bung him a few gold for a puff piece on us and make out it would be a great thing to do, join the watch I mean. Might get a few folks that way...'

Fenrir was astounded, and nearly dropped his glass of 'Ola'. It looked liked Relleme was full of ideas. 'Yeah, right,' he said. 'I'll try all those things...'

After work Fenrir flew over to Spectre Island and talked to Random.
'I can probably find and send a few fellows.'
Fenrir stressed that quality was more important than quantity, Random agreed and said he would see what he could do.
   
DAY 390 (28th Ches)(March)

Today Fenrir went and talked to Varen Malavhan, a large man who was in charge of recruitment for the large Mercenary outfit that was effectively Westgate's standing army. He was a friendly enough sort of chap and promised to send along anyone that perhaps didn't quite fit with his Guild, but were possibly more suited to the Watch. If this was a thinly veiled insult Fenrir either missed it or ignored it.

He also talked to Trepplemar about recruiting from the ground based watch and then tracked down Modrick Templeman and had lunch with him. He paid him the princely sum of 50 gold and the chapbook writer promised to do Fenrir some very good pieces. Laughing over their drinks, Fenrir suggested that a few things like 'ladies love the men of the air watch' should be put in (forgetting that his last two recruits had been ladies!) and such like.
They parted on good terms, Templeman saying 'This money will contribute to a play I plan to put on!'


DAY 391 (29th Ches)(March)

Today a tough fighter was sent up from the ground based watch. He was well equipped with platemail and a heavy crossbow. His name was Nors. He tried out the broomstick of flying and while it was not easy for him ("Can't get the hang of this bastard") he decided to stick at it.
Fenrir judged him to be good, happy-go-lucky, sort of fellow who was their to genuinely help out.

DAY 392 (30th Ches)(March)

Fenrir, Relleme and Nors patrolled the skies over Westgate today.

DAY 393 (1st Tarsakh)(April)

Fenrir, Relleme and Nors patrolled the skies over Westgate today.

DAY 394 (2nd Tarsakh)(April)

Fenrir, Relleme and Nors patrolled the skies over Westgate today.

Another recruit turned up today, another tough looking fighter called Marrok. He was a very ugly half-orc and had read about how being in the Air Watch would help him with the "ladies - hur, hur, hur!".
Fenrir could see the fellow was strong and well armoured, and even better, was in possession of a magic carpet. He sent him straight down to the bottom of the tower to get signed up.

After work, back at his house, Fenrir received another visit from Mr Bale. He had a request which boiled down to this:
'There is a horse race in four days, there is a horse called "Mary Hinge" that will run in it. It is currently stabled in Castle Cormariel and someone is going to try and knobble it the night before the race. We want you, Fenrir, to prevent that knobbling.'

What purpose this served Mr Bale and his demon backers he would not be drawn on. Fenrir said he'd look into it.


DAY 395 (3rd Tarsakh)(April)

Today the Day Air Watch was Fenrir, Relleme, Nors and Marrok.

They encountered a lady arriving in the city by air. She seemed to be flying with the aid of a magical tablet that she held in both hands.

It turned out it was Harlis Javil, a women I'd once met in Chult. What were all these people connected to the Sea Wyvern doing flying around or past Westgate - you may well ask. I may even get round to writing about it at some point.
In any event, Fenrir didn't know this, but he liked the look of her and escorted her to the nearest tavern so she could wet her dry throat.