(G515 11/03/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) WA111

 

(G515 11/03/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) WA111

[Fenrir and Reinward have been tasked with staging a coup in the city of Westgate to stop the evil vampire lord the Night King from doing the same. Just recently Merlock Tomes has arrived back to give them lots of useful information about their enemy.]


DAY 540 (25th Eleasis) (August) cont ...

Fenrir and Reinward sat for hours talking to Tomes about what she had learned.

Either concerned out being uncovered, or for vanity they both asked about themselves.

'Have you heard of Fenrir Thunderstaff?' Fenrir asked.
(Remember that in Westgate he was known as Raziel Lightningrod)
She had. 'He's a warlock from Waterdeep. I read a chap book about him once that made him out to be a hero.'

'What's my street cred?' asked Reinward.
Tomes gestured out of the window at the followers of Ilmater that waited to catch a glimpse of the Crownbearer. There were about a dozen of them.
Reinward mentioned the Pit Fiend attack and she said,
'It may have been some curse laid on it by Queen Arachnia. It's the sort of thing she would have done. You may get attacked again.'

Reinward didn't like the sound of that, so in disguise (as a man called Roni Pikledhing) he went to talk to Sir Loric.

The knight examined the crown, and while he was not sure, he thought there might be a rune on the back of the crown that was not meant to be there. It could be some sort of Runic Curse.

Reinward thought about using his rogues skills to try and trick the Crown into unlocking its ritual power without doing the work. Towards that end he borrowed three religious texts from the Temple.

He then went to sell some of his tradable goods, such as his ancient Dark Elf wine and his Dark Elf porn that he had found in the Lair of Queen Arachnia.

The wine he sold at 'The Elven Jug'. 10 bottles at 50 gold each.

The dark elf book and torn pages he sold to a place called 'Black Books' for the princely sum of 2594 gold.

The two ancient dark elf daggers he sold to an antique dealer for 1302 gold.
Also four 'regular' dark elf daggers for 80 gold.  

He ended up, as he often did, at Gondeth's Mageries where he purchased a Wand of Black Light for 11250 gp.
(I have scribbled in my notes here that Fenrir also 'reserved' one, but
I've no idea what that is about, many apologies dear reader.)

Finally he returned home and found that Fenrir and Tomes were still talking.

Tomes was saying:
'The Vampires in the east, in the Blackrune Citadel, some of them study Demonology.
Your friend Random is a tiefling, and I understand he had family that live either in the Citadel or near to it.'
      
When asked to stay and help further Tomes said, 'I've got business to attend to back in Pedestal. I'll be leaving tonight.'

The last thing Fenrir asked about before she left was 'The White Lady'.
Tomes told him:
'A very old and unusual Dark Elf cult. I thought it long since dead to be honest.
It is long forgotten in Pedestal anyway. But yes, a cult of good Dark Elves. I have heard of the Blessing of the White Lady and that it was used to combat the undead, but how, I don't know.'

Later that day Fenrir found Yntar Shieldblazon, his go to bard for asking questions
to. He handed over 200 gold for information:
'It acts as a very powerful Turn Undead. A Turn Undead as powerful as the most powerful cleric, with everything doubled. Damage, range, everything. I remember reading about it years ago. I thought the White Lady was long gone, so it is very interesting that there is still a temple in the Underdark in this region.'

Before she left, Fenrir and Reinward, new to the 'organise a coup' game, asked Tomes lots more questions, but by the afternoon she had to go.

The main thing that Tomes had mentioned, was that if the didn't have the military on side then that should be their number one concern.

With that in mind, he went to talk to Palla the Light, a 'freewheeling enchanter' who was the head representative of the Westgate Mercenary Guild.

Fenrir did the talking. As ever he was charming and persuasive. The conversation can be summarised thusly:

Fenrir: Is it not a bad thing that the Croamarch has gone? He was pretty shady. There were rumours of corruption...
Palla: *laughs* Rumours? His corruption was open and obvious. But no different from any others.
Fenrir: I have knowledge of the local royal bloodlines. Magic swords. Magic crowns...
Palla: You talk like you are planning bringing back a king. I can't support this treason.
Fenrir: How about for quite a lot of money? 50,000 gold?
Palla: Hmm... Well, 50,000 gold for me, and another 50,000 to spread through the Guild.

Fenrir handed some of the money, but he needed more, so later he shot ten blasts into the air above the city (the arranged emergency contact method for Cavu). This drew the DAW but he went invisible and flew off.

Reinward had been buying five Adamantine Stakes (60 gold each) but when they met back at him they went together to Thavalar House.

Fenrir went to talk to Gwendeth Thavalar, his (sort of) society patron and great aunt of
Thistle Thavalar.
He had initially want her to organise a ball (for not reason I'm not sure, perhaps to bring
Raz and Thistle together), but as they talked he started to reveal more and more of the plot until he decided it was easier just to give her the whole story.

He told her everything about the Night King and his relationship with Trystran Dauntinghorn.
Gwendeth went as white as a sheet.
'But I've know Trystran since he was a boy!'
She looked like she was on the verge of a heart attack. Fenrir wondered if he wasn't over-egging
the pudding.
'He's with Thistle now!' she exclaimed in sudden realisation. 'He is recovering in Frog Cottage.
It's just across the front lawn!'

Fenrir and Reinward rushed to 'Frog Cottage', with six of the House guards behind them. Gwendeth followed behind at a slower pace. She was in a panic and they had to calm her before going in.

Reinward changed his disguise to be a city watchman.

Thistle Thavalar and Dauntinghorn were in the front room, sitting and reading.
'Why is the Commander of the Watch here?' wondered Dauntinghorn as he stood up.
'Just some enquires...' said Fenrir.

They managed to take Thistle away to the main house and once they had her secured in her room told her everything that was going on.

'But we must help him!' cried Thistle. 'Poor dear Trystran, under the power of vampires?
There is something we can do, surely?'
'We are leaving,' said Gwendeth. 'That's what we are doing!'
This was not really what Fenrir wanted, but he tried his best to foist Raz on them.
'Well take my friend Raz with you. He is very strong and will protect you.'
'Humph!' said Gwendeth. 'We have plenty of armed me. If you want to send that smelly oaf with us then I suppose you must!'

The two ladies then started to pack their bags.

Fenrir and Reinward next returned to Frog Cottage. Of course Dauntinghorn was gone though.
No one had thought to guard him. Reinward use his Crown's skrying powers and saw him running along Market Street, towards the docks.

Fenrir started running. Reinward guided him with the magic of their communication gems.

They caught Dauntinghorn as he boarded his ship. Fenrir floated up, dramatically on his dark wings. Reinward stopped skrying and started running to the docks too.

Fenrir shouted down at Dauntinghorn to surrender himself, but was ignored. The watch had very little authority in the docks, it was almost lawless. Fenrir shot some blasts in the air, but Dauntinghorn ordered his crew to start getting ready to depart.

Fenrir blasted a sail, but some of the sailors started pulling it down to replace it with another one.

With no other alternative that he could see, Fenrir started attacking the ship and the crew.