Mother of Flies - Session 38: Walcourt Raid, Part I

Dramatis Personae

Alfaren “Alfred” Eredel – Elf transmuter

Alizander Carmelizzia - Human (Varisian) sorcerer

Boecca – Half-orc inquisitor of Erastil

Carlos Santiago - Half-orc (Alkenstarian) evoker

Slavé/Jancen – Tiefling (in guise as a human) rogue/assassin

Tavo Dechirent - Human cleric of Pharasma

Oathday, 21 Pharast, to Fireday, 29 Pharast, 4709 A.R.

Armed with the Mother of Flies’ knowledge, the Returners take care of some business before moving on to the Council stronghold of Walcourt. Carlos completes work on his clay golem. Slavé (with assistance from Carlos) heads to Egorian to search for magic items and visit the archives to search for historical evidence on Walcourt. Alfred flies over Walcourt (invisibly, of course) and notes the existence of several guards on the structure’s rooftop, despite its otherwise decrepit and abandoned appearance. Alizander wanders the city, while Boecca spends time with Jezeletrix at the Returners’ safehouse. Tavo, now one of the leading clergy of Pharasma in the city, ministers to the few adherents to her faith in Westcrown, spreading the unusual (some would say heretical) tenets of the Insolare sect.

Tragedy strikes on the 29^th of Pharast, when two of the Returners’ friends and companions suddenly go missing. Rhialto, Carlos’ mentor and surrogate father, disappears with little trace, save a scent that Boecca is able to track east to the river bank. Nagiphax, formerly an active member of the Returners, is abducted in the early evening from behind the bar of the Beer Golem Tavern. Witnesses describe the tavern being thrown into sudden darkness. Several recall an inky black figure caught in fleeting glimpses on the edges of the darkness before the common room was suddenly light again and Nagiphax was gone without a trace.

Starday, 30 Pharast, 4709 A.R.

With Carlos’ clay golem finally complete, the party makes its final preparations to assault Walcourt, hoping that their friends Nagiphax and Rhialto were kidnapped by the Council (and not some other, unknown threat) and that clues to their whereabouts may exist at the Council stronghold.

They take on the Council guildhouse from the rooftop first. Alfred and Carlos swoop in from above, borne aloft by magical flight. Boecca uses his own magic to swiftly whisk himself, Slavé, and Alizander through an extradimensional space and onto the rooftop catwalk. The Council thieves on guard are taken by surprise and summarily dispatched, whereupon the Returners advance through the rooftop door into Walcourt’s second floor. Walcourt’s interior proves much better appointed than its decrepit exterior. The party sneaks through the mazelike conglomeration of rooms in the guildhouse. Slavé discovers reams of documents in what appears to be a commander’s office – lists of guild agents, current jobs, and invaluable information pointing to extensive riots, assassinations, and general mayhem in the Council’s near-future plans.

Soon enough, the Returners stumble upon a group of Council supporters – three dark stalkers pouring over plans and manuscripts in a small bedchamber. A fight breaks out in the confined space. The dark stalkers attempts to shroud the area in darkness are countered by Tavo, wielding the Morrowfall. Slavé scouts down a narrow side passage, certain other Council agents hearing the battle will soon come to the defense of their guildhall. He stops when he comes to a room with an elaborate spear trap. Hearing the sound of footsteps advancing down the hall opposite the trap, Slavé positions himself at the trap’s trigger mechanism and waits for the footsteps to reach him.

Treasure

· From the rooftop Council thieves

o Potions of cure moderate wounds (5) (worth 750 gp total)

o +1 Leather armour (5) (worth 1450 gp total)

o Masterwork rapiers (5) (worth 400 gp total)

o Masterwork hand crossbows (5) (worth 500 gp total)

o Coins and jewelry (1500 gp total)

· From the Rooftop Observatory

o Brass telescope (worth 1500 gp)

Experience Awards

· Council thieves (5) – 4000 xp

· Dark stalker guildsman (1) – 4800 xp

· Total – 8800 xp

· Per PC (6) – 1467 xp

Current XP Total per PC

· Carlos, Slavé – 92,302 xp

· Alfred – 89,747 xp

· Boecca – 89,727 xp

· Tavo – 85,657 xp

· Alizander – 84,317 xp

Fame Points – 21