Lightsong's Journal - Chapter 2-III

Continued from Lightsong's Journal, Ch 2, II 41 Earth date: 10/20/2024, 4:26pm

Furdae, Aprel 15th, 443 KE - Afternoon

Where were we?

(Still) At the Lighthouser's Outpost, in Coastream

Eolebiad, the Poison Master, has some poisions! Shit, they're way too pricey. I'm going to sit this one out.

Meanwhile, I write Grenna. I know you like to hear me narrate my letters; I would love to hear you laugh at this foolish one:

Dear Grenna,

I have a moment to myself (have you come across the Lighthouser's in your travels?) and I thought "shant I write the lovely Grenna?"

I still seek news of the Mute Sickness, but Laighfuär seems not to have been afflicted. Please, if you hear of anything, let me know.

I send to you these silver earrings - they reflect light much like do your eyes.

Drat, that was corny. 

Our party goes now into danger, perhaps. 

Steer clear of Chakri's men, and tell no one you know of me, or of us. 

Yours, 
Lightsong

Looks like Boudicca and the lovely idiot whom we call Hazar spent too much money. That was harsh. I'm growing quite fond of the fallen noble, I dare say.

I play a ditty for Eolbiod. Curse that spelling. And Boudicca's de-strengthenging poison is gotten for a mere 500 gold. Mere. Before this year I don't think 500 gold had ever fully passed through my hands, all together. Except, perhaps when... well, I won't write of that here.

We leave, with Thurysso in tow, for better or worse.

Back down to the Wharf and the Old Man/Dinghy

Doran the Boat Man! He is old. The same old guy.
He gave his name! It's Dora! I mean Doran. Or do I?

From the Docks of Estwick to the Lostweave

I tell Thurysso that if he proves his worth to the group, a Rapier+1 may be in his future. Torin susses out this fool and finds out he's yeah, pretty weak. (Ran a medicine check)

The Wonderful Immaculate Spectacular Gryffin. A Positive Adjective Gryffin. A little worse for wear? But! A Healthy size crowd mingles in front.

Across the street, about a decade (or decal) of city guards (there's 10 of them.)

Hazar is blabbering again. Something about robbing? I don't really know.
There's a crowd outside the playhouse, The Something or Other Gryffin. Some dwarves, elves, gnomes, and even humans. Mostly dwarves. Have we found CODA (the Coalition of Dwarven Artisans)?

CODA of Laigfuar wants a repeal of Council Law 2056:

• Restore equal taxation of all craftspeople.
• End of non-human craftspeople wares-seizures.
• Restitution for losses due to 2056.
• Public apology.

We enter the playhouse, the Phenomenal Gryffin. Hazar seems to have a bad feeling about this.

Thurysso pales, he says he sees someone with whom it went sour, romantically, about a year ago...

It's dark inside the playhouse.
I have a terrible terrible feeling about this...

Into the Playhouse, the Immaculate Gryffin

Boudicca and Lightsong Gather Intel...

I go with Boudicca to get some intel from a Dwarf Artisan, Torin stands guard at the doors, and Hazar and Flim Flam go to case the joint.

Flim-flam (whom I am alarmed to see still inside, by the way) asks the Dwarf artisan to identify his ring, which we find out is a Ring of Warmth. It provides heat up to -50 F. Familiar! I have seen this in the North of Wulda. Interesting. It's not a common trifle.

Boudicca shops at the Artisan's stall a bit more. She buys a Circlet of Blasting. We get it for 600 gold pieces. He originally wanted 900 gold. We will get the monocle of insight when we have the money. He will put it aside for us.

The Artisan's name is Gareth Smatterhorn.

Hazar, Flim Flam, Torin, and Thurysso Case the Joint

I later learn the following from Torin:

Hazar sends Thurysso down the back alley...  

Hazar, Flim Flam, and Torin follow, once Thurysso doesn't trigger any traps. They walk up toward the rear of the playhouse. 

They notice loose ivy behind the Playhouse building, and Hazar fails to scale the ivy like the person who must have come before him.

Hazar, Torin, and Flim Flam go through the backdoor.

The lady who owns the place gave them a hard time, but then Thurysso distracted. Flim Flam in the rafters, the rest go back into the main floor. 

Dirk's Speech

Hazar comes back and buys me the monocle! I give him 8 platinum to start paying down my debt.

Dwarven (???) lady named Helga (if that's her real name) bumps into Torin, they have a spicy convo, she's kinda sus...

Yuwelion, the bartender, threatens Thurysso's life to Hazar. But sells Hazar some drinks.

In position:

• Boudicca and Lightsong in the crowd.
• Torin by the front door.
• Hazar in the shadows.
• Flim Flam up top, on the catwalk.
• Thurysso... in the back room?

Dirk Longbeard takes the stage and gives a speech about the terrible new law that affects the non-human artisans of the city.

Yuwelion takes the stage after, tells her tale, echoes Dirk's speech, then yields back to Dirk.

I notice a darkness in the rafters, then a red ray of energy pierces through Dirk, and he crumples with smoke coming from his chest. Is he dead? Where is Flim Flam? I will find out. Helga, the rude Dwarf from before, is behind the energy beam, curiously (and horrifyingly).

CRASH. figures come in from up above in the balcony. HERE WE GO.

The Battle in the Immaculate Gryffin

I move to get to Dirk, but am immediately paralyzed by a poison dagger that catches me off guard! This is not good.

...

Oh jeez, I was almost done for there!
Thanks to Boudicca, I have not met the grave (again!).

This Helga is madder than I was the week after... that event. Something is truly not right here. Helga refuses to listen to reason, and Hazar knocks her unconscious at last.

Battle's Aftermath

We tie up the unconscious Helga and her sole surviving (but also unconscious) accomplice and put them in the office of the Immaculate Gryffin. Dirk is unfortunately dead. Very, very dead.

It looks like Torin chopped two of Helga's accomplices in half.
Oof. I really REALLY don't like that.

Dirk had a silver necklace, which Boudicca took. She said it was 'honorable' to take the belongings of her people... well, I won't question her, she could probably knock me out with just a swing or two, and she did just save my life!

The four accomplices each had a "Hand in the Mist" necklace Helga was revealed not to be a dwarf at all, but seemingly a very pale-skinned human, with an ebony mask with shifting symbols and tattoos underneath that match. Very, very curious.

Thurysso and six guards rush in, remarking at the carnage.
We've got a lot of explaining to do.

Putting down my quill again to see what will befall us next.

Continued in Lightsong's Journal, Ch 2, IV