Murky Portents

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About the Saga

Two new heroes arrive in Obsidian Bay and join up with the A Team even as dark rumors and murky portents circulate through the city's working class districts.

Timeframe

Cast of Characters

Notable Quotes

  • "Come back with your shield or on it. Then you will be worthy of serving me." -- Sir Fawkes to his apprentices.

What Has Come Before

The Green Griffin's aerial races have concluded with the death of a berserk Blackrazor Guild wyvern at the hands of the A Team. Now those self-same heroes are going about their business in the city as two new faces walk into the pages of the Dark City sagas.

The Saga

Ready'reat 1 CY 591

Reluctant Volunteers

Yesterday was Patchwall 28. Thom, Kerth, Vargas, Largo and Corash have successfully slaughtered the wyvren.

The next morning Sir Fawkes drills his his apprentices, then tells them they need to join the Army. Kosen the Fat: "I don't think they'll like me." "They feed you in the army". "Ok, I'm in".

He takes them to the War Academy in the Griffin's District to enroll them. Broden the Quick tries to slip away several time, but Fawkes keeps corralling him.

"Come back with your shield or on it. Then you will be worthy of serving me." -- Fawkes to his apprentices.

The Elven Apprentice

Corash wakes to find his master Maurgiir working on some project; he dismisses the aapprentice, who decides to go to the Library. He makes his way through the Wharf District, deciding to avoid the troubles in the Mudsitters District.

He finds the district to be abuzz with activity; when he suddenly decides to ask the first bystanders he finds what's going on. He stops at the edge of the Mudsitters District and wanders up to some dwarves, who say there was strange happenings down by the docks, rumors about ships not going out because of yellow sailed ships.

He decides to detour, heading to the Docks.

The Orcslayer Returns

After three years in the field, the Orcslayer Guild veteran Erngard returns to the city. he's awed by new Shield and Adventurers Quarter, then heads to the North Gate, asks some guards if they know of Erngard. One older guard remembers a young man named Erngard, who'd been part of the professionals guild uprising.

He hads into his old stomping grounds in the Mudsitters District. Asks a kid if he wants to earn a gold piece, and is suddenly swarmed by kids. This attracts guards attention, so he tosses some silver and ducks away, going to the Broken Shield Inn.

Enter the Gnome

Mica Brightpick barbarian3/fighter2 gnome jeweler, wakes to find himself seaksick on a ship, not knowing how he got there ... or where he was going. The captain demands he swab the deck, but the gnome knows not what he means.

Captains asks he could fight; gnome replies he was part of local guard. He mentions that the fish people (sahaughin) have been attacking, as have yellow-sailed pirate ships.

Finally arrives in the unknown city of Obsidian Bay.

Thom Silverbow

Thom wakes around noon, talks to the innkeeper, heads up to the roof looking for wyvern claws to have them made into daggers. He finds a crew butchering the wyvern, they point to a barrel with wyvern parts in it. He fishes out the claws, throwns them into a barrel. He then seeks out a weapon maker who can turn the claws into daggers.

Back to the Gates

Sir Fawkes arrives at the North Gate to find a huge mass of people on the edge of the Mudsitters District. Continues herding his would-be squires to the army barracks.

Kosen enthusastically signs up, expecting candy. Broden continues to resist, but Sir Fawkes says he will have none of them as squires until they learn the arts of war.

Rumors Yellow Sails

Corash goes to the Docks, asking about the yellow sails, which they say belong to pirates and slavers. Also hears tell that the fish people have been raiding the coast, and just off the coast are a large swarm of sharks up near the docks. One of the rumors is that it's a curse of the Scarlet Brotherhood. There was a rumor of a very strange lobster caught.

The Mudsitters District

He comes across several women, each wearing shields with eight pointed star, a beaten and bruised kid. He ssees a man who steps up, and begins casting a spell. he recognizes the man as a priest of Pelor. The priest says he's healing the wounded.

Erngard explains he's just returned to the city, having fought orcs with the Orcslayers. The man tells him that there are great troubles in the district; Messengers beating up non-guild members, followers of the Earth Dragon warring with other religions. The man says that he knows of the Orcslayers, and that the father one of his companions -- Thom Silverbow -- is in the guild. Erngard vaugely remembers him as someone who got killed out of the guild.

Erngard enthusastically offers to help, but Kerth offers caution, saying he is not popular with everyone in the district.

The Gnome at the Docks

Finds a man with a blue and yellow tunic with a brazen griffon on the front. The gnome asks where he is, guard stunned to know he doesn't know he's in Obsidian Bay. The guard mentions he should go to Irontown.

He gets into a line for the Sea Gate, waiting for hours until the guard finally sees him, and the sun is heading toward the horizon.

What's your business?

To go to iron town?

How long are you staying?

A week. Or a month. Or I don't know, forever?

Guard demands 5 gp, which the gnome happily pays. He's forwarded on to Jaren, who has him sign papers. Told he must return to the gate every day or will be arrested.

The Taxidermist

Thom heads to the Bear Claw Taxidermy in the Strange Quarter, looking for what to do with wyvren claws. The owner looks surprised, trying to convince him to craft a coat rack instead. Thom presists, finally the owner suggests he look for a shop in the Adventurer's Quarter.

He heads off looking for two masterwork wyren claw daggers -- finds one in the form of the Burning Oak Forge.

Rats in the Wharf District

Sir Fawkes walks with his pages through the wharf district when he catches sight of two individuals apparently beating up a third. Fawkes sends his men to chase and summons his mount. The two others break and run, the third man -- a well-dressed individual -- thanks him profusely. Fawkes orders Kosen to watch the man, then chases after Broden and two thieves. He comes charging up just as Broden is about to tackle a thief.

Fawkes chill touches one enemy, then Broden tackles another as he attempts to flee. He catches both of them. One thieve scorns him, saying that his kind will soon rule the city! Checks to make sure the merchant was ok, escorts him home.

He then continues to sign up his pages in the army.

Lobsterfest

Corash begins asking about lobsters. Finds a woman who immediately tries to start selling some to him. Explains he does not want to eat the strange lobster, but rather, to study it. She finally says that Captain Guilard of the Leaky Leaper found the lobster; and that he's down at the Docks. He seeks out the captain's house, finding it run down but ok for the district. Encounters the captain. Man says the lobster had odd spines, and that it appeared to kill one man, but then the effect wore off. He still has the claw, but the captain demands payment.

Corash finally gives him 10 gp. He takes the huge claw, and returns for study. Decides to head to the Great Library of Obsidian Bay, where he is turned away by a librarian for bringing strange smelling lobster claw into the building.

He leaves and returns to his master's house.

Fire-Eaters

Erngard arrives at Fire-Eaters. Suddenly met by a man named Mallie, good friend from original Professional Guild., who's excited to meet him. Buys him a drink, says he's got a gig with the guild, going on some expedition far away. Says he's glad to be going far away. Says he needs to be careful -- word has it the Entertainer is back in town. And if he is, you don't want to get assciated with him.

Mallie ducks out, then Erngard buys a round of drinks for the inn.

New people start trinkling in, mostly adventurers, then suddenly a couple of sailors show up, and start drinking heavily.

Irontown

Mica finds his way to Irontown. Decides to find some place to stay. As he does, he sees the guard leading off men in manacles, followed by knight and two pages. He decides to follow that.

The knight -- Sir Fawkes -- stops to talk with Gemasog, a merchant of the city. Catches glimpse of gnome following him, decides to confront him, demanding why he's following asks if he wants to join army as well.

Rompy Pompy's Romphouse

Sir Fawkes decides to head to Fire-Eaters, followed by a befuddled gnome.

Drink All Day, Whore All Night

Thom goes to the bar, tells tale of woe over finding a place to make his wyvren claw daggers (blades or hilt?). He spies a new shadowy regular whose been in the bars the last few days.

Bartender asks if he's going to sing, Thom says perhaps. Erngard asks if he knows the lyrics to "Drink All Day, Whore All Night". He sings perfectly, but Erngard says the lyrics are all wrong saying the proper words are:

Drink all day, whore all knight fuck and slay, fuck to the morning light

Thom says that usually he tries to seperate the fucking and slaying, since combining them is usually the sign of a homicidal maniac.

Suddenly a sailor appears, and starts demanding that Thom sings.

Thom balks, but with Erngard and the sailors backing him into a corner, he has no choice but to take the stage and start singing the 'The Noble Sailor', trying to get the room to work for him. Unfortunately drunk sailors drive off the Ralleymen, and finally when sailors get the joke, they attack, throwing bottle at Thom, which its him.

He reacts by casting a spell, causing him to collapse laughing. It fails, and the four men charge, thrwing a chair. Thom tries to paralyize the drunk and fails.

Suddenly one of the newer regulars stands up and throws a bottle at a drunken sailor, the bottle shattering.

Thom shrugs off his backpack and tries to backhandedly dig out a potion. He drinks it, and suddenly four images him appear. He draws his rapier, and prepares to fight.

Erngard picks up two mugs, and throws them at the sailors. The remaining one turns to flee; Thom strikes him out with the flat of his blade. Stranger snags one of the sailors, about to throw him onto a table. The remaining sailor runs out the door, followed by Thom.

Blue Vengeance

Meanwhile, outside, One street over from Fire-Eaters, young boy comes running toward Fawkes and the gnome, crying out "A knight! Help me sir knight! I was just, just trying to deliever message and these three men tried to jump me!"

Corash sees this, and advances to helps. As he does so, a sailor goes running out of door, breaking through the meleee to flee. Thom follows, and nods to Fawkes. "Good timing."

The thugs draw their bows and begin firing at Fawkes.

Gnome calls out "you're under citizen's arrest."

Fawkes charges down the shooters, as Thom ignores the fleeing sailor and begins singing the epic ballad ... "Wee Jas ... She's hot". Strange comes out, throwing out a sailor.

Thom paralizes one of the ruffians as Fawkes battles all three, almost killing one outright. The gnome closes and attacks, but missed. Erngard drops the dazed combatant, while Fawkes drops his friend. Suddenly, the one who had been held breaks the spells, and starts attacking those near by. Corash magic missiles him with his wand, but the enemy doesn't die. Thom tries to paralize him again with a hold spell, but he shrugs off the magic. The stranger runs up and tries to stablize one of the fallen ruffians.

Finally, the survivor turns and runs as Fawkes tries to cut him down. The man still manages to flee. Erngard, Thom and the gnome try to capture the fleeing man, Erngard finally takes him down.

They manage to identified that the ambushers were members of the Blue mercenaries, and the kid was working for the Association of Couriers.

Thom talks to stranger, who reveals to be Vundan Longland, part of the Cairn Hills Adventuring Company in the city to go to the Obsidian Maze. Companions and I were to recover a stolen family heirloom, tracking them across ocean to Blue. Able to stop and recover item. Decided, while here, might as well go try out the Maze. His friends went to the maze while he returned to Greyhawk with the heirloom. When he returned to meet them months later, they have not arrived.

Experience & Loot

  • 5th level characters gain 850 exp
  • 6th level characters gain 700 exp
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