Intelligence Report – Part 4

House Thrune Intelligence Report on Elements C, G, L, Q, and V

Day 9 cont. – Kintargo (Rova 9, 4715)

On the way from the Cloven Hoof Society to the Wasp Nest, Element Q fell into a Slithering Pit, which—as is usual for these creatures—had taken on the appearance of a puddle. This pitfall soon revealed the creature’s true nature and the fact that even the hairiest slip feet are no match for its stomach acid in the long run. The companions stood around the hole like curious street urchins; only G recognized its true nature. But by the time his warning cries rang out, it was already too late for C, and a black tentacle dragged her in after Q. While G set to work on the Pit with his sword, L with his swords, and V with magic missiles, Q managed to climb out of the hole over the bewildered C, whose horns proved to be excellent handholds. As the last magic missiles struck, the Pit squeezed out C—wounded not only in body but deeply in pride—and expired.

Back at the Wasp Nest, the SR were greeted by Forvian Crowe, who informed them that he held the Fushi Sisters responsible for the cave’s collapse. He had found tools that, in his opinion, belonged to the tengu ladies. Only the reminder that they could not fly, that the tools had been hidden in the ceiling, and that they were also far too small for those feather dusters could soothe his resentment and persuade him to drop the accusations.

V informed Rexus about the sinews bearing Aklo characters. Since C wanted to take part in the oratory contest at the Chained Devil Inn, V bought a scroll capable of changing C’s appearance for 150 gp.

Day 10 – Kintargo (Rova 10, 4715)

On the morning of Rova 10, Rexus managed to translate the first part of the encrypted message from the Livery.

The SR were established in 4606 AR in the wake of the chaos that swept over Cheliax after Aroden’s death to help protect the city of Kintargo from oppression. The woman who founded the SR was a mysterious elf known as “Jackdaw,” a figure who, before the advent of the Age of Lost Omens, built herself into a sort of Kintargan folk hero who fought for the rights of the city’s downtrodden.

In preparation for the debate, L and G decided to incapacitate Petronikus, the speaker who was to argue against House Thrune at the Chained Devil Inn, so that C could take his place. L lured him into a side alley on a pretext, and G brought his longsword crashing against the man’s head in one enormous slap. After further blows, he had finally reached the realm of dreams and was given a bottle of cheap rotgut to hold, creating the impression that he was drunk. In the finest tradition of the street robber, L relieved Petronikus of his 4 gp and a symbol of Asmodeus.

They then met at Crissalis Fine Tomes, where the owner—for 10 gp—looked the other way as V rented the back room for clandestine meetings. G reported that Q had been caught spying by two dottari, who escorted him away and also noticed G’s presence. The slip subsequently managed to escape, however, and arrived at Crissali’s shortly after the other elements. After a brief exchange of information, the companions left Crissali’s.

C went to the debate, accompanied by V. Just before she entered, V magically disguised her as a black hellspawn. C’s debate against Azvernathi Raul was, of course, unwinnable; after all, who could possibly muster an even remotely convincing argument against Asmodeus? But Azvernathi was having a bad day, and C therefore managed to sow doubt in the minds of a Queensman or two.

And when he—having realized his own inadequacy—tried to get the Queensmen present to arrest C for her blasphemies, Tombus Regegious and Pavo jointly put a stop to it. Rules, after all, still apply even when they are inconvenient. C subsequently managed to leave the Chained Devil Inn. As arranged, V met her at the Fair Fortune Livery, where the remaining SR were also waiting and received their report. The companions spent the night leading into Rova 12 there. It was to be their last night there… the net is tightening.

Days 11–12 – Kintargo (Rova 11–12, 4715)

Both Rova 11 and Rova 12 were subsequently spent relaxing a little and picking up rumors.

Day 13 – Kintargo (Rova 13, 4715)

On Rova 13, Laria Longroad asked the companions to come to Redroof. There she showed them the impaled and tortured Gellius and informed them that the Queensmen were looking for Quinn and Lorax. Her request that they exercise more caution was further reinforced by the fact that the Livery had recently burned down during the night. This prompted the companions to look for an alternative entrance to the Wasp Nest. To that end, they decided to explore the sewers.

Before long, they encountered an old acquaintance, the Albino Alligator. It managed to show G what a Death Roll is. And it would surely have swum off with a full belly had the other companions not finished it off with swords, halfling sling staffs, and magic.

C healed G’s wounds, as well as those of Q, who had been badly battered by two tail slaps.

Day 14 – Kintargo (Rova 14, 4715)

On Rova 14, exploration of the sewers continued. Worthy of note is the SR’s encounter with the River Talons, a band of tengu robbers for whom V has little love and who—according to his account—had ambushed, robbed, and injured him.

Thanks to C’s negotiating skills, they struck a deal with Ravzee, the Talons’ leader, for passage across the river unseen for 10 gp. Code phrase: “Don’t forget the 10 gp!” The Talons, however, seemed unwilling to oppose House Thrune. Good.

Day 15 – Kintargo (Rova 15, 4715)

Rova 15 was once again spent resting.

Day 16 – Kintargo (Rova 16, 4715)

But Rova 16 had a big surprise in store, followed by a small one. First, the big one. Gronk, the former bouncer at the Thrashing Badger, came to Laria and asked her to arrange a meeting with Grizzly. Since Grizzly considered the half-orc “all right,” the SR decided to meet him at Clenchjaws, where he is a regular.

There he told the SR, who were waiting in a side alley, of strange goings-on at Clenchjaws. Of patrons suddenly beating each other up (apparently out of nowhere) and a sleeping innkeeper, which led V to suspect that magic was at work. Gronk feared this might attract the Queensmen’s attention and thus spell the end of Clenchjaws. So the companions entered Clenchjaws and looked around.

One of the patrons was reciting a poem—apparently by the seditious Poison Pen:

Men of Kintargo

Men of Kintargo, wherefore plough
For the lords who lay ye low?
Wherefore weave with toil and care
The rich robes your tyrants wear?
Wherefore feed and clothe and save
From the cradle to the grave
Those ungrateful drones who would
Drain your sweat—nay, drink your blood?
Wherefore, Bees of Kintargo, forge
Many a weapon, chain, and scourge,
That these stingless drones may spoil
The forced produce of your toil?
Have ye leisure, comfort, calm,
Shelter, food, love’s gentle balm?
Or what is it ye buy so dear
With your pain and with your fear?
The seed ye sow, another reaps;
The wealth ye find, another keeps;
The robes ye weave, another wears;
The arms ye forge, another bears.
Sow seed—but let no tyrant reap:
Find wealth—let no imposter heap:
Weave robes—let not the idle wear:
Forge arms—in your defense to bear.
Shrink to your cellars, holes, and cells—
In hall ye deck another dwells.
Why shake the chains ye wrought? Ye see
The steel ye tempered glance on ye.
With plough and spade and hoe and loom
Trace your grave and build your tomb
And weave your winding-sheet—till fair
Kintargo be your Sepulchre.

While V could not even find his own shoelaces, the others gathered interesting information, and—when a brawl suddenly broke out of nowhere—Q even spotted something that prompted him to leave the establishment as quick as a zebub. V sent the brawling patrons to the realm of dreams with a sleep spell, and eventually everyone left the inn. Outside, Q reported that he had seen—the small surprise—a tiny dragon with butterfly wings, which had vanished outside when it noticed that Q could see it. Delighted by this news, V began calling to the little dragon in Draconic, having identified it as a faerie dragon—a small, chaotic creature with more mischief than sense. And indeed, before long, Vendalfek revealed himself. In the course of a conversation, it emerged that he had previously made his home in the Thrashing Badger and had now—after its destruction—decided to continue his pranks at Clenchjaws. The SR managed to make him understand the danger he was bringing upon Clenchjaws and the fair city of Kintargo, and—despite C’s misgivings—they welcomed the creature into their fellowship.

Whether this will come back to haunt them remains to be seen.