Inside the Onion?

Present:

• MARMALADING: Cody Dieback. Human Male Wizard from Highport – Andrew
• Jack "Blocker" Jones. Human Male Temple Fighter of Aquamarina from Porn City – Jamie
• Tom Eade. Human Male Fighter from Porn City – Jeff
• Grim Hand. Human Male Rogue from Porn City – Jason
• "Ezme". Human Female Temple Fighter of Soixante Neuf from Scabport – Shane
• MARMALADING: Ardern. Human Female Priestess of Mr Quail from Porn City – Kevin
• Rock Hammer. Human Male Barbarian from Central Plains – Steven
• MARMALADING Willow. Half-elf Male Caribou Gorn Priest from Porn City - Chris
• Kippy Hunt. Human Male Barbarian of the Central Plains – Ian
• Munch Ease. Human Male Thief from Porn City – Darryl

 

by Jeff

The Decision

"Well, I agree with Cody" stated Jack, "Let's just head over to Surrey and check out this Amelia"

"Cody, what do you think?"

"Cody?"

"CODY?"

Cody was slumped in the chair in the corner of the room, limbs akimbo, head lolling to the side, and marmalade oozing out of his mouth and down over his chin.

"Oh" laughed Jack, "Cody's out"

Sancho and its barren coastline

There was nothing much in the regions around Sancho; probably no one was game to set up shop anywhere near the depraved cesspool that was Sancho, but a few small hamlets dotted the coastline nearby. Retirement villages and small farming outposts predominantly. Surrey was one of these, located about a days journey Klibward up the coast.

Munch slipped out to hire a small, covered wagon (the weather was miserable, pissing down with rain and cold as) and we upped sticks and headed for Surrey. Esme and Tom walked ahead while the wagon was hired and provisioned, wrapped in their rain gear, while the rest of the crew waited in the dry. 

Once the wagon was ready, they all rested in dry comfort under the wagon cover as Munch cracked the whip and drove the horses onward. 

The wagon caught up with Esme and Tom around midday, and Kippy laughed at the bedraggled state of Esme and Tom.

"You should just ride the wagon with us" Kippy called.

"F' off" muttered Esme, feeling queasy just looking at the wagon wheels turning.

[Esme suffers from the Travel-Sick Fault. She must make a successful roll (at a penalty-roll two dice and take the worst) against her Constitution (11) or succumb to sickness. Tired of regular 'barfing' and being mocked by the rest of the party, Esme no longer rides on a wagon! Tom was walking with her to make sure there were no surprise 'encounters']

Surrey

We arrived in Surrey just before dark. It was tiny little hamlet; "population 82" declared the fading wooden sign at the edge of town. There was only one Inn, the Raven & Emerald, and so we crowded in. Only a few other customers graced the small barroom, and an older woman manned the bar.

Agnes was her name, and Kippy struck up some conversation.

Apparently, Surrey only had the one church, of Super Fosfait, on account of the rich vein of said super phosphate that surfaced nearby, "Directly under the church" Agnes noted proudly.

"And did you know that Sancho itself was built over a thick vein of super phosphate too" she declared.

 "I figured it was a pile of shite" quipped Kippy rudely.

Agnes stared at Kippy with a frown, before turning away with a disgruntled huff.

The next morning, we trooped off to "visit" the church (and reconnoitre the rest of the town).

A priest of Super Fosfait was working in the pastor's office, and a grizzled old man was worshipping at the altar. Munch went forward to chat to the old guy.

He was named Walter Brock, a retired Temple Fighter of Super Fosfait, and he also served as the local sheriff "When sheriffing is required" he added.

[At this point in the evening, Stephen dialled in and the assorted items of party treasure were distributed, according to the well-established protocols of treasure distribution.

Jason obtained the Cloak of Hiding (Invisible when stationary)

Andrew obtained the Boots of Stealth (+2 to Stealth rolls)

Andrew also obtained the Letter Opener of Discretion (Can discretely open and reveal the contents)

Jason obtained the Dagger of Quarterisation (Ignores armour and can cauterize wounds)

The Sword of Venom was turned in and later sold for two thousand gold pieces.]

Grim inquired of Walter about the people "Living hereabouts" but Walter wasn't very forthcoming.

Jack took a stroll through the town (about fifty metres down the main street) and spotted an old stone cottage with a small, attached stone tower. A large tree towered over one corner of the cottage, and two large wolfhounds lay in front of a large dog kennel out the front.

"Tower" thought Jack, "Tower ... Wizard ... Amelia ... Found her!" his thought stream concluded.

Kippy slipped into some trees and began a period of surveillance. The dogs patrolled regularly around the house and just before dark Amelia was spotted leaving the cottage. Kippy's eyes tracked her down the street and into the Inn. 

The rest of the party were already in the Inn, and saw an old woman enter and buy herself a drink.

After about ten minutes, Walter from the church entered and joined the old woman at her table.

"Check it out" Rock grunted loudly, ogling the old lady, "A double-D for sure!"

Of course, everyone in the room heard him and turned to stare.

The old woman stared back at Rock with a sharp steely expression. A cold chill passed over Rock, and then Walter wandered over.

[Fortunately, Rock made a saving through against Arcane magic otherwise there is no telling what may have eventuated and what may have occurred to Rock. But no one was any the wiser, apart from the old woman who now had an idea of Rock's magical resistance]

"Best not to stare at her" Walter calmly stated, leaning over Rock, "Folk round here might get upset"

"She's a might sensitive since her husband passed away some years ago" he continued.

Walter's hand rested suggestively on the hilt of his needle-sharp rapier.

"Ahh, fair enough" gulped Rock, turning away from the old woman.

Subtle inquiries with the innkeeper revealed that this was indeed Amelia Wilson. She had been "someone" in the Sancho wizard's guild and had retired to Surrey some years ago when her husband, a "big deal trader" from Sancho passed away "in mysterious circumstances".

The party decided to stay on in Surrey for a few days, to "relax and enjoy the restful atmosphere" they declared to anyone who would listen. In fact, a few days of consistent observation found that Amelia followed a regular daily pattern.

Home for the day.

Feed the dogs just after lunchtime and take them out for a walk.

Down to the pub at 10 be'light.

A couple of drinks with Walter.

A simple meal.

Back home, escorted by Walter.

Home all night.

"Let's sneak into her house while she's at the Inn" suggested Jack.

"Nah" declared Munch, "It'll be trapped up the wazoo"

"Well then, lets ambush her when she walks down to the Inn" suggested Tom.

"Nah" declared Munch, "It's too light. Anyone could see us"

"How about we jump the both of them when he escorts her back home at night" suggested Grim.

"Nah" declared Munch, "He's a big deal fighter and there'll be too much noise"

"OK" countered Ezme, "How's about we head back to Sancho and get a bit more information"

[Ezme wasn't keen on killing Amelia and she was up for anything that might delay the inevitable]

"OK" said Munch.

Back at Sancho

After another day of travel, we arrived back at Sancho.

It still stunk like a cesspool and everyone still had shifty eyes.

But we all retuned to The Sable Lilly and took rooms again.

The next morning, Kippy and Ezme, armed with bags of gold, visited the Whisperer's Guild to buy some more information. Ezme set about negotiating a fair price for said information.

The Whisperer Informant was a shifty eyed fellow

"500 gold" said the shifty eyed guild flunky.

"Done" said Ezme, dropping a large and heavy sack on the table.

"Oh" responded the flunky with some surprise, "I'll just get our Informant for you"

Another shifty eyed fellow in a black cloak sidled into the room and sat on one side of the desk.

"What ya be wanting to know then?" he whispered.

"Tell us about Amelia Wilson and her husband" asked Ezme.

"Well ..." he sighed, "Amelia Wilson, née Venning, was originally from Porn City and emigrated to Sancho many years ago. She eventually married Willie Wilson, a high-ranking trader in all sorts of illicit goods here in Sancho and a staunch card-carrying member of the guild of thieves. Their marriage ran into some difficulties about three-four years ago when rumour has it that they had a personal conflict of interest. They separated and sometime later old Willie was found in his bed, the life sucked right out of him as though drained by some ancient undead denizen of the underworld. Following that, Amelia just wasn't right in the head, and she retired out to a little place called Surrey, just up the coast, but you know that already, don't you?"

Ezme's eyes had lit up at "Venning".

Venning was a well-known family name in Porn City, in fact the Venning's ran the Thieves Guild in Porn City and are one of the more powerful families there. Even though Ezme wasn't from Porn City originally, she had heard of the Venning's!

Before he could take another breath, Ezme thanked the shifty eyed informant profusely, and she and Kippy hurried back to the party to report.

"Sure, sure, but what was this conflict of interest?" queried Munch.

"And did Amelia actually kill the husband?" butted in Grim.

"And 500 gold" complained Jack, "Why didn't you ask for more information?"

"No pleasing some people" grumbled Ezme, and she and Kippy grabbed another sack of gold and returned to the Whisperer's guild for another bite of the cherry.

"1000 gold" said the shifty eyed guild flunky.

"F' off" swore Ezme, "500 gold"

And she dropped another large and heavy sack on the table.

"Done" said flunky, "Wait here"

The same shifty eyed fellow in the black cloak sidled into the room again.

"What ya be wanting to know then?" he whispered.

"Tell us about Willie Wilson and any of his dealings with Vincent de Throak" asked Ezme.

"Well ..." he sighed, "Willie Wilson, as you know, was rather a big deal trader here in Sancho, a powerful and well-respected member of the guild of thieves, known to deal in all sorts of illicit goods. Anything really, for the right price. But his specialty was people. He could get anyone, of any race, any age, any sex, for any use. For trade with Porn City Willie would often deal with Vincent de Throak, a somewhat estranged member of the infamous ruling family of de Throak. Vincent's specialty was children, he could supply children of any age, any race, any sex, and any lineage!"

The Informant's shifty eyes darted from side-to-side, and he leaned forward and continued quietly.

"Rumour has it that Willie had ordered a teenage female from Vincent, one with potential. And one was provided, apparently an orphan, a child of the powerful Venning family"

Ezme's eyes lit up again at "Venning".

Amelia Venning's husband had bought a Venning girl from Porn City!

And she had bought her from Vincent de Throak!

Before the Informant could take another breath, Ezme thanked him profusely again, and she and Kippy hurried back to the party to report.

"That's got to be it" declared Jack, "Amelia killed them all on a family matter"

"Could be, could be" mused Munch.

A report was sent by Gnome Post back to the wizard Thespian at the Porn City guild.

"Now" declared Ezme, "We just need to wait for his response"

This would be a three week round trip, even by Gnome Post, so the party hunkered down in the Inn. No excursions were made out into Sancho, meals were taken in the Inn, drink was consumed, fights were avoided, bills were paid, and arguments nipped in the bud.

Kill Amelia!

Three weeks later a reply came by Gnome Post.

"KILL AMELIA"

"What else does it say?" asked Grim.

"That's it" replied Jack, "Just those two words"

"But what does that mean?" asked Munch, "Surely not that we should kill Amelia?"

"That wasn't in our contact" stated Ezme, "No way"

Votes were taken.

The party decision was to execute the instruction.

By executing Amelia. We were off to Surrey again!

The Giant Lizard

Aiming to set up a discrete campsite base a half hour travel from Surrey so we could carry out further reconnaissance and launch our attack, Kippy selected a nice spot in a shallow valley, hidden from the surrounds, and next to a quiet stream.

"Fresh water" declared Kippy happily.

[ Unbeknownst to all though, Kippy had totally fumbled his Survival-Wilds roll and failed to spot the large and deep footprints that marched along a well beaten trail beside the stream.] It wasn't until much later that night while everyone was sleeping, apart from Munch and Jack who were on watch, that this unfortunate oversight was eventually discovered.

It started with a quiet rustle in the distance downstream, heard by both Munch and Jack, and quickly escalated into a rowdy rumble, cracking and smashing of bush, and thumping vibrations from heavy footfalls. Munch, utilizing his Night Vision Talent, quickly drew a handful of arrows from his quiver and got two away in quick succession. Jack rushed around the sleeping party, yelling aloud and waking everyone, then threw a bunch of kindling onto the small campfire.

A giant lizard charged out of the night

Tom grabbed his trusty club and stepped forward bravely, staring at the giant snarling lizard revealed by the flare of light from the fire. 

This thing was huge! It towered above Tom and swung its jaws down towards him, spittle flying from its rows of needle-like teeth. 

Dropping his bow and drawing his sword, Munch joined Esme, Jack, Rock, and Kippy in their attack on the giant lizard's flanks while Tom held its attention at its head.

The lizard's hide was thick and rigid, many of the successful blows just bouncing off and jarring our attacker's arms. [The creature had a five-point armoured hide; five damage points subtracted from each successful hit's damage] Tom managed to avoid the creature's attacks, striking the creature in each of the three rounds of battle. Tom also utilized his Heavy Hitter Talent [spend 2 Luck on a successful melee attack to obtain an additional damage die] to make the most of his strikes. 

It could have turned out quite differently, but the giant lizard was subdued and killed in only three melee rounds, with none of the party taking even a scratch.

"Lucky that thing didn't hit you" noted Kippy, "That's known as a Death Lizard out in the Waste!"

"Yeah" muttered Tom, "Lucky indeed"

After all that excitement, it took a good half hour for everyone to get back to sleep.

"I hope Cody is awake tomorrow" mumbled Grim as his eyes slowly closed.

......