Session 20
Fury of the Hydra
At the end of a nice evening with the whole gang, Delbellis finishes up her work shift at the bar and grabs Cynic from the doorway. Cerrule, interested as well, momentarily speaks to an old fortune teller at a table and receives the card of Justice, earning her a sense of balance and consequence for 24 hours. With that out of the way, the group makes their way towards the Brassdorf Harbor...
The harbor appeared to be silent as there was no work activity at this hour of the evening. The group watches over the ships and finds the ship belonging to the Hydra Pirates. While Aragir and Cynic are not 100% themselves after a few rounds of drinks, Delbellis spots some unusual activity and declares finding several Obsidian Fist operatives on and around this pirate ship. The group considers their options but combat seemed the last thing they want. After some discussion, they decide to kidnap one of them. Kaimos stood up to the task and creates some darkness around one of the criminals down below on the lower pier and Dimension Door over there, grabs one of them and pops back out. The group immediately runs for the city, leaving behind the Harbor as quickly as they came in.
With an Obsidian Fist member on their hands, Delbellis stuns and blindfolds him with Cerrule casting levitate for easier transfer. Cynic joins Delbellis in flight and together they fly or run through the streets of Brassdorf's Heatherarch region up to the cozy Snoring Lobster inn. Through an upper window on the top third floor opened by an intruding Cynic on the premises, they pay off the angry and frustrated inn owner for a room there and begin interrogating the criminal.
After several threats, the Obsidian Fist operative opens up while, despite drunk, Aragir begins reading his mind for additional info. Indeed, the Obsidian Fist is on a job for the Wardens. The Wardens, in turn, are financed by Gareth Hedral, a rather known figure to the Four Feathers -- an intermediary from the Adventurer's Guild! Further interrogation reveals the job at hand: a specific treasure map pointing to a beach that would contain some kind of mineral, valuable to the Wardens for something. The treasure map was created by Gilrog Elsar, a legendary pirate of the Fury Pirates, who would accidently stumble on a large crater in Istros Borealis, a legendary place where magicks itself allegedly originates from as pointed out by Aragir. Here, the pirate would take a mineral to bring to the Eastern Kingdoms and then hid it and would remain hidden ever since. The party knew enough and decide to find this map for themselves. Kaimos brings the captured criminal to the Fold through Cassius and the rest of the group will attempt a heist, going back to the harbor once more. Cerrule forges a genius plan: she would hide her appearance and put on the Obsidian Fist mask, fooling the other members in being one of them.
Soon after hatching this plan followed by a fast travel later, they arrive at the harbor. Aragir and Cynic stay behind while Delbellis takes flight to scout from above. They agreed that she would let out a bird-like signal to a drunk Aragir and Cynic to create a diversion, in case something happens. Meanwhile, Cerrule begins making her way towards the ship and, indeed, fooling several members that she is part of them! Making her way into the pirate ship, she destroys a lock on the captain's chamber and heads in. Here, she grabs several treasure maps and finds a peculiar looking metal harnass. By some stroke of luck, she comes across a very special treasure map with the words Arcanum written at the top. With all this now in Cerrule's possession, it was time to duck out, but not before one last addition to this plan: create a fake resembling the real Arcanum map. Cerrule heads out and announces her success to the other Obsidian Fist members, handing out the fake treasure map to finish off the deception! The Obsidian Fist crew quickly disperses in victory and Cerrule makes her way back to the group...
Delbellis decides to follow one of the Obsidian Fist holding the fake treasure map, and signals to the others to, perhaps, follow? Aragir, a little drunk, interprets this signal to begin some diversion and loudly considers the situation with Cynic, with Cerrule there yelling RUN. Here, the Obsidian Fist begins to realize what is happening and whistles to gather back the crew. Delbellis charms one of them with her newly equipped Amulet of Madness and, while they fight amongst themselves, the group quickly retreats. Meeting Kaimos halfway back, they return to the inn unharmed...
Back at the inn, they begin their rest after a long day of troubles. Kaimos, after attempting to identify the armor found by Cerrule but failing to do so, leaves to catch up on sleep. Delbellis heads out one more time to help at the Sea Swallows tavern and in the process makes several potions, but returns soon to find rest as well. During the night, Cerrule begins dreaming about her mother who lets her go and then speaks to a strange Aarakocra in a white filled environment, the entity cloaked with a sun-like symbol speaking strangely. Meanwhile, Delbellis meditates until asleep and begins experiencing a wave of memories that soon turn unfavorable until, in the dreamlike world of darkness, meeting a brightly lit female figure named Solis who soon after exits through a bright doorway into a world much like Yggdrasil. Both Cerrule and Delbellis simultaneously wake from their dreams and regain their composure...
The next morning, the party heads out. Outside, on the plaza of the Adventurer's Guild, a large gathering is taking place. There are protets and yellers demanding truths and justice for the finding of the lost city, Myrneas. Delbellis speaks to one particularly loud dwarven figure who introduces himself as Azekiel. After a brief conversation, the large gathering is named part of the newly formed Resistance League. Delbellis inquires about more information, to which Azekiel promises her a pamphlet of timings of gatherings will be sent to her residence or sleeping accomodations. Aragir and Cynic keep walking on, bearing little to no interest in this trouble, Cerrule and Delbellis soon join as well to make their way to towards Kaimos and Cassius.
They all meet again at the Earnest Apple. Here, they share some of the found info while they buy some food. At a little fountain on the plaza there, they decide to momentarily split up to tie some loose ends while they are still in town. Cerrule heads out to a blacksmith to attempt identifying the found harnass from the pirate ship, Aragir heads out to the Palace once more to retrieve their permit from the Queen and Cynic decides to visit his old Getaways friends and makes his way to their known bar of choice, the Sunrise Ruby.
As Cynic enters the somewhat rundown bar, a bartender is in the process of sweeping the floor. The bar appears well lived in after a night of party, perhaps. Cynic announces his purpose to him and is promptly pointed to a back door. Through there and following a spiraling staircase down into a small dimly lit chamber with a great locked door at the end of it, he reunites with an old friend: Geralt. A dialogue occurs: Cynic persuading him on a plan to not only dismantle the Obsidian Fist but join the Getaway ranks more officially. Amused by this, Geralt nonetheless agrees it is the right mindset. A few bangs on the great door, it opens revealing to Cynic that the Sunrise Ruby actually has a hidden lounge underneath it, a second bar altogether. As they enter this new area of interest, the door slams closed behind them...