Overnight Hayate has attuned to the mask and bag of bones
As Vigil returns from the temple the next morning he meets the rest of the team at breakfast
- Around the table the party discusses plans
- Eliseo talks about the politics of the town
- Eliseo and Strum want to visit the Alfieri they rescued for the reward
- Vigil is dismissive
- Strum hands out beans from the bag, telling the party that they should plant them for help in a time of need
- Vigil asks him to keep hold of his for him
- Hayate describes the effects of the items that he has found
- The mask imposes a manic grin on the wearer
- He found it made him laugh and dance
- Found the experience enjoyable
- It can also turn you invisible
- The bag is full of hand bones
- They assemble into an animated, skeletal hand
- He assures the party that it is his to command…
- He thinks…
- Hayate takes the circlet and the mask is given to Eliseo
- The group, minus Vigil, heads to the upper city via the Grubb bakery
At the bakery
- Cicero Grubb is still recovering but seems to be on the mend
- Party is given bread and buns in two large hampers
- Seeing Eliseo’s uniform he is asked if he’s here to collect ‘the regular payment’
Eliseo is able to get the party into the Upper city with no issues
- He and Strum visit the house of Dario Alfieri
- Branch family to the one that rules
- Drinks are served
- Alfieri is mending quite well; his eye cut it sealed
- He likes the rakish look the scar gives him
- He has no news on his uncle and guards have been dispatched to look for him at the site of Elturel
- Eliseo attempts some minor extortion
- This is moderately successful
- 120gp
- Strum trades hard gold for a letter of mark
- It’s a very fancy letter with a lovely wax seal
- Strum attempts to return the paltry amount of gold Alfieri gave Eliseo
- This is unsuccessful
- We imply we’ll update them on the power struggle but probably won’t
Marco and Hayate go to scout the Bandiera’s mansion
- Marco climbs a building for a look over the walls
- Stone wall with red clay roof tiles
- Mansion is 100ft across with the outer walls encompassing a further 100ft
- Can see 9 guards patrolling in groups of 3
- There is a stable built into the outer wall, but it has no exit to the outside
- They go to look for a sewer entrance
- Find a tunnel with a grate over it a distance away
- Hayate bends the bars and they head inside, trying to navigate towards the mansion
- They get a bit lost and find their way blocked by more substantial bars
The group meets back up at the Smiling Boar
That evening the team heads to the Low Lantern tavern
- Boat tied up on the docks
- Large lantern at the bow emitting a sickly green light
- No sails
- On the deck there are 3 dead seagulls
- Marco investigates them and finds that they have all been killed by a single stinger like puncture wound and appear to have been poisoned
- In the crows nest there are 2 ravens
- Vigil’s divine sense alerts him to fiends in the crowsnest
- Informing the others that we are being watched and need to be quick
- Hayate knows that imps can shapeshift and are likely the ravens
Heading down to the 1st deck
- The tavern is bustling
- Kenku behind the bar and several bouncers
- A human woman greets the party, identifying herself as Larella, the owner
- Good place for drinking and gambling
- Eliseo asks about getting a loan for some gambling and is directed to Agostino on the floor below
Strum offers to perform and the captain takes him up on the offer
- He and Hayate remain on the upper level
Marco, Eliseo and Vigil head downstairs
- As they do so, Strum notices a person focused on Vigil who gets up and follows him downstairs
- Woman in her late teens, with red hair and dark skin, wearing a cloak over armour
- Strum warns Vigil with a message
- As she gets downstairs she catches Vigil’s eye and tries to pretend she didnt notice, moving to a random table
- He doesn’t recognise her
Downstairs the party spots a man that is likely Agostino
- Human male, dark cloak and leathers with a number of daggers
- Has long hair and a moustache/goatee
- Sprawled on a leather sofa across from an elvish lady
- Behind him, perched on the sofa is a dog sized fiend, purple with wings and many spines (Spined Devil)
Listening in to his conversation:
- The elf is bartering for time to repay her loan
- Agostino says she has two days and threatens her
- A large bruiser comes over from a seat at the bar and forces her to leave
Looking around Vigil spots 2 thugs who are likely involved with Agostino and a dwarf carrying a large money purse
Enraged by what he sees as extortion, Marco draws his sword and suddenly stabs the bruiser, pinning his hand to the bar
- A fight kicks off with Eliseo throwing his new scimitar at the devil who responds with a swooping attack and settles on the wall firing spines at Eliseo from it’s tail
Agostino drops a smoke bomb and runs for the stairs, Vigil chases after and shouts up the stairs to alert Hayate and Strum
- Marco and Eliseo combat the bruisers as they move towards the stairs, the redheaded woman trips one of them before drawing her sword and moving to help the party
With Hayate blocking the stairs from above, Agostino surrenders and tells his men to back down
- Marco wants to put him in manacles but Agostino is resistant and wants to talk
- The owner shouts at us all to get out and the bouncers start to mobilise
- The devil flies out of a window and away
As they get back to the top deck, a raven flies off
- Strip Agostino of his weapons
- Tell him we want to talk to his mother
As they leave the ship Vigil cuts off the redhead and says that she seems to know him but he does not know her
- She opens her cloak revealing a tabard with the hellriders sigil
- Vigil is delighted to not be the last one
- She was investigating rumours that the Overseer had been seen here in the city in the company of Bandiera soldiers
- Vigil is confused that he is not dead
- Was he captured or did he abandon his post?
Agostino leaves towards the upper town
- Overplaying the hands up position and trying to get his guards to follow
- Vigil forces his hands down and orders the guards to stay
- Agostino tells them “you know what to do”
- Marco leaves the owl to watch them
Marching him through the city, Strum notices we are being followed by 6 spined devils
- The devils attack and Agostino makes a break for it
- Strum chases after and is able to charm him but he keeps running
The party engages in a running battle with the devils as they swoop down from the rooftops
- The fight is difficult as the devils stay out of melee range
- Strum and Hayate bring down several with thunderwave and scorching rays and Vigil slices one in half
- Seeing his minions dead Agostino surrenders again and submits to being shackled