Great-grandchild of the sister's gibbon's friend of the nephew of the Campaign that Would Not Die, now in 3.25e Møøse Trained By: Hugh Foster

Whoops! RTA

DM Note: The first session back at a table for what feels like forever - certainly the first session of this campaign played head-on What a wonderful feeling!

Minensal, 30th November 2100, evening

• Baylock sets out into the chilly evening to start adding to his funds. He, Talian and Nazariel make their way to the Theatre district, where the city's one active theatre stands in among the ruins of the ones from the city's past. It's a farce; "So That's the Way You Don't Like It", prices one, two or four silver. Baylock goes cheap and cases the audience.
• The play is actually very good, though some local in-jokes are lost on the PCs. On the way out, Baylock slips away and plies his trade to mixed results; some have gold in their pockets and some have unspeakable things. Certainly not enough to fund his shortfall.
• Later, he stops by the Monk and Wizard to see if he can get further with the local Guild but they are still very cautious.

Street Corner, Minensal, 30th November 2100, later

• Meanwhile, Baggy and Chambu have been back to the temple of Pelor to make their devotions in an - at least - allied church. Baggy once more storms the skies with appeals for a resolution of her conflicts, but again to no avail. She sighs, but still does not seriously entertain the thought of turning from the path. They head for home.

• Drunken Barbarian

  A burly man dressed in the rough clothes of the uncivilized people who live in the Engeror Mountains comes into view. He’s got a pretty girl by the arm and is in the process of dragging her away, screaming and crying. His intentions are obvious. A cheaply but smartly-dressed young commoner is lying in the street with blood pouring from a head wound. Passers-by are watching, there’s the odd cry of “Shame!” or “Bastard!” but no-one seems ready to tackle a Mountain Barbarian.
• Chambu and Baggy attempt to persuade him to see sense, but he's beligerent as well as rather lust-crazed and won't listen. Chambu tries to surprise him with Hold Person but not only does it not work, it send him into a rage. Baggy casts Bull's Strength.
• The barbarian pulls his crude sword and slashes left and right, missing by miles. Baggy steps into him and punches hard with her cestii, making him blink bemusedly but also let go of the girl. She dashes to her fallen swain and throws herself dramatically but ineffectually across his body.
• Chambu tries again and this time Hold Person locks the would-be rapist solid. Disarming him, they clear his pockets of everything. Chambu Heals the fallen man, who introduces himself as Elron; the girl is Ibelecia, his intended. They give the barbarian's money and valuables to Elron, causing Ibelecia to start crying again, this time joyously - "We can afford to marry now!" Baggy is rather disconcerted when they declare they will name their firstborn (Ibelecia blushes indictaing that this is probably in process) after her.

Trade District, Minensal, 30th November 2100, even later

• The theatre party are walking through a narrow street in the trader's quarter when an incongrous sound makes some of them look round. Bearing down on them very rapidly is a wagon, pulled at a flat gallop by a hysterical horse due to the back of the wagon being a mass of flames.

• Jumping on a Horse!

  They scatter in all directions; Nazariel nearly goes under the wagon and can hear the screams of luckless citizens who have. Baylock performs a spectacular leap from under the horse's nose onto its back, while Talian times the wagon's passage and scrambles aboard from the back.
• Talian staggers through the wagon, finding it empty except for burning canvas and scrap wood - for some reason the smell of toasted cheese runs across his mind even as his hair catches fire. Reaching the driving seat, he cuts the reins and hauls on the brake. The wagon bounces from wall to wall and eventually stops.
• Baylock, suddenly mounted on a runaway horse without the restraining weight of a wagon, has a few worrying moments before he can get it under control. Riding back, he meets Nazariel who tells him Spy has noticed a suspicious figure running away from behind where the wagon must have come from. She's found a used tindertwig in the road where he indicated. The bird is trailing the suspect.
• The three do what they can for the casualties; many don't make it and aren't in a position to be sad at being a bit poorer. Then they set out for the house where Spy reports the culprit to have gone to ground.

The Dragon Tattoo

The Happy Cheese, Minensal, 30th November 2100, even later

• They find themselves at a shop titled "The Happy Cheese". Talian goes up the back wall and in through a window, while Baylock goes in through the back door. The shop is dark and shuttered, and - unsurprisingly - full of cheese.
• As Talian moves from the back to the front of the building, a crossbow bolt narrowly misses him. He can see his assailant, crouched behind an upturned table and frantically reloading. He rushes him and renders him unconscious. Sure enough, he has the tattoo of the Cult of the Dragon.

Session Date: 24th August 2021; at a Table!