Summary of Events:
When we left our adventurers last, they had taken refuge in Ren’s Burrowhouse apartment, sleeping soundly in the first bed they had seen in some time.
In the morning, their business takes them deep into the Four Corners in search of an artificer. Ren takes his friends to the storefront of Manziver Stoutwander, a very old, very eccentric, and very clever Rock Gnome. The sign that hung over the door depicted a man at an anvil with a hammer in one hand and an orb of bright blue magical light in the other.
Rota enters the artificer’s shop and begins to conduct business with the man. The centurion hopes to attach his chain of returning to his wrist in the interest of versatility in battle. Intrigued by the sight of a mechanical construct such as Rota, Stoutwander proposes a different sort of arrangement with a childish spark of excitement in his eye. Rota must compete against Stoutwander’s “champion” in a fight tonight and if he wins, Stoutwander will provide the service requested. Ren and Chonka are quick to suggest that they join Rota in support while Iolair cautiously declines, having thought of a more discrete way to support his friends. Giddy with excitement, Manziver Stoutwander lays out the terms of their agreement:
They may all compete together in the evening’s events, but they will face a “champion” for each contestant, for a total of three.
If the adventurers win, they will receive:
- Stoutwander’s services to attach the chain of returning to Rota’s arm
- A bag of holding for Ren
- 1,035 gp to match Chonka’s wager
If the adventurers lose, Stoutwander will receive:
- A chance to take a closer look at Rota’s power core
- 1,000 gp from Ren
- 1,035 gp from Chonka
With all terms agreed, they head further into the city to make preparations for tonight’s events. Ren leaves the group while the others search for an alchemist’s shop. After some time and a few wrong turns, they find themselves at Tazenrack Quavambra’s Potions and Poultices. It is here that they buy:
- 4 potions of healing
Next, their business takes them to the storefront of the local blacksmith, Balmora Wildkin. It is here that Chonka buys:
- 1 battleaxe
- 1 shield
- 2 javelins
Across the city in the Market District, Ren conducts his own business and has…adopted an alternative persona to do so. On the lake side of the Market District, there is a quaint little store that belongs to Aerith Ravazana, a wizard woman that provides services tailored to her customer’s needs. A fly on the wall of this store would see a lovely half-elf woman with long golden hair, a rapier at her side, and a confident-but-friendly smile on her face enter and approach the front desk to greet an old friend.
“Oh, Lydia! It’s been quite some time. I see your travels have concluded and you’ve returned to Brightcliffe. What can I do for an old friend?” Aerith asks.
Lydia presents six deed halves that were collected from within Tuckerthranx’s private quarters and asks to have them repaired. Aerith agrees in exchange for another service; Lydia is to deliver a letter to a special someone in the West Ward within two days. The two friends chat for a moment and then Lydia proceeds to continue conducting her business in the Market District.
Lydia makes haste to a local jewelry shop called Hagwin Ralona’s Rings and Baubles purchases a ring worth 300 gp. A gift for “a friend, but not a dear friend, you know?” Upon exiting, Lydia casts Distort Value on the ring, doubling its perceived value.
With all business conducted and Ren back in his tiefling persona, the adventurers gather back at Ren’s Burrowhouse apartment before heading to the fights. Iolair, drawing immense arcane power, casts Death Ward on the entire group prior to departure.
Ren leads the group through the winding streets of the Four Corners until they reach a door in Shatterback alley. They enter the door and descend a long set of stairs until they reach where the path splits into two; one for spectators and the other for contestants.
Iolair heads to the spectator’s stands while the others continue to the contestant’s entrance. After submitting their wagers to the attending security guard, Rota, Chonka, and Ren all enter a circular fighting ring that is surrounded by spectators.
After a short time, a hatch opens in the floor and a mechanical whirring can be heard. Three large, mechanical constructs emerge from below, each stained red with the blood from the corpses that grotesquely decorate their spike-covered backsides. In the stands above, Manziver Stoutwander giggles like a child at play, looks at the party, and says with a devilish grin, “Best of luck! HAVE A DAY.”
Session End.
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