Session 15: "In Zanjamand."
(November 18)
The party returns to Rajgan to report to Lord Gimgem on their mission to capture or kill Gargax and his renegade wyvern riders. Gargax has escaped them, as has much of his gang, but the loyal wyvern riders from the Winged College will be patrolling to find them, and their base in the Stormcloud will dissolve now that the silver dragon Galomere has been slain.
Gimgem gives them a new mission: seek out the construct known as the Starling, and capture or destroy it if possible. He also tells them to find and capture the rogue halfling named Periwinkle Carn, who had been a member of the Graz'zt cult in Asherhet (session 4), and had acted as the go-between for the Gray King in transferring the oblexes to their recipients on the surface. He wants Carn taken alive if possible for questioning. The Starling cannot be interrogated with magic, and can be destroyed if necessary.
Lord Gimgem stresses that the party must be inconspicuous as they infiltrate the black market city of Zanjamand. The city lies within the lands of Malimpel, which just signed a peace treaty with Rajgan (session 0). The peace is still fragile enough that Rajgan cannot be seen sending agents into sovereign Malimpelan territory to capture or kill citizens of Malimpel; officially, the Empress Sulana knows nothing of their mission.
There is a contact waiting for them in Zanjamand, a gnome named Timble Tomberfree who runs a small magic shop at the north end of the city.
Lord Gimgem briefs the party on the Starling: a construct in service to the rakshasa Trinilane, it has operated out of Zanjamand for a number of years, obtaining rare magical items for Trinilane's business, Aanja Subscribers Ltd.
Gimgem has more to tell them about Carn: Originally from Asherhet, where her famed beauty brought her to the attention of the Graz'zt cult, Carn's brilliance and ruthlessness quickly earned her a high position within the cult. It is rumored that she made a deal directly with Graz'zt himself, but what transpired is unclear, as she began to conceal her beauty beneath a cloak and hood. She started roving outward, performing dangerous tasks for the cult that eventually led her into a life of adventuring, raiding lost temples and dungeons in search of artifacts. This brought her to the attention of the Starling and its boss Trinilane, who began employing her in acquisitions. Her involvement with the oblex scheme suggests she has set her sights higher, seeing the cult as just one useful tool in a much vaster conspiracy. Since the cult's destruction, Carn has operated exclusively out of Zanjamand.
Upon arriving in Zanjamand, the party finds the gnome Timble Tomberfree dead in his shop, his body burnt, the packed clay floor disturbed as if churned up from below.
In his shop the party finds (and takes) 6 potions of greater healing, 1 potion of flying, 1 cloak of protection, and 1 tan bag of tricks; everything else is too smashed up to use.
The party utilizes Dara's invisibility spell to leave the shop, but the tent door is being watched by a halfling-sized person in a hooded cloak, who notes when the invisible party opens it. The party follows the cloaked figure through the canyons and rope bridges of Zanjamand, watching it disappear at last in a large unmarked building in the heart of the city, in the district of the ruling class, around the central waterfall and oasis pool of the city.
The party arranges for a stake-out, with two adventurers hidden near the waterfall while two rest in the tavern called the Lion's Helm. In the night, Snadwick and Sunrise observe a shipment being brought into the building under the supervision of a figure in a dark blue-black cloak, who appears to be the Starling.
The party hatches a plan: Dara and Sunrise will hide in a crate while Snadwick and Ward cart them to the door and bluff their way in. Ward disguises the two "carriers" and they successfully bring the box inside, where the cloaked halfling -- who is indeed Periwinkle Carn -- interrogates them and demands to know where their paperwork is.
Carn's suspicions rise until at last she pulls back her hood and reveals that she has become a medusa, cursed by her deal with Graz'zt. Battle begins. Snadwick avoids looking at the medusa but suffers bits from Carn's snake hair. Dara and Sunrise burst out of the box, an animated suit of armor lurches out of the corner, and two burrowing clockwork guards attempt to attack the party from beneath. Sunrise manages to stun Carn, and when she dies, Carn turns to stone and topples to the ground.
At this moment the cloaked figure of the Starling bursts into the room, blasting them with its superheated breath. The battle swings into an adjoining warehouse, where the Starling spreads its cloak and flies on what prove to be magical wings of flying. Sunrise drinks his potion of flying and pursues, while Ward and Dara clamber up crates to get closer to the action. Sandwick snipes with spells from below, finally slowing the clockwork being with lightning. The party manages to subdue, capture, and tie up the Starling -- and then the real work of the day begins: raiding the warehouse for magical goodies.
In addition to the Starling's wings of flying and Carn's sword of life stealing, the party finds:
2500 gp
amulet of health
5' x 7' carpet of flying
circlet of blasting
Daern's Instant Fortress
decanter of endless water
dust of disappearance
figurine of wondrous power -- marble elephant
gloves of thievery
goggles of night
philter of love
pipes of haunting
3 potions of superior healing
Qual's feather token -- anchor
pair of sending stones
trident of fish command
wind fan
6 spell scrolls:
* mind spike (2nd level, used by warlock or wizard)
* magic circle (3rd level, used by warlock or wizard)
* revivify (3rd level, used by paladin)
* speak with dead (3rd level, used by bard)
* charm monster (4th level, used by bard, warlock, or wizard)
* greater invisibility (4th level, used by bard or wizard)
The party returns to Rajgan to report to Lord Gimgem on their mission to capture or kill Gargax and his renegade wyvern riders. Gargax has escaped them, as has much of his gang, but the loyal wyvern riders from the Winged College will be patrolling to find them, and their base in the Stormcloud will dissolve now that the silver dragon Galomere has been slain.
Gimgem gives them a new mission: seek out the construct known as the Starling, and capture or destroy it if possible. He also tells them to find and capture the rogue halfling named Periwinkle Carn, who had been a member of the Graz'zt cult in Asherhet (session 4), and had acted as the go-between for the Gray King in transferring the oblexes to their recipients on the surface. He wants Carn taken alive if possible for questioning. The Starling cannot be interrogated with magic, and can be destroyed if necessary.
Lord Gimgem stresses that the party must be inconspicuous as they infiltrate the black market city of Zanjamand. The city lies within the lands of Malimpel, which just signed a peace treaty with Rajgan (session 0). The peace is still fragile enough that Rajgan cannot be seen sending agents into sovereign Malimpelan territory to capture or kill citizens of Malimpel; officially, the Empress Sulana knows nothing of their mission.
There is a contact waiting for them in Zanjamand, a gnome named Timble Tomberfree who runs a small magic shop at the north end of the city.
Lord Gimgem briefs the party on the Starling: a construct in service to the rakshasa Trinilane, it has operated out of Zanjamand for a number of years, obtaining rare magical items for Trinilane's business, Aanja Subscribers Ltd.
Gimgem has more to tell them about Carn: Originally from Asherhet, where her famed beauty brought her to the attention of the Graz'zt cult, Carn's brilliance and ruthlessness quickly earned her a high position within the cult. It is rumored that she made a deal directly with Graz'zt himself, but what transpired is unclear, as she began to conceal her beauty beneath a cloak and hood. She started roving outward, performing dangerous tasks for the cult that eventually led her into a life of adventuring, raiding lost temples and dungeons in search of artifacts. This brought her to the attention of the Starling and its boss Trinilane, who began employing her in acquisitions. Her involvement with the oblex scheme suggests she has set her sights higher, seeing the cult as just one useful tool in a much vaster conspiracy. Since the cult's destruction, Carn has operated exclusively out of Zanjamand.
Upon arriving in Zanjamand, the party finds the gnome Timble Tomberfree dead in his shop, his body burnt, the packed clay floor disturbed as if churned up from below.
In his shop the party finds (and takes) 6 potions of greater healing, 1 potion of flying, 1 cloak of protection, and 1 tan bag of tricks; everything else is too smashed up to use.
The party utilizes Dara's invisibility spell to leave the shop, but the tent door is being watched by a halfling-sized person in a hooded cloak, who notes when the invisible party opens it. The party follows the cloaked figure through the canyons and rope bridges of Zanjamand, watching it disappear at last in a large unmarked building in the heart of the city, in the district of the ruling class, around the central waterfall and oasis pool of the city.
The party arranges for a stake-out, with two adventurers hidden near the waterfall while two rest in the tavern called the Lion's Helm. In the night, Snadwick and Sunrise observe a shipment being brought into the building under the supervision of a figure in a dark blue-black cloak, who appears to be the Starling.
The party hatches a plan: Dara and Sunrise will hide in a crate while Snadwick and Ward cart them to the door and bluff their way in. Ward disguises the two "carriers" and they successfully bring the box inside, where the cloaked halfling -- who is indeed Periwinkle Carn -- interrogates them and demands to know where their paperwork is.
Carn's suspicions rise until at last she pulls back her hood and reveals that she has become a medusa, cursed by her deal with Graz'zt. Battle begins. Snadwick avoids looking at the medusa but suffers bits from Carn's snake hair. Dara and Sunrise burst out of the box, an animated suit of armor lurches out of the corner, and two burrowing clockwork guards attempt to attack the party from beneath. Sunrise manages to stun Carn, and when she dies, Carn turns to stone and topples to the ground.
At this moment the cloaked figure of the Starling bursts into the room, blasting them with its superheated breath. The battle swings into an adjoining warehouse, where the Starling spreads its cloak and flies on what prove to be magical wings of flying. Sunrise drinks his potion of flying and pursues, while Ward and Dara clamber up crates to get closer to the action. Sandwick snipes with spells from below, finally slowing the clockwork being with lightning. The party manages to subdue, capture, and tie up the Starling -- and then the real work of the day begins: raiding the warehouse for magical goodies.
In addition to the Starling's wings of flying and Carn's sword of life stealing, the party finds:
2500 gp
amulet of health
5' x 7' carpet of flying
circlet of blasting
Daern's Instant Fortress
decanter of endless water
dust of disappearance
figurine of wondrous power -- marble elephant
gloves of thievery
goggles of night
philter of love
pipes of haunting
3 potions of superior healing
Qual's feather token -- anchor
pair of sending stones
trident of fish command
wind fan
6 spell scrolls:
* mind spike (2nd level, used by warlock or wizard)
* magic circle (3rd level, used by warlock or wizard)
* revivify (3rd level, used by paladin)
* speak with dead (3rd level, used by bard)
* charm monster (4th level, used by bard, warlock, or wizard)
* greater invisibility (4th level, used by bard or wizard)
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