Book 1: Chapter 4 - The Crow: The Lower Levels

Eberron is a world of pulp noir where swashbuckling and intrigue run rampant. The Last War is over, the war to end all wars, but many say the fighting has simply shifted from the battlefield to the shadows.

In the wake of a long and terrible war, a world struggles to find its destiny. Will it descend once more into brutal conflict and end in spectacular annihilation, or will the world emerge at last into a new era of peace and prosperity? One group of heroes hopes to make Eberron a better place. The Grey Company, formed by a collection of heroes recruits new members to their growing ranks -- you among them.

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Constable Jute and the Missing Persons

Post by Vardaen » Fri Jun 03, 2016 6:44 pm

The group retires to the tavern inside the Tower known as the Drunken Shifter and spends the rest of the night drinking and eating, listening to song and music, and trying their best to not let Benmarrow force them to sleep with the first female that comes along. Its a long night, but one filled with enjoyments. Tomorrow you go to see Constable Jute and return the Derror's prisoners to their home.
Thanks Trogdor, TetNak and Shurijo on making their appearances with their old characters. You are dismissed for now. I will let you know when the next Chapter starts and if you can join us again.

Its some time in the late afternoon the following day. You've gotten a late start after some of your hangovers took you out of the picture. One should never go drinking with Benmarrow if they want to avoid a hang over. The Kuyeva Gin that Benmarrow has brought in from Molou's Distillery is made from a berry found in the jungles, and its potent to say the least.

Finally you woke, ate and made ready. With a small group of guards from the Tower you made your way to the Stormreach Guard and Constable Jute who you found to be one of the rare honest members of the Stormreach Guard down near the Merry Tangle in the Harbor District. Your prisoners, including Fenster the Blight; who seems to be the most lucid of the Derro's subjects. Jute sits at one of the tables on the second floor of the building. You've gone over it with him once, but the constable smiles at you, "Okay, I think I understand things, but maybe you can go over it just one more time."

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"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Constable Jute and the Missing Persons

Post by AdamDaBomb11 » Fri Jun 03, 2016 7:01 pm

"The Crow had a group of Derro who were abducting citizens of Stormreach and performing grotesque experiments on them. We went in there, got rid of them, and found a few prisoners as well as Fenster. We believe he was under mind control and used to aid the Derro." Oloven confirms.
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Constable Jute and the Missing Persons

Post by Vardaen » Fri Jun 03, 2016 7:37 pm

Jute nods, "That explains why those we did find returned had no memory and their minds were addled. You said before you shut the Derro's operation down correct?" Jute has written it all down but is still making notes on all of it.

Fenster nods, he's nervous here among the guard, he's known as a informant and a criminal at times. He's done a few months of time in the jails of Stormreach and he doesn't like the guards. "They are right, they had mind control and worse. I saw a dozen folks come and go, not all survived."

Jute nods, "Right right..." he scribbles more down. "I can get all this to the Harbor Lord, and through your superiors at the Grey Tower and work out the reward promised and such. Going to take a few days however."
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Constable Jute and the Missing Persons

Post by AdamDaBomb11 » Fri Jun 03, 2016 7:53 pm

"That is fine. I am just glad we managed to save some of those that were taken. I also wouldnt advise going into the Crow unless you are well armed. A dangerous place that is, although we managed to kill most of what lives in there."
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Constable Jute and the Missing Persons

Post by JohnnyWeird » Fri Jun 03, 2016 8:03 pm

Je nods to the Constable's inquiries. Needing little sleep and less food, he had spent much of the evening listening, letting information flow into him. That continued this morning, deep in volumes of modern history at the Company library.

"Even denuded of it's denizens, there are arcane hazards for which we still cannot account. Oloven's warning is apposite."

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Constable Jute and the Missing Persons

Post by ManWithDoor » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:40 pm

Zeevan has a small blade, and is still picking out muck from underneath his fingernails. "Weapons, and strong stomachs. Not the most pleasant of places." He looks up for a moment. "And I can vouch for the mind control thing. One of the Derro put my brain in a lock for a few moments before the rest of the group took him down. A disturbing thing, not to be in charge of your body."
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Constable Jute and the Missing Persons

Post by Eilandor » Mon Jun 06, 2016 4:56 pm

While most of the others slept in this morning, Fletcher took the opportunity to go visit with some old friends from the Iron Watch. During his return to The Grey Tower, he can't help but think how he never had much use for coin, until now. Seven hundred fifty gold coins for a wand to repair myself! Hopefully I can use my new standing with the Grey Company for a discount.

Nodding his head at the report being given by the others, he simply adds, "Don't let the Sinspawn out of its cage..."
Number Two: "You are number six."
Number Six: "I am not a number, I am a free man!"
Number Two: "Muh ha ha ha ha!"

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To Southwatch and Lady Brast

Post by Vardaen » Mon Jun 06, 2016 5:11 pm

"Sinspawn! What in the Dark Continent is that?! Well then, that's settled, I'll be sure to avoid the Crow all together. I wasn't really keen on going there any how, I have enough dangers in the Merry Tangle without seeking out ancient ruins. I'll see to it that these folks make it home, as best as we can and that your deeds reach the Harbor Lords and you get what is coming to you." You converse a bit more with him, but soon things are settled and you head out known you've done a good deed for the citizens of the district.

Fenster says his good-byes and offers his sincerest thanks to you. "You need any information you come asking, and I'll tell you what I know."
Missing Persons

Given By: The Harbor Lord Jonas Wylkes via Imric

What: People have been going missing, again, out of the Harbor District. They end up returning but don't ever remember being missing, and appear as vagabonds when finally founds. The Stormreach Guard isn't doing much about it.

Reward: 500gp per person found and returned. 1200XP if you solve the mystery.

Status: Investigated: The group followed up on rumors of Lhazzarite Slavers. Turned out to be just a trap to capture members of the Grey Company. Plutivarch the "Slaver" in charge was captured at the Puffy Pelican and turned over the Stormreach Guard for a 100gp Reward.

Closed.

4 People rescued (in that includes Fenster)
+2000gp, and 12000Xp to split 5 ways. (2400 each)
Sheets Updated

There is a knock on the door and Imric, the Company Commander's Aide opens the door and arrives. "Colonel, gentlemen, and lady." He nods to the group, and is carrying with him a few different items. He first sets down a small sack that makes the jiggling noise of coins. "There reward as promised for the group." He unties it and shows it, there are a 100 platinum coins inside for the group to share. "I also took the liberty of bringing this with me. I know Val'trith you are rather busy and won't have time for it." He lays out a scroll and weights the edges of it, "The Harbor Lord Jonas Wylkes has sent out a general call for help. Seems the Grey Company has made enough of a name for itself already that we are being included among the other organizations he's asked for help from, including the Blackwheel Company, Covenant of Light, the Crimson Codex, the Hollow Shards and the Iron Watch to name a few." He taps the scrolls bottom where you can see an official looking wax seal. "Anyhow, it appears that people have started going missing from the Harbor District, again, I might add." He just paraphrases, "Seems mostly from the waterfront areas, the Styes, the areas near the Giant's Span, obviously areas with a very weak Stormreach Guard presence. Despite the fact that the majority of the missing people eventually seem to turn up (although living as vagrants with no memories of their time spent away from Stormreach -- if indeed they ever left), rumors are spreading that the city has no interest in solving the mystery and preventing future disappearances. So the Harbor Lord has grown frustrated with these rumors and the watch's apparent inability to explain the mystery. So he's approached us and the other key organizations as I said with offers of rewards if the problem can be solved." He scans down through the scroll for a bit, "Ah here it is, anyone rescued earns a reward of 500 gold per victim returned! A tidy bit." He hands the scroll to Val to read over and confirm.

So its off to the Summerwatch district of the Southwatch Ward to return Brasts locket to his wife and tell her of his fate (depending on which fate you want to tell her about).

As you pass through the gates and enter Grindstone, the air takes on a different feel. People glower at you from doorways or shutter their windows. Children stop playing their games, and only street vendors look you in the eye. These people seem more taciturn than usual for Karrns, but why?

Citizens from other districts move quickly, as if eager to be away from here. They seem a little fearful, and that gives the residents some measure of pride.

With only the Koronoo River between it and the jungle, Southwatch is exposed to the wilds. Over the centuries, the district’s older buildings have been dismantled to provide other districts with building material, and only fragments remain of the great wall that used to defend this stretch of the city’s southern face. Across the river, the Tents of Rushemé lie ready to trade with the city.

Southwatch is home to those not afraid to live on the edge, whether pariahs, poor people with no choice, or those who have dealings with giants. Among these people are many settlers from Karrnath. The freedom to worship the Blood of Vol openly has drawn many Karrns to the city, and the Last War sent its share of expatriates. Justice here is rough, enforced by the Swords of Karrn under the leadership of Drago Thul If the Storm Lords think they need to intervene, they are more likely to send in House Deneith mercenaries than the Stormreach Guard, which would be outmatched by the Swords.

Karrns might dominate much of Southwatch, but they are not the only settlers within the area. The Summerfield ward contains a large amount of the district’s housing, and many of the residents are not Karrns. The ward has a mix of poor people who cannot afford to live elsewhere, or choose not to squeeze into an overcrowded district such as Cross, and well-to-do explorers and pirates who would rather live in the open than with the wealthy folk of Respite. Summerfield is therefore welcoming to almost anyone, and many of the residents do not take kindly to the Swords of Karrn throwing their weight around in this ward.

A tangle of densewood twigs that have been thatched together, the Ship’s Cat is an inn run by Harysh (female shifter), who has a reputation for honor, hospitality, fairness, and discretion. This makes her a valued intermediary for many. The inn takes its name from Harysh’s dozen cats, which share the place with guests. Familiars and animal companions receive excellent care at the inn, as long as they do not raise the resident cats’ hackles.
Return the Locket

Given By: Captain Lockerbie Brast

What: The captain's ship was sunk in the harbor during a storm and he ended up a Lacedon, an aquatic ghoul. He has asked you to recover his locket and return it to his wife, but spare her the pain of knowing what's become of him.

Reward: Brast, on a promise you'd return the locket, aided the party by guiding them to the Derro and missing people. He even joined in the battle.

Status: The locket has been recovered, but Liza Jane Brast has not been contacted yet about it.
Brast glares at Helion, "And you are a halfling, gluttons and thieves by nature? He snarls exposing his bright red rotting gums and his pale yellow teeth. He turns to Fletcher and draws back letting the snarl go. "Yes... yes...what I need. When my ship the Liza Jane sank it took with it something vlauable, a broach. If you can recover it for me I will tell you all I know about the dangerous chambers and inhabitants to the south. If you would go one more step and deliver it to my wife I'll even help you deal with those to the south. I ask you spare my wife the pain of knowing that her husband has become...this." He motions at himself.

Brast smiles at the Warforged, "I don't know where she might be now, but when last I knew she was in our home together in the Summerfield district of the Southwatch Ward, just up the river and near to the Ship's Cat." He gives a bit more detailed directions and it should be easy enough to find the place or ask around the area.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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To Southwatch and Lady Brast

Post by AdamDaBomb11 » Mon Jun 06, 2016 7:24 pm

"I guess we are here to figure out where Liza Brast lives. We should ask around."

Oloven walks through the streets, still in his fine clothing. His symbol of The Sovereign Host dangles over his chest and the amount of jewelry he once had on is now much less. His armor is currently being cleaned and it is nice to not be trapped in that tin can.
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To Southwatch and Lady Brast

Post by JohnnyWeird » Mon Jun 06, 2016 10:57 pm

His adventurer's clothes well made but well out of fashion, Je follow the party, eyes flitting from person to place to thing.

"I am astonished that no record exists of her whereabouts. The wife of a sea captain - especially one who owns his own vessel - must be a woman of independent dealings. Do all people on Khorvaire enjoy such freedom to come and go as they please?"

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