D&D - Session V

On the trail of the green-robed assassin

The story so far...

After their near-death experience from a negotiation gone wrong, the party tends to their wounds in the care of the goblins. That night, Martoz is plagued by feverish dreams in which the Observer watches him and an eye bursts through his chest. Waking up soaked in cold sweat, Martoz finds he has been blessed by the Observer with a Gazer familiar named U’Or-Ag. Similarly, Weary’s patron has bestowed upon him the power to conjure a grey blade from thin air. While wandering the goblin settlement, Axlot encounters a goblin chasing off a boar gorging on his overripe produce. Paying for the goblin’s loss, he shares a tender moment with the boar, bonding with him and naming him Happy for the warm feeling his new tusked friend gives him.

Meanwhile the goblins have kept watch on Arjen, cocooning him in moldy rope. The party is determined to extract information from the schemer. Nothing much of interest is obtained, although he offers the combination to the safe in his store to guarantee his safety after Weary slams his blade through the mustached man’s plump hand. Wary of being betrayed by the man a second time, Axlot restrains Arjen as Martoz drops the white orb of control down the man’s throat. With Arjen compliant, the party backtracks through the tunnels with Axlot navigating them, leaving Dior to recuperate from his resurrection.

Back in the store, the party searches the bodies for any clues. Martoz sends U’Or-Ag to investigate the upper floor, finding the safe. Using its telekinetic ray, the gazer activates a magical trap which sends out a painful bolt, to which Weary slaps Arjen for neglecting to inform them. The safe contains the amulet of fireballs Arjen spoke of, along with 4 gold ingots and 3 vials filled with the demonic fluid they had found previously. Arjen is commanded to open the desk and retrieve the letter inside, the orb compelling him to disclose that its true message hidden from the eye unless a special wine that is in the room is imbibed beforehand. Weary discovers that what was originally an innocuous letter thanking Arjen for running a profitable business revealed itself to be a missive offering him a large sum should he obtain the red-gold staff. Finding nothing else of note, the party returns to the ground floor ready to leave, but Martoz detects the unmistakable stench of rosemary hanging in the air. Happy is able to pick up on the scent, and the party follows the boar as he leads them through the city.

The trail leads them back to Azure University, and the party makes a mad dash to the medical ward where they find their acquaintance Volanthorpe dead, the stench of rosemary emanating strongly from the pillow next to him, likely the weapon that killed him. Reeling from his death, Weary attempts to gather information on campus, learning that Volanthorpe had been complaining about someone breaking into his greenhouse, and the only person who had been signing out magic keys was a Walden Thorpe, the name recognized by the party as belonging to one of the greater houses. Further inquiries reveal that Walden is not a full-fledged member of the family and is a part time student. A quick visit to Volanthorpe’s office reveals that he had been investigating the theft of certain historical books from the library, books concerned with Lord Neverember’s return from his campaign against the eastern orcs. While the warlocks scour the bookshelves for any more clues, a book falls to the ground, revealing a hollowed inside lined with lead containing a wand of webs. The party leaves the campus but resolves to stake out the greenhouse later that night and ambush the Walden boy.

The party take a short detour to the market to ready themselves for their encounter later that night and then head back to the temple to speak with the high cleric, Tubelsak, about their recent battles with demons. Overjoyed upon their return, he praises them for their valorous exploits against the abyssal filth. He confirms that the scent of rosemary works as a repellent for most demons and provides the party with a vial of rosemary oil. After the party report their findings he pledges his support should they provide him with definitive proof of the Cottonmere’s involvement with demon-summoning and provides them with a small pouch of gold to help cover their expenses. With nothing else, the party rests and returns to the campus as evening sets in.

As the party arrives, they decide to hide in the greenhouse to wait the Walden’s arrival. Martoz conjures up the illusion of a bag of fertilizer to hide within, while Axlot and Weary hide in the bushes. Shortly, the campus custodian comes in for his evening checks and politely informs Axlot and Weary that it is closing time and to leave. Ousted from their hiding places, the chagrined duo wander outside and opt to hide, but no better than before, in the shrubs not far from the greenhouse near the courtyard. As dusk approaches, a lone figure cloaked in green approaches the greenhouse. Turning towards the bushes, he makes eye contact with the half-orc and tiefling. His cover blown, Weary feigns drunkenness and tumbles into the bushes, cutting himself with thorns in the process.

The green cloaked man vanishes before their eyes, and soon three clangs of metal sound out failing to penetrate through Axlot’s new breastplate, the last strike sending the assailant’s dagger tumbling to the ground. Axlot attempts to grab him, but the assassin deftly dodges his clumsy lunge but is soon sent to the floor laughing following a glowing glint from Weary’s eyes. Axlot manages to plunge his blade through the assassin’s body, while Weary dashes towards the greenhouse to alert the still hiding Martoz who ends the laughter with an eldritch bolt. Worse for wear, the assassin rises to his feet only to be brought back down from a series of attacks from the party, including a psychic attack made by the goblin that overwhelms his mind. The screams are quickly silenced as the half-orc ranger raises his longsword and slams the pommel on the top of his skull, rendering him unconscious.

The assassin is soon revealed to be a youth, his skin full of fresh pock marks, his pockets with gold and an unusual circular insignia of the Cottonmeres. While Weary and Martoz debate over whether to interrogate the murderer and where, Axlot smashes the shinbones of the assassin with his great club, preventing any hope for escape.