Ep006: New Companions

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Session Synopsis
The adventurers head to the northern port town of Mern in search of a ship that can escort them to the caves beneath Altinova in search of the Queen's missing key. On the way they come across two new unlikely companions, a goblin in search of adventure named Hum and a gnome wizard investigating the magical upheaval in Altinova. With their new comrades the group head into the caverns on the Queen's task.

Mern
Woken in the early hours by Walther's man-servant Donavan, the adventuring party consists of Walther, Orlyg and Frederica took a carriage to the northern port town of Mern in the hopes of finding a ship's passage to the caverns beneath Altinova to seek out the the disturbances of the rift beneath the city for Queen Faeria. The group traveled for half a day by carriage, reaching Mern at sunset.

Seemingly the group had forgotten they had a flying carpet.

Seeking a room for the night and information on a ship the group headed to the Laughing Sailor inn, upon entering they saw an altercation between a small unidentified figure and a group of larger, burly sailors who had seemingly robbed the fellow. An exchange between the adventurers and these sailors led to insults that prompted Frederica to blast one of the sailors across the room into the bar. The small figure was a Goblin bard who introduced himself as Hum, who was gracious for the groups interjection, allowing Hum to recover his stolen purse containing his life's savings in black pearls.

In the tavern a gnome also introduced himself as Olokul Shortcloak, a mage and scholar from Karramar, who had been sent to Altinova to investigate what was happening with the rift. Finding good bedfellows in this group of adventurers Olokul and Hum decided to accompany them on the next leg of their journey.

Seeking a room for the night Walther was first forced to pay for the drinks that had been smashed by Frederica, apparently coming to the sum of four hundred gold pieces, making it one of the most expensive dive bars in all of Farryn. With the payment the adventurers were also able to negotiate rooms for the night, including for their new companions.

Sir Sandor the Captive
Hum sought out the aid of his new companions to help resuce his companion Sir Sandor, seeing that they were capable of handling themselves in a fight. Prior to their arrival Hum explained he had been seeking passage from Farryn over to the old continent of Seleran, the recent increased hostilities of the nobles in Altinova had made it increasingly unsafe for him to stay here and there was little place else on Farryn for a goblin magic user to stay safe. He had found passage on a ship, magically disguising himself as a gnome to try and avoid any issues with the crew, and paid for a room and passage from himself and his companion Sir Sandor (unrevealed at the time that Sir Sandor was in fact Hum's mastiff mount). Upon boarding the ship a magical ward that would negate magic to stop invisible stowaways revealed Hum's true self, provoking aggression from the Captain and crew who kept both the goblin's coin and Sir Sandor.

Lead to the ship Walther and Orlyg boarded to negotiate the return of Sir Sandor, led into the hold where the dog was tied up, the crew tried to mug the unsuspecting travelers. Coming face to face with the true visage of the Aetherborn, intimidating them enough to back down without having to come to blows. Able to return Sir Sandor to Hum Walther also forcefully bartered for the Captain to take the adventurers to their destination beneath Altinova. At the beginning of the voyage Hum asked for the return of his payment given what had happened, but the Captain refused saying it had been spent; using Detect Thoughts Hum was able to discover the money was kept in a lockbox in the Captain's quarters and Hum was able to lift the key from the Captain's person.Riding off the back of their earlier intimidation techniques, Walther demanded the Captain's Quarters for his own personal quarters during the voyage. The Captain begrudgingly agreed, his weakness prompting Hum to admit he had taken the Captain's Key and opening his lockbox in front of him, as well as demanding the money back that Walther had paid for Sir Sandor. The group gathered in the Captain's Quarters and Hum declared Walther "The Dread Pirate Captain Walther", one of the first of the man's many accrued titles. The companions shared stories of how they came to be here and some took rest until arriving at the caves at midnight.

The Rift Caves
The adventurers were ferried by rowboats to the stony shore, leaving them to make their own way back (which they could do with their magic carpet). The cave had no light sources, though some of the adventurers were able to see in the dark, Frederica and Walther were not. Leading the way with her summoned giant weasel with a Light spell cast on him, the group delved into the caves, filled with pools of water and strange flora, Hum took some purple flowered moss that grew on the cave wall that would later be identified as being very rare and could be used to make a strong hallucinogenic poison.

Entering an open chamber the group found a message written in undercommon using blood, which was fresh suggesting the message was written recently; able to use his spell the gnome Olokul translated as saying "Forgive Me For What I Have Done, May No One Enter Here". Hearing noises approaching the group hid, but the giant brightly-lit weasel was a bit more noticeable and so the adventurers were attacked by a group of fish-headed people [Kua-toa]. A quick battle had the Kua-toa defeated, though one was able to slip away and turn invisible leaving no obvious trace. Checking the bodies of the fallen Kua-toa Hum found another parchment in undercommon, but their gnome companion had been gravely injured in the assault and could not translate it ((player had left before the group looted the parchment, and did not return for the rest of the campaign)).

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