The Sudden Sea –Session 9

[April 29 – Repercussions and Confessions]

[This game uses the Hero System Fifth Revised Edition (FREd) roleplaying game.  Game sessions happen once a week.  This session happened October 16, 2023.]

[This adventure takes place on the continent of Terik, two years after the appearance of the Sudden Sea.  The PCs are refugees seeking a better life through adventuring.]

Player Characters

Sorvia of Stavros – female human ranger, local to County Modon (village of Stavros in particular)

Tharduk Lavabreath – male dwarf glassmaker from the Northern Dwarven Kingdom, had a glass shop in County Modon that is now underwater, literally

Kadruth Worldbender – male dwarf priest, serving He Who Protects, from the Northern Dwarven Kingdom

Anomin – female human shapeshifter, from lots of places, most recently County Modon

Islo Redgrass – male elf ranger, local to County Modon (village of Stavros in particular)

Via Roll20

Inserrant – female human musician, player of zills (finger cymbals) and singer

 

Spring

April 29, 56 I.C. (Imperial Calendar)

Pre-Dawn

Holed up in a cluster of trees outside of the town of Nomi, the adventurers had a heart to heart talk about the group’s actions over the previous several hours.  No one was particularly happy that the merchant was shot dead by the two rangers, Islo and Sorvia.  After a while they all come to two conclusions:

1. They all agreed that murder is off the table from here on out.  Self-defense is OK, but murder is right out.
2. They all agree that they want to be able to go back into Nomi and no one wants to go to jail.  They need to pick up the mail back to Mouzaki to complete their job.  Additionally, Nomi is the only town within 20-30 miles and so the only place to buy supplies.

After discussing their options and what those options imply (they realized if they fled they would be wanted by the law).  They decided to write a letter to the Sheriff explaining their side of things and have Anomin deliver it in crow form.  Tharduk wrote the letter as he had the best handwriting.  The letter conveyed the following:  [the players gave me a 3x5” card with the following bullet points.]

• We tracked Kostakis to secret rooms
• Our intent was to capture and question him about the fire
• We healed his wounds after capturing him
• We found evidence incriminating Viktor Nicabar
• A counterfeit form is enclosed with this letter
• We have more evidence if you are willing to meet us
• We overheard Viktor state “the deputies are on to us” in regards to the fire
• Viktor walked into the secret room we were in and was shot twice
• We immediately tried to heal him, but he was dead
• We panicked!

Once the letter was written, the group discussed where they wanted to meet with the Sheriff if he was willing.  They decided the abandoned tannery outside of town on the County Road would be best.  They could see the town gates from there and would have advanced warning if a group rode out to arrest them.  They also worked out a plan in case the Sheriff wasn’t interested in talking - Anomin would fly in circles and then to the east if things go bad.  If the Sheriff insisted on bringing more than two deputies, this would also count as things going bad.  If things went well, she would fly east and then directly to the tannery.

Dawn

The group quietly made their way back to town and hid in the abandoned tannery just as the sun rose. Anomin then took the letter and flew into town.  While the rest waited, Sorvia started copying the map of the logging camp and the hidden mine.

As Anomin flew over the town walls she noticed many more guards on the walls.  She could also see wisps of steam still rising from the burned building.  Anomin also circled over the northern part of town to look at the Nicabar Residence.  She saw many people milling around the front and back of the building, some of whom were deputies.  From all the lighted windows and active chimneys, Anomin suspected the entire house was awake and alert.

Before approaching the Sheriff’s Office, Anomin landed on the roof of the Post Office across the street and observed.  She saw a couple deputies out on the veranda around the front and side of the Sheriff’s Office.  She could also see the Sheriff in his residence on the second floor getting ready for the day.

Anomin glided over to one of the windows of the Sheriff’s residence and landed on the windowsill.  Holding the letter with one claw, she rapped on the window with her beak.  After doing this a couple times, the Sheriff pulled back the curtains and saw a crow wearing a necklace and holding a letter.  He sighed and then opened the window.  Anomin greeted him and asked how he was.  His response was, “I haven't had my morning coffee yet and am talking to a crow.”

Anomin explained to the sheriff that she had a letter for him, explaining their side of the events last night.  The Sheriff took the letter and read it, his eyebrow rising at a few points.  He then looked over the counterfeit official document and eyebrows went up again.  The Sheriff and Anomin then talked.

The Sheriff wanted more details on the secret rooms as Viktor’s body had been presented in the wine cellar, not some hidden room.  Anomin gave the Sheriff an overview, explaining she had not seen everything but knew Viktor had been in the secret rooms when he was shot.  The sheriff was willing to meet with the adventurers and get complete statements, but not alone and not in the town.  He stated that there were now wanted posters up for the adventurers, posted by the town guard, who answered to the Baron, not himself.  Anomin felt he was being earnest and agreed to his request, stating two deputies would be acceptable and the adventurers would be waiting in the old tannery on the edge of town.  Anomin then flew away, hearing the Sheriff say out loud, “I need my coffee.”

Anomin flew back to the tannery without spiraling, signaling to Islo and Kadruth that things went well.  When she arrived she related her conversation with the Sheriff to the other adventurers.  Islo and Kadruth resumed their watching positions to keep an eye on the town gate in case guards marched out or the Sheriff exited with more than two of his deputies.

An Hour Later

Islo spotted the Sheriff and two of his deputies exiting the County Gate.  Instead of walking directly to the abandoned tannery, in full view of the town guards, the sheriff turned left and walked through the buildings outside the town walls and approached the tannery from the backside, out of view of the guards.

The Sheriff and the adventurers talked.  The Sheriff wanted to know about the "more evidence" and the adventurers showed him the map of Viktor’s logging operation in the hills to the west indicating a hidden mine he was working.  Sorvia stated that the symbols near the map indicated the mine held precious metals and was not a simple stone quarry.  The Sheriff stated Viktor ran that logging company, owning 40% of it with Agni Michelakis’ recently deceased grandfather owning the other 60% of the company and all the land.  When the grandfather died, her claim to the land was challenged and now she needs to present the deed to the land in court.  If she can’t, the logging business would be Viktor’s and most of the rest of the land would go to Timo Onassis, who challenged the land ownership.

After that, the Sheriff wanted to know who shot Viktor and where.  He wrote down the adventurer's statements, occasionally asking questions.

With the map as evidence and the letter as their statement, the Sheriff felt he could go to the Baron and get the adventurer’s names cleared, but it would be good if they stayed away for a little while.  Tharduk stated the group had business surveying the forest to the south for monsters and would be gone for two weeks.  The Sheriff said that should be enough time, but to send the crow back in before attempting to enter Nomi when they returned.  Kadruth asked the Sheriff to also tell the Post Office they would return to collect the mail going to Mouzaki in two weeks and the Sheriff agreed to do so.  Inserrant asked for a copy of the wanted poster with her face on it as a souvenir.  The Sheriff then left and walked back into town. The adventurers exited the back and made their way south, towards the Mikro Dasos.

Sunset

After a day of walking south through the plains, the adventurers arrived at the banks of the Mesta River and made camp.

End of session

Commentary

[Much talking and roleplay this session as the players talked their way through the situation.  Depending upon the choices they made, they could have ended up outlaws.  Luckily, they had made a favorable impression on the Sheriff before things went sideways for them.  They still needed to navigate carefully and did so.  There will be some consequences when they return, but I have not decided yet what they will be.]

Sudden Sea Adventures

Sudden Sea Landing Page - Links to all the write-ups for this campaign 

Last session: Session 8

 

Next session: Session 10 [Not yet typed up]

[UPDATE: Corrected date at the beginning of the session notes from April 30 to the 29th.]