Conspiracy Theory

February 19, 2008

Background:  In emails and IMs, Deuce's player and I established that Lisha had gone south, in Cormyr, to try and help the fledgling rogue's guild.  She was mad at Deuce that he wouldn't help.  When the player was gone, I figured he went to help Lisha.  She was running around in some sewers in Marsember, trying to protect some nobles.  He managed to contact here with some spells and talk with her, although it was tough.  Then, he followed her trail through the towns and managed to join up with them in the sewers.  Unfortunately, the group is being pursued by some minotaurs and when they attacks, it's a tough fight!  Julia is there as well but Deuce has been effective with his magic.  Deuce casts a spell to tell Reece where they are. 

The others are talking about how they just got back from retrieving the cloak and should go after the next item.  They are wondering where Deuce is when Reece gets his message.  However, he doesn't understand why Deuce is talking about some rogues and Reece wants to go help Deuce.  The group manages to contact Deuce and talk to him and they find out Deuce wants them to check on the Rogues guild as they are in trouble.  Reece doesn't like it but they do it. 

They go where Deuce told them to check out and as they are getting close, Jaden senses magic and death.  They prepare themselves with spells and go into the building, where they are attacked by a minotaur, a rogue and a cleric.  It's a tough fight.  Notch pounds the minotaur into so much ground beef but the cleric heals him to pound Notch back.  Jaden heals Notch and it almost seems to be a stalemate.  The rogue keeps sneak attacking when he gets the chance.  Jaden calls forth an ally to attack, a celestial dire bear, and it distracts the priest.  Notch stuns the minotaur, and thinks he recognizes the style of attack it used, and then attacks the priest as well.  Reece creates a wind wall to stop the rogue's arrows from being effective.  Once the priest goes down, it was soon followed by the minotaur.  It took the group a little chasing to get the rogue but they do that as well. 

That's when they find the bodies.  Jaden does a mass healing circle and realizes that eight of them are alive.  The other twelve are not.  They do what they can, and even leave a little money for them, before leaving.  They contact Deuce, find out he needs them, and so they go to him. 

They tell Deuce that they did what they could for the rogues.  He nods and knows they tried.  Deuce kicks himself for not listening to Lisha more.  However, there is more to do.  They have to keep moving before the minotaurs catch up to them.  As they move from safe point to safe point, Jaden can't help but notice they are trapped in a maze, being pursued by minotaurs.  That's when the spell casters look around and realize they ARE trapped in a maze.  A Maze spell!  Knowing that, Jaden tries to dispel it but isn't successful.  Reece, Jaden and Deuce work together on a combined dispel and manage to push the group out of the spell and back into Marsember.  However, it looked like they were spit out of a manhole and are covered in muck.  A few cantrips later and everyone is fine. 

They go to an Inn to think about what to do and that's when Lisha tells them the tale.  The nobles know that there is a plot to kill King Azoun V (he is in his 20s in my campaign).  They aren't sure who is behind it but know it involves mages and clerics.  Notch curses the Red Wizards.  They decide they need to get the nobles back as soon as they can.  Jaden thinks he has enough spell energy to teleport them all to Suzail.  Ten minuts later, they are in the temple of Lathandar in Suzail.  Twenty minutes after that, they have a formal procession to the palace and King Azoun's court, where the nobles tell him their story.  He takes them seriously and thanks them.  In private, then, he asks to talk to the group.

Azoun thanks them for bringing this to his attention.  He apologizes but he can't interfere too much, as he needs his nobles.  He has to allow them the right to bring in whomever they want to trade with, Red Wizards or not.  Azoun asks if they will accept titles and the responsibilities that go with them.  The group thinks it over but agrees.  Azoun makes it unofficial now and says in four tendays they will have the official ceremony in Arabel to celebrate it.  The group heads back to Arabel to plan their next move. 

Notes

• Finn's player couldn't make it. 
• We had a short night but got the group back together, so to speak, and I think it worked out well. 
• I stopped to explain what it meant that the King was offering them titles.  I said it meant politics and them having land and responsibility near Arabel.  I think it worked well and the players liked having that explained to them.  So, yay!