Guildfather

April 14, 2011

Ander is researching the Far Realm when he sees a vision of his father.  And then he looks at the tendril in himself again and realizes that it's two woven together, not one.  As it looks at the other, he senses there is something there.  He reaches out and finds energy to push into it, not realizing where the energy came from in the first place.  Ander rips a hole from within their manor to the Far Realm, revealing his father being tortured by a mind flayer.  He rushes in right away as do the others in the group.  

They attack the mind flayer as quickly as they can.  Ander also works to get his dad out of there, with help from Inari.  The mind flayer proves to be no match for them and soon it is dead.  But, the portal is closing and they are still trying to get back.  Paavu is dragging the body of the mind flayer, which had eyes on stalks like a beholder, back through the portal as well.  The group makes it before the gate closes.  Unfortunately, there is now quite the crack in the floor, walls and ceiling of the manor due to where the gate opened.  Teldryl will have to get it fixed!  

"I love this," shouts Snarls!  "I get to see and kill so many interesting things with you guys!  This is great!"  The dragon seems quite happy and content.  

Ander works on getting his father situated and checked out, healing him as needed.  

While Ander helps his father, Koralyn comes to see Vahn.  She tells him that some in the guild are not happy about what he is doing, especially Gossar, who is in charge of smuggling, and Tran, the forger.  Vahn thanks her and they talk business for a bit before she leaves.  Vahn realizes he has to do something about this, so sets up a meeting with them and some others.  

They go to a tavern to meet with the guild members.  Gossar is first.  He is quite belligerent.  

"When are you going to let me practice my trade again?  I had several things lined up but now I can't do anything."  

"Does it involve slaves?"  

"Does that matter?"

"Yes."  

"Fine.  No slaves?  What else?"  

Vahn rattles off several things to Gossar.  When he is done, he asks, "Can you live with that?"  

"I will think about it.  I will let you know in a tenday."  Gossar leaves and Vahn sends for the next one.  It takes about a half hour for each to arrive, so this ends up taking up most of the day.  

(At some point, some patrons were going to leave and tell on the party and what they were doing.  Brax was not happy with that option and so killed them.  The rest of the meetings, the people who arrived had to see the bodies lying there, and Brax sitting at the table closest to them, enjoying a drink.)

Duliel, the loanshark, doesn't care about the bodies.  He had several things lined up but had to put them on hold and so is losing money.  Vahn wants him to use his business sense but tells Duliel that he is no longer in charge of collecting.  That will be up to Ander or Vahn.  Duliel seems fine with that and leaves.  

The group talks about the others before inviting more to talk to.  Vahn hardens his offer to them being gone from the city or working for him, no time to give an answer like Gossar got.  

Tran, the forger, just wants to do his job.  He was a bit rattled at the bodies but otherwise merely wanted to create.  Vahn asks him to get ready and hand off some forgeries naming Gossar as a villain and to be taken.  Tran asks if he can try to create a new hanging offense document he wants to fake.  Vahn seems happy about that and lets him at it.  

Torsil isn't happy about the bodies but let's it go.  He's also not happy about what has happened to him.  It would appear that Thessa has taken memories from him because when the group asks him about some things, he has done some recent items for Thessa.  Including breaking into their manor to put magical bombs, but fake of course!  Vahn plays along that it was fine but no more orders from Thessa and that he is to keep only one team, not three.  Put one together of the best of the three groups he has and tell the others to leave town.  Torsil seems fine with this and leaves.

Nyler also doesn't say much about the bodies.  He also wants to practice his trade as he had several things lined up but has had to put everything on hold. Nyler had several things lined up in blackmail with nobles as well as some extortion but now has had to wait and the fish are going to get away.  He's still told to hold but report what he had to them and they will decide what to do.  They have some ideas for him, Vahn hints, but it is taking a bit longer than they had hoped.   

Neera shows up and does not like the body at all, going out of her way to avoid it.  She looks nervous and after Vahn comes down hard on her, she admits she's still stealing as are those under her.  Vahn quickly realizes she likes stealing and so tells her to control it, knowing she probably won't completely do so but will stay out of the Red Cloaks way.  Vahn seems fine with that.  

The group is quite happy with how it went.  Only Gossar seemed really put out, although perhaps Duliel as well, but the rest didn't care as long as they got to practice their craft.  Vahn is hoping they can be used in better ways rather than taking from those that can't afford it.  They don't talk to Koralyn, who will have customers wanting to gamble at all times regardless of the guild, or Shiira.  

They go back to their manor and eventually Kal, the halfling from Vax, shows up.  He says that Vax wants something from Angah Llala.  The group says no.  Kal tries to show that it's not a choice but the group sends him away or tells him to buy it.  Vahn sends Kal away.  

Barric shows up a while later, asking for sanctuary.  He was in his crypts when it was breached and he was attacked.  His fellow vampires were killed and he is now on the run.  They agree to allow him to stay in the basement, assuming he doesn't hurt any at the manor.  He agrees and even goes so far as to say he will protect any in the manor.  

As Barric is getting settled, Vahn knows the wards have gone down and the front gates are being attacked.  The group rushes out there and finds the gate under attack by scores of people.  Paavu wades in as the gates are breached and come down as does Snarl.  The others also go out and get into the thick of the fighting.  

As they are making progress pushing them back, parts of the wall burst inward and drow and others come through, attacking!  Paavu and snarls hold off one area.  As it gets tough, Paavu grows to twice his height and gains four arms, each with an axe, covering two breaches in the wall.  The party is scattered among the yard as more and more breaches appear and more and more attackers come through.  Some work in pairs but others work alone to stop the attackers from getting past.  The manor gets covered in darkness so no one can see what is happening!  However, that allows Barric to leave the house, from protecting the servants and Ander's dad, and cover a breach.  Ander himself pulled out the item from within the mind flayer and it turns into a huge blade, that he cuts through many trying to get past him.  

It is some tough fighting but the group manages to hold them off as the Red Cloaks get rid of the darkness and attack from the outside.  Many get away but some are rounded up.  No drow are captured and there are no bodies of them, either.  They look into the wards and see some sort of dust, like residuum but with anti magic properties, were used to bring the wards down and they will have to be redone.  However, the breaches in the wall will have to be repaired before any ward can be put up using them, so there is a lot to be done.  

The enemy that ordered this is quite happy as the diversion worked.  

600 xp

GM Notes

• I was really having fun with the role playing of the various guild members and their reactions.  That was a lot of fun!  And it was cool to watch the group react to how other meetings went and going from talking to demanding of them.  I enjoyed that a lot.  
• We also managed to keep it high level at times.  The players could come up with a plan and Vahn's player would say, "That's what I do" and it worked for us.  The player was sure Vahn could say it better than he could but that worked well!  
• I liked the fight with the mind flayer and getting Ander's father back.  I think I took the player off guard at how this was suddenly resolved.  
• The fight at the manor was more of a skill challenge and worked well, rather than running such a large scale fight.  I liked it much better this way! 

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