The Gods Must Be Crazy

November 17, 2010

Larloch checked his calculations.  He knew he had gotten them right but he did it anyway.  Signs and portents were scheduled to happen and much sooner than originally planned.  Something has changed and he must get to the bottom of it.  It also means that his new lackeys will be attacked sooner than he thought.  That's okay.  It's been planned for and he only need send them the rod.  If they couldn't figure out the rest, they got what they deserved.  Now, about these calculations.

***

"So, they don't suspect you?"  

"Well, I can't be completely sure.  The mind walker scares me and I try and avoid her but the others leave me alone.  However, there haven't been any problems."  

"Good.  Now, you know what to do?"

"Get two of the kids down into the sewer.  Once they disappear, the group will have to go looking and they will find your ambush.  Do I leave once they go down there?"

"No.  I must know that they aren't coming back up.  Give them several days of not returning before checking out their rooms and returning the items to me."  

"Very well."  

***

Bamarden really didn't like this.  He didn't think they needed the complication of kids in their building.  He understood what Teldryl was doing and it made some sense but why children?  If they were going to do this, why not adults?  Again, Teldryl's arguments of not noticing children came back to him but with a snort, he pushed it aside.  Then sighed.  There was nothing for it but to accept it and move on.  Of course, that's when the kids found him to tell him that some had gone into the sewer and hadn't come back yet.  And his week had been going so well.  

They had gotten the warehouse just over a tenday ago and had hired a lot of carpenters and laborers to fix it up.  The top floor was already done with each of them having their own room and some storage space up there as well.  They still hadn't figured out what to do with the second floor, not that there was much there.  Maybe a practice area?  The main floor had been cleaned up and an area for the kids was made.  They had pallets with straw and blankets, more than enough for all of them.  And any new ones that show up.  

So far, the kids and the time and effort it had taken didn't seem worth it.  Bamarden really had to remember why they had decided to do this and Teldryl once again explained her plans and that they were long term.  It was going to take time to see results but they would come. 

As they were talking about some things, one of the kids, Bamarden didn't know who or care really, came and said that some kids were missing.  They had gone down into the sewer to check it out and haven't come back in more than a day.  Bamarden sighed and looked at Teldryl, who rolled her eyes.  Teldryl told the kid that they would check it out. 

Fortunately, they were the last unction since they were at the edge of town, so the sewer was dry and didn't smell.  There was a bit of water in the lower part of the sewer, was was easily tall enough for them to walk in.  They were walking down the tunnel and Bamarden had to admit that he really wasn't paying attention.  So, the fact that he walked into the gelatinous cube can be explained.  The cube's digestive juices burned and Bamarden immediately worked on getting out.  He could tell that some slimes, hiding in the little water there, were also attacking and he thought he saw something flying come around a corner.  What the heck is all of this?  No wonder there are kids missing!  Bamarden may not like them but he certainly didn't think they deserved this. 

The attack was fierce.  The orc attack wasn't as tough as this one was!  The gelatin thing took a lot before it finally popped and deflated.  The oozes and flying things were easy after the big thing was gone.  They definitely took a breather after that fight.  Good thing too because at a junction, again with a small amount of water, was an otyugh!  Again, a tough fight and probably it would have ended much worse for t hem had they had to fight everything all at once but they defeated it as well and went back.  They talked about putting in a grate or door down there but didn't decide on anything. 

After that, it was business as usual, which made Bamarden and Vahn a bit restless.  Darksouls has a lot to do, as does Teldryl, during those times.  They are taking care of things or meeting with people to keep their contacts fresh.  But, Bamarden and Vahn don't have much to do.  That's when Vahn said that he wanted to take care of Trey once and for all.  Bamarden liked the sound of that, so they dragged the other two away from the business and went looking for Trey.  Between Darksouls street contacts and what Vahn knew about Trey, they found him soon enough, shaking down someone for some money. 

Vahn managed to walk right up to Trey and grab him in a head lock, without Trey's muscle even noticing!  Bamarden was impressed.  The muscle stood down once Darksouls and Bamarden got closer.  Bamarden liked having a reputation that inspired a bit of fear!  However, as Bamarden got closer, Trey was talking about another bad thing and he claimed he was going to look for Vahn for help with it.  Vahn still looked like he wanted to snap Trey's neck but somehow whatever Trey said convinced him to listen.  The two groups went to a nearby tavern to talk. 

Now, Bamarden could tell they were outnumbered in this place.  That was obvious.  He wasn't too worried about it, though.  Trey started talking about some cult of the goddess of disease being in the area and Trey needed the groups help with it.  Vahn and Trey were talking about joining forces when things got weird. First, a women named Bell came in and wanted to join them.  She was apparently an admirer, and why shouldn't she be? and wanted to join them.  Second, magic ripped through the area. 

Bamarden barely felt it but a ripple of magical energy hit the tavern.  Half of the patrons of the tavern were caught in the magical energy and transformed into . . . things.  Things that attacked hard and fast.  Bamarden stared as Trey's head was crushed under an attack by one of the changed patrons.  And more were coming around to attack them.  Bell and a few others hadn't been affected and she reacted quickly, throwing daggers and running forward with her sword.  Soon it was complete chaos of a fight.  The things were being animated and controlled by some magic, Bamarden could tell that, but that was about it.  Bamarden was worried about how to stop the energy as it must be coming from somewhere.

Bamarden no sooner thought that then someone pointed out the rod on the table.  It hadn't been there before, or it seemed unlikely it had given it was made of precious metals and had a gem in it, and it looked like it might have magic.  When the fighting was done, although it was just a rest as they had found a gate that was spilling energy into the area.  And that's when it hit Bamarden and Darksouls that the rod could be used to close the rift that had been created.  At the moment, Bamarden didn't question it.  They used it to close the tear and realized the rod was telling them another open gate was nearby.  They would have to close it fast before more uncontrolled magic spilled through and caused more deaths and destruction. 

650 xp

GM Notes

• The title is in reference to the plot cards I decided to use.  They hit a cluster of them that were able to be played at once, so cards were flying fast and furious there for a while.  I think I did a good job managing to bring it together and make it relevant to the game at hand and it was fun.  But it also means that it was a lot of craziness!
• Not sure how "realistic" it was but not sure how much I should care about that.  For example, not sure the sewers would be as big as I had them, using the tiles I did, but it was more fun.  
• This also includes my ideas about FR.  I think of it as a medieval setting with magic on top but am wondering if I shouldn't start making it a bit more fantastical.   I don't know exactly what that means so much as I think I need to be open to having strange, and scary, magical things happen and it's normal in that it happens but something to be feared.  Hmm.  Not sure about that.  Getting some good ideas on how to use these ideas and incorporate them into the adventure.  I like it! 
• I probably summarize the fights too much but as I said, reading a fight in detail isn't interesting to me.  Plus, it's been long enough that I don't know the details, so this makes it easy.  I think the only thing I don't like about it is that it makes it seem as if we didn't do much. 
• We did talk about it as a group and the slow start was me waiting to see if they did anything.  If not, I had these ideas and used them.   I think we got it straitened out at the end. 

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