Game summary for June 23, 2026, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game 1st Edition, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Callum Spellhardt (Human Sorcerer played by Parker Harmon), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Polaris Helmsmeade (Dwarf Templar played by Peyton Harmon), and Ursay (Mongrelfolk Slayer played by Paul Potter). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.
The team decided to visit Snagy’s contact, Rhedda Boltmark to see if she had any information on the missing people. She did not but gave them a few potential ideas and said she would ask around. They then went to the home of one of the missing women, Hessa Varn. They met her brother, Heath, a longshoreman and fisherman. He told them everything he could about her, such as how she makes quilts that she gives to homeless children and repairs the clothing of their neighbors. While they talked with him, Hekera and Ursay decided to walk the few blocks to the Forest Gate just to get an idea of the area. They could tell the gate was very heavily guarded, and it would be particularly difficult for a person to be snatched near the gate without being noticed. Unless the guards are in on it. They noticed a man hiding in the shadows apparently watching the guards and making notes about them. He had his cloak hood pulled up, and they could see embroidered cloth manacles and chains adorning his sleeves. Ursay decided to stay and watch him while Hekera went back to the rest of the team.
After the next shift change, about four hours later, the man left and Ursay followed. To his surprised, the man went to the Tenderloin Lodge! He was staying in a room near the groups’ rooms. Ursay went back to meet the group at Heath’s house. He found them sitting around listening to Heath’s fish stories. They decided to go and try to talk to the man and left heading to the Tenderloin Lodge.
Inside, they spoke with Pella about the man. She said he was very quiet. Inexplicably, she once again handed Hekera his massive warhammer and told him he should probably hang on to it or tie it to his tail. She also handed them a key she said the man they are talking about left lying around. Ursay went and knocked on the man’s door. Through the door he heard the man open the window and take off running down the street. By the time the team got outside, the man was long gone. Ursay was unconcerned. He sniffed the air, tasted the wind, and peered at the cobblestones. He definitively pointed down a street and declared the man went that way. The group heading along and came across the market. They could see the man over by a stall looking in the general direction from which they came. They tried to nonchalantly approach, and Ursay spoke to the man, spooking him. He darted through the crowd tripping people and hurling them down behind him. The ever nimble Ursay easily caught him in the crowd and put him in an arm bar. The man screamed for help, and in the busy market, the Saiones guards closed around them in moments.
The man and the party were all detained and questioned at the guard house one at a time. They all gave fairly similar report of events. After several hours, the team was fined 5 gp each for disturbing the peace and released. The man, however, was apparently not released.
The group returned to the Tenderloin Lodge, and Ursay agilely leapt through the man’s window and searched his room. He found many papers and prayer book, but being illiterate had no idea what it said. Callum and Helg read through it all and learned this man is associated with the Chain Breakers, a religious group fighting for freedom, liberation, and an end to oppression. They found notes about the missing people and thoughts about the Upright Men being involved. It did not take long for the realization to set in that this was one of the good guys. Four of the five of them had told the Saiones about him making notes on all their shift changes and movements. Could he have been charged with espionage?
The team went back to see Rhedda and learned the man could be in serious trouble. His day in court would be an arena battle with the prosecution, a minotaur. They asked how to get him out of jail, and she took them to see Thessal Murvak of House Murvak. Allegedly, she is one of the heads of the thinly veiled crime family. They told Thessal the story of the man, their investigations for Rathun Brangus, and their need to rescue him from the arena. She told them she would help but wanted to be present when they question him. The team agreed, and she had them wait in the parlor. A few hours later, she returned with the man, Jorvek Ashwill. She revealed he was now in her custody, and the team offered to buy his release.
Jorvek and the team talked and realized the ridiculous series of misunderstandings leading to their current situation. He realized they were all working toward the same end, the rescue of missing people. He told them he believes the guards are corrupt and under the sway of the Upright Men, a thieves’ guild. Decades ago, liquor was smuggled through tunnels under the gate into The Loaded Keel, a nearby gambling den. If liquor could be moved unseen, so could people. Jorvek’s theory is the tunnels still exist and people are taken underground and on to who knows where.
Thessal was delighted to hear all of this and suspected the Upright Men were involved. Like Rathun, she would like to see proof of this (for no good reason, certainly). The team agreed to share any evidence they find with her in exchange for her helping them get into the tunnels. She revealed not all the Saiones are corrupted by the Upright Men. Many are corrupted by House Murvak! She told them the next night she would make sure those guards do not show up for work, which would make it easier to get into The Loaded Keel and down into the tunnels if a ruckus is raised. They prepared to depart and wanted to take Jorvek with them. Smiling, Thessal reminded them they offered to buy his freedom. They settled on when they finish working with Rathun on this matter, she has a task for them. They left with the rescued inquisitor of the Chain Breakers and returned to the Tenderloin Lodge.
