Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for August 29, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Jiraiya (Hurwaeti Freebooter played by Andrew Renfrow), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team sent Edonna shopping for supplies while they clarified the final details with Ezrelda.  They then went to rent a cage to hold a dragon and found a dwarf near the docks who traffics in large animal imports (mostly for food).  He rented them a massive cage and hauled it to the docks for them while they went and bought chains and two muzzles.  They hooked up their barge to the drakkar vessel they are using.  They decided to see if they could hire the ship’s normal crew for this mission and located them at the Rockrat, the seediest tavern in all of Bral.  At the door, the met Grinder, the ogre doorman.  He “swindled” them out of several copper pieces as a cover charge.  The team was amused at his “cleverness” and paid him even more coppers than he asked, much to his delight.  Inside, they found the place lived up to its reputation.  It was rowdy, bawdy, and appalling.  In one corner, seven men and women were gathered around a table singing a rousing drinking song from the great bard, Blackheart Joan.

It goes good with the hard times and good with the bad times
Good with the fun times and good with the sad times
So always remember when ya done all ya could
That whiskey don’t go bad, whiskey goes good

Komorebi recognized this chorus and joined them in the third verse.  They learned this is the crew they were looking for, a bunch of Vikings and followers of the Revelry pantheon.  The group was well into their liquor.  They introduced themselves as Bella, Ella, Stella, Dorn, Bjorn, Lorne, and Jorn, and to celebrate meeting the party, they drank!  Helg convinced them to hire on as crew for 210 gp for a week, but if they succeed in capturing the dragon they will instead pay 500 gp.  To celebrate their new business arrangement, they drank!  The party joined in.  Alcohol flowed.  Questionable decisions were made.  Jiraiya may have spent the evening with Ella.  Or was it Stella?  Perhaps Bella?  Maybe it was several; memories are fuzzy. 

The next day the team loaded up the ship with their provisions and cage (covering it with a tarp).  Stella (yes, it was Stella, she’s the helmswoman) piloted the ship toward Coliar.  They flew to their rendezvous point with the Donakkis Flock and met with Nylek, a local leader.  He told them what he could of the sky blue dragon, Freylass Icedeath.  The aggressive beast is raiding their trade lanes alongside its half-dragon spawn.  Nylek told them it seems to breed with everything, and Coliar is known to be home to dangerous monsters like chimeras, manticores, sphinxes, drakes, wyverns, and so forth. 

The group headed toward the region Nylek said the dragon haunts.  Along the way they encountered a roc!  The massive bird of prey set off in pursuit of the vessel, and the team scrambled to try and outrun and outmaneuver the monster.  With its size, it was certainly capable of ripping the ship apart.  While fleeing, the group flew through a swarm of wasps!  The party was stung repeatedly, but the wasps were quickly left behind.  Next the group flew into a thundercloud!  Though drenched, and Hekera blasted with lightning, the team was able to emerge from the cloud out of sight of the roc and escape!

Game summary for August 22, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team left Waterdeep and flew back to Bral.  There they met with Lodan from House Eirenfezt and sold the five tressym.  Out on the street they ran into some children who heard rumors of their exploits and asked what they call themselves.  They came up with the SCC, Subterranean Conquest Crew.  They then went to Shou Town and paid to alter and upgrade some armor for Hekera which would be available in a few days.  Helg negotiated a deal to sell a lot of their Undermountain spoils.  Next, they returned to the Laughing Beholder where Daiyu was on stage singing.  They sat down to hear her perform, ordered a meal and Thayan red, and invited the Red Wizard Halava Trent and her bodyguard Nethriss to the table.  They sold her the two best weapons they recovered from Undermountain for four very expensive emeralds. 

Halava and Nethriss left to address other business, and the team settled in to enjoy their meal and fine liquor.  Nearly two hours later, a dazzling woman in black and blue cosmic robes walked in.  Spiked hair ran down the center of her head, and blue tattoos were visible on the shaved sides of her scalp.  Her smiling lips were covered in blue lipstick.  She introduced herself as Ezrelda of the Cobalt Flame, a member of Xenotermination, Ltd.  Komorebi had heard of them, a group of very high-end mercenaries. 

Ezrelda told them they were seeking to subcontract a mission to the planet Coliar on behalf of the Donakkis Flock aarakocra.  The flock wanted Xenotermination, Ltd. to get rid of a rare sky blue dragon terrorizing them.  The mercenaries want to collect on the bounty, but they have upped the ante.  They want the party to not kill but capture the dragon!  They will pay for the dead dragon but more for taking it alive.  Apparently, the dragon is also breeding with native denizens of Coliar, and the team got Ezrelda to agree to pay for any of them captured as well.  For the mission, the Xenos had arranged for them to use a spelljammer-converted drakkar.  The team decided to take the job and immediately began planning how to catch and transport a large dragon.

Game summary for August 8, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The group found themselves incredibly impaired by the overlapping silence and spike stone effects.  Khesen went toe-to-toe with one of the giant funnel-web spiders and discovered it was shockingly venomous.  One cildabrin tangled with Hekera while the driders moved up and cast even more hampering spells like grease.  The party slipped and slid around with Neko casting scorching ray and Edonna casting an outstandingly effective voidmote.  Khesen jumped clear of the spikes and was handed a potion of neutralize poison by Komo.  Helg channeled positive energy several times. 

Edonna decided to fall back while the group was suffering from the combined enemy attacks.  Komo fell back with her and tried to dispel the silence effect but failed.  Another fireball washed over the group but combined force from the team started slaying the arachnids.  Slowly the team gained an upper hand and advanced upon the remaining driders.  A few well-placed blows later and the team vanquished the hostiles!  Helg was badly poisoned, and the group gave him numerous potions to try and shake off the venom and live through it.  He was finally able to pull through, and they were able to make it back to the Yawning Portal exit with some loot, their lives, a magical ballista, and five tressym!

Game summary for August 1, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Jiraiya (Hurwaeti Freebooter played by Andrew Renfrow), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

Komo cast dispel magic on the illusion causing the floating hand of Bane and the dwarf to disappear.  Also, the altar appeared somewhat smaller.  Jiraiya walked up and inspected it, finding it to be a heavy black stone with some rusty colored dried substance atop it.  Helg flew around behind and found several levers labeled “Floor” and “Altar.”  The floor lever disabled all the pressure plates and harpoons!  The altar lever opened a secret compartment revealing a black metal mace detecting of evocation magic!  The team then searched the room and found a secret door in the corner where their map indicated they needed to still go despite the obstructing wall.  Opening the door, they found a short chamber with a far wall painted like a glowing blue door with an “S” sigil and three slashes.  Helg knocked on the door, and it transformed into an arch leading into Ludovic Snerd’s Dynamic Delving Supplies!

The proprietor, Ludovic Snerd, is a bucktoothed blue-haired gnome and shrewd merchant.  He provided them with five tressym magically shrunken and held in stasis in metallic vials with glass windows.  They tucked these away for safekeeping.  They asked him about the magical mace, he ran some tests, and he revealed it to be a +2 mace of darkness capable of producing deeper darkness effects thrice per day.  They looked around the shop and asked what useful things he could sell them.  He pulled a tarp off a fine piece of siege weaponry!  He offered to sell them a +1 light ballista of piercing for the low price of 10,000 gp!  Helg convinced him to sell it for that price but also magically shrink it so they can easily transport it.  He did so and told them to soak the magical patch in milk to restore the weapon. 

The group left Snerd’s and heading back down the hallway where they ran into a trio of cildabrin, a pair of driders, and two giant funnel-web spiders!  Edonna cast blessing of fervor while the foes cast spike stones and silence!  Using metamagic, the team was still able to utilize some magic while part of the team tried to move through the spikes and slashed their feet!  Jiraiya made an amazing leap and cleared the spikes entirely!  The team’s front line brought it to a cildabrin that Neko had burned with scorching ray.  The hideous arachnid was slain while the spiders missed with their webs and bites.  One drider cast a lackluster fireball while another cast slow on the team.  Finally, another cildabrin activated a second spike stones effect to hinder more movement options! 

Will the team rally and defeat the spider monsters or become their next meal?

Game summary for July 25, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Jiraiya (Hurwaeti Freebooter played by Andrew Renfrow), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The party moved the partially burnt barricades in front of the two entrances to the room and setup a rotating watch.  Before trying to sleep, they cast detect thoughts and detect magic at the far door and were able to sense faint evocation and moderate illusion magic.  Edonna cast scrying on the black dragon they fought earlier and found it was tucked away somewhere trying to sleep off its injuries.  As secure as they felt they could be, they slept in shifts.  With spells recovered, Helg cast raise dead and recovered Khesen.  Then, the party healed their wounds and spelled up before kicking open the far doors. 

 The room had a very tall ceiling, was lined with tall black statues of armored men, and had braziers burning on either side of an altar.  Behind the altar was an enormous floating black left hand glowing with unholy light.  Upon the altar lay a bleeding and unmoving dwarven man.  Helg cast detect magic again and determined there was some faint evocation around (or within?) the altar.  There was moderate illusion active around and on the altar (perhaps the dwarf and entire altar). 

Jiraiya walked into the room and triggered a trap!  A chained harpoon shot down from the ceiling, impaled him, and began hauling him up toward the ceiling!  In agony, and unable to speak due to being mute, he thrashed about to draw forth his semaphore flags and tried to signal to Helg that he could see openings in the ceiling that the chain was going into, and that there was such an opening over every five feet or so of the room! 

Khesen moved into the room and jumped up to grab the chain above Jiraiya.  This set the chain to swinging back and forth and sent waves of agony wracking through the hurwaeti.  Neko went up to the altar, and CLICK!  Another pressure plate triggered another harpoon!  Up went an impaled Neko.  The horrified onlookers watched their friends continue to be hoisted toward the ceiling.  It dawned on them that the harpoons will fit through the holes in the ceiling… but allies will not!  There was about to be some devastating harpoon extractions and gravity-induced contusions. 

 Khesen used his martial training to turn his fists against the chain and snapped it.  Right above where he was holding it!  Both he and Jiraiya plummeted toward the floor.  Jiraiya tried to direct his fall into the floor section in which he stood when the trap triggered.  Although it hurt, he succeeded.  He then ran from the room and ripped the harpoon out of his torso (and spent the next several moments vomiting from the pain).  Khesen tried to land safely below Neko but just missed.  He crashed into the floor… and triggered another harpoon!  Up he went. 

The rest of the team was dumbstruck and went about trying to heal wounds and otherwise figure out some ways to effectively overcome this obstacle.  Komo tried disabling traps in the first area of floor but couldn’t find any mechanism of any sort.  Edonna kept casting close wounds to help those suffering from the harpoons and chains.  The group decided to drag some of the bodies of the slain orcs and hobgoblins over to try and trigger more harpoons with the corpses.  Helg consumed a potion of fly while Neko hacked away at the chain hoisting him, dealing far more damage to himself than the chain.  Khesen quaffed his own potion of fly as well. 

Helg flew up to grab Neko and support his weight while the half-orc extracted himself from the weakened chain.  He was able to take him to safety while Khesen broke his chain and flew free. 

Regrouping, the team stared at the trapped room in frustration and for some, searing agony.  How would they overcome this challenge?

Game summary for July 11, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The group hurled dung grenades in at orcs and hobgoblins on the other side of the door but missed direct hits.  Fortunately, the splash radius still affected them.  The orcs fired arrows, and one of the hobgoblins cast flame strike.  Neko threw a fireball and hit most every enemy in the room and set the barricades on fire which began belching thick smoke.  Edonna cast haste, much to the team’s delight; however, they soon discovered the enemies had a similar effect on themselves.  The group began moving into the room, and the orc goons went down pretty quickly.  The hobgoblins, quite skilled rangers, proved quite formidable against humans (obviously a favored enemy).  Their sickles slashed through defenses and devastated the team. 

The group put pressure on the foes, and the battle priest cast righteous might.  Neko took a beating from a hobgoblin ranger, and Khesen was slain by one!  Helg was able to channel positive energy and heal his allies while Edonna blasted away with spells like voidmote.  Hekera moved into fight the hobgoblin battle priest and was throttled by the magically enhanced humanoid.  The ranger moved to flank and put even more pressure on.  However, the party had put enough damage on the foes that suddenly the began dropping as the team tried to press through.  Finally the priest was cut down by Hekera. 

The party investigated a cell and found it occupied by an unconscious dwarf.  Helg healed him, and they learned his name is Fescus Foamflagon.  He was a lost adventurer separated from his party and trying to make his way back to the Yawning Portal tavern.  He gifted them a magical axe allegedly from long-lost Gauntlgrym, a dwarven kingdom.  The dwarf then departed to find safety while Helg put out the burning barriers.  The smoke was thick but not dangerous, and the team decided to make camp and use magic to recover Khesen.

Game summary for June 27, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Jiraiya (Hurwaeti Freebooter played by Andrew Renfrow), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

Edonna did an amazing and calming draconic dance which soothed the savage dragon.  The two began to converse, and it found out they were seeking a clowder of tressym to take back to Bral.  The dragon understood the situation as to the tressym would be unwilling to go; the party argued they were rescuing the tressym, much to the dragon’s disappointment.  While talking, the door behind them opened.  An orc swung it open while a hobgoblin hurled a small object through.  The orc then slammed the door shut.  Immediately, a swarm of wasps filled the area and began stinging many of the team.  The dragon slipped around the party and flew down the hallway to escape.  Jiraiya and Helg were poisoned by the stings while the party tried to fend off the creatures.  Helg used create water to make them angry (but clean) while Hekera swung his sword through them several times.  Komorebi hoped to put them to sleep to no avail.  Edonna cast firebelly and began breathing upon the wasps while Khesen hurled a dung grenade among them.  Neko used detect magic to confirm the swarm was summoned, so Komorebi cast dispel magic but failed to overcome the magic.  Helg then tried his own dispel magic successfully! 

With the wasps dispelled, they focused on the door.  Peeping through the keyhole, they could see several humanoids in the darkness.  Edonna, Komorebi, and Jiraiya all bellied up to the lock and failed to pick it.  So, Neko cast sunder barrier which rattled and battered it, but it remained standing!  He blasted it with a second sunder barrier, and it blew in off its hinges while several of the team reared back to hurl dung grenades in the opening!

Game summary for June 13, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Jiraiya (Hurwaeti Freebooter played by Andrew Renfrow), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

On the other side of the door the team found a pair of enraged hook horrors accompanied by a very young and feisty black dragon.  Neko cast shield and stepped back while Edonna cast haste on the party.  Helg hit both hook horrors with a blazing flame strike while Hekera and Khesen closed in.  The dragon breathed acid on Hekera but was unable to line up anyone else in the effect.  One of the hook horrors died under the assault, but the other shredded Hekera’s armor and peeled it off his body before biting a chunk out of his now-exposed hide!  Helg cast righteous wrath of the faithful to further augment the team.  Khesen used an unarmed strike to slap the dragon, and it was soon knocked out while the other hook horror took a hit from Neko’s rainbow blast.  Khesen then took out the last hook horror. 

With the dragon unconscious they searched the room and used a rope to tie up the dragon which Khensen then picked up and carried around.  They found a sack filled with gems and coinage.  Meanwhile, Jiraiya searched the only other door for traps and found none.  He tested the door, found it unlocked… and also trapped.  A poisoned arrow slammed into him, but he shook off the poison.  On the other side they found a hallway illuminated by sputtering torches.  He and Hekera moved down the hallway and triggered a spiked pit trap.  Both slammed into the pit bottom, and Hekera was also hit by a spike.  Jiraiya had two potions of fly and gave one to Hekera, and both flew out of the pit.  They then paired up and flew the rest of the team across the open pit. 

On the far side of the pit, the team decided they needed healing before moving on.  Helg channeled positive energy but forgot to exclude the unconscious dragon.  It came awake like a scalded dog and began trying to breathe acid through the rope holding its mouth shut.  The rope dissolved as the dragon thrashed and shook, spraying acid all over everyone in the very tight quarters.  The group is now in a very confined space with a 50′ spiked pit blocking one direction, a closed door into an unknown area in the other, and a furious dragon in their midst. 

Game summary for June 6, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Jiraiya (Hurwaeti Freebooter played by Andrew Renfrow), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The party got up and decided to scout Shou-Town a bit before meeting with Councilman Ozamata at the Red Lark tearoom.  They found a nearby tattoo parlor, and Helg and Edonna purchased elaborate tattoos and used magic to recover more quickly and get the entire work done in the day. 

The team met with Ozamata, and he told them he needed to raise some capital and could go through the effort of liquidating some assets but he could perhaps help them in exchange for coin.  He would allow them to buy into shares of Ozamata Trading and earn regular annual returns.  He would also go about proclaiming the party’s affiliation with his house, which would earn them some protection from the very angry Boris “the Butcher” Steelbeard because Ozamata knows Boris lacks the means to openly war with him.  Ozamata would not require any service of them or have any claim to their time; it is simply an arrangement wherein he raises some quick cash, and they party garners a bit of reputation and affiliation on Bral to fend off the riffraff.  The party agreed and invested 5,000 gp.  They also asked Ozamata to keep them in mind for short term employment.  He told them he may be in touch and that with their reputation with the arson incident and their affiliation with him, others will soon coming looking with job opportunities as well.

After the meeting, Neko and Edonna got Ozamata crane tattoos to further “prove” their affiliation. 

The group returned to the Laughing Beholder and were approached by an armed man calling himself Lodan representing House Eirenfezt.  They wanted to hire the party to travel to Undermountain on Toril and meet up with merchant Ludavic Snerd and bring back a clowder of tressym.  They offered to pay 500 gp per tressym, provide transport, rights to all treasure discovered while on the payroll, 20 gp per party member in advance, and 30 gp per surviving member when they return.  With Toril only an hour away by Spelljammer vessel, they agreed.  The group flew to Waterdeep, the City of Splendors, went to the Yawning Portal inn and paid to go down to Undermountain.

Within the dungeon, they found their map was mildly pretty inaccurate.  It was probably mostly somewhat right at some point in the past.  They came to an area where the map said go straight but there was now a heavy stone door surrounded by symbols and three stone buttons overhead.  They pressed a button and were hit by magical flames.  They debated a bit and hit another button.  Again, they burned.  More debate and another button, and they were thrice flamed.  Helg channeled positive energy and healed the party.  They pressed a combination of buttons and again were burned.  Neko stared at the symbols and figured out the pattern and riddle.  He strode up and entered a combination which successfully opened the door!

Game summary for May 30, 2023, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Edonna Match Wushu Lu Klighke (Dragonborn Oracle played by Casey Scruggs), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Jiraiya (Hurwaeti Freebooter played by Andrew Renfrow), Khesen Pavel (Human Brawler played by Parker Harmon), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), and Neko (Half-Orc Magus played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The party arrived at the courthouse and discovered people were standing in the streets and temporary vendors were set up selling food and beverages.  There was an overall excitement to the crowd.  From snatches of conversation, they overheard lots of people were gathering around the docks by the jettison to “get a good seat.” 

The low magistrate watch was out in force to keep the peace as best as possible.  Humans, dwarves, hadozee, giff, rastipedes, dragonborn, litorians, lizard men, tortles, and even stranger creatures roamed about in a throng of energy and eagerness.  Off to one side people marched about waving signs and yelling “Out with arson!  Out with arson!”  Entertainers moved through the crowd playing instruments, performing acrobatic stunts, and juggling various colorful items.  They noticed one motley man on stilts doing tricks and attracting a crowd.  A nondescript woman flitted among the onlookers, and they noticed deft fingers slipping coins from pockets before she disappeared into the chaos.  A number of muscular men and women wearing the belts of various animals and covered in tattoos and battle scars chugged tankards of beer.  They began drinking long before these pulls, and they chanted “Jettison!  Jettison!” 

Pushing their way into the courthouse, they could see there was little difference inside.  They had seen saner madhouses.  The courtroom itself was somewhat calmer.  At least the watch prevented people from coming in armed.  The gallery was packed, though, and people chanted “Jettison! Jettison!”  They realized the gallery was allowed to bring in their tankards and flasks.  The opposing barrister, an older human woman named Jenni Train, talked with the crowd while awaiting the magistrate.  “Oh yes, 32 arsonists flung over the walls on my watch.  Jenni Train delivers!  Remember, when you want someone dead, Jenni Train!”

The far doors opened, and a shackled and gagged Neko was marched in wearing a bright yellow tunic.  He was met with boos and jeers.  “How many gulps do think the scavvers will take, Pa?” they heard a young girl ask her father from the gallery.  The answer was drowned out by the general commotion and circus-like chaos. 

“All rise!” declared the bailiff, a muscular half-orc in studded leather armor.  The low magistrate, Lady Wallaby, appeared and hopped to the bench, her wig and open black robes bouncing with every jump.  Her thick tail gave her balance as her large feet and powerful legs propelled her to the seat behind the bench.  Her pointed fuzzy ears stuck out of her wig, and her long snout ended in a furry, and quite honestly adorable, nose.  Her black eyes took in the court and she scanned the room.  Her nose twitched.  She took one of her short arms and rummaged around in a pouch, a fleshy fur-covered pouch on her abdomen, and pulled out a gavel.  She banged it on the desk and declared, “This court is now in session!”  Somehow, someway, Neko had found himself in a kangaroo’s court!

Seeing the party’s obvious confusion, Jenni Train smiled and said, “Awakening magic, cast several years ago by a mischievous druid.”

Lady Wallaby read the charge of arson against Neko and allowed Jenni Train to make her arguments.  Jenni talked and wrung her hands for a while, much to the delight of the crowd, but her overall argument was summarized, “Neko, an impulsive and dangerous spellslinger, nearly burned down our city.  He says he didn’t mean to.  That it was self-defense.  But he is intelligent enough to learn magic and yet he wants us to believe he didn’t know wood would burn.  Neko cannot go free.  He is smart enough to know what his actions would cause and yet blatantly did not care.  We are only safe from Neko when he is flung from the Rock.  Jenni Train!”

Komorebi stood and made his arguments in the defense of Neko.  Things started out going well, but after a short recess things started to slip away from him.  Both sides presented strong arguments, and ultimately Lady Wallaby fined Neko 20,000 gp but released him upon receipt of payment.  The crowd was not happy with the outcome, but Helg gathered the vendors and bought a round of drinks for everyone!  This acquired a lot of good will! 

The group returned to the Laughing Beholder and filled in everyone on the updates and bought drinks for everyone there as well.  The next day they went to their meeting with the elven Admiral, Marianon Silmara.  She read the letter and provided them with the sealed envelope to deliver to Cap’n Gyudd to authorize the “topping out” of the Perry. 

They then met with the old dwarven veteran, Cap’n Gyudd, and delivered the letter.  He told them he could start on the ship renovations in the morning, The team then went to the Perry and told the gnomes what was going on. 

The group returned to the Laughing Beholder and found it lively that evening.  Komorebi joined Daiyu on stage.  He provided her his hurdy-gurdy and magically summoned a lute to play himself.  Their performance was amazing, and it inspired Edonna to join in with a dance.  This got the crowd into the performance, and beer and money flowed steadily, much to Large Luigi’s delight.  Meanwhile, the group surveyed the room.  A trio of dwarves were working steadily to find the bottom of every tankard in the place.  Meanwhile, Helg went to speak with a young human man drinking alone at the bar.  Helg learned the man’s betrothed and cheated on him and left him, and he had signed on as crew aboard the Blue Whimsy, and tradesman heading for Krynnspace.  Helg bought him a top shelf whiskey and wished him well. 

Three well-dressed Shou men with topknots and intricate arm tattoos entered the tavern.  They noticed the party and came over to talk.  One of them, Yuan Zhang, sat with them and invited them to meet with their employer, Councilman Ozamata, at the Red Lark tea room at noon in Shou-Town.  The Councilman wished to discuss with them a common enemy, Boris “the Butcher” Steelbeard.  Yuan also presented them a gift of Shou figs, the fruit of longevity.  The team agreed to meet with the Councilman, and the trio bowed and left.   

Komo came back to the group, and they made a big show of sampling Thayan wine to get the attention of a nearby woman they believed to be a Red Wizard.  The act worked, and she called Komo over, invited him to sit, and complimented his performance on stage.  Her bodyguard, a dour hulking scarred man named Nethriss, did not seem nearly as impressed.  Komo learned there is a Thayan Enclave on Bral.  This woman, Halava Trent, is a merchant seeking exotic magic items to import to Thay.  Jiraiya came over and displayed his flayer flail (made from the severed head and braided tentacles of a mind flayer).  Halava seemed quite interested but warned them not to let Ishathrandra, head of the illithid embassy, see it.  The party was a bit surprised to learn nearly 100 mind flayers call Bral home. 

Alcohol continued to flow, and the group settled into the end of a productive day with a new lead on adventure for the morrow.