Last we left off, our adventurers were investigating an escaped prisoner of war, Sken Zabriss. The imposing goliath had made it off into the night, freed by a band of kobolds and aided by explosives and a hastily built automaton. Hupperdook’s Watchmaster Bram Gulchswattle had contracted the newly formed party to find her and bring her back, dead or alive…
The Firemark Facility
After the assembly yard, Gold Salt, Bullwak, Warryn and Oren made their way to the Firemark Facility, hoping to find out more about the sulfur powder they found at Zabriss’ exploded prison cell. Warryn stayed outside, his new friends slightly worried about being in an enclosed space with both him and a lot of flammable explosives. It was uncomfortably hot in here. They met the Blast Gaffer, Sleese Firemark, who was nothing but displeased to have his work interrupted by nosy visitors. “I’ve been here overworked for the past three weeks! We’re down on supplies, and output.”
Bullwak pressed the Blast Gaffer for more information
While he did, Gold Salt couldn’t help herself, she wandered around the workshop and took note of the interesting things there. Eventually, the serious gnome let slip that his master artisan had fallen ill a few weeks ago and he was quite worried about her well-being. “Look, we run a tight ship around here, I’d know if any of our powder had been stolen. We take these things very seriously, the authorities would be the first ones to be alerted!” He let them briefly inspect his stores of blasting powder and the ledger where he kept meticulous notes.
Happy enough with their recon, Bullwak lead Gold Salt out of the facility, promising the Blast Gaffer that they would check in on his master artisan, Nima, if they happened to venture out that way.
Unbeknownst to Bullwak or the others, Gold Salt had managed to sneak a pouch of the explosive powder, leaving a note in the ledger assigning the supplies to the ‘Fruit Ninja’ project.
Lay of the Land Herbalist
The four then found themselves at the Lay of the Land Herbalist, hoping Zendasa the druid herbalist would be able to identify the out of place red clay Bullwak had collected from the kobold fight. Entering her shop, it was a completely different environment from what they had experienced so far in Hupperdook. The air had an almost sweet smell to it, in contrast to the bitter iron scent in the streets. Candles cast a soft glow in the room, and Zendasa’s airy voice drifted across the room. “Welcome! How may I help you today?”
Zendasa was tall for a human, her blue-green hair flowing past her waist atop her flowy robes.
“Do you have drugs?” Oren immediately inquired, still quite hungover from his night time activities the previous evening.
Antidotes and apples
She eyed him curiously and suggested a serum; bright blue opaque liquid in a small bottle. “I’ll take four.” He didn’t hesitate. Downing the sweet, refreshing liquid, he felt infinitely better in a matter of minutes.
“Now that you have dealt with that headache of yours…” the ever unimpressed Bullwak got down to business, turning from Oren to Zendasa. He pulled the small vial out of his cloak and presented the shopkeep the red clay he had collected the day before. “Any idea where this may have come from? We’re investigating last night’s disturbance for the Watchmaster.”
She looked over the clay, and was able to discern it wasn’t from the town. “The closest place this clay would be found is hours away, up the mountain, near the Silver Falls.”
Suspicion once again got the better part of the party, but they eventually accepted it was unlikely Zendasa had anything to do with the attacks.
Questions completed for the time being, Gold Salt stepped in to ask about the local produce. “Oh dear, I’m afraid you won’t find much fresh fruit in Hupperdook, but I did get some apples from Felderwin on my last supply run there. I’m afraid I only have dried ones left over though.” Gold Salt decided to try the dried apples, but was sorely disappointed. They were good for dried fruit, but it didn’t come close to what she was hoping to find on this adventure.
On their way out, Oren thanked Zendasa profusely for the magic liquid, “What do you call this again?”
“Gator’s aid” she replied detachedly.
Searching for clues
Searching for clues around the Ironside Barracks, where the Crownsguard and Righteous Brand soldiers stationed, they also asked around about the Citizen’s Watch. But the Crownsguard didn’t know much about how the townsfolk organized other than they “weren’t needed cuz we’re here”. Wondering what the link could be between the Citizen’s Watch, Yinra, and the goings-ons lately, they continued on their exploration. If they could only figure out who the Watch’s leader was…
Zendasa had advised the clay could be found near the Silver Falls, towards the northeast part of town. Being nearby Nima’s house, they considered paying her a visit. The house was suspiciously quiet, the shutters drawn and doors locked. Warryn sent his raven through the chimney to scope it out. The interior was dark and looked like no one had been taking care of the place for days, but a lone candle burned. The party broke in through the back door and were immediately thrown into a scuffle with 4 kobolds. Wary of the previous kobolds exploding, they took special care to stay away from their corpses and even move them outside as quickly as possible. Gold Salt was ravaged by crossbow bolts, but thankfully her valiant knight was able to stabilize her before it was too late.
Interrogating kobolds is not such an easy task
The squatting kobolds thwarted, two were taken as hostages for Bullwak to interrogate.
“Where is Nima?” the intimidating tortle demanded, his large frame dwarfing the small and injured kobolds.
Gold Salt, pain still fresh from her near fatal wounds and a new found fear of mortality in her mind, drew daggers and threatened one of the kobolds. One of the creatures refused to speak, so she savagely removed a finger. This seemed to be enough to push the other kobold into talking.
“The gnome? You mean, the gnome girl?” he squeaked nervously. “We saw her up the mountain, then we’s got sent down here. We’s just following orders, we’s swear!”
“Is she alive?” Bullwak pressed.
“Uhh, she was, I dunno.” The kobold was evidently frightened. “We’s just do what the master says, we don’t know!”
“Master? Who is the ‘master’?”
“The master! He’s the one’s who makes the plans.”
“Did he put, those inside you?” Gold Salt pointed to the kobold’s chest where they suspected lay another exploding device.
The kobold hesitated, tears brimming in it’s eyes. “The master takes care of us.” The matter seemed final, their suspicions gaining validation.
The party exchanged worried looks, then switched the conversation back to Nima. “Nima, the gnome girl, was she there against her will?”
“Uhh… maybe? We don’t know, we’s was just sent here!” the kobold broke down in tears. “‘Don’t let anybody in’ he’s said, ‘tell them go away you’s sick’ he’s said.”
Having heard enough from this “stupid” kobold, Gold Salt began to search the small house. Not sure what to do, Oren began to help, while tuning his lute and strumming a few chords as the tabaxi searched vigorously. “Aha!” Gold Salt pulled out a crumpled note from the trash bin, it looked like it had been a page torn free of a journal.
“Of all the sources we mine from within the Silberquel, my yield of saltpeter still proves the most pure and powerful!”
Excerpt from Nima Cinnarid’s journal
The entry went on to describe a secret cave only she knew the location of, nestled safely behind a waterfall, up the mountainside, far up above the city of Hupperdook.
They pressed the kobold for more information on this cave, to which it was certain it could lead them there.
The group then went off to the side to discuss the fate of these kobolds and their next move. “We should take them to the Crownsguard, they’re criminals.” “But they can lead us safely to the cave and where this “master” is.” “If we take them to the Crownsguard it’ll take too long, plus they’ll ask questions!” “If we don’t turn them in, they will ask questions. I’m sure neighbours already heard commotion.”
Gold Salt was adamantly against bringing her would-be murderers, still shaken from the hour’s events. But the others rationalized they couldn’t just leave them here alive. The group argued back and forth on the right path to pursue, and finally agreed they didn’t want to carelessly murder these two creatures whom they had already attacked, captured and brutalized. So they would start up the mountain immediately, with the cover of darkness and a couple of guides to aid them.
Ascending the mountain
They climbed for a few hours, it was slow going with the kobold’s hands tied, but they eventually made it to a recess in the cliff where they could safely make a rough camp for the night. Setting a watch, it was mostly a quiet night, until the wee morning hours when a kobold patrol duo came down the mountain. Not wanting to be surprised, Warryn quietly woke Bullwak and they in turn surprised the kobolds. Bullwak was able to hurl the first one off the path and subsequently off the edge of the cliff, while Warryn sent firebolts the other one’s way. Gold Salt and Oren, now awake, joined the fray but Gold Salt was once again maimed by crossbow bolts. Fortunately, this time Oren was able to sing a healing word to her before permanent sleep was permitted to take hold. They captured the remaining kobold and tied it up to the other two. Fairly certain they could make it the remaining hours to find the cave by themselves, and not wanting the burden or danger of their captives any longer, they made ready to leave camp.
A hungry hungry hippogriff
Gold Salt’s keen senses picked up something flying a way’s away, she ushered the group behind some bushes just in time before a large creature flew over. It had the body of a horse and the wings and talons of an eagle, it’s head resembling a horse’s but feathered and including a long hooked beak. This was a mythical hippogriff. The loud whooshing of wings broke the silence of the sky as it circled, looking for something. It circled lower and lower to where the group hid, then landed gracefully but heavily on the path. It lowered it’s head and looked around, it’s beak and talons looked menacingly sharp.
“I think it’s hungry.” Gold Salt whispered. Then, before anyone could stop her, she hopped out of her hiding spot. She opened up her satchel and retrieved a few strands of jerky she had been carrying around from her first night in the city. “Are you hungry? You want some jerky?” Holding out the meat for the great beast. It cocked it’s head towards her, beady eyes watching the hand of this stranger closely. Gold Salt then flung the mean towards the hippogriff and it reared on to its back legs, catching the jerky in it’s beak. Savagely gobbling it down, it looked to Gold Salt, expectantly. She just about emptied her bag full of meat for the creature, and then proceeded to slowly back away while it gourged itself.
Climbing for another hour, they finally made it to an outcrop by the edge of a waterfall.
It’s a long way down
Some investigation lead to the lightly used path and strong smell of bat excrement just behind the pouring water. Getting ready for a fight, they spread out and snuck to the entrance. Bullwak loudly announced their presence with an inspired battle cry and charged in.
The same large goliath who had broken out of the Gearhole Prison, met the tortle easily. Matching blow for blow and then some. 4 more kobolds joined the fray, two – to Gold Salt’s dismay – handling crossbows. The remaining two kobolds charged headlong into the throng by the cave entrance. Off in a corner, they glimpsed a small gnome, chains attached to her ankles.
One for the theatrics
Firebolts were slung, arrows shot, flail swung, and hex cast. Worry began to set in they would not be able to fell their foe. In a last ditch effort and hopes in being the hero, Oren boldly ran towards the goliath as she stood readying a final blow to Bullwak. He grappled her with all his might. He narrowly won out with the aid of his hex spell. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he hurled himself off the cliff into the waterfall, with Zabriss in his clutches. Both their screams muted by the roar of the waterfall. A moment went by, Warryn, Gold Salt, and Bullwak were pained with panic mixed with remorse, unsure they’d ever see Oren again. Then, out of thin air he re-appeared, his eyes sparkling with glints of green and gold. The remaining kobolds threw down their weapons and were handily dealt with and tied up.
The four adventurers searched the cave and helped Nima out of her chains. They took some precautions, moved a table in front of the locked door on the other side of the cavern, in case more kobolds came through from inside the mountain. Nima provided them what little intel she could, not knowing much about the cave. But the remaining kobold, slightly more intelligent than its counterparts, was able to recall a few passageways in the caverns beyond, and provided a rough sketch drawn in the dirt.
Not much of a thank you
Not wanting to stick around much longer, and confident in her abilities to navigate the mountainside, “I’ve been coming up here for months,” Nima protested against the idea she wait in the cave for them to come back. “Look, I’ve been coming up here for months, and only about 3 weeks ago did I get ambushed. There are a lot of caves up here, I never even knew they had some operation going on until they attacked me!”
Wanting to make sure she could be trusted, Bullwak and Oren doubled down their questioning. “Why would I be working with them?” Nima was confused, “They’re against the Empire!” Then a bit flushed, realizing what she had done. She gestured to a few pouches of blasting powder “I was only helping them with this because they made me.”
Nima offered the pouches up, “Here, maybe these can help you take him down. I never saw the lair, and only saw Stahlmast one time. But I’m pretty sure he’s in there now.”
“She’s pretty confident in herself.” Oren commented as Nima left, “yet she was captured by kobolds and holed up here for 3 weeks.”
Spent for the day, they lay down to a much deserved rest, at the edge of Stahlmast’s secret lair, to recover their strength.