A reminder from the DM:

You can’t go stealth in the middle of a field on a sunny day. You can’t roll deception on a giant giraffe wearing a Ziggy Stardust. There is no roll high enough. 

(Everything is fine except the stilts and the giraffe)

New characters:

• Gala the dwarf lady (Golden Oak)
• Kayla the Chief Priestess at Oghma Temple

The sun rises on a new day in Silvery Moon

Day breaks. Miss Moss wakes at the Wand and the Wizard with all her things, and with delight dresses as Rebecca Smidt. Leshanna, having realised she cannot dress as a half-orc without magic, wakes at the Golden Oak as herself. Thoradin, after some fairly frustrating stilt work, has decided not to wear his disguise.

They remember meeting Gala, the dwarf lady from the Golden Oak, where Thoradin and Leshanna are staying. Gunther wakes at the Brandish Blade while Londer is passed out in an alleyway somewhere.

Rebecca Shmidt

Miss Moss feels delighted and elated by the endless possibilities of being in disguise and alone – no one has recognised her. People are talking about the adventurers without realising who she is.

She’s had a good time at a party at the Wand and Wizard the previous night, made a few new out-of-town friends. She packs up her things and Patricia and prepares for the day with a smile playing on her lips.

Elk Danger Bogart

Gunther is still dressed as Elk Danger Bogart. He makes his way into a courtyard, keeping an eye out for Rodoor’s acquaintances – people who have been to some of the same places as Rodoor and he has heard the name mentioned a few times.

People have been talking about how Randoor has been acting strangely. This has all been in the central business district, places where the court and official areas are.

Leshanna

Leshanna wakes up at the Golden Oak, in the lap of luxury and considers her day. The temple she wants to visit is built for Shiallia, Sylvanas Mielikki, and she has been thinking about Asmodeus, the ruler of all devils, a powerful god around Faerun and the lord of the nine hells.

Leshanna plans to spend the day visiting temples, reading and quietly learning about Asmodeus worshippers, rituals and anything that may help identify people who are his followers. From the research, she grows more aware of the threat. That anyone is practicing magic of this nature sends chills down her spine.

Thoradin

Thoradin came back to the Golden Oak, drinking something he was told was whiskey (it was really some kind of green grass juice). Thoradin sits down to have breakfast in the dining room, then writes down his idea to find a publican bar somewhere to see what he can find out.

Thoradin decides to head towards The Dancing Goat, via some marketplaces on the way. He finds a person selling potions and an ornate tapestry featuring his deity. He buys three potions.

Midday Meeting

At the appointed time of midday, all adventurers except Londer, who nobody knows of his whereabouts, make their way outside of town to the forest clearing. During the day it is a little busier and people are moving around.

Gunther asks in hushed tones if they have learned anything in the morning. Leshanna explains that powerful magic can either see or hear them, to be conscious of this. Because of the power of the mythal in Silvery Moon, they cannot be seen, only heard.  This means that they are seen and heard outside of town, so they would be safest to stay in town and pass notes.

Gunther (Elk Danger Bogart) pulls out a manila folder marked Top Secret – a dossier that shows what Rodoor looks like – it’s almost exactly like Snape. It has all his information – working hours, where he lives, everything. The team agree to split up again.

a’snooping they go: Rebecca and Elk

Rebecca has found another outfit in the bag – it’s a red vest. She thinks she looks a little bit cute but she has a few flaws in her outfit that she can’t see, like her lazy eye and abject keenness. She seems to be fitting in but she looks like she’s wearing someone else’s clothes, ostensibly because she is. Elk Danger Bogart looks a little like a long-haired scarecrow.  

Together, the odd couple heads towards Rodoor’s house. As they approach, they realise that the neighbourhood is very fancy, aptly named the Palace neighbourhood. It’s immaculate with patrols of the Night Argent – the constabulary of the town. Rebecca realises they don’t seem to look like they fit in. Luckily, Gunther has his bag of costumes with him, so they quickly change. Now, they are both more refined – Rebecca wears a corset and Elk is Bowie in Labyrinth.

They walk together towards the house. When they arrive they see that it is an apartment building, with parchment on the front showing the residents’ names. One of the apartments, about three stories high, is that of R. Greeves. That’s the one.

There is plenty of greenery and branches leading up, and Rebecca and Elk determine it would not be difficult to get up into the apartment under the cover of night, so long as nobody is at home. People are coming and going into the apartments, but they don’t see Rodoor.  

Thoradin goes pubbin’

Thoradin pushes his way into a very dingy pub, that is not far removed from a very low-cost brothel. A lot of people around look like those he saw in the trial. No one specific. It’s pretty full, a lot of people around and it’s a good vibe.

Thoradin saunters up to the bar. The bartender recognises him but says nothing – just a knowing glance. He gives him a shot of green whiskey. There’s a door to a back alley, Thoradin sits nearby with his back to the wall and begins to drink and smoke.

He looks a bit sleepy and pissed, having some alone time and listening to conversations. He doesn’t really get much from it – some people look over, a few pay attention, but no one mentions the trial, Rodoor or anything – which in itself seems a bit strange.

Leshanna goes to gods

Leshanna continues to research religions in Silvery Moon. She learns of various gods, noble and good religions. Everything seems to suggest how abhorrent it is to worship devils.

She heads to the temple of Oghma, her spiritual home, where the Chief Priestess Kayla recognises her. Leshanna spends some time in prayer. She finishes and motions to Kayla, seeks her wise counsel.

Leshanna shares her disturbances and fear around the recent darkness, Asmodeus worshipping. Kayla puts her hand on Leshanna’s arm and closes her eyes. Suddenly, Visions start to hit the back of Leshanna’s eyeballs. She starts to see a basement of people praying, blood, crystal balls in rows. Spellguard uniform.

Florida Jake wakes in a pile of trash

Londer wakens in a pile of garbage with a huge hangover. It’s the afternoon, he has dirty clothes and a 5 o’clock shadow. Londer, like Miss Moss, has embraced his new identity in a fulsome way nobody could have predicted.

As Florida Jake, he shuffles to the market to see if anyone looks familiar, a bit shaky on his feet. He puts his hat down and tries to get some money and someone, to his amazement, drops a full gold piece into his hat.

Rebecca and Elk plot on

Still at the apartment, Elk and Rebecca continue to explore the options for getting into the apartment. Rebecca pretends to get a cutting from a plant around the back and sees a smaller window.  Rebecca considers entering now but Elk makes some motions and dances to signal now is not the time.

Instead, they head to the market where after not much time, they spy Florida Jake. Rebecca drops a note in his hat saying “Meet us at the Wizard and Wand at 6 pm and (underlined) DRESS BETTER.”

Elk pulls out a scroll of parchment and some writing implements. He cleverly suggests a game of noughts and crosses – they can wager against “Stinky Pete” (Florida Jake). Rebecca and Elk order some drinks at the bar for all three and they write down all the things that they have learned – all the while appearing to play a game of aggressive noughts and crosses. They describe the way they think they can get into Randoor’s house.

Back together at last

Meeting back up at the Wizard and Wand, the gang develops a plan. They all head towards the fancy neighbourhood, spread out far enough that they don’t draw attention to themselves.

Leshanna borrows Rebecca’s red vest outfit and heads into the alleyway where she sends Rillix up to the window, unnoticed by the neighbours. Rillix squeezes inside into the apartment. It is a modest-sized room, and squalid – unopened packages and letters, rotten food, bugs and junk stacked everywhere. There is a cot with a mess of rugs and blankets, unmade. Stacks of paper, boxes, newspapers are everywhere. The house is completely filled with stuff and bugs. There is nobody home.

Leshanna calls Rillix back and retreats into the shadows. Florida Jake climbs up the vine, curving around the open windows to avoid being seen, climbing to the ledge of the window that is a little ajar where he is delighted to discover that it opens a little further. He is less excited to realise that the place stinks. It’s disgusting even for Florida Jake. He looks around the room for any documents of note.

Londer does a thorough check of the room and documents but finds these are generally just some court documents. Underneath these are some notepads with ravings, words he doesn’t understand but that seem like incantations.

In the back of one of the notebooks, he finds a letter tucked into a fold, a commendation for Rodoor’s work. “You’ve done well.” It is signed by initials D. A.

Florida Jake stands up, undoes his zipper and prepares to piss on the bed.