Location: Teleporting back to Yartar
Characters:
– Cobals the gnome
– Esklindrar the book shop keeper
– Nestra the water barron
– A robed monk
BACK TO YARTAR
The gang are teleporting through time and space. Lights flash they have shifted from pink and blue to earthy tones. They have time to reflect as they move through.There may have been an enormous crack but it’s not clear – they suddenly find themselves in an opening, surrounded by very fancy buildings. As everything comes into view they see things are very overgrown, one place nearby a little dilapidated. It is overcast, afternoon. Nearby there is a ruined mansion. The door appears to have been kicked in but now there is evidence of a fire having burned down some of the building.
There is an ancient tree in the forecourt, the sun casts jagged shadows. Almost every window pane has been cracked. Everything seems to be deserted. As they go past the barn where one door is hanging off and the other is fully off, clearly visible beneath some hay is a teleportation circle. A large gash has been cut through it. It is clear it doesn’t work.
A NEW FRIEND
One of them hears a voice “Hey, pssst!”
They follow the sound of the voice into the entrance hall – there are staircases curving around, very impressive but in bad shape. They can hear the voice, it’s coming from a painted portrait of a noble, leaning against the wall. There is a hole in the eye. It speaks again, “My name is Cobals”.
The voice directs them to go to the grandfather clock across the room. The pendulum has been snapped in two at some point. The voice tells them to push through the back of the clock. Londer pokes his javelin through. The back wall of the clock spins aside and they see a narrow corridor leading into darkness. Londer pushes through. Gunther and Leshanna are skeptical. They can see below some light. Miss Moss and Gunther hang back. Leshanna goes into the entrance but looks a bit cross. Below they see a gnome moving around, with gadgets and devices. He looks flustered and asks where the rest of them are. They are now in a circular room, full of dusty books and with potions around. It has hydroponic herbs and magically illuminated lights, powered through unknown means. Stacks of food and a small roll out bed. He’s got a periscope up to the painting. Gunther and Miss Moss finally come downstairs, after a brief check for any costumes downstairs. It’s a pretty tight fit for Gunther. Cobals is clearly some sort of inventor.
He’s heard of them before. This was the Harpers’ headquarters and he’s managed to hide out. It’s been months since he saw anyone. He has a sending stone to communicate with the Harpers. Yartar has been infiltrated by strange forces. The people have gone mad. There is a new group in town, the reaches. The reaches are around. They have influence over the city and have infiltrated the Lords’ Alliance. There have been reports of townsfolk lashing out at each other. The reaches are regular people – humans and gnomes and the like. There is paranoia and aggression. The Harpers are concerned about attacking in town as there would be too many people killed. Others are around and may be strategising. The teleportation device would need to be recast by a powerful mage. Lia senses the gnome is a little unhinged and hyperbolic but he’s telling the truth generally. He reaches into his bag and gives them a brochure about Nestra the water baron.
Cobals has been inventing things:. He goes back and pulls out some different things:
– containers made of brass, inside there is bubbling liquid – they are bombs to put people to sleep. 20ft burst of snoozy fumes
– a spell scroll – disintegrate spell 6th level for Leshanna
The gnome asks them to please be very quiet and not give him away. Lia, Leshanna and Miss Moss immediately hide – Miss Moss a little less successfully than Lia. Gunther tries to hide but gets distracted by some clothes and dresses in gnome clothes. Miss Moss offers Cobals some stinky cheese, he is delighted.
As they are leaving they smell the foul cheese and hear him enjoying it.
As they all squeeze out of the grandfather clock, the sky is a little dimmer though not yet dark. Miss Moss leads the way to the book shop. As they emerge they begin to see townsfolk. Yartar seems different. Things look ok, it’s just not as alive with the same energy as it had before.
They see a monk wearing a black robe walking with a dishevelled commoner. His robe has an angled line, a flash of purple.
They remember after some significant confusion the lady in purple from the Casino.
ESKLINDRAR’S SHOP
They head to Esklindrar’s shop. He recognises them and is very excited for news.
A couple go to get some ale and Esklindrar pulls out a teapot.
Esklindrar doesn’t know anything much about Yartar, only that he got a bit of a bad vibe last month when he was in town. It seems clear he’s not left the book shop much since they last visited.
He knows a little of the golden goose – it’s on all the tourist brochures in Yartar. He finds a book and begins to leaf through. They see some names they recognise like Rosalio and Dawnflowers, the Salzburgs, the Rufiel family (The Water Baron Family) and the Dryland.
The Grand Dame is the latest venture from one of the younger Drylands family members, Caspia. The family members were mixed up in crimes, one of the most influential families in town. The powerful families have great influence over who sits on the Water Baron’s throne.
Caspia’s father Rachnid was a very cunning and smart man but Caspia is a fool. His father has passed away 40 years ago and Caspia is in charge.
It’s clear he’s not interested in current events, Leshanna gifts him her notes from their adventures with Harshnagg and he is absolutely thrilled. He leafs through and begins taking notes.
They head off to see Nestra. Lords Alliance flags are still hanging in the city but they are a little ragged. Things don’t appear to be well maintained.
NESTRA THE WATER BARON.
At the water baron’s hall, the torches are lit and the building illuminated. As soon as they arrive the guards recognise them and they are admitted. They walk through the great hall, with black and white marble floor and vast unlit candelabras. They head to Nestra’s office. There are a few guards along the way, Lords Alliance.
Nestra is there, she recognises them, she seems worn out. She greets them warmly. They ask about her and Yartar and she gets them to sit down as they talk. She tells them the same as they heard from Cobals. She doesn’t know for sure but she thinks they want her out. Things have been destabilised and her government criticised. The allies that she used to have are no longer around. After the boys were stolen, things happened badly. The father of the Salzburgs threw himself off a building and the mother is in the sanatorium. The Dawnflowers left. The Rosalio’s are still around. Some of the street brochures have slogans like “Make Yartar Great Again”. Another has Caspia Drylands with him and an octopus on his shoulder.
“Should we just go and kill him?” asked Londer
She bristles at this idea. She cannot permit this sort of talk. She is on the edge of tears, she’s under a huge amount of pressure.
The reach are a cult – they have black cloaks and wear them around in broad daylight. They threaten and influence people, some people behave very strangely after they meet them. At every turn the reach seems to have some influence.
Londer suggests an espionage escapade to infiltrate the reach. Miss Moss disguises herself immediately as a monk and Londer becomes Florida Jake.
Nestra still trusts the Rosalio family, given the long relationship but no-one else.
Londer promises to help, her spirits are buoyed.
She knows nothing of the King and Queen of the giants.
She says that the city is not as safe as it used to be and offers them a safe magical meeting room, they decline and go to the pub.
Miss Moss tries to pat Nestra on the shoulder but her arm is so heavy it doesn’t go very well. Nestra taps Miss Moss weirdly too and they bump into each other.
TO THE PUB
Darkness has set in, they use a light lass to get to the Wink and Kiss. They hand over their weapons and put on the robin masks.
They discuss the situation. One of the girls looks over at them and gestures with her head. They know that this leads them to the hand of Yartar, Scimitar Sally. She takes them down to the area, it’s like a maze of corridors.
They go downstairs and meet Sally. Lia blows her a kiss.