Citadel's Shadow II, Session 24

Citadel's Shadow II, Session 24 was a session of the Citadel's Shadow II campaign, played on 5 May 2019 (UTC) (4 May 2019 for some participants).
==Personnel==
===Game Master===
*GM: played by Alden Loveshade
===Player Characters===
*Fern the Siegemaster: inventive fox-person student played by Rail Runner
* Jinxi: androgynous jester with poppet Jack played by Michael Lee Viviano
=== Non-Player Characters ===
* Audrea Daleos: mage and helper at Maisson Boulavier
* Damiran Fiddler: violinist, singer, and acolyte
* Donghai Ping: grandmaster alchemist
* Eduard Porra: carriage driver
* Gwendolyn Omagwyn: hostess at Tucquew's Cabaret
* Juan de Fulmando: alchemist and swordwielder
==Events==
=== 1742 ===
Ulthrane 26 (Lordsday) (continued): Audrea Daleos, Fern the Siegemaster, Jinxi, and Juan de Fulmando were trying to convince a young woman (Gwendolyn Omagwyn) at Tucquew's Cabaret in Inner Riverside Ward in Trynser City to let them in. Damiran Fiddler stayed at the carriage they used with the driver Eduard Porra. Finally, Jinxi told the young woman Gwen the password, which was "Purple Cock's Egg." She accepted the password, and told them admission was $12 for dinner and drinks, $100 for dinner, drinks, and the show, or $80 if they didn't mind sitting further back. Dinner usually included a choice of red meat, fish, vegetable pasta, along with bread, soup and vegetable of the day, and variety of drinks, wine included with the meal. She said the "meeting" would be tomorrow at 19:00 hrs., although they could enter as early as 18:30 which was when the place opened. She spoke as if she knew they must be working for a master or mistress, and told them the new password, for security reasons, was "The rooster crowed at midnight."
The group observed the people coming out, while trying not to be obvious themselves. Eduard told them his horse were worn out from pulling six people and from the faster "sugar run," and couldn't take them all back. Audrea said she would go with Eduard to help with his...horses, but Juan nixed the idea. She then told everybody her birthday was coming up in six days, on 33 Ulthrane. Juan told Fern she might want to get a license so she could carry a rifle. As Fern and Jinxi had no money after a robbery, and as Damiran had very little after the robbery, Juan loaned them money for their fare home. The group decided to meet with Master Donghai Ping the next day. Most of the group tried to nap on the way. (Citadel's Shadow II adventure 2019 05 04)
Ulthrane 27 (Restingday): Audrea Daleos, Fern the Siegemaster, Jinxi, Juan de Fulmando, and Damiran Fiddler returned to their respective homes after midnight of the previous day.
Fern had school during the day, Jinxi had a show to create and practice at Madame Maude Lynn's Theater of Thrills to get a paying job there, Juan had work to do with Master Donghai Ping, Audrea had cleaning and other work to do at Maisson Boulavier, Eduard Porra was back with his carriage route, and Damiran Fiddler had work at the Temple of Edyleine.
At St. Bassard's School and Home for Disadvantaged Youth, Fern's roommate Sister Henna Brenafar mentioned that she heard they would be having regular sandwiches that evening instead of the spread on crackers they'd been having, and that St. Bassard's alumnus Mistress Mojarósa had been there a few days earlier. They and Fern's roommate Princess Alarra Gormann and her new "assistant" Turgan Tin-Finger noted that the dwarf Dase Bareface, who had recently led a small group that beat up Turgan, had not been to classes; Henna said she'd seen him wearing a stocking cap with eye holes cut in it pulled over his face. Fern seemed largely oblivious to the discussion, instead talking about her latest bluerprints which impressed Turgan. When Princess Alarra saw Dase, she pulled off his mask, to reveal he now looked like a goblin! He had green skin, pointed ears, and small, sharp, white teeth. And instead of his luxuriant brown hair that hung down to his waist, he was nearly bald. Even Fern noticed that. Dase pulled the mask back over his face, and ran off. Fern made sure she had $30 on her.
Meanwhile, Jinxi was at Madame Maude Lynn's Theater of Thrills. E spoke with two costume or wardrobe people e had talked to before, the more agreeable Anu Hisakawa and the more cantankerous Shanthi Garrod. Theater manager Rollo Morliss reminded Jinxi he wanted to hire two people to perform together, but as Juan couldn't do it because of work, he really wanted Jinxi to find a partner. Jinxi, scheduled to perform on Groundhog Day, mentioned an idea for a groundhog king costume, which got Rollo thinking about a play based on the true adventure of the rat king with Fern, Jinxi, Juan, Krendall Moulerbos, Ursula Nidonge, Yagritte Ratreaper, and others. Jinxi learned the theatre had six old groundhog costumes from a production of a few years ago called "The Groundhog and His Shadows." Jinxi helped them work on costumes, including acquiring a nice formal suit for emself. Jinxi made sure e had 40 dragons on em.
After work and school, Audrea, Damiran, Fern, Jinxi and Juan met at St. Bassard's School and Home for Disadvantaged Youth. They worked on a plan for the return of the Empire of Trynser's Globus Cruciger autem Dryas (Cross Globe of Yellow Mountain). Jinxi suggested they notify the Black Dragons, the Imperial Knights, to raid Tucquew's Cabaret where they believed the Globus would be auctioned. Master Piug, however, said if they didn't help return it, they would probably still be held responsible for its loss. But Ping thought they might be able to work with the authorities, which they thought for Inner Riverside Ward where the theater was would be the Trynser City Municipal Force. Jinxi and Juan had both been to Tucquew's Cabaret once before the group had tried to get in on the previous day, so they made a plan. Those who might be recognized would be either disguised or wear a hood. Master Ping said he would get in touch with Dubrí Oché, Watch Chief for the Trynser City Municipal Force for the Uphill Ward of Trynser City. Ping said Oché was a master at infiltration before he was promoted. Audrea said she could do makeup and color hair and fur; there and on the way (riding in a fancy black wagon with four white horses), she colored Fern's fur white, and darkened Master Ping's skin while lightening his beard.
They arrived at 18:30, opening time. Fern left her knife, Jinxi left Jack, and Juan left his sword in the wagon.  They saw carriages and wagons parked outside, including a wagon that was an off-white color with wood-grain trim pulled by two sets of black horses. The wheels matched what Fern had determined from tracks left by the wagon they figured had taken the Globus, and Jinxi believed the wagon fit the description they had gotten from the halfling boy Yaqui who had seen it.
They saw two people, a man and a woman, talking to each other by the well house. The man was wearing leather armor and had a sword; the woman was wearing a nice-looking purple robe with a gold chain over it. They also noticed other armed people standing around keeping an eye on things. Jinxi pretended the wagon might belong to a friend named Carlo, but didn't see anyone.
Audrea (dressed as usual), Damiran (wearing a hood), Fern (with whitened fur), Jinxi (in a suit instead of the usual jester's costume), Juan (wearing a hood), and Master Ping (with darkened skin and lightened hair wearing a white suit), gave the password, "The rooster crowed at midnight." They each paid $12 for dinner, and entered the well house, climbing down the circular staircase.
They went to a small room where a man Sodqua had them repeat the password, told them the auction would beging at 19:00, that there were no armor or weapons allowed (he checked them with a wand). He said while guards were provided for free, he could not guarantee anyone's safety, and they were responsible for their personal items. He also said all payments on bids must be paid in full before they received any merchandise, and there were no guarantees or returns.
They saw a room with 11 tables, one a small rectangular one with a human and a dwarf man sitting on a bench, both apparently guards or other workers. They saw a slightly raised stage with steps on both sides, one side also with a heavy black curtain completely blocking the view behind. The tables had candles and a lantern on them; the ten round ones also had a beige tablecloth, and each had six nice wooden and padded chairs. There were dark red draperies on the walls, and some paintings, including portraits of Artemius VII, Emperor of the Empire of Trynser, and his wife, Empress Anastasia Maralie Forsteran-Galderon.
There were people seated at three of the 10 round tables; one near the back had three men, one near the middle had four females, on in front had two men and a woman. The group sat at a table in the back near the door they had gone through. Audrea, Damiran, Juan, and Ping looked around from their seats; Fern worked on a drawing of a multi-shot gun, while Jinxi subtly checked the draperies ( (Jinxi believed nothing larger than a rat could hide behind them). (Citadel's Shadow II adventure 2019 05 04) (Citadel's Shadow II adventure 2019 05 11)
====== copyright by Alden Loveshade ======
Category:Citadel's Shadow II
Category:Citadel's Shadow IIb