Dicing with Death: Episode 038

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==Recap==
===Day 145===
The ship arrives in Seagate in a foggy morning. The party's mission is to find Qualneer's sister Alwell. Wearing nice clothes, Qualneer and Michelle go into the city towards "The Guilded Rat" bar on the docks, run by the Goldsmith's Union. Inside is Denna, sitting with someone Qualneer doesn't know.
Qualneer goes up to Marcus the Bartender inside. Marcus pays Qualneer the 750 gold for the goods he fences months ago. Qualneer asks about Alwell, who is a spellcaster, and Marcus gets uncomfortable. Qualneer then asks about Stirge, and Marcus is then uncomfortable again, and only answers that Stirge is out of town.
Qualneer leaves the "The Guilded Rat" and buys some paper. Qualneer writes a note inviting Denna to the Sea Breeze tonight, then has a child begger to deliver the message. The child comes back and says that Denna tells Qualneer he isn't as discrete as he thinks he is.
Qualneer and Michelle then gather some spell components for Michelle. The locals are distrustful of spellcasters, so the two are circumspect about their purchases. Michelle explains that for the past few years Spellcasters have been vanishing and the general public have become suspicious of them.
Qualneer then puts the clues together and pulls out the old note he got when he arrived in the Southern Isles the first time.
:Captain Harrison Wurthan,
:Wayward Gull
:We hope you have not forgotten your debt, captain. You still owe three casters. I hope I do not need to remind you what will happen if you fail to follow through. Enclosed you will find two favors. This should keep you afloat.
:Stirge
:Grand Pursuivant to the Red Duke
Qualneer realises that his sister was taken by Stirge. In the past, Chance had explained to Qualneer that Stirge mistook Qualneer for a caster, but realised it was someone else in Qualneer's family who was the caster, so Qualneer was abandoned on the rocky beach with no memory of how he got there.
Qualneer swears vengeance on Stirge.
Qualneer goes to the Sea Breeze and gets a room upstairs and waits to Denna. That night Denna arrives. Qualneer talks with Denna about killing Stirge. The Goldsmith's Union can't officially sanction Stirge's death since his a Guilded Man, but if Qualneer can do it off the books she is fine with it, as would Chance. She also said Chance was in the Guilded Rat earlier today, but Qualneer didn't notice him
Qualneer heads to the Guilded Rat to find Chance. Chance takes Qualneer into to the back room of the Guilded Rat. Chance says he thinks Stirge is in Ashenholdt after getting in good with the Duke and convincing him to take back Ashenholdt from the Bastard of Ashenholdt. Chance says he can't sanction any action against Stirge. Qualneer asks if there are any loyal Stirge followers nearby, and is told about Clarence outside in the bar.
Qualneer has Clarence come into the back room and they talk. Qualneer demands Clarence talk, but Clarence refuses. Qualneer stabs him in the testicles with Bloodletter. Clarence grabbles Qualneer. Qualneer uses Bloodletter to knock Clarence unconscious. Qualneer castrates Clarence, then urinates on him to wake him up. Clarence admits that Stirge is in Ashenholtd Keep on the Throne. He also things Stirge has taken the casters with him.
Qualneer defiantly leaves the Guilded Rat and washes the blood off his clothes off, then heads back to Sea Breeze with Michelle.
At Sea Breeze Qualneer orders a carriage. Frank the carriage driver shows up. Qualneer orders to be taken straight to Ashenholdt.
===Experiance===
Experience: 648 exp. Qualneer levels up to level 
*Qualneer Levels up to level 8.
*HP +4 (HP 30 Total) 
*Qualneer learns Heraldry
===Day 145 (continued)===
Frank drives the carriage down south towards Ashenholdt though the night. During the night the carriage is stopped by 2 Knights, Sir John and Sir Blart, and 2 Squires, who serve Duke Seagate. The demand a road tax on the carriage. Michelle uses the magic mirror on Sir John to convince him to let them go without paying.
===Day 146===
The carriage arrives in the village of Mumford at dawn. It is still raining heavy. Qualneer and Michelle get breakfast as Frank the Driver gets fresh horses. An hour they head out south again along the road.
A few hours later they cross the river and continue southwards.
In the afternoon a patrol of knights form Seagate overtake the carriage and continue ahead of the party. 
That evening the carriage arrives in Asheloch. Qualneer tells Frank they won't be staying, and for him to get more fresh horses. 45 minutes they are back on the road again.
Some hours as the are crossing a stone bridge later along the road some bandits stops the carriage and demands Qualneer and Michelle hand over their wealth. Qualneer and Michelle fight back. Frank is held hostage. Qualneer throws Bloodletter at the hostage-taker, which lands in his shoulder, but doesn't kill the bandit. Michelle colorsprays almost all but 2 of the bandits. Qualneer charges the bandit holding Frank hostage and kills him. As Qualneer takes back Bloodletter, he is knocked unconscious by the Bandit Leader.
Michelle fights against the bandits, but they ignore her. The Bandit leader picks up Bloodletter. Michelle asks them if they know what they hold. The lead bandit turns around to reveal the tabard that has the symbol of Ashenholdt on it, then asks Michelle the exact same question, if she knows what this weapon is.
The Bandit Leader, happy with his discovery, gets on his horse and rides off, laughing into the night. Michelle chases after to chase, but loses the Bandit Leader in the woods. Defeated, Michelle returns to the carriage. She puts Qualneer inside the carriage and asks Frank to drive them to the next town to rest.
===Day 147===
A dawn they arrive in the small farming village of Glenberg. Qualneer dismisses Frank, then he and Michelle go into an inn to make plans.
Qualneer has a theory that Bloodletter will be going to Stirge in Ashenholdt Keep, but Michelle says the fist on tabard was a red color, not grey color. It is the tabard of the family, not of the town. Qualneer asks the bartender, and is told the Red Fist tabard is that of the Bastard of Ashenholdt, who had been driven from the city by the Duke of Seagate's army.
Qualneer asks for clerics, but learns the local clerics have been killed for witch craft. Qualneer asks if there are any nearby witches, and he is told there is one down in Cornbrook.
Qualneer goes to find Frank to take them to Cornbrook. Frank still needs a new horse to pull the carriage. so Qualneer pays for a new horse. Everyone gets back in the carriage, they head southwards.
Hours later they pass though Ashenholdt, but Qualneer keeps the blinds on the carriage closed so he isn't seen.
===Day 148===
The carriage arrives in the village of Faraway, where Qualneer had help save the local wizard, Grigin, from a bugbear 145 days ago. Qualneer recognises the town and orders Frank to drive the carriage to Grigin's shack. The elderly Grigin doesn't recognise Qualneer or remember of ever being abducted by a bugbear.
Qualneer asks Grigin if he knows of anywhere he can get magical healing. Grigin points out most of the spellcasters in the region have been driven away, vanished, or killed. Grigin however gives Qualneer a healing potion. Feeling gratitude, Qualneer gifts Solomon the Cruel's silver dagger to Grigin. Grigin also gives Qualneer another potion, but can't remember if it is an invisibility oil or fire breathing. Michelle with detect magic detects 2 other potions in the room and Qualneer steals those potions as well.
Back in the carriage, Qualneer and Michelle look at the potions. 2 of them are oils, 2 of them are potions. Qualneer drinks the healing potion and heals up 7 hp. 
Qualneer tells Frank to taken them to Ashenholdt. Once at Ashenholdt Frank is to wait an inn of his choosing, as their getaway driver.
The carriage arrives in Ashenholdt at sunset. They go to a tavern called "The Drinking Bear". 
===Experiance===
Experience: 1080 (+108 exp 10% prime requisite bonus) = 70,368 exp
Category:Dicing with Death Episodes
Category:Qualneer Episodes