Of Dice and Men: Episode 03

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== Synopsis ==
In Kronwikk, the Various Operations Agency (VOA) plans to steal magic lanterns from Black Paw Mine, completing the heist without incident. On their way back, they are ambushed by a xorn, which eats Nevets's sword and Daff's rapier, but the team manages to escape. They face another attack from a mountain lion, but successfully fend it off. Upon returning to town, Nevets hides the lanterns and they buy new weapons. Using Toki's wildshape ability, they smuggle the lanterns into their office. The next day, "Lady" Sandra seeks their help for a haunting by Lord Silverhorn’s ghost. The VOA investigates the estate, confronting a ghostly presence that doesn't resemble Lord Silverhorn. A battle with multiple ghosts leaves the team severely injured, but they escape. Back at their office, they discuss hiring another member. Later, Chancellor Nila Theyvin informs them of a robbery at Black Paw Mine, and they accept a new job to investigate it.
==Recap==
===Friday, 4th January, 1512===
Kronwikk. In their office, "Various Operations Agency" (VOA) decide to steal the magic lanterns from Black Paw Mine. Traveling to the mine from Kronwikk takes most of the day, but goes without incident.
After carrying 12 lanterns, VOA head back in the dark of night, with Daff & Toki using their infravision to see.
During the trip back, VOA are ambushed by a xorn. The xorn leaps out of the canyon wall and eats Nevets's Sword. Nevets gets knocked out, but is healed by Daff. Daff gets knocked out by the xorn, and the xorn eats his Rapier. Toki casts barkskin and turns into a black bear. Nevets throws daggers in the xorn's direction to keep it busy. Nevets and Daff climb on Toki's back and escape the xorn. 
Four hours later, Daff is awake and limping along and Toki is back in her normal form. A mountain lion leaps at VOA, and bites Nevets, knocking him unconscious. The lion starts to drag Nevets away. Toki turns into a black bear again as Daff throws rocks at the Mountain Lion. Toki mauls the mountain lion hard, and Nevets wakes up, backs away from the lion and shoots it with his bow.
VOA arrive at town a few hours before dawn. Before entering, Nevets hides the lanterns outside in the wilderness. VOA go to the gates and Daff tells the guards that they were attacked by mountain lions, which is why they are all injured. Toki acts weak and the guards stop asking questions and VOA go back to their office.
===Saturday, 5th January, 1512===
VOA buy new weapons. Using Toki's wildshape ability to make the lanterns meld with her, VOA start smuggling in the magic lanterns. Toki is able to smuggle in a total of eight lanterns that day. VOA store them in Val Dor's old room. 
===Sunday, 6th January, 1512===
VOA smuggle in the last four lanterns.
===Monday, 7th January, 1512===
The next morning, there is a loud pounding on the door. It is "Lady" Sandra, dressed poorly, her face pale. She asks for help. Her house is haunted. The ghost of the late Lord Silverhorn keeps appearing, first seen ten days ago. Lady Sandra saw the ghost of Lord Silverhorn the previous night. He screamed about vengeance while holding an ethereal sword. Everyone fled the estate and stayed at the Wrangler Inn overnight. The Lord's old book has been moved every night on top of the nightstand. His ghost only appears at night. The first witness to see the ghost was Hannah the maid nine days ago. After the sighting, she fled town for Whalers Bay. VOA accept the job for 15,000 copper (150 gold).
VOA suggests that Lady Sandra go "on a vacation" for her cover story. She decides to also go to Whalers Bay. She shows VOA around the estate, indicating all the spots the ghost had been spotted-outside her room, the garden (by the butler), twice in the footman's quarters (by the footmen). She does not know where Hannah saw the ghost.
Lord Silverhorn had been reading was the seventeenth novel in the "Murder She Wrote" series. Every night volume 17 is returned to Lord Silverhorn's nightstand from the library. After Lady Sandra leaves, VOA get books 10 through 20 and spread them around the floor.
VOA exchange stories for a while before the ghost appears, as a shapeless black mass the footmen saw. The ghost has a masculine, bald face made of smoke. It does not look like Lord Silverhorn. Toki prods the ghost with her quarterstaff, which goes though the incorporeal body. On closer examination, Daff realizes the ghost doesn't look like anyone from the household, and is very muscular.
The ghost picks up the Vol 17 book off the floor and leaves the room, but the book falls to the ground as the ghost passes through the closed door. VOA follow the ghost, which travels upstairs.
They arrives in a sort of observatory on the fourth floor. The ghost floats outside to the balcony. Four more ghosts appear, each shapeless black forms. Three of the ghosts swarm Daff and attack him.
Nevets leaps off the balcony, falling to 1 HP. Daff runs to the ledge as Toki is drained unconscious. Daff throws Toki's body off the ledge to save her. Daff is knocked unconscious by a ghost and falls off the ledge himself.
Nevets rushes over and patches up Toki then Daff. Nevets drags both of them away from the mansion, outside the outer wall of the estate, to the edge of the city street. They rest there.
===Tuesday, 8th January, 1512===
Everyone wakes up and heads back to their office. Daff and Toki share some wine. They discuss the need to hire a fourth person.
In mid-afternoon, Chancellor Nila Theyvin arrives at VOA's office. She says there has been a robbery at the Black Paw Mine; the magic lanterns, some wine, and the lockbox holding 400 gold have been taken. The robbery was noticed on Sunday when the new guards had arrived.
The party accept the job for 7000 copper (70 gold). The new owner of the mine is Lady Catherine Pelt, who will be playing the fee.
Category:Of Dice and Men Episodes