Save or Die: Outcasts: Episode 23

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==Synopsis==
It is now 1524. The party are looking for work and get a lead on work for Lady Zerrah. The party head down the road from Swampside towards Valebrook. Along the way they meet a group of Miffed who are killing Voraci messengers. The party end up rejecting their loyalty quest to kill a local Voraci Captain.
The party continue on their trip to Valebrook and come across a noble carriage. Arachis tests out a new spell of his that causes the carrage to crash. Impulsively the party rob the carriage, and Renatus kills the noble family including their children. The camp followers abandon the party in disgust.
==Recap==
===A Month at the Tomb===
December 1523. The party return to Sigris Shadowhand's Tomb so Arachis can learn more spells. While Arachis is busy in the tomb, Auguste and Renatus is in the nearby town and swamp, training their followers. Grau gets 1000 exp for not splitting from the party.
 
Learned: , , , , 
Failed: , 
During this month Auguste has a set of banded mail resized to fit him. He got a set from killing a Voraci Guard during Episode 19. The resizing costs 50 gp. Renatus offers his old chain mail to Renatus, but refuses as he can't manage the extra weight & interfere with his thief abilities. Stacy ends up with the armor.
Renatus talks with the Laborer Melvin to try to get to know her better. Renatus knows she is avaricious in nature. He starts to teach her the way of the thief. Renatus tries to pickpocket her with the Rat-Money Pouch Grau made as a demonstration but fails twice. Renatus then wears the Rat-Money Pouch and challenges Melvin to steal it from him at any time. He also teaches her move silently and hiding in shadows.
Grau spends his time praying to the god Nadinis. He ponders his ability to sleep in Gnome Form. Arachis recalibrates the Shadow Mirror in the secret chamber of the tomb. Grau looks at his reflection again. His reflection is at it was last time he looked in Episode 11, a bear/humanoid hybrid. This time Grau studies the reflection in more detail. The eyes are like those of a bear, but looking closer it is the iris of a bear on top of a humanoid eye. The fur is that of a bear, but other areas look to be human/orc and gnome hair. Grau turns into a bear and his reflection looks the same.
==Experience==
* Ren - 2000 exp
* Grau - 2700 exp (19240 exp total)
* Auguste - 500 exp
* Arachis - 2250 exp
==Recap==
===Back in Swampside===
January 1524. The party return to the town of Swampside.
Grau has more confidence with staying in towns now that he is able to sleep and live in Gnome form. Grau is also practicing more with taxidermy.
Auguste asks his squire to shine his armor. Renatus points out the tactical disadvantage of having shinny armor. Auguste wants to be inspiring for their cause. Renatus changes his mind and agrees with Auguste. 
Arachis, got 10 gp, has a necklace made with one side the symbol of Illumis (god of light) made of gold and the other side the symbol of Relkor (god of darkness) made of obsidian. Each day Arachis will alternate which side of the amulet is showing. Renatus asks about the new amulet and Arachis explains you can't have shadows without light and dark. 
Arachis talks about how he was called to the shadow school of magic during his education in the wizard tower. Renatus tells a story of a child back in Vantis who was obsessed with horses, so they made him a stable-hand. This was a story of Renatus's past that he wished he was a stable-hand.
Arachis and Grau worth together on making light stone and a darkness stone. In 1515 the way light and dark magic work changed. (See Light of Illumis). A Philosophers' Stone was used to let the sun blind and burn the undead. Since this event all undead are damaged by sunlight, not just vampires.
===Map Merchant===
The party meet a traveling merchant from Falaror who sells maps for 5 gp. Auguste purchases the map. Auguste and Arachis ask about points of interest on the map.
The cartographer warns against going into I' Yaara Oryn, the cursed elven woods, despite how pretty it looks on the map.
The SW corner of the map is blank because the cartographer and his family have not travelled in that direction.
The party then asks about the 2 forts south of Grenmont, as the base of the mountain. The merchant says the forts predate the Army of Voraci, (Goldfoot Burrow & Fort Korloon), and are run by the Falaror Kingdom. The forts guard the mountain against all those who approach.
Arachis asks about the Ancient Battlefield near Holy City Ember Stone and is told it is the site of an ancient battlefield where countless remains still lie.
===Finding Work===
The party decide to find some new work. The party look for local quests. They hear the nears that Lord Sackmore from Falaror sent a division of Draconians south into the Hornstead Kingdom, but were rebuffed at Keygate. The road between Keygate and Pipari is currently shut-down.
Arachis suggests they meet with Sackmore. Auguste is against dealing with Sackmore any furthers
On the job board, Magistrate Zerrah is looking for a group to visit a goblin encampment in the far south and bring back some lodestones. There aren't details of exactly the job is. They'll have to get more information in Valebrook from Zerrah.
The party head off towards Valebrook.
===Meeting with the Miffed===
It will take 8 days to get to Valebrook. 
On the first day they pass a group of silent traveling monks. The parties cross without issue.
The second day the party encounter a blood pool on the ground. From the looks of it someone died here very recently. There is no sign of any bodies. Auguste calls out saying the party can help anyone who is injured, but there is no response.
Grau turns into a bear and tracks the scent from the blood pool. He comes across a camp of 3 armed & armored people. In the centre of the armed people is a stretcher with 2 people on it. Grau returns to the party and turns into a gnome and reports in.
The party go meet with the people. They are of the miffed action against the imperial occupation of Hornstead. The people on the streatcher are dead Voraci Messengers. Auguste complements them for killing the Voraci. The leader of the group is named Pasen.
Pasen is suspicious of the party and Auguste's desire to help kill Voraci. Grau turns back into a bear to show they aren't Voraci. 
Pasen says if the party wish to prove their loyalty to the miffed, they can take out the Orc Captain in Jaedyn who runs the supply outpost for the Army of Voraci. Pasen won't reveal anything to the party since he doesn't trust them yet.
The party make the Pasen suspicious when the reveal that they know Magistrate Zerrah. The party leave the Miffed Camp and return to the road.
===The Carriage Incident===
The third day of traveling the party pass a traveling beekeeper. They buy some honey off them. 
On the fourth day they pass Jaedyn and head southward. They pass a brand-new road-side tavern/stall, run by a halfling. The halfling claims to have been partly responsible for removing the snow that had covered the devouring marsh area for generations. He works with the "Mistress of the Swamps". The halfing will only share the story for 10 gp. The party can't spare the money so move on, after getting some drinks.
On the fifth day a noble carriage is traveling up the road.
The following was retconned away next episode:
Arachis wants to try out a new spell of his, and casts on the four horses pulling the cart. One horse is paralysed and the carriage crashes.
Renatus runs in to offer aid, but the carriage driver believes the party are brigands. Auguste and Renatus rob the nobles in the carriage.
The camp followers find this to be risky, as the nobles will be able to identify the party. Renatus then executes the noble family and their children.
The camp followers are further appalled by this and abandon the party. Grau is also outraged at the party's actions.
==Experience==
Experience given part way into the session.
Category:Save Or Die: Outcasts Episodes
Category:Save Or Die Episodes
Category:Save Or Die: Outcasts