Ep. 123 Plumb the Pockets Chapter One (C2)

## Listen

C2 Ep. 123 Plumb the Pockets Chapter One

—Philip

Erys returns to the Cauldron to destroy the letter she left for Olive. She discovers her coffee maker not working, and upon investigating sees arcane runes around town, clearly of House Lyrandar make, preventing any magical creation of water. Job tells her about a group that's been selling water around the neighborhood.

Milo checks on the progress of Kegbottom's, and finds Verla investigating the murder. He manages a story about being in Khyber with their friend/client Cash, and she tells him she'll keep him updated.

At Savia's, Hob sees one of their workers, Noel, being taken away by a House Thuranni agent—they're cracking down on people in the area following the death of Jason.

Erys finds Klara Ramli and a group of orcs and goblins selling the water, and leaves for backup.

When everyone meets at the Four Sails, a fuming Erys informs them they need to beat that crew up, which Hob is immediately here for, and Milo goes along with.

## Synopsis

### Plumbing Problem

Erys races back the the Cauldron to destroy the letter she left for Olive. She gets it in time, and when she's walking around notices her magical coffee maker not working properly. She tries getting the build-in create water spell to work, but some kind of outside force from preventing it from functioning properly. She uses the goggles from Cassian to find a source. Her search brings her outside, and she finds an arcane rune that's been etched in the stone above the door, designed to disrupt water-creating spells. The same marking is on more buildings in the area. Variations of the rune are used by House Lyrandar to prevent others from using these types of spells without approval. Erys messes up the rune on her door, stomps back into the Cauldron, comes out with a blacksmithing hammer, and climbs onto a separate door. Right as she's about to smash theirs, she sees an icy blue magic and realizes it's booby trapped to prevent such things. Job comes out and asks what's going on. Erys asks if anyone was poking around his house, and he says some group came by offering to sell water since they're having issues. Their leader was a half-elf with a mark, blond hair, and an attitude. Erys thanks him and goes back home to get presentable so she can look for these people.

### Milo in question

Milo runs into Verla and her crew talking to Joe at the construction site for Kegbottom's. Verla asks him about the death of Jason, which happened at his future bar. Witnessess claim they saw a halfling and a goliath at the scene. He stumbles over and explanation, the final story being that three days ago he was in Khyber, after being hired by someone named Cash who, through their trials and tribulatinos, became a friend. Immediately after the job, he left for Passage. They got back late last night, and Milo had dinner with his mother after. He says the name Ignacio d'Thuranni doesn't mean anything to him. She says she'll let him know what they come up with.

Joe says he'll update Saidan on the delay in construction.

### Trouble at Savia's

At Savia's, Hob sees someone causing trouble for Noel. That person pulls her aside to talk to her, and Hob keeps an intense focus on them. The person pulls her to the reception desk and provides paperwork saying she's breached a non-compete agreement and he'll be taking her back to Thuranni. At that, Hob intercedes. The guy tells Hob he can't prevent him from taking Noel, but Hob isn't budging before he knows the situation. The man says that because she's broken contract, she needs to return to House headquarters.

Noel doesn't seem scared, but clearly has anxiety about going. Hob pulls her aside and asks how she feels about leaving, which she's not happy about, but resigned to. He tells her if she gets back he'll try to find her a job.

### Klara's Gang

Erys finds the group that's been selling water. It consists of three orcs, six goblins, and a half-elf woman dressed up in what are clearly cheap clothes designed to look expensive. Behind them is a stone golem, its four arms crossed, waiting. Runes cover the golem, crackling with blue energy. Erys gets the idea that this is someone who has broken off from the house and is using their skills to take advantage of the people. With her goggles, Erys sees the woman named Klara Ramli, "formerly d'Lyrandar." They're speaking to Roz, a tielfing man. He's aggressive about the situation, and he shoves Klara out of his doorway. The golem grabs Roz with the lower arms, and punches him with his upper, then drops him back on the ground. Klara says something pithy and the group walks away.

Erys retreats to the Cauldron to grab Tasha and then heads to Ulfen's.

### The next day

Milo sees two similar stories in the paper. The Korranberg Chronicle is reporting that the Sharn City Watch is growing increasingly concerned, as four members of the Milhatch Industries staff have gone missing over the past couple weeks. They encourage anyone with information to report it. In the Sharn Inquisitive, there are headlines about mass vigilante hunting Milhatch workers.

Walking down the street, Erys sees a sign anouncing a Golden Dragon coming soon—the franchise inn establishment run by House Ghallanda.

After breakfast, Milo heads to the Four Sails.

Ulfen shows the group a note on Arthur's collar: "Father came calling, pray for me. Reynard"

A sleep-deprived Erys enters the Four Sails. Her usually sloppy hair is even unwashed from Khyber, and she just generally looks like a crazy person. She sees Milo and Hob, stomps over, and says some fracking taat is messing with the water system in High Walls and selling water to the people, and they need to beat the crap out of them. Hob is in without question.

*"Yes! That's the Hob I needed this morning!"
—Philip*

Milo is lost in thoughts, but shrugs and stands up with them. Erys, mad with rage, tells Ulfen that whatever is across the street is going to be ashes when she's done with it. Ulfen prefers arson to not be involved.

## Locations

* The Cauldron
* Four Sails
* Kegbottom's
* Savia's

## Quotes

"If there's anything I learned last campaign, it's that gnomes are infinitely respectable."
*—Jeff*

## Trivia

* It's an Aundairian tradition to dip fries in mustard.