Routine Delivery

**IC:** 5th of Desnus, 69 IA

**Ran By:** SlothyCeddy

Old Man Knives the grizzled rouge

Monarch Tombstone Fairy

Nameless Witch

@⚔️ Levels 2-5

*Anywhere thieves, miscreants, and other such vagabons can be found a notice goes up seeking adventurers to make a "special delivery." Those burdened by moral hangups or religious shackles are advised to pass this up or leave them at the door. Details are sparse, however those familiar to this line of work quickly summarize this as a contraband run with likely higher stakes than your typical thug could handle. Those willing to take the job are advised to meet at a bar called "The Bloody Goblet" in Greater Morley.*

**Levels:** 2-5

**Signup Duration/Start Time:** 7/4/23 @ 7:30 PM <-- This is what time it will be for you

**Number of Players:** ~4

**Worst Case Scenario:** Hope you like priests of Sarenae.

Note, this is a dirty job. Fame earned will count as infamy and decrease your fame score appropriately. Sign up in ⁠🏰session-sign-ups-1 with:

Name / Level / Epic Levels if applicable / Mythic / Class (Archetype) [Gestalt Class (Archetype)] / Epic Prestige class / Role / Alignment / Mythic Flaws /how does your character feel about dirty jobs?

### **Participants**

**OOC:** Mouse Noises?
**IC:** Ninety-Nine
**Level:** 3

**OOC:** elliedragon99
**IC:** Vex Moongazer
**Level:** 2

**OOC:** Xenoghelion
**IC:** Kairos
**Level:** 4

**OOC:** HellShadow793
**IC:** Nagao Kurumi
**Level:** 5

**OOC:** Tyneman
**IC:** Gefrundsheld Aizermann
**Level:** 3

**OOC:** Tinker
**IC:** Brazz Overload
**Level:** 5

### **Summary**

The party gathered at a seedy bar in Greater Morley. Their patron Mr. Billard had rented the place out for their arrival and after getting checking in by the bouncer the party spoke to the bartender. In hushed tones he pleaded with them to not complete the delivery, though his request would fall upon deaf ears. Meeting with the large man, he instructed them that they were to smuggle the drugs to Sarent to the client waiting there. The cart was animated to allow for switch travel. However, protecting it from the gang Mr. Billard's goons lifted the drugs from was paramount to this mission's success, as they would no doubt want it back.

Without many questions, the party set out to deliver the goods. Along the way they encountered a particularly pompous undead who laid claim to their souls. Unfortunately for the skeletal mage the party was more than a match for him and his small detail of mindless pawns. What the party did not anticipate was the deal the mage had with a Vrock demon that came upon his death to claim his soul. Despite this surprise, the party was able to overcome it and continued moving swiftly along.

Further down the road they came upon a forward scouting party from the gang Mr. Billard mentioned. While those that intercepted the party weren't the brightest bunch, they had a skilled member hanging back and observing the interaction from safety. The party made shot work of them, killing half and routing the rest with the observer seemingly disappearing deeper into the forest. Not long after, they encountered the main group that came in full force. Frontline fighters, a bard and berzerker, they were prepared for a fight. At this point the party had slowly but surely been worn down throughout the day, and while they were able to deal with the challenge, the Boos of the group hidden along the path got the jump on one of the members and paralyzed them. Holding them hostage in order to negotiate for his escape after delaying the party enough so his men could retreat, the party was able to temporarily suppress the paralyzation and neutralize the old man.

Knives as they came to know him negotiated for his life, stating that he was too old for this and that he was only out here due to just how much cargo was stolen. What moved the party's black hearts however was the promise of future work on Vrozai now that the portals were active as Knives planned to skip town and pretend he died there. With his bribe successful, he left his possessions and disappeared into the forest.

The words of the bartender about suspicious cargo revealed itself as the party learned that they were transporting more than drugs. Apparently a fey claiming to be a creature called a Monarch Tombstone Fairy was trapped within and unable to escape. She advised that being delivered to the client would spell doom in the near future due to her powers, however with nothing to offer them besides sweet words, the fey was kept locked up.

Upon arriving at the checkpoint into Sarent, the party was exhausted, battered, and ready to finish the job. A fight was out of the question lest they wanted to suffer heavy casualties. While they tried many strategies to bypass the border guard and keep the fairy silent while they crossed, Ultimately their encounter with Knives garnered sympathy from the guards as apparently the old man was an Infamous smuggler and assasin. Learning that they took out many of his goons got them to their destination without much hassle, coupled with some well timed noisemaking to drown out the fairy's cries for help and freedom.

Finally reaching their destination, the party met the fiendish witch and her masked servants. Taking in the Tombstone Fairy and shacking her, they were provided a reward. She was incredibly curt, demanding silence when spoken to and that they quickly departed. Her power and presence were obvious, yet the party was happy to accept their money and leave hastily. While it was offered, none accepted Mr. Billard's mark.

### **Rewards**

3000 XP; 7500 GP, 25 BC

Old Man Knives in Vorzai now knows you

Before you leave the farmhouse, the unnamed witch's attendant would offer to give you each Mr. Billard's Mark. Doing so is like a status symbol, giving favorable reactions to those who associate with him and negative to those that know about his nefarious deeds