Adventure 4

**Previous: Adventure 3**

   The party goes undercover on the Avery Coast Railroad, on the trail of an Obscurati gathering in Vendricce. Unfortunately, the trolley problem works just as well with trains.

## Yes, I'm a spy, spying in disguise

### Session 1

The party prepares for the undercover train mission. Our cover identities are:

* **Mona:** Daisy Mossbrew, a potions businesswoman who married rich
* **Marcel:** Rachel Mossbrew, Daisy’s stepdaughter
* **Hoya:** Tifa, Rachel’s personal tutor
* **Cleone** and **Gatria:** Lydia Benest (deva) and Catherine Hunter (human), merchant partners working for Daisy

Hoya also writes to Finona Duvall, promising payment in exchange for help on the train. No response.

The train starts in Beaumont in Danor, where Daisy and Rachel attend an opera starring Gran Guiscard. Catherine ropes Lydia into helping break into Rock Rackus’ estate there in search of the planar travel scrolls he spoke of; no scrolls at this one, but they do find a letter indicating that Gran Guiscard once tried to recruit Rock into a secretive organization.

The next day they board the train, checking an item off of Cleone’s unsaid bucket list and decorating it with glitter (first class baby). We meet the Griento family at breakfast, and a woman identifiable as a Yerasol veteran lingers around before being asked to go back to second class. She’s wearing a particularly interesting ring…

### Session 2

Backdated: Hoya and Cleone look into A.G., narrowing it down to a few possibilities and getting some interesting information on Alexander Grappa.

Back in the present, the party hangs out with the Griento family while people from other cars filter in to take advantage of the first-class bar under the table. The veteran Bree comes in with Finona Duvall(!), looking for someone who doesn’t seem to be there. She and Catherine talk Former Soldier Moods. A dwarf named Verzubak Tantalovich with special dice avoids a bounty hunter after him through a (un)lucky medical incident on the latter’s part, and Tifa befriends him -  he’s got a lot of knowledge about probability and game theory! A tiefling named Olivert flirts with every woman he sees. Unfortunately for Cleone, Lydia flirts back.

A woman named Elanor Yanette catches Tifa’s attention, as her companion is a veiled figure handcuffed to her by a gold chain. Elanor claims to be a matchmaker escorting a client to her future husband, but Tifa recognizes that it’s likely some kind of trafficking.

### Session 3

First night’s stop: Cherage. Everyone gathers in a hotel, where Verzubak gives a toast. Daisy and Rachel fail to tail Bree and Finona, while Tifa witnesses the locals’ prejudice against the Grientos. They encounter a naked man, who drains Hoya of energy when he brushes against her in passing.

Catherine tails Bree and Finona’s carriage independently by latching onto it while Vanished, and overhears them talking about potential spies at the hotel gathering as indicated by Verzubak’s toast. Bree also mentions she’s been hired by the Jierres to protect someone. Meanwhile Lydia encounters Olivert making out with a very young woman, and ends up heckling him until they leave.

The next morning, Hoya manages to Message the veiled figure with Elanor. Her name is Isobel, a young eladrin girl sold off for marriage - there are people who do this as a business. The conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Luc Jierre and Ottavia Sacredote, who Elanor immediately proceeds to conversationally shittalk. There’s also a man with a briefcase chained to his arm chasing Malia the train guardswoman.

## Until you discover, stay undercover

### Session 4

There’s a safari with rented guns on the train, and although nobody rents anything we go to check it out. Olivert is visibly agitated, and his gun has dimmed in color from its usual red. Arriving in Orithea, Gatria smells for planes on Olivert’s gun but instead finds the scent of Mavisha from Luc’s briefcase.

Verzubak invites Tifa out to a bar where he’s lost plenty of money. They talk game theory, and eventually Verzubak mentions his magic dice. “When I looked at you I gave my dice a roll and I got the highest number, I knew I could trust you from the start!”

Daisy and Rachel go to a theater with the Grientos, and eventually Daisy talks privately with Damata Griento. He’s in debt to the Family after getting scammed, and fears that his clan will disown his wife and children after he stole from them to pay off the debts. The only alternative he sees is to sacrifice himself to the Family to spare his own family, and he’s expecting these days to be his last.

While browsing through the night market, Lydia spots Malia talking to a witch. She later intervenes when the naked man from the previous night - a stowaway on the train - tries to kill Elanor Yanette in the middle of the square. He’s trying to save Isobel, but runs off; Lydia finds him later, learning that he goes by the name Mr. Mapple and is in love with Isobel. Lydia is willing to help him free her, as much as she’s able to given her own mission.

Catherine tails Luc and Ottavia from Verzubak’s bar to a lighthouse, swimming out to see and scaling a cliff and the lighthouse itself in the process. She overhears Luc give a demonstration of a lantern containing the planar essence of Mavisha, which turns out all the lights in Orithea. (Apparently this isn’t uncommon!)

Communicating via written notes, the party shares everything they’ve learned that night. Although people are sympathetic to Damata, it’s pointed out that Gatria’s life would be on the line if they were caught helping him at the Family’s expense - there isn’t much they can do without risking her life for his. There’s similar controversy over Isobel’s case: everyone hates the situation, but also as the risks are pointed out nobody is willing to blow the entire team’s mission/cover to intervene too far. If they want to prioritize the overarching mission, there isn’t much they can do for the people in front of them.

There’s reports of a grisly murder the next morning. Coincidentally, Olivert’s gun is back to its usual color and he seems to be in a much better mood. Super suspicious.

The real safari event begins atop the train, and is soon interrupted when a giant hydra created by the Malice Lands attacks, and bandits begin to raid the train. Malia seems to know what’s going on, though she’s also shocked when it takes out an entire train car. Catherine and Tifa head down to reunite with the rest, Daisy distraught over her baby being in danger, and take out some of the snake heads threatening a different car. Afterwards they distribute potions, as good-willed merchants do, and Lydia makes a show of vibing with her past lives as an excuse for her combat skills.

### Session 5

The Avery Coast train rolls into Trekhom a minute late, unheard of for its reputation. Guards are all over the train, blocking people from leaving for a while. Malia confesses to aiding the bandits, unaware that there would be casualties. Lydia connects the dots and realizes that she saw Malia organizing the attack back in the Orithea night market but didn’t understand at the time - if only she’d known…

Once everyone is allowed to leave Tifa goes with Damata to see a talk by Vlendam Heid, who understands the gravity of his audience after the attack on the train. Damata seeks advice on his situation. Xambria also talks with Heid through Tifa, about aging (and loss of body).

Lydia and Rachel try and fail to tail the man with the briefcase. Later on they encounter Mr. Mapple, rapidly healing off a gunshot to the head, and talk about Isobel. Isobel is to be married off at Nalaam, the next stop, and Mr. Mapple is determined to free her before that happens. Lydia can’t openly help him because of her own mission, but she can try and provide covert help.

Catherine talks with Finona, who confirms that Bree was hired to protect Luc and that Verzubak and Olivert were taken on to help. Gatria mentions that Olivert smells of blood, and apparently Bree’s gang has noticed too - Bree herself is tailing Olivert tonight. (Apparently the screening process was just Verzubak’s dice, and the dice might not deduct points for being a serial killer.) Finona asks for help getting out of the Obscurati once the train mission is over, and Catherine…well, can’t promise but can agree to try. No promises about how safe it might be with the party by the time this all ends. Gatria later follows Bree following Olivert and gets to witness the exact moment Bree realizes “well shit, I hired a serial killer.”

Daisy tails Verzubak in rat form, checking how he toasts without any of the party around before proceeding to follow Luc to another lighthouse. He gives another demonstration of his lantern to a Zoltan. Both discuss Luc’s uncle, the sovereign Han Jierre, with whom Luc seems to have a sour relationship. Following Luc back to the train still in rat shape, Daisy notices that the alarms Lydia installed in their suite - pitched to be audible to catfolk ears but not human ones - are ringing. Hoya arrives, having noticed the guards acting suspicious and lying about it, and together they find that runes of Nem have been etched onto the lamps in their car. Hoya “breaks” a lamp after seeing a “rat,” and it’s replaced with a similarly etched lamp.

### Session 6

Finona warns the party that Bree and company have been told that the Risuri spies are in first class. They’re trying to narrow down the spies’ identities, which makes it extra stressful when Verzubak asks to talk to Tifa privately later.

Arriving in Nalaam, Damata Griento heads out to his demise. The party is invited to Isobel’s “wedding” at an arena, which is immediately suspected as a trap. Lydia meets up with Mr. Mapple and tries to give him some of Mona’s potions to help him save Isobel solo.

Tifa meets with Verzubak at a casino, where he informs her that he knows her group are the spies. He isn’t impressed when she tries to cover: he’s always been honest with her, why is she lying? They talk about the terms of his job and the fact that one of his coworkers is a serial killer, which is news to him. Verzubak is a mathematician, not a killer. “Look, I won’t tell them what I found today. I hope that I’m making the right decision here. When I rolled my dice asking for a friend, it was you.” Tifa offers to outpay his original offer in exchange for silence and offers her father’s flute and her on-hand funds as collateral. Verzubak declines the flute, though he appreciates the gesture.

Unfortunately, Catherine has also tipped off casino security that there’s a man with magical dice at the casino. When they come up Verzubak cheerfully offers them a look, and gets dragged off by security. “Don’t worry, this happens all the time…!” And thus exits Verzubak.

Despite reservations, everyone attends the wedding at the arena - which turns out to be an auction. Mr. Mapple has been captured and is forced to fight in the arena, giving a bombass speech introducing himself as Andrei von Recklinghausen(!) and fighting a direbear before falling to a pyrecat. Several of the party want to intervene, but the threat of breaking cover stays their hands. Isobel is sold off, and everyone leaves extremely demoralized. Tifa stays behind to talk to Lord Kulp, the master of the arena, and after she expresses sympathy for the lives lost he tells her in Elvish that revenge is a life well lived. (Cue screaming as the players realize they found a Vekeshi Mystic for the first time!)

The next morning sees everyone in dreary moods. The Griento family is distraught over Damata’s death, and to boot an “issue” with their papers is preventing them from boarding the train. Daisy pulls her best “rich Karen” act to get them onto the train, and tries to console Ejika.

As the train nears Sid Minos, Olivert makes a fuss as train staff asks him to go back to his seat and Tifa invites him into the party’s suite just to make him shut up.

This, of course, is when people’s souls start getting pulled out of their bodies. Cleone and Mona find that the rest of those in the car seem to have suddenly died. Everyone else finds themselves in Nem. Gatria goes through the train to investigate, finding zombies as she goes through cars. Hoya and Marcel confront Olivert. Olivert is accompanied by a LOT of souls - the spirits of everyone he’s killed with his cursed gun.

> **Hoya:** Can I destroy it?
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> **Olivert:** Fuck that li’l lady, you aren’t getting my gun!
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> **Hoya:** I’m not fucking scared of you!
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## Seeking the clue that will lead me to you

### Session 7

Hoya and Marcel fight Olivert in Nem, while Cleone investigates what’s happening to the car in the Waking. After determining that it’s localized to their train car, Mona carries the Grientos to safety in second class while Cleone turns off the Nem-etched lamps in an attempt to stop whatever’s going on. Gatria finds a wraith atop the head of the train, and prepares to get one good sneak attack in as down below Hoya and Marcel stunlock Olivert to defeat through a mix of Whip of Spiders and Glitterdust, then debate about whether to kill him. Hoya picks up the gun and gets a taste of its curse.

Then Cleone finishes turning off the lamps and everyone is transported back into the Waking.

Gatria books it back to the head of the train, finding one of Luc’s lanterns. She takes it for investigation. In the party’s suite, Olivert remains dead. They confiscate his gun, more carefully this time.

As soon as they arrive in Sid Minos Luc and company make a hasty - and guilty - getaway. Following the smell of Nem, the party is pointed towards the Isle of Odiem - an island where the Clergy keeps all its super cursed collections. The party is split over whether to go, but eventually they decide to go.

### Session 8

Ottavia is at the Isle of Odiem, having intentionally lured the party with illusions for a showdown between herself and them. The party, unwilling to instigate a fight, trades information. Ottavia is indeed part of the Obscurati, charged with protecting Luc who she loves very much. His safety is her primary concern, and the party promises that they have no intent of hurting him. Neither side fully trusts the other, however, and neither is able to convince the other of much.

Everyone is forced inside by the sunset and an accompanying horde of zombies. A voice begins speaking in everyone’s heads: Ashima Shimtu, Lady of the Forked Tongue, The Last of the High Fiends, Steward of the Demonocracy, Keeper of the Secret Which Must Not Be Lost. She invites us to come down below to her vault. Hoya, sick and tired of all these ghosts and undead, makes the executive decision to lead the way down. In the process they encounter Lina, an angel imprisoned and tortured, and find what Marcel and Mona recognized as a scroll of the Bonds of Forced Faith.

We enter Ashima Shimtu’s vault and are attacked by a man standing in front of a mirror.

### Session 9

The party defeats the Godhand in the vault while Ottavia stands by. As they approach Ashima Shimtu, she addresses the party specifically - and hints at the skeletons in their closets in the process.

> "Cleone Weld, daughter of Charles, torn between two countries, and torn between her own selves as she refuses the uncomfortable truths of her last life.
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> Gatria, a stolen soldier of the Steel Lord Gradiax, saved from one war by a liberator only to be thrust into another, less capable than ever of escaping it.
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> Desdemona Faellen-Brizside, would-be bride to Vihan, who hides a terrible secret known only to her and now, also, to the Lady of the Forked Tongue.
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> Marcellus, son of Pallisia, brothel-born bastard as ashamed almost as much of his humble origin as his indiscretions with his father’s business partner.
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> Fijit Ipswom, she of many names, who even with heart as pure as Triegenes himself was pushed out from a family of outsiders for being too much of an outsider."
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Once upon a time Ashima Shimtu was part of the demonocracy, but struck a bargain offering information to the Clergy. In the time since, suspended above her pool, she has reflected on her actions and has come to honestly regret her past. She was also indirectly involved in Srasama’s fall, having given the secret of manifesting a god to two visitors once in the past.

Because the party did her a favor by defeating the man, she’ll let them use her pool to teleport to any body of water in the world. Ottavia sat out, though, so her fate is up to us rather than her. Marcel has the idea of sending her to a fountain in Torfield Palace, so that she’ll be arrested and brought into custody, and otherwise everyone chooses to go back to the shores of Sid Minos.

Before they leave, Cleone asks Ashima Shimtu whether Srasama could live again. Ashima Shimtu answers that Srasama will not live again, but what she represents might. Cryptic!

Everyone arrives from the shores and heads back to the hotel drenched with excuses about devas not remembering how to steer boats correctly, but the next morning we’re blocked from boarding the train due to an “investigation.” Instead of boarding, then, Gatria and Mona stow away while the rest of the party sails into Vendricce’s ports. Due to poor stealth rolls the two halves don’t quite manage to meet up, though Gatria and Mona get eyes on Luc and company.

### Session 10

Luc reunites with his sister Lya, and it’s very cute. Using Luc’s lantern, they transition the immediate area into the Bleak Gate. A very old man called Nicodemus meets with them, congratulating Luc about how his invention will make trips to the Bleak Gate easier. He happens to have a silver ring for Luc and some amulets Mona recognizes from McBannin’s manor - possibly their ticket into the Bleak Gate.

As the boat group arrives, Gatria attempts to pickpocket Nicodemus while invisible. Unfortunately he senses her, and calls for Lya. Gatria teleports out with the Icon of Apet and - remembering that Lya is famous for her limb-severing techniques - calls for everyone to run. Everyone flees, and upon regrouping decide they’ve been compromised enough already; time to go back to Risur. (Sorry, Finona!!!)

On the boat ride back Xambria, who lives in Hoya's head and therefore lacks consequences for her actions, stirs the pot by bringing up the secrets Ashima Shimtu alluded to. This makes everyone upset. Hoya attempts to share information about herself as a peace offering and ends up getting a chair thrown at her by an ashamed Marcel. Cleone and Mona pick up the pieces, while Gatria purposefully avoids the entire thing.

Once back in Flint, we debrief with Delft and talk to Ottavia, who’s been transferred to the RHC prison. She tells us more about Luc and the Obscurati: she was brought on by Han Jierre to protect Luc and fight Clergy corruption, and is a tier 4 member (given a specific mission within the group, with the power to bring on help at tier 5). Luc himself was pretty much groomed and pressured into his mission to create a means of using planar energy to influence people, and while Ottavia doesn’t trust the Jierres as a whole she trusts Luc and the Obscurati. She also mentions that the Ob intends to use planar energy to bring about a “reckoning” that will make the strong protect the weak.

Over the next two months, Cleone finally gets some quality time to spend working on the golem from Adventure 3. Once she puts together its eyes, it starts blinking in ways that are clearly responsive to her. As they work out a system of communication, the golem gives her a message: MY NAME IS ALEXANDER GRAPPA. I BELIEVE WE HAVE A COMMON ENEMY.

**Next: Adventure 5**