The Search for Sken

Outside the Drinking Pin in Hupperdook, six apparent strangers are drawn into battle.

The strangers are:

* Hartmut Magmetizer; a human bard from Rexxentrum
* Komani Goatchaser Kithkavaki; a goliath fighter from the Dunrock Mountains
* Korvok Shattersword; a half-orc ranger from Othe, on the Menagerie Coast
* Llunet [no other names known]; an elven wizard, from Bysaes Tyl
* Morrigan [no other names known]; appears as a human monk, says she's from the Menagerie Coast
* Moss, of the Sisterhood; half-elf druid, from the Pearlbow Wilderness, outside Bysaes Tyl

Llunet has arrived in town alone. The group do not know this, but she was speaking with Bram Gunchswattle before they met up. They appear to have been working together on something.

Hartmut and Korvok have been travelling together. They were getting guidance on where to visit in Hupperdook from a gnome, and he recommended the Drinking Pin as a cheap new place to stay.

Komani, Morrigan and Moss have been staying for free in the Drinking Pin, since rescuing nephew of the owner, Tasani Drinkinpin. The nephew had been lost deep in the mines, and the 3 were able to rescue him after fighting an Umberhulk. They are known as members of a mercenary group, the Sons of Sigma.

In the Ironlot streets, they fight against a goliath, who is attempting to leave town, and a group of kobolds. The kobolds begin exploding shortly after they're knocked down, seriously injuring some of the party. Both Llunet and Morrigan are immediately knocked down by these blasts. Moss heals Llunet, pulling her into the bar. Korvok helps revive Morrigan. Others give chase to the goliath. After she flees into the night, using a magical ring to aid her escape, the group is asked by Bram Gunchswattle to track her and capture her alive.

According to Bram, she is Sken Zabriss, a Xhorhassian prisoner of war who was being held in Gearhole Prison.

The group agree to find her - motivated by gold, the earnest desire to help, and a strong need to not draw attention. While the others talk to the guard, Moss and Korvok sneak away back into the Inn. Korvok asks Moss why she's avoiding them, saying he knows his own reasons. Moss says she had bad experiences with an aggressive guard in Bysaes. The others trickle in to the bar one by one, and make their introductions. Morrigan introduces herself as Sarah Jane, and her travelling companions do not challenge this.

Tasani, the owner of the bar, brings everyone food and drink. Moody, Korvok's horse, definitely accidentally eats some horse meat in this food.

### Session 2: The Search for Sken Zabriss

2 Dualahei 836 PD

The group's first quest; they are seeking Sken Zabris, a Xhorhassian rebel they previously fought in the streets of Hupperdook. They are searching on behalf of Bram Gunchswattle, captain of the guard.

The group are in direct competition with at least one other investigator, Yinra Emberwind, a blonde elf, whom they run into at Gearhole Prison.

They visit Sken's damaged Cell in Gearhole Prison, which she seems to have escaped from using an automaton crab, dropped through the skylight, with explosive powder attached. There was a note, initially discovered by Yinra, which promised aid for Sken.

"Worry not. I am an ally of your comm- - - - no questions. Take this ring and follow - - - - - - - to my humble domain. - - - - - - - - - - - stand back!"

Morrigan sends Corvid to track Yinra. As Yinra is headed to the herbalist's, the group decides to go straight to The Builder's Plot in the Assembly Yard. On the way there they find a burned corpse in an alleyway, which closely resembled the remains of a man Korvok met inbetween Kamordah and Rexxentrum. The man, Berim, had feathers growing out of him at odd intervals, and expressed that he had made a deal for rebirth he no longer wanted. He spontaneously combusted shortly afterwards. This body is slightly different, and directly beside Infernal Runes which none of the party could decipher.

At The Builder's Plot, the group meets Clef Tinkertop and his daughter Rissa Tinkertop. They learn about Huron Stahlmast, a previous colleague of Clef who used to copy his designs. The Crab Automaton - known as a Voxseeker - may have been built by Huron, according to Clef, but the explosive powder must have been attached by someone experienced. The group leaves to visit Sleece Firemark at Firemark Facility

Sleece directs them to Nima, as the only person who could do such detailed work, though he tells them that Nima has been away from work for three weeks, claiming to be ill. She has a habit of sniffing the explosive powder. The group gets her address from Sleece and heads over.

On the way, they stop at The Lay of the Land herbalist shop, where they met Zendasa the herbalist. She tells them about Yinra's past as a chef and sudden career change when several nobles died after eating their food. Also confirmed that the red clay they had found on the Exploding Kobolds comes directly from the volcanic caps of the Silberquel Ridge mountains. The clay only appears very high up.

Once the group reached Nima's house, they find the doors locked and a voice that was not Nima's telling them to leave. The group ignores this and simultaneously enters through the front and back doors, to find an assortment of kobolds and a strange figure with a grenade in it at the table.

### Session 3: A Silberquel Hike

2 Dualahei 836 PD

Nima's house contains four kobolds, one of whom the group manages to capture and interrogate.

He is not especially helpful, and is aware that he has explosives inside him, and that they were placed there while he was unconscious. The kobold referrs to 'The Master' in his talking to the group, later inadvertently revealing that that is Huron Stahlmast. He offers to lead them to The Master in their hideout near the top of the Silberquel Ridge. According to the kobold, inside the hideout is Nima, Huron, more kobolds and an Unknown Drow.

The group decides to head for the mountains. Along the walk it becomes clear that the Ridge is home to several predatory species, so the group decides to short rest briefly. While resting they are spotted by two more kobolds, but managed to attack the pair first before they could raise the alarm. After the kobolds, including the prisoner, are killed, Corvid returns to the group. Corvid had seen Yinra go into a secret door behind a waterfall.

After significant debate about whether to climb into a small chimney or go through the side door, the group approaches via the side door, guided by Llunet's Owl. Stealth fails the group shortly after reaching the room, and they entered combat with Sken Zabris and four additional Kobolds. The party approach the fight with tact, managing to surprise their foes. The fight was rough - Sken hit Hartmut hard enough to instantly knock him out, and the groups' little bones were extremely tired by its end.

Hartmut gets his revenge, knocking out Sken to end the fight. The party free Nima, the explosives expert.

### Session 4: Prisoner of War

2-3 Dualahei 836 PD

The party bind Sken, and Komani carries her as they hike down the mountain. Sken attempts to talk to Komani, but Komani is disinterested in most of what she has to say. Close to town, Komani knocks Sken out. While unconscious, Sken mutters; "INSERT MUTTERING HERE WHEN LYSS GETS TO IT"

Returning to the Drinking Pin, the party ask some Crownsguard to summon Bram. Tasani asks the group to help her in the busy tavern. Hartmut goes to help, as an experienced bar hand.

Bram arrives and the group are rewarded for capturing Sken. The group fishes for additional information but are largely unsuccessful. Bram reveals that Sken was captured by Scourgers. The group is offered an additional 1000 gold pieces reward for capturing Huron Stahlmast.

Moss is alarmed to see a cart with the sigil of the Sons of Sigma engraved upon it outside the tavern. Afraid that true Sons may be inside the tavern, she confesses to Korvok and Llunet that the group inherited the name through less than honest means. She is extremely panicked.

There are patrons celebrating the Sons - who they still believe Moss, Komani and Morrigan to be - but the benefactor who left the carriage is gone. Tasani approaches the group at a table and they question her about who left the goods. She tells them about a fire genasi who came by with gifts for the Sons, and hands over a bag containing soaps, minor luxuries and a spell scroll.

Hartmut is still rushing around the tavern, serving drinks. As it quietens down he rejoins the group.

Korvok asks the group to talk in private, and reveals that he believes the fire genasi is from the Bonds of Bedlam - a cult like criminal organisation which traps members in service. He has escaped them but wants nothing to do with them. The group come clean about several elements of their individual pasts and a discussion grows heated, with Hartmut defending his nationalist beliefs against some of the rest of the group. He storms out. Morrigan reveals her name. The group agree to distance themselves from the Bonds and the Sons of Sigma.

The party go to help Tasani clean the tavern, and she tells them that her nephew is involved with shady characters and has something planned in five days at the Sootswallow. This leads to conversation about Tasani and Harlowe's relationship, and the revelation that if they were able to safely escape Hupperdook, she would want to leave. Harlowe will not leave without ensuring the safety of his brother Henry, who is into some shady stuff.

The party go to sleep, and each suffer distressing Nightmares.