Session 22 - Shopping Episode

Before we set out on our journey to Bresk, Simeon provided us with some additional information:

* A fleet led by "Magus", a fierce orc, is blocking Turinn, the capital of Sindaire.
* Something funky is happening in Ostalin, making communication unreliable.

Simeon also encouraged us to visit the Lyceum "gift shop" and acquire any spell components or magical items we would need for the journey. As a token of his gratitude for saving the city, Simeon said we could have one of the items for free.

The shop was run by a funny gnome who excitedly showed off his merchandise. We bought tons of shit and bargained for some more. The shopkeep wanted to know about creatures known as "Trilith". He believed they were the dark smoke leaving some bodies as they were killed. He seemed to believe "Trilith" had a pressence in Bresk where we were headed and was interested in learning about them.

The next couple of days we journeyed through the swamplands by boat and started north up the frozen river by dogsled. Louie recalled having written his Master Thesis on the subject of Dasseni History and recounted some information he thought would be relevant. Dassen used to be split (and still is in a manner) into 8 different kingdoms. The country has a very tumultuous history, but shit happened and now they have one king and 8 lords/ladies that form the Council of the Nine. REMIND DAVID TO REWRITE THIS PART AFTER HE HAS CLARIFIED HIS NOTES WITH MICHELLE. The Book of Eight is a magical book that tracks royal lineages and stuff. Some dudes used it to assassinate royalty :(.

Traveling north on the frozen river, our sled got stuck on a leather strap jutting out from the ice. Upon investigation, we discovered three bodies bearing Namin (fact check pls) insignias frozen in the ice. We melted them out and before shattering them into tiny pieces, we asked one of them a few questions. The dead man had been hung on suspicion of having conspired against the king. Somewhere along the journey we killed a Remorhaz and saved some poor refugees heading for Seaquen from an otherwise certain death. As we approached Bresk we encountered a caravan being searched by soldiers bearing Steppengard's insignia (Sphinx on hind legs with triangles and shit). They found a hidden compartment underneath a cart and pulled out a woman. She had alledgedly been the lover of an assassin (or something. super unclear if there even was one) who had recently assassinated the entire royal family, except the king himself. The family had probably been killed by poison, as there were no apparent wounds that would indicate otherwise and since they are protected from other shit by having their names in the book of eight. The killer(s?) had also managed to gain access to the dead bodies and cut out their hearts to prevent or complicate resurrection.

*Something about the special force we heard about from the dead man here also.*

Bresk is now a city on high alert. Anyone passing through the gates are searched, and those who leave are searched super extensively to ensure the assassin does not escape the city. Balen (name check pls michelle) had booked us rooms at The Golden Gryffon-inn near the castle. We have an apartment on the second floor. After some evening conversation and strategizing before going to sleep, it is here that we ended the session. Tomorrow, two (or more?) of us are to accompany Balen as body guards to court, while the rest of us are to seek out any juicy rumors or information about the 8 lords and ladies of Dassen that may sway them to our cause, or perhaps blackmail them to. Balen is counting on us providing this information that he may use as ammunition in court.