Session 30

Redbridge

* The Pitt (Tavern with a Pitfighting Circle)

**Previously....**

## And Now....

\*Checking in with Tiv to see what they have been doing in Tamalir while everyone has been having their open adventures. Tiv has found some clues/information that might be useful to them:

\* A former Dragon Heart (Ailduin ) member lives nearby in the town of Redbridge. He will apparently share old ‘war stories’ with anyone who buys him a drink.

\* Valcum Sephone the heir of the murdered Barron Katrin, has publicly declared his intention to stand forward as the new Baron of Allerfeldt. The suspected murderer, Lady Bellia Sephone is still at large. The Anaul meeting of the Barons at Archault is in 6 weeks, where they will decide on Valcums succession.

\* Several locals have complained of hearing strange and frightening wails and cries from the Marsh.

### The Pitt

\*The party takes a short trip to Redbridge, to the Tavern known as ‘The Pitt’. They witness several pitfights there, including an owlbear vs 5 gnomes (ends in a Tie), and a Catfolk vs a ‘clipped’ Dragon Hybrid.

\* They take sympathy on the owlbear, and Gar befriends it’s trainer - Al Bjorn. Al clearly has a strong attachment to the creature, and does all he can to keep it alive and well - but accepts the offer of Gar to help free it from ‘the boss’ (yet to be identified who the boss is).

\*They can’t initially find Ailduin at the tavern, but eventually find him passed out in the stables. Despite being half-asleep and wasted he demonstrates considerable combat skill (observed in his movements, and in him lashing out at the stable boy who woke him). Goldie notices he has a wound in his chest (over his heart) witch holds an unidentified Runebound shard.

\*They buy the drunk elf some drinks and he tells them about DH, and Vrutha. He says DH used to be good and honourable when he was the leader, but Vrutha (his protege) betrayed him, cut out his heart and took ‘Dragon Heart’ from him. He claims all the bad stuff DH has done have been from her influence, but he doesn’t know how/why she became so corrupted herself. He tells them several specific tales (including killing dragons) and then passes out.

\*Goldie spies her Dwarf cousin (Who was at The Fracture) bodyguarding a Local merchant/member of The Lodge negotiating with a shady looking thief-type.

\*Goldies dwarf cousin guarding. Merchant and rogue negotiate. (the lodge member)

\*They watch (and some bet on) the hybrid v cat fight. The Catfolk fights valiantly, but is well defeated by the Dragon hybrids skill and strength.

\*Goldie visits the fighters area and talks to the cat as she is being healed, but the cat is a bit of a gumpy jerk.

\*They begin to notices some stranger, out-of-place, aspects of the Tavern. Including a little old Granny knitting in a position overlooking the room, accompanied by a Ginger Cat. They also spy a rat with clothing a hat and a monocle. The bar has a VERY old and nicely decorated wine bottle on display.

\*Dandy follows the rat to the outside and manages to get a hold of it. It talks to Dandy (it’s voice appearing in Dandy's mind) with a pompous tone and accent. It considers the Tavern it’s home or property (a bit unclear which) and questions about what the rat is (a cursed human, a magic animal?) to be rude.

\*The rat offers to answer Dandys questions if she’ll get the cat sitting with the Granny to leave the Pitt for a while.

\*Goldie decides she wants to fight, expecting to use fire magic to dominate the pit. She figures out to ask the granny who is initially reluctant but eventually offers 150s for Goldie to fight that night.

\*During the hour Goldie has to prepare for the fight They spot the cat move over to Ailduin and somehow relay messages to and from the Granny. Soon after it is revealed Ailduin will be Goldies opponent and the tavern gets very excited as they have not seen him fight in some time.

\*The group assesses the elf fighter and decide he plans to fight honourably.

\*Arik casts a mental protection spell onto Goldie before the fight.

\*Goldie and Ailduin both ‘suit up’ and select a weapon. The elf choosing a tooth-blade sword and to go topless (showing of his rune, and witch Goldie can’t quite recognise). Goldie picks a Hammer. Although she was originally going to use magic, she opts to fight in melee.

\*The fight goes well, there are moments of tension and showmanship with the fight starting slow but ramping up tension. Each time Goldie manages some success Ailduin’s counter seems bigger. Goldie holds her own well and delivers a few hits (including an impressive rip-crunching blow) the elf manages to deliver a powerful KO to Goldie and takes victthe ory.

\*Goldies wounds are healed and she suddenly recalls where she has seen the rune before- a shard of Absorption. If she had of used magic there was a good chance he could have absorbed or even reflected it.

\*Over the course of the night, they learn a few additional things from Ailduin (before and after the fight). The Dragon Heart gem absorbs the dying energy of Dragons, allowing the user to channel dragon-like effects (he describes the power as unlike anything else). He has no heart, where it should be he currently has the Runebound shard.

### \*\*\*\*\*\* FLASHBACK\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

To explain what has been happening with Gar and his long absence a series of flashbacks were played through, interspersed throughout the session.

**\*Gar woke up in he home town, after having been kidnapped and dragged back against his will. Fluffy is not there. The family Matriach, Groma: Gar’s Aunt, is there and so is a single warrior (Gar’s cousin) guarding the door. Groma immediately lectures Gar about stealing Fluffy.**

**\*Groma is very no-nonsense, and says Gar will have to undergo The Trial. Gar needs to prove he can withstand the swords corruption - if he can keep it, if not he’ll be killed. No details about the trail are shared.**

\*The trail will start at midnight, so Gar uses his time to study and gets an idea the Trial will include him being locked in a tomb with the sword and facing lethal threats - He needs to defeat/overcome the threats without drawing to much help directly from the sword (and giving over his will to much).

\*The challenges took place underground in a Stone walled room in complete darkness. The challengers were:

1/ Two wild hogs (Although Gar didn’t have the chance to identify them). Gar did not unsheathe the sword. They gouged Gar several times before he took help from the sword and had it push fear into them. This stripped Gar of his ‘Fear’ motivation.

2/ A dozen poisonous snakes. Several of the snakes bit him and as poison started to take hold Gar used the sword to defeat them and accessed it’s power to drain the blood from his system. This cost Gar his ‘Weakness’ motivation.

3/ A marsh monster (similar to a troll) attacked, and Gar was forced to unsheath his weapon (after some telepathic advice from his cousin) to fight it, managing to behead it in the dark with his first attack. He did not draw on the sword's powers.

4/ A large armored Dire-Tuskhog attacked last. It’s tusk nearly killed Gar with its first strike and it’s armour repelled gar’s attempt to attack it - he accepted the full help of Fluffy one more time and blacked out. This cost Gar his 3rd motivation.

\*Gar awoke, alive, outside the tomb. Groma was displeased. She considered Gar too willing to use the blades help, but had retained his identity and soul. Gar was therefore allowed to keep Fluffy, although few family members were happy about it.

\*As a result of the Trail Gar lost 3 of his four motivations. Gar’s been changed considerably by the experience and will take on new motivations - which will somehow reflect the nature of the sword and his relationship to it.