Deals in the Dark: Episode 01

### YouTube VOD

***Deals in the Dark* Episode 1** was streamed on Arcadum's Twitch channel on October 18, 2019, and premiered on Arcadum's YouTube channel on January 7, 2020. A group of people meets up at the Black Jackal bar in Bleak, gathered by the mysterious Mr. Knuckles to do a job, but not before proving themselves first.

## Summary

A man in a cowl, a changeling who knows the way of thieves, a towering orc that his tribe called Madd Morc, an armored hobgoblin with a whip, and a sailorwoman with eyes for gold, converge in the tavern called the Black Jackal.

They arrived one by one. The man in cowl arrived first at the tavern. The changeling was next and the orc comes in afterwards. The hobgoblin in armor comes forth, and the sailorwoman enters last. Not all of them are looking for the same thing, but somehow they all got directed to a bugbear man with a hat called Mr. Knuckles, either by Torl Emptygaze the Tabaxi bartender, other people, or pure coincidence.

When the whole party gathered, the bugbear explain to them that they are required for a job before they can receive whatever they were looking for, but before doing said job they need to prove themselves. The hobgoblin Turr Khei, being roped into this when he's not looking for Mr. Knuckles specifically, was goaded into it when he mentions justice.

Mr. Knuckles began explaining that they were needed to clear off a rival gang that has been stealing from the orphanage, hiding in a nearby warehouse. They accept and head towards their target.

On their way, they encountered someone who are chained because he committed a crime of existing. They argued about releasing him free, with Turr Khei conflicted and the robe man were wary of the Tiefling.

They argued some more before deciding to go with it. With a distraction by the sailorwoman Argh'xl Roz, a performance so good that she was pelted with about more than 50 golds and inciting a full blown party in the middle of the town, the changeling Neve freed the chained tiefling.

They make haste to stealth the tiefling away from the distraction, that are about to turn into a full blown festival somehow, and they also unbind him completely. The tiefling thanks them and fly away with his fiendish wings. They continue their journey, arriving at the warehouse.

They found the thugs, with their leader Whitehorn sitting in a pile of loot, and he introduces the group as the Child Snatchers. After a bit of banter, Whitehorn called for reinforcement. As more of the thug came from behind to ambush them, the fight began.

Neve were able to convince one of the thugs named Rodrick to aid her by changing her appearance to his dead wife. Whitehorn, surprised, then began rambling about how she should've been dead, implying him as the one who killed Rodrick's wife. Rodrick, enraged, helped Neve fought the bastard together, but Rodrick sacrifices himself to save Neve from an attack that would've killed her.

In the heat of the battle, Roz also able to convince another thug named Lawrence to aid them when she realizes that he was conflicted in his attacks towards her. Rivitah was able to one-shot somebody before easily taken down due to his wizardly constitution, and Madd Morc cleaved one guy in half.

In the end, the party prevailed. After a bit of morally grey loot time, they return to the Black Jackal. Mr. Knuckles sees them worthy as they report their fight. Mr. Knuckles told the party that Rodrick's wife actually survived, and promises to tell his boss about them. He advises the party to rest for the night, and told them that the details of the real job will be given to them in the following morning.

Rivitah excuses himself early. Roz and Torl the bartender had a meaningful interaction together, and Roz understands a bit over why Torl has the gaze of emptiness. Neve also turns into Torl for laugh and jokes, and afterwards excuses herself.

Before Turr Khei goes to his room, he meet Hoto, a man with an eyepatch, and listens to his story about his honor that has been broken by a man that slayed him. But after learning that there's no actual crime being committed, Turr Khei leave the conversation, to head to his room. He slept in the same room as his 'dad', Madd Morc.

The party reflects on the experience they had today, and gained some new knowledge.

## Featured Characters

### Main Characters

* Rivitah
* Neve
* Madd Morc
* Turr Khei
* Argh'xl Roz

### New

* Mr. Knuckles
* Hoto
* Handsome Henry Hodrath
* Selton Sokor
* Whitehorn
* Rodrick
* Lawrence