Addressing Skorziak GM Notes

Set-up notes for reunion campaign June 2015 Missoula: Addressing Skorziak

Vasker

Vasker likely under the false name Hasker Hashimoto, living in Cormire has achieved some status middle­rank as a member of the City guard. He is not often walking the walls at night, but rather strategizing and advising, often with city officials, on which affairs the guard should be involved in and which they should avoid. As such, he has some area knowledge and the following bits: ­

• There have been and continue to be red­scaled dragon­men spotted along the western edge of the Ozgarns from the Dark Hills south. ­
  • They seem loosely tribal ­
  • Rarely do they speak common
  • ­ Citizens who don’t run from them assuming monsters, seem to have amicable trading relations with them
  • ­ They seem mostly to be crude miners who rarely venture to the outskirts of civilization to trade uncut gems for common supplies

• ­ Recently, there are an increasing number of black­scaled dragon­men throughout the kingdom. ­
  • They are known as the Vodelig
  • ­ They are rumored to use dark magics and be solely of evil nature ­
    • this may be peasant rumor due to their dark monstrous appearance
  • There is some rumor that they are cohorting with the BloodGhost Syndicate in the southern cities of the kingdom

You have been given the task of venturing west to Serenton to aid with an unusual mission.

Your commanding officer (more of a politician than anything) also gave you a strange pale platinum coin with an embossed eye with wings upon the coins surfaces. He advised you do not lose it and keep it close throughout this mission.

You are to enter Serenton and find the infamous pirate called ‘The Muskrat’ and a monk from the House of Knowledge.

You are somewhat familiar with the Muskrat moniker, but haven’t met him personally.

You heard tales throughout your travels at sea, and more recently when working in Zareph. There is told of a smugglers run from Zareph to Serenton and up to Sorcerer’s Isle...it is rumored that this Jimmy ‘The Muskrat’ Claybourn frequents those waters, occasionally smuggling but also occasionally robbing the smugglers.

You must convince the Muskrat to aid you in escorting the monk of the House of Knowledge to a clandestine meeting. The monk’s name is Ulrich.

The kingdom rests on the success of this meeting.

To tell you more would be folly, but you should keep your blade sharp and your wits sharper.

You and your mercenary, Tok, have been in Serenton for two days and have been gathering intel about the men you are to meet. Having Inara at home has made you more careful and one of your duties is to recruit new soldiers. You have found it to be doubly beneficial to spend a few coin hiring swords on your long journeys. Some turn out to be good recruits, some good meat­shields and a few are problems you’ve left bleeding outside of civilization. In the last days you have learned that Ulrich hasn’t been seen in months, but was known to stay at a bed and breakfast above a general store called T&T’s. There hasn’t been any word of the Muskrat, but you haven’t spent much time at all by the piers yet.

Monk and Monster-hunter

Ulric, Selena and Ryu left Serenton after helping Theodore and his brother Peter return. The took the coastal main road north to Lowenport first, then turned east to the capital city of Camlin where Ryu heard rumor of a mysterious swordsman with a magical sword. His quest pulled at him and their paths diverged.

Selena and Ulric then ventured along the north bank of the River Roan until reaching the foothills of the Ozgarn Mountains where their trek again turned north. They journeyed through the city of Raal and on to the House of Knowledge. The three weeks spent at the House of Knowledge went quickly, mostly with Ulric meeting secretly with the elder monks and Selena touring around the grounds, meditating and praying to Luna. Selena also used the monk’s tools to do some repair work on her armor, from countless skirmishes, including a hill­orc ambush she and Ulric fought their way through on the most recent leg of their journey.

Having gathered the requisite intel from the elders, Ulric and Selena began their return journey, although they were sent via a different route into the Wild Wood, where Ulric presented a document written in Elven to the scouts they encountered. They were taken deep into the dark woods where they met an elven shaman who warned them of the great darkness they were about to face, and gave them each a sinew necklace upon which hung bone talismans engraved with elven runes. He explained that the talismans are fate­-bound and while Selena and Ulric each wore a talisman, they will be able to feel where each other are. He then used ancient elven magics to teleport them south just outside of Camlin.

From there the journey was on well-­traveled roads with relatively low excitement. They are now back in Serenton staying at Timothy and Todd’s awaiting a meeting.

Brother Ulrich

At the House of Knowledge you studied and spent much time speaking with monks who have scrying ability. There was very little good news.

• Akriayal ­ an elder dragon had been one of the beings involved in the creation of the House of Knowledge hundreds of years ago
  • He was discovered buried beneath a mountain a few years ago by the Skythariik (red­scaled dragonmen)
  • These Skythariik seem aloof, peaceful and generally uninterested in the affairs of other races
• As the dragonmen were unearthing him, a pale half­elf and shadowy human woman entered their caves and somehow possessed the great sleeping dragon with a powerful demon
• The elders of the house believe this afflicted ancient dragon is what you encountered, although they do not know with which consciousness you spoke, dragon or demon
• There are also another race of dragonmen, more sinister, infesting the kingdom. They are called the Vodelig and are generally dark green or black scaled
• They seem to be evil and conniving in nature, often found lurking in the dark alleys and tavern shadows of society
• The monks do not know why they have come or what their business in Durkin may be

SECRET: There is a good dragon with white scales who watches as a sentinel over some of the kingdom.

• The small medallion of pale platinum you have which is decorated with a single eye and wings serves as a sign that you are a friend to his cause
  • These medallions are only given to vetted adventurers or advisers who can be trusted ultimately with the safety of the kingdom

You are to return to Serenton and await a dark­haired adviser from Cormire named Hasker Hashimoto. He will be an ally and studying ancient lore prophecizes that he will provide you with a way to again meet with the Demon­dragon again.

The oracles among the monks cannot pierce the veils of darkness around the island, or even ascertain its exact location, and thus can give you no advice as to the dragon’s status. The demon is strong-­willed and powerful. They recommend you do what you can to draw it out into the light so you can best document its appearance and if the gods are willing and the cycle of time aligned, perhaps the demon can be sent back to hell.

Captain J

Jimmy has been working the smugglers run from Zareph to Sorcerer's Isle with occasional stops in Serenton. He is under the loose employ of one of the Viceroys of the kingdom to inform him of commerce along the coast and the smuggling trade. As such, he works a mixed bag of legitimate jobs that sound interesting, smuggling jobs or blatant piracy. He usually prefers to rob other lesser­known smugglers or rich merchant vessels over governmental vessels, as per payment from the Viceroy.

You have been docked in Serenton for two days, and working on resupplying and offloading some strange magically locked chests picked up from a vessel leaving Sorcerer’s Isle.

Tok

Tok has recently been riding on his reputation as one of the toughest mercenaries in the kingdom and has been escorting merchants or other well-to-dos between major cities. A couple of weeks ago you were in Cormire and you were hired by a regal-looking dark-haired man to take him safely to Serenton by the sea and back. To your surprise, when you met up with him to leave town, he was armed and armored in very well-fitted detailed and fancy equipment. Although it may have poked your curiosity a bit, Tok isn't one to dwell on things and the man's coin is as good as any. Your travels were fairly uneventful and you have now been with him in Serenton for two days and he seems to have been gathering information about some men he is supposed to meet. Again, he buys you food and drink to walk around with him and watch his back, so it's easy work.

Events

• Gather party ­ Sunny sky starts clouding
  • Jimmy wants to get out to sea before the storm hits

• Trigger urgency via Luna vision or message from Inarra to Vasker (When the men press lips, time will be of the essence. Stay low in the thunder my dear.)

At sea ­ skies darken and drizzling rain begins

• They will be intercepted by Don Lau on a strange low­sitting watercraft which looks somewhat elven, very elaborate and fancy with silky yellow­green sails. It will move unnaturally fast to reach them and will fly a foreign flag (Parley).
  • I must give you a weapon, but you must not use it to fight

---

• • May address Vasker
  • Will not trust
    • Tok (too brash and dangerous)
    • Jimmy ­ also dangerous, too pirate
  • May give to Ulrich or Selena (someone with a token)

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• Jimmy navigate to island

• Care taken through coral reefs as storm gets brutal and thunder picks up
  • Lightning strikes ship before ashore ­ possibly black­robes magickers can

be seen atop nearby rock outcropping in the flashing lightning

• Possible white­watcher spotting (hearing) as he flies over to freeze wizards and/or greeting party ashore

• ashore there will be a small skirmish with a few Vodelig

• In the cave, Dragon/Demon may recognize Ulrich and pause Vodelig to chat
  • Contest of wills Demon ­ 16, Dragon ­ 15 unless in daylight (+2)d