{"id":1590,"date":"2014-06-12T14:46:09","date_gmt":"2014-06-12T04:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.olympusrpg.org\/?p=1590"},"modified":"2016-05-27T04:23:58","modified_gmt":"2016-05-26T18:23:58","slug":"gurps-banestorm-dark-clouds-rising-book-ii-session-6-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.olympusrpg.org\/?p=1590","title":{"rendered":"GURPS Banestorm: Dark Clouds Rising, Book II, Session 6.9"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dramatis Person\u00e6<\/em><\/h3>\n

Brother Mendel (Herodian)
\nDane Sardock<\/a> (Winston)
\nGabriel Auditore<\/a> (Rigil Kent)
\nGestlin the Unpredictable (CommJunkee)
\nMagnifico the Clown<\/a> (Feste)
\nMerasi\u00ebl Alethmist (Melissa)
\nRainald North-Hammer<\/a> (Gigermann)<\/p>\n

\n

\"bs-craine\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Of Slaves and Assassins<\/h3>\n

24 Apr 2014<\/em><\/p>\n

\"bs-merasiel\"
Merasi\u00ebl<\/a><\/div>\n

After splitting up the ransom for the Templar captain and his cohort, the Heroes headed out for Proximo\u2019s estate, to perform their demonstration as promised (they had briefly considered leaving immediately for Tredroy). As they crossed the river, they spotted a cage-wagon further up the street, laden with human(oid) cargo, headed the same direction; they happened to notice a familiar face inside the cage amongst the other unfortunates, specifically, that of their former war-companion, Merasi\u00ebl. They all rushed up to the wagon to confirm that it was she, and it was; she recognized the Heroes immediately, and claimed she had been wrongfully imprisoned through a case of mistaken identity, and sold into slavery. The slave-cart driver demanded these well-armed strangers surrounding his cart step off and allow him to continue, and he was getting a bit bothered as the Heroes tried to convince him to let their friend go free; he gruffly explained that these slaves were the lawful property of Proximo, and were being delivered to him now. The driver being distracted by the Heroes\u2019 argument, Gestlin impulsively activated Smil-Blam and cast Blink<\/em> on Merasi\u00ebl; she appeared outside the cage, next to Gestlin. The slave-driver immediately became irate, and bellowed for the guard, saying that the Heroes were \u201cstealing\u201d his slaves. A pair of guards left their post at the bridge to answer the call, to find a heated argument between the slave-driver and this gaggle of armed adventurers over \u201cownership\u201d of one of the slave-driver\u2019s stock, confused all the more by the cries from the other slaves in the cage to be released as well. However, as Brother Mendel turned to the guard to plead the Heroes\u2019 case, the guard-supervisor must have mistaken him for some old antagonist of his, for he immediately drew his weapon and took up a combative stance\u2014he surely would have run Brother Mendel through had he not been backed by his fellows\u2014and demanded the gaggle immediately disperse; whatever Brother Mendel said to try to calm the man seemed only to make it worse. Rather than fight the lawful city guards over what was, technically, a crime they had committed, the Heroes convinced the guard to escort the lot of them to Proximo\u2019s estate, where the matter would be settled.<\/p>\n

\"bs-proximo\"
Proximo<\/a><\/div>\n

Proximo met the entourage at his gates. After the guards\u2019 explanation, he was a bit put out at the Heroes\u2019 apparent betrayal, but Brother Mendel spoke to their good intentions, and their desire to make due recompense, and Proximo\u2019s demeanor was cooled. They gathered together ten gold marks to compensate Proximo for the loss of his property, and satisfied, Merasi\u00ebl was set free (officially this time). Brother Mendel asked how the necklace had worked out; Proximo admitted it appeared to have worked as advertised, and thanked them for the worthy gift. With the slaves taken inside, and the driver and guards now gone their way, the group moved to the south garden of Proximo\u2019s estate. Neither Proximo nor any others present were told of the nature of the demonstration prior to its performance, that it was to be an illusion. As soon as they were ready, the show was begun: this time, rather than their usual recounting of the story of their adventures in the Otherworld against the Vasa, Magnifico and Brother Mendel prepared a performance consisting of the opening of a portal to the Otherworld a few paces before the viewers, where a great battle raged between Men and Vasa, before a pair of full-grown dragons (of the sort they had encountered there) descended upon the field and slaughtered all present without discrimination. The carnage was magnificent, the illusory performance encompassing sight, smell, sound, and even the heat and such. As the dragons appeared, Magnifico screamed that they had lost control of the portal, and the fighting spilled through to engulf the audience. The other Heroes were in on the play as well: Gabriel drew his sword and \u201cfought\u201d the invaders before tumbling out of the way of a fireball; also Gestlin cast magical strikes through the portal. Rainald, standing at the back to ensure things didn\u2019t get out of hand, had to interrupt Merasi\u00ebl before she could leap into the fray (as she had not been clued in). When Proximo\u2019s face revealed their success\u2014that he believed what he saw was real\u2014the illusion was allowed to dissipate.<\/p>\n

Proximo was greatly impressed, calling for food and drink to be brought out while they discussed the details of future performances. Merasi\u00ebl sorely wanted her gear returned, especially her ancestral blades, and Proximo promised he would see if he could get them back for her, though they would need to buy them back; on request, Merasi\u00ebl was taken inside to bathe, and was given some new clothes (which were of typical Wazifi fashion). The Heroes then inquired what news Proximo\u2019s contacts had discovered regarding Lord Wallace\u2019s disappearance, keeping to themselves what they already knew; Proximo revealed that one of his ships had picked up some shipwrecked sailors in Keyhole Bay, bearing an \u201cimportant prisoner,\u201d and taken them to Hadaton, where they later departed, presumably for Tredroy. He had also heard that the Templars had taken Lord Wallace captive, confirming what the Heroes had drawn from the Templar captain, though Proximo knew of no other details. Then, the Heroes talked of wanting to go to Tredroy, and Proximo was happy to make whatever arrangements were needed to make it so, and would deliver the happy news to Aamir Rahmani as well (he was away from the estate, but still in town). It was decided they would leave Craine immediately on the morrow, providing Merasi\u00ebl\u2019s weapons could be found in that time. Proximo penned some letters for his contacts at the show\u2019s tour cities, encouraging them to make all the arrangements there in his name, and gave them to the Heroes. They parted company in good spirits.<\/p>\n

After returning to the Gleaming endeavor<\/em> and informing Captain Finn of their intentions, the Heroes retired back to the Crimson Mug Inn for the rest of the day. Some time later, a package was delivered to them: Merasi\u00ebl\u2019s knives; another eight gold marks were ponied up for their redemption\u2014she was very thankful for their return, but rather depressed at how much money she \u201cowed\u201d the company as a result of her misfortune. In the evening, after much drinking (including some spectacular spills by Gestlin, resulting in his spending far more coin than he intended to compensate for lost drinkage and wet clothing), the company retired to bed. Sometime in the middle of the night, most of the Heroes awoke to the sound of someone creeping in their room; as they started out of bed, they saw the flash of steel in the darkness, as an assassin leapt forward and attempted to knife them:<\/p>\n

\"bs-CrimsonMug\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"bs-69-screen1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"bs-69-screen2\"<\/a><\/div>\n