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Session 20, The Coin Complete
Coins End 

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Session 20 – 2024-05-11

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==== Summary ====


==== Detail ====

After receiving the note, the group spent the rest of night at the forge Audra on the final watch. Nothing else happened.  The next morning, they moved as a whole group to Geolain's house. They were no longer hiding from the Sentinals as they already knew they were here and where they were. They gathered the books together. Oglesby suggested taking a second set of books so that maybe they could pull a switcheroo on them and pawn off some nothing books on the kidnappers. Joah said to Oglesby, "Remind me not to trust you in the future.". Oglesby suggested we put the bag with the real books in the Bag of Holding and carry the fake books out in plain site. Joah asked if he should go with them but Oglesby told him to wait at the house for Geolain and prepare for the scrying thing should all of this fall apart. They got everything together and head out. They went through the eastern gate and headed down the coastline following the eastern road. 

They went about 3 miles and then came upon a heavy set guy. He stood up and walked out into the middle of the road with a big old cigar hanging from his mouth. He didn't look familiar. He said, "Well, Sooloe knew you would come. He asked of them, "You got the books?". Oglesby answered, "Got em right here lad!". Audra asked, "Where is Sooloe?". The man answered, "You'll see him soon enough mate!". He eyed everyone, especially for the weapons they carried. Once he seemed satisfied, he told them to follow him. They moved off the road into a wooded area and continued on for about a quarter mile. Along the way, Brandy looked to Oglesby and said, "What did I tell you about people who smoke cigars?". Oglesby replied, "What's that my dear?". Brandy said, "All they do is blow smoke up your ass.". Even the man laughed a little at that. He replied, "I can do a lot more than that with your ass!". She replied, "I don't think it's big enough.". They chuckled as they continued on. They learned the mans name was Oria. 

At one point, Oria stopped and turned to them and said, "I hope you guys aren't bluffin! No tricks, or your little friend may stay missing for a long time.". They moved into a clearing and in the distance, they could see a camp and quite a few people standing around. Those people turned to face the group entering the clearing. One man stood out in front of the others wearing the official uniform of the Calimport militia with the rank of Sergeant. He was smoking a cigar and had battle scars and faced them menacingly. He look at the group and asked, who was the leader of the group. Oglesby said, "We are really kind of more of a democracy, if you know what I mean.". He asked, "Then who has the biggest mouth in your group.". Elenor said, "That would be Brandy!", as she laughed. Oglesby pointed out Brandy as well. She looked at Oglesby and said, "I saw that!". The man continued, "Well, we have a small matter of some business to get to.". He continued, "We know you are the team that stole some important books from a home in the Makers Ward and the owner of those books, being quite the non-confrontational sort, simply asks that you return the books and there will be no questions asked.". 

Brandy replied, "Excuse me but didn't you guys steal them in the first place? So they're really not your books.". Sooloe replied, "What makes you think he stole them? Did some wizard tell you that? Do you believe those lying bastards?". Brandy said, "Do I trust a wizard who has money and a good house over a nasty, stinky, cigar smoking asshole? Yeah, I trust the wizard before I do you!". Sooloe asked, "How do you think the wizard got all of that money. He's taking it from people like you, you shithead.". There was much more conversation about who was the rightful owners of the books and a lot of name calling. It finally came down to Sooloe telling them that if they returned the books, then he would help them find their missing friend. He said, "I'd say there is a fare chance we could probably locate him.". Audra added, "Seeing as you guys kidnapped him, yes, I'd think you would be able to!". Sooloe protested when called a kidnapper. He touted how he was a member of the Calimport militia. "We do not kidnap people!", Sooloe said. He returned to calling them thieves who broke into someone's home, stole some materials, and even murdered someone. He snapped his fingers and called out, "Neebo, Callia?". Two figures came closer, one limping with a cane. Audra recognized them. 

Callia cried out, "That's them! That's who killed Kibbet". She pointed out Pyreece and Brandy. Sooloe asked how they answered this charge. Brandy answered it saying that they attacked first and her death was the result of them defending themselves. Callia said, "They broke into the house, we were defending it.". Sooloe said, "Hmm, well this is awkward, isn't it!". Brandy answered, "It really doesn't make any fucking difference because, number 1, the deal was we bring you the books, you give us the guy we're looking for. Obviously you don't have him so, I tell you what. When you find him, get back with us and then we'll see about talking business. Till then, you can take that cigar you're smoking and shove it up your ass!". Sooloe said, "It's a shame you feel that way. It gets awkward because, I guess, as officials of Calimport, I'm going to have to arrest you!". Brandy laughed at him and said, "We're not in Calimport!". Sooloe responded, "Oh, you are very much in the territory of Calimport so, I hereby pronounce the six of you, rogues to the authorities, and will place you under arrest. Do you yield?". Brandy responded, "I don't yield to people like you! You have no authority over me.". Sooloe stated that he very much did have that authority, as he pointed out the official insignia on his uniform. He said, "As an official of Calimport, I very much do have authority over you, in this land". 

Brandy looked at him and said, "I've got one of those in my pocket!". Sooloer answered, "Oh really. So you are impersonating a Calimport official on top of everything else. Now we can add that charge to the list, if you in fact have such a thing.". Brandy added, "You can charge all you want to.". Sooloe said, "Oh, I intend to! Put down your weapons and come with me now! I will not ask again!". Brandy answered, "You don't have to, we're not going!". Sooloe asked, "Does this idiot speak for all of you?". At the same time, Pyreece cast the Entangle spell and targeted four of the men backing him up. They were all locked into the grasp of plant life in the area and unable to move, all but one who managed to be able to move out of the area very slowly. Over a short period of they took down Sooloe. Audra had tried to get him to surrender the fight as he was the only one fighting and didn't stand a chance against all of them. He'd refused every attempt to get him to stop and threw out more threats with each one. Others fled before they even engaged. A couple made it out of the area of entanglement only to flee. Myron fell. Once they were done, Pyreece moved to save the lives of Sooloe and Myron. She brought them back from the brink and before they could recover enough to fight back they took away their weapons and tied the up.

After saving their lives, Sooloe went right back to accusations and threats. He swore they were in big trouble now as they had attacked a member of the Calimport guard. They attempted to get him to tell them where Halaan was, but he wouldn't tell them. Brandy even hit both of his ears, one at a time, trying to get him to talk but he wouldn't reveal where Halaan was, only continued to threaten them. Audra spoke up and asked him if he'd heard of the army up north, attacking cities and reeking havoc? He assumed that they were in league with her and made more threats but Audra assured him that they were not in league with Daresh. She and her group, with the aid of Halaan were probably the only people with a chance to take her down. Sooloe asked, "Take her down?". Audra told him "Yes, we have a method for taking her down and what you've done is hinder that by taking our friend. We need our friend back in order to accomplish that. So we can help each other out if you return our friend, I really don't see a problem with giving you back the books. You are a member of the city guard. You can deal with making sure they get back to their rightful owners. But we need to stop this psycho up north before she makes it down to Calimport. We don't want to do battle…I don't think Calimport wants to do battle with their citizens in the line of fire.".

Sooloe didn't seem to believe her. He told her she was full of shit. She told him she was prepared to prove their willingness to help him. She added, "and I agree that if there is a problem with the books, that it is a problem for the authorities to handle. As for our friend, he is very important in taking out Daresh. I think it's important that we stop Daresh before she reaches a major populated city. She's already reached some smaller ones as I understand it. People are dieing. She's building an army and we need to stop her before that army gets too big.". Sooloe replied, "We've been briefed on this Daresh character you're talking about.". Elenor added, "Then you know she's gotten the gnolls, the orcs, and others on her side.". He agreed. He looked at Elenor and said, "It would seem to me that you are in league with her.". Elenor answered, "No!". He added, "Well, she is one of you!", hurling that as an accusation. Elenor answered that saying, "No, she's evil, I am not!". Audra added, "Daresh is not one of us. She's a witch that seeks power and has managed to pull it off. We do not seek evil power.". Brandy added, "The bitch tried to kill me and I'm going to take her out!". 

As a show of good faith, Audra took out the books and set them down in front of him and said, Here are the books! Please help us bring our friend back so we can take care of the real evil.". With that, Pyreece cast three Cure Light Wounds on him healing him for 17 points. Audra added, "We never intended to attack a member of the city guard.". As she was talking, he looked down at his bindings. Audra cut all of the bindings. He stood up and pulled out a cigar and lit it. Brandy got a little stressed over the whole thing and started pacing around behind everyone, grumbling a little to herself. Sooloe said, "That ones a little spit fire back there!". Oglesby said, "You have to understand her. She doesn't like people demanding stuff of her.". Sooloe said, "With a little discipline, she'd make an excellent member of the Calimport authority.". Oglesby added, "She's pulled my ass out of the fire a couple of times.". Brandy moved off a little distance and sat down in a huff. Sooloe asked what they planned to do with Daresh. Audra said, "Our intent is to confront he and hopefully end her. I think that's what it's going to take. There is a slim chance, she has absorbed an evil magical. There is a chance that we can separate her from the evil magic in her hand. If it's spread to the rest of her, we don't know. We might be able to just lop off her hand and end the whole thing. I don't know. We may try that and find out the evil has corrupted her completely and we have to kill her to stop her.". 

Oglesby added, "Without our friend Halaan, we have no chance of defeating her. He is the only one who can help us get what we need to do that.". Audra added, "Nobody has a chance of defeating her without what he is capable of doing for us.". Sooloe looked in the bag with the books and pulled out one and looked at the bindings. He looked to Myron and asked him to look at them. Myron looked them over and Sooloe nodded for him to take the books. He took them and moved away. Sooloe said, "We don't have a lot of information about Daresh other than, they call her the devil witch of the north and silly things like that. For practical purposes, intelligence is telling us, she's definitely got a small paramilitary outfit, basically set up now. She's making some headway". Brandy spoke up saying, "Yeah yeah, we kicked some of their asses too!". Audra said, "What we don't know is how much of that power extends to her military force. Is she controlling them or does she aid them by casting some sort of power magics while they are in battle, in order to help them.". Sooloe said, "I know that she's basically brought together tribes that normally quarrel amongst each other. Under her banner, which by the way, if you see it, is the infinity symbol.". Brandy said, "We've seen that before, makes for good targets.". Sooloe looked at Brandy and winced a little as he rubbed his ears.

Myron returned with Halaan in tow. Sooloe, never conceeding that they were holding him simply said, "Oh, look what we've found! Your friend appears to be safe. Good work Myron!". Halaan made his way over to the group. Brandy said, "See, we could have avoided all of this shit if you had been honest to begin with.". Sooloe replied, "I've been a pillar of integrity. If you'd just given me the books you'd stolen, so I could return them to their rightful owners, none of this would have happened either.".  Audra said, "Well, you have the books now, and as the authority in Calimport, you are able to return them to their rightful owners or at least get them to the courts so they can determine that. That will be your job. Our job will be to finish our task and do our best to take down Daresh. Meanwhile, thank you for your understanding. Sorry we had to have this fight. Thankfully we were able to keep anybody from dying. It was never our intention for anyone to get hurt. I hope we'll be allow to return to the town and finish what we need to do there before we leave.".

Sooloe puffed on his cigar and said, "You know, if you are really going after Daresh, you can take a couple of my guys with you.". Brandy said, "Oh, I'm going after the bitch. She shot that black shit at me and I aint forgot that!". She described the incident and the black whipping tentacles that flailed at her, and that killed their friend, the person she had enslaved to make the magical item she wanted. Audra told him, that if he wanted some of his people to join them, they should be at the forge the next day at noon. She added, "We will, of course, need to interview them before accepting them into our group. If you vouch for them and we find no fault in them, I don't have any issue with taking them with us.". Sooloe looked at her gave her a cool measure. He said, "Pretty damn good with that sword!". Audra told him he was quite impressive himself. It was not easy to take him down. He asked for his weapons back. They returned his and Myron's weapons. Sooloe said, "Noon tomorrow at the forge?". Audra confirmed that. They decided they needed to wait here for an hour and give Sooloe time to get back to town and quiet things down before they got there, so the town guard would let them pass. He told them there was some leftover food in the camp and that they were welcome to it. Audra thanked him. They grabbed the books up and left.

The group sat for a while. Brandy asked Halaan how he was. He said he was fine. He likened it to an adventure that he'd just had. He said, "One moment I'm sitting in the forge, Joah went outside because he heard a noise. He never came back. Then I heard some knocking at the door. I came to the door. They said they were quite fascinated with what they'd heard about me. I had some notoriety and that I had magic skills and they wanted to talk with me about that and learn from me. They offered to buy me a drink. I was quite tired and waiting on you guys and I had nothing really to do so I thought I'd go along with them. Truth be told, that was a bad decision. They were quite flattering and quite charming actually. I thought they were very nice. They showed a great deal of interest in magic and what was going on. We had not gotten very far when somebody whacked me over the head and then I woke up in the woods. They were generally nice to me and fed me.". Brandy pointed out that they were criminals. They had whacked him over the head and held him captive. He said, "Other than that, they were nice to me. I didn't know what their end game was until I was brought out here. It appears they used me to get the books back?". Audra answered, "Yes! I hated to give them back the books but he appears to be a real official with the town guard and I guess it's up to the town guard to determine who the books really belong to. We have other things to deal with!". Halaan said, "I'd never seen the man in uniform before I walked out here. It's the first I've seen of him.". 

Brandy said, "Nuts come in all sizes!". Halaan replied, "That is so true!". Audra pointed out that at least they didn't tamper with the coin. Halaan was pleased to hear that and that they'd returned with the blood he needed. He asked if the coin was okay and they told him that the last they'd seen it, it was fine. Audra said, It's still sitting there smoldering hot!".  Halaan asked, "Still hot?". Audra said, "still very hot, still seems to be in a liquid state!". Halaan said, "Like it should be! Excellent!". Brandy questioned the whole incident with Sooloe. She said, "He might be militia but why weren't other militia here instead of the bunch of rabble he had with him. He's one of these fanatics about the magic, people.". Audra agreed that Sooloe had an adgenda but that we had bigger fish to fry. Leave it to the those in town to deal with. They rested there and after the hour was up, they set out for Calimport. They watched carefully as they they moved closer. Kipp took the lead and scouted out the gate they were approaching. All looked normal. As they approached, they noticed Sooloe chatting with other guards. He didn't seem to be taking notice of them. The guards did their usual checking of the papers and questioning. Sooloe was standing behind them and watching. They asked their usual battery of questions and they answered somewhat honestly. Sooloe finally came forward and said, "Their good!". The guards seemed to snap to attention a little and motioned them through. 

They moved through the gate and into town proper and headed toward the forge. As they arrived at the forge, they entered and Halaan ran over to check the coin. Joah was there! They gave Halaan the vile of devils blood and he began mixing some chemicals. It was evening now. He was muttering to himself that the temperature of the metal was perfect. He added a drop of devils blood here and there. Then he called out to know one in particular, "STOKE UP THE FORGE!". He poured grey powder on a small piece of something and motioned absently to Elenor and said, "Add this to the fire!". She asked, "The forge?" he said "Yes, the forge!". She moved over there and tossed the powder into the flames. They turned an eerie blood red and the room filled with the stench of rotting fruit. Halaan began to chant and it grew louder and louder. He tossed some orange powder into the fire and onto the coin. His chanting reverberated as if echoing back from a great distance. The coin began to glow malevolently. They began to feel like it may have been watching them. Elenor stepped back away from it a little. He chanted for some 15 or twenty minutes. He read some things from the scroll he had. 

It was about then that the front door was shattered into many pieces as a group of men came barging in. Audra ad Kipp moved quickly to engage and block their way. They appeared to be making their way toward Halaan. The battle for the coin was on. The invaders were all dressed in black armor trimmed in gold with black capes. They were very formal looking. They bore the infinity symbol of Daresh. They appeared to be well disciplined, and well trained. Oglesby chose to use the sling. Audra was attacked by Kilroy and hit. Joah backed up a little and cast a Magic Missile at Dreslor, one of the invaders. Pyreece casts a Hold Person spell attempting to catch Heng and Malcom in it. The spell failed! Elenor cast a Web spell around the area in front of the door catching several of the invaders in it. Brandy pulled her bow out and fired on Gizwiz and hit him. Kipp attacked and hit Dreslor. Audra attacked Gizwiz and hit him. Gizwiz attacked back at Audra and hit her. Malcom tried to start backing out of the door. Then the windows on either side of the front part of the building shattered open. Two men with crossbows leaned in and fired at Halaan, both hitting him. Halaan kept chanting. Oglesby changed his target to Ragamuffin who was one of the shooters in the windows. Brandy fired at Gizwiz again and hit him, he went down.

The battle continued. The invaders were focused on trying to get to Halaan. Joah cast the spell Glitter Dust at the western window effectively blinding the shooter in that window. He dropped down out of view. Elenor casts a Wall of Fog spell behind Halaan blocking him from view by those firing from the window. Pyreece moved back through the fog, carefully so as not to crash into him. She found him, whispered to him that she was gong to heal him, and cast a Cure Light Wounds spell on him healing him for 2 points. Brandy and Oglesby attacked the guy in the eastern window. Oglesby engaged with his sword so as to prevent him from firing on Halaan. Kipp hit Dreslor twice. Ragamuffin pulled out his sword and tried to hit Oglesby and missed. Brandy fired on Ragamuffin again and hit him between the eyes. He went down. On the next round, Kilroy went down by the combo of Elenor's Magic Missiles and Audra's rather solid hit. Dreslor and Heng took quite a bit more damage. The following round Dreslor, Heng, and Malcom all made their way out of the Web. Malcom made it out the door and out of sight. Dreslor went down by Kipp. Elenor broke out her sling and hit Gooffus. Heng went down by the combination hits of Oglesby and Brandy. 

The next round, there were only a couple of the invaders left. Halaan kept chanting, his voice reaching a crescendo. The words were unrecognizable. The window next to him crashed with the force of a person flying threw it. The invader came to his feet and brought up his sword to attack Halaan. Elenor could barely make out Halaan and saw him turn toward the new opponent while staying focused on his task. There was a horrifying, loud, and inhuman shriek. It was unclear where it came from but it got everyone's attention. Oglesby jumped through the fog toward the invader attacking Halaan and was shocked to see Halaan's arm extended with a long curved blade stuck into the invader, Malcom. He saw Malcom kind of wither with this mist coming from his body, being sucked into the coin. Halaan was still focused on his task, chanting loudly. Oglesby pulled back, stunned and unsure what to do next. Brandy made her way through the fog and was stunned to see the same thing. Kipp finished off Goofus. Biggeth Dicketh fired from the window, now that the Glitter Dust had dropped. He missed Kipp. Joah turned to face the activity around Halaan and was also stunned by what he saw. Pyreece moved back to assist but like the others, stopped short and stared at the bizarre scene. Halaan continued to chant as Malcom's body continued to wither. Halaan took the rest of the devil's blood and poured it over the coin. The blood bubbled and boiled forming what looked like creepy little devil figures on the coin. 

On the next round, those standing around the scene unfolding with Halaan were simply shocked and bewildered, unable to do anything but watch in horror. Biggeth Dicketh fired on Kipp again but missed. Kipp jumped through the window and attacked Bigeth Dicketh hitting him and killing him. Audra went into guard mode with bow drawn waiting on someone to shoot at. For the next few moments, the chanting got even louder, hurting their ears and rattling their teeth. Halaan took another vile of powder and tossed it into the flames and a green light filled the room. A blast of electricity engulfed the coin and the fire was suddenly quenched as the flames disappear seemingly being sucked into the coin. A moment later, the flames reappeared without their unnatural twinge. Halaan removed the bone dagger and Malcom's body collapsed to the floor. Halaan leaned over the flames and grasped a pair of tongs, removing the coin from the fire and placed it into a bucket of water. A redish steam issued forth and seemed to form, for just a moment, a misshaped head and torso. The thing seemed to look over all of them and slowly dispersed with the eyes going last. 

Halaan put the coin on the table and said, "There, there is your coin! Who will take it?". Brandy said, "Well that's some shit if I ever saw it!". Elenor said, with a heaviness, "I'll take it!". Pyreece asked, "Should she touch it at all or should she pick it up with something to avoid contact.". Halaan told them it was quite cool to the touch. Elenor asked if it would do the same to her as with Daresh? Halaan suggested that the person with the highest resistance to the temptation of evil should be the bearer of the coin. "It will try to corrupt and control the holder.", he added. Brandy said, "It sure as hell aint going to be Og then, and I've had my fill of this for one day.". Someone suggested the priest but though Pyreece was good, was she strong enough to take this? Audra was the same and felt she was less likely to be able to resist it's temptations. Pyreece felt that Elenor would likely be disciplined enough to be able to handle it but Elenor questioned her own strength of character. Kipp was the person best aligned and possibly the most disciplined of the group. Oglesby spoke up, "Brandy, are you saying I'm some sort of cad?". Brandy said, "Isn't that obvious to everybody? You big oaf, sit down!". The choice was quickly narrowed to the mage, ranger, or priest. 

Audra asked, "How will this work, how will we use this thing. Do you hold it in your hand and then will something to happen? Are there any instructions explaining how to use it?". Halaan responded, "I don't know!". Audra asked, "If Elenor carries it, will it prevent her from doing what she can normally do with magic or enhance it? The same with Pyreece and Kipp. That could make a difference as to who should carry it.". Halaan said, "It will clearly enhance someone! How, I don't know!". Brandy said, "well that's a fine howdy do! I guess someone will have to take the thing to find out what it does.". Halaan said, "It will try to turn you evil, that will be for certain. Search your heart because if you pretend to be good and you are not, if your motivations are anything other than honorable, the coin may seduce you to the dark side, and rather quickly.". After much discussion, it was decided that Kipp should take it if he was willing. Kipp was willing. Pyreece wanted time to pray over him before he took it but with all of the sounds of the fight and the completion of the coin, the guards were likely on there way. They should flee the area quickly. It was obvious that the forge was a beacon for trouble. Everyone was looking at it. It was the center of so much turmoil. They are surely on their way. 

Kipp took the coin as Pyreece prayed to Selune for strength for her friend to resist its call to evil. Kipp held the coin and stared at it. They could tell that mentally, he and the coin were having a spiritual interaction. Brandy and Audra pulled the bodies back into the building. Kipp finally looked away from the coin and wrapped his hand around it, then gave a weird sort of smile and then put the coin in his pocket. Pyreece was still uttering prayers. There was a brief discussion about showing this scene to Sooloe so he can see that we are fighting these people but Brandy nixed that with a, "Hell no, I don't trust that bastard!". Audra said, "But then again, we're supposed to be here at noon to meet his people who would possibly be going with us!". Halaan said, "I'm quite leaving! The guard will come!". Joah said, "Are you sure?". Halaan said, "What did you call it a minute ago, a beacon? Yes, there has been wholesale slaughter in this building! We basically had a huge fight in the middle of town.". After only a moment more of debating, they fled. 

As Audra reached the door, she heard a voice in her head. It said, "Take me with you!". She stopped and looked around. There was no one there but the dead bodies. She asked, in her mind, "Where are you?". The reply she received was, "Filthy!". She moved to search coals and felt that she was in the wrong place. She searched the table when the voice said, "Get me off this filthy body!". She searched the bodies quickly and found a particularly unusual looking black long sword on Heng's body. She used a piece of cloth to grasp the sword and wrap it up while asking in her mind, "Is this you?". The response she got was one of relief, a lengthy, "Ahhh". She grabbed the scabbard as well and put the sword back into it and fled the forge, catching up to everyone else. They heard the footfalls of booted feet running through the streets. They headed to Geolain's residence.  

That is where the session ended.

Start the recorder.

Experience was 1000 + 100 = 1100.