Run Date: February 14, 2024
PCs
Mina:
Lv2 Explorer
Maud: Lv2 Shaman (plus doggo)
Delvinan: Lv1
Nightblade
Enddilas: Lv1 Spellsword
Hench
None
A Bridge Too Far
A new wave of hooks met with a short discussion and the group deciding to find out what exactly is going on at the bridge site. For some reason or other, it’s taking longer than expected.
After the party handled their purchases in town and stocked for the trip, they headed south from Fayum on the road to Sherbin. They didn’t make it far before an incursion of orc raiders were spotted heading their direction. Mina took charge and lead the group out of sight. They arrived in Sideways a little while later.
The party stayed at the ready for several hours until spotting cavalrymen, covered in blood, rushing down the road. They took it as a sign that the garrison was handling the incursion. The hamlet’s Priest, Grigori, rewarded the group with some Rotvalan sausages for their willingness to make a stand alongside them. After that, they headed to the construction site.
The party arrived after dark, and were lucky enough to find the on-duty guard was a friendly sort. They inquired about the various events and rumours within the camp, and discovered that materials found in working order upon inspection were collapsing and showing damage after being used for construction. The setbacks had slowed progress, but not stopped it. The PCs wanted to look over the damaged materials, but the guard suggested they ask the foreman come morning.
The group set out the following morning with their guard friend to speak with the foreman; a livid Khana whose patience was long burned out. After a dismissive conversation, the party was given leave to examine the damages and site. I believe it was Enddilas that discovered that the damage was unnatural, noting that some insects could produce acid to burn through the wood but that the pattern, or splash, didn’t match.
After their examination, they decided to check the site for another sign of damage. After finding little of interest, they reconvened. It was at that moment that a section of the in-progress bridge collapsed. The players dove away from the fallen wood and stone and immediately began rendering aid to injured and stranded workers. Afterward, they dug through the rubble and discovered more acid damage. Maud asked her dog to track the scent, believing the cause was still nearby.
Angus (I think that’s the dog’s name), sniffed back into the camp until finding a worker’s tent. The group slipped in to further narrow the search and found Angus sniffing at a locked chest. The group hesitated to pick it themselves for fear of being wrong or being accused of planting evidence. They instead informed the foreman; now red with fury from the collapse a short while ago. The men staying in the tent were brought forth and the chest laid on display on the foreman’s table.
After the foreman’s very direct question that was not at all paired with minor violence, one of the men admitted that the chest was his. The same man, Sirin, then refused to open it after the foreman commanded. This soon resulted in flying fists and explosive rage.
The group intervened in their own way, and took an axe to break the chest open. Inside, glass shattered. Sirin began yelling about his “good stuff.” Upon examination, three bottles were discovered. Two were different vintages of fine wine, and the other a water infused with sage. No acid.
The foreman was incensed and began throwing every sort of accusation at the PCs. They were escorted out of the construction site shortly thereafter.
The party, not being satisfied with what happened, were set on Sirin being their man. They waited until nightfall and took up points at the corners of the camp. They expected him to flee and wanted to be there to catch him. It didn’t take long before Maud spotted Sirin sneaking his way westward through an old dirt path. She rushed the man with her staff and promptly bashed his head in.
Today, we learned how nonlethal attacks work. Turns out that nonlethal isn’t exactly “nonlethal” in most game’s senses. The man rolled so poorly on his mortal wounds that he nearly instantly died, and even then was addled as hell. Angus was sent out to retrieve the other members of the party and the attempted interrogation began.
Today, we learned that an addled man is a poor informant. They couldn’t get anything of use out of him, and eventually forced the sage water (they kept the bottle) down his throat to see what happened. They were unsatisfied with the result (hoping it would be acidic and kill him), and proceeded to stomp on his balls. This was the last straw for Sirin’s body. The worker expired, tied to a tree and covered in blood.
The group, increasingly unhappy, made their way back to Fayum. They paid 40gp for a consultation regarding the sage water. It was their last effort to figure out the acid thing. The consultant had little to offer on the alchemical end, noting that it was merely water with sage in it. He did, however, inform them that a certain spell, Vitriolic Infusion, used water as a component. He wrote the details down and notarized the information for the party before sending them on their way.
Rewards (Totals)
None
Afterword
I think the players did a fantastic job snuffing out clues and gathering information. Great use of the Totem Dog, solid coverage of bases during their investigation, and taking the initiative regarding the worker. The dice didn’t quite work out in their favor, but the consultation at the end served as a good lead.
Or at least I thought so.
The players seemed rather unhappy with the results of their efforts. Whether that was my fault for being terrible at “mysteries” or something else, I don’t know. Before leaving, though, they were already discussing abandoning this hook for another.
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