Blood & Scales - Nerd Squad

Episode 6 - Bigger Gun Diplomacy


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The massive vessel named Sashelas moves towards your boat and the party springs into action to make yourselves less conspicuous. Odi speaks with Gallo and Mateu who has a grievance against the Aigrei and talks them out of attacking the elves when they arrive. He heads down to the hull upon hearing that there may be some suspicious cargo and discovers a crate that is partially opened. When he investigates he finds that it contains a plain looking clay pot, with an iron nail wrapped in copper held at the top and filled with what appears to be vinegar.   On the top deck everyone is interrogated. Of note... -Firn is asked if she is associated with Enzu or the Isle of the Damned -Imarra is asked if she has ever killed or maimed someone, or if she had been maimed herself. Everyone else is asked fairly innocuous questions.   Ioanna uses Tundi again to listen in to an elf having a conversation with Captain Atawolf. He is apparently being pressed on the contents of his cargo, something about vats of blood, but Atawolf insists they are merely carrying cabbages. The elf mentions that there is a killer on the loose that they are searching for.   Down in the hull Shera follows an elf who starts poking around the cargo. When he asks to open up a crate she complies and tons of cabbages, nearly rotting, pile out of the crate.   After this the elves return back to their boat but not before giving a sharp warning that any "non-licensed" weaponry will be subject to being seized should the Aigrei Alliance find any aboard your vessel.   Ioanna continues using Tundi to read some of Captain Atawolf's notes: "...received correspondence with Tariel payload in Crandlewood transporting large amount of new tech. -number of recruits picked up in Lade -mentions "three humans a halfling, a cat... thing, and an isoxuatua (good luck charm?... put her on the bow, if the figurehead gets destroyed boat=good)"     Tundi looks through a drawer of items and is able to take a single gold piece and they scamper back down to the crew's quarters.     You sail on and everyone gets a bit of a rest before guiding the boat around the island where Crandlewood is located. As you get closer you round a bay on the far side of the island. You can see the city now, compact and bustling and bright, all perched on the top of a cliffside with large walls at its side and buildings that dangle precariously off of it. Below the cliff lies a series of piers connected to the city above by immense cranes for cargo and gondolas for people. The third thing you notice about the bay is that its littered with ships, some anchored in the bay, or waiting to dock, some float, in what appears to be a floating village off to the right, and down past the docks you see what looks like a ship junkyard, next to a walled marina near land that is only 30 or so feet above the water.     You start pulling into the port and towards a marina. Shera wishes you an awkward best of luck before Atawolf approaches you. He says that you can use his name for good favor throughout the Stormfair district in Crandlewood but also to warn you that if you speak ill of him or his crew, he will find out.   After exiting the boat you leave the marina into a market district and follow Ferron's suggestion to head towards the city center to stop at an inn. As you pass by the crumbling city walls a cloaked woman grabs Ferron by his shirt and points a knife to his throat. She says that she would kill him if she ever saw him in Crandlewood again. She introduces herself as Ivette and you manage to talk her out of harming Ferron for the moment. Ivette mentions that there is a killer on the loose who has been targeting elf civilians in Crandlewood which is the reason the Aigrei are on such high alert in addition to the fall of Grenna so you may have a difficult time getting in to get your papers. However she does confirm Ferron's remark that you will need to find a way to speak to Maruk, who is the head of the local Aigrei organization known as KAAHRP.   You part with Ivette and continue on into the city till you spot a sign that says Ursula's Bar and Inn. The innkeeper is fast asleep in her chair but her daughter Aurelia gets you some rooms set up and offers to serve drinks from the bar. One of the more interesting options at the bar is a drink known as Tranquil which has some interesting side effects. Ferron and Firn have an arm wrestling match after partaking in the drink and the rest enjoy the entertaining effects.   The rest of the party goes off to bed while Ferron and Odi stay up for awhile. A spell is cast on Ferron to compell him to tell the truth and Odi inquires what had happened between Ferron and Ivette. Ferron reveals that he and Ivette were partners working for the Zeta Squad on several missions to steal and sabotage throughout Crandlewood. On one mission Ivette blames Ferron for abandoning her during a mission, leading to her capture. He reveals that their employer is a mysterious fellow known as Sighota (see-ho-ta) often referred to as "The Rat". It's possible that Ferron may still be on bad terms with him.   Ferron also reveals that there is a game referred to as The Aggro Fights that is often played in the Conclave district. It is a mix of a drinking game and a boxing match.   Firn looks desperately for someone to wrestle until Ioanna convinces her that they can wrestle if she comes back to their room. Ioanna and Confidence finally suggest Firn into getting some sleep. You head off to bed, your first time in a real bed since the seige of Grenna. Some of you haven't been in a bed in a city since you came to this world.



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Blood & Scales - Nerd SquadBy Nerd Squad