Way of the Wicked Book 1 Act 3

[archon_huskie]

The Plan:
Step 1 X “forging” documents
The Reeve checks the Ivory over for a bit and decides that it is valuable. He seems used to adventurers using odd things as payment. Why once he had to deal with a group who didn’t understand why the general store refused to accept bundles of quarterstaffs as barter. Small talk over, X is given a deed to the manor signed by the Reeve and the town scribe.

Step 2 Amber steals Dwarven tools and plants her lute as evidence.
Using her magic items and spells, Amber sneaks into the Dwarven rooms and takes a few of their tool boxes that they left on their table.. She then leaves her lute behind in their place.

Step 3 Caleb murders the Reeve
Using the tools Amber provided him. Caleb makes a bloody mess of the Reeve. He manages to get his rapier out of his scabbard, but the Asmodean Cleric is too much of a match against the dandy fencer.

Step 4 X steals back the ivory and plants it as evidence.
X sneaks back to the Reeve’s house, steals the ivory back, then plants it in the dwarven rooms.
With the Reeve dead, X has no one to stop him from finding the safe the ivory was stored in. He then manages to sneak into the dwarves rooms and plant the bag of ivory under their beds, next to their full tool boxes. . . This is the first hint that something is wrong.

The Next Morning
While the party is having breakfast the next morning, news comes quickly that the Reeve was found murdered that night. Horrors! And he was murdered by a hammer to the face. His blood painted on the walls in the shape of Droskar’s unholy symbol.

Then a Bard who had been playing as the live music last night comes downstairs and hands Amber’s lute over to the innkeeper. “Someone must have found this lute and assumed it was mine and left it my room.” He says. “Also I seem to have misplaced my crafting tools for crafting instruments. Did I leave them down here yesterday?”

Amber had stolen tools and planted evidence in the wrong room!

Step 5 Irene rumor mongers for damage control
Spinning a lie, Irene suggests that someone had been in her room and moved her boots into (Amber’s fake identity)’s room. And she had found (Mira’s fake identity)’s ring in her room. Irene suggests that someone was playing a prank on everyone.

By Mid day, The Lord Commander has personally come to town with a group of soldiers to investigate. He begins questioning a few and seems to take no pleasure in doing so. He notes that the bard’s tools were found at the scene of the crime. The Lord Commander then wants to speak to the people who last saw the Reeve alive, namely X and the town scribe. It becomes a point of common knowledge that X purchased the manor house with a bag of ivory tusks. As the investigations gets into the 2nd hour, the Lord Commander starts to connect the dots and suspects the dwarven group. He calls for the dwarves room to be searched where the Ivory is found. At this moment the dwarves are actually in the watchtower working on the repairs. Arresting them is a trivial matter.

Step 6 Mira convinces the Lord Commander to give her authority.
About this time, Mira and Irene, using their Iron Circlets to disguise themselves, “arrive” in town. Taking the identity of another knight she knew, Mira approaches Lord Havelyn and offers his/her service to the town. Convinced of Mira’s fake credentials, Havelyn considers her offer. He decides that he needs to appoint one of his captains as Reeve to restore order in town. A familiar face will help see to that, but Mira is invited to take his captains duties in the interim.

And so. After being in Aldencross for two days, the 9th knot has managed to remove a captain from the watchtower, purchase a manor house as a base of operations, and eliminate the dwarven engineers.

The Nessian Knot
Aldencross Map Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Ionbound]

As a new captain, Mira quickly settles in to her position of authority, feigning a believable level of incompetence directed where she thinks I could do the most damage; Directing soldiers away from maintenance and towards exhausting and morale-crushing training regimes, among others.

[CasualViking]

At the manor house

Caleb wipes his mouth after breakfast. "Not bad for a few days work, eh? The killing wasn't much of problem, let me tell you that. Now, I think we should focus on getting rid of their chaplain, he's the most likely to cause problems."

[Zweanslord]

Amber is still grumbling about her own mistake. With Caleb speaking up, she quickly dives into the new subject. "Sounds like a perfect opportunity to awaken the ghosts with a bit of illusion magic, no? The Reeve to wander about as ghost, luring the chaplain out and then when the chaplain suspiciously doesn't return, tadaa, the ghost of the chaplain is walking about!"

[Ionbound]

Mira listens in on the conversation, shrugs, and adds, "Why not just bring back the Reeve's ghost itself under your command? There are spells for that, I assume, considering what the Mitrans taught me in training."

[CasualViking]

Caleb

"Yeah, there are spells for that. And I'm pretty sure the Cardinal can do it. Me? Not so much. I can make corpse dance and jump, but not a ghost."

[Farmerbink]

The Half-Orc growls over a plate drenched in bacon fat and greasy fried eggs. "I wouldn't trust it. I've heard ghosts come back with their memories intact, and I don't think we want the old reeve's memories anywhere near Aldencross at the moment." He picks his teeth with an unnaturally elongated and pointed fingernail before turning to Amber with a more amused expression. "Never one for illusion myself, but these superstitious fools would eat it up."

He reclines, raising his unclad feet to the table, and sighs deeply in contentment. He scans the raised ceiling in appreciation and spreads his hands in a gesture of agreement with Caleb. "D*mn fine start, this. Almost as nice as Thorne's place, without that creepy wench beating me around all the time..." He smiles, his eyes now closed. "I want to help with the chaplain," he says, without opening them.

[archon_huskie]

Now that Mira is masquerading as a Watchtower Captain, she is given a tour of the watchtower by fellow Captain Samuel “Iron Sam” Barhold (who is incidentally the brother of the innkeeper).

2 - Armory - there are 20 sets of reserve gear each contains a harlberd, long sword, breastplate and heavy steel shield. There is a meger forge here for minor repairs and maintenance of equipment.
3 - Captain Barhold’s quarters - Barhold is the senior most captain. (34 years old.) He gets the largest of the Captain’s quarters. He also gets the duty of making the duty roster.
4 - Captain Varning’s quarters - Ryan Varning is the junior most officer. He is also rarely in his quarters, in fact he hasn’t bunked here in weeks. Barhold explains that Varning’s family is a minor noble and has a house in town. He is also the patrol commander and he leads a group of rangers between the nearest other watch towers.
5 - Captain Mott’s quarters - Franz Mott lives in town with his wife. He rarely stays in his room. Save when he has nightwatch. Barhold mentions that he’s working towards a promotion to Commander of Watchtower Lorringsgate to the East. His standard shift is from 4pm to midnight.
6 - Captain Eddarly’s quarters - Zacharias “Zack” Eddarly is the most gallant and flamboyant of the Captains. His style matches the dandy outfits of the deceased Reeve. His standard shift is midnight through 8am. Captain Eddarly volunteered to take over the Reeve’s duties.
7 - The latrine. Empties into the the river.
8 - Servant’s entrance (8a) a simple door, (8b) the main hallway, (8c) Point Gate a gate that closes should the bridge be overrun.
9 - Barracks - there are enough beds for 120 men. There are currently 100 men. 10 are Varring’s scouts, 30 are Barhold’s swordmen, 30 are Mott’s spearmen, 30 are Eddarly’s archer’s
10 - kitchen
11 - pantry
12 - mess hall
13 - storeroom - an armory for non-weapons
14 - Vestiary - where the acolytes and Father dress for services
15 - Acolyte’s quarters
16 - Cleric’s shrine
17 - Father Donnagin’s Quarters
18 - The Bridge and drawbridge 18a
23 - the walls - Cernalated with maticulations, the walls are 20ft high from the courtyard. They are accessible from narrow stairs.
23a - The Great Stone emblem - Above the Servant’s entrance is a large solid stone emblem bearing Talingard’s coat of arms. This is a standard decoration on most Watch Wall Watchtowers. Barhold however share’s this bit of knowledge with Mira. When attacked, the seal can be lowered to cover the servant’s entrance.
24 - The Bridge of Death - 120 years ago an ogre horde stormed Balentyne and broke through the Gatehouse. The Commander allowed 16 heavily armored ogres to cross the bridge (18) before raising the drawbridge. Trapped, the Ogres could do nothing but die as archers fired arrows and heavy stones down on the ogres from above. Thus this second bridge got its name.
The GateHouse
19 - Gatehouse Entryway and portcullis 19a
20 - Gatehouse North Storage area - a provisioned area were soldiers take residence during siege. has a cistern to collect freshwater from the river.
21 - Gatehouse South Storage area - identical to the North area, but lacks a cistern.
22 - Aldencross Gate - The official gate that VIP’s and patrols enter and leave out of.
25 - Gatehouse second level - filled with arrow slits and murder holes, this is the main line of defense for the gate house. There is a fire burning here heating cauldrons of sand. This is the area the dwarves were working on. It is hot and messy. The winches for the drawbridge and portcullis are here as well.
33 - Gatehouse Battlements - the open air crenellated roof of the gatehouse. The Banner of Talingarde flutters from a flagpole in the center of the west battlements. Two ballistae point out across the rocky approach to the gatehouse. Beside each is a rack of ammunition, 50 shots each. Two stone droppers overlook the portcullis of the gatehouse (19a) these lethal machines allow stones from troughs to be hurled on the heads of any invaders. Each can be used 30 times before more stones must be fetched. This is where the Captain on duty is stationed during his shift.

26 - The Choir Hall - An open hall with vaulted ceilings rising 25 feet. Statues of numerous saints of the Mitran faith circle the edge of the room. All of them are posed singing joyous hymns in praise of the shining lord. At the front of the hall is a great altar, carved upon the front is the pgrase “There is no darkness so deep that a single candle cannot defeat it.” Captain Barhold explains to Mira, that they hold the ceremony honoring the Shining Lord on the first day of the week. It is an hour ritual and it is very important to have it regularly. For the Choir Hall is home to 9 lantern archons. They form a divine backup line of defense. And if the ritual were stopped for the passing of a year, the Archons would be unsummoned. While in the Choir Hall, Mira will feel uncomfortable. She is being scanned by the archons with Detect Evil. But as she doesn’t have an Evil Aura, (for she is only level 4) they do not detect her. (Caleb on the other hand would)
27 - Courtyard - short trimmed grass, cobblestone paths, a plain fountain, and a discipline platform are the main features. The platform hasn’t been used on an insubordinate in 4 years! Barhold says proudly.
28 - Statue of the Victor - In contrast to the statue in town, this is a statue of a powerfully built knight clad in plate armor. The base of the statue reads, “Hold fast to courage, faith and fellowship and this tower shall never fall.
29 - storage shed
30 - stables - for horses
The Keep
31 - Great Hall - for big assemblies and feasts. It is currently empty with chairs and tables pushed against the walls.
34 - Guardroom/Hall of Honor - Carved into the walls of this place is the name of every soldier who has died defending the watchtower. There are two hundred names. Stairs connect to the Great Hall below. There is a large stone cap that can be moved into place sealing the keep from access below. The room is lit by four torches on sconces.
35 - Prisoner cells - this is where the dwarves are being held. You can hear demands for proper beer to be served.
36 - stairwell to the 3rd level of the keep
37 - Torture chamber - there is only a chair with straps here. “Lord Havelynn finds torture distasteful and an affront to Mitra.” Barhold says. “He had the rack and other devices destroyed.”
39 - Upper Guardroom The landing for the stairs and stairs to the next level
40 - Magister’s laboratory - “Do not go in there.” Barhold warns. “The wizard likes explosions.”
41 - Magister’s private quarters - “Do not go there either.” Barhold warns. “The wizard likes fire too.”

44 - Upper landing
45 - Guest Room - this is where Mira’s quarters will be during her stay. It is furnished, but lacks anything of great value.
46 - Lord’s Council Chambers - This room houses a heavy wooden table and a few chairs. Lord Havelyn’s personal banner hangs on the western wall. (Mitran sun crossed by sword and key)
47 - Lord’s private Chambers
48 - The open air crenellated roof of the keep. It is dominated by a great trebuchet. It currently doesn’t work. The Dwarves were working on repairing it.

The Tower
32 - Flag room - a large circular chamber forming the second level of the Tower here is where the banners and honors of the garrison are kept. There are six large flags hanging on the wall.
38 - Archer’s stronghold - Filled with arrow slits and wooden racks containing the watch tower’s store of arrows.
42 - Rookery Guard Room - an empty room leading to the Rookery
43 - Rookery - home to hundreds of messenger ravens ready to fly, and their caretaker Mad Martin Rayard. Martin speaks the ravens as if they are friends. (each has a name)

The Nessian Knot Aldencross Map Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[archon_huskie]

Mira also learns the guard rotations

Guard locations (posted)
48 - 3 guards
44 - 2 guards
39 - 2 guards
35 - 2 guards
33 - 4 guards and a captain
32 - 2 guards
31 - 2 guards
25 - 4 guards
23 - 4 guards
22 - 2 guards
9 - 3 guards
8a - 2 guards
Additionally when not on partol, Varning’s scouts randomly patrol the watchtower and Aldencross (allegedly)

The Nessian Knot Aldencross Map Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Zweanslord]

"I can't control the dead. Just make illusions." Amber shrugs. "Which should be sufficient to scare the people here. And best part is that the ghost can appear and vanish at a whim's notice."

"The priests here will surely try and do something about it, where we can use it as a trap?" She offers.

"Mira, could you tell me something about the Keep? You mentioned there is a fire burning here heating cauldrons of sand above the Gatehouse. Could you check if the fire is visible from the outside within say, 500 feet? Or if there is a fire someplace else that's visible from outside, like the Magister's place? I think I know how to warp that fire to cause confusion."

"You also described a room with flags. I have a flag, but it needs some rite to awaken its power, which will help those who fight under it. Perhaps that could make a nice rite site? What do you think, Caleb? Also, perhaps there is some way to disturb that Archon ritual? Could you find out what they do during the ritual, Mira?"

"By the way, Mira, if you need anything done in the Keep, I can disguise myself well and have a spell to make somebody my friend."

[Farmerbink]

As the next few days pass, the Half-Orc finds himself in the odd position of composing believable rumors. He spends quite a bit of time in the common area of the inn, occasionally departing only to return in the guise of a gruff-spoken laborer or farmhand he's recently seen leave. From various "perspectives" (all the better to lend credence to his words), he spreads tales of ghosts in the graveyard, the Reeve among them.

Later in the stolen manor, he confronts Caleb. "When do we ambush the chaplain? We better not waste too much time with all this talking."

[Zweanslord]

Amber practises her Silent Image with the others, weaving a menacing ghostly duplicate of the Reeve. Whispy and translucent, it bemoans its fate in ghostly sound, produced by well, Ghost Sound. When the others agree on its likeness, she mentions to the other sorcerer: "Tomorrow! When the chaplain is drawn in by the appearance of the ghost!" Then she is off to conjure forth the ghost and spook the citizen as the Half-Orc adds on to the rumour pile.

Afterwards, she is snuck into the fort by Mira, where she waits until the wizard goes to bed and it is dark, sneaking in his laboratory to find something very, very explosive so they can sabotage the fort and take the wizard in the blame. As she can see perfectly in darkness due to her fiend sight, she's not hindered by the cover of night.

[CasualViking]

Caleb

"Well. The Chaplain's death is imminent. We could go ambush the captain on his scouting patrol as well. An wouldn't it just be a crying shame if a few angry citizens broke in and dispensed mob justice to those murderous dwarves?"

[Ionbound]

Mira smiles thinly and says, "Now that sounds like my idea of a fun evening. Give the Captain a few more days though...I have a plan for him. Allies can be found in the strangest of places."

[archon_huskie]

The priest opened the backdoor of the church that looked out upon the graveyard. He set a place of honeyed bacon and a glass of milk on the steps as was his custom. When he turned and saw the Reeve’s ghost floating amid the graves. He shrieked and darted back inside.

That morning news the ghost’s haunting placed the ghost at his own home and the town hall. The ghost was said to be cursing the beards of the Dwarves who killed him.

Smuggling Amber into the watch tower was rather easy. Mira played the part of a traveling knight who had arrived in town with him squire in tow. Instead of bringing Irene into the watchtower one knight, Amber used her own disguise spell to look like Irene’s squire alias while Irene used Amber’s Circlet to pretend to be Amber’s Alias. Amber just walks in with her liege.

Sneaking into the wizard’s lab was easy and quick. The fool was eating dinner with the Lord Commander. She had precious time to work with, but what to steal. The man’s quarters were a mess no doubt too. But so much was labeled in Draconic. But then she saw it. It was a stick, a polished stick with fancy engravings. And it was varnished to appear red and orange. It was the wizard’s wand! Amber knew that wizards tended to either have a familiar or a focus. And there was no evidence of a pet around here. This wizard must use a focus. So Amber took the wizard’s wand.

The Nessian Knot Aldencross Map | Balentyne Map
Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Ionbound]

Later in the evening, Mira returns to the meeting place with a smug grin, "Sooo~ I've found out something interesting about two of the Captains. One is visiting the other's wife on the reg."

[Zweanslord]

Amber giggles maniacely. "They think the ghost is real! And I got the wizard's wand!" She waves with it proudly. "No more focus for him!"

She smiles at Mira. "Oooh, nice! So, how are you going to blackmail him?"

[Farmerbink]

A few days later, the Half-Orc finds himself seated with Amber and Mira, discussing their next plans. "They say," he begins with a rumble, "that the ghost of the Reeve haunts those Dwarves fool's beards." With a grin actually registering amusement for once, he snorts. "I wonder if they use any oils to manage them? It'd be viciously simple work to replace their oils with something more... damaging."

His furrowed brows shade his eyes as they watch the ladies discussing their own successes. He's felt unhelpful for too long. When Caleb appears in the doorway, casually discussing mob justice and the chaplain's doom, the sorcerer's face splits into a grin. "Even better. What do we know about the Dwarves' sleeping arrangements? I doubt they're foolish enough to sleep without watches now that they're being blamed for things."