Session 25: Scum Town Shuffle

 The PCs begin where we left off, in the old textile mill with Ty Kimbal in front of them.

Ty has introduced himself, saying he was testing them to see if they would be worthy adventuring companions. He is quite arrogant. He gives each of them a small bag with 5gp for their trouble, and invites them to the Eye of the Beholder for a drink, it still be night time. 

After a quick drink he leaves. The PCs stay. Their old associate Rivas Greel comes in with his bodyguard Larsh. Rivas sits with them and invites them to a party the next night at his estate, saying he has acquired a piece of pre-cataclysm artwork and is throwing a party at which friends and associates can view it. He's in a great mood. The trio accepts the invitation.

That night each of the PCs has a different experience:

• Simon has a lucid dream, in which he is on an island with a castle. He explores the castle, finding a long corridor full of prison cells. Each cell has a human skeleton in it. He hears "help..." coming from further down. After going down what seemed and endless corridor, he comes to the end. He finds a cell with an old, withered person in a cloak and hood sitting against the wall. As Simon watches, the person pulls back the hood, revealing a face just like Simon's but aged many many years. It begins cackling madly at him. Simon awakens.
• There's a knock on Mick's door. It's his thief associate Slovas,  who informs him about the party at Rivas's house, the artwork which is a statuette carved from a huge ruby of a pre-cataclysmic barbarian queen. He wants Mick and the others to help hims steal it. Mick says he'll discuss it with the others and they pick a place to meet up the next day.
• Debi hears a trilling music in her room, and sees a spectral image of Rax's pet, Magpie, who signals for Debi to follow. She enters Rax's shop, where they catch up. Rax tasks her to go to the Castle Island, a days sail off the coast of Langwon, and retrieve a whisker from the giant feline being Bubastis, who lives on the island. No strict time frame. Debi of course agrees.

Mick buys some fancy clothes and hat with a feather in it for the party. The group arrives to find many VIPs they have previously met already at the party. Debi is offered a snack by Slovas, who is disguised as a servant. He winks at her. She lets Mick know that he's there. 

The house is crowded with people. Rivas invites Debi to entertain in the trophy room, where the statuette sits on a stone platform, under glass. She rolls a total of 22 on a performance roll, completely entrancing the crowd with her song and the Moon Lyre. 

As she performs, she sees the statue suddenly disappear from its display case. She sees Slovas looking surprised. Simon casts detect magic, and is aware that a man standing hear him as cast a spell. A servant near the door to the lounge suddenly has the statue in his hands. He throws it to another person who runs out the front door.  Mick and Debi take off after them followed by Larsh. Simon sees the spellcaster turn invisible. He attacks but misses as the other two pursue the thieves, Simon casts Locate Object to track the unique boots the wizard was wearing. He follows the wizard outside, to find that he' dropped invisibility and use Fly to take off. Simon hits him with Guiding Bolt, but he continues flying. 

Simon tracks the spellcaster from the ground using Locate Object after the wizard dips between buildings. 

Meanwhile Mick and Larsh chase the thief with the statue into the sewers. Debit pursues the other and casts Charm Person on him, convincing him to lead her to where the thieves had planned to go to get away. He leads her to the sewer, where she meets Mick and Larsh. The charmed thief reveals that his partner is hidden in a secret hiding behind a secret door, and that just beyond it is large chamber where they'd have been attacked by giant frogs. They open the door and catch the other thief.

Simon follows the wizard into a building. After a brief encounter, the wizard blasts him with Lightning bolt, coming 1 point from killing him. The wizard leaves, not knowing that Simon can heal himself quickly to almost full health calling upon the power of his god, Ahki. Simon then follows the wizard, successfully using stealth, to what may be his lair.

He returns to the group.

End of session.