It is a beautiful Autumn day.
In city of 🏰Lenthor (City), capital of Lenthor, seat of Cast/King Heimermann.
In centre of city is palace - heroes are downtown.
On the street, a man is speaking in a powerful voice - very Charismatic.
"Io will come again to us! The God of Humanity will return! Revive the church! Take us out from the clutches of mages!"
He wants money to revive the church.
😎Bori examines priest. There's an undercurrent there - he's not to be trusted, but he's not lying. What he recalls is that when Io told clergy to stop, there was a schism in the church. Io building the church to 'take the world' is unusual. 😎Bori and 🐰Faefina leave the crowd for the tavern - the Queen's Crown.
As they do, they see a beautiful half-elven woman looking at a compass in her hand. Looks at them with a charismatic smile, and walks off.
In the Queen's Crown there's a barfly recanting a long and boring story. He's telling 🧔♂️Harald how the king has built up his army under the advice of 👿Cast/Lord A. Crowley. Harald is uninterested, sees how barfly keeps trying to get his drinks on Harald's tab.
😎Bori & 🐰Faefina walk in. Bartender stands at full height, says 'Great One!' Pours a drink for Bori, declares it on the house.
🧔♂️Harald sees beautiful half elven woman walk in with a compass device in her hand. She smiles at him, and takes a seat near him.
'Do you come here often?'
She looks at B&F - 'What an odd pairing - a Sylvan creature and one of the great ones'. Harald agrees. She suggests buying them drinks, then does so. She sits with them, and introduces herself as Kineeta.
She says she's looking for talented people - has a mission that might take months, and would pay well.
🧌Gronk strides in (Gronk intro)
Kineeta's compass points to Gronk. She says to put drinks on tab, beckons him over. Kineeta tells him it's the Friends spell. Kineeta offers him money to hear her out.
She says we know of apocalypse 5 years ago, destroyed her life in 🏙Gel'art's Garden. Her patron has helped her get set up here in 🏰Lenthor (City). Now that Wall of Storms has come down thanks to Metallog's great magic being undone. Powerful nations all exploring new world.
True way have made footholds there, as well as the Arcanum. King of Lenthor wishes to set up colonies, new world's have vast gold deposits. They also worship Eli over there, but as darker aspect and different name.
Kineeta wants party to start 3 month journey to cross over to new world in one month. Until then, take on any job you like as Kineeta has wedding to attend.
She will see what she can find out from the druids. Offers one gold a week, Gronk wants to know what strong get if that's what weak get. She cautions party to be careful of docks.
Kineeta offers to teach Gronk magic during the week.
Party notices scared halfling cowering with fear in booth. Faefina hops over to him, asks what's wrong. Halfling says big fish people in river, took his sister. Saw them two nights ago, just outside Dirty Maiden, another tavern. Party takes drinks and heads there. On the way, see regiment of soldiers from Lenthori army.
Dirty Maiden looks as named. Bartender in just loincloth, busty waitresses, raucous band. Waitress fixates on Gronk, offers drinks. Gronk asks for her (and ale) Faefina wants port in a teacup, Harald has beer and wants to ask some questions.
Horald asks about rumours, people going missing. Elven Bartender doesn't know, just knows about weird fishy things. Knows Sea elves and Tritons have largely made peace, Zuhagen can usually be kept at bay. Asks if we know of the Kuatoa - very old society, stay separate from others, very religious, can make own gods for themselves.
Faefina insists there is only one god, Eli. Bartender says if we can sort it out that'd be great, business has been lax.
Bartender says king won't do it, has become more of an asshole after A Crowley started hiring soldiers.
Party heads out to investigate. Party sees someone in wheelchair looking over docks and writing notes. Faefina walks to water and looks in.
Gronk tries casting Shocking Grasp on water. Five fish people (Kuatoa) pop up - Battle:
Harald hits, misses, tries again, misses
Faefina casts Hand of Radiance, hits each for 1
Bori attacks w. quarterstaff, hits one for 9 (nonlethal), hits again for 5.
Kuatoa attack Harald, miss
Bite Gronk, 3 dmg
Attack Faefina, miss
Gronk touches ground, uses Shocking Grasp, hits everyone on wet surface for 11 - electrocutes 4, killing 1
Harald attacks closest Kuatoa, hits twice for 6 and 3, killing it.
Faefina attacks Kuatoa, misses
Bori hits with staff and fist w. nonlethal, knocks one unconscious. Attacks other with fist, knocks out other.
Remaining Kuatoa bites Gronk, almost killing him save for his racial trait.
Gronk grabs biting Kuatoa, shocks and kills it.
Gronk: "Looks like fish is back on the menu boys!"
Faefina heals Gronk, Bori prepares Kuatoa for questioning. Asks where child is.
Guy in wheelchair has been knocked over, short hooded figure over him, about to attack. Bori throws Kuatoa at short figure, knocks him over. Hood falls off, revealing another Kuatoa. Harald tries grapples him, is thrown off. "You can't hurt me!" Bori hits him with staff, knocks him into sea. Harald asks if man OK, what happened.
Wheelchair was knocked over, he was being dragged into water. He was there watching the army, name of Lite - civil servant. Kuatoa attacks only happening in last month, sheriff requesting city watch to monitor, not enough people to do so. Invites party to dinner the following night.
Party heads back to Dirty Maiden.