Episode 15 - Fair and Balanced - Notes

DM Notes

Previously..

Previously in the Awakening Campaign...

• Néshira learned that the catfolk had mostly left the world. Only the Stalking Dawn and Walking Disaster clans remained and were tasked with searching for a way to restore Caltirach to godhood.
• The heroes discovered the text of a law that legalized the enslavement of the Shifter peoples.
• The party learned that an Asp commander based in Fairport sent a highly trained hit squad to assassinate High Princess Fein Thertylian.
• King Elaron Celebar hired a mercenary named Sevak to see to the protection of Shae, a priestess searching for a way to restore the Ithquenti to their divine places.

Aetherian Explorers Guild Guildhall- 2Y1179 Riyit 21

The door from Bellglade closes behind you. One of the portal guards speaks up, Welcome to Fairport. The exit to the city is up those stairs. Another guard up there will guide you out.

Sure enough there are two guards on the other side of the door at the top of the staircase. One of them motions down a long hallway lined with doors. After pausing for a second, he takes the lead. Only a few of the doors are open but you're able to get the sense that these are private rooms and offices. Each of the rooms seem to have a bed, a writing desk and then a mix of other furniture.

The hall is filled with people milling about. Coming and going, all of them stop by the three central desks and speak with their attendants.

Grey Pause Tavern and Inn

This familiar tavern is tucked away in a corner on the edge of the Sunset and Warehouse districts. It is of a particularly unassuming quality, blending in so well with the other buildings that it'd be difficult to discern it as it's own entity if you weren't specifically searching for it.

The tavern is completely devoid of life, the lone exception being a dwarven barkeeper (Rohe). Greetings travellers. What can I do for you?

Rohe [ROW] is expecting the Awakened. Pounce is actually in town to push the meeting with the Stalking Dawn and observe the Fairport elections.

Rohe knows of an inside man in the BBEG. Nestor has joined the Pawns as a double agent. He's been demoted in the Asps but is still trusted.

Meeting with Nestor

It's good to see you again. I must thank you for sparing my life the last time we met. After our meeting, I went on the run for a bit but the Pawns offered me money and protection in exchange for information about the Asps. So I've been working as a double agent. I was relieved of my command in Dayton and recalled to assist here.

As I'm sure you've heard, the city of Fairport is having elections in just over a week. The Pawns and the Asps are at odds in several of the elections. The most of important of which is probably the contract for the Treasury. Recently the Mionian Bookkeepers Guild was found to be stealing from the Treasury and had their contract and charter revoked. Currently, the Fairport Government Association is operating the Treasury until the election.

Anyways, the point of this is that the Asps just stole about 2,500 of the voting contracts for the Treasury election. They're stored in the vault currently but I expect that they'll be destroyed in a day or two. The Asps have enough money to purchase the uncast ballots and win the election after the Winter Solstice.

I can get you in the guild hall but can't be seen with you or else it will blow my cover. We could go tonight or tomorrow night, whichever best works for you.

Messaging Service Discourse

The city center is fairly busy today. There's a large gathering near the post office. A pair of thin but tanned humans stand at the center of the gathering.

...the Free City Freight Service will lower delivery costs on messages and freight!

A round of cheers goes up from the crowd.

Leave your signed voting contracts with me to lower delivery costs.

They'll do it by engaging in slave trading! The Fairport Couriers and Porters Guild will also work to lower costs but not at the cost of sentient beings!

This slightly pushes the mood of the crowd in against the Free City Freight Service. But a lot of the crowd are attempting to rationalize the enslavement of the Shifters.

Bankers of Braunks and Eastshore Guild Guild Hall

Other Rooms

• BBEGH 2 -

• BBEGH 3 -

• BBEGH 6 -

• BBEGH 7 -

  This guildhall seems to be a relatively new construction. The red clay brick seems out of place amid the white and grey stone buildings. Nestor leads you into an alley and around the back side of the guildhall. He pulls a small key from his pocket and unlocks the door and pushes it in.

He slowly turns back towards the party before raising his arms to his throat and slumping to his knees. A bright red liquid pouring out from between his fingers and down his chest.

Back Entrance - BBEGH 5

Roll initiative.

Encounter - 1350xp

This room is a 6x6 room. The soldiers are in a double line by the door. The lead assassin is to the right of the door.

Asp Lead Assassin (350xp) 8x Asp Soldiers (1000xp)

War Room - BBEGH 4

The door to this room is locked (Thievery DC 25). The door is also Arcane Locked and alerts Rantas immediately. He'll arrive in a few minutes with guards and other Asps.

This room has a large central table that has a map of southwest Mionia. It seems to show troop movements. Several armies are moving south from the rebelling states of Aspland into the Holy State.

Perception (DC 20) finds several signed execution orders. The signatures are from Roagrimm and Rantas.
Targets include:
Emmeline, Yoweth Svitrani of Kacorothi
High Princess Fein Thertylian
Mr. Blue, Dayton Councilman
Queen Mother Arama Celebar
Yurel Shieldheart

Bankers Guild Vault - BBEGH 8

The door to this room is locked (Thievery DC 30) and trapped (Glyph of Acid Warding). The door is also Arcane Locked and alerts Rantas immediately. He'll arrive in a few minutes with guards and other Asps.

Glyph of Warding - 300xp

Perception (DC 28) - Notice the glyph
Arcana (DC 24) - +2 bonus to Thievery disable checks.
Thievery (DC 28) - Disables the glyph.

Treasure

Voting contracts (2,500 for Treasury)
1000 Lords (20lbs) (10,000 gp)
25x 100gp credit notes from the Treasury

Encounter - 2040xp

Rantas, Asp Commander (600xp)
4x Asp Guards (1000xp)
5x Asp Thugs (440xp)

Encounter - ???xp

Asp thugs start filling the hallway from the foyer.