Session #43: The Bounty Hunters

Meeting at Fahra's Hole-in-the-Wall, a small tavern that escaped the worst of the violence following the Procession of Locor, adventurer-barbarians Lars Fangripper and Dehuhada agreed that their current most pressing interest was the acquisition of a little extra cash. To that end, they reviewed the bounties offered by various interests in Cothon-Gadeed; agreeing that the rogue alchemist seemed the interest of their associate Persephone, who wasn't present; and that Lars had his own call to deal with the river-ghars (more to follow on that later--a Call to Adventure!); they agreed that anyway, hunting Sakkra would be the easiest adventure to make some moeny.

While Lars went to the Heroic Companions of Hrrl-ra to purchase from them their map of the sea caves of Ocean's Throat (maybe he wasn't so much in need of money, as of incoming revenue?), Dehuhada saw to gathering a party to assist in the hunt, and was able to secure the participation of Chad "Meathead", as well as a couple members of the new hireling-association, the Arwah al Safina.

Thus prepared, the six agreed to test the legal results of the recent "court case" in the Coreguyi Arena, and so left by way of the Fishermen's Gate to walk the beach beneath the Migdol of the Dyers and Fish-Fermenters, as it is the most direct route to the Ocean's Throat. And lo! they went unmolested by any agents of the Barcidae, and so descended into the sea caves without paying any toll ...

• Lars Fangripper (magic-user 3)
  accompanied by Slith Sly (Sakkra 1)
• Dehuhada (fighting-man 2)
  accompanied by Vudot Vodot (magic-user 1)
• Chad "Meathead" (fighting-man 1)
  accompanied by Hasan ibn Hama (footman)

After a comparatively short time, the same company returned, carrying a bloody bag, a waterskin and a flask filled with dark red blood, and also a ninnenyelu-skin harness set with silver and gems. The Fangripper looked rather worse-for-wear, his skin ashen with pain underneath the painted runes upon his breast and arms, for he had clearly been pierced and bloodied by javelins.

First seeking the agent of the Souffets assigned to handle the bounties, the party collected their fifty dinars per Sakkra, of which they provided seven bloodied heads. As he was counting out the coin, he was heard to comment that he wished that every one of the creatures in the sea caves could be eliminated, given their predations on the settlements of al Agadrein.

Taking the blood to the Kantor Kabljauhof, meanwhile, the group got quite a different reception, with the alchemist who accepted the blood admitting that he was glad that it was at least not wasted, but that he hated that Sakkra should be hunted at all--"It would be better to resettle the raiders; for the real reason they strike out is because of population pressure inside the Sakkra-colony."

Vudot Vodot, political exile

Reconvening at the Hole-in-the-Wall to split their pay, the group then discharged their hirelings, and both Vudot and Slith immediately set about spending their cut on a round of drinks. Slith Sly recounted how his skills as a tracker assisted the Fangripper in seeking out the hidden Sakkra-colony deep in the caves of Ocean's Throat. He identifies them as the Takhissa tribe, "barbarians" compared to other Sakkra such as the Shen who ply the seas in great ships, or the Hisst who dwell in ancient forest-holdings.

Vudot Vodot, meanwhile, comments on the Fangripper's bravery--which almost cost him his life! For, trusting in his ancestral magic, he strode into the nest of Sakkra alone and ahead of the rest of the party, and was met with a hail of javelins that nearly ended his life. If not for a potion of Sakkra-blood he carried in his pack, he would indeed have lain dead in the caves, and the expedition would have ended differently. But as it is, it was the Fangripper who also helped end the fight with a judicious casting of his web-spell.

The Lucre

• 350 gold from 7 Sakkra heads
• 650 gold from sale of the Sakkra-leader's harness
• 150 gold from sale of Sakkra-blood to the Kantor

The Learning

• 1150 xp from treasure
• 888 xp from Sakkra x8 (100 +hp ea.)
• 200 xp to each player-character for discovering the Sakkra Warrens in Ocean's Throat

The Cut

• 370 gp, 3 sp, 3 cp to each player-character
  163 gp to Slith Sly and Vudot Vodot
  37 gp to Hasan
• 877 xp to each player-character
  439 xp to Slith Sly and Vudot Vodot

As always, written reports, art, etc. concerning this expedition sent to the scribes to be posted here will earn the corresponding player-character 100 xp per level.