The bounty on the "rogue alchemist" of the Ocean's Throat sea-caves has been claimed! His body, devoid of life, was delivered to the Kantor Kabljauhof just a week ago, and though Captain-General Zaytar had hoped for his live-capture, nevertheless he paid out most of the proclaimed 2000 gold dinar bounty.
This is out it came about:
Harboring quiet hopes of delivering Pako's and Finbar's fellow renyu, said to be serving the "rogue alchemist", Durham of the Ringing Anvil gathered together certain fellow adventurers in the common room of the Gatehouse-tavern of the Kantor--including especially Persephone, mistress of Finbar. Outlining his plan of an excursion into the Ocean's Throat to claim the bounty and free the renyu, Durham was able to gather this crew under his banner (including the fresh-off-the-boat adventurer Mara):
- Durham (fighting-man 6)
accompanied by Pako (renyu) - Mara (magic-user 1)
- Dehuhada (fighting-man 4)
- Persephone (fighting-woman 5)
accompanied by Finbar (renyu) and
Tanit al Jamila (magic-user 2)
The company set out through the Fishermen's Gate toward the sea caves, scorning the tower of the Migdol of the Dyers looming on the headland over the north-going beach. Climbing up the far headland by the old jack-knife stair, they disappeared at the top into the caves that riddle the midst of the headland.
Most of the company returned later that day, bearing the body of an inkvine-scarred man, hair prematurely white--undoubtedly the "rogue alchemist"! Both Persephone and Dehuhada were followed by new renyu servants--the latter warrior by a great "alpha" renyu he called familiarly Seven-Toes--and yet neither Durham nor his loyal renyu-servant Pako were anywhere in sight!
"Do not worry," the company assured those who asked; "Durham remained behind to see to certain interests." Meanwhile, they sought satisfaction of Zaytar's bounty at the Kantor, as well as seeing to the sale of other claimed plunder.
Some details came out in the interim: the company advanced into the sea-caves, as intended. They proceeded quickly through the dark passages below, where the movement of the distant surf creates the soughing noise as if of Ocean's breathing, following Durham's recall and Pako's sure guidance. Arriving at the alchemist's underground lab, they called up to the renyu above (as illustrated below)--and once above, orchestrated a full-scale rebellion of the renyu tribe heretofore held in service to the rogue alchemist!
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| by the referee, plus some illegible notes |
Durham returned to town sometime later, a light in his eyes, and working through a flurry of orders for lumber, food provisions, and other supplies.
Tanit al Jamila was able to explain somewhat as she caroused the taverns with her share of the expedition's plunder: Durham is deadset on fortifying renyu tribe where they were dwelling, formerly under the mastery of Yramrag the Rogue Alchemist. He is working to secure an agreement with the Wasgo, as the tribe is called. And how did this come about? Well, *sighing* (and here, Tanit reclines such to show off her figure through her sheer black gown), the group hired her with the intent to seduce the old wizard, presuming him lonely with his simple servitors.
Alas! He was too enraptured by his own "genius", and went on and on and on about his staggering intellectual achievements--but fortunately for the company, this allowed Durham, Dehuhada, and Pako and Finbar space to muster a kind of revolutionary spirit in the other renyu. This led on the one hand to challenges to combat by certain "alpha" renyu, and on the other hand to the revelation of Yramrag's ogre-like thunru'u eye-eating creatures. But eh! All that is just parry, riposte, and all that nonsense. Why don't you buy me another drink?
The Lucre
- 1500 dinars from the Kantor's bounty
- in chests, various coinage, both local and foreign:
8000 copper fals
1000 silver dirhams
5000 gold dinars - also 750 dinars' worth from 7 gems (1@25, 1@75, 4@100, 1@250)
- an amulet, rather like a narpine-cone, formerly worn by Yramrag
- a curious cuirass of bluish alloys
- four spellbooks
- a library of notes, predominantly alchemical, but also experiments in heredity and radical surgery
- a trove of private correspondences
- a veritable hoard of alchemical ingredients, valued altogether at some 5000 dinars
The Learning
- 1500 xp from the bounty
- 10930 from treasure
- 375 xp from Yramrag (350 + hp)
- 680 xp from "alpha" renyu x3 (200 + hp ea.)
- 330 xp from renyu x3 (100 + hp ea.)
- 537 xp from thunru'u x2 (250 + hp ea.)
The Cut
- 2428 dinars (gp), 8 dirhams (sp), 8 fals (cp) to Durham
1428 dinars to Tanit
2857 dinars, 4 dirhams, 7 fals to Dehuhada, Persephone, and Mara - 3588 xp to each player-character
1794 xp to Tanit al Jamila - narpine-cone amulet (Persephone)
- curious cuirass (Dehuhada)
- four spellbooks (Mara)
- library of notes
- private correspondences
Characters may "buy out" any gem or item with a dinar- (gold piece)-value by a corresponding reduction in their own Cut, first come first served; non-valued items are subject to negotiation (though this was mostly worked out in-session).
As always, in-character reports, artwork, etc. representing what occurred during the expedition is worth 100 xp per level to the corresponding player-character.
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