Shapechangers, the Inquisition & Literature - a Sweetwater Interlude

Shapechangers, the Inqisition & Literature - a Sweetwater interlude. Written by Bartholomew Toadswart on August 8 1994 AP

GM: Andrew W

Guild members on the Adventure

Shemin-ah

Human Female Ice mage (Party leader)

Meserima

Shapechanger Tiger Female Necrologist

Bartholomew Toadswart

Human Male Mind Mage (scribe)

Merconium

Hobbit Male Mind Mage

Pierre

Human Male Water Mage

Razor

Elf Female Warrior (Mil Sci)

Ishamael

Human Male Celestial Dark

Other people with the party

Baazahi

Orc Female Bodyguard for Bart.

Sormina

Orc Female Bodyguard for Bart.

Diary

Myself and my new found friends Pierre, Merconium, Sheman-Ah, Razor and Meserima were spending the night of Wednesday the 27th of July 1994 AP at the gull grey tavern of Trento in the Barony of Padova in the County of Tuscana. Our comrade Eidolon had flown out that day as we had recently finished our mission for the Guild and apprehended some bandits in the area.

That night in the wee small hours, there was a disturbance. Merco (who had likely been down for a midnight snack) was running to and fro shouting that a demon was tormenting the tavern keeper. The gentleman who had arrived, it turned out, was a Guild member by the name of Ishamel. He had flown out to deliver me a memo from the astrology department.

The next day we spend on the docks awaiting any ship sailing down the river. Ishamel had decided to join us in sailing down the river, and although he seemed to detest the fine weather waited with us beneath an awning.

Around mid-day we managed to secure passage on a small caravel (the "sea Eagle") captained by a gentleman who introduced himself as Henrico, for the fee of 500sp. The crew consisted of three human females: Ursa, Adala, and Esposa.

We sailed down the Clearwater, usually nighting over at small villages. There was another similar ship keeping pace with us that Henrico seemed to have some sort of challenge with as often his highest priority was keeping ahead of it.

Sunday the 31st was a drizzly wet day and that night we layover in a small bay. During the night some locals attempted to sabotage the boat. After capturing and questioning them, we learned that the other captain had hired them. Henrico, deciding that a new rule had been added to the challenge, sent a couple of his crew off to do likewise to the opposing boat.

On the 1st of August we passed into Carzala. The border outpost was fully manned, as with the war raging in the North they were scrutinizing all non-Carzalan travvellers down the Sweetwater. The guards were pleasant and kind to us, and after a cursory examination let us on our way.

That night we reached the village of Rimmen and Henrico invited us to his place for dinner. We graciously accepted.

During the night one of the houses caught fire, but prompt action by the locals and ourselves managed to put it out with mimial damage and nothing but minor injuries. It was the hourse of Verdona, the resident Herbalist whom we had met for dinner at Henrico's.

On the 2nd a group of people from the United Church arrived and set about searching for a heretic. We were duely questioned and although their leader, Absolon, was rather arrogant and seemed not to like us (Meserima and myself in particular), we were let continue about our business.

We travelled up to a hill outside of Rimmen and discussed what we wished to do. That morning Razor had found a note by her head requesting we aid a person being hunted by the inquisition. It was signed Katrina Lindensouth, and she asked that we meet her at the abandoned mill an hour after dusk.

That afternoon we left Rimmen and camped in the trees at a stream a short distance out of the village.

When evening eventuated we travelled up the stream towards the old mill. Along the way Merco espied a campfire, after some investigation we found that it was the church group. We rushed to the mill, but were pursued by the church. An altercation ensued in which two of the church were slain and Katrina fled.

We search for Katrina but lost her trail at a place where it appeared there had been a struggle.

On the 3rd we arranged passage back to Seagate, for ourselves and our United Church prisoners, with Henrico.

During the voyage I performed some astrology readings.

1) Will we be pursed for the book that we found amongst Katrina's belongings?

Neither rhyme nor reason can serve to answer. The syllables are half the symbols.

2) Where is Katrina Lindensouth?

Where you have been and are yet to go.

3) What is the secret that the United Church is pursuing her for (other than that she is a supposed heretic and we believe a shapechanger)?

Houses fall and rise, War destorys and creates. The Church schemes and waits, People are born and die.

On the 6th of August we arrived back in Seagate. Those kind Guild Representatives arranged for the Resurrection of the United Church people and the lodging of our complaints about the Church's treatment of us with the Duke.