The Stolen Seal

Scribe Notes

Summary

Adventure: The Stolen Seal
GM: Phil Judd
Season: Summer 792 WK

Party

• Amaranth: A blonde human enchanter, quite an experienced and sensible person, a merchant and a lady. Party leader.
• DeVere: Also human, also blonde, and also female, but dressed in plate and built most powerfully. Unfortunately she is exceedingly outspoken, though a fine fighter.
• Spinner: Another enchanter, a slim male human, dark of hair and clothing. I have had the honour of adventuring with him before.
• Dramus: An exceedingly tall, thin elf, dressed entirely in black robes, and a white hooded mantle which completely concealed his face. When pressed he admitted to being a necromancer.
• Kelovar: Another elf, a celestial shadow mage.
• T'ana Starflower: Myself, your scribe. Elven of race, beautiful of face, a healer, and a mind college mage.

Time on adventure

1 April to 6 April 1991 AP

Employer

A company of merchants

Mission

Track down a stolen company seal

Original Scribe Notes

Media:Snsu9202.zip

Scribe Notes

31 March 1991 A representative of a company of merchants addressed the guild meeting requesting a party to track down a company seal which had been stolen. The item in question cannot be located, magically or otherwise, and it is extremely urgent that it be found, before it can be used to forge any documents. It seemed to me that a member of the college of the sorceries of the mind might be of use in this quest, so I made my way to the appropriate meeting room. There I met a very mixed group of adventurers. Three male, three female, three human, three elven. A woman fighter, one DeVere, immediately set about making herself obnoxious. She succeeded in provoking both Kelovar and myself into threatening her, though I suspected that she knew her weapons well, and would trounce us both in a fair fight. Though if I had time to render myself indetectable... In any case, she refused to be made party leader, and Amaranth was speedily selected for that honour. I asked to be scribe, since I keep this diary, and this offer was accepted. Our employer entered the room, introduced himself as Howard Lambert of Camber and Company, and proceeded to divulge further details of the situation. His company were apparently attempting to set themselves up in a new area, the city of Matzdorf, five hundred miles north of the guild, when their company seal was stolen. This is apparently a shaped item, with the ability to implant mana into the sealing wax, so that its imprint cannot be forged. Obviously this item is quite irreplaceable. Furthermore, it resists attempts at location. However, when it was being transported out of the city because the company had failed to pay their taxes to the city council, the seal was stolen. They had refused to pay because one of their competitors was being charged a lower rate. Under-the-table-payments were suspected, but nothing proven. The thief returned to the city, sold it to a fence named Sytol Thrap, then took ship with the proceeds. A few miles out to sea a storm blew up, and the vessel was sunk. After sorting out the contract, getting some lesser enchantments and healing potions, and then collecting our equipment, we met Mr Lambert, at the tower of the Lord of the Bats. Amaranth cast an enhance enchant, so that we would be able to fly the whole way to Matzdorf. And so we did. Seven hours of shadow-wings. Five hundred miles. I was cold and tired by the time we landed, at one o'clock. We camped, and I must admit I felt better by the time I woke at five, ready to begin ritual purification. 1 April 1991 Mr Lambert explained that he would remain outside the city, staying on a farm. We would be on our own from now on. The question of a cover story was the item to discuss. After considering the possibilities of being merchants, then mercenaries, we hit on a much more obvious use of our talents. We would go into the security business. Finding missing items, looking after property, that sort of thing. Now organised, we made our way east to the city, hitching a lift on a passing hay cart. The guards on the gates wanted to know if we were new to the city, and when we said we were, they explained some rules. No murdering, or raping on pain of death (self-defence is considered a possible excuse, but only if it can be proven, which means witnesses). The city cats are considered the personal property of the warlock. He has the right of punishment in their regard. They asked if we had anything to declare, and we demurred. Then we asked for directions, and were told that the cartographers were to be found in Normal Way. Follow the Matzdorf Road, turn right, then left. We found them easily, and purchased a map. Amaranth remembered to get a receipt (Mr Lambert said he would reimburse us for reasonable expenses), and we chatted for a while with the mapmaker, mainly about the cats. When we left the mapmaker Kelovar took a long look at a cat. "It's a short-lived sentient," he stated. "And the college of last spell to impact is mind." We stared at him, as he fixed on another feline. "Long-lived sentient. Last spell to impact - indetectability." I couldn't believe this, and asked the party to gather round me, as I cast telepathy. Normal mana. Great. Spell worked. I focused on the cat, now in Kelovar's arms. Cat thoughts. Food, sleep, food, meow. "It's a cat," I said. "Thinks like a cat, so it is a cat. Kelovar, why don't you try disbelieving that aura." After a long minute he answered, "The aura's changed. Living animal. No answer." Fascinating. Why should cats be given illusory auras? We carried on down the road looking for an Inn. The first was halfling-sized. The second proved to have a low mana level. It didn't help when DeVere annouced the fact to the innkeeper, and then tried to explain it. The innkeeper wanted to know if Dramus (who looks the part) was a warlock. We left that inn rather hastily. The third inn, "The Pegasus", was much the same, only Amaranth found that the mana was normal outside, low inside. Strange. Still we booked our rooms. We had a long talk with the innkeeper. About cats, and warlocks, and the city in general. Apparently the warlock's wife is responsible for nice weather at festival time. "Air mage!" The innkeeper has seen people torn apart by the warlock for abusing his cats. "TK rage?" Probably not. Spinner suggested people being sliced up by illusory swords. Sounded more likely, but nasty. Dramus and I went for a walk out towards the lumbermill. He wanted scraps of wood. I wanted to try to pick up thieves thinking thiefish thoughts on my telepathy before it ran out. But I found none, except the pickpocket in the market earlier. Meanwhile DeVere was writing a notice to put up, advertising our services as a security company. She was talking about an arena when we got back. She wants to show off. Methinks we might accompany her, but Dramus seemed more interested in the casino. DeVere took off to sign up at the arena, and put up some of her notices. Kelovar was detecting auras of cats again. This time asking (at Spinner's suggestion) for generic true name. The tabby's a giant?!! And the black and white is an oak tree?!! A living plant?!! This I could not believe, and neither could Kelovar. Sure enough they reverted back to cats. I was convinced the Warlock had to be an illusionist, so I suggested that instead of last spell to impact, he try last magic. Illusion. I knew I should have listened more carefully to that discussion about the changes to the illusionist college back at the guild meeting. I remember something about illusory auras, and about making illusions permanent, but what... And why is the Warlock giving the cats false auras anyway? It occured to me that it might not be a coincidence that the mana level was normal along Normal Way, so Spinner and I went off to check out my theory. Not only was I proven correct, but the normal mana continued past the west end of Normal Way, and we found an Inn, "The Sheep's Head", right on the line. It was far too poor a place to stay at, but I still booked the innkeeper's best room (four silver the week). We could use it as a casting chamber. When we got back, Amaranth was having words with Dramus. Apparently he went down to the better end of town, and had been asking about the casino. Only authenticated nobles may enter, and Dramus is from another plane. He wouldn't be in their book! So, he made an appointment to see the Warlock. Might as well as shout from the rooftops that there's a bunch of magic-users in town! Spinner revealed that he is the seventh son of a baron, and a lesser noble himself. He intends to find out if he is in the book this afternoon. DeVere returned with news about the arena. She is booked in to fight this evening. The place is run by their best fighter, a halfling! No magical or thrown weapons are allowed. She will earn 250 silver to fight, and 500 if she wins. Apparently the fight stops at the first major wound. Not like at Seagate, but down there a fight to the death isn't often permanent. We have to be there at six o'clock. Some of us will accompany DeVere, the rest will watch from the stands. Dramus was going on about another scheme of his. He wanted us to go to the cemetery, and dig up some skeletons. So they can be hidden, outside of town, where he could animate them. Crazy idea! Amaranth wondered aloud why we let people like him out of the guild. Dramus seems determined to get into trouble. Next he wanted to see a priest, or a seer or something. DeVere restrained him, and Amaranth insisted he stay with the rest of the party. When we got back to discussing our real mission, we discovered that there are a number of pieces of information we simply didn't have. Like the identity of our employer's main competitors. Amaranth decidd that she and I would go talk to him and find out. We hired horses, telling the innkeeper that we fancied a ride in the country, and headed for the farm. About ten minutes from the farm, I called a halt, dismounted and tried to cast telepathy. And failed. Twice. Amaranth asked if it was difficult, and I admitted that it was. So she did an enhance enchant. Much easier! It felt like I was casting at twice the rank. Of course Mr Lambert managed to resist, so it was wasted effort. But we did get some answers. His company was trying to work both ends of town, silks and gems for the rich, general merchandise for everyone else. Their competitors are called "General International Brokerage", and they have several warehouses, besides two or three shops in the main road. There are thieves in the city, but as far as he knows, they aren't organised into any thieves' guilds. He told us more about the theft. The seal was in a lead box, inside a safe, which has been found. One of the people who had been guarding it took off with it. No magic is suspected, and the seal wasn't the only item taken. By five o'clock we were back at the inn. Spinner said that his name was in the book, but that he wasn't allowed to take more than a partner, and maybe one retainer into the casino with him. I offered to be his partner, knowing that I could look the part. Dramus had locked himself in his room. Apparently Spinner had said something about parents. Amaranth used magic to open the door (now I know how Vila does it). Dramus was sitting huddled up in a corner, looking very depressed. He wouldn't move, so Amaranth locked him in. Time to go to the arena. Amaranth and Kelovar would accompany DeVere, while Spinner and I practised our couple act. I insisted on ring-side seats and was rewarded when one of the fighters was killed in an early round (I must visit these places more often). DeVere's turn came at last. We called for a bookie, and both placed a hundred silver pennies on her. It looked like she was winning, twin estocs against mace and shield, but then her opponent, one Krith dealt her a wounding blow. He walked away, having decided the fight was finished, and then she attacked him in the back. Not nice. Next thing, she was shot by three crossbow bolts from officials under the stand. We watched another three bouts, and then left, intending to find DeVere and offer our services as healers. But she wasn't at the Inn. We returned to the arena, and got hold of Amaranth. She didn't know where DeVere had got to either. So Spinner cast locate. No DeVere within fifty miles. Was she dead? Try again, assuming corpse. Still no DeVere. Strange. But DeVere's big glaive was located in her room at the Inn, with her armour and other gear. About this time someone noticed that the door to Dramus' room was damaged, and he was missing. Kelovar explained that Dramus warps wood. Oops! And Spinner couldn't get his locate spell to work. When we went back inside, we found DeVere. Looking as if she had never been injured. She said she certainly couldn't be located. Because she didn't want to be. The two enchanters looked at eachother. I wonder if she can keep out my telepathy as well. DeVere then said that she was off to find someone. I got the innkeeper to boil a kettle, and made us some herbal tea. Feeling somewhat revived we set off to find some trouble. Outside the inn, Amaranth does an enhance for me, and I start casting. First telepathy, then indetectability. We head off for the warehouse district, Amaranth and Spinner about fifty feet in front. After a few minutes, we heard a scream. I cast about with my mind. Got him. Clumsy thief, had fallen off a roof. My telepathy lead me straight to him, and I collared him from behind. He couldn't figure out what was happening, and drew a pair of daggers, so I swapped my hold to his wrists. He was scared stiff by these invisible manacles, and when Amaranth and Spinner arrived was quite willing to stay put and answer questions. I poked around in his mind, and passed Spinner extra snippets of information. Like the fact that his name was Peter, and that the head of North's thieves guild, to which he belonged, was called George. This confused him further, especially when Spinner demanded a share of the bonus for recruiting us. We got the address of their headquarters, and then let him go. Then I left Spinner and Amaranth, and went to search for the General International Brokerage warehouses. These occupied an entire block and were themselves occupied by a variety of thugs, some of whom were actually guarding the premises, but most were amusing themselves with playing cards and the like. The offices were unguarded, though locked and I was able to see several locked cabinets in the darkness. Thinking Amaranth might be interested I returned. She noticed that someone was watching from a roof, and I ran after him. He must have perceived me for he fled, and I lost him in the slums. It was half past one by the time we got back and went to bed. Dramus' door was back to normal, and we guessed he was back.