Bandaluthia Session 06

Bandaluhia 6

Wednesday 24th PM

The Animals were returning to Satyr and Sickle from the Mage’s Tower when a messenger intercepted them. After a whispered conversation Shaniqua disappeared off on Guild business. The rest of the party, meanwhile, set about having some dinner.

While eating the third course (fifth in the case of Brother Coelho), Dave the manager came up and asked a favour – offering 500gp for the trouble. It seemed a letter had gone astray, and he needed it recovering as soon as possible. He proffered information pertaining to the property and suggested an accomplice – Daley – who would be able to unlock the door. Brother Coelho, under the pretence of checking Rätsel’s familiar would be suitable for such a journey, suggested visiting the Mage’s Tower. In actual fact he and Rätsel were thinking the same thing: try to solicit the Mage’s help in ensuring the letter was opened undetected. As they set off to the Mage's tower D’Jarra Leon walked in – with his official apprentice – and after a hushed conversation they arranged to visit the Tower after the letter was obtained.

In the meantime Tyvan and Hellhound – who had terrible indigestion from someone he ate earlier – went north to collect Daley. In the locksmith’s they assumed Daley was the man serving behind the counter, only to discover that Daley was their ten year-old son. After assuring the boy that Dave had sent them, they set off the rendezvous with Brother Coelho and Rätsel.

The break-in was swift and professional. The envelope was on the doorstep, and the party picked up a taxi at the nearest rank, and set off to the Mage’s Tower. Unfortunately, they were followed. In an attempt to lose their tail, they went up a side street, only to be intercepted by six would-be assassins. The assailants, dressed in the same black outfits and with no sign or mark, swarmed at the party from three sides. Rätsel blasted one in the chest twice with his “Kaleidoscope”. Tyvan hit another. Meanwhile, one of the assailants grabbed the horse’s reins and slit its throat, causing the cart to career forwards into a brick wall, throwing the party about inside the cart. Hellhound felled another assailant, cutting him in half, Brother Coelho shot another with his crossbow, and Rätsel finished the second assailant at the back off, leaving Tyvan to charge forward in a rage. Hellhound and Tyvan, ably supported by Brother Coelho’s hand-crossbow, finished the assassins off, as Rätsel hid bravely with the taxi-driver in the bottom of the cart. Having dispatched the assailants - and compensated the taxi-driver for the loss of the horse – the party made off, with the potentially incriminating letter.

On leaving the side streets the Animals encountered two of the Town guard, who sought to waylay them. In an attempt to escape Rätsel summoned a magical darkness from the pits of Hell and, while the guards sounded an alarm, the Animals once more made-off down a side street. They encountered two further guards who, again, sought to apprehend the party. Brother Coelho began to negotiate with the guards but his cover was blown somewhat as Rätsel tried to shoot one in the chest with his crossbow, the shot not only missed, but in Ratsel's haste, he failed to remove his index finger from the taught string. Ratsel's finger was all but torn off! The battle began and this time went ill. Hellhound and Tyvan fought, and fell. Brother Coelho healed them as Rätsel bravely surrendered. The fighters once more entered the fray and dispatched the Town Guards. The Animals ran for their lives to the Mage’s Tower.

After explaining the chain of events – and castigating the party for killing the guards – D’Jarra Leon opened the letter which seemed to provide evidence that Dave had been providing details of Guild activities to a third party. While not conclusive, it was evidence nonetheless. D’Jarra Leon resealed the letter and the party returned to the Satyr and Sickle, much to the relief of Dave. He took the letter away and returned with a gem worth 500gp. After explaining the unfortunate incident with the guards, Dave sought to have a false-trail laid, implicating others for the Animal’s indiscretion. He also explained that the would-be assassins, who used the symbol H, were likely to be Harkers, an old guild, still with some talent. He assured the party that the Guild would endeavour to lay the finger of blame for the guard-incident at the assassins doorstep.

As Town Guards entered the Satyr and Sickle, the Animals knew they had to get out of this place, if it’s the last thing they ever do. They left via a side door and returned to the Whip Inn. It, too, was being raided and the party hid up a side-street until the danger had passed. It was an eventful day. Could the party uncover more evidence of Dave’s misdeeds? What had happened to Shaniqua? Had Hellhound been able to digest the gristly-bits from the people he ate earlier? These questions, and many others, would be answered in the next thrilling instalment of Bandaluthia.