Bandaluthia Session 33

Bandaluthia: Session 33

In the Headquarters of the City Guard, a lieutenant gives out orders in a sealed envelope to a woman. Newly promoted Sergeant Tyler Jenkins has an undercover mission. The orders are from the top, and the lieutenant has not read them himself. He tells her to report at least once a week, but wants them more often, at least twice if possible. The Lieutenant releases a man into her custody. The man is called Dreizach. Once away from the Guard HQ, the man reveals himself to be a Tiefling, and also brother to Ratsel.

With the return of her family sword, Shaniqua is off to visit her grandmother. She has news of her father from the other side. Also, Elodee receives news of her kind. A meet is arranged in The Titan’s Maul. Here a very nervous former friend of Elodee’s tells her of Shape-shifter cleansing. Someone has discovered their kind, and are being sought out and slain. He tells her to be vigilant as she walks the streets of Bandaluthia, but cannot tell her of the nature of the threat. It seems that the doppelganger fiasco at the fake Hartorian Consulate has far reaching consequences.

After the rescue of D’Jarra-Leon, the Animals meet with Jo-Arne. She tells them of her needs for the group. She asks them to clean Monterey of the protection that the New Thieves Guild have taken up. The Animals and Jo-Arne then negotiate a deal for the continued Animal assistance. Jo-Arne concedes to relinquishing the running and revenue of Monterey should the Jo-Arne keep her head, and the Guild is successful in the quest for underworld dominance. Jo-Arne also introduces Tyler to the Animals suggesting that they use her connections within the City Guard. Tyler was the guard at the stairs in the Hall of True Seeing. The Animals have a potentially powerful ally in their quest. Ratsel is flabbergasted to see his brother there too. Ratsel believed everyone to have been killed in the St. Cuthbert cull of all infernal beings in Sybourne, Hartoria.

A while later, whilst have some of Kato’s infamous char-sui bow, there is a visitor to the Sword of Orlathry. A very fashionably dressed man who sports a couple of fine daggers, offer the new proprietor of the Sword an insurance policy. Ratsel, disguised as Jimmy Cherrystone tells the man, who calls himself Grey, that the finances to strike a deal will be more apparent in the up coming days. Grey tries to assure Jimmy that this is no way mandatory, but does suggest it would be of useful gain to the pubs future development. Grey leaves and promises to be back by the end of the week.

Outside Jacob is hiding, waiting to follow Grey. After a few hundred yards Jacob loses sight of his quarry. Within seconds a blade appears and is pushed up to the urban rangers’ carotid artery. A voice asks why he is following Grey. Jacob replies that he doesn’t know what he is talking about. After some more discussion, and the blade being pressed a little harder, Jacob concedes the facts that the pub is owned not by Jimmy Cherrystone, but Jonny Appelseed. The man with the blade, who Jacob finally recognises as Grey, muses that he knows Jonny Appelseed to be a known pseudonym of Ratsel, leader of the Animals. Jacob confirms this, but then knows nothing else, as a sharp blow to the back of his head renders Jacob comfortable.

A little while after Jacob’s absence, the Animals grow skittish. Jacob has been gone too long. Grey turns up at the Sword of Orlathry again, but this time he is holding Jacob’s cloak which is wrapped around the urban rangers’ sword. Grey refuses to leave the busy bar, and wants to talk in public amongst the patrons. The Animals fan out to cover any escape. Ti Ying grabs a broom and starts to sweep up. Coolio stands near the bar idly fondling Betsy’s smoothness. Dreizach stands in his way. The new Tiefling refuses to budge. Grey puts his hand on the warriors’ chest and a blast of unseen energy is meant to knock the fighter out of the way. It doesn’t, and Grey looks genuinely startled. Dreizach looks menacing. Before any swords are drawn, and before any fight can break out Elodee manages to pull off a wonderfully subtle spell. Its effects see Grey follow her into the games room. Here Elodee charms him properly and they lead him into the now closed restaurant. Here the Animals can do their business away from the eyes of the public.

Under the influence of the charm, and with very seductive promises, Grey agrees to release Jacob. He is unwilling to spill the beans of any further information about is New Thieves Guild operations, but his willingness to co-operate in Jacobs safe return is a blessing to most of the Animals. As he is about to leave, but Ratsel stands in his way, and before Elodee can admonish these foolish attempts of magic use, Ratsel blasts grey in the chest point blank range with a magic missile. The missiles have seemingly little effect, other than the powerful charm to be negated, and Grey looks at Ratsel, then to his chest and brushes away some charred remnants of his tunic. He looks at Elodee, who all this time has been shifted to appear as a comely human bar wench, and calls her a naughty girl. Grey then disappears. Ratsel casts see invisibility, but to no avail. It is assumed that Grey is a wizard with teleport.

The Animals seem no too pleased with Ratsel. Has he just signed Jacobs’s death warrant? Will the urban ranger be able to escape?
Find out next time in the great City of Bandaluthia.