Bandaluthia Session 35

Bandaluthia: Session 35

A soft knock at the door had Dreizach open the Animals newly acquired house. A shadowy woman had a message for Ratsel. “They know where you live: Tell Ratsel that we are even” and then she disappeared into the dawns grey light.

Coolio and Ti Ying came down in a vain search of food about 5 hours after they returned from finding Jacob in The Sword. As the two halflings entered the kitchen, they saw a woman had made herself at home. She had a coffee with the last of the milk. They asked who she was, and she replied that this was her kitchen and they should not ask such silly questions. They assumed that she was a new chef. The halflings sat hopeful. Tyler used this distraction to report to her guard superior, and she slipped off.

As the rest of the Animals entered the kitchen it became apparent that not only was this woman not a chef, but that the halflings looked like they’d get no food. It transpired that this woman called herself Epona, and that she was an apprentice of Siberius. A welcome addition indeed! She also had a bag from Jo-Arne which contained a grey silk shirt and a scroll case. Ratsel took the shirt realising it was a replacement for his mithril shirt.

Once up, the Animals went to the Sword of Orlathry for breakfast. As they left both Jacob and Ti Ying notice that the house was being watched. They hid, while they others continued the few hundred yard walk to culinary salvation. Jacob and Ti Ying moved to intercept the villain, but he must have noticed as he took off down an alleyway. Not many people can outrun a monk, and this guy seemed no different. As Ti Ying caught him up, he threw his bolas at him which entangled his ankles causing the man to fall. Ti Ying then punched him square in the face. Seemingly unfazed, the man flipped up, as he backward somersaulted over a dagger cut the bolas away; he landed on his feet, but straight into a monk’s full flurry of blows. Jacob by now had caught up and recognised the man as one of his torturers. The man, who Jacob thought to be known as Jimmy started to taunt Jacob, and bombarded him with insults and menace. Jacob hesitated and lost his opportunity to strike. The man did not even try to fight; he took to the walls, and seemingly bounced up the side of the house. Jacob followed, but his skills in climbing were woefully inferior, and he fell down. From the relative safety of the roof, the man called down that they should watch their backs. Jacob was spitting mad, as the man made off.

The Sword of Orlathry had a carpenter hanging doors. Kato had made fresh bow, and the Animals tucked in. They had decided to go to the Satyr and Sickle in order to wind Anastasia up. So at midday the Animals lunched at the Satyr. Dreizach spent a while trying to wind up the doorman. Dreizach soon attracted the attention of the cooler called Jagger. Jagger informed Dreizach that he would find himself in considerable hot water should he continue his currant course of stupidity. Dreizach returned to the table. Anastasia came out to meet the Animals and offered them a deal. Not to join her, but to take the fight off the well marshalled streets to a pub called The Pony and into the underground pit fighting arena. The winners of such a fight would gain total control of Monterey. The losers would withdraw from the district and not return for the duration of the Guild wars. Furthermore, she offered a binding contract written in blood to ensure that the terms are met. The consequences of betrayal of a contract such as this would be devastating to the party who breaks it. She offers no more explanation. Ratsel and Elodee start to try and argue with her, but Anastasia puts Elodee in her place with a scathing remark, and tells Ratsel that he is weak because he cares for ‘the little people’ suggesting that she would lay the pub to waste, children and all, to kill them now should such remarks and Dreizach’s stupidity continue. The Animals downfall, as she puts it, is that they do not accept collateral damage.

The Animals return to The Sword to find N’Thaal-Dar and Lupa with the bound body of Rubins Lukah. The great wizard explains that the Pit Fiend that Rubins fought in the crypts of Aver’Thaal-Aferlo Khan had dragged Rubins to Hell. There on the first plane of Hell, Avernus, Rubins lost his fight. His body was to remain there forever tortured by the foul creatures that dwell there. N’Thaal-Dar took Lupa to rescue him. Before N’Thaal-Dar could get his spells off the two were under attack from the first line of defense that Avernus has. The first few seconds nearly killed Lupa. The wizard had no interest in a fight he knew he could not hope to win, so all his considerable spell repertoire was defensively prepared. Within a minute or just under, the body of Rubins and the near dead druid were back in N’Thaal-Dar’s tower. Here the wizard collapsed. A few days later, they set off to resurrect Rubins to be told that if you are slain in Hell, there is one place on Kalas that can bring you back. “Die Kerk van die Gesonde Dood” or ‘The Church of Healthy Death which is deep in the jungles of central Jonger.

N’Thaal-Dar asks the Animals to take Rubins to the Temple (as he refers to it) as it was Rubins who was instrumental in the Animals succeeding at the Crypts. The Animals ask a favour in return. An exit strategy at the pit fights, should things turn sour. The wizard agrees, and the Animals return to the Satyr to agree to the fight. A dozen from each side.

The following night the Animals arrive at The Pony to see twelve awaiting them in the pit. Four of the number are instantly recognizable as the Four who were in the employ at 22. Anastasia tells them of the rules, and the Animals blanch at the rule which has an anti magic casting shield upon the arena. This renders Ratsel, Elodee and Negri virtually useless, so the numbers get cut to eight a side. Anastasia removes the Four.

As plans, tactics and magic is being discussed and swapped, bookies flood the ever growing crowd. Siberius has stepped in to the side of the Animals, but he carries a curse. He cannot kill any of the bloodline of Ravensly. Ravensly are the family who own the New Thieves Guild.

The show will see a thousand spectators. The contract is being made in blood and the Animals await the fate of Monterey.