After action report - 1st session of 7k.
Players: Bill (Kiri), Dave (Perceval)
Apr 20
Prequel:
- Darkwood Towne: The busy season is building up rapidly. Boarding houses are filling with merchants and tradesman who aim to stay for the summer. The caravansary is getting busy as caravans stop to stock up before making the treck eastward on the Jewel Road. The static market stalls are filling with vendors, and the open air market is getting more busy with each passing day.
- Kiri has been in Darkwood Towne for 4 weeks. Last week she got a job at the temple. She is the only priest/ess of Kregin. Kiri’s been hanging out at a place called the Boar’s Head, and has befriended a young barmaid named Haley who lives in her boarding house.
- Perceval has been in town for 1 week. He’s staying in an “adventurous” boarding house -- which basically means Status 0 & -1. Cheap, but he’s out of place.
Apr 21
Perceval celebrates his first full day of work at the Boar’s Head. Being young and - ahem - eager, he presses his luck with Haley. After buying her a drink, his night fades to black.
Apr 22
Perceval awakens with a splitting headache to find Haley in his bed. She is embarrassed, also obviously equally under the weather. But she hastily rises, collects herself, and leaves. She seems terrifically hurried and fearful. Later, Perceval discovers that his purse is missing. He goes to the Boar’s Head and demands to speak to Haley, who claims that she knows nothing of it; she is insistent that they speak, but cannot “now.” The bartender, Drake, asks him not to bother Haley.
Later that evening, Perceval meets Haley at the Boar’s Head. She tells him that “Madge the Mage” -- a local “seeress” -- told her that she would become pregnant “soon.” She has been avoiding any temptation that might lead to this, but now... She is terrified.
Perceval goes to meet Madge. She confirms that Haley is likely pregnant (according to her Augury), and if he’s the only she’s been with since she saw Haley a week ago, then he’s the father. Perceval is skeptical, but is also interested in finding those who killed his master. Madge says she will happily consult for a silver ($10). She agrees to do an Augury the next day and asks him to return the next day.
Later that night, Kiri is approached by a tearful and fearful Haley. She wants to know if Kiri’s priestly skills include any medicine. Kiri says she can probably help. Then Haley asks how soon after conception she can tell if a woman is pregnant. Kiri tells her she can tell within a fortnight.
Apr 23
On the way home, with Percival a few yards ahead of Kiri (the two are simply coworkers at this point), Perceval becomes aware someone is following them. A thug puts his meaty hand on Kiri and says, “You have something my boss wants. You know what it is. Hand it over.”
Perceval turns, seeing Kiri being intimidated by a much larger man, his chivalrous impulse takes over. He flares a flame jet to life and approaches. “Hey, I bet it’d hurt if this touched you,” he says. The thug takes off down an alleyway and is nearly gone by the time Perceval gets there. Kiri doesn’t want to be alone. She follows him to see Madge.
Madge tells Perceval what her Augury revealed: “You must first walk backwards in order to move forward.” Perceval shrugs and considers that maybe -- just maybe -- his money had been ill-spent. But there’s one born every minute, and Kiri asked about the death of her mentor. For the same one silver fee, Madge agrees to do an Augury for Kiri the next day.
Madge also quite often inappropriately touches Perceval’s hand and tells him “she can teach him things he cannot imagine.” This is either her way of offering him an apprenticeship or something more... Creepy... (She’s an old woman who was probably attractive 30 years ago, and Perceval is an 18 year-old lad.)
The two decide to retire to the Boar’s Head for dinner. There, Haley reveals Madge’s divinations to Perceval. Perceval, for his part, feels honor bound to “take care of her.” By this, he means that he’ll draft a letter explaining the situation to his family and send her and his bastard home to work in their household. She refuses, but he swears to write the letter nonetheless (“just in case”).
As this drama unfolds, an unpleasant gnome comes up and accosts them, asking them if they “had a rough night.” He all but reveals that he had something to do with it. He offers a potion to “take care of” Perceval’s problem (what exactly that means, he doesn’t quite say). At this point, Kiri finally realizes that it is Perceval who Haley was worried over. Small world. Talking to Haley, she explains that The Gnome comes from the “Brotherhood” -- a criminal enterprise run by gnomes.
Perceval
considers attacking The Gnome, who seems to have a special talent for
goading him just to the point of fury, but leaving him short of proper
provocation. The Gnome continues to give offense. Finally Perceval is
moved to take action and cuffs him lightly not once but twice. The
Gnome is unperturbed, almost amused. Angry and frustrated, he heads
home.
Haley talks to The Gnome for a bit. Later, she comes to Kiri. She has
a plan. She needs to dose Perceval with a love potion. She needs him.
Without him, all of the joy will leave her life. She “convinces” Kiri
to help her dose Perceval with the love potion; Kiri will give them
tea, then leave the room so that the first woman Perceval lays eyes on
will be Haley. The plan is set for the morrow.Apr 24
Perceval decides that with the “Brotherhood” on his scent, and whatever trouble he may have attracted from helping Kiri, he might want better accommodations. Also, with his job, he can afford them. So he moves in the morning.
Once at work, Kiri tells him of Haley’s scheme. He decides to go and find an antidote potion. So he goes to the gnome-dominated Alchemist Guild and purchases an antidote potion specifically tuned to love potions. His plan is to have Kiri go forward with Haley’s plan, except that instead of giving him the love potion, they will give Haley the antidote.
Kiri proves to be a terrible actress. Yet that actually helps move the plan forward, and both Haley and Perceval drink deeply of their tea. Then Haley obviously has a reaction -- she hurles a cup at him and begins spouting endless obscenities. And on temple grounds!
Perceval retreats. Kiri returns and calms Haley.
Later, Perceval and Kiri return to Madge. Madge tells Kiri that the death of her master is a “Mystery that has yet to reveal itself.” Kiri’s fairly certain she wasted her money. The also ask about the “Gnomish Brotherhood.” Madge tells them that the Brotherhood has a lock on the Alchemist Guild -- hard to tell them apart -- and they usually commit small scale crimes on the transient population. Gnomes also run the largest bank in Darkwood Towne.
On the way home, Perceval is met by The Gnome, who tells him that if he needs anything, just get in touch; he can make it happen, for a price. After a brief exchange of insults (which further irritate Perceval), The Gnome leaves.
May 3
Perceval has moved on to other duties in the temple complex. He meets Valerian, a Grey Circle mage, who recognizes his magical talents. This was to be an attempt on Perceval’s part to find information about the death of his master. But Valerian offers something more -- asks if he wants to become his apprentice. This will be in exchange for service, and Perceval will, for the time being, keep his day job.
Perceval meets with Madge again, who charges her customary “consulting” fee. She tells him that the Grey Circle doesn’t really recognize the value of her art. She repeats her offer to “teach him untold secrets. He politely declines. She then answers his questions about Valerian. He comes away believing that if nothing else, Valerian is a man of his word.
May 5
Perceval attends a dinner party acting as Valerian’s body servant. His first “service.” His apprenticeship is begun.
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