No update of last week's action from our gamemaster, Paolo. Instead, here is my take on what took place:
The group started the session in Elandra’s ransacked room. Whilst we tried to support Elandra – who was distraught – and to investigate the crime scene, the ship’s guards kept getting in our way, which led to a confrontation with the Nordian, the Head of Security. Ragnar (the Berserker) told him that his guards were useless and the security system aboard the ship didn’t protect the passengers. The others in the group were equally vocal … and in the end we were all assigned guards to keep us under surveillance.
Whilst the rest of us left for the infirmary, Bumble (the Stormshifter) escorted Elandra to the ship’s temple. At the infirmary, we acquired a greased pig for Vale (the Shepherd) which we took to the casino. Ragnar announced that we were going to set up a pig speed contest and called for bets to be placed. The group was showered with bets – including one for 500 Gold Pieces from Caldor the Dwarf – and then Vale attempted to set fire to the pig! Before he could, he was seized by the guards who dragged him away. (He was taken to the ship’s barracks, where he was incarcerated in a cell next to another prisoner … who turned out to be the talkative guard the group had met outside Thinkertop’s room.)
The pig rushed across the casino, overturning at least one of the gaming tables and tipping piles of gold pieces onto the floor. Ragnar and Menkare (the Shadowmancer) grabbed as much gold as they could, and the former asked a servant for a pair of heavy-duty seaman’s socks … into which he put the gold he had picked up. During the fracas, Callista (the Hunter) and Johnny-Baptiste (the Cheat) sneaked out of the casino and went back to their rooms … accompanied by a guard!
Meanwhile, Bumble kept watch over Elandra and Vale – who had been stripped of all his possessions – was attacked by the talkative now-ex-guard (whose name was John). Ragnar then arrived at the barracks, where he was confronted by the Head of Security and fired from his undercover job. He then went to the cells, where he had a confrontation with John … and the latter threw the contents of his slop bucket over Ragnar. In response, Ragnar told John that he would not forget what had happened and that he should expect retribution.
Soon afterwards, Menkare went to the dining room, where he attracted everyone’s attention and announced that the ship’s guards were useless and that they were incapable of protecting anyone. Many to those present left immediately, leaving a few elderly passengers and the twins in the room.
At this point, all hell let loose! Several hooded men could be seen outside and then there was an explosion, which breached the room’s wall and knocked the Silamane twins over. The hooded men then rushed in … just as Ragnar, Callista, and Johnny-Baptiste arrived.
Whilst some of the hooded men set about killing anyone who was close to them, one grabbed one of the twins, grabbed an amulet from around her neck, and then slit her throat! Fighting was taking place across the dining room. Ragnar took on two men, hitting them with his improvised weapons, two socks full of gold coins! Callista was wounded before seizing a spear that had been dropped by a dead guard and stabbed one of the hooded men. At the same time, Johnny-Baptiste threw his concealed ricocheting dagger at another, killing him with a strike to the heart.
The fight in the dining room.
Ragnar then attacked the hooded man who had taken the amulet, and despite being seriously injured, killed him. The rest of the hooded men then began to leave. Ragnar then handed the amulet to Callista, who – with Menkare – was escorting the uninjured twin to the infirmary. Whilst he was doing this, Menkare intercepted one of the hooded men who was attempting to leave the room. He tripped him up and seized the man’s dropped sword and stabbed him with it. As he died, the man pulled open his robe, revealing a metal chest piece with a vibrant gem in its centre. Menkare, who speaks Abyssal, heard the man mutter a warning in that language.
This was the first time we had used the Nimble combat system ... and is it not ony easy to use but also produces some exciting results.