Events+of+Olarune+5-6,+998+YK

=Events of Olarune 5-6, 998 YK=

Highlights: Not too many, actually. But things improved a bit on 8 June!


 * Lots of talking, lots of recovery from the combats of the previous evening.
 * Colden Torbald decided to return to House Orien, taking Faye Dwarfhammer with him. Unlike the last time, when she had been courted by a Changeling pretending to be Colden, this time it's real.
 * The party sold stuff and bought other stuff, freely using the Baron's connections as needed.
 * Dashiell Kaplan was revealed as Nina's secret benefactor; it was his spell that brought her back from the brink in her fight with Alfred Meldrum.
 * Speaking of Alfred, his body disappeared from the arena. Just an FYI.
 * The Baron secured passaage on the Golden Dragon, a brand new airship -- the largest ever built -- for the trip to Wroat to view King Boranel's body and attend the funeral. The Baron's position as a leader of the pro-Monarchist faction in Parliament makes him a possible target of violence (from groups like the Sons of Liberty), so he asks the party to accompany him as his escorts/entourage. He arranges for a tailor to get measurements for special masterwork outfits they can wear on board.
 * Kaela joined the group, having terminated her freelance relationship with NZZN. She nearly got into a fight with the doorman at the Baron's tower -- a Brelish veteran who'd served under Prince Bortan during his campaign in the Eldeen Reaches.
 * Another figure was briefly seen stalking the party members (actually, only Nina, in eagle form, saw him at all). This is Jarvis Black, a Whisper Gnome from Zilargo, who seems to want to join the party for reasons of his own.
 * On the evening of Olarune 6, the party dressed up and traveled with the Baron to Lyrandar Tower, atop which the Golden Dragon would be christened and launched (more than six weeks ahead of schedule).
 * Jarvis managed to join a Gnome work crew making last-minute preparations on the vessel. In the hectic time caused by the change of schedule, security concerns took a backseat to getting the work done in time. He saw a Hobgoblin, a Bugbear and some Minotaurs loading crates and such.
 * The Sovereign Host Temple provided one of their finest clerics of Boldrei to perform the blessing on the ship...Dashiell Kaplan, who attended with his Kobold assistant.
 * Just before the launch, Jarvis followed a group of random Humanoids onto the Cargo Deck. These humanoids disappeared from view, then emerged with weapons and started climbing the spiral stairs to the upper decks, dropping two House Medani guards along the way. The Hobgoblin and Bugbear stayed behind, both suspecting something amiss. The Bugbear crowled through the soarwood skiff bay, but went upstairs after not finding the Whisper Gnome. The Hobgoblin, however, used Detect Magic to find the auras of the magic items on Jarvis' person, and the fight was on.
 * On the Main Deck, milling nobles from throughout Khorvaire had gathered. Including a pair of Lizardfolk from Q'barra...one of whom recognized Brackenmore Willington!
 * All at once, the Humanoids from the cargo deck burst onto the scene, led by a hulking Warforged. Displaying magical talents in line with Aberrant Dragonmarks, the attackers caused fear and panic among the guests, including the Lord Mayor of Sharn.
 * People fleeing, other people dying, hijackers getting pwned by PCs...mayhem mayhem mayhem...assassination attempt on Baron Curzon thwarted by Crest...Lizardfolk thwarted in attempt to kill Brack (Thomas made him invisible, so the Lizard hit Thomas with poisoned Barbed Bolas instead)...Dashiell nearly knocked overboard twice (the second time he was saved when a Lyrandar harpoon speared his shield arm instead of the ship's hull, and the poor cleric had to be reeled in like a fish up the side of Lyrandar tower)...and so on.
 * Harpies showed off a new tactic: Lure folks into a cluster by the Harpy, then fly up and bomb 'em with Alchemist's Fire. This tactic was stopped in fine fashion by Nina, who tried dogfighting them in Eagle form, and then used a new tactic of her own: Fly directly over a hovering Harpy, then wildshape into a Bear and plummet, smashing the Harpy to the deck of the ship. Ouch! Good thing the Harpy broke Nina-bear's fall...
 * The Poison Dusk Lizardfolk that tried to kill Thomas (instead of Brack) was also slain by Nina -- and Chok'ma made out like a bandit with the little reptile's gear!
 * But the little dude has a companion on his trip to Dolurrh -- Brackenmore Willington. Yep, Brack died anyway. Cruel irony.