Back at the Place with the Thing

17 Lamashan 4709 AR
Absalom

We arrived back at the place where we had encountered the stirges earlier, but left quickly this time, remembering we still had an eyewing-thing and a dog locked in our room at the inn. Or rather, as it turned out, we had a dead eyewing and a wounded dog. After a quick bit of cleaning up (of the room and ourselves) Zandu decided we must go get that map from the Pathfinders Guild. So, we began the trek across town for that. As we walked, we could not help but feel we were being watched, so Deaglan and Tythe took the freshly-healed dog and ducked into an alley to see what followed the rest of us. Something they called a “street urchin” was apparently darting through the crowd keeping a few dozen paces behind us.

Tythe circled back around and caught said urchin, who had been paid to follow us and deliver a message. As the urchin passed over a wax-sealed parchment, he said, “Things are not as they seem.”

Oh, the parchment had this on it:

You’re in danger — the unseen is moving — we need to talk.” G.T.

As Tythe was getting that, Zandu was retrieving information about his map tattoo from the Pathfinder Society. The map is a place in Darkmoon Vale, but Zandu would not elaborate— I guess he does not trust us. Hmmm.

Well, I figured out that “G.T.” must be none other than Grandmaster Torch, so we hustled ourselves back to the Puddles and to his lair in the sewers. Knocking on the door, we were met with the now-familiar irritated visage of a half-orc bodyguard (K’nuk— I finally got his name out of him). I like him.

Torch was (still) in his tub. He seemed to know what we had been up to, and suggested that we should contact Lucinda (who was safely back in her fiancé’s home) and apologize for attempting to take her back to her brother, indicating that we believe now that we had been on the wrong side of the clash between their two houses. We agreed, and I suggested that Deaglan and I go, since he was not at the ball and I had not been one of her actual kidnappers.

We went back to the Golden Griffin, tidied up again, and then hired a coach to go to the Toresco manor house to see if we could meet with Lucinda. It turned out to be quite easy. We did as Torch suggested and she seemed quite alright about the whole incident. While I had the chance, I mentioned my “infatuation” with Marlis and how I’d lost his address from our encounter at the ball— she provided me with the location of his business. I do not know if it matters, but I still am curious to know if he is Nessiam.

Insanity

Once more through the portal, and back to the inn! Would we find the dog or the eyewing alive? In the main room of the tavern Tythe surprised me by demanding water instead of rum. This day gets stranger and stranger...

Upstairs, we found the cage knocked over and the poor eyewing dead. The dog was in the corner, unconscious, probably due to the multiple puncture wounds on its body. Astrid cured the dog while Deaglan informed Zandu that Rufus was his dog, now. Zandu was still too beat up to argue much, poor guy!

After a lot of talk, we decided to go back to the beginning: go to the Pathfinders’ Guild and find out what they’d learned of Zandu’s map. I’d nearly forgotten that in the rest of our trouble. Speaking of which, Astrid noticed we were being followed all the way to the Guild.

Astrid, Zandu, and I went into the Guild, but Deaglan, Tythe, and the dog ducked into an alley beforehand to waylay our pursuer. Zandu went to find his map researcher while we waited on the others.

We eventually caught sight of them chasing a street urchin into another alley. Finally, they returned with a note from Grand Master Torch; he wants us to meet. Zandu came back at the same time with the news that his map leads to a spot in the Darkmoon Vale. Interesting!

The Puddles district seemed strangely quiet as we passed through. We were unmolested, even in the sewers. The same half-orc was at the door, and he still liked Astrid’s looks! Torch was still in his bath, too, with some news for us.

There had been more kidnappings of noblefolk, and purple-veiled figures seemed to be involved. Yet, the Lady we had kidnapped was back at her fiance’s palace as if nothing had happened! Does this mean her Lord runs this gang?

The others, meanwhile, decided to go and talk to the Lady. I seriously requested that they drop me off at the girls’ school. I thought a quiet life of teaching sounded wonderful, especially never leaving the front gate again. They must be insane!

Once more, they talked me out of it. I ended up suggesting that, at least, only Deaglan and Astrid go; the rest of us were too much involved in the kidnapping. Instead, we returned to the tavern to listen to the gossip.

At least we got a bath and dinner; there was no news of interest to us in the main room. The others returned safely to say that the Lady accepted our apologies for the incident; thankfully, nothing else had happened, though it’s all as much of a mystery as ever. Now what?

Well, the Lady did mention that Nessian has a shop, and told them where it is. We plan to go ask him directly what has happened, and why? At this point, nothing my companions propose could surprise me, I think.

Since it was well into evening at that point, we agreed to go in the morning. We may move to another inn, as well; we’ve certainly made ourselves noticeable at this one over the past few days...