151107 Tavern of Treachery in Kalen Lekos

TWITCH STREAM Be sure to participate with the group each week LIVE! at <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/dm4hire" rel="nofollow">www.twitch.tv/dm4hire</a> every Saturday night at 6 PM CST until midnight. View this entire session here... <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMtZqyNcTxM" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMtZqyNcTxM</a> <a href="http://www.twitch.tv/dm4hire/v/24589397" rel="nofollow">http://www.twitch.tv/dm4hire/v/24589397</a> Twitch.tv keeps each broadcast for one week only, so be sure to stay up-to-date while it is still available, and be sure to click the heart icon under the twitch screen to 'follow' the group and be alerted of each new session. Brief portions of these weekly sessions can also be found on Youtube with the same date code. QUICK READ RECAP While taking a pit stop in a small outpost community called Kalen Lekos, the party uncovers unspeakable treachery when they learn that some members of their very own Saltmarsh council are involved with, and profiting from, the secret underground slave trade run by the violent Scarlet Brotherhood! DM SESSION LOG 151107 BEGIN... Party has loot identified at mage tower in town. wand, ring spell storing, bracers AC 5, dagger, robe, potion . 50gp identify. 95 charges on wand of illumination. potion reverse petrification. Tralaan entertains the children by placing a magic mouth on the tavern door, causing it to speak. Le'axle overhears talk of slaves and buyers from behind a bar curtain. Karmadel enters the curtained area unannounced, surprising and confronting two of the Saltmarsh council members lead by Gunter, and asks them specifically about their involvement with the secret slave trade. The bar becomes quiet. "What are you talking about slaves for?" "What are you doing here?" Gunter replies. "We came from Highport following the slaves" Karmadel detects a lie. "We're just here for the festival" Karmadel puts his hand on the sword "Don't lie to me" Karmadel grabs Gunter by the back of his neck. Patrons in the bar leave the premises. Guards enter the bar and ask Tralaan how long he has been here. "Not long" &nbsp;Tralaan replies. "Where are you from?" ask the guards. "We came from Highport, following the slavers" "What do you know about this?" "The slavers have a base that is active" "Who else knows this?" "Everyone in my party." "Can you point out the other members of your party out to us?" "We have taken over this bar, so everyone here" Karmadel says "If you were truly guards, you would know who we are." Karmadel asks bartender to dispatch the constable. The guards ask the adventurers "Tell us what you know." Tralaan pipes up "We did bring back a slave from there." &nbsp;referring to Kezar the half-ogre gladiator. Karmadel tells the guards "Drop your weapons" "You would have heard us call these people slavers" says Le'Axle. The guards exclaim, "Please come with us." Bjorn pushes the guard with strength. Balfon hits a guard and attacks with his blunt side of his axe for 5 hp of non-lethal damage. Le'axle swings at a guard! Tralaan casts blur on himself. Le'axle kills a guard with 12 hp of damage. Kezar impales another guard for 15 hp of damage, killing him. Kalidor shoot arrow for 7 hp and drops his bow. Bjorn kills a guard with 12 hp of damage. Guard hits Kell for 12 hp of damage lowering him to 29. Guard hits Le'Axle for 3 hp of damage lowering him to 28. Kell kills a guard with 10 hp of damage. Tralaan fries a guard with a magic missile for 14 hp of damage. Karmadel surmises Gunter is keeping the party away so he can participate in slave activities and profits. Party moves survivers to cages in guard area. The party asks Gunter questions under suggestion. He reveals the location of the nearby slaver compound. Karmadel judges the two Saltmarsh council members as being unfit and cuts off their heads. Le'axle searches his person and finds 50gp. Karmadel asks guard "Are you with these people?" "No" The remaining guard is let go. Karmadel and Kyra stabilize the wounded guards before they die. The party retrieves a key from the body of Gunter. Session ends. Party lump sum XP with all aspects considered (including but not limited to) session survival, skill usage, role-playing, alignment checks, etc: 4860 Karmadel, Priest/Bjorn/Kyra (Christopher S.): 540/540/540 Balfon (Skyhawk) Dwarf: 540 Tralann (Shalvenay K) Elf, Half: 540 Kell / Aaron (Robert D.) Human: 540/540 Kalidor (Mark H.) High Elf: 540 Le'Axle (James M.) Wood Elf: 540 SESSION LENGTH: &nbsp;4.5 Hours

Wow I had no idea the corruption went that deep. Not good at all! &nbsp;If I were you I'd box up their heads and send them back to the council, with a note explaining that this is what happens to those who dabble in the slave trade! &nbsp;By the way did you also zone of truth the guard as well to see if he was telling the truth, cuz if he wasn't then you guys guys could be in over your heads quickly. Too late now to do anything about it cuz y'all let him go, but for future reference it's always good to make sure that you're all playing on the same side. Again just my 2 pennies worth.

The guards would've died if me and Kyra didn't bandage their wounds so no guards died. And yes I used my 3rd and final inate ability to Detect Lie on the guard that was still conscience, in which he failed his save so I was able to tell if he was telling the truth which he was. And i can't cast Zone of Truth case I don't have the Ward sphere, not sure about all of Kyra's spheres. And&nbsp;Gunter did say that we should go and part ways and he'll give us the money that was due, which means he has our money from the mission that we was sent out for, on him or in his room. Will be heading that was with the key we got off him, even if I have to get shown where his room is at by either that guard or the barkeep. &nbsp; [DM: &nbsp;Log updated]

Not certain just how any 'welcome' back in Saltmarsh will be after this encounter with Gunter... &nbsp; &nbsp;Our hearty band of non-stealthy, easy to anger adventurers may be on their own after this mountain excursion.

We can always just relocate to another town

A good discussion to help the new folks might be types of information that would be valuable to gather, while taking a role-playing hiatus at this place, and whether or not it would be wise to do so in a subtle way. &nbsp;The D&D world of course isn't static, conversations can be initiated with the NPCs. &nbsp;I would hate for this opportunity to go to waste, and have players make the assumption that the show has to 'come to them'.

A few questions I would ask of the bartender 1. How long had Gunter been in town? 2. Who did he come in with? If they aren't in the inn at that point when does the bartender expect them to return? 3. What's the deal with the guards do they normally stick their noses where they don't belong or was this a one off type of thing? 4. Where is Gunter's wagon? Where are his slaves? Where is the money he owes you guys? 5. Now maybe an excellent time to expand your operations with a new wagon you guys could either rent it out or just take it with you on your way out of town. After all every adventuring party needs a good wagon with lots of hiding spaces for extra loot which I'm sure that Gunter has or had before his unfortunate meeting with the grim reaper. Lol once again just my two cents worth. Well you may want a penny for my thoughts but there's no way I'm selling you my body for a dollar lol take care guys enjoy your game tomorrow ;-)

I think the Guards watching the road would be a good ideal, but we already talked to them once and they was not very forthcoming or helpful... and neither was the Bartender.... I think the Cleric should rest up and then have a go at them using his special powers. ;)

Well if i have my bard ready by game you will have him to be the diplomacy guy and such thanks to his high charisma.

Bards typically have high charisma and are adept at smoothing over stuff with charm and slick words. &nbsp;A cross between a politician, rock star, and a lawyer? &nbsp;(although what I've seen some bards do... the 'law' is typically low on the list of priorities). &nbsp;Chat up the tavern wench or the ladies at the well or anyone who shows up for the festival contests. Doubt the local 'guard' is gonna be too happy since we nearly took off their heads before doing heals and tossing them into cells. &nbsp;'We' are the strangers and Gunter was an occasional visitor so he was in the 'better light' in the guards' eyes... even if he was negotiating with the slavers.&nbsp; We may be in the minority in this outpost. &nbsp;While we are hunting slavers; they may have them come through, eat, drink, spread a little coin and move on... not unlike how some 'bad guys' would ride into western towns, have some drinks at the bar, sleep it off and move on before 'the LAW' (or some idiot who thought they were a hot shot with a weapon) came along to challenge them. &nbsp;Same here. &nbsp;They may 'know' of them but not have a big beef about them. Of course, we won't know unless we ask.

Or it could very well be that the whole town relishes when the slavers come thru. What's better than free labor that you only have to pay for once. Slavery may be frowned upon now but back then it was a way to increase the revenu stream for many a principality. You get in a war with your neighbor and the majority of the neighbors troops surrender, what do you do with them? You don't want them causing trouble in your principality, so you ship them off to some strange land and sell them as slaves. It's a win win win for the winner of the war he gets rid of possible trouble makers, frees up prison cells, and you get some cash for the bodies you didn't kill. Bonus!

Contrary to popular belief, as portrayed in movies like "Roots", white man didn't create the slave trade, they just bought and distributed them, it was the Africans tribes themselves that rounded up their defeated enemies and got rid of them that way by creating that industry. &nbsp;Thomas is on point.