The Twelfth Session

After leaving Airspur, the group took the main road to travel to the capital city of Akanax. Despite an orc attack, which they quickly fended off with Yief making multiple beheadings, the trip was uneventful. In an unusual time of calm for the group, they began to learn from the pirates. Yief trained in his power attacking ability with Ragnar, Aoth trained in observation and Halrek trained in long range accuracy with Haldes, and Shag trained in public speaking with Lyn. Vissella began teaching Darkwind and Applaudicus how to focus their energy to channel and control the heat they could produce, leading to them both being able to produce smoke and embers from a focused area of their bodies. Stopping only to resupply rations in the cities on the way, they stayed in the carriage and chose not to take shelter in the cities.

Arriving in the capital, they entered through the market district. Immediately tracking down Dave's Shit To Hit Other Shit With, they found it was much larger and nicer than the other local weapon shops they'd been to, and that the goblin operating it had polished, fitted armor and spoke with a more traditional Midfall accent. He identified that the Dave in Airspur was right, and that Shag and Halrek had the legacy weapons Devious and Vicious, which had recently awakened their latent powers. Shag took Devious, and Halrek took Vicious. The party then all bought masterwork gear, and Halrek went to a Dun'Rashin trader to buy a specialized short sword. They all went to the Royal District mage's guild, The Arcane Coalition, to use their enchanting tables. Leaving the guild with enhanced equipment, the party went to the Cemetery District next. Yief immediately went fishing, failing to catch anything worthwhile initially but ultimately catching a large bass. However, once he saw the Vissella had caught enough fish for the whole group, he decided to give the bass to 2 nearby homeless boys. The boys were grateful, but after leaving, the group heard a commotion. Running over, they found a group of highborn boys taunting the boys and trying to take the bass. Yief clenched one of the highborn boys' neck, causing him to pee his pants and cry out that they had to run. Yief then tripped the boy as he scrambled to run away, causing him to fall and break his nose. Shag laughed mercilessly, frightening the highborns further. In gratitude of saving them, the peasant boys told the party of a local group of mysterious people who sometimes leave money and food for them, that seems to have come from highborns. They spoke of a secret door underneath the nearby prison, that would be very difficult to get to, but if they did manage to, that this group was rumored to be found there. They then said if the party needed them for anything, they could be found in a mud pile 200 feet north of the gate to the Royal District. When Yief referred to it as a Mud Home instead of a pile, the boys said "no, it's definitely a pile. Nice name, though!"

Aoth then went back to fish more, and managed to catch and reel in Fish Quickwheel, who seemed confused as to how he'd gotten there as he had taken a nap at his camp next to a downhill river, and "only rolled around in his sleep." He then immediately walked off, once again stating "I just want to fish in peace," still unclear about the meaning of the phrase. Shag and Halrek shook it off and went off to the prison just after dusk. Hiding under the draw bridge for about an hour, they crossed on the underside of it once it dropped for a guard to be relieved of his shift. They snuck past the front gate guards, walking the narrow path around the side of the prison. After nearly being spotted by a guard walking the opposite direction, they heard "Whew, that was close." from behind them, and realized Applaudicus had come with them and was sneaking behind them the whole time. They then proceeded to the back of the prison, where they scaled the rock wall it was build on to a small shore area where it met the water. Searching, they found a hidden door to a tunnel carved into the rock wall that led under the prison. Advancing through, Shag found a tripwire that Halrek disarmed, causing them to confidently walk into a second tripwire they weren't expecting, and getting hit by darts painted like bees. Alerting the people inside, Shag then spoke out, saying they were friendly. He was very convincing, and the person waiting to ambush them as they came in then invited them in, giving hugs and jeering like old friends. After Shag explained the reason for their coming there, the Thieves' Guild members asked for their help. They were laying low due to some heat from a job 2 days prior, and were going to miss out on a caravan robbery job. They gave the group the details and the group agreed to intercept the caravan the following day.

Meanwhile, Aoth and Yief followed Fish into the Royal District, where he went to the library to read books on automatons and constructs, and continue his survey of "Spork or Foon?" with the general public. After explaining the difference between the ocean animals called fish and his name, he said he was happy he washed up because he would never have found so many good books on the mountain. After realizing he was safe, Aoth and Yief decided to go to the Arena. Placing bets on the reigning champion, they sat to watch the match, in the massive 4,000 person crowd. 3 challengers came out on one side, while a young human man the announcer called "Maverick" came out on the other. In a very quick, very one sided match, Maverick killed the 3 challengers without taking a single hit, earning Aoth and Yief 100 gold each. They then got some street meat on their way back to the Cemetery District, meeting up with Shag, Halrek, and Applaudicus, who took another tunnel that led to a sewer grate behind an abandoned building the guild used as a safe house. Sharing hot dogs, gyros, and shish kebabs, they began putting together a plan of action for the guild job the following day.