Difference between revisions of "Crescent Moons Trading Company"

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To the casual observer, there is nothing special about the Crescent Moons Trading Company. It is one of a half-dozen small, struggling trading houses, a member of the Dirt City Merchants' Guild, trying to make an honest living in a city of thieves. Only a few people know its secret: Crescent Moons is actually a front organization, created to cover the activities of brave do-gooders, heroes dedicated to helping the common folk of Dirt City to the best of their ability.
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The Crescent Moons Trading Company was one of a half-dozen small members of the Dirt City Merchants' Guild trying to make an honest living in a city of thieves. Only a few people knew its secret: it was the cover for brave do-gooders, heroes dedicated to helping the common folk of Dirt City to the best of their ability.  What rose from this company was a band of heroes, The Tide, called to cleanse the streets like a vengeful flood.  
  
 
==The Game==
 
==The Game==
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==Game Background==
 
==Game Background==
  
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The election of Liam Kent, the former head of the Woldian League of Adventurers, as the Prince of Dirt City ushered in a two-year period of relative stability and prosperity. That all changed when Kent was either assassinated or died of natural causes, depending on who you ask. A new Prince was chosen, backed mainly by the Teeth and Keys. He lasted all of two weeks before a feud broke out between the Teeth and the Darts. The new Prince failed to act, leading to accusations of favoritism toward those who had gotten him the job. The Prince fled during the night, leaving the position open again. A new man was chosen, thanks largely to the backing of the Dirt City Merchants’ Guild, but he was murdered by his own guards. Since the guards had been taken largely from the ranks of the Knives, this led to accusations of behind-the-scenes manipulation. The next Prince was forced to abdicate when the Keys withdrew their support after a disagreement. And so on. Finally, in exasperation, the House of Knives and the House of Wolves collaborated to elect their man, Argus Fexel.  
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The election of Liam Kent, the former head of the Woldian League of Adventurers, as the Prince of Dirt City ushered in a two-year period of relative stability and prosperity. That all changed when Kent disappeared.  Assassinated or died: the rumors flew. The next three Prince each lasted less than a month: fled, killed, abdicated. Finally, in exasperation, the House of Knives and the House of Wolves collaborated to elect their man, Argus Fexel.  He used draconian laws and harsh punishments to bring  peace-at-a-price. And the price was the non-affiliated common folk, who have no powerful allies to shield them.  
  
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As Prince of the City, Fexel has succeeded in keeping order, using draconian laws and harsh punishments to discourage anyone from stepping out of line. After months of infighting and instability, the city now knows peace of a kind, but at a very high price. And nobody is suffering more than the common folk, who have no powerful allies to shield them.
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Enter our heroes, who first worked under the cover story of the CMTC, then as an independent adventuring party, and finally as a powerful team that could directly influence the balance of power…
  
 
==Characters==
 
==Characters==
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===Current Roster===
 
===Current Roster===
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gijhAWYKxNgtHlQ2Lky9ZZJCLtlrhQ9bD5An0xMsMgE/pub Alizar Alegari] - A elf cleric played by Rocky
 
  
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/195J0CE_9264bjCdDocbop6-pBIO0kVbaqBqBIJvnjz8/edit?usp=sharing Asteria Amarante] - A human barbarian played by Genevieve
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Alh6id3nGEq0TKq2UJxtHNPPltctin_Efphc-g9K80Q/pub Hmerrin] - A human fighter played by Mike
  
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1irLW8FGMe7D4zTum-m-KiPjIKOQzuGmf82p7swKSI-g/edit Dušan] - A human blood witch played by Erik
+
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CjT9tnGo8kLtyG7PNgmq6v_bX3ydYH6hJYlmftSG_IY/edit Danko Pureheart] - A Human Sorcerer/Rogue played by Yves
  
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Alh6id3nGEq0TKq2UJxtHNPPltctin_Efphc-g9K80Q/pub Hmerrin] - A human fighter played by Mike
+
[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VxorIwxWzn6UCST4RwsJH4nIyGgmpxGWNAzwUBazlHU/edit#gid=0 Nira Wynvyre] - A Elf Blood Witch/Wizard/Mystic Theurge played by Rob C
  
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WxIYvy3K2-uCYIPwmjHI0Wkx_IvEXHtpqnWgSAsSBAA/edit Lornak] - A surface drow twilight ranger played by Frank
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1snu-cIadapTciVI-CoG-YBcKCK0elRlmT7adMh9dIh0/edit Gaffer] - A human druid played by Courtney
  
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-tOQpMG0WrBKTuVSPzXs4Ow7XHZX55I9HdVoXFU5X4s/edit Talanthrel] - A half elf fighter/rogue played by Paul
+
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lzyYBl8UqG1epzgj1KxVmvY2ocIpGiC9teqKgErSpNM/edit Ramirez] - A Human Bard played by Brian Z
  
−
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CbqfagNavY323JmxKP5LdtXd_4ymSArGHOq5TdFcDyk/edit Toston Lotor] - A gnome monk/sorcerer played by Hugh
+
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JevsL-8cZrjwUBSUvxq6CMPZO2KvRLBhEDbdKpH-M38 Desdichado] - A human paladin played by Ryan
  
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/18SI_NwE1oxr6k6julrkhg1mTzzucD1UaxSXylqEV0j4/edit Var Tuegh] - A half-orc ranger played by Tom
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fpXONnESCgJc03hQs2AktkAFJ-iwj7XPmblnvAoyoik/edit Yrul] - a surface drow shadow dancer played by Nick
 +
 
 +
===Nightly Watch===
 +
'''1st''' Nira and Gaffer
 +
 
 +
'''2nd''' Hmerrin, Yrul, and Ramirez
  
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nqLdGSijFI7jy_kpRsvfy6ktaNLv9tIG2tNHXkT0zBI/edit Wilford Grimly] - A human rogue/cleric played by Matt
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'''3rd''' Desdichado and Danko
  
 
===Past Characters===
 
===Past Characters===
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oDxIVfj60XjhePPjsxPjNip3_pSSkWmPafYW8R812Zg/edit?usp=sharing Avin Fellows] - a human wizard played by Thomas
 
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oDxIVfj60XjhePPjsxPjNip3_pSSkWmPafYW8R812Zg/edit?usp=sharing Avin Fellows] - a human wizard played by Thomas
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gijhAWYKxNgtHlQ2Lky9ZZJCLtlrhQ9bD5An0xMsMgE/pub Alizar Alegari] - A elf cleric played by Rocky
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-tOQpMG0WrBKTuVSPzXs4Ow7XHZX55I9HdVoXFU5X4s/edit Talanthrel] - A half elf fighter/rogue played by Paul
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/18SI_NwE1oxr6k6julrkhg1mTzzucD1UaxSXylqEV0j4/edit Var Tuegh] - A half-orc ranger played by Tom
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1irLW8FGMe7D4zTum-m-KiPjIKOQzuGmf82p7swKSI-g/edit Dušan] - A human blood witch played by Erik
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/195J0CE_9264bjCdDocbop6-pBIO0kVbaqBqBIJvnjz8/edit?usp=sharing Asteria Amarante] - A human barbarian played by Genevieve
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cunla9D7DcMdVswsItNrqNe4tuVf1aGbSBpbtiMMuoI/edit Ethani] - A 3/4 sea elf cleric played by Nellie
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WxIYvy3K2-uCYIPwmjHI0Wkx_IvEXHtpqnWgSAsSBAA/edit Lornak] - A surface drow twilight ranger played by Frank
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VvUyXqJFYQGjt8qfuDLXhDmGqS_nasTNlNtMB4WWpcY/edit?usp=sharing Toston Lotor] - A gnome monk/gold draconic sorcerer/gold dragon disciple played by Hugh
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QDsUx676xszNSMrEU3rP2fU8hxW5cVvjV2qv1Sd0cUQ/edit?usp=sharing Sarge] - A Dwarf cleric played by Kathy
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document link to be inserted Eisenhorne] - A human wizard played by David
 +
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document link to be inserted Sharpe] - A human Fighter played by Charles
  
 
===NPCs===
 
===NPCs===
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'''Abel Boggs''' is the PCs' primary contact in the organization. He is a very average-looking human man in his forties, with thinning sandy hair and a very forgettable face.  
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'''Abel Boggs''' Head of the CMTC organization and primary CMTC contact for the party. The party is now their own group separate from the CMTC, but still on good terms.  He is a very average-looking human man in his forties, with thinning sandy hair and a very forgettable face.
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'''Tombo (Tom) Greenhand''' a tenant of Tide House, owner of Tombo's Tavern. Tom is a young man, tall and thin, with sandy red hair and blue eyes. He is dressed in halfling-style clothes: fine shirt, waistcoat, shortened trousers, and bare feet. Of course, his feet lack the thick soles and curly hair of regular halfling feet; they are narrow, and pale, and a little dirty.
 +
 
 +
'''Mazea Ironthane''' another tenant, owns a leatherworking shop.  Mazea is a middle-aged dwarven woman, with a long braid composed of roughly equal parts red and gray hair.
 +
 
 +
'''Sunny Culpepper''' another tenant, owns the sewing school.  She is a human woman, very pretty, no more than 20 years old. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and her dress, though simple, is well-made and fits her perfectly.  Hmerrin has been sweet on her in the past.
  
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'''Madri Brightside''' is the company's receptionist, a halfling woman who is unfailingly kind and cheerful. She can usually be found in the reception area, where she has a smile and a friendly greeting for everyone.
+
'''Cinzi''' hired by the Tide as night watchman. A non-descript human that doesn’t speak much, he is an expert at watching and alerting; just don’t expect him to get more involved.  
  
 
'''Brother Elthorn''' is a drunk acolyte of Ffloy and tender of a small shrine / graveyard dedicated to Ffloy.  In his own words he has a 'posisshen' and complains that no one appreciates either Ffloy or him.
 
'''Brother Elthorn''' is a drunk acolyte of Ffloy and tender of a small shrine / graveyard dedicated to Ffloy.  In his own words he has a 'posisshen' and complains that no one appreciates either Ffloy or him.
  
−
'''Two-Bits''' is a small-time information broker in the city.  Twice now she's helped the group with useful knowledge on what's happening in the criminal underworld of Dirt City, but always for a price.
+
'''Jasper and Posie ''' a gnome couple that take care of Tide House proper, Posie in the kitchen and Jasper the maid service.  Posie often completes Jasper’s sentences even when he doesn’t say anything.
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''' Darmious Foxx ''' is the Prince of Dirt City’s liaison for The Tide; a highly skilled burglar, he is an athletic-looking human man with well-groomed but graying beard.  Knowing how powerful the Tide is in divination and detection magics, as well as distrustful of the Prince’s motivations, Darmious is very careful to always appear as himself, with no weapons, and tell the absolute truth (as he knows it)!
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===Allies===
 +
'''The Temple of Ffloy'''  A merchants ally and so to the Tide
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'''The merchants of Clover Lane'''  Allies of the Tide and CMTC, they will always be helpful within reason of their safety
 +
 
 +
'''Eyes of Warrd'''  Cultivated with kindness, the grubbers and poor souls of Dirt City who come to Warrd are willing to whisper what they hear to The Tide
 +
 
 +
'''Beggar boy and Walker'''  Go between to the new hidden WLA in Dirt City. Walker is the current chapter house manager.
 +
 
 +
==Crafting==
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Poisons and Alchemical Remedies
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https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IFSx1JIQFFez3MPYfcn4tzy8Eko-AyQSjRfTyKNqmSw/edit?usp=sharing
  
 
==Geography==
 
==Geography==
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This game takes place in [[Geography: Dirt City|Dirt City]].
 
This game takes place in [[Geography: Dirt City|Dirt City]].
  
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The Crescent Moons Trading Company is located in an uneasy no-man's land between Moontown and the Backstab Quarter. It's a rather shabby, single-story building whose front door and shutters have been painted a hopeful shade of blue. Next door is a sprawling rooming-house; down the alley is a tiny shop that sells the best meat pies in the City Above. Across the street is a rather sleepy neighborhood brothel.
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''' The Crescent Moons Trading Company ''' was located between Moontown and the Backstab Quarter. It was burned by a hit squad later to be found in the pay of the Rakshasa (M12).  The same group killed everyone in the known WLA safe house in Dirt City. Only Boggs survived.
  
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===Marsh House===
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''' Marsh House ''' A large house rented from the CMTC located in Dockside.  The odd place (DM posts: 17,25,26 March 25, 2015) was destroyed a week before the CMTC headquarters (M12)
  
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At present, the PCs are renting a large house, called Marsh House, for 40 gp per month. The house has plenty of room for everyone, but its architecture is odd to say the least. Complete descriptions can be found in the game's archives, specifically the DM posts of March 25, 26, and 17, 2015.
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''' Shale House ''' was a refurbished three story warehouse owned by the heroes in Wolf Town. The group lived here for several years with some supportive NPCs.  Due to the non-interference agreement (M13), The Tide sold Shale House to the House of Wolves, and the NPCs eventually moved to Tide House.  
  
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Currently, Avin has claimed the "round room." Toston is in the "rustic room" with Var sleeping in a hammock on the attached screened porch. Wilford has taken a liking to the somewhat feminine white-and-yellow room. In Broom's absence the "front room" was available and presumably claimed by Alizar, leaving Talanthrel in the "very large room." There is also a servant's room, presently unoccupied.
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''' Tide House '''
 +
Located in Moon Quarter, this is a two-story manor house with a courtyard enclosed on three sides. Made of pale sandstone blocks and red tiled roof, it was formerly a rich merchant’s house, then a secret Ga’al temple and rakshasa lair before The Tide cleansed it and took it over for its own (M13). Several NPCs maintain the location; one of the only safe spaces in Dirt City!
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1) The Buttering Ram. Tavern run by Tombo Greenhand, a human who prefers halfling ways and foods.
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2) Leatherworking shop operated by Mazea Ironthane.
 +
3) Sewing school operated by Sunny Culpepper.  
  
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===Safe Houses===
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Income – incidental to The Tide
  
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Part of the cover that the Crescent Moons Trading Company provides is a network of safe houses for emergencies. The PCs were given safe houses and recognition codes, which they had to memorize since none of this information is safe to write down and carry around. There are several safe houses in Dirt City; the following is only a partial list:
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Defenses
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- All doors are reinforced, heavy wooden doors with three levels of bracing (top, middle, bottom).  
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* There is a certain bookstore in The Burn. Go in and ask for the autobiography of Liam Kent. The clerk will ask "the abridged or unabridged version?" The reply: "I hear they're both the same."
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- All windows have interior, reinforced, heavy wooden shutters with bracing, and external iron bars.  
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* There is a certain house in Wardd's Ward. Go to the back door and ask about the mule they have for sale.
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- The tree in the courtyard is a Treent
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* There is a certain inn near the Crescent Moon Market in the City Below. Ask for the Liam Kent special.
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- The Manor itself (not courtyard) has a Hallow spell.
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* There is a certain flat near the Dock Sewer of the City Below. The key is behind a loose brick in the wall, 20 paces north of the flat. Leave the brick in the center of the walkway, so watchers can report that the safe house is in use.
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==History==
 
==History==
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===The road so far===
 
===The road so far===
  
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Part 1: Undead in Grubbertown
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''' Part 1: CMTC
 +
M1: Undead in Grubbertown '''
 +
Our heroes (Wilford, Avin, Toston, Var, Talanthrel, Broom, Ashley and Gilmek), recruited by Abel Boggs, meet at the Crescent Moons Trading Company.  The first mission: a rash of undead attacks in Grubbertown. The group finds a cemetery, disturbed graves, and a shrine (and Roy). The shrine is maintained by drunk Brother, an acolyte of Ffloy.  He needs to renew a ritual to prevent the dead from rising from his cemetery, so the group sets out to get a needed powdered silver, and re-consecrate the graveyard.  The mission is peppered with zombies and the instigator, a Wight!  The heroes are successful (Roy leaves).  In reward, the CMTC rent Marsh House to the team.
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 +
''' M2: The Ghost of Clover Way '''
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Abel Boggs relays more reports of the undead, this time in the City Below (Broom leaves). The merchants of Clover Way, the alchemist Wendy and the gnome tinkerer Fletch speak of disembodied voices and a glowing figure. Three-Bits, the shady information dealer, has information but only after the heroes deal with a ‘bug problem’: a giant scorpion! They also meet the erstwhile ‘House of Silver’ (Alizar joins).  It turns out the 'Ghost' of Clover Way was a cover up to a robbery by the House of Silver!  After a long and brutal fight (including the arrival of Dusan, Lornak and Hmerrin) the adventurers previal, and the were-rat Anner is taken prisoner and tells of the House of Silver (Avin, Ashley, Gilmek leave). A woman, Selene, organized a street gang into an aspiring ruling House. Selene, and most of the gang, were lycanthropes, and jokingly named themselves the House of Silver. The group exiles Anner, an idea the were-rat is keen on to avoid repercussions from failing Selene.
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 +
''' M3-M4: The Streets of Dirt City/ The Way It Had to End '''
 +
Spring! And the Dirt City merchants welcome a trade delegation from Aisildur.  Assassins attack the Aisidlurian Delegates. The party deal with the assassins and finds a single black & purple glove that was deliberately left on the body of the slain Aisildurian.  Conferring with the CMTC, the glove was the calling card of a famous, now dead, Dart named Dema Fahr. Many leads and dead ends later, including meeting a Dart informer named Nightblade, and fighting their way through an angry mob after them, the heroes realize the House of Silver is out to get them.  They clash with Reakos, an insane Were-Leopard wizard and his goons, but the House Knives show up and arrest everyone!
  
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Our story begins with eight separate heroes (Wilford, Avin, Toston, Var, Talanthrel, Broom, Ashley and Gilmek) getting recruited by Abel Boggs.  They meet at the Crescent Moons Trading Company main office where Boggs informs the group that there have a rash of undead attacks in Grubbertown and he wants the group to investigate.  The group ends up splitting up with Talanthrel, Gilmek, Toston and Wil looking for witnesses and Ashley, Avin, Var and Broom looking for a sight of a known attack.  The latter group does not find anything useful but the former group finds a cemetery with evidence of disturbed graves and a shrine.  Toston uses his gnome magic to send a signal for the other group.  They find it and trace it back to its source as the party reunites at the cemetery.  The group investigates the chapel finding a drunk passed out in it, but is interrupted by 4 zombies.  The group destroys the zombies but some of its members are injured. The drunk turns out to be Brother Elthorn, an acolyte of Ffloy in charge of the cemetery and the graveyard.  Through diplomacy and intimidation the group is able to convince Elthorn to help and heal their wounds.  It turns out he needs to renew a ritual to prevent the dead from rising from his cemetery, but there is a hitch.  Elthorn requires a measure of powdered silver to complete the ritual.  The group sets out to check in with Boggs at the Scrum and then find the required silver but are detoured by cries for help.  Our heroes investigate and find a mixed group of skeletons and undead that at first glance appeared to be zombies but actually aren't. An elf ranger named Roy also joins in the battle against the undead.  With Roy's aid, the group procures the needed powdered silver, and returns to Brother Elthorn. together, they re-consecrate the graveyard, ensuring no additional zombies will be raised.  That night the group took to the streets to hunt the undead, and they tracked down the leader, a Wight.  After a daring battle wherein Toston was hit by an Energy Drain spell, the monster is destroyed.  With the threat of the undead ended, Roy the Red moves on, as swiftly as he arrived.
+
Jailed, on bail from the CMTC, and hiding in a safe house (Asteria arrives, Talanthrel leaves).  At the trial between the team (AKA "Mercenary Company 709") and Selene and the House of Silver, the ruling is trial by combat; a Fight to the Death in the arena! Investors and bets on the outcome.  Nightblade meets with the team and says the Darts want the House of Silver to lose, and will help.  The group reluctantly agrees. (Toston, Lornak, Var, Dusan, Hmerrin, Asteria, Wilford, Alizar) abstain.   
  
−
Part 2: The Ghost of Clover Way
+
The Arena fight is the heroes and Dart ringers against Selene, Reakos and the rest of the House of Silver.  The House of Silver also had ringers, but all are killed or subdued.  The House of Silver is ended!  As part of the reward, the heroes inherit the ‘Tower of Silver’, which they rename “Shale House”.
  
−
Adventure finds our heroes soon after putting the Wight to rest; Abel Boggs tasks the party with investigating reports of the undead, again, but this time in the City Below.  Upon entering Clover way, Broom is summoned by his prior masters, and parts ways.  The group begins speaking with the merchants to find out more information, starting with a young woman named Wendy at the Alchemist shop.  Wendy tells the group that she's been hearing disembodied voices as of late, and saw a glowing figure in an alley one night, but doesn't know much else than that.  Next the group decides to speak with Fletch, a Gnome tinkerer that frequents Clover Way, he reports similar sightings of strange glowing lights & disembodied voices.  Before the group can investigate the Tailor's shop, they are approached by Two-Bits, the shady information dealer.  She tells the group that she has some evidence regarding the haunting, but will only share it if the adventurers help her with a bug problem.  Billy, the tailor, and 'old man' Jenkins appear, and are quickly questioned by the party.  Billy reports strange vibrations felt in the floorboards of his shop, and 'Old Man' Jenkins tells a bunch of lies.
+
The team also meets Jeraldh, of the House of Keys who claims they are now allies.  
  
−
With the key witnesses questioned, the party decides they should go check out this bug problem that Two-Bits spoke of, taking them out of the City Below, and to a non-descript warehouse.  They find that the Half-Orc guard, Clovis, has a giant scorpion locked up in the basement, and is too scared to deal with it himself.  Var and Clovis nearly come to blows, but the group gets on with the extermination.  The group makes quick work out of the scorpion, with an Enlarged Ashley pinning the creature while the rest of the team whittles away at it.  Afterwards, Var does his best to butcher the beast, as to not let it's death go to waste.  Making a quick detour back to the Docks to pick up some salt for Scorpion Jerky, the group is ambushed!  The attackers identify themselves as "The House of Silver", and warns them to stop poking around in the City Below.  The party makes quick work of the attackers, but a were-rat named Anner manages to run away, shouting threats.  One of the attackers, a Drow, is knocked out & taken prisoner by the adventurers.  Taking him back to the warehouse, the group wakes him up and interrogates him.  Rundi, the Drow, knows little about the House of Silver, being just a hired thug.  A decision is made to exile Rundi, rather than let him get murdered by someone taking offence to snitching.  The drow is escorted to the docks, where Rundi is pressed into service on an outgoing ship.  The group also meets up with Boggs, who introduces them to Alizar, an elven Cleric who joins the group.
+
''' M5-M6: Acid Trip…And Back Again '''
 +
Boggs recommends that the group 'lay low' and help a merchant caravan to Acid City.  They fight bandits, experience Goblin’s Rest, and are accused of trafficking in stolen goods.  While in Acid City, they hunt down the merchant cartel supplying the bandits and end the threat.  
  
−
Returning to the City Below, Two-Bits produces her evidence: a strip of cheap gauze with some kind of glow-in-the-dark paint.  Alizar tries to inquire at the tailor as to where someone might get something like glowing paint, and Var attempts to confront 'Old Man' Jenkins on his lies.  The party is at an impasse, they are unable to convince the shopkeeps to let them set up a stakeout overnight, so they decide to head back to Marsh House & continue the investigation tomorrow. The next morning the group agrees to check in with the merchants of Clover Way, and are met at the entrance to the City Below by a frantic Wendy.  She says that all the merchants on Clover way have been robbed, no sign of forced entry, and only the most valuable items were taken.  Checking the scene of the crime, the party manages to spot a spot on the wall that was hastily replaced, and on the other side, a tunnel carved behind the shops by thieves.  It seems the 'Ghost' of Clover Way was just to cover up the operation.  Investigating the tunnel, the group stumbles into a trap, and are ambushed by the House of Silver!  Toston and Var, who avoided the cage, are forced to climb up a wall in order to reach their comrades.  The fight is long and brutal, taking Ashely & Avin out of the fight.  Luckily, Dusan, Lornak and Hmerrin are nearby and hear the commotion, and aid the party.  In the end, the adventurers previal, and the were-rat Anner is taken prisoner.
+
Travel back includes the cursed Blackbird Forest, an abandoned campsite, and a hysterical man who claims that something took his wife into the woods! The heroes track the woman and have to kill a Harpy and a Redcap before rescuing the woman.  Goblin’s Rest and orcish warbands round out the eventful trip home.  
  
−
Interlude: The House of Silver
+
Using their CMTC contacts, the team meets Tombo, Mazea, and Sunny, who join them at Shale House.  They also meet the House of Wolves, who coerces 'insurance' on their building...  The heroes are also more recognized and putting the CMTC in danger because of that recognition.  They cut official ties to not become a vulnerable target (but maintain speaking terms).
  
−
===Crescent Moons Trading Company Official Bestiary as compiled by Toston Lotor and Var Tuegh===
+
''' Part 2: The Rising Tide '''
 +
''' M7-11 House Knife and House Teeth, ''' not trusting each other, have come to the party.  Each House has had property stolen and crimes committed against them and evidence points to an internal job and the culprits have fled into the Wilds. Each House wants their stuff and man back. 
  
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====Z is for Zombie====
+
An adventure at the Docks and underwater fights sahaugin and merfolk, both of whom are having a major war against each other.  This helps the team find the trail to the House Men
−
Z is for Zombie, most rotted and foul;
+
−
use slashing against them and you're wise like an owl
+
  
 +
The Tide tracks their quarry to an old Tower in the Badlands and fight both House men and 2 unknown accomplices. (Ethani is killed)  Both House men were under a compulsion!  There is a war underwater between sahaugin and merfolk, and something  "A soft chuckle and golden eyes in the shadows” is feeding both that war and interHouse warfare.
  
−
A Beastiary, As written by Var:
+
(Lornak, Var, Dusan, Asteria, and Alizar leave during this time) (Sarge, Desdichado, and Gaffer arrive)
  
−
Zombies: Strong. Direct attack. Too soft for arrows, blades work better. Fire? Wizard says once we put them down they're too mangled for a necromancer to use again.  Try: Burn bodies; holy water
+
While travelling home, a party of orcs that the heroes didn’t kill provides some treasure and a map. The heroes follow the treasure map to the eaves of Culverwood, meet the unicorn-riding orc clan, and save a nyiad from a curse. Loaded with more treasure, they head home, eventually getting paid off by House Knife and House Teeth.  Through this time of The Tide becoming more powerful, each of the House contacts continually works to get our heroes enmeshed in that House’s team and plan.  The Tide is careful to avoid allies or enemies, treading a careful tightrope while blindfolded. (Wilford leaves)
  
−
Walking Skeletons - arrows'll go right thru, blades catch on the ribs. Best if use blunt weaponry. Probably harder to burn?
+
''' Part 3: The Rise of Golden Eyes '''
 +
''' M12-13 Rise of Golden Eyes ''' Evil has struck at the heroes. The WLA has been destroyed Three Bits is missing, her shop gutted and her body-guard hung on a wall. Marsh House and CMTC was hit as well, though The Tide was the target and most of the CMTC is intact and alive. The assassins then hit Shale House and though a hard fight, the Tide was victorious. 2 of the 5 were killed, but the others escaped. Following a lead from Three bits before she vanished, the Tide went to the Arena and the head of a slaving operation in Dirt City. There, they uncovered that the head of the slavers and several in his company were Rakshasa!  (Eisenhorn and Sharpe arrive)
  
−
("Tough Zombies" is written here, and then scratched out)
+
Deciphering clues, The Tide went to rid a farm of Rakshasa, and found the evil creatures were ‘farming’ noble-races as food!  Killing rakshasa and allied humans, our heroes dealt with the farm, only to return to find the WLA lead of Dirt City was a Rakshasa all along, and he has taken hostages! Our heroes found the final rakshasa lair in Dirt City inside a secret Alisidurian temple to Ga’al, and rescued the hostages, only to find out the Houses are also infiltrated!  But the Tide has contacts, and they meet with the Prince and all House representatives. They reveal the rakshasa danger and reach a deal with the Houses: you get yourselves in order and stay away from Moon Quarter, and we won’t interfere in House business.  
−
Ghouls - Like zombies, but tougher. more meat on their bones. (several attempts at "paralytic" that have been scratched out) Touch will freeze you up, dono if magic or poison, but will put you on the ground real quick. Very Dangerous.
+
  
−
Wight: kinda like a vampire? messed up the gnome pretty good, drained some of his life.
+
''' M14-15 DeepForge Clan and the Teucri Time Bubble. ''' Sarge gets a message about deep trouble in her home clan, the DeepForge Clan, and the Tide come to help!  The travel is long, because teleporting in the Scab is dangerous, so the team treks to Angel Springs, and thence across the mountains, encountering frost giants.  Deep in the Scab, the DeepForge mines have a tear that things from another plane are leaking into the Wold.  With a lot of hard fighting, the Tide manages to defeat the monsters and close the tear. As a reward, they are named Dwarf Friends, and each given a Stone of the Forge Lord. (Eisenhorn and Sharpe leave)
−
Holy Water: hurts 'em, but not as much as you'd think; burned 'em good - won't be bothering anyone again.
+
  
−
(Gaint is crossed out here) Giant Scorpion - This was kinda fun, the Wizard cast an Enlarge spell on Ashley, who wrassled with the thing!  Tough armor and nasty poison. I guess use caution if you don't have an Enlarge spell, or a guy like Ashley with you.  Good eats.
+
The team have been gone a long time, and Gaffer attempts to teleport via plants for the team to get back to Dirt City… but they are still in the Scab!  Weird magic happens and they find themselves inside a Teucri artifact where time doesn’t pass (meet Nira) They have to solve the riddle of the time bubble or they may be trapped forever!  They do, and reappear in DeepForge, finding out a year has passed since they were named Dwarf Friends.  (Toston and Sarge leave, Danko and Ramirez arrive).  
  
−
Were-Rat - Dangerous little blighters. Use silver on 'em cuz normal weapons don't hurt 'em all that much.  Don't let 'em surround you.
+
''' M16-17 Hunting Rakshasa. ''' The heroes are the lead rakshasa killers for the WLA, and they know this hasn’t been isolated to Dirt City, but throughout the Elennian Penninsula!  They get a lead where the rakshasa are in in the Emerald Kingdom, and hunt down another nest, this time in a mine and a gambling location in Karri, the Emerald City.  There they find the trail that all the precious goods are being sent to Plateau City and Golden Eyes herself!  They killed Goldeneyes and were offered an armistice with the Maharaja: as long as the Tide are alive, no more Rakshasa efforts will happen in the Wold.
  
−
Dwarf-Bear-Druid - (There is quite a bit that Var has written here, however most of it is profanities.)
+
''' M18-19 Finding a Way In. ''' The Tide can't trust the Maharaja to keep its word; nor allow this rakashian 'sword of damocles' hang over the Wold... they are going to find the Maharaja on his own plane and kill it!  But how?  It's been a looong 5 years, but the heroes found a ghost and a dragon to help them. All they needed to do was, within 24 hours, travel to the Sargrass Plains on the Southern Continent (Yrul arrives) then find and defeat Baba Yaga's Dancing Hut!!
  
−
Were-Leopard - Dono if all of 'em are as crazy as Reakos, or if'n all of 'em are spellcasters like Reakos, but they seem mighty dangerous all the same.  Same as the Rats, use silver.
+
'''M20-21 The Maharaja.''' The Tide are ready.  They have protection for the common people of Dirt City.  They have special medallions to survive on the plane of the Rakshasa. All they need to do is find the Maharaja (the leader of all Rakshasa) and kill him.  Simple, right?
  
 
==DM Pages==
 
==DM Pages==

Latest revision as of 13:55, 11 January 2024

The Crescent Moons Trading Company was one of a half-dozen small members of the Dirt City Merchants' Guild trying to make an honest living in a city of thieves. Only a few people knew its secret: it was the cover for brave do-gooders, heroes dedicated to helping the common folk of Dirt City to the best of their ability. What rose from this company was a band of heroes, The Tide, called to cleanse the streets like a vengeful flood.

The Game

Here you can find the latest posts in this game.

Game Background

The election of Liam Kent, the former head of the Woldian League of Adventurers, as the Prince of Dirt City ushered in a two-year period of relative stability and prosperity. That all changed when Kent disappeared. Assassinated or died: the rumors flew. The next three Prince each lasted less than a month: fled, killed, abdicated. Finally, in exasperation, the House of Knives and the House of Wolves collaborated to elect their man, Argus Fexel. He used draconian laws and harsh punishments to bring peace-at-a-price. And the price was the non-affiliated common folk, who have no powerful allies to shield them.

Enter our heroes, who first worked under the cover story of the CMTC, then as an independent adventuring party, and finally as a powerful team that could directly influence the balance of power…

Characters

These are the characters, past and present, that have been featured in this game.

Current Roster

Hmerrin - A human fighter played by Mike

Danko Pureheart - A Human Sorcerer/Rogue played by Yves

Nira Wynvyre - A Elf Blood Witch/Wizard/Mystic Theurge played by Rob C

Gaffer - A human druid played by Courtney

Ramirez - A Human Bard played by Brian Z

Desdichado - A human paladin played by Ryan

Yrul - a surface drow shadow dancer played by Nick

Nightly Watch

1st Nira and Gaffer

2nd Hmerrin, Yrul, and Ramirez

3rd Desdichado and Danko

Past Characters

Gilmek - a gnome bard played by Briton

Roy "The Red" Thandor - an elf ranger played by Justin

Broom - a dwarf monk played by William

Ashley Steward - a human fighter played by Nicholas

Avin Fellows - a human wizard played by Thomas

Alizar Alegari - A elf cleric played by Rocky

Talanthrel - A half elf fighter/rogue played by Paul

Var Tuegh - A half-orc ranger played by Tom

Dušan - A human blood witch played by Erik

Asteria Amarante - A human barbarian played by Genevieve

Ethani - A 3/4 sea elf cleric played by Nellie

Lornak - A surface drow twilight ranger played by Frank

Toston Lotor - A gnome monk/gold draconic sorcerer/gold dragon disciple played by Hugh

Sarge - A Dwarf cleric played by Kathy

link to be inserted Eisenhorne - A human wizard played by David

link to be inserted Sharpe - A human Fighter played by Charles

NPCs

Abel Boggs Head of the CMTC organization and primary CMTC contact for the party. The party is now their own group separate from the CMTC, but still on good terms. He is a very average-looking human man in his forties, with thinning sandy hair and a very forgettable face.

Tombo (Tom) Greenhand a tenant of Tide House, owner of Tombo's Tavern. Tom is a young man, tall and thin, with sandy red hair and blue eyes. He is dressed in halfling-style clothes: fine shirt, waistcoat, shortened trousers, and bare feet. Of course, his feet lack the thick soles and curly hair of regular halfling feet; they are narrow, and pale, and a little dirty.

Mazea Ironthane another tenant, owns a leatherworking shop. Mazea is a middle-aged dwarven woman, with a long braid composed of roughly equal parts red and gray hair.

Sunny Culpepper another tenant, owns the sewing school. She is a human woman, very pretty, no more than 20 years old. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and her dress, though simple, is well-made and fits her perfectly. Hmerrin has been sweet on her in the past.

Cinzi hired by the Tide as night watchman. A non-descript human that doesn’t speak much, he is an expert at watching and alerting; just don’t expect him to get more involved.

Brother Elthorn is a drunk acolyte of Ffloy and tender of a small shrine / graveyard dedicated to Ffloy. In his own words he has a 'posisshen' and complains that no one appreciates either Ffloy or him.

Jasper and Posie a gnome couple that take care of Tide House proper, Posie in the kitchen and Jasper the maid service. Posie often completes Jasper’s sentences even when he doesn’t say anything.

Darmious Foxx is the Prince of Dirt City’s liaison for The Tide; a highly skilled burglar, he is an athletic-looking human man with well-groomed but graying beard. Knowing how powerful the Tide is in divination and detection magics, as well as distrustful of the Prince’s motivations, Darmious is very careful to always appear as himself, with no weapons, and tell the absolute truth (as he knows it)!


Allies

The Temple of Ffloy A merchants ally and so to the Tide

The merchants of Clover Lane Allies of the Tide and CMTC, they will always be helpful within reason of their safety

Eyes of Warrd Cultivated with kindness, the grubbers and poor souls of Dirt City who come to Warrd are willing to whisper what they hear to The Tide

Beggar boy and Walker Go between to the new hidden WLA in Dirt City. Walker is the current chapter house manager.

Crafting

Poisons and Alchemical Remedies https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IFSx1JIQFFez3MPYfcn4tzy8Eko-AyQSjRfTyKNqmSw/edit?usp=sharing

Geography

This game takes place in Dirt City.

The Crescent Moons Trading Company was located between Moontown and the Backstab Quarter. It was burned by a hit squad later to be found in the pay of the Rakshasa (M12). The same group killed everyone in the known WLA safe house in Dirt City. Only Boggs survived.

Marsh House A large house rented from the CMTC located in Dockside. The odd place (DM posts: 17,25,26 March 25, 2015) was destroyed a week before the CMTC headquarters (M12)

Shale House was a refurbished three story warehouse owned by the heroes in Wolf Town. The group lived here for several years with some supportive NPCs. Due to the non-interference agreement (M13), The Tide sold Shale House to the House of Wolves, and the NPCs eventually moved to Tide House.

Tide House Located in Moon Quarter, this is a two-story manor house with a courtyard enclosed on three sides. Made of pale sandstone blocks and red tiled roof, it was formerly a rich merchant’s house, then a secret Ga’al temple and rakshasa lair before The Tide cleansed it and took it over for its own (M13). Several NPCs maintain the location; one of the only safe spaces in Dirt City! 1) The Buttering Ram. Tavern run by Tombo Greenhand, a human who prefers halfling ways and foods. 2) Leatherworking shop operated by Mazea Ironthane. 3) Sewing school operated by Sunny Culpepper.

Income – incidental to The Tide

Defenses - All doors are reinforced, heavy wooden doors with three levels of bracing (top, middle, bottom). - All windows have interior, reinforced, heavy wooden shutters with bracing, and external iron bars. - The tree in the courtyard is a Treent - The Manor itself (not courtyard) has a Hallow spell.

History

Here you'll find links to all the events and history relevant to this game.

The road so far

Part 1: CMTC M1: Undead in Grubbertown Our heroes (Wilford, Avin, Toston, Var, Talanthrel, Broom, Ashley and Gilmek), recruited by Abel Boggs, meet at the Crescent Moons Trading Company. The first mission: a rash of undead attacks in Grubbertown. The group finds a cemetery, disturbed graves, and a shrine (and Roy). The shrine is maintained by drunk Brother, an acolyte of Ffloy. He needs to renew a ritual to prevent the dead from rising from his cemetery, so the group sets out to get a needed powdered silver, and re-consecrate the graveyard. The mission is peppered with zombies and the instigator, a Wight! The heroes are successful (Roy leaves). In reward, the CMTC rent Marsh House to the team.

M2: The Ghost of Clover Way Abel Boggs relays more reports of the undead, this time in the City Below (Broom leaves). The merchants of Clover Way, the alchemist Wendy and the gnome tinkerer Fletch speak of disembodied voices and a glowing figure. Three-Bits, the shady information dealer, has information but only after the heroes deal with a ‘bug problem’: a giant scorpion! They also meet the erstwhile ‘House of Silver’ (Alizar joins). It turns out the 'Ghost' of Clover Way was a cover up to a robbery by the House of Silver! After a long and brutal fight (including the arrival of Dusan, Lornak and Hmerrin) the adventurers previal, and the were-rat Anner is taken prisoner and tells of the House of Silver (Avin, Ashley, Gilmek leave). A woman, Selene, organized a street gang into an aspiring ruling House. Selene, and most of the gang, were lycanthropes, and jokingly named themselves the House of Silver. The group exiles Anner, an idea the were-rat is keen on to avoid repercussions from failing Selene.

M3-M4: The Streets of Dirt City/ The Way It Had to End Spring! And the Dirt City merchants welcome a trade delegation from Aisildur. Assassins attack the Aisidlurian Delegates. The party deal with the assassins and finds a single black & purple glove that was deliberately left on the body of the slain Aisildurian. Conferring with the CMTC, the glove was the calling card of a famous, now dead, Dart named Dema Fahr. Many leads and dead ends later, including meeting a Dart informer named Nightblade, and fighting their way through an angry mob after them, the heroes realize the House of Silver is out to get them. They clash with Reakos, an insane Were-Leopard wizard and his goons, but the House Knives show up and arrest everyone!

Jailed, on bail from the CMTC, and hiding in a safe house (Asteria arrives, Talanthrel leaves). At the trial between the team (AKA "Mercenary Company 709") and Selene and the House of Silver, the ruling is trial by combat; a Fight to the Death in the arena! Investors and bets on the outcome. Nightblade meets with the team and says the Darts want the House of Silver to lose, and will help. The group reluctantly agrees. (Toston, Lornak, Var, Dusan, Hmerrin, Asteria, Wilford, Alizar) abstain.

The Arena fight is the heroes and Dart ringers against Selene, Reakos and the rest of the House of Silver. The House of Silver also had ringers, but all are killed or subdued. The House of Silver is ended! As part of the reward, the heroes inherit the ‘Tower of Silver’, which they rename “Shale House”.

The team also meets Jeraldh, of the House of Keys who claims they are now allies.

M5-M6: Acid Trip…And Back Again Boggs recommends that the group 'lay low' and help a merchant caravan to Acid City. They fight bandits, experience Goblin’s Rest, and are accused of trafficking in stolen goods. While in Acid City, they hunt down the merchant cartel supplying the bandits and end the threat.

Travel back includes the cursed Blackbird Forest, an abandoned campsite, and a hysterical man who claims that something took his wife into the woods! The heroes track the woman and have to kill a Harpy and a Redcap before rescuing the woman. Goblin’s Rest and orcish warbands round out the eventful trip home.

Using their CMTC contacts, the team meets Tombo, Mazea, and Sunny, who join them at Shale House. They also meet the House of Wolves, who coerces 'insurance' on their building... The heroes are also more recognized and putting the CMTC in danger because of that recognition. They cut official ties to not become a vulnerable target (but maintain speaking terms).

Part 2: The Rising Tide M7-11 House Knife and House Teeth, not trusting each other, have come to the party. Each House has had property stolen and crimes committed against them and evidence points to an internal job and the culprits have fled into the Wilds. Each House wants their stuff and man back.

An adventure at the Docks and underwater fights sahaugin and merfolk, both of whom are having a major war against each other. This helps the team find the trail to the House Men

The Tide tracks their quarry to an old Tower in the Badlands and fight both House men and 2 unknown accomplices. (Ethani is killed) Both House men were under a compulsion! There is a war underwater between sahaugin and merfolk, and something "A soft chuckle and golden eyes in the shadows” is feeding both that war and interHouse warfare.

(Lornak, Var, Dusan, Asteria, and Alizar leave during this time) (Sarge, Desdichado, and Gaffer arrive)

While travelling home, a party of orcs that the heroes didn’t kill provides some treasure and a map. The heroes follow the treasure map to the eaves of Culverwood, meet the unicorn-riding orc clan, and save a nyiad from a curse. Loaded with more treasure, they head home, eventually getting paid off by House Knife and House Teeth. Through this time of The Tide becoming more powerful, each of the House contacts continually works to get our heroes enmeshed in that House’s team and plan. The Tide is careful to avoid allies or enemies, treading a careful tightrope while blindfolded. (Wilford leaves)

Part 3: The Rise of Golden Eyes M12-13 Rise of Golden Eyes Evil has struck at the heroes. The WLA has been destroyed Three Bits is missing, her shop gutted and her body-guard hung on a wall. Marsh House and CMTC was hit as well, though The Tide was the target and most of the CMTC is intact and alive. The assassins then hit Shale House and though a hard fight, the Tide was victorious. 2 of the 5 were killed, but the others escaped. Following a lead from Three bits before she vanished, the Tide went to the Arena and the head of a slaving operation in Dirt City. There, they uncovered that the head of the slavers and several in his company were Rakshasa! (Eisenhorn and Sharpe arrive)

Deciphering clues, The Tide went to rid a farm of Rakshasa, and found the evil creatures were ‘farming’ noble-races as food! Killing rakshasa and allied humans, our heroes dealt with the farm, only to return to find the WLA lead of Dirt City was a Rakshasa all along, and he has taken hostages! Our heroes found the final rakshasa lair in Dirt City inside a secret Alisidurian temple to Ga’al, and rescued the hostages, only to find out the Houses are also infiltrated! But the Tide has contacts, and they meet with the Prince and all House representatives. They reveal the rakshasa danger and reach a deal with the Houses: you get yourselves in order and stay away from Moon Quarter, and we won’t interfere in House business.

M14-15 DeepForge Clan and the Teucri Time Bubble. Sarge gets a message about deep trouble in her home clan, the DeepForge Clan, and the Tide come to help! The travel is long, because teleporting in the Scab is dangerous, so the team treks to Angel Springs, and thence across the mountains, encountering frost giants. Deep in the Scab, the DeepForge mines have a tear that things from another plane are leaking into the Wold. With a lot of hard fighting, the Tide manages to defeat the monsters and close the tear. As a reward, they are named Dwarf Friends, and each given a Stone of the Forge Lord. (Eisenhorn and Sharpe leave)

The team have been gone a long time, and Gaffer attempts to teleport via plants for the team to get back to Dirt City… but they are still in the Scab! Weird magic happens and they find themselves inside a Teucri artifact where time doesn’t pass (meet Nira) They have to solve the riddle of the time bubble or they may be trapped forever! They do, and reappear in DeepForge, finding out a year has passed since they were named Dwarf Friends. (Toston and Sarge leave, Danko and Ramirez arrive).

M16-17 Hunting Rakshasa. The heroes are the lead rakshasa killers for the WLA, and they know this hasn’t been isolated to Dirt City, but throughout the Elennian Penninsula! They get a lead where the rakshasa are in in the Emerald Kingdom, and hunt down another nest, this time in a mine and a gambling location in Karri, the Emerald City. There they find the trail that all the precious goods are being sent to Plateau City and Golden Eyes herself! They killed Goldeneyes and were offered an armistice with the Maharaja: as long as the Tide are alive, no more Rakshasa efforts will happen in the Wold.

M18-19 Finding a Way In. The Tide can't trust the Maharaja to keep its word; nor allow this rakashian 'sword of damocles' hang over the Wold... they are going to find the Maharaja on his own plane and kill it! But how? It's been a looong 5 years, but the heroes found a ghost and a dragon to help them. All they needed to do was, within 24 hours, travel to the Sargrass Plains on the Southern Continent (Yrul arrives) then find and defeat Baba Yaga's Dancing Hut!!

M20-21 The Maharaja. The Tide are ready. They have protection for the common people of Dirt City. They have special medallions to survive on the plane of the Rakshasa. All they need to do is find the Maharaja (the leader of all Rakshasa) and kill him. Simple, right?

DM Pages

Here are all the resources a DM will need to run this game.

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