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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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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Alh6id3nGEq0TKq2UJxtHNPPltctin_Efphc-g9K80Q/pub Hmerrin] - A human fighter played by Mike
 
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Alh6id3nGEq0TKq2UJxtHNPPltctin_Efphc-g9K80Q/pub Hmerrin] - A human fighter played by Mike
  
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[Danko Pureheart] - A Human Paladin played by Yves
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CjT9tnGo8kLtyG7PNgmq6v_bX3ydYH6hJYlmftSG_IY/edit Danko Pureheart] - A Human Sorcerer/Rogue played by Yves
  
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[Nira Wynvyre] - A elf Druid/BW played by Rob C
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[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VxorIwxWzn6UCST4RwsJH4nIyGgmpxGWNAzwUBazlHU/edit#gid=0 Nira Wynvyre] - A Elf Blood Witch/Wizard/Mystic Theurge played by Rob C
  
 
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1snu-cIadapTciVI-CoG-YBcKCK0elRlmT7adMh9dIh0/edit Gaffer] - A human druid played by Courtney
 
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1snu-cIadapTciVI-CoG-YBcKCK0elRlmT7adMh9dIh0/edit Gaffer] - A human druid played by Courtney
  
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[Ramirez] - A Human Wizard/Rogue played by Brian Z
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[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lzyYBl8UqG1epzgj1KxVmvY2ocIpGiC9teqKgErSpNM/edit Ramirez] - A Human Bard played by Brian Z
  
 
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JevsL-8cZrjwUBSUvxq6CMPZO2KvRLBhEDbdKpH-M38 Desdichado] - A human paladin played by Ryan
 
[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/1fpXONnESCgJc03hQs2AktkAFJ-iwj7XPmblnvAoyoik/edit Yrul] - a surface drow shadow dancer played by Nick
  
 
===Nightly Watch===
 
===Nightly Watch===
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'''Nira and Gaffer'''
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'''1st''' Nira and Gaffer
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'''Hmerrin and Ramirez'''
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'''Desdichado and Danko'''
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'''2nd''' Hmerrin, Yrul, and Ramirez
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 +
'''3rd''' Desdichado and Danko
  
 
===Past Characters===
 
===Past Characters===
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===NPCs===
 
===NPCs===
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'''Abel Boggs''' Head of the CMTC organization and primary 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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'''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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'''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.
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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.
  
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'''Tombo (Tom) Greenhand''' is one of the group's tenants, owner of 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.
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'''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.
  
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'''Mazea Ironthane''' is another of the group's tenants, owner of the leatherworking shop.  Mazea is a middle-aged dwarven woman, with a long braid composed of roughly equal parts red and gray hair.
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'''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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'''Sunny Culpepper''' is another of the group's tenants, owner of 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.
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'''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.  
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Hmerrin has quite the crush on her.
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'''Cinzi''' was hired by the Tide to be the night watchman for Shale House. 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.
  
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'''Three-Bits''' Current whereabouts unknown following the destruction of her shop, the murder of her bodyguard by suspected Rakshasa.  Th Human rogue and small-time information broker in the city.  She's useful knowledge on what's happening in the criminal underworld of Dirt City, but always for a price.  The party has a rocky if neutral relationship.  She has an unknown history on a personal level with CMTC Abel Boggs
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'''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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'''The Belchmucks'''  Geb and Sabnot Belchmuck are the goblin husband & wife team that own the Goblin's Rest Inn.  Their son, Son Belchmuck is the Maitre d', Derx is the head chef, and Nmogaz is the captain of the guard.
 
  
 
===Allies===
 
===Allies===
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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
 
'''The merchants of Clover Lane'''  Allies of the Tide and CMTC, they will always be helpful within reason of their safety
  
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'''Eyes of Warrd through Sharpe'''  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
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'''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
  
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'''Beggar boy and Walker'''  Go between to the new hidden WLA in Dirt City
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'''Beggar boy and Walker'''  Go between to the new hidden WLA in Dirt City.  Walker is the current chapter house manager.
  
 
==Crafting==
 
==Crafting==
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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===
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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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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.  Abel Boggs is the front man for the CMTC
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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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'''The Houses of Dirt City''' each is a Thieves Guild, and Neighborhood Government
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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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There are Six Houses in Dirt City (and their specialization):
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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.
 +
2) Leatherworking shop operated by Mazea Ironthane.
 +
3) Sewing school operated by Sunny Culpepper.
  
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House Darts (assassination)
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Income – incidental to The Tide
  
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House Keys (con men and burglars)
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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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House Knife (protection rackets)
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- All windows have interior, reinforced, heavy wooden shutters with bracing, and external iron bars.  
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- The tree in the courtyard is a Treent
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House Teeth (smugglers)
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- The Manor itself (not courtyard) has a Hallow spell.
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House Cloak (spies and informants)
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House Wolf (thugs, brigands, and muggers)
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===Shale House===
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This three story building was formerly the property of the House of Silver, until the PCs won it when they defeated that group in the Arena. 
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The building has been refurbished, and the group has moved into the second and third floors.
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[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15gN3sOs5rL392-4kbZjjNV_hZJUvGfEaXhvgmhFHHE0/edit?usp=sharing/edit Shale House]
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The PCs have rented the first floor to three storefronts:
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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.
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3) Sewing school operated by Sunny Culpepper.
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'''Income''' - 30 gp per month. The three tenants pay 10gp each.
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'''Expenses''' - The House of Wolves 'owns' this particular neighborhood, and change the group 10% of the rent (ie 3gp/month) as a 'Protection Tax'.  The PCs have reluctantly decided to pay. 
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The PCs have also hired a night guard, Cinzi, for 6gp/month.
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AND The PCs are also planning to cover the same 10% on profits tax the Wolves are levying on each of the tenants.
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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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- All windows have interior, reinforced, heavy wooden shutters with bracing.
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===Marsh House===
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Prior to their current residence, the PCs are rented from the CMTC a large house, called Marsh House, for 40 gp per month, located in DOCKSIDE. 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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The Tide no longer rent any rooms in the Marsh House
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===Safe Houses===
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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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* 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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* 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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* There is a certain inn near the Crescent Moon Market in the City Below. Ask for the Liam Kent special.
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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
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M1: Undead in Grubbertown '''
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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 finds a cemetery with evidence of disturbed graves and a shrine. The group investigates the chapel finding a drunk passed out in it, but is interrupted by 4 zombies.  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, which requires a measure of powdered silver to complete the ritual.  The group sets out to check in with Boggs and find the required silver but are detoured by cries for help: a mixed group of skeletons and non-zombies!  An elf ranger named Roy also joins in the battle, and 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.
+
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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'''Interlude: Marsh House'''
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The next day, Avin assists Toston in shaking off the lingering effects of the Energy Drain spell.  At the CMTC offices, the adventurers mention to Boggs and Madri that they are in need of housing, and they are directed to a Mr. Cother, who shows them the Marsh House.
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The original, modest, home has had additions built onto it with no regard for asthetics or floor plan, creating an odd, jumbled together mess of a building.  A crude floor plan can be found [https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1VYHYE-WAxPCyt4-YcGqIH672z0aa0ZdNP3Nj48_bn5k/edit here]  The adventurers take to it immediately, and rental agreements are agreed upon.
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'''Part 2: The Ghost of Clover Way'''
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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.  Wendy, a young woman at the Alchemist shop recalls two incidents: disembodied voices and a glowing figure.  Fletch, a Gnome tinkerer also reports strange glowing lights & disembodied voices.  Before the group can investigate the Tailor's shop, they are approached by Three-Bits, the shady information dealer.  She says she has haunting evidence, and  but will share it if they help her with a bug problem.  Billy, the tailor, and 'old man' Jenkins appear, and are also questioned.  Billy reports strange vibrations felt in the floorboards of his shop, and 'Old Man' Jenkins tells a bunch of lies.
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The party decides to check out this bug problem for Three-Bits.  In the City Above at a non-descript warehouse, they find that the Half-Orc guard, Clovis, has a giant scorpion locked up in the basement!  The group, after heated discussion, makes quick work out of the scorpion, with an Enlarged Ashley pinning the creature while the rest of the team whittles away.  Var tries to butcher the beast, and make a tidy profit. The group detours to the Docks for salt for Scorpion Jerky, and is ambushed!  The attackers identify themselves as "The House of Silver", and warns them to stop poking around in the City Below, but is quickly defeated. Yet a were-rat named Anner manages to run away, shouting threats.  A Drow attacker was knocked out, taken prisoner, and questioned back at the warehouse.  Rundi, the Drow, is a hired thug and knows little about the House of Silver.  The group decides to exile Rundi, since snitching will get him killed, and helps the Drow get service on an outgoing ship.  Boggs stops by and introduces Alizar, an elven Cleric who joins the group.
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Returning to the City Below, Three-Bits produces her evidence: a strip of cheap gauze with some kind of glow-in-the-dark paint.  Unable to get more information, permission to do a stakeout, go back to Marsh House.  The next morning the group checks 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!  At the scene of the crime, the party finds 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 group stumbles into a trap, and ambush 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.
+
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+
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'''Interlude: The House of Silver'''
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Anner is taken back to the Marsh House and caves into threats quickly.  He tells the story of the House of Silver.  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 decides to exile  Anner too, an idea the were-rat is keen on to avoid reprocussions from failing Selene.
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+
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The group returns the loot that was recovered, minus Selene’s cut that had already been taken. The merchants are thankful all the same, and Billy the tailor offers to make them all custom outfits.
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+
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'''Part 3: The Streets of Dirt City'''
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Weeks pass; Winter gives way to spring, and the merchants of Dirt City are excited about an trade delegation from Aisildur.  Five representatives arrive via ship, one of which is a Heartseeded woman in service of Ga'al.  Everything seems to be going according to plan, when suddenly the market erupts into chaos as a group of assassins attack the Aisidlurian Delegates.  Two Dragon Consortium adventurers, Jass of Downs and Ballatime "BeeBee" Brooks, appear from the chaos and begin to work crowd control while defending the trade delegates.  The party chases down the three assassins and deals with them, and despite leaving one of the assassins alive, there isn't time to interrogate him.  Returning to the scene of the attack, they find the two Dragon Consortium adventurers have the situation under control.  After introductions, BeeBee presents the group with a single black & purple glove that was deliberately left on the body of the slain Aisildurian.
+
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The party heads immediately to CMTC headquarters to confer with Boggs.  He is able to identify the glove as the calling card of a famous, and dead, Dart named Dema Fahr.  The group has little information, but plenty of leads.  They split into groups and run down as many contacts as they can, but they don't turn up much.  Three-Bits wants to trade information for information, the adventuring party is still an unknown in Dirt City, and all sorts of groups are asking around for them.  After a Charm spell, she tells the group what she knows, that rumors the circulating that the Darts were behind the attack.  Boggs has a possible lead, a contact within the House of Darts who's willing to meet with the adventurers.  A public place is chosen, and the contact meets them while wearing a mask and using the name Nightblade.  The conversation is civilized, however, and the Dart does his best to assure the party that his house was not behind the attack.  He also confirms the fate of Dema Fahr, that she's been dead and buried for years now.  The House of Silver is mentioned, and Nightblade thinks it might be a lead worth looking into.
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Upon leaving the bar where they were meeting with Nightblade, the party runs right into an angry mob.  Instigators among the mob quickly push things into a full on riot, swarming the adventuerers as well as the Nightblade.  Fighting their way out of the melee, the party rescues Nightblade, and breaks away before the Knives come & forceably break the riot up.  Some running & hiding in alleys later, the group checks in with Boggs, before heading to the Merchant's Guild to meet with Waverly.  Among other things, the party learns that giant rats were spotted on the day of the attack in the marketplace.  The group follows the tracks in the marketplace hoping that they'll lead them to the House of Silver; and they certainly do.
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Reakos, an insane Were-Leopard wizard and his goons clash with the group, and just when the heroes have them on the ropes, the Knives show up and arrest everyone.
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'''Part 4: The Way It Had to End'''
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The party was processed and thrown into a holding cell, pending trial.  Boggs had been notified of the group's arrest, and he showed up in disguise to pay their bails.  After they had been released, Boggs took them all to a Crescent Moon safe house, a tiny & drafty room tucked away behind a false wall in a warehouse.  It was under this odd circumstances that Asteria, the young firey barbarian, was introduced to the group, and Talanthrel was called away on other business.
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The day of the trial comes, and the party finds themselves standing before a bored looking magistrate.  After hearing from the leader of the House of Silver , Selene, the party AKA "Mercenary Company 709" plead their case.  The Judge, however gives the two groups the same ruling as she had given several other cases heard that day: Fight to the Death in the arena.  They are given a few days to make necessary preparations such as obtaining Silvered weapons.  As the group makes their final preparations, they are approached by a group of 'investors' who handle bets on the outcome of arena fights.  While some in the group are initially shocked by this, it turns out to be a fairly common practice.  The investors know very little about the group's strength, and want to gauge what their odds are in fighting the House of Silver.  A practice bout is scheduled between the party and a group of ringers, with blunted weapons.  The fight is intense and several combatant on both sides get knocked out, but the investors call the match before a decisive victory is reached by either side.
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After the match, a messenger reaches the group notifying them that the Nightblade is requesting a meeting with them.  The next day they meet at the Blue Eel with Nightblade, who makes them an offer.  The Darts have a mutual interest in the party defeating the House of Silver, and the Nightblade offers to lend out a few extra sword hands to help accomplish this goal.  The group is hesitant to accept the aid of one of the major criminal houses, and postpone their decision after a lengthy debate.  Toston and Lornak are firmly against the Dart's help, while Var and Dusan are firmly in favor, the rest of the group remains undecided.  The next day the group pays a visit to a betting house to see what the odds-makers have determined, and they find that they are rated as underdogs in the fight, but not by much.  After a final round of debating, Hmerrin and Asteria agree to the Darts, while Wilford and Alizar abstain.  The message is passed along to the Nightblade, and the group is assured that help will be ready for them.  With nothing left to do but wait, the group drinks and gets as much rest as they can before the fight.
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+
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On the day of the arena match the group is met by a group of ringers sent by the Darts, and the lot of them check in for their match.  Across from them in the arena, Selene, Reakos and the rest of the House of Silver await.  As the match begins, the darts and the were-rats of the House of Silver clash in a storm of claws and knives.  The fight is long and grueling; Reakos and Selene are killed, along with a couple other House of Silver officers, and a whole mess of were-rats.  Two archers and a Wizard are spared the blade, however, and the wizard turns out to have just been a hired ringer for the group.  The survivors are relieved of their valuables and exiled from the city, effective at sundown.  Boggs congratulates the group as they leave the arena, and quickly secrets them away to a tavern.
+
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+
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'''Interlude: To the victor go the spoils'''
+
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+
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The group celebrates over a few drinks, and discusses the results of the match.  There is an interesting note about property owned by the House of Silver, a one "Tower of Silver" that the group must decide what to do with.  Concerns are also raised about Hmerrin, who was bitten by a Were-Tiger, and while the young lad claims he feels fine, the group pay a visit to the Temple of Wardd just as a precaution.  Toston engages the priest in a game of chance over the cost of a healing, and wins his money back.  Inspecting the "Tower of Silver" they find a run down three story building, with dilapidated shops on the first floor, and the third floor is rickety and dangerous looking.  Its obvious that if they keep it, some renovations will have to be made.  The party is also approached by a young woman who notifies them that her master has requested a meeting with them.  She won't reveal her masters identity other than being an important, and private person.  Cautiously, the group agrees, and they are led to the back room of a shop set up like an office where a man waits.
+
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+
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He introduces himself as Jeraldh, a high-ranking member of the House of Keys.  He offers his thanks to the group for dispatching the House of Silver, and aiding the Darts in clearing their name after the assassination attempt on the Aisidlurian Trade Delegation.  He hands offers them a token of thanks, literally, in the form of a heavy iron coin that marks them as allies of the Keys.  The group cautiously accepts, unsure of what to make of this development.
+
−
 
+
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The party decides that they'd rather keep the Tower of Silver, and begin searching out carpenters that can fix up the place.  They are introduced to halfling brothers who advise them to tear down the third floor and rebuild it, and the rest of the repairs shouldn't be too difficult.
+
−
 
+
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'''Part 5: Acid Trip'''
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+
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With things in the city being as they are, Boggs recommends that the group 'lay low' for a bit while the excitement over the assassination attempt on the Trade delegation and the very public Arena battle with the House of Silver blows over. An opportunity presents itself in the form of a merchant caravan heading toward Acid City, to reciprocate with the Aisidlurian Trade Delegation.  A group from the Dirt City Merchant's Guild is in need of hired protection as they travel along the Western Izen trade road, and Boggs sets the group up with some caravan guard duty to get them out of the city for a few days.  The trip starts predictably enough, with a bandit attack on the road.  After dispatching the would be robbers, the group makes an odd discovery: a well-made sigil pin in the shape of a eagle resting on a ship's wheel.
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+
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After a few days of traveling, the caravan comes to the Goblin's Rest, a Goblin-run Inn along the western Izen trade road.  They are stopped at the gate and mistaken for bandits initially, but after some quick thinking they clear up any misunderstandings.  The caravan finds the Belchmuck family quite hospitable, if somewhat unusual for their kind.  A feast is prepared for the group, which turns out to have been crafted for the Goblinoid palette, and almost indigestible by Humanoids.  The group try their best to smooth things over with the Belchmucks, but they maintain their courteous hospitality and assure they group that they will try and improve.  At one point during the night, Dusan awakens to find Son Belchmuck attempting to steal from his pack, but he runs off into the night; confronting Geb the next morning, the goblin apologizes profusely for his son's base goblin instincts. 
+
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+
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The rest of the trip to Acid City is quiet, and the caravan arrives without further harassment.  While out exploring the city, the group is approached by a street vendor with a well made curio box, and offers to sell it to them for 75 gold, which seems low for the quality of craftsmanship involved.  Wanting a souvenir, Asteria buys it, however, and is happy with her purchase.  Later, at a party welcoming the Dirt City Merchants, Asteria is approached by a man who claims that the box she purchased was actually stolen from him sometime earlier.  The group return the man's box, and make a promise to find the merchant who sold them stolen goods.  Var spots a man wearing a sigil pin identical to one they found on the bandits that attacked them on the trade road.  The man claims that he represents the Shipwell Imports company, a group that is definitely not made up of former pirates.  The next day the party retraces their steps, and locates the merchant who sold them the stolen box, and after some "good cop/bad cop/cop that can read thoughts" interrogation, they manage to identify Shipwell Imports as the source of recent criminal activity in Acid City.  When confronted, the leader of Shipwell admits to their piracy, and a fight breaks out in their warehouse.  By the time that the authorities arrive, most of the high-ranking Shipwell Import officials have been killed, and the rest taken prisoner.
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+
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'''Part 6:  ...And Back Again'''
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The Blackbird Lake Trade Alliance holds a party in appreciation of the group's efforts in exposing Shipwell's piracy, and the next morning the slightly hung-over caravan begins the long journey back to Dirt City.  Right from the start, things seem off as they pass by the cursed Blackbird Forest.  Coming across an abandoned campsite, they find tracks leading off towards the forest that are concerning.  Upon further investigation, they find a hysterical man who claims that something took his wife into the woods, but he's too frightened to go any deeper into the woods.  The group sends the man back to the campsite, and track the woman further into the woods, where they find a Harpy and a Redcap arguing like an old married couple.  Apparently they had lured the woman into the woods, and intended on killing & eating her.  After dispatching the two beasts, the find the woman hiding beneath a hollowed out log with only minor injuries, and are able to reunite her with the husband back at the campsite.
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+
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Progressing south, the caravan returns to the Goblin's Rest, despite their better judgement not to.  Toston presents Derx with some pictogram cookbooks, and helps him prepare dinner for the group, and the caravan is pleasantly surprised to find the food edible.  The visit at Goblin's Rest is brief and uneventful, and the caravan continues on it's way the following morning.  Things get dangerous again, as signs of recent Orcish warbands begin to show up along the road.  The party doesn't have a chance to evade them, as they are spotted and a tide of green begins to wash across the plains towards them.  Fighting through waves of the Wolverine Clan's warriors, the party kills their leader, and force the warband into retreat.
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+
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'''Interlude: Home, Dirty Home'''
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At last, the caravan returns to Dirt City, and the group parts ways with the merchants.  After getting some rest, the party checks in with Boggs and gives him a report on the caravan, much to his approval.  The group also checks in with the Hafling brothers working on the old Tower of Silver, who have finished tearing down the old third floor, and the group gives them the go-ahead to start re-building it.  They also decide to retain Cinzi, the night-guard they had hired to protect the property.
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The group decides that they should find some tenants to take over the three shops on the first floor of the tower.  Using their CMTC contacts, they reach out to a few potential merchants who are looking for room to set up a shop.  After interviewing candidates, the group extends invitations to a leatherworker, a sewing instructor, and a tavern owner.
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During all of this, the group is given a reminder as to the reality of doing business in Dirt City.  A member of the House of Wolves approaches the group, and informs them that they'll need to start paying for 'insurance' on their building.  The group is upset, initially, until they realize that this is just how things are done in the city.  However, once they verified that the Wolves do indeed control the territory, the party agree to pay under the condition that the Wolves don't bother their tenants; offering to pay for the tenant's share of protection.
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+
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'''Cutting Ties with The Crescent Moon Trading Company'''
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Our Heroes have grown beyond keeping the streets safe and have become a more recognized group of heroes that stand to protect the city and not just their neighborhood and streets.  As a result, Boggs covertly visited with The Tide at Shale House to sever official ties with the party. 
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Boggs - "I'm going to be blunt and forthcoming here, no insults or innuendos intended. You've grown beyond what is safe and comfortable for the Trading Company. You are heroes, bonafide heroes and real Life in Dirt City requires us at CMTC to maintain relations with those who are not your biggest fans. Overt actions by you to be seen with us, can and will get people killed. it is simply how things work and so I've come here to ask for distance and the utmost discretion in your contact to us." Boggs takes a drink and smiles at you, "No mistake now, I am mighty happy about this. This is a turning point or could be. It has been and hopefully will continue to be an honor to be in your company."
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"If we are known as close associates, the Company becomes a target to get to you. The Company could become leverage. Dirt City is still and will be for some time to come, a city run be the underworld. The Merchants Guild has gained some traction as a voice, but I personally think it is just humored by the Houses. CMTC has also gained traction, thanks in great part to you and with you seen as some independent force looking to keep the playing field level so the little guys have a fair shake, CMTC can continue to make strides."
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And so the party is moving forward and working through the growing pains of their new roles in the city.
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'''House Knife and Teeth'''
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House Teeth and Knife have come to the party for aid.  Houses being what they are, neither really trusts the other and so The Tide is a great solution.  It seems 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.  They look to the Tide to do so.
+
  
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The Tide tracks their quarry to an old Tower in the Badlands. During the trek, The Tide encounter a group of Dire Hyena riding orcs with Ogre Magi.  The Ogres are killed and the orcs are allowed to flee.  The group also encounters a WitchFire near the swamp lands they skirt and are unable to kill it, but succeed in driving it off.
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''' M2: The Ghost of Clover Way '''
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At the ruined tower, the party finds and prevails in a dangerous fight with the House men and 2 unknown accomplices. However Ethani is killed in the fight and the party discovers 2 others with the House Men and it would seem both House men are under a compulsion spell of significant power.
+
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.  
  
−
The men tell a strange and cloudy tale
+
''' M3-M4: The Streets of Dirt City/ The Way It Had to End '''
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Working on forgeries, but not of what precisely, but certainly the documents were a forgery to appear to come from other Houses, or the Harbor Master perhaps.
+
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!
−
Olaf remembers more at the water, "I dropped a strongbox over the side of the SeaCrest and into the bay."
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Jared has some darker recollections, "kidnapped someone, stole them from their bed.....The sounds of cracking bone and gurgled scream and a thunder in my head."
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Olaf adds more, "I met with the Merfolk, there were sahauguin another time. Money exchanged and then i followed and killed them. I planted Salick's broach on a body."
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Jared, "there was a run down shack, with trees and i remember a cool breeze. It was late.
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Olaf, "It was a small room, still. cold. the smell of blood and death."
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Jared, "Soft fur, blood, begging"
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Olaf, "crying, pleading"
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Then both men say at the same time, "A soft chuckle and golden eyes in the shadows."
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Returning to Shale House, the Tide deliver the men and their goods and are paid by the Houses.  The mystery of what transpired remains.  While travelling home through the badlands, the same orcs approach and drop a box which contains some treasure and a map.  The party assumes correctly for thanks in freeing the orcs from the rule of the ogre
+
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. 
  
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'''The Map of the Unicorn'''
+
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.
  
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'''Rise of Golden Eyes'''
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''' M5-M6: Acid Trip…And Back Again '''
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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.  The 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. Evil creatures that do far worse than work in slave trading.  The party is now armed with the ledgers found and is working through the information that they can decipher
+
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.  
  
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===Field Notes from CMTC Mercenary Company 709===
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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.
  
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====Z is for Zombie====
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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).
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Z is for Zombie, most rotted and foul;
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use slashing against them and you're wise like an owl
+
  
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''' 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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====A Beastiary, As written by Var Tuegh====
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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
  
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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
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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.
  
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Walking Skeletons - arrows'll go right thru, blades catch on the ribs. Best if use blunt weaponry. Probably harder to burn?
+
(Lornak, Var, Dusan, Asteria, and Alizar leave during this time) (Sarge, Desdichado, and Gaffer arrive)
  
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("Tough Zombies" is written here, and then scratched out)
+
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)
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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.
+
  
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Wight: kinda like a vampire? messed up the gnome pretty good, drained some of his life.
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''' Part 3: The Rise of Golden Eyes '''
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Holy Water: hurts 'em, but not as much as you'd think; burned 'em good - won't be bothering anyone again.
+
''' 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)
  
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(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.
+
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.  
  
−
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.
+
''' 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)
  
−
Dwarf-Bear-Druid - (There is quite a bit that Var has written here, however most of it is profanities.)
+
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).
  
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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.
+
''' 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.
  
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Harpy - Bird lady. Sings and makes you crazy, got Asteria, Dusan 'n Wil.  The Drow sang to drown out the bird lady, dono if it helped.
+
''' 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!!
  
−
Red Cap - mean bugger, did some real damage.  not a beast, I guess, but some kinda Fae.  Luckily me'n Toston had some Cold Iron on us.
+
'''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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