Chronicles of Rygorh: The Merchants' Guild

I was suddenly wide awake as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on my head. "What in the name of Blood and Fire could this kind hearted man have done?" I thought to myself. I heard the Elf's voice fill the hall "This man is going nowhere unless you can tell me what he has done!" I was amazed; I never expected such a stance from a man who spends nearly every waking hour with his nose in a book. "Enough is enough," I thought as I stepped up shoulder to shoulder with Rumus. "You heard him: he goes nowhere," I stated loudly. I could hear more doors opening and the hallway filling with our companions. The guardsmen looking around turned and departed. Several members of the the group started discussing going out a window or out a back door and stealing away in the night. "We aren’t going to run anywhere." I looked incredulously at Rumus as he was the speaker, "If we run we will look guilty and we did nothing wrong!" he continued. Once again I found myself standing firmly at Rumus’s side. "We will not run but face what comes," I stated in support. Well it turned out to be a moot point as the building was surrounded by guardsmen; so we dressed, put our armor on and walked downstairs weapons at the ready.

We found the common room full of guardsmen with weapons out and standing in their midst was Vanson Braddock, the very man who knew exactly why we were here. "Sorry, repressive, dirty merchants," I thought as Braddock stated that Celegorm was being arrested for telling the bartender of the impending invasion of the surface world. A flurry of words were exchanged heatedly by the party with Braddock "the sniveling puppet of the Merchants guild." I decided then and at that moment this may be my last minute of life. "I will go down fighting and meet Firinna standing on my feet. Before I fall the sword of Starkweather John will be buried in Braddock's chest!" I thought as I moved to take position just next to Celegorm. Braddock motioned Celegorm to the doorway, and he moved through it with me on his shoulder like glue. Once outside Braddock looked at me and then told the guards to shoot anyone else that comes through the door.

We traveled some distance and found ourselves in a warehouse with plush comfortable surroundings. Sitting behind the desk was a cocky, self-assured son of an ogre bitch who listened to our story dispassionately then requested to see the letter in question. I told him that the Elf had it, so he sent someone to bring the Elf. Soon Rumus and Larien arrived. "Hmm, now we are four if it comes to a fight," I thought. He looked over the letter and said simply, "I will take care of it," handing the letter back to Rumus as he dismissed us like common court jesters. "He will get his," I thought as we walked back to the inn and told our companions what had happened. We returned to our beds and continued to post a watch for what was left of the night.

The next morning we awoke to a huge commotion in the common room. Dressing and heading downstairs we found that Braddock had been crucified on the inn's wall and the bartender whom Celegorm had spokem with was murdered in the night. "I guess that is how he TAKES CARE OF IT! Slimy bastard!" I thought. Several people suggested that we leave town at once. Again it seemed that Rumus and I were in agreement that these people must be notified. He suggested that we go to the center of town, project his voice with magic and declare our news. It was Larien who came up with the best idea: seek out the clergy they would surely know who to speak with. "By Firinna's flaming hair why didn't I think of that?" I checked with the innkeeper to see if there was a temple to Firinna here and he told me yes and where to go. Larien and I set out immediately. It was such a pleasant feeling to step onto ground that had been sanctified and hallowed in Firinna's name. We spoke to the priest in charge and told him of our plight. He snapped at once that he would set up a meeting with the appropriate people and send word to our inn. "Leave it to the followers of the Great Goddess of War, Fire, Chaos, and Trickery to get something done in this town," I thought, satisfied.

We returned to the inn, told our companions and within a couple hours a runner brought word of our meeting. As we entered the temple the two halflings choose to wait outside which I thought was for the best however what surprised me was the chain fighter waited with them. "Hell Firinna would not have minded him entering her Temple," I thought as the priest led us into a hidden corridor.

We traveled some way until we came to a room with a very old man sitting there in charge. We told him of the invasion and pressed upon him how saving lives would be in the best interest of his business. I told him of the man we met and that I suspected him to be responsible for the deaths. I felt a surge of joy as I received the impression that that man would soon be hanging next to Braddock The man gave us each 1,000 gold coins for our information and made me believe that he would evacuate the town. "Blessed Firinna watches over us as her servants made this possible," I thought. We took our leave and traveled back to meet our companions. As soon as we exited the Temple I said, "We can leave now. The town will me evacuated." I noticed Tilk handing money to Knife and Neil and thought, "It would be only right to share all the money we received." Then we went to the inn collected our belongings and departed the appropriately named town of SCUMGROVE.

Next Post