Macendamandel 18, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

After a restless night in the brothel, and not the good kind, Kellgale gave me the lay of the land regarding the Clash of Champions. The gimmick was that all the contestants were winners of other tournaments, champions if you will, the reality or course was that they were all people willing to pay the hefty entrance fee. A tent-city of sorts had sprung up on the north side of town surrounding the tournament grounds – some of the contestants preferring that to the dubious comforts of Heathgrove – but mostly various spectators, freebooters and itinerate tinkers and the sort. The rumor was that several high ranking nobles were here incognito but I doubt that – rich folks usually have no problem finding their own cruel entertainment.

I decided to start with the fighters who chose to stay in town – after all they’ve already shown they don’t make great decisions. Setting out with my two most morally flexible guards I made the rounds of this rotting disgusting berg. My first visit was to a massively obese fellow who was holding court in a houseboat of some kind that had been dragged into the city. He was easy four times my weight and then some. I could scarcely believe he could move let alone fight but he was attended but a retinue of lackeys and rent-boys that made me think he had to be a successful fighter. He declined my polite offer of eternal damnation in return for martial prowess.

Next a seemingly mute beggar-boy led me to an abandoned boat-house where a burly fellow lay face-down, nude, in the ribs of a broken row-boat. His body was crisscrossed with scars everywhere, even in some of the more unlikely places. The stench of drink coming off him was as palpable as a slap in the face and the boy had to kick him in the ribs several times before he roused, swiping at the boy (who danced out of the way) before grabbing for an earthware jug and drinking deeply. I gave the boy a coin and he ran off but not before making a rude gesture at me.

Reaching for a long knife and a hatchet stuck in the floor nature man asked me if it was time to fight. I explained that it was two more days until the tournament but that I could help him win – all it would cost was his soul. He claimed to have once been a Thrice-Anointed Knight of the Order of the Mockingbird and had no need for such chicanery. I told him he looked more like a knight of a thrice-pickled liver.

But as they say the third time is lucky. I met up with the Hurk brothers at a waterfront inn. Three men each shaved bald as an egg with crude tattoos and your standard thuggish look. They were only too happy to make a deal that would help them win – when Poor Annie appeared to broker the deal their massive attack dog – Spur – growled like thunder but a glare from the demon-hound’s pitiless black eyes sent him running like a cur.

Not bad for a day’s work.

To end the night I joined Kellgale and a couple of my more presentable goons at dinner with Bellflower – this is apparently a tradition for investors to treat their investment to a fine meal before a contest. You’re not going to find a fine meal in Heathgrove of course which is why we were in a pavilion tent with a cook Kellgale had brought in specifically for the occasion. Bellflower was as unimpressive as I expected – seriously, a half-elf maiden? Give me a break. But I did have an interesting conversation with her manager Trixa – she takes twenty percent while her clients take all the risks? You have to admire that.

____________________________________________________________

Funds: 1424 gold

XP: 18,344

Inventory: Peasant outfit, wooden box, Signet ring, Ring of Many Garments, thieves’ tools, land deed, Bag of Tricks (rust), gold ring, Cap of Disguise, Secure Pocket, candlerod (9), masterwork dagger, succubi carving, Disguise kit (8 uses), Domiel family ring, walking stick

Revenge List: Duke Eaglevane, ~~Piltis Swine~~, Rince Electrum, ~~watchman Gridley~~, ~~White-Muzzle the worg~~, Percy Ringle the butler , Alice Kinsey , “~~Patch~~”, Heroes of the Lost Sword, Claire Conrad, Erist priest of Strider, Riselda owner of the Sage Mirror, Eedraxis, ~~Skin-Taker tribe~~, Kartak, Królewna & Bonifacja Trading Company, Hurmont Family, Androni Titus, Greasy dreadlocks woman, Lodestone Security, Kellgale Nickoslander, Beltian Kruin the Splithog Pauper, The King of Spiders, Auraluna Domiel

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 8/10 (22 days remain)

Teams – Labors, Brute Squad (Robbers and two teams of Soldiers)

Buildings – Mill (repair time 4 days)

Managers – Master Smith (paid for next 4 days)

Macendamandel 17, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

Day three on the “road” to Heathgrove. Early in the morning, before we had even set off, we spotted another group of horses not far from our camp. Presumably they had been attracted by our small “herd”. I mounted up one of the other new acquisitions who I call Stomper on account of his constant pawning at the ground and was able to ride out and bring them in as well. Who knew being a horse wrangler was so easy? Kellgale and I wondered why there would be so many horses out on the plains – wild horses being long gone – and one of my men by the name of Oney mentioned that there had been a substantial skirmish in these plains six months back with Vieland and that often leaves a lot of horses on their own.

Kellgale and I were both shocked, we didn’t think there was any fighting on “our” land. Kellgale’s thug to whom I had traded the magic sword mentioned that there wasn’t really but that the front line isn’t always very well defined. How very comforting. Maybe I should get out of Graltontown just to avoid the possibility of it coming under attack.

We reached the Compass River at mid-day, there’s no ford or bridge but there’s still enough of a trickle of river traffic that we only had to wait a few hours for a passing barge. After a brief shouting negotiation they agreed to take us across – although the captain was very sour about the idea of having horses on his boat. Even though I’m sure he’s done far worse than sweeping up a little horseshit in his life.

Crossing the river took not even fifteen minutes but it still managed to turn ugly. Apparently five minutes was all it took for one of the bargemen and one of my men, Reda, to get into a BITTER argument about how the word “enormity” should be used. They were about to come to blows, the captain not helping things with his bellowing, but Kellgale and I were able to get them calmed down.

And that’s when the river hag leapt out of the water like a porpoise and onto the barge – which, as you maybe can image, was quite startling. I had always assumed that the notion of the sight of a river hag being so revolting that just seeing it could kill you was an old wives tale. I don’t assume that anymore. The captain of the barge dropped like a stone and a goodly number of the crew and various goons instantly stated retching (including myself).

Thankfully though it seems that other than being monstrously ugly river hags don’t have a lot going for them. The men who weren’t puking their guts out (and a couple that were) made short work of the she-beast, Kellgale’s fellow with the magic sword beheading her. I swear as the head hit the water and floated for a moment it waggled its tongue at me in a lascivious manner.

The boatmen were very concerned about the loss of their captain but my men were more interested in the possibility of the hag having treasure nearby – although none of them were very keen on diving into the water to investigate. In the end one of my robbers, Heresia, agreed to go in – stripping off her studded leather and diving into the murk. She quickly abandoned the mission after being bitten by a river eel though. I can’t say as that I blame her.

Finally reaching the other side and the ramshackle docks of Heathgrove the bargemen were looking for some direction Kellgale and I decided to give it to them. With the captain dead the best thing to do was to sell the goods here in Heathgrove and then make their way home – with a fifteen percent commission for us of course. And that’s what we did, there were any number of ill-looking fellows by the docks looking to pick up cargo on the cheap – we sold the horses as well and ended up with a tidy sum, even after giving our men a bonus for getting us here safely with an extra bonus to the hag-decapitator . Hopefully this will purge the ghosts of the Three Rivers caravan.

First thing you notice about Heathgrove is that everyone, and I mean everyone, is openly carrying weapons – even the children have daggers. Clearly this place is even rougher than I had thought. The second thing you notice is in what poor condition most of the buildings seem to be, with little evidence of new construction. We quickly decided it would be best to stick together for safety.

After a few false starts we decided the safest place to stay would be a brothel run by a madam the name of Hecuba, it cost and arm and a leg but unlike the inns we checked out it didn’t seem likely we would be stabbed in the next hour.

After settling in Kellgale and her men set out to see if Bellflower was in town yet while I set out with two of my men – the two that I didn’t think would mind (or mind the least) about what was coming next. Not wanting to upset Hecuba (not yet anyway) I headed for another brothel, the Drunken Bird, down by the wharfs. Confusing the stupid doorman into letting us in for free I quickly spotted the owner – the smug looking fellow with the burly guards. I asked him how much to talk to his girls and after allaying his fear that I was trying to recruit them for another establishment we agreed on a price – although he was still highly suspicious.

Even moreso when I told him he couldn’t be present but some coin smoothed the way. I’m not proud of myself for this, but most girls in a place like this have someone they’d like to get revenge on – although you’d be surprised how pious some prostitutes are in their own way. In the end I had two takers, Poor Annie appearing at my side to seal these deals – souls in return for the power to strike back at the men that had hurt them. I felt a little queasy afterwards but people make their own choices in life – I wasn’t making them do anything right?

My escorts wanted to sample the wares but I told them to do that back the Hecuba’s, which was literally fifteen minutes away – the way they groaned you’d like I told them they’d have to crawl across the Desolation of Tarflume on their hands and knees. On the way back to our rooms a couple toughs tried to take us off and they got to deal out a few blows – that seemed to cheer them up.

I have a feeling my stay here isn’t going to be a very uplifting one. Outside of the bubble of Duke Eaglevane’s court I’m being reminded that most places aren’t very nice.

____________________________________________________________

Funds: 1425 gold

XP: 18,344

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 5/10 (23 days remain)

Teams – Labors, Brute Squad (Robbers and two teams of Soldiers)

Buildings – Mill (repair time 5 days)

Managers – Master Smith (paid for next 5 days)

Behind the curtain – I got another encounter and got horses again, which again was overcome with a Handle Animal check. I’m starting to expect that the plains encounter list doesn’t have a lot on it – which makes sense I suppose.

Macendamandel 16, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

Day two on the “road” to Heathgrove. In spite of all that’s gone on between us I’m finding myself starting to like Kellgale. Setting aside her atrocious wardrobe you have to admire someone who can talk herself out of most problems and has managed to find some loyal goons. A lot of goons have problems following a woman but her men seem committed to her – or at least committed to the money she can bring them.

Fairly uneventful travel today. We did come across a finely dressed fellow with two guards that claimed to be a merchant from Malgareth heading to Graltontown which is a little hard to swallow – he’d have to be pretty far off course for that to be true, but I saw no sign of any goods. No merchant worth their salt is going to make a trip empty handed. He asked if we were heading to Heathgrove for the big event and I said that we were, plus I was looking for some souls to steal. He laughed heartily at that.

We went our separate ways and when we made camp I decided to treat everyone to a few songs – it’s been a while. If I do say so myself it was quite a performance. A couple of my men were moved to tears in fact – it’s interested how many tough guys can really be touched by something like that. I suppose when you so rarely have anything soft in your life you don’t really have any defenses.

We should get to Heathgrove tomorrow. Heathgrove once prospered off the traffic along the Compass River but since the rise of Three Rivers and the shifting of trade to the north it’s become a depressed area. As such it has become a haven for outlaws, bandits, and various other desperate characters – you know the kind of place that would be holding a gladiatorial event.

I wracked my brain to try and remember who was running Heathgrove these days, but much like Graltontown it wasn’t the kind of place anyone much thought about. It’s entirely possible that no one is in charge of the place at all.

We’ll find out tomorrow hopefully.

____________________________________________________________

Funds: 820 gold

XP: 17,144

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 3/10 (24 days remain)

Teams – Labors, Brute Squad (Robbers and two teams of Soldiers)

Buildings – Mill (repair time 6 days)

Managers – Master Smith (paid for next 6 days)

Macendamandel 15, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

Day one on the “road” to Heathgrove. Setting out this morning, with a very reluctant Kellgale and a couple wagons, for a moment I had a frightening flashback of the disaster of the caravan to Three Rivers. But this should be different – we’ve got only twenty armed men here. And, one assumes, no greed nobleman with an agenda out for blood.

Kellgale was skittish at first but I assured her that my only goal here was to get out of town and buy some souls in Heathgrove. I think she thought I was kidding about the second part. I asked her about our gladiator and she said that we had invested in a half-elf who called herself Bellflower. Great, a woman gladiator! Say goodbye to that money. I asked her what possessed a successfully con-artist and perfumer like herself to get mixed up in the business of bloodsports and she had a long and not very interesting story. Short answer – she’s not all that successful.

When we stopped for lunch she nervously asked me if we were “even” on account of I had stolen some of her money and, bracing myself for the shooting pain, I assured her we were square. When I doubled over in agony she asked what was wrong. “Lady issues” I forced out through gritted teeth. She had something for that – opium. And let me tell you that stuff works great!

Later in the afternoon we came upon a gelded stallion and two mares – not wild obviously but clearly had been on their own out here in the plains for a while. They were skittish but still docile enough that I was able to coax them into our little band. I know this is anthropomorphizing on my part but they seemed relieved when they joined our wagon-horses. I suppose there’s such a thing as too much freedom.

____________________________________________________________

Funds: 820 gold

XP: 17,144

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 3/10 (25 days remain)

Teams – Labors, Brute Squad (Robbers and two teams of Soldiers)

Buildings – Mill (repair time 7 days)

Managers – Master Smith (paid for next 7 days)

Behind the curtain : I rolled an encounter and got three horses, Ela made her Handle Animal check to “defeat” them. Miraculously Ela made her save to avoid becoming addicted to opium.

Macendamandel 14, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

For the first time in a good long while I woke feeling refreshed – I think that snake venom really cleared my sinuses. I would recommend it to anyone, some more than others. I’ve been making better progress than I expected on my soul harvesting operation but I feel like I need to get out of town to really make progress there – things are too dangerous in Graltontown right now. I gathered my brute squad and went to pay a visit to my good friend Kellgale – finding her out with her wagon hocking her miracle elixir.

I had her heavily out-gooned and she and her goons quickly packed up their wares to move along but I had anticipated this and had her out-flanked. She had a wand out as I approached but was clearly hoping to avoid a fight. I told her we could let bygones be bygones but I wanted to know about this supposed gladiator in which I had invested – real or scam? She assured me the investment was very real, although she clearly intended to retain any profit – and in fact she was heading to Heathgrove the next day, since the Clash of Champions would begin soon and she wanted to get out of Graltontown due to the civil unrest.

What perfect timing, we could travel together! The roads aren’t safe you know, and in any case there is no road from Graltontown to Heathgrove. I hugged her warmly and said that traveling together would also give us a chance to get to know each other better. I winked and “joked” that she shouldn’t even think of leaving without me. She laughed nervously and said that she wouldn’t dream of it.

After I had my goons start preparing for travel and checked in with my laborers at the mill – they were mostly working, much to my surprise. Nevertheless I hired a foreman to check in on them while I was gone.

I spent the rest of the day in the woods with the Kostelos – not normally my idea of a good time but it’s good to keep building on that relationship and Graltontown is getting pretty unsafe these days. After nightfall I had one of the young warriors take me out to Hidden Moon’s hunting ground. Just when I thought I might not see her she appeared suddenly out of the gloom. As the terrified warrior cowered behind a tree stump I gave her the treat I had brought – a ham with rum-glaze and soaked in rum brine. As she enjoyed her delicacy I asked her about her fellow worgs – it seemed that unlike regular wolves they were solitary rather than running in packs.

After boasting about how they didn’t need to form packs to bring down prey she told me that worgs come together at times but it’s more of a loose alliance than the formal hierarchy of a wolf pack. Boasting aside they usually have no issue finding prey on their own so there’s no real reason to cooperate barring some kind of threat. I told her I might be interested in any other worgs that might want to experience the “city life”. She was conflicted about the prospect – the food and booze is clearly a powerful draw but the noise and confusion (and stench) of a human city is just as clearly a deterrent. I told her just to see what her fellow worgs thought.

I resigned myself to a very uncomfortable night in a Kostelos camp – I guess one good night’s sleep is all I get.

____________________________________________________________

Funds: 820 gold

XP: 15,944

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 3/10 (26 days remain)

Teams – Labors, Brute Squad (Robbers and two teams of Soldiers)

Buildings – Mill (repair time 8 days)

Managers – Master Smith (paid for next 8 days)

Macendamandel 13, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

What I wouldn’t give for a good night’s sleep. After maybe four hours of sleep I was up and at it. My new labor force needed funds to get the mill up and running, which I gave them and told them to get working on. After that I met with Edlund and Edrena and the various other parties interested in the fate of Piltis Swine and told them that a brave young man had challenged Piltis to a duel and were should be there to finally off the fat man. I got some resistance to the idea of “interfering with a duel” – people are so weird, this man had killed their loved ones and they were concerned with the proper etiquette of human cockfighting? I wonder how many hundreds of years I would have to live to understand what people are thinking.

Once that was all squared away Poor Annie showed up at my side.

“Where are you going?”

“Saint Basia’s Orphanage”

“What for?”

“I need to get moving on this soul buying operation, the candle is burning.”

“That doesn’t seem like a very good strategy, going after religious types.”

“I’m not going after the staff, I’m going after the orphans. They’re young, they don’t even know what’s going on, they’ll probably sell their souls just for parents. I can find them parents no problem.”

Poor Annie stopped dead in her tracks, and not just because a passerby was marveling at a talking dog.

“That is EVIL.”

“Don’t judge me dog, you’re literally some kind of hellspawn!”

“Going after children Ela, that is low.”

“What else am I supposed to do, you’re not giving me a lot of options.”

Poor Annie sat on her haunches and after a moment spoke “Well maybe I could let you offer something if you agree to restrict yourself to adults.”

“I’m listening.”

“I mean maybe we could work something out.”

“Something like what, I don’t need vagaries, my glorious ass is on the line here dog – give me something I can work with!”

Have you ever heard a dog sigh? I have now.

“Fine, I can arrange for people to gain some personal power.”

As she said this a man wandered up to us “Excuse me madam but is that a talking dog?”

“Get the Hells out of my way!”

With that not very convincing promise I diverted instead to a small building adjacent to the library – yes Graltontown has a library, one wonders what’s in it – where I knew an old woman named Veirka had a magic sword for sale. Allegedly she was a half-elf wizard of some sort but she just looked like a human to me. The sword in question had a jet-black blade and an ornate hilt, it certainly looked magic. She wanted four thousand gold for it, I offered her eight hundred. She conferred with a black snake on the counter and my offer was rejected.

Well I tried. I knocked her down and took the sword, getting snakebitten in the process. She must have really been a wizard because I heard her chanting a spell as I walked outside. A wolverine from my Bag of Tricks broke her concentration however. Venom coursing through my veins, I sought out Kell’s goon from the other day. He said that I looked like I was dying, I assured him that I was fine.

“You said you wanted a magic sword for your soul, well here’s a magic sword.”

He examined it closely as if he could see the magic or something and seemed to be reluctant but I was able to browbeat him into holding up the deal. Poor Annie oversaw the transaction and I swear the hellhound was giving me reproachful looks! It’s almost like they don’t want souls.

I was pretty woozy from the venom by that point, and the spot on my arm where the snake had bitten me was turning as purple as a whore’s dress but it was time for the duel. The agreed upon location was the cemetery where we were supposed to have the dog-fight before. I disguised myself as a random townsperson and filtered in with the crowd. Piltis was there with his lackeys, waiting for his opponent – he looked quite ridiculous with a cheap rapier in his hands, he was clearly more of a back-alley brawler and throat slitter than a fencer.

Just when I was wondering what Edlund was waiting for he stepped out of the crowd and stabbed Piltis in the kidney. Which ironically is what he wanted in the first place – I thought I could come up with something cleverer, I suppose sometimes swift and blinding violence is as clever as it gets. All Hells broke loose at that point, the scene turning into a wild brawl between Piltis and his men and Edlund, Edrena, Crookjaw and various others along with people just getting into the action for no apparent reason. I took cover in my home away from home – the Sonsts family mausoleum – and watched until I was sure Piltis was dead. Which I am on account of Crookjaw staved in his head with a chunk of a tombstone.

As the melee continued I slipped out of the area and made my way to Piltis’ candle-headquarters. After dealing with another of his guard-dogs with a wolf from my Bag of Tricks I informed the two dozen odd orphans that Piltis was dead and their days of making candles were over. I told them they could scurry off into the slums like roaches and continue being street urchins or they could come with me and have a chance at a better life. Leaving them to mull it over, I took one of the long-handled pitchfork like tools they use to make the candles and jabbed Piltis’ orcish wolf-dog to death in its pit. The vicious little monster almost jumped out of the pit and got a hold of me.

After that I found where Piltis had stashed his cave giant – in an underground chamber restrained with thick chains. It glared at me balefully as I ducked into the room.

“You want to get out of here?”

Giant souls still count right? Leaving the beast for the time being I returned to the orphans who had mostly decided to take a chance on the mysterious beautiful stranger who had freed them – I did see a few missing faces from the group though, those who had decided to take their chances on their own. I led the grubby child-horde straight to the Wardsmeadow’s fine estate, which as you might expect caused quite a commotion. Once I explained the situation Andsome said all the right things but was clearly disinterested, as befits his station, but as I anticipated Elth was overcome with emotion. She swore she would do everything she could to find these buggers good homes and make sure they were brought up right.

Her enthusiasm was making her fiancée quite uncomfortable indeed – it was highly entertaining. Not even married and they already have twenty-six kids? I can’t blame him I suppose.

Slipping away in the confusion I made my way back to the candleworks and Poor Annie appeared to make the deal with the cave giant – who’s name, of course, was Crusher. Soul in return for freedom, sounds familiar. Assuming he would rip me limb from limb the moment he was free I tossed him the keys and got away from there as fast as I could. I was hoping with his clumsy hands it would take a while to get himself free. I suppose I’ll know when I hear about a cave giant rampaging through the streets.

Even though it wasn’t even mid-day I turned in to sleep off the snake venom and my general exhaustion.

____________________________________________________________

Funds: 862 gold

XP: 15,944

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 3/10 (27 days remain)

Teams – Labors, Brute Squad (Robbers and two teams of Soldiers)

Buildings – Mill (repair time 9 days)

Behind the curtain : Eal failed two saves against the snake venom and took 2 Constitution damage

Macendamandel 12, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

Since I’ve been out of touch for a few days I’m going to make the rounds today. As soon as I stepped out of the inn though three ruffians rushed up on me. I dodged into an alley, and finding myself trapped went to the Bag of Tricks to produce a Spotted Firecat – still I had to resort to stabbing one of them with my purloined rapier before they were dissuaded. Graltontown is really getting out of control. I can’t help but feel partially responsible. Two of the thugs ran off to nurse their wounds by the third was too badly injured to get away. I pressed the tip of the rapier to his cheek and asked if he wanted to sell his soul or be run through. Poor Annie appeared to take care of the legal mumbo-jumbo.

As my grandma always said “Sometimes the simplest bargains work the best”. After that I went to the market to unload some items and during one of my transactions another group of hoodlums came to rob us both! I dove under a table while the clothier and his wife grappled with the thieves and when I came out he refused to finish the transaction! The nerve of some people. It took me quite a while to find someone who was willing to take the rapier and the shield on account of the Domiel family crests on them but ultimately I found a less than savory blacksmith who took them off my hands.

After that I checked in with Elth who was furious that I had “abandoned” her. She’s been sitting in the lap of luxury (for Graltontown, but still) and I was locked in a cage waiting to be exsanguinated by an old lady and she’s breaking bad with me? I admit I lost my temper. I spoke to her rather cruelly and she collapsed into tears, saying she just wanted to go home. I took all my willpower to speak to her kindly but I was able to help her get it together. I told her the smart play to go ahead with the wedding, move it up and get it over with, and then I would take care of Cornelio and she would be left as the heir to his fortune but she wasn’t interested. I wanted to shriek at her – this man was doing nothing but treating her like a princess and she couldn’t even play along for a few days?

Before we could get into another shouting match Andsome and Lord Sonst, who appears to have attached himself to the Duke’s third cousin like a tick, and their flunkies interrupted us. They had heard about me exposing Auraluna Domiel and wanted all the details – by which I mean they wanted to ask questions and then interrupt my answers with their mannish bragging. Sonst’s two hotspur friends were particularly obnoxious.

But I did learn that Cornelio had removed Mayor Deveris from power – which I don’t think he actually has the authority to do – and his retainers were “in control” of the city, which explains why there’s so much unrest in the streets. Watchman Gridley had been found guilty of being the Sugar Sack Bandit – by which I mean that Cornelio had summarily decided. I reiterated to him that he should bring in Mayor Kinley from Gevudan to clean this place up but he had already decided to turn Graltontown over to his friend Baroness Elucia Vhane – which I don’t think he has the authority to actually do. I urged him to nevertheless consider bringing in Mayor Kinley to consult. He said he’d think about it and I left with Elth giving my mournful looks.

I stopped to tell Waycombe and Axmar I had found Dorehe and then looked up Felix, he had some folk in mind for a brute squad and I had the coin so I pulled the trigger on that deal. With the way things have been going I think I’m going to need some muscle. I set them up with Hookjaw, guarding Halflings when I don’t need them. I also recruited a crew of laborers to go out and see what it would take to get “my” mill up and running.

I decided that I’ve spent too much time beating around the bush with Piltis and trying to be clever – I just need to end that. I spent some time with my disguise kit and assumed the appearance of his rival – who I have decided to name Grafton Medway. Always before when I’ve made my rounds to disparage Piltis I’ve been careful to make sure I was gone before he could possibly hear about it – not this time. It was well past midnight when Piltis and his goons forced their way into the Copper Dove, a tavern with pretentions of being high-class where wannabes and low level social climbers congregate. They moved to block Piltis and his scum but I interceded.

After the traditional exchange of insults (which I won of course) Piltis, as I expected, brought up a bloodsport with his “new prize”, but I responded by challenging him to a duel – making sure to remark he was an honorless dog who had no right to the gentlemen’s privilege of a duel. He was incensed, but smart enough to say that he was too old for such things. After my ceaseless goading though he was provoked into accepting, much to the delight of the Copper crowd, it’s funny how even when people are fighting in the streets there’s still something about the prospect of a duel that gets people excited.

Tomorrow at noon – Piltis versus Medway.

Funds: 1192 gold

XP: 15,744

Inventory: Peasant outfit, wooden box, Signet ring, Ring of Many Garments, thieves’ tools, land deed, Bag of Tricks (rust), gold ring, Cap of Disguise, Secure Pocket, candlerod (9), masterwork dagger, succubi carving, Talisman of Spying Master Ring, Disguise kit (8 uses), Domiel family ring, walking stick

Revenge List: Duke Eaglevane, Piltis Swine, Rince Electrum, ~~watchman Gridley~~, ~~White-Muzzle the worg~~, Percy Ringle the butler , Alice Kinsey , “~~Patch~~”, Heroes of the Lost Sword, Claire Conrad, Erist priest of Strider, Riselda owner of the Sage Mirror, Eedraxis, ~~Skin-Taker tribe~~, Kartak, Królewna & Bonifacja Trading Company, Hurmont Family, Androni Titus, Greasy dreadlocks woman, Lodestone Security, Kellgale Nickoslander, Beltian Kruin the Splithog Pauper, The King of Spiders, Auraluna Domiel

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 1/10 (28 days remain)

Teams – Labors, Brute Squad (Teams – Robbers, Soldiers, Soldiers)

Buildings – Mill (repair time 10 days)

Behind the curtain : I used the Earn XP downtime activity to hit 5^th level – Ela is now Expert 2/Rogue 3 taking Noble Imposter for the 5^th level feat. I wanted to take that at 3^rd level but the story reward won’t really do much to 7^th level even. I also rolled an event and got Criminal Activity which cost Ela some gold. Since I already had Ela ask Felix to round up some people I skipped the recruitment time for the brute squad.

Macendamandel 11, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

After escaping from the Domiel domicile I had offered to help Dorehe find a new job but she ran away from me as soon as possible – literally . She hiked up her skirts and ran as if I was the boogeyman. I’ve said it before and I say it again – people have no sense of appreciation. I was at least able to guilt her into helping me haul Vivian back to my room at the Scarlet Dragoon. After the last few days I slept long and hard – waking up to a large black dog standing over me on the bed, almost nose to nose with me. It’s breath was rancid and awful.

“No dogs on the bed.”

“You’re sleeping pretty late for a woman on a deadline.”

“Well I’ve had a rough go of it lately.”

“Obviously.”

“And who or what are you?”

“Call me Goliath.”

“I will not.”

“How about Wilfred?”

“No.”

“You can call me Poor Annie for all I care, I’m here to observe and handle all the bureaucratic details.”

“So you’re like my familiar?”

“No, that’s for witches.”

“Well get the Hells off the bed.”

Vivian was still out cold. I was going to need some professional help rather than whatever backwoods chicanery my new benefactor had done to her. And for that I’m going to need money. I decided to go to my good friend Kellgale’s apartment. I assumed that she’d be hard at working swindling the good people of Graltontown and I was proven correct (as usual) when one of her goons answered the door. I told him that she had asked me to stop by and pick up a few things and as soon as the words were out of my mouth I felt a stabbing pain in my stomach – like I had swallowed a barbed dagger and it was working its way through my innards. I doubled over and grabbed the doorjamb for support.

“What the Hells is happening to me?!’

“You can’t lie to people.”

“Since when?!”

“It’s part of the deal.”

The goon was astonished – “Did that dog just talk?”

“He never said anything about not being able to lie!”

“He didn’t say a lot of things. You really should ask more questions before you agree to something. You aren’t much of a negotiator are you?”

“I am a great negotiator! I had been trapped in a cage and starved! I wasn’t thinking straight!”

“You weren’t even there forty-eight hours.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Ela, I’m going to level with you, you’re a smooth talker – no one can deny that – but you’re not all that smart.”

The goon finally managed to close his mouth – “The dog is talking.”

While the guardian of the apartment was marveling over the talking dog I staggered in clutching my stomach and grabbed her box of coins from behind her bed and her sketch of the famed Grand Theater. As I lurched back out I heard Poor Annie saying to the goon “I’m going to let you in on a little secret, I’m not really a dog.”

I started to wobble away but then stopped and turned back “Hey, you want to sell your soul?”

The goon thought about it “I’d trade my soul for a magic sword.”

I snapped my fingers at Poor Annie and gestured and she just looked at me “What?”

“You heard the man, he wants a magic sword for his soul, get on it.”

“I don’t have a magic sword.”

“Well do whatever it is you do and get him one!”

“I don’t do anything lady, that’s your job – I’m just here to make sure everything is nice and legal, spiritually speaking.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I don’t think so. Whatever you can do for people to get them to give up their souls you should but we’re not granting people wishes or something like that. This is your deal.”

“He didn’t say anything about that!”

“Maybe you should have asked more questions . . .”

I stumbled my way to the market, grabbing a man’s cane from his hand along the way to help me, and sold the sketch for a handful of gold. The pain was starting to diminish to a dull ache as I made my way to the temple of Adariel. I told them I had a very sick friend and shook my box of money at them but they being the “good” people they are said they didn’t charge for their services. They sent an acolyte with me that looked like she was all of fifteen years old – I guess you get what you pay for. Back at the inn though she clearly knew her business – she started to explain what was wrong and what she was going to do but I waved her off. Shortly thereafter Vivian was up, and very confused and frightened, she started to explain what had happened to her but I waved her off too –

“Yeah, yeah , same thing happened to me, let’s get back to the temple.”

The pain was gone by the time we got back and I explained to the priest on duty that an evil blood-drinking old lady was in our midst kidnapping and murdering. She was clearly dubious until Vivian started telling the same story, which frustrated me. Even then she insisted that we go talk to Dorehe and her parents – who by the way were MUCH more thankful than Dorehe herself. They tearfully hugged and kissed me as they should – Dorehe giving me the evil eye the whole time.

Even after all that the priestess then insisted that we visit the guard. The guardsman who had hired Waycombe and Axmar was shocked when I told him that I had found her – and that I had rescued Vivian as well, who no one even knew was missing. More priests showed up and more guardsman and they talked and talked and TALKED.

“Come on people let’s roll on this bitch already!”

But no one listed to me. Eventually they organized a posse of guardsmen and Adariel’s faithful and random “adventurers” from local ale-houses and the raid was on. It was a quite a scene – the Halfling butler was taken into custody at the door but the other Halfling was a frothing madman, and I mean that literally. He was clearly magically enhanced as well as he appeared to be as strong as an actual man rather than a tiny wee fellow. At first he fought with his diabolical razor but he switched quickly to a serrated ax. Who even heard of such a thing?

Auraluna was a terror was well. But the worst part was as she was fighting the youthful flesh was literally melting off her like candle-wax, leaving her the ancient crone she is with rivulets of bubbling flesh flying off and trailing her like a tattered cloak. It was undoubtedly one of the most revolting sights I have ever seen. Half a dozen men died in the attempt – yes, attempt. Once the Halfling was down and the crone’s dogs were all dead and it became clear that her artificial strength was starting to flag Auraluna smashed through the rotten wall and escaped into the night.

After that it was a chaotic scene as the adventurers tried to loot the place, the guard was trying to figure out how to work the elevator, and the Adarielites started to cleanse the “energy” of the house with magic. I suggested they close up the place for now, post guards, bury the dead and worry about it in the morning. Surprisingly they listened.

When I went back to loot the place there wasn’t a lot of be had – which isn’t unexpected considering the lowly state of the Domiels. I was hoping that Auraluna was the kind of old person who kept all their money in their house instead of in a bank but no such luck. Besides recovering most of my own gear I gathered up all the jewelry, what little of the clothing was in good shape, some coin, and from the attic a rapier and darkwood buckler adorned with the Domiel family crest.

I wonder what became of Auraluna’s “daughter”.

____________________________________________________________

Funds: 992 gold

XP: 14,544

Inventory: Peasant outfit, wooden box, Signet ring, Ring of Many Garments, thieves’ tools, land deed, Bag of Tricks (rust), gold ring, Cap of Disguise, Secure Pocket, candlerod (9), masterwork dagger, succubi carving, Talisman of Spying Master Ring, Disguise kit (9 uses), assorted jewelry, noble’s outfit (4), Domiel family ring, masterwork rapier, darkwood buckler, walking stick

Revenge List: Duke Eaglevane, Piltis Swine, Rince Electrum, watchman Gridley, ~~White-Muzzle the worg~~, Percy Ringle the butler , Alice Kinsey , “~~Patch~~”, Heroes of the Lost Sword, Claire Conrad, Erist priest of Strider, Riselda owner of the Sage Mirror, Eedraxis, ~~Skin-Taker tribe~~, Kartak, Królewna & Bonifacja Trading Company, Hurmont Family, Androni Titus, Greasy dreadlocks woman, Lodestone Security, Kellgale Nickoslander, Beltian Kruin the Splithog Pauper, The King of Spiders, Auraluna Domiel

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 0/10 (29 days remain)

Macendamandel 10, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

If haven’t had the pleasure I can tell you that you don’t sleep well trapped in a small cage in a dank smelly hole in the ground. Sometimes I wonder of the Lord of the Thirteen showed up himself and offered me either revenge against Duke Eaglevane in whatever form I desire or a guarantee of a comfortable feather bed for the rest of my life which I would take. You never think about a good night’s sleep until you don’t have them anymore. The funny thing is when you don’t sleep you’re never really awake either. More out of boredom than anything else I tried speaking to our demon-hound guardian which elicited another grisly threat. I told the beast I doubted Auraluna would be happy if he killed me and he responded that ripping out my tongue probably wouldn’t kill me. I told him about a drover I knew who learned how to speak pretty well after getting his tongue ripped out. He growled at me for quite a while.

Eventually the mage-lights came on and the elevator deposited not Auraluna and her Halfling pal but a stringy looking fellow with no shirt and dirty patched trousers. His torso was a patchwork of scars, crude tattoos, and smeared dirt and his scraggy half beard was an atrocity to behold. He lowered himself into one of Auraluna’s overstuffed tea-chair with a groan and the creak of joints. After a coughing fit he rolled himself a flayleaf cigarette .

“Sure have another, why not? And hey, thanks for dressing up.”

After lighting the flayleaf with a flame from his finger he closed his eyes and took a long drag, breathing out a plume of vapors before looking me over and responding.

“You’re one to talk, at least I have pants on.”

“I’m being held in a cage, what’s your excuse?”

He raised his hand in a vague gesture to acknowledge the point and then closed his eyes again. Just when I thought he might have dozed off he sighed and spoke –

“So, do you want to sell your soul?”

“That’s a surprisingly straight-forward sales pitch, when you’re talking about selling your soul aren’t you supposed to be more misleading and elusive? In the Six Trials of Daisy Margret it took two acts before Bezial revealed what he was after.”

He shrugged slightly “When you’ve been doing this as long as I have you realize that all that razzle dazzle is just a waste of time. You want to sell your soul I’ll take it, you don’t want to sell your soul there’s plenty of other souls out there.”

I nodded sagely “Sure, you don’t want to seem too eager. Slow play it, that’s a valid tactic. My opening position is no, eternal damnation seems like a steep price.”

“Don’t you think you’re damned anyway?”

“Of course not, why would I be? I’m a good person.”

He opened one eye and looked at me “You think so?”

“Absolutely. I pay my debts, what’s more good than that?”

“Charity, compassion, humility, prudence, temperance, diligence, kindness, etcetera.”

“Sure, that’s all fine, but it doesn’t mean anything without justice.”

“You feel like you’ve dispensed a lot of justice in your life?”

“Of course I have. Anyone wrongs me they pay for it – in the cosmic sense, eternal souls and all that, I can think of no greater virtue. I’m sure when I die that I’ll be treated to ninety-nine virgins or like a harp or whatever good people get.”

“Sounds more like vengeance to me.”

“They’re the same.”

He shrugged ever so slightly and took a drag. “So that’s a no on the soul selling then.”

“Yeah, I think no. But out of curiosity if I was going to sell my soul what could I get? If I wanted Auraluna dead and my freedom would that be on the table? Seems like a conflict of interest.”

“The old lady isn’t my account, you want to sell your soul for her death we could talk about that.”

“Interesting. You know what else is interesting? People of your ilk are always coming down here and trying to buy souls but how come the good guys never do the same?”

“I guess good deeds are supposed to be their own reward.”

“They aren’t. At all. When I was in Duke Eaglevane’s court I used to help people all the time – secretly of course – and all it brought me was stress and worry.”

“What did you do to help people?”

“Smuggled people out of the city, helped them set up new lives away from their abusive masters, shielded women from their violent husbands, that sort of thing”

“Are you saying you’re part of the Foxglove Network?”

“Of course not, there’s no such thing – that’s just a rumor.”

He regarded me for a long moment. “Now why would you lie about that? Unless you want me think that you’re lying to make me think that you are part of the network. I’m not sure how you keep up with all your deceptions Ela, there’s a lot of layers.”

“Not really, I’ve found that the simplest lies are the most convincing.”

“Don’t you know that lies make the Gods cry?”

“What about Altheia the Spirit of Deceit?”

“Okay, but aside from her they all cry whenever you lie.”

“Sounds like their issue to me. I mean what have the Gods ever done for me?

“Created everything?”

“Meh, I’ve seen everything, it’s not so great. What about this good sir – how about I get you some other souls and you help me out of here?”

He laughed “And you think you’re going to a heavenly reward?”

“Hey if people want to sell their soul that’s their business, I’m just the middleman. Er, middlewoman. Well no, a middlewoman is when you pay four gold and . . .”

He held up his hand “I know what it is.”

“You’re surprisingly prudish for some sort of nefarious backwoods devil-worshipper. I mean you want souls, I can get them for you, it’s a win win.”

“So you think you’ll be fine even with soul harvester on your ledger? Haven’t you killed people? What about that?”

“They were all bad.”

“Does that make it okay?”

“Of course it does, what do you think society is all about? The hero slays the dragon. The hero murders the cruel king. The hero massacres the army of some other nation. All our best stories are about good people killing bad people – our heroes are wading through a river of blood. If you’re bad killing you is a good thing – in fact if you don’t kill a bad person then you yourself become bad. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. I mean look at the tale of the Halfling and the Five Giants – that guy killed a little kid giant and he’s the heroist hero of them all.”

“Interesting theory. How many souls would you bring me?”

“How’s three sound?

“Try ten.”

“Done.”

“What kind of timeframe?”

“How about a year?”

“How about a month?”

“Oof, that sounds tight. But you’ve really got me over a barrel here. You’ve got me bent over a barrel with my tender . . .”

He held up his hand again “Enough.”

I chuckled “Anyway, I’m in no position to negotiate, ten souls in a month – deal.”

“And if you fail then your soul is forfeit.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. Do I need to sign something in my own blood or how do we wrap this up?”

I saw Dorehe looking on in horror but I assured her it was fine. I also saw that the demon-hound was awake and alert and looking on. He growled –

“What’s going on here?”

“Oh nothing, I’m just making a deal with this hick here to betray your mistress.”

In a flash the beast was lunging at my new shirtless friend, grabbing him with his weird paw-hands and snapping at him with his deadly fangs. Cursing the man struggled with him for a moment, falling to the ground before there was a flash of magical energy and the beast was banished back to whatever hell-pit he came from.

He slowly got to his feet brushing himself off “Thanks for that.”

I smiled sweetly “You’re the one getting my case for lying all the time.”

He opened my cage – I saw no key, he must be stronger than he looks, but then again he’d almost have to be – and I went to check on Vivian. She was barely clinging to life. I grabbed one of the chairs to smash the Machine but when I swung the chair splintered to bits without seeming to harm the Machine at all. It looked quite fragile, but clearly looks were deceiving.

The dirt bag looking soul stealer rubbed his hands together and said “Alright, so I get you out of here in return for ten souls in 30 days – you don’t pay up when your soul is on the line.”

“Well not just me, I’m taking these two with me.”

“Fair enough.” He opened Dorehe’s cage as well, she ran away from him as if he was the bogeyman and almost literally hid behind me. He then cast a spell on Vivian that seemed to perk her up a little – although she remained unconscious.

“We need some clothes too.”

He sighed and did some more magic, summoning us the most uninspired dresses I have ever seen. Picking through the pile I asked if he had anything better and he snapped at me to just put something on already.

After that he spit in his hand, gross, we shook and the deal was done.

“That’s it, just a hand-shake? No contract or anything? I thought with a soul-sale there was always a contract with some kind of shocking twist in the fine print.”

He shrugged “I can’t even read.”

The next thing I knew Dorehe, Vivian, and I were out on the street in front of Auraluna’s decrepit mansion.

Dorehe looked at me in unconditional terror and shock “What have you done?”

“I just saved your life, how about a little gratitude?”

____________________________________________________________

Funds: None

XP: 11,344

Inventory: Peasant outfit

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Souls Damned to the Thirteen Hells – 0/10 (30 days remain)

Macendamandel 9, Year 887 (New Imperial Calendar)

I awoke to the stink of wet fur, waste, and strangely, the smell of spiced tea. For a moment I worried I had been blinded but I eventually realized there was simply no light. I was stripped of my clothes and in a cage not quite large enough to stand up fully in. At the sound of my movements I heard someone else calling out faintly. Seems I have found Dorehe, who is in a nearby cage – silver lining, she was taken weeks ago and is still alive – should mean I’m in no immediate threat right? As we were discussing our predicament I realized the room was not totally lightless – two glowing red eyes watched us from a good fifty feet away.

From that direction came an impossibly deep, grave voice “Tell me about the ivory carving”.

I had never seen the eyes of a worg glow in the dark but the voice sounded similar so I responded with an offer of bribery – I’ve had good luck with that tactic in dealing with these creatures before. The only response was a low chuckle.

“Your lies won’t work on me, you’re just meat, tell me about the carving. Now.”

I suddenly felt a vast pressure on my head and was overwhelmed with sadness. I knew it was being pressed on me from the outside but it was no less real feeling for all that. I felt less capable but I’ve lied my way out of situations feeling much worse. Dredging up everything I knew about the worshippers of the 13 Hells I spun a tale about a deadly secret cult. The only response was a snort.

“That’s not even the right religion. You had one chance and you just lost it.”

With that the eyes disappeared. Dorehe said that Auraluna would be down later for “tea” but didn’t have much else to say. I was left to wait for hours in the utter darkness, eventually becoming convinced that I could hear someone else breathing down there. I called out to no response.

Eventually I heard the whirring of the elevator ropes and light flared up around us. The large chamber was half actual basement and half crudely chiseled stone. The finished half held four cages, two empty, and the other part was covered with straw and broken bones – slumbering in the midst was a massive canine beast the size of a man whose front paws were more like hands, they were even furless – it was somehow the most disturbing thing about the creature.

In the middle, straddling the halves of the room was the Machine. It looked somewhat like a massive hookah, only I’ve never seen a hookah before that incorporated a woman strapped to a low, slanted table with a hose leading from her neck into the diffuser. I think the woman may be Vivian Jess, a local actress who everyone had thought left town several months ago. Beside the Machine was a pair of dainty chairs and a small darkwood table with a silver tea service.

The elevator door opened and out stepped Auraluna and her Halfling attendant – looking no worse the wear for his tumble down the shaft. He silently took up a position in the corner with hands behind his back as the demon-hound sprang to Auraluna like a puppy and she lavished it with the most incongruous baby-talk and petting. After, it stood at her side as she sat and made herself tea – summoning hot water out of thin air. After she took a cup and sighed contentedly she took a hose connected to the Machine with a spike in the end and jammed it into her arm – and arm which was riddled with hideous black track-marks. Her veins looked like tiny rivers of pitch.

The woman who I took to be Vivian moaned slightly as the machine started pumping quietly.

“This doesn’t seem like a very efficient operation. Keeping women in cages for weeks? Wouldn’t it make more sense to abduct them only when you needed a new one?”

“Of course dearie, but you have to take your opportunities when you can. Plus I like to make sure I have a few in stock in case times get lean.”

As she drank her tea and enjoyed her young blood I told her that people knew I was there and would be looking for me. She said if that was true I wouldn’t be telling her about it, I’d just wait for rescue. I told her that I could be useful in recruiting victims for her. She said that was probably true but how could she trust me? I flattered, I begged, I cajoled, I wheedled – she was impassive. In the end I told her that I couldn’t die before I had my revenge on Duke Eaglevane. I swore to her I would do anything to make that happen.

This finally seemed to intrigue her a little. As she set her cup down and removed her injection-hose she said that tomorrow she’d bring someone for me to talk to. And with that she and her lackey left and left us in the dark. I tried for hours to get the canine beast to talk with me but all he said eventually was that if I didn’t shut up he was going to rip my tongue out. After a long while Dorehe asked me why I was there.

“I’ve come to rescue you, isn’t that obvious?”

____________________________________________________________

Funds: None

XP: 11,344

Inventory: Empty

Anti-Revenge List: Dorehe the maid

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Behind the curtain : The beast is of course a barghest and used Crushing Despair on Ela. I’ve never looked too closely at it before, they only need to eat four people to become a Greater Barghest? Seems like a standard barghest would be pretty rare if that’s all it takes.