GM: MaliwanThe same village we already investigated twice, with the lost gesse and murdered family. Now someone murdered cows of the guy who found the latter bodies. And local priest and nun of Chauntea informed us a long-time follower of the church went missing AND a local boatman saw someone carrying something heavy few days ago. After spending some time investigating an odd artifact in the church, some sort of spear left after local hero has slain some sort of unspecified evil i nthe area, still holding a piece of said evil, we sent off to investigate.
First we checked the killed cows, though it is more correct to say others have confirmed it was some sort of ritualistic murder, while I consoled the farmers and expressed distress over how many horrible things have befallen this single town in a short time. We then talked with the old boatman, who told us it appears this stranger he saw was carrying something person-sized and headed towards the old, unused crypt. Finally, we investigated the house of missing man, discovering he has lost a wife and child and last entry in his journal was that someone can help him bring them back.
We decided to check the crypt, only to be immediatelly jumped by Revenants, who beleived we were the ones to desecrate their graves. Three of us almost beaten us to a pulp, but we prevailed. After I convinced Azrael to not take the gold that person who actually desecrated the gaves has just...threw into a pile in the corner, we descended to face the culprit. it turned out to be a missing man. Through tense discussion we convinced him to go with us and help us get revenge on mysterious "tall blue one" who had convinced him that by killing local nun in ritual sacrifice, he can bring his family back. Azrael in particular seems suited to get information out of the man. However, when we realized the nun has been kidnapped days ago and yet we talked with her just hours ago, we rushed to the church.
Inside we saw priest murdered in a gruesome way on the altar, and the spear stolen. Our farmer friends also saw a blue monster flying towards the forest. This creature, the Oni, has played us from the start. We all agree this requires appriopriate response - to hunt it down and slay.
GM: MaliwanThis mission was a diseaster. We found out our contact regarding mysterious biomechanical attacks has been arrested and we needed to break him out of a prison of ridiculous security levels. We spent a lot of time gathering information and even attempted to infiltrate the prison as supposed relatives, to get some questions out of the man...only for Biscut to try casting spells despite knowing we're being watched, then running away and leaving us at guard's mercy. We're lucky we got out of that pit alive. I felt useless during the entire mission. I'm, at my core, a soldier, not a spy. I know others will do a second attempt at dealing with the prison. I decided to opt out, I can tell when a mission is not suited for my skills.
GM: MaliwanThe brother of a farmer, whose giant gesse we saved the other day, has stumbled upon his nighbours having been brutally murdered. The brothers informed local priest, who contacted the Syndicate. We investigated the crime scene and discovered the family was slain by some sort of animals with metalic parts. We followed the tracks of these creatures and discovered they're some strange dogs with mechanical parts engraved into them. Disposing of them, which was not easy when they can cast fireballs, we followed the lead further, having to withstand an ambush, now from similiarly biomechanical crows. And once we dealt with that, the trail lead us to a cabin of two people, who turned out to be poachers. Moreover, they seemed to be hunting these creatures and stripping them off parts, sending them somewhere. Before we could confront them, their third partner was attacked and mauled by a biomechanical bear. Out of all battles that one was by far the hardest, almost devastating our group. I personally almost died. Thankfully, we pervailed in the end, thanks to good teamwork. The poachers told us who was paying them for the biomechanical parts, giving us a future lead. This is far from over.
GM: MaliwanWe were hired by a farmer to find his missing giant geese, which appear to have been lead out of the barn by some individuals. After helping capture first one, that the farmer found on his own, we tracked the thieves, only to discover that something ambushed their camp and killed them, then went off with the gesse. We were then attacked by a bunch of giant spiders, but managed to retreat with help of Wu, who seems to been able to call on her deity to make the creatures retreat. We then found another giant creature - a giant snake, was behind attack o nthe initial kidnappers and ate the gesse. At least one of them we managed to recover from inside its gullet relatively unharmed.
GM: TorgnarlyA pair of haflings hired us to find what is killing their livestock. We managed to track the creature behind the attacks, or rather creatures- a group of young bullettes, that we dealt with. We returned to inform the farmers of the situation and regroup before hunting the mother, only for her to come after us. In a fight, that dealt lot of destruction to the farm, we came on top, even if with many close calls. These things are dangerous as they come.
GM: VeeMan named Mirt asked us to get him Golden Unicorn statue hidden in a Blue Alley within City of Waterdeep. I thought I can be confident in my own skills and that I work well with this team, many of my companions in this mission fought side by side with me and I felt I am valuable part of the team. This place called it all in question. That place was NOT a simple alley, but a labirynth of rooms and corridors, each chamber a new nightmarish test or scenario. I got lost multiple times, I failed to contribute, by the end all my training and powers were falling me. I am disappointed with myself. My companions performed so much better. Am I being left behind? Are they progressing as heroes so much faster? Was I slacking out? I need to do better.
We succeeded at the quest, but by that point this place has bested me, personally, in every way possible.
GM: TrueOur group was sent to Waterdeep to help Cheesemongers Association to investigate two competitors suspected of possible cheating in upcoming cheese competition. My familiar, Sphinx of Wonder named Smiley, wound never forgive me if I wouldn't take him to the competition, so I volunteered to the job.
First competitor was reported for people getting sick around his house. After Snap scouted around the house, we entered and let Forvist pacify the dogs, we found the owner trying to get us away from a single room, but we ignored his pleas. Inside that room we found he is keeping a calf of a catoplebas, which are highly poisonous and capable of necrotic sight. I caught it and held it while other pacified it, withstanding the wretched smell as well as ocassional biting and even attack from creature's owner. We did explain to him posession of such creature, whose milk he was using for his cheese, was illegal within Waterdeep and he decided to move back to Cormyr than risk dealing with the city guard. We offered Syndicate's help in releasing catoplebas to the wild, if the creature ever grows too troublesome to take care of.
Second was a Hafling runnign bussiness behind an inn. We were immediatelly met with someone trying to rob one of us, but we caught them and used the situation to intimidate few other people giving us weird looks. Inside we quickly uncovered that the hafling running the cheese operation has coerced tavern owner to sell his highly addictive type of cheese, which he was hoping to use to eventually get city's elites hooked on. We befeated his thugs and performed "citizen arrest" on him, and tavern owner helped save us from being arrested for murder of said thugs by city guard.
We reported our finding and next day got to participate in cheese-tastign competition, Smiley got to be one of the judges. Unfortunatelly, we were ambushed by a strange creature, calling itself "Bree-Holder" that tried to take over the association. It was a hard fight but we took it down eventually.
Also what is it with Waterdeevians reacting to a fight breaking out by jumping out of the window?! The door is right. There!
GM: Cleb|Surx¹⁵Our team received a simple mission - venture into the Dire Woods and hunt down some Aberrations to deliver their eyes to a old Hafling herbalist. I got to try her tea, I do not think it is exactly up my alley but there are different kinds of it, so maybe I will eventually find my type. The old lady was nice, aside some potential microagressions towards Elves and Dragonborn, but my companions who could be offended - Mimsy, Salviron and Sylk - let them slide.
We were given few instructions to find the Aberrations and what to avoid, like any potential trial of bones (which we did encounter on our way back, possibly of necromantic origin). We ventured int othe forest and avoided a pack of wolves and dire wolves, and found group of Wood Elves slain by them. We took their equipment, with intention to return it in case we find any possible tribesmen or relatives, and to use it in meantime. Pragmatic approach.
Once we did find the Aberrations, we managed to surprise them and engage in a heavy battle. Thankfully we managed to destroy them fast enough, even with reinforcements. Salviron and Jax were in particular extremly dangerous to our foes, and Mimsy saved me and Sylk few times. Sylk took the brunt of enemy offense, but he held his ground, even if he ended covered in alien gore. Upon defeating the creatures, we delivered their eyes to the old lady, hope her medicines will be worth it.
GM: Ezra || Solia 12 || Dahlia 5I accompannied other members of Syndicate - Mimsy, Astraelis, Salviron and Sylk - into guarding the Caravan through Dragon Spine Mountains to the Citadel of Raven. My companions were mostly grumpy about the rain and my attempt at cheering them up by summonning Scratch - my sphinx of wonder familiar - didn't help because he also got upset about the rain. Caravan stopped upon seeing a dog - a golden retriver - on the road. We investigated, finding out it is friendly to Scratch, and everyone else, and seems to be owned by local wizard named Leonardo. The dog seemed agitated and wanted us to follow. her somewhere. Thinking either the wizard is in trouble that we should deal with or, if we leave his dog without help, we will have wizard trouble, I sent Scartch after her.
The dog was clever enough to lead us to a cave, filled with steam. The heat and small geysers of steam gave us the run for our money, especially in one large room. After solving a puzzle, we found a room where group of Goblins and Hobgoblins were keeping animals in cages. The dog was very agitated about letting them be free. Thankfully, I offered Goblisn and hobgoblins to ditch their curent empolyeer - a Dragon named Torch - and seek employment at Syndicate. With everyone's help we managed to convince them and lead the large group out of this horrible cave.
On our way back we were attacked by the Torch, who exploded Scratch and almost killed us, if it wasn't for dog to heal us. We gave our all agaisnt the creature and beat it. I managed to convince few Hobgoblisn that were Torch's bodyguards, to also seek employment at the Syndicate. I am very happy that I managed to save few of my brethren from the awful life of servitude. Now I need to help them find new job at the Syndicate. I hope they manage to adjust.
Also, we found out the dog was a retired archdruid in diguise and the Dragon had personal vendetta against her, for killing his mother. World sure is strange.
Second also, I adopted a moose. Hope they have stable big enough for them at Syndicate headquaters.
GM: VeeI have joined Surx, Ivor, Salviron and Na'ima to a mission on behest of mayor of Parnast. Apparently there was a band of Hobgoblins spotted seeking wizard's tower in the swamp. The mayor was an individual whom my companions had poor opinion of. And he didn't exactly endear himself to me with his assumption I'm one of the hostile Hobgoblings, already captured. We did manage to learn the Hobgoblins are likely serving in what my village used to call a "grab-bag" army - assortment of random mercenaries, tribes and bandits of different species, unified only by presence of one warlord leader. In this case, the warlord was a hill giantess, Badfrual. I guess giants like to keep my people under their boot as well.
Before we could venture on our quest, however, a pseudodragon familiar showed up. On behalf of some sort of Seer, it requested we keep the tower out of Hobgoblin hands and allow them later exploration of it,. Since some of my companions remembered the Seer as an past client of Syndicate, we agreed to this offer.
I was hoping that, once we meet the Hobgoblins, we will be able to talk to them and maybe even convince to switch sides. Unfortunatelly, by the time we found them, they have already been slain. Their killer (Water Weird, I believe), that attacked us with a bunch of Mephits. One Mephit, which smelled horribly, observed us fighting these enemies. After our victory, he offered to lead us to leader of local forces in the swamp - Mother Knuckle. After I gave fallen Hobgoblins quick burial, stinky Mephit lead us to her lair. Which turned out to be on top of a sunken tower, likely the very one we were looking for.
We tried to sneak into the camp, posing as "monsters" looking for work. But this attempt failed so hard the only explanation is that we run into Faerun's most paranoid Ogre. We were force to defeat Mother Knuckle and her Ogres. Some of them fleed after seeing their leader fall. Hearing them plan to join Badfrual, I attempted a preemptive intimidation tactic. I told one of them to make sure to let Badfrual know what quick work Glassfang Syndicate made of his previous employer. My reasonign was that it may cause the giantess to think twice before crossing our paths. But my companions felt that it would rather provoke her to seek us out, and killed the Ogre. A shame, but they did make a fair point, so I won't be arguing.
GM: Cleb|Surx¹⁵Our thrio took an invitation to attend the festival in a small village deep in the forest. Feeling less experienced and afraid how people would react to a Hobgoblin, I fell back on letting Mimsy and Artemyeva do lot of talking. So when I say "we" talked to someone, I mean mostly them. I was observing village's odd customs - the mayor was a goat, for one. My Sphinx liked the mayor and I let them play together. This turned out to be a mistake, as a small child freed the goat to play with both, and the goat ran to the forest. Village's rulling council informed us the Festival is set to sacrifice a Mayor to Not-So-Good Neighbours who live in forest beyond the river, in exchange of them not killing children. Hence why the mayor is a goat. If the goat would not be sent to other side of the river by sunset, the deal would be broken. Situation was dire and I must admit, with shame, pressure made me slipp into some old army habbits and be rude to one of villagers, who only tried to help. We already were on thin ice with villagers after my companions tried to negotiate payment for fiding the goat, and my outburst did not help.
We managed to track the goat to the forest on other side of the village, where we discovered a different group, composed of Satyrs and Dryads, who invited the Mayor to their festivities and feed him food that gave him sentience. We convinced the Mayor to relinquish his title in favor of nearly identical goat who was, to quote, "an asshole". We also convinced one of Dryads to go back with us to join the festival. Hopefully, the villagers and these Fey will form an alliance against the Neighbours.
We took a boat with new Mayor to other side of the river. But it was already sunset and the being that was receiving sacrifices tried to claim the deal is broken. The village's original mayor, help shrunk in a bottle by this mysterious individual, told us the villain behind this plot loves contests and riddles. Figure he is some sort of Fey as well. So we challenged him to one and managed to solve it. He stormed off, alongside his lackeys, who appeared to be some sort of Goblinoids. Adding Fey to the long list of those who force my people into servitude. Something I will need to research further.
We returned to the village and returned home via a portal. Lessons learned: I need to work on my people skills, research ties between Fey and Goblinoids and not let my flying cat out of sight again.
