The Collective - Session 23

This is the twenty-third session in The Collective campaign and the second in the Events in Nottenhold, the Dwarven Citadel sub-arc of the Dwarven Sword Arc.

Summary
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1000: After their encounter on the train, Roscoe and Rosanhi set off into the Citadel to go search for Evangeline, not wanting to leave her alone in a strange city. Luckily for Bädger, Gnorbitt and Gorrn had managed to find themselves at the train platform on the second level and joined him. As the three departed, Bädger was approached by a seedy Gnomish man with a strange accent, telling him that his “boss” would like to speak with him and handing him a small scroll with an address. Stowing this away, the party decided to seek out an armory so that they could be better equipped for future trials. (Also, Rosanhi decided to start teaching Vega about race in a “respectful” manner). Merging into the sea of Dwarves, Bädger spotted a promising looking establishment called the Ironfist Armory. Entering the building, they quickly set about looking for armor that best suited them. Gnorbitt picked out a suit of lightly tanned leather armor with metal studs, while Bädger spoke to the owner, Hakon Ironfist. Learning of the existence of mithril, Bädger reserved a mithril breastplate with Hakon, and Gorrn reserved a mithril half-plate, both promising to pay him later in the day when they returned with their money.

Tired after their recent travels, the trio chose to take the train back up to the first level of the Citadel to acquire funds from the minecart and to seek out both an inn and a mead hall. Grabbing a random Dwarf from the crowd, Gorrn demanded to know the location of both of these establishments; the Dwarf, obviously startled, quickly pointed out the nearest mead hall and an adjacent inn. The trio got in line for the mead hall, learning that it was similar to an assembly line but with drinking to maximize the productivity of the Citadel. They also learned that Bartholomew (the worm that they took earlier) is in fact a Meadworm, and that the Dwarves keep thousands of them and use their secretions to make the mass amounts of mead that flow freely in the halls. After downing huge volumes of alcohol, the three companions headed next door to the inn, meeting a seedy innkeeper who rented them a cheap room, telling them “not to mind the stain”. The stain, as Gorrn (or maybe Bädger, or Gnorbitt. One of them.) identified that the stain was in fact Ogre bile. Opening the door to their room revealed a dead, dessicated Ogre lying on one of their beds. They paid the innkeep two more gold pieces to remove it, and both she and Gorrn struggled to cram it through the doorway before popping it onto the outside wall. The three then retired to sleep in their dimly lit, ogre-scented room. The next morning, Bädger used some of his fast onion supply to create a hangover cure, while Gorrn and Gnorbitt entertained the belief that the best hangover cure is more drinking, heading back into the hall for round 2. After this, the three headed back to the Ironfist Armory to pick up their armor. Whilst their, they learned that Hakon was working on creating a gauntlet for Mason-King Allerdyce of Nottenhold, and that he had been working on the gauntlet for no less than a month to perfect it. The three paid for their armor and both Gorrn and Gnorbitt donned theirs, Gnorbitt finally not having to wear a burlap sack like he had for the last week.

Deciding to pay the “boss” a visit, the three located the address in a back alley of the Citadel, guarded by two large Half-Orcs. Flashing the card, the three entered the building to see that dozens of Gnomes, not Dwarves, were busy working on various weapons and other tools. Taking a lift up to the top floor, they found themselves in a well-decorated office overlooking the lower production floor. Sitting behind the desk was a well-groomed Gnomish man who demanded to know why, instead of a “stray cat” working for him like he had expected, he “got his entire fucking litter, instead”. Explaining that they were associates of a bald man named John, they learned that the Gnome’s name was Viteddo Molero and that he represented an “organization” in Squidsiddie that was allowed to operate in the Citadel. After convincing him of their credentials, Viteddo offered them a job; one of the other members of the organization was abusing his privileges and transporting too many goods using the freight lines connecting the Citadels. The trio was tasked with going down to the railway and meeting one of Viteddo’s men, Giacomo, to intercept the train. (Giacomo is pronounced Jee-yock-uh-moe).