Lords of RPG

It was decided that each of us would join a different Syndicate in Shadowhaven, den of thieves. We went our separate ways in search of the Syndicate that best matched our desires and skills. Sympos chose the Crimson Shadows for he smelled death. Eid selected the Gilded Court for their elite connections and lavish lifestyle. Shade wanted more but searched out the Obsidian Syndicate for their focus on precious items.

Sympos disguised himself as his old self from when he first joined the party, smelly, dirty and disheveled. He spent the day with other beggars in the Crimson Shadows area. He noticed a man evaluating the beggars rather than giving them alms. The man came over to Sympos and said, “You there. Your approach is different. You look like you could disappear in a crowd. Get with Altmer the handler?”

Sympos replied, “I am looking to join the Crimson Shadows. I do not have a handler.”

“Well, we have a problem. You need to forget about me and get out of here. You could get me flogged.”

Sympos said, “How about you introduce me to Altmer and I will forget about our encounter.”

The man suggested, “Alright. Follow these other beggars when they are called in to be evaluated. Then you can introduce yourself to Altmer.

Sympos waited in a gutter for the rest of the day until the beggars started to leave. He melded in behind them and entered the building where they were congregating.

Altmer graded each beggar one at a time. When he came to Sympos, he said, “You don’t belong here. How did you get here?”

Sympos replied, “I want to join the Crimson Shadows. I have seen and caused much death. I think you will find that I would be a great asset to the Syndicate.”

Altmer took Sympos by the arm and lead him to the front of the class and said, “This is how you blend into the background and become unnoticeable. See the nondescript face and the camouflaged rags. Look and learn from this specimen.”

He took Sympos aside and discussed Sympos’ background and experience. When Sympos finished, the man said, “I think you will fit in well here. I will be in touch.” And with that Sympos Joined the Crimson Shadows.

Eid had a much more trying time getting into the Gilded Court. He followed a rich couple leaving a known establishment related to the Gilded Court. At one point a body guard cornered Eid and told him to leave in one of three directions that was not in the direction of the rich couple.

It turned into a battle. Crossbowmen from rooftops rained down on Eid, missing him. Realizing the depth of the situation Eid chose to escape and turned invisible. The bodyguard was good enough to detect where he was and hit him twice. Finally, Eid was able to escape by running away.

Eid went back and partied with a younger, less elite crowd, where he quickly became fast friends with three women and two men. He brought up the business of the Gilded Court. They rebuked him for bringing up work during their nightly celebration. Not one to give up easy, Eid talked to one of the men and was given an in the next day, after partying all night.

Shade scoped out several art galleries and fixated on the Stolen Moments art gallery. He expertly followed a couple and their guards all the way back to the Iron Clan headquarters. He knew he was on the right path and went back to the gallery.

He posed as an interested buyer. However, when it ame time to purchase something or leave, he blurted out that he wanted to join the Obsidian Syndicate. The man, Arthur, was very helpful and merely said, “Meet me at the Perfect Plan tavern for dinner and I will introduce you to Sigasar (Siggy) a handler.”

We met later that night and had a wonderful dinner with entertainment. Shade impressed Siggy with his adventuring stories and invited him to join the syndicate. At one point during the entertainment, Shade pickpocketed Siggy, taking a trinket made from a long dead creature. At the end of the night Shade lazily told Siggy, “I think you dropped this sir.” Siggy thanked him and gave him a knowing look.

Once the team got back together, they decided to celebrate and went to the Accidental Gentleman. There were three bars in different rooms. Sympos wanted to try the Alchemical bar and so he ordered a random beverage. Once consumed, he could read the magical auras of people under the influence of a spell. He noticed one man that had protection against reading his mind.

That got Shade and Eid’s attention. Shade spent no time picking his pocket. It was a treasure map! Eid got the idea to mess with the victim and hinted that he knew that he had business north of here and that he could read his mind. That freaked the guy out and he left immediately.

Shade said, “We have our next adventure! Shall we go and see what is at the ‘X’?”

The team left the next morning. It was obvious that we were following someone’s tracks on the way there, hoof prints. It took a day and a half to get to the ‘X’. It was a simple cottage.

Inside was a grizzly scene; two dead bodies and evidence of a third kidnapped victim. The party found the name ‘Shadowblade’ carved next to a small bed and clothes for a younger person.

More hoof prints lead to the east. The party quickly followed them. Another day and a half later, in the middle of the night, they found three bandits and a tied up young lady. Shade took out the bandit on watch and the Sympos and Eid coup de gras the other two bandits.

They freed the girl and she explained that she was kidnapped because of her father. He is an important person in Shadowhaven. She was to be ransomed.

They took her back to Shadowhaven and to the Silver Hand Syndicate. Her father was Shadowblade! He thanked the team profusely and promised them special favors. They left and were to think about what it was they wanted to even the score.

Shade could use a magic short sword (+2). And…something else. He pondered on it and what he desires is to be a part of both the Obsidian and the Silent Hand Syndicates! If that is even possible. If not, then he proposes a trial operation.

The Silent Hand plans the operation and Shade (and the party?) is part of the action. The outcome will determine if Shade (and the party?) is a part of more operations.