Blog:Dirge of the Mournful Queen - 1 Entry into Highport

"I hold the flower in my hand. 'I don't know what to do... I don't have pockets.'"As Winifred, Winston, and Rikus approach the gates of Highport, they notice a peasant with a broken cart full of produce. Much to Winnie's chagrin, Rikus and Winston assist the peasant, who agrees to guide them to the local inn. The inn is owned by a small imp-like monster named Yog, but appears to have been overrun by the human artisans. No room is available.

Outside of the inn, the party is solicited by an old man and his beggar grandchildren who are attempting to raise money for the old man's son, Bota, who has been enslaved as a penalty for thievery. Noticing the interaction, Dalton, who has been working as a slave at the statue being constructed, attempts to draw attention from the group by noisily shifting boulders. A brief conversation with Rikus ensues, where the realization is made that they are cousins and a later meeting is arranged.

After Dalton's shift, the group finally meets in entirety in Slaver's Alley. As they attempt to discuss the current political situation and Dalton's escape, a loud din is heard. Apexus rebels begin attacking the hobgoblins, gnolls, and an ogre, and are soon joined by the party of adventurers. Although there were many losses of rebel lives, only the ogre remained of the slaver enforcers. The leader of the Apexus rebels, Barnabus Ironshaft, asked that the party purchase a particular slave - the same one the old man requested. Learning a few quick commands, Winston instructed the ogre to follow the group towards the slave auction.

During the slave auction, the price skyrocketed due to competing bids from Kenku and human elites. As it turns out, the thief Bota had swallowed a valuable jewel. The party bluffed their way to victory, but quickly abandoned the slave in the accounting hut (and the Kenku quickly swooped in to take the offer). Seeing an opportunity, Winston and Winnie convinced the ogre that delicious smoked meats were in the accounting hut and set its thatched roof on fire. While Winnie recovered Bota, Rikus and Dalton rescued the remaining slaves from the auctioneer booth. The entire party quickly hid inside a prostitute's shack while Winston worked to stabilize the wounded Bota.

Dalton wrapped Bota in a set of sheets and claimed to be on "Body Duty" in order to pass the guards of the area. After delivering the him to Yog's Place for medical assistance, he returned to the party to await nightfall. Posing as prostitutes and johns, the party snuck out from Slaver's Alley to rendezvous with Yog in his inn.

The rowdy artisans accosted them upon their arrival. The party agreed to a battle of the arts in order to win a room. After dropping a beat, minstrels Luna and Beatrice dished out a series of rhymes meant to demean the party. Naturally gifted in verse, Dalton and Rikus proceeded to give back to back stanzas that humiliated the minstrels, causing them to storm out and Yog to promise free drinks for the evening.

With their room secured, the party attended to the thief Bota in the back room. With Winston's expert healing skills, he managed to remove the gem from the stomach of the thief without accidentally killing him. With gem in hand, the party left for the temple of Pelor to meet the Apexus rebels.

In the basement of the temple of Pelor, Orson and the Apexus rebels requested the gem almost immediately upon the party's entrance. The rebels revealed that they intended to resurrect the saintly Penelope using this gem and its match in tandem with the remains of Penelope. The party managed to secure a large sum of gold in exchange for the gem and the promise to retrieve the other gem. Orson indicated that the other gem could be found in an ancient Elarian crypt, and provided a map to its entrance.