The Morning After

The (mostly) battered group of adventurers woke to a gray, chill morning. Odds, shouldering his share of responsibility, apologized for his rash actions. He admitted he had misjudged their opponent and had let anger take the wheel.

But they couldn’t linger in regret. The group had to move forward. But with most of their belongings gone – how? Petunia took lead, providing a map of Nottinghill and advising on ways to sneak in. In the end, it was decided to split into 4, then meet in at the Cracked Wheel (a sleazy tavern) in the evening.

• Petunia: Return separately through the front gate
• Ravina: Enter separately through the market gate as “Madam Ravi” a fortune teller
• Jay: Enter separately through the market gate as a wandering seller of alcohol
• Bean, Odds, and Petalfoot: Enter through the main gate as “Lentil,” “Hoff,” and “Petunia” – a healer, his bodyguard, and his apprentice

As they headed towards Nottinghill, they scavenged for food. Ravina shared some of the coins she had left, and passed a dagger over to Petalfoot. Odds found a moment to quietly check to see if Petalfoot had lost her last family memento when Cherla stole her bag. Petalfoot, sad and overwhelmed, said that she had.

As they grew closer to town, it was plain to see that Nottinghill had become a nexus for refugees. Cluttered camps clustered against the great walls. Long lines lead up to the gates, with more people being turned away than let in.

The Gates

Petunia passed through the gates easily, smuggling Ravina’s bow inside.

Bean, Odds, and Petalfoot reached the gates and were met with skepticism. They weren’t the first ‘healers’ to try to get through. Beans healed a wound on one of the guards to prove his skill. The trio were let through.

Ravina, as Madam Ravi, talked were way past the guards by giving one a reading… unintentionally telling him to join a cult.

Jay successfully bribed his way in with booze.

Past the Gates

Inside the walls, the city was cramped and resources were scarce.

Ravina set up as a fortune teller in the market, making a small earning on readings. She was approached by a particularly desperate rabbit, Branwyn Grassroot. Brawnwyn wanted to find her husband and sons, who she had been separated from. Ravina told her to stay in town for 2 weeks, and she’d see a sign. The desperate Branwyn pressed her last few coins into Ravina’s paw and thanked her, before wandering off.

Jay, headed straight to the market to go shopping, with a very specific list in mind. First, he went to an alchemy shop for vials. Then he stopped by a Glassveil’s Glassworks (a potion shop) for a bandolier. He also bought sweets for Petalfoot. Shopping done, he started his biggest task of all – gainful employment. Jay went to The Real McKaw and got a job manifesting quality alcohol for gold.

The remaining three walked through the residential area, seeing hunger and fear haunting the faces of its denizens. They handed out good berries and asked questions. Petalfoot showed great skill in identifying those in need. Next, they found Ben’s House, a shop in one of the dwellings, where an owner was selling secondhand items (and even some of his own belongings). Odds bartered for: a saw, a chisel, an adze, a mallet, a hatchet, a hand drill, cloth, buttons, leather sweet jams, sewing needles, and yarn. Bean bought a backpack and a healing potion.

The Cracked Wheel

Bean, Odds, and Petalfoot were the first of the group to arrive at The Cracked Wheel, where they found Petunia waiting for them. They were offered a ‘special menu,’ which none of the adults were willing to explain to Petalfoot.

Ravina arrived next and bumped into an acquaintance – Robby Halftail, a ferret. She bribed Robby to learn more about the current fate of Pete Smalls and learned that Pete was still alive, still in jail, and still causing trouble. She learned that Robby might be available to be hired for ‘skilled labor.’

Finally, Jay arrived. He was strangely interested in collecting the fur of his compatriots, but couldn’t understand why they were uneasy and reluctant. Petunia spotted an unconscious wolf on the floor. Ravina went over and stole his money while propping him into the recovery position.

They ordered food, and Ravina started planning. She wanted to break Pete out, as soon as possible. Odds advised caution and subterfuge. He suggested that there be at least a day of preparation, and that they put the guards to sleep with a barrel of drugged beer. More details were added. The plan was hatched.

It was getting late. Odds offered to escort Petunia home, where she handed him Ravina’s unstrung bow, calling it a walking stick in front of the manor house guards.

Back at the tavern, Odds returned Ravina’s bow. The party negotiated 1 room for the night. They all crammed into the tiny space and got what little sleep they could.

The Plan

1. Get hands on: cart, beer barrel, sedative herbs, & guard uniform
2. Jay to fill the beer barrel, Bean to drug the beer
3. Jay, Odds, Petalfoot to take the cart outside the gate on the north side of town and wait
4. Ravina, dressed as a guard, delivers drugged beer barrel as a “thank you” from the sheriff
5. Ravina try to gain access to prisoners to get a bead on Pete and signal Bean
6. Bean to shift forms, slip into the cell, grab Pete, then teleport out

A Commotion in the Morning

They were kicked out of the room early in the morning. Groggy, they ate a simple breakfast flavored by on of the jams that Odds had purchased. They went outside, about to split up for their tasks that day when a massive fireball came hurtling down from the sky. Bean shifted to a stag, quickly scooping Odds and Petalfoot up on his back and bolting. Odds watched over his shoulder as the fireball suddenly burst into the shape of a fiery bird that disappeared a moment later. It was all an illusion.

A rooster in heavy armor, obviously responsible, started preaching to the crowd, trying to convince them that they were not safe in NottingHill. A large Eagle, Father Tucker Sunfeather of the Church of Sol, confronted this unwelcome preacher. Father Tucker tried to calm the crowd and told the members of The Church of the Flame to leave. The preacher agreed to leave, at dawn the following day and invited anyone who wanted to go with him to a place called South Light to join the church and be under their protection. Father Tucker and the Rooster glared at each other and clearly considered casting magic, but no violence broke out.

A Time of Preparation

Ravina returned to fortunetelling, and took her act closer to the manor where she convinced some laundry maids to leave their cart unattended for a moment. She stole 2 guard uniforms, one for the capital guards and one for the Nottinghill guards.

Jay went back to his job, creating beer. He met the ex-mayor, Reed. Reed offered Jay a job of delivering a message to his brother.

Bean, Odds, and Petalfoot, meanwhile, went back outside the city. They scrounged for healing herbs and sleeping herbs, then traded with the refugees for a garden cart, 2 dresses for Petalfoot, a rake, a hoe, and a trowel. They left the garden cart with a friendly homeless hedgehog family for the rest of the day, giving them goodberries and jam. Then they went to the church of Sol to size up Father Tucker and to offer their help. Father Tucker requested that they perform a job for him – go to Turnip Reed’s farm and convince him not to help the cultists… that food was needed in town. Bean used the last of his spell slots on healing. Odds came to the assessment that Father Tucker could possibly lead the community if something were to happen to the sheriff.

On their way to meet up, Bean quickly scouted the jail as a rat and found Pete – alive but bruised.

The Real McKaw

Tasks done and sunset approaching, everyone converged at the Real McKaw. Petunia met them and helped them get in.

They ate well and they touched bases on preparation. They discovered the parallel job requests, and decided to head that way after the jail break.

They finished their prep and took a short rest. Then they left Petunia (telling her to be noticed so she has an alibi), and they slunk off into the night.

How the Plan Went Down

Odds, Jay, and Petalfoot retrieved the cart from the hedgehogs and left town – wrapping up North to act as a get-away crew. Then they waited.

Meanwhile, Ravina and Bean approached the jail. Ravina disguised as a guard from the capital and Bean sticking to the nearby shadows.

Ravina rolled the barrel in, performing the role perfectly. Unfortunately, She soon learned that that the guards, despite working for a corrupt sheriff, didn’t drink on duty. Worse was soon to come as Bean, still outside, heard the sheriff arriving and going down to the cells to see Pete.

Then Chaos erupted as Pete Smalls broke free and started to free other prisoners. Ravina rushed down to join the fray. Soon, more guards and the sheriff joined them. They were badly outnumbered, but more prisoners were joining in as they passed the keys and freed themselves.

There was a burst of fire as Bean sent his phoenix down. The phoenix teleported Ravina and Pete out – leaving the other prisoners behind to continue the battle. Ravina took a pot-shot through the window, making a clean hit on the sheriff. Then, teleport after teleport they lead the guards away on a merry chase across town – gaining distance with each ‘jump’. Their final ‘jump’ took them through a metal grate to the outside of the city walls.

They met with the others, quickly hiding Ravina and Pete under a blanket in the cart. Bean sent the Pheonix to continue Northwards – it’s flashy movements covering the group’s escape to the South. Then Bean turned into a cat and jumped up into the cart. Odds took the cart handles, and started the long trudge through the night towards Turnip Reed’s farm.

Notes

Ravina’s alter ego, Madam Ravi, was very successful at fortune telling.

X-Mayor Radish Reed is the brother of a Tunip Reed, a very established and productive farmer who lives to the south and provides much of the food that the people of NottingHill rely on. Jay was asked to by Radish to deliver a letter to Turnip. Father Tucker had asked Bean, Petalfoot and Odds to help ensure that Turnip Reed didn’t reduce or end his support of the city. His support was badly needed by the people, there already wasn’t enough food to go around.

Ravina’s Hero Tally:

# of Heroic Acts	# of Stuff > People Acts	# of strangers who recognized her
2	2	0