The Crimson Thread P1 - 15/02/2023 - A Kavel Perspective

Port Ffirst - Flourished Hook - Thicc-Boi Meet-Up

I was on my way to the Flourished Hook where Varga, my Half-Orc, sword-and-flail-wielding, badass friend, was staying. She called a Thicc-Boi meeting, so I came.

Fellow thicc-bro Ivan (Human, greataxe badass) was with me. We were together because I came to see him for our joint workout. Usually we do these in Strength Corner in Fort Ettin where we have the adamantine barbell, but it’s only fair I come and join him at his home from time to time. Now, I don’t know if it’s because Ivan’s pleased to see me visit him for a change, or if it’s just his usual competitiveness getting out of hand, but; he engages me in jostling at any opportunity. The entire walk to the Hook, he’s pushing me with joy, and I push him back in response. When we arrive at the Hook, I offer to let him walk through the door before me, and now that turns into a competition as he insists I go first. So, I went first to avoid a long argument, and of course I am jostled from behind as I move.

As we walked towards Varga, Ivan and I noticed that she looked like she was dressed up for a hot date. Maybe she was going somewhere after our get-together?

We approached Varga’s booth. And now, even sitting down is a competition for me and Ivan, as we both insist the other slides into the booth first!

Varga complimented our gains. This, I guess, inevitably led to the pose-down competition between Ivan and I, right in the middle of the Flourished Hook. Kelne then turned up; flexing their biceps. To be fair, they did a good job. 10/10 for the pose. They’ve made some gains recently. I feel that us thicc-bois have been a very positive influence on our Halfling, tricksy cleric friend, and honorary thicc-boi themself. We are, however, not always a good influence on each other - for in the midst of our posing Ivan and I accidentally knocked over a server carrying a big tray of cocktails. Since I bumped into Ivan, and Ivan bumped into the server, it was really more Ivan’s fault. I’m not sure why I was off form, but Ivan hadn’t gotten a lamb shank in him at that point during the day, so we all sat down and ordered some meat.

As we sat, Ivan and Kelne did a funny handshake that looked like they were passing something between them. I don’t know what that special handshake is, I just get jostled by Ivan.


Death Threat / Date Invite?

We asked comrade Varga why she was looking so presentable, and if she was on a date. She said she actually wasn’t sure if she did have a date lined up. You see, she received a death threat, and she feels that if you receive a death threat it’s good manners to make yourself presentable, as a show of appreciation for the attention. Ivan used a phrase that the kids were using to compliment Varga on her appearance. A crooked-looking old gnome from another booth laughed our way, clearly at Ivan. Ivan had some words for the old gnome. The food arrived, and so an altercation was avoided.

Varga explained the origin of the death threat. It had something to do with a pit fight she was involved in a while ago - against that cheater, Veku! I was very much up for teaching that; clearly supplementing with substances kobold scoundrel, a lesson! But, Varga said the problem wasn’t with Veku per say. She had received an ‘offer’ to throw the fight by a halfling called Olowin who was trying to match fix on behalf of someone called ‘The Demon’. Varga of course did not agree to take a dive, and this was not received well by the fixer, and so she was now receiving death threats.

Ivan, for some reason was getting defensive with all the talk about cheaters using potions to up their fight game. I didn’t understand why, after all he is a pure strength guy like me who has no need for ‘extra-curriculars’. I even said that to him, but he was sweating buckets and stated that I’m always judging him and saying one thing but meaning the opposite. I’m not sure what was going on at that moment, but the matter was dropped as more lamb arrived. One thing I do know though, is I will have to check out Ivan’s supplementation, because whatever he’s taking, it’s making him sweat far too much.


A Mysterious Box

Himal, the manager and/or owner of the Flourished Hook came over to tell Varga that she had received a box, which the staff had taken up to her room for her. Varga stated plainly that it probably contained a horse's head, since this was something she learned about from her raiding etiquette teacher. Or maybe it was something explosive. Himal, shocked, understandably, was also appreciative of the forewarning - he began giving instructions to his staff.

Varga was pretty cavalier about the whole matter. So, I too became the same; I suggested we have a friendly bet on what was in the box. Varga went with anything from an animal, Kelne; something explosive, Ivan; something phallic shaped, and I guessed a simple invitation. We finished our meal and then went up to Varga’s room to open the box.

Most of us ran up to Varga’s room, because Ivan suggested we compete to see who could get there the fastest. Varga won. I strolled up, because I don’t like to exert myself after a meal.

There we were outside of Varga’s room on the 3rd floor of the 4-storey Flourished Hook. There was a crimson ribbon tied to the doorknob. Varga said the ribbon was pretty, and entertained the idea that maybe inside the box was, in fact, an invitation for a date. I added that the invitation probably contained a dress, hence a box rather than a simple letter. I was curious to see if I won the bet.

Varga opened the door, and both her and Ivan moved fast - lucky for them. Not so much for me and Kelne, for as soon as the door opened a giant fireball exploded from inside the room, turning the door into splinters and blowing us back with concussive force. We were hit by an intensely hot force, and a huge amount of flames…


Kaboom!

Another reason Ivan was lucky - he was wearing his Ring of Fire Resistance that he got from Queen Tiamat. Unfortunately for me, the Ring of Protection I got from Queen Tiamat did little to protect me - and I wasn’t battle breathing, so I actually felt the impact of the flames and the explosion.

Normally, my conditioned body + battle breathing = Kavel shrugging off mortal wounds (except psychic).

No battle breathing; just conditioning to rely on. Thank goodness my conditioning is literally the best I’ve ever seen. Kelne’s conditioning, I’m pleased to see, is also not bad - joking aside. They are pretty thicc, they were not really any more scorched up than me. A lesser adventurer would have been killed by that fireball.

Ears ringing, we walked inside Varga’s room. The four post bed’s curtains were on fire, and the flames had spread to the wall the bed was up against. The floor, ceiling and walls were all black. The external wall, however, that faced the market square 20 ft below - was mostly gone.

We could see people below running away from the Flourished Hook. Large pieces of building debris from the explosion - from Varga’s external wall, had blown off and down onto the square. We could hear panic from all directions inside the Hook.

Something caught Varga and Ivan’s eyes from below, in the market square. Amidst all the people running to safety, or those from a safe distance looking up at the Hook in horror; there was one person who was smiling - the crooked looking old gnome from earlier!


Building Evacuation and Arsonist Pursuit!

Ivan took the fastest route to get to the gnome - he jumped out of the now exposed outer wall. He managed a decent, but stiff landing. Feet on the ground, he went chasing after the gnome, skipping passed bits of wall debris that had landed on the square, and jumping over and around market stands left abandoned - unfortunately not too well, Ivan crashed into a potato cart.

“He keeps bumping into things today!” I said, pointed towards Ivan whilst commenting to my two comrades still with me on the 3rd floor.

Making use of the same hole my bro Ivan jumped out of, I stepped out from the exposed wall, and let myself fall forwards as if I were to belly flop into a pool of water. As my body reached a 45 degree angle to the floor, I turned around to face the sky, and with the power that comes from mastering super heavy barbell squats, I kicked off of the blackened floor’s edge and let my flight legs carry me up to the 4th floor above. Peering out of the window above Varga’s room, I saw a family huddled in the corner of the room. “Get out!” I yelled, as I opened their window - which was breaking apart as the explosion below had wrecked the structure of the external wall. Inside their room, I firmly escorted them through their door and down the stairs. Varga was in the corridor helping other occupants out. When we cleared the 4th floor, we went back to the 3rd floor to find Kelne clearing rooms.

I stayed on the 3rd floor, making sure everyone cleared out while Kelne and Varga went to the 2nd and 1st floor. The sounds from above me on the 4th floor did not sound like structurally stable sounds. I was glad to see the stairway was, by that point, empty.

I decided to take one last look around the 4th floor when I heard two crying voices. I went to look, two children were in their beds. The kids must have been napping, while their parents were downstairs. I led the kids to the door to reach the stairs. But then the ceiling above the stairway collapsed in. The way was now blocked! I could have cleared it - but did I have time to do that before anything else collapsed? No doubt I’d be fine if it did - but I thought of the kids, and concluded; we needed another exit.

I picked up the crying kids and told them, “have you ever flown before, children? It will be fun, it will be like an eagle is carrying you.” Their little minds were fixed on the idea of flying, good. I charged back towards the external facing wall of their room with the kids bunched up in my arms. As I got to the wall, I turned my back to it, tucked my chin and did my best to shield the kids, as I smashed through the wall.

Out in the open air, I used my flight legs to turn so that my back was facing the sky, and we were perpendicular to the ground. I flew forward and down to the ground. The parents found us,I handed over their thankfully unharmed children, and I rejoined my comrades; Varga and Kelne.

Manny, Varga’s familiar-esque dog came running up to us. Where had he come from, you ask? But just before that, we looked back at the Hook, as another creaking noise signalled further structural demise. With a mason’s eye, I looked up and realised the wall I smashed through was load bearing… the entire 4th floor collapsed. Fortunately, the rest of the building’s structure remained relatively sound. It could have been worse! Himal was grateful to us for helping get his patrons out.

Himal had managed to organise a make-shift drinks area for the patrons near the Hook to calm them down. He brought us some drinks. I had time now to properly inspect my burn wounds from the initial explosion. They were fine. Goliaths have stone-like fortitude, I didn’t need arcane healing for these tiny burn wounds. I just poured some beer over them.

Manny was insisting we follow him, so we did, and solved the answer to the question; how had Ivan gotten on? Ivan had a crooked looking gnome in a headlock. The old gnome was bleeding from his nose.


Torturing Interrogating Crumblesnout the Gnome (... in Public)

Varga had a magical perfume of bewitching that she dabbed on her skin to enhance her chances of getting answers out of the gnome, who’s name was Crumblesnout. Varga asked questions like, “tell me who this red ribbon, that I found on my room door, belongs to? Or I’ll break every bone in your body slowly and in an order which will cause the most pain!” I was unclear how the bewitching perfume would help in that line of questioning, but we did get answers out of Crumblesnout.

Crumblesnout explained that Laeruna the Red, ‘the Demon’, the leader of the Crimson Thread; the organisation behind the fixed fight that Varga was ‘asked’ to throw; was behind the ribbon… and explosion. Crumblesnout was amazed that we had never heard of Laeruna or the Crimson Thread. He was not happy with today’s adventurers.

A mixture of different interrogation methods then took place from today’s adventurers.

Varga broke Crumblesnout’s radial bone for doubting that she wouldn’t break his bones with members of the public looking on. Kelne disapproved.

Kelne used charm magic to persuade Crumblesnout to explain the Crimson Thread some more. This organisation used to be bigger some time okay, and now where trying to re-establish themselves, starting with fight fixing.

Crumblesnout was reluctant to say where we could find Laeruna, so Ivan used his Bag of Devouring to bite off Crumblesnout’s arm. Kelne disapproved, strongly - and later restored the gnome’s arm with divine magic. Armless at the time, and motivated not to lose any more body parts, Crumblesnout told us where the Crimson Thread’s lair was to be found in the sewers and what traps to look out for down there.

Ivan was all for killing Crumblesnout now that we had all the information we needed. Ivan was also full of euphemisms about killing too, such as, “oh we’ll let you go, alright,” and, “yeah, we’re going to go talk to Laeruna.” This is my bro who accuses me of saying one thing and meaning another.

Varga found her City Watch member friend in Port Ffirst, Ootine, a Half-Orc like herself, and we handed Crumblesnout over to her.

It was time for a trip into the sewers. Before then though, we handed over 10gp each to Kelne - they were correct with the mystery box guess, it was an explosive.


The Sewers and Battle Prepping

Crumblesnout was not lying about the traps. Thanks to him, we were able to avoid them all. We came to a ladder that the gnome told us about that led directly into the lair. We paused. Varga applied the content of a Vial of Sunset to her sword, Undertow. Ivan used his Fox Cunning Orb he got from Tiamat. I pre-raged. The others sniggered at how early I entered my battlerage, and accused me of being ‘basic’. My defence? I didn’t want to be caught with my pants down by another fireball.
I haven’t mentioned it yet, but it should go without saying that the sewers smelt like shit. I didn’t think it was worth building a lair down here just to keep it secret. I would definitely not choose to build a gym here.


The Lair of the Crimson Thread

In a wide open space, at least 100 ft square, there were shack-like dwellings. Sewer pipes opened into this vast space from all four walls creating a smelling cross stream in the space that led into a massive sewer hole. There were boards over parts of the streams so you could walk over the sewage without having to jump. Behind the sewer hole, to the north, was the largest shack. There were lit sconces on the walls providing a gloomy light.

We were greeted by Laeruna and some of her allies. Laeruna seemed to be an Elf with flowing red hair and wore a couple of swords on her side. There was a human, hooded man called Johnny-3-Caps. There was a Half-Orc in dirty chainmail called Beau, and then there was Oolin, a halfling who Varga recognised - he was the match fixer.

Laeruna seemed indifferent to the fact that Crumbesnout hadn’t quite achieved his mission - whatever that was specifically.

“You should have taken the money Varga. Taken the deal instead of going for glory,” Oolin yelled her way.

“Nothing better than glory - we’re all glory hounds here,” Varga responded.

“Well, “ Learuna cut in, “guess we’ll just kill you down here and spread your bodies around the Fighting Pits as a warning. Polite of you to have come to us…”


Smackdown in the Sewer!

Battlerage breathing already commenced, I wasted no time propelling myself with my flight-legs from the entrance of the lair to the centre where the giant hole was and Beau, the Half-Orc. But mid skip, I saw Oolin to the right, and couldn’t resist - since he was nearer. I kicked off the air in the halfling’s direction, landed by the right hand wall and spun straight into a right-cross; blam! Right into the little guy’s jaw. I lowered my stance and followed up with a left straight to the face; crack! Another good hit. With my left hand by Oolin’s rather bloodied up face, I opened up my closed fist, grabbed the back of Oolin’s bald head, and drove my right knee into his face; smash! Oolin went flying into the shack behind him. I waited for him to get up. I waited. He didn’t get up… I walked into view of my comrades still a little behind me, running to join, and I shrugged. I didn't expect the guy to go down so fast. Laeruna screamed in anger, and fired a crossbow bolt at me. The tip penetrated my shoulder a little. I flexed my deltoid and the bolt popped out. There seemed to be a little substance coating the bolt, was it poison? Probably, but I didn’t feel any effects.

Multiple Kelnes came to my side, they had cast the Mirror Image spell, and they inspected my wound. But nothing. When you take conditioning as seriously as me, there is nothing for your cleric comrades to heal.

Ivan, in his frenzied rage, charged in, and charged at Beau. Curiously, Barbara, his greataxe was still slung over his back, and I don’t know what he did in front of Beau, but I could have sworn Ivan looked a bit thicc’er at that point.

Johnny, the human, moved from behind the giant sewer hole to in front of it to get a good shot at Varga with his crossbow. He pierced her skin with two bolts, but this was nothing for my zealot thicc comrade, who was charging at him.

Beau disengaged from Ivan, and attempted a mind spell against him. This was foolish, Ivan’s mind is impenetrable when frenzied. Beau looked disappointed.

Varga, charged with an outstretched foot and tried to kick Johnny down the hold. She missed. Johnny was fast. “Again!” I yelled, and again she kicked. Johnny did not slip the second kick and down the hole he went. But, the lucky rogue was quick and dexterous enough to find the lip of the hole with one of his hands, preventing his now hanging body from fully falling down the hole - he was barely holding on. Varga loosened his grip with her foot, stamping down on his hand. “Johnny, no!” Learuna screamed again in anger. In the blink of an eye she had lost two of her comrades. Laeruna fired a bolt into Varga - barely a registered effect.

With blistering speed though, Laeruna ran around the hole from where she was, to engage Varga with her pair of swords. Multiple slashes went into Varga’s body. Laeruna was very, very fast! Before I could register it, she had also taken a swipe at Kelne. Luckily that slash collided with one of the Mirror Image Kelnes.

“Rally to me!” Laeruna yelled. And I saw three additional thugs join the fray.

Varga was oozing blood. I decided to do something about Laeruna’s rapid movement. It was time for some clinch work!


Trip Transition to Ground and Pound!

As Laeruna engaged Varga and Kelne, I slipped around to her back, and attempted to waistlock her for a rear waistlock trip. She drove the pommel of her blades into my hands to weaken my grip, dropped her weight down as best she could and began to scramble. She was good! She was very close to slipping out of my grip, but as she came close to breaking the waistlock, I transitioned my grips to her underarm and neck, and kicked the back of her leg, tripping her to the ground. I drove my forearm over her face to keep her pinned as I moved into full mount. I pressed down on her face with my left hand to line up a grounded right cross and; pow! A fountain of blood poured out of her nose! What a punch! The punch was so good, I felt stronger. But, despite this, Laeruna smiled challenging eyes back at me. She had a strong resolve!

Before Laeruna could try to cut me from the bottom-mount, a greataxe swung down at her - Ivan had finally drawn Barbara. Three times Ivan brought Barbara down with immense power. Had Laeruna not brought both blades up to defend, she would surely be dead three times over. Instead, she was still alive, but cut up very badly, as blood pouring slashes added blood canals to her broken nose blood-fountain. Still, Laeruna managed a defiant smile…