Fomalhaut/Kowloon Planet - Barzon Session Report 2

September 25, 2018. Session 2 on the planet Fomalhaut-1, on Barzon, an island of the Emerald Sea (a module by Gabor Lux aka Melan.)

Last time! Summary: Powerful figures are searching for Zena and Pangea who are
now in disguise: Denna Swaura (head of the empire's soldiers on the island of Barzon who's heard they're here and nothing more, but is suspicious that strangers have been allowed in by the xenophobic Svanth), Ullkmaran (the despicable merchant, whom they utterly despise and seek revenge on who tried to paralyze them with wasp poison under friendly pretense so he could sell them as slaves in a larger city), and Svanth (local ruler of the island who plans a coup againt Denna and has hired the players to aid him in ensuring it's a sheer massacre with little losses for his 30 loyal soldiers.)


---

Though they're in disguise,they're also the only two strangers in the whole city. Anyone who's looking for them is looking for a pair of women strangers. Zena and Pangea split up to carry out their plans as quickly as possible and to avoid detection. They only have two and a half days until the coup, the day the Flying Gods descend upon heretics, according to their purpose. (For now though, the giant wasps are only interested in preying upon sheep.)

Zena searched the docks, hoping to discover information or contacts advantageous to the party's goals of 1. exploding Ullkmaran's ship and 2. getting off the island of Barzon. She found guards, sailors, and other workers at the docks. One of them left Ullkmaran's ship and still worked for him after several voyages. She was able to learn a bit about his treacherous habits. This sailor helped her get a job as sailor aboard the ship, prompting it's likely departure within the next few days, possibly the very next day.

Meanwhile, Pangea was in the Public House eating lunch and buying beers for a table full of miscreants. They were immediately impressed with her and her generous, confident attitude and stories of foreign oddities. After much discussion, she convinced them to help her rob Ullkmaran's warehouse, load supplies into the ship, and steal the ship itself for the excitement of foreign travels.

Zena rejoined Pangea in time for Swaura, the Amazon-like captain of the empire's local army to search the room for the two of them. She'd heard about foreigners whose arrival her ship had failed to detect, and whom Svanth had failed to restrain, expel, or murder in his usual fashion and she suspects them of consorting with him for some purpose. She scanned the room and Zena stood out as unfamiliar to her, but she didn't notice Pangea.

When she approached the table, Pangea slipped into the kitchen seeking another way out of the building. A bribe kept the extortive cook quiet and informative. Pangea informed the table quietly while Swaura stood nearby, silent and attentive. When Zena attempted to leave, Swaura attempted to interrogate her, but Zena fled to the alley with Pangea and the two both tripped Swaura from opposite sides of the exit door, and injected her with paralyzing wasp poison they had obtained from Ullkmaran. Zena did her best to apologize and explain that they were really on Swaura's side of things in the end and were refusing to aid in her murder at their own peril and loss. They left her in the alley, knowing she may regain control of her muscles within a couple of hours.

Their newly-collected gang (3 mooks and 3 scoundrel adventurers) had fled out the front door, so they feared they had lost their chance, but the gang was merely watching them from a block away, waiting for safety.

They hurried to the warehouse that night without time to case the place and learn guard routines for fear the ship might leave in the morning. After tricking the guards, a few at a time, into falling downstairs with armor loosened (from a powerful magical item the party got from their previous Hot Springs Island campaign) and then killing them, the party grabbed everything of value from the warehouse and shared it with their new gang equally without complaint.

They dismissed one of the gang who feared their heretical magic (I rolled a morale check for each member after they saw magical tactics used in battle) after interrogating him to ensure he wouldn't snitch.

Next time, they'll have to find a way to get the necessary supplies from the warehouse to the ship without city soldiers, harbor guards, or their named enemies catching on and killing them for their crimes.