Desnova 6, 1423.
While Aldren's companions return to the Blinking Kettle to recover from their recent infighting and prepare for the 'flash pit fight' that Turtle is putting together, he is surrounded by a trio of criminals who attempt to abduct him. He puts up a chase, spelling off to the rooftops, but an additional trio of masked thugs with insane acrobatic skills pursue him. Eventually, he gives up once he enters the Blinking Kettle's 'location' and finds it isn't there, and turns himself over to the group. They blindfold him and lead him off to some undetermined safehouse cellar, where they are introduced as Sober Jo, Skretchid and Rembolt Fuddlemuzz, the latter an individual they were seeking out after finding a note referencing him in the Deepwood Barrows some weeks before. Aldren's kidnappers are clearly 'Brothers Dimm', and they interrogate him about who else his party is seeking in Arkany, a mutual quarry. The half-elf learns that Condor was in possession of all his fingers, meaning those left behind in Zolozhny weren't his after all!
It is decided that they need information and communication with other members of the party, so Sober Jo guides Aldren to the Eskranade where Turtles' impromptu pit fight is being held to draw out Beryl Berg. The gnome and shapeshifter demand that all his gear be left behind other than a few coins. The rest of our PCs assemble and head off to the Eskranade after night falls, where Turtle has paid off a few mercenaries for 'crowd control'. Apart from himself, it is decided that Rucia, Sober Jo, a Giant Snake (summoned by Nebol'shoy), a wrestler named Approximas, the bard Cinnamon Frills, and a nearly unequipped Aldren will compete, alongside Beryl Berg, who does indeed show up to test her prowess against this field. Bets will be placed before each individual fight and Turtle will randomly select the pairings.
Desnova 7, 1423.
Rucia draws the first lot against the Giant Snake, which he rather handily defeats, and then Turtle man-handles Aldren, though the half-elf makes a good account for himself, impressing Sober Jo. Beryl Berg makes quick work of Cinnamon Frills, and Approximas takes down Sober Jo to set up the second round. Before the semi-finals, Sober Jo is introduced to Rucia and the other PCs to once again share some information between them and the local Brothers Dimm. More bets are placed, and after some healing, the second round begins, in which Rucia manages to defeat Turtle, and Beryl Berg impales Approximas after a rougher brawl than her first fight. Further bets are made, and then the finale is set up between Rucia and Beryl Berg. It's a close one, but with a little help from his healing abilities, the paladin manages to outlast Beryl's own endurance to take the overall victory!
Rucia holds on to the wanted dwarf's two blades until later, and it is arranged that a large party of most of our PCs, Turtle, Approximas and Beryl Berg and her many admirers will head out to celebrate at a nearby tavern, The Three Hounds. There the entourages drink, and whilst Bjork and Cinnamon Frills perform an epic, lengthy duet, deals are made between our heroes and the Brothers Dimm. In return for their information, the rogues will assist them in any future assaults against the ex-Naturalists who have been tormenting them (and the region), while Aldren's gear will be dropped off at the Eskranade just around dawn. They also reveal that they are the ones who dropped off Condor at a local site where 'problems are brought to be forgotten', but neither at their own hands or the Berg sisters...
Speaking of which, it is agreed that they'll let the dwarf criminal go in return for her own information that she is planning to auction off the skin map she tore from the drunkard captain's skull. Rucia returns to the Blinking Kettle with Turtle, Approximas and Mockleg, while Aldren heads back to the pit fight area with Bjork and Nebol'shoy to retrieve his gear. Rembolt delivers it at dawn and stashes it away, and the PCs meet up outside the Blinking Kettle, and then head to the Tzarswald Trading Co. in the Drenches district, where they were told there was an entrance to the flooded tunnels where Condor had been stowed away. After purchasing some fried eel chunks (which are quickly ejected by their digestive systems), they learn from a cleaning girl that there are several entrances to the abandoned storerooms beneath the business. One is filled with rock in the basement, but there are grates in the nearby waterways which used to allow some air into the place. They move to investigate.
PCs: Aldren, Bjork, Nebol'shoy, Rucia
NPCs:
Approximas (human male): A bronze-skinned, heavily muscled man who responded to the call for the clandestine Pit Fighting contest at the Eskranade in Arkany. He's a wrestler who leads with a single gladius blade, bedecked in a grapplers' outfit and golden visored helm. Befriended Rucia after being granted hospitality to heal his wounds.
Rembolt Fuddlemuzz (rock gnome male): A rock gnome in stylish black leather armor with a shock of spiked white hair and sideburns. Other than a bit of the creased skin his kind are known for, he is quite smoothly shaven and handsome, and gazes about him with a half-smile. A hooded gray goatskin cloak hangs on his back, and he wears cut-off black gloves. Various pouches and pockets, sheathes and scabbards occupy his armor and belt, but all are difficult to make out too closely due to the colors of his garb. A small, leather-bound book is fixed to his side with a chain, and a teensy chipmunk with coppery fur chatters at you from its perch in the gnome’s hood.
Sober Jo (d'vryn female): A burly, tall woman with similar, swarthy features common to most D’vryn males, she wears her long, flat black hair back under a crimson bandana, with a large but humble silver hoop pierced through each of her ears. Though not unattractive, she maintains a serious, straight face which makes her look as if she might well be able to handle the pair of broad shashkas at her waist, one pummeled with ebony, the other ivory. Her sleeves are hiked to her upper arms, revealing ample muscles that almost seem restrained by the series of black leather bands she has strapped about each.
