Lost Trails: Chapter 19 The Happy Halfling

[ewancummins]

Dark comes early in the Moonsea lands in wintertime, and tonight snow flurries blown over the walls by the freezing north wind further obscure vision.

Still, finding the tavern proves easy enough--it's one the southeast corner of the crossing of the Northgate Road and Scholar's Road.
This puts it close to Cadorna Textiles and eight blocks or so from Mendor's Library (where Benn researched dragons before the party's hunt for the Great Befoulment).

The Happy Halfling stays open late into the night and roughly half of its patrons are demihumans: dwarves, gnomes, little people, a scattering of half-breeds.
Gambling, chatter, darts games--the place seems pretty lively for the hour. A roaring fire in the hearth provides heat and light.

The buyer is a man named Iltamisk, but none of the humans in view fit his description: tall, bearded, dressed in dark velvet, with a scarred and heavyset bodyguard.
The barkeep gives Klokulf a note after he asks about the missing man,



Running unavoidably late, but please don't leave. I will be there tonight with everything you require, packed for travel. For the inconvenience--the coffer and lock come free of charge.
-Iltamisk

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Looking over the note, Klokulf shakes his head slightly. "Now we wait, I suppose." He orders a single drink---something a mite fancier than usual, as this is his last evening in Phlan---then finds seating near the door and windows. He wants to see Iltamisk as soon as he arrives.

[kintire]

Kat sits down with her back to the wall and scans the room. She is looking very different than she did this morning, a warm green cloak with a hood, a fine white blouse, black breeches and boots, clean and alert. Her companions are also aware that under her loose blouse she is wearing her tight fitting chain shirt, and is openly sporting her rapier on one hip. her deep green hood shades her face and covers her red hair, and she seems to have elected to leave it in place even inside the inn.

"So, everyone's aware that this is a trap, right?"

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Klokulf's brow furrows slightly. "Perhaps, but if so, I would hope our buyer reconsiders such plans once he sees I have not come alone."

[ewancummins]

The party waits, and waits, and waits...

But the Happy Halfling does serve dinner until an hour before closing at midnight, and it's good, hearty fare.

...

Iltamisk, or a man fitting his description, arrives before the kitchen closes.
.
He hurries to Klokulf's table, getting a bit ahead of his hulking bodyguard.


Iltamisk takes a seat at a table next to the party, apologizing breathlessly for his lateness.

He swiftly exchanges boxes with Klokulf, taking a battered old chest and handing over a well-made coffer.
He examines the contents of the box Klokulf had given him, using the lid to screen it from general view.
"Alright, this looks like the last of it, as agreed."

Klokulf surreptitiously checks the coffer and finds a small collection of gemstones and a couple of metal disks packed in a roll of fine cloth, as agreed earlier.

Iltamisk rises as soon as he seems satisfied the deal is done.
"Be wary out tonight, friends. On my way here I ran across an armed gang, lurking just outside...hmmm...pretty sure it was Cadorna Textiles. It's black as the dungeons under Zhentil Keep out there and this lot was out without a light, hiding-like, too. One looked to be elf-blood. They can see in the gloom like cats, you know."

He glances around at the semihuman patrons of the bar and shakes his head.

"Bastards drew steel on me! I dunno what that was about, but it's not my affair. Well-met and good night to you all."

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain listens intently to the merchants story about the gang . Thinking to himself:I think we may have to deal with them on way back to our lodgings, but I guess we shall see .

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

"Bastards drew steel on me! I dunno what that was about, but it's not my affair. Well-met and good night to you all."

"Be safe," replies Klokulf. "I suggest you fade into the night and keep out of trouble."

He looks to the others, "Perhaps we ought trace our route back so as to avoid them . . . or do we owe it to our benefactor to look into thugs near his compound?"

[kintire]

Kat shrugs

"I don't really view him as a benefactor. We killed a Dragon in exchange for an hour with a magic item. I think that's quits. Still, he's a useful contact. I have no strong opinion. I'll back your decision either way. Choose swiftly though: if they were already outside the building when your tardy contact walked by, they may well be completing their operation by now. Also: possible trap."

She loosens the rapier in her scabbard, whether to assault this gang or head through the streets of Phlan with a valuable box late at night

[ewancummins]

Sir Clive fingers the ring on his right hand a moment before nodding to Klokulf and getting up to stand at the priest's side.

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain moves as Clive does to stand by Klokulf .

[kintire]

Kat shrugs and rises lithely to her feet.

"Fine. just remember this is almost certainly a setup, that contact's story smelt like a week old fish and we will almost certainly be ambushed long before we get there when they think we don't expect it."

She stands near Klokulf with an air of resignation

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

"In that case," Klokulf says, rising to his feet, "let us make haste to intervene, but with our wits about us."

[ewancummins]

THE ADVENTURERS settle their bill with some coins tossed on the table.

Then, out into the wintry night…
Alain’s newly finished cloak provides his allies with protection from the cold so long as they remain near him, but doesn’t stop breath from frosting in the light of his conjured sphere of light.

Moving past darkened, shuttered shops and tenements, the little group soon sees Cadorna Textiles just ahead, a city block of its own.
The party moves cautiously, using buildings for cover from possible watchers along the walls of the textile factory and trading depot.
Nothing spotted on the first cautious circuit of the block…

The second time around Kat spots a murky figure slipping over the iron-spiked top of the masonry fence that runs around the cloth-works. She motions for Alain to cover the light and for the others to hide.
Four more figures dash around the far corner of the Cadorna property and join the burglar.
Small voices, too soft to carry even in the cold hush of the night.
The strangers begin to move away...

Interrupted by the twang of bowstrings above and behind the group and the clatter of missiles on pavement ahead!
The burglar’s group reacts immediately, baring steel and charging toward the party! More arrows fly but turn wildly in air as if having struck an invisible shield.
Five attackers coming on swiftly, all with blades glinting, dull flashes of mail under one’s flapping cloak, and two with eyes that shine in the dark like catsyes.

[kintire]

Kat, hoping she hasn't been seen, slips to a point where she can intercept the group, and stabs the last one to pass within reach. She then closes for battle, rapier whipping in intricate patterns, occasionally leaping forward to strike again. She leaves the archer to others for the moment, staying in close enough combat they cannot strike her.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Klokulf pulls a scrap of holy parchment from his pocket and prays for Bane's protection in Vaasi, not yet drawing a weapon.