Flashpoint Campaign: Session 2, Part 2

So the last we saw our intrepid adventurers, they were defeating a shadowgarm and heading to Mellarius' restaurant. Well, the group finally get there. It's still open as the storm hit all of a sudden and cast Westcrown in darkness before night fell, though there's not all that many customers in there (basically, just two others who soon decide to risk it and leave).

Mellarius is in the back room and agrees to see Lhye, congratulating him on finding Arexia, and soon hearing that there are pressgangs and a chance to flee with the Andoran ship. Mellarius tells him that the government has found reason to commandeer much of his property (he doesn't explain how or why) and that a trip to Andoran might be just what he needs right now. Lhye then asks for the various equipment required to repair the ship, consulting with Lieutenant Archer to find out just what was needed. Mellarius accepts the list of requested items and heads off to find some likely individuals on his own (and without fear) through the gale-struck streets of Westcrown.

The party were relieved to find that before he left he gave instructions to his restaurant staff to give them whatever they order and for free. They are also to cook up a variety of food for the guests to sample, which is unusual, because while they're used to seeing Lhye (and a few other tieflings), they normally come in the back way and eat in the back rooms with Mellarius, or, alternatively, eat in the main rooms after much of it is closed for the night.

A short while after he leaves a fellow comes into the room, escorted by a man with a continual flame shepherd's crook in his hands, who stands by the door. Lieutenant Archer later recognises him (as he spends awhile scrutinising him) as having the smell, demeanor, and edge of a tattoo that marks him as an Okeno slaver. Anyway, for now they're all unawares.

Proteus Antonia has just finished setting up the masterwork dominoes set he stole from the Okeno slavers, when this nobleman comes in and is keen to join in for a gamble. He introduces himself as Hallik Dromage (it was meant to be Drovenge, but I got it wrong, so I'm running with House Dromage now). Those with Know Nobility or the locals with Know Local recognise him as a minor noble from a prestigious family in Westcrown. Proteus invites Lhye over to play, which Hallik naturally scoffs at, but Proteus manages to convince him to allow it and Hallik wasn't so uncouth as to press the matter.

They game for awhile and despite Proteus not being the most intellectual figure at the table, he kept winning through sheer luck. Obviously, he had Desna's favour. Hallik, on the other hand, had terrible luck. Still, Hallik wasn't to be deterred and he ordered drink after drink after drink (mostly fortified wines). This drew Lieutenant Archer's interest (though he was glad his oilskin covered up his clothing) and also gave the Andoran a plan. What if they kidnapped Hallik as a hostage?

Unaware of this, Hallik proceeded to get them drunk before drinking from his hip flask (a potion that removed the effects of alcohol using a spell called Polypurpose Panacea). Proteus, seeing this though not knowing what was in the potion, asked to drink of it and Hallik swapped flasks (only Lieutenant Archer noticed this), saying it was merely juice (and it was).

They gamed on further and Proteus grew quite drunk. Lhye was doing better. So Hallik offered Lhye a drink from a flash (yet another one) but Lhye sensibly declined. Hallik used Beguiling Gift (hidden through his Bardic Performance using a special feat) to get Lhye to drink the potion of love. Lhye failed his save and grew infatuated with Hallik. Lhye, of course, being a dirty tiefling and worshipper of Calistria, responds with a Charm Person as he's already quite bisexual and doesn't mind wanting to take it further. Hallik needed to get at Proteus' drink (as Proteus had started rejecting drinks and Archer had paid off the bartenders to give him and Lhye watered down booze) so he kissed Lhye (in public, no less!) and used the distraction to pour a potion of Delusional Pride in his drink.

He had intended to take the charmed Lhye and convince the newly prideful Proteus to go with him through the darkened streets of Westcrown but Lieutenant Archer had spotted the move and, telling Lenny to go take out the Okeno slaver (she killed him), he hurried forward and grabbed Hallik's wrist, slamming his hand on the table. He demanded that Hallik drink his own spiked drink and forced it down Hallik's throat.

Hallik failed the save and, in his delusional pride, started telling the Andoran (he'd pegged him as Andoran by his accent) about all the trouble he'd be in for laying hands on a Dromage and how important his family is. Lhye wanted to stop them from hurting Hallik, so he casts Sleep, but only Hallik fails his save and falls unconscious.

Realising what's happened to him as Lhye's mother is Lavender Lil who used love potions all the time in her younger years, when they put the masterwork manacles on Hallik, Lhye finds another love potion (this one in a love heart shaped bottle) and pours the contents down Hallik's throat, slapping him lightly to waken him.

Aww, love at first sight!

So Mellarius returns, doesn't much care what they've done, and Archer bribes the restaurant staff to secrecy (or so he hopes). Then they march him through the streets of Westcrown, manacled from ankle to wrist, wearing an oilskin to cover the manacles, not that there's anyone there to see it. They head back to the Imperial docks just as the eye of the hurricane passes over and there's the wagon with what they need, undamaged despite the storm that must've raged all around it (how bizarre and unnatural a storm). The Imperial gate has been torn down and the stations are deserted. The folk came despite the storm because Mellarius, knowing he technically owns nothing anymore, lied about his fortunes and bought it all at great cost with goods he'll no longer have come morning.

They reach their ship and find its weathered the storm better than a few of the others that have battered themselves badly against their moorings and Captain Julianna Stockwin helps up the landlubbers in the purser's chair, brings up the equipment, and congratulates Lieutenant Archer on a job well done. The halfling slaves returned with Midshipman Wellard and only the other three able seamen are still missing.

And thus we ended the session.