Saralas: Session 28

• Back in the tavern we talk about the lake monster and what we should do. The others seem interested in finding it. We could borrow boats from the dwarf.
• I ask why there are 5 taverns right next to each other in a town this size
• Apparently it came about by people trying to one-up each other, until the end when the last guy saw there were 4 taverns and thought it was a great idea to open a tavern, there must be a real market.
• But the taverns are pretty run down.
• Grinsk or whatever his name is wants us to fish, and asks where are his fish. He has two boats in rough condition with fishing tackle in them. Rudra inspects them and they seem servicable.
• We decide to stay the night and maybe look for the monster in the morning. But not much interest in the group I feel to really carry this through.
• In the morning Karthos is missing, but his stuff is still here.
• In the great room there is a guant looking high-elf, who introduces himself as Bastian Shadowfoot. We can call him Shade. He is the leader of a group called the unseen hand, and he has kidnapped the druid.
• They have been tasked with a mission that they cannot fail, but we can apparently play an instrumental role. They are looking for a machine, and they think we may know wherabouts of this machine.
• Resda tells him about the Black Cabin. He drops a coin purse with 250 gold, promising 500 total after they check things out.
• What a strange situation. On Karthos' end he is tied up in an unheated abandon cabin. There is a large half-orc named Grave and a woman named Vex. They ask him the same thing Shade asked. He waffles for a long time, then wild shapes to escape, breaking down the door, which was rotten and frozen at the same time.
• He gets outside and realizes he is on the outskirts of Bremen. He runs back to the inn and arrives.
• From what he describes it sounds like they may have killed Copper, or greatly harmed her at least. We head to Bryn Shander to check on Copper. She's there, but someone broke both her arms, took a finger, and beat the hell out of her.
• She sent them to a bogus location, and says if they activate the machine it's going to explode. She gave them the only blueprints she had, which were older and not compatible with the device.
• We make our way to the Black Cabin. Min sneaks up to take a look; the elf and half-orc and other are there.
• Resda calls out to tell them to explain. But they don't believe her. We tell them to go look for the updated blueprints. They don't listen. They activate the machine. Only the woman who was standing over the machine remains of the other group. Of our group, only Min and Saralas remain. Everyone else has been reduced to ashes.
• The others appear in the Border Ethereal as shades, in various forms. The others from the group are there as well, as a floating box, a lantern, and a kitten.
• Macadaus is also there, apparently.
• I slap the woman and have an argument with her. Then I go find the blueprints and bring them back to her, and relay what I do know from looking at them before. She seems to be earnestly trying to understand them.
• I am eye rolling, these people didn't do shit before just trying to start this thing up. They didn't even spot the workshop. I guide the woman (Iria Vex) to it and she thinks she can make it work.
• She works on the jig to align the rings while we pace. Saralas lights a pipe and pulls out his journal but has no idea just yet what to write. The device starts making ominous noises and the aura starts to flash.
• Cliffhanger.