Session 15
Trouble in Altaruk
Trouble in Altaruk
While waiting in Altaruk for the Veiled Alliance to find the hideout of The True in Under-Tyr the group is summoned to speak with Mahlanda. On the way they learn just how far things have fallen since Lord Aris' assassination when they happen upon a merchant in the abandoned market district being set upon by thugs. The group quickly dispatches the thugs, humanely, before city guards come and arrest the thugs.
During their meeting they learn that the city is beset with crime and raiders are destroying commerce by raiding all the caravans coming to the city. Mahlanda asks the party to be her unofficial representatives and meet with each of the major houses before a Templar from Balic comes to judge her leadership. She implores them to negotiate fairly and be on their best behavior. She sends them off and asks them to return for lunch.
They first meet with house Wavir in an abandoned crodlu stables. Thier they meet Polonious and Kleinla. Kleinla does most of the talking and shares that they deeply support Mahlanda but the crime in the city and the caravan raids have had a disastrous impact on their profits. Polonious shares with them the routes that House Wavir caravans typically take from Balic.
Moving on to House Rees they meet with Federoth, the elf animal handler for House Rees, in the animal yard. HE suggests, rather boldly that House Rees is in a unique position to balance the other two houses and should be provided a special discount of 5% tax and tariff break for a period of two years. He too is concerned with the rise in crime and caravan raids but negotiations break down when Morhen suggests that Federoth's request is illegal.
Disheartened but not down yet, the group heads to a tavern called Four Bits. There they are ushered into a private room with Tawa. She dismisses her guards and confirms their worries that House Tomblador is indeed against Mahlanda. They are, in part, because of the crime and caravan raiding, but more so because of the law against the slave trade.
Tawa herself is a personal friend of Mahlanda and a secret member of the Veiled Alliance. She promises to aid her, and the group as much as she can. She cannot, however, guarantee her house's support.
After a quick lunch with Mahlanda, and briefing her if the updates, they quickly head out to the south to try and discover what is going on with all the caravan raids. They shortly come upon a gruseome scene of a ruined caravan from House Wavir where the remains of the guards are being feasted on by some aarkocra and k'estrekels.
Fazanna quickly dispatches them all with a tactically placed fireball. Nyther captures one of the aarakocra trapped in a spiny thornbush. Any survivors of the fireball quickly flee away by flight. They learn from the captures aarakocra that the bird-men did not conduct the raid.
While investigating they hear the sounds of battle around the corner of the canyon.