Cast of Characters:
- Player Characters
- Newton the Flask-Filler: Antisocial alchemist looking to secure his apprenticeship under the suspicious Dr. Mouldypage
- Peyton of the Devil’s Causeway (Known in Skolos as Leofrick Liontear): Unscrupulous scoundrel fleeing a death sentence in Hollow Cove.
- Frodrick Tenpenny Goodspell: Heartbroken holyman seeking to drown his sorrows in cheap liquor since the discovery of his love with the mayor’s son, Bartholomew Greatmoor V.
- Non-Player Characters
- Dr. Mouldypage: An alchemist and tenured fellow at one of Skolos’ revered scholarly institutions, having recently received a budgetary constraint.
- Cordelia Mouldypage: An archer and swordhand in the city guard, former lover of Frodrick (among others) and currently bedding both Bartholomew and Kur.
- Bartholomew Cumberland Goodhead Greatmoor V: Dr. Mouldypage’s other, less honorable, apprentice and close companion to Cordelia.
- Kur Liontear: Peyton’s former criminal partner, now in Skolos running from the same setence he’d pinned on Peyton.
The First Part, or the Meeting of an Unlikely Trio
Within the walls of the Angry Weaver, all player characters are strangers to one another, though each with undiscovered links of unlikely coincidence. Frodrick is deep in his cups beside an out-of-place Newton nursing mild lemon water. Leofrick sits across from his hold friend, Kur, and an unfamiliar (to Leofrick) Cordelia. As it turns out, the Hollow Hand has tracked Kur here to Skolos and now both the ruffians are in trouble. But Kur has a plan to make some money fast and get out of town.
The plan? Some wizard’s department is low on funds and is forcing said wizard, one Dr. Mouldypage, to cut down to a single apprentice. The old goat’s already decided on Bartholomew, but he’s told Bart both kids get let go unless an artifact from beneath Skolos is found for him. And all of this overheard by an unnoticed Newton outside the professor’s door. With style becoming of his profession, Bartholomew delegated. And now the expedition’s organization is up to a hungry Kur (himself having been recommended by his oft bedmate Cordelia, the doctor’s daughter).
Newton recognizes Cordelia, but not the man she’s with. Didn’t he see her last arm in arm with that rat Bartholomew?
“She looks like my Cordelia!” wails the priest, “They all look like my Cordelia!”
So now that the responsibility’s on Kur’s shoulders and because (as he assured the apprentice) Kur gets things done, the desparate scoundrel is now assailing his ex-friend with dubiously backed promises of treasure and safety.
Leofrick leans in with a conspiratorial eye, “Come close, Kur.” Kur dips forward to listen. A swift thrust of the head, a shattered nose spurting blood.
“It is Cordelia!” shouts the priest and stumbles from his seat.
Kur is face down now and with takes Leofrick’s boot to his upturned ass. Leofrick spits after an ex-companion led away by his woman, “And don’t you fucking come to me again!”
The scholar bursts from the bar, “The scoundrel left a bag! And what’s this? A map? Some strange stone cube?” He glances to the other two. “I’ll be needing some help. For an expedition.”
Leofrick nods, “I keep half,” and snatches half the copper from the open bag.
Frodrick stands unsteady. “I only want Cordelia to feel as miserable as … as …” and trails off in deep and addled thought.
“And I want tenure. It’s settled then,” announces Newton, “we leave immediately.” A quick glance at the map, “Er, once we discover where to go.”
