02.05 The Stormbaldes - Dueling Banjo's :)

[Deebee]

One evening in the Drunken Morkoth (after the return of Xinh from his jungle adventure - see earlier posting) you become aware that a bard is drawing a large crowd of people at the other end of the bar. The crowd of people around you, who were wanting to know how you rescued the kidnapped children and buying you drinks to keep the stories coming, slowly drift away from you to see what is going on.

It transpires that a bard is reciting a story of the tales of The Stormblades a heroic band of adventures, while at the same time belittling the exploits of the Token Human Party.

What ensued, and was obviously engineered by The Stormblades, didn't entirely work out the way The Stormblades had envisioned. To cut a long story short (which others can fill in the details) The Stormblades didn't come up smelling of roses, and exited the bar with bloody noses and red faces.

After "helping" one of The Stormblades away to a quiet place you put the fear of gods into him and learn the full story of what they were up to. The Stormblades were trying to rubbish the name of the Token Human Party in the eyes of the citizens while increase their reputation. Their group consists of:

Annah Taskerhill (Female, Human, Bard)
Cora Lathenmire (Female, Human, Fighter)
Todd Vanderboren (Male, Human, Rogue)
Zachary Aslaxin II (Male, Human, Rouge)

(Todd was the one questioned)
They are all aristocrats from significant families within Cauldron, and according to Todd were the ones to bring Kazmogen (the Half Dwarf/half Troll - who did the kidnappings and you later find out has been executed) to justice. In recognition of their accomplishments they are to be honoured at the Flood Season Festivals prestigious event The Feast of Heroes. Entwhistle chats to Halpeen Welvihk (the owner of the Morkoth) at length about the Feast and confirms the facts that it is a highly coveted award in the city.

To add shame to injury (He has a beauty of a black eye and bloody nose courtesy of Xinh) you leave him naked and bound in the abandoned building. You later dumped his belongings in his parents front garden with a note saying where he is.

Later Halpeen has stern words with the dwarves of the Token Human Party about brawling in the bar, and to next time "take it outside". However seeing as no real damage was done (a couple of broken mugs and a chair - nothing much more than a typical Saturday night) and the crowds are coming in stronger than ever to meet the Token Human Party she is not ready to chuck you out just yet

[Zarniwoop]

Having been on a shopping expedition in town we were kicking our heels in our tavern our usual crowd of hangers on were listening to us and our bard recounting again the tales of our daring do. However, on this day the crowd began to thin as another bard began recounting tales. The problem being she was also dis-respecting us. Our "scout" (SR) sidled over to get a closer look and our Bard leaped onto the stage to begin what can only be described as a duel. Our bard (CR) being on top form managed to win back our crowd and most of the other bards as well much to her annoyance. Then things seem to start gathering a pace, the other bard started to win back the crowd and at some point someone tried to take a swing at our "Scout" but the Leorn (PM) managed to "hold person" the assailant. Meanwhile I leaped on stage carried away with the moment (maybe drunk) and started to dance and not too badly at that! in order to help distract the crowd further. A couple more people began to throw punches at the others. The "Scout" was working on a final distraction by removing the cumbersome armour and clothing from the female assailant (Now held) and signalling to Leorn (PM) and myself to help time the event. Having lost a bit of the crowd back to the opposing bard we tried a few tricks using ghost sounds behind the other bard and lighting her up in dancing lights. This latter backfiring slightly as she then used light to illuminate her instrument and attracted the crowd again but Leorn(PM) managed to use darkness to stop that. In desperation this bard tried to whip the instrument out of our bards hands but failed she then sneaked out of a back door. Then the "Scout was ready for the finale' and I placed dancing lights on the lady he was holding then he let go shouting loudly and the lady now nearly naked attracted the full attention of the crowd. Our dwarven fighter (Xinh - PH) finished his fight by knocking one assailant clean out the door of the tavern.

Leorn (PM) and the "Scout" helped the fallen combatant to a abandoned cellar where he was quietly asked some questions about this other band of heroes the female bard was singing about. Turns out they are a bunch of adventurers who are kids of the local rich families and have been invited to some local prestigious event called the "heroes feast" based on them clearing up our mess in the malachite fortress. This essentially meant them going in after we did all the hard work and capturing the slave trader. The "Scout" managed to scare our friend quite well as he got a dose of reality regarding what they had tried to take on in the bar.
Having stripped the rich boy and left him tied up in the basement the "Scout" dropped the kids possesions along with a small note saying where to find him at the parents house.