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Original character art by Jimmy McClure.
Music by Kevin MacLeod.
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Previously on Call from the Deep
Starring:
Gotwald Ironhorn, level 8 minotaur Rune Knight Fighter
Mac, level 8 tortle Drakewarden Ranger/Rogue
Savra Akkedis, level 8 lizardfolk School of Necromancy Wizard
Torrel, level 8 kenku Fathomless Warlock Pact of the Amulet/Fighter
In the city of Orlumbor, the party learns from Dr. Refrum that a serial killer has been plaguing the harbor district. The Lantern Ghost Killer was caught and summarily executed yesterday — but then another murder occurred last night.
Local militia are waving it off. To make matters worse, the man they caught, Jaime, was a friend of Dr. Refrum’s, and he insists that they got the wrong guy.
Refrum hires the party to investigate the matter. He gives them two leads: the asylum Jaime was brought to after his arrest, and the name of the constable who arrested him.
The Zoo Crew decides on tackling the asylum first.
Dr. Refrum guides them to Hopene’er Asylum, a former prison turned mental hospital that now holds hundreds of patients and very few staff.
In fact, the party quickly learn that many of the more sane patients are given jobs as orderlies, janitors, and nurses by the perpetually harried Dr. Trantor.
Savra has the bold idea of drinking her potion of mind reading, giving her the detect thoughts spell, as they enter the asylum.
She uses it on the lone guard to discover that he’s a patient with simple orders, and gets them inside, and a meeting with Dr. Trantor.
Detect Thoughts proves especially useful against Dr. Trantor. Her thoughts reveal that she’s worried about the whole Jaime-thing — she had spoken to him even when she wasn’t supposed to as he was under guard most of the time.
Savra uses that to her advantage, pressing her like she’s in trouble, and only by cooperating with them can she avoid getting hauled off herself.
The party learns that Jaime was bewildered, confused, and scared, with no knowledge of the murders.
They check out his cell in the dangerous ward of the block for the criminally insane, Savra practically giddy with excitement.
She investigates the strange markings on the walls, and sees a supernatural image forming in her mind: a monstrous, tentacled creature lurking beneath the city, feeding off its despair and knowledge. The creature is tethered and chained, and as Savra tries to see who holds the leash, her mind is assaulted by powerful psychic forces.
(She rolls a nat 1, uses inspiration, then rolls a nat 20!). She takes some psychic damage and the connection is severed.
The party learns one other big of information from Dr. Trantor. She keeps repeating the name Councilor Dory. Apparently he was the only person to come see Jaime personally while he was here. Councilors rarely step inside the asylum, though they also rarely house infamous serial killers.
The party leaves, update Dr. Refrum, and travel to the District Garrison to look up Constable Jute.
Refrum insists that she is “one of the good ones,” an actual honest, hard-working officer who does right by the people, and hasn’t given into cynicism and corruption.
At the Garrison, the party notices that most of the militia are angry young men. Despite the nice, sturdy building, they make it look more like a rough gang hideout.
The party sticks out like a sore thumb, and they’re way inside is blocked by suspicious guards. Mac, a member of the Neverwinter Watch, brushes them off with a minor bribe and some quick words, and quicklky finds Constable Jute at her office desk, being hit on by half a dozen of her peers who are ostensibly still congratulating her on capturing the Lantern Ghost Killer.
With Gotwald’s help, Mac embarrasses the men and sends them running. He chats with Constable Jute and the two quickly hit it off as they begin walking her patrol route.
She’s concerned that Jaime didn’t know what was going on, confirming what Dr. Trantor said. She also says Councilor Dory had recent closed door meetings with command staff in the last few days, and the no one is taking her concerns seriously.
She reveals that Dory has a warehouse and shipping business here in the Harbor District, and tells the party its location.
Mac thanks her and wishes her well in the future, even giving her his horn from his Watch background.
The party updates Dr. Refrum, who confirms that Dory is the slimiest of the town councilors, and to be on their guard.
As the sun is setting, they scope out the hulking warehouse. On the back is a rusting crane holding an old rickety ship 50 feet above the water. The entrance is flanked by a pair of guards, and a sign says “Employees Only.”
They watch a wagon pull up. Several workers come out and unload it, moving crates inside by hand. The wagon leaves, and the party trails it, moving quickly through alleys as the wagon slows through tight corners and darkening streets.
Gotwald steps in front to stop it, and Mac uses his hat of disguise to appear as a militia member from the Garrison.
He claims they need the wagon for official business. The drivers instantly assume this is punishment for not paying protection money, which they argue about.
Either way, the party gains the wagon with little fuss.
Gotwald drinks a potion of disguise to appear as the other caravan driver, while Torrel and Savra climb into the only two empty crates left in the back. The wagon turns around and approaches the warehouse, hoping to sneakily make their way inside.
MVPC – Mac
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