The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows over the dusty town as our party found themselves at the bottom of a creaky old elevator. The air was thick with the aftermath of a brutal showdown. Christia Tombend, a jittery art patron linked to the notorious Angelique Loveless, stood amidst the fallen Leadsmiths, her face a portrait of shock and fear. Fulminyx, with a keen eye, rifled through the bodies, uncovering an array of weapons—breastplates and dwarven scatter guns—but none bore the telltale mark of Angelique Loveless. The tension crackled as the party pressed Christia Tombend, digging into her connection with Angelique Loveless, questioning her loyalty and intentions. She claimed she’d hired the guards based on Angelique Loveless’s word but insisted she was as innocent as a newborn calf, unaware of their violent ways.
With a storm brewing in the form of Vewslog, the cyclops leader of the Leadsmiths, the group figured it best to skedaddle to a safer spot. Christia Tombend agreed, leading them to her library for a more discreet chat. Meanwhile, Stirmi, the druid with a penchant for the peculiar, took to disposing of the bodies. He spun webs around them and morphed into a giant tarantula, dragging the remnants of the confrontation away. The crew then made their way to the Riddle Quartz Steaming Kingdom bathhouse, a perfect hideout for their private discussion.
On the journey, Scarlet made a quick stop at a local fence, trading in the dwarven scatter guns and other gear for a fistful of coins. Once inside the bathhouse, Christia Tombend confirmed that Ibrium, a glass sculptor and wizard hailing from Nex, had indeed been spotted in Alkanstar. As drinks flowed, the party sized up Christia Tombend, concluding she was more a financier for Angelique Loveless than a puppet master, which lightened their worries about her spilling the beans.
But when Jace mentioned a shady character at Christia Tombend’s soirée, she abruptly excused herself to check on her precious art collection, prompting Stirmi to shadow her. He ensured her safety, discovering that her prized artwork remained untouched. Later, at the Barrel and Bullet Saloon, the party filled Phoebe, an ally with ties to The Duchess’s network, in on Angelique Loveless’s scheme to amass an army through donations and the activities of Ibrium. Phoebe urged them to track down the explosive compound known as Pyranite without delay.
She tipped them off about a public hanging set for noon the next day at the Old Bridge, where a fella named Rhangyl Foruza was slated for execution. The group tossed around various rescue plans, ultimately dismissing a hot air balloon for its potential to go sideways. Instead, they decided to enlist the chaotic Powder Keg Punks as a distraction during the execution.
The plan was hatched: Jace would don a disguise and take a front-row seat to cut the rope, while Stirmi would cast Fly and transform into a Tyrannosaurus to swoop in and rescue the prisoner. Scarlet and Fulminyx would blend into the throng, ready to stir up trouble if the situation turned sour. On the day of reckoning, a crowd gathered around the gallows, the Shield Marshals preparing to carry out the grim task.
As the chaos erupted from the Powder Keg Punks’ ruckus, Jace took his shot at the rope but missed. With grit and determination, he tried again, severing it just in time to let Rhangyl drop. Stirmi, now a fearsome T. Rex, swooped in, snagging Rhangyl and soaring off beneath the bridge. Panic swept through the crowd as the Shield Marshals opened fire, igniting a whirlwind of chaos. Scarlet dazzled two Marshals with a burst of magic, while Fulminyx taunted them, drawing their eyes away from the fleeing Punks.
In the thick of the fray, Fulminyx used his powers to slip into the river, while Jace and Scarlet melted into the crowd. Stirmi safely delivered Rhangyl to a rendezvous point, where they had a heart-to-heart. Rhangyl revealed he’d been hired by Ibrium to procure chemicals and handed over a list of items tied to the wizard’s commission. He shared the details of his detention and promised a reward of 250 gold per person for their trouble.
With fresh leads in hand, the party agreed to escort Rhangyl later that night to collect their reward and set their sights on finding Dash, a cattle rustler with ties to Ibrium, out in the Deadspot. Their quest to unravel the connections between Angelique Loveless, Ibrium, and the dangerous Pyranite compound was just heating up.