Recap 3- Treading Water

Season 1: Golden Oak

Episode 3: "Treading Water"

Synopsis

Scene 1: The Massacre on the Marion

Saxon, Sandro, and Silyana tread water hundreds of feet from the disaster that will become known as The Massacre on the Marion. The carnage is terrifying and the smell of burning flesh fills the air as hundreds of people claw over each other to try to escape the sinking barge. Silyana scans the North Docks for the "cultists" but sees no sign of them. Rescue patrols of the Golden Guard begin to move in on the scene as the three decide to head for an overflow drain on the nearby river wall. The three watch large bubbles (a hundred feet across, each) surface near the site of the crash; the bubbles dissolve revealing aide ships from Waterkeep. Saxon easily breaks a rusty padlock off of the drain gate (despite suffering from wounds now exposed to river water from the Marion) and swings the door open, and Silyana magically dry cleans all of their clothes of the water from the Marion, leaving the faint scent of fabric softener in their nostrils as they enter the sewer...


 * DM's comment: I really liked the Waterkeep racers in Respit so the ships from Waterkeep were a call back to that.  I imagine magic allows them to travel under the water at a high rate of speed, surrounded by these bubbles to provide an atmosphere.  The ships themselves, I think would looks like fairly normal ships but maybe without sails?  I picture them being very sleek with a blue lacquer on the wood.

Scene 2: The Overflow Tunnels

The three make their way through the tunnels as Saxon mentions he knows of a safehouse in this area that "Uncle Reggie" owns, "it's just a quick jaunt through the sewers, mate!" The journey through the tunnels passes quickly with little incident (save for foreshadowy skittering heard in the background) and soon Saxon is climbing up a ladder and opening another access panel. The three climb out of the sewers to find themselves in a desolate ghetto area of the North Docks (like the far West Side). Saxon leads them to a boarded up storefront and then around to a side door where he only pauses a moment before entering The Safehouse...


 * DM's Comment: I liked the detail of the area of the Safehouse being a really rough part of town.  I picture the whole North Docks area like the East St. Louis to Ship's Berth St. Louis.  People from Ship's Berth proper definitely look down on people from the North Docks.

Scene 3: The Safehouse

The three enter the Safehouse, which (fortunately) turns out to be empty. Silyana magically lights some lamps and fixes the temperature. Saxon is feeling pretty rough and may be entering septic shock. He is very concerned with reporting to work, as he understands that the Massacre would necessitate an "all report" situation for the Golden Guard and that, more importantly, they would need him. Silyana is concerned with examining the Golden Book which the three have recovered from Mercutio's Excuse. She conjures a mage hand to handle the book, examines it, and attempts to use lockpicks to open the lock on the book. As soon as she inserts the pick, the Book releases a small jet of flame from the keyhole, burning Silyana's fingers. The group seems at an impasse; Sandro declares his disdain for this place and all that it stands for but Saxon will have none of it. Saxon mutters a few words in an ancient language and lays hands on himself, his wounds close and he feels the infection scourged from his blood. He jolts forward in his chair, declares he is going to work, and immediately slumps back into the chair, passed out from exhaustion. Sandy and Sil shrug, set a watch, and decide they might as well get some rest. During the night, the three have the same dream...

''In a first person view, you are yourself but not yourself. You are atop a grassy a hill where the sun is setting, red gold purple light is reflecting on the glorious Golden Oaks all around you. You are standing in front of a gathering of armored clerics (The War Clerics of Golden Oak), facing a gathering of Albacans... one steps forward, he is ageless with long, gray hair and tattoos that trace the sinews of his muscles up and down his body- he is wearing something like a hide robe- he strides forward as you do and you simultaneously reach out for each other's hand in a gesture of peace- this handshake seemingly sealing an important, life or death agreement. You stare warmly into his eyes as your other hand produces a dagger which you effortlessly jab through the Albacan's jugular using your handshake as leverage. The soundless shock and horror on his face delight you as he uselessly gurgles his last breaths. All around you now the War Clerics are burning the Albacans or hacking them to death with weapons that fly through the air of their own volition. And it is good. This is a day that will live in glory for centuries to come...''

Saxon has another dream...

''The most beautiful woman you've ever seen appears to you- she is in white and gold, the colors of a Holy Sister of Golden Oak. She whispers, "Saxon... bring me the book..."''

After only an hour or so, Saxon awakens but feels completely refreshed, as if he's never felt better. It is a few hours before dawn and he goes to work...

*** DM's Comment: Alright, so this seems like a good time to run down all the things you guys know about this book...

''- It is called "In Excelsis Dominus" ("Glory to the Master"). It is made of gold and features a ruby-eyed stag skull on the cover, along with other ruby inlay. It has a lock that is locked. Attempting to pick the lock seems pretty dangerous.''

- To your best guess, it seems ancient

- It stayed perfectly clean and dry despite being submerged in the River Marion.

'' - When Saxon touches this book, he feels an intoxicating mix of pride and patriotism. When Silyana touches the book she feels a seductive draw to its power. Sandro has yet to touch the book but it nonetheless feels hateful to him; he respects it is innately powerful but instinctively wants nothing to do with it.''

''- Later, Silyana will cast Detect Magic in the presence of this book and confirm that it is extremely magical, extremely powerful, and somewhat inscrutable. She cannot quite place it into a school of magic but feels that it is HIGHLY EVIL.''

- When you stole it, it was in the possession of the Southern Cultists (who were asked to "keep it safe" on behalf of "A Friend of a Friend."  You have stolen this book on behalf of Tatianna Sludj, apparently the daughter of one of the most powerful men in Golden Oak.  It is also apparently being sought by the woman in Saxon's dream, unless my guy was just feeling lonely after sinking a party barge.

Let me know if I missed anything...

Scene 4: Back on the Docks

Saxon returns to the docks to report in with the Golden Guard. He discovers that Ship's Berth is being put on lockdown; the Golden Guard are conducting massive search and seizure operations and are setting up a river blockade on the west end of town. Saxon helps with some of the searches until he is approached by Lieutenant Commandant Harlan Fir, his new boss. Fir assigns Saxon to investigate the Massacre on the Marion and find the culprit by sundown today. It is currently just past dawn and Saxon returns to the Safehouse after receiving his assignment...

Scene 5: The Not-so-Safehouse

Saxon returns to the Safehouse as Silyana and Sandro are waking up for the day. Their conversation is quickly interrupted by the arrival of Uncle Reggie: a cigar-chomping criminal patron of Saxon and the owner of, amongst other things, this Safehouse. He is super-pissed about the lockdown of the port, as that means he is losing a fuckton of money (by having boats that are going nowhere filled with cargo that is either going nowhere or being tossed on the docks by the Goldies). No Neck Nick (from Episode 1) let Reggie know that he had seen Saxon trolling around by the docks a few hours before the Massacre on the Marion and Reggie seems to assume that Saxon is somehow responsible for or involved with the events of the Massacre. In any event, he certainly seems to hold Saxon responsible for any money he is losing as a result of the port being shut down and the random search and seizures that are occurring. Uncle Reggie delivers an ultimatum that Saxon "make him whole again" and storms out, calling Nick to bring the carriage around. The three are left in the Safehouse to discuss their next move...

''*** DM's Comment: Just want to point out that Saxon has rightfully assumed that Uncle Reggie actually expects him to somehow make this up to him. Reggie would have just killed you all if he didn't think Saxon could somehow "make (him) whole again."''

Scene 6: Ship's Berth

The three decide they aren't getting anything done in the Safehouse and venture out into Ship's Berth, eventually making their way back to the Belting Chanty on the other side of the river. Along the way they witness the results of the lockdown: Golden Guard are everywhere around the port, searching ships, making arrests, harassing anyone who can't afford to pay their way out of harassment. The three cross Crown's Bridge (a rather large and impressive stone structure that spans the Marion at a wide point, it is an engineering marvel) and descend on Crown's Road back to the Ship's Berth docks and east along the docks to the Belting Chanty, which they find closed at this hour. Saxon, undeterred, goes around back and knocks. The door is answered by the Bartender (from Episode 1) who was obviously asleep in his boxer shorts and undershirt. Saxon muscles his way in and intimidates the bartender into clarifying his role in the meet with Tatianna. The bartender reveals that he knows very little but that his bar was rented out specifically for the meeting and that Tatianna is Tatianna Sludj, the daughter of the Golden Crown of Golden Oak. Saxon nearly shits himself upon finding this out and he and the bartender share a drink as Saxon makes his exit and find Sandro and Silyana, who have been standing around up front...

Scene 7: The Barnacle Bucket

The three decide they need to take a moment and put their heads together while getting some grub. Saxon suggests a place with great fried oris sandwiches called the Barnacle Bucket, which is just a few blocks from the Belting Chanty. Sandro and Silyana go along and are pleased to find out "The Bucket" is a pretty decent looking place with a nice, lively crowd. The group get a table and order some chow and start to put their heads together. Silyana begins experimenting with the Golden Book that Saxon has, eventually using her sorceress abilities to look into the magical spectrum. She discovers that the book is incredibly powerful and very evil. She also discovers that the three are being watched by an invisible eye, likely the result of a spell. The group further discovers, by sending Saxon outside with the book, that the eye follows the book. In all this, Sandro overhears some interesting rumors. Saxon returns from his smoke break with a more focused perspective, he calls over the bartender and tells him he wants to send a pigeon to Tatianna Sludj (similar to being in London and asking the server to take a letter to Kate Middleton)- the message is essentially that Tatianna should meet the three at the Chanty at noon. The three eat their fried oris sandwiches, which are deliciously prepared with mustard seed aioli and greens, but in no way grant them any sort of anti-magical qualities. What sort of dumb dick would think a sandwich would grant him anti-magical qualities? What sort of reckless, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants sort of deity would even create such a wretched creature as the oris? These are the questions that plague our times...

- CUT TO CREDITS ---


 * DM's comments: I'm trying to remember the rumors here:

- There is momentum behind the idea that the Massacre was a terrorist act perpetrated by Albacan separatists

- Many are pissed about the port being on lockdown but are often shouted down by those that fear the terrorists

- Great Lord Harold Sludj (Tatianna’s father) has recently attained the position Golden Crown, granting him a seat on the Golden Council. He is quickly becoming the most powerful man in Golden Oak and is very popular in Ship’s Berth, though some seem not to be so enthusiastic about his ascendancy to power. “Golden Oak Will Rise Again!”

- I think “Sharing with Sharron” does a lot to fill in some of this stuff, as well

Characters We Met:

“Uncle” Reggie Dione- a mob boss in Ship’s Berth/Golden Oak, he seems like he’s probably a big time smuggler by his talk of ships and cargo. I picture a Tony Soprano type and I think his relationship with Saxon could turn out like Tony’s relationship with Christopher. (Spoiler Alert: he kills you, Saxon)

Lt Commandant Harlan Fir- Saxon’s new boss and a real “Guy Whitey Corngood.”  He has little to know clue as demonstrated by the fact that he just assigned the terrorist responsible for the Massacre to investigate the Massacre.

Great Lord Harold Sludj- well, you didn’t really meet him... you just heard about him. (“Who’s that Funke everyone’s been talking about?”) He seems to be popular with people who believe in the moral righteousness of slavery. So, he’s probably a very stable genius...

“WHO’S BAD?!”

No one.

DJ Saul was absent so no one was there to do any truly evil shit.

There weren’t a lot of opportunities, really... you could’ve mugged someone and thrown them over Crown’s Bridge, maybe.

Next Episode:

- The Three await their noon meeting with Tatianna (or at least an answer to their message)

- Saxon’s really in the hotseat: he’s gotta pay back Uncle Reggie and “solve the case” by sun down

- The Cultists are out there, and they probably want their Golden Book back. Or, at least they don’t want you to have it.

Thanks, dudes!

It was a fun night! The next one will be action-packed, so strap it on tight and don’t let go!

-back to The Golden Oak Campaign