ep. 17 recap

When we last left our heros, they were scrambling to escape the Aftercrypts[1], in which the Twisted Fang[2] established an enclave. But, just as it looked like they might get away, Pyotr heard something that made his blood boil. His long-time nemesis - Calix - had apparently done something to his daughter, although he didn’t give details. Considering Pyotr’s circumstance - he was on the back of Lallie, Calix’s right and woman, pretending to be unconscious after a brutal and warhammer-heavy interrogation - he managed to keep his cool until the party could catch up to his position.

And soon Pyotr’s patience paid off - Milo arrived right on time, and, with barely a moment hesitation, began his attack.

Unfortunately, though, things started off poorly for Milo; a member of the Lyric Guard[3] like Calix is nothing to trifle with. But, after tangling up his assailents with a tanglefoot bag, he beat a hasty retreat behind his other allies, who arrived to take up the fight in his stead.

The battle was heated. Rhea, apparently warming to violence after hesitation and pulled punches early-campaign[4], got in several solid hits, and it didn’t take long before Ymitri maneuvered to help flank while slinging tentacles at his foes.

Soon, the tide of battle turned, and the party put Calix on the defensive. Taking a brave stand, Lallie offered to hold off their foes while Calix made for the exit. He took up her offer and, while the party gave chase, slinging a last round of arrows and spells at him as he dove deep into the Crypts, he managed to escape past some tricky terrain the party found themselves unable to quickly cross.

The party quickly overwhelmed Lallie - unable to hold her own without the help of Calix - and she submitted. A quick interrogation established little, except that Lallie didn’t know what Calix had done to Sasha, and so the party released her - hoping that she would carry with her the false information about their hideout’s location Pyotr had seeded during his interrogation back in Episode 17.

To finish off the episode, everyone began to disperse. Pyotr planned on searching Calix’s stronghold in the Vallisale district, while others decided to go back to the Warehouse they call their base. But, when they arrived, they discovered that Sasha was in the right place, but apparently distressed - given the sobbing they heard coming from inside the warehouse…

Glossary/Notes

[1] Aftercrypts: A vast network of crypts underneath Aquilla, established shortly after the Wild Wars.

[2] Twisted Fang: Human sympathizers with the Ash’kin cause

[3] Lyric Guard: An elite force inside the Tarinous, usually assigned to the hardest or most high-value tasks. Individual members of a Lyric Guard unit will often lead a shank - a group of about 10-30 men which forms the basis of the Tarinous’[5] manpower.

[4]: Rhea missed frequently early in the campaign, rolling notoriously low. We’ve chalked this up to Rhea’s innocence and kindhearted nature unconsciously prompting her to pull her punches.

[5] Tarinous: The name used to refer to a private police force that forms the basis of law enforcement in Aquilla.