Team Alfa Eighteenth Session

Jak Caller: Before and After killing Bold Byll

Notes

• The party and Jak's entourage head to the Militia barracks and install Jak in the brig. He goes willingly and without seeming worry.
  • On the way there, Sid engages with the gnomish constable in their native tongue. Knowingly or not, some of the party overhear.
  • Since mithril is never mentioned, he never seems to understand why this rogue camp is such a big deal. He lays out the expected next steps and gives a crash course in the Handlestadt judicial process.
    • Church Law is not respected here, and members of the church are appreciated for their utility more than their moral authority. Do not expect Clerics or Paladins to be able to bully the court.
    • Magic is tricksy, and testimony based on magic is not allowed. Nor is any spellcasting during the trial.
    • Each community gets a vote, no one really explained how ties are resolved.
• Wolf checks in with his order, who teach him a little bit about his powers and give him renewed confidence and resolve.
• The next day, the trial.
  • The casts some long term divinations before entering the courthouse. It is enough to reveal the human judge is under a charm.
  • Reth lays out the accusation and recounts the testimony of absent witnesses. He lays out his case in a straightforward manner. The party is not optimistic.
  • Jak Caller admits to the killing, but lays out a story of Bold Byll the murderer, who fled righteous justice and who Jak was forced to pursue beyond the law's reach. Paints the party as troublemakers aligned with a rogue lawman who is himself working with organized crime there. Reth chips a tooth grinding his teeth.
  • The verdict read is predictable. The halfling judge is unwilling to accept the slander of local legend Bold Byll, and votes guilty. The human quickly jumps in - possibly jumping turn - to vote Not Guilty, without further commentary. The dwarf judge goes on a brief monologue about how this is not Handlestadt's case to try before voting not guilty. Jak closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, during which time the human judge has a momentary look of confusion while the gnome judge is stumbles while delivering his verdict. He finally croaks out NOT GUILTY.
  • Wolf, seeing this outcome from miles away, pulls out his holy symobol! "OBJECTION!" He pushes the crowd of mostly gnomes and halflings out of the way. The judges cry out and the bailiffs swarm him, but not before he can fire off a divine channel to turn the fiend and force it to reveal its true form! ....... but it fails?!?!
  • The judges scream at everyone to calm down as the bailiffs swarm Wolf and manage to keep him restrained. There is a lot of crosstalk, amidst which Jak oozes out the door, but not before delivering some ominous words about the nature of denizens of the Outside to one of the party.
  • The party argues with the judges. The judges argue with each other while also arguing with the party. Reth continues to stew, while Wolf goes tunes out and orders Spruce to come and follow Jak's movements. (He vanished!!)
  • The party talks their way out of court action and an annoyed Dwarven judge with better things to do closes the courtroom before any of the other judges can declare official action.
  • Everyone rushes to where Jak vanished. No magical traces, nor any tracks. He didn't simply go invisible: he must have shifted to the ethereal plane.
  • Wolf and the party despair. They spend the night making wanted posters and curse their lack of options. Over the course of the night, they come up with three more possible groups that could help them find Jak. The Church, Wolf's Order, and "Batshit" Bashir.
    • The Church does not have a powerful enough representative to cast the required divination. Wolf's Order, however, is able to provide the service through a communal casting. It does not have pinpoint accuracy, but does locate the fiend in a ruined temple a day's travel north of the city. (Didn't take Jak a day!)
    • The Junior Hierophant gives Wolf a pep talk: Fiends are tricky, expect them to be able to keep slipping away, and don't get discouraged when you can't get everyone. Win some, lose some.
    • Wolf considers this wisdom, and asks if there is anything the order could do about the creatures plane phasing ability. Very little, but not nothing. They give Wolf a rare unguent: Oil of Eternalness. They explain how it works to Wolf, who listens with half-comprehension. She thanks them for their insight and assistance and returns to the party.
    • People who actually understand arcane stuff explain the Oil of Etherealness. The party rests and plans for the battle to come.

Experience & Loot

Experience (each)

• 700xp - The Trial of Jak Caller

Loot

• Potion of Etherealness