Errydai I’m Shuffling Game summary
The party for this adventure was:
- Owl in the Morning, Tabaxi Rogue
- Ion vald Arete Zeno, Kalashtar Cleric
- Renis, Variant Human Warlock
- Lucard Maron, Human Bard
The party has come into contact with a fixer, fence and general shady character called Alldai Errydai in Cordonis. He informs them that a client of his (he does not know their identity) has offered him a large sum of money to engage a team to infiltrate the Midwinter Ball at Castle Renfri and open a rear gate to the Castle to allow the client secret access while the Midwinter Ball is going on. Alldai has procured an invitation to the Ball, which will allow a group of people to enter the Castle. The gate in question is a rear service entrance to Lady Sabelle’s garden. Alldai tells them that they will not be able to carry weapons into the ball and so if they give him their weapons he will throw them over the wall into the garden at some point of the evening.
Plot progression
On further questioning and general inquiry, the party determines that by the standards of Cordonian society, one of the highest crimes possible to commit is to abuse guestright or a host’s hospitality. The party is immediately reluctant to anger Duke Renfri in this manner. Some of them also have personal reasons to try and get a meeting with Duke Renfri or his household. Ion wishes to meet Lady Sabelle as she is the daughter of Scrivener Ashardelle of Orvain, who he wishes to meet. Renis would like access to the cooks of Castle Renfri to exchange notes on recipes.
They decide to do some scouting to ascertain the lay of the land and split into two groups to do so. One group is assigned to scout the region of the Shadow Walk outside the walls of the City to get a view of the service gate they are to open and the area surrounding it. The other group is to scout the front entrance to the Castle and the area surrounding it. They do not manage to ascertain very much information except that there is a large statue within the garden, but instead an attempt to scout using a flock of birds is detected by guards on the battlements of the Castle and the party hears an alarm call being raised from within the Castle that sounds like a mixture between a roar and a fluting song. They abandon the scouting attempt and regroup.
Despite their misgivings, they decide to go ahead with the attempt the next day, with the understanding that they may decide to instead contact the Duke’s forces and spill the beans. At the entrance to the Castle they are immediately identified and taken aside by a Guard Captain and asked to follow her. They are taken within the Castle away from the main gathering into the private residence portion and into a large study, where they are brought before Duke Renfri and Sabelle of Orvain. A large songdrake is lying by the fire and watching the party. The Duke asks the party if they have something to tell him.
The party informs him of what they were employed to do. He thanks them for the information and sends his troops to stake out the Garden and the Shadow Walk outside. He then tells the party that to prove that they have indeed decided to side with him, they must continue with the course of action they were contracted to carry out and open the rear gate to let in whoever their client was, and then help the Duke’s forces fight them once they are in the garden. The party are also each given a token that they are told will ensure that the Golem guarding the Garden will not attack them.
The events go as planned, except that when the gate is opened, Owl smells a familiar reek that she has encountered before - the smell of old, rotting blood. When the clients enter, the party realises that they are from the Creed of the Clotted Pool and are led by Sister Bronwen, who recognises Owl. The party once again hears the raised alarm they heard earlier, which they realise is the alarm call of the songdrakes in the Castle and outside within Cordonis. In the ensuing battle, between the party and a volley of crossbow bolts from the guards on the wall, the cultists are swiftly cut down. The Golem is activated but doesn’t really need to do anything. Seeing that the tide has turned, Bronwen drains the blood from one of the surviving cultists and teleports away from the battle. Duke Renfri thanks the party for their service and says he will call upon them when they have ascertained more details of what the Bleeders were after.
NPCs
Alldai Errydai
Alldai is a small-time crook and fence in Cordonis who himself seems surprised that he has been chosen to broker this particular job. By the end of the one-shot he has been captured by the Duke’s forces.
Duke Renfri Cordone
Duke Renfri is known as a stern and joyless, though fair ruler. He is met briefly where he treats the party fairly but curtly.
Sabelle of Orvain
The party only briefly meet Lady Sabelle, although Ion is able to convey to her his interest in speaking with her at more length.
Lore/Locations
Cordonis/Cordonade Tribes
The parties learn a good deal about Cordonian culture and ways, and a little about Songdrakes.
Creed of the Clotted Pool
The Bleeders are encountered again, and they appear to be seeking a map that is in Duke Renfri’s possession, although it is not ascertained what map is being sought specifically.
End State
The Bleeders’ current plan has been foiled. They have attracted the attention of Duke Renfri, but also marked Owl as an enemy. Ion has made clear his intention to speak further with Lady Sabelle. Duke Renfri has asked the party to wait in Cordonis to be summoned once he has gathered more information. Alldai has been taken into custody, along with one living Bleeder.