Theft at the Arcaeum - Session Report
Player Characters:
Arya Shadeslayer – Female Aquatic Half Elf Storm Sorcerer
Guinevere – Female Wood Elf Circle of the Moon Druid
Ion Vald Arete Zeno – Male Kalashtar Knowledge Cleric
Owl in the Morning – Tabaxi Rogue
Sed Shiraz – Male Human Monk
Waldron Solidbrow – Male Human (Variant) Ranger Hunter
The party members were unknown to each other prior to the start of the adventure. Some were citizens of Orvain, while others were travelling into the city for their personal reasons. They hear the call put out by the Arcaeum Orbis seeking a team of investigators and banded together to solve the crime.
Plot Progression
Captain Amadeus Tusk, the captain of the Witchguard assigned to the Arcaeum District, was asked to assemble a team together to investigate an egregious crime that was committed within the walls of the Arcaeum. A chapter from one of the oldest books at the Library was expertly removed and stolen without anyone the wiser for it. This chapter described certain rituals that the Gods used to perform to create monsters out of thin air and battle each other for their entertainment. Considering the delicate nature of the matter and not wanting to create rumours and gossip about the breach of security at the Arcaeum, it was decreed that Captain Tusk shall assemble a team from outside the Witchguard who shall investigate the case under his watchful eyes.
The Party heeded the call and retraced the movement of the book within and outside the Arcaeum during the past one month. They narrowed down the suspect list to 4 individuals:
- Lanros Tonk - a petty thief who works in the Bogs district of Orvain, and who had requested permission to read this particular book at the Arcaeum four weeks ago
- Lorekeeper Yverna - one of the Lorekeepers within the Arcaeum under whose charge this particular book resides.
- Bjorchek Fenume - owner of the Engraving Pen, a bookbinding shop where this particular book was taken for bookbinding process two weeks ago as part of its regular maintenance routine
- Oswin Godwell - son of Orson Godwell, one of the largest benefactors to the Arcaeum and a very high valued patron who had requested this book be delivered to the Godwell manor a week ago.
The Party split into groups of two to separately question and interrogate Lorekeeper Yverna, Bjorchek Fenume and Oswin Godwell. They failed to get any reliable information out of the Lorekeeper or Mr. Fenume, but did manage to obtain the last known address of Lanros Tonk with some help from Captain Tusk. Simultaneously, the group who went to ask Oswin Godwell some questions found that Oswin was nothing more than an impressionable teen who was asked by his good friend Lanny to request the particular book in question be delivered to his house on a very specific date. Oswin was led to believe by Lanny that this was all part of an elaborate prank that Lanny is playing on another friend of his. Oswin lived for this kind of excitement and gladly went ahead with the plan and in his excitement even offered the party members to introduce them to Lanny by taking them to Lanny’s house.
The Party members who obtained the address of Lanros Tonk arrived separately and were surprised to find the rest of their group along with Oswin already at the home of Mr. Tonk, which looked like no one had lived there in a week. Some thorough investigation led to the Party discovering a hastily scribbled note with details of an abandoned cabin in the Astoria Forests that border the southern side of Orvain. Proceedings cautiously, they make their way into a secret entrance inside this abandoned cabin in the woods which leads them underground about 100 feet deep into a pentagonal shaped chamber with no obvious doors. After solving a puzzle to unlock a secret door, they discover the long deceased corpse of Lanros Tonk and in his pockets, 20 gold and the missing pages from the book.
They return to the Arcaeum with the missing pages only for Lorekeeper Yverna to exclaim that these pages are fake and rush off into the Arcaeum for further study. Captain Tusk however congratulates them on a job well done and hands them their reward and dismisses them.
NPCs introduced:
Clarice (Human – non binary Lawful Neutral) - Town Crier
Captain Amadeus Tusk (Tiefling Male Lawful Good) - Captain of the Witchguard, assigned to the Arcaeum District
Lorekeeper Yverna (Half Elf Female, Lawful Good) - one of the Lorekeepers at the Arcaeum Orbis
Bjorchek Fenume (Male Half Orc, Lawful Neutral) - Owner, Engraving Pen
Oswin Godwell (Male Human, Chaotic Neutral) - second son to Orson Godwell
Locations discovered
The Engraving Pen – Bookbinding store located at Knacker’s Yard
Astoria Forest – Forest situated south west of Orvain.
The Godwell Manor - A palatial bungalow occupying enormous swath of land in the Dovecote region of Orvain. It houses the family of Godwells, Ser Orson Godwell, his wife Lady Minera Godwell and their two unmarried sons - Orton Godwell and OswinGodwell.
The Shalespin cafe – Coffee shop located near to the Arcaeum.
End State
The Cabal’s Eye - Captain Amadeus Tuskl opens a file to record the details of these adventurers whom he may contact for any further assistance, being impressed by the work that they have done today. He labels the file “CABAL’S EYE”. Thus, a new faction is born within the city of Orvain, under the supervision of Captain Amadeus Tusk