Westmist Session #75 - Spy vs Spy

Back in New Breven, the party split to deal with individual business. Sloth, Dai-sen, and  Sheriff Ironbritches took their leave of the party to make their way in this new (to them) world.  Rylee, Gurruk and Darnorth likewise disappeared on private matters, leaving Erijay, Kern and the still recovering Bjorn. First order of business was to move from the common room of the Rusted Sword to better private lodgings at The Wasp, so Bjorn could fully recover his health without drunken troopers stumbling over him. With the magic user settled in bed, Kern and Erijay sent word to Lord Breven that they had returned from exploring the mysterious manor. It was not long after that one of the Count Palatines knights, Sir Kelso, arrived to escort and present them to His Lordship to give their report. They found him once again in the map/war room, along with the Lord Marshal, several other knights, and the Company of Good Cheer (less Zana). Kern laid out the story of their trials and tribulations in Chateau d'Amberville, ending the the final collapse and complete destruction of the place. Lord Merdwyn seemed indifferent to their near final death experience, and while somewhat disappointed in the loss of the chateau, did thank the party for their efforts. He then asked their plans, and Kern indicated that once the party had recovered from their wounds, they would head back to Westmist to prepare for further adventure. At this, Lord Merdwyn requested that they report back to him before departing, in case he had dispatches to send back to his seneschal, Jax.

That business done, the two headed back to the Wasp. Where to their surprise, found Zana waiting for them, sitting on the edge of Bjorn's bed. She was there with a proposal, or more correctly, a threat.  Telling Kern that she knew what he'd been up to, spying on Lord Merdwyn, the leering lady handed him a wooden box. Inside which was a finger, recently removed from Rathgold's left hand. It would seem that Zana had tailed Kern and Rathgold when they met after Lord Merdwyn's feast, and then tortured the details of Kern's spying out of the frightened scribe. In return for silence, she demanded payment. Otherwise, she threatened to go the Lord Merdwyn with the story and then no doubt there would be hell to pay.

http://kerembeyit.deviantart.com/art/Charlotte-78905511

Zana gave Kern 48 hours to consider her 'offer', and then left. And then the planning began. Various options, including a knife in the back for Zana and/or smuggling Rathgold out of New Breven keep were weighed. In the end, Kern and Erijay decided to play along with Zana's game for now, and Erijay would make use of her ESP to dig into their blackmailers brain. When the appointed day arrived, Erijay made a show of storming out of The Wasp after arguing with Kern, then slipped on the elven cloak and circled back to hide invisibly in her room. Some time later Zana arrived to get Kern's answer. The merchant stalled her some more, questioning whether they could trust a blackmailer to keep her work. Who knows who else she had betrayed, and who else was in on the gig that could likewise betray any or all of them? While Zana was elusive in her answer to Kern., Erijay read flashes of thoughts. Zana was working alone on this side business; the rest of the Company of Good Cheer was not involved or informed. She was also shaking down a couple of members of Lord Merdwyn's household. Fineous the Squire apparently had a weakness for women, and was paying Zana to keep quiet about all the jilted lovers, pregnant maids, and late night sneaking of the ladies in and out of the keep.  On the other hand, she was also blackmailing Thorious the Lower Bailiff, who was a secret member of the Cult of Yg, information he probably didn't want to get back to the Count Palatine.  In the end, Kern offered Zana 100pp to keep quiet, which she accepted as a 'down-payment", with the understanding that more would be forthcoming.

Fuming over this latest roadblock, Kern and Erijay waited out the week while Bjorn recovered, and then prepared to return to Westmist. As promised, they reported to Lord Merdwyn before leaving.  He had no messages to go back per se. But he did brandish a recent dispatch from his man in Westmist, reporting recent issues with marauding giants north of town, attacking farms and leaving them devoid of families and livestock.  Jax requested that some seasoned troops be sent to help with the issue, so Lord Merdwyn was dispatching a half company of his mercenaries ,The Company of the Four Brothers, back to Westmist. He asked that the party travel back with them, just to be on the safe side. Kern protested that the party may have other business on the way, and Lord Merdwyn was understanding yet insistent that they travel together as far as possible. To which, in the end, Kern and Erijay agreed.