Chapter 7, Part VI: An Immovable Gamble
The Platinum Talons, after regrouping together the following day and getting everyone up to speed about the Bone Devil situation, headed out to the witches' cabin in the woods outside of Platinum City. Upon arrival, they were greeted by a few dead members of the Platinum Watch-- a vicious and violent scene that spilled out of the cabin and onto the road. Inside, they found Typhon, unconscious and poisoned, and Xerxes gave him a round of antitoxin and cure wounds to re-stabilize him.
Through information from Typhon and one of the dead Watch members (through the use of a Speak with Dead spell), they learned that one of the Watch members made a deal with the Bone Devil in exchange for removing the immovable rod and letting him free. That member of the Platinum Watch was missing from the cabin.
Nohki and Xerxes checked outside of the cabin to see that the Bone devil went into the woods away from Platinum City. Julian the Hooligan, giggling from the trees, said the bone devil took flight and headed north.
Xerxes, who offered to pay Julian for his information did not hold up his end of the bargain. Julian blinked down beside him and Xerxes attacked the hooligan, leaving his form crumpled on the ground.
And then the body disappeared, but Julian's laughter remained echoing through the woods.
Vance, catching the end of this interaction, tossed 10 GP more than Xerxes promised at the tree near where Julian had been.
The group headed into the basement and found notes about Cults of Fynali on a leather scroll, as well as some non-magical weapons and a locked door to a dungeon. Vance found 500 GP in a book shelf, but did not tell anyone else about it.
In the basement, there was no evidence of the Bone Devil-- this lined up with what the witch Lutara told them previously: that the Bone Devil had been summoned through a portal directly under the hatch in their home.
Before leaving Platinum City, Nohki visited the druid store to pick up his brand new friend, Shroot, a plant creature the shopkeeper was growing for him.
The Talons then headed back to Solendia, picked up BOJO and the wagon and made their way toward Yurdrok.
Vance dressed himself as a regular commoner, and Xerxes disguised himself as a farmer. In the city, they learned that the only way to get to Brimhold is by being a member of Ouglana's army, by being a member of the Order of Righteous Conflict, or by being a merchant with a specific pass. A woman on the street heard the Talons debating the best course of action and whispered that Big Boss was running a game at the casino that could win them a merchants' pass if they could beat him.
They headed into the casino, Holdum i Foldum, and got themselves a seat at Big Boss's table. With a little scofflaw persuasion, Tagg convinced him to let two people play a few rounds of Maidens of War for a chance to win the pass. The team was asked to place their bets in terms of magical items-- Drez bet an Arrow of Walloping and Firebrook bet a lesser mana potion. After a few rounds of intense Maidening and even intenser Warring, the Platinum Talons emerged victorious, the merchant name, "Traveling Talon Traders" added onto the pass that would allow them passage to Brimhold.
Over the next few days, the Talons made themselves known in Brimhold. Tagg found himself competing in a prizefight in the warehouse of the casino. He went toe-to-toe with a few combatants, winning handily before facing off against the current champion, Veyla the Impaler, who he had run into before as Blake the Rake in the Gladiatorial Grand Slam circuit. The match between these two powerhouses brought the warehouse down-- nearly literally-- as the audience grabbed make-shift weapons to toss into the ring for the combatants to pulverize each other with. At the end, Tagg nabbed a well-earned victory, and Veyla was happy to shake the hand of a "true warrior," before taking her second place winnings and heading on her way.
The Talons also picked up a mini-quest from J3551CA, assisting Archek clan leader Urtha in finding the right inspiration for a song to please the gods during the next lunar cycle. The 'sign' they brought to Urtha was regarding a bubbling font between stacked rocks. Although this was not the sign she needed, Urtha appreciated the effort and gave the Talons a small reward in thanks.