Session 1 - The Vertex Of The Colossus

We open to the city of Saile on a spring day. It is about noon with the sun casting shadow over a large chunk of the city from the cliff face above. Harmonious Gab goes on to set up his cornbread cart in an alley to distribute free food to the city with his near-endless supply of cornmeal A hobgoblin, Onika Greaves, walks up reading a book titled "the inner workings of the Maius". The two start conversing about the nature of Maius and whatnot when some lackeys of the Red Tails gang come and tell Gab that he needs a permit and to pay taxes to the Red Tails since he is "selling" stuff on their property. Tensions begin to rise as more lackeys show up. Cut to the outskirts of the city, just inside the gate Vordia and Toni arrive with their trade caravan. They help to unload the last of the barrels and goods and Toni collects her payment before her stomach starts to growl wildly. The two make their way ᵐᵃᵏᶦⁿ ᵗʰᵉᶦʳ ʷᵃʸ! further into the city to look for somewhere to eat before they find Gab's cornbread cart with a crowd growing around. Just as they walk past to see what is up, Onika is thrown into Vordia by happenstance from one of the head lackeys. A fight begins to brew as Patch, a strange silver automaton joins the fray, hearing their mentor's words echoing in their head. Patch and Vordia take out the scout who was sneaking up behind while an acolyte and thug team up on Gab who nimbly avoids many of their attacks, retaliating with his flail and shield. Toni dashes in to help Gab and trades some misses and blows with the second thug, who considers her not a threat, thus moving over to Gab for a three-way flank. Meanwhile, a lizardfolk starts creepily trying to take down Patch and Vordia, with Onika circling around. The Lizardfolk seems really interested in chewing on Patch, but the two of them, with a combination of magic and shotgun-locked arms, take him down. Onika pulls out their staff and blasts a searing light ball of energy at the second thug after she's healed by the acolyte, knocking her cold onto the ground. Toni and Gab give some hits to the head thug but him and the acolyte flee. Onika gets excited and beckons the sudden group to follow them back to their lab, with words of a job offering. They tell the party a bit about themselves and eventually come to their home. Swinging up a ladder, they show the party their lab and offer everyone a seat. Patch tries to sit down and breaks a chair. Vordia scans the room and learns that the arcane machine in the center of the room is used to identify objects magically. Onika briefs the party about their job offer to investigate a dead lesser Maius three or four days outside of town. The gang agrees and Onika tells them a nearby place to stay the night: The Whispering Woad tavern. Everyone goes over to this very well-loved, busy tavern and Toni orders a big meat platter for herself from the barkeep Ariataadne Ayre. Meanwhile, Gab and Patch pull out their instruments and begin a performance, Gab riling the crowd while slipping in a bit of uplifting messaging propaganda about freeing themselves from the shackles of those above. Patch had less luck, as it turns out playing a lute with metallic fingers is not very easy. Someone throws a fry at them which they catch and then try to play the lute with but it crumbles instantly. They scan the crowd and find a group of card players talking about the scene earlier, to which one of them stands up and tosses Patch a gold coin for recognition. They catch is expertly once more and try to play the lute with it but it falls inside the loot and begins clacking around. After some jolly times are had, the party retires to their rooms to prep for the journey in the morning.

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