Session 63 - Bloody Handshakes
Dristuul closes the hunt in blood and darkness, then opens it again with a handshake. By morning, old curses are broken, new alliances are forged, and no one gets away with the cinnamon trick.
The Confrontation at the Abandoned Tavern
- Dristuul threw two daggers at the blood-covered man from hiding, shouting: “You’re not Robyn!”
- The man — a stranger — fought back, retorting: “Are you friends with this fucker?”
- After a brief exchange of blows, both realised they were hunting the same target: Robin.
- The stranger revealed he is a part-time bounty hunter who has been tracking an organisation for years.
- He turned invisible; Dristuul tried to track him by smell but failed, eventually speaking to the empty air.
- Dristuul found Robin tied up, gagged, weak, and trembling in a stall. Robin laughed faintly upon seeing a familiar face, then grew hopeful.
- Dristuul spoke to Robin via psychic whispers, pretending to agree to team up against the stranger — promising to free him if he helped take the man down.
- As Robin’s hope returned, Dristuul stabbed him in the heart.
“You know they were innocent.”
- Robin mocked him while dying. Dristuul flew into a rage and repeatedly stabbed the body even after death, mutilating it.
- The stranger reappeared and asked if Dristuul knew about the organisation he was hunting — The Cradle.
- Dristuul said he had never heard of it. He did reveal, however, that he and Robin had both been part of the Black Senate.
- The stranger did not care about the Black Senate — only The Cradle.
- They introduced themselves: the man was Sneid Arkmos. Dristuul gave his name and they shook hands.
- Before leaving, Sneid studied Robin’s face, committing it to memory — “he will use it.”
A Toast to Finished Business
- Dristuul brought Sneid back to the Ambercup.
- Sneid was concerned about being bloody; Dristuul reassured him and offered to clean the blood with whiskey from his bottomless flask. Sneid accepted and now smelled strongly of alcohol.
- The bar keeper Dorrin was confused to see Dristuul again — he was supposed to be in his room.
- Dristuul and Sneid ordered expensive wine and celebrated finishing their business and not killing each other.
- Dorrin brought food to the table, for free, to accompany the good wine.
- Sneid explained he had been hunting The Cradle for years with little success; the group is extremely secretive and hard to track.
- He shared that he has a personal grudge against The Cradle — they killed people close to him.
- Dristuul mentioned the party might be looking for someone who knows about The Cradle.
- Dristuul asked Sneid not to mention the Black Senate to his party; Sneid agreed.
- Dristuul offered to pay for Sneid’s room; Sneid was grateful.
- They finished the entire bottle. Dristuul became very drunk.
- While going to bed, Dristuul forgot his keys and found his door locked. Sneid noticed his struggle and provided light so Dristuul could lockpick the door, despite being barely able to see the keyhole.
Morning at the Ambercup
- 8th of Undilar — sunny morning.
- The party gathered for breakfast in the common room.
- Korin arrived first and ordered food.
- Jaruul knocked on everyone’s doors to gather them. Nyxara was in a meditative prayer state and only responded after Jarul intensified his knocking.
- The party noticed Dristuul was missing. Korin went to check on him but got no response.
- They briefly discussed breaking into Dristuul’s room; a patron advised against it, and Korin abandoned the idea.
The Curse Is Broken
- Korin told Kailas he may have found a solution to their curse (from Sylva Goldenroar).
- Nyxara said she had the same idea.
- The three formed a triangle, holding hands in solidarity — Korin touching Nyxara and Kailas, Kailas touching Nyxara.
- Nyxara cast a curse-removal spell on Korin, freeing him.
- Korin cast the same spell on Kailas, also freeing him.
- They were finally free from the curse.
- Korin found his porridge gone and suspected Kailas — who had leftovers all over his face.
- Kailas performed a wild distraction, catching Jarul by surprise, and swapped bowls to get more food.
- Korin offered Kailas a spoonful of cinnamon as payback. Kailas tried to swallow it all at once, choked, and coughed cinnamon all over the table.
A New Face at the Table
- After eight hours of sleep, Sneid and Dristuul woke and went downstairs.
- Sneid sat at an empty table. Dristuul tried to join him, but Korin intercepted him and brought him to the party’s table.
- Dristuul told the group he’d had a rough night fighting “inner demons” and had met someone new, pointing to Sneid.
- Jaruul warned the group that Sneid looked suspicious and might be more enemy than friend.
- Despite this — and despite being in the middle of a super secret group meeting — Korin welcomed Sneid and invited him to join the table.
- Sneid joined, learned everyone’s names, and accepted an offer of porridge.
- Korin offered him a spoonful of cinnamon as well.
- Sneid, being an old soul, saw through the trick immediately — likely deducing it from the cinnamon-covered table. He simply mixed it into his food and ate normally.