Session Date: 1/8/2024
Recap: the secret spy lady goes by Ephiny Lunt and Agent Bryce.
Things to do:
- Find somewhere safe to be
- The trees??? For Joe?
- Axamonar left to “do some research” — he’s napping
On the way back to somewhere safe, Bosch complains wondering how Lunt managed to infiltrate this warehouse. Bosch then asks how Tabby managed to teleport through the guards, and Tabby says that he just moved quickly and the guards just weren’t very bright.
We make it back to the Murky Dragonfruit and Mary and Tabby are a bit concerned about Agent Bryce. She seems to be tied into things more tightly than we originally thought: she’s clearly much more tied into the political machinations than we thought. We grow concerned that perhaps the Murky Dragonfruit is compromised and no longer safe for us to stay, but there is nowhere else for us to really stay. The thought crossed our mind to ask Joe, the druid, if he had any ideas, but he was off to try to warn Bobbi about the Clapperclaw wizard. We could ask Kevin, his rat familiar, if he had any idea.
All of us discuss and we pull Gurt into the conversation. Gurt is not thrilled at the idea of a bar fight, but he has a place for us to hide if needed. We explain we’re not sure if this fight is actually coming, or if it’s even worth being concerned about. We have some side conversations about what we will do and Gurt offers to keep us safe, and he mentions he’ll ask for some guys to hang around and keep an eye open for trouble. Gurt laments that Mr. Rumble is not available today (visiting relatives tonight) so he won’t be in. Gurt calls out and says that there is one round on him for the evening. Bosch stands and calls out after and says that if they help out, he’ll do a favor for them later. He then retreats to hide in the rafters before trouble shows up.
An uneasy quiet falls over the bar as we sit around, and Gurt waits a minute, then calls out that we will take care of things if stuff happens, and that the round will happen after combat and not before.
Later, Captain Idwal Ram comes in with a group of guards. Gurt says that this isn’t a cop bar, and Idwal Ram says that it will be a cop bar tonight. Very deliberately, Idwal comes up to the bar to put some coins up there and says that Gurt can keep the rest. Idwal asks for a pale ale, and Gurt starts to move. Idwal isn’t looking at us as he lounges on the bar, sipping the pale ale, but his troupe takes a table and stares directly at us. They’re all drinking slowly. By chance, Bosch is directly above Idwal.
Tabby raises a mug toward the troupe of guards. Tabby walks up and suggests that Idwal should leave and take his boys now so they avoid getting hurt. Idwal laughs and asks if he’s trying to intimidate him, and Tabby says no, it’s a friendly warning. Idwal laughs and says that when he gives friendly warnings, a limb is broken, and it’s not his. Tabby asks why he’s here if this isn’t a cop bar, and he explains that is just out for a drink with some friends, which isn’t a crime. He would know. Tabby insinuates that he’s corrupt, which he weasels out of, and Faylen mutters that he’s good at being a bully under his breath. Tabby calls him out for being a real jerk, and Idwal says that’s rather quaint to say. Tabby asks if he’s ready to leave, and Idwal asks if he’s unwanted here. Tabby says he wonders what gave him that idea, and Idwal gave a shark-like grin asking if he wants to be arrested for disturbing the peace.
Idwal says his own peace is already disturbed, and Tabby says good, leave. Idwal says he will not leave.
Talitha suddenly says, “Oh no, Kevin!!” and jumps out of Mary’s pocket and Mary sees that Kevin has come inside and is wounded from something. He is not going to die despite being hurt. It seems as if something had stepped on him and it doesn’t look at all like a shoe had stepped on him, an animal did not ravage him. It may not have been malicious, but it was definitely enough to wound him. Mary helps him with his wounds to stabilize him and he says that something got Joe, but he doesn’t know what’s going on. Mary asks where and what, and Kevin starts to speak but she doesn’t quite understand city rat — she gets the words monster, blood, and danger.
Outside there is a howl that sounds like a normal wolf to Faylen and Bosch, but Mary and Tabby know that this is something else. Faylen asks how a wolf got into the city and Mary says that this isn’t a wolf. Idwan looks at his watch and says it’s time for him to go, there’s others for him to arrest. Tabby tells him we’ll kick his ass later, and Idwan says no, we won’t. He and his entourage leaves, and Gurt tries to bar the doors. A giant monstrous wolf amalgamation bursts in. We enter combat after it takes a big bite out of Faylen.