Tonight we played the first act of a story in Venture by Riley Rethal as a band of adventurers in a capital city at the sea, Port Royal, rife with rumors of curses and home to a magical academy. Our number include Nelrim the Wizard, Alexander Smith the Paladin, Alder the Cleric, Perebraithe the Bard, Orenn the Rogue, and Melor the Fighter.
Our story begins when Orenn brings an elegant, beautiful parrot to Perebraithe, who he names Windbright. After Perebraithe expresses his gratitude for the gift, Orenn promises to never leave his new friend’s side. When Alexander Smith arrives in Port Royal, he demands Melor direct him to the evil in the city, so he sends the paladin down to the docks. At the healing Temple, Alder is interrupted by Nelrim who has an experimental spell he’d like to try for healing people that would bypass the complicated process the clerics employ. While Alder is all for more ways to help people, she is worried about possible negative consequences. From out of those waiting for treatment, Alexander Smith, fresh from a beating on the docks, volunteers for Nelrim’s experimental treatment and asks after the curse he’s heard emanates from the Academy. We first hear about an evil wizard inspiring violence by luring victims into the woods and laying a curse upon them here. Nelrim and Alexander Smith continue discussing the evil wizard as they leave the temple, form an alliance to put an end to this curse, and pledge to recruit a party who can end the dark wizard’s plans, beginning with Melor.
Perebraithe and Orenn go for a walk along the waterfront zoological gardens where the nobility go to walk their unusual pets. The noble with the peacock on a golden chain is the first to greet them and note that Windbright looks like the Marquis’s parrot, but the nobleman with the emu insists they are remarkably similar. But Orenn begins to scarf down the emu’s snacks and Perebraithe cannot convince him to stop even after promising him a pastry if he leaves it alone. Orenn leaps into the water and returns to the surface pulling out a watch, a comb, a cloak, then a body. The noble runs off to retrieve the city guard who take charge of the body, who appears to be the Marquis and confiscate Perebraithe’s transit papers, which will prevent him from leaving the city. Orenn swam away but noticed strangle marks on the victim’s neck. In another part of the city, Melor reunites with his Alder after a long absence; they discuss the problems in the city and increased acts of violence that have kept the Temple full of those seeking healing. She suggests that the fighter seek out the strange wizard about his next job.
Having secured the services of Melor and hearing about the death of the Marquis, Nelrim is certain his death links to the activity of the dark wizard and decides to seek out the one’s who found the body. Catching up with the bard Perebraithe performing in a tavern, Nelrim and Alexander Smith discuss the dark wizard’s power and the mysterious death of the Marquis with Perebraithe and Orenn when a brawl breaks out in the tavern. Perebraithe calms the crowd using his powers, but the brawlers are acting unconsciously and don’t know why they started fighting. But the fighting continues and one senseless brawler comes at Perebraithe with a long dagger, so he dives in between and takes the blade in his arm. Arriving just in time to witness this, Melor smashes through the remaining brawlers and the crew race to the temple carrying the injured rogue. Melor leads them through streets filled by a crazed melee as the curse spreads throughout the city. When they reach the Temple, Alder is able to heal Orenn, and pledges to help the team in their battle against the evil wizard.
Story Games Club 