Book 2, Chapter 3, Verse 7 - Are You Guys Spies?

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Mona & the Disaster Boys find themselves in the midst of the exploratory arm of the Vez military. Hoping to find answers and allies, our heroes head to the Copper Baron in search of The Rat. Is he friend or foe? Will our heroes make it out of the PROVERBIAL lion’s jaws alive? Find out on this frosty new verse of Weal or Woe!

** SPOILER ALERT **

We last left the party staring at some serious war ships a few hours sailing away. They have a quick huddle about how they don't know they're coming and if they're criminals of the Vez Empire or not and what to do given this information. Claudia offers to come with Mona because the spell only lasts an hour and Mona isn't keen because she doesn't want Claudia to get hurt. (NAWWWW). Fogsmoore talks to his team about defecting to the Free Cities (JULZ: WOW holy crap!) and trying to help Mona and the Disaster Boys because he doesn't like that they have sullied the cause of science and exploration. He volunteers to keep Octavius to stop him from walking around knowing who they are.

They go back and forth on a plan for a while... (JULZ: it was hard to keep track of what exactly they were thinking. I'm waiting until they settle on something...) ... research explorers from Shadesmare Consortium who are looking for frozen bones? (JULZ: I'm still confused. Hahaha) Dragonsbreath docks and they're packing up and getting ready. Ani requests a white lab coat from Claudia and she comes up with a new person. She is 5.6 and wearing leathers and furs and has a pick axe. She has light skin and her hair is held back in a low ponytail with a fur hat on. She speaks and she sounds like Mona still, but her new name is Frank-e? Ani can see she's wrapped in the illusion magic and asks who helped. Mona says she had help from Lystra and a little from Claudia with make up and clothes.

They're bringing the mounts and they look back to see Octavius trying to leave but being blocked by Johnathon. They gap it before they get noticed and make their way past the soldiers to get into the town. Mona now has the best deception in the group which could be interesting. They test their story on these soldiers and with a tasty HP being eaten they pass it and get told where to head. They need to talk to Princeapus Posterior (???) for the whole exploration thing. We learn about the town as they walk through it, the soldier presence is extreme, as they look for the Copper Baron.

The walk into a bar and as the dancer hits the stage, Ani and Sabux clap drawing attention to themselves. The girls and the bartender in here look darker skinned, like they'd be from the free cities. As they settle in the bar there's a moment as that sinks in and they consider the implications of that. The bartender tells them that Pilus Primora Stephonous Leader of the 8th Cohort is drinking here with Priory Titus, Posterior Tiberius, Posterior Avitas, and two orcs Otho and Iggy. They all have their own groups. He asks the bartender about the RAT and if he knows him. He gets called off before he can answer, so they make a plan of what to ask. They get interrupted by the serving girl who gets nosy and they get nosy in return but she does say that her dad's only allegiance is to money.

Ani is outside with the animals and Claudia, he spots an Orc leading goblins in Vez Empire uniforms. He tries to ask Claudia about why she is here but doesn't get through yet. Back in the Copper Baron Sabux flags down the Rat and pays 100g for the information. They find out that Stephanous's specialty is finding things but he doesn't know what they're looking for. They get some info about Club Funtime where they would find some Orcs and some more information about where Bodel and the baby might be. Ani comes in at this point and walks to the group. The Rat says that Netty is on the desk at Club Funtime and they should ask them. (JULZ: I think you got ripped off, that was not 107g worth of information. I like that Mona was just gonna hand over more for nothing *crying*) The daughter of the Rat, Lucia, stops by to warn them that she hopes they didn't tell him anything too secret as his loyalty only lasts until the next lot of gold. (JULZ : Oh shit... they told him about the baby... SHIT). Sabux asks her if she's heard anything about a baby and she tells them that they're looking for something up in the Dragonborn mountains and there's something else they're looking for in the Northern Wastes. She also says they refer to whatever they're looking for as "The Prize" and whoever finds it gets a big reward.

Ani gets hollered at as someone yells for "Scientist" and he goes over reluctantly. They seem pleased that he's in the bar and drinking, as they didn't think the 'eggheads' did that. They want to get him a drink but they're asking questions. Blind Rat asks him to roll a stealthy perception roll to see the list as they ask what his name is and this may be the best thing I've ever heard. Do both stealth and perception add them together and divide by two. Can this be a thing always? hahahahaha. He catches a glimpse of the name Flavius Flavormoore (JULZ: Hahahaha I was thinking Flavor Flave too Laura. So good!) and uses that one but he turns down the drink. To help Sabi yells out that he could drink them under the table basically, and pretends to be the fisherman and cook with the signature dish of Salmon and eggs. Ani is pretty dirty about it.

We flick briefly into the bathroom where Claudia is 'doing' Mona and an orc walks in. Mona tries to cover it with pretending she is a cleric practicing her blessings and they manage to pull it off. She fixes Mona up and they have a cute little team chat as they prepare to go back out. Out there Sabi and Ani are sitting down getting ready to drink, they pound their ales with no problems and that's what Mona sees when she gets out. They walk past and head outside to get out of there. They're drinking sticky sweet mead and Joey eats another tasty HP as Ani nearly didn't make it but they both nail it. Sabux tries to drop in there that they could help look for anything they need while they're out there. His new drinking buddy Stephonous hands them a sending stone and says to let them know if they find anything and when they whisper his name into it, he'll know where they are. With some sense motive checks, they are assured that nothing fishy is going on there and take it.

Mona asks Claudia to take the Quayga back to the ship and she tears up as she leaves. She had hoped to stay with them but Mona tells her to leave despite that meaning that she will revert to elf form in an hour. They head towards Club Funtime and that's where we leave them!