Quid Pro Quo! Race to the Treasure!

[The Angry Villager]

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Pagan watched from the aft deck as Captain Agate piloted the Raven of the Sea skillfully into the southwest docks of Occlo harbour. The sounds and smells of the busy docks getting louder as the ship got closer. The screetching of the Gulls fighting over the fish scraps added to the chaos.

Pagan wound his way down the stairs calling instructions to his men to shore up the ship securely and start the process of procuring supplies for the next voyage. Pagan disembarked the ship, made his way through the masses bartering on the dock & slid into the Tavern he was starting to get very familiar with.

Upon entering he ordered a tankard of beer from Katrina the Waitress and looked around for his intended target. Sure enough Slim sat on his favorite bar stool and was surrounded by a few men who looked at Pagan with hatred and suspicion. Slim cut a dashing figure in black with a strange vest like garment with foreign symbols down both lapels. He had changed little over the years. Pagan and Slim had been fast friends in the days of their youth doing everything together, good things & bad things. That had all changed because of the girl but that was another story better left for another day and not mentioned in present company.

Pagan moved towards the barstool next to Slim & waited for an acknowledgement. Slim took his time but finally he turned and looked at Pagan square in the face. "What brings you back here?" he said loudly for all to hear. Pagan looked intently into Slim's eyes and said quietly "Do you know who sent the Guards to Lord British's Courtyard?" Slim's demeanor changed at once.

Dismissing his angry friends, Slim led Pagan into the back room. "That my old friend is not something we need to discuss in present company". Slim chased out the ladies working the kitchen and shut the door behind them.

Many long minutes later they both emerged from the room having reached an understanding. Pagan would help Slim eliminate his greatest local rival, Billy the Butcher & his Gang of Thieves and Slim would help Pagan defend against his enemy who cannot be named.

Before the two men parted, Slim offered Pagan a warning. He said others had now heard of the treasure cave and were coming in search of clues. Among those searchers was a particular Fisherman named Maxwell whom they both knew. Slim said he had been approached by several parties asking about the treasure cave and he had given them all strands of nonsense to follow.

Slim gave Pagan his word that the information he would give the Rebels would be good. Quid Pro Quo.

Pagan left the Tavern and headed towards his ship. It was time to call the Rebels to Arms.

Time to wrap up business for the Butcher.

 

[The Angry Villager]

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[The Angry Villager]

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Ahoy Matey's, it is surely good to see you. I've just spent nigh a month in the Ocllo Jail with a few others of the Rebel persuasion. I was captured trying to escape the battle that brought down Billy the Butcher and his gang. I guess the citizens of Ocllo didn't like all the mayhem and destruction we brought to town that day. Our Jailors finally let us out because they were tired of feeding us & we stayed true to the cause and revealed nothing to them even under some torturous treatment.

Ah! Do you want to hear what happened at the battle? Of Course, listen up. Grab me an Ale! I'll tell you the story!

Locating Billy the Butcher wasn't difficult that day. Everyone who has spent any time in Ocllo could tell you where he was. He never strayed very far from his Den of Thieves north of the docks. He had been the town butcher before turning to a life of crime. He knew his way around a cleaver so said a few headless bodies buried deep in the meadows of the island.

Getting through all his gang members was going to be the problem. Billy's Gang had grown as the lawless reputation of Ocllo spread across the lands. Miscreants & Thugs from all over Britannia searching for easy money amongst other things walked off the docking ships to seek out Billy & his Gang. Loot was good & promise of more to come drove men into Billy's influence. An expanding empire caused Billy to consider his next moves.
Billy only had one rival stopping him from complete control of the entire island. Slim the Fence had more connections, more men and was a constant thorn in Billy's side. He began to make a plan to take out Slim the Fence once and for all and claim that well-worn bar stool for himself.

Pagan had promised Slim that the Rebels would neutralize Billy the Butcher in their last meeting in exchange for valid directions to the rumored treasure cave.

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To that end, we gathered in Lord British's Castle and departed the courtyard with a fairly large contingent of able-bodied men and women wanting some adventure. A Moongate was opened and the Rebel Party arrived on the outskirts of town right in the middle of the Hunter's camp, surprising a small band of Billy's men. Those men scattered before we could get organized but a search of the camp discovered a hastily scribbled note that said:

Boys,
Ol' Billy says tonights the night. He says he's tired of being number two. Time to prove our mettle, boys.
Billy says to grab the package from the Sorceror's Guild first, so if ya like yer hands, one of you get down there.
D.​

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We regrouped and headed for the Sorcerer's Guild where we found Billy's band of Brigands waiting for us. The battle was intense and no quarter was given by both sides. For a good hour, the fighting raged on in the streets as we slowly drove them back towards Billy's hideout on the outskirts of town.

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Once we rounded the last building, there was Billy standing there in all his nefarious glory, loaded with weapons and a sneer on his face. We anxiously waited for our men & women to regroup. They were already tired from the long street battle but ready for this last challenge.

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Charging into the fray and picking off brigands and rebels alike were the Reds & VvV fighters looking for prey like Carrion birds, striking weak & desperate targets on both sides. Billy was a very adept fighter and would not go down without the fight of his life. Fear gripped me several times as I watched the fighters. Being just a simple villager with a pitchfork never dreamed that I'd witness such brave fighting and live to tell the tale. Billy screamed with rage and agony as slowly the slashes and the hacking took away his strength and finally his life.

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A few well-placed explosives around the Hideout brought down the last of Billy's holdouts and the building itself. The Rebels had to work quickly as the Reds & VvV fighters still circled hoping for more blood and gold. The fighting lasted a good while longer but with the objective clearly accomplished, the Rebel fighters starting to withdraw taking our wounded and dead with them. I saw Pagan and a few other Rebel leaders board a ship that had come to take them to safety before the angry Ocllo villagers came and dragged me and the few unfortunates left on the shore to the Jail from which I just came. I need another Ale! Bring me the barrel ye Scallywags! I have a month of torture to forget!

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[The Angry Villager]

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Pagan watched from the deck as the Raven of the Sea slowly drifted away from the shore. He felt regret for the few remaining men on the beach and hoped they would be able to escape the angry group of citizens he could see coming towards the battle site. They had remained behind so that the ship, its decks covered with injured men and women could escape to a safer location. There had been time to load the ship with some of Billy's gold & arms, enough to continue the mission but Pagan was still counting on the directions that Slim the Fence had promised him to find the Treasure Cave and secure the finances to fund a long run for the Rebels.

After a few days of rest for himself and his remaining supporters, Pagan went back to visit Slim. Pagan was triumphant in the knowledge that the vanquishing of Billy the Butcher had gone so well that Slim would surely keep his word. Slim was pleased to see him but there was an unexplained unease between the two men Pagan instinctively sensed. Slim presented Pagan with a rolled up parchment map, assuring him that this was what he had promised. Slim shook Pagan's hand, turned and walked back into the tavern with a wide grin on his face. Slim relished the fact that life was good now that his rival was gone. Things were going to change around here and Slim was going to become very very rich.

Pagan waited until he was back on board his ship and behind locked doors with a few select men in his cabin before he unrolled the map and examined the lines and marks imposed over a map of Ilshenar. Pagan noted a big red X on the map and started to make preparations to go to the spot that he knew was dangerous and far away.

After a few days of travel and searching, Pagan stood on the spot located on the map. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary other than a few monstrous beings. A black obelisk with bright lights was close by as well as a full standing dress suit of armor with a plumed helmet.

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As Pagan turned to tell his men to come closer and inspect the area more thoroughly, a man stepped out of the shadows holding a parchment map very similar to the one he carried.

"Who are you? and what is that you are holding?" The man shouted at him.

"I should ask you the same thing about what's in your hand" Pagan said holding his ground.

"Seems to me that has brought you here as well as I." The man said as he waved his parchment around to signal his own men to come closer. "Are you in search of something?" asked the man.

Pagan cautiously studied the man and finally recognized him as Maxwell the Fisher. "Well it seems to lead to a dead end," Pagan added with anger in his voice.

Looking around Maxwell gestured towards the armor. "I agree." He said, "The only thing I see here is this suit of armor, the axe is able to move acting like a lever, but I'm not sure what it does."

Pagan took a step closer to the armor stand and said "Only one way to find out" as he reached over and pulled the lever before Maxwell could react.

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Suddenly all manner of monster & hellfire creatures were summoned from whatever domain Pagan had unleashed by pulling the lever. Both sides battled for life and supremacy in a long and dangerous fight from this anonymous enemy.

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Pagan stood on the top of a tower and shouted encouragement to his rebels while Maxwell joined the out edges of the fray, healing his followers as the fighting intensified with one large creature who seemed to lead the rest of the evil beings. Finally, the large creature fell to the ground in agony and death to the combined efforts of both groups of fighters. Great pools of black blood flowed from its wounds as if releasing some terrible magic all at once.

Pagan stood brooding silently on the tower while he watched the living and the dead below wondering if this was Slim's handiwork. It would be just like him to set a trap for his last two rivals for the treasure cave so he could keep it all to himself.