Robbing from the Rich

After the mysterious red crystal embedded itself in Sinas's chest, he inexplicably knew the way out of the dark caverns. Trusting his newfound sense, the party followed him and soon found themselves navigating the sewers beneath the city. They located a manhole and climbed up into an alley, emerging into the bustling streets above.

As they made their way to Bergold's house, an explosion rocked the street, sending people into a panic. Amid the chaos, Bergold urgently called for the group to follow him, warning that the streets would soon be unsafe. Once safely inside his house, Bergold paid the group the promised 200 gp. They were introduced to his daughter, Alinora, a bard much to Bergold's chagrin. Johnathan seemed quite taken with Alinora, but Bergold quickly reminded him that she was already engaged through an arranged marriage.

Bergold offered the group more work and asked them to return the next day to meet his associate, Artemes Isham. Eager to discover the source of the explosion, the group ventured back into the streets. The guards, although uncooperative, revealed that there had been an assassination. Johnathan's probing questions irritated the guards until Vorden stepped in to calm the situation. The guards, still disdainful of the noble’s company, nearly arrested the group when Shadow innocently asked for directions.

The following day, the group returned to Bergold's house to find him distraught. While he was underground, his daughter had sent a letter bearing his seal to call off her engagement. As they were processing this, Artemes arrived to discuss a job offer. Artemes explained that he needed the group to steal a blue crystal pendant from the private museum of Muskelon, a wealthy man who had swindled a widowed woman out of her family heirloom. Vorden recognized Artemes as a wanted man but kept this to himself. He had also met Muskelon and considered the man insufferable. Muskelon truly believed that he was superior to those not born into nobility.

The woman had been promised a home and enough gold to support her three children, but once she handed over the pendant, guards evicted her from the house, leaving her homeless and penniless. Now, Muskelon planned to auction the pendant in two days. The group agreed to take on the heist, noting the similarity between the blue pendant and the red crystal embedded in Sinas's chest. Artemes promised to investigate the connection and also offered to have an expert examine the Dharetti stone tablet, which seemed to describe a fasting ceremony.

Vroden knew that even if Muskelon had every penny in the kingdom it would not be enough to satiate his greed. His concerns about Artemes were pushed aside for now. Helping this woman retrieve her stolen property was most important, and if he got to create a bit of a headache for Muskelon at the same time then so be it. He and his friends were about to plan a heist.