004_20251113

Notes

Our franchise employee's start the session in the magic circle.
Runes in the floor and ceiling pulse with Hexcorp’s magitech blue-green glow. The hum grows into an almost musical vibration. Jim Darkmagic’s sigil appears briefly within the light — this is clearly designed for him, not for you. But the party’s presence has confused the enchantment, trapping them instead. The runes distort and shift, hinting that the circle is unstable.

The Hexcorp operatives look at the pulsing energy. Scared and worried Professor Malrick yells. IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE! RUN!!!

They try a bunch of things to get free. Hacking / scratching the runes on the floor. Touching the boundary of the circle with objects. Even undressing and trowing all belonings out of the circle. Casting any magic seems to be blocked. While doing so the circle pulses with energy. Screaching and crackeling. Slowly chipping away on the mental strength of the characters.

Eventually they manage to escape by throwing water on the runes so they seem to desolve slowly. Freed they set track to find the members of Hexcorp that contained them briefly. Thier cart and horse is gone. But they can't be far away.

After a good amount of time tracking the footsteps and cart tracks they see a cart across the road ahead. Theirs... tipped on it's side and left behind. No one arround it. With the use of floating disk the party manages to take the cart with them without any issues and they continue their pursute.

The sun sets in the mean time, but the party still likes to catch these evil Hexcorp people. So they decide to continue through the darkness. Eventually a campfire up a head is spotted. Slowly approaching, but it seems to be left behind. The camp fire seems magical though. So they investigate and find the source of the magic close in a bush.

An intern of Hexcorp called Bjorn Fiddler. Slender and scared he tries to run. The party knocks him out quickly. Fidelia picks him up and ruffs him up a little. To the point of him getting knocked out again. A lot of questions reveal that he was ordered to distract the party. And that he is scared to die. He tells the guy known as Professor Malrick he knows by the name of Devin. No last name though. The party suggests he betters his life and join them instead. Though he is affraif of what Hexcorp will do to him.

Under force he signs a contract to join Acq Inc. Eventually they decide to camp for tonight, as they have no idea if they are gaining on the Hexcorp people and exchaustion is on their mind.

Long Rest

With new light and a good sleep the party gets back to Longsaddle and head straight back to Headquarters. Tell the story to Clockett and have to file some paperwork again. Then it's deciding what to do next. Clockett tells them that their friend from the tavern came arround with a message. He has a job for them.

So options they discussed is.

First they ask Clockett to get in touch with Acq Inc's legal team and see if they can sue the actions of Hexcorp. Then they decide to check out the job at the tavern.

Over at the tavern the innkeeper tells them someone mentioned yesterday that they would have all died on a mission. So he is supprised to see them. The job however is from Elira Harthwell the major. She is looking for someone to collect the taxes as something happened to her old worker.

QUEST: Tax collecting

They receive a Tax Ledger.

Further they discussed what happened and that Hexcorp might have done something illegal. Elira Harthwell listens and likes to hear the witnesses.If this is true she might need to kick Hexcorp out of Longsaddle.

So the party collects Bjorn Fiddler and delivers him to the major to tell his story. In the mean time they are going to start collecting taxes.

First they head to the tavern and they innkeeper requests them to lower the taxes for him as they caused damage to his basement in an earlier job. They have a negotiation and eventually settle on a deal. Only half of the taxes owned in exchange they can get a lower price on renting a sleeping quarters in the tavern to act as their Headquarters. They are allowed to use the tables in the tavern for meeting area and put logo's on them. A small sigh with their name outside is also allowed. Last they are allowed to set up a chicken coop on the outside.

Next they head to Torzan Romp the farmer. He says he lost profit due to him losing chickens. To them as payment. Brike Honeywell makes a deal with Torzan Romp for 3 GP and 5 SP worth of chicken feed and 1 rooster. In exchange for no taxes.

Next they head to the trouble maker Rurik Ironhand a blacksmith that lives outside Longsaddle in a small hamlet. The drarf tells them he is getting treated unfairly... As Hexcorp doesn't need to pay taxes at all. And he challenges the party to see what happens under threat of a pichfork.

A long back and forth leads them to discuss a trade of goods instead of taxes. Though they are in need of some money, as only making deals without money will burn them dry.