Week nine -- Vaughn

So I had planned a brief trip -- I had some business that needed my attention -- small matters, really.  I didn't expect my traveling to take very long and was relatively mundane.  So I ... more or less... neglected to tell anyone in the group. 

Anyway, that was coming up when we were just finishing with the tentacle-inducing airship.  We had wrapped up acting heroic, when two runners were spotted heading toward us.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make some money, and I was excited whne someone took up my bet!  ... I lost, but I'm not bitter about it.  Sometimes that just how those things go.  Anyway, the two runners bore messages: one was a distress call from a village suffering from animated treasure chests with bad loan reparyment options, an done was a meassage from Charles D. Ward.  Apparently another adventuring party was looking for members, and Charles had thought of us.  How sweet.

Everyone seemed to be short of cash, so we headed for the treasure chests... I mean, the suffering and oppressed villagers.  After arriving, we did some quick intel and found the offending treasure chest.  Apparently, you either paid it some exorbitant sum, or it ate you.  Seemed pretty harsh, so we destroyed it.  The remaining villagers were very grateful and rewarded us handsomely.

So we went to attend to our other business, the referral from Charles D. Ward.  The group seemed a little preoccupied with a particular arrangement of passion worship, but not much else.  It seemed a little silly to me, but you know I don't really get into that sort of hoopla.  But they did have a map and a key that sparked my interest, so I stuck around.

You know, I was actually surprised when the first member of their twam went missing.  But as the next six took unexplained absences, I started thinking of them as less obstacles to breaking into their room to steal their stuff.  With two remaining, I made my move and retrieved what I had wanted.

Upon my return, I leaned that there was only one of the other party left, and he was some sort of... something... not good.  He wanted our help, and I thought, why not?  I was heading out of town anyway, and of course my party is all very competent.  So it was settled.  I make fantastic decisions for other people!