User blog:Terrorblades/The Masks of Baldur's gate: Part 1

So today I had my first time as a DM and well here is the story so far.

In early Uktar in the deepest of night a ship travelled towards Baldur's Gate, stopping far away from the harbour and letting the travels travel in to the city by raft. As the raft ended it journey, the old sailor whom had taken them there asked for a silver coin with his sea salted hand. His face lit up as he was given 4 silver coins, he helped his travels off the boat and then limped of the nearest tavern. The travellers steeped in to the cold Balduran night: A Dragonborn Barbarian, a Human Paladin of Tyr, a Forest Gnome Monk, A Human fighter, A Human Wizard(/cleric), A Wood elf ranger... The grey docks stood empty of life but filled with songs of the sea. The party travelled to the nearest tavern. The tavern held only cheep "ale" and rusty sailors, and distinctive pungent smells. The Wizard Yuki ordered ale and all it costed was a lose copper, but it tasted like it to. Judicael the fighter asked the tavern master for direction to a specific Inn that was recommended by his Cormyrian "comrade". The Tavern master never heard of the place, it sounded like a place deeper in town, probably east. Yuki's attempted to experience the next bar, only to find it just as the last one... the sailors looked the same and the smells where also the same. Judicael started to travelled east, at which point the party ended up following the only one that had a direction. Leaving the docks they took a side street where they heard strange mouing sounds... Further up the side street in a ally two people where standing and one was laying on the ground... moaning odd sounds. The people in the ally reacted to the strangers presence and started to walk towards them. As they steeped in to the light there pale and blueish skin was reviled and they stank. Attempting to stop the advancing "People" Judicael attempted to intimidate them to leave... there only response was to make sobbing sounds. Futher up the side street another 3 "people" appear also moaning and staggering towards the party. In battle the creatures started to sob due to pain or intimidation and they faired badly in combat and strangely they bleed in occasional pumping rhythms. When battle ended Yuki examined the corpses and found them to be strange, seemingly not held upright by solely magical means. The Flaming fist finally reached the ally and recognising the situation the Sargent simply walked in and observed the corpses. A quick private (fist) whispered to the Sargent. - "I'v been told you all just came of the boat? And due to resent history I know this wasn't done by you, so I need to you all in, don't worry your all regarded as witnesses." A special Flaming fist member walked in to the ally and started to take notes on the corpses and also found Keebra the Gnome monk hiding in a bush. After a long walk they reached Sea tower of Balduran. In the waiting room some party members cleaned the blood from there clothings and armour. When they meet the Captain he told them about the nature of the crime that they witnessed. - "Balders gate has been having these troubles of late, in the past six months there have been these strange creatures appearing occasionally in the city." The captain admitted - "Mostly there combined some similar traits like seaming to be strange "undead"." He continued The Fist has had no luck in trying to solve this crime and would welcome help... but not all do it for the kindness of there heart so they are offering a substantial reward. He told them not to leave the city during the investigation.

The Captain also warned the party to the danger of the new mercenary factions that have abused the lose laws on mercenaries of Baldurs gate. They hold territories, stores and power and they attack strangers and other factions. - "We would gladly have welcomed you to the gate 15 years ago but things have gotten out of hand..." The Captain said bitterly. The Captain asked the party if they where adventurers, the reply was no. So the captain then wondered why they where in town? The Paladin had come with a mission from his order and he asked the Captain if there where any Zent's in town. - "Hmm not that we know of, but if you find any please tell us. Don't want them here! My soldiers still hold a grudge against the bastards". Lilith the Dragonborn had come for unknown reasons. The Gnome was taken there and was hiding from some one. (and field a report to the Fist) The Judiceal had come for his own reasons and didn't wish to reveal them. The Wizard had come because there was going to be a huge even coming. Ara the Elf had come because she was on a journey to bring something back to her clan. - "You know that stealing is a crime right?" asked the Captain. - "y-yes we have the same rules where I come from." Ara replied. - "Ok, well you never know with forested peoples" With there businesses concluded most of the party travelled to the Inn that the Judiceal was recommended, getting a Flaming fist escort there. Only the Wizard travelled alone, she went long the west side of the lower city. At first she mostly saw strange men, with tattoos with crowns and lines, most of them where bald with other tattoos on them... After that she travelled to the next district filled with young adults people with miss mash of armours with symbols of "Harps" on them. There she went to a tavern for the night. For the other group the journey went along the docks there the flaming fist had the place covered. After that they went to the other territories that where held by others where the paladin asked for information about the other factions. All the Mercs fled in to the shadows when the Flaming fist came marching trough.

First of they entered the territory of "The Green Winds": - "They are mostly placed in a closely built place with tight spaces and strange allies (The besiegement)." The Sargent replied. - "There faction is built up on mostly people who are part of old bandit factions with only a small portion being differently dressed with a uniform. When the other factions started to appear they also took that rout to defend them selves, apparently there faction has its "roots" in Amn but there comrades in Amn aren't reachable any more." He explained.

After that they entered the territories of The "Telzoks Cleavers": - "They are also made up with old bandit factions in the city all serving the same banner now. There part of town is more tidy than the others, there "roots" are from somewhere south. This group has no uniform just the combining symbol of a axe with a black head and there leader has a affinity for dogs." He explained.

The last territory they entered was the "Truthsworn": - "Mostly known for being a rag tag faction of people whom been victims of other factions or just people who had enough. There leader by some old broken paladin we have been told, but there no real "leadership" in there faction. They have no uniform either there just got sword symbols on them."

Its here that they get of to enter the tavern "The True striker hall", there they buy a room for beds... as they started going up the stairs, a ruckus is herd down stairs. - "There attacking a a couple of streets away! There coming in full force!"

its here that it ended because we where all tired... and I still am. Sorry if my writing hasn't been that good I'm really tiered. EDIT: I have made some Edits to the text It might be more ok now! Any import would be lovely! Not to self for the future:
 * Not so many characters need to curse all the time.
 * Write down key words to stop your self from going "errrrmmmm"
 * Try to get the party togather.

So that's what's happened so far!