Knight’s Marvellous Menagerie
Last session, our fresh recruits in Absalom’s Edgewatch division tackled a whirlwind of danger, mystery, and heroics. After wrapping up their usual beat, Cole Umburo the Investigator, Catis the Swashbuckler, Glum the Fighter, and Arrem Kyndari the Cleric of Abadar returned to headquarters, only to be met at the door by an unusually agitated Sergeant Ollo. Word had just come in that several creatures had escaped from Knight’s Marvellous Menagerie, and the rampaging animals were wreaking havoc in the marketplace outside the zoo. It was up to the agents to set things right—and fast.
Battling the Cockatrice
Rushing to the marketplace, the agents encountered a scene of chaos. Merchants shouted warnings from behind barricaded wagons, and a lifelike statue of a merchant wrapped around a pile of vases stood frozen in terror. In the center of the market, a strange creature with the body of a chicken and bat-like wings screeched challenges at the crowd. Recognizing the creature as a cockatrice, the agents knew the risk of petrification was high. But despite its vicious attacks, the cockatrice failed to calcify our heroes, and after a hard-fought battle, the creature lay defeated.
Rust Monster in the Smithy
As the cockatrice fell, the agents heard cries for help from the north, where the blacksmith Parva Maock was desperately calling for assistance. Inside her smithy, a rust monster was tearing through her prized metalwork, consuming anything metallic in its path. Arrem noted that rust monsters were usually quite docile, so this unusual behavior caught everyone’s attention. Working together, Arrem, Cole, and Catis managed to eliminate the threat, although not before the creature had wreaked considerable havoc on Parva’s inventory. Grateful for the agents' quick action, Parva replaced their lost weapons and restocked Arrem’s bolts in appreciation.
Owlbear in the General Store
Following the sounds of crashing from a shop to the south of Parva’s smithy, the agents approached cautiously, and Arrem peeked inside. He was met with the sight of a large, rotund owlbear feasting on provisions from the general store. Realizing this beast was likely beyond their capabilities, the agents wisely chose to avoid confrontation, noting the creature’s location for the Edgewatch to address later.
Entering Knight’s Marvellous Menagerie
With immediate threats outside the zoo handled, the agents moved to the Menagerie grounds. A colorful arch with the cheerful slogan “Knight’s Marvelous Menagerie—Home of Rusty the Rust Monster!” welcomed visitors, though now the grounds seemed eerily abandoned. A scattering of Rusty-themed tickets covered the ground inside an empty ticket kiosk, where a cashbox lay forcibly emptied—proof that even a monster escape couldn’t deter Absalom’s more opportunistic thieves.
Blood in the Pool
Continuing their search, the agents approached the menagerie’s central pool, designed to showcase penguins in a decorative, iceberg-studded pond. Today, however, the water was murky with blood and feathers, and only one frantic penguin remained, squawking atop a rock. Suddenly, a giant viper sprang from the water, lunging at the agents with a ferocity matching the previous creatures. The snake landed several nasty bites before slithering back into the bloody water, deterred by the agents’ attacks.
Clues of a Deeper Mystery
From the hostile behavior of the animals to the suspicious state of the menagerie grounds, it became clear to the agents that something strange was affecting the creatures of Knight’s Marvellous Menagerie. Were these animals altered by some unknown influence, or had their enclosures been tampered with? The agents’ quick thinking, courage, and teamwork restored a measure of peace to the marketplace, but the mystery of the Menagerie remains unsolved.
Wrapping Up
The agents of Edgewatch performed admirably under pressure, protecting citizens, sparing lives, and working together to overcome each unique threat. But with so many questions left unanswered, their work is far from over. As Absalom’s centennial Radiant Festival draws more tourists and locals alike, who knows what further chaos might await our rookie heroes?
Stay tuned for our next session to see how this mystery unfolds!
