The Dragonfly Rises
Following their discovery of the kobold battle leader Rekarek, the heroes attempted a peaceful resolution. Unfortunately, Rekarek was unyielding and launched a violent assault. A brutal combat ensued in which the heroes sustained serious injuries, but they triumphed, subduing Rekarek and his kobold lieutenants.
Madame Celestine
From there, the heroes explored a large outdoor balcony that led them toward the summit of the Dragonfly Pagoda. Moving quietly, they came upon a final room where they heard the chanting of humorous workers’ slogans. Inside, they found Skerix—the leader of the Stonescales—along with three kobold warriors and a number of bound human hostages. The kobolds had fortified their position behind crates and boxes, ready for confrontation.
Unlike Rekarek, Skerix was open to diplomacy. Cole and Dragonfly engaged her in negotiations. They explained that Rekarek had been captured and offered assurances that she would not be held responsible for the earlier deaths. Dragonfly even theatrically suggested burning the building down to escalate their leverage. Ultimately, instead of resorting to such tactics, the heroes left the room to parley with Ama Uomi outside.
Ama agreed to improve the kobolds’ pay and working conditions, and when the heroes relayed the offer back to Skerix, she accepted. The standoff ended peacefully.
During an interview with Cole, Skerix admitted she had little knowledge about the missing Minkaian stonemasons. She mentioned that they had left the Pagoda to confront Jeremin Hoff, the labour broker responsible for their employment, and had not been seen since. Skerix blamed the poor conditions on Hoff’s notorious stinginess and corner-cutting.
Impressed by Dragonfly’s diplomacy and presence, Ama ceremoniously named him “Dragonfly”—a name the Fetchling accepted with pride.
Cole’s background in Absalom’s underworld proved valuable. He recalled Jeremin Hoff’s reputation as a shady, though never convicted, operator. Hoff resides in a fortified bunker in the Absalom Undercity called the House of Planes—a speakeasy for the city’s elite criminals.
Back at Edgewatch Headquarters, the party briefed Sergeant Ollo. Ollo proposed the heroes infiltrate the House of Planes undercover. Cole revealed knowledge of a secret back entrance located in a graveyard in Eastgate.
To aid in their undercover mission, Ollo summoned Madame Celestine—the aging, flamboyant curator of the Edgewatch Wardrobe. Draped in elegant styles from sixty years past and bursting with enthusiasm, Celestine dressed the agents according to her memories of long-gone stage legends:
Cole reminded her of Bogarthan Noir, a moody, brooding actor of detective dramas.
Dragonfly brought to mind Borz Karnofsky, famed for portraying eerie and unsettling roles.
Arrem evoked Gregorasory Peckwin, a performer known for playing straight-arrow lawmen.
Celestine dressed Cole and Dragonfly in dramatic, stealthy coats and cloaks, while Arrem remained heavily armed beneath a hastily added costume. His noisy, cumbersome gear clashed comically with the stealthy attire, adding levity to the moment.
