Session 128
Pre-dawn, 12th of Tanrilden
Having made it back to the sewers after leaving the Thornton manor, the party is kind of quiet, left standing around underground, unsure of what to do next. Eventually, we remember the time, and signal our ship. Talking to Sturloc through the magical brooch, we learn that they are currently anchored just our from the island harbour, Thorfus passes on the information of our situation, including the location of Grell.
Sturloc is understandably unsure of what to do, and has misgivings of even going near Hugue’s island with Em on board. He tells us to try not to die, and signs off. Ronan suddenly brings up the idea that the brooches aren’t necessarily a pair, which has us questioning a few things.
Deciding to stay underground until at least afternoon, there is nothing we can do but get moving, and decide to head towards the bath house beneath the University. We begin heading towards the direction Malakor was going, west and then south, looking out all the while for tracks or other signs of their passing. Eventually finding some signs of passing of a large group going either west or south themselves, and we follow them south. From there, the trail keeps south through several junctions.
In one of the junctions, Chuq suddenly feels a chill before a deep croaking echoes throughout the chamber. From out of the sewage, a number of Bullywugs leap up and attack, wounding Chuq in the process. As they strike at us, many more come charging from the surrounding tunnels.
Their numbers initially seem dangerous, but our counterattack fells seven before they can react. They turn to run, allowing the two dwarfs to cut down another two, Chuq stunning a third. Leaving the rest to disappear into the tunnels, we set about tying up the stunned Bullywug ready for questioning.
The creature is near naked, and clearly more emaciated than the ones we fought many months previously. These Bullywugs, if they are the same tribe, have clearly not been doing well. A few carry small pouches, filled with little more than worthless scraps; , goblin skulls, bones and even scalps that could’ve been human, though we do find a a couple dozen silver pieces and maybe twice as much copper. One of the pouches have rudimentary scrimshaw, a representation of Bullywugs bowing to what is probably a Devilfish.
Thorfus interrogates the prisoner, initially in Goblin, but learning that it speaks Common, albeit badly. It is not very forthcoming, and less than happy to realise we were the ones to have chased them out of the bathhouse before. He seems to think all the goblins are gone. We make it point the way to the bathhouse, though the directions are vague, so we push him to his feet and make him lead on a leash.
We continue south past half a dozen junctions, before veering east for another four, then south once more. After the second southerly junction, we start descending a slope that leads to a different junction that splits east or south-west rather than the four cardinal directions. Here, it is damper and there is a lot more sewerage, the surroundings looking more like a previous adventurer below ground.
The Bullywug leads us east, ignoring a passage leaving south and then another leading north. For the first time, the Bullywugs pauses at potential courses changes, but remains relatively sure of his direction. He takes the next southerly passage, which slopes down again. Here, the water is running quicker. At the next branch, he turns east crossing a little footbridge into a tunnel in a state of ill-repair.
Our prisoner seems to be quickening the pace here, prompting Thorfus to pull him back, and he indicates we are nearing the end of the journey. Worried about the creature raising an alarm, as he does seem to be slapping is feet harder and louder, and Chuq suggests Ronan carry it.
Continuing east, Thorfus takes the lead and remains on lookout. Another north branch we pass smells like something rotten, and the lack of running water suggests that passage is blocked in someway. Eventually however, we stop after hearing a noise in the distance, something running towards us from he north. Chuq reads dumb hunger and at least four entities, so we prepare to fight.
At the edge of our infravision, the dwarves see creatures moving across the floor and ceilings. They resolve themselves into the forms of centipedes with tentacled heads, each around 9ft long. Ronan tosses the Bullywug into the centre as a distraction, which croaks and closes its eyes. The first two creatures descends upon him, another surging past at Axel. Axel is able to get a shot in at his attacker, wounding it greviously, but both he and the Bullywug go stiff with the paralysing venom of the creatures.
Thorfus is quick to counter Axel’s attacker with another heavy blow, causing it to fall from the ceiling, dead. Adhemar brings down another with a flurry of blows, before Edan fills the passage with magical webbing, entangling all but one, which continues to attack. Thorfus gets caught in a ferocious assault and falls to the paralysation effects.
With the webbing in place, the monks and Ronan are able to quickly dispatch the remaining creatures. Eventually, the dwarves and the bullywug feel their limbs loosen slowly and become able to move again. After pulling everyone away from the webbing, Axel lights it up with his flint and tinder to dissuade any further attacks and gives us access to what would be their lair. Thorfus pushes the bullywug into the passage, and we follow it until we find the obstruction.
A literal mountain of corpses fills the tunnel, human, goblin, bullywug and even a carnivorous ape skeleton lying amongst the refuse. After scanning with his skullcap, Chuq is able to read a colonial human, a bullywug and two goblins still alive in the pile. After checking for an Inquisitor’s mask, Chuq reassures the human whilst Thorfus dispatches both the paralysed bullywug and our prisoner. He and Axel free the goblins and explain the situation to them, citing that we know Malakor.
Sorting through the bodies, we dig out some treasure. Ignoring the silver and copper, we recover 2125 gold pieces and a number of gemstones. We take some time to divide up the gold into sacks, by which time the human awakes and begins talking and thanking us. His name is Haunild Gotmeld, and had come below ground to deal with a sewerage problem, losing his entire group in the process. Luckily, none of the others were in the pile, and he’d been dragged here, so he reasoned the rest of the group escaped. From his story, it seems he entered from the same grate outside the University we used to use.
We convince the goblins to lead us to the bathhouse. They knew of this area, and generally avoided it, but are pleased to see the corpses of the creatures and bullywugs. As we follow the goblins, Haunild expresses the desire to leave as quickly as possible, and after swearing him to secrecy and giving him some gold. We agree for him to go.
They lead us back west, and then south-west, stopping at pointing the way to the bathhouse. At this junction, we see the faded yet familiar site of chalk markings noting ‘GFC’. With our bearings now on track, we escort Haunild back to a grate to the surface, then continue following the goblins back south back along a familiar trail. Before long, we are back at the broken wall with its waterfall leading down into a room with pillars and mosiacs. The saltwater smell previously present is now thankfully gone.
As before, we tie off a rope, and clamber down into the entrance to the bathhouse. Chuq senses nothing with his helm in the immediate vicinity, so we head towards a pair of double doors, until he begins to pick thoughts that sounds goblin-like. One of the goblins with us heads up to the door and knocks the ‘secret knock’, a 1, 1-2, 1-2-3 pattern, and then leads us into the large chamber where we had our first altercation with the Bullywugs.
As we enter, the goblins exchange cautious greetings with other hidden goblins. Eventually, Malakor is brought to us, and he thanks us again for saving more of his people. The deal still stands, we can pass through to the tomb, or stay here and rest. He asks for our word that the men and dwarves (meaning the archaeologists) won’t be returning, which we give, and he offers us a room with beds to stay in since they won’t be using it.
Thorfus asks after the dwarven warrior automatons that were present in the tomb previously, though the goblin believes they were taken. He checks to make sure, but aside from a patch of what may have been blood, there is nothing. We retire to the rooms in the south. They are a little stuffy, being old sauna rooms, but functional enough to rest in.
We bed down for a few hours, roughly until what we believe is around 3pm, giving Edan time to recuperate his spells. The goblins leave us mostly to our own devices, and we decide to leave and head back towards Thornton Manor, utilising Chuq’s helm to ascertain if it is safe to head up to the surface. On the way out, Ronan hands over a few darts as a gift, to which the goblins on guard repay him with a rat. Apparently, it is good food.
We make good time back to the sewers beneath Thornton Manor. On the way, Chuq managed to catch small hints of nervousness and worry from above, though no references to us, as well as some sadness at the death of Darvo. Getting close enough to the guards, he can tell they are on edge, as there has been some attack on Thornton. There is also a lot more guards present, as there are a number of high-ranking officials within the house. A Greycloak present has apparently been ordered to bring in the Starchie Boyz if seen, though he harbours some misgivings about those the Chief Magistrate is meeting with.
The party climbs up out of the sewers, and approaches the gates to the manor. The Greycloak approaches and asks if we were Baldric’s Boys, visibly surprised at the presence of the Master of Spring. Apparently we are welcome to enter, although he is thinking about the sight of the Master of Spring lying dead in the hall of the manor. It seems as if the agreement is proceeding.
We follow him through the front door, as the meeting is taking place in the main hall, with many more double-takes at Adhemar’s presence. In the hall is six men, one is ‘Thornton’, joined by five older men. On the floor are three corpses, one of which is the exact twin of Adhemar, the other two being the cook and the butler. He asks us to explain, so Axel steps fowards and begins pulling at the corpse-Adhemar’s face. He struggles with it, but eventually the ‘face’ begins to pull away, seemingly attached by some sort of sticky goo. Eventually it comes away, resolving into a plain silver mask.
The man beneath, is Ir’Alle.
Now eyeless, the ex-cleric of the Baldric’s Boys lies dead on the floor. ‘Thornton’ points out it must be Imperials, before recognising the cleric, and pointing out that he was a cleric of Xen’Telar. He explains the events of last night, how Ir’Alle impersonating Adhemar had slain Darvo, claiming that the Order of the Celestial Dragon had allied with the Empire.
We check the clerics body, finding no visible change but for his eyes, and a knife wound in his back. ‘Thornton’ says he threw a poisoned dagger at him. We do find a scroll however, written in Ancient Dwarven;
Brother Ir’Alle,
It is essential to reinforce Midmark’s hatred of the Empire. To that end, your mission is as follows: 1) Use the stolen Inquisitor’s Mask and Ancient Dwarven magicks we have provided to traverse the Shadow Realm like an Imperial Dervish while wearing the face of Adhemar, Master of Spring. Kill Patriarch Darvo in front of as many witnesses as possible; 2) Deliver a message to the Chief Magistrate that the Order of the Celestial Dragon has allied with the Empire and that together they will crush Midmark. Plant the idea that Thornton must ally with us to avoid that fate. Only then will we bring back Grell to reverse the Magistrate’s recent moves against us.
Varkum Krai’Thalum
Thorfus translates for everybody gathered, which causes some unrest among the officials until ‘Thornton’ can quiet them. Despite implicating the Empire, the letter was sent from a Lord of Xurnost’khel, a member of the Silver Throne. ‘Thornton’ takes great pleasure in laying out the plot, winking at the party as he does. He turns to the Lords, explaining that several Greycloaks had apparently reported plots to assassinate several Midmark leaders by the Silver Throne. Thorfus pipes up and throws Grell’s name into the mix.
Clearly, he says, someone is trying to turn us against the Empire. ‘Thornton’ is pulling out all the stops to shift tensions and blames to the Silver Throne from the Empire. Not entirely disagreeable, but so blatant it’s a wonder the lords cannot see it.
We relay our exploits in the sewers, and one of the older council member pulls out his purse with some senility, handing us three silver pieces and advising us to invest. His name is Rand Gatesheved. Another steps forward and introduces himself as Flann Kastens, thanking us.
Pulling back to the situation at hand, we make sure to check over the cook and the butler, confirming their identities. Both their throats had been slit.
After checking that Grell’s warrant still stands, Thornton gently pushes the Council of Elders out, promising to meet them later in the afternoon. Once gone, he tells us more of Ir’Alle’s fate. He had been on a ship called the Yellow Harpy when it had gone missing. In reality, it had been caused by Imperial Privateers, and Ir’Alle had died under torture. The missing eyeballs was apparently a reference to the Ancient Dwarven clerical custom, the very same Axel had seen on Moysant.
He also explains that whilst Xurnost’khel is the home of the Silver Throne, reportedly the leadership of Xenilum’khel is almost entirely tied up in the company. He offers to give us a list of names of who not to trust, though it may be possible to begin disentangling Axel and Thorfus’ home from them.
When we confirm we intend to deal with Grell once and for all, he says he will send a message ahead so that his agents step aside so not to get caught up in it.
Ronan also puts forward the idea, that whilst our group has been known by many names, it’d be a good thing if we had some sort of title or badge that shows who we work for. Something to solidfy our ties to Midmark. ‘Keepers of the Council’ is put forward, which ‘Thornton’ quite likes and he believes he could swing positive votes for. All he asks is that we bring in Grell dead, so that he cannot talk, as there had once been talks to allow him to return and reclaim his family home.
‘Thornton’ overall seems quite happy with the way things have gone.
After cleaning up, we call the ship to let them know we’re coming. We leave the manor, and the Adhemar and the other monks take their leave for now, the monks expressing their misgivings and the unnecessary nature of some of what just transpired. We return to the ship by carriage, explaining the situation to our crew. Then we stop by the mill’s basement and take the time to lower the sub onto some heavy beams so we can retrieve the golden rope. After that, Almeric talks to several contacts to sell the oxen and wagon, which we sell for 160GP.
The ensigns have arrived, and we board. In the cabin, our group naturally has some questions about our heading. Sturloc asks several questions on Em’s behalf, including asking after ‘our grey friend’, to which Thorfus replies that he’d gone to join Talon. We discuss whether or not to tell her anything, but in the girl’s current fragile state, we decide to merely tell her Perette is on a mission right now. We also notice that Sturloc and Bellisente are walking around hand-in-hand.
After a quick debate with the harbour master’s men, needing to pay an extra day for berth, we set sail, heading for Hugue’s island.
