Session 27 - Reluctant Assassins - Part 2 Report

General Summary

On stepping through the portal and feeling like they left their stomachs back in the room below the casino, the companions found themselves in a dimly lit vault. Silence greeted them along with two statues depicting the same imposing female figure in different settings. It was determined that these were images of the Red Goddess, thought to be an obscure aspect of Hecate, the Goddess of Evil Magic   The party moved forward cautiously but soon heard the sound of a woman's voice loudly berating someone to their right. Rounding the corner they saw a large goblinoid arguing with someone through a locked door, he immediatley attacked and was aided by an odd creature that approached the party from behind.  

  With the ability to seemingly turn invisible at will, this creature wounded Dillard before disappearing. It was thanks to the quick thinking of Dora that the companions managed to deal with the threat, the spiritual guardians that surrounded the diminuitive cleric rooted out the creature.   Behind the locked door were several young women who mistook the companions for their rescuers. Reassuring the women that they would return the party moved on, telling them to remain in the cell a little longer for their own safety.   Remembering Zalatha's advice, the party moved straight on through the centre of the vault. After being briefly delayed by spectres - spirits of previous sacrifices to the Blood Goddess - they moved through double-doors decorated in dark religious imagery and into a large area filled with hanging capsule-like containers. Blood dripped from the underneath of each of these capsule containers, along reservoirs and into a central collection point, from which the blood mysteriously vanished every few seconds. Tending these containers was a large armoured figure who ignored the companions until they approached.     Fighting off this attacker and a vampire-like woman who entered the room from the North aided by several blood-soaked abominations, the companions discovered the grisly truth about the containers. Inside each one was a young male or female human, unwillingly undergoing exsanguination in the name of the Goddess. Alas the party were too late for some but managed to save four of the unfortunate victims and healing was administered to stabilise them. Retreating with their stricken wards back to the women's cell, they left the victims in their care and continued onwards.   Beyond they found a large antechamber. Four large vats stood before them bubbling with blood and upon a raised plinth they saw a figure, dressed all in red and kneeling supplicant before a grotesque statue. Blood disgorged from the mouth of the statue and collected in a large basin over which the kneeling figure's head was bowed.   Attacked on all sides by dead men and the grisly blood zombies the companions grimly fought their way towards the figure whom they assumed to be Sister Alkava, Priestess of the Red Goddess, their target. As they approached she stood languidly and turned towards them, terrible arcane forces played her and a wicked but serene look was set upon her face.     She toyed with the party as they fought her undead servants, supremely confident in the power of her goddess and her own magical abilities:     As with many despots, over-confidence proved her downfall. She failed to take into account the strength of Koenig Ualraig Utharson of the Crimson Hold, Jarl of the Mithral Mines. Laughing to herself as she watched the adventurers fight off her mindless servants, Ualraig approached from her blindside and cut her down with one swipe of his mighty greatsword, Crimsonblade.   The threat of the Red Goddess at an end the party exlored the chamber. Distracted as they were by exploration and potential plunder, the party members failed to notice Dillard as he slipped down a side passage, curiousity taking hold of him. This very nearly meant the end for Dillard, a hideous blood ooze almost did for him as it emerged from a vat of blood. Thankfully his cool head and magical abiliites aided him in his hour of need and he quickly retreated realising that discretion was indeed the better part of valour!   Cassandra, horrifed by the evils commited here in the name of the Red Goddess smashed the blood statue and dispersed any evil magic that may have lingered. The reign of the Red Goddess was ended in this part of the world, for now at least....   The party returned to the cell and answered the calls of the residents of another cell. The blood ooze creature still lurked but aided by Cassandra, Dora and Ualraig, Dillard got his revenge. Grouch, guarding the rear bravely, depatched the last remaining blood zombie with a deadly and well-aimed shot from his arquebus and the assassination quest was at an end.   Figuring that they had time before the portal back to Bard's Gate appeared, the companions opened the heavy, barred doors which lead out from the vault. Bright daylight greeted them as they looked down upon a village. They were quickly spotted and shouts went up from the surging throng of approaching villagers.     Grateful parents rushed forward to comfort and hug their missing loved ones. Other stood aside looking concerned and pensive as their children failed to emerge alive from the bloody vault. Stout men from the village rushed into the vault and brought out the bodies of the dead. Wailing mothers collapsed over the bodies as Cassandra bowed her head and said a prayer to Freya   Amongst the grieving and confusion several village elders approached the party.     At this point Grouch innocently held up the severed head of the Red Priestess, leaving the villagers in no doubt that the danger had passed. Sadly, too late for some.   The elders spoke once more:   A small chest of gems and gold pieces was handed over and, explaining the circumstances, the adventurers relucantly left the warm, bright, autumn sunlight and returned to the oppressive atmosphere of the vault, to await teleportation.   Taking time to rest, the companions were dismayed and angry when no portal appeared after an hour as Zalatha had promised. They waited another hour to confirm their suspicions and realisation grew that they had been double-crossed. Zalatha and her employers had dealt efficiently and expertly with two problems at once.   They once again left the vault and made their way to the village dejectedly. Two of the elders spotted them approaching and enquired as to what they planned to do now. One of the old folk explained that the party now found itself on the edge of what was known as the 'Forest of Night' near the Amrin Estuary and it suddenly struck Ualraig that he was near his home! Zelkor's Ferry lay a few hundred miles to the North and the companions were now 1000 miles away from Bard's Gate!