Session 19: Rough Justice - Part 1 Report

General Summary

Leaving Katrin's houseboat the party headed north through Turlin's Well with their surviving prisoner and the body of Wyte. They managed to get through the district without being seen by many although a nervous young guard approached them as they neared the Maiden's Cross and was bullish about their prisoner and the dead body. They managed to convince him that they should be allowed to continue and he accompanied them to the Maiden's Cross with other guards until Jenette Holycraft reassured them that all was well.   Jenette was very interested to hear of their progress so far. She seemed extremely eager to receive their prisoner for further questioning. The adventurers almost felt sorry for Trimble as he was roughly pushed towards a back room of the Inn, he cried out that he intended to leave the city immediately and not come back but the paladins ignored his pleading. The Inn itself was empty at this point and shortly afterwards the companions heard screams and frightened cries from the back room and then silence. It seemed the reputation of the Maiden's for using any method to get answers was well deserved. Jenette returned to the companions a short while later, grim-faced and cleaning her bloody hands on a cloth as she approached. She sat down with the party to discuss plans.   She suggested that the party should try to infiltrate the Black Market to find out more about the kidnapped girls. A plan was devised that one of the party would disguise himself as the Slave-Master Harlen Mesk and attempt to negotiate for the lives of the slaves. The other party members would act as guards for the Slave-Master. Holycraft offered them a chest of gold to help with the purchase.   The companions waited until dark, apparently the Black Market normally operated at night, and slipped away from the Inn, towards the west of the city. There were few around on the streets and those who were gave the party little notice.   Davros, disguised as the Northerner Mesk brazenly approached the entrance to the Black Market. Once again the large, burly men stood around the entrance and although initially wary and hinting that they were no fans of Northmen, they relented when they saw the gold and heard the correct password to allow passage into the Black Market and Slaver's Way. The companions headed down into the gloom and into the den of their enemies.....   They were led a long way through the tunnels, passed damp passages and crudely lit alleyways as a few undesirables watched them suspiciously from the shadows. The moved through storage areas and a large room with a raised platform and lectern which they determined was an Auction Room. After passing various passages they eventually they came to a door and the men who accompanied them knocked on it. Led into a well-furnished room they found themselves face-to face with the man they had been told was in charge of the kidnapping operation. Greeli, a small, narrow-shoulder and weaselly man looked down his nose at the arrivals. Davros did his best to convince Greeli that he was indeed Harlen Mesk and with some aid from Malcer as his second-in-command he managed to convince the man that he was who he claimed to be. After some discussion Davros was led away by several of Greeli's assistants to inspect the slaves. Giving a good impression of the slave master and warming to his role, he ignored the unpleasant smell of warm and unwashed bodies in the holding cells. He saw frightened and emaciated children and young women being held there. Several guards stood around and shouted cruelly at whimpering children as Davros headed back to the others.   Davros re-entered Greeli's office where the other's had been waiting nervously. The auction was due to take place shortly after so they made small talk with Greeli's whilst the waited. Refreshments were brought in and two guards stationed by the door whilst Greeli discussed prices with the party. It was at this point that the party decided to act, Malcer conjured a spell of silence and before they knew what had hit them the guards lay dead and Greeli was under attack. Unarmed and taken completely by surprise he never even made it out of his chair before his head was staved in silently from behind by a heavy mace.   Ruthless in their actions and aware that they needed to move quickly the party had dealt very efficiently and violently with their hosts.....