Sessions 4 & 5: Against the Cultists

General Summary

Following up the lead from Flaming Fist informant Tarina, and confirming that information with the Guild boss, Goblin Benne, finds Belynor, Huru, Elias, Loki, and Douglas in the lush green courtyard of the Frolicking Nymph Bathhouse. Supposedly, the statues of water-pouring nymphs look down on the secret hideout of those who worship the dead gods Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul.   Upon arrival in the courtyard, the group sees a familiar face in patriar Falco Zodge. He is conversing with two other gentlemen near a fountain, seemingly unconcerned with passing of other bathhouse patrons. Belynor and Elias listen in while the rest of the group provides discreet cover.   One of the men speaking with Zodge is known as Amrik Vanthampur, second son of the Council of Four's Thalamra Vanthampur. This dark, shifty-looking fellow is discussing monetary transactions. He is apparently financing Falco's Calishite mercenaries in their bid to destabilize districts within Baldur's Gate. The discussion between Amrik and Falco also reveals that the Vanthampur scion is providing resources to the Cult of the Dead Three. Amrik states that, between the chaos being sowed by the foreign Calishites, and innocents being murdered and kidnapped by the cultists, the Flaming Fist is losing their grip on the city. Falco agrees, but warns that their efforts must remain at a high level, as rumor holds that Duke Portyr (another of the city's Council of Four) has recalled his daughter Liara from her duties in the jungles of Chult. As the Flaming Fist's second in command, Liara could stabilize the Flaming Fist, and put an end to Duke Vanthampur's plans.   While Falco and Amrik discuss their plot, a tall, guant, and pale gentleman sits next to them silently. When the discussion ends, seeing the other two leave the bathhouse ground, this ominous fellow disappears into a magical circle of fire.   The group spends the day investigating the Frolicking Nymph bathhouse. They encounter the very accommodating Jabaz, a few receive massage services from the brutish hands of Qurmilah, and generally enjoy the bathhouse's pleasures. That night they sneak in through a back window, knock out a follower of Myrkul, and proceed through a secret door into the dungeon beneath the property.   The cultist's home is carved from the porous limestone bedrock under the Frolicking Nymph. The group explores this damp, moss-overgrown warren of tunnels, finding and dispatching members of the Dead Three's cult. They also find alters to all three of the evil entities: Bane, lord of tyranny; Myrkul, god of death; and Bhaal, god of murder. On the alter of Bane, the PCs rescue a nobleman named Klim Jhasso, and lead him to safety above.   The group carefully explored the cultists vile home, dispatching their numbers along the way. At the climax of their explorations, the group found the hulking shape of one Mortlock Vanthampur, his face scarred by fire and a dagger held at the ready to do him in. His murderer-to-be was a bald man, face smeared purposefully with blood, who fled deeper into the complex at the group's arrival.   As Loki and Douglas stabilized the brutish Mortlock, Huru found several locked chests in an adjoining room. They contained large amounts of coin, gems, flasks of murky red liquid, a porcelain dragon mask, and a beautifully crafted bronze crown with five spires. Each spire was shaped and painted to resemble one type of dragon (black, white, blue, green, and red).   While Huru licked his lips at the sight of the treasure, Loki and Elias learned much from Mortlock. This simple man claimed he is the youngest son of the Vanthampur family, charged with ensuring the Cult of the Dead Three had their needs met. Mortlock claims he was betrayed by his family. His would be assassin, a killer known only as Vaaz, was sent by his older brothers, Amrik and Thurstwell, to be rid of him. He told the party that his family was supporting the cultists in their efforts to destabilize the city, so his mother could take her place as Grand Duke. He also worried that his brother Thurstwell must know of their presence under the bathhouse, as he has little bat-winged men that spy for him. After some discussion, Mortlock was convinced to help the group find and kill Vaaz, so he would not be trouble later.   The fight with the killer Vaaz was confusing, chaotic, and very mobile. The killer used his knowledge of the dungeon's secret passages to elude and attack the group at will. He was a powerful combatant, filled with the power of his dark gods, and supported by a dark statue of Bane that bends the will of man to it's purposes. Even with Vaaz's great adantages: ability at arms, knowledge of the ground, and the favor of grim gods, the group of heroes - and a club-wielding Mortlock - were able to send the vile assassin to Myrkul's eternal realm.   The party then retreated from the flooded tunnels, treasure in hand, back into the dark streets of Baldur's Gate.   Several days passed, during which:   Huru took their spoils to Goblin Benne, who put him in contact with some of the Guild's most trusted fences. These men took the gems, art objects, and strange foreign coins in trade for local currency. In the exchange, Huru learned that some of the coins were recognizable from other trading hubs of the Sword Coast, and from destinations further inland. However, many were of a mint never seen by these men, who have seen the world's coinages flow through their hands. Over thirty different mint marks were unable to be identified.   With Huru handling the treasure, Belynor went to report to Darmin Zodge, Captain of the Eastway Flaming Fist contingent. He learned that the mood of the city had indeed deteriorated. Several streets in the Lower City seemed to have been taken over by local citizens, barring the way for travel and to any Flaming Fist patrols that tried to disperse them. At the Eastway guardhouse, Belynor found Fist soldiers having barred themselves inside as a group of angry locals laid seige to the compound. Their complaints ranged from anger at lack of protection from the Fist, to scared ranting that the Fist is trying to bring the population to its knees, and even accusations that Baldur's Gate was being dragged to the same destruction felt by nearby Elturel. Belynor left having never spoken to Captain Zodge.

Rewards Granted

• Four arcane books of knowledge.
• A suit of battered and worn plate armor, needing much repair to be functional.
• A bag of beans, each marked with a strange arcane symbol.
• 6,900 copper pieces (fenced to the Guild).
• 1,750 silver pieces (fenced to the Guild).
• Two red crystal vials with gold stoppers, containing potions of fire breath.
• Ten polished eye agates (fenced to the Guild).
• Porcelain dragon mask (fenced to the Guild).
• Bronze dragon crown (fenced to the Guild).

Missions/Quests Completed

The party's activities allowed them to progress in the following ways:

• They were able to find, and put a stop to, a cell of cultists who were murdering citizens. This was at the wishes of Captain Darmin Zodge of the Eastway Flaming Fist. For doing so, he promised 200 pieces of gold and his forgiveness for accidentally murdering his wife by Huru and Belynor.
• The group learned about a plot to destabilize the Flaming Fist in the absence of Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard. Thelamra Vanthampur, and her sons Amrik, Thurstwell, and Mortlock, were working to show the city that Ravengard's Flaming Fist were not able to maintain order in the city, and that he should be deposed as Grand Duke in her favor.
• Falco Zodge was being sponsored by the Vanthampur family in his attempts to sow chaos throughout poor neighborhoods. The foreign mercenaries he was bringing to Baldur's Gate clandestinely were being bankrolled by Amrik Vanthampur.
• Mortlock told the party that his brother Amrik ran a money-lending operation out of the Low Lantern tavern along the docks, and that his brother Thurstwell had spies across the city reporting back to him.