Session 2 - What Lies Beneath the Surface
General Summary
Arimanthos drops the alchemist, Roger, because he knows there are still contacts in Grabstein that can help him. He runs off telling his friends he will find them later. Meeting with Queen Jadis de la Barthe of Atheroes, he brokers a deal that will allow him and his friends to escape the city. The next day he sees a childhood friend, Alice of Nirene, about to be executed by Inquisitors. Arimanthos jumps in and saves her, starting a riot.
For three days the party hides out in the dilapidated building know as the Alchemists Guild. The city has been thrown into turmoil, as the wizards flee the city or be killed. Their small respite, however, is ended by a riot in the city. They escape through a hidden door in the floor, leading to the sewers. Carefully sneaking through the sewers, they come upon a group of Goblins, watching and betting on a rat fight. Trapped! With the Inquisitor Fighters closing in on one side, and the goblins ahead, the group prepares for a fight.
In the low light, Ghostclaw has the advantage. Like a flash, two arrows leave his bow and two Goblins fall. Skara, unable to see clearly, trips and falls into the sludge below. Another arrow flies, this time an Inquisitor Archers falls to Ghostclaw's bow. An orcish Inquisitor, Fiona, jumps into the fray, seeing Fenrir attack one her men throws her into a rage.
"You die next," she shouts at the wounded fighter.
Aragon gets ready to throw an Alchemist's Fire, but in the damp sewers, his hand slips and he throws it onto the sludge covered Skara. A fourth arrow from Ghostclaw, and a fourth body hits the floor.
Some Goblins, fearing for their lives, run from the party, only to fall victim to one of the Gelatinous Cubes roaming the subterranean landscape. Thinking quickly, Aragon uses arcane magic to lift up a cube and throw it at Fiona. Incensed, but wounded, the orc attempts to flee. Fenrir uses this moment of weakness to take a slash at her, the wound cuts deep. She calls for a retreat and her men begin to scatter throughout the sewer system.
Roger finds the exit he was looking for, and the group emerges into a lavishly decorated room. They clean themselves up, and Roger hands out a few potions he had concocted.
After a few minutes, guards enter the room and escort the group to a throne room. Sitting on the throne is a woman, no one recognizes her, but Amon is able to figure out she is Queen Jadis de la Barthe. She shows the group Arimanthos' signet ring in an attempt to gain their trust.
"He was able to secure your exit from the city at a great personal price, but you have a part of the bargain to play. There is an object i need you to procure for me. It is worth more than its weight in platinum; however, it has been in the possession of the kings of Oldenbromm for almost 25 years now. In fact, the knowledge that it exists might have been the last straw that killed the Archmagus. My source tells me the inquisitors have it and are going to deliver it to the Magus Magnificat. If you can liberate it from them, there will be a boat waiting for you in the nearby canal"
Ghostclaw is suspicious of her true motives, but once she agrees to help the Aldalome when she obtains power, he agrees.
They lay a trap for the inquisitors in a nearby alley. Soon enough, a battalion approaches the Magus Magnificat pushing a giant metal safe on a cart with a balista mounted on top. The trap is sprung, Skara casts grease and throws a torch onto the archer in the front. Fenrir runs to the burning man, and put hims out of his misery with a cut to the throat. Aragon casts a magic missile and the inquisitor manning the ballista. Another man takes his place, and a ballista bolt rips through Skara's side. Amon draws an arrow and another inquisitor falls. Ghostclaw shoots the man on the ballista, and Aragon freezes a man in his tracks with a frozen touch. Fenrir sees the last man and dispatches him with his sword.
"You used to be an adventurer, until I took your leg."
The group breaks the lock and inside they find a man tied up with a sack over his head. Pulling it off reveals not a man, but a demon. Ghostclaw jumps onto him and holds his blade to his throat.
"Ronove yields. He felt your birth. Ronove
remained loyal, he comes to the capital. Ronove was captured, not disobedient, careless. A late start, perhaps, but can teach still. He still lives, without me, how will you learn? Ronove no danger, still no magic see?"
The demon attempts to cast a spell, but nothing happens.
"Not good enough," says Ghostclaw pushing the blade into his throat.
At the last second, Amon stops him, "He may be useful, but he's no good to us dead."
The group flees the scene and finds the boat as promised. When they jump on, inquisitors come up from below deck, all hope seems lost. From across the canal, soldiers from Atheroes fire arrows and kill the inquisitors saving the group. Two men and a woman on horseback jump onto the boat. The woman riding Gimlee is Alice, first man is Arimanthos, and the last man is none other than King Bram of San Guine.
As the group sails out of the city, a bruised and battered orc shouts from the wall, "I'll follow you to the end of the earth, Fenrir Runefall!"
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