Session 3 - Heavy Drinking and Incomprehensible Evil

The group was followed to the meeting with Vestra by Akir for reasons of his own. Immediately following Vestra’s introduction two darts fired from holes in the ceiling hit Roggo and Mythdanor in the neck, causing them to instantly pass out. Vesta shared her distrust of Elf Magic and had Big Cal take them both to the new Bearded Mermaid. The new bar apparently acquired by the Good Folk from the previous owner and given to Big Cal in payment of some debt. Vestra tasked Garrak and Akir with attacking a rival gang to the Good Folk known as the Rat Boys. Vestra also appeared to have knowledge regarding Akir’s father.
While waiting several days for Frown, one of Vestra’s lieutenants to provide details around the target, Akir and Garrak spent time at the docks and the slave market where they learned that the Rat Boys were in the employ of Jubal, a former slave who earned his freedom in the arena and now ran the cities slave trade. In the course of this investigation they faced the ire of one of Jubal’s aids when they suggested they could help Jubal move against the Rat Boys. They also learned to some sort of lizard like individuals were also involved with the Rat Boys and their activities. They gained a “friend” in a member of the city guard tasked with policing slaves on the docks they are calling “Little Kal” after they allowed him to apparently beat Garrak in a drinking contest. Little Kal proved to be a useful source of information when adequately lubricated.
During this time they also observed a member of the Black Circle apparently following them and at one point were attacked by a Circle assassin while asleep at the Mermaid. The would-be assassin was killed and Big Cal disposed of the body. They found a note referring to some mundane tasks, as well as a rift of some kind and a cipher key on the body.
Frown finally provided the specific time and location that the team should attack the Rat Boys. Their target was a small Rat Boys hangout in Cheapside. They used alcohol and fire spells to start a fire in the small building and slew the Rat Boys as the emerged. During the fight an individual with scaly lizard-like skin also emerged from the building and flew into the maze of Cheapside alleys before the person could be caught. Upon completion of their task they found that at the same time the Good Folk had attacked the Rat Boys headquarters on the waterfront, slaying every last member (over 20) slicing the throats of any who survived the initial melee. This move by the Good Folk was the talk of the waterfront. The duo met with Crazy Sven of the Good Folk who let them know they would hear more soon regarding their membership into the guild.
During this time Big Cal continued to care for the sleeping Roggo and Mythdanor, who appeared able to drink water even while still unconscious.
Later, the duo investigated the Black Circle club, finding the entrance area of the club still demolished and apparently further looted by the denizens of Cheapside. Venturing further in they encountered at least two acolytes who fled and caused a cave-in, cutting off their retreat and forcing them to fight a shapeless horror apparently created from the Club’s victims. Garrack in particular was deeply impacted by the “wrongness” of the thing they battled. Fortunately it was overcome and they moved further into a series of recently dug caves where they found a mirror that apparently let the see another location where an old man referenced their battling the circle, said he would contact them and told them to “Look for the Harp”. His image was quickly replaced by a dark evil face, promising their horrible death before it too disappeared. They took the mirror and a coded message found on desk and continued on.
In the final chamber they faced a horror unlike anything they had seen. Apparently trapped in some sort of portal, the creature could not move from the stone summoning circle but was still able to make limited, though still powerful attacks. Like the previous gibbering pile of mouths and eyes they had encountered, this creature radiated a “wrongness” again, shaking both Garrak and Akir to the core and likely leaving them with nightmares to spare. Fortunately they were able to make their way past it and activated a second cave-in trap, destroying the portal and banishing the beast. The two cultists were able to escape well ahead of them.
Making it back to the street they witnessed a cloud of dust rising over the area where a half block of buildings, including the Black Circle club had collapsed into a large crater.
Many Questions remain: Will the Pasha be satisfied with Vestra being identified? What comes next from being initiated into the Good Folk? What does Vestra know about Akir’s father? Why was Jubal working with the Rat Boys and how do the snake like individuals fit into the slave trade? What is on the coded Black Circle message? Who is A why were Roggo, Garrak and Mythdanor summoned here? Will the group ever stop burning things down?