Episode 4

General Summary

With Valen and Safiyah now free, and the real goings on of Chimuk revealed - the group plan their next course of action. First things first, they must retrieve Commander Owen and the jailor from the cells below the Order's HQ before somebody finds them and the alarm can be raised.
And so the group sneak into the large building once more. Upon arrival, they encounter a solitary guard calling for someone called Diok - apparently the missing jailor. Eva charms the young man into leaving for the night, with the promise of a beautiful woman waiting for him at Nature's Rest. The party creep down into the prison, to find Commander Owen just coming-to, with Diok the jailor helping him up. A silence spell conceals the groups activities, as they knock Owen out once more, and tie the jailor up. The knights are taken out of the cells, but a groggy Owen alerts a sleeping female knight to the groups presence. They manage to rush out just in time, with Eva staying behind to distract the woman as well as two drunken knights who had previously returned from the tavern.
With patrons now spreading through the town, the group rush back to Safiyah's windmill - joined by Leah who had been sent to retrieve Hope, Godric's tiger, from the tavern.
Owen and the jailor are tied up once more, and the group discuss their next steps. They eventually decide that the best course of action is to confront Marcoh right away - as they don't have enough time to rest before his morning prayers. The jailor reveals that Marcoh is staying in a farmhouse to the south of the city, and the party head off to find him.
Valen reminds everyone that she wishes to do this by the book, and bring Marcoh in peacefully if possible. Only if he resists should violence be necessary.
Arriving at the farmhouse, Valen knocks on the door - announcing her presence and intent. Half of the party sneak around the back of the house to block the exit. After no immediate response, she gestures for Godric to kick the door down. As the first half of the group enter the house, they find a shirtless Marcoh standing at the top of the stairs. Valen reads him the list of his crimes, to which Marcoh seems unfazed. Marcoh suggests that everybody leave his home immediately and never return - the magic behind his words compelling everyone at the front of the house to leave, other than Leah who resists the charm.
Hearing the conversation, the 2nd half of the party burst through the house to try and take Marcoh down. They are unable to reach him in time however, as he disappears through magical means.
With the spells compulsion blocking many of the group from re-entering the home, Godric moves around to the barn on a hunch. There he finds the fleeing man attempting to untie a horse. The rest of the group follow, and just as Marcoh begins to flee on his mount, he is entangled by one of Leah's spells, and the group begin their assault.
With the man now held and seemingly close to death, Godric slices off his head with one fell swoop, the body crumpling to the ground. Valen, who had been ready with manacles to apprehend the helpless man, doesn't seem best pleased by this, but does report in her journal that they had no other choice.
The group return to Safiyah's windmill, and are relieved to find that Commander Owen seems to have been released from whatever spell was held over him. His memory is hazy, but as the group fill him in on everything that transpired he seems to be able to piece things together again.
Owen suggests that everybody get a decent night's sleep and he will inform all the knights about what has happened. The word will be spread that there will be no morning prayers, but an announcement will be made at noon. With Safiyah's return and the word of a celebrity such as Eva, he is sure the town will be convinced to return to their old ways.
The following day, the group return to the church. In Marcoh's office, they find a sun-burst pendant, which seems to be used for channeling magic energy, as well as a half-written holy book of Sol and a journal. The journal explains how Marcoh met a 'mysterious beautiful man' in the Tanken Woods, who promised him power in exchange for his servitude.
Noon comes, and the announcement is made that the Church of Sol is no more. The townsfolk are given an amended account of what has happened, and told to return to their farms as they had done before. Safiyah uses her druidic magic to create a message in the sky for The Goddess - reminding everyone of the true deity.
Before the group leave Chimuk, Safiyah gifts her staff to Leah as a thank you for everything the party has done. The party is given a cart loaded with food and 2 horses to take them back to the capital.
Along the road, the group pass a few travellers who share some news from the capital. It seems a string of murders have occurred recently, where each victim has had their bottom jaw removed...
Returning to the city, the party are rewarded with 3 platinum pieces each and the promise of the mayor's aid in the future, should it be within his power. The mayor also tells the group of a future expedition that he would pay them to accompany, to the possible Ruins of Akai, deep within the Slithering Wilds.

Report Date

20 Oct 2019