Session 06: Escaping the City Report

General Summary

As the heroes emerge from the dark sewers with gutter gnolls hot on their heels, they find instead of a hero's welcome for breaking up the slave trade they are surrounded by a dozen soldiers and a certain Lord Ferguson pointing to the "bird man", mentioning how his servant had overheard Wellys talking about holding a slave auction that very night. Tiathina, Wellys and Ilyana attempt to tell their side of the story, convincing enough to make the captain question what is truth and what is lie, but not enough to deter the soldiers from wanting to place the party in custody and find out the truth after they are held captive. After some quick thinking - the party decides to make for the sewers, choosing freedom over trying to fight a lie and takes some light damage from javelins before making it down below. Shade casts a spell enhanced bonfire on the sewer grate, causing the fire to burn blue and melt the metal entryway and delay their pursuers. Questioning any of the slaves, the learn that one named Jared remembers being brought in through a secret entryway near an overhead passageway, across from where water flows out of one of the pipes near the arena. The gutter gnolls play to their strengths - extinguishing all flames to reduce or eliminate the visibility of the team, then starts shooting at them from both ends of the passageway - their snarls and growls ever present down below. Finding the location described by Jared, the party spends considerable time investigating the area around the where the pipe meets the sewage passageway, continuing to be harassed by the gnolls shooting arrows from a distance. Wellys lands a lucky but accurate shot with a radiant infused arrow, causing one to go running down a side passage to get away and holding the others back at a distance. After some time, Marigold finally finds a small stone that releases the lock on the secret doorway, allowing the party of 8 and the 8 additional slaves to pass through and close the door behind them. They hear the snarls and growls of the frustrated gutter gnolls trying to find the latch to open the entry, and shortly after the yells of the captain and his guards passing by the secret entryway without notice. The team finds themselves in a chamber connected to the cellar below a bar, filled with beer kegs, wine bottles, and produce and stock fit for the tavern. Fara peeks beneath the doorway to learn of the small tavern going through last call and sending its patrons on their way. Before the bar closes she also overhears a soldier come inside, speak to the barkeep of the slavers on the run in the area and to keep a watch out - to whistle or yell if any are seen and the soldiers would respond quickly. As the final patron leaves and the door is locked, the tavern owner moves towards the doorway to the cellar and descends with a tray full of glassware. Noticing the dust being displaced - the tavern owner draws a blade and calls out - asking whoever is down there to reveal themselves. Tiathina steps forward, acting as spokesperson for the group and revealing herself, telling the barkeep the real story of them interrupting and saving the slaves instead of being the accused slavers. While tentative to trust, the barkeep asks a female slave nearby Tiathina to respond, who supports her story. The barkeep admits to not always trusting the city guard, but admits he wants nothing to do with what is going on, but he is willing to be silent, allow them to have at the uniforms he has for the bar staff, and they can have access to whatever is left over in the kitchen if they will leave some form of compensation behind. He quickly finishes his business, tells them to be out before noon and lock up behind them. The party deduces that the guards will be on the look out for the three most recognizable people that were surrounded - Wellys, Tiathina, and Ilyana - who must slip out at night or be disguised completely from their current clothing or armor. Wellys moves to disappear during the dark since as an Aarakocra he would be too hard to disguise and potentially seek the one ally they have left, Flint Underhill, if he can be found. The remainder stay the remainder of the night, sending Marigold and Fara out mid-morning to seek adequate disguises and food before the journey could continue. They purchase a Bag of Holding from a magic shop and find a clothier for several new dresses to disguise Tiathina and Ilyana. The slaves are given disguises and sent on their way wearing the tavern staff outfits with adequate coin to clothe and obtain passage to their homelands. The heroes depart in small groups to keep discreet and easily avoid detection by the ever watchful guard that is keeping a sharp eye out for large groups and specifically the three recognizable members. Tiathina feels uncommonly vulnerable and keeps adjusting her dress to cover her ankles, but otherwise the party moves to exit the city. Before catching up with the rest of the party, Wellys successfully finds Flint Underhill wearing a dress and makeup (still sporting a goatee) trying to make his own escape from the city with his two guards also in commoners disguise. He catches them in an alleyway, arranging a meeting in a cemetery a mile east of town at dusk. Wellys keeps to the skies, able to negotiate passage without detection and catches up with the group in the wooded area outside of town. They later find a place to wait behind a mausoleum in the cemetery. Flint and company discuss the events of the past few days, exchanging information about the slavers, the intellect devourers, and the proprietor of the King's Coin that was killed. Of special interest is Lord Ferguson, leader of the city council, acting much stranger than he had a year ago, as well as several other members of his council. Before the conversation concludes, one of Flint's bodyguards sneaks up behind Tiathina and attempts to kill her and Angelo in surprise. The party quickly dispatches the would be assassin, finding another intellect devourer had taken him over. Flint admits he had nothing to do with this attempt - he shares his concern for the city and the realm over what might be controlling these strange imposters. The scene ends with a dream, where Shade is brought to a hellish scene, a river of blood flows behind her, a mountain of bones and cadavers in front of her at an alter. Balor reminds her of her pact to him as a warlock and points out several boons he has provided to help her along her way. He asks for her to keep a close eye on the two paladins in her group (Tiathina and Marigold) - should she decide not to assist him he would have no problem planting her with others who have failed him in his garden of souls...