The High Pontiff concludes us, “Thank you, I will be communing with the other Pontiffs, we may have another job for you. Come find me tomorrow if you are interested in the additional work. If not, we will find others. There is a tavern to the North and to the East is the Shopping District.”
Anatole asks what kind of work they would call on us for.
“Escort duty, or as you have so proven, delivery services. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your day.” He gives us a sweeping bow, his robe being moved as he sweeps his right hand and holds his staff in his left.
He gathers Eddward to the podium and they begin talking about settling him in and his accommodations.
Anatole, Kon and I discuss if we should tell the Pontiff about the bandits and the note. We do not, as I don’t want to consign a man to death.
We then go to the shops. I asked the merchant if he has any items from The Abyss. I uncovered a lot of kitchenware and even a full kitchen set rolled up in leather. I keep rummaging and eventually find the weird gleaming sword thing that I initially saw.
As I touch it, it looks like silver, but is in fact warm to touch, so I subtly cast Read Aura and it appears to have been made from magical means, but is not a magical item.
“This is intrigues me, does it have a price?”
“Everything has a price.” says Minimillian the merchant.
Fester asks what the price is, but Minimillian replies “If you need to ask, you probably can’t afford it.”
“You are an interesting character, we could let a piece like that go for 300gold. We don’t often sell abyssal items, so it will likely be there.”
Anatole asks, “If you don’t sell, why do they remain priced so highly?”
“Oh, a piece may only sell once every now and then, but it is always worth the wait.”
Anatole asks who can afford these things and the Merchant behaves tribalistic in his disdain for the Southerners who are not part of the Kirin Tor tunnel system, as we are all subjects under the King of Bastion people in THIS system, we are all somewhat more sticking together-y and dislike those who come from other systems.
Anatole asks who acquires the items for sale, does the Merchant go himself?
“No, much too dangerous down there. They are brought in by adventurers, local of course.”
Meanwhile, as Anatole is examining goods and I am talking to Minimillian, Kon bends down and steals a chefs knife without at any preamble. I purchase some rations and thank the kind merchant.
We venture next door and a small bell on the door rings and alerts him to our presence, to the Blacksmith’s shop he waves to us.
Kon walks in and immediately recognizes the head of one of the monsters from the second tier of the Abyss, commonly known as “Basilisks” but their genus is actually different. Instead of vision, they use stone breath.
“This is impressive, did you kill it yourself?”
“Yes, in my younger days, of course! These days I am but a humble blacksmith now.”
“What exactly is that?” I ask, pointing at the thing.
They explain, and we discuss and eventually talk about what we would like to do in his shop.
“For myself, I know I would like to browse or purchase some schematics.”
He discusses his schematics and I show my hands have a slight battle worn tremor to them when he says his staves are easy to make. I say purchase is my better option and he perceives of me that I am a sorcerer, I say I am more of the druidic arts. He apologizes and my left arm twitches – I don’t like talking about how I possess magic. He offers to sell me a staff of fire schematic and I offer to help him copy it so that we don’t have to wait three days, he says, for 5g. I accept and tomorrow will do my work with him come morning.
We say our farewells and go enter the tavern, the tavern keep is Luiz Castel, and the vibes are relaxed, positive, good and enjoyable. Fester goes to the counter to buy us some drinks and we grab a table over in the corner.
“Hello Luiz! Or Mister Castel, however you would prefer. I would like 4 of your finest drinks, please.”
“Finest drinks? Boy do I have something for you.”
“Oh boy, what do you have?”
“Well you know that finest ale they talk about in foreign places like Darkquay, well it’s gone to shit and there’s some kind of monster hunting the place now.”
“The dark ale has piqued my interest, but do you know more about the monster?”
“Nah, just that it eats children, steals them from their homes at night.”
“No idea what it might look like?”
“Nah mate, just a multi-headed beast that steals kids. I only know what the travelers tell me.”
Fester asks him about the type of food available, including mushroom stew, mushroom soup, worm stew, worm soup, or a whole worm roast. One gold will get us the feast and then our rooms will be less the meal.
Fester has secured us drinks and food and even trimmings so that we don’t starve whilst waiting the 10 minutes for the worm roast.
“I got us a really good feast and some dark ale to enjoy it with! Let’s celebrate our first mission together! Very clean, well done!”
We cheers, then Fester tells us about the beast story.
“That sounds horrifying.” I say, and Anatole says he doesn’t bother doing dangerous things that don’t benefit him. I only know of the beasts in the northern forests.
I cheers us for a job well done and our GM explains that the drink is thick, sweet, and as we continue smoky and barbecue sauce and then creamy, rich and a deep umami, the drink is almost thick enough to chew. As we are chewing our drinks, the barmaid comes over with a platter of potatoes, mushrooms, various salads, “the trimmings”, various breads with worm-milk butter.
Fester and I discuss how meals are usually shared together for our people, and I explain that sharing this meal almost reminds me of Ho-… of where I used to live. He asks where I am from, and I explain I am from the Mushroom forest in the Southern Littlerootmere Wood. There is megafauna, rival tribes, and if you let your guard down even for a moment you risk death.
Luiz and Jessica continued to serve us drinks and food for the night. Jessica leans forward so Fester can stick his business card in her bosom, but she unfortunately will not be checking it later.
A new bar wench approaches the table, and she is holding Fester’s card. “Oh, you have my card!”
“Ah, you’re Fester. I was wondering, I saw the Pontiff flashing your card around earlier talking to some important people. You must be an important little man.”
“I do seem to be moving on up!”
“Well, I just wanted to let you know I’ll be in the room at the end of the hall.”
We all think this is bizarre and I do a Sense motive. Anatole and Kon think nothing is wrong. I can tell that something is indeed very wrong about her.
After this new woman leaves I tell the group that she has some bad vibes, but Fester says he will see her anyway. I explain that she shouldn’t be trusted, what Pontiff would tell his business to a bar maid.
It is at this point that we hear ominous chanting that both Kon and I recognize as the Inquisition preparing a pyre for a burning.
I explain what is happening and Fester says he wants to go see anyway. The rest of us stay at the table. He sees that the Inquisitors are chanting and dancing around the pyre and he recognizes that the woman in the pyre is the daughter of the Elpinlight noble, Felicia Estrada.
Fester explains it to us, “That’s not good.” The High Pontiff, of whom we are already in the good graces of, or at least Fester is. The odds of a noblewoman being a witch is low to none. None of us want to put ourselves in harms way, but I point out the hypocrisy of saying I would protect one man from the Inquisition but now condemn a woman – who might be innocent – die.
Fester goes outside and I run to the High Pontiff. As I step outside, I am hit with an overwhelming sense of entrapment, as if a hungry beast is sitting just behind a veil, waiting to be fed. Wrath and destruction fill my mind as I step out, a brief fog over my thoughts as an entity only barely contained, screams and then is gone.
Having no idea what the fuck that was about, I continue to the Church. “Felicia Estrada is on the Pyre.”
“Unfortunately my guards are still in Elpinlight… all I can do is bar these windows and doors… and tell people like you that you will be paid handsomely if she is to make it Home.”
The Inquisition is purportedly following Atreia, a light goddess, and are following her edicts to the spirit, not really the letter. As soon as I leave the Church he slides an iron bar across the door and shuts it. I make my way back to the tavern to let Kon know there’s money involved. Handsome money.
Meanwhile at the others, Fester is in front of the Lord High Chaplain – the leader holding the flame torch. He approaches her, “Hello, I am, uhh, Chester Rrat, I am curious about what’s going on around here.”
“We cleanse the taint within her. The taint of Witchcraft, Darkness has its tendrils wrapped around her heart… Only the light of the fire can free her.” The Lord high responds.
“She doesn’t look touched by darkness, as you say it, what makes you say?”
“The Inquisition does not reveal its sources… Safe to say that we are sure.”
“But I’m curious, I would like to know, can I scurry around? She seems normal to me, do I look normal to you? Do I look touched by darkness to you? How do you know?”
He checks on Felicia – she is tied to a log and covered in flammable oils. Fester continues, “I’m just unfamiliar with the Inquisition and I’m an aspiring courier and want to know more about what goes on.”
“Aspiring courier… Tell you what Chester, I’ll pay you to courier her ashes somewhere… yes. After the ritual. You’re interrupting it.”
“Inquisitors, move this creature.” As they try to push Fester away, he tries to signal to the others that we’re running out of time.
He argues with the Inquisitors and dodges them to try and stall.
I arrive and ask where Kon is, and Anatole and I briefly discuss the weird impact of occultism. Anatole is experiencing some weird bullshit, a roller coaster of nightmare fuel, similar to what I rode just before, but longer.
Anatole says, “It is against my nature to get involved in things that don’t involve me… but it is becoming increasingly clearer that this may… involve me.” He is struggling with his weird roller coaster of emotional damage. I take this as him giving me permission to move against the Inquisition, so I drag him out, as we head out, he manages to bottle them up and master his emotions.
“Kon, handsome amount of money involved if we do this, from the Pontiff himself.”
“Wait for my signal.” Then he leaves us and approaches the High Inquisitor and attacks. She barely, barely catches it before it hits her.
