We discuss further the options Anatole has for mutagen altering us. We opt against it for now. Remi has not identified himself as a member of a different race, but we can see that his features are too angular.
“Hey, where are you from?” Anatole asks him.
Remi is from the Southern Cave system, and has managed to make a name for himself despite the stigma that comes with that. I ask him about if other people look like him, or if he is alone. He says there have not been any other Drow that he has seen.
We are unsure what to actually expect from the encounter once we send Kon in, but I can make use of my familiar to spy on the goings on of the gathering. We eventually settle on sending Kon in, and being ready to jump in once the Inquisition reveal themselves.
As we travel, we see a blackened pile of ash and charred wood in the corner of one of the courtyards in South End. Everyone bar Anatole sees this. Remerand reaches into a pouch at the back of his belt and throws it at Fester – it contains 3 gold pieces.
“Wait here, 3 minutes. After we’re gone, collect samples of the ashes to us later. We must not break cover.”
I usher us over to an awning to wait and have an impromptu heated debate with Anatole about the nature of carrion and how we’re going to need to murder people eventually, we may as well get amongst it. To which his opinion is why do it in public places instead of waiting for opportune moments to strike.
Anatole tries to examine the remains and collect samples after waste some time, and Fester tries to help, but also he doesn’t contribute anything useful. Anatole finds out that the fire was stoked with some kind of oil. Based on what we saw in Nightdeep, and Felicia being covered in oil, he can safely assume that something similar has happened here.
“If we needed more evidence that the Inquisition was in town and engaging in their proclivities… I believe we found it here.”
A human male at 5ft8 has been burned here, probably by the Crimson Man.
“Perhaps we should move along?”
“Well, goods secured, we have nothing left here.” We leave the corpse and continue on to Fleavale.
Fester has told us about the Red Light district before he dropped off the goods, the interesting contents of his lube and condoms package. Because he has told us about his courier actions, Kon and I were able to note that we saw the Lizard Lady that he is trying to get his courier gains from. I point her out to him and ask if that’s the same lady he saw last night.
Fester immediately leaves to go talk to her and apologize for not coming in this morning.
“Apologies for not coming in today, I know I said yesterday I would. But it’s a coincidence to see you here! What are you up to?”
“Well you see love, I’ve got a special delivery.”
“Oh, please tell!”
“Aren’t we presumptuous Mister No-Brooch? I shan’t be telling you about my delivery, but a shame you aren’t coming in, there’s a full backpack of courier work waiting for you back at the office. A gentleman dropped off your card with it, and asked for you by name.”
We find out Fester has 4 days to take on that job. We find out that the lizard lady also wants to sleep with him, somehow. For some reason. She invites him back to the courier house possibly for intercourse.
We arrive at the Imp’s Falcon. Remy sees us giving everyone pep-talks, and he joins in.
“This is make or break territory boyo, you do this, and you earn Lord Rex’s favour. By the moss above, and Asmodeus below… what was once his will be again. You will be fine.”
I send Buzzwip with Kon as he goes into the Falcon as Kris. Remy hands Kris a knife, and says “If you get into trouble, stab this into someone, I do not care who, just stab it into someone.”
“It will catapult you away from the target and allow you to take a dash. I found it in the Hole when I was down there. But that is a tale for a different time.”
“Stab into something, fly the other way, gotcha.” The dagger is called Little Love.
Kon enters the building, “Hi, I saw a flier on a signboard, and I was interested.”
“Oh, yes?” The barkeep is human, young for their role though, 18 or 17, late teens or early 20s. Salt-and-pepper blonde hair, generally dirty looking in appearance like most people in Fleavale. The salt and pepper may be filth, or the real hair colour.
He leans forward, “Perhaps a book club?”
“Yes… I believe so.”
“So then, have you read any good books recently?” the bartender asks.
“Well, I read a really good one about witches and how it is imperative they are captured and purified in holy flame.”
“Oho! Sounds like a riveting read, perhaps suitable for the book club.”
“It was good, I very much enjoyed it.”
“We have a book club meeting tonight at the church of the host with a lady (I misheard this as Felicia?), and you should only tell her what you told me.”
Kon asks about books to read and the bartender suggests a book of old gods and heavily implies that Atreia will be mentioned in it. To prove that he has spoken with Raelimir, the bartender gives Kris a token of proof.
In thanks, Kon flicks the guy a gold coin, “Don’t be flashing that coin around here, it’s enough to get a man killed! … But thank you.” He then slides the coin to himself surreptitiously and takes it.
“Will you be at the club?”
“But of course, there will be many, many avid readers there tonight, we might even be having a special guest. She’s a… local author as it were. But I shouldn’t say much more than that.”
Kon bids him farewell and the man asks his name, “Kris. See you tonight… Raelemir.”
Kon leaves and returns to us where we are waiting, conspicuously. Remy calls out “Wonderful news, I have managed to secure a new saddle for our family steed!” And as we all join that ruse, we travel out of town to discuss our findings.
“I was told to go visit a chapel of the Host in West Plaza, to talk to a woman named Misha, and I was given this token,” He shows us the leather square, “And they recommended the book the Light of Lost Gods.”
I muse aloud that this book was on the shelf back at Night Deep, and how it may tell us more about how the worshippers of Atreia end up worshipping Rovagugg.
As I’m musing, Anatole remembers that he has read that book and tells us about Atreia. I explain about the ways we might be able to accept that the Inquisition worships Atreia, but summons Rovagugg instead.
Remy chimes in about how they believe that his light is the original torch that lights all the other torches. They firmly believe that Atreia’s light (note, Atreia is a male god).
We discuss the details of our next steps in depth. Before we remember we have many leads; Golden Grain’s tunnel system, the Church of the Host and Misha, SouthEnd and the inquisition’s plans and the samples we took earlier.
Remy sees the oil from the timber and nods in recognition for Anatole’s skills. He reveals a bangle that is probably magical and pokes it, then raises it to his mouth, “This is team lead 1, we have confirmed Inquisitive burnings in South End. … Yes, yes that is correct. I have confirmed. Understood, no further guards in South End. Correct. As it should be.” He lowers his arm and his sleeve covers the bracelet again.
“Have you found out something important, or new orders?”
“No, just relaying orders, they have struck, so they will not again.” We briefly discuss the clues so far, and how I feel that the tunnel is likely to be a short-distance thing or middle-distance, so it being connected to the Church seems likely.
We enter the Grain and find that Balthazar has finished up with the hostile take-over.
“Hail! What brings you here?”
“We thought it prudent to – hi by the way, it’s good to see you, prudent to follow up on the tunnel situation.”
He explains more about what they’ve done, and how the other guy, Sniggie, is tied up.
I briefly chat with Balthazar about our investigation and place some contingencies, should the worst happen; we anticipate bullshit in the tunnel, I personally think it will lead to a host of the Church, in West Plaza, and let him know our investigation has led us there regardless. He will inform Rex in the case of the worst. Then I rejoin the group as we go down into the cellar.
The freeze has meat that belongs to humanoids. The storage area has nothing of interest, and Kon finds a secret door that he cannot open. He has not told us he found anything yet, and I am going to let Remy know the meat is not worm and is in fact humanoid of some flavor.
I decide to check the barrels and ask for help with that, and despite my pack hunter bonus, Fester rolls a nat 1, so my total goes from 20 to 18, but that’s the money, so I find a hidden notch on the 3rd barrel in that reveals a switch that swings the wall open.
Heedless of the consequences, I walk into the tunnel and directly into a horrible spider web, which I light on fire immediately and call out that there are spiders in here.
I ask Fester about his knowledge on Giant spiders; he has smashed it – these are the webs of a horrible spider called the Dream Spider, they are not fun. Their venom is horrendous and causes stupefied and poisoned. They can intentionally immobilize enemies with webs, they are traditionally large with swarms of babies. Fester informs us that we may face danger imminently.
