Aroldo and Augus returned successfully from their mission to obtain a ship-sinking weapon.

The Children attended a party at Countess Sarini’s estate, at the suggestion of Lady Docur. Lady Docur informed the Children that Sarini has another piece of the Song of Silver stashed away among her trinkets and souvenirs from the civil war.

The Children mingled with the powerful of Kintargo, and eventually made their way into an old temple of Asmodeus below the estate. Here they battled dark powers, and eventually faced off against Allendra Sarini and her undead “grandpapa.” Allendra accused the Children of being sent by Docur to kill her, of which they claimed they had no knowledge. They overcame the grandparent/child combo and recovered the second piece of the Song of Silver.

During the party they learnt that a preening peacock of a man Lucian Thrune commanded the keep at Menador Pass, and that he keeps strange company in an albino Erinyes who collects tattoos and a jinn manservant. They also learnt that young Adorabella, the up and coming performer, has been exploited by the Countess. Finally, they arranged a meeting with the First Mate of the Scourge of Belial under the guise of supplying the ship with a selection of fine alcoholic beverages.

Bodeen woke with a start, chilled. He didn’t remember drifting off to sleep, and he sat up alarmed, trying to get his bearings. The room was unfamiliar, smelling faintly of cinnamon. Dim moonlight spilling through the open window illuminated an armoire and a large, opulent bed. He was naked, and covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

Someone shifted beside him. He looked down at Leila, similarly naked. Pleasant memories came flashing back as he regained his bearings, his momentary amnesia past. The tension drained from his body. He stroked her dark hair, still mussed from their lovemaking.

He rose, still naked, and crossed the room, reaching for the crystal decanter atop the dresser. He poured another shot, pausing to hold the small glass aloft to dedicate this one to his god, then knocked it back. The warm liquor was exquisite. He swirled it around his mouth before swallowing, the liquid warming his chest on the way down. Leila always had the best alcohol; truth be told Bodeen was surprised Castel Camise was even available in Kintargo.

The sheets rustled behind him and he turned to see Leila watching him, smiling contentedly. She had covered herself with a sheet out of modesty, though Bodeen wondered why, he had already seen every inch of her body.

Leila gestured toward his chest. “How did you get that scar?” she asked quietly.

Bodeen looked down at the signs of battle upon his body. Although mostly smooth skin – his god’s healing saw to that – he still had several marks of lethal battle. “This one? That was during a campaign in the Mindspin Mountains. I caught a spear from an orc warlord. Garlag Gravedigger, he was called. Ugly brute.”

“What about that one?” she reached out to trace a long line from his chest to his waist.

“Werewolf. Damn thing came out of nowhere, ripped me open before I even knew what happened. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for Tientrich, a Shoanti druid who happened to be hunting the beast for despoiling his forest. Together we hunted down the rest of the pack.”

“This?” she said, gently touching a knotted circle on his shoulder.

“Hmm, crossbow bolt. Wasn’t even meant for me.” He shrugged. “Sometimes accidents happen. I’ve heard stories of wizards incinerating their allies in the heat of battle.”

He sat on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Now what about you?” He didn’t gesture but his question was explicit; her flawless ivory skin was only marred by whatever was hidden under her eye patch.

Leila seemed to shrink away, perhaps remembering whatever wickedness was done to her, but thought it only fair to answer. “Nothing as heroic. That was my father. He… he never really took to me as a child, and often beat me. After he did this, I… ran away.” She shrugged. “I once had an opportunity to heal it, but I wasn’t willing to pay the price. Now I suppose I carry it as a reminder of who I am.”

“What about your mother? Where was she?” Bodeen asked.

Leila didn’t answer for a few moments, and when she did her voice was husky. “She was always around. But recently she passed away. Her family lives outside the city. We’re close, but I don’t visit often.”

“I’m sorry for prying,” Bodeen began but the baker waved away his discomfort.

“It’s fine,” she replied, but stood and reached for the Castel Camise herself. Seeing her struggle trying to pour the drink while holding the sheet across her chest Bodeen took the decanter and poured. She gulped the fine spirit back in one shot.

“Changing the subject,” she said, coughing slightly, “what did the inquisitors want today?”

Bodeen scowled and turned to grab his clothes, suddenly reminded of more serious matters. “They asked about Bug. And Master Titus. You may have known him, the previous owner of Belor’s. Anyway I’m glad I let Bug go, I had a feeling sooner or later he would get himself in trouble.”

“They’re all dead, Bug!”

Bug looked up from his breakfast, shocked. “What d’ya mean, Jerry? Who?”

“Rylee, Seabert the Rat, Lucky Durward, Numbers, Laughing Raoul, Spiderlegs, Four Fingered Dwenn…”

Bug stood and slammed his fist on the table, sending porridge flying. “Fuck sake Jerry who ain’t dead?”

“Um, Robbing Chuck… The Weststreet Boys…. Lulu and Gomez… Me…”

Bug muttered. “How’d it happen, who got ‘em? Red Jills?”

“No Bug, it was them inquizors.”

“So it was a trap… Whoever touched those magic items was rounded up and killed. Likely tortured. What’d they spill?”

“Nuffin, Bug, they didn’t know anything important.”

“No, we made sure o’ tha.”

“Word is the inquizors are after you now, Bug. What you gonna do?”

Bug paced back and forth. “Guess Bug will disappear. Better move my stuff to the Lucky Bones. Then visit that tiefling with the fancy sacks – Hetamon – and buy a new suit: Bugnilious will need suitable threads.”

“Good afternoon, Count Tanessen,” Vannases Trex smiled business-like as she waited for the count to take a seat opposite her. “I hope you are well.”

“Well enough, duxotas,” the stoic lord replied. Gaunt and with a shaved head, Geoff Tanessen was one of the more powerful nobles of Kintargo, and one Vannases didn’t particularly like having in her office. As if his wealth and influence wasn’t enough, he was a powerful wizard in his own right.

Lieutenant Saulus poured two goblets of wine and offered them. The count casually grasped one and sipped at the dark wine. “I will cut to the chase, duxotas, I am here to find out how the investigation is proceeding.”

Vannases sipped her own wine, taking just long enough to ensure the count realised she was not intimidated by him. “The investigation is proceeding, perhaps slower than anticipated but we are making progress,” she replied tactfully.

“I wish to know who killed my son,” Tannesen replied firmly, slowly placing his goblet on the table. “It has been a number of weeks and I have heard no more than rumour and possibilities.”

Vannases noted the steely look in the noble’s eyes and knew it wasn’t the time to lie. “The Red Jills were likely framed,” she admitted. “But they have given the details of who was involved, and my men are moving in on them now.”

“Who was it? A rival family?” The man’s eyes smouldered.

“Of course not,” Vannases replied, and the count seemed to relax. “The time of noble intrigue and infighting has passed. The lord-mayor has ushered in a new period of stability and order.” The words spilled out like a mantra, ringing slightly hollow, but appearances were important. “There is a new gang in town, the Black Mantis. They’re little more than vagabonds and street urchins banded together for protection, but their numbers alone give them strength to rule the streets. Their leader is a Halfling by the name of Bug.”

“Why has he not be been arrested?”

“He’s not working alone. Lord Sigio was an able warrior, I sparred with him myself once – this Bug could not have taken him out alone. So for now we watch, and wait, and learn who his companions are.”

Tannesen shook his head slowly. “Noblemen murdered on the street, gangs running the city, corruption in our very own dottari. What is going on duxotas? For all your words of stability and order I see chaos and rot. My family has made numerous donations to Kintargo’s guards and defences, I will not stand by idly as the city fails from within.”

Vannases tried her most charming smile. “My lord, the Dark Prince watches over us and will guide us in these dark times. His arm of justice is long and his scales are balanced. Bug will pay for his crimes, along with his accomplices.”

- – -

The duxotas saw out the count, and turned straight to Saulus, who was already waiting with another goblet of wine. “How I dislike them,” she muttered.

Saulus knew she had no time for the nobles of the city. “At least it wasn’t Eldonna and that damn poodle of hers.”

Vannases chuckled and wandered over to the window, looking out across the river toward Bleakbridge in the distance. She absently watched a lone man rowing a boat across the river and wondered if someone had started their own ferry service to avoid the bridge toll.

“Anyway, Saulus, what is the latest on the case?”

“The Flying Halfling…” Vannases glanced sharply at him. “Ahem, Bug has left his job at Belor’s and has started pushing a dumpling cart, feeding the homeless. Apparently the dumplings are quite good.”

Vannases shot him another dark look, then frowned. “Are we certain this is the guy? Really, a dumpling cart?”

“Two of our men assigned to him have gone missing. They never reported back for duty, and Bug was being watched at the time we suspect they went missing.”

“So he’s not directly responsible, but we can’t rule out a companion?”

Saulus nodded, and picked his words carefully. “There is talk of this Nightswarm fellow…”

Vannases reached for a poster from her desk, one among a small pile. The scrawled words on the poster thanked the lord-mayor for his reward but suggested other ways he can spend it, and was signed Nightswarm on behalf of the Children of the Ash.

Saulus anticipated her next question. “I had the posters removed, but no doubt we couldn’t find all of them before the citizens read them. Word would have got out.”

“Why would he be protecting Bug, though?”

“There is something else, duxotas – our informants say Bug was hired by Belor’s former proprietor, a man named Titus. The only records we have of Titus was that he reported the death of his fiancée about 6 months ago, claimed it was part of that Slasher copy killings.”

“Killings which the Children recently put an end to,” Vannases muttered. “Officially those killings never occurred, did they?”

“Of course not, duxotas, Titus was drunk at the time of reporting and his fiancee’s case was filed as ‘accidental death’.”

Vannases chewed her lip. “Saulus, what did the Flying Halfling scream when he killed Nox? Wasn’t it ‘For Titus?’” Not waiting for confirmation, Vannases continued. “Check Nox’s description of the men she killed in the Many-Steps Monastery under the Fantasmagorium, see if any match this Titus.”

Vannases turned from the window and headed to her desk, suddenly joining the dots. “It has to be the same man! If the description matches, we have two pieces of evidence linking Bug to the Children of the Ash – Nightswarm and Titus.”

Saulus nodded, coming to the same conclusion as his boss.

“This could be the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for, Saulus. I’ll notify the lord-mayor. In the meantime keep watching Bug, see what else we can learn.”

- – -

If there was something worse than meeting with nobles, it was meeting with inquisitors. “What brings you to my office, Inquisitor Glackus?”

Glackus calmly walked across the room to the chair offered him, his cane tap-tapping rhythmically. Vannases absently thought she would have preferred him in his inquistor’s mask as opposed to the pale face peering at her. It looked like he had not seen the sun in years. His smooth but pale skin contrasted sharply with his black frock, the standard garb for an inquisitor of the church.

He slid into the chair like a python stalking its prey. “I’ve come to inform you that the church will be handling the Sigio case now.”

“Straight to the point,” Vannases replied. She didn’t bother asking on whose orders; Glackus would have been sent by the lord-mayor himself.

Glackus smiled a weak smile; smiling was not something he did often. “Your letter to the lord-mayor was most revealing. Your investigations corroborate our own. We noted those who took the rewards offered by the lord-mayor.”

A trap, Vannases realised, though she nodded as if she had known all along.

“We have linked these Children to a criminal network known as the Black Mantis, with Bug as their leader. Unlike your ‘wait and see’ approach, we have acted, arresting a number of rebels. It will be most unfortunate if they do not tell us who the other leaders are. For them,” he added as an afterthought.

“Case closed,” Vannases smiled back, resisting the urge to throw this contemptable excuse of a man out of her office. Saulus took half a step forward, though Vannases wasn’t sure if he planned on helping her or preventing her from making what would be a career- and ultimately life-ending decision.

Glackus himself leaned back, as if reading her thoughts. The man was perceptive, one didn’t rise that high in the inquisitors without skill. “Well, the lord-mayor thanks you for your assistance,” he said, rising. “Good day, duxotas,” he said, tap-tapping his way to the door.

Vannases waited for it to shut behind him before slamming her fist down on her desk. “Dark Lord take him!” she swore. “Just when things were getting interesting.”

Saulus poured another goblet of wine.

Gaian whistled to himself as he strolled toward home. The meeting had gone about as well as could be expected, although he did wonder if he’d been a bit harsh on Bug. After all, Gaian was confident enough that there was nothing to link him to the Rebellion, so it really didn’t matter to him personally whether Belor’s fell under suspicion. Still, it had been a good opportunity to highlight that Bug was continuing to abuse his position, directing attention away from Nightswarm’s disregard for the Children as an organisation.

And now the break from any formal rebellion activity for a few days was a welcome respite, although he would no doubt be a little distracted at not knowing how Aroldo and the others were going on their quest to the sea elves. And it’s not like they were giving Thrune a free ride; tomorrow he would look at a boat to start helping citizens bypass the bridge toll, and Nightswarm would still be busy during the darker hours watching over Bug. But for now, the relaxing of usual activities was allowing Gaian to focus a little more on his family.

Gaian smiled as he opened the door and his sons ran up to greet him. He quickly shushed Alaost as he went to tell Gaian about how well he was practicing his weapons training, as much so he wasn’t caught out not knowing the specifics of what Nightswarm had been teaching as to ensure Ereniel didn’t overhear. After playing with the boys for a few minutes, he sent them to wash up for dinner, and made his way down to the basement where his wife worked. No doubt he’d find Raiia there too, as she’d have come home from Lady Docur’s today for her break.

“Ah, my love!” he said as he saw his wife. “Where’s Raiia? I thought she’d…what’s wrong?” he broke off as he saw his wife’s distressed face.

“What? Oh, Raiia’s in her room.” She replied, clutching tightly to a small book in her hands. “Which is just as well; you need to see this.” She said, thrusting out the book.

“What is it?” Gaian asked. He began opening the book, then quickly closed it as he saw his daughter’s neat handwriting.

“Ereniel, I’m not reading the girl’s diary! And to be honest I’d have thought better of you.”

“I didn’t really mean to,” Ereniel replied somewhat sheepishly. “It just fell out when I was unpacking her things. And, well, she’s been so moody and abrasive lately that I thought it wouldn’t hurt to get some idea…don’t look at me like that!” she broke said. “Just read it.”

“My dear, I really don’t really want to know which boy she likes or how she likes to style her hair enough to invade her privacy.”

“Damnit Gaian, it’s not her diary. Just read it!”

Gaian sighed as randomly opened to a page and began reading.

Be not the cretin, said Barzillae Thrune…

“What the…is it all like this?”

Ereniel nodded. “It’s all in her own handwriting, she must be copying it from somewhere.”

“I’d not think the works of the Poison Pen are among the studied texts at Lady Docur’s,” Gaian mused “Did you ask her where it came from?”

“Are you mad? I can’t tell her I’ve been going through her things, she won’t listen to anything I say after that! I thought you could probably come up with some way to talk to her, she listens to you. Please, Gaian. If she were to be caught with this…”

“I know.” Gaian said, stepping forward to embrace his wife. “I’ll go and talk to her.”
*
Gaian made his way up the stairs to his daughter’s room, noting the closed door. He thought for a moment, but couldn’t remember her ever having closed her door in the past. Deciding it best to show her that he respected her privacy he knocked gently, listening intently to the shuffling of papers from within before hearing the gentle call of “Come in.”

He entered to find Raiia sitting at the desk by her open window through which the last few rays of the sun shone upon her hair, bringing the golden hues she’d inherited from her mother to the fore over her father’s dark tones. It was of course too cold really to have the window flung wide, as evidenced by the rug she had wrapped around herself. No doubt she had opened it to better enjoy the view, Gaian mused, the cheap panes of glass tending to distort it severely. Perhaps it had also better served to illuminate whatever she had been working on, but whatever the pages in front of her held was now hidden by the large tome she had rested over them.

Gaian chatted to his daughter aimlessly for a while, noting with some discomfort that she seemed less open and chatty than usual, before deciding to breach the subject at hand as delicately as possible.

“There is one other thing I wanted to speak to you about,” Gaian began, as his daughter’s eyes narrowed slightly. “While you mother was putting some of your things away she came across this.” He said, producing the small book.

While Gaian did not expect a favourable reaction, the degree of her rage as she snatched to book from him caught him somewhat off guard.

“How dare you snoop through my things!” she yelled as she stood and moved to the far side of the room. “That’s my personal journal, my private thoughts! You can’t read that!”

“Firstly,” Gaian replied calmly once he was over the initial shock, “Let me make one thing very clear; I didn’t snoop through your things. Your mother did.” Okay, so he’d thrown his wife under the cart so to speak, but it was for a good cause. “And secondly, that’s not your journal. That’s poetry.”

“Exactly. My poetry!” she raged without missing a beat. “It’s my most intimate thoughts and feelings, my most vulnerable, um, vulnerabilities.” She calmed a little. “But I guess if you didn’t read it, then that’s okay.”

“I read a little, I must admit.” Gaian admitted, while smiling inwardly at his daughter’s theatrics. She was convincing, and if he didn’t know the content for what it was he’d almost have believed her. He felt a little disappointed at having to call her out on it.
“Enough to know it is not your poetry at all.”

“Oh.” Raiia paused for the briefest of moments, then sat on her bed and made a show of opening the book, her demeanour changing quickly. “My mistake,” she smiled sweetly as looked up at him “This is one of the poetry books we’re studying at school. I’m really sorry I yelled at you. You will forgive me?” she asked demurely.

Was it, Gaian mused to himself, unusual to view his daughter largely with pride for how smoothly she lied to him? He wasn’t sure.

“A good try,” he admonished gently, “But I find it highly doubtful that particular author is on Lady Docur’s list of recommended reading. So, where did you come by it? You’ve written that all in yourself, so presumably you’ve collated it from somewhere.”

Unable to think of another approach, Raiia dropped the feigned moods and turned sullen.
“Yeah? Well I don’t care what Lady Docur wants me to read. Brother Vaelus always said we should pursue all knowledge. And this is what I want to read.”

“Ah, Raiia.” Gaian comforted, sitting beside her. “I’m sure Brother Vaelus would be very proud. But there’s a big difference between seeking knowledge and carrying around a handwritten book of treasonous verse. You know they excruciated the author of that work, don’t you?”

“They tried to!” she retorted, moving away again as she became more agitated. “But they couldn’t. The Children of the Ash rescued her. And,” she continued, as a tear rolled down her cheek, “Brother Vaelus couldn’t be proud of me because he’s probably dead. And you just watched them drag him away!”

“Raiia,” Gaian smiled sadly, “What could I have done? I’m hardly going to try to fight a pair of Hellknights, am I? I’m sure Vaelus is fine, and things will settle down soon enough. We just have to ride out tough times.”

“Hah!” she said, rolling her eyes as only a teenage girl can “It’s okay for you. You got to grow up in Kintargo with it the way it’s supposed to be. You’ve had your opportunities. What am I supposed to do? Barzillai Thrune has ruined my life!” she shouted.

Gaian cringed as he got up and shut the window. The ranting of a young girl was unlikely to attract too much attention, but still…

“Keep your voice down!” Gaian hissed. “Now, how exactly has Barzillai Thrune ruined your life?”

“In every way! How am I supposed to be an actress when he’s shut down the Opera House and everything? What am I supposed to do with my life now? Pour tea?”

“Come now Raiia, it’s very few people who can make a career out of acting…”

“Oh, so you don’t think I’m good enough?” she spat. “Just because you’ve never done anything better than show a few people around the city, and they only pay you because they’re too stupid to realise you don’t actually know anything and just make it all up! You had your chance and didn’t take it, but now I don’t even get that! That’s why the people fighting are the Children of the Ash. Because only the young people have enough to lose to be bothered.” Raiia slumpeddown onto the bed, exhausted from her outburst. Gaian decided it was a good time to try to win her back over.

“No, Raiia. The reason I and those like me don’t fight is because we have far more to lose. And I don’t want my twelve-year-old daughter excruciated for carrying around a book of poetry.”

“Well I…twelve? I’m sixteen!”

“No you’re not.”

“I almost am. I’ll be sixteen at my next birthday.”

“Which is eleven months away. So barely fifteen. But because of your elven blood you of course mature later. So really you’re twelve.” Gaian smiled, knowing she’d take the bait.

“What? It doesn’t work like that!” Raiia replied indignantly.”I’m actually really mature for my age.”

“Are you sure? You only look about twelve. I mean, I was thinking thirteen perhaps, but when you throw tantrums like this it does make you seem a bit younger.”

“I only look young to you because you’re old. I mean, you hardly work any more, your hair’s going grey, and you’re talking about buying a boat. Probably to spend all day fishing because the fish in the shops don’t taste like they did in the old days. You’re pretty much retired.”

“Okay, you win that one.” Gaian conceded with a smile. “So, I’ll allow that you’re fourteenish. And as such mature enough to have your own opinions and seek out what knowledge you like. Just don’t write it down, okay? Or talk about it for that matter. I’m assuming you’ve already memorised all those poems.”

“Of course. Can’t be an actor if I can’t learn my lines, can I?”

“Good, then I’ll burn that book.” Gaian smiled as Raiia handed him the book and he headed down the stairs happily. Although he didn’t really know where she’d come by the anti-Thrune propaganda, or what she’d been working on when he came in, such small details were probably irrelevant now that he’d successfully resolved this crisis.

[[:brother-vaelus | Augus Semisos Natio ]]

Augus wasn’t sure how he had ended up here…he must have been working his way through this labyrinth for hours, time seemed to have lost all meaning in this place, cast in perpetual twilight. The only thing Augus knew for certain was that he had to reach the centre, that answers to questions he didn’t even know he was asking lay there.
Hahahahaha….
A sound like laughter suddenly filled the air, howling on the wind.
That’s right, Augus…come and find me…
The strange voice sent a shiver down his spine, yet at the same time, it almost seemed familiar.
Gritting his teeth, the half-elf pushed on, trying to ignore the sense of foreboding that was building.
Some time later, he rounded a final bend and found himself in a large clearing, this must have been the centre of the maze. In the middle of the clearing stood a massive mirror, held in place by massive stones. Strange markings surrounded the glass, a language he did not understand.
Looking into the mirror, he was unsurprised to find his reflection staring back at him, yet the image filled him with dread. Why was that? It was only a reflection of himself…wasn’t it?
It looked darker, but maybe that was a trick of the perpetual twilight. Yes that must be it.
Were you always so naive? the voice asked, the reflection taking on a pose of disdain.
“This isn’t possible…”
Don’t be such a fool Augus.
“You know my name?”
Of course, the reflection responded, After all, I am you…the real you…
The reflection held up it’s hands. Augus recoiled in horror for they were covered in blood.
Don’t you remember what it felt like? The reflection asked. The lives we took? The pleasure it gave you?
“I never took pleasure in killing!” Augus snapped, regaining his composure somewhat, “I sought vengeance for my family and nothing more!”
You can’t lie to me, the reflection chuckled, I am that part of you try to keep hided away, but you are dipping in to me more and more as you battle with this rebellion.
“No!”
You can’t deny it, the mocking voice continued, you are resorting to lethal force more and more frequently. Remember the man on the bridge that night you and the other children freed that many from the dogs? You could have disabled him, but you went straight for the kill. The reflection applauded, well done.
“That’s not true,” Augus said, trying to defend himself, horrified at the accusation, “I had to act quickly, there wasn’t time to…”
Don’t lie to me! The voice snarled,_ I am you and I know the truth. I am the real you! Have you forgotten my name? Did that pathetic priest try to purge even that from you?
_What did he mean about the priest? As for the name…
“Umbra Eques…”
So you do remember me, the voice mocked, _Vaelus programming wasn’t quite as thorough as he had hoped.
_“What do you mean?” Augus was sure he couldn’t trust this voice, yet he felt compelled to ask.
You think you became such an efficient killer of the criminal element overnight? Vaelus didn’t ‘heal’ you through kindness, he tried to purge part of your personality, the part of you that they created.
“They?”
Oh yes, you had help, you were taught. You were like fresh clay, just waiting to be sculpted, and they created a master piece…me!
“No!” Augus shouted, “I wasn’t an indiscriminate killer, I targeted the criminal element…”
But how did you choose? The voice of the Umbra Eques asked. __Just random strikes? Or were you sent. Our masters created a weapon in you and you…we…served willingly. Those that the masters wanted dead…died by our hand, with no mercy…it was glorious…_
”no…” this time the cry held less conviction.
We were the masters greatest creation, a perfect weapon…until Vaelus…
The voice hissed the name out.
“He helped us…”
He reprogramed us! The voice snapped back_. Ask him if you don’t believe me…better yet…kill him and set us free…_
“NO!!!”
Augus bolted awake.
The nightmares were becoming more and more frequent, but this latest one…
Could it be true?
Had Vaelus healed him by actually purging part of his personality?
Had the Umbra Eques been more than a name, something created by these…masters…the voice spoke of. He sensed that there was a truth to the words, as much as he wanted to deny it.
What if…
Had Vaelus bought him into the Children of the Ash to keep him close? To ensure that the ‘programming’ held, maybe to aim the weapon the ‘masters’ had made?
Is that all he was, a weapon?

The room was dark, almost too dark to see. It hid the details of those seated around the table.

“I have summoned you all here,” Hei-Fen spoke quietly, “to inform you we have made contact with the Lucky Bones.”

“He did it!” someone announced with a little too much joy for Hei-Fen’s liking.

Her brows furrowed slightly. “No, ‘he’ did not do it. In fact, my Ears report he – Varl Wrex – is dead.” Hei-Fen let that news sink in, and waited for the quiet murmuring to begin before continuing. “Along with our agents.”

“But who…?”

“We don’t yet know,” Hei-Fen snapped. The attendees realised her temper was rising and fell silent. “But I know, through other means, they have found the Lucky Bones and accessed its vault. Our vault.”

Now only silence, as the others waited for direction. Eventually Hei-Fen spoke, some having to lean forward to hear her words. “I have arranged a meeting with the one who gained access. My Ears will discover who they are. Until then, as much as it pains us, we wait.”

+ + +

Across the ocean, another meeting was taking place. This one occurred in an atrium. A glass roof sheltered a number of rare and exotic plants, some climbing toward the sun, others creeping across the tiled floor. Several chains of perfumed red flowers trailed down from large glossy leaves above, shading a simple satinwood chair. Upon the chair sat an elderly woman.

A young, blonde woman with deep blue eyes made her way through the plants toward the seated lady. A tendril from a passionflower caressed her shoulder but the woman absently brushed it aside.

“Mistress, I have information on the Children,” she said, coming to a standstill in front of the seated lady.

The lady gestured for her to take a seat opposite, and poured her some tea while she did so. “In Draconic, please, Rili,” the lady requested.

Rili paused for only a moment before switching her language to the ancient language of dragons. The words were difficult to pronounce but Rili spoke it with ease.

“The Children of the Ash have found a new hideout. Even now they gather strength in an underground complex in Old Kintargo.”

The lady nodded. “Good. Infernal.”

Rili changed flawlessly, now speaking the language of Hell. It was a concise language replete with homophones, but Rili conveyed her message precisely. “The Children saved Archbaroness Aulamaxa from Lady Ambria Sarini’s assassination attempt. I think they will approach the Archbaroness for an alliance, much like they did with Lord Aulorian and Lictor Sabinus.”

“Ex-Lictor,” the lady corrected with a wry smile. “Very good. Speaking of the Order, what of Sir Rogatus? Elven.”

Rili once again changed, this time to the poetic sounding elven. “He has left the city, this time headed to Citadel Enferac.”

“So they intend to go ahead with the ritual. Interesting. Thank you, Rili, you may go.”

As Rili left the lady leaned back, holding a sprig of mint under her nose, lost in thought.

+ + +

Rogatus spurred on his horse, hoping the last few miles passed quickly. His destination was close, he could see it. In fact, he couldn’t miss it. Citadel Enferac, home of the Order of the Gate, the only order of Hellknight dedicated to employing magic to enforce its vision of law.

From the outside, the mountain’s habitation was clear. Towers, smoking chimneys, iron balconies, and fortifications of black stone protruded from the snowy slopes. Over the decades, the citadel had grown from a single structure to encompass the entirety of Mount Nyisaid. Legend had it the citadel didn’t simply cover the mountain, but also filled it: the Order of the Gate had carved vast caverns within the mountain, halls, barracks, meeting chambers, some with fortifications and structures all their own.

Ahead of Rogatus, a massive flight of stairs rose from the valley. There’s always a catch, he thought. Dismounting, he passed the reins to an stablehand. Taking a deep breath, he began his ascent.

Legs aching and breath coming in ragged gasps in the mountain air, Rogatus eventually reached a mighty crimson door. Two gargantuan iron statues of Hellknights flanked the gate. Although motionless, Rogatus had no doubt they would animate if necessary.

He reached out for the large knocker but the door opened silently before he could touch it.

“Welcome, Sir Rogatus,” a grinning man in a crimson robe greeted him.

Rogatus waited a moment to catch his breath. “Sir Hybriano… Greetings… It’s been… a long time.”

Hybriano grinned and ushered Rogatus inside. “I forgot how tiring the stairs can be,” Hybriano said as he led Rogatus down a hall. “You know we rarely use them.”

Rogatus had by now caught his breath. “I don’t suppose you could provide me a way of passing them by next time, a magic carpet perhaps?” he half joked. It was his third time at Enferac, and the climb had definitely not become easier with age.

As he passed down the hall he noted the murder holes and arrow slits lining the walls. He couldn’t help but compare Enferac to his Order’s own keep in Kintargo, humble – no, meek – beside this marvel.

With a grimace he remembered that humble abode was now the possession of the Order of the Rack, thanks to Barzillai Thrune’s proclamation.

Hybriano opened a door to a small meeting hall as two Hellknights walked by, dressed in the crimson robes and vortex-patterned armour traditionally worn by the Gate. They turned to Rogatus, perhaps wondering who the stranger was, though their expressions were hidden behind steel face masks.

“Water, wine perhaps?” Hybriano offered as Rogatus slumped into a chair.

“Wine, thanks,” Rogatus replied. He took a long drink, rubbed the exhaustion from his face, and turned to Hybriano, who had also taken a seat at the table. “I suppose you know about the Torrent?” he asked.

Hybriano’s expression remained neutral. “Of course. Word travels quickly.”

Augurs of fantastic potency, the Hellknights of the Gate cast their gazes across the world, witnessing crimes and presaging chaos. There was little that escaped them, and Rogatus had no doubt that word might have travelled quickly but in no mundane way.

Hybriano spoke cautiously. "It is unfortunate, but know there are many in Enferac whom sympathise with your plight.”

“It’s temporary,” Rogatus offered with a grin, but it slowly faded as he contemplated his position. Although outlawed from Kintargo, not even the Lord-Mayor had the power to completely dissolve the Order, so he was safe and welcome at Enferac. Planning to overthrow the lawful government of the city, however, was probably beyond the pale for the Order of the Gate. How much they knew about that Rogatus wasn’t sure, but he had no intention of mentioning it.

Considering their power of divination, however, they did know, in which case they had provided their unspoken blessing for the rebellion – for otherwise Rogatus would already be in chains.

“Do you know why I’m here?" he asked.

“You need us for a summoning. I’m happy to report Paravicar Astratius will do it himself.”

“Excellent!” Rogatus replied. That was the first good news he had heard for quite some time.

“Just as soon as your men assist ours, we will be ready.”

There’s always a catch.

Hybriano passed over a letter detailing the assistance required.

“Agreed,” Rogatus stated after reading it. He summarily threw it into the fireplace, having memorised its contents. “One more thing. This is more personal. The Lictor tasked me with finding Shensen, but all leads have gone cold. Perhaps you could help…”

Bug was quite happy with his new rooms in the former thieves guild hide out. He had been quite quick to claim the rooms just off the first pit they had encountered. Although the others had said he should have been happy with cupboard, Bug wanted the space. He had cleared out all of the fine study furniture and replaced it with a simple bed and desk. A long the wall he had gotten Jerry to get him a wooden pole that held his armour and finer clothes. The small room next to the former guardpost clearly used to be a holding cell. After a quick examination of the cell, he had discovered there was a secret door that led into the former shrine to some God. Bug was quick to disable the door so that it could only be opened from his side.

The last of Bug changes was the installation of a rack. In recent times he had started to own quite a few daggers and shortswords and enjoyed having them displayed. Although Nightswarm had commented that his shortswords were nothing more than human daggers bug used them like a shortsword. There was one particular spot on that rack he had reserved for that teleportation dagger Aroldo was holding for him. He wanted nothing more than to have that in his grasp again. “Such a fine cutting edge…” he thought to himself.

As he took off his final bit of finery he thought about all that had happened that day. He was a bit worried he had caught the eye of the inquisitors, he was amused by the rumours of the flying Halfling but was not happy at the attention it had drawn. As he was thinking of possible ways to mislead the authorities there was a knock at the door.

“Come in” Bug said. He knew it was Jerry his second in command. Jerry had proven to be incredibly good at his job. He had gathered useful information and done everything that Bug had asked of him, and had become a friend of Bugs.

“Hey Bug, I was told you were looking for me”

“Jerry, today has been a shit, I got stabbed pleny, and the inquisiors harassed me. We’re gonna have to think up a way to distrac them. But that’s for later. I’ve got some ideas that need to be done Jerry, reckon you can help me out”

“Sure thing Bug, what’d you need”

“first up lets get some money Jerry, As you know there is an old smugglers port under this hide out, we’re gonna get into the importing business. I need you to find some of your old buddies by the dock who know how to sail. I need them to go to Vyre and bick up some mint for us. We’re gonna start pumping it into this city.” Bug had thought up this idea when he heard the Tengu gang were harassing Aroldo’s local seller.

“yeah I should be able to find some boys that can go get it for us bug, what else you need”

“you seen those items being shown in the Opera park? Reckon it is a stupid idea to send some boys to get them? Some of the newer guys. Ones that don’t know me or where this place is.”

“Bug, you know those weapons aren’t right”

“yeah, I just want you to send some boys to have a look and see what happens”

“I’m not sure Bug, but if you think it’s right… I’ll send someone, anything else?”

“yeah, I found out whats happen to the Red Jills, the Inquisiors took ‘em out. Time to claim their dirt as ours. Also while I think about it, you reckon we got the numbers to get the markets as well?”

“Hmm those River Talons have Bleakbridge locked tight, Bug, it will be tough to move in. Perhaps we should make them an offer to join the Black Mantis.”

That was the list of the things Bug wanted to get done for his Gang, now it was time to hear what intel Jerry had gathered. “before you leave Jerry, what info you got for me that the rebellion should know?”

“There was one thing, Bug. A young woman with blonde hair, athletic looking. Some of the boys caught her watching Belor’s. She’s good Bug, she lost the boys in the crowd. Might be worth keeping an eye out.”

“Wait, wha’d ya mean blonde? Was it white or blonde? Blue eyes?”

“Yeah Bug that’s her, golden blonde with blue eyes.”

“Well shit.”

You’re awfully quiet.

Unlike yourself, I’m a man of few, yet valuable, words. Was there something in particular you wished commentary on?

Well, I’m surprised there’s been no mockery of my day at the horse festival. But what I’d really expected to hear was your plan for how you are going to take that sword Thrune has so nicely left out for you.

Oh? You think I should?

Of course not! But it is exactly the kind of thing you’d do, and damn the consequences.

It is exactly the kind of thing I’d do. And the kind of thing you wouldn’t approve of, thus my silence. I wasn’t going to tell you how I am going to climb down the opera house and grab the sword unobserved, then sneak in and use it to lop off Barzillai’s head.

Really? That’s your plan?

Of course not. I’m not stupid.

Blinded by hatred and a need for vengeance, though.

Ispired by hatred and a need for vengeance. Fear not, I’m not about to take the sword.

I’m glad you see the risk.

I don’t care about the risk. I’m quite certain I could manage it with no adverse consequences. However, there is no way I will allow Thrune to claim us as his pawns in the eyes of Kintargo.

Agreed. In fact, I think we really do need to respond to this offer, make it clear to the people that we will continue our work to free Kintargo and have no interest in Barzillai’s misguided attempts to claim us.

Indeed. Perhaps a response thanking Barzillai for acknowledging the good work we are doing for Kintargo’s citizens, and reiterating that we are clearly perfectly capable on our own. And that he and the good citizens of Kintargo may rest assured that we have only just begun in our efforts to improve this city.

Yes, and perhaps mentioning that given his clear interest in supporting us in aiding Kintargo, we would prefer him to keep the items he offered us and invite him to use the funds to their value to more directly aid the citizens of this fine city.

How?

Hmm. Well, for a start that amount of gold going back into the treasury would remove the need for a toll on Bleakbridge.

Or perhaps the funds could be used to buy him his very own home, allowing the Opera House to be returned to the people?

I like that one. How about using it to reinstate the city’s beloved Knights of the Torrent, and paying them to discover the whereabouts of certain persons missing since the Night of Ashes, such as Shensen and our former Mayor?

All good suggestions.

And probably appealing to the middle class of Kintargo. The poor already like us, it’s time we moved up a rung in society.

You’re better with words than I. Prepare the notices and I’ll put them up tonight.

We’d better run it by the others first; I don’t think they were all thrilled with our last run of posters.

Come now, we don’t have to gain approval for everything we do. Do you see Bug asking for approval every time he wants to do something?

No. And as a result he is often viewed with suspicion, and accused of placing his own interests ahead of those of the rebellion. I do not wish to be viewed in similar light.

Fine, go and ask them all for permission if you wish. I suppose there’ no harm in throwing them a bone in the illusion of choice.

Illusion? I see. I’d best be convincing then, so that they don’t see the illusion for what it is.

Is that not the primary role of the illusionist? Now get to it, the sooner we counter Barzillai’s propaganda the better.

Ambria and the Loyalists plot to kill Archbaroness Eldonna Aulamaxa and blame Baron Canton Jhaltera, hence taking care of two pro-Kintargo noble families. However, the Children of the Ash work out the plan and foil the attack at the last moment.

Following that, Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune publicly praise the Children and offer personalised rewards for their dedication to the safety of Kintargo. The Children suspect things are not what they seem and do not attend the ceremony.

FULL NOTES:

• The Children fix the magic pump, pumping the water from the lower level of the Lucky Bones. This reveals the secret vault; inside is lots of loot.This includes four strange rings. Bug wears one, a strange lady’s voice appears in his head, says she will meet him soon. Ominous.
• Lentius and Octavio walk through, assigning roles to rooms and the like.
• Aroldo drops into Fine Flowers to find 3 tengu are here shaking the owner down for proptection money. Gaian and Augas with him. River talons. Shaking the locals for protection money. Aroldo promises that he will help with this.
• Red Jills in chaos.
• Arms and armour safely at Aroldo’s Manor. Weapons in colour Jhaltero house, however the leader of loyalists was Sigio Tanessen. Ambria Sarini was wizard when we stole the items. All different houses; political intrigue likely.
• Archbaroness Melodia is hosting a horse race. To Whiterock and back. Whiterock is held by the Jhaltero Family.
• Get info. Like the Royal Show, but more horses. Watch horses leave, watch horses come back. About as fun as the Adelaide 500. ZZZZzzzzz
• Festival held outside the walls. Farmland and food stuff. Largest building is the Rookery. Opposite is Whisperwind Stables. Merchant stalls, equipment, tents, etc. Dr Barnabas owns the Rookery, Head of Aviation at Academy.
• Aroldo and Gaian start enjoying themselves at festival. Augus, Bug and Green spot interesting people in the crowd.
• Bug follows one, grabbing a fish stick. He’s approached by one of the people he has spotted, he calls him Bug. Says the inquisitors came, took Scarplume (Red Jill). Inquisitors asking about the Flying Halfling. Watch out for tall woman with white/silver hair.
• Bodeen follows a woman, loses her.
• Aroldo and Bug spot a Dottari high up riding huge black warhorse; it’s Vannases, Duxotas of the Dottari.
• Augus follows another, who seems to be talking to others.
• Gaian goes to the Sarini compound with 2 glasses of wine. Countess’ greeting towards him gets Gaian admitted. Warm greetings. Flirting. While talking spots Ambria. Discuss other night with Countess. Sarini is having a party, invites Gaian.
• More Dottari arrive, cavalry. Bodeen spots girl with blue eyes. She spots him, Green plays coy. Doesn’t get anywhere. Goes to see Baroness Belcara. She’s won 3 of last 5 races. Usually go for sail on barge to watch. Bodeen queries why change this year. She mentions Aulurian family shifting support to Thrune from the city. Thrune will be hosting costume ball at Opera House. Menador’s Gap has been closed.
• Aroldo goes to the Rookery to see Dr Barnabas. Helping sick warrior. He’s a guard of House of Aulamaxa (poodle woman). Serving girl dressed as imp gave him a drink. Was poisoned, Augus confirms.
• Halfling in taproom approaches Bug. Calls herself Juno. She’s an informant to the Inquisition, selling out the Bellflower network. Bug knew nothing, they couldn’t pin shit on him.
• Hallflings storm the place, calling for glory to the Reclamation. A play / performance. Sarini guards start moving in. Seems to be what the mystery was about.
• Barnabas says there were 6 men early for breakfast at the Rookery, armed.
• Bodyguard was poisoned by girl in imp costume. He wants to race off to find his liege, the Archbaroness Eldonna. She might be in danger. Children assist.
• A few miles out of the city, we spy men dressed in black. With women and children but they appear vacant and disinterested. Pass them.
• Augus spots a bloodstain and trampled grass. Find two wagons in grass, with 3 dead men, half naked. Clothes taken, other groups likely wearing clothes. Go back, fight them, save slaves.
• Haste twice on the way back to catch up, then attacked by giant bull. He’s a giant problem, Bug almost dies but they are victorious.
• Ride on, get to barge, under attack. MantaMan engages. Fight ensues, the party clamber on board the barge and are attacked by men, Ambria reveals herself, she is the leader, summons her winged serpent.
• The battle is fierce, Sir Callum is a great help. Bug wounded gravely again, eventually Aroldo’s magic causes Ambria to find the whole thing ridiculous (Hideous Lauhgter) her laughing results in her capture, others killed. Eldonna takes her away.
• Return to city. Lord-Mayor issues posters that children of the Ash are awesome, we should be rewarded. Massive ceremony on Opera House steps, no Children show. Barzillai says kind words, leaves gifts behind. Gifts seem to be tailor made for each of the head Rebels.

Aroldo and Marius both sink back into the comfortable chairs in the manor’s sitting room.
“Is it over?” Asks Marius quietly.

“I certainly hope so," replies Aroldo. With a glance upward, he reaches for several clam shells and starts to study them intently.

For his part, Marius begins patting himself, ensuring each and every weapon is in its rightful place. After several rounds of this, he clears his throat.

“I dabbled a bit in the Arcane area myself you know.”

Aroldo glances up from his shells, “Oh, really?”

“Yeah. Didn’t really stick with it though.”

“I see, why not?” asks the wizard, hiding his exasperation at being disturbed.

“I’d say I lost interest in it, after I learnt a spell that made me a lot better at stabbing people!”

Aroldo purses his lips for a minute as he considers the statement. Finally he replies “Fair enough.”

Deciding he’s on a bit of a roll, the usually quiet Marius continues “She always like that?” asking with a glance upward.

“No, I think she’s just a bit nervous. Well, perhaps more than just a little bit. She doesn’t get out much these days, I think she needs to blow off a bit of steam.” answers the wizard.

“Fair enough,” responds the rogue, before both men exchange a smile.

With the household generally still, it’s quiet enough to hear someone come down the stairs.
Both men rise from their chairs moments before Alaria appears in the doorway.

“Sorry I took a bit long getting ready,” she announces the bard as she stops forward. She’s wearing a tight black dress that fits her perfectly and it is heavily embroidered, flaunting the Little Black Swan’s disregard for the Lord-Mayor’s proclamations.

“What do you think?” she asks the two as she gives a small mock curtsy before twirling once, showing off.

Marius let out a low whistle as Aroldo smiles broadly. "I’m sure you’ll have all their attention.

“Better cover that up for now though,” advises Marius, stepping forward with her disguise and helping her cover up.

“I’ll see the two of you there, even if you don’t see me.” says Aroldo as he moves to the door. "I have to get ready yet, and I’ll have a disguise!”

Aroldo moves to his greenhouse and begins tending to his plants for a time until he hears the front door open and close – Alaria and Marius are on their way. Wiping his hands clean, Aroldo heads up to his bedroom to get changed. As he’ll be using his magic to disguise himself, he worries little about his appearance; his choices are based on comfort and convenience.

As he finishes wiping his face he glances down and spots the Harrow deck Alaria had dug up. He reaches for it and places a hand on top of the deck, considering performing a reading. Deciding against it, he casts his spell, nodding to the stranger’s face that now appears in the mirror before him. Disguise in place, he too heads out the front door, on the way to the same destination as the bard and rogue.

• * *

The tall half-elf with flowing silvery-blonde hair smiles beatifically down at the girl on the final layer of security. Handing the invitation over, he steps through the doorway. All in all, Aroldo was pleased with the layers of security, seen and unseen. The location seemed secure, a sub-basement in a rarely used warehouse. The owner kept two guards on staff so the Dottari rarely patrolled. That the two guards were sympathetic to rebellious ideals and nicely bribed by The Barman was the icing on the cake.

The impromptu stage had been set up at one end of the rectangular room. Standing upon it, Gruckalus was on stage swallowing a sword, an impressive act that resulted in some cheers and claps from some of the attendees. The street performer then fired back at a member of the audience whose heckling was describing a completely different type of sword swallowing. The crowd roars with laughter as the heckler is subdued.

Alaria is seated in a corner, surrounded by a small group, seemingly entranced by one of the bard’s anecdotes.

Most of the crowd has clumped into groups large enough to form energetic conversations, most regarding recent events in the silver city. Some wear masks that Aroldo and the other distributors of the invitations had spread around. Others, no masks at all. A few even wear elaborate costumes of their own devising.

Arriving at the bar, he leans against it and makes eye contact with The Barman. He saunters over as the disguised wizard scratches at his right eyebrow.

“What will you have?” he asks, scratching at his own right eyebrow.

“Star wine from the Tehithal Valley,” sniffs the half elf, "but I don’t expect you to have heard of it.”

“Coming right up!” The Barman announces as he fetches the bottle. When he returns and begins to pour a glass he leans forward slightly and adopts a lower tone. “All good so far. No signs of any Dottari or anything yet. Eyes still open of course.”

Nodding, Aroldo turns and leans against the bar, back to surveying the crowd. The air is tingling; he’s very obviously not the only one utilising illusionary magic here, unsurprising, given the Alabaster Academy was one of the places he had discreetly placed invitations. Students were likely to attend, but infernal influences were opposed by more traditionalists amongst the faculty also.

It is still a little surprising when the figure of Professor Volonari stands next to him at the bar. If one of the students was imitating the head of the Divination School, and it got back to the professor…

“Not a bad illusion. Wrapped the outlying threads past the vertical vortexes. Very nice. You must have paid attention in your illusion class. Somewhere between say seven to ten years ago? Old Veymich taught that method, I remember!” the professor announces after sizing Aroldo up.

“Don’t worry,” he chuckles as Aroldo draws back a little in alarm. "That’s all I can easily tell,” He leans forward and sniffs at the wizard. “And that you stink of Harrow.”

Aroldo smiles at one of his old teachers, "I didn’t expect to see you here, I admit Professor. “And definitely not to just go Gandalfing,” referring to Kintargan slang for a wizard openly patronising a less than reputable drinking establishment.

“I’m just a worried citizen, concerned with the direction this city is taking,” the Professor says in a serious tone. He goes to say something further but movement in a corner of the room distracts him.

“Oh here she comes,” the Professor announces, “The Little Black Swan. My oh my, isn’t she magnificent specimen?”

Aroldo watches as Alaria heads towards the stage, to the murmurs of the crowd. She pauses to hug Gruckalus and exchanges a few words with him. She then ascends gracefully up the stairs to the stage.

“She is indeed,” Aroldo responds, gaze flicking between his friend and the crowd, seeking any threat. He does see Marius, across the room, doing the same.

Alaria stands right at the front of the stage gazing out as the masses attending quieten down to an expectant silence.

A city of free souls
Chained to fierce devils
Who pursue their own goals
And in their dark revels
They ignore the cries of the people
That go unheard and unwanted
Devil priests laugh from their dark steeple
But people remain undaunted!

After her recitation the crowd cheers and applaud, pleased with the performance so far. Some whisper to their neighbours, discussing the feelings behind the poem.

Alaria looks around the room, seemingly soaking up the approval the way a man stranded in the desert drinks water. Her gaze finally comes to rest on Aroldo, and she raises a hand slightly to quieten the audience before beginning her next poem.

Aroldo, however, is wondering if Alaria can somehow see through his disguise, it would appear her gaze is fixed upon him, and he’s growing more and more uncomfortable.
She begins the next poem, an emotive piece about someone’s feelings towards another, and tying it in to their feelings of a Free Kintargo. It’s impactful and tragically romantic, but Aroldo has trouble taking in the words, Alaria’s gaze on him has disconcerted him. It is unwavering, and the wizard’s anxiety moves beyond feeling that he is without an illusion, but more that he’s standing there naked and exposed. The voice in his mind that thinks Alaria can see through the illusion only grows louder. It begins to wonders if her rescue from excruciation and the sacrifices the Children of the Ash were ready to make has inspired her.

The poem moves to its crescendo, the subject explaining the danger they have decided to go into is all for their love for the other. Alaria’s delivery is perfection, her silky voice seemingly caressing the listeners ears. At the word ‘love’, Aroldo finally looks away, gulping at his wine.

He’s unable to look back at the stage, so he looks around. The crowd in the speakeasy seem to have been invigorated by the Little Black Swan’s poetry, talk around the room has spread from complaints to people beginning to ask one another “Well, what can we do?”
With this Aroldo has some small sense of accomplishment, perhaps this idea is one that will work.

Signalling at The Barman, who responds with a small pointing gesture, Aroldo heads through a small door, into a dark and dingy corridor. Casting another spell, the wizard disappears from view, before heading down the dark corridor back out into the dark and lonely streets of the oppressed Silver City to head home and ponder the nights events.

Quick! There are a couple of loyalists over there, heading toward that alley. Perfect opportunity to take them out and instill a bit more fear in the organisation. Give me control!

You’re joking, right? No way.

Since when do I joke about things like this? Now, dammit.

There are two very good reasons why that’s not going to happen. The first is that you’ve nearly had us killed several times in the last few days, and I’d like a break from that for a bit.

Okay, I’ll admit some fights haven’t gone as intended. But not against Thrune’s lackeys or loyalists. What the fuck are we even doing fighting xorn and skum, we’re supposed to be taking down Thrune and his Asmodeans!

You know very well what we were doing fighting xorn and skum; we need a base of operations that doesn’t involve the same group of us all going out through the back door of Belor’s, which is already under suspicion. And as I remember it, you were running away from loyalists on the docks.

Manoeuvring tactically to a more favourable battleground is what that was, perhaps you’d understand it if you did any of the hard stuff. And while I’ll grant you we needed to clean out the Lucky Bones, what’s this shit about helping aquatic elves fight an aboleth? Whatever the hell that is. How does that help us?

Allies. Despite what you seem to think, you can’t take down this whole city yourself.

Bullshit. It’s just because you all see a naked elf and offer your “weapons” to her. It’s nothing to do with us.

Hardly a fair assessment.

An accurate one. Or was it just coincidence you went home to your wife and had her bound hand and foot for your games that night? You may as well have painted her blue.

You’re not supposed to be present at those times. We had an agreement!

I really don’t have any interest in what you do, just making the point that your judgement is compromised. I’m the one who’s focused on our agenda, so your second reason for not going after those loyalists is going to need to be better than your first.

It is a pretty damned good one, actually. You’re not taking us off running after loyalists when I’m here playing in the park with my children!

But that’s why it’s perfect! I’ll be gone a few seconds, then back playing with them again, and you’ll be under no suspicion. We should really use them a bit more.

Absolutely not. There is no way I’m letting you use them as some kind of cover for our activities. They shouldn’t be exposed to that.

Really? But isn’t that what you’ve been doing for the last dozen or so years? Sure, you didn’t do anything worthwhile for most of that time, but the fact remains that your concocted background and subsequent marriage were all a distraction from your true self. My suggesting that our children can be used to deflect attention from us is merely an extension of that.

It’s hardly the same…hang on, what do you mean “our” children? You weren’t around when they were conceived, nor to raise them. They’re nothing to do with you.

Come now, let’s not get possessive. I’m you, you’re me, we’re just a little better at separating different aspects of our personality than most people. I will accept your wife as yours, as it is your personality for some reason she decided to marry. But we have the same body, the same substance from which our offspring come. Thus, the children are ours.

And what? Uncle Nightswarm now wants in on parenting? Bullshit, you’re just trying to use them.

Uncle isn’t really accurate, but I’ll allow it. Yes, I’ll use them to aid the Rebellion, but I’m not speaking of sacrificing them. I’m not likely to have any more, so if I want my legacy to live on I’ll have to make do with what you’ve given me.

Never knew you were interested in carrying on the family name.

Not the legacy I was speaking of. What happens if we fail in overthrowing Thrune? Who will continue the fight? And if we succeed, who will be there in twenty years to stop the Empire reclaiming Kintargo? Who will deal with the Asmodeans? We need to start preparing them for the fight to come!

So I’m supposed to start weapons training with Revin? He’s three!

I’ll admit Revin’s too young. Alaost is old enough to begin training. He’s what? Six?

Seven. But I still don’t like the idea. We had no training at that age, not formally anyway.

And a few years later we were on the streets struggling to survive.

Which we did, and it really wasn’t that bad. Why don’t you just have faith that they’ve inherited our resourcefulness and will cope with whatever comes?

Not that bad! Sometimes I feel like letting you remember everything in full so you understand. But that would defeat the whole purpose of me having splintered you off in the first place.

You created me? I created you to store some of the worse memories.

We’re the same person, remember? There’s no point in arguing which of us created the other, as neither of us existed in our present form then. Regardless, you’ve just admitted it was bad enough we decided to split apart so that one of us could give us a worthwhile life. There would be no children at all otherwise. So I think it reasonable we prepare them better.

Fine. I’ll let you do some training with Alaost, but Ereniel can’t know. We’ll see about Revin once he’s older.

Agreed. No Revin, just Alaost and Raiia.

No fucking way. You leave Raiia alone. I don’t want you corrupting her.

Tsk, tsk. You’re not supposed to have favourites.

It’s not about her being my favourite. She’s older, and already has skills from her education and joining me on my tours. She doesn’t need you.

You’re kidding yourself. At her age I had the skills granted by several years living in the streets. And I was sucking fat merchants’ cocks to get a few coppers for food to survive.

Which just confirms that you’re not the best person to teach her how to be self-sufficient. Besides, she’s at Lady Docur’s. That place has been around for hundreds of years, she’ll be fine there.

Come now, the girl’s hardly going to be content serving tea for her livelihood, she’s too talented and ambitious for that. You stifle her and she’ll come to hate you.

Raiia has no hatred in her.

You still think of her as a child. She’s a teenage girl, she probably hates most things. You can either direct it or be a victim of it.

This is not open for discussion. You can train Alaost, you’ll not even speak to Raiia.

Fine. I can work with those terms.

The Children thwarted a plot by a group calling themselves the Loyalists by stealing a crate of supplies which had been delivered ‘off the books.’ The Loyalists, led by Sigio Tanessen and a woman called Ambria, chased the Children through the dark streets of Kintargo. A brief skirmish left Sigio dead.

The Children then finished clearing out the ruins below the Lucky Bones, discovering a group of aquatic elves had been captured by the skum. The elves had travelled to Kintargo to find assistance for their village.

Aroldo rolls his shoulders and supresses a sigh as he comes to Bleakbridge. The exorbitant toll has reduced the number of those seeking to cross between the two halves of Kintargo. Perhaps another reason is the increased attention from the Dottari and the occasional Hell-Knight keeping things backed up.

Observing the crowd while he queues, he notices more than a few people wearing sour expressions until they come under the gaze of the authorities. They go straight-faced then, with perhaps the odd sideways glance at a companion, the meaning of which Aroldo would like to think is displeasure at this turn of events, but he cannot be sure.

The wizard has a strange ambivalence about this. On one hand he’s pleased that people are beginning to feel the strangling grasp of the Lord-Mayor, on the other, a dull anger that most of these people have taken no further action.

The rational part of Aroldo’s mind soothes the emotional with the thought that the Free Kintargo Society might help change things. Still have a lot to do, is the consistent thought in his mind. Not long to go now, though.

Handing over his silver, the wizard is mercifully left alone by the Dottari and crosses the bridge in peace.

Making his way through Old Kintargo towards Belor’s, the wizard keeps his eyes and ears open, observing the crowd. He gains little from this; even the lower classes aren’t speaking of rebellion openly.

He does pause at the sight of a ragged poster he sees, recognising the crude sketch. He scans the writing below, a vague expression of confusion on his face. This is not the work of the Dottari, he is certain.

Another thought occurs as to who may have placed the poster. “By Calistria’s cold cunt,” he murmurs quietly to himself, rubbing dejectedly at an eyebrow. The poster’s author craving for infamy could very well be the Children’s undoing.

Aroldo pauses outside of The Sweet Tooth Patisserie, stomach rumbling and mouth-watering. His sigh as he opens the door is tinged with disappointment.

His eyes linger on the displayed treats, as appealing to the eyes as they are no doubt to tastebuds. It takes him a second to realise the proprietor, Leila, was asking him a question.
“Oh, I’m fine, just fine. Yourself, Leila?” he responds.

“Very well, I must admit. Lately life has seemed so… invigorating, I must say,” Leila admits with a bright smile.

“Well, that’s nice,” Aroldo responds, looking for a better response and coming up short. Rather rudely, his stomach interrupts by emitting a low growl, clearly audible over the other noises in the shop.

“Sounds like someone isn’t satisfied though,” laughs Leila as she pokes at Aroldo’s belly. The wizard hides his discomfort at being touched by a stranger with a polite chuckle as he takes half a step back.

“It’s going to be making that noise for a while, I’m sorry to say. Time to lose a bit of this,” Aroldo confesses, rubbing at his stomach where it was prodded moments ago.

“I think you’re in the wrong place!” the baker taunts. She glances down at Aroldo’s hand and spies his wedding band. “The wife on your back to lose weight?” she asks with a wink.

Aroldo clears his throat while he thinks of something better to retort with than “Mind your own damned business?”

With a slightly downcast face, he decides on "No, no, my Livia went to the Gods some time ago now.”

The baker pauses for a moment, having lost the initiative in the conversation. “Oh, I’m so sorry…” she begins but Aroldo waves at her as if it is no matter, and any attempts at a hug from the personal space invader.

“Well, perhaps there’s someone on the horizon, then?” she asks.

Aroldo shakes his head, thinking that it is perhaps for best he doesn’t explain that he’s concerned his weight may be a distinguishing feature for the Dottari to home in on.

“Oh, just some general self-improvement?” the baker asks, managing to inject the slightest tone of disbelief.

“Something like that,” Aroldo mutters, thinking it’s none of her business. In fact, Aroldo realises then that there is something about Leila making him uncomfortable, apart from touchy-feely way, although he can’t place his finger on it.

In an attempt to get Leila away from asking him questions, the wizard points to the display, “I was wondering if I could have one of those please?”

“Sure, but you’re not going to lose any weight having one of those!” Leila chuckles as she places a pastry in a brown bag.

“It’s not for me,” responds the man, forcing the slightest of smiles back onto his face. "It’s for a friend of mine, Bug, he works next door.”

“Oh, the little halfling fellow, from Belor’s?”

“Yes, that’s the one,” responds Aroldo. "I was also wondering if you could have, oh..” he trails off as he looks at the price of one and does some quick calculations, "say, one hundred and fifty more for pick up tomorrow?

Leila blinks as Aroldo slides over some gold coins. “What’s happening? Is there a party or something happening tomorrow? And I wasn’t invited?”

Aroldo casually wanes a hand in dismissal, “No, no, nothing like that. It’s for Bug’s friends.”

“Oh, Okay then. I wondered if Bodeen needed them to cater for the beer-hall.”

Aroldo shrugs non-committedly. “I suppose he’d have Tapo take care of that, but I’m honestly not sure. I have to admit I don’t know Boden as well as the old owner, Titus.”

“Really? That seems a pity. I mean, Titus was nice enough, in his own way, he could be a bit drunkenly boorish and crude at times though.”

Aroldo keeps the smile on his face as he shrugs slightly. Bodeen may be a little more polite, perhaps, but he seems just as fond of a drink as much Titus was.

“And Bodeen is much cuter than that Titus fellow. When Bodeen smiles…” Leila trails off with a sigh and seems lost in thought.

Again, Aroldo shrugs and smiles as he heads towards the door. “I’ll, um, tell Bodeen you said ‘hi’ then,” eager to get away from the clearly infatuated woman. “Bug will come past tomorrow.”

Thankful to have escaped the Patisserie, Aroldo heads next door to Belor’s, keen to say hello to some of his co-conspirators and complete another task for the day.

Walking into the beer-hall without any disguise, he’s clearly recognisable as himself, so he nods at a few of the regulars drinking, giving Mercia a wink as she waves cheerily at him. Sliding onto a bar stool, he makes eye contact with Bodeen, who finishes polishing a mug and saunters over to the wizard.

“And how are you today, Aroldo?” asks the priest-barman.

“Good, my friend, no problems but a little thirst, which you can help with,” smiles Aroldo, his response letting Bodeen know there isn’t any pressing rebellion business. “Just the usual.”

As Bodeen turns to fill a mug with Aroldo’s favourite ale, the wizard looks around the tap room for Bug, but fails to see the halfling.

Bodeen brings back the filled mug and Aroldo slides over some copper before taking a long pull from the mug. Letting out a satisfied sigh, he asks in the most casual tone says “Leila says ‘hi’, by the way. And where’s Bug?”

“He’s out back, Tapo has him peeling vegetables.” replies Bodeen. “It’s his break soon, though.”

“Can you send him my way when he’s free?"

“Sure, no problems,” replies Bodeen before he heads down the bar to serve others in need of a refill.

Aroldo only manages to make it halfway through his ale before Bug emerges, wiping his hands on a rag.

Aroldo gets up from his stool and waves Bug over to a vacant table.

Clambering up to seat himself on a chair, the rogue greets the wizard, “Hey Aroldo, what’s up? All good?”

“Yeah, all is well, just thought I’d stop by and say hello, as well as show my gratitude.”

“Oh? Gratitude?” responds the halfling, suddenly sitting a little straighter.

“Yes, I’ve been told that this list of places that you gave me for those… meetings have come in very useful.” Aroldo smiles as the nods and gives the thumbs up.

“I thought I’d give you these,” the wizard reaches into one of his pouches and retrieves a small pile of cards, as well as a smaller pouch.

Bug picks up one of the cards and flips it over to find the words. His eyebrows furrow slightly as he reads the words. “An address?”

“As well as an invitation,” The wizard leans forward, and lowers his voice slightly, "For the Free Kintargo Society. Pass them along to those who you think would be interested, as well as trustworthy.

Bug then picks up the other pouch, hiding his disappointment at the lack of metallic clinking. He peers inside, partially removing a decorative mask. He shoots Aroldo a questioning glance.

“To go with the invitations. People may understandably reluctant to reveal their identities at first.”

Bug nods in understanding at this, before pocketing the lot. Aroldo then hands over a paper bag. The halfling reaches in and withdraws a large apple and raspberry Linnorm pastry.

Bug eyes it greedily before beginning to stuff it into his mouth. “There will be one hundred and fifty ready for you at the sweet Tooth Patisserie tomorrow morning. I’m sure you know a lot more deserving people who could use a bite, or a tasty treat at the very least. I’ll leave that to you.”

The wizard pats Bug on the shoulder as he gets up from the table. He waves goodbye to Bodeen and Mercia and walks out of the beer hall, onto his next distribution point for the invitations.

The Children decide to leave exploring the Lucky Bones, and then stumble upon a shady operation at the docks to funnel supplies for the war to a group of loyal Thrunites.

FULL NOTES

• The group rest, get themselves prepared to re-enter the Lucky Bones.
• In another pit room they spot a yellow mould growing around the pit (that has a giant skeleton of a snake at the bottom). Knowing that the yellow mould is dangerous, Aroldo burns the yellow mould with a flaming sphere. Nightswam goes down, finds secret path into the other pit room. Group moves on to the disco room (green, Yellow, Red, Blue tiles) Nightswarm steps onto the wrong tile, a Xorn comes out! Appears to be hungry.
• Defeat Xorn, go north, final guildmaster’s office, ledgers, etc.
• Find a short poem. Written by Boswyth. Rumours of Boswyth worshipped Norgorber, native of Vyre. Also find ledgers and maps (see below)
• Find an opium den, search bodies some loot.
• Go to last room, bad smell. Ghasts. FIREBALL. Aroldo kills 6 of 7 ghasts.
• The room also has a well-cap studded with gems.
• Aroldo’s detect magic finds conjuration and alteration on cap stone.
• Nightswarm attempts to follow Boswyth’s poem. Capstone opens. Reveals well. Shaft with rusty ladder descending into water.
• Casting light on a rock and dropping it shows it sinks 10 feet before hitting bottom.
• Head down to flooded room, find Skum. Defeat Skum, although Augus almost drowns!
• Explore further, find Shell Sentinel. Defeat it, decide to leave and go back to the surface, back to Belor’s.

• Cato runs into Burrus. An old friend. Explains that dock work has gotten difficult. Lots of muscling in by other groups. Became smugglers. Will be useful.
• Giovano bumps into several youths with red sashes. They appear to be dog-housing. Rescue the victim. The Children place a dummy dressed as the Lord-Mayor in the dog house, for the public to find. Crocodile is used for corpse disposal.

• Cato and Aroldo go to Clenchjaw’s to meet Burrus. A ship has come into harbour with supplies for the war. Strangely it is scheduled to unload some of those supplies in Kintargo. They are destined for a semi-secret organisation calling themselves the Loyalists. The Children remember some of these loyal Thrunites from the original riot, agitating the crowd and becoming violent.
• The ship, the Serene Maid, is at docks and is taking on supplies. Gaian sneaks aboard with a sailor’s disguise. Gets to hold, large amount of supplies. Approaches two people on deck arguing, one is a dock inspector, one the captain. Cargo has been unloaded already.
• Gaian and Aroldo go to the harbourmaster’s office. The cargo was taken to Warehouse 12. Tried to bluff, also stole documentation. The crates are marked with a winged serpent.
• Documentation indicate Sigio, younger son of the Tanessen family, has organised this.
• Scout out Warehouse 12, plenty of guards, workers, etc here. Aroldo makes Augus invisible, he goes in, Gaian pretends to be giving tour to Giovano and Aroldo.
• The Children regroup to decide what to do.

LEDGERS:
The ledgers found in the Lucky Bones are mostly ruined but reveal the extent of the Grey Spiders’ impact on Kintargo—their thievery and abduction activities were quite profitable. They also had numerous links to the city of Vyre, and it was to this city that most of the abducted victims were sent—many appear to have been scheduled for sacrifice or sold into slavery. One particularly interesting ledger is a set of deeds for a number of warehouses and waterfront buildings in Vyre that name one Molly Mayapple as the legal owner. Other notes with the ledgers indicate that these deeds are stolen, and that the Grey Spiders intended to use the deeds to blackmail Miss Mayapple. In one note, a particularly interesting bit of text, written in Tien, reads, “Mayapple may be a fellow rat, but that doesn’t exempt her from being fed on by a Spider!”

The Children begin exploring the Lucky Bones, the sealed and forgotten hideout of the Grey Spiders.

Full notes:

Augus has been helping Brother Vaelus reform the Secret Order of Archivists

Bodeen, is there such a thing as falling for the Baker Next Door?

Gaian puts daughter into Lady Docur’s School. Using Rebellion funding. Feel like that should be fraud.

Group decides it’s best to go clear out the Lucky Bones, old hideout of the Grey Spiders. Turn it into a warehouse/small market.

Go to site, find trapdoor leading down. Appears to have been used regularly. Opening, smells of smoke, body odour and a latrine. Stairs lead down into basement, squatters down here. Don’t seem too interested in us. There’s a locked door.

Bug approaches the squatters and they inform him, they’ve been here some time. They haven’t been past the door. Bug offers them roles in the Black Mantis. Bug tells them where to go for food. Aroldo Detects Magic on the door. Door isn’t magic, but finds Pearl of Power. Divine, so Bodeen takes it. Bug looks at the door, finds nothing. He attempts to open the lock, a blade comes out and stabs him. He’s poisoned. Bodeen identifies poison as fast acting. Group can’t heal Bug. But he eventually get over it. Augus opens door after Bug fails.

Grows cold and damp as the party heads down. Gaian comes to a door, listens but hears nothing. Bug detects traps, finds nothing. Nothing on the magic sensors. Opens into large room with stone pillars, many doors. Tables and chairs. All very dusty. Far west, stage, with torch sconces. Meeting hall, perhaps? Skeletal figures emerge from doors. Five in total. A fight ensues, the skeletons are resistant to damage. However they are dispatched.

Double doors head east, passageway turns to the north. Bodeen casts Hide from Undead. Moving on, they come to a room with a pit. Small walkways around. Edge of pit made of jagged metal and glass.
As Nightswarm looks at pit, edge gives way, he falls in and takes 17 points of damage. Was 20’ down. Bug finds a small lever. Makes the edqes stable. Get Gaian out.

Go back to door they bypassed, it is a storeroom. Augus spots a cloak and pokes at it. Find it is a Cloak of the Manta Ray. Door to south is secret, leads to one of the bedrooms. Heading south, another room. There’s an old stuffed chair, with a devil sitting in it. He rises as we enter. His beard twitches. He tells us he is bored, he’s bound here though. Guild Master Baccus is a name he gives away. The devil’s agreement means he has to stay and guard the guild master. Guild master spends all of his time in the temple. He has been the guild master for over 100 years. If Baccus falls, the devil is released from his contract. Aroldo asks and is informed the temple is of Norgorber. Guild master is undead. Door leads to cell behind where the devil is confronting us. Some of the prisoners were ransomed, some were sacrificed.

The group left, had a conversation about what the right action to take was. They decide to fight him, killed him quickly. Cell is empty.

They go east from the pit room, find another set of double doors. One set of doors is marked with Order of Torrent and infernal writings. Magic is detected.

Go south to room with statues of priests of Norgorber. Figure here, he turns and faces us, wears a mask with one eye glowing bright red. Screams that he will have revenge, other skeletons come forward. This is Baccus. Fairly tough battle, and it seems Baccus is fond of ice magic, but the heroes prevail. Find a great deal of loot.

After some rest, and Rexus deciphering the script, Aroldo dispels magic eventually and the group go through. Air is cold, and they hear groans in the distance.

The group find some bedrooms, nothing important, then a gambling room. There’s a halfling body here in black armour, holding bone dice. Bug approaches and her ghost appears and asks for a game, betting part of Bug’s self. No one else can be seen thanks to Bodeen’s magic and she introduces herself as Guildmistress Lorelu. Bug decides to play the game.

Round 1: What danger ahead? Those ahead, they hunger for flesh.
Round 2-GM: She reaches out for Bug’s head and starts going through his memories.
Round 3-Bug: How do I get your loot? Find the hidden passage past the flooded chamber.
Round 4- GM. She feeds, taking some of Bug’s strength
Round 5: Bug: Greatest Danger ahead? Baccus summoned a demon to guard the water entrance. Shurgashot is a foe to be reckoned with.
Round 6: GM: Bug loses constitution as the ghostly Halfling feeds.
Bug: What are weaknesses of foes ahead? Need magic, silver. (usual undead stuff).
Next Round: GM: Bug loses 1 CON.
Next Round: Bug: What is the loot? Gold, gems, jewellery, magic items, all within the Grey Vault.
Bug loses even more ability scores, so Bug cheats. Fumbles. Busted. Uh oh.

The group give up with invisibility to fight the ghostly guild master, and manage to beat her after almost succumbing to her powers.

Gaian walked briskly down streets and alleyways, keeping up a steady stream of chatter as he went; amusing anecdotes, historical facts, and concocted versions of both of the above. Anything, really, to fill the silence that would otherwise reside between he and his companion. They were halfway to Belor’s, and Ereniel had spoken not a word to him after agreeing to accompany him only to avoid arguing in front of the children. Gaian had known that his increasingly frequent absences from home overnight would have been taken rather poorly, but knew also that elves were far more patient than humans given their longer lives, and thus his wife would have more tolerance. This was one of those occasions, he was quickly realising, where knowing something did not necessarily make it true.

Suddenly Ereniel stopped to look at something, and Gain stopped beside her, following her gaze to the notice stuck in the shadowy corner of two walls.

“What does it say?” he asked curiously. “My eyes couldn’t see clearly in this gloom at the best of times, and those times were at least ten years ago!”

Was that a slight hint of scorn as she glanced back over her shoulder at him? Surely not. He was more interested in studying her demeanour than listening to her words as she read from the note. Truth be told he could read the notice quite clearly, having delightfully discovered recently that his goddess had blessed him with excellent vision in dim, or even completely dark, conditions. Not that he needed to read it regardless; after all, he was the one who had written it, along with several similar spread about the city. Neither fact, of course, was something that he wished for his wife to be party to, so he feigned attention as she read aloud:

“There’s a sketch of a masked person, and it says ‘Reward offered for the capture of, or evidence of the death of, the criminal knows as Nightswarm. This criminal has been complicit in interfering in the lawful excruciation of the Poison Pen, conspicuous in the assassination of Nox, and cocksure in his assertion that he was ridding Kintargo of the Temple Hill Slasher when murdering one of its citizens. Likely a member of the Rebel organisation calling itself Children of the Ash.’

“That doesn’t seem right.” Ereniel said with a small frown. “There’s no way they’d put up something like that. It has to be some kind of joke.”

“Joke?” Gaian replied, almost laughing out loud at the fact that his posters had not only aided in promoting the notion of Nightswarm, but also in prompting his wife to speak to him. It seemed luck was truly with him today. “I’ve heard mention of this Nightswarm during my tours around the city, and he is attributed with all those deeds and more. I think he’s probably real.” He whispered gleefully.

“I’m not questioning whether he’s real,” the elf replied “It’s just that this reads more like propaganda for him than a true wanted poster. And appears to authenticate a rebellion.”

“Only if one was sympathetic to rebelling against House Thrune!” Gain hissed in false alarm, taking the opportunity to move closer and place his hand on Ereniel’s arm. “Best to keep such thoughts to yourself. Such words could be interpreted poorly in present times.”

They continued on to Belor’s, Gaian choosing to remain quiet now lest Ereniel remember the frostiness she seemed to have relaxed in the wake of their conversation.
Arriving at the beer hall, Gaian led his wife to a table, giving a small wave to the man behind the bar as he entered and sat down.

“Who’s that?” Ereniel asked curiously.

“Bodeen. New owner.” Gaian replied simply.

“What happened to Titus?” she asked, her tone implying that she didn’t like the look of this newcomer.

Gaian paused, having forgotten momentarily that he had not brought his family here for some time.

“Nobody knows for sure.” He said softly. “But, well, you remember Rufus?”

Ereniel nodded. “I saw Winifred yesterday. Poor thing, stuck now raising that child alone. Still says the Temple Hill Slasher killed her husband.” She turned thoughtful, perhaps contemplating again the wanted poster.

Gaian nodded.

“It was Titus who stoked Rufus’ pursuit of the Slasher to start with. Believed the Slasher killed his wife, wanted revenge. Anyway, no body’s been found, but Titus disappeared the same time as Rufus. So one can assume.” Gaian shrugged.

Presently Mercia walked over with a bottle of wine and asked to take their orders.

“I’ll have the seafood stew.” Ereniel interrupted coldly as Gaian warmly greeted the woman.

“We don’t have that any more miss.” The waitress replied apologetically. “It’s all Tapo’s now.”

“What on earth is ‘tapas’?” Ereniel asked “And why would Sen stop doing his speciality?”

“Sen disapp…left.” Mercia said. “It’s Tapo now.”

“That the Slasher too?” Ereniel muttered, and Gaian almost choked on his wine at how very close to the truth that was.

“Huh?” the waitress asked.

“Don’t be facetious.” Gaian said with a forced smile. “I’m pretty sure Sen left to further his craft. Get a more personal experience as to what seafood is all about.”

The last sentence Gaian said in a voice that seemed somehow wrong. He tried to both clamp his mouth shut and gulp his wine at the same time, with predictable results.

“I’ll just get you some of everything.” Mercia said as she sauntered away from the table, throwing a strange glance back over her shoulder at Gaian as she went. Gaian watched her closely, wondering not for the first time if she suspected more than she let on.

“So, it’s her is it?” Ereniel asked coldly.

“What?” Gaian replied.

“Come on, you’re very cosy. The over the shoulder glance. You can barely take your eyes off her as she walks away. I admit I had my suspicions with all those nights you were delayed here past curfew. And there’s the new look; first that fancy cloak, and now that silly silver headband! But really,” she said angrily “Trying to take me out for some kind of reconciliation dinner to the place where she is? Are you trying to mock me?”

Gaian would have been tempted to laugh, had it not been for the narrowed eyes and stern mouth. Yes, women often were beautiful when they were angry. Beautiful in the way that a viper rears up majestically right before it puts its fangs through your heart. Thus he remained earnest in his demeanour.

“Ah, my dear, is that why you’re concerned? I assure you, you have nothing to worry about on that front. It would take a Countess to draw my attention from you, even for a night!” he smiled as she seemed to relax slightly. “You are correct though, in that I brought you here as a conciliatory gesture. I have been away too much lately, but things will hopefully soon change.

“As I’ve said, quite honestly I must maintain, my night-time activities have largely involved hunting down vermin in the city, due to the impact of recent changes on my usual business. But of late we have run into some good fortune, for there are a good many things buried under this city, and we are recently profiting more from our work.”

“We?” she asked, still far from placated. “Who is ‘we’. And don’t dissemble.”

“Business partners, who I do not wish to implicate at this time. It is far too dangerous to travel the sewers alone at night. While the Dottari do little to maintain curfew down there, there are all sorts of other undesirables.” Seeing she wanted more, he threw in “Pavo was formerly a part of this group. And Rufus.”

Throwing in the names of former companions she had liked, and who had met questionable ends, did the trick of turning anger to concern.

“And Titus?”

Gaian nodded solemnly. “But have no fear, their pursuit of the Slasher was nothing to do with me. Besides, it seems the murderer has met his end now, according to that poster.”

“I’m still worried. Think of the impact on the children if something happened to you. You said yourself the sewers are dangerous.”

Gaian was very aware of the impact of losing one’s parents, not that Ereniel knew that story.
“Well, put your worry aside. As I said, we’ve recently stumbled onto some good fortune, and have now invested in a business in Old Kintargo. All being well, things will improve and be back to normal soon. And,” he added “I’ve also managed to put aside some funds to send Raiia to Lady Docur’s in Velligre!”

“What’s wrong with Songbird Hall? She seems to be settling in there okay.” Ereniel replied.

“Sure, but remember the reason we initially sent her to Vaelus was because her head was already full enough of romanticism without Shelyn’s influence. And,” he said, lowering his voice “I’d rather not have her there in the current climate. Cheliax has never been too keen on Shelyn, and the way things have been lately…” he trailed off with a shrug.

Ereniel nodded. “I suppose. I wouldn’t think they’d be at risk. But then, I heard about what happened with the Knights of the Torrent.”

“Exactly. And won’t it be nice to have her learn more about her elven heritage?”

“I guess it will.”

The food came and the meal passed pleasantly, before the two left to ensure they returned home before curfew. Gaian smiled smugly at his own cleverness. He had essentially answered honestly to his wife’s questions without her realising the true meaning of his words, there to be seen yet beyond notice, like truths stacked against the wall. So pleased was he, that he only felt mildly annoyed when he saw Dottari taking down his wanted posters during the walk home.

“Gaian?” Ereniel asked just before they reached home. “To be honest, I really like the headband. It seems to give you a certain presence. In fact, perhaps I’d not have come around as easily without it.” She teased.

Gaian just smiled.

Rexus couldn’t sleep. Something had been bothering him, but he couldn’t place his finger on it. He sipped at his mint tea – if you are going to face the government, may as well go all the way – and tried to clear his mind as Brother Vaelus had tried to teach him.

Breathe in, hold, breathe out, he thought, concentrating on the simple action. The smell of mint wafted through his small room. Outside, a night owl hooted.

He absently picked up his quill and starting doodling. The pattern of whirls gradually turned into letters, then words – a name.

TRAILBLAZER HUNI

Rexus stared at it for several moments, not thinking about it. Breathe in, hold, breathe out. He began scribbling again, the letters rearranged to make others words.

BIZARRE TUNA HILLL

Breathe in, hold, breathe out.

He began scribbling again, rearranging the letters once more.

Rexus gasped and leapt out of his seat. He reached for the door handle and ran down the hall.

Upon the page was written another name…

BARZILLAI THRUNE

- – -

Lentius massaged his temples. “So what does this mean?”

Vaelus tried to steady his hand as he sipped his tea, while Rexus continued to pace up and down, speaking nervously. “It means… it means we’re facing someone perhaps more powerful than we could ever imagine. Trailblazer Huni – Barzillai Thrune – visited the Secret Order of Archivists and read the Book of the Damned – years before he was assigned to Kintargo!”

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Vaelus said firmly.

Rexus nodded. “Which means Barzillai’s assignment was planned long before the Glorious Reclamation’s rebellion.”

Vaelus nodded. “Martial law was just an excuse to send him.”

“So what was the real reason?” Lentius asked.

His question hung in the air.

It was a week of revelations.

The Children rescued Marquel Aulorian, with Bug almost falling to the devil-dog Gorefangs.

Back at Aroldo’s house, they are surprised to find that Marquel is none other than the Poison Pen. Aroldo does not take the news well and asks the man to leave.

Nightswarm and Bug, however, see the advantage in ‘resurrecting’ the Poison Pen and urge him to continue writing, and in fact to spread propaganda for the rebellion.

Next the Children are contacted by Hetamon Haace, who reveals he is the leader of the Rose of Kintargo, a secret cult following Milani, goddess of uprisings. After pledging his assistance he asks for the Children’s aid: one of his members was murdered by the Slasher, and he asks they track him down.

They do, and discover the murderer was using a powerful dagger, Balgorrah, with its own intelligence, which urged him to kill. The murderer and the dagger are also involved somehow with a cult of Father Skinsaw, the murderous followers of Norgober. They are seeking out the ruins below the Lucky Bones.

Lictor Octavio reveals the Lucky Bones was shut down by his Order many years ago, after its inhabitants, thieves and murderers by the name of the Grey Spiders, were destroyed. Ever since, the Lucky Bones has been sealed – lost to history, and still filled with the loot of the Gray Spiders.

Full notes:

Marquel wants to leave the property immediately, he’s very concerned, he believes Gorefangs is spying on him, and it’s been seen conversing with a devil.

Bug does his best to signal to the others of the situation, but the best they can understand is that there is some kind of trouble.

Getting him out is difficult, considering Marquel’s withered arm, he and Bug go one floor down to a guest bedroom, and Bug tries to lower him down using bedsheets

Marquel falls trying to leave his home but he doesn’t have time to nurse his injuries, Bug ushers him towards the fence. Gorefangs spots them and begins approaching.

Combat begins as the noble runs for safety. Marquel continues to run, Cato fires his bow at Gorefangs, Aroldo casts a flaming sphere, Bug goes hand to hand.

Guards appear, but only watch for now, they don’t seem to be approaching.

Bug gets munched. Cato lands the killing blow, taking one head off completely with a wild slash.

With guards alerted, the Children end up hiding in the ruins of the Victocora estate. After this they end up getting to Aroldo’s estate.

There, Marquel admits to being the Poison Pen.

Aroldo, his suspicions confirmed, resists the urge to physically beat the coward, and leaves the room in disgust. Advises he must leave the next day.

The group question him further: Why was the dog watching him, if they don’t know he’s the Poison Pen. Marquel is sure it is due to suspicions that he is the PP. Gaian suggests that he could write propaganda pieces. The group will re-home him after Aroldo’s lack of welcome.

The group the next day leave him with Rexus. They head to Olmer, the dwarfish blacksmith. The workshop is open to the sky- human, and there are many assistants. Olmer explains that he is tasked with making weapons for the war. Olmer will help as best he can, feels he owes a debt to the Order of the Torrent. Can make magic weapons and the like.

Later that day, Rufus’ two friends approach Gaian at Belor’s. A tiefling has come forward with information and needs questioning. Hetamon of the Devil’s Threads is the one with the info, Gaian volunteers to go question him.

The next day they visit the Threads. There they meet Evalyn, Keldor’s girlfriend. She asks Gaian about Keldor, the group claim he went out into the night, breaking curfew. Never to be seen again…

Hetamon admits to being the Rose of Kintargo. Bug asks how he knows they’re the Children, Hetamon advised he found it easy to piece together all the bits of the puzzle. He is leader of the followers of Milani. H warns the government is closing in on the Children. Only a matter of time before they get them.

Changing the subject, he also knows the Slasher’s latest victim. The last victim was a member of his congregation. Has corpse here… Takes us out back to it. Many stab wounds, as if frienzied. Corpse not mutilated otherwise.

The description of the Slasher is that he has dark greasy hair, moustache and a glowing red kukri. Dark leather apron with many pockets, like an artisan would wear.

Hetamon casts Speak With Dead. The first question asked was ’can you supply a better description?’. Answer- was a Varisian man, smelt like rancid cheese. Walked with a limp. Rancid cheese is used to described slurk grease, used in the making of clockwork. Also confirmed there was a glowing red Kukri.

The group head down to Old Kintargo Art space where clockwork would be worked upon. They are shown around the place, don’t see anyone matching the description. Questioning others, they are alerted to someone who lives nearby, hadn’t been in for a while. Got the address. Name is Wex.

Group go the tenement where suspect lies. It is dilapidated. Old woman at the front. Bug goes up and asks if Wex is home. She advised that he isn’t home. He is in room 303. Group goes up to room 303. Bug gets us inside. There are flowers in here and some books.

Aroldo detects magic, as well as looking at the subjects of the books, Identified magic coming from other room (There are two doors). Most books on clockwork, some medical and alchemy. ‘Magic room’ is bathroom. Spell leads to one corner.

While investigating the bathroom, Cato is in the main room and notes a few drops of dried blood on the window sill, and scattered around the room. Drops of blood lead to bathroom. Aroldo has found secret door.

Bug checks other room, is a bedroom. Not much in here.

Secret room carved out of pillar. Carpets and cushions, with books around place. Kukri, is on the stand. Faint necromancy magic. Aroldo checks books- more off topic- alchemy and medical matters. Grisly, nature of blood, destination of souls, etc. Also notes of historical times of Temple Hill Slasher. There is a note suggesting the original Slasher was acted on by outside force. Balgorrah is the name above a drawing of the dagger.

Different handwriting on one note. Notify us when you gain access to the Lucky Bones.

On back- Father Skinsaw has given me the dagger to carry on the Slasher’s work.

Wex appears and stabs Cato in the kidney. A fight breaks out and the group manager to subdue him.

The first time it’s a trap, and he stabs Nightswarm in the chest as he goes to tie him up. The group actually subdue him for real the second time. They take him back to Hetamon, who organises a public execution where he announces that the Children of the Ash were responsible for the capture of this villain.

“Where are we going?” Alaria asks of Aroldo, breathing fast as she strives to keep up with the wizard.

Aroldo looks over to his friend and only then notices how fast his stride has gotten, a result of his nerves. He can’t also help but notice Alaria’s shockingly red hair and terribly applied make up. Her teeth were stained brown from the tobacco she was chewing, and the public were oft to look away in disgust every time she spits brown.

“There’s a couple of people I’d like you to meet,” grins Aroldo as Alaria glances around, soaking up the outside in one of her few recent excursions from Aroldo’s manor since her excruciation.

“Alright then,” Alaria responds, unable to disguise the curiosity she’s feeling. “Do we have much further to go?”

Aroldo doesn’t answer, he just gestures slightly with one hand as he suddenly heads down an alleyway. The alleyway smells of piss and rotting garbage, and the view isn’t much better.

The wizard finally pauses at a battered wooden door. He glances back at Alaria, who is wearing a puzzled look. He shoots her a reassuring grin and knocks on the door three times, pauses, then knocks twice more.

A woman’s voice can be heard for a moment, then a few seconds later there is the sound of a bar being lifted and tumblers in a lock turning. The door opens and the pair is confronted by a stern faced crone, the smells of a kitchen wafting past her.

“Good day,” announces Aroldo, bowing ever so slightly. "I have heard your kitchen was home to the best Kintargan Pudding in the whole city!

At this pronouncement, the woman nods slightly, before looking over at Alaria. Her eyes narrow, as if she doesn’t like what she sees. Suddenly a moment of realisation passes across her face. The crone glances at Aroldo who simply nods.

The old woman steps back, opening the door further, gesturing the pair in. As they enter Alaria’s eyes widen at the sight of a man sitting quietly in the corner.

He rises as they enter, and only Aroldo’s hand on Alaria’s back stop her from taking a step back. He’s about 7 foot tall and bulky, an intimidating mixture of fat and muscle. On seeing Aroldo he grins revealing a mouth of perfect teeth. “The mint man!” he exclaims in the voice of a child as he engulfs the wizard in a hug.

Aroldo extract himself from the hug and puts a finger to his lips. The giant claps his hands over his mouth. Aroldo reaches into his haversack and extracts a handful of green candies shaped like leaves. He hands them to the man who puts one quickly into his mouth, the smell of mint mingling with the other scents wafting around the kitchen. From seemingly out of nowhere the old woman appears and smacks the large man with a wooden spoon.

“What did I tell you, Marco?” she asks firmly, holding her other hand out.

“No sweets before dinner,” he mutters, handing his grandmother the lollies. Pocketing them, the woman moves over to another door, waving Alaria and Aroldo over. As they walk over, Alaria is almost certain she saw Aroldo sneak the giant another lolly with a wink.

Alaria is a little surprised to find herself in a small enclosed courtyard. She jumps slightly as the door is slammed shut behind them.

“Which door now?” she asks of her friend, gesturing at the three other doors leading out if the courtyard.

The wizard simply grins, and goes over to a pile of rubbish in the corner. Kicking some away, Aroldo reveals a trapdoor. He opens it, and gestures for Alaria to go down into the cellar.

With some trepidation, the Little Black Swan heads down, only to find herself in a warm, brightly lit room, rather than the dark cellar she was expecting.

There are several rows of stacked benches along one wall, disassembled truths against another. Along a third wall, several large barrels of ale rest, with several crates of bottles – wine and spirits.

Three men sit on stools near the drinks as if on guard. They rise at Alaria’s entrance. Aroldo moves between the men and the bard, grinning.

“Little Black Swan, I’d like you to meet some friends of mine!” Aroldo announces, waving slightly at the men. “They’re the other part of the Organising Committee of the Free Kintargo Society.”

Alaria smiles broadly at the three, and looks around again, as if re-evaluating the room.

The shortest of the three men steps forward, his ragged clothes reminiscent of a jesters. He begins juggling two balls with one hand as he elaborately bows. “I’m Gruckalus, noble ebony swan. I have the privilege of being your announcer, warm-up man, and all round second pair of hands.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” murmurs Alaria, who then claps as Gruckalus reveals 3 more balls and adds them to his juggling.

“And this here is your guide and bodyguard, Marius. Keep him close, and he’ll keep you safe. He can be salty sometimes, but it’s not a surprise, considering where some friends found him!”

The tall, sinuous man raises an eyebrow slightly at the introduction, but nods respectfully at Alaria. “Wherever you want to go, I’ll get you there. And no one is going to lay a hand on you without losing it.” As if to punctuate his statement he produces a dagger and throws it at the opposite wall, where it strikes a candle, snuffing it out.

“I don’t doubt it,” breathes Alaria, before saying more loudly. “If you can do that consistently, we could probably make you one of the performers!”

One corner of Marius’ mouth twitches upwards as the third man steps forward. "You can call me The Barman. Capital T, capital B.”

“No name?” asks the bard.

“Not yet,” replies the heavyset man, as he rubs his bald head." I find the venues, get the drinks, get word out. And sniff out Dottari spies and informers."

“A pleasure,” says Alaria, slightly put off by the lack of a name. “So, are we here to get things started?”

Looking around, she sees all four men nodding. They rustle up two more stools for the new arrivals…

• * *

“Well, that went well!” Exclaims Alaria once back at the manor. “I can’t wait to get started!”

All Aroldo can do is smile slightly, sadly thinking Alaria may be underestimating the difficulty of their venture. Then he remembers the excruciation, and realises Alaria knows what’s at risk.

“I can’t wait to see you perform again,” Aroldo tells her as he uncorks a bottle of wine. “To our new venture,” he announces raising his glass.

Alaria takes a sip, “Can I ask a favour?”

“Of course,” replies the wizard. “What is it?”

“One moment,” she responds and leaves the room. A minute later she returns, putting something on the table in front of the man, before returning to her seat.

“Where did you find these?” Aroldo asks her as he picks up the deck of worn Harrow cards.

“Oh, just around,” Alaria responds, unwilling to admit rummaging through the house after giving in to her curiousity.

Aroldo flicks through some of the cards, then begins shuffling absentmindedly." I haven’t performed a reading in… well, since Livia died. She bought me this deck when we were courting. She believed in the Harrow, and she thought me being a wizard would add heft to a reading."
“I know. She used to tell me about them sometimes. She used to put great faith in them. Both pause for a moment in reflection on the woman who in a small way that has put them on this path.

“I was hoping you would do a reading for me. On how successful I will be in this Free Kintargo Society.”

Aroldo looks the bard in the eyes for a few moments, licks his lips before nodding. He stops shuffling and picks through the deck, removing all the Key cards.

“Choose one of these,” Aroldo waves at the Key cards, “It will have a message for you.”

Alaria reaches over and chooses one from them the wizard has spread before her. The bard reaches out and slides one away from the rest, before flipping it over.

“The Peacock,” muses Aroldo, “A card representing great beauty, but a reminder that beauty of that nature is fleeting. It normally indicates a change of belief or held ideals. It can also signify times of social development or change.”

Alaria blinks several times, as if she was expecting little and had received more than she expected. She clears her throat several times before managing to find her voice." Wow, Ok. Um… yeah I think I already know that message."

The wizard is gathering the key cards up and shuffling them into the rest of the deck. “We don’t have to continue if you don’t want to,” Aroldo mentions.

“No, go on,” replies Alaria, cutting the deck when the wizard offers it.

He deals out 9 cards, three rows of three. “The first column indicates the past. The top positive, the midde unclear and the bottom negative."

Flipping the cards the wizard reveals the Idiot, The Empty throne and The Locksmith. Alaria looks at the cards, taking them in before looking to Aroldo for interpretation.

“The Idiot, misaligned. Likely to indicate someone has been hiding their true talents. When the time is right, their strengths will be revealed, but until then… " the wizard trails off and shrug.

“The Empty Throne. Seeing past the obvious to the deeper thing. Situated there, it could mean you’ve realised what you thought was right is wrong, but you’ve yet to see the ultimate truth. Often, someone who is now passed was trying to show this to you, but you didn’t see at the time.”

Alaria scratches at her nose a moment. “Yeah, like realising Kintargo has problems. I see that now.”

Aroldo makes no comment, pointing to The Locksmith. “The Locksmith provides the tools to unlock your destiny. He won’t tell you what to do, or help. Just provide access.”

Neither of the two say anything, but both think of Alaria’s excruciation, a negative event that has put them on a new path-is it their destiny to free Kintargo? Or to die trying?

Aroldo coughs slightly, and moves to the column indicating the present. “The first card here is The Cyclone. A destructive, indiscriminant force that cannot be stopped,” At this, the bards shoulders sink. "But positioned here, well, it indicates the possibility of renewal. That sometimes you have to destroy the old to create the new”

Alaria looks a little buoyed by Aroldo’s interpretation.

“Next is the Hidden Truth. Well this card is hidden to me,” he announces as he gets no feelings from it regarding the Free Kintargo society. Still, he thinks to himself, could this card be for me? Why did I think of the Kintargo Contract immediately?

“And presently opposing you is The Bear. Brute, raw strength. Those who stand against you will use their fist, not their head. But all is not lost. The Bear cannot be controlled. If the blow goes astray, there may be opportunities to strike back.

Alaria nods slowly as she ponders what has been revealed so far." Alright then. So what does the future hold?"

The wizard reveals the last three cards. On seeing them Alaria goes pale.

“Yes, The Liar. Sounds bad. But, in this position, perhaps not so bad. Here, it indicates friendship or love, but the beginnings of such disguised, or coming from an unlikely place.”

“I’ll be sure to keep on my toes.”

“Good idea, regardless of a Harrow reading,” smiles Aroldo." Next, The Tangled Briar! Aroldo pauses and considers the card. “Something from long ago is going to have an unexpected impact on someone close to you.”

“Impact, what do you mean?”

“Hard to say, but… it’s not likely to be positive, being the Tangled Briar,” Aroldo doesn’t give the bard much time to digest this and moves on to the last card.

“The Betrayal,” the wizard licks his lips I wondering if there’s any kind of positive or even ambiguousness he could use in an interpretation. But there is not. Not in this location.

“Before the end, someone will turn against you.”

Alaria says nothing, just reaches for the wine bottle with a shaking hand to refill her glass.

Finally she speaks. “Well, I did want the reading…”

Damnit, I’ve had enough of this waiting around! Something’s obviously gone wrong. Just give me control and I’ll go and sort it out!

Out of the question. Marquel requested a meeting with me, not you. You’ll have to wait this one out.

Yeah, yeah. The same bullshit “diplomacy” excuse as you gave me for freezing me out at the Shrine of St Senex.

And yet you didn’t bitch and moan about it then.

I didn’t have much interest in wading about in some wannabe goddess’ salty piss.

Really? I found the challenge of her shrine quite invigorating.

Challenge? I’m surprised you haven’t turned my body to rust!

You do realise the human body doesn’t rust, no matter how much salt water you put it in, don’t you?

Don’t talk to me like a child, it was a fucking analogy. Besides, it wasn’t the water I was talking about but the inactivity.

What do you mean inactivity? Ah, you mean the fact that I didn’t run around swinging your sword at things. You know, there are other ways of taking useful action. Maybe that’s a lesson you could learn.

Useful? You spent half the time in that shrine up a wall! And don’t paint me as some barbarian who can do nothing but shed blood; who played the decoy at Alaria’s rescue?

You did. But it was under my instruction, and ended with you shedding blood and using it to paint your name on a wall. Forgive me if I doubt your subtlety.

I’d rather be painting the wall than clinging to it.

Now who’s being patronising? Our companions were doing a fine job of the fighting, on this occasion all were best served by me supporting. Healing, helping with riddles, opening those valves. Have you tried swinging that sword while up to your neck in water?

Wouldn’t have hurt to try. And it was shallow enough you could have had a go at that water elemental.

And Bug would have drowned.

Which would have saved us this fucking waiting we’re doing now!

I like how you brought the conversation back to the start again. That was clever.

Thanks, I do my best. How much time did that argument kill?

Not enough. I’m starting to grow impatient.

Little Firefly doesn’t have the best record when it comes to being stealthy at critical times, does he? You sure you don’t want me to go?

Give him a few more minutes.

In that case, do you have a topic in mind?

If it’s in my mind, it’s in yours.

Alaria again? Getting a bit old, but okay. I still think we should kill her.

Out of the question! The poor girl…..

The Children pass the trials of the Shrine of Saint Senex, and locate Lictor Octavio, head of the Order of the Torrent. The Lictor takes some convincing, admitting he would like to defy Barzillai Thrune but balks at the thought of opposing the lawful government. The Children eventually convince him and he enlist his help toward the cause.

Back in Kintargo, they sneak into Aulorian Manor for a clandestine meeting with the young lord Marquel – only to discover a slight complication…

Full notes:

The group descended into the lower level of the Shrine of Saint Senex. It is damp, with puddles of water. A corridor is to the east but is blocked by a gate. A statue gives us a riddle. The group’s solution is to breathe on the statue and the gate clicks open.

Down the corridor, stairs descend even deeper. The stairs end in a brightly lit open room. The walls are a pleasant aquamarine colour but they display a mosaic of merfolk attacking a 3 masted ship. We can see sailors struggling with their watery attackers. There is another staircase going down.

Moving down the stairs again, they find the next room is dark filled with water. Two old lifeboats, one on each side are the beginnings of a bridge, with plants being lashed together to complete it. The bridge appears suspect and rickety.

Bug notices skeletons walking under the water… the group perform a count, there is at least four of these.

Bug makes it across, but Aroldo who is following him next falls in, with him being joined by Gaian. The intrusion on their territory causes the skeletons to attack. A battle ensues, which proves difficult due to the watery environment. Bug runs back out onto the plank bridge to assist, a skeleton reaches out from the water in an attempt to drag him down. Aroldo fires his wand several times, sending magical missiles flying. Gaian is moved to channel positive energy in an attempt to heal the wounded group and injure the Drowned Dead.

Eventually the group wins and head to the next door. Which is a corridor with a set of stairs going down. Aroldo at least, is beginning to notice a pattern. The next room is full of swirling mist. There is a strange lock mechanism on the next door exiting the room. The group have a feeling that they’re not done here.

Aroldo detects magic, but finds none. The mist takes shape to show a drowning sailor. The group feels like they are drowning, Gaian and Cato resist, but Bug and Aroldo fall victim to the enchantment. Cato reaches out to save the mist figure and he disappears and everyone can suddenly breathe again. He then thanks the PCs and relates another riddle on how to proceed.

Gaian recognises the drowning man as one from the mermaid v sailors fresco in an earlier room.
They return to the room with the fresco, and locate the drowning man that was formed from the mist. There is indeed a small trident shaped key embedded in the wall that the group remove. Additionally, disables a lock found halfway up the wall, located in the open mouth of another sailor.

Heading further even further down into the complex the group find another room full of salt water. Again the group have a feeling that they are being watched. They throw several coins in, but see nothing. Bug and Gaian try to climb around on the walls to avoid going into the water, but Bug fails and falls in. There is some kind of movement in the water, as if something is heading towards Bug, but nothing can be seen.

Aroldo realises something as the shape heads towards Bug, and begins thinking of Water Elementals. It is indeed a creature of this type, and it wraps Bug up and holds him down, seemingly intent on drowning the Halfling. Combat begins as everyone rushes to save Bug, Aroldo has an inspiration and casts a spell to make Bug much bigger – human sized in fact. With the additional height, Bug is able to get his head above the surface and take a breath.

Cato with a huge blow smashes the water elemental, destroying it.

There is a large chest underwater in the corner of the room, Gain tries to open the chest and reveals 3 small vials. Using his magic, Aroldo determines these are most likely potions of water breathing.
Heading even further down, they find yet another room. Here, the walls are unadorned, but a mosaic on the floor depicts a maelstrom. Above, a beautiful woman is reaching out as is to save something, but her face is impassive.

Gaian tries to climb up the wall and manages to reach the ceiling. He sees nothing, out of the ordinary, the group now being wise to a mosaic or mural hiding something. Aroldo suspects that this is some kind of elevator. Wondering if it would help, the group being singing a sea shanty, however their rousing chorus does nothing but perhaps raise some spirits slightly. Once the group decide to step upon the elevator, it begins its decent. As it does, it passes another door, with a ladder leading to it from below. The walls are now decorated, with one consistent theme: Drowning. Near what turns out to be the bottom, they spot 4 large valves.

The elevator continues down, past the valves and stops, with no obvious exits. Water starts pouring down the shaft, held away from the party for now by an invisible shield… one that is slowly retracting. The elevator and shaft fillswith water.

Sharing the potions of waterbreathing amongst themselves, the party has Bug climb on Cato’s back – he will attempt to climb the ladder, while Aroldo and Gaian attempt to turn the valves, a difficult task made worse by being under water. Aroldo finds the valves beyond his own strength, so he kicks over to Gaian and helps him. Eventually all 4 are turned and the water drains away. All climb the ladder and pass through the next door.

The next door leads to a chamber with a bunch of body sized bundles, the wrapping made of sails. It seems some of the drowned reside here. In a corner is a small camp, with Lictor Octavio standing there expectantly.

Aroldo steps forward to introduce the group, ensuring to tell the Lictor that they have done their best to save as many of his order as they could. The Lictor takes some convincing, admitting he would like to defy Barzillai but balks at the thought of opposing the lawful government. The Children eventually convince him and he accepts their help and agrees to work together. Before they part, his gives them a metal scale, advising them to take it to Olmer the Smith. He’s a dwarf – makes the best stuff.

The group returns to Kintargo, and then goes shopping.

They stay out late, and end up breaking the curfew. They are near to Aroldo’s manor, so they head there. Guards spot the group; Gaian, Bug & Aroldo hide, Cato shows that despite his age, and apparent experience, he’s absolutely terrible at bribing guards. They go to arrest him, and the group pounces from ambush, and save Cato, taking care not to kill the guards. They make it back to the manor and pass the evening.

On the next day; Gaian’s tour is interrupted by a young Halfling girl who approaches him, she is from Marquel, the noble with the withered arm. He wants to meet Gaian and his friends, and asks them to visit his home that evening/night.

They sneak to the estate after curfew, find that the gate is locked. Bug sneaks over the gate, sees a very large dog prowling the yard. A dog with three heads! Has no skin or fur, raw, it has no covering on its exposed flesh. Also notable is the fact it has three heads!

Aroldo casts invisibility on Bug, who scampers across the lawn, but fails to climb up the wall to the bedroom. He has to go into a lower storey window. He sneaks through the house to arrive at Marquet’s room.

He introduces himself, explaining how the cerberi is stopping the others attending. Marquel says he has been locked in his room, as his father is afraid his writing will attract the Lord-Mayor’s attention. He adds that the ‘dog’ was a gift from the Lord-Mayor – he suspects it is spying on the family. Bug asks if they can meet elsewhere. Marquel agrees, grabs a satchel, and announces he is ready to leave immediately!

The tension around Veritas Plaza was palpable. People craned their necks and murmured excitedly. Vannases Trex made her way through the crowd, a dottari sergeant ahead shoving aside any citizen who didn’t clear the way quick enough. Vannases found her breath coming a little short, and realised with a start the anxiety from the morning news had at some stage grown into excitement. She kept a cool demeanour in front of her guards, however, always professional.

“Duxotas!” her lieutenant, Saulus, greeted her with a chest salute as she cleared the crowd. The man was tall and handsome, dark of hair and eye, with a typical Taldan nose. Vannases vaguely noted his black chainmail armour was scuffed in places – she firmly believed a disciplined guard force started with well-maintained equipment, and noted to berate the man later.

“Where’s the body?” she asked him, but the answer was not required.

Behind Saulus, Nox’s face leered down from atop a spear. Her own glaive, actually, Vannases noted. She stared up at the face for a few long moments. She had not spared any love for Nox. The bodyguard’s willingness to carry out any task for the Lord-Mayor no matter how demeaning always reminded Vannases of the obedience displayed by a mongrel thrown some scraps, and warranted nothing but disgust from the duxotas. Plus, she was ugly, a trait Vannases particularly abhorred.

“Move the citizens back,” Vannases suddenly ordered, and the dottari moved in unison, pushing the onlookers back several feet. “And somebody take her down.” The duxotas passed her black helm to her sergeant. “I assume her body is nearby?” The sergeant nodded and gestured down the alley, where several tieflings worked hard at scrubbing congealed blood from the cobblestones.

Beyond them, a cadre of Hellknights watched on, unreadable behind their full-faced helms. Vannases gave them a slight nod then turned to Acrinius, the priest of Asmodeus assigned to her staff. She recoiled slightly as the scarlet-robed man was almost brushed up against her. Acrinius had the irritating habit of following and standing too close behind her, which Vannases had not been averse to pointing out to him. The shaven-head man took half a step back, an apologetic smile on his face. Like a lizard, Vannases thought, not for the first time.

“Prepare a speak with dead spell,” she ordered.

“My apologies, duxotas, but that won’t be possible,” Acrinius replied, shuffling forward. Vannases strode toward Nox – or her head – disguising her reaction to stepping away from the man. Not a lizard, a python. Trying to hypnotise with his ingratiating smile and unblinking eyes. “Remind me to ask Grivvener for another cleric,” she said quietly to Saulus.

Acrinius followed behind her, explaining his refusal. “You see, duxotas, Nox’s soul has already passed on to Hell. Such were the terms of her pact. As such, she is beyond my mortal powers.”

Useless, Vannases cursed silently. At a flash of orange silk she turned to notice Zella had arrived at the plaza at some stage. “Hail Zella,” she greeted, ignoring Acrinius.

The young Varisian wizard returned the greeting as she absently flicked a harrow card around her fingers. The card was one of her own designs, infernal in theme – Zella had put a modern spin on the traditional Varisian artwork. But Vannases believed she placed too much faith in the power of the harrow deck.

The duxotas had faith in more material evidence. “What do we know, Saulus?” she asked.

The lieutenant approached and reported the results of the investigation so far. “Two witnesses have provided descriptions of the assassins.”

“Two?” Vanasses turned, dark eyes burning. “The attack occurred in broad daylight!” Cowardly peasants, she thought. Rebels and traitors within their midst and they are too scared to come forth. Either that or they are hiding the criminals. “Descriptions!” she barked.

Saulus reeled off the information. “Six attackers, all masked. One in some sort of bee or butterfly design. The others simple scarves. One called upon Cayden Cailean–”

“Heresey!” Acrinius cried.

“–and another had arcane powers. This man defies description, the witnesses say a portly man whose face changed as he fled. A swordsman, another attacked with small throwing stars. And finally a flying Halfling.”

Vanasses raised an eyebrow.

Saulus cleared his throat. “He allegedly dived from the sky to strike the killing blow, screaming ‘For Titus!’”

“Titus… Ring any bells?”

As if on cue the bells of the Temple of Asmodeus pealed out across the city. Acrinius bowed his head as he mouthed a prayer to Asmodeus.

Vanasses found the murmur of the crowd cloying, and started walking down the street where the attack occurred. “How do those descriptions match with Nox’s report on her attackers in the Fantasmagorium?”

Saulus scratched his chin. “Yes, there was a hallfing. And an overweight wizard, could be the facechanger. Two Chelaxian swordsmen, and a blue tiefling.”

Vanasses glanced at the tieflings busy scrubbing the cobblestones clean and tried not to let her lip curl in disgust. They can’t be trusted, any of them. One moment loyal citizens looking for praise the next turning on you, like stray dogs.

“Zella, how do these descriptions match those you saw rescuing the Poison Pen?”

“The same. A halfling, a portly wizard, two swordsmen, a face changer – though it was not the wizard.”

Vanasses resisted the urge to smile. Up until now her days in Kintargo has been spent breaking up merchant pickets and arresting youthful malcontents. Now she had a real target. Assassins, rebels, heretics… She thought of the three dottari killed along with Nox. Murderers.

“Saulus, start disseminating those descriptions. I’ll need to brief the Lord-Mayor.”

“You’ll need this,” Zella said, flicking her card to Vanasses.

The duxotas snatched it from the air. “What is this?”

Zella brought her silken scarf up over her head to shade herself from the sun. “There was no bee or butterfly.”

Vanasses turned the card over. On the face was a yellow and black design of a beautiful, scantily clad woman, enticing if not for the swarm of angry wasps around her.

Sir Rogatus recovered from his battle, and asked told the Children of the plight of his Order. His fellow knights were scattered across the country and might be unaware of their outlaw status. He left to warn them after asking the Children to rescue the Lictor and others held in the Holding House.

The Children used forged transfer papers to rescue three armigers from the Holding House. A fourth was left to her grisly fate, tortured by a kyton (a fiend from the Plane of Shadow).

Meanwhile, the Black Mantis has tracked Nox and discovered a pattern to her movements. The Children ambushed her, quickly overcoming her and her guards. Bug screamed “For Titus!” as he leapt from the rooftop, plunging his sword into Nox and delivering the killing blow. Cato hacked off her head and impaled it on her own glaive, which was then left in the middle of Veritas Plaza the following morning.

The rescued armigers of the Torrent told the Children their Lictor, Octavio, was likely in the Shrine of St Senex. The shrine was just south of the city, in the Argo swamps, and was warded against magical observation. On the way to the shrine, across the bog, Cato thought he was followed, seeing torchlight behind him.

Inside the shrine were two seers, dedicated to maintaining the shrine and serving the saint. Although suspicious of the Children, they admitted Octavio Sabinus was below, and provided this cryptic message: “He has cast his breath upon the Stone many times, long a friend to our shrine. We honor those who honor the watery dead.” But they said if the Children wanted to see him, they had to meet the challenges below, to prove to Saint Senex they are worthy to speak to a friend of the shrine.

The Children descended a rusty ladder into a mist-filled chamber…

Note – Bug actually yelled “For Rufus!” but I later asked if he meant Titus; Bug was ambivalent but said probably :)

Bug spends a moment running his eye over some symbols on the parchment. And I thought living on the streets was tough. Brother Vaelus had approached Bug after his shift a few weeks back and suggested learning to read these scribbles. He stated it would be a useful skill to learn now that Bug was no longer an urchin but one of the rebellion leaders. Bug was still getting used to how the symbols worked but saw the benefit in learning. He quickly realised how valuable reading was to the rich where a letter could be worth more than gold. That should satisfy the Brother, sometimes he’s worse than eating through some rotten garbage. I wonder if he would be teaching me if he knew what I planned to use it for…

Satisfied, Bug lent back from his humble desk and surveyed his small dwellings located opposite Belor’s stables. Although some in the rebellion laughed at his choice of accommodation with words such as being pathetic, cheap and meagre, it felt like a palace to Bug. They had never experienced what the streets of Kintargo offered as living arrangements.

As his eyes drifted out the window he noticed the signal, I guess it is time to meet and see what they’ve found. Although the formation of his gang was an accident it had proven itself useful in keeping an eye out and an ear open for the happenings in the city. He had tried to recruit for the homeless and non-descript to blend in and get to places normal folk don’t get to. Unfortunately they had still developed a reputation that was beginning to rival the Red Jills. I guess I sometimes went a little too far, but that’s what you get for learning how to survive on the streets. Sometimes you gotta do things those with homes and families would or could never do. Bug thinks as he remembers those few regrettable people he murdered; including his friend and chef, Sen.

Bug gathers his scribbles to give to the Brother later and puts on his street clothes before heading off to the usual meeting spot. He takes his customary precautions in getting around unnoticed, but he is not too worried, he has always been hard to follow when he wants.

The meeting spot was a non-descript alley with a view of the Opera house and park. He liked seeing and observing where the authority had their seat of power, and got a little bit of a thrill conducting his business right under their nose.

Bug places himself on a barrel just of the alley entrance and begins to clean his nails with his knife.

“How are you Jerry?”

“Not bad Bug”, an old homeless man sitting on the other side of the barrel says. Jerry was Bugs first recruit, he came across him by the docks in front of the Thrashing Badger. He was a former sailor that had lost it all to a smuggling captain and had proven himself very useful and capable in managing the others. He was now Bug’s second in the Black Mantis.

“Good, what have you heard on the streets? Was this latest proclamation just a way to get Rogatus?” Bug begins.

“Nope, some of the boys went to the Torrent Base and saw some Knights being taken away to the Holding House. Seems like the Order have really pissed the Thrune fucker off.”

OK, Rogatus is genuine then. We can trust him to a point…

Bug continues, “I don’t want any unnecessary issues hiding him. Has there been any whispers on the four hellknights killed on the street and his association?”

“Nothing serious, pure guess work. A few words about a giant with a glowing sword cutting then like butter, but no one believes that. The Dotarri have no idea and the Rack are being pretty closed lip. I suppose it doesn’t look good having four of their member killed so easily out in the open.” Jerry states.

“No it doesn’t, keep an eye out for any of them in our area, if you see them in a group heading towards me, signal.” Bug carries on “Did you get me that list of locations?”

“Yep” Jerry replies handing him the list. Bug planned to give the list to Aroldo as a goodwill gesture to help with the wizard’s proposal. In the process Bug hoped to improve the relationship between the two. Bug knew the wizard didn’t like some of his actions and Bug didn’t want to have a wizard as an enemy.

“What about the Red Jills? Was the message clear to them?”

Jerry shudders remembering the bags Bug told him to place in front of their headquarters. “Yeah, they got the meaning, they’re staying away from us, and we made sure the streets knew what happens when you attack Black Mantis. The Red Jills will stay away from us for a while. That’s a bloody way of getting peace Bug.”

“It’s not peace Jerry, but needed to be done to survive and get a moment of calm. Keep an eye on them for now” Bug replies.

“And that final matter, the Hell Bitch Nox, what did you find?”….

Aroldo lay still, enjoying that moment of peace one has just often waking. He can feel the sun streaming in through the windows and hitting his face. In the distance he can hear birdsong mixed with the sounds of the city.

But the short moment of peace cannot last long, for there is much to do. Rising from his large, comfortable bed, he heads to the water basin on his dresser and washes the sleep from his eyes. Throwing on an old, yet comfortable robe, he opens the door to his bedroom and heads down a dusty corridor and stairs and heads straight to his greenhouse.

Here, the air is thicker, the moisture and botanical smell of growing plants and herbs a cherished scent. Aroldo consults a note near the door, a list of requests for a variety of things, the wizard was well known for supplying excellent quality spell components, and understood the needs of wizards, being one himself. His reputation has him supplying a significant number of his colleagues at the Alabaster Academy.

After some quick watering and pruning, Aroldo heads towards the kitchen, intent on brewing some strong tea in an attempt to suppress his yawning. Opening the door, he is assailed by a strong minty aroma. Alaria is already awake and sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a mug of mint tea. The bard seemingly sat in a shadow, dressed all in black, with her new short, black hair.

“Good morning, "Aroldo tries to be as cheerful as he can, “I might go something stronger myself.” he announces as he vaguely gestures at Alaria’s mug. He merely gets a short grunt in reply.

Suppressing a wince, he places the kettle on the stove. As he goes about preparing the teapot he announces “I’m glad you’re here, I’ve been meaning to speak to you about something, actually.”

Alaria looks up from the spot on the table he had been staring at, and cocks an eyebrow at the big man. “Time for me to move out?” she says flatly.
Aroldo looks slightly shocked." No, no, not at all! It’s been nice to have someone else in the house, frankly!" He scratches at his stubble as he tries to think of how to best to talk to the despondent bard.

“The house has been quiet, without Livia or Aelia,” begins Alaria before stopping herself saying any more.

Aroldo feels fresh pain in his heart as the bard mentions his dead wife and child, but decides to ignore the comment believing Alaria is just lashing out in her own pain.

“And to continue to be frank, I’m a little worried about you,” he sighs. “You’re angry, I understand that. You’ve been tried and convicted of a crime you’re innocent of. You’ve lost friends and patrons. Your whole life stolen from you in moments…” The wizard pauses as Alaria looks away, her features battling over whether to show rage or despair.

“It’s left me with nothing!” Alaria hisses when she’s finally able to look back at the concerned wizard. “They will pay!”

“Yes. Yes they will,” announces the wizard with firm determination. “But you can’t do it alone. If you want to make a dramatic, but futile gesture, I can’t stop you – but there are other ways."

Alaria seems to be unconvinced by Aroldo’s statement, and eyes him carefully, not hiding her doubt. "You say that, but how come you haven’t told me anything since you and the others saved me from these hounds! Alaria’s eyes reflect the horror she experienced, not knowing that she had others who would risk their lives to save her.

Aroldo reaches over and takes one of her hands, ignoring the bard flinch at the contact. “I knew nothing when I went to the Courthouse that day, nothing but I had to get you out of there somehow.”

Alaria smiles sadly but she squeezes Aroldo’s hand, “If it wasn’t for the others, I don’t know how you would have done it. We might have both ended up dead.” the way the bard pronounces this gives Aroldo a sense of dread, and he has to suppress a shiver.
“It’s a…” Aroldo pauses for a moment and hides his lips.“…dangerous game. Even if you think you’re ready for everything.”

“Something has happened, hasn’t it? Don’t bother denying it, I can tell when you’re lying. What is it?” the bard asks.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you. Well, a few things. I’ve have received news of Pavo. He made it. He got out of the city, the Dottari didn’t get him. I’ve spoken to someone who shared a few drinks with him,” announces the wizard, a delaying tactic while he finds the right way to tell her about Rufus, Titus and Keldor.

“Thank the gods!” breathes Alaria and for the first time that morning the smile reaches her eyes. It fades away however, when she realises that isn’t the only thing Aroldo could be telling her. “What else? Please, tell me.”

Aroldo rubs his face with his free hand, the grief, shame and fear as fresh in his mind as the excruciation is in Alaria’s. “Most of the others that helped saved you are dead,” he finally announces flatly.

Alaria stares at Aroldo for a few moments, fresh tears welling in her eyes. “Why is this happening?” she asks forlornly. “Only a year ago things were better. Happier.”

“The House of Thrune!” exclaims Aroldo. “That’s why! We’ve been lucky before. Ignored because we’re at the arse end of their empire. But now they need all their resources, they’re showing us how they treat everyone. Damn those dirty devil fuckers!” the wizard exclaims, the heat of his emotions coming out in his voice.

Alaria gets up to see to the boiling kettle. “They’re already damned, Aroldo. We just have to send them to Hell to meet all their friends” Having filled the teapot, she brings it over to the table to brew.

This time it’s Aroldo’s turn to smile sadly. “Easier said than done. Trust me on this.”
Alaria pours her host a mug of tea and a fresh, less minty one for herself. “Well, all I know is we have to do something, I can’t just sit here anymore!”

“I know. I also know direct action is dangerous, and now is not the time. But we do need to take action, and I have an idea,” announces Aroldo.

Alaria sips her tea and leans forward, even more intent on the wizards words. “Well, I know you’re keeping a lot from me, but I am eager to hear what you are willing to tell me.”

By pure instinct, Aroldo lowers his voice and leans forward, matching Alaria’s posture. “Our new Lord-Mayor is over-reaching himself and upsetting many, many people. But they don’t necessarily know anyone else who feels the same way. They’re afraid to speak out. Afraid to find others who feel the same way. What they need is a place they can gather freely. Where they can speak easy and hear others in return. A place to be inspired and reassured.”

Alaria nods in agreement," Yes, many fear their neighbours- a single report to the Dottari and you can disappear, never to be seen again. Go on."

“Well, we just have to find a few places where it’s safe for people to gather, bar’s, coffee shops, forgotten basements. Places where people can express their feelings, tell their stories, a place…”

“Where people don’t feel quite so alone.” Alania finishes.

Aroldo smiles, "Exactly. A place where they can hear rebellious songs and stories of better times. When we were truly free.”

“Oh? And who’s going to sing them these songs? Did you have someone in mind?” Alaria asks, the hint of a sparkle in her eyes that has long been missing.

“I would be happy if a Little Black Swan would make the odd appearance. I know she has a wonderful voice that’s gone unappreciated far too long,” says Aroldo. “You may have to be a bit more discreet in your comings and goings though. I may know the odd spell that can help with that, and a few friends too.”

The wizard wants to keep his friend safe, and has been thinking of assigning a couple of the street performers and one of the freedom fighters as an escort and bodyguard. The thought occurs to him that he should perhaps ask Bug or Gaian about that, but realises that when it comes to Alaria’s safety, he doesn’t care what either of the two psychopaths think.

“Little Black Swan,” murmurs Alaria as she touches her hair. “Alright, I’m in. What next?”

“Probably the hard part,” admits the wizard. “The people I’m initially thinking of are students and faculty at the Academy, many who don’t dabble in the infernal arts hate their power and influence on the institution. And I’m thinking you may know a few artists and musicians who may be interested. We find a few places they can all gather, and spread the word.”

The bard smirks a touch, “As easy as that?”

“Perhaps not,” Aroldo lets out a low chuckle. “But we have to start somewhere.”

Alaria smiles, “And so the Free Kintargo Society was formed one morning over a pot of tea.”

The Children disrupt the Red Jills’ silver smuggling operation and send a message not to mess with the Black Mantis (aka Bug’s Boys). The Children then discuss the rebellion and where it’s headed, and then chase up a few leads. Barzillai Thrune announces another proclamation, outlawing the Order of the Torrent. Finally, they rescue Sir Rogatus from the Hellknights of the Rack.

Full notes:

• The group enter the shack after completing their travels through the sewer and defeats the three thugs found inside. They find a ledger, but a large part of it appears to be in code.
• Returning back to safety, the group recap everything and discuss the rebellion.
• Meet Augus, the latest member. He was a junior member of the Order of Archivists, recruited by Brother Vaelus.
• They express their discomfort with how Bug is running his criminal gang.
• Aroldo suggests setting up a safe space for artists / intellectuals with rebellious tendencies.
• Bo suggests Baroness Balcara might be someone the Children can try to cultivate.
• Gaian brings up the fact that the Red Jill’s knows who we all are.
• The group refreshes it memory on its objectives:
• They should chase up Marquel Aulorian, the one with the withered arm who pointed the finger at poor Pavo.
• They should talk to the Knight of Torrent who wants to speak to Alaria regarding Shensen’s disappearance.
• Nidalese Embassy has been left ‘abandoned’ due to Glorious Reclamation.
• The Temple Hill Slasher is still out there. Thought to be responsible for many deaths around city. Do we want to stop him? Gaian will follow up with dottari who Rufus mentioned were trustworthy.
• Trailblazer Huni – he read the Book of the Damned
• Kintargo Contract and Odexidie, the devil who knows the Kintargo Contract.
• The Song of Silver – the imp didn’t know it, but knows the Lady Mialari who runs school for girls. Do we want to track her down?
• Do the group all need masks? Aroldo has been using his spells to disguise his appearance lately, he feels less paranoid about doing so these days.
• Jollytime girls – what to do with them? Suggestions that they be set onto the Red Jills
• The group decide they want vengeance for their deceased comrades and take down Nox – but they’ll need a lot of info to be successful doing so. Perhaps the performers can find out something

• Bo and Bug decide to visit the Baroness. Bo believes she is a follower of Cayden Cailean and is looking for some confirmation. Her interest in fine liquor is a bonus. They head to the Greens, but are interrogated by guards. They are let in by the guards after Bo introduces himself.
• They are brought in, the Countess is there to greet them, but advises she cannot stay long, she is going riding. Bo and the Baroness trade banter about Shadowsquare – where the temple to CC used to be. Baroness agrees the ways things used to be were good, but those time are gone. Bo and the Baroness effectively exchange secret handshakes.

• Aroldo goes to a church of Asmodeus to visit the library there. He is able to gain access to the library with little difficulty. Finds small book talking about summoning devils. You need a name to summon specific one. Summoning a devil will be beyond Aroldo, they will need a third party to summon one, but they will need to be quite careful in doing so and how they question the devil, being very literal. He also finds notes to indicate Hellknights often summon devils to fight against as practice.

• Gaian and Augus go to the estate of Marquet Aolorian, whose family interests include salt, silver and magic. Traditionally supporters of Kintargo, however the father has been increasingly pro-Throne, the son may disagree. Auxis is the head of the family.
• Get to gate and there are some guards. One of the guards knows of Gaian, his sister-in-law went on one of his tours. Unable to bluff their way through, claims to have news about disruptions to the silver trade. The guard will pass on the message.

• The group as a whole then go to Lady Docur’s School for Girls. It’s a four storey building surrounded by trees with a white gravel drive. Door answered by young, immaculately dressed half elf. Asked to see the Lady, are let inside.
• It’s like a fancy house, winding staircases and other doors. Can hear elvish singing in the background. Lady Docur is an elf, dressed in lilac, lots of jewellery. Her hair is rose red, it would be unnatural on human.
• The School is three centuries old, to teach ways of elves. Students are almost exclusively half elves.
• We told her the imp told us she took the song from the livery. She confessed that she went with treasure seekers to the livery and took some sheets of music.
• Gave a history lesson. Jackdaw was the leader of the Silver Raven’s. After her death the group fell into chaos. The next leader, Brakisi, kidnapped the Lord-Mayor Sarini’s son.
• A hellknight retrieved the kidnapped son, leading to the formation of the Order of the Torrent. Lictor Reya was assassinated by the Grey Spiders – worshippers of Norgorber.
• Docur says she will supply us the song.
• On the way back to Belor’s they find a large crowd outside the Opera House. Awaiting announcement by Lord Mayor. He appears before the crowd. Claims chaos is upon us. Where are the Order of the Torrent in these dark times?
• The Order of the Torrent stripped of their duties and holdings.
• Additionally, the 3 copper toll to cross Bleabridge is raised to 5 silver, to support the war against the Glorious Reclamation.
• They return to Belor’s only for Sir Rogatus (Hellknight of Torrent) to enter! He’s looking frayed, been on the run for some time it seems. A number of Hellknights of the Rack follow him and demand his surrender.
• The Children let the Hell knights take him, but set up an ambush a short distance away.
• The combat is over quickly, the ambush is effective.
• The group takes Sir Rogatus to the underground hideout below Belor’s.

The Children attend the party of Countess Urora Sarini. There they make some new contacts, and impress the Countess enough for her to sign over the contract to Blosodriette the Imp. After, at Bug’s urging, they take the fight to the Red Jills, for the Red Jills have been spying on Belor’s and want to teach Bug’s Boys a lesson.

Full notes:

• Bodeen notices that someone has been watching Belor’s – it’s time to catch them!
• Bo proposes to cast a spell that will hold the person in place while Bug and Gaian take positions on roof. Aroldo volunteers to stay on the ground and act as bait.
• The spell fails, and the watcher runs. Bug’s short little legs won’t let him be able to catch the watcher, but he runs straight at Nightswarm.
• An attempt is made to trip the watcher with a whip, but it fails. Aroldo shoots with magic missile wand. Bo runs after Aroldo, Gaian commands the watcher to fall. Bug catches up and starts hitting him with face of sword (non-lethal).
• Gaian almost falls trying to leap between roofs.
• Bug continues to pummel the watcher
• Gaian finally trips him with a whip.
• This let’s Bug put in the final blow that knocks him down.
• They take him to the top room of Belor’s.
• They awaken him, he starts defiant but quickly realises he’s in trouble. He advises he’s working for Scarplume who is leader of the Red Jill’s. Bug’s boys have been in the Red Jill’s territory. The watcher advises that a ’message’ is coming from Scarplume. The watcher goes through Trevaro, the 2IC of the Red Jills. The watcher claims this is just business, and to let him go. Bug and Nightswarm want to kill him. Aroldo believes this is a bad situation, and Bug should keep his boys on his side of the line. Bug breaks his hand and releases him.

THE NEXT DAY
• Bo explains that word has spread to the world that Kintargo is suffering. One day when drinking he met a bard, told him he was heading to Kintargo. Pavo the bard tells Bo to go to Belor’s Beer Hall. Bo followed this advice and went to Belor’s and watched the place for a while. Titus was then killed. Bo introduced himself to the remnants of the resistance. He explained he had coin and wants to help. He bought Belor’s. Since this time, the resistance has grown to trust him.
• Belor’s has a new cook. Tappo. Tappo is a master at creating finger food that goes well with drinking, a nickname has quickly sprung up for the food: Tappo’s.
• Alaria has cut and dyed her hair black and has sworn vengeance on the Lord-Mayor.
• Leila, the pastry chef working next to Belor’s, arrives to introduce herself to Bo. He agrees to continue the business arrangements she had with Titus, which allows her to sell her bakes goods at Belor’s. Leila is pleased and hopes to get to know Bo better.
• Cato – a former employee of Aroldo’s father – has returned to Kintargo after travelling for many years. He has returned to find hard times. Aroldo took him on as hired muscle, and he is now in the resistance full time.
• Brother Vaelus decides to keep the order of archivists alive, and sets out to find other surviving members.
• Blosodriette the Imp appears and begins sipping at Aroldo’s ale. She claims we’re not moving fast enough for her liking, to get her contract.
• The Countess Sarini is having a small party. Gaian has requested an invitation. He has received a reply, asking us to dress appropriately. The event is held at the Sarini estate.
• At the party they are introduced to the Countess. She’s bloody rude.
• At the party are:

1. Baroness Belcara Jarvis
2. Baron Sendi Vashnarstill
3. Bella – a Tiefling actress (not widely known)
4. A half-elf woman, wearing the Red & Black of the Chelaxian navy.
5. Professor Finkus. Aroldo goes to lengths to dodge Professor Boring.
6. Tall, gaunt man with tied back hair following the Countess around. Arrogant and a bard. Obviously trying to impress her.

• Aroldo approaches Lt Iofiel Nones (wanting to know more about the Navy ship in port) and they flirt a little while he tries to get information. She’s a crewmember aboard the warship Scourge of Belial, which has recently docked at the harbor. The ship will be in port a few more days at least.
• Gaian and Aroldo talk to Countess, talk about the contract. They get the feeling that they need to impress her for her to take them seriously and have traction regarding the contract.
• As such, Aroldo quickly busts out his pencils and paper and sketches the Countess’ great beauty, she seems impressed.
• Cato flexes and tells stories.
• Bug performs some acrobatics, however the Countess seems to think such things are low-brow entertainment and fails to impress her.
• Gaian seduces the Countess with help from Wingman Aroldo.
• Aroldo talks to Baroness Belcara about architecture. She seems upset with the Lord- Mayor residing in Opera House, blocking its normal use. She appears intrigued by Bo, possibly a follower of Cayden Cailean? Bo has asked to see her later, maybe she can visit Belor’s and sample Bo’s best?
• On leaving, Gaian is handed a note from the Countess. She is willing to sign over the contract.
• Once that happens, the Children free Blosodriette… In return, she tells them to seek out Lady Mialari Docur, the elf who recovered the Song of Silver from the imp many years ago. The girlish imp them leaves, being free. Lady Mialari Docur runs a Finishing School for girls. It was founded hundreds of years ago to teach girls about elves.
• Young Bob – one of Bug’s Boys – is found tied up with massive lacerations. Dead from blood loss. Bug appeals to the group to assist him. Bo seems somewhat amenable to assist, likely over stabbing the other dude in the hand.
• Red Jills seem to know how to spy on Bug’s Boys. They’re likely looking for homeless dudes.
• Recon shows that silver goes to the cheese shop, but is not leaving – presumably it is left on site for now. Aroldo uses a disguise self spell to investigate, but it appears to just be a cheese shop.
• The rest of the group charge in to intimidate. Thugs rush from the back room. They are quickly overcome and they take one of the thugs captive. Bug kills the captive thug after getting information. Bug wants to burn the shop down, the rest of the party doesn’t seem to agree with Bug.
• Find small pile of silver down the trapdoor. There are wine racks. Find secret door behind the wine racks.
• The group hear running water. Behind the door is a tunnel that leads to the sewer system again. The silver is going out via sewer. As they travel down tunnel, they hear growls and then a yelp. The group encounters four hounds. The group dispatch them with little difficulty.
• Move on into some kind of cistern area. There are four thugs loitering here, one grabs piece of paper from table and legs it. Again, they are defeated. They find more silver here hundreds of gold pieces worth. Seems to confirm that this is the path the smuggled silver is taking. On the note is a crude map showing location of a shack – the silvers ultimate destination.

Winifred rubbed her tired eyes as she came out from putting her young son to sleep, then jumped and felt her heart begin racing as a figure stepped out from the shadows of the room.

“I’m sorry to startle you, but there really was no other way.”

The woman gathered herself quickly and regarded the stranger. There was really very little to see, darkly clothed and cloaked as he was. What little light penetrated the depths of his hood illuminated only a carved mask, his face disconcertingly resembling a writhing swarm of wasps in the flickering firelight.

“Who are you?”

“I am known as Nightswarm. Perhaps you’d better take a seat.”

“Why? Is bad news any better taken sitting? I imagine you’re not here for anything good.” Winifred replied.

“As you will. I’ve always thought such formalities ridiculous.” Nightswarm paused for a moment. “You seem more composed than I would have expected, under the circumstances.” He said with a hint of admiration.

“My husband, who has been acting rather unusually of late, has not been home for two days. Clearly something unpleasant is going on. In light of that, a strange man invading my home in the middle of the night is less unexpected than it should be. So whatever you’re here for, I’d appreciate it if you just got to the point.”

Nightswarm nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

“I regret to inform you that Rufus is dead.”

Despite her efforts to the contrary, Winifred could not help but sink into a chair at the words. While she had suspected for the past two days this may be the case, a suspicion that grew as soon as she had seen the man in her home, there was a great different between suspicion and confirmation.

“How?” she asked softly.

“You know of course of his passion in tracking the so-called Temple Hill Slasher. Rufus found him again, and this time the encounter proved fatal.”

Winifred stared at Nightswarm, but the mask revealed nothing. Still, she was no fool.

“You’re lying.”

“Oh?” he asked, his voice somewhat bored. “What makes you say that?”

“I know of you. By reputation. You and your fellow rebels rescued the Poison Pen. You’ve been fighting the Thrunes. Killing them. Maybe if Rufus had still been with the Dottari I’d suspect you’d killed him. But he left, because he didn’t like what was happening. So if you know him…knew him…then-“

“Then it is best that he died pursuing his hunt for the Temple Hill Slasher. I would say that he died from the wounds he sustained previously; he was never quite the same after that as I understand it, and some type of residual fever could have taken him. But unfortunately if anyone sees his body, well, that won’t hold up.”

“His body? Did you bring it? Can…can I see it? Him?”

“I did not bring it here. To do so would not have seemed…decorous. Besides which, it is probably best that nobody is struck by the coincidence of him dying the same night as a group of rebels.”

Winifred looked disappointed.

“You will have his body, to lay to rest as you see fit. I will have it brought in another day or two. For now,” he continued as the woman looked slightly relieved “I have brought you this.”

Nightswarm brought a bundle out from under his cloak and passed it to Winifred. She unwrapped it and stared at the contents.

“Loyalty.”

“My understanding is that it has been passed down through Rufus’ family. He’d have wanted Tyrell to have it.”

“I’m not sure I want him to have it.” Winifred said. “It seems to have brought nothing but death.”

“It’s a sword.”Nightswarm replied with a shrug. “It will always bring someone’s death should it be wielded. Perhaps Tyrell will have no cause to do so.”

“Perhaps.”

Winifred sat for a moment longer, then stood.

“Wait there.”

The woman left the room briefly, returning with a letter. She handed it to Nightswarm.
“Rufus left this with me. He said that if anyone ever returned the sword…”

Nightswarm quickly broke the seal, scanning the contents.

“A reward for Loyalty? How very Rufus.” He muttered as he read.

The letter outlined where Rufus had left the rebellion’s funds. It also made a request that Winifred be left some of those funds to aid her in escaping the city, and named several Dottari contacts he felt were trustworthy.

“Well, this makes things less awkward.” He said, handing the letter to Winifred as he left the room. “It would have been a shame to have to come back tomorrow and ransack your home.”

Nightswarm collected the rebellion’s funds and returned to the room. He took the letter from Winifred’s hands, replacing it with a large handful of coins before making his way to the window.

“Whether you choose to leave Kintargo is up to you. Either way you’ll not see me again.” He said to Winifred “But I will ensure Rufus’ body is returned to you. If you choose to go it would make sense to do so after you give him his funeral, perhaps go to your parents. It wouldn’t raise too many eyebrows. Hopefully one day you can return, and it will be possible to truly celebrate Rufus’ deeds in a time when your son does not grow up under the yoke of devils.”

With that, he climbed out of the window and disappeared into the night.

Vaelus watched as Rexus pored over the recovered books for the third time, his eyes still wet with tears. “What is it?” Lentius asked quietly, appearing beside the cleric.

“Reading a soul tome is an emotional thing,” Vaelus responded, “especially when it’s your parents’.”

Lentius looked uncomfortable. “I know you explained this before, but I really didn’t get it. These books are like autobiographies from beyond the grave?”

Vaelus gave a small smile. “Not quite. They contain the thoughts and memories of the archivists – Rexus’s parents included. They were all tortured, and their thoughts recorded by the scrivinite-”

“That book ghost librarian?”

“Yes. Before they were killed. The contents are scattered and incomplete, as you’d imagine, but there is enough in there for Rexus to recognise his mother and father. It must be hard.”

Rexus wiped his eyes and stood. “Lentius, gather the others, immediately. This book – my mother’s soul tome – contains what could be our victory.”

Lentius took off at once.

“What is it lad?” Brother Vaelus asked, taking a seat at the table. His body felt sore and tired of late, stressed from the recent happenings. He made a mental note to meditate longer tonight.

“Two things. ‘Trailblazer Huni’ is mentioned several times, a wandering scholar. My mother was angry the archivists let him read a copy of the diabolical chapters of the ‘Book of the Damned.’”

Vaelus hissed. “I had no idea we even held that tome! A dangerous book. And we didn’t recover it, which means Barzillai has it now. What powers he can discover with that knowledge… Oh Irori save us from evil! Why wasn’t it protected?” the cleric spat in a rare display of anger.

“It was. This Huni is the only person to read it in years, and mother believed he charmed the archivists to allow him.”

“What’s also troubling is Huni knew where the archivists were hidden. But anyway, how does that help us?”

Rexus shook his head. “That doesn’t, it’s just a troubling piece of information we should follow up on. It must be important to my mother… was important to my mother. No, what I referred to as they key to our victory was something called the ‘Kintargo Contract.’ Have you heard of this?”

Vaelus furrowed his brow, then shook his head.

“My mother mentions it several times. She says it forms part of the Cheliax Covenant.”

“The infernal agreement binding Hell to House Thrune.”

“Yes. She says this Contract may be the key to Kintargo’s freedom. She doesn’t say how. We must discover its details. We must speak to its author – Odoxidie.”

“A devil,” Vaelus says grimly.

The room was a slaughterhouse. Blood covered the floor and walls. “The work of monsters,” Vaelus whispered.

“This is who we are facing,” Nightswarm replied calmly. He yanked free the spear pinning Rufus to the wall and lowered the ex-dottari to the ground; his body was pale and cold. It seemed he had fought on until the very last.

Lentius knelt beside Titus. The barkeep’s face was finally at peace after a life of struggle. Lentius wondered if somewhere in the afterlife Titus was embracing his young wife Cristanna. “Rest easy my friend,” the rebel whispered, closing the ranger’s eyes.

It seemed Nox had focused most of her anger on Keldor. Lying alone, his body was mangled. Rexus felt pity for the tiefling; he had hired him to face a danger much beyond their ken. He felt the man’s death burden him like a heavy cloak, adding to that of his parents’ death.

Brother Vaelus moved among the bodies, but his concentration was on what was scattered among them – the remaining books and scrolls of the Order of Archivists, the ones the redactors had not yet got their hands on. “Give me a hand,” he said to Rexus, who was glad to break from his angst and help the cleric collect the rest.

“Someone’s alive here!” Lentius shouted as he moved a barrel aside to reveal Bug hidden behind it. The halfling was gravely injured but still breathing. Lentius indicated for his men to get the halfling to help.

“Let’s get out of here, before they return,” Aroldo said, though by the look in his eye he almost wished the Thrunites to come rushing down the stairs.

They all felt the same burning anger, a desire for vengeance.

“Come on,” Nightswarm grunted. He took a deep breath and lifted Rufus onto his shoulder. Somewhere, way at the back of things, Gaian wept.

It is a sombre mood that fills the hideout below Belor’s, where Aroldo has just finished telling his tale. Unsurprisingly, as the key figures of the Children of the Ash have just heard the wizard recount his belief that four of their number are in all likelihood dead.

“Well,” Rexus finally speaks sadly “Though I hate to say it, it’s better they are dead than captured. What they could reveal would assure an end to our fledgling rebellion.”

“Dead may not be much better.” Brother Vaelus says, tugging nervously on his beard. “The Asmodean priests will be able to elicit just as much, if not more information, from their corpses. Given time.”

Lentius quickly stands at this, hands on his weapons.

“Then we need to go back in immediately.”

“There is no doubt we need to go back in as soon as we can,” Gaian adds “But not without preparation. I assume you’re not ready to go straight back in?” he says with a glance at Aroldo.

“Not unless you want my usefulness to be limited to this.” The large wizard replies, thrusting his staff in the air for effect. “Not much use if Nox is still there. But give me a few hours rest and you can probably convince me to return.”

“Then that give us a few hours to prepare.” Gaian says. “Magdalene, Georgio,” he addressed the leaders of the Varisian performing troupe and the freedom fighters, “Ask among your members if any are prepared to take a more direct approach to combating Thrune. There will be no judgement if they don’t, after all that is not what they agreed to, but make it known that failure here will be the end of us.”

“Gerry,” he addressed the final man, his only known contact from Bug’s Boys, “See if any of your people know of anyone else in the city with strong sympathetic leanings.”

“And if they do?”

“Let me know as soon as possible, and Nightswarm will approach them. This is no time to be coy about recruitment. Regardless, we need to move quickly, and someone needs also to speak to the Jollytime Girls. As soon as Aroldo is rested we head back to the Fantasmagorium. We’ll find out for sure what has become of the others, deal with any bodies. And hopefully take out Nox.”

Damnit, get out of my head! I’ve got too much to do tonight to have you distracting me.

I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.

Really? It’s all your moping. “Poor Butcher is dead”. Blah, blah, blah.

Only Rufus? What about Titus and Keldor?

It doesn’t seem you’re too worried about them.

Why not?

Well, they have nobody relying on them. No little boy waiting for his daddy to come home. He never will.

You’re right. We should really do something about it.

We can’t. Not tonight. Too much to organise to get the fucking Asmodean bitch who did it!

And protect the Rebellion.

Yes, yes, that too.

And after that we can do something to give some closure to Rufus’ family.

Will that make you happy then?

It certainly will. As much as possible in the circumstances, anyway.

Enough to stop the damned crying in my head while I’m trying to work?

Hmm, not sure.

Why not?

Oh, because I call him Rufus, not Butcher. That was you.

The cries of battle follow Aroldo as he back tracks through the Fantasmagorium. His heart pounds in his chest, both from the exertion of running for his life, and fear for his life – his new friends seem to be unafraid of taking on powerful foes. The wizard reaches the entrance of the seemingly accursed museum, and pauses. He strains his ears, but hears nothing – has the battle ended? Or are the walls too thick and are blocking the sounds of further battles?

The wizard summons some of the last of his strength, and calls upon his magic one more time. As he does, his features blur and shift. When the magic is finished, a shorter, skinnier man has seemingly replaced Aroldo. Disguised, the wizard opens the door and slinks out. Knowing he has to report to the surviving members of the nascent rebellion, he considers heading straight for Belor’s, but wonders if the approaches there would be currently watched. Thinking that the chance is too great to take, Aroldo starts heading back home. It is a long journey, that feels even longer as Aroldo cannot help but flinch at every sound, and gaze at every shadow, expecting an ambush.

The wizard calms slightly as he stumbles in his front door, leaning against it as he performs some mental exercises to clear his mind, now he has reached safety. The quiet of his home, with the faint earthy smell of growing plants also helps. Hands still shaking slightly, he puts aside his staff, and unburdens himself of some of the items he thought may have come useful in the recent tasks.

Letting out a long sigh, he heads to his study where one of the silver raven figurines lie. Never having used the power within the figurine before, he is slightly nervous as he whispers a message to it. When he has composed his message, he takes the figurine to the window, where it comes to life, the metallic raven flying away to deliver its bleak message to Gaian and Rexus….

After defeating and questioning the Azvernathi Raul, the cleric of Asmodeus, the Children crept down stairs to the underground level of the Fantasmagorium. This was the secret hideout of the Order of Archivists. Unfortunately the hideout had been discovered by the Asmodeans, and the Order destroyed.

After fighting past the Asmodean redactors the Children faced Nox, assistant to the Lord Mayor and oversee of the redaction efforts of the Fantasmagorium. Nox was too powerful for the Children, and several of them fell in battle.

The future of the rebellion hangs in the balance…

Full notes:

• The group, suddenly feeling refreshed, leapt immediately into combat.
• Keldor casts shield to protect himself initially, while Bug changes into combat. And Fumbles (Sad trombone sound).
• Titus fails to climb onto a table, but attacks anyway, hoping no one saw what just happened.
• The monks yell for Lord Raul, instilling a sense of dread in the party
• Lord Raul appears shortly after, a cleric with dual maces. He casts a spell and turns invisible.
• The battle goes on, the party get the upper hand. Lord Raul gives up when he is the last one.
• Advises there are more monks and Nox downstairs. Nox is the Lord Mayor’s ‘personal assistant’. The group remembers that they saw her get stabbed and smile it off, with the wounds healing up. It is said she has made pacts with devils. Has a monster’s strength. There are a dozen redactors and a pet-Ogre-kin. Nox regenerates, but this isn’t immunity.
• Rufus thinks he is lying when he says he will leave if we let him go. Aroldo asks how we get down stairs. The cleric advises you push both eyes of the Aroden statue.
• The group decides facing Nox is too dangerous.
• Don’t find much, writing implements and the like. Initial scans of documents appear mundane and not useful.
• The group decides to rest, so the magic users of the group can regain their spells. They will be heading downstairs after resting to investigate the secret meeting place of the Order of Archivists. Rest is completed successfully.
• The stairs down are illuminated by magic light. We descend into a massive library. Seems to be missing books though. Bloodstains on floor. Huge rune on floor. There is Master’s Rebus, holy to Irori
• As we reach the floor, papers and books rise from the floor and assumes a roughly humanoid shape. Keldor asks if it is a librarian, it advises it is the library guardian. Tells us that it has been visited by defilers recently. Aroldo asks how long was here, imprisoned by Witch of Thrune. Guardian advises defilers have taken most of the books. Overpowered by infernal magics. Guardian served Order of Archivists. Confirms they are all dead. They find books on the history of Kintargo: personal journals, big events, small goings on.
• Wide stairs head further down, still magically lit. Goes down to corridor with 4 doors. First door leads to small bedroom, like a monk’s cell. Find more of these, then find a larger one with painting of Victacora family, we recognise Rexus.
• Bug finds a secret door! It leads down a corridor to a large room. The stench of rotting flesh grows strong as we approach.
• We can see Redactors taking books. In the middle of the room are chains holding a redactor’s decaying body. Five redactors is what Bug can see from his vantage point.
• The group decides to attack. Titus charges in! Great melee. Bug sneaks in for surprise attack. Surprise big humanoid bursts out of one of the doors- the Ogre-kin! The group manage to win easily.
• Arcane runes – warnings – on some shelves. Would normally indicate cursed items. Chains radiating Plane of Shadow. Seem to be books about that in this area. The group speculates it is the result of an activated magical trap. Aroldo also detects magic from behind a wall. The group finds a keyhole in the mortar. Rufus suggests using the platinum key. The key works and there is the sound of grinding stone. We find some magic items.
• The group hears others planning to ambush them when they walk through. The group decides to counter-ambush.
• Nox summons a poo demon.
• Vicious fight, Nox is a regenerating monster.
• The group manage to take down the majority of their opponents, but Nox is too strong.
• Reduced to wielding his quarterstaff, Aroldo strikes a massive blow that would kill any normal human (20!) but Nox barely blinks. Deciding that discretion is the better part of valour, Aroldo makes a break for it, the others standing their ground until the bitter end.

The Children decide looking up maps of old Kintargo would be too obvious at this point. Gaian wants to ask questions about the Nidalese embassy. Rexus and Aroldo relate what they know about Marquel Aulorian (implicated Alaria) and the Sarini family (mentioned in Smiling Sen’s letter).

The Aulorians are one of Kintargo’s older noble families, and made their name through the salt and silver trades. They have long supported Kintargo, but with Barzillai Thrune’s arrival, the family patriarch Auxis has grown increasingly supportive of Thrune, abandoning his family’s more traditional Kintargan values. Count Auxis is egotistical, florid, and short-tempered. His son Marquel is quieter and unassuming, perhaps because of his withered arm, which he usually tries to hide. Despite several suitors he is not yet married.

House Sarini is one of the better-known noble families of Cheliax. Nicknamed the “Fools of Thrune” or the “Lapdogs of Hell”, they are known for producing cruel and macabre fools and jesters who serve the crown. Members of the house are often sent to amuse crowds at public executions in Egorian, entertaining the common folk with their dark and violent humour. It is currently unknown whether members of this house do this voluntarily, or if their debased profession is a result of an offence against House Thrune. The Sarini Family own lands around Cape Dis, which is to the west of Ravounel Forest, southwest of Kintargo. The current leader of House Sarini is Countess Urora Sarini, who the Children had met at the theatre (note: the Theatre of the Real lady).

The Imp
Lunch time the next day, the Children are discussing what to do, when the Jollytime Girls. Keldor announces he is getting uncomfortable meeting at Titus’ and Gaian believes changing habits now would be too obvious.

Suddenly there is chaos in the kitchen. Mercia thought a rat was talking to her. Aroldo detects magic, and senses something, something moving. Keldor notices a latch on the trapdoor leading to the cellar being opened. Titus leads the charge down there.

Titus thinks he hears pan pipes – some kind of music. The music is leading to the secret area in the cellar. The group rushes to the secret hideout, Titus leading the way but he runs into a giant ant!

With what weapons they have on hand, the rebellion leadership attacks this unexpected intruder. Aroldo sees a giant swarm of rats approach from sewers. He casts flaming sphere which roasts a great deal of the Swarm. The ant disappears when it dies – it was summoned.

Then Gaian spots a small, laughing woman playing pan-pipes – she’s got red skin with one horn coming from her head, wings sprout from her back and her ears are pointy. On top of all this, a scorpion like tail twitches behind her. An imp.

Aroldo keeps the rats at bay with flame and magic missiles the imp. She tries to go invisible and Titus tries to cut her down as she vanishes.

The imp decides to negotiate. Her contract is ‘held’ by the Sarinis, it was picked up by accident by the Silver Ravens one hundred years ago, and is included in the documents held by Rexus. She is bound to remain close to her contract, so has not dealt with the Sarinis since that time.

The group was concerned the imp would blab if they released her, she had been listening to all their secret plans and meetings.

Gaian asked who knocked the wall down. Imp admitted to hastening its collapse.

The imp states she knows the Song of Silver, and would be willing to make a deal with the party: they release her from her contract, and in return, she teaches them the song.

The Sarini family is required to release the imp, as they are named in her contract, though they are completely unaware of this since 100 years have passed since she served them.

Gaian suggests a visit to the Theatre of the Real to meet Countess Urora Sarini. The party agrees. This will be organised at a later date (next session).

The Hall of Records
Aroldo visits the Hall of Records. The rich part of town is guarded now, but Aroldo passes straight through. The guards stop Keldor from going through, all suspect it is because he is a Tiefling.

The doors to the Hall is closed. There is a monk of Asmodeus painting new runes on the wall. He advises that the Hall is being renovated. He suggests knocking on the door to gain access.

A servant of the Hall answers the door, and Aroldo successfully bluffs his way into the Hall by promising to be quick. Aroldo finds out that Hocum was a stage magician. Details here. After the civil war he opened a museum called the Fantasmagorium. The Fantasmagorium was filled with oddities and magical phenomena. Was a success for many years, but lost novelty, went out of business 20 years ago. Closed down, Hocum died.

The Nidalese Embassy
Gaian and Bug go to the Nidalese Embassy, but it is closed by order of the Umbral Court of Nidal. They are redirected to Shadowsquare – the temple of Zon-Kuthon.

Gaian decides to do this, but Bug wants to gain access – he climbs the wall. Garden is bathed in deep shadows. Bug thinks he spots movement on a balcony. Bug tries to sneak forward stealthily.
Decides to try access embassy via a window. He is ambushed looking in a window, is knocked down. Was a human woman who did this. She has a large fancy dagger, dressed in tight black leather. She wants one reason not to ‘rip him open and eat his innards.’ Bug tries humour, realises followers of Zon-Kuthon don’t have a sense of humour.

So he bluffs, and blames the Red Jills. He claims Three Fingers sent him. She openly wonders how long it would take Bug to leave the grounds. She gives him a short head start, which Bug eagerly takes advantage of. Bug gets over the wall, but just keeps running, all the way to Belor’s

Gaian visits Shadowsquare. The temple is built on ruins of temple to Cayden Cailean. Grounds perpetually shadowed, there’s offerings at the shrine. Gaian spots instruments of torture. There is also a phrase: The wisest decision is to abandon all hope. Gaian is approached by a priest of Zon-Kuthon. The Tour Guide asks to speak to the High Priestess. He is told she is busy and Gaian must leave a message or talk to him.

Gaian asks about rumour of embassy abandonment. Gaian hears tortured shrieks, most likely from an amputation, he pretends to be unconcerned. Umbral Court does not wants interests threatened. Gaian asks if they do not enjoy suffering. Gaian is led around the grounds, then leaves.

Hocum’s Fantasmagorium
The Fantasmagorium is a ruined building in the north-east of Redroof, everyone knows where this is. The group decide to approach the building the next day. The building has boarded up windows, the doors look new and sturdy. Alleys are scungy, but no side entrance. There is a keyhole at front door and the platinum key Aroldo gave Rexus fits the lock perfectly.

The decor seems to be a cross between a haunted house and Ripley’s Believe it or Not. There are tracks in the dust – Titus believes they are approximately a week old. Group is attacked by two skunk ape skeletons. After the battle Aroldo tries to detect magic, but finds nothing.

Group finds statue of man with winged eye on his chest, Aroldo realises that this is a depiction of the dead god Aroden.

Next find displays full of dead bugs and spiders. There’s a body dressed in black and red – an Asmodean. He seems to be covered in strange welts. There’s also a 10’ spider in the hall – is it stuffed? The entire group wonders.

Bug approaches the corpse. Red spiders come out from everywhere and attack. The group manage to defeat the spiders, some of the group suffers from poisoned bites.

The group goes to another room which is a wax gallery, with many sculptures. One of the sculptures looks like a professor. His plaque reads Professor Mangvhune – The Temple Hill Slasher. His face appears all melted apart from one eye. Bug retrieves the eye, and finds the eye is made from alabaster. This has to be the infamous Kintargan murderer.

Next is the Hall of Historical Truths. Several horribly burnt corpses. Likely burnt alive. They get up off the floor- undead! The zombies shuffle forward and attack, but don’t prove to be too much trouble for the group. After combat, clothes look fancy. Two signet rings, of the Victocora family. It seems Rexus’ parents did come to a grisly end.

The group moves further in, coming across a room filled with Asmodean priests. It’s a cliffhanger!

Things to do:

• Finish exploring Hocum’s
• Meet the Sarini’s at the Theatre of the Real
• Rufus – begin feeling out dottari still loyal to the old ways

Brother Vaelus sat quietly in the common room of Belor’s Beerhall. It was not late, but with the curfew, everyone had left before sunset. He paused in his reading to gaze at the candle flame before him. He sighed, turned a few pages, and began reading again.

“Another book,” Lentius commented as he walked past, pulling on a leather gauntlet. “What is it this time?” He flexed his hand, making sure the glove was tight.

“The Nine Tyrants,” Vaelus replied.

“History?” Lentius asked.

“Ethics,” Vaelus replied, looking up. “When I find myself stirred, I turn to the wisdom of ages past to seek stillness.”

Lentius paused near the door. “Smiling Sen,” he guessed.

“His fate does not sit well with me.”

Lentius nodded and opened the door. “This rebellion is bigger than all of us, and sacrifices have to be made, no matter how we feel. This won’t be the last.” He pulled his hood on and left into the night.

Vaelus closed his eyes for a few moments, then continued reading.

Nightswarm’s recently acquired mask lay on the table. In the flickering candlelight, the swarm of large wasps carved on its face gave the appearance of movement. Beside the mask lay a single sheet of paper, the freshly written ink slowly drying.

Three foolish ladybugs descended to a spider’s lair
It’s no surprise
That their demise
Was waiting for them there.

But perils come in many stripes, on that you may depend
And this warm night
They had a fright
Before they met their end.

---

I don’t like it.

Well, I admit I’m no Poison Pen, but it’s not that bad. After all, I only intend it to get out among the children of the city. It’s nothing but a bit of fun.

Narcissistic is what it is, but at least far more subtle than scrawling “Nightswarm was here” in blood on a wall somewhere. No, I actually don’t mind your rhyme, I’m thinking more of recent events in general.

Ah, you’re still upset at the attack on the Asmodeans.

It was foolish. We knew nothing about them, we could easily have been outclassed! And perhaps had we followed them we’d have learned something of more use.

Unfortunately your companions didn’t see it that way, else they’d not have called for me over you.

Perhaps next time I won’t allow you to respond.

Hah, as if you could stop me! Vengeance against those devil-worshippers is the truest cause to my heart. You can’t possibly think you could keep me from that.

Unfortunately that is probably true. But the Asmodeans bother me far less than Smiling Sen. That was poorly played.

That wasn’t my call.

You made no effort to stop it.

I didn’t care. He was a high risk. He was dealt with. Don’t get sentimental.

I will admit to some sentimentality. He was a simple man, and I do not believe he meant us any harm. But I really don’t see what we had to lose by letting him live; he’d already passed on what information he had, and perhaps we could have used him to find out something about whoever was controlling this rat, or who “B” is. If anyone had suspicions about our activity we’ve likely just confirmed them by removing him.

We can’t afford to take risks. It seems we’ve been far too sloppy already. As well as Sen there’s whoever caused the collapse below, plus the Rose of Kintargo. And while the Rose is likely to be an ally, I still find it disconcerting how easily it found us. No, it seems you’re on your own with this one. Even the Butcher, our usual moral compass, was keen to put an end to the cook.

I do admit some disappointment; I’d have thought Rufus at least would have been more forgiving.

And the others were even more keen. To be fair Happy Viper wasn’t there, but there was no word of argument from Candy. And Naga and Firefly seemed enthusiastic to a degree that even I find almost disturbing, though perhaps for different reasons to you.

So you’ve named them all now? Ah, I see what you’ve done. Funny. At least those names are somehow less ridiculous than the one you gave yourself. Anyway, the fact remains that I think you’re all pushing too hard, too quickly. We need to be more cautious.

Decisiveness is what we need. But I understand your leanings are toward a different aspect of our goddess than my own. If you wish to try to sway the others to more caution I’ll not try to stop you. But I doubt you’ll have much success.

Rufus
• Rufus heard his door knock several times but nobody was there before his friends arrived for lunch (they were Dottari, but old school and honest like Rufus).
• They said the Lord Mayor had brought in his own loyalists into the guard and was spreading them out into all units.
• They were told not to bother investigating the latest murder, which they suspected matched the previous ‘Slasher’ murders.
• One of them volunteered to find out the details, and Rufus suggested speaking to Tayacet, an investigator who showed interest in the murders.

Gaian
• Gaian is not getting many people taking his tours anymore.
• He has however noticed that there are a lot more Dottari on the streets these days.
• The common folk are talking about a boat race that took place on the river, nothing of major consequence seems to be being talked about.
• His eye is caught, however, by a mask on a dummy being used by a crossbow merchant. It seems to have an unnatural attraction for him (it is a Battlemask).
• To the point he sets several fires around the crossbow merchant’s stall, causing a large commotion during which he casually removes the mask and secrets it upon himself before departing the scene of his crime.

Keldor
• Keldor is visiting the Red Roof Market, Kintargo’s well renowned clothing district.
• Rubbing the thumbprint on his forehead, he is sent shopping for spell components by Evalyn, looking for mica chips and bat fur to be precise.
• Keldor is handed a bunch of roses. And a note. It read: My Dear Children, know that you are not alone. My flock will rise up – but not yet. Until then prepare, recruit, build. Rose of Kintargo.
• DM NOTE: this didn’t come out in session, but Gaian and Brother Vaelus tells the group that the Rose of Kintargo is the name of a secret cult of Milani, goddess of hope and uprising.
• The message seemed to urge patience and preparation.

Bug
• Bug finds he needs not be concerned about the curfew; his skills let him roam where he wishes.
• The Halfling has begged for time off from working at Belor’s so he can visit his eyes and ears. They have been faithfully spreading the word of the Children.
• A criminal by the name of Three finger wants to meet with Bug
• Bug has decided to give his urchins a project: sniffing out the traitor. The focus should be the other staff at the dance hall.
• Bug goes to meet Three Fingers – a member of the Red Jills.
• Bug tries to sneak up on the man, but is wildly unsuccessful, and 3F seems unimpressed.
• The meeting is for the dividing up of turf, the Red Jills don’t want encroachment, they want clear boundaries. East of Veritas Plaza should be Red Jills turf.

Aroldo
• Aroldo prepares to go to Belor’s Beer Hall after five days of laying low.
• Alaria has been staying with Aroldo, coming to terms with what has happened to her. The girl is upset now that she will have a distinct lack of opportunity to ply her main trade, but she’s now thinking of other opportunities. She’s been writing letters and poetry.
• On his journey to Belor’s Aroldo has to cross the bridge across the river. He’s a little nervous, he’s moving a large amount of mint.
• The guards stop him, and in an uncharacteristic fit of nerves, he drops his toll on the road, instead of placing it simply in the hands of the guard.
• The wizard panics, but a decent bribe does the trick, getting the sweaty big man across the bridge with his precious cargo.
• The wizard makes several stops, one at Cinnamon Treat, the other at Fine Flowers.
• He ends his journey at Belor’s, and finds the ‘usual crowd’ there, plus Rexus.

Belor’s
• Rexus has the mithril key that Aroldo gave him.
• Rexus asked the group what they thought their goals were, their end-game.
• The group had a long and passionate debate. Everyone seemed to be pining for days gone past, where Kintargo was just mostly left alone by the rest of the Empire, but those days seemed to be gone forever, only independence for Kintargo would get the people the freedoms they deserved.
• The group compiled a list of the people that knew of the secret hide out: The Party; Rexus, Lentius and brother Vaelus; Pavo; Smiling Sen and Mercia
• And then a list of the people that knew of Belor’s: Alaria; The Jollytime Girls; Bug’s boys; perhaps the upstairs prostitutes
• The group then decided on some actions that needed to be taken:
o Question Alaria
o Go to the Records Hall to seek information on Hocum’s
o Find the traitor
o Explore the sewers
• The group also discussed the events around Pavo’s flight and Alaria’s capture and wondered about the man with the withered arm that pointed the finger. He was remembered as Marcel Aulorian.
• The group decided to investigate the sewers as their next objective.

The Sewers
• They recovered their raft and began explorations; the sewers mostly followed old roads and the like, Kintargo having been raised up and built over, the sewers being what remains of the old Kintargo.
• The thought occurs to find a map somewhere of Old Kintargo, which may help reveal secrets of the sewer ways.
• The group decided to head in the direction of the Livery; with Keldor leading the way, as the Tiefling can see in the dark.
• A rotting smell, noticeable over the normal rank aroma of the sewers becomes obvious as the group moves on.
• Keldor advances further and finds the smell comes from the giant rotting body of a moth, most likely a Carrion Moth, given its size and location in the sewers
• The group noted that there were slime trails all around the body, but seeing no alternative, begun moving past.
• The group were then attacked by a larval slime crawler, which was quickly dispatched, but the noise drew the attention of its brood mates, which also were dealt with.
• Further down the path on the way to the livery, the group encountered another obstruction, a pile of crates and debris, which required climbing over.
• Gaian and Keldor decide to climb over, both end up falling down a pit that was on the other side of the blockage.
• The group was then attacked by a man sized bug like creature with sickles for hands and a spider’s face – an Ettercap.
• After a struggle where Rufus and Aroldo were covered in webs, and Keldor had difficulty climbing out of a pit, the Ettercap was forced to flee from the strength of the band.
• The group then stumbled upon three priests of Asmodeus, they were observed trying to decide on a direction to head, they discussed looking for a way to the monastery.
• It was decided to attack the group stealthily, Bug leading the way.
• Bug momentarily seemed to have lost his mojo, and was easily spotted. He pretended to be someone addled in the wits department, and approached the men asking for ‘Shineys’
• This enabled Bug to get close enough to attack quickly (DM NOTE: I probably should not have allowed the sneak attack without some sort of Bluff check, a fail meaning the cleric realised Bug was attacking and normal initiative rolled to start combat)
• The men were overcome, with one being left alive for questioning.
• The priest revealed he had been sent down here to kill kobolds that infest this part of the sewers, and that the monastery was dedicated to Aerenwae (DM NOTE: LOL!! Someone got game worlds confused. It should be Irori, the god of enlightenment, self-perfection, knowledge, healing, and inner strength. His religion is a bit like fantasy Buddhism. He’s also the god of Brother Vaelus).
• The group then located what seemed to be the entrance to the temple of Asmodeus, and decided to return home.
• When they returned, Rufus caught Smiling Sen reading the notes of a sleeping Rexus.
• When interrogated, Sen gave a story that a talking rat told him to look through the papers. The voice had also told him to send a letter to the Dottari, detailing suspicions.
• The voice seemed womanly. It had mentioned something about a ‘contract’.
• Sen also had a note on him, which read:_ Lord Sarini, You have something I want, and I know something you will find very profitable. Please come to the dance hall known as Belor’s Beerhall in Old Kintargo. I promise you won’t regret it. Regards, B._

So, Alaria is holed up with this Aroldo guy.

So it seems. Of course, that’s what we assumed when the others lost her during the rescue.

Incompetants! That wasn’t part of the plan!

No, but it wasn’t unwelcome. We still rescued her and made Thrune look somewhat foolish, you got to promote yourself and the rebellion briefly, and then as an added bonus we didn’t have to worry about Alaria. Even if she were discovered she couldn’t lead them back to us.

But now not only can she trace back to us, she’s brought yet another bumbling oaf in with her. With all the failures around us so far, he’s sure to be a liability.

That’s a bit harsh, he’s apparently a wizard. He must at least be reasonably smart. And other than Pavo, who to be honest I’m tired of you harping on about, what other failures around us?

Seriously? They were supposed to take Alaria to the Livery, not hand her over to some unknown person!

From what I’ve heard there’s not much they could have done to avoid that. They didn’t exactly invite him in.

Fine, but what about Rufus setting those smoke bombs off early? You would have thought a former dottari could at least follow basic orders, but now it seems he butchers plans as well as dogs.

Ah, so now we come to your real gripe. You’re still pissed off that not everyone was watching you on stage.

Three loyalists! That’s all they sent after me. Those dottari should all have been after me. And the Hellknights!

Well, there was the harrower until she saw through your disguise and dismissed you as inconsequential. And maybe more would have followed if they could have actually seen you. But I think it worked nicely. You certainly made an impression with the loyalists, and the fact that you didn’t kill any dottari helps to support the fact that you are against Thrune, not against the city.

Perhaps. Maybe I should reinforce that, hunt a few loyalists down.

I think we have more important things to do for now, don’t you?

Of course. We need to find out where this Aroldo lives. I can search his place, look for any evidence of his trustworthiness.

I’d be inclined to agree if I believed that was truly your intent. But I’m not that stupid. I will not allow you to assassinate Alaria.

You’re a fool! She’s served her purpose, now she is nothing but risk to us. They had her locked up for days, do you really think they don’t have a strand of hair or drop of blood they can use to scry for her? Much harder to do with the crocodile digesting her.

If they do it will take them to Aroldo, and hopefully he can deal with it. I think we have some questions we need to ask Alaria. Starting with the night Pavo ran.

Hah, you don’t really think she’s the Poison Pen do you?

It seems unliklely, though not impossible. But assuming she’s not the Poison Pen, she may still have planted the poem on Pavo, which means she may well know who the Poison Pen is, or at least have a means to contact them. The Poison Pen could be a valuable ally of the Children of the Ash to help spread our message. And if it wasn’t her, then why did Lord Aulorian point his withered finger in her direction? What did he have to gain? And if nothing else, we need to know what sorts of questions were asked of Alaria while she was being held, and what she told them.

So I’m not allowed to hunt loyalists, and not allowed to tidy up the Alaria situation. What exactly do you suggest I do then?

Well, it would be useful to further explore the sewer network so we can make use of it to come and go. Rexus believes we have a traitor in our midst. Then there’s the rumour of Newt having magical items up for sale, which in itself is less interesting than the “fact” that he took them from the Nidalese Embassy. I thought Nidal had somewhat of an alliance with the Thrunes, why have they left?

All sounds a bit dull to me, more your interests than mine, although let me know when you find this traitor. Anything else more suited to me?

Well, there is one thing that only you could do that may help immeasurably.

Yes?

Practice your knife throwing.

Fuck off.

Rexus looks around and lowers his voice, as if the traitor could be eavesdropping even though the room is empty. “These meetings make me nervous,” he smiles in the candlelight. “Listen, I’ve been thinking. Now that we have gone public, the people of Kintargo will be wondering who the Children of the Ash are, what they stand for. We should be prepared to answer those questions. I know we each have our own reasons, but outwardly we need to be united. This is important if we’re to find new recruits. Already these Happytime Girls—”

“Jollytime,” Titus interrupts.

“Yes, Jollytime Girls, seem to have joined for their own reasons, to take back what was theirs. I’m happy to have them on our side, but we need to ensure our recruits are joining for the right reasons. We need to all be on the same page.

“And speaking of pages…” Rexus pushes a small stack of papers across the table. “I have translated all but the last few documents recovered from the Livery. Many are of interest from a purely historical perspective but won’t benefit us at this moment. What I have learnt which might be of more use is that the Silver Ravens were said to be able to use something called the ‘Song of Silver’ to defend Kintargo. Unfortunately there isn’t any information as to what the Song of Silver is. We should try to discover anything we can about it. Was it actually a song? Considering the next piece of information, it may have been: the Silver Ravens maintained their headquarters in the Kintargo Opera House.”

The room is silent as those around the table wonder if it is simply coincidence that Barzillai Thrune set up his own headquarters in the same place…

Returning to my home, I enter to find my house surprisingly empty. Considering how much I have been away lately I am not surprised. Thinking out loud “Winifred and Tyrell must be next door with mother”. I took off my boots and hung up my cloak and started to make my way to the fire to get the house warm for the night. Not before returning the coins to the lock box beneath the floor boards under the Tyrell’s crib.

As I replaced the boards however, there was a loud bump from above. Quickly grabbing my sword I swiftly made my way up the stairs, half expecting some Dottari to be present and holding my wife and child hostage so as I would go peacefully. To my surprise though, there was no-one present, what I did find though was a picture of my late father on the floor. I slowly walked over to the picture and picked it up.

“Hello, Rufus”. Came a call from downstairs, it seemed my assumption was correct as Winifred’s voice came drifting up the stairs to meet my ears, soon to be followed by the crying of young Master Tyrell. I quickly returned the picture frame to its normal location and made my way downstairs.

Greeting me with open arms and handing my Tyrell, my wife seemed very tired. “Tyrell is sick, he has a fever and has been crying all day. Your mother and I have called on the doctor who came and gave him something to help ease the pain and help him sleep”. “Well what did the doctor say was wrong with him, nothing serious is it, if so we should take him to see a healer?” “No, nothing serious, see how he is grabbing his ear, well the doctor believes that he just has an ear infection and that it will just need to get better with some rest”. “Being the first time that he has gotten sick, I suppose that I was just over worried”, Winifred reassured me with her calming smile.

“Well, whatever it was that he gave him, it seems to have done the trick as he is fast asleep”. “That must be a miracle, as he said it wouldn’t take affect for another hour, and he has just left. We were lucky to get him out actually being so close to the stupid curfew”. “Maybe I have the magic touch? Let me just put him down to rest”.

“So what is for dinner then Wini”? Giving me a look, of what did you just ask me, I quickly retrieved the leg of ham and loaf of bread, which I had picked up earlier. “Sit down, honey I can see that you have had a rough day”. I then proceeded to tell her about my day, well the bits that she needed to know anyway. About the failed excruciation and the escape of the poison pen of Kintargo. She was very happy about that, as she was an avid follower of the poison pen, to which I replied that I only knew about her when she was recently caught by the authorities. She didn’t need to know the full details of what I am up to, after all she will only worry and try and talk me out of it. After dinner she offered to clean up, so I went upstairs to retrieve my sword which I had left up there earlier.

Upon opening the door, I was shocked. My father’s sword was on the ground pointing directly at the picture which was once again on the floor. I froze and looked around to find that the windows were still closed and latched from the inside and that I was alone. A chill ran up my spine and the stillness was broken by the sudden wailing of Tyrell from down stairs.

The group begins by finalising the plan for Alaria’s rescue.

Before the rescue can begin, Dottari come to Belor’s Beer Hall demanding to speak to the owner. Titus presents himself to the guard, who inform him that they have reports of suspicious activities happening at the bar and that they have a warrant to search the premises.

Rufus being experienced in such matters examines the warrant, and finds it in perfect order.

The search is methodical and the guard leave no stone unturned and everyone grows nervous when the Dottari eye the area around the secret door leading to the hideout for some time, almost as if they knew it was there.

They did eventually leave without issue, but the mood among the Rebellion leadership was tense. There was discussion that perhaps Pavo had been caught and divulged what he knew under torture, or perhaps Alaria gave the them enough information to lead them to Belor’s? Deciding they may never be able to find out, the group decided to play normal for the rest of the evening and follow their usual routine.

The mood grew even more tense later that night when a man smoking a pipe seemed to be keeping the Beer Hall under surveillance.

The next day the group decides to explore the sewers, hoping to find a path to the Courthouse that the Excruciation will be occurring in front of. Along one of the main tunnels in the sewers, this formed a kind of river. To the group’s surprise a Halfling appeared on a raft and using a pole to propel himself along.

Appearing harmless enough, the group approached with a friendly demeanour and the Halfling was happy enough to reciprocate. He claimed to be known as “Dimples” and was nothing but a simple ferry man. Further conversation revealed some details of the sewers including where the main outlet exited.

Leaving the Halfling behind to continue on their mission they were able to find a path to the Courthouse and they took some time to set some traps in the sewer.

The plan was:

• Titus in the Courthouse
• Bug under the stage
• Rufus up front
• Keldor and Gaius near the front, but off to the side

Being marched up to the stage, Alaria was forced to humiliate herself further by reading out poetry:

Alaria’s Last Performance
Hello citizens you might know me, I am the Poison Pen
I’m glad you could come join me to see things to the end
On this most fortuitous day I hereby renounce my wicked ways
And admit there is a price to pay
(excruciator chains her to post)

I caused the riot at the park, peace of the city I destroyed
I killed the salt workers after dark, their screams I enjoyed
I wrote seditious essays, incited riots with poems and plays
Please show your gratitude in the usual way
(crowd boos and throws fruit)

My pen tried to lead astray, cause chaos and upheaval
The people of this fair city I plagued with words of evil
But now my penance will begin, scrub these ink stains from my skin
And let blood wash away my sins
(excruciator pours a bucket of blood red ink all over, plastering her hair etc)

(spitting blood ink from her mouth)
My pen was sharper than the knife, or this is what I thought
Now I beg for my life for the evil that I wrought
So as I kneel upon the ground (forced down), I ask you all to gather round
(voice breaks) Now Guard, release the hounds
(hounds unleashed snapping at her arms and face)

The Rescue
Performers used smokebombs

Rescued Alaria

Got chased through the sewers, barely escaped the witchypoo in orange and red. Throwing cards of doom. Smart girl, realised Mojo was a distraction. Black Tentacles!

Titus recruited some lady half orcs, they called their band the Jollytime Girls.

Have made a semi ally in the form of the Hellknight looking into Shensen’s disappearance, he wants to talk to Alaria not handing her over or punishing her either. Sir Rogatus.

Otyugh dude!

We have a traitor, who caused the cave in and possibly alerted the Dotari about the secret entrance.

The friend of Alaria, who may have been extremely overconfident in thinking he could even contemplate rescuing Alaria solo, introduced himself as Aroldo. He seemed slightly surprised to bump into Rexus, even though he had been looking for him, somewhat, since the incident with Rexus’ mother. It turns out she had left a key with Aroldo to give to Rexus.

Aroldo also invited all present to consider his home their home, a large yet slowly crumbling manor in Villegre, a well to do portion of the city near the Alabaster Academy.