Escape from the Green

Date: Month: Coldeven (Common | Snowflowers: Elvish) GodsDay,11th

 The RedWater Fellowship have a decision to make. 3 humanoids - a human, dwarf and orc - are to be sent over in a cage to the waiting undead that are milling around in the Deathgrounds. Doc Holliday hopes to save them, amongst the party whom don't want to alert the BlackRunes to them. The bleachers and seats are probably 1/2 full of BlackRunes,

Wayberry merchants and aristocrats. With a start, they also see the Inquisitor Darakus (DM: blogpost) in the seats conversing with a dwarf. His two 'servants' with him.

 After some debate, the party decides to do it. Graxusas sends his owl familiar up to the rooftops to watch, and the lizardman sorcerer watches the action. Going to the 2nd floor in the end, as the 1st floor is filled with debris and broken timbers and refuse. A group of robed figures - skeletal features visible for a moment and the chant or tone they call out and the Green shield opens for a moment. The crane swings over the cage, and the 3 humanoids tumble out into a swarm of undead. Doc takes out some planks over a window, and tosses a rope and calls out - with a thaumaturgy enhancement from Graxusas - "Run for it!" The 3 figures nearly surrounded start running towards the safety.

 Gothi fires her longbow, expertly taking out a zombie and a skeleton that were advancing on the trio of prisoners. Kantif fires his shortbow to great effect, his sneak attack taking out a zombie. Graxusas notes THE dwarf wizard (was speaking to the inquisitor) they had met in Enstad in the stands and realizes he is about to cast a fireball. Using his sorcery skills he counters the spell. The BlackRune wizard smiles.. the party realizes he could have countered the counter.. but did not. With a crack of a musket shot, Doc Holliday, takes aim and shoots one of the robed figures chanting to hold open the shield. The dead-eye shot knocks the robed creature over and the shield opening starts to close. Meanwhile just before it closed, 4 ballista bolts flew through the hold and hit some of the party. Kantiff is able to deflect some of the damage from one.

 The party sees the dwarf wizard jumps down and stands with the other 3 robed figures, each are an underdark lizard folk with facepaint of a skull. They look to be raising hands and chanting once again to re-open the shield. Meanwhile the party continues to blast with magic - fireball and more, arrows, the undead advancing on the prisoners. The party is able to recover one human, the 1/2 orc is overwhelmed by undead, but they are able to save the dwarf as well, Cedric reaching down to easily pull the battered man to safety.

 Making their retreat, the Fellowship realize that the BlackRune dwarf wizard may have recognized some of them. Parts of the building collapse around them as it seems multiple spells blast the apartment building, coming down in a huge cloud of dust and debris. Dusting themselves off and bandaging minor wounds the heroes vacate the area, looking for a safe haven in the undead infested city streets of the Green. 

As the party sneaks through the streets of the Green, Kantif strikes up a conversation with Thogra. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. What kind of rogue are you? I’m a bit of a swashbuckler.”
Thogra grins toothily at Kantif. "My skills are pretty standard, 2nd storey stuff, I never had the chance to specialize too much. Know a bit about poisons, and of course my skills to my god take up a lot of my time."
He pats the large bag at his side that holds the bones of "Fluffy". [Once the party went stealth, the 1/2 orc told Fluffy to sleep and turned into the pile of bones]
He turns back to Kantif, "you seem to have more talents than just a swashbuckler.." Nodding to the blood stained wraps on Kantif's hands.
Kantif inspects his blood stained wraps, flexing his hands as he nods to Thogra. “Indeed. I’ve been training to become a ninja and use my fists and my body’s ki in combat. In fact, you should feel more quiet than usual since I imbued everyone here with some of my ki. There’s quite a few innate abilities in one’s body that most people have yet to gain control over. I plan to gain more control over these innate abilities as we continue adventuring.”

 Carefully picking a way through the ruins, the party notes an ancient man working in a cemetary. Approaching the elder, they have a dialogue, it seems the cemetary is a garden where he grows a number of different vegetables, herbs, spices and fruits. The party notes the old man's eyes are full black no white. At first there is some concern there was this was the figure from the nightmares.. but then the heroes realize, not. The party barters, wine for the delectable tea, spice, and sugary berries. Kantif looking for poison, is advised on a process for this, the elder calling him an "assassin". The old man seems to be able to see into people's souls or spirits.. and have great insight into each of the group.

 Using a variety of skills, the party is able to find a secluded building - a broken down house - to rest in, after dodging and skillfully avoiding roving packs of zombies and other undead. Taking a short rest, near six bells. They are near the one exit that Declan and others in the Green have advised may be a way to exit. A well, that connects to the river and then to the sewers in the main part of Wayberry. Thogra uses his clerical powers to heal the party, the heroes still unsure on whom the 1/2 orc rogue/cleric worships. the 2 paladins determine it seems possibly the jovial 1/2 orc is a worshiper of some god who's realm is guardian of.. unknown, scorpions and snakes seem to be relevant to him as well. The dwarf and human, are thankful, but decide to head towards Skully town and don't want to try and break out of the Green.

The party then strikes out and heads to this well. The local rumours are that no undead enter the area.. is there something in the well? Reaching the plaza, they tie a rope and climb down into the well. Gothi doing a backflip, slips and falls into the water. Graxusas, able to breathe underwater, confirms there are a few air pockets to the zone of where the green shield is, and letting the party use his ring of water breathing, as well as holding breath, are able to pass it back and forth and finally cross through the holy shield, and are once again in the city of Wayberry in the sewers.

The Fellowship make it through the sewers, and finally exit into a narrow street. The party meets a group of 3 soldiers, drunk. At first they seem to be a patrol, but then the party realize these may be not on duty. With some careful deception, and a few bottles of wine, they are able to pass on. The party then note a shadowy figure going into a shop a Rankin's Meat and Cheese shop. Using magic, and then thieve's cant they try to make contact with the figure but there is no reply. Breaking into the building, Kantif and Doc search. Then a blade appears at Doc's throat. A man behind him seems upset at the intrusion. After a scuffle, and then some very well timed sorcery command spells by Graxusas, they turn the table on this rogue and take him prisoner. It seems after some interrogation, that his name is Isen. He is a member of the Scarlet Spider Syndicate (which seems to owe a favour to the group)! As well, he has heard of this group. They are called The Rat Catchers in Wayberry. Doc leaves some gold for the damage to the Meat and Cheese shop.

Isen agrees to guide the party to the headquarters of the GreySkulls - a destroyed cathedral in the dock district. Some of the party those that don't have a 2nd set of clothes, decide to go to a bath house - suggested by Isen as he holds his nose. A tailors was put up as an option for those that need clothes, but of course this would be a break-in and the two paladins - Cedric and Doc - are against this. 

There are now about 4 days left in the Peace treaty.

As some of the party waits while others go to the bathhouse, Gothi hears a familiar bark & howl from towards the dock.. JawBone!?