The Cathedral, Allies and an Old Advesary

When we rejoin our adventurers it is nearing 10 bells in the evening as Isen leads the Fellowship and points to Seen - San - Sawn's Bathhouse.

Doc Holliday shakes his head. "You all go ahead, I'm gonna speak to some sailor's, perhaps find a small boat with some tight lipped fellows who will smuggle us down river a touch. From there we can slip back into the camp. Best to do it when we have no heat on us." Sigmund says as he slides the last of his weapons into the bag of holding. 

“Why were you so impatient to go to the docks, Doc? It’d be dangerous to go off alone, especially with that commander being here.” Kantif asks, not upset, just curious.

Cedric muses, ""I concur with Kantiff. Going off so swiftly is odd to me, I had thought you might want to take things a little more cautiously. Just an observation" He comments, keeping his tone neutral.

Doc, relents, but does not go in. Kantif, Cedric, Declan and Isen enter the house and enjoy a very refreshing bath and more. Their clothes are cleaned - some not having been this clean since purchase. Cedric makes note of an older woman whom sees to be paying extra attention - covertly - to the group. Then disappears before the adventurers leave. Feeling MUCH refreshed, the clean adventurers rejoin Doc, Gothi, Thogra and Graxusas.

The adventurers split up again into 2 groups and covertly as possible head down to the docks. While on the way, Gothi hears a familiar bark and howl and with a joy rarely seen is rejoined by her pet and mount, JawBone! A group of guards follow but with skillful stealth the group evade the grumpy guards.

Near the docks, the party makes note of a number - fifteen - massive war galleys. All have flags or banners similar of a fanged skull or similar. The impressive war galleys are well-guarded and have a
large number of crew doing repairs and maintenance. The two paladins feel an oppressive force coming from one of the great ships. A giant demon, winged perches on one of the mast's yardarms. The party are able to stay hidden and avoid a number of patrols and groups of Black Runes. Crossing over a massive canal using the Two Towers, the party makes its way to the Cathedral. The party move up and see some familiar faces and some not in the mercenary company of the GreySkulls. A guard at the broken down gate, ushers them through, pleased to see some familiar and powerful allies. The Cathedral was once a magnificent building but now has been heavily damaged from aerial bombardment most likely from OverLord Romack's flying fortress. Cedric has an epiphany and realizes

the building was once a great cathedral to his goddess - Istus. The party realizes that the GreySkull unit has been taken heavy losses, nearly every soldier is wounded in some way. The party is told to wait, and then make a temporary camp for a while because Commander Bajin is busy. While the party waits (DM: @ #1) Gothi hears something.. and a familiar voice inside.. Kantiff using his stealth and monk abilities to go unseen scuttles inside (DM: #2) and sees some familiar faces. Kantif sees a wounded giant, and a number of GreySkulls. Then he hears the voices as well. The Inquisitor!

Commander Bajin (DM: #3) is having a full on conversation with the Inquisitor Darakus as well as his underling - Balial. The hobbit is very animated and seemingly frustrated with commander (?) and gives very specific instructions to be ready to leave the city as soon as possible. The Inquisitor seems to under a great deal of pressure.. something is happening.. the hobbit is perspiring heavily as well.

Kantif realizes that in the conversation that it seems the Black Runes are planning something for BEFORE the end of the truce.. four days hence. Kantif - in the zone - stays extremely well hidden, Balial at one moment seemed to look right at the monk/rogue but she does not see him in the end. The Inquisitor makes it very clear that the Commander needs to lead his forces out the Northeast gate at a signal from the Black Runes.

The party enters the cathedral, seeing many more soldiers wounded and slumped weary and in pain all around. (DM: #4s) Doc and Cedric make off to assist and use the medical and divine skills but then decide to meet with Commander Bajin. The party learns that over half the unit is gone, normally numbering over 200, now below 50. Conversing with the RedWater Fellowship, they learn his wife and 2nd in command has headed to Fax on the Wild Coast to find their son - held by the BlackRunes. Bajin beseeches the party to assist and meet with her and together the party can rescue the boy.

At this point, the party hears the Inquisitor returning. So all scramble down into the crypts and hide.

Listening, they hear Darakus order Commander Bajin.. "Tomorrow Night. Make sure your unit heads Northeast up the road (DM: yellow arrows). Do not stray South of that!" Giggling and seemingly back in a good mood, the hobbit gives Bajin a scroll "Do not lose that!" and then takes his leave.

The party agrees to help the Greyskulls. Doc promises to speak to Overlord Romack's forces and allow them to surrender. Bajin at first does not like this but relents and agrees. As proof of his bond, Bajin gives them the scroll, seemingly written in infernal or abyssal. The party decides to study this further at a later time in a safer place.

The party assists a number of the soldiers, Cedric using his divine power, Doc using his medical skills and divine powers as well. Others in the group assist as well. Notably, Thogra does not assist the wounded. Traveling North in the city, the party sees the destruction wrought by the Overlord's forces and spells.

Making it to the Irownworks smithy - a potential ally - but the building is destroyed. Further on, the party makes it to the inn they stayed at some days ago, but seems longer.. The Broken Crown Inn. Entering they make note of some Black Rune guards and a cloaked and hooded figure in the corner. Learning some news of the Ironworks, that possibly the owner and Master Smith had survived. Taking their leave, they realize the hooded figure is one of the Maskers - Guild of Arcane Lore (DM: Previous post) Without incident the party is able to leave. The party decides to find the Scarlet Spider Syndicate - led by the rogue, Noose.

Gothi feels a buzz in the back of brain.. his trident - with the demonic sentience - offers again to read the scroll..

The Fellowship travels stealthily to the entrance to the guild hall - a well - in a little used and rundown plaza to the South with some houses. As the party enters the plaza, they look about.. nothing. Then as the party moves over to the well, Kantif drops a rock into the well, listening. Hearing a sploosh, they start to make ready..

Then a raspy chuckle and voice from back and above. "Well.. well, well RedWater Fellowship. You don't think I had forgotten about you.. after what you did to me?" On a nearby roof, stands the dwarf mage - Commander Taeryn
Ic Zuln - one hand holding a stave, the other under his cloak - from previously the DeathGrounds and before that from Enstad. (DM: Blog Post ) One side of his face is heavily scarred, much of his hair is gone, his face, neck and skull's skin ravaged by what looks to be many teeth marks..