Bounty Hunters - Session 12

Moyria's Crossing, cont.

• After some time with the Free City rep, the group shoots off a quick sending to update on their intel (and Haggr).
• A meeting is arranged, but for the evening. The group scopes out the cultists in the meantime.
  • Madrin does some shopping.
  • Whip and Bern plant a locate-able piece of amber in a crate so its transport can be tracked.
• The meeting is on a hill. On the hill is another rock like the one by the Magius Lake, although it is turned in such a way that the marks are not casually visible.
  • Crandall is their contact. He expresses regret for Haggr's loss, but clinically--he has clearly long ago accepted casualties as the price of doing business.
  • In exchange for their intel, and the Lizardfolk token, he offers a small piece of White Obelaster, fashioned into an amulet.
  • He mentions that once outside of the Duchy, the party will be beyond the reach of the Geese. He departs without fanfare.
• Back in Moyria's Crossing, they rest for the night.
• On daybreak, the cart has left. The group follows on a Halfling raft, a journey which takes three days.
• They arrive in Cresten, a large city with bustling trade. The amber has been offloaded, and sits in a warehouse.
• Madrin checks up on the local Alexandrian Church for problems to solve while Joana and Whip put their ears to the ground.
  • An acolyte mentions that some vagrants have gone missing. The Hadriarch chalks it up to prosperity-gospel "rising tides", but the acolyte has severe doubts.
  • Some asking around gets the information that vermin will start massing in places where homeless congregate, until it gets to be too much and all but the most desperate disperse. Inevitably, when the groups reform, some will be missing.
  • It's been happening about once a week now for a while. The last time was 3-4 days ago.
  • The Bounty Hunters conscript some runners to let them know the next time vermin start massing.
• Do some recon, get some people to let us know when vermin show up
• A night passes. At some point, the amber was moved from the warehouse to the cultist temple.

• The team decides to check it out.
  • Whip (without weapons) and Bern (weapons and armor stashed) go in the front door with Joana (under effects of disguise self) to engage in conversation with an evangelist there. Madrin sneaks around invisibly while that happens, and Elian in spider-form does deeper recon.
  • The building here is much bigger and much more well-appointed. Its main area is bustling with activity.
  • Elian crawls down into a basement. He finds lots of food prep and storage area.
  • Crossing a threshold under a locked door, a sigil has attempted to push him out of wild shape, without success. He finds a well-appointed bedroom with a piece of amber on top of it--the amber is no longer its characteristic color, but is instead a deep red. Encased deep within is a tiny pinprick of white light.
  • On the way out, he trips the sigil, and this time fails to resist. A surprised cultist yells for help.
  • He runs back upstairs and turns into a spider again. Madrin notices him hauling spider ass and gets ready for trouble.
  • Cultists begin rush-walking into the main room. The evangelist the rest of the group is engaged with tries hard to keep their attention and pretend everything is normal. Bern says she needs to use a restroom and is led away.
  • An Evangelist uses detect magic to scan for Elian, and finds him. All hell breaks loose.
  • Madrin places a shatter among several cultists, exploding one into a fine mist. Civilians panic and rush for the door while other cultists pick themselves out of the crowd and alcoves.
  • Bern pretends to be scared and runs into a back room, then starts shivving.
  • Joana flings some spells and thunder steps after getting surrounded.
  • Whip attempts to cut his way to Madrin, who is getting harrassed by Glossalalists and Castigators.
  • Elian is popped out of spider form, and mostly stays on the defensive as he tries to rejoin the group.
  • Joana falls, and the cultists stabilize her and start dragging her away. Bern gets a hit on an Evangelist, but fails to bring them down.
  • Elian falls, and a lucky critical from a guiding bolt puts Whip's lights out.
  • Madrin brings Joana back to consciousness, then books it with expeditious retreat. Joana plays 'possum before using another thunder step to get out of the building.
  • Bern jumps out of a window just in time to see a Castigator catch up to Madrin. She shoots him in the back.
  • The Castigator gets a hit in, and prepares for a reprisal spell. They are surprised instead by a staff slamming into their cheeks.
• Bern, Joana and Madrin get away clean and regroup. Elian and Whip wake up in a cell with three other people.

Awards

• 500 xp to all for learning something (Six Castigators down)