The Twice-Damned Prince - Session 49: Bringing Out the Dead

Dramatis Personae

Alfaren “Alfred” Eredel – Elf transmuter

Alizander Carmelizzia - Human (Varisian) sorcerer

Boecca – Half-orc inquisitor of Erastil

Carlos Santiago - Half-orc (Alkenstarian) evoker

Slavé/Jancen – Tiefling (in guise as a human) rogue/assassin

Tavo Dechirent - Human cleric of Pharasma

Moonday, 2 Gozran, 4709 A.R.

Carlos, Alfred, Slavé, Tavo, and Boecca attack Sunset Gate head on, confronting a horde of zombies led by a female devourer. They defeat the undead host, and searching through the devourer’s necromantic lab they discover that her name was Irimeian, a name Alfred recognizes as belonging to a legendary villain that resided in the city decades ago. They also discover a link between Irimeian and a being called Melavengian, another name familiar to the elf wizard. Alfred recalls the name Melavengian from books retrieved from Delvehaven and believes it belongs to a powerful barbed devil cleric of Mammon. They also find several lists of commands, presumably to another group of undead in the area. The commands are fairly generic, consisting of the usual undead activities – kill, terrorize, devour, destroy. Curiously, the name Palaveen appears several times, perhaps another leader. The Returners recall the name Palaveen as the leader of the Bastards of Erebus, the tiefling bandits defeated by the party almost a year ago.

The Returners continue on to Massacre House, which they find deserted. Boecca picks up the faint scent of vampire, but loses it outside of the structure. The party decides to shore up defenses in Massacre House and stay overnight. Slavé teleports back to Taranik House and checks on developments between the Hellknights and dottari. He also heads down to the docks to gather information on the Hellknight heretic, Ara Verennie. He doesn’t find out anything about Verennie, but does hear rumours that some Hellknights have been torturing, beating, and mugging citizens on the streets. Hellknight beatings wouldn’t be unusual, but random muggings and beatings without reason (however justified) are not typical Hellknight behaviour. Perhaps they are being perpetuated by the Hellknight heretics under Verennie.

Back at Massacre House, the group is joined by Alizander, who tells them that the brother of the young actress Calseinica Nemmis tracked him down in the Adventurer’s Quarter and told him that Calseinica has recently gone missing. Calseinica’s brother, Georni, says that the family found several pieces of correspondence between her and the actor Thesing Umbero Ulvauno. They fear that Calseinica has run off with the infamous womanizer, and hope the Returners may be able to help save her.

Toilday, 3 Gozran, 4709 A.R.

The next day, the group decides to take care of the Blacknapes before continuing their search through the northern ruins. Carlos uses divining magic to scry on Midpier Island, the home of the Blacknapes, and acquires a clear picture of the Blacknapes’ hideout. The group teleports directly into the Blacknapes’ midst. Beocca sets Cinnamon upon the shocked cutthroats. The liger is only too pleased to pounce and tear into the thugs. Carlos rolls out the portable hole containing his golem creation, which promptly grabs the ankle of a nearby Blacknape and pulls him into the hole to meet a gruesome end. The remaining Blacknapes are defeated summarily. One of the thugs surrenders, and is only too willing to cooperate under Boecca’s inquisition while Slavé and Tavo aid the few Wiscrani still prisoner to the Blacknapes.

From the captured Blacknape, the party learns that the organization was tasked with gathering funds via kidnapping and extortion by none other than Chammady Drovenge. The Blacknapes began their nefarious activities over a week ago, and have not heard from or seen Chammady since, though they have had some success in their efforts to procure funds. The Drovenge daughter was, of course, very reticent to provide the Blacknapes with an address.

Treasure

· From Irimeian:

o Rod of thunder and lightning (worth 16,500 gp)

o Piece of devourer flesh and bone

· From the Blacknapes

o Potions of cure moderate wounds (6) (worth 900 gp total)

o +1 Studded leather armour (4) (worth 2350 gp total)

o +1 Buckler (4) (worth 2330 total)

· From the Blacknapes’ ill-gotten gains:

o 2600 gp worth of jewelry, silverware, artwork, etc.

o Necklace of adaptation (worth 4500 gp)

Experience

· Fast zombies (20): 4000 xp

· Irimeian, devourer: 12,800 xp

· Blacknapes (4): 6400 xp

· Story Award (breaking up the Blacknape gang and rescuing their prisoners): 9600

· Total: 32,800 xp

· Per PC (5): 6560 xp

Fame/Popularity

· Fame Check bonus: +32

· Fame Points Remaining: 20

· Popularity Points (breaking up the Blacknape gang): 1

· Popularity Points (slaying Irimeian): 1

· Total Popularity Points: 11

Current XP Total per PC

· Carlos: 179,129 xp

· Slavé: 175,129 xp

· Tavo: 171,684 xp

· Alfred: 168,374 xp

· Boecca: 162,354 xp

Alizander: 150,000 xp

The Twice-Damned Prince - Session 48: Playing with Fire

Dramatis Personae

Alfaren “Alfred” Eredel – Elf transmuter

Alizander Carmelizzia - Human (Varisian) sorcerer

Boecca – Half-orc inquisitor of Erastil

Carlos Santiago - Half-orc (Alkenstarian) evoker

Slavé/Jancen – Tiefling (in guise as a human) rogue/assassin

Tavo Dechirent - Human cleric of Pharasma

Moonday, 2 Gozran, 4709 A.R.

Events in the city of Westcrown continue to deteriorate the morning of Gozran 2^nd. The Returners discuss whether to pursue the Blacknapes or an alternate course of action, and settle on paying a visit to the Parego Dospera. There they hope to track down the undead marauders that were responsible for destroying both the Order of the Scourge headquarters and the Massacre House that was appropriated by Tavo. Prior to leaving, Carlos tracks down a small quantity of diamond dust for his dwindling spell component pouch, while Boecca continues to train and bond with his newly-acquired animal companion, the sleek Cinnamon, a female liger larger and more muscular than either of its parent kin.

On the way to the ruined northern section of the city, the Returners are approached by a group of distressed citizens who beg their urgent assistance. Following the Wiscrani, the Returners round a bend to face a massive conflagration at the Gargling Gargoyle tavern. The flames threaten several nearby buildings, and the Returners waste little time rushing into action. Carlos flies to the second floor, shouting inside to determine if anyone is inside, while Boecca, Alfred, and Tavo rush into the heat and smoke engulfing the ground floor. Alfred and Boecca suffer the effects of a fiery backdraft within the tavern, and come face-to-face with the obvious cause of the blaze – a spiny hamatula, better known as a barbed devil, flinging jets of fire to and fro.

In the fierce battle that ensues, the Gargling Gargoyle tavern is eventually consumed by the fire. The Returners defeat the hamatula and send it back to Hell. They are lucky to escape the crumbing, burning ruin intact, and help the citizenry douse the fire as it spreads to nearby buildings using fire-quenching cone of cold spells.

Moving on, the Returners arrive at the Parego Dospera in the early afternoon, where they are joined by Alizander, who has been shoring up defenses and guarding his daughter over the last week. The northern ruins were never a hospitable or safe place, but it is clear the region has deteriorated markedly. The place is quiet, silent as the grave. The evidence of undead activity is apparent upon closer inspection – the odd human or tiefling body part, even a half-eaten corpse or two. The Returners head north towards Massacre House. Before reaching the ruined church of Erastil and former Order of the Scourge headquarters, however, Boecca spies movement to the northwest, near the Sunset Gate. Alfred, invisible, flies over and scouts the area. He counts four zombies, fast-moving, not the typical lurching variety, led by a more powerful morhg. Alfred continues past and examines the Sunset Gate itself. Once a major entrance and exit into Westcrown, the Sunset Gate has been barred and unused for decades. It features two squat towers flanking a stone parapet over the bricked-in gate. Alfred uses his detect undead spell to scout the area, scanning each narrow arrow slit as he flies by. He estimates at least 15 zombies within the gatehouse, and detects one significantly stronger aura within the north tower, an overwhelmingly powerful undead presence. Alfred flies back to report his findings to the rest of the group.

Experience

· Barbed devil: 12,800 xp

· Story Award (dousing the fire at the Gargling Gargoyle): 12,800 xp

· Total: 25,600 xp

· Per PC (4): 6400 xp

Fame/Popularity

· Fame Check bonus: +32

· Fame Points Remaining: 20

· Popularity Points (defeating the barbed devil and dousing the fire at the Gargling Gargoyle): 1

· Total Popularity Points: 9

Current XP Total per PC

· Carlos: 172,569 xp

· Slavé: 168,569 xp

· Tavo: 165,124 xp

· Alfred: 161,814 xp

· Boecca: 155,794 xp

· Alizander: 150,000 xp

The Twice-Damned Prince - Session 47: A City in Turmoil

Dramatis Personae

Alfaren “Alfred” Eredel – Elf transmuter

Alizander Carmelizzia - Human (Varisian) sorcerer

Boecca – Half-orc inquisitor of Erastil

Carlos Santiago - Half-orc (Alkenstarian) evoker

Slavé/Jancen – Tiefling (in guise as a human) rogue/assassin

Tavo Dechirent - Human cleric of Pharasma

Sunday, 1 Gozran, 4709 A.R.

Alfred Eredel finds Boecca and Jon Disaster as they prepare to dimension door to the rowboats offshore, presumably carrying the kidnappers and their ill-gotten booty. Boecca and Jon disapperate and reappear in the centre of one of the rowboats, sending the craft rocking. Jon loses his balance and falls into the dark waters of the Adivian River, but manages to grab on to the side of the rowboat before sinking beneath the current. Boecca takes on the two thugs in the rowboat himself, while Alfred, flying, skims the surface of the water and throws a colour spray in the faces of the two thugs in the second boat. With surprise on their side, the two Returners and their new companion defeat the kidnappers and rescue the kidnappee, a teenage boy named Roya. After interrogating one of the captured thugs, Boecca learns that they are part of a larger group calling itself the Blacknapes, who have a lair on one of the small docking islands between the mainland and the Parego Regicona island. The Blacknapes have been terrorizing the nearby area for several days, causing discord and kidnapping young men for recruitment and others for ransom, all at the behest of a larger criminal organization promising the Blacknapes riches and power under a new regime.

Further south in the Rego Pena, Carlos and Slavé make preparations in the contest between Carlos’ clay golem and Rolan’s automatons. Slavé, always wary of a trick, manages to obfuscate himself out of the situation and convince Carlos to cast a silent image spell to make it appear as if he is watching the proceedings. While invisible, he sneaks into Rolan’s shop, looking for anything that might deactivate the automatons. Apart from several personal belongings and treasurers, Slavé finds nothing that seems connected to the animated objects.

Meanwhile, Carlos’s clay golem makes short work of Rolan’s automatons. When the dwarf tinkerer attempts to rein his creations in, the automatons disobey his commands and begin to advance out of the barricade and into the surrounding crowds. Carlos and Slavé manage to subdue the automatons. Rolan is beside himself, but Carlos and Slavé eventually manage to console the dwarf. Rolan agrees to remove the barricades and recalibrate all of his automatons. He promises to create two automatons for the Returners as an apology for recent events, and tells them they will be ready by the end of the week.

Experience

· Blacknapes (4): 6400 xp

· Story Award (aiding Rolan the Tinker): 6400 xp

· Total: 12,800 xp

· Per PC (4): 3200 xp

Fame/Popularity

· Fame Check bonus: +32

· Fame Points Spent (curing Rolan of his delusions and gaining his help): 2

· Fame Points Remaining: 20

· Popularity Points (curing Rolan of his delusions and gaining his help): 1

· Total Popularity Points: 8

Current XP Total per PC

· Slavé: 168,569 xp

· Carlos: 166,169 xp

· Tavo: 158,724 xp

· Alfred: 155,414 xp

· Boecca: 149,394 xp

· Alizander: 127,784 xp

The Twice-Damned Prince - Session 46: When you stare into the abyss....

Dramatis Personae

Alfaren “Alfred” Eredel – Elf transmuter

Alizander Carmelizzia - Human (Varisian) sorcerer

Boecca – Half-orc inquisitor of Erastil

Carlos Santiago - Half-orc (Alkenstarian) evoker

Slavé/Jancen – Tiefling (in guise as a human) rogue/assassin

Tavo Dechirent - Human cleric of Pharasma

Sunday, 1 Gozran, 4709 A.R.

In Guxer Ciucci, the Returners find a man broken and destroyed. Unkempt, dirty, dressed in a sweat and urine-soaked suit of padded armour, Guxer glares at the party through a cracked-open door. Paranoid and suspicious, Guxer accuses the Returners of coming to kill him, sent by his treacherous brother Arten to silence him. Much as they try, the Returners have to resort to magic to calm Guxer to the point where he lets them inside his room. Through Boecca’s psychoemotional spells, Slavé’s skillful diplomacy, and Tavo’s curative magic, the Returners finally succeed in having a conversation with Guxer. The story he relates is one of betrayal and woe.

Between bouts of sobbing and paranoid fits, the Returners learn that Guxer found his wife Cecelly dead and beaten, his brother Arten standing over her covered in blood. Arten escaped the scene before Guxer could restrain him. In the week since, the household has descended further into despair. Guxer’s daughter Delilee has revealed that Arten seduced and ravished her several times in the weeks before murdering her mother, and Guxer swears that his dead wife has been visiting him in the dark of night. As he speaks of his dead wife, Guxer lapses back into a paranoid state.

The party finds his daughter Delilee in another room down the hall. Her room smells strongly of lilac perfume, but Boecca recognizes another scent, obscured by the lilac. He can’t identify the scent, but can tell that it is coming from Delilee herself and that it is decidedly not human in nature. As the Returners investigate further, Delilee’s true nature eventually reveals itself, and she sheds her human form to reveal a lithe, pale-skinned alien form – a doppleganger that has taken the shape of Guxer’s daughter. The doppleganger is overwhelmed by the Returners’ greater numbers, and the party learns that Zeravaxus, as the creature is called, murdered Delilee months ago and has been using her form to sow grief and madness in the Ciucci family ever since, including murdering Cecelly Ciucci in the shape of Guxer’s brother Arten.

The Returners put an end to the psychopathic doppleganger and continue trying to cure Guxer of his paranoid delusions. They manage to track Arten Ciucci down in a hovel in Magnimar; using teleportation magic they return the disgraced brother to the family. Tavo finds the body of Cecelly Ciucci and brings her back to life with powerful resurrection magic. They discover the body of Delilee in the crypt under the house, but are unable to bring her back due to the age of the corpse. Cecelly Ciucci takes control of the situation and gives the Returners her thanks; she promises all the resources necessary if the Returners can find a way to bring Delilee back to the family.

Later that evening, Boecca witnesses a gang of thugs abduct an individual from a darkened alley near the Adventurer’s Quarter. He tracks the gang to the dockyards where he is accosted by a swarthy dockworker named Jon Disaster. Jon tells Boecca that the men belong to a gang calling themselves the Blacknapes living on a small island in the Adivian River. Boecca convinces Jon to accompany him and take care of the thugs.

Meanwhile, Carlos learns from Rhialto that an old friend, the dwarf tinkerer Rolan, has been causing a scene in the Rego Pena. Carlos, Slavé, and Tavo head to the district and find Rolan has barricaded the streets around his shop, and has his mechanical automatons patrolling the area, knocking intruders senseless. The Returners confront the eccentric dwarf and attempt to appeal to his sense of community, pointing out that his creations have been causing havoc among the neighbours. Rolan is resistant at first, insisting that his automatons are cleaning up the city as it falls into chaos, but does concede that several of his creations have acted out of turn. He agrees to pit his automatons against Carlos’ clay golem in a competition, and promises to scale back the barricades and recalibrate his creations if the golem wins.

Treasure

· From Zeravaxus, doppleganger

o +2 Buckler (worth 2082.5 gp)

o Ring of protection +1 (worth 1000 gp)

Experience

· Zeravaxus, doppleganger: 12,800 xp

· Story Award (saving Guxer Ciucci and convincing the Ciuccis and Mhartis to work together): 12,800 xp

· Story Award (raising Cecelly Ciucci): 9600 xp

· Story Award (exonerating Arten Ciucci): 6400 xp

· Total: 41,600 xp

· Per PC (4): 10,400 xp

Fame/Popularity

· Fame Check bonus: +32

· Fame Points Spent (securing the deal between the Ciucci and Mhartis families): 5

· Fame Points Remaining: 22

· Popularity Points (recruiting the Ciucci family): 2

· Total Popularity Points: 7

Current XP Total per PC

· Slavé: 165,369 xp

· Carlos: 162,969 xp

· Alfred: 152,214 xp

· Tavo: 158,724 xp

· Boecca: 146,194 xp

· Alizander: 127,784 xp

The Twice-Damned Prince - Session 45: A Noble Cause

Dramatis Personae

Alfaren “Alfred” Eredel – Elf transmuter

Alizander Carmelizzia - Human (Varisian) sorcerer

Boecca – Half-orc inquisitor of Erastil

Carlos Santiago - Half-orc (Alkenstarian) evoker

Slavé/Jancen – Tiefling (in guise as a human) rogue/assassin

Tavo Dechirent - Human cleric of Pharasma

Sunday, 1Gozran, 4709 A.R.

The Returners fight a close-quarters battle with the Mhartis ‘guards’ within the confines of the vira. The fight spreads from the entrance hall into the dining room and upstairs, but it is only a matter of time before the Returners best their less-experienced foes, despite the guards’ greater numbers. During the skirmish Slavé and Carlos stumble upon the Mhartis family, at least what is left of the once proud house, bound within an upstairs storeroom. The Returners free the surviving four Mhartis family members – Ganefini, the depressed and defeated patriarch, Lonosete, the rotund and shrill matriarch, Lodros, the eldest son, and Recinni, the youngest. They learn that the Mhartis ‘guards’ are in fact low-ranking agents of the Council of Thieves who infiltrated the remnants of the family following the assassination of Iltus Mhartis, Duxotar (commander) of the Wiscrani dottari.

After learning from Lodros, the most level-headed of the surviving Mhartis, that the body of Iltus Mhartis lies at rest in the cellar, the Returners decide to use powerful magic to bring the duxotar’s soul back to the material plane, and hopefully gain the support of the dottari in the process. Tavo’s powerful divine magic brings Iltus back from the grave and, after a stiff drink or two from the depleted stores, Iltus pledges dottari support to the Returners. He promises to work more closely with the Hellknights to avert the Council of Thieves threat, although he does indicate that many dottari will chafe at such an order.

The Returners shift their focus from the Mhartis to the neighbouring Ciucci family. Lodros tells the Returners that the wall of their holding cell shares a wall with the Ciucci side of the vira, and that of late there has been very little activity coming from the other side; once he recalled hearing the sound of sobbing and personal anguish, but little else.

Within the Ciucci vira, the Returners find themselves embroiled in a tragic mystery. The Ciucci butler, Hortan, first attempts to turn the party away by claiming Guxer Cuicci is sick and is receiving no visitors. Hortan’s monotone voice and darting eyes leave the Returners unconvinved and suspicious, and after prying they are ushered inside the house. Dark, musty, and ridden with dust, the house reflects the desparate demeanour of its butler. The Returners learn that the few remaining servants in the house – Hortan, Berlanda the cook, and Amalee the maid – have been entangled in what appears to be a disastrous love triangle rife with gossip and deceit. Of the Ciuccis themselves, Hortan says that only Guxer and his daughter Delilee remain in the house. Guxer’s wife Cecelly was recently found dead (and now lies at rest in a nearby morgue, awaiting burial in the family crypt below the house). Accused of the crime was Arten Ciucci, Guxer’s brother, whom Guxer claimed to have seen escaping the scene of the crime covered with blood. Arten has not been seen since, says Hortan, and Guxer has locked himself in his bedroom, emerging rarely to procure food from the kitchen, and heard muttering to himself that he must stay in his bedroom to await his nightly visit from his dead wife.

Determined to get at the bottom of the situation, the Returners bid Hortan to lead them upstairs that they may speak with Guxer themselves.

Treasure

· From the Council thieves

o Potions of cure moderate wounds (15) (worth 2250 gp total)

o +1 Studded leather armour (15) (worth 8812.5 gp total)

o Coins and jewelry (worth 4500 gp)

· From the Council thief captains

o +2 Studded leather armour (2) (worth 4175 gp total)

o Short swords +1 (2) (worth 2310 gp total)

o Composite short bows +1 (+2 Str) (2) (worth 8525 gp total)

o Human slaying arrows (3) (worth 3433.5 gp total)

o Blue whinnis poison (6 doses) (worth 360 gp total)

Experience

· Council thieves (15): 12,000 xp

· Council thief captains (2): 19,200 xp

· Ankleslasher traps (4): 12,800 xp

· Story Award (rescuing the Mhartis family): 9600 xp

· Story Award (resurrecting Iltus Mhartis and gaining the trust of the dottari): 12,800 xp

· Total: 66,400 xp

· Per PC (4): 16,600 xp

Fame/Popularity

· Fame Check bonus: +32

· Fame Points Remaining: 27

· Popularity Points (gaining the trust of the Mhartis family): 2

· Total Popularity Points: 5

Current XP Total per PC

· Slavé: 154,769 xp

· Carlos: 152,369 xp

· Alfred: 152,214 xp

· Tavo: 148,124 xp

· Boecca: 135,594 xp

Alizander: 127,784 xp

Council of Thieves, Part 6: The Twice-Damned Prince - Session 44: Courting the Hellknights

Dramatis Personae

Alfaren “Alfred” Eredel – Elf transmuter

Alizander Carmelizzia - Human (Varisian) sorcerer

Boecca – Half-orc inquisitor of Erastil

Carlos Santiago - Half-orc (Alkenstarian) evoker

Slavé/Jancen – Tiefling (in guise as a human) rogue/assassin

Tavo Dechirent - Human cleric of Pharasma

Starday, 30 Pharast, 4709 A.R.

After a thorough investigation of Walcourt, Slavé and Alfred decide that razing the Council stronghold is the only prudent action, and proceed to burn the guildhouse to the ground. Outside it is approaching early evening, and as the Returners get their bearings they realize that Walcourt is not the only structure on fire in Westcrown. Across the Adivian River they see several plumes of smoke rising into the darkening sky from the city’s mainland. Alfred flies above the city to get a better look, but the view is mostly obscured by cloud and approaching darkness.

Alfred, Carlos, Boecca, Tavo, and Alizander use magic to travel swiftly to the Shrine of Aroden, the Returners’ safehouse. Slavé, meanwhile, uses his newly-acquired boots of teleportation to teleport to the Hellknight Order of the Scourge barracks in the Rego Cader.

At the Returners’ safehouse the group meets Janiven and Arael. Janiven tells the group that the situation in Westcrown deteriorated considerably in the hours that they were investigating Walcourt, with several gangs of Council thugs attacking citizens in the streets and setting fire to buildings. Despite the mounting chaos, Janiven and Arael believe the attacks may be indicative of the Drovenges’ desperation in the face of the Returners’ ongoing foils – forced to put their final endgame into action prematurely. In addition, rumours suggest that the Queen Abrogail II in Egorian has taken notice of the turmoil in Westcrown, and has ordered General Vourne to travel to Westcrown and establish order, by whatever means necessary. The Returners have the attention of many Wiscrani already; solidifying the citizenry’s support now is of utmost importance. Janiven suggests contacting the Mhartis family, whom the Returners’ have already aided in the past. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that many of the art objects the group retrieved from Walcourt’s treasury belong to the Mhartis family. She indicates that the surviving Mhartis’s are currently residing in a wing of the Ciucci family vira, not far from the ruined estate of Aberian Arvanxi.

Slavé arrives to find the Order of the Scourge headquarters in ruins. He finds a number of dead Hellknights in the ruins, along with several remains of undead attackers. Pontia Runario, leader of the Scourge Hellknights in Westcrown, is found barely alive in the catacombs beneath the old Church of Erastil. Slavé revives Pontia with a draught of healing potion. She describes an attack by a force of undead; the Scourge Hellknights were taken by surprise and cut down. Pontia escaped into the underground lair. She describes the leader of the attack as a skeleton-like undead with a strange fetal creature residing in its empty ribcage, called by name as Irimeian by several of the morhg attackers.

Pontia admits defeat and suggests the Order of the Scourge is finished, for the time being, in Westcrown. She admits that regaining control of the city now will be difficult without assistance from the other powers in the city – the Order of the Rack and the dottari. She suggests speaking to the Paralictor at Taranik House and trying to somehow enlist the aid of the Order of the Rack. Of the dottari she admits to knowing very little, except to suggest speaking to the chief dottari, Iltus Mhartis.

Slavé decides to head to Taranik House immediately, with Pontia by his side. Arriving at the bunker-like Order of the Rack headquarters late in the evening, Pontia convinces the hesitant guards to let them inside, where the two meet with Paralictor Gonville Chard, a hard looking man in imposing armour who looks like he hasn’t removed it in days. Slavé extols the virtues of the Returners as a force for order in Westcrown; amazingly, the Paralictor is inclined to agree, éand bids Slavé come back in the morning with the rest of the Returners.

Tavo, meanwhile, uses the recently-acquired carpet of flying to head towards the shrine to Pharasma established in the Massacre House in the Rego Crua. There he finds Jano, a member of his flock, who describes an attack similar to that experienced by the Order of the Scourge – groups of undead, morhgs, zombies, and so on – who assaulted the shrine and overwhelmed the few clergy in the building. Most of the flock managed to escape, but Tavo does find the body of one in the structure. A quick examination indicates that the cleric was drained of blood upon his death, corroborating Jano’s description of the attackers being led by a blond, red-cloaked vampire.

Tavo returns to the Returners’ safehouse with the terrible news, arriving soon after Slavé. As Slavé and Tavo relate their stories, the Returners decide there is little time to waste in countering the Council’s attacks and discovering if there is a connection between the Council and the undead attacks in the Rego Crua. When Slavé mentions contacting the dottari leader, Janiven relates that Iltus Mhartis was recently found dead, presumably assassinated. She believes his body is currently being held by the Mhartis family. The group decides to head to Taranik House in the morning, followed by a visit to the Mhartis and Ciucci families in an effort to secure the aid of the noble families.

Sunday, 1 Gozran, 4709 A.R.

At Taranik House, the Returners are introduced to Paralictor Gonville Chard. Although ethically opposed to the Returners methods, Chard expresses a grudging respect for the groups’ tenacity and uncanny ability to unearth and oppose the criminal element within Westcrown. Paralictor Chard seems positive to the prospect of an alliance between the Hellknights of the Order of the Rack and the Returners, but first insists on taking the group aside and speaking to them privately, implying that if the Hellknights throw their support behind the Returners, it is only reasonable that they help him with his own problem. Chard says that the Order of the Rack has recently experienced a schism within its ranks, a rift he suspects was engineered by the Council of Thieves.

The recent assassination of the dottari leader Iltus Mhartis has the appearance of being Hellknight work. Chard does not believe this was the case, but is unable to prove it yet. When the accusations rose, Citadel Rivad (the main Rack citadel located outside of Westcrown), shut its gates by order of Lictor Richemar Alamansor, who immediately began an inquisition of those Hellknights sealed within the citadel to ensure that all within remained loyal and trustworthy. Paralictor Chard knows it is only a matter of time before Alamansor orders Hellknights in the field back to Citadel Rivad for their own reckonings. This is what precipitated the recent schism within Taranik House. Cut off from support and supplies from Citadel Rivad, Taranik House quickly succumbed to infighting and bickering, all inspired by one Ara Verennie, a powerful signifier (a Hellknight spellcaster). According to Chard, Signifier Verennie proposed an alliance with the Council of Thieves, believing they would be successful in their powerplay to take over the city. Paralictor Chard saw this proposed alliance as treachery to Citadel Rivad and the Hellknight code, and declared Signifier Verennie a traitor. A brief but violent fight broke out in the grand hall of Taranik House as a result, and while Verennie and a dozen of her loyal followers (including Aritil Sevarn, Taranik’s respected armoury commander) escaped, the event left Chard and his loyalists understaffed and shaken. Chard says that the schism is not common knowledge in the city yet, and it would be best to remain so. He wants to capture the traitorous Signifier Verennie and bring her and her followers to justice before word spreads, and asks the Returners to help him in this task in return for his Order’s support.

The Returners agree to be on the lookout for Signifier Verennie. Paralictor Chard takes the group on a tour of the facility in the meantime, introducing them to a curious goblin woman named Jinkoo in Taranik House’s cellar level. Jinkoo guards the sewer entrance to Taranik House and fancies herself a Hellknight, a novelty most of the Order’s members are willing to tolerate. As the group tours the cellars and prison, Slavé is shocked to see the tiefling Crosael held within one of the cells. Chard explains that she is being held on charges of treason against the city for her presumed role in the destruction of Aberian Arvanxi’s estate and attempt to set free the pit fiend trapped beneath it. Slavé and the other Returners manage to convince Chard that she did not have a role in releasing the archdevil Liebdaga. In a rare act of ignoring proper legal proceedings, Chard agrees to expediate Crosael’s processing and set the tiefling free once her history and details have been recorded. Slavé manages to speak with Crosael for a moment. The tiefling seems relieved to see Slavé, and tells him that she has discovered very little about Chammady’s or Ecarrdian’s whereabouts in the last couple of weeks. She does indicate that she may have information on several of the Council’s old hideouts, and tells Slavé that she will be in touch if she is released from Taranik House.

The group leaves Taranik House at this point, making their way through several blocks towards Ciucci Vira, current residence of the Ciucci and Mhartis families. After speaking with Paralictor Chard, several of the Returners believe it may be worth attempting to resurrect Iltus Mhartis as a way of securing the aid of the dottari and the noble family at the same time. Upon arriving at the vira, the group knocks on the entrance of the north wing (the wing currently housing the Mhartis family). The knock is answered by a Mhartis guard, who suggests the family is too busy grieving for Iltus and desires no visitors. The Returners insist, and are eventually shown inside. They are ushered into an office to the left of the entrance hall. The attitude of the guards inside the entrance hall seems tense, and puts the Returners on guard. Alfred notices an odd hole in the ceiling of the office, and at the same time Slavé hears the telltale sound of a key being inserted into the office door. Before they can be locked in the room, Slavé charges the door, slamming it open and knocking the guard behind it to the floor. The other guards within the entrance hall draw their weapons and shout an alarm down the hallway.

Experience

· Story Award (securing the aid of the Hellknights): 9600 xp

· Total: 9600 xp

· Per PC (4): 2400 xp

· Fame points (returning 75,000 gp worth of treasure from Walcourt): 5 (total Fame Score: 32)

Fame/Popularity

· Fame Check bonus: +32

· Fame Points Spent (to broadcast Hellknight alliance): 5

· Fame Points Remaining: 27

· Popularity Points (securing the aid of the Hellknights): 3

· Total Popularity Points: 3

Current XP Total per PC

· Slavé: 138,169 xp

· Carlos: 135,769 xp

· Alfred: 135,614 xp

· Boecca: 135,594 xp

· Tavo: 131,524 xp

· Alizander: 127,784 xp