As the team returns from the Hammersong Smithy, they return the pendant to N’alen from Avar. N’alen accepted the pendant, saying that their debt was paid, and proceeded to move in next door, forcefully. The team then prepared for a nice day or rest and relaxation, but life has a way of intervening. The team was visited by not one, but three callers that day in rapid succession.
Let’s start at the top, shall we?
1. There was a note attached to the door frame with a bat shaped throwing knife with the message, “Midnight, Old Town Market” from, who we can only assume, the man who called himself ‘The Night.’
2. Milo from the Saints told us that Garver was holding a meeting at the Abbey about a series of mysterious deaths around 8 pm.
3. A drunk asshole of a courier dressed in livery vomited in the apartment while telling the team that Avar requested their presence head of the time previously discussed at the Bearded Wench, but only an hour after the meeting with Garver.
After checking in Garver ahead of the meeting, Ash’rahm learned that the pair of halflings whom are generally with Tall John were found overdosed on a drug called “The Dream.” He encouraged the team to be at the meeting despite the times being very close to other engagements the crew had on their schedule.
Taking all of that into consideration, the team went on a shopping trip disguised as recon. While Geddon and Ash’rahm waited outside the Old Church, Maliston and Fynius went inside to see what delights were available. The clergy were selling a drug called “The Dream” that seemed very similar to the substance that Olan had made, if not more potent. The two grabbed a sample to study and investigated those at the Old Church who were partaking. When the team returned to their room they analyzed the samples and realized that they were created by some magical means.
The meeting at the Abbey was an official declaration of War against the Clergy. They have been dealing drugs on the turf of the Saints and several people have ended up dead because of it. The Clergy were also allied with the Slum Snakes and the Dead Eyed Crows, so the assembled group of Saints was reminded to not travel alone and to be on their guard. Maliston approached Garver after the meeting and relayed the information they had already gained to him and told him of his contact with Olan. He requested papers to get to the North Commons in order to look for Olan and find out any more information. Garver agreed and ordered the team, who was new enough to be not be noticed, to investigate as much as they could.
After the meeting at the Abbey, the team rushed to the Bearded Wench in order to meet with Avar. He informs those assembled that the job had been moved forward and was tonight. There was a delivery of magical cargo that would be delivered by the college to a ship named “Sweet Mary May” which was scheduled to head out to Bok’Tor at the first light of the next day. The team was told to retrieve a pendant with a blue crystal with the symbol of an eye for Avar and whatever was left would be sold off and the team would receive 30% of the profits. Avar, in his infinite generosity also said that the team would be allowed to keep 2 items of their choice. Avar gave the team two scrolls in order to aid them in their task. One, a scroll of invisibility, the other a scroll of dispel in order to open the crate, which would be magically sealed. He let them know that they had until morning tea the next day to get the items to him at the Smithy.
The team took their leave and proceeded to the docks in order to do recon. They learned the the ship had room for the team if they wished to book passage, but Ash’rahm figured that trying to stealing several items from a ship filled with guards and passengers would be much more difficult. He suggested to the team that trying to intercept the college’s vessel would be a much simpler bet, and if they deemed the college’s vessel to be too well guarded, they would try the other plan.
The crew manned their ragtag vessel and headed out onto the Kell. After a bit, they saw the vessel from the college, which was helmed by an older student, two younger ones, and a set of burly rowers. Ash’rahm had his doubts, but the team urged forward. The burly half-orc rowed with all of his might in order to catch up with the boat while Fynius and Maliston slung spells at the unsuspecting mages. While the Bard’s sleep spells only knocked out the mage in the back, the others retaliated in turn by sending a fireball at their boat. Maliston’s fog spell bought the team enough cover to try and board the vessel. While trying to protect the smaller members of his party, Ash’rahm fell at the hands of one of the boatmen after felling the other. That same boatman ended the life of Fynius shortly after. Maliston and Geddon finished off the rest and tried to abscond with as much of the gear as possible and sinking the college’s ship in the Kell with their friend’s bodies after saying their goodbyes.
Once they returned to the apartment, they remembered that N’alen seemed to be a fallen priest of some sort, so they begged him to try and save their friends. N’alen warned them that there would be a terrible price but the team agreed. N’alen requested items that were important to both Ash’rahm and Fynius and started the bizarre ritual. Ash’rahm’s soul was ripped from the veil and placed into the body of a male Drow, while Fynius found himself in the body of a male half-orc. N’alen then branded both of them and bound them to his dark lady, Azerot. He told them to get some sleep as it would be the last restful sleep that they would ever have again and to await further instructions. He told them they would have a busy next few days and that he had guests coming soon.
To be continued…