Post by hubertbartels on Jun 25, 2023 14:18:46 GMT -5
Deserted Building
Returning from our attempts to get information out of Milos at the Temple of Knowledge, we were headed back to our rooms. It was now almost completely dark. The street was illuminated only by the light of the moon and stars. None of us had thought to bring along a torch or any lanterns.
Then a figure stepped out of an alley, gestured and a blast of flame washed over us. The mage was joined by two masked thugs wielding long swords. Another flame blast and Alessa fell.
The hooded mage took several arrows and blasts from our side before turning to run. Cassander quickly healed Alessa as Talariel went after the fleeing mage. Behind us, three more thugs with crossbows joined the fray.
Alessa crawled behind a near post, loaded her pistol and began to fire at the enemy. Miranda was engaged with their leader, one of the long sword wielders with heavier armor. When Miranda was able to drop him, the other thugs broke and ran. Down the dark street, Talariel had managed to defeat the flame mage.
Cassander came over to heal the mage. But he was unable to save the heavily armored leader who died.
We were able to learn that the heavily armored man, Retorio, hired them from the guild – he wanted us killed. The mage did not know more but gave us a piece of paper on which was written ‘Black Gull before midnight’. Before we let him go, the mage let us know that the Black Gull was a rough tavern down by the docks.
There was still time to check out the clue – we entered the Black Gull and looked around for someone that looked surprised to see us. Sitting at a table was a young man, nervously looking around. We went over and Zayd forced him to remain sitting. The young man was named Enzo and he had received a message from ‘The Master’ that Enzo should hire ‘Yellow Shields’ from the guild and end us. Messages from the ‘The Master’ would be slipped under his tailor shop; he never met anyone. Questioning him further, Enzo let slip that he regularly would bring food and supplies to an abandoned building near the docks. Another sack of food should go out tomorrow.
Being late in the evening, we went over to Enzo’s tailor shop and spent the night. This ensured that the young man would not go warn his contacts. The next morning, we grabbed the bag of supplies and left for the abandoned building.
It was a two story building with boarded up windows and doors. Using Enzo’s key, we let ourselves in and began to search. In the basement, in an empty wine cask, we discovered a hidden entrance. The other end opened into a corridor leading deeper underground. At a intersection, Talariel discovered and marked a pit trap. There was a door beyond the intersection – it led to a large room with doors on the other three walls. One opened and three Serpent folk entered the room. We pulled our weapons and jumped in to attack.
After Miranda dropped the last one, we checked the door they had come out off – it led to natural tunnels that smelled strongly of reptiles. The second door on the north wall, continued the tunnel we had been following. The third door opened to show an octagonal chamber that was a temple of some sorts. There was an altar at the far end and a large, deep pit in the center. The altar had a serpent motif. Cassander collected the items on the altar including a small gong.
Then we left the shrine and looked at the tunnel leading from the north facing door.
Returning from our attempts to get information out of Milos at the Temple of Knowledge, we were headed back to our rooms. It was now almost completely dark. The street was illuminated only by the light of the moon and stars. None of us had thought to bring along a torch or any lanterns.
Then a figure stepped out of an alley, gestured and a blast of flame washed over us. The mage was joined by two masked thugs wielding long swords. Another flame blast and Alessa fell.
The hooded mage took several arrows and blasts from our side before turning to run. Cassander quickly healed Alessa as Talariel went after the fleeing mage. Behind us, three more thugs with crossbows joined the fray.
Alessa crawled behind a near post, loaded her pistol and began to fire at the enemy. Miranda was engaged with their leader, one of the long sword wielders with heavier armor. When Miranda was able to drop him, the other thugs broke and ran. Down the dark street, Talariel had managed to defeat the flame mage.
Cassander came over to heal the mage. But he was unable to save the heavily armored leader who died.
We were able to learn that the heavily armored man, Retorio, hired them from the guild – he wanted us killed. The mage did not know more but gave us a piece of paper on which was written ‘Black Gull before midnight’. Before we let him go, the mage let us know that the Black Gull was a rough tavern down by the docks.
There was still time to check out the clue – we entered the Black Gull and looked around for someone that looked surprised to see us. Sitting at a table was a young man, nervously looking around. We went over and Zayd forced him to remain sitting. The young man was named Enzo and he had received a message from ‘The Master’ that Enzo should hire ‘Yellow Shields’ from the guild and end us. Messages from the ‘The Master’ would be slipped under his tailor shop; he never met anyone. Questioning him further, Enzo let slip that he regularly would bring food and supplies to an abandoned building near the docks. Another sack of food should go out tomorrow.
Being late in the evening, we went over to Enzo’s tailor shop and spent the night. This ensured that the young man would not go warn his contacts. The next morning, we grabbed the bag of supplies and left for the abandoned building.
It was a two story building with boarded up windows and doors. Using Enzo’s key, we let ourselves in and began to search. In the basement, in an empty wine cask, we discovered a hidden entrance. The other end opened into a corridor leading deeper underground. At a intersection, Talariel discovered and marked a pit trap. There was a door beyond the intersection – it led to a large room with doors on the other three walls. One opened and three Serpent folk entered the room. We pulled our weapons and jumped in to attack.
After Miranda dropped the last one, we checked the door they had come out off – it led to natural tunnels that smelled strongly of reptiles. The second door on the north wall, continued the tunnel we had been following. The third door opened to show an octagonal chamber that was a temple of some sorts. There was an altar at the far end and a large, deep pit in the center. The altar had a serpent motif. Cassander collected the items on the altar including a small gong.
Then we left the shrine and looked at the tunnel leading from the north facing door.