006: Dark Doings in Low City

In the shadowy alley, Artur fumbled in his pouch for another gold coin. As he gave it to Akviliina, she smiled and then said loudly, "What kind of woman do you take me for? Help! He is trying to rape me." Stupefied, but not stupid, Artur immediately whirled around. As he did, two thugs, each clutching a morningstar, rushed round the corner to attack him.

Things went from bad to worse for the paladin when Akviliina cast a powerful spell on Artur, paralysing him. Luckily, though, Horsa's sharp ears had heard the commotion and the wizard--followed by Colzo--rushed to help Artur. As Artur fought against the paralysation his friends fought the thugs. Akviliina ducked around a nearby corner and when she reappeared moments later she could see the adventurers were easily going to defeat the thugs. She fled. Grand Silvertongue joined the battle, leaping through a window into the alley--with the practised speed and adroitness of a bard escaping an angry crowd or an irate husband--and knocked the second thug unconscious.

With the thugs defeated, Luther followed the woman's tracks through a maze of alleys to Warrior's Way. Here he sadly lost her trail. The characters questioned several passersby who all revealed they'd seen a woman running to the west.

Meanwhile, back in the alley, Grand Silvertongue was using his magic and honeyed tongue to great effect. While the thugs seemed resistant to his magic, he employed so many spells that eventually both of them succumbed to his influence.The bard learnt the thugs were members of an evil cult dedicated to the Dweller in Shadows. The cult was led by Kaleva Laso, who ran Kaleva's Cuts (the butcher's shop backing onto the Scythe). Could the cult's sinister doings be responsible for the strange sounds reported coming the Scythe late at night and the marked lack of street folk in the vicinity? In any event, it seemed virtually certain Jalmari had fallen prey to them, and the party wondered if Laina's friend was still alive.

At news of this Artur loudly declared the cultists must be immediately slain while Colzo argued the cultists should be taken to the watch. Thus, they could stand trial and then be put to death lawfully.

Colzo eventually won the argument and the pair of battered and bruised cultists were delivered to the watch station at Low Gate. The watch took a detailed report from Colzo, before the party returned to the Fiddlers Three to plot their next move. After a brief discussion, they decided to rest overnight and reconvene in the morning. No doubt the watch would need help rooting out such a nest of evil-doers, and the party were keen to help!

In the morning, Colzo wanted to check in with the watch while Artur felt honour bound to report this terrible discovery to his order at the Watcher's Spire. To assist in gathering intelligence on the cult and their doings, Luther volunteered to keep watching on the Kaleva's Cuts shop overnight while his friends rested.

No doubt, tomorrow was going to be a busy, danger-filled day...