Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)

[talien]

With Elabac’s safe return and the true threat revealed, the dwarves of Solanos Mor returned to their normal lives. They were on a ship bound for Freeport at the behest of Brother Egil.

“Congratulations,” said Vlad to Beldin. “I heard you were made Elabac’s apprentice.”

Beldin nodded. “It is not the way I would have preferred to gain the position,” he said. “But it is an honor nonetheless.”

“We should be congratulating you,” Sebastian said to Vlad. “Scouting parties reported that the Reavers abandoned the camp with the death of their commander.”

Vlad shrugged. “I had no idea that crazy elf I killed back in Freeport was the commander’s lover. What she saw in that dwarf, I have no idea.”

“That wouldn’t be the first time an elf took a liking to someone unlikable,” said Kham with a smirk.

“Perhaps we all owe our gratitude to you, Kham,” said Beldin. “Jarel has been quite a boon.”

Sebastian nodded in agreement. “He revealed all he knows of the Reavers. Many dwarves are still angry at the Reavers for twice attempting to kill Elabac, but nothing can be done until they are found again.”

“Jarel finally seems to have found peace,” said Beldin. “And what about you, Kham? Did you find what you came to Solanos Mor for?”

Kham took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t call it peace, exactly.”

“What did you find then?” asked Bijoux.

“War,” said Kham, patting the hilt of Fleshripper. “I found war.”

[talien]

This is the second in the Freeport series of modules, "Terror in Freeport," written by Chris Pramas and (loosely) set in the Arcanis setting. You can read more about Arcanis at http://www.onaraonline.org. Please note: This adventure contains spoilers!

Our cast of characters includes:

· Dungeon Master: Michael Tresca (http://michael.tresca.net)
· Beldin Soulforge (dwarf fighter) played by Joe Lalumia
· Bijoux (fihali druid) played by Melissa Tresca
· Calactyte (ss’ressen barbarian) played by Joe Tresca (http://www.creepyportfolio.com)
· Kham Val’Abebi(val rogue/psychic warrior) played by Jeremy Ortiz (http://www.ninjarobotstudios.com)
· Ilmarė Galen (elf bard/fighter) played by Amber Tresca
· Sebastian Arnyal (dark-kin sorcerer) played by George Webster
· Vlad Martell (human fighter) played by Matt Hammer

Ah, Freeport. Freeport’s an adventurer city, ill defined (except that, ya know, it has pirates and cultists) but accepting of everyone, including Calactyte the big ss’ressen lizard and Bijoux the weird flying cat girl. So it’s only natural that those two should make it their home.

More importantly, it’s Kham’s home turf. That can be a good or bad thing, depending on the circumstances.

The highlight of this adventure was the death trap. I put the pressure on by using an hourglass, pounding music, and screaming, “NEW ROUND! WHAT DO YOU DO?” Fortunately…well, you’ll see for yourself.

I like this adventure less than the first in the Freeport trilogy, mostly because it has a bit more railroading and gullibility on the part of the PCs. There’s nothing quite like having a plot device lead to a certain death trap, and somewhere in between you track an impostor through a sewer to a temple that just happens to be under the main bad guy’s house. Okay, sure, whatever.

Mostly, this adventure is just a set up for the third adventure in the series. Given how it ends, you really can’t just have the PCs leave town without questioning their sanity. Not that any of them are necessarily sane…

[talien]

“Nice sword,” said Kham, admiring his Milandisian companion’s blade.

Vlad beamed like a new father at his reforged longsword, laid out on the table at the Pale Plate. “Elabac called it ‘Grungronazharr.’ It means ‘Forged of Fire.’”

“He gave all of us weapons,” said Beldin at his side. A dwarven waraxe was strapped to his axe. “Master Elabac was very generous.”

“At least this time he didn’t turn down immortality,” muttered Kham.

“Speaking of past mistakes,” said Vlad. He nodded towards a man who had just entered the room.

Brother Egil hailed them with a stiff wave of his hand. He crossed through the tables, moving quickly, his eyes darting from patron to patron.

“It’s good to see you again,” said Egil, taking a seat against the wall. He addressed Cal. “Lucius asks after you.” He turned to address the others. “I trust you are all well.”

“I do not believe we have been formally introduced. I am Sebastian Arnyal.” Sebastian indicated his dwarf companion with the back of his hand. “This is Beldin, recently Master Elabac’s apprentice. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Kham leaned back in his chair. “Speak for yourself.”

“Likewise,” said Egil. “Where is Ilmarė?”

“With Quint—“ said Kham. Vlad elbowed him. “Not here.”

“Oh,” said Egil. “I am glad that any of you came at all.” His gaze wandered.

“Your note was urgent,” said Kham, irritated by Egil’s lack of focus. “What’s up?”

Egil took a deep breath and leaned close. “Forgive me for being distracted. I believe someone is trying to undo the good work you’ve done for Freeport.”

“What do you mean?” asked Vlad.

Egil glanced nervously around the room before continuing. “Things…have been happening. I’m not sure I can be any more specific than that.”

Kham took a sip from his mug. “Try.”

“Over the past month, I’ve been sensing a change in the atmosphere. I’ve lived here all my life, but now the city feels strange to me. The street seems full of eyes but not faces. I notice movement at the limits of my vision. I see shapes at the window when I’m alone in a room.”

“You hear footfalls behind you on the street.” Kham peered at Egil over his lenses. “But when you turn there’s nothing. Right?”

Egil looked at Kham curiously. “Yes.”

“I know the feeling,” said Kham.

“Perhaps it’s only nerves,” said Sebastian. “Freeport can do that to you.”

“I could almost believe that,” said Egil. “But then there was the intruder.”

“Where?” asked Vlad.

“I was with Lucius when I saw it.”

“How’s Lucius?” asked Cal.

“Lucius has been…well, it’s been difficult for him to readjust. I’m sure you can understand. First the possession, then the kidnapping…we try to make him as comfortable as possible, but there are some things beyond even prayer. For days he has been collapsing at his desk—he becomes feverish and faints dead away. One of us always takes him home after such a spell.”

“Yeah, tough life,” said Kham. He waved the waitress over to refill his mug. “You were saying?”

“Last week was my turn. I laid him down on his cot and sat to catch my breath. I just closed my eyes for a moment—then all of a sudden I was awake, and it was the middle of the night. I started to rise, but some instinct told me not to. I sat with my eyes half-open, waiting for them to adjust to the dark. I felt its presence before I saw it: a patch of dark gliding across the room like the shadow of a cloud. I was too terrified to breathe. “What air I could force down carried a curious odor—something clean but…dense. Something like water on rocks. Something like…”

Egil’s gaze wandered over to Calactyte.

The big lizard blinked back at him. “What?”

“Like a serpent,” Egil said quickly. “I watched this figure move about the room. Poking through drawers. Examining books.”

“Well, we know it wasn’t this serpent,” said Kham, referring to Calactyte’s illiteracy.

“Huh?” asked Cal.

“I couldn’t imagine what it wanted to steal, since our order takes a vow of poverty. Then it found what it was looking for—a long roll of parchment. It stashed the parchment in the folds of its cape and left as silently as it had come.”

“Did you tell Lucius?” asked Vlad.

Egil shook his head. “I can’t bring myself to tell him. I fear it may destroy what’s left of his sanity. I am afraid for myself also, and for the city.”

“Freeport?” asked Bijoux. “It seems like a tough city.”

“You suspect the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign,” said Sebastian. “Don’t you?”

“I don’t believe the Council really is cleaning out the former lair of the Brotherhood,” said Egil. “I suspect something sinister at work here, more than mere carelessness. Milos lived among us too long in a false shape. He convinced my order that he was a dedicated worker—not to mention human. Who knows how many other forms he took, how many other people he deceived? And who knows how many others of his kind are here now?”

“You’re starting to sound like Dril,” said Kham. He indicated Cal with a slosh of his mug. “Not all the scaly folk are bad.”

Cal’s eyes narrowed to slits. “The ssanu are,” said the ss’ressen. “If they’re here in Freeport, I’ll hunt every one of them down.”

“Thank you,” said Egil. “I cannot rest until this matter is settled. I would like to engage your services once again—to find out the real situation at the ssanu temple and to uncover just what kind of inroads Milos made in town.”

“How much?” asked Vlad.

Egil looked taken aback. “One hundred imperials each, plus expenses.”

“We’ll do it,” said Kham. “Sounds like the gator’s in for free.”

“And you, Kham?” asked Egil.

“Just pay my tab,” he said. He leaned closer to whisper to Egil. “And then when this is all over, I want you to share how you can afford nearly seven hundred imperials when the Brothers of Althares take a vow of poverty.”

Egil merely nodded back.

[talien]

The Marquis Moon was two stories of haphazard brickwork in the Old City. Inside, the mood was subdued.

“You sure this is the place?” asked Vlad.

Kham nodded. “There are better places to eat and sleep in the city, and everybody knows it. But Milos went by the name of Devlin, and I traced the room he rented to here.”

Two drunken dwarves conferred quietly in one corner.

“Oh, hi Kham,” said a scowling fellow behind the desk. “Haven’t seen you here in awhile.” He never bothered to make eye contact, instead preferring to pick at his fingernails with a knife. He seemed to get a leisurely kick out of it.

“Hi Ficca. We need to see Devlin’s room.”

“That’s nice,” said Ficca.

Kham sighed and plunked some coins on the table. Keys flew back at him so fast that he barely snatched them out of the air.

“Great security,” said Vlad as they climbed the steps to Milos’ former room. “No wonder they had snakes living here.”

[talien]

“Seems like the snakes like things neat,” said Kham, looking around the room.

The quarters were small; a single room perhaps twenty feet by twenty feet.

“I get the impression he drew a map of it when he moved in to use every inch efficiently,” said Sebastian.

The walls were invisible, hidden behind bookcases heaped with scrolls and shelves arranged with half-melted ritual candles, leaden icons and a large collection of brightly polished rocks. Staves, canes, and other ornamental trifles filled every alcove and fit snugly against the masonry.

Bijoux sniffed the air. “Incense,” she said. She pointed one claw at the stove in the center of the room.

There was little furniture. No bed, for one thing; the floor near the stove was strewn with thick, tasseled pillows. There was no desk either, although there was a portable writing stand pushed against one of the bookcases. Milos’ clothes were folded neatly and stacked against one wall.

“Spread out,” said Beldin. “Look for anything unusual.”

It didn’t take long. Sebastian held up a book. “I found this behind the shelves.”

The book was titled, “An Accounte of Metalls Base and Pure.” Sebastian handed it to Beldin.

“I’ve read this book before,” said the dwarf. “But it didn’t have this on the back.” He displayed the back cover.

Sketched onto the back page of the book was a full-page drawing of a lighthouse, covered with arcane mathematical formulas; arrows pointed to a number of blocks on the structure. In the margins was a recurring doodle: the letter “V” superimposed on a circle.

“Some of the books have been replaced,” said Bijoux. She ran one claw along the spine of “A Monthe Among the Horse-Rats.” “Some are covered in dust, others are not.”

“I think we need to have another chat with my friend Ficca,” said Kham.

[talien]

“You’re sure you didn’t see anyone go into Devlin’s room?” asked Kham. He was waffling between shooting the man in the face and bribing him with more gold.

Before Ficca could provide another lame excuse, a dwarf staggered over to them. “Hey, Beldin! Congratsh! I heard you were jusht made Elabac’s apprentish!” The dwarf threw one arm around Beldin, who looked less than pleased at the attention.

“Uh, thanks. Do I know you?”

“Oh shure, everybody knowsh you!” said the dwarf, completely misunderstanding Beldin. “I couldn’t help hearin’ you ashkin’ after goingsh-on upstairsh. Could be I know a thing or two.”

Kham was about to say something, but Sebastian interrupted. “I know how to handle dwarves,” he said with a smirk. “Ficca, please refill mister…”

“Rottenjonesh,” said the dwarf. “You can call me Rottenjonesh.”

“Mister Rottenjones’ mug.”

Ficca shrugged and refilled Rottenjones’ mug with something from a pitcher.

“I wash headin’ up to me room one night, maybe a couple o’ weeksh ago, when I bumpsh into a couple of shtrange-lookin’ fellersh leaving that room.”

“Did they say anything?” asked Kham.

“They told me to shod off, is what they shaid. They shaid they wash on official Council business.” Rottenjones rolled his eyes.

Sebastian ordered another mug for the dwarf.

After a long, slow slurp, Rottenjones continued. “I remember shomethin’ elshe now. Took me back to my boyhood, it did. They shmelled like the tunnelsh of Sholanos Mor.”

“Let me guess.” Kham jabbed a thumb in Cal’s direction. “They smelled like him?”

Rottenjones nodded vigorously.

“Hey!” said Cal.

[talien]

“Help!” shouted a plaintive cry in front of the Marquis Moon.

Vlad searched for the source. “There!” he pointed at a spindly-looking teenager clutching a messenger’s satchel. He was surrounded by three grinning orcs with very large weapons.

Kham leisurely inserted himself into the crowd. “Hey now, let’s everyone calm down a second.”

The kid ran behind Beldin and cowered.

“Calm down?” asked one of the orcs. He laughed, long and loud. “This be none o’ yer business. If ye know what’s good fer ye, ye’ll stay ou’ o’ ‘t.”

Kham sighed. “You really don’t want to do this.” Vlad and Cal stepped up behind him, weapons drawn.

The messenger took off down the street at a full clip in the opposite direction.

One of the orcs swung at Kham’s head with his axe, but Fleshripper was out in a flash to block the attack.

“This is ridiculous,” said Sebastian. “Fuco aspergo!”

The two orcs to either side of the leader went down hard as Sebastian’s color magic washed over them. Then Kham lunged, and Fleshripper pierced the leader’s shoulder. The orc fell to the ground.

”This is too easy.” Kham pulled back from the melee to look around. “Something’s wrong.”

“The book!” shouted Beldin. “It’s missing!”

“Damn it, the oldest trick in the book,” muttered Kham. He took off in pursuit of the kid.

“Bijoux,” shouted Sebastian, “track that boy down!”

Bijoux launched herself into the air.

Sebastian huffed alongside Kham. “Why would they steal that book?”

“I don’t know,” said Kham, easily keeping pace. “But I bet the kid will.”

[talien]

They worked their way through side streets until coming upon the rotting hovel that once held a terrible secret. It hadn’t changed much since they saw it last—a one-story structure of knotted plans with bricks for windows. The only difference was the street scene. Three soldiers were standing guard at the front entrance.

Bijoux landed lightly at the top of the bricked up house. She pointed downwards with one claw. The fihali had tracked the boy’s scent to this location.

Sebastian stepped up to the three guardsmen. “Let us pass.”

“Says who?” asked the leader of the guardsmen.

Sebastian squinted at the armband on the guardsman’s left arm. A “V” was superimposed on the city seal. He hesitated for a moment.

“Chief Councilor Verlaine,” interjected Vlad.

“Yes,” Sebastian repeated. “Verlaine.” Sebastian indicated the large ss’ressen and the stumpy dwarf that flanked him on either side. “I’m not going to ask you again. Let us pass. We are in pursuit of a criminal. Surely, you saw him run through here.”

The guards exchanged looks.

“You are wasting precious time,” snarled Sebastian, all business. “Or we can just report to Verlaine that you delayed us in apprehending a fugitive.”

Finally, the leader nodded and let them pass.

Inside the former temple, not much had visibly changed. Bijoux was sniffing the ground while Kham kicked up dust.

“How did you two get here so fast?” asked Sebastian.

“Secret entrance around the back,” said Kham.

“I flew in through a hole in the roof,” said Bijoux. “Look here. There are faint footprints and marks on the floor.”

There were pinpoint holes in the dust where toes should be, indicating keenly sharp claws and big, sweeping grooves that could only be made by a tail.

Kham looked down. “And they’re clearly not human.”

“Now what?” asked Vlad.

“Now we go to my favorite place,” said Kham.

“And that is?” asked Sebastian.

Kham walked down the steps out of sight. “The wine cellar.”

[talien]

“Well, it all still looks the same,” said Vlad.

The erstwhile seat of the Unspeakable One’s cult sat empty—yet somehow it was more ominous for all that. The altar and statue had been hauled off, with gashes in the stone floor marking their exit. The yellow symbol that once graced the far wall was chiseled away and removed. There was even some preliminary chipping at the frescoes lining the room.

Something heavy dropped to the ground. Two ssanu dumped what they were carrying: a large chest. Behind them, a human woman garbed in black leather pointed a staff at them. “Intruders! Kill them!”

“How authentic. They got every detail right,” said Kham with a wry smile, “down to the raving cultists.”

Calactyte lifted his axe overhead. His earflaps fanned outwards; muscles bulged. With a bellow of rage, Cal charged towards the four ssanu.

“What’s wrong with Cal?” asked Sebastian.

“The big lizard don’t like snakes,” said Kham. “Go figure.”

Kham’s usual smirk suddenly faded. With slow precision, he grabbed Fleshripper and lifted it overhead, mimicking Cal’s actions. Then he charged after the cult leader.

“Not Kham too!” shouted Sebastian. “What’s gotten into everybody?”

Beldin and Vlad looked at each other. “Careful,” said Vlad. “Don’t look into their eyes.” Then Milandisian and dwarf waded into the fray, weapons held high.

Sebastian blinked. “Why?” he asked, peering at the melee. “I don’t see…”

One of the ssanu’s head bobbed. Its coal-like eyes focused on Sebastian. They locked gazes.

“Kneel before the Unssspeakable One’sss glory!” it hissed.

Bijoux blinked and began to kneel.

“Your mind powers will not work on me, snake,” shouted the dark-kin. “Ustilo radius!” Two beams of fire coruscated from his outstretched fingers and blasted the ssanu square in the face. It flailed backwards with a hiss.

Bijoux stopped in mid-kneel and shook her head. “What just happened?

“An old ssanu mind trick,” muttered Sebastian. “Don’t meet their gaze.”

Kham ducked the sweep of the lead cultist’s lajatang. “The Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign will bring the Unspeakable One to Onara!” she shrieked.

“When you see him,” Kham pulled back Fleshripper. “You can tell him I said ‘hi.’” Then he plunged the blade through the woman’s torso. With another wail, she slipped off the blade in a pool of gore.

When Kham finally calmed down to look around him, the other ssanu were all dead. Cal continued to hack at the bloody corpse of one of them. Beldin was crouched over the chest they were carrying.

The dwarf held up a brick to the light. “There’s a seam in the middle of these bricks.” He snapped it with some effort. In the center of each half was a replica of the temple’s strange yellow symbol, printed in shimmering gold ink.

“Bricks?” asked Vlad. “What does the Brotherhood want with bricks?”

“They’re building blocks for a summoning circle,” said Sebastian. “Verlaine’s book had drawings of a lighthouse. They’re going to use it to summon the Unspeakable One!”

“There’s an address on the side of the crate,” said Beldin. “100 Wave Avenue.”

“Of course.” Kham wiped the gore of Fleshripper with care and sheathed it. “Of course it would be that address.”

“You know where this place is?” asked Vlad.

“Yep,” said Kham. “That’s Chief Councilor Verlaine’s house.”

[talien]

“I’m not sure why you’re carrying that thing around,” said Kham to Beldin.

“I’ve never seen a weapon like this before,” said Beldin of the sickle-shaped lajatang. “It could come in handy.”

They were standing in the Office of Public Records, a grandiose title for a disorganized collection of papers stuffed into an old storehouse in the Warehouse District.

“I didn’t know pirates kept records,” said Sebastian.

“They don’t,” said a beady-eyed man. “What’s here be mostly recent history. What’s ‘t t’ ye?”

Sebastian smiled at him. “We heard you were the ship’s cook on the Shrike under Captain Baldric.”

“Aye.”

“And that you got kicked off for trying to boil a cat.”

Reed’s beady eyes shifted to Bijoux. “Aye,” he said a little more slowly.

“Captain Baldric mentioned that you might have access to records about a certain Councilor.”

“Which one?”

Sebastian lowered his voice. “Verlaine.”

“Aye. I’ve got records on th’ lad.”

“So then can we see them?”

“No.”

Sebastian slid two imperials towards Reed. “How about now?”

“Ye`ve got t' be kiddin' me,” Reed didn’t even look at them. “That`s nay enough t' pay fer a drink.”

Kham plunked down two pieces of metal next to the coins.

Reed squinted. “What’s that supposed to be?”

They were bullets. Reed’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Who do ye think ye be—Verlaine’s thugs?”

BLAM!

“Ye shot me!” Reed fell to the ground, clutching his thigh. “Ye shot me in th’ leg!”

Kham’s picked up the two bullets from the pile.

Sebastian shook his head in disbelief. He leaned down and put one sympathetic hand on Reed’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, he’s a little hot-headed sometimes. This healing potion will make the pain go away.”

Kham inserted one bullet into one of his pistols, staring at Reed the whole time.

Reed reached for the potion vial, but Sebastian held it out of his reach.

“I’m sure you’ll be so grateful that you’ll show us the records we were looking for.” Behind Sebastian, Kham inserted the other bullet into one of his pistols. “I recommend you make up your mind quickly.”

“Aye,” said Reed. The record keeper gulped down the potion’s contents.

Cal turned to Bijoux. “And they say I’m scary.”

[Fimmtiu]

The thing I like best about Kham is how subtle he is.

[talien]

I was pretty shocked myself when Kham's player shot the guy. At that point he was getting aggravated with the railroading part of the adventure, and the guy was so detestable that he didn't seem worth time.

What really was hilarious was how Sebastian stepped in as the "good cop" and offered the guy a healing potion afterwards. This has become a running joke in campaigns since.

I should point out this is just the beginning. When a major NPC in Freeport goes after Kham...well, you can probably guess how he reacts.

[talien]

“From what I can gather from the records,” said Sebastian, “Verlaine’s men were looking fro street maps in the Eastern District and Scurvytown. They wanted to see how the sewers in the Eastern District match up with the Merchant District and the rest of town.”

They stood in front of the Office of Public Records. Most of the city’s denizens gave them a wide berth.

“Let me guess,” said Kham. “They lead right from the bricked up house to Verlaine’s home.”

“I’m afraid so. As for Verlaine…”

“What about him,” said Kham. “Verlaine took office right after Anton Drac was assassinated. Before that, he was just a typical sailing merchant. Drac’s lackey through and through.”

Beldin swung the lajatang around thoughtfully. “Verlaine diversified his holdings too, including a big chunk of Freeport’s masonry trade. Strange business for a ship merchant to get into.”

“Unless you’re looking to build a lighthouse,” said Vlad.

“Right,” said Sebastian. “According to the records, Verlaine is currently overseeing a number of projects for the Sea Lord, including construction of the lighthouse. But that’s not the bad part.”

“There’s a bad part?” asked Vlad.

“Milos was the main consultant on the project.”

“Of course he was,” said Kham.

“Company,” said Cal.

Six guardsmen led by a captain were approaching.

“This day just keeps getting better and better,” said Sebastian. “What seems to be the problem?”

“Your presence is requested at the Courts by Chief Councilor Verlaine in connection with your unlawful entry into a restricted area!”

“He’s right,” Kham said nonchalantly. “We did do that.” His hands inched towards the folds of his jacket.

“You are also charged with impersonating an officer,” said the guard captain. One hand was on the hilt of his sword. “Now will you come peacefully or do we have to use force?”

Kham’s pistols were out in an instant, pointed at the guard captain’s chest. BLAM! BLAM!

The captain fell backwards in a red and black spray of blood and smoke. His hand reached for his sword, but Kham had two more pistols out in the blink of an eye.

BLAM! BLAM!

Everyone froze in shock. Then Cal, Beldin, and Vlad drew their weapons, just in time to face off against the angry guardsmen. Bijoux leaped back and swung her sling overhead.

“What did you do that for?” shouted Sebastian. He pointed his palms towards the guards. “You just shot a Captain of the Guard!”

“Relax,” said Kham. “They’re just more of Verlaine’s thugs.” He returned the two pistols to their holsters and drew two more. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”

“Fuco aspergo!” shouted Sebastian. Two guardsmen fell to the ground, unconscious.

Only one guard was still left standing. He fled for his life.

“Now we’re in for it,” said Vlad. “They’re going to come looking for us!”

“Over here!” said a familiar voice. It was Brother Egil, waving to them from an alley. “Kham, I’m so glad I found you in time! I don’t know what those brutes intended for you, but I can only assume it was what they have planned for poor Lucius.”

“Lucius?” asked Cal, pulling his axe out of a guard’s corpse.

“Yes,” said Egil. “The ssanu have taken him.”

“Damn it Egil,” said Kham, reloading his pistols. “You lost Lucius again?”

[talien]

Egil glanced both ways down the street, and then urged them down a quiet lane. They were making their way towards the Eastern district.

“It all happened so quickly.” Egil looked around nervously. “I was just down the hall from Lucius when I heard a short, sharp cry. I raced to his chamber to find papers on the floor, the desk upended—chaos. I hurried into the street but saw nothing. I knew you were my only chance, but when I asked at the Pale Plate, they hadn’t seen you in some time.”

“We were busy,” said Kham.

“I knew the ssanu could not have taken you by force, as they took Lucius; it had to be some human agency, even if it was disguised. Once I discovered there was an order out for your arrest, I knew I had to reach you before Verlaine’s guards did.”

“You’re a little late,” said Vlad.

“There’s no time to lose,” said Egil. “Time for Lucius is running out. I fear the serpents intend to complete the job they started a month ago. I think I know where they’ve taken Lucius,” said Egil. ”It should be right…here.” He pointed at a pile of trash.

Cal tore at the pile with his claws, removing scrubby weeds to reveal an old sewer access.

“Well,” said Vlad. “I guess we’re going in.”

Kham shuddered. “The sewers are where Freeport dumps everything too unsavory for Freeporters. Think about that for a minute.”

“I’d rather not,” said Sebastian, covering his nose.

Bijoux gagged several times before making her way in. The stench was overpowering and took a moment to get accustomed to.

“Breathe through your mouth,” said Beldin. “It might help.”

“You can’t smell it like I do,” said Bijoux. She looked like she might throw up.

They were in a damp, dripping tunnel with a narrow walkway on either side and a river of effluvia oozing down the middle. The walkways were enough for single file.

Cal cocked his head. “We are not alone,” he said.

Bijoux pointed at claws marks on the walkways. “The ssanu are down here.”

At the edge of the Merchant District, an iron grating blocked the passage. It was cemented in place.

“Stand back,” said Cal, flexing his claws. “I’ll open it.”

“No need.” Bijoux walked over to the bars and with a firm yank, removed them.

“You’re stronger than I thought,” said Cal.

Bijoux dusted her hands. She didn’t bother to point out that the bars had been sawed through in the middle and then replaced.

Beyond the grate there was…

“A dead end,” said Vlad. “Looks like the tunnel’s been bricked up.”

“Not quite,” said Beldin. He pushed on several of the bricks and the wall swung open to reveal a thick, dusty darkness.

“You first,” said Sebastian to Egil. He leaned closer to whisper in his hear. “I don’t care if you’re Kham’s friend or not; if you betray me, I will find you and kill you, like I killed the other Altherian traitors before.”

Egil gulped and stepped first into the darkness.

[talien]

They were crowded into a small room, barely ten feet high. Massive shapes, indistinguishable in the dark, were scattered about.

“These are rocks,” said Beldin. They were piled up around the edges of the room, though a few boulders were lying loose on the floor.

Bijoux sniffed the air. “The air smells strange.”

“Chalk dust,” said Cal, sniffing beside her.

Beldin spun on his heel. “That’s the same dust from these rocks!”

Then the door slammed shut behind them.

Sebastian whirled. “Egil, if this is a trap so help me…” but Egil was nowhere to be found.

The room began to shake. The roar of machinery boomed all around them.

“What the hell is that?” asked Kham.

“I think I know what device Ambrose was building for the Brotherhood,” said Beldin. “The records said Verlaine diversified his holdings…”

“Into masonry,” said Sebastian. “Which is what we’re about to become if we don’t get out of here fast. Everyone spread out! Find an exit!”

Some rocks slid from the heaps.

“The ceiling above is hinged,” said Beldin, pointing upwards with the lajatang. “It runs through the middle.”

“I don’t think that’s an exit,” said Vlad.

The machinery roared louder. The room heaved and rock piles collapsed all around them.

“I hate to share this,” said Beldin at the far end of the room, “but this wall is hinged too.”

“So?” shouted Kham, to be heard over the din of the machinery.

“That’s not the bad news,” Beldin shouted back. The flat of his palm was against the wall. “There’s something big and heavy pounding on the other side.”

[talien]

As if on cue, the floor began to tip and the hinged wall hung partially open. Beyond the hinged wall were two grinding cylinders, mechanically pounding up and down.

“Everyone!” shouted Beldin. “Grab hold of something!” He lifted his axe high overhead and then slammed it into the floor. The floor of the crushing machine was no match for Elabac’s superior craftsmanship. The blade bit deeply and held.

Vlad did the same with Grungronazharr, which pierced the metal like butter. Kham speared the ground with Fleshripper. Cal and Bijoux dug in with their claws.

Rock heaps started to slide downward into the crushers. They were pounded into dust.

“I see something!” shouted Sebastian. He could make out a small opening where a man’s silhouette stood in front of a lever. He pointed his palms forward. “Fuco aspergo!”

The coruscating cone of light struck the opening. The figure slumped forward, but the machinery continued to grind away.

The floor tipped to a 45-degree angle. Rocks slammed into Sebastian. He plunged into the void towards the crushers…and then stopped as his forked tail wrapped around Kham’s leg.

“So that’s why you always wear those robes!” shouted Kham. “You have a forked tail!”

“Now is really not the time!” Sebastian shouted back.

Beldin pulled the lajatang off of his back and hurled it down into the mechanism. The polearm bounced around inside the gears and then caught. There was a horrible shrieking noise as metal and bit into metal. The polearm’s magic resisted the irresistible force.

“Bijoux!” shouted Beldin. “You have to get to the—“

Then the lajatang cracked in half and was engulfed in the machine. The noise became deafening. Large masses of rocks bounced around in the crushers and all over the bin. A steady pile of rocks and debris slammed into Calactyte’s snout. He turned his head, but the rocks kept piling up. A small mountain piled up in his face.

“Cal!” shouted Bijoux, even though she knew he couldn’t hear her. “Hold on!”

Cal clawed desperately for purchase. His hind claws tore furrows in the floor, but it was no use. A huge boulder as large as a man slammed into him and he disappeared into the crushers.

Vlad was shouting something to her and pointing at the opening. Bijoux couldn’t make out what he said; the infernal pounding was rattling her teeth. It was so loud that it was becoming impossible to think.

Then a pile of rocks smashed into Vlad and he disappeared, flailing, into the machine’s maw.

Bijoux blinked back tears. It was hopeless…

Or was it? She could jump further than any of them.

Bijoux crouched as a pile of rocks slid towards her. She dove to one side and spread her wing flaps. She passed Sebastian, who was dangling helplessly from Kham’s leg.

She hopped forward again. A big gray stone bounced to one side, just missing her head. Bijoux passed Kham, clinging to Fleshripper.

A pile of gravel pelted her in a swarm. She turned her face away; shielding her eyes with one of her arms would drop her back into the bottom of the machine. Bijoux passed Beldin. He couldn’t spare the time to look at her—he was starting to lose his grip.

Finally, she reached the small opening. The operator was unconscious, so there was no one to stop her. But she couldn’t fit through the hole. A lever was barely visible through the opening. If she could just reach it…

She stretched out her fingertips. The bin began to shudder violently. Bijoux knew why. The machine was shaking loose any remaining rocks.

Her fingertips brushed the edge of the lever. She couldn’t reach it! Unless…

Bijoux extended one claw and hooked the lever. Then she yanked back with all her might.

The machine slowly righted itself and ground to a stop. Bijoux collapsed in relief.

“Remind me to take you everywhere, cat girl,” said Kham.

[talien]

Ilmarė had tracked Egil while he was on an errand for the Temple of Althares. He disappeared down an alleyway and she lost track of him, only to discover he had been spotted in the street near the Office of Records. She tracked him to the sewers and found a piece of Egil’s robe

The elorii’s superhuman senses immediately detected the outline of a door. But it was too easy. The door was a trap, placed to lure the unwise into certain doom, she was sure. Only a fool would fall for it.

There was a bang. Ilmarė could hear a muffled, familiar voice on the other side of the door. She opened it.

Out spilled Beldin and Vlad. They blinked up at Ilmarė.

“Ilmarė!” said Vlad with a smile. His armor was rent in several places. It looked as if the Milandisian had been dumped into a meat grinder.

Bijoux and Sebastian dragged out the mangled form of Calactyte. Kham sauntered out behind them.

“What happened to you?”

“Remember the crushing machine that Ambrose designed for the Brother of the Yellow Sign?” asked Beldin.

Ilmarė nodded.

Beldin dusted himself off. “Now we know how it works.”

Ilmarė bent down to inspect the ss’ressen. “He’s still alive?” she asked in disbelief.

Bijoux nodded. “I have done the best I can. We must get him to the Temple of Althares so he can recuperate.”

“Maybe not,” said Sebastian. “Egil betrayed us. I don’t know if we can trust anyone at the Temple.”

“Egil?” asked Ilmarė. “He was in there with you?”

Vlad rose to his feet. “At least, someone we thought was Egil.”

“Here.” Kham handed Bijoux a card. “Show this at the Pale Plate. They’ll put you up in a safe house.”

”I’ll go with her,” said Sebastian. “It will take two of us to carry him.”

They both put one arm under Cal’s bloodied shoulders.

“I think I know where the real Egil is,” said Ilmarė. “And judging by the scraps of clothing I’ve found, there won’t be much left of him if we don’t hurry.”

“If Egil is still alive, I bet the impostor is with him.” Kham loaded two of his pistols to explain what he would do when he found him.

[talien]

The room at the end of the hall was a good hundred feet high and at least as wide, dripping with stalactites, its walls formed of stone that seems to bend impossibly in upon itself—perhaps a trick of the light, perhaps a result of the abhorrent evil that was transplanted there.

Looming before them, at the other end of the chamber of horrors, was a gargantuan statue of the Unspeakable One.

Kham was invisible, thanks to another one of the Emerald Society’s invisibility potions. His Society contacts were always happy to provide him with the latest magical concoctions for a fee, but seemed strangely silent on the subject of Fleshripper. Kham was starting to think they wanted to see what he did with it…or what Fleshripper did with him.

He recognized some of the items on the altar, remnants of the original temple they had wiped out before. Unfortunately, one of them included Egil.

Egil was strapped to the altar. A hooded figure lifted a dagger over him while four ssanu chanted, their tails and heads swaying in unison. Egil also stood in the corner, cleaning his nails. The impostor.

“We sacrifice this priest to you, Unspeakable One!” shouted the cultist.

BLAM! BLAM!

The cultist’s headless body slumped to the floor.

Kham winced as he turned visible. Fleshripper got him so caught up in the thrill of battle that Kham sometimes forgot to worry about his own safety.

Ilmarė skidded into the room. “There you are!”

“Took you long enough,” said Kham. “Didn’t you hear the signal?”

“What signal?”

The fake Egil spun on Kham with drawn blades. He faced two more of Kham’s pistols.

BLAM! BLAM!

“That signal,” said Kham. He holstered his pistols and drew Fleshripper.

Beldin and Vlad charged into the fray, facing the ssanu head on.

Kham dodged the swipe of one of the ssanu’s curved blades and hopped up onto the altar. “You okay Egil?”

Egil moaned, barely conscious. The Altherian priest was bruised all over.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He jumped over another ssanu’s slash; the blade just missed Egil’s nose. With a flick of his wrist, Kham sliced Egil’s bindings apart.

“Be right back.” Kham hopped over another ssanu. It spun to face him, but Vlad intervened.

“Pick on someone your own size,” snarled Vlad.

The ssanu obliged and Kham hopped back onto the altar. He rolled Egil off of it and popped open another vial with one hand. He lifted it to Egil’s lips. “Drink,” he said.

Egil swallowed the contents as the sounds of hisses and metal echoed behind them. His eyes fluttered open.

“Better?”

Egil nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”

“What happened?”

“They ambushed me,” said Egil. “I think they were planning to brand me, but I’m not sure why. The only thing I remember clearly was a voice saying: After tonight, your kind will be out of the way for good.”

The sounds of combat stopped. Kham peeked over the altar.

All the ssanu were dead.

“So does that mean all of humankind? Or all of the Brothers of Althares?”

“I don’t like either choice,” said Vlad.

“That’s odd,” said Ilmarė.

Vlad looked around. “What?”

“The incense smoke.” Ilmarė pointed at the sputtering candles and smoking brazier. “It’s flickering. There’s an opening to the surface around here somewhere.”

Beldin grunted. “Yep.” He pressed one of the screaming faces on the statue of the Unspeakable One. A door slid open behind the statue. A ramp led up into darkness.

“You’d think with these two on our side, we wouldn’t fall into any traps,” said Kham, shaking his head.

[talien]

The door at the other end of the long ramp opened into a large cellar, well stocked with interesting vintages.

“We’re in Verlaine’s house,” said Kham. He took a bottle off the shelf and popped the cork with one hand.

“How can you be sure?” asked Vlad.

Kham pointed at an open create with his boot. “The Bierce Vintners stamp was on the crate we found in the old snake temple too.” He took a swig. “This is where they’ve been delivering the crates of magical bricks, disguised as bottles of wine.”

“So Verlaine’s in on it too,” said Egil. “This is very troubling.”

“This whole city is a mess,” said Ilmarė. She peered up the steps.

“Actually, Freeport’s usually like this,” said Kham. “Only there are less snakes.”

Ilmarė hushed him. She craned her neck to listen.

“Combat. Upstairs.”

There was a cry of agony. Kham took a swig of a potion and rushed up the steps.

[talien]

Kham crept his way towards the door across from the stairway. He eased the door open.

The room was a mess. Books from the bookcases lining the room lay scattered on the floor. A big, dark wood desk was similarly ransacked.

Kham locked gazes with McNeil, a mercenary of some note. Or at least, Kham thought he did—McNeil was staring through him at Vlad, who stood in the doorframe behind him.

Vlad charged ahead, heedless of his companion’s presence, and it was all Kham could do to spin out of the way. Then Ilmarė screamed in pain. Kham ran out into the hallway after her.

The elorii lay on the ground with Egil tending to her wounds. A masked figured covered in black from head-to-toe was backpedaling, a rapier and wicked dagger in both hands.

“That assassin…” gasped Ilmarė. “I recognized her…she tried to kill Baldric!”

Kham recognized her too. It was the notorious Jesswin, the deadliest assassin in Freeport. He decided the Brother of the Yellow Sign was much more influential than he first thought—they were hiring expensive killers.

Kham padded after her. He would teach this Jesswin a thing or two about assassinations.

Jesswin cocked her head. She heard him.

One hand disappeared into the folds of her bodysuit. A black globe skittered out onto the wooden floor in front of Kham.

He dove forward just as it burst into flames. The flames cut Kham off from the others. It didn’t matter; Kham was exactly where he wanted to be.

He slowly drew his two pistols from their holsters, resisting the urge to just charge after her with Fleshripper, screaming bloody murder. Some days, it was harder to resist the blade than others.

Jesswin wasn’t fooled. She crab-walked sideways until her back was against a wall, eyes darting left and right. Then she slid into another room. Kham pursued her.

They were in a bedchamber, done up in dark oak and lined with heavy wardrobes, with a canopy bed in the center.
Under ordinary circumstances, it would have been a warm, comfortable hideaway. But it was turned into an abattoir.

The bed held what was left of Councilor Verlaine; on the carpet laid four members of his personal guard. All have been hacked almost beyond recognition.

Kham took careful aim at Jesswin’s head with both pistols.

BLAM! BLAM!

Jesswin ducked just as the triggers on his pistols clicked. The blast shattered the windowpane behind her.

“Thanks, Kham” said Jesswin from behind her mask.

The assassin back flipped out of the window and landed on her feet two stories below.

Kham swigged another potion and dove out of the window after her. He landed a second after Jesswin, who dodged and weaved through the crowd.

Kham rolled to his feet and came up with two more pistols. He fired, but only succeeded in killing a cantaloupe and a merchant’s stall.

Vlad huffed up to him. “Did you get her?”

Kham shook his head. “Worse.”

“Worse?”

“The most dangerous assassin in Freeport now knows my name,” he said dourly.