The sun continues to set, and any hope of reaching Caliphas without travelling in the dark requires horses - and soon.
A few hours ride, or a half days walk.
The horses off during the fight after people dismounted.
All of them are still alive.
Reknarok chases the horses down, trying to retrieve them.
It is around ten in the morning when the ragged group of adventurers ride into Caliphas. As they approach farmhouses start becoming closer together. An occasional country villa starts to show. Villages vanish and suddenly they are riding through the outskirts of Caliphas' far-flung boroughs - it is another twenty minutes before they top a rise and the looming wall of the city proper can be made out.
Somewhere in this enormous metropolis the Whispering Way plot to raise the greatest evil this benighted land has ever seen.
Hmmmm, friends where should we head next? - Reknarok addresses his travelling companions, as he himself tries to recollect scattered details about Caliphas.
Knowledge (Local):
I have been to Caliphas a few times, where would everyone like to go first?
"I don't think this is quite the place for you right now Mitsy," Seamus says to his companion, petting her back. Seamus concentrates for a moment, and Mitsy suddenly disappears.
On your pursuit of the Whispering Way you have accumulated certain clues. A poem that suggests some dark ritual or recipe, the Raven's Head that the Whispering Way was so desperate to get and certain other clues.
The Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye is an ancient and learned organisation that might have the information you need to piece everything together. Reknarok knows that the Caliphas Cathedral has a legendary collection on obscure lore known as the Esoteric Vaults.
Judge Daramid of Leipstadt was impressed by your help a few weeks back, and wrote your group a letter of recommendation. The Judge is a member of the Esoteric Order of the Platine Eye, so that might be enough to let you start trying to talk your way into the Esoteric Vaults.
Unbelievably Jennix has previously been to Caliphas and discovered the location of the Cathedral - the Haraday Theatre on Constance Street.
You will probably need to stable your horses first, and possibly make yourself a little more presentable. If so, what are you looking for an inn?
Let us find an inn then - let's stable our mounts and get a drink - we deserve it - around a good mead one can always see things clearer - he adds with a laugh.
Yes I could stand to partake in a drink. A nice strong stout if they have one. I'm sure the horses could stand to be rested and groomed. I think I may know of one that will suffice nearby.
Let us head on then, my throat is dried and parched - lead the way Jennix
"Aye, after you. Let's begin our investigation with full bellies."
A little while later
"The Bull's Horns" is a stout inn near the entrance to Caliphas, and consequently does most of its trade in people arriving late or looking for an early start. There is no problem with rooms mid-morning, and the grooms see promptly to your hard-ridden horses - though one exclaims at the Pharasman markings on the saddles.
The inn has numerous room on the second and third floors, a small sitting room on the second and a large common area at the bottom where food, ale and wine are served. There is a bathhouse three doors up, or one of three copper tubs can be provided and filled by the Inn with notice.
From here it is an hour's walk to the Harraday Theatre.
The group relaxes in the common room. Almost empty at this time they are given a table to themselves, butter and fresh bread still warm from the oven are served, and the proprietor is delighted to provide you with a sample of the local stout.
Well my friends, how to proceed? I would like to have a chance to reexamine those items we recovered that I could not divine their qualities. We have a few items that we could probably sell. And lastly we should try to visit the Esoteric Vaults and the Cathedral at the Harraday.
Sitting casually at the table, Reknarok addresses the group - First of all, we have done so well so far. I am not one for too many pats on the back, but I want to salute you all for what we have accomplished so far - he raises his mug - To you my friends!
After a long drink, he adds: "Now... I believe we need to start threading carefully here... Correct me if I am wrong but we need to start taking steps to track down the Whispering Way - am I correct?
Leaning back on his chair, looking at the others, he comments - The question is where. And how?
Jennix raises his tankard of fine stout. Salute, to you my friends. He takes a hearty drink, wiping the foam on his sleeve. Now, to answer your question mighty Reknarok, I believe we should start looking for clues in the Esoteric Vaults, if we can obtain access.
"Aye, stout warriors we are all. Especially you and that long hammer, Reknarok." Morrack bites the inside of his cheek and grimaces as he thinks about his recent performance against the horseman.
"So we check on those trinkets, make a trip to the market, and head to these vaults? Sounds like a plan to me. Keep your eyes open, though. I don't trust these cities any longer."
Knowledge: local to determine further info on Caliphas.
"Do we know the size of these vaults? Will they be difficult to move in and out? Either way, I agree with Morrack—we must keep our eyes open, strange things seem to seek us out."
"So what do we really know about this "Order of the Eye?" Are they likely to be infiltrated by the Way? Can we trust them?"
Whispering Way kill your friend professor Lorrimer.
Whispering Way steal the essence of a ghost.
Lorrimer is a member of the Palatine Eye.
You start chasing the professor's killers.
Whispering Way steal the Seasage Effigy.
You do a favour for Judge Embreth Daramid, a member of the the Palatine Eye. She writes you a letter of recommendation for Ascanor Lodge.
You chase the professor's killers to Ascanor Lodge.
You find the Whispering Way have stolen a piece of the Werewolf Alpha's Heart.
You chase the professor's killers to Feldgrau.
You kill the professor's killer.
You uncover a poem:
Upon the ashen pathways tread
Softly, as the whispered dead.
As mortal flesh doth rot and fail
To leech and maggot, ebbing frail.
Unhallowed words cannot be spoken,
With whispered oath, death lies broken.
Shed fear, shed life, shed pain, shed time,
Eternity seized shall soon be thine.
First spirit torn from Grave-Lady’s grasp
Be rent and sown as soured ash.
Soft the spiral song reverses,
Judgment lost, damnation surges.
Keeper of the damned’s soul take,
With packlord’s heart the beast shall wake
And flesh be wrought in disarray—
Stillborn cocoon, to blessed decay.
A hundred slain lie innocent,
Grind bone and marrow to cement.
Craft now a skull of splintered graves,
Unmake life, unmake the slave.
Where history churns dream to blister,
Necrophagous secrets whisper
Through chronicles of Raven’s tongue—
A legacy of fear unspun.
Blood spilt atop the Iron Thorn
Invokes that which cannot be born.
Arise the Tyrant now unbound,
Bearer of the Carrion Crown!
You discover the items (and another from Feldgrau, a skull) were gathered on the say-so of a senior member of the Way, and are en route to him/her.
You track down one of the couriers, and discover the Seasage Effigy has been traded with an Old Cult for the Raven's Head. You recover it.
You discover another courier (Barliss Rask) went to Caliphas.
You were tracking the other courier to Caliphas when he attacked you - now a monstrous Dullahan. Your only chance now is to discover why he was bringing the objects to Caliphas, and who they were delivered to.
"Okay, we should begin our inquest with these Vaults, and check on the details of this scepter."
It is a shame we did not manage to gather information from that bastard back in the road - heck, I don't even know if it could be interrogated at all...
Anyways, we should be heading to these Esoteric Vaults correct?
Yes, I agree, to the Vaults first.
"I'm in. Let's go."
The aged stately structure of the Harraday Theatre lies nestled among several shops. The rough wooden exterior bears the signs on numerous repairs and modifications, though it seemingly has many more. The building itself has two entrances, one to the west and another to the south, both illuminated by large, wall mounted oil lamps. Well-dressed servants stand outside these doors, welcoming arriving carriages and turning away passers-by who linger next to the glass windows of what appears to be a large meeting hall.
Each door has a pair of smartly outfitted 'footmen' carrying Lucerne Hammers.
You recognise the crest discretely upon their uniform as that of Edjureus Modd.
The last carriage to leave seems especially resplendent
You recognise the carriage as belonging to Count Lucinean Galdana.
"Oy. Guardsmen. We are here on an errand of Judge Daramid of Leipstadt. Fetch the butler, eh."
Gruff, no-nonsense, heavily armed Morrack makes a great talker. At least he is sporting the Key of Abadar openly and proudly.
The two guardsmen look at each other, then back to Morrack
"Who?" asks the first
The second sighs, then reaches back against the wall and pulls a short knotted cord.
A few moments later a man dressed as a gentleman's gentleman appears.
"Yes?" he asks the guards
"This dwarf claims to be on an errand for Judge Daramid of Leipstadt"