Jorus waits for everyone else to go into the basement before he descends. While the militia members focus their attacks on Muesello, everyone climbs down the hatch. Muesello withdraws to the hatch, closes it, and casts arcane lock on the trapdoor.
Anyone who remains in the basement for more than a few moments hears the militia members arguing in loud voices about how to open the hatch. A short time later, the sound of axes trying to cut through the hatch cover can be heard. Nothing is heard from Muesello.
The cultists follow the party members down into the catacombs.
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"Welcome to the catacombs Dawnflower Blossoms. I know you receive significant support from people in Qadira, and oversee regular shipments to and from Katheer. We were hoping one of you wise and knowledgeable Sarenites would know your way around the catacombs. Could you please assist us on the proper direction to take? We need to leave this area quickly before the guards come down."
As venture-captain Muesello promised, there is a lever a few feet down the hallway. Pulling it triggers the stairway to collapse with a reverberating rumble, filling the chamber with dust, but sealing off the way up. The party's only way to leave is through the catacombs, and the only ones who know how to navigate them are the surviving members of the Dawnflower Blossoms.
The old woman, who's now reunited with her husband, steps up. "My name's Charito," she says, "and this is my husband Marcian."
Charito points out the other cultists as she names them. Including Charito there are five human women. The others are named Ionnia, Nellina, Pasara, and Xene. There are also two halfling women named Piria and Sophone. The other three cultists, including Marcian, are human men. The two other men are named Narces and Theodric, Narces being the one who did not get where to go earlier.
Charito and Marcian are both quite old, but the other cultists are all either young adults or adults. Mort notices the fair Ionnia's looking at him. When Mort turns to look at her, Ionnia blushes and quickly turns her eyes elsewhere.
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Shael's seething rage nearly surfaced when she heard Mort again try to woo a woman at the worst possible time. By Golarion I should have aimed at him as well. She chuckled loudly before saying to no one in particular. "I remember Mort saying the same to Charito a moment ago. Must be embarrassing to say the same line Twice~" With a smirk on her face, and her seething anger extinguished for now, she moves over to Charito and Marcian then ready to continue onward.
She puts on her best face as she approaches the elder members of the Cultist group. Speaking politely as she was eager to get away from more conflict and plan a counter attack... "I assume you are the leaders of this group and as so I must apologize for the brutish way we pushed you forward. But we could not allow Musello's sacrifice to be in vain if some of you were captured. More to the point how do we move on from here?"
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She chuckled loudly before saying to no one in particular. [b][smaller]"I remember Mort saying the same to Charito a moment ago. Must be embarrassing to say the same line Twice~"
"Don't be jealous because you're not getting any of this attention." Mort tells Shael as he rubs his chest in a loving manner.
Her cheeks turning an even deeper red Ionnia answers Mort. "I'm Ionnia. May I know you name too, kind rescuer?"
"Oh, did he?" Charito asks Shael with a grin that makes the old woman's face look like it has even more rimples, "Well it's the skin, you know. Marcian always says I'm as beautiful as the day we met."
"She is," Marcian says, making a sad face when Charito doesn't see it.
Charito turns to Mary to reply. "Sorry dear, I almost forgot you had said something. The catacombs are old tunnels and connected rooms buried centuries or even millennia ago. Sarenites like us have used the catacombs for centuries to meet in secret and to move around the city undetected. It’s not the safest place, as we’ve encountered criminals and dangerous creatures down here from time to time, but I don’t think we have a better choice at the moment. The Porthmos Militia has likely alerted the other city guards to us. I doubt the streets are any safer at the moment. I think we can find our way to the Vault, although I’m not familiar with this particular part of the catacombs. Xene, Sophone, that possible?”
"I think so," Xene replies, and Sophone nods her head to confirm it.
"Then I think that's what we should do," Charito says, "Up to the Vaults of Sarenrae!"
Xene and Sophone lead the party and other cultists through the catacombs. They navigate the catacombs from memory, often counseling one another privately when unsure which way to go. More than once they double back after reaching a dead end, evidence that their knowledge of the tunnel systems is not perfect.
The catacombs twist and turn, the passages ranging in width from narrow five-foot crawlspaces to massive twentyfoot avenues. The walls and floors vary in material from rough-hewn stone to cobblestone to moldering wooden boardwalks. The current stone passage spans a width of twentyfeet and features dozens of smaller, five- and ten-foot-wide, round tunnels branching off every few yards. The air is dry and still.
The catacombs of Oppara are a mix of ancient sewer lines, natural caves, and old city streets and buildings buried centuries or even millennia ago. The ground beneath the city is literally honeycombed by countless tunnels and chambers. The catacombs have been used throughout Oppara’s history as a meeting place for secret organizations. Oppara was supposedly founded over 6,000 years ago by the last descendants of ancient Azlant, and its catacombs are said to contain a few deep ruins dating back to this time.
A giant spider is hiding in one of the 10-foot-wide side tunnels. Thanks to Chilly's warning the party isn't caught by surprise when the spider leaps from its hidey-hole. The spider attacks Race, who easily shrugs the attack off.
Shael reacts quickly and fires her crossbow. Her bolt hits the spider's giant body.
Turn progression:
Chilly
Jorus
Mort
Oric
Race
Shael
Giant Spider -7 HP
The giant spider evades Race's scimitar, but Race's shield hits it. Mary steps closer and hits the spider with her mace.
Turn progression:
Chilly
Jorus
Mort
Oric
Race
Shael
Giant Spider -15 HP
Jorus takes the spider down with his attack, and Chilly stabs it just to be safe.
The party and cultists continue their way to the Vault. About an hour after the spider ambush, the party and Sarenite refugees reach a large cavern.
In the center of this large, natural cavern, easily more than forty feet in height, stands the ruin of a truly ancient temple constructed of chipped grey and white marble. Its domed roof collapsed long ago, but the structure is otherwise in remarkably good shape. Where doors must once have hung, a small campfire now burns, surrounded by piles of ragged but neatly folded bedding.
Seven people sit huddled around the small campfire to ward off the damp and cold of the cavern. As soon as they spot the approaching party, they pick up wooden clubs and leap to their feet suspiciously. Charito calls out, “Well met by moonlight, sisters and brothers, but soon the dawn will come!” Upon hearing the coded greeting, the cultists by the fire set down their weapons and welcome the party and their fellow Sarenites to the camp.
A slim man and redheaded human man named Akkuret steps up. Akkuret invites the new arrivals into the ancient temple, offering them seats in the recently constructed pews. The party is seated together, with Ionnia next to Mort. The other cultists also take seats, with Charito and Marcian on the first row. All are given food and wine, and while everyone is eating and drinking, Akkuret states that he wishes to discuss some new developments with the group. "You might have questions about what's been going on?"
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Shael sits down and elects to eat only soup and tea, especially if someone among the cultists is taking soup or tea from the same pot. She contemplated her questions.
"So why are you being hunted by the Taldan Militia? Who and why did they orchestrate the first violent raid? What is your connection with the society other then Musello? Where do the militia take prisoners to? How large is your organization and has other parts of it suffered similar raids? What is your groups primary mission?"
She asked each question and listens quietly as they are either answered or ignored be for asking the next item on her mind. Her demeanor was neutral, almost cold as she tried to piece together the events surroundj g the growing conflict.
"We're here, because it's a safe place for us to hide," Akkuret explains, "A man by the name of Chalfon Dalsine is hunting us down. The reason? At first we thought the reason was purely our worship of Sarenrae. The worship of Sarenrae has been illegal in Taldor since the Great Purge of 4528 ar."
"It turns out that Chalfon Dalsine has been increasing his influence over the years. He has spies in many places, including the government, and works together with members of the Shadow Lodge. Dalsine’s true plan is to foment all-out war between the Pathfinder Society’s rival factions."
"Muesello regularly helped people smuggle things in or out of the city. We approached him, and asked him if he could smuggle us out of the city. Muesello was hesitant at first, but after several of our friends were killed he agreed. He even hired several Pathfinders to help him. my guess is that's you. Sadly, Dalsine realized what Muesello was up to, and sent the militia after Muesello. Your arrival here, without Muesello, tells me something went wrong..."
"Followers of Sarenrae are killed when captured. There have been multiple raids, and I'm not sure how many of us have survived. If the militia captures any of you, my guess is you would suffer several days of torture before you'd be released. Our goal is simply to survive, and be safe. Though I suspect Muesello intended to stop Dalsine's plan, and prevent an all-out war between the Pathfinder Society's rival factions."
"Honestly, I have no idea where exactly Muesello intended to go with us. I do know for sure Muesello intended to stop Chalfon Dalsine," Akkuret replies to Mary.
Also, you may look at the Knowledge (Local) DC 15 spoiler below.
Chalfon made contact with the Shadow Lodge, and has been working with them. He has many influential contacts, also in both the secretive Lion Blades (Taldor’s spy organization) and Oppara’s largest thieves’ guild, the Brotherhood of Silence.
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Shael listens quietly, the sound of all out war was a startling one but Muesello being tortured made her quiver whether in disgust or excitement she was unsure. "Thank you for your insight Akkuret. However while you are content to wait while your allies suffer I am not. Since you have no information as to where someone would be taken to be tortured I think I will have to leave your fine shelter to find where they taken him. I am curious where you get all your information?"
"The city has many eyes," Akkuret states mysteriously, "and I can tell you much more about Chalfon Dalsine. It's important to know your enemy, is it not?"
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"Yes, yes. My trainers made me quote it almost every day." In a somewhat sarcastic tone, Mary recites her teachings. "If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles. If you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle. So sayeth the great Iomedae."