Zendara realizes that the people outside might be able to knock down the door, if/when they realize what is going on, so she moves a bunch of furniture against the door and dismisses the Silence spell so they can hear if someone is trying to get in.
Zendara gathers up the gold, then tries to help Edwin figure out the rod.
(fail)
Hopefully Yukarii would know.
Zendara checks to see if the vampire is solidifying yet. If not, she casts Comprehend Languages and tries to figure out the ledger, looking up from time to time to check on the vampire.
If the vampire is solidifying, then she goes over and stakes it.
Working together you quickly pile most of the room's furniture against the door. This should slow the goons down once they inevitably realise what's going on.
Zendara then casts a Comprehend Languages spell, revealing the title of the book to be Worklog #15 for the glory of our dark master. Beyond that however the following pages seem to be meaningless, Zendara feels certain that the book is magically encrypted - and that breaking the code will take more time than they have right now.
As Zendara went to check on the priestess there was a knock on the door, followed by a muffled cry of, "Hey what's going on in there? Open up!" Then there a thud on the door which makes the living room shake, it seems somebody tried and failed to shoulder barge the door down. This is followed by another loud thud.
Zendara inspects the coffin and finds the priestess to be semi-congealed it won't be long now!
(pass)
Zendara pulls out her rope to make sure it is ready for their escape, tying some strategic knots in it to make it easier to climb, and right before the vampire corpse is fully congealed, she hammers in the spike, confident of her timing.
It was unnerving watching a vampire reform in front of Zendara's eyes. The process was entirely silent and the priestess seemed unaware of her surroundings until the last moment when there was a flash of recognition just as the stake was hammered home.
A thin wail like a wounded animal escaped her lips as her chest sagged as her freshly solidified body turned to dust!
Moments later there was a tremendous crash from the door accompanied by the sound of splintering wood. Time to go!
Edwin cast a spell, creating several illusory copies of himself, and then activated his boots to increase his speed. Then he headed out the window.
As Zendara kills the priestess, a rhyming is heard from nearby.
"That was the nail in her coffin,
the stake in the game aimed high.
For whatever evil you no longer can do,
we bid you bye bye."
Xindyra, with cat's grace, gets out the window.
Zendara grabs anything left in the dust pile in case the woman had magical gear on her, then she stows that and her anytool in her bandolier.
She makes sure that everyone else is out, then exits herself. Out on the catwalk, she ties off the rope, dropping the other end to the ground. She guards the rope, shooting anyone who approaches it, then after everyone is down, she unties it again and jumps, casting featherfall at the last minute so that the end of her fall is soft.
Then, presumably, they race away into the night.
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Xindyra tosses a little parting gift when she goes out...
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Yukarii examined the rod while they waited on the vampire to re-form so they could end her. She had little else to do while they waited after all so it was time well spent.
When the vampire finally formed and was staked Yukarii looked on with a strange mixture of hatred and sympathy for the creature. As the vampire turned into dust Yukarii offered a short prayer that Noralla would guide her to the other side.
Yukarii quickly conjured an illusion of a heavy tapestry across the opening to the room, all the better to keep the light out, and headed towards the rope. She was already heading down the rope while maintaining the illusion as long as she could to help buy them time to flee.
Zendara finds little of value, and the huge crashing noise from the door dissuades her from lingering to search more thoroughly through the dust.
She races though the living room in time to see Xendara throwing a volatile cocktail through the hole that's been hacked into the door. The unstable chemicals ignited with a deep woomph! Behind the door a dozen or so suited goons jumped back in alarm as the paintings and the carpet in the foyer caught fire!
Yukarii summoned an illusion obscuring your escape and quickly you make your way the trash filled ally below using Zendara's rope.
Once they are in the alley, Zendara is relived to see that they probably won't have to fight, as long as they are speedy in their departure.
They run.
In the distance you hear shouting from the roof as you duck into a side alley and attempt to put some distance between yourself and the hornet's nest you just stole several very valuable things from.
<--- PASS
The area you're in looks extremely shabby, with narrow streets full of potholes and decomposing trash. The time pitted walls are so covered by graffiti there's no glimpse of the original surface. There are fewer passers by than you'd expect at this time of day, and they all seem to be in a rush to be somewhere else, often looking over their shoulders nervously.
"Hey gang, so now that we've killed both a local crime lord, and a vampire priestess of a doom cult, set fire to their study, made off with treasured items...", as she's counting on her fingers, "should we leave this place altogether and review those papers in some safe place?
Or do we remain in town with the investigation first?"
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Edwin said, "I think someone tried to scry on me, but failed."
He looked around for the best escape route to evade their pursuers.
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"I think we need to find somewhere safe to spend our time examine what we have found," she looked to Edwin as he mentioned that he felt like he was being scryed on and added, "Preferably somewhere hard to identify magically and that we can at least partly disguise."
You are aware Oberon used to have a very high tech society but this was all but snuffed out by the sundering although remnants remain. One of those remounts was Vesta the city mind fighting a lonely and ultimately futile battle against the darkness.
With your help Vesta's mind escaped. Vesta theorised there where at least three different ways of combating the darkness. One involved a high tech route, re-directing pure energy from the the solarwells through to the destroy the darkness. Another (divine magic approach) involved investigate Waiaki Island on which the musical mysterious standing stones (easter island style) where supposedly linked with some project of Elodin the Creator. (There was a hypothetical arcane route but this was very vague with nothing solid to go on).
A about ten days ago game time, Dr Munroe asked you to find Andrea and look up his old friend Mike Tomlins. Dr Munroe and Mirriam were checking out another town, they intended to link up with you - ideally a few days ago.
Andrea was ritually murdered by an assassin called Red - who turns out to be the estranged wife of Administrator Da Vorre.
You learned that Andrea was killed over her thesis which investigated the standing stones - she had cracked an ancient language on the stone and claimed she knew the true purpose of the stones - they acted as a portal to Elodin's realm. Based on your best guesses, Cinder Crater would be the most likely location of Elodin's enclave.
You met Mike and Azarra was very suspicious of him, although as far as you can tell he's just a geologist. He's offered to guide you to Cinder Crater to go gold and diamond prospecting, he seemed genuinely excited by the idea. He cautioned you that it was a dangerous trip.
Red had been shacking up with a brute called Mr Teller who was involved with the cult of Nylathotep. Mr Teller was overconfident and got killed.
You have been staying at the Wayfarer's Inn, which seems reputable enough at Mike's suggestion.
Xindrya doesn't spot anywhere that looks promising in the immediate area, however she and Edwin notice several shadows moving up on the roof tops, you are being watched.
Edwin told his friends, "I can see several shadows moving on the rooftops. I think we're being watched. We need to lose the eyes on us; I can create a fog bank to cover us while we slip away. Is everyone ready for that?"
(fail)
(fail)
Back to the inn, or to DeVorre's place? Or to a casino perhaps, to make sure we lose the tails in the crowds?
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Looking occasionally upwards, "From cult base to gangland. Given we're on their turf, they might see too long our presence as a potential challenge. The cult is supposedly to have a couple of agents embedded in some of the gangs, but not all of them.
But they won't openly resort to violence. Their bosses would cut off their family jewels for that."
While you discuss what to do a number of hard looking men start to take notice of you loitering in the area.
Edwin wasn't sure that the safest choice was. He suggested, "Maybe go back to the Inn? I could cast a Fog Cloud spell, when the pursuers would be presented with a choice of several directions for following us."
He renewed his Message spell on the party.
(fail)
Zairiah moves off in the direction of the casinos, not sure who was following them, but wanting to shake off the tail before they headed elsewhere.
If Xindyra reports that they lost their tail(s), then she'll turn towards the inn, but when they get there, she advises them that they should probably not stay long.
She takes a look at the papers at this point, in her room, just to see what they have, not reading it thoroughly. After she gets the gist of what it is, then she packs up all of her stuff, with a better idea at least of their assets.
The local toughs mostly loose interest when you leave the area although you had a tail until you got near the casinos. It seemed they wouldn't go west of el camino street for whatever reason.
Zendara lead the group back to the Wayfarer's inn where the lady on reception said, "Hey you folks are popular, there are several messages for you." She then hands you a pair of envelopes.
Mike
Dr Munroe
Up in your rooms, Zendara starts studying the book. It proves to be really quite an unsettling tome, with diagrams of devils, demons and warped things from beyond the stars. Even the leather binding is disturbing for Zendara has a horrible feeling it's tanned human skin.
Much of the contents of the book is obscure and magically protected and written in several different hands. Much of it so far resists her attempts to translate it, but she made some headway with a very neat hand Zendara suspected may have been that of the dead vampire priestess. Her words form a sort of diary, albeit one that was never intended to be read by another. Still with this Zendara gets a picture of how the cult operates, they operate like spies in cells, with only the leader of each cell knowing their mission. Each cell leader is only trusted with the minimum information needed and they get their instructions from their superiors who work in cells of their own.
The cult likes to spread, it seems they've had great success in parts of the Kez although getting close to the imperial court had proven impossible so far. Similarly the cult's tentacles have spread across large swathes of the merchant league. Their typical MO is to move into a new town where they seek to take a segment of the criminal underworld. Here in Port William they'd chosen drugs and prostitution but the casinos and the cult of nysos where putting up unexpected resistance.
Zendara uncovers several lists, the first contained the names of twelve people to be killed. Most of the names were crossed out and of those only Andrea Meedes's name meant anything to Zendara. The final two names on the list which hadn't been crossed out yet were: Mike Tomlin and Sheriff Belgaum.
There was a record of payments for various things, it seemed the Assasin Red had been doing an awful lot of work for the cult. Clearly she was wealthy although the payments where sometimes in drugs which suggested Red had unhealthy and expensive habits.
Zendara suggests they write back to Mike and agree to go, and send a note to Dr. Munroe telling him to join them as well.
After Zendara reads a little of the book
she realizes that Mike's name is on the list.
She talks to the group
Okay, let's pack up and go find Mike now. His name is on the assassinate list, so presumably Red will find us... we don't have to find her. We just have to be there to make sure she can't pull it off.
She wraps the book in something so she doesn't have to touch it anymore, and then adds
There is also a Sheriff Belgaum on the list. We should warn him before we go.
She grabs her stuff, and asks the way to the Sheriff's place as they leave.
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Edwin agreed, "I think we should agree to go with Mike to the Cinder Crater. Warning Sheriff Belgaum first is proably a good idea!"
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Yukarii nodded in agreement with the pair and said, "I agree, that makes the most sense to me as well."
Everything was quitet but suddenly Zendara suddenly felt like something was watching her, or perhaps more accurately something was watching the book. This feeling lasted for a few seconds before fading.
Someone was just scrying on us I think... or on the book at least. We need to go.
I was hoping this book was going to be Andrea's work, so we understood more about what we were getting into... but instead we haven't learned much.
Since they can't contact the sheriff yet, they start off to find Mike.
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Mike waved you over when he saw you, saying "Ah there you are! Well I'm pretty much all set, are you ready to set off? I'm quite looking forward to this I must say."
(fail)
Zendara sends off a message to the Sheriff, warning him (through the most reliable means possible), then asks around about supply places where they might find Mike.
Zendara makes some discrete inquiries and it turns out Mike asked around for evening restaurant recommendations and the several people had recommended Zoyer's an unpretentious gem of a restaurant that specialised in hearty spiced stews and broths.
A short cab ride later you find yourself on a quiet lane with a grand view overlooking the port where you see airships come and go. Behind that the grand expanse of blue-white banded by layers of clouds as you look over the edge into the planet's fractured interior.
From within the restaurant comes enticing smells and low key chatter, you recognise several voices - those of Dr Munroe, Prof Dexter and Mike. You step in and Miriam spots you. She calls out to you as you approach, "Oh you found us! Great. We were debating sending out a search party. Xavier was sure we'd bump into you sooner or later, but Mike was getting worried."
Mike replied, "Mariam I know you are not bothered by anything, however the fact remains Port Milliam is not exactly the safest of towns for visitors."
I'm glad we found you.
Quietly, so as not to make a scene or pass the information further than their own table, she informs the additions to the group that there are assassins gunning for Mike and for Sheriff Caleb down at the mines, and about the vampire that they killed, and that someone keeps trying to scry, so they are most likely on a hit list as well by now.
Edwin replied to Mike, "It seems that the cult of Nyarlathotep is active in this town; we need to be on our guard. We're ready to go with you to the Cinder Crater."
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"Right, if only we could bombard that ominous place from orbit, and be sure of its destruction.
But alas, killing their high priestess will have to do."
"Still, killing a vampiric high priestess, good job us, i say."
"Sounds like you've been busy!" said Dr Munroe. He finished the last morsel on his plate, left a generous pile of coins on the table and stood up saying, "Well I think it's about time we left. A spot of hiking sound like a plan."
Prof Dexter and Mike agreed and several minutes later your group was headed north towards the outskirts of town.
"So what's all this about scrying?" he asked as you walked, "Are they after one of you, or something else?"
At a particular spot,
"Hmm, i believe if we go that way, we'll get back on the road leading out of town. Mostly treeless sloped ground, if i recall."
"Oh, and i noticed someone following us. Should we feign ignorance, and arrange an ambush? Or just scare them off by declaring they've been spotted?"
(fail)
(fail)
After Xindyra informs her of their tail, Zendara lowers her voice a bit so it won't carry and says
I think feign ignorance. If it is Red, we want her to catch up so we can get rid of the menace.
She smiles and laughs, feigning ignorance.
"Let's head out of town like we haven't a care in the world, see what they do..." suggested Mike softly.
More loudly he started explaining some of the mining equipment he'd rented getting more excited as he went, "Got to take it a fair step, portable holes are a god send for that by the way. Anyway I've got us a pair of highbanker slices, a mechanical shaker table, and a number of old fashioned gold pans. They all operate on the same principle, gems and precious metals are heavier than the host rock. Using the action of waves and gravity they wash away the light stuff leaving us with the interesting stuff. I also rented some enchanted rock crushers and alchemical assay equipment so we can figure how much gold and silver are trapped up in the ore. I'll bet it's loads, lots of mineralised quartz veins up there with those little rotted cavities were the gold likes to hang out!"
Professor Dexter rolled her eyes at Mike's enthusiasm but Dr Munroe was clearly finding it interesting.