A Favor for Jenya

We are asked to investigate a Wee Jas contingent that is leaving Cauldron. We decide to have Jiann transport us to the Lucky Monkey ahead of this group, then observe them as they pass. We all join hands – Jiann does the incantation – POW – we’re sitting on the roof of the “Monkey.” Oosana and I (Elwin) quickly grab onto the slippery tile and carefully climb down. A few of our party aren’t so agile, slide to the edge and tumble over to the ground below. OUCH! Oosana and I decide to travel up the road to Cauldron to do a veiled observation of the approaching Wee Jas caravan. We discover they are indeed moving this way and I send my raven Streak back to the inn to inform the others. The contingent is made up of a Large richly adorned wagon with several guard-types traveling in front and behind. The wagon appears to fine for material and goods and must be carrying Wee Jas nobility.
The caravan reaches the Lucky Monkey, makes arrangement to trade out their horses, and refresh themselves before traveling on. They have no intention of stopping here for any prolonged rest. We arrange ourselves inconspicuously around the livery area to observe. Aerrion has approached the wagon and is conversing with the guardsman. Judging from the scowl on the face of the guard, it doesn’t seem to be going so well. I hope our ‘lovable’ swashbuckler doesn’t antagonize him too much!
The Wee Jas group prepares to resume their trek. We decide to continue our pursuit and observe them more closely when they decide to rest for the night. We follow at a safe distance for the remainder of the day, and finally arrive at the inn at dusk. We watch the group debark, and make their arrangements for rooms and dinner. It seems the carriage was transporting two dignitaries. (Hmmm, maybe one is an envoy and one a special guard?) Jiann and Skye secure our rooms and I go down to the common room to see if there are any Halflings that work here. I find a group in the kitchen area and gather as much information about the inn’s layout and operation as I can do without appearing to bothersome. Of course this is all accomplished over a nice dish of mutton and mushroom stew. (A polite gesture to my Halfling ‘brothers and sisters’). As I hurry away I snatch an apron, stuff it into my belt, and grab a serving tray. From the galley I go back to our room, remove my pack and crossbow, put on the apron, and move toward the Wee Jass room. Aerrion waits outside by the entrance to the inn and Oosana moves to the common bathhouse. The two emissaries have entered the bath house to freshen before their dinner and rest. Oosana spots a Wee Jas holy symbol on one and a glint of armor on the other. (The special guard no doubt)
I have reached the unguarded door to the Wee Jas room. I pick the lock enter the room and immediately observe two chests. They are locked, but not hard to pick. One has a poison dart mechanism, and I disable it and open the chest. Clothing, and some scrolls. They appear to have magical runes on them. I remove them and replace the tubes with blank parchment. Too much time examining the scrolls. I must leave. As I close the door and move down the hallway, the Wee Jas party returns. Whew, that was close.
We all gather in our room to share our information. We decide to invade the room tonight while they are sleeping. Oosana will seduce the guard on duty outside the doorway making the way clear for the rest.

Oosana successfully seduces the guard. Dubious sneaks up and knocks him out. We enter and quickly dispatch two of the guards. The others awake and we begin to grapple with them. They are finally silenced, but the Viscount hears the clamor. Oosana tries to make a sound to dupe the two, but the man opens his door and charges out. When he sees up he immediately jumps back into the room. We hear some chanting, and armor being clad. Oosana casts a spell and a thick obscuring fog enshrouds the hallway. The Viscount again opens the door and Dubious hacks at it. A fireball erupts. Oosana ducks but Dubious and Elwin are blasted. The mist is eradicated and everything is now clear. Oosana attacks and carries the battle into the Counts room. The guard witch is injured and she jumps out the window and flees. As the count is battered he steps back, pulls a vial from his belt and consumes it. As Oosana approaches for another attack, the Count begins to shake violently, then slumps to the floor lifelessly. We check the window, but the witch has escaped. We need to hurry and scuttle the room before too much is made of the noisy skirmish from the other patrons. We gather the valuables and about 200 gold pieces from the room. The gold is dropped into the hand of the innkeeper with our sincere apologies about the mess. Patrons are reassured (as best we can) that nothing is amiss and they can go back to sleep.
Our loot included…
+1 rapier; set of spell books (5th Lvl mage); scrolls to superior about “our involvement in their ‘project’;
Senior talon letter from Cauldron (friendly letter type) with mention of “Relic” they are holding their
City-state; Elwin’s burgled scrolls – Cure disease, Remove curse, Magic missile, Neutralize poison;
I send my Raven, Streak, back to Cauldron to report to Jenya.

XP = 400 battle, 200 story

Information Gathering

Jiann, Jane, Oosana and I, (Elwin) are resting on our new home plane in the Large Skull’s Alter area. Skye, Dubious and Aereon have escaped the attack back in the catacombs and are now retreating into the farther reaches of the under dark. They somehow find their way through the sewers and back to Cauldron’s lower levels. They emerge in the vicinity of Gretchen’s orphanage on the lowest tier.
After discussing the unusual sensation of turning into greasy black smoke and awakening in this unoerthful plane, Jiann, Oosana, and I decide to return. We will let Jiann utter the incantations to transport us back. Jane will remain at the skull in case we again meet an unfortunate demise and are transposed back into this skull’s chamber. After Jiann speaks the magic, we find ourselves back in the Temple of Cuthbert. We meet with the temple guards and Jenya. We explain our plight with the Wee Jas hierarchy. She tells us our other party members are at the orphanage, and soon they join us. We discuss the possible motives of the head Priest, Iverson, who has been left in charge of Wee Jas temple complex. We feel he is probably responsible for our attack in the catacombs below the city. Jenya tries to divine some information about the motives from our recent exploits. After, murmuring, and gesturing, she speaks…. “Death the door, Knives the dust, Souls the prize,” (Something else, but I didn’t catch it)
That is all she is able to gather from her skrye.
We decide to rest here and gather as much information as possible. We decide to have some equipment and armor enhanced while we are waiting. It may come in handy during a future encounter. During this period of rest, a couple of Cuthbertian spies accompany Oosana and me into the shadows to observe any Wee Jas movement. For 4 weeks we watch, but there is still no sign of Emberil. All our new equipment has now been crafted, and we decide on another course of action. We will stalk the Wee Jas priests as they come and go and kidnap them. We hope this will stir the “Wee Jasian kettle” enough to cause Iverson to openly act.
1st we stalk the single priests, and capture 1, 2, and then 3. They become very cautious, and begin to travel in pairs. Jenya is providing us with some Paladins to keep watch on them while we continue our escapades. After kidnapping 2 of the wary pairs of priests, the Wee Jas assassins track down one of our Cuthbertian operatives and kill him. Our spies have tracked a number of the Wee Jas to a magic shoppe called “ Xanathor’s Provisions.” Before we explore this shoppe, we decide to secretly search one of the kidnapped priest’s homes. The party will use the sewers to approach the home, and Oosana and I will sneak into the building. Aereon will stand watch across the street at a pubic house terrace. Oosana and I move through the shadowy courtyard to the door of the priest’s home. The lock is picked, and the slip into the foyer. Aereon is watching intently from across the street while Dubious is waiting at the sewer grate in case any thing goes wrong. I will search the downstairs area, especially the bookshelves and Oosana moves to the second floor. I find some interesting notes in one of the journals and begin to copy the information into my journal. I am startled by the sound of the City guard’s loud whistle. As I begin to move to the window to look, the door bursts open and a large ogre accompanied by a pair of guards rush in. I see that both entrances are blocked so I try to tumble by the ogre. He smashes me against the wall and all my breath escapes. I can’t yell a warning to Oosana even though I expect he has heard the commotion. Oosana heard, opened the window, and quickly climbed down to the alleyway. He retreats to the sewer hiding place. He is passed by Dubious, who, upon hearing the disturbance, has begun to move to discover what has come about.
Aereon is standing to observe our fate, when he is confronted by a wizard of some type moving into the open terrace of the pub. As Aereon draws his weapon the sorcerer casts a spell that freezes the air all around. Several of the patrons drop dead instantly in their seats. Aereon dives to escape the cone of cold, but is injured by the deadly freezing wind. As Dubious rushes by, Oosana casts a spell that blurs the entire area with a thick obscuring fog. Jiann now rushes up from the sewer hiding place, and around the corner in time to see the wizard’s attacking spells. He follows Dubious to attack the cloaked foe. As Dubious rushes to Aereon’s aid the wizard casts a new spell that leaves a bewildered look on Dubious’ face. Dubious now is beginning to menacingly chase Aereon. As Dubious yells out halt commands, Aereon is retreating to the doorway of the pub.
I am gasping to retrieve my wind, and I know I must get by the Ogre. I again see a tiny opening and tumble between the Ogre’s legs, through the shattered backdoor, and into the alley. I slump into an alcove, retrieve a healing potion from my belt and quickly down it. The Ogre and guardsmen rush from the building and I sprint down the alleyway.
Jiann spots the wizard through the mist and a searing ray bursts from his fingers toward the conjurer. Aereon has jumped through the open door of the tavern and Dubious chases after him directing him to ‘surrender immediately.’ Aereon is still hurting from the frosty spell, and retreats up the stairwell. As he reaches the top, and sees the commotion below, he hurls a couple of vials of burning oil onto the roof of the absent priest’s home. Jiann chases after the wizard who is now running and both turn into a side alley.
I am running wildly to flee the ogre and guards who are gaining ground quickly. I duck into a side alley. A coweled man runs by me. I think that he will surely disrupt the their charge, so I shuffle by him and on toward the main street. I see Jiann running around the corner toward me. As he nears, I turn to see the guards with their weapons drawn shouting loudly and rushing toward us. I load a bolt into my crossbow and fire at the lead guard. Jiann looks at me in panic and steps directly into my line of fire. He takes the bolt full in his side. OUCH! It is clear that, for some reason, he will not let me attack these guards. Hmmm. I decide to make a hasty retreat back to the sewer. Oosana also moves through a crowd and back to the sewer as well. We are soon joined by the rest of our party. We escape through the smelly drain back to the Temple. We will have much to discuss tonight….Ouch, my ribs really hurt….Hmmm, I wonder what time the evening meal will be prepared.

Elwin