Sweet Prickles

7 November, 595
Part One

The next day the party is surprised to find two members of the town guard inside Keygan's shop. One of them introduces himself as Skylar Krewis. He explains that Keygan was arrested and taken off to jail, and they were sent to guard the entrance to the underground ruins to make sure nothing else comes out. Certain members of the party take an immediate dislike to Skylar and are offended that he would imply that they need help guarding the shop. But Plenty stands up for him and agrees that he is just doing his job.

Back to the Malachite Fortress, where the group investigates a room containing an iron chest bound in chains, guarded by a pair of fleshy bloblike creatures. The creatures are eerie in that they have human heads and torsos, but an amorphous lower section. As soon as Bruinor enters the room, the creatures move to attack. They are lured outside the room and a melee is fought in the hallway. One of the blobs falls, and the other explodes into a bloody mess after the dwarf's axe carves through it. Plenty and Nodonn are showered in the disgusting bits from the creatures. The trunk is found to be locked, and Bruinor's axe cannot effectively cut through the chains.

The party opens the door to a large chamber containing braziers in the shape of large ovoid creatures with mouths on the top of their bodies. There is also the statue of a dwarven warrior wrapped in a mass of chains, which end in spiked barbs and blades. The statue has a pair of gems for eyes.

After moving through several empty rooms the party comes to a large room occupied by a several suspicious characters. A dark-skinned dwarfish creature appears to be negotiating with a larger hulking figure in black plate armor over the sale of 4 children, 3 of which are chained to a post, and the other is attacked to a chain held by the figure in black. A large catlike creature with nasty looking quills is standing on a raised section of the room, looking menacing.

When the door is opened, the large figure looks over and asks if they are the ones that have been killing off his hobgoblins. Plenty steps into the room and tells him that the "Party of the Bloody Mess" are here to take the children back. She offers to meet the other's offer, and during the conversation, they learn his name is Kazomgen, and his client is Pyllrak. Kazmogen says that considering the damage they have done to him already, he cannot let them go for more than 100 gold appiece. Realizing that the party cannot meet this, Plenty breaks off the negotiations. To that, Kazmogen smiles and turns to the beast on the staircase, telling it, "Prickles... attack!"

Prickles snarls, and comes tumbling into Plenty, ripping at her with its teeth and leaving several quills embedded in her body. The others rush in to join the battle. Pyllrak disappears into thin air, not wanting anything to do with the battle. Kazmogen, though, seems to be enjoying himself, as he swings his large axe around at those who engage him. Both Nodonn and Plenty succomb to Prickles' spiny charges, and Bruinor falls the other's axe blows. In a bind, Throckmorten decides to heal Bruinor, then uses a special monk move on Kazmogen, stunning him long enough for Bruinor to grab his weapon away from him and Lyra performs the finishing blow. Afterwards, the group is able to focus on Prickles and cuts the creature down. To everyone's horror, Kazmogen's wounds start to close up and he rises to his feet. Another blow by Lyra sends him back to the ground and Bruinor uses the creature's own axe to cleave his head off. Kazmogen no longer moves after that. After looking around they see that the set of double doors is ajar and they realize that Pyllrak has escaped. The children are rescued and they learn that there are several others that are being held prisoner in another part of the complex.

It is at that moment when a floating orb with a huge mouth and central eye, and several other eyestalks protruding from its head, materializes out of nowhere and announces that it will take the boy Terrem and return him to the orphanage. Plenty and Lyra stand in the way, but they are both hit with a ray from one of the eyestalks, causing them to move in slow-motion. The monster reaches the boy and they immediately disappear, leaving the others in shock. It is decided to bring the children home before attempting to rescue the remaining prisoners.

Before they leave, Plenty takes an axe to the chest again, this time with success. A few potions are taken from the chest and the group makes their way back up to the surface. Bruinor makes sure to carry the head of Kazmogen with him. Skylar is excited to see that the children have been rescued, and leads everyone in a procession back to the Temple of St. Cuthbert. The group is perturbed by the sergeant's impertinence, and voices their displeasure on many accounts.

At the temple, Jenya welcomes the children back and thanks the group for their effort, giving them the reward, as promised. She speculates that the creature that disappeared with Terrem was a beholder, and Plenty seems to confirm this thought. The bard pays a visit to the Lantern Street Orphanage and finds that Terrem was returned safely, by a mysterious woman in a dark veil. The children are returned to the orphange and the group prepares for another trip to the underground.

The "Bloody Mess" encounter a group of 4 hobgoblins. They are taken aback at first by Bruinor's flaunting of the head of Kazmogen, but regain their senses and attack. 2 are slain and the other 2 disappear behind a door. They move to another room where they encounter another pair of hobgoblins standing guard over an old man bound and slumped over in the corner. During the battle, two more hobgoblins rush through a door, and a large dark-skinned hobgoblin with one arm joins the fray. The party prevails, though Lyra takes a good beating. The man introduces himself as Sulaman, one of the "greatest wizards in Cauldron", and not shy about expressing his desire to leave this place. In the other room a lady named Coryston Pike is removed from a torture chair, and she is also in bad shape. The heroes free 4 others from their holding cells in another room, the most interesting of them being a 20-something human by the name of Krylscar. The former guard ends up getting in a fist-fight with Bruinor and makes a pass at Plenty. Plenty and Throckmorten are quick to put him in his place (with much physical coersion), and keep a close eye on him. Everyone is brought back to the surface and the Temple of St. Cuthbert agrees to tend to the prisoners until they recover.

After a good meal and warm baths, Bruinor sells Kazmogen's axe, and the group heads to Skies' Treasury in the hopes of getting their potions identified. They are introduced to Skie, a friendly female gnome, and former adventurer. She is eager to hear all sorts of stories but offers to identify the lot of potions for 125gp, which would be ready by the next day. She delights in hearing the name of the fledgling group, "The Party of the Bloody Mess."

A Noble Introduction

6 November, 595
Part Two

Sitting in the jail cell, Nodonn and Bruinor are visited by the Captain of the Guard, Terseon Skellerang, and one of the highest profile nobles in Cauldron, Lord Vhalantru. Skellerang asks to hear their side of things and finds out that they are involved in the search for the missing children. He starts to interrogate them about what they have discovered so far, how Keygan was involved, etc., until Vhalantru stops him and suggests that they be freed to continue the search. Terseon seems to soften to this and agrees to let them free as long as 1) they agree not to destroy any more public property, and 2) they agree to meet with him later to hear about a potential task he has in mind. Nodonn and Bruinor agree to this and they are let free. When asked about Fario and Felian, who claimed to be working for the Mayor's office, neither Skellerang nor Vhalantru gives any sign that they have heard of them or have any association with the city officials. Vhalantru thanks them for the work they have done thus far and wishes them good luck.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party is healed at the Temple of Wee Jas. Off to St. Cuthbert where an audience with Jenya is sought. She is asked about the recently deceased half-elves but she has not heard of them either. She finds it very disturbing that some other party may have taken an interest in finding the children. Asked about Vhalantru, she explains that he is one of the main benefactors behind the funding for the search, and much of his money is going toward the reward that is offered. She says that she is not surprised about the lack of help being offered from the city guard; this is why she sought to seek out private groups like them to look for the orphans.

The group decides to rest for the remainder of the day and meet back at Keygan's in the morning.