Hey there,
You visited Addabar's, with Boamund recalling that not long before the Seshnelan invasion of Giraine he'd heard that an apothecary named Addabar had been involved in a scandal involving some poisonings in St Thosos, and had disappeared before justice could be served. So you went in and Boamund confronted him somewhat directly; the eccentric middleaged Pithdaran shopkeeper said there might be confusion over what had happened and he might be the same Addabar but tried to steer conversation toward business. His little shop's shelves were lined with all manner of concoctions, of his own make and of diverse foreign origins. It was an impressive collection but Miguel spotted plenty of wrong-smelling or old (“way past their sell-by date”) goods and settled for some safe-seeming basic first aid supplies; Boamund haggled and finally settled with Addabar to get some healing ointment (“good for burns”) not that he trusted it.
But Addabar related to Boamund that he was concerned about evils in town, repeating the rumour you'd heard of evil cult activities around the “Devil's Cove” and saying he'd heard of masked people around town operating nefarious deeds, so he was uneasy wandering the streets at night. His tale was vague but still intriguing. He explained he didn't know much as he'd never been brave enough to explore this further. Asked of the Alchemist, he said that yes, he'd met such a figure last night, and he was staying at the local tavern, The Stooped Man, aha! (location 7 on the map) He didn't know the man well, if it was a man, and didn't trust him to do business just yet. Satisfied, you left Addabar albeit with the warning not to meddle in your affairs, and he said he kept to his business and out of trouble.
You went to the Stooped Man, with Fraud covering the rear door, Miguel ready with arrow nocked and in view of both doors, and Ahappi going in followed by Boamund. It was a large but simple tavern adorned (cluttered!) with all manner of fishing-related decorations, and heavily shuttered so it was dim and smoky inside. A good dozen Dronari were having their morning drinks, as one does in Coldwater, served by a heavily tattooed older Pithdaran; the owner and sole worker. They all watched Ahappi come in, falling silent, as he spotted and strode quickly over to the figure of the Alchemist in a shadowed corner; who continued drinking and giggling to himself until Ahappi arrived. Picking the squealing, surprised little cloaked man up by the neck, Ahappi tore off the hat and mask, revealing that the Alchemist had raw, almost hairless, pink scarred (burned/scalded) skin underneath it all. The Alchemist begged for mercy and cast a protective spell on himself as he tried to kick Boamund away to avoid having his pockets emptied while Ahappi held the pathetic man aloft. But soon all of the jars and flasks and skins of fluids were gone, although the intense sweet perfume of the man and his clothes remained. He insisted he was no Vadeli and meant no harm.
Ahappi, as the owner showed discomfort and urged for no weapons or bloodshed (the audience of customers staying put to watch but moving to safe distances), decided to take the Alchemist out, and so you went down to the docks. No one did anything to stop you but plenty of onlookers gawked and muttered. You rowed the dinghy out into the harbour, with the Alchemist's alarm growing, and interrogated him. Ahappi learned that this man, named Jory Guile, was a Nolosian who'd teamed up with the Wizard (Jory still didn't know she was dead and you never told him) to summon and serve the sea demon Greignard, with the aim of getting rich. Jory hated the waters as the demon had taught him a “lesson” early on by causing the seas to boil and scald Jory head to toes; and so he was (you disrobed him to prove this and to check for any Vadeli signs, which he lacked). The Alchemist had been learning watery magics from Greignard to use in his alchemy, but then a Seshnelan hero had killed Greignard and interrupted their plans. That was about it-Jory explained he was knowledgeable in demonology, and the Wizard and he had learned that there was another demonic essence here in Coldwater but didn't know much more, so once you surprised him in Skaalhaft he fled, with little concrete plan, here to try his luck with a different demon and hope that the Wizard showed up.
Ahappi gradually became convinced that this pathetic Zzaburi was no Vadeli but just mad and foolish and greedy; and obsessed with perfumes and related magics (he said the nice smells reminded him of his mother). Finally, feeling you'd learned as much as you could, Ahappi warned Jory to never trouble you again or mess with sea demons and to leave here at once; and the frightened, desperate Zzaburi agreed, saying he'd return to Nolos to seek more mundane business. So Ahappi tossed him into the ocean, and Jory struggled for a while, seeming like he might drown, then managed to barely cough out a Fly spell that sent him safely into the air on a jet of perfume. Odd little Zzaburi. He descended down to Waterside's docks and crawled sputtering into the alleys.
Meanwhile a crowd had gathered at the docks in slackjawed interest, and a sizeable fistfight broke out in the crowd. You came ashore and investigated as it calmed down and dispersed- there had been shouts of the Purho and Eerola family names, so it was clear they'd had a scuffle, and a local woman spoke to ?Boamund, saying that the latter family had spoken out that something should be done to save the Alchemist, whereas a Purho had said no, then that was enough excuse for fisticuffs, and a few broken bones. She didn't seem surprised. She said (IIRC) that the local Talar, Elina Vuolle (resident of the fortified manor at #1), had retreated from much of her rulership duties since her husband, the local Baronet and sailor Jaska Vuolle, had vanished at sea nine years ago. Elina always hated Coldwater, the peasant woman said, and had been trying to sell her family's stake and title in it for years to no avail. So the two rival families were de facto rulers of Coldwater, as much as there was any Law here, and the Chapel of the Mistress (Ship of Life Church) brought some peace at times.
You debated visiting the families but decided that the Chapel might give a balanced view and even hints of the “evil cult” you kept hearing of. So you came to the boat-shaped fine wooden Chapel outside of town, where two female Zzaburi were preparing for morning services. One, the head priestesss Aune Laitnen, spoke to Ahappi; asking if any of faith were amongst you and welcoming you there. Asked of evils at the Cove, she said she'd heard of these things and her parishoners were urged to stay away from the Sunken Stairs area, where she said ancient magics might once have been active but were either inactive now or just best left alone. She then diverted conversation to the “evils” of another form-the Rokari had been to see her, as a group of four Monks of the Cryptic Library! This was the new, elite order of Zzaburi that Ecclesiarch Theoblanc the Pious had been sending around the West this year to start proclaiming non-Rokari (or even some Rokari “saints”-Theoblanc now approves of almost no Ascended Masters as worthy of worship!) sites and faiths Anathema, confiscating their sacred texts or just burning them. She said they would come soon to debate again, coming every midday now, and you might watch and give perspective. Ahappi gladly agreed, so you sat and waited. Meanwhile, they led their Credo of the Ship of Life Church (Navigationalism) and Ahappi watched that, being assured that it was legitimate and very normal. The only odd thing about this Chapel was that it emphasized the feminine aspect of the SLC, but that was not blasphemous.
Soon enough noise came from outside the Chapel doors, and in through them came four tall, stern, bearded, grey-robed men gliding on golden light. Nine soldiers of the Seshnelan army came as guards, looking warily at you. The Rokari challenged the SLC Zzaburi to debate, proclaiming that this faith was anathema and they would prove it so; that there was but one faith in the West now, and one King and Church together for one united Kingdom of Seshnela, which Coldwater too would join— but with no SLC in it anymore. Ahappi spoke up and challenged them for their puritanical ways, and they questioned his right to speak in these proceedings, then said that they had brought a visitor today… Raising their hands together, the Chapel shook with a thunderclap and most of the people (Miguel included) were knocked flat by the shockwave. The front doors ripped asunder and sunlight bathed the Chapel.
A giant, flamesword-bearing golden being appeared at the doors of the chapel, rending them further open to fit its bulk: It had the body of a six-winged horse, bearing four heads: a man, a calf, a lion, and an eagle. It was a warrior essence from Solace, and most fierce and stern of disposition indeed-it was a Talanim; a “Demon of Law” as Ahappi called it! It boomed: “This once-holy faith is judged to have fallen into Error. It is pronounced Anathema. Solace and sanctitude are hence denied. So sees the Invisible God! So speaks the word of Law! Verily thrice now I have appeared before thee, Ahappi Pellinoresbane. Thine quest for justice has landed here. Truth has been revealed that the way of Saint Deliam was in Error, a lie of the people of Vadel. And so that way must be washed clean of Error by blood. Justice shall come when the Zzaburi of the false Navigationalism be sent unto the Underworld for penance. Unto thee the task comes ashore today. Wash this chapel in blood and wash thine hands clean of the false faith. Judgement awaits all.”
It stood watchfully in stillness. A few whimpers arise from the people. But Ahappi had stood up proudly amidst the thunder, knowing it was his time to act. “Judgement for all?” he thought. “Very well”. Thinking over his feelings, he resolved that he would not slaughter the innocents of the SLC; that was unjust; but would gladly pass judgement on the hated Rokari-this news of the Vadeli lies was still a surprise to process but just grist for his mill to leave that cult and Malkionism. He responded quickly to the Talanim that he valued the earlier blessing to slay Vadeli but would serve no Malkoni ways. So he rushed the Monks and combat began! The Rokari were ready for trouble. The SLC Zzaburi were still staggered, with one rushing to help the junior one who had fallen stunned. Miguel lay prone and in awe-filled terror. The Monks began a great joint spell, calling on the power of the Holy Flames… You tried rushing them after casting spells and dodging javelins but the soldiers got in the way, although Fraud bought some time by blasting them all with his Fan, which dispersed the soldiers although the Rokari stood firm. Meanwhile the Talanim watched in silent judgement. The Monks cast their massive Wrath of Holy Flames of Rokar spell, burning everyone but you to a crisp; the SLC Zzaburi leader had already fallen to an impaling javelin. Then Ahappi turned the tide of battle with a Darkness spell enwreathing the Rokari, and you rushed them. The soldiers had regrouped to defend the Monks but were helpless in the dark, so one by one Fraud, Ahappi and Boamund hacked them down. Miguel came to his senses and prepared his bow and Black Arrow of Law. The Rokari threw more spells but some were ruined by the blinding dark. As you pressed forward to the Monks, wounding some, they called to the Talanim, asking for aid so that they might not fall to Shadows. It thundered “If a fourth time come, Ahappi Pellinoresbane, it shall be for thee.”– and the Monks vanished in a flash of light with it, leaving the blind soldiers behind for you to easily slaughter. Two of the soldiers behind the darkness fled out the ruined doorway but Miguel keenly shot one with a mortal wound, boldly leapt over the ruined Chapel's clutter of bodies and wreckage, and stepped out the door to shoot the second one to death before he got far down the path into town.
You gathered the bodies and Boamund insisted to burn the whole Chapel; Ahappi was pleased. He had allowed his ties with his old church to begin severing and he'd scared off the timid Rokari and even Talanim (future campaign mega-villain?). Miguel tried a clever trick of casting Phantom Sound to mimic the Talanim's voice, proclaiming that the Rokari were accursed and had caused the Chapel's burning, and they should flee for their lives. Would it help? The villagers certainly wasted no time in scurrying for cover.
There was now the problem that you didn't know what became of the Monks and that surely the Seshnelan ship would act soon; and what would happen in town with the burning of the Chapel and your visible presence with all the ruckuss lately. So you hurried to the Purho home nearby. It was a walled farmhouse with a mule tied outside and a bronze bell by the double-gates and single doorway; all looking fairly secure. Ahappi rang the bell and a guard came; Ahappi said that the Purhos must join him in killing the Seshnelan forces now (blaming the Chapel-burning on them) or they'd be casualties of the Rokari wrath too. The guard was convinced to call his master, and another voice soon spoke (as the Chapel blazed and Boamund joined you)-this one was stubborn and cynical, saying that Ahappi's plan was foolish and that he (Atro Purho) didn't care for any faiths. Asked of the Devil's Cove, he said it was even more foolish to mess with anything there but since Ahappi had mad plans he might as well go ask there what the cult was up to. Atro chuckled at the notion that the Eerola family might instead help, although he acknowledged it was a clever tactic for Ahappi to try. Ahappi had argued his case as best he could but this Atro was no pushover and time was wasting, so you left.
Passing over the bridge in town to the other side of the harbour/river, Miguel saw that the Seshnelan ship was more active but with no monks evident so he wasn't sure what was up. He also noticed that there was a weird tilting house nearby (location #5) that had a foundation seeming to be sliding into the harbour, but that was all of interest with that larger home. You were headed to the head Talar's manor (#1) to see what you could learn or gain. You weren't far from the Seshnelans so there was a risk they'd find you, and Miguel used his magic voice again to speak a warning to Amur that the Shadow might have its own trouble soon. Coldwater was heating up!
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