Zoom 2021-09-07 21:00

==At the Nature Shrine:==
The party gets to rest up, learn spells and is fully healed by the nice kind druids. We warn Kahu about the superior doppelgängers and let her know the legends about them etc. The 'loot' from our erstwhile attackers does not contain any runic items, and the crossbow recovered from the rooftop Ariel has an enchantment that means the first bolt fired has a particularly potent 'nasty' effect. Also, the crossbow can only be used by SARN worshippers (so we now know whose side the Ariel was on).  Kahu asks to trash the crossbow - and we are happy to let her.
We also discuss the change to her holy symbol. She explains that the Wild have now all returned, centred on the Torog peninsula, including the Dragon Riders. The majority of the Wild have rejoined Wyldwood - or rather Wildwood - which is re-emerging as a common religion. Kahu and her followers - after much deliberation and visions etc have embraced the resurgent Wildwood and their symbols have grown thorns as a result. Kahu said that an emissary from the Wild (the White Lady?) had turned up at Tobar - and there was now a big conference going on there with the major Druids and Priests. However, a proportion of the Wild were not integrating with Wyldwood, and instead were allying with Ghoulagabba.
We discuss our best approach to tracking down the SARN cult, rather than just waiting for them to come to us. The two buildings with the SARN shield-and-swords symbols have been cleared out, so are no longer viable leads. The Black Crow pub and the sewer tunnels from the house where Dougal was tortured aren't totally discounted, but we decide the best approach would be to find out who passed on information about us from the Fairwind ship - as we are sure that information must have come from someone on board with us. We ask Canbel if any info about us was 'leaked' to make us more effective bait - and he is offended at the very idea that we could have been set up in that way. Canbel suggests that we ask the Temple of Perceval about the cargo manifests and the merchants, while we decide that we should ask around the docks to see if anyone jumped ship or left unexpectedly. Umar also intends to go to his friendly pub in the evening to see a man about a berserker.
==At the Safe House:==
We are then escorted to the 'safe house' - as we arrive (at about 3:00pm), a 'For Rent' sale is being removed, and we are given 3 sets of keys. This is a two-storey house set in grounds that are entirely paved over (ie no cover). There is a 6' wall surrounding it with a gate - we are advised 'not to climb the walls' (ie there are magical protections on it). It is not a grand place à la Diamond Fort, but is solidly built. There is a cellar with a tunnel that leads directly to the Elven Watch station - and the cellar will always be manned (elfed?) by an Elf or Dark Elf. There is a Cook and a General Housekeeper - the food is decent quality - ie sergeant/junior officer level.
==At the docks:==
Several (unspecified!) characters go to the docks to find out more about what the Fairwind trader unloaded, and if anybody appeared to jump ship. Asking around (cost 5sp), it appears that two more passengers were taken on at the last minute - the captain advertised for a cook who could work their passage, and Catriiel was advertising for a replacement bodyguard - these vacancies were quickly filled. We therefore have two immediate 'suspects' - Agarwaen, the male hobbit cleric cook, and Shamrya, Catriiel's female Ariel bodyguard . We did note that Agarwen had a 'weakness for drink', so he may just be drunk in a gutter somewhere. Or one of the two may have discovered something about the other one, and been 'done away with'. Or there may be some quite innocent excuses for their departure.
We also checked what was loaded/unloaded: Some high quality leather was landed for an official contract, some fine weapons, and some barrels of spices which were quickly carted away by Elves.  Some fine timber was loaded onto the vessel.
Asking about Amwine, we are told that she set up a small trading post in the city - which isn't doing too well at the moment!
==At the Temple of Perseval:==
Garaf and Joshua go to the temple to find out about the traders and contracts from the Fairwind. The temple priest confirms that Amwine is in good standing - being a priest of Perceval herself. They don't know if Catriiel got off the ship, but he did send out runners trying to buy more spices. The leather that was unloaded was for a public contract, and the spices that were unloaded were for a private, but legitimate contract.
We then get onto the more sensitive subject of SARN, and we are sold information in exchange for telling them about our role in the recent SARN fracas (which caused Francis to whimper when he heard about it).
* The Dwarf is a 'friend'.
* The 'She' referred to by Dougal's torturers 'flies'.
* He (the Perceval priest) is prevented for revealing more due to previous contracts/obligations
We ask about the temple's general attitude to SARN - and the answer is that SARN is a business partner like any other. They may be less than ideal in some circumstances, but where they have orderly run cities that are good for trade, then that is absolutely fine. In fact, the Perceval shrine in Ghoulagabba is extremely profitable! It does seem that Perceval doesn't like change and will try to maintain the status-quo wherever things are profitable. So though they would oppose Ghoulagabba taking over Willston, they would also oppose Willston taking over Ghoulagabba. (Mind you, we are not sure what 'opposition' actually entails for Perceval!)
==Back at the Safe House:==
We compare notes, and decide that the female Ariel we knew as Shamrya is our prime suspect for lady-in-charge of the abductors, plus the source of knowledge about us. Agarwaen may, or may not be involved. We decide to pass this information on to the 'Dark Elf in the cellar' ( he's dressed in chain and has twin swords - so a fighter-type). He says the Hall of Rogues is also looking for a female Ariel - and then goes down the tunnel to pass on our information.
We all sit down for dinner, but at about 6:15pm, a wave of dread passes over the party - coming from the South. The lower level party members are more affected by this than the higher levels. Those who can get up to look out the windows/door - and see a 600' long dirty white Dragon high up in the sky to the SouthWest of the city - and even from that distance there is a smell of rot coming from it. So it's a 600' long dirty white undead Dragon. Other orders of adjectives are available, but most of the party (and much of the population) are in no fit state to discuss that right now.