AW004

## AW004 - The Gang Uncovers a Cult

### Private Bathhouse - Morning

Into the bathhouse, a large armoured man (a Fist of Bane) strides from the massage room to the north. He states rather obliviously to the Night Blades that Mortlock has been recaptured, before noticing the swirling melee and dead and dying bodies. His bellowed threats at Sylas have the wind taken somewhat from their sails as a bisected Night Blade corpse smacks into his knees.

Puffin insults a Night Blade to death and bravely runs into a corner. Billie, with no such lily-livered instincts, charges at the Fist of Bane and pummels the piss out of him. He is swiftly having a Very Bad Day as Kalo blinds what's left of his bloodsoaked vision.

Sylas knocks out the fleeing Jabaz and the last Night Blade crossbows Puffin, who is hurt badly and whiffs his return shot. Sylas takes advantage of the blindness and gashes the Fist of Bane. Billie continues beating him about the face and he falls, cracks his head on the floor and glares defiantly (and blindly) at Billie as the light goes out of his bloody eyes and the brains go out of his bloody head.

The suddenly very alone Night Blade decides to live to fight another day and smashes through the window into the night.

As the gang takes a short rest, Jabaz is interrogated by Sylas and rats hard, telling all about the "fun house" beneath. Fully in the grip of Stockholm Syndrome, he gives the gang a box with 5 greater healing potions. Having literally just been healed by Sylas, his pathetic attempt to keep one for himself was very quickly guilted out of him. Jabaz starts cleaning up and arranges for the staff to leave the gang alone while they rest.

### Creepy Dungeon - Late Morning

Heading downstairs through the secret door in the massage room, the gang enter a dank chamber with knee-high water. They move through, with Puffin checking in with the growth on the wall to see if there's anything nasty in the water and forcing Cosmo to roleplay moss. They make their way down to a door with the symbol of Bhaal over it. Sylas's divine sense reeks of evil, even though no creatures are detected.

They stack on the door and Puffin Mage Hands it open. The very cute grey-green semitransparent octopus pushes hard and the dramatic tension dissipates as a small, empty antechamber is revealed. There are two doors and a passageway - the doors having symbols of Bane over one and Myrkul over the other. Sylas explains these gods, with Bhaal, are the "Dark Three" and thoroughly evil.

Kalo begins a ritual to ask Lathander for an omen to guide them in going through the Bane door. The others investigate the corridor to the west. Sylas investigates a horrific tapestry and is poisoned. They move into a profane altar, covered in guts and organs. Puffin of course looks for shinies, but there is nothing to be found but body parts. There is a dead, bloated body in the water to the west, and the gang decide to leave that well alone.

As the gang returns to Kalo, who is getting premonitions of woe, the southern Myrkul door is kicked open and the holy candle on his shoulder flares brightly. A dagger flies through the doorway, but misses due to his Warding Flare. A flurry of spells ensues, killing one cultist, and Billie punches the second's brain out in what is quickly becoming a trademark move.

Puffin's Mage Hand octopus is unable to remove a wand from a trough full of bones, so Sylas throws caution to the wind and yanks it out while the others create a little bit of distance just in case. With a Detect Magic, Puffin discovers it is an Evocation wand. Sylas points it at a wall, discovers in a blast of light and noise that it is a Wand of Magic Missiles, and very carefully hands it to Kalo. Puffin loot goblins and finds a seriously metal flail, which he hands to Billie.

The gang move back to the intersection and move east through the Bane door. Hearing whimpering around a corner to the west, Puffin disguises as Amrik and strides imperiously towards the emaciated man who recoils in fear. Once realising they are not a threat, Puffin dispels the disguise and explains that he was not sure if the man could be trusted. They ask Klim Serenguard for as much info as he can give on the funhouse. As he is beginning to speak, a creepy bloody woman, another Fist of Bane, appears around the corner and summons a swarm of skeletal rats.

Kalo Turns the rats as an Iron Consul emerges to the east. Billie throws an inspired axe at it, explodes her mote and hurts it badly. The Fist stomps through the rats, intent on murdering Kalo, but between Kalo's Warding Flare and Puffin's Silvery Barbs, misses with her huge spiked mace. Sylas slashes the Fist with his moaning hexblade and the curtain falls.

### Meta

The dice were in the gang's favour tonight with at least 5 nat 20s for the gang and 4 nat 1's for Cosmo.

Sitka was unavailable.