Campaign 1 • Chapter 12

"*If I may offer some advice. Do not be so eager to pluck the rose that you ignore the thorns.*"
 ― White Eyes

## The Gangs of Silverthorne

Several days later, the party reaches Silverthorne. In an effort to not make their presence known, they attempt to sneak in through the northern water gate. With some trouble, they all make it to the muddy shores of the ice cold Witherburn, only a little worse for wear.

After drying off, they break into the sewer system of the city: a warren of pipes, tunnels, and small rooms that had been built and rebuilt countless times during the city's lifetime. Making an effort to stay quiet, they sneak through the maze, getting somewhat lost in the process, but eventually overhear a conversation between what they presume to be Sewer Rats. Deciding to sneak past the guards, they attempt to move further into the tunnels but are eventually caught between two groups of gang members.

The party explains that they wished to speak with The Rat King, and the gang members take them to his office. He hears them out, and offers them a trade: they help him with a problem, and he gives them the information they seek. The party begrudgingly agree, and The Rat King sends them to clear out what he describes as a "tunnel blockage".

The blockage turns out to be a sewer troll that had taken up residence in the tunnels. After a claustrophobic scuffle, the party manage to kill the troll and return to The Rat King with proof. He congratulates them, then informs them that Torstein had gotten himself into trouble with the Drowner Triads on a matter of unpaid debt. He had last been sighted hiding in a house near The Nag's Head tavern. The Rat King also warns them that it was only a matter of time before the Triads found him, and that they would very likely make an example out of him.

The party sets off to find him immediately. When they get to the street in question, they notice a number of Drowners already watching the house. While trying to sneak past them, things go sideways and an all out brawl breaks out. Fighting past the gang members, they rescue Torstein and Castiel attempts to make an escape with him while the others serve as a distraction. The escape is almost a success, but a thrown dagger laced with Wraithcoil comes flying in to kill Torstein out of nowhere. The dagger bears the sigil of a Blackleaf Rose, the calling card of the Pale Syndicate.

Returning to Alyssa with the body, they find out more about the Pale Syndicate, and decide on a plan to try and discover who ordered the assassination. Their hope is that such a name would lead them to the mole, or at the very least to someone high-ranking in the Separatist Rebellion. Under the guise of potential clients, they visit the leader of the assassin's guild, White Eyes, who immediately identifies them by their real names. They are unable to convince him to reveal the name of the other client, but ultimately end up simply hiring the guild to assassinate the client without revealing a name.

Staking out the headquarters of the guild, they follow the assassin immediately after making the payment, but their plan goes awry when the assassin notices them following her. She threatens to kill them if they follow, and they begrudgingly concede defeat, but continue in the same direction. Their journey is interrupted by a small battlefield, where a band of troops were ambushed by dreadborn from a newly-opened rift.

The one survivor they find informs them that a nearby town, Leftbridge, was under attack by separatists and that they had been trying to ride to Silverthorne for reinforcements. They decide to ride hard to the besieged town and relieve the defending forces, hoping they are not too late to arrive.