Chapter 4: Cult

The group gets involved in a cult, Soduko encounters a mysterious person, Jerry learns to be involved with others, Jaeden’s past is revealed.

## Summary

The waterfall is deep color red, and the heroins are unsure if they want to see if they can disenchant the water. It fails.  Sodoku does a check, examining the water to see if he can find anything in the water. He can see something, like a door. Ea decides to see if there’s a way to get down there and notices the best way to get down there is by enchantment. She enchants the entire group and gets ready to go down there. However, the water will still give the team damage, but just slightly. Jaeden and the goblin decide to stay above, as Jaeden does not want to get involved.  Showqu, Ea, and Soduko jump into the water. As it turns out, the water is just a ceiling and it turns out to be a house of some sort, an enchanted house to keep wanderers away. As they approach the door, they can hear something going on. Soduko decides to open the door slightly to see a cult circling around a goblin, screaming for help. There are four cult members wearing all black robes, and finish up their words, bend down and repetitively stab the goblin as a way of sacrifice. Soduko sneaks into the room and decides to sneak attack one of them, goes from behind and stabs him directly in the throat. He falls, and the other cult members draw their weapons.  Up above on the surface, Jaeden chats with the goblin and decides to ask for his name. The goblin assures Jaeden he does not have one, as him and his group are goblins and have no purpose for names. Jaeden smiles, and states that he will be called Jerry. The goblin likes the sound of it and accepts Jaeden’s given name to him. Jaeden and Jerry can now hear fighting going down below. Down below, Showqu and Ea enter the battle and start to attack. Ea stands by thinking of methods while Showqu attacks a cult member with a knife. The cult member dies. Ea then therefore decides to seduce the remaining members of the cult in the current room. The cult members are weirded out, and are now deeply offended. They start to attack. Soduko leaps from behind a female cult member and stabs her directly in the head. As there is only one cult member left, he tries to run into the other room to warn the remaining members but Soduko shoots an arrow into one of his legs. The member does not fall, but hops into the room. They follow the trial of blood into a room full of now 6 cult members. The quickly turn back around and shut the door back close and go and hide. The cult then barges through the door and scouts for them. Three of them are archers, as Soduko can see and points out to the rest with hand gestures. Jaeden, not worried for Soduko or Ea, worried for Showqu, goes down to see what’s keeping them up, leaving popper in Jerry’s arms until he comes back up. Jaeden jumps in and starts to ready his bow. He sneaks through the door entrance to find Soduko and the rest hiding as there are six cult members looking for them at the moment. Jaeden aims for one of the archers, purposely hitting his arm. The archer screams, and Soduko jumps out and kills one cult member and then another. Showqu then kills two more. Ea then decides to throw her dagger at the archer, but misses. The dagger is caught by the archer who then keeps it for himself. Jaeden then decides to shoot another arrow, and this time, it misses. The archer then walks over to Ea, and knocks her out. More cult members enter the room and start to attack. Soduko then tries to hit a cult member but misses, but the cult member hits him in the face. The archers then aim to Ea, and are about to shoot their arrows, but a big man coming down the stairs hollers to stop fighting. Everyone obeys and stops. Soduko and Showqu are worried as they think they are going to die. Jaeden, thinking he can still get out, tries to sneak back up to the surface, but two cult members are now blocking the door. Jaeden gasps and is pushed to the rest. The man, who is clearly the cult leader, decides to let Soduko heal Ea, and succeeds, but she is still on conscious. As it turns out, the cult leader will not let anyone leave until there is a sacrifice made, and the three panic. He then proceeds to ask them why they are here and how did they find this place. Jaeden jumps in and explains to the giant they found this place by accident, as they were just traveling to the next village across Septin Bridge. The cult leader feels Jaeden, and lets it slide, but still wants a sacrifice. Trying to be nice, Soduko decides to ask the leader what the cult is. He then says that the cult worships Chiluthu (The Cult of Chiluthu) and makes sacrifices to him all the time as forgiveness. But the cult leader is upset, as the cult wizard says nobody could have broken though the enchanted waterfall, and looks at the cult wizard with anger. Jaeden then decides to offer the cult leader his disease potion in return for everyone to leave. The cult leader accepts the terms, but will only let Jaeden leave. Jaeden then asks if Showqu can go with him, but declines, as everyone would have to make some type of offer. Jaeden leaves, and the rest of the group looks at him with anger. Jaeden looks back apologetic to Showqu.

Showqu then decides to convince the leader (in secret) to let them go, and then he accepts but will not let them go unguarded. He lets them go with two cult members to watch over them and make sure they do not tell anyone about the cult.  They all later rest in the grass with no bedrolls, and the cult guiders decide to keep watch all night, but something wakes Soduko. He quickly grabs his knife and remembers the thief might still be watching over him, but puts it aside as he can now see two big red eyes. Soduko starts to speak to whoever it is, and concludes that it’s a humanoid figure. The person runs off.  They wake up the next morning well rested, and Soduko feels there is no need to tell the group what he saw last night, so he lets it slide. As they want to get to the next village (Firewood), the cult leaders decide to lead them pass the Septin Bridge and forward that. It is about two days or so later and they arrive. As they approach the main entrance, two guards are nervous as there are two cult members with them. They let it slide and welcome the group into the city after Ea seduces them.

Jaeden wants “to rest” and walks off, but Ea and Showqu see him walking off into a local bar. Jaeden sits at one of the tables and signs in relief, as he has finally made it to where he needs to be. To conclude his quest, Jaeden walks over to the bartender and asks where Otessus Autumsnow is, or if he knows an Autumsnow. The man is confused and states he does not know anyone with that title. Jaeden offers the bartender five silver if he can give info, but states he does not know, but the bartender hints that if anyone that honorable is here, they might want to head to Dwarf and winks (hinting he knows who he’s talking about). Jaeden acknowledges and the bartender marks it on the map. Jaeden then heads to the inn to rest.  Meanwhile, the rest of the group (Sodoku, Ea, Showqu, Jerry, and the two cult members) overhear talk of sewers that lead to a dungeon. The cult members state that they know where it is and lead them to a dungeon. The group decides to head in the dungeon.

## Appearances

* First mention of Otessus Autumsnow
* First mention of Luna Autumsnow
* First appearance of The Cult of Chiluthu
* First appearance of Firewood Village