Spontaneous Assassination

In the Autumn of the year 720

Erevan, Kargrimm, Nephrus and Valrith woke late after a restful evening in their favourite inn in all of Stonegate.

The group decided that they needed to head to the keep in order to learn more information about the Lich and The Cyrene Empire. Also they must notify The Marshal on their success with the beasts that were roaming the city.

On the way the party were stopped by The legitimate thieves guild. They explained something about redistributing wealth to the city. Nephrus found the idea of a legitimate theives guild hilarious.

When they arrived at the keep the heroes were told that the marshal was in the town hall so that's where they went next.

The door of the town hall was destroyed, the group gain entry. A crowd was assembled, guards stood at the side. Large automata, servants of the Lich were conversing to the gathered people. They had given an ultimatum of one month to surrender the city.

Nephrus stood defiant in front of the automata, it recognised the teifling.

*“Piss off and never come back”*

The automata summoned the restles spirits of the city to swirl around it, the large construct then dissapeared.

Then Kargrimm, Nephrus and Valrith explained to the marshal the happenings of the past few days, he drank wine to deal with his stresses. Marshal Oxber thoought the group had promising leads, he leads the three heroes to a room where they again meet Lord Burntleaf and Penelope.

The heiress of House Heron sats at the council table, the last remaining councillor.

The group asked Lord Burntleaf about philacteries, and any usful information about dealing with a Lich, they also share the information they have gathered about Artexerxe.

*“It would make sense that he did that”*

*“I knew him when he was still mortal.”*

In the past Lord Burntlead and Atexerxes had a disagreement. The former human did not like that elves live longer than humans and began to wrk towards immortality. Artexerxes Worked his way from scribe to regent.

Lord Burntleaf did not know Relakor the Beholder.

The Elf Lord pointed out a location on a map. Once the capital of the old Cyrene Empire. The stones were still there, in the eastern mountains. In a wide valley, green hills, glowing river once. Now a barren dry desert. The heroes plan was then to go to the abandoned city, to find a phylactery in the ruins.

-meanwhile-

Erevan scaled the rafters of the town hall with the sudden intent of assassinating the High Elven councilwoman, the heiress of House Heron who had nothing to do with anything that had transpired so far.

His plan was terrible but the others had not noticed what was happening, they had not seen the Drow since they all entered the town hall.

Erevan worked his way behind the innocent Elf woman, snatched her and dimension doored away back up into the rafters. Where he attempted to pin her to the rafters with dagger through spine. The Elf woman struggled enough to prolong her life a few seconds more but the Dark Elf finished his goal of killing her.

Erevan, now discovered by the guards found himself in a fight to escape the town hall, the rest of the party watched in horror and tried not to seem like they were helping him. Erevan wounded the Marshal with his crossbow. He managed to escape the town hall, pursued by the town guard into the city.

The rest of the group causally walked out the door confused as to what may happen next.

Valrith, Nephrus and Kargrimm went to the library to try to learn about the Cyrene Empire.

Valrith signed up for a new library card.

Kargrimm got distracted by books on metallurgy and sat down to read it.

Nephrus read a Ye Buzzfeld article about shining armour. Hope for answers seemed lost.

Valrith made a charitable donation to the library, a bribe that did not work, the Librarian was a strict one for the rules.

She filled out the library form and was given a card. She helped the librarian find a stamp, but it was the wrong stamp.

The book on iron mining was quite old fashioned and Kargrimm got back to looking for a history book. He found a couple, the ancient history of the area. The Cyrene empire, a great collapse, minor polities to fill the void. Major city of the old empire, this was the city of their destination. The last regent Artexerxes, in a high position just before the collapse. Artexerxes was a controversial figure.

A man with an ornate mask approached Kargrimm. He was of the legitimate assassins guild, there was a contract out on Erevan. He was very pleasant but Kargrimm was worried about his stabby drow friend.

*Erevan was meanwhile evading the guards.*

Nephrus felt a strange presence from a book in front of him. A single book, purple spine. Demonic energies. A surge of power and approval. The pages were blank, but the book spoke to him, the fiend.

The many eyes of Relakor appeared in the skylights, he said he needed the heroes help once more, in his lair.

*Erevan emerged from the sewer, outside the city, having escaped the guards.*

The three left the library, there was much commotion in the streets, they moved quickly and quietly to the north east to Relakor’s hole. A guard spotted Nephrus even with his amazing big eyebrow disguise. The dutiful guard attempted to arrest Nephrus and Kargrimm, The Dwarf barged past him after a failed attempt to bribe the guard. Then the three heroes ran to the east side of the city.

Erevan attempted to scale the roofs and follow the three others, he did so without being spotted.

The Dwarves that Kargrimm previously paid for work asked Nephrus and Valrith for their thieves guild, the two heroes talked their way out of it. Erevan rejoined the group as they were about to descend into the hole, Kargrimm having not done so since Elysis played his bagpipes beautifully.

Relakor wanted the group to stop the Dwarves entering his lair and trying to steal his stuff. Kargrimm made a sign in Dwarvish saying “Do Not Enter”. Valrith suggested a false door. Nephrus suggested a guard dog, perhaps one with three heads.

*Cytrak the ruined city, former capital of Cyrene Empire.*

We must remove the Dwarves from the hallway. We decided to throw them into the green goop, and Dwarf shaped doppelgangers appear before us. We tell them to visit the other Dwarves and tell them to inform the real Dwarves that there is nothing good to be had down here. They ascend to the surface.

Kargrimm was keen to get on track with their main quest, however its importance seemed to be diminishing.

Nephrus had a conversation with a book which burst into flames in his hands, Valrith was suspicious.

The group attempted to leave the city by the north east gate, there was a queue to leave. Kargrimm handed the medallion from the Marshal to Nephrus to do the speaking.

Erevan and Kargrimm noticed there was an assassin following them on the rooftops, the assassin that had come to get the Drow. Erevan highlighted the assassins with Faerie Fire. He did not fear the guild assassins as he should have. As the party were about to pass through the gates, Erevan was descended upon by an assassin from the roof. He stabbed Erevan greatly.

There was a duel under the gatehouse. The Kargrimm, Nephrus and Valrith did not immedietly get involved.

Eventually Nephrus stepped in using his magic wand, and trapped only Erevan in the webs, the assassins remained unhindered.

Kargrimm, frustrated at the stalling to put the world right regarding the Lich, raged. He swung his greataxe, and missed twice but hit the third strike causing slight damage. The Dwarf found his axe swinging groove and later got some good hits on one of the assassins.

Erevan had fallen to the poisoned blades of the assassins, they then begin to carry the downed Drow away back into the city.

Nephrus launched a fireball at them, causing great damage to the assassins and the surrounding buildings. Valrith failed to score hits with her longbow.

Kargrimm thought the foes had gotten too far away so he paused, breathing heavily.

Nephrus stunned the assassins with hold person allowing the party to run catch them. Valrith charged in to heal Erevan, Kargrimm followed and attacked with his axe. Together the party killed two of the assassins, the third escaped but was wounded.

The four heroes then fled the city to the northeast. Kargrimm provided the food and water, they stayed off the roads as often they could hear cavalry hooves on the hunt.