AW009

## AW009 - The Gang Punches a Dog and Likes It

### Vanthampur Estate - Afternoon

Following the utterly one-sided ambush of the cultists, the gang make their way towards the lower levels. Kalo heads off (with an uncannily accurate impersonation by Cosmo) to round up Vendetta and Tarina, who rejoin the gang. Kalo is absent for the rest of the session. There is a short rest.

Almost immediately, the gang bump into a tall, mostly naked human barbarian (Nowa Stiltin) who speaks only in gibberish. They are wary, but Mortlock breaks the ice with a Predator handshake and Puffin christens him Conan; which in the language of his people means "large mostly naked moustachioed man".

Entering the stairwell, they immediately meet Franklin the elderly tortle sorcerer who is very confused about how he got there, or whether he is coming or going. In the spirit of teambuilding he is welcomed and the group moves on.

Coming to a fork in the corridors, the NPCs head east while the gang explore south. Moving through a hallway, Puffin listens at some doors and hears the clanking of irons behind one. Without a scrap of self-preservation, he bursts in and is immediately bitten by a hellhound. Nowa and Billie set about somewhat guiltily but nonetheless enthusiastically punching one of the dogs while Puffin and Franklin deal with the other. Once they are thoroughly tenderised, psychically traumatised and perforated, Nowa reveals his culinary idiosyncracies by tearing chunks of flesh from one and eating them, as if daring anyone to comment. This is far from the weirdest thing the gang has seen this week, and nobody wants to yuck his yum, so it is largely overlooked.

It turns out that there are 3 prisoners in irons in the room - Sylvira Savikas, Falaster Fisk and Lulu the "heffalump" as Franklin absentmindedly recalls. Falaster is ranting about a box, a shield and stopping something happening. Not much sense can be extracted from him. Lulu is unconscious - when queried, Sylvira reveals that there was another with them - Eliya - who was badly tortured. Lulu appeared to heal her, she disappeared in a celestial light, and Lulu collapsed. Puffin is obviously intrigued and becomes very protective of Lulu.

An imp flies past the door, heading east. Recalling something that Mortlock said about an imp, the gang gives chase to the tune of Yackity Sax. They end up in a room which has been consecrated (giving them all the benefit of a long rest), the imp lies dead on the floor, and when searched the room has a +1 longsword (which goes to Nowa) and an octohedron-shaped stone which appears to be a key of sorts.

The rest of the NPCs all turn up, Vendetta and Falaster are reunited, but almost immediately the footsteps of 20+ cultists are heard approaching. With a plea for the gang to stop whatever Thurstwell is up to in the chambers to the west, the NPCs offer to hold off the cultist army. The gang run off, find a door with an octohedron-shaped keyhole, brilliantly deduce that the d8 stone should fit, and barge into a large round temple of doom style chamber filled with civilians, Jebaz, Klim all restrained and the senior Vanthampurs, Thurstwell and Duke Thalamra, conducting a ritual. There is also a shield lying on the floor.

An evil soliloquy ensues and Thalamra transforms into a bat-winged mostrosity, much to everyone's utter lack of surprise. Roll initiative.

Puffin summons his old, graffitied upright piano with *Song of Creation*, and begins inspiring those around him. Thalamra throws a *Stinking Cloud* and the gang scatter out of it. Thurstwell, not one to stop a ritual even when guests arrive, executes Klim (probably to his relief at this point) and tosses him in the fire. Billie makes an astounding leap to engage Thurstwell and Puffin *Silences* Thalamra, but she flies out of it to engage Billie, whom she *Commands* to grovel.

Thurstwell goes invisible, but Franklin counters with *See Invisibility*.

The shield speaks into everyone's mind, inspiring them with new abilities. The gang level up to 5.

On that beat, the curtain falls...