Episode 3--Letters to Rosalyn

Rosalyn,

I am afraid we have made a good deal of trouble here, but are no nearer to our goal.

We went to the hideout of the Otter Clan, led by Vixen and Anvar. En route, Vixen asked Delilah if we would keep Anvar from going into the hideout: although the half-orc puts up a good front, he is much more injured than he has let on. This was evident to all of us, and when we arrived at the Otter hideout we convinced him to remain on watch outside.

Inside the Otter hideout we found more questions than answers, and more traps than questions. Through a combination of cleverness, quick thinking, and some rather fast action on Tikaani's part, we managed to make our way all the way through the lair of the well-diggers which was... Trapped. Some of the traps even appeared to have traps, and what is more, some of the traps were fake. We eventually managed to find our way through an underground passage to a secret room in which the Otters had hidden the Idol of Many Hands (which we secured), along with all of their treasure - a very significant amount of coin totaling in excess of 200 ducats - to which my companions readily helped themselves.

Oh, I know what you are thinking. Tristan Foxfur, son of a good family from the Margravate of Griffonsford, star pupil of Gervaise Starhand of the Gareth Academy of Sword and Staff, has been reduced to dire straights if he is skulking about the lairs of thieves' guilds, relieving them of their ill-gotten treasures. I know. I have had the same thoughts and, I trust, many other recriminations which simply could not have originated in your gentle heart. Know that I do hope, when this business with the Cult is over, to settle down and earn a more honest living, but in any case it appears that all we did was to rescue the Otter's treasure from otherwise certain destruction (along with a very fair copy of Herbarium Kuslikum, the seventh volume). For, as my companions had just finished stuffing the ill-gotten gains of the Otter gang into a bag, Anvar sounded the alarm. We made a dash for the street and Ilcoron, to cover our retreat, set the Otter's hideout ablaze. Vixen and Tikaani got into a brief scuffle with them, and by the time we all managed to get away (Delilah and I managed to sneak away with the head) the Otters stood on the brink of an all-out gang war with the Foxes.

While exploring the hideout we found the body of one of the dead Otters. The man had been stabbed repeatedly and then dragged to his bed, possibly to make it look as though he had died there. I fear that the Otters will now believe that the Foxes were responsible for his murder, although my theory is that one of the Daggers or an Otter who was complicit with them (there were two Otters missing) must have killed him when he had come to switch out the heads.

Returning the true Idol back to Dalia, we removed the false head from Phex's altar and then cut open the fake. Within it, concealed in a small black velvet bag, there was some kind of ceramic spider, a kharmic artifact of the Nameless One which had been intended to desecrate the altar of Phex. At the Steward-Vicar's request I took for it and deposited it in a safe place outside of town, far away from the altars of the gods. Wearily and with a foreboding about what the morrow might bring, we returned to Mirabelle's to rest for the night while the servants of the God of Thieves searched the city for rumors of the cult.

Episode 2--Letters to Rosalyn

Rosalyn,

I have only moments to write: soon I must go into the heart of this city in search of the servants of the Nameless One. I have given this letter to Mirabelle to send should I not return. You are in my mind and upon my heart even now. I do not look for death - and the Twelve know I do not wish it - but to fight against such evils in the service of the gods and others is the purpose for which I was trained.

After freeing Anvar, he led us to the Fox "hideout" - a tavern run by the Fox gang - and there we were seen to by the Foxes' bonesetter, who patched up Ilcoron (and saw to my wounds as well, although these were small). We had a few hours of rest before the race was to begin, so we spent it nursing our injuries and planning our next move. We reasoned that the key would be to find out whether the head had already been switched for the defiled duplicate, or whether the head was to be switched during the race. As the easiest way to determine this would be to participate in the race ourselves, Anvar made us all temporary members of the Fox gang. I am not sure what my old master would say if he could see me now, but perhaps he would understand how needful it was. He often took me to task for being too quick to trust in my magic. I confess that my use of it may not have been as judicious as would have been hoped this day, but he would at least be glad to see that I took his counsel to rely on the wit and wisdom of my companions as much as on the considerable arcane powers at my disposal.

Speaking of my companions, while we were resting Delilah returned with a new companion, a Nevise tribal warrior named Tikaani. Although primitive she is very robust, and I think she will be a valuable contribution to our little band (as you shall see). At this point I spoke with my companions: Delilah, Ilcoron, and Tikaani. I said that although we (all save Tikaani) had finished the job rescuing Anvar, there was something even more sinister afoot in this town. Although my role as a White Mage demands that I pursue the matter to its conclusion, the others had no such compunction laid upon them. Therefore, I undertook out of my (not very considerable) personal funds to hire my three companions to help me find the switched-out head, and put an end to a cult of the Nameless One if indeed such exists here in Phexcaer.

That done, and our wounds all searched and leeched, we made our way to the Otter hideout for the beginning of the race. With a bit of muscle from the Nevise warrior and a bit of magic on my part, we managed to get ahold of the head right off and - Twelve be thanked for this - by numerous hijinks and street brawls with which I will not bore you, we managed to keep control of the head throughout most of the race, placing it at last on the Altar of Phex. I am afraid my old master would have frowned upon my involvement in what have must have looked like a number of common street brawls, but some things are more important than our pride.

Placing the head upon the altar allowed us both a closer look at the head as well as a relatively private audience with Delia, the Steward Vicar of the city. We were able to show her that the head was a forgery (there was very clearly a bit where the statue had been plastered over, and something had been concealed within) and advised her to take it off of the altar at once, for the servants of the Nameless One were abroad, and they intended to use the head to sully the altar of Phex. Although the Steward Vicar believed us (and seemed troubled, perhaps by dreams or visions given to her by the god of riddles and tricks?) she advised against removing the head: to do so, without replacing it with the original, would cause blame to be passed around among the various gangs and could be the spark that ignites a bloody street war. We are left with only one option -- to find the original within the next thirteen hours. It is to this task I go now, and may Hesinde give strength to what little magic I have left. I fear it may not be enough for this task.

Episode 2--Delilah's Diary

It feels like quite awhile since I last wrote, but as I look at the date on top of this page I realize it has only been a day. What a day, though!

We started out with a brief rest in the inn where we planned our next move. Tristan, of course, feels duty bound to fight the Nameless One cult, and he offered to re-hire us to locate the head and stop the cultists. Of course I said yes. I haven't had enough time to observe these people, and am certain they are a treasure trove of solid writing inspiration. And, honestly, I'm pretty sure that whatever the cultists are planning is pretty bad stuff. Maybe fighting isn't so much my cup of tea, but I wouldn't miss this for the world. Vixen said we would be Foxes for the day, and I asked whether I could have a temporary tattoo to match hers. The others weren't too keen on the idea, but Vixen and I sure enjoyed it. A Member of a thieves guild for a day!! Whee!!!

Anyway. We all agreed, even the new party member, Tikaani. Oh!! I should mention her. I found her myself.  She's a tribal warrior more than six feet tall and was facing down a group of heavily tattooed Thorwaler pairates. When I noticed it the Thorwaler was yelling at her and trying to scare her. Well. She showed him. Instead of backing down she spit in his face, then loomed over him and asked directions again. I think he nearly wet himself! When she stalked toward the inn I grabbed her arm, introduced myself, and showed her in. As you will see, she turned out to be quite useful.

We concluded that the best plan would be to win the race for the foxes, which would give us a chance to examine the fake head because they would be given custody of it. Tikaani was tasked with carrying the head in a backpack. Tristan and Ilcorn would clear her way. And I volunteered to provide a distraction. I set up shop in the market square. There was a little sinking feeling beforehand. How would I be able to distract so many people from the race they had been anticipating for the entire year?? As the head was brought forward I began my performance.

Well, as usual, the nervousness was unfounded. I haven't come this far by being unskilled at my work. I distracted a full quarter of the marketplace, and even one of the Otters carrying the head itself!! It was just enough of a rouse to give the other members of the party an opportunity to snatch the head from under their noses. 

Tikaani was off like a shot, Ilcorn and Tristin following closely after. They first encountered the Cat Guild, a group of women who attacked them with perfume bottles filled with something that blinded and numbed the senses. Tristan used his magic on them--something with a blinding light again, he does like that move. I had snatched my not-inconsiderable earnings and followed after, which was fortunate because about the time I caught up Tikaani, who had made good progress up to that point, fell prey to one of the traps. With Ilcorns help I was able to nab the head--much to the surprise of the other competitors, for remember the head is about 60 lbs and I was still in my dancers regalia! The variety of traps and subtleties the other guilds had created was remarkable--pits, false way-stops, distractions, road blocks, etc. But the four of us made it through to the end, one way or the other. 

As I wish this to be an honest account, there is one rather unflattering detail I must include. At the very end of the race no one recognized me from the guilds, and the priest asked me who I was with. (I can feel my face flaming again as I write this). My mind had been so stuck on the Daggers and their evil plot that the first thing I blurted out was "The Daggers!!" The look of abject horror on my companions faces was enough to make me realize that after such a long and successful race, I had made my first terrible misstep. I quickly raised up my wrist--thank Phex for the tattoos!--and shouted, "I mean the Foxes! We're with the Foxes! I'm part of the Fox Guild!!" There was a confused silence from the crowd, then uncertain cheers that finally grew. That was a close one. 

 Upon being led into the temple, the head was placed on the pedestal--Tristan asked to speak alone with the head Priestess, Delia, and she had everyone leave the room. Tristan explained that this was a fake head, and showed her the plastered over area on the bottom. He also explained that our understanding is that the object in the fake head had to remain in the temple for 13 hours before unleashing whatever evil the Daggers had planned. She said it was important that no one knew of the plot, and suggested that if we found the real head--probably somewhere in the Otter's lair--we could then replace it without anyone being the wiser. 

We thought this was a good plan, and agreed quickly.