Loose threads The Sun-in-Shadow Cult is still on the loose stoking hatred and unrest in the poorer parts of the city. Demons in the sewers, along with ritual sentient sacrifice. The Sewer Creep is a powerful druid in the sewers with plans to kill a god.
Participants Thanja Rhuuk, Toma, Yimtakk Drivvnel Gartunk, Tali Kinsley, Gallias
Locations New Hezrath
Short summary:
We attempted to learn more about the cult of the Sun-In-Shadow, finding an anti-Radiance religion, a possible ringleader and powerful druid in the sewers known as the Sewer Creep, and social unrest fomenting in the lower city.
Full Report
This most recent trip to New Hezrath has met with much success…and some failure.
I was able to convince Toma to make the trek to New Hezrath. He’s been off doing who-knows-what in deserts and underwater temples, but thankfully we were able to visit this incredible city. Hopefully we can go again.
The mission started in Roanokae Camp , naturally where we checked with Ajan and Raket about the goings on, and about the way to New Hezrath. They assured us the road was clear, and so it was on our way to the City. We were able to enter without issue and find our way to Vulna.
I was concerned for her safety, but Raket said she was fine, and that the attack had been only a one time thing, and when we found her she was as healthy and helpful as ever…and her friend Brimko was training to joining the guard (he had been helpful in knocking out a cultist last time).
Either way, she said everything was going well and she hadn’t feared for her safety in any way. So we set about exploring the city, both looking for clues, and enjoying the sights. It was much easier having learned Escapee Tongue, and having Tali Kinsley and Yim and Toma there was exceptionally helpful. We cover a lot of each other's weaknesses, though perhaps I’m a little more redundant. At least I can move and carry heavy things. Oh, forgot about Gallias. She’s…very passionate about her god, which made me a little wary, since among our other objectives I was trying to learn about a dark god or demon. Turns out, information about the Sun-In-Shadow was properly difficult to obtain.
We were able to go to the Phantom Smithy and acquire some items. Gallias, strangely, bought a rusted sword that was more than it seemed, cleaving a demon later in the sewers. I was able to leave them the retribution axe that is bonded to my tattoo, and they changed it to a Butchering Axe to better represent my heritage. I cannot recommend this smithy enough, though if anyone makes it back there before me, I have an outstanding debt of 40gp that I would pay back to him. Tell me if anyone makes it there and I will gladly pay you back. I worry I may not be welcomed back into the city after what happened.
After that we made our first visit to the Tin Roof, gathering information and meeting a young wild mage named Enyoh, and she was able to tell us about a mysterious figure known as the Sewer Creep. There were a bunch of rumors about him, including his affinity for fungi, his fearsome description, his origins as a beast left to roam, his powerful magical ability, and that he talks to mushrooms.
In an effort to get more reputable information, we went to visit my old…acquaintance, Szi Miretusk, powerful mage, and retired Veiled Seeker. She gave us…me…a stern reproach, but she decided to look into the cult of the Sun-in-Shadow, thankfully.
Finally, before things really kicked off, we visited the Cathedral to the Radiance and asked around. A helpful acolyte answered our questions, especially Yimtakk’s, and we gathered a bit more information about The Ecclesiarch. We also received much more information than we needed about the plight of the “cursed”...tieflings born outside of the Radiance’ light. Backwards superstition and unscientific. Unbecoming of a culture with such respect for knowledge.
After exploring the city for a couple days, we were invited back to a time of revelry at the Tin Roof again. A dance hall and community meeting place in the lower city, there was much music and dancing. Toma especially seemed unburdened, hitting a dance the youth do from time to time. Gallias tried to mimic it, and Yimtakk also moved to the music while keeping an eye out. Only Tali seemed particularly at home at the dance, but we didn’t have much time before Yimtakk’s keen powers of perception (bushy eyebrows notwithstanding) noticed some even less raucous members of the dance, while Toma’s expertise with magic detected metal within their robes. These partygoers had come armed…and Vulna was there completely defenseless.
Soon, one of their number stepped to the center of the dance floor and got everyone’s attention. From what he said, he was trying to play on their discontent with the order of things. He tried to stir up their anger and resentment at being “cursed”, at living in the poor part of the city, and who knows what else. I challenged him, but he had his thugs draw their weapons. With so many bystanders in the way we were forced to choose between killing, and saving. Toma and I were able to save a good number of the common folk, while Tali ushered the last of them to safety.
The leader, coward that he was, fled instead of fighting, though I guess it was smart of him. I left the others, racing after him, and it’s at this point I worry that I made a mistake. In order to follow close enough not to lose him, I had to crash through a patrol of city watch. While they were left shouting and cursing I was able to corner the cultist in an alley. I was in an unusually black mood, and confess he was in a great deal of danger
Luckily for him he answered my questions, and confessed that he was trying to start a rebellion of sorts to make the upper class pay. He also confessed that the Sewer Creep was real, that they both served the Sun-in-Shadow, and that the Sewer Creep and others were planning to kill a god.
He also said he had nothing to do with Vulna, and that apparently there are many dissidents in this “cult” . I don't know if I believe him, but it makes some sense. The others spoke abyssal, and this one only seemed to speak Catfolk and Escapee Tongue.
We were able to regroup and head into the sewers, and true to his word, this young cultist was able to lead us to the Sewer Creep, after a brief encounter with fungal zombies of sorts. They were clearly too injured to remain alive, and the puppet master was clearly manipulating the swarms of servants. But after they died, this Sewer Creep ended up outflanking us, intent on chastising us before digging through the sewer fungus and moss.
He spoke like a crazy old man, but that didn’t line up with the cultist’s story. I was…very torn either way and may have threatened him, but we decided against violence. He…seemed very scattered, but there was a familiarity with which he talked to the cultist, though he claimed to have never seen him…I believe he was lying but I couldn’t prove it, or explain to Toma in the moment why. He charged us with clearing out some “pests” from the tunnels, but it turns out those pests were two demons, a Vrock and a goat headed demon with a fiery sword.
It was a very dangerous fight, but we were able to destroy them both. We also found an altar and a number of old knicknacks or relics. Gallias destroyed the Altar after Yimtakk sketched it. Gallia’s rusted sword also transformed into a holy relic. This city has no limit to the secrets it holds, and seems to be a battleground between light and darkness. I…regret not being able to learn more. Fearful for my ability to return should the authorities catch me, I recalled with Yimtakk, hoping that the guards would forget all about the incident. I wait for Toma to complete the report, but all told, the city is still wonderful, but I’m worried something dark is eating the heart of it. I WILL return to learn more…I just hope I’ll be allowed to enter.
Attested,
Thanja Rhuuk
In a different handwriting:
Following Thanja and Yimtakk’s departure, Tali, Gallias and I spotted a quartet of guards. They quickly identified us as accomplices of the “suspect” and confronted us. I tried to reason with them to the best of my ability, but what really convinced them was Tali’s eloquent charm and command over words. With poise that befits a noblewoman along with divine guidance courtesy of Gallias, she painted us as poor victims of the cultist’s attack. The Vrock’s wings that I wanted as a trophy was the final proof they needed to conclude our innocence.
We were taken to the Cathedral of Numberless Lights where a concerned acolyte, who confirmed the wings were indeed demonic, wished to keep them to show the Ecclesiarch. Unwilling to part with the keepsake, I requested an audience with the Ecclesiarch instead. The acolyte reluctantly agreed and even made arrangements for our night stay at the luxurious Pillow Prince Inn.
After a much needed bath, the three of us went to pay Szi Miretusk a visit. We shared our findings with her, and she shared hers with us. We learned the Sun-in-Shadow also known as The Dark Deity or the Sable God was a counterpart to the Radiance whose worship was thought to have died out. She appraised the other trinkets we picked up at the demons’ lair identifying the silver coronet as a relic of the church which was stolen some time ago. She also confirmed the damaged prayer book as property of the Church though its state made it hard to gain any more information. She promised to look further into the cult and we left, grateful for her time.
The next morning, we honored our appointment with the Ecclesiarch. She looked unwell and diminished, which she attributed to a holy ritual she performed recently. Nevertheless, she inspected the wings, the coronet and the damaged prayer book. She must have been quite happy to have the coronet returned for she briefly slipped into Celestial upon seeing it. She insisted the book be restored by the Church acolytes rather than handed over to the Guild, something that I had to reluctantly agree to. Thus, I packed up the demon wings once again, having returned the coronet and prayer book to their rightful place. As predicted by Szi, the Church rewarded us handsomely for our service and we recalled to First Landing, several hundred gold pieces richer, though not before I paid off Thanja’s loan to the Phantom Smithy, buying an interesting contraption in the process.
Attested,
Toma