Present: Felix, James, Sarah, Shane.
We needed to get out of the sewers. Too dangerous for Cornelia and her daughter. Too many wererats around us, and could hear more in the tunnels. Continued north looking for an exit. Kal stayed behind. Jumped on the leader's back, holding him there. Two of the wererats stayed with their leader trying to free him from the wolf's grip, but one followed us.
We trading blows with the Iron Ring's rat men as we went. Xavian disappeared from sight only to reappear and strike at them. As we killed one, another appeared from a side tunnel we past. Eli carried the child for speed, throwing fire with her free hand. Cornelia was injured, needed my healing skills. The wererats received a blast of lightning from my staff, knocking them off their feet.
Heard Kal snarling in my mind, he clung tightly to their leader who couldn't shake him off. The wererats bit into the wolf. Kal's physical form succumbed to their attacks, but the spirit still held on awhile longer! Gave us time to escape.
We reached an exit. I took the child and climbed out first. Emerged in the river, and underwater. Swam up to the surface. The young girl was terrified. Cornelia followed, knowing her child was safe, ahead of her. Xavian and Eli left after her. I quickly called Kal back to me. He appeared in the water, helped me reach the shore with the girl.
Ran down the shore to our boat. Glanced back and saw the wererats chasing us, running in rat form. Xavian started to push the boat down the bank. I got the girl inside first then helped him push. Once floating, we could climb aboard. Kal jumped in first to help pull me in. Heard the guard up on the sea wall, come to investigate. Shouted at us to stop. No chance of that, now we knew they were Iron Ring too. Eli threw fire balls at the sea wall as warning shots to keep them back.
Xavian and I rowed the boat across the river. Eli worked on calming Cornelia and her daughter, both were shaken up by the ordeal in the sewers. In her blabbering, Cornelia admitted what we'd all been thinking - Gavril was her lover and the child was his.
Landed the boat outside the logging camp. Xavian went in first to find Gavril. Told us he was stopped by a guard asking if his business was about the dwarves. That explained the boy's remark before then. Gavril clearly wanted to spent time with Cornelia, asked us to come back another time.
We walked back to town. Eli had emerged clean from the sewers, used a cleansing ritual when we'd entered. Xavian gave Eli the cost in gold pieces for the same spell to clean his fancy clothes. Kal and I just washed off a little more in the river.
Fortunately only the normal city guard were present on the Threshold gate. Told us our merchant passes expired tomorrow, needed to renew them.
Returned to the blacksmith. Hadn't realised his name was Vladimir, but was his name Eli had borrowed for her rouse on Fogor Isle. Asked him about the mercenaries being members of the Iron Ring. Told us not to speak of it, was no proof to the rumours, but people who said as much disappeared. Rumours also said the Duke would send his men in soon to deal with the situation if no improvement.
Got supper back at our inn. Mundus had left a note for me. Said he'd sent word to the capital to confirm his findings. Used an elven courier, would know by the next evening. Elf must be fey stepping to cover the distance so quickly.
Quiet day in Threshold. Visited Mundus in the evening, eager to hear what he'd found. Arrived at his house and saw two dragonborn striding away from the area. 7 or 8 feet tall, wearing full plate mail. Unusual sight here.
Mundus appeared quite shaken. Was claiming he'd not found anything. Had conferred with a sage named Bismark in Specularum, but his lead had proved false. Wanted his shield in payment, then wanted us to leave. He'd been silenced!
Ran down the street after the dragonborn. Caught them mounting up at the town gate. I called to them in Draconic, to wait as I would speak with them. They ignored me. I challenged them on their dealings with Mundus; one of the dragonborn replied it was none of my business. I pressed him, giving the Darksbane name. He was still dismissive, said if I knew anything about Darksbane he wouldn't have to be here. When I claimed that as my paternal name, he only said "we know who you are" and advised me not to remain in the area! The dragonborn rode out of town. Their purpose here had been to prevent me learning anything.
Frustrated I returned to the inn with my friends. Gavril had left a package for us, some magical items from his own adventuring days. Included some armour better than my own. That was a more pleasant surprise.
