The party return from their shopping trip to the City to find there have been a number of
changes in Zothay in the short time they were away.
The gates of the
Beggar’s Quarter have been removed causing an
immediate rise in property
prices in the area. A riot ensued when some former householders realised that they had been
duped into selling their properties in the Quarter immediately before this happened.
Apparently one or two nobles began buying up property in the Quarter for good prices. A
Halfling merchant called Beryl bought up a whole block. The hobbits of Stomper Enterprises
made a quick 100gp by selling their premises and leasing it back as did the hobbit herbalist.
Four people were killed in the riots and tension was high. The City Watch denied responsibility
and put it down to the arrest and execution of Revin Olthar a guard captain accused of being
in league with the Thieves’ Guild and engineering a recent robbery. All the dead say the
Watch were members of the Thieves’ Guild including Hak the Black, reputed to be the leader,
and were killed with daggers indicating it to be the work of factions within the Guild.
Beryl the merchant has announced her block of properties she bought will now include a Temple
to the Maid, a Temple to Kazadarum and an inn licensed for dwarves and hobbits only
(for accommodation purposes). This indicates she must have some clout with the city
authorities.
Rumours in the taverns are as follows:
- Five Thieves have been arrested and expelled from the city.
- The Thieves Guild is hiring halflings for to provide information.
- A shady new head of the Guild is believed to be a demon.
- The new head of the guild is called Zara the Unclean.
- A Temple to
Odin is to be built in the city.
- The Slave market is to continue and this is bound to be the next bone of contention
between the Tyrant and the Governor.
- The Three Plates had an hour of two
drinks for the price of one last night – the place
was packed.
The party haven't been back long before they hear there have been some further killings
in the Beggars' Quarter - this time of beggars believed to be followers of the god
Shakkur.
Again the Watch blame the Thieves'Guild.
Reflecting on their recent dreams the party ask
Thatis to research the likely whereabouts
of a temple beneath a lake where they may be 'cured' of their current undead state. He
recommends sailing south to the
Isle of the Blest where legend has it there is a such a
temple.
A captain sailing to
Rallu gives them passage for a modest 25gp on a no questions asked basis.
Thatis has a further dream which indicates where the party should land on the isle. As the boat
nears the Isle of the Blest, however, all the party have similar but contradictary dreams. Wisely
the party choose the original landing site and are there met by an elf who claims he will
act as a guide to the Temple of
Amfilos. He explains he has a number of brothers who worship
Enfilos who may be in the area impersonating him so the party
take a number of precautions
including codewords to ensure they are always dealing with the genuine guide.
First their guide explains they need to retrieve a long lost book of religious rites from
a secret ruined temple sited on a small island north of the Isles of the Blest. They journey
in his small boat to the isle and access the temple through an ancient well. They make their
way through a labyrinth filled with giant rats and snakes somewaht grateful that in their
current state they are immune to poison. In the temple iteself they are beset by skeletons and
ghosts but retrieve the book and a number of other tomes from a hidden library. Their
guide then leads them by secret ways to the
Lake of the Gods and the under-lake temple where
they have been expected.
There the ceremony takes place which converts them back to living members of their original
races and a deal with various Gods of Oerth is confirmed.
The party also take new names having forgotten their name fromtheir previous life
- Midge/Wighty becomes Middy Allanoa but wants to be known by the popular halfling nickname
of 'Midge'
- Lura/Gura becomes Eluriel
- Brand becomes Solomon
- Dindle/Dil becomes Foddlewick
- Roc/Narin (meaning 'no name') leave it to the gods to name him and becomes
Narin (meaning 'spokesman')
Back in Zothay Thatis journeys to the Temple of Athena on the headland which stretches
into Damkina Bay. There he too undergoes a ceremony which confirms him as a potential champion
of Athena. Afterwards a secret meeting is called and the ruler of Zothay, Kritas the Red,
makes a deal with the Temple. He promises to institute a number of reforms in return for
support from Athena in gaining independence from the Skandiks.
Irina the merchant who is
at the meeting promises to secretly arm the city (a move somewhat at odds with her
carefully explained policies). The Temple, however, needs to recover
a number of ancient artefacts before they can support a war. At this point everyone in the
room starts
looking at the party.....