Summary 59

Clearing out the complex took rather longer than anticipated, especially as certain members of the party determined to get rather deeper involved than others. We'll draw a veil over the many and varied activities that took place within the Slaaneshi den. Some people really don't learn…

You found some cash, including Hegemony stivers and Nieuw Jutonsryk Guilders (brabants), both unfamiliar to you. You also found evidence of negotiations between Nieuw Jutonsryk and the Hegemony over monetary union. This implicated most of the government, and named someone called Heganau as the Hegemony's negotiator. This would be a heinous crime against the Commonwealth and you kept this paperwork secret. You also found communications suggesting that many Boards of Governors for regional workhouses had offloaded their destitute to van Alphen. As you saw the result, you recognised the importance of these. Indeed, on your return, this was the main bargaining tool that ensured you were completely exonerated. The final prize was a sheaf of debit and credit notes from van Alphen and others in the village and region. You are unsure of the worth of these, but they might be worth something to someone with the right contacts. You also looted various mundane household items.

Returning to Fort Slaski, you saw a line of warning beacons go up, but did not recognise the fact that this appeared to suggest invasion from the west. You successfully avoided any legal problems over van Alphen and the complex by judicious negotiation with the documents from various Boards (including Director Breeman's). Apparently still without any sense of urgency, you agreed to use your 'professional experience' to examine a tunnel beneath river level of the eastern bank of the Slaski defences. You quickly discovered a brick structure, which you recognised as similar to the viewing platform that you discovered as part of the underground 'highway' way to the west. Having broken in you discovered a magical panel with 8 runes. With the help of a senior local druid you deciphered the meaning and pressed the appropriate ones. Of course, as usual, you managed to insult her and failed to accord her due deference. Chalk up another enemy to the list. The very long list.

A large piston pushed water out of the tunnel beneath your feet, and you went down. Deciding to buttress the piston's end from which some water was leaking a few went down the tunnel with instructions "not to touch anything" from Rebbekah. I really don't need to remind anyone of what happened and who did it? Eventually, and after some rather odd strategies, you defeated the 'living statue' guardians although the piston rod was very badly damaged. You discovered what appeared to be a sealed off part of an underground complex. There was not a lot of value or particular interest, which is probably just as well. It was another bare dwarf complex, but you did recognise that its presence infers a pretty widespread series of passages and habitations (albeit empty) underneath almost the entirety of the Commonwealth. You found another control panel with runes, and determined to send for the druid's help again. Meanwhile, Lukas and Wolf decided to press a rune on a sealed off tunnel, on three separate occasions even though it became ever brighter and triggered some of the runes on the master panel.

Fortunately, most of the party had left the complex when it exploded. Up top, only Thomas managed to stay on his feet, as the ground was ripped apart. Looking around at the devastation, he spoke the immortal words to the Slaski troops scattered around the floor, "I told you that it was dangerous down there". Somehow both Wolf and Lukas were washed out of the complex by the in-rushing water and a mud slide. Sadly, Khedrun was not so lucky and was buried under the debris. It was thought that this was a befitting burial site. On thepositive side, you were given a grant of money since a lot of stone had been loosened, and produced a nice little quarry. Unfortunately, Wolf tried, unsuccessfully, to hide the only treasure that you had obtained from the complex, a gromril axehead. You were all arrested for breaking your contract, having agreed to hand over all the treasure you had found for a 10% share. This was eventually sorted out.

You were allowed to continue on your journey, in the company of the religious barge to Istros, on its way to the Well of Istros holy site. This was rather mysteriously given permission to travel with you. You were welcomed on board for a short ceremony prior to departure. One piece of iconography was of great interest, portraying the goddess - in your terms as a stylised map. This suggested that a city was at the end of the river in an estuary, through mountains and into a sea or lake. This was Zalmoxispolis. Originally, deconstructing the priestesses words, you reckon that the dead were sent down the river to this City of Dead, from where they went into the Afterlife. However, there was a disaster, what she called the descent of a "darkness curtain" when the "saints" (this was a very poor translation of a word you could not translate literally) departed.

We will restart as the boats head north. The Well of Istros is about two days journey. You are now entering Petznak, where your welcome is very uncertain.

Experience (including carried over)
Jakob  50
Wolf  45
Thomas  80
Rebekah  75
Lukas  70
Bob  60