Session 7: Into the Mist Marsh

Session 7: Into the Mist Marsh

While recovering in the Dead Hole Mine the group spoke at length with Constance. She had been captured by Thurbiss and his bodyguard, a ‘swamper’ named Gulgh. They took her to Gerek’s shack, then later that night took her to be interrogated by the woman cleric in the Dead Hole Mine. Her name was Yazarax.
The cleric Yazarax wanted to know what she knew about Ragnolin Dourstone. She spilled her guts telling the woman that Ragnolin was a regular client of hers although his visits had become less frequent. The last time she saw him he was muttering something about ‘the Faceless One being displeased’. That was over a month ago.
Yazarax then untied her, and dropped her done the pit unarmed to be devoured by the creature - a Harpoon Spider. Had it not been for the group she would have been slain. It seems Yazarax was interested in Ragnolin’s secrets, whether to learn them herself or to keep them out of the hands of others.
The group discussed moving against Dourstone, but with only the testimony of a prostitute that Ragnolin may be involved there was little proof.
The two captives, Gerek and Brekard, were another matter. They were guilty of kidnapping and attempted murder. They claimed that Yazarax was probably sent by Dourstone to help Thurbiss and the gang, but they weren’t sure. Inconclusive evidence wasn’t enough to make the Garrison to move against a mine manager.
The group took the two captives and Constance to the Garrison. There Imm was able to persuade the clerics of Heironeous to take in Constance. He had taken an oath to protect her, no matter her profession. The Garrison took the two prisoners.
The group then went to Allustan for guidance and to plan their next move.
During the meeting, Allustan informed his pupil Feldnar of the visiti of the notoriously corrupt Sheriff Cubbin. It seemed he was after the group for the death of an albino half orc named Kullen.
Imm wanted to turn himself in to the authories and explain himself, to which Allustan scoffed and explained that Cubbin works for the mine manager who pays the best. To surrender to Sheriff Cubbin was to ask to be murdered in ones cell.
Allustan offered a different option. A colleague of his, a master wizard by the name of Melraque, was in town and seeking adventurers. Melraque was offering work outside town which would last several weeks and during that time Allustan would inquire as to whom was paying the Sheriff to persue the ‘murderers’.
After Imm checked with the temple of Heironeous, and found they would continue to protect Constance during the groups absence, they agreed.
Allustan arranged for a meeting with Master Melraque in his study later that day.
Melraque, a dapper man in his fourties, scarred and missing his left eye, he wears a dark blue patch, has dark graying hair, and a mustache and goatee finely waxed in the latest of court fashions. His dove grey and azure blue clothes were also of the latest cut and cloth of the court. He bore a silver holy symbol of Heironeous.
He greeting the group and at once described his reasons for seeking a band of adventurers. Lore concerning a magical cloak had come into his possession. The device known as ‘the Fiend’s Embrace’ was a lore filled item, once worn by the witch queen of Perrenland - Iggwilv, reported to have been given her by her demon prince lover, and made from the skin of a devil.
It seems a local hermit, who once lived in these parts traveled to Greyhawk to peddle his notes and other possessions before his death due to the ravages of disease. The hermit, a wizard and herbologist, though the magical cloak might be in a ruined keep in the mist marsh. Once built by a dark servant of Iggwilv.
Melraque wished the group to explore the keep using his maps, and if they locate the cloak, he will buy it from them.
Lastly, he warned that a sage he contacted in Dyvers had stolen the information and sold it to another group of adventurers. Melraque had contacted the sage to verify that a servant of Iggwilv had indeed settled in the Mist Marsh. Later, through other informants, he found the sage had peddled the information to this group who had taken off to the keep in haste.
Armed with this information the group set off to the south using Melraques map towards ‘Cold Stones Keep.’
After traveling nearly four days they started into the marsh and one night slew a group of gnolls.
The group then came across the hut of the hermit who had sold Melraque his information. The hut was occupied by a large squirrly ‘swamper’ (humans, mostly barbarians and rangers who live in and near the Mist Marsh) named Krudin, and after Mendax had a chance to sample his ‘mostly possum’ stew, he led them to the abode of an old crone who sold potions further to the south. She sold to ‘swampers’ and gnolls alike.