Episode V: Against the Rat God II (Junar 18-22)

Emeris encounters his old friend Aelrich, who was recently disowned by the famous Dalmorian family because of a curse placed on him by the dark god, demon of destruction Vazdah. Emeris tells him to join Darkwater. Having no other options, Aelrich agrees.

Plans are reviewed for handling the shivel shipment when it arrives. Darusa explains that the shipment is coming from Sallachor Isle, location of the largest local processing facility, was mysteriously attacked and wiped out. Darusa’s partner has salvaged this last shipment of the drug from the ruins of the island.

The next day Aelrich goes shopping for adventuring gear and Early buys firearms. Emeris retrieves the translated ledger from the orcish library. Most interesting is the fact that “Methul Watcher” hired Toridan for 200 gp to slay Phon and subcontract the job to someone else. They spend the rest of the day seeking information about this Methul Watcher, but find nothing—other than the fact that an eastern swordswoman was also asking about a man named Methul Watcher. Early takes this information to the Commissar’s office, suspecting a link between Methul Watcher and Gareth’s assassination. The Commissar’s men report the name to Judge Rahl. They also learn that Fabitor returns July 1 from the acolytes at St. Gustav’s.

That night at the docks, the ship carrying the ship goes up in flames and sinks into the harbour. The Darkwater group flees the scene and Darusa immediately disappears to do “damage control”.

The next day they investigate Methul Watcher and try to find the eastern woman, even renting out a room at an inn in the south market where the woman was spotted. All they are able to find out about her is that she asking about Methul Watcher, and a man with red eyes. Early receives a number of messages—Rahl writes to him that “There is no Methul Watcher.” The group suspects the government may be hiding something in this matter. Zanik, the contact with the Rat God Temple, also contacts him and sets up a meeting the following evening to work on the machine.

The next day the group attends the Republican rally where they see the range of public opinion about the group. Their leader charismatic, Helmut Itlstein, gives a rousing pro-democracy speech. Other speakers denounce the Empire’s taxation and its policy on secession. There Mand Scheben of the Temple of Ashe asks them to meet him at Castle Shard to help resolve a matter on June 23/

When night falls, the company goes to meet Zanik. Early and Aeldrich pose as machinist and assistant while Emeris and Dziga sneakily follow behind. Zanik is there with a few disguised ratmen cohorts. Zanik leads them to the entrance to the Temple but then one of the ratmen spots Emeris. A fight ensues that leaves the enemies dead in the alley. The heroes enter the temple of the rat god and find a hidden staircase underneath a disturbing rat idol. There they are ambushed by ratmen and dire rats in a narrow hallway, and faced a massive ratbrute that nearly finished the party. Both Early and Emeris went down, Aeldrich both kept his friends alive and finished the monster with a spell.

Next time: The heroes have discovered the Rat God’s secret domain. Can the defeat the enemies within?