We did not even step into the room before we were attacked by two more. Nerull acolytes. The room was filled with prison cells and in the one to the left was a huge hulking oozing beast that one of the acolytes opened the cell for.  Friz jumped down and closed it again leaning his thin body against it.  I did not think that would be much of a deterrent to the beast. Nine seemed frozen in place and Raelin and Samus seemed to not want to hit the acolytes. I knew there was spell work at play like the acolytes upstairs and I used my rode to burn a hole through one.  Friz too was frozen and the beast easily flung his stiff body aside as it plowed through the door.  I cast haste on Samus who took him down and pinned the beast.  Samus cried out in pain as every time he hit him acid splashed across his hands and chest.  Nine was free and hit the other acolyte with his iron fists. and Friz asked if anyone would like to help us.  A human in the first cell volunteered.  Friz was up calling out to see who needed healing and who would help us.  A human, Richard Smitts called out he was good with the blade. Friz went over to his cell and broke him out using acid.  Friz gave Richard his dagger and the jittery man jumped into the fray.

Raelin caught the acid ooze beast in the ribs killing it where it lay pinned.  Nine pounded the acolyte over the head with his stone fist drilling him into the ground.  The final acolyte threw up darkness and I nailed him with a jolt of lightning before he got out the door.

There were two other prisoners beside Richard, who was a beggar/hustler/thief in the Low Quarter; there was: Jacqueline “Jackie” Latke – a companion and Reginald Meeks, a noble from Nevond.  He said he is a first class negotiator and for his rescue we will gain a reward. Need to reach out to his man, Jonathan Gulic.

Raelin pointed out that these folks were snatched up based on the other bounty:

100 gold coin bounty for miscreants, vagabonds, foreigners, and other scum that will not be missed.  Must be unharmed and restrained and still have their wits about them. See Lifton Wales for bounty collection – 473 Stepway Lane.

Jackie said she remembers Obscura.  She was in the cells when Jackie was brought down. Obscura said she was looking for a bone.  The priests took her away about 3 weeks ago.

Jackie also remembers Jade Minson, Robert Cumpegna, Chauncy Green – all taken away by the priests during her time her.   (three other names on the list). She was in the prisons the longest about 3 weeks with Richard and Reginald only a few days.

Nine and Samus found a collapsed tunnel in the back and started digging – shoring up the ceiling with a table. The rest of us searched the room and found a summoning circle – I could see that it was used to summon demons – like that acid pus creature Samus and Raelin killed. We scrapped off a single line to make it inoperable.  We also found:

·        1 necklace of Nerull (Protection +1) (F)

·        6 4 red robes with symbols of Nerull (R)

·        Incense and a tinderbox (R)

·        A magic dagger from under the ruble (F)

·        Note found in prison cell:

All are doomed to this cell. The priests are going to sacrifice you to Nerull at his temple.  Escape or die trying.  Tell my story.

In the back was a locked room with a magical glyph over the doorway.  I had read of these glyphs that can explode if not disarmed by the passwords. Jackie said only Grayson went in there – even the acolytes weren’t allowed. Friz asked Jackie if she ever heard Grayson say the password and she said only Nerull.  Friz called out “Hail Nerull” and the Glyph went dark.  Grayson needs to be more imaginative in his passwords because that was pathetic!

Jackie and Reinald donned two of the red robes and decided to try to get out on their own.  Richard agreed to come with us and we gave him an extra suit of leather armor and a scimitar. The room opened up into a larger room with a hallway in the back.  We stood on either side as Raelin sent his mage hand to try the door at the end of the hallway. It opened and we called down to Greyson who strode down the hallway.  He was a tall human with a gleaming amulet of Nerull around his neck. “I am to tell you that Snargras is the one who paid for the hit on you, Bender, and your family.  And now, I will do what Snargras asked me to.”  He let lose a wave of necrotic energy and we all doubled over in pain as the energy ripped through us filling our insides with such evil that we gagged on it.  Greyson sent forth a shadow creature – like we saw in the alleyway and disappeared back into the room.  The ground shook and the stones crumbled as a huge hulking beast make his way down the hallway toward us. 

I looked to the painfilled faces of my team and took out the Orb of Storms.  “Boys, run if you have to” and I misty stepped behind the creature and close enough to Greyson so they both would be caught in the storm.  “NEPHIS!” I cried and the storm gathered around me and lighting and thunder struck Greyson, me and the creature and I sunk into blackness.

I awoke to Raelin helping me up.  The boys had defeated the creature that Raelin knew as an Umber Hulk and when they got to me, Greyson was no where to be seen.  In his back chamber we found a:

Note from Snargras to Greyson:

As agreed, I have delivered to you the required sum to substantiate my personal executions, along with the appropriate soul gems.  Kindly see to it that this “Bender” and his family are exterminated with all haste.  Oh, and I will reward you in addition if you send them off with my regards.  I will meet you in the rectory in a fortnight for enjoyable activities.

Greyson seemed to be using the Umber Hulk to dig for him and Samus noticed that the stones that they were digging through were older hewed cut stones – ancient architecture. We don’t know what it means – but maybe Edwina and the Dwarves of Morodin do. 

While Nine and Samus were digging, Friz went and collected: Plates, claws, mandibles, ichor from the demon and the dust from the shadow.

I asked what soul gems were and Raelin said they are currency used by demons.  They are trapped souls in gems.  Raelin thinks this this what the Nerull are doing to the prisoners – making soul gems and using the husk of a body for their undead army.  Raelin kept talking but I stopped listening.  My body had gone cold, and I leaned against the wall for support and slid down as my legs would not let me stand.  I am not one to cry let alone to cry in front of my team, but the wave of despair overwhelmed me.  I knew then and there, Obscura was dead, and I had failed Archie, her grandfather.  I had sworn to protect her and I did just the opposite and sent her into danger. The boys, bless their souls, instantly tried to assure me she was alive and even if she was dead, we would find a way to bring her back.  Even Raelin, who was the most jaded of all of us tried to be optimistic. The despair was replaced with such a hatred for Snargras, as it was he who had her taken, it was he who paid for her sacrifice.  I swore to the boys we would see him dead, and it would be me killing him.  The red haze that had taken me left me just as quickly and Samus helped me up and I dried my eyes with a handkerchief and thanked them for their kindness. 

We needed to remember the mission and we needed to know what Grayson was digging for.  We would go talk to Edwina and the dwarves in the sewers – maybe they could lend us equipment or help us dig and then we would gather more information around rectories in Rel Astra for Nerull so we could also meet Snargras and Nerull.