Episode 9, "Consequences"

After the brutal squabble with the slaver caravan yesterday afternoon, the party had relocated the wagons, horses, slaves, and corpses south of the road in the foothills in order to stay out of the public eye and to get some R&R. Most enjoyed a quiet night of slumber in the wilderness, except for Fhasys who opted to take one of the horses behind a rock and mutilate it in her sleep (see curse). The heroes awoke early in the morning feeling rested, then set to the task of dealing with the dead guards' bodies.

Deciding against burning them due to concerns about smoke, Vyreth and Doc wheeled the cart of corpses out of sight, behind a huge boulder. While the duo dealt with the bodies, a heavily armored dwarf flanked by the two slaver guards who had fled the scene shortly before the battle sauntered into the camp and engaged Talos in conversation.

The dwarf had ridden from Quanlo representing the Iron Gate, Quanlo's local law enforcers, sent to investigate claims made by the two slaver guards that the caravan was under attack. The two guards set out to investigate the camp for signs of struggle and to locate the missing guards and Talon while the dwarf explained the situation to Talos. Unfortunately, Talos wasn't feeling so friendly this morning and decided to cut the conversation short by sending an arc of flames in the dwarf's general direction. Combat ensued.

Talos was readily cut down by the dwarf and the two guards rode into the melee to help subdue the rest. However, after a few blows were exchanged, Doc decided to try and talk some sense into the visitors and offer peaceful resolution. Explaining that Talos had been cursed and is under the influence of witch craft, he pleaded that the guards allow the party to continue their journey unimpeded. The dwarf offered his own suggestion, one which involved the heroes surrendering their weapons and waiting until the investigation was complete. Fhasys decided she'd had enough talk and combat resumed... for a short while anyhow, until the rest of the visitors made an appearance. An archer loosed a couple arrows from behind a rock, and a mage cast Hold Person on Vyreth thoroughly irritating him. In a sudden change of heart, Fhasys decided to be the first to put her weapons down and the remainder of the party followed suit. Doc was allowed to stabilize Talos, and the guards began securing the party's weapons, binding their hands, collecting the slaves, and resuming the investigation. It wasn't long before one of the scouts discovered the wagon of corpses and the investigation came to a close. Talos meanwhile, as a guard was attempting to bind his wrists, cast invisibility on himself and climbed atop the slave wagon. The guards scouted the area but couldn't locate him.

The heroes were stuffed into a single wagon alongside the slaves, and the entire crew rode back to Quanlo in formation, Talos still invisible and riding on top. During the short 15min ride back to Quanlo, Vyreth managed to loosen Fhasys' bindings and vice-versa. The caravan arrived to the city gates, was met by a regiment of Iron Gate guards and the mayor, and the heroes were ordered into the holding cells beneath the barracks until questioning. The wagon containing the slaves was turned around and sent to its original destination... something or some place referred to as "Thanon". All of the party's belongings remained in a pile in the courtyard while they were escorted through the city. Talos, still invisible, followed closely behind.

The group was lead through the various districts of Quanlo and eventually through the Iron Gate training grounds, through the barracks, and into the holding cells. Talos kept an eye on the system of gates that were unlocked and locked as they were lead to their cells, and lingered in the guard room deciding what course of action to take next. Using the power of Suggestion, he convinced the lead guard that better times were to be had at the local inn where a fresh shipment of whores and booze had just arrived. Thoroughly convinced, the lead guard convinced one of his lackeys to follow suit, and they headed out... much to the disapproval of the remaining guard. Talos then made quick work of the last guard by bludgeoning his head in with an iron poker, very unbecoming of him but... desperate times... As Talos set to removing the guard's armor, he suddenly was hit with an urge to search for keys! He found one.

As much commotion was being made outside in the barracks over the jailkeeper's sudden decision to abandon his post, Talos unlocked the holding cell gates and descended into the room where his friends were being held. The sound of voices and footsteps began to draw near and Talos readied his bow. A sound of astonishment erupted from the guard room above as the body was discovered, and Talos once again went invisible. The new guards came barreling down into the jail cell room only to find... nothing. Once their bewilderment wore off, they went back upstairs to sort out the situation. Talos followed the guards back out, through the barracks and into the training courtyard in search of a major distraction. He doused a nearby wooden awning with oil and lit it on fire, drawing the attention of most of the guards in the barracks. As the guards went to work dousing the fire, Talos resumed his rescue operation.

Zapping the locks of his friends' cells with a few strategically placed Magic Missiles, the party was once again united! Vyreth cloaked the entire crew with his own version of an invisibility blanket, and the heroes hastily made their retreat. Doc, recalling a shady hideout that he and his friends used to frequent--the Troublesome Troll--decided it'd be best to head there in search of shelter. The heroes wound their way back to the lower wards and toward the Troublesome Troll spotting several "wanted" posters for Doc along the way, but just as they came close were beckoned into a side alley by a stranger shrouded in shadow. Fhasys, putting two-and-two together, was struck by the fact that they were invisible yet this person could see them? Indeed.

The half-elf man, dressed to the nines in assassin-like garb, armor adorned with symbols of red painted hands, introduced himself as Laethin, member of the Red Hand--a group that Doc recognized as being the local thieves guild. Doc reassured the party of Lethin's qualifications and, given the current risk to themselves, they all decided to follow Laethin's advice. The group was lead through some more dingy back alleyways, into an old abandoned church, through a secret wall, and down into the nest of the Quanlo thieves guild to discuss "a proposal" with the guild's leader.

Despite their temporary shelter in the Red Hand den, the Iron Gate has intensified their search for the entire party. In addition to Doc's mug being posted all around town, the Gate now has reason to suspect them in the murders of the slaver guards (on Quanlo's payroll), the murder of one of the jail keepers, and now a mysterious fire that was set just outside the barracks. Things are not looking good for our friends this day, but they still have important business to attend to with Reeser in the mages guild... If they can manage to get there in one piece.