Welcoming Party

Our hearty adventurers are standing at the end of a blind alley, apparently in Citadel Cavitius.  Looking around the group decided that the best hope was to move toward the skull streetlamp at the entrance to the alley.  As they approached this area an Ogre stepped out of the gloom and said,
"Well, I thought I smelled something fouler than usual around here!" As he shifted a wicked looking executioners blade from hand to hand.  Three other large Ogres appeared farther in the street.  The group recognized that they were again facing a group of Iuz's ogre warriors.
"I thought my lord Iuz was mistaken when he predicted you would be strong enough to follow us. Shame on me for doubting the Old One!  Now, we'll turn you into playthings for the necromaners in this hellhole!"


Melisana asked what the Ogres and Iuz were after in the Citadel.  The Ogre said that they were left behind to watch for the party while Iuz went to Vecna's Palace to meet with Vecna.  At this the Ogre's prepared to attack and the party steeled their nerves as eight more Ogres appeared on the street.  The Ogre Champions charged the party and attacked with their heavy flails.  The Executioner's blade alternately knocked members of the party prone or dazed them.  When prone the party was subject to additional damage from the Champions.  The eight Bludgeoners moved up to attack and several fell, apparently minions.  Melisana took an action and flew out into the street where she was quickly surrounded by Ogres.

Gofin also teleported out into the street where she found herself flanked by a couple of minions.  Pretis and Mara soon found that if an Ogre was near them and they didn't attack it, it attacked them and knocked them prone.  Pretis and Mara attempted to block the alley with their prone bodies.  Lythandar threw some area attack effects into the group of Ogres while Demin peppered them with bolts.  Alhellara used her ranged attacks to good use and also had to provide healing to the group as the Ogre attacks were savage.

As the executioner fell, Demin used his Vecna finger to have it attack its alley, who also fell.  Soon all the Champions fell and there were two minions left which Melisana dispatched.  The party collected its wits, searched the bodies, finding only tattoos of Iuz grinning skull.  Mara took the executioners blade.  The party was very spent after a long day of adventuring and looked around for someplace to rest.  Across the street from the alley was an Inn, the Skull and Plenty, entering Melisana saw several patrons retreat from the windows and head to the tables.  

The proprietor greeted the party kindly and said that rooms were available and plenty of food was on hand.  Alhellara asked about a hot bath and he hurriedly sent some servants to start boiling water.  Thurgo asked if they wanted 1 large room or two separate rooms.  The party decided two rooms would be the best, boys in one and girls in the other.  The whole party then headed for the rooms and a nice hot bath.

After the cleansing bath the group returned to the main room for a meal. The main room was now empty as all the natives had left.  Engaging Thurgo in conversation Melisana asked how long the Ogres had been outside the Inn.  Thurgo responded that they had been there after a larger group moved through about a week ago.  It was bad for business having those Ogres right outside so Thurgo was grateful for the party eliminating them.

After a restful sleep the group set out in the morning to maybe find an exit or Vecna's Palace.  As they moved down the street they saw two men, raggedly dressed, eyes sunken and their spirits obviously broken.  They apparently had the presence of mind to dart to the side of the street as a troop of animated skeletons, terrible in their finery and armor, marched past them, weapons held high.  As horrible as that sight was the two men seemed more leery of the dark shadows into which they had been forced.

Further down the street a legless beggar whose face was rotting away from a dreadful infection held out his hand and pitifully asked for money.  Several party members placed a gold coin into his hand as the passed by.  He thanked them for helping a cursed veteran in need.  They next came upon a "Memory of Vecna" standing on the street corner with his two bodyguards.  He was singing the praises of his dread lord.  "You must confess your sins.  Vecna knows your secrets anyway, and by admitting your crimes your punishments will be less severe."

He espies the heroes and calls out to them.  "Join Vecna's faithful!  Confess your sins to me and then you must convert to the worship of Vecna.  If you do not things will go very badly for you in Cavitius.  All who do not profess obedience to Vecna are denied mercy and suffer a prolonged hideous death."  The party mostly ignores the Memory, who urges them to visit the Temple of Vecna at the top of the circular staircase around the skull.  The party moves on whilst the Memory continues to sing the praises of Vecna.

Approaching a half standing structure the party hears a voice call to them.  "Oh gods!  You've come back!  Why did you abandon me?"  Looking around the party sees Valuriss come rushing up to them, ragged as all the other living citizens of Cavitius.  Tears are running down her filthy cheeks and she is laughing and sobbing at the same time.  "I have been waiting and waiting for your return.  Why did you leave me in the mountains?  The soldiers brought me back here and I was tortured for information.  I refused to help them find you.  I see that you now have a part of the Lord of Secrets with you, but that's alright you can defeat him and the Old One, right?"

She keep babbling on until Melisana calms her with an explanation of how the party was whisked away in the mountains and ended up back at Tor Gorak where a plague was rife.  Just as the group was explaining all to Valuriss a group of "Fingers" appears.  "You! Madwoman! I though I told you to stop bothering the citizens!"  The group is well equipped and the ragged citizens scurry  out of their way.  
"They may be foreigners like yourself, Valuriss, but that doesn't give you leave to disobey my orders.  For your disobedience, you will be taken to the plaza and impaled!  After your trial, of course."

Melisana intervenes, explaining that Valuriss is not bothering the group but in fact they know each other.  She tells the Fingers that they will escort Valuriss out of the area and keep her quiet.  After some negotiation the Finger agree to let the party leave with Valuriss and the Fingers head off down the street.  The group asks Valuriss to show them where the Palace of Vecna is, and they agree to go to her hovel with her. 

Scorecard:  The group earned 6971 XP for the nights adventures and now have 109112 XP requiring 9888 more to reach 19th level.