Whispers in the Night

18 Tarsakh 1373

Vuutharak, Faridoon and Dynff awoke in their windowless room, in the Raven’s Tongue, still sore and filthy from their evening of running the sewers. They ordered a change of clothes from the kitchen boy and a hot bath. After refreshing up, they began their business.

Vuutharak made clear that he would require his outstanding payment for running Faridoon under the walls, a fee Dynff was responsible for. He made note he had no good reason to continue to work with them – until Dynff offered him the prospect of building a reputation and life outside of the sewers in the Upper Docks, and proposed giving them both a favorable recommendation to his superiors in the Hangmen.

After their short order of business, Dynff departed on personal business, hoping to find out what he could about Senator Olis Samreich. Unfortunately without any contacts in the Crescent Downs or a plan, he spent two days, largely in vain, learning only a few trivial and commonplace facts about House Samreich and the Mechanex Faction.

Vuutharak and Faridoon, went off together to see if they could prove themselves as invaluable to Dynff – better securing their payments and recommendations. First, since Faridoon had just recently worked in the service of the senator, he wondered if he could get any information or maybe even some work from his former employer, Captain Steelboot, Senator Olis Samreich’s long term personal guard. They headed off to the Midmarket to look for the last location Faridoon knew that the senator was staying at. With luck, they found the manor just before sundown. While Vuutharak waited out of sight, blending into the crowded streets, Faridoon requested an audience with his former employer. Cpt. Steelboot spoke with Faridoon briefly outside the manor, stating that while the senator stayed at this manor, the manor of Senator Altdonmir, a loyal member of House Samreich, there wouldn’t be a need for his help. Somewhat defeated, the two headed off to a nearby café to find the latest edition of the Fogdown Herald, for any more leads.

As Vuutharak paged through the newspaper, Faridoon was surprised to hear someone from the crowd calling out his name. On guard he looked around, attempting to spot where it was coming from. He stepped a few feet away from Vuutharak and saw a well dressed human with a lute over his shoulder waving to him. It turned out it was an old friend of his, Jack Daleman, who had been in the same gang as Faridoon in his youth. Much like Faridoon, Jack had not gone with the rest of the gang the night things went bad. He didn’t know of anyone one else that had survived that night, except for Tommy “Black Arms”, who works as an informant for the Thousand Hands. Jack, who went by Jack “The Feather” now, explained he was always talented with a lute, and made a life as a Windsong pieceman. Faridoon asked to keep his return to the island a secret, and Jack agreed as a favor for an “old friend”. As Jack left, he told Fairdoon to come see him sometime at Concreto’s if he was ever in need of any information.

When Faridoon returned, Vuutharak had finished looking at the paper, and had a few ideas about how to proceed: Given the nature of the festival and the party, they should try and get a hold of an invitation and disguise themselves. Using what info they got from the Fogdown Herald, they decided to track down Etinee Blackmire, a socialite knowledgeable about Fogdown’s houses and the owner of an art gallery on Burrow’s Street. By the time they returned to the Raven’s Tongue though, it was well past sunset. They decided to turn in for the night after a hearty meal, and seek out Etinee in the morning. Dynff had not returned yet.

Later that night, Faridoon had awoken with a start. The candle they used for light must have been left burning and he smelled smoke. As he looked around the room Vuutharak was nowhere to be found, and he spotted the candle lying on its side in the middle of the room. When he went to grab it fire rapidly spread around him engulfing the room at an unnatural speed. Suddenly he was fully dressed, with mace in hand and fire burning all around him, and despite the fact that he realized he was dreaming he could not awaken. The fire was now complete surrounding him, as if he was standing in the center of an enormous orb of fire. Looking down he saw blood begin to pool at his feet. He began to step back, and as he did so, his boot prints left trails of blood that followed him. Suddenly a mass began to grow out of the pool of blood and he could hear his name being called out in a booming, distant voice. Startled he moved back away from the growing pool of blood. As he watched and backed away, the mass began to take form, turning into a towering demonic figure! It slowly began to walk towards him at a speed faster then he could move away. Growing increasingly angry, Faridoon stood his ground and demanded the creature’s name. As the huge figure loomed above him it boomed: My name is Asb’el!