Recovery

Recovery

Skrie pounded on the door, urgency dictating the tempo. Aquila flung it open, the look on her face changing from irritation to concern.

"Oh my! Come in quick," she said, "whatever happened to you?"

"Garrick was being held by the Cult of One," Skrie replied. "They tortured him. We had to rescue him before they killed him."

Guiding the group to a sitting room, Aquila had Malusk lay Garrick on a sofa, then disappeared into another part of the house. Skrie took the opportunity to treat Mal's injuries.

"You okay, Big Guy?" she asked.

"Better now, thanks."

Not long later, Aquila returned with bandages and a pitcher of water.

"I'm going to fetch a healer to examine Garrick," Aquila declared. "No offense, Skrie, but I would like a second opinion."

"None taken," replied the halfling. "That sounds like a good idea. I want to make sure it's just the effects of his experience, and not something mystical they did to him."

Garrick fell asleep while the rest of the group discussed their next moves. Periodically, Skrie or Josie checked on him to make sure he was still breathing as they waited for Aquila to return with a senior healer.

"Those cultists were clearly members of the Cult of The One," said Theren. "And Veris, or Mannick, or whatever his name is, is using that warehouse to stockpile supplies. They must be planning something big. But what?"

"When I was up in the rafters," said Skrie, "I heard them say they're looking for all of us. Someone's watching Ermina's waiting for us."

"It could be an ambush to catch us like they got Garrick," said Josie.

"Do you have any idea why they might be after us or what they want?" asked Theren.

"They didn't say and I didn't ask."

"Veris and the lead cultist, at least he acted like a leader, got away," observed Josie. "But we don't know where they went. We aren't sure where they are staying. I doubt they're going to stop coming after us. Do we have any leads? I think we need to go after them if we want this to stop."

"We have that list of ingredients they wanted from that bunch in the jungle," said Skrie. "Maybe they found out we have it somehow?"

At that moment, Aquila returned with a priest to examine Garrick. The team moved to the dining room to continue their conversion and not disturb the cleric. Skrie kept an eye open to ensure he couldn't eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Where do we go from here?" asked Theren.

"Oh, crap!" said Josie, jumping up from the table. "I bet those guards we charmed are still at the North Gate. The charm is about to wear off but if we can catch them before they leave, maybe we can bribe them into telling us something. Or, if they attack us at the gate, the guards should intervene and then maybe we can get answers from anyone they take to jail."

"We should find the spies at Ermina's," Malusk grunted, "and beat answers from them."

Josie frowned but kept silent.

"Any other ideas?" Theren prompted.

Shaking her head, Skrie thanked Aquila for the tea the young woman brought to the table. As the tea worked its calming magic, the cleric thought about their next move. Her mind churned out several scenarios, not all of which ended favorably.

"I think we should go to the North Gate first," the halfling declared. "Those guards seemed eager to get out of that warehouse. Maybe they weren't happy about torturing a bound prisoner."

"Sounds reasonable," replied Theren and Josie in unison.

"We don't know who the spy is at Ermina's," the halfling continued, "so let's leave that mystery for after we get information from the guards, maybe they know something. I bet if we keep the ale coming, they'll talk."

Malusk looked thoughtful. Skrie could almost hear the thoughts churn through his mind. She knew he wanted to break heads, but Ermina's was not the place. The proprietor had been more than kind to them, and the halfling didn't want to bring threats down on her inn.

As they neared the North Gate a quarter candlemark later, Skrie spotted the cultist they had charmed walking into the Shiny Copper tavern.

"Hey," said Skrie, pointing, "there they are."

Malusk and Theren stayed near the entrance, listening for trouble. At the same time, Josie strode up to the group seated at one of the tables. Skrie melted into the shadows inside the tavern and disappeared from sight.

"There you are!" said the elf. "I'm so glad I caught up with you, I have been looking all over for you. Tell you what," she continued, "let me buy the first round as an apology since I kept you waiting."

That got the thugs' attention.

"All right," said one of the fellows, turning to his mates. "Free drinks!"

"And free music," said another, "I wanna hear The Bear and The Barmaid!"

"I don't know what you did to us," grumbled the cultist, "but I have a splitting headache."

"I just tuned my lute is all," replied the bard.

Skrie crept through the shadows, under tables, and between empty stools to get close enough to hear some of the side chatter from the erstwhile guards.

Josie played a few songs for the thugs before returning to the table.

"Any more requests?" she asked.

"Not me," said one looking around the table. His shrug was repeated around the table.

"Right then," she said. "Oh, do you mind if my friends join us? I told them I'd meet them here after I found you."

"No problem here," said one of the guards.

"Me either," said another.

Skrie heard chairs scrape a few moments later, and Malusk ordered his usual tankard of ale. The cleric waited out of sight, listening to the group talk, trying to discern how much of what they said was true and how much was a fabrication.

"Haven't I seen you somewhere?" Skrie heard one of the guards ask. "You look pretty familiar."

"I got that kinda face," answered Malusk, humor lacing his voice.

"Yea, Jokko," came the voice of the half-orc guard. "Don't you know all us Horcs look the same to you hu-mans."

They all laughed and drank another mug of ale.

The men seemed openly afraid of the cult leader but didn't have a problem discussing what they knew of any plans, which wasn't much more than the party had already learned.

Another round appeared at the table. As the alcohol did its work, the cultist let slip the name of the local cult boss--Brother Nicodemus.

"Aye," he said, "they're using Veras's warehouse fer tha supplies that's supposed ta be shipped on to Hearles and Blackford. They be somethin' planned for some swamp south o' Hearles."

"I need to get back," said Josie, as she picked up her instrument and headed back to the stage for another round of music. At the same time, Malusk and Theren continued to chat with the guards, while Skrie listened from beneath the table.

"Th' boss wants us ta go into th' swamp above th' falls," said one fellow.

"I don' wanna go in no swamp," said another.

"I ain't gonna go," said the cultist, "I don't care what Brother Nicodemus says. Just th' thought o' bein' in a place like that gives me th' creeps. I might just stay here, this seems like a nice town."

"The boss said the guys we was to meet here must'a gone into the swamp and something happened to them. I hope he don't want us to go looking for them."

"I ain't goin' to no swamp," said Jokko. "I was hired to guard a priest and his supplies. Nobody said nothin 'bout no swamp."

"Brother Nicodemus ain't one to go against," said the cultist. "Hope that Veras fellow knows that. Them two got a beef with one another over that fellow we snatched. Veras better watch himself."

"I heard it the other way," said the half-orc guard. "Veras is up there in the Guild and don't nothin' move in this place 'cept he allows it. That goes for thievin', kidnaps, or murders."

Josie finished her music set and sat back down at the table.

"So how did y'all come to be in Irewick with this 'priest'?" she asked

"Me and one of my friends was hired a few days back. Said they needed some guards. Heard they was attacked someplace to the west and needed to add on more swords. So, we signed up. My friend wasn't with us at the warehouse, though."

"Same with me but I been with one group or another for a few weeks," said the last guard. "Odd fellows, these. Don't believe in the regular group of gods, but they don't talk much 'bout their beliefs to us, neither. Mostly where we go they preach and perform miracles in the small hamlets and the people start believing like they do, in their god."

"We 'posed to be leavin' soon with supplies and some holy relic that Brother has. I ain't seen it; not certain I want to. Only thing is, we was to pick up more supplies here but they can't find the men that has them. So I guess we be leaving without 'em."

"Speaking of that, we been here too long," said Jokko. "It's nearly dark out and we gotta get back." The guards and the cultist said their goodbyes and stumbled drunkenly out the door.

Skrie popped out from beneath the table.

"I'm following them," she said. "Maybe they'll lead me to where they're staying. I'll meet you at Ermina's."

"I hate when she does that," she heard Malusk complain as she disappeared out the tavern door.

Skrie followed close enough to hear their drunken speech but not so close as to alert them of her presence. Only one of the guards had gotten a good look at her, and he was stumbling the worst. They didn't reveal anything new as she ghosted behind them. She followed them to the same run-down apartment building as the cultist that had died at the hands of the giant bear above the falls.

Now that she knew where they went, she headed back to Ermina's to join the rest of the group. Entering the tavern disguised, Skrie sneaked through the establishment and up the stairs to their rooms.

"But ...," the halfling heard Malusk say, "I was hungry."

"What about the spy?" demanded Josie, irritated.

"There 'us a waitress. She freaked out and ran inta tha kitchen when she seen me but tha barman wouldn't let me get back there. I h'ain't seen her since."

"Did you think to go out the front and around back to try and catch her leaving? Did you run out to tell us so we could track her? We were supposed to turn the tables on the spy. Instead she got away and is probably warning Veras and the cult leader right now."

"But I was hungry."

Skrie climbed the stairs and entered their room. The common area looked the same as when they had left that morning. Nothing had been disturbed. She heard Malusk's heavy footsteps on the stair as she gathered her gear.

"They went to that run-down apartment as the other cultist," Skrie said when she came out of the room.

Malusk looked at the door, then at her.

"How? You ..."

The halfling winked at her friend.

"Let's get our gear and get out of here."

"I'll get Garrick's stuff," said Theren.

A timid knock on the door was followed by the barman entering the open portal.

"Sorry sir, miss." he said, cheeks blazing. "That girl you was asking about. She took off in the middle of her shift. She was new and I thought you was harassing her 'cause she made a mistake or somethin'. Seems she's been nervous all day. Then you showed up and she broke some dishes then took off out the back, and I h'ain't seen her since. Right in the middle of her shift, too..."

"How new?" asked Skrie.

"Jes' a day," answered the barman. "She kept eyein' th' door. Actin' all hinkey whenever a group o' soldiers come in. I'm real sorry, folks."

Skrie felt the truth of his words and soothed his anxiety, moving him back out the door of the small suite.

"She was looking for us," said Skrie. "We seem to have attracted some unwanted attention from people that mean to do us harm. I don't want any of this to spill over to your fine establishment, you and Ermina have treated us well. Take this and I hope none of our trouble spills onto your door."

Josie appeared with her gear at that moment.

The man looked at her wide-eyed as she pulled two gold pieces from her coin purse and handed them to him.

"Ye can go through th' kitchen," he said, "jes' in case they's watchin' th' front. Go through th' gate in back and inta th' alley, it'll drop ye out near th' stables. An' thank 'ee," he said, biting one of the gold pieces.

"You have our thanks," said Josie. "You didn't see us leave."

"Aye, Miss," replied the barman with a wink. "I h'ain't seen nuthin'."

He led the group out through the kitchen to the gate.

"You have our thanks," said Skrie.

"Lady Luck be wit' ye," he said as they departed, then locked the gate behind them.

"Where to?" asked the halfling.

"I've arranged to play at the Ivory Arrow tonight," said Josie. "Let's go there first."

"Sounds good to me," said Theren.

"I'll meet you there after dark," said Skrie. "I want to keep an eye Ermina's for a while to make sure no one bothers the inn."

Two candlemarks later, Skrie joined the rest of her friends at the Ivory Arrow.



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