Ulgrotha: the Spiriting

Party: Rollo, Taurio, Sorval, Zantaroth, Vultha, Iskren

 Xivaskir 19

After rendez-vousing with Rollo and retiring for the night, the party bunkers down in their airship for some peaceful sleep. 

They awake the sound of masonry crashing down, rush out and see the Blessed Shade, a massive island that floats over Shademurk, listing to the side, with old ruins falling down onto the town, in the vicinity of the Boros Barracks and the nearest city wall. The ruckus and fallout are loud enough to be heard quite some distance away, so it is probably not looking good for those who dwell in that area.

Hoping that the Boros guild will keep matters in hand, the party sets off to the portal and heads to Ulgrotha by inserting and removing the silver coin Iskren carries. A gateway opens and leads into a void.

The place the party arrives at has a raised platform which is surrounded by strange petrified trees, on which small glowing red orbs sit. A group of pillars keeps the ceiling up, a massive carving of a face sits on the wall opposite the only door the chamber has. A bunch of smaller pillars, apparently sliced in half, stand before the carved face. The floor has some stale puddles of water through which the roots of the trees snake.

As the party approaches the door, elaborately carved figures on it come alive! A skeletal ball rolls into the fray, distracting the group as two strange creatures sneak up from behind. The frackas that ensues is quite spectacular, leaving but the group standing in the room. As they take in their surroundings, Taurio discovers his greataxe (it was on his back the whole time), the others find a longsword with an emerald set in the hilt and a leather armour. 

Emerging from the underground portal-hall, the party finds themselves popping into a forest. A massive, misty forest. All that stands out to the party is a sole tower from which they emerge, they find themselves further from civilisation as they know it, but they are undaunted by this development. Sorval extends his divine sense and spies a cluster of undead beings nearby. Iskren attempts to parlay with the undead. Ihsan, the leader of the undead, wastes little time to sow discord between those that arrived and his master, implying Sengir to be a corrupting influence and Serra's mercy to be denied to him. Zantaroth feels like he heard enough and steps in to violently end the conversation. The second brawl of the day goes well for our heroes, ending with them eventually slaying the evil spirits.

Afterwards, the clerics of the group exchange information on their respective callers from this realm, Zantaroth calls upon the Spirit of the Bear (accidentally summoning a Spectral Bear) in order to get information. The bear informs Big Z that they have vanquished forces of Sengir and Serra, that an alliance is made between those two to fight Autumn Willow. It also informs Zantaroth that an alliance with Autumn Willow is possible if the party earns the right to do so. When Zantaroth requests more information, it explains retrieving the corpse of Ihsan from Sengir's domain would be a good start. Before disappearing, it tells Big Z that going to the Dark Barony can be done by crossing "The Great Bridge" and passing through the Koshun Mountains, or by going to An-Havva and taking "The Carriage Road".

A discussion ensues where the party tries to figure out who their actual allies are. Sorval, meanwhile, finds some scraps on a nearby skeleton (probably belonging to an adventurer who died less than a month ago), including a Pointless Dagger, a map, a receipt from the An-Havva Inn and a note stating the bearer to be diplomatic envoy for the township of Aysen.

Considering their injuries, the party then decides to take a quick rest, bandage some wounds and eat a bite, before deciding on their next course of action

Shademurk: Arc's Close

Session: Vultha / Sorval / Iskren / Zantaroth / Taurio

Xivaskir 13 - 16

Zantaroth returns to the Clan Slitz' homebase, meets up with Eyjafjallajökull and passes on some moderately expired murkfish. The shaman takes a good look at the purple meat.

For a couple of days, he investigates it until he becomes bothered enough to call for aid.

A mighty acquaintance arrives, going by "Shariff". The probably magician brings a mighty vision onto Eyjafjallajökull through thoughtful application of stone.

Three from five one false, three from five one falls.

One to the realm of Angels,

One to the realm of Dark,

One to the realm of Fae Spark,

One to an Ancient Land,

One to Spirit's Stand.

From five to three, her hand you see.

From five to two, unleashed anew.

Zantaroth remembers a couple of words from that, which Eyjaf tells him to tell to Vultha. As Zantaroth queries how to get there, Eyjaf calls on the aid of Shariff again in order to transport Vultha to Shademurk.

Xivaskir 17

Arriving at Shademurk, at the Old Temple, Zantaroth takes out his medal of Vultha-tracking and locates his friends with ease. They look worse for wear after the vicious encounter that has Sorval riled up.

He informs them that the mystery meat was bad news and communicates to the party what he remembers.

Three from five, one falls 

angels dark ancient land 

one is spirit, and one is fey 

five to two, unleashed

Iskren, Sorval and Vultha put forth theories what this might have to do with them. The consensus leads to the Nephilim trapped under the city and the seals involved with it, with each seal being linked to a source of mana. The party then briefs Zantaroth on the happenings here.

As they walk back to the temple, they decide to track the Spider-creature that assaulted Wellgar, following the tracks outside of the walls where it eventually dives off into the Murk proper. 

 

They then split up in order to prepare themselves for their journey, with an agreement to go to the Fogger at earliest convenience around noon and to the Izzet Mines afterwards. 

Sorval and Taurio head to the Boros Barracks

Vultha heads to the Nightstreet where Har-to Pro'nounce resides.

Iskren and Zantaroth stroll to the Temple again.

 

Sorval and Taurio meet Tri-Toe, Wojek Corporal, worried about the ashen lizard Sorval keeps company with. After a brief interaction, Tri decides Sorval is Vultha's Guard-mother and lets the pair in.

Walking to the reception, the two hear a commotion at the door, coming face to face with a Deathpact Angel named Athra, a high ranking Orzhovian. Coming in Feather's stead, she explains in curt terms that attempts have been made on the lives of the party and it has fallen to her to stop these. 

After Sorval talks through the things that happened, she says that the Lady of Radiance is known to her, cautioning Sorval to keep an eye on Iskren and their coin before leaving. The Boros pair decides to go to bed after this, recovering their strength for ordeals to come.

Iskren and Zantaroth meet Wellgar, with Iskren asking to hold a service. Wellgar endears himself with Zantaroth by showing genuine interest in him and explains the manyfold charities they do.

The trio goes down to the catacombs, has a fruitful discussion with Wellgar there, learning the name of the Nephilim (the Gnashing Agony) and that Iskren carries the final seal with him.

Afterwards, the pair goes to the Green Apricot, where Zantaroth gets a well-deserved rest in a chair.

Thaya explains that a group of thugs asked about Iskren and left a calling card. That ends their evening on a bright note with Iskren giving Thaya the rest of the evening off.

Vultha arrives at Nightstreet and investigates the summoning circle there. Finding a ring of small toadstools set around the circle, some ivy creeping through the floor and symbols that were at least less visible last time the party came here. 

A voice whispers at Vultha, asking him to break the chains by bringing and shattering the crystal. Vultha assumes the voice he has been hearing a while is the Nephilim, asking him to return things to their original state. Har-to Pro'nouns warns Vultha that the voice he hears means ill.

Har-to also mentions that the circle leads to his homeworld but refuses to say more on the matter.

With much to ponder Vultha then heads to the Empty Net, where he feasts on a 'kebob in broth' before going to sleep.

Xivaskir 18

The next day, at the Fogger, Sorval tells Iskren he has been assigned the mission to protect Iskren better by an angel. Iskren shows their coin to Sorval, who sees some similarities with the stolen emblem he carried, but fails to see a fundamental similarity. The group feels it best to assume it also would be a seal, explaining why it was taken. Furthermore, Vultha explains he found a differences at the portal in the Nightstreet hideout, changing into a more natural shape. 

Sorval suggests leaving the plane and going to Ulgrotha, which Iskren concurs as a good idea.

Sadly enough, Krovek happens. And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Eventually, Krovek leaves to report to captain Eliander in Sorval's stead with vital ideas of how things should be, including Sorval fighting the End Troopers, an invisible Rakdos cultist group.

Taurio considers it a good idea to send out his own report through the official channels, eventually winding up with Iskren's offered aid in a secret script. Iskren adds a little bit about donations as they write the letter. 

Having finished this, the party checks on the Ebon Fang and fly it to the Izzet Mines. Upon arriving at the industrial complex, they are hailed by a small flying ship, which requests them to set down outside the Mines proper in order to identify themselves.

The guard-goblin is a little distrustful initially, but mentions some problems in the 'martial field', which the party jumps on as a way to get easy access. She sends the party off with Foreman Jeff to shaft 337a.

Jeff mentions various outside forces that intervened and how they barricaded off a bit of the tunnel to keep them away. When queried on the nature of the troubles, Jeff mentions they are fighting mainly undead. 

The party, moderately excited to get their weapons out again, decides to solve the problems right here and now, busting down a barricade and causing great havoc on all the beings in the mine.

The invaders, mainly rakdos barbarians, a blood witch and massive undead ogres, are defeated after a long hard battle with the party gaining access to the Ulgrotha portal. 

Shademurk: Chasing Unlife

Session: Vultha / Sorval / Iskren / Taurio

Xivaskir 17

Vultha approaches Iskren about their plans to take over the town. Iskren mentions that this is somewhat of the intent. Vultha then suggests Sorval as a figurehead, who Iskren spent all week promoting to the townsfolk as a local hero. They agree that this is a good idea.
Vultha wants to restore the wilderness to town, making it more akin to his Gruul upbringing.
Iskren shifts this point to the town being a good center of diplomacy and bureaucracy, with the Murk a spot for the Gruul to live their authentic lives.
They then get in touch with the rest of the party, with Sorval and Taurio joining up in the antechamber to Iskren's main apartment. Thaya prepares a couple of cocktails for the guests (and a weak tea for Iskren).

Iskren lays out their plans to change Shademurk for the better. A bit of conversation follows where the process of election in Shademurk itself is explained. Sorval is informed that he is nominated to take the post of mayor, once enough sponsors have been found.
Vultha brings out a flask of special gruul alcohol to celebrate and Taurio almost learns how to reverse firebreath after trying a shot. Some more conversation follows and a few shots of Gruulshine later the party finds itself in high spirits...but also in the company of some Boros soldiers.
Thihm, boros representative, explains to the party that a robbery has taken place in the Old Temple, with the head priest injured.

The Old Temple, dedicated to the Wanderer but taken care of by the Orzhov, looks moderately damaged by the entire ordeal, the attackers not having taken care while assaulting the place. Two knights of Obligation guard the entrance, but allow the party to move through. Vultha and Taurio see familiar acid-related holes in the Temple, bringing their conclusions to Iskren.
Wellgar, the head priest, meets the party in a backroom, where he is currently residing to tend to his injuries. They discover, after talking with him and checking out the catacombs several items are missing, most importantly the weapon [a single edged, two handed weapon] of the Wanderer has been stolen. Other items of note were a blue sapphire, a pair of enchanted weapons, an enchanted shield and a ring said to have belonged to Freyalise.
While walking, Iskren proffers a ring to Sorval, with a Boros emblem embossed on it.
The party also discovers, while investigating the catacombs, the statue that held the blade has been built over by the Orzhov and that the ghost guardians of the catacombs have been banished.
They also learn that the Mayor, the head priest, lord Primeground and the Orzhovian patriarchs know about the contents of these catacombs' treasury and that someone banished the guardians of the treasury.

Vultha then drops on the floor, notes that the attackers were demonic in nature, and sniffs out their tracks...but then Taurio notes someone watching them. Alerting the party to this, he starts giving chase, with the rest in tow.
The group sees the figure weaves through back-alleys, darting away near a scene of Rakdosian commotion. Being the heroes they say themselves to be, the party takes a quick stance and obliterates their foes, but sadly enough, a captured orzhovian cleric is slain while the group dispatches their foes.
They then continue their chase after mentioning the involvement of Sorval with the restoration of order.

They wind up at a small door, which leads into a tiny room, decorated with velvets, candles, skulls and other trappings of the dead. On a bed sits a lady in a state of decay, with dark hair.
She introduces herself as Ysa, the Revenant. She opens by explaining her connection to Sengir, explains that there are several planar gates around Shademurk, but her knowledge seems limited on the topic. She mentions a gate to Ulgrotha, a gate to Dominaria, a gate to Llanowar, a gate to Kamigawa and a gate to a place she knows not the name of exist, linking one gate to the Izzet goblins at the Mizzium mine. She also links several planeswalkers, one to each gate. She also mentions the existence of a Nephilim, trapped under the Standing Stones.
Finally, she explains the five planeswalkers sealed away the Nephilim using five relics to bind the creature and then, she bids the party adieu.

Returning to the Old Temple, the party is set upon by a group of slithering purple growths and a six-legged being with one eye. This being focuses on Sorval, stealing an item from him before escaping, the purple growths manage to take out Vultha, causing enough distraction to have the cyclopean critter get away with minor injuries.

Shademurk: Unwinding

Session: Sorval / Iskren / Taurio / Rollo / Vultha

Xivaskir 10

When you look up at the Onyx Fang, you know that you are protected. - Iskren

After a long long long day, the party retires to the Wicker Goat, to enjoy some classy r&r (though mainly booze).
Sorval buys a lot of drinks for his (sudden) fans, including a cask of fine ale for his friends. Keying in on the currents that surround the Boros cleric, Iskren suggests a more solid partnership. A set of rings, a matching pair, in order to keep their strength up in battle. Sorval, seeing potential in it, eventually sets the money aside to have them crafted.
As this deal is done, Iskren announces that they will make a speech. Vultha quickly crafts a bone whistle for Rollo to draw the crowd's attention, which subsequently happens.
With the eyes on their table, Iskren makes a rousing speech with notes of potential equality, duty and brotherhood. Praising Sorval and Taurio, Iskren shifts the story to Eda and her inefficient leadership which leads to problems that are solved by the party.
This draws the attention of Eliander Fireborn, who mentions the dissolution of the mercenary Kraul force, the potential dangers of a 'tenth' and that politics are dangerous as a field of employ.
Rollo wins a game of dice against a faerie.
After a while, the party calls it a night, Taurio falls to the ground floor, Iskren retires to the Green Apricot, the Empty Net hosts Rollo and Vultha and the Boros head to their new rooms in the barracks.
As Sorval falls asleep, he has a vision of a shining lady that calls to him, speaking of a great evil threatening her world.

Xivaskir 11-17

The next day, the party splits up a little to investigate their own leads, look into improving themselves and get some feel for the city of Shademurk proper.

Iskren goes to Trevis'di's jewelshop in order to craft the rings. Trevis'di gives an extensive course on metalworking and jewelcraft to Iskren.
During their time off, they spread some more rumours amongst the population and generally tries to boost Sorval as a poster boy for model citizen/hero.

Sorval inspects the Boros library, has many meetings with Lisanne for materials, works the forge a bit in the barracks, searches out whatever intel he can get on Ulgrotha and Serra (the lady of radiance) and runs the beat in town in order to get a grasp of locations and people.

Vultha seeks out some crew for the airship, finding Eebo and Gazro (goblin brothers) and Bilge (human) in places most humid with ale. In addition, he goes to Winston's Hunting Lodge and learns some tricks of the trade from a lizardfolk known as Scaledraft in exchange for a beautifully crafted spear.

Taurio just brews stuff. All the stuff. And also kefir. And with the Boros people nearby, he finds a lot of willing tasters. Before long, they spread the word around and the Wicker Goat gets involved (through Lisanne) and some coin flows to the minotaur.

Rollo goes to the carpenter's hall in order to get some crafting materials and bunkers down to perfect his craft.

Shademurk: Acquiring the Sky

Session: Sorval / Rollo / Iskren / Zantaroth / Taurio / Vultha

Xivaskir 10

We rejoin the group as they explore their surroundings and befriend the lizardfolk, who intimate their position as trapped in the ship - prisoners! A little initial shyness gives way to relieve as the party does not seem intent on torture or murder. A bit of scavenging before moving on rewards the party with riches though, as Iskren manages to open a small box full of beautifully cut sapphires.
Down one of the staircases, the party discovers a room covered in bloody glyphs, threatening to incinerate those who pass through the room's doors without proper permission. A rare moment of arcane understanding (and fire) happens to Vultha, resulting in one of the doors is unsealed and the party moves through... the party except for Rollo, that is. They see a cultist, who is promptly bulldozed by Taurio.
Moving through the next door (and the pulped remains of the cultist), the party see a demonic lady with a spear standing in front of them. She summons forth smaller demons to attack the party and battle is joined. Rollo, hearing the ruckus erupt in the next room, decides to take a shortcut, accidentally triggering a minor conflagration at his point of entry, destroying two of the smaller demons instantly. Sadly enough, this respite only lasts so long, as with each destroyed demon, new ones appear from near the table. Eventually, the party discovers a summoning circle underneath the table and disrupts it (courtesy of Iskren's water cannon jar), while the Cambion sees herself outmatched, strikes down Zantaroth, throws a bag she was carrying into a corner and attempts to run away. The escape itself is forestalled by the three lizardfolk, one of which is brutally impaled on the Cambion's spear, which proves to be enough to slow down the escape and lets the party catch up to and eventually Sorval winds up killing the being.

The disturbance wrought by the entire ordeal, and the removal of a purple 'blob' from a bag the Cambion was carrying, appears to have awoken something, as the entire cave begins to shudder, collapse and a massive eye snaps open nearby, leaving Iskren and Vultha in a leadership role as they use whatever tools they have to coax the vessel to life and into the fresh air. The party uses the time they need between the escape and landing at the Fogger to decide on the name of their vessel (The Onyx Fang).
Once they arrived to relative safety (courtesy of a horde of Boros soldiers), they found a familiar face ready to give their ship a good scrubbing. The surviving lizardfolk (who go by Firebelly and Ewolk, their companion Gizzard having been slain by the Cambion) were allowed to stay on board, expressing their lack of home (having failed a diplomatic mission means their life is probably forfeit if they go home).
The party takes a good look at the purple lump again, with Zantaroth trying to lick it, only to be called back to the side of Eyjafjallajökull who seems perturbed by it.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the party, a vision of Carthelion's symbol had formed in Sorval's mind during the escape. Whether it is a sign of an ancient binding being snapped or the party being protected, he cannot tell.

Shademurk: Familiar Specters

Session: Iskren / Rollo / Vultha / Taurio / Zantaroth / Sorval
Xivaskir 10

"I don't know what's going on, but what the hell is going on?" - Rollo 2020

Rollo wakes up at the Snapping Line, somewhat of a higher end establishment compared to the one where he dropped Vultha off previously. As he has his breakfast, he overhears two Gruul clansmen (from clan Smash Smash) talking about a contract they had gotten. Realizing the target of their contract is actually his Orzhovian charge, Rollo hears them out and then heads to rejoin his friends, where ever they might be.
Exiting the Snapping Line, he spots a disturbed looking Orzhovian fellow. Trailing him for a while, the man takes notice of the dragonborn and urges him to join in a small task, the removal of four corpses. Rollo negotiates his reward, which includes a swanky dagger set with a six-legged, one-eyed spider signet.
Arriving at the place the individual set as destination, Rollo sees a magical circle, in which appear four bodies, each of them holding a dagger in their chest with their right hand. They are all naked, but are otherwise unremarkable. Turning to question his companion, Rollo gets handed the money and the dagger after which the man rushes off, calling the guard on a murderer. Some quick thinking, bribing two Gruul to solve the corpse problem and some subterfuge later, Rollo heads to the Primeground estate, talks to some guards posted there and manages to catch up to his friends as they exit the Sharpened Utensil.

"Even I am smart enough" - Taurio
"Iskren, do you have any enemies in murkshade?" -Rollo

The group, once caught up with their respective tales, decides to head straight for the Standing Stones, in order to lay their claim to the airship Vultha saw while in trance. Sorval does take some time to send a small Boros patrol to the Snapping Line in order to detain the members of clan Smash Smash. Iskren pokes everyone to divest themselves of the items carrying the six-legged spider logo.
Everyone does so, though Rollo keeps the dagger he received earlier and throws away a different dagger.
Once they enter the Murk though, they are again beset by the unearthly whispers and find themselves ambushed by specters as they dispatch a lone Krasis near the Wanderer's Chapel.
The battle takes a heavy toll on the party, so they decide to rest in there before continuing on.
Once inside the Chapel, Iskren spies a small Orzhovian signet suspended above the altar, showing to the party that at the very least someone is trying to bring the Chapel back into the fold.
This leads to a discussion between Iskren and Sorval on the nature of worship and veneration.

"Click-click-ZAP" - Izzet contraption

Taurio, enjoying some grass on the Chapel's hill, spies a lone old minotaur, white of pelt. The being speaks to him, cautions him and blesses the party, so as to keep the spirits of the Murk at bay.
They use this to make excellent time to the Standing Stones, where they are confronted by a group of mechanical beasts keeping watch over a tower. From the tower, a pack of besieged goblins asks for their aid. As the party unmakes the machines, they discover them to be crafted by Izzet. The goblins head off, thankful for the deliverance.

"Sploosh" - Iskren's Flask of Boarding

In the tower, a disarmed trap on a locked trapdoor lead to Vultha making himself useful. Then the group descends from a long, winding into a massive docking space, with mysterious patches of darkness the party cannot see into, discovering a familiar shark-prowed airship stationed there.
The crew that notices the arrival appears to be largely Rakdos in inclination, and moderately aggressive at that. After sonically obliterating a ladder, getting over the 20 foot barrier of entry to the ship and dispatching of the direct opposition, the party successfully gains control of the first level underneath the deck, where they find a group of three lizardmen in the ship's prison.

Shademurk: Crime Scene Investigation

Party: Iskren / Sorval / Vultha / Zantaroth / Taurio

Xivaskir 10

Zantaroth, having spend quite some time learning the ins and outs of murkfish eating, wakes up when the tracking signet pulls at his chest. He follows its pull and winds up at the Empty Net, where he is greeted by a confused Vultha lovingly cradled by a loxodon lady. The pair then notices a strange spider-like creature with one eye gazing at them. As they give chase, the being leaves behind but holes in the wall, from which sulphurous fumes rise. They think about this for a hot minute and decide to go check on Iskren, who is wise in these matters, probably.

The morning finds Iskren restless, having caught little sleep with the bloodless finger in his room.
Once the staff begins their morning routines, Iskren gets up and meets pandemonium as the head butler, Erves Hulgren, appears to have gone missing. With a little persuasion, Iskren gets themselves escorted (by Thaya) to the butler's room. A little time with a dagger and the lock on the door means Iskren gains entry into a strangely scented room, where a dirt-filled coffin stands next to the bed.

Meanwhile, the Boros boys get cymballed into awakeness by the morning staff and ushered to the training field. They run their daily routines, have their breakfast and hear of a gruesome happening near the Primeground Estate. A group of corpses was found, drained of blood. Lisanne asks for them to investigate it as they collect their supplies.

The Gruul arrive at Primeground's Estate and are confronted with a safety cordon that has been set, with guards from the Legion holding the population off until an investigation can be launched. This measure does not stop the locals from forming their own theories of what happened, as an old lady eagerly expounds on when the clansmen shoulder their way past her. The front door easily opens for Zantaroth, four servants scared witless by the sudden appearance of a massive lizardman in their halls. Roaring for Iskren, the pair makes their way through the Estate.

Iskren, meanwhile, focusses on the coffin, noting dampness underneath it and a compression of the dirt inside of the coffin that does not match the form of Erves. The window in the room has been forced, with the latch snapped in two. Iskren's search is interrupted by the pair of clansmen bursting in. Iskren wastes no time putting Vultha to work, finding a piece of clothing which is discarded as unimportant, but spotting the coffin was brought in from the outside.

Sorval and Taurio rush to the manor after taking a Skyroc to the Fogger, getting accosted by a gentleman officer, who seems to have all confidence in the pair for cracking the case.
They spot Vultha's head sticking out of the window and join up with the others. While going in, Sorval cautions people to not leave the grounds. Not perturbed by the added company, Vultha spots small marks on the wall, similar to the ones he saw earlier, like the ones made by the spidery being.
Gellan Primeground makes an appearance, to little effect.
The party follows the tracks on the wall, which head up to the roof and then the window of Iskren.
In addition to these tracks, Vultha and Iskren also spot that four people came to Erves' window, two of them with a coffin, two without. Then, two carried something off.

Sorval and Taurio meet with Krovek, another officer of the Boros standing guard outside, in order to investigate the corpses outside and gain some information. Krovek relays that the corpses are dead, devoid of blood and have puncture wounds on their necks. Krovek also shouts his most likely theories for the solution of the case, fluctuating from "Vampires" to "Gruul Barbarians" to "Vampiric Lizard Gruul Barbarian Bears", much to the crowd's enjoyment. Zantaroth discovers the corpses to be wearing Orzhovian livery and to be poisoned with a paralyzing fluid, which was not drawn out with the blood, moreover, they appeared to have died more than a day ago.
Questioning the house guards, there is a mention of a mysterious fog at night, which made the guards zone out. The head butler brought 'a cup of beer' to the guards before this though.
Iskren, getting fed up with the investigation, gathers the servants in the main living room. Complications are abound though, as both Taurio and Zantaroth come across servants who appear to have violently perished, with a black knife thrust through their heart with their right hand on it. Sadly enough, by the time the two can gather their allies, the corpses have disappeared, leaving but clothing behind. Vultha suspects the knives contained a bound spell of teleportation.
After this distraction, Iskren casts Zone of Truth into the living room after explaining that Iskren'll know if they resist. Iskren asks all present if they had something to do with the murder, but only gets the following information:

*Erves was acting strangely the last day.
*He brought beer to the guards and asked the kitchen staff to wash the mugs out immediately.
*Erves personally made a drink for Iskren, who had returned from official business.
*There were 'a five new hires' in the staff and they are missing from the room. (Scullery maid, 2 cleaners, 1 guard, 1 religious advisor)
*Gellan seems generally clueless

After questioning the staff, the party moves outside and smashes the coffin. Retrieving a strange symbol, a metal round with a six-legged, one-eyed creature on it. Seeing this symbol, Iskren recalls the Dimir Guild, a legendary old guild that was supposed to carry information between the guilds but turned bad and were destroyed.
Feeling nervous about all of this, Iskren suggests a new place to stay, to which Sorval responds they know where to get an airship, looking at Vultha. The party then decides to go find said place.
Just before taking his leave, Iskren buys Thaya's contract from Gellan for five gold monthly.
Krovek and Sorval chat a bit, settling the villain on vampires after all, instead of vampiric gruul barbarian bear bear bears.

The party goes to the Boros Barracks, lacking Ojay's service, so using skyrocs, an interesting experience for Zantaroth. They go to the offices of Eliander Fireborn and bring their report to him.
They explain to him that misdirection was employed, show him the dimir sigil, shocking him deeply. While the party is still explaining, Eliander excuses himself and leaves.
The party then heads to the Standing Stones, the airship location according to the vision Arcades Sabboth sent to Vultha. They detour and stop by a small shop, The Sharp Utensil and buy a crossbow for Vultha from the goblin Yazza.
In the street, the party is accosted by Aille, the priestess of Freyalise whom they rescued from the Simic, who tells them to seek out the blessing of one of the 'Gods' worshipped by the locals before venturing into the Murk. 

And thus they move on to the next session~