Chapter Four: Catacombs 1

At Old Vashton’s East Gate, Broxx and Markku wander through past a sleeping guard with no trouble. Oor decides to violently awaken the guard and yell at him for not doing his job. He is rewarded with several hours of security searches of his person, items, and mule. Rangrim is drawn into this as well as he was standing near Oor and didn’t leave him when this happened. Eventually they are asked for 10 gp each as a ‘tax’ (extortion) which Oor refuses to pay. He tries to shove his way past all the guards, who bash the back of his head in, until Rangrim offers to pay and persuades the guards to leave them alone. Broxx, meanwhile, went to a pub and took in the local gossip before getting smashed. Markku went to visit  Hiegel and told Broxx he would return to the inn later. When he arrives he sees all sorts of buildings that weren’t here the last time he was in town, many years ago. House Deneith is guarding some of them (as the city guard here is useless and most actual guards are from this House). There is a large campus for wizardry run by the Crimson Codex. Markku goes to one of the dormitories and asks a guard to see his friend Heigel. Heigel is clearly paranoid and surprised/fearful to see Markku there. He takes Markku to a park where he thinks “they can’t spy on us” and tells him he is infiltrating the campus because he believes the Crimson Codex used to be a gang and now has evil plans to take over Old Vashton. They are training students in battle magic and there are many accidents which result in the students’ deaths. Most alarming is his implication of Orm, Markku’s old mentor, as the man in charge of discipline at the school and as a contributor to the evil plans. Markku is shocked and can’t believe him at first, but is beginning to make connections and have seeds of doubt about his old ‘friend’. He goes on a short walk through the city with Heigel and is told “they are everywhere, trust no one”. He promises to help in any way he can, possibly by speaking with Orm and seeing what he can find out, before heading back to the Inn. Heigel says that Markku can come visit when he needs to but not in any way to arouse suspicion. Don’t raise any alarms! Trust no one!

Back at the inn, Rangrim and Oor finally make it through the gates and meet up with Broxx back at the inn. They engage in conversation unknown to Markku while they wait for him to return.

Something something side quest bobbit. Weird ‘Silk’ walls, somebody licked something, companion was a zombie(?), ghosts possessing people, Bobbit’s friends all died, Markku almost died. Brought Bobbit back and got the reward. Go back for boots later.