The Culting

July 28, 2016

After Tomas' death, the group takes time to mourn.  Then they attack the cults they can find with vengeance.  There are several cults to Agathions, celestial beings who are powerful but aren't gods.  Shei is one that interests Fei-Hung a bit as someone interested in self-actualization.  Lorris, an agathion of charity, is spreading a good word and helping those in Dockway, Beacon's Point, and Underbridge.  Several of them might even offer a prayer to Irez, goddes of cards and scribes.  They do wonder about the archon Kelinahat, devoted to intelligence but more dealing with spies and stealth.  And the Azatas seem too carefree but mostly harmless.  

For all the cults dedicated to fertility, cards, divination, crops, there are worse.  These are not so lucky.  They find four minor cults worshiping either Flauros or Ymeri or even both.  Three fight to the death but one surrenders, knowing they haven't broken any laws.  The group is still watching them.  Another three cults worship devils, lesser than Asmodeus, and tried to seek a bargain with the outer planar creatures as well as the group.  It didn't go well for them.  They hear rumors of more cults, bigger ones, and after another smaller cult is found, they begin to suspect they are being fed information to get rid of rivals once again.  

In the meantime, Shane, a devout follower of Iomedae, is summoned by Iomedae's Chaplain, Tira Ronnova.  It seems that a Lord Justice of the city, Bayl Argentine, needs something done covertly.  There has been an escape of a prisoner from the Hells.  Lord Justice Argentine wants them brought back.  Shane receives known hangouts and contacts for Gelcar of Riddleport, the one who got away.  Checking the first few reveals nothing.  At the fourth, Shane finds markings on the wall in blood.  They resemble a few demon marks and Shane curses himself for not recognizing them right away.  The next two spots yield nothing but next door to one of them, he finds a family slaughtered and the same symbol on the wall.  Shane also sense more evil in these places, hours later, than he has before on a hunt.  Not wanting to fail to stop the threat due to his pride, Shane looks up a group that has been fighting cults.  

When Shane finds them at a tavern they are known to frequent, he thinks they are down a person or two, but hopes the three that are there will be able to help.  When he approaches and asks for their help, it is Kull, he finds out later, that asks the most questions about his intentions and how it helps their group or the city.  Shane doesn't want to give too much away before they agree but does share that several citizens have already died.  That seems to help mollify Kull, and they go looking.  Kull wasn't completely convinced, Shane could tell, until he saw the slaughtered family.  That was the moment Kull was going to help Shane, and Shane knew it.  

Shane and Zendryl are able to cast tracking spells which lead to The Spear and the Bell, a dockside brothel.  Gelcar is sitting with some people, drinking and probably whoring soon.  The group waits for the hour it takes before Gelcar and his friends go upstairs.  While the other two are more interested in sex with the whores, Gelcar has other ideas for her.  He has already bled her with several stab wounds, but none are fatal.  Gelcar is again drawing the sigils.  Zendryl recognizes that he has created a new one, combining Shaz and Nocticula, and Shane later curses himself for not having seen it.  

Gelcar does not go down easily but he does go down.  The group wants to kill him but they are to return him to the prison, so they do.  Unhappily but they do.  

While getting Gelcar, the group found evidence of another cult.  Shane and the rest thought they worked well together and Shane agrees with the group's mission to get rid of evil cults.  Even as they agree to this, Shane received a vision.  A group of people are about to jump off the Irespan and Shane understands he needs to stop it.  The group has only minutes and they rush to the Irespan.  Zendryl tries to bring up a wall of force to put in front of the people but something tugs at the spell and it doesn't work.  They are able to run in front of the group and snap them out of the haze they are in before they jump.  

(Edited to Add):  The group finds pamphlets that shows this group had something that could call upon an Elder Power.  Going to the printer, he says that he does hundreds of things like that in a year, usually a limited run, and this was no different.  He doesn't want to share who did this print run but some pushing by the group convinces him to do so.  Turns out it was a noble, Julia Kaddren, that had them printed.  Unfortunately, their house is located far enough into Alabaster district that they won't be able to stroll on over.  After an invisibility spell and warnings not to stray to far from Zendryl, the group heads over.  

The Kaddren's are a noble family with many clients and are seeing some.  This means the gates are open, as are the front doors, allowing them to get inside, unseen.  They are wondering what to do when they watch a client come in, make their mark, and be taken to another room.  The group gets the idea to sign in so they can wander around and say they are signed in but waiting.  Just as their marks are being finalized, Shane feels that the woman about to leave is the one they want.  Someone spills ink all over the page, removing their marks, and they hurry out to follow.  

Five points

GM Notes

• Well worn.
• Still getting used to Fate.  I want to have interesting things happen, where a spell goes slightly different or an attack isn't quite as effective.  I think the players see it as their character failing, and failing at what they are good at doing.  
• How do we strike that balance?  Do they need to do things they wouldn't do?  Do they need secondary skills where they can fail?  
• How do we have a bad roll not stop what needs to happen?  Only stress?  Is there another way?   
• I think this was a much better session but we have a ways to go before Fate is going to feel natural to us. 

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