Paulix's Side Adventures II

Paulix's Side Adventures II (12th March to 16th April)

The Druid’s Broch - Tirsday 2^nd to Wodensday 3^rd Quinquember

Paulix joined his old companions at the druid’s broch and caught up with all the rumours that both parties had gathered (the rest of that adventure can be read in the main body of the blog).

Return to Castleford - Wodensday 3^rd Quinquember

After being debriefed by the baron Tancred, Paulix headed back to his room in The Pike down by the docks outside the West Gate of Castleford. He was soon contacted by Purloin who again debriefed him on his mission to the druid’s broch. Paulix told his superior most of what had happened with his companions but realised before it was too late that he had admitted the treasure he had gained. Purloin asked for the guild’s usual tithe of ten percent and then briefed the thief on his continuing mission to track down Gauk and to try to find out any information about the cleric he had previously encountered at the moat house just outside of Staneford.

Temple Investigations – Wodensday 3^rd to Moonday 15^th Quinquember

Paulix spent the next few days stalking around Castleford following up his previous enquiries about the thief Gauk. He managed to pick up the trail again and on Freyasday put on a disguise and headed off to Nulb.

He arrived in good time to see that the underbelly of the village was preparing for something. A few gold coins were passed across well-oiled palms and he found out that there had been an arrival of a very important Temple personage in the last couple of weeks. A few more gold coins revealed this person to be none other than Lareth the Beautiful – the evil cleric that Paulix and his companions had flushed out of the moat house. He had arrived with several of his followers and they were currently encamped within the Waterside Hostel. They were planning an initiative for the following month regards the Temple.

The first amulet that Gauk had stolen back from the party had been delivered to Nulb and then subsequently taken by another important Temple denizen for a ritualistic opening of one of the magically sealed portals. This ceremony had been successful because the aftershock had been felt and the lightning show of a couple of weeks previous backed up the theory.

His investigations after Gauk then led him to Staneford where the evil thief had paid a visit on the traders’ establishment. When Paulix arrived in Staneford though Gauk had already left the village and made his way back to Castleford only a couple of days previously.

Paulix paid out a few more gold coins to gather a little more information and he found out that the traders had been arrested and taken to the tower of the lords Rufus and Burne. They had been questioned for a day or so and then transported to Castleford for trial.

Paulix returned to Castleford two days before the raid on Nulb was about to begin. He reported his findings to Purloin and was then allowed to rest for a while. He also made a quick visit on his contact at the castle (Sir Guy) where he reported the same. He was rewarded with 100 silver coins for his troubles. The thief returned to his room but found that he could not sit easy with so much going on. He ventured out into the Wynde to make enquiries elsewhere. He found out that something big was about to go down both in Nulb and Castleford just a few days hence. He noticed that there was a large amount of troop movements within the town and the guard was doubled on several gates and main thoroughfares.

On the eve of the Battle of Imeryds Run, Paulix was warned to stay indoors by Purloin if he valued his life, but was informed of his next mission. Being a contrary type he ignored the advice and took up a prime position on the roof of a nearby tall building and began to watch the comings and goings at the castle. He saw that at the usual curfew time the city gates were closed and all movement into and out of the town was closely watched by the large amount of guards now stationed all over.

When darkness fell he saw that the castle gates opened and a long stream of men-at-arms, knights and siege engines filed out of the town led by several of the town's high ranked dignitaries. A few hours later, a second stream of troops headed down towards the docklands area by the West gate. Several people attempted to escape the confines of both the docklands and the town but were swiftly caught. He noticed that a few were undoubtedly members of the Iron Ring; his new found colleagues in the guild.

As soon as the bells sounded for nine, the attack within the docks went ahead. Torches flared and troops moved in. The docklands inhabitants scattered in all directions but other troops had exited the town earlier and blocked their path both north and south. Those who had not returned to their own homes were kettled in and then led off to the town castle where they were taken for questioning.

The heavy troops and archers made straight for the pirate ship berthed there and boarded it swiftly. The magical Silence and Darkness aided their approach. The battle was very short lived, with only a token resistance put up by the pirates.

Paulix watched all of this from his prime position accompanied by a few flagons of wine. After the docklands raid had finished he remained where he sat and stared up at the stars sipping at the wine. He thought back to what Purloin had requested of him and began to piece things together; Gauk had delivered the first amulet to his contacts and it had been used to open the first magically locked portal on the Temple. The second amulet had been traced to the traders in Staneford but they had got it away to Gauk before they were arrested and imprisoned. The third amulet was in the hands of Lareth in Nulb, but no doubt if the Thuringians were as efficient in their attack on that village as they had just been in the docks then that should fall into their hands. However, his next mission involved tracking down the fourth amulet and then finding the whereabouts of the Golden Orb (a golden skull without its lower jaw that all of the amulets fit into - if this was destroyed by a certain sword then the demoness would be banished for 666 years.

On with the Mission – Tirsday 16^th Quinquember

Paulix stayed in his bed late the following morning. The raid and troop movements from the night before kept him awake and he thought deeply about how things all fitted together and how he could gain from all this. The Iron Ring, although useful for certain things did not make him much money and would make even less now that the city was in lock down and half the guild was either captured or killed. He would make more throwing in his lot, albeit quietly, with the Thuringians.

This thought made up his mind, so he breakfasted quickly and headed up to the castle to meet with his contact. He was directed to a nearby tavern and a short while later a hooded and cowled Sir Guy slipped in. He bought the thief a plate of food and a flagon of ale before he asked what he wanted. Paulix said that he had a few ideas on how he could get to the bottom of a few of the outstanding plots involving the Temple.

Paulix nervously stated that he was a member of the Iron Ring but Sir guy waved his comment away and said that he already knew that and said that it helped their situation better that way. He then continued that if they could arrange a staged break out of a few members of some of his fellow members, he would not only gain more trust but may also get more information out of them. Sir Guy considered this a moment before he asked the thief to continue.

The thief suggested that if a few of the more senior members in the dungeons had some kind of magical trace put upon them then he would jail break them with a small team of suspected Temple loyalists and then accompany them to their hideout as if he was a member of the Temple faction. Hopefully he could then gain more information about forthcoming plans and locations of other members of the Temple within the vicinity.

The Thuringian knight said that he thought that might just work and said he would be in touch within a few days. Paulix made his way to the Wynde and began to make contact with some of the suspected Temple affiliated members of the Iron Ring.

Passing Time – Wodensday 17^th to Thunorsday 18^th Quinquember

Paulix spent the next few days gathering adherents to his new cause and asked them for a meeting where they could discuss the actual plans in more intimate detail. The five or six thieves and bruisers he had tracked down agreed to meet him on the following Moonday to discuss matters further and to introduce him to some of the more senior members who would accompany him on the mission. The Temple would be very grateful for masterminding this break out.

The adventurer reported in to Purloin directly after and over the next couple of days he was asked to perform a few minor jobs. Paulix carried them out with his mind on other things and was almost caught on one occasion by a pair of merchant’s guards.

He then laid low until the appointed date for the meeting with the Temple’s contacts in order to plot the prison break.