Life's Bazaar

6 November, 595
Part II

The unconscious bodies of Felian, Baxtor, and Serro are dragged back to the surface, and are taken to St. Cuthbert for healing. The coffers of the party are emptied, as the group is healed from the devastating combat.

The group attempts to sell some of the treasures they found at Tygot's Old Things, an antiquity shop run by an old gnome with a large blind dog. The crotchety old Tygot agrees to buy some items but sends the group to the jewelrers to sell off the rest of their valuables.

Next the party pays a visit to Skies' Treasury, a boutique that specializes in the sale of all things of a magical nature. Skie is very talkative, and introduces herself as a former adventurer herself. She offers to identify some items the group has but alas they cannot afford to pay her prices at the moment. A few healing potions are purchased, and it is back to Keygan's shop for a meal, then into the Malachite Fortress.

Arriving at the scene of the former battle, the party notices that all of the dead bodies have been dragged out, including Fario's. Felian is upset at this and insists they follow the trail of blood. Kyladrian sneaks into a room with a large hearth and forge tools. Inside he spots a dwarf, 2 halflings, and 3 goblins toiling away on hammering something. He also notices several hobgoblins standing watch, but they do not spot him.

The group decides that the bodies may have been dragged this way, but they should find a different way around. Another door is opened to reveal a bedroom, occupied by a large shackled chest and 2 fleshy human-shaped blobs, who move towards Salla when he tries to enter. Salla quickly closes the door and the group moves on.

Inside a set of double doors, the group witnesses a bulky five-foot humanoid dressed in black plate mail doing some sort of business with an ashy-skinned dwarf holding a box of coins. The armored fellow is holding a large axe in one hand and the chain of a collared boy in the other. Behind him menaces a large bestial hound with quills protruding from its body. In the back of the room juts a pole, to which 3 other children are tethered to.

The man notices the party as they enter and ask who they are and why did they destroy his hobgoblin army. Once he explains he is trying to conduct a business transaction Baxtor asks how much money he wants for the children, the dwarf-like creature (named Pyllrak) protests but the other man (revealed as Kazmojen) tells them he'll let them go for 450 gold pieces. Baxtor refuses, and Kaz quickly orders his pet Prickles to attack. Howling gleefully, the beast moves forward to charge at Felian, barreling into the cleric and leaving quills sticking from his armor. Kaz pulls out a hand axe and hurls it at the group, while Pyllrak disappears into thin air. During the melee some hear the doors behind them open and close. The battle is long and drawn-out. At some point Serro slashes Kaz across the chest, knocking the wind out of him and allowing others to press the advantage. Unfortunately, Kaz's wounds seem to be closing up on themselves and healing at an uncanny rate. Towards the end, only Salla and Serro are left standing. But Serro delivers a finishing blow to Prickles, and Salla's axe brings the armored fiend to his knees. As Salla and Serro take turns hacking at the body, they are horrified to see it healing before their very eyes. In a fury, Salla uses his axe to hack off the head of Kazmojen, and the body stops repairing itself. The children are heard whimpering in the corner.

As the party is regrouping and tending to its wounds, a large floating orb appears with a giant central eye and gaping mouth, and several other eyes on stalks protruding from the top appears from nowhere and announces its intentions to take Terrem, one of the kidnapped kids. It says that it will return him to the orphanage and they can do with the others as they choose. Baxtor casts a spell and determines that the creature is immensely evil. He communicates this to the group, and Salla picks up a throwing axe and hurls it at the monster. One of the eye stalks shoots a beam of energy at Sallas and a momentary feeling of fear passes over him before he can shake it off. At that moment the floating orb vanishes, along with one of the children.

The other children are returned to the orphange, and the party discovers that prior to their arrival, a veiled woman returned Terrem to the orphange. Baxtor finds this a bit suspicious, but Gretchen, the headmistress is just relieved to have all of the children back safe and sound. A visit is paid to St. Cuthbert, where everyone is healed and Jenya meets with the party. After hearing their story, she rewards them with the promised gold and commends them for the brave job they have done. She also asks if there are still prisoners being held below, and they believe there are still some alive. Felian wants to go back anyway to make another attempt at recovering Fario's body.

The party reequips itself, drops some items off at Skies for identification, and prepares for another underground foray.