After some exasperation at the theft of their hard-earned goods by the cultist Untad, the group investigates the contents of a cultist folio they discovered in the ice wall below the cult stronghold. After some reflection on the contents, they realize that there are several organisations actively working to bring about some sort of apocalypse in the city. This could interfere with some of Veiga’s long-term plans for the temple, and is completely at odds with the party’s rampant penchant for greed.
A local weaponsmith approaches the group. He knows that the apprentice had “interactions” with the group before. It may have something to do with a bloody robbery that took place in an alley not far from Delver Square. But he’s not here to judge. He asks the apprentice to help him convince them that they are involved with dangerous people. Of course, that doesn’t mean the party isn’t dangerous, but they seem more like “murderous when necessary” than “generally murderous”. This small difference seems important. So Veiga and Sniffles agree to meet with the prodigal apprentice at the local tavern, while Diggin sits at the bar in his usual place with Kegdrain. Fingers Second disguises himself and takes up a watchful position, trying to warn the party in case of any cult-like shenanigans. Meanwhile, Zaar looks after the party’s property and enjoys his moments of solitude.
The clerics’ conversation produces little fruit, and although there appear to be other watchers in the room, none of them make any move. When the apprentice leaves, Fingers tracks him to Tavern Row and watches him enter the Rat’s Nest Tavern. Kegdrain follows two clerics who seem interested in the conversation between the apprentice and the party’s clerics, but they head off to St. Gustav’s Chapel and are not seen again.
Rumors fly on the lips of many explorers over the next few days. Stories of rampaging barbarians coming to pillage the city because the Imperial Emperor has ordered the kidnapping and is holding them as bargaining chips. Some believe it is the work of one or more cults bent on destroying the world. In the midst of all this, the Blacksmith reappears. He apologizes for the trouble once again, but his apprentice is missing and has been missing for days. He leaves behind a strangely worded note and disappears. Judging from the note and the information in the Cult’s folio, he appears to be searching for someone known as the Surgeon. The Surgeon is known for his ability to “enhance” the human body with strange mechanical accessories. The Blacksmith makes a deal with an investigator, who returns with clothing from his apprentice and is on his way to survey the surrounding area for witnesses. The investigator never returns, but the weapon shop knows where they were exploring. So the group agrees to help the weapon shop, promising him a set of magical armor and a discount at the weapon shop. Looks like another trip to Old Town is planned.
Trips to Oldtown are now routine, with the group wandering around all day. Throughout the night, they keep watch around the area of the location the weapon dealer described, identifying what appears to be a rundown, dilapidated warehouse, which they identify as potentially being an interesting location. The next morning, they investigate the location, sneaking down an alleyway to decide where to enter. They choose the shipping office, but to get inside they must find a secret door. They find it, and as a sign of welcome, they douse Fingers in acid. After the acid, they are attacked by a strange figure wearing a corset and equipped with a mechanical “arm” with a knife on the end. The party rallies and engages, making quick work of the enemy, only to be attacked by a second figure, this one a crazed-looking dwarf skilled with a flaming axe. Killing the dwarf and quickly searching the area, they come upon an operating theatre, where an apprentice is strapped to a table and a robed figure looms over them, amputating most of one of his arms. A strange tube snakes around the apprentice and as the party moves on, the Doctor vanishes into thin air.
Before they can rescue the apprentice, they must defeat a strange guardian with a sword. Once they run out of healing spells and are stabilized, the group drags him outside. Zaar makes him invisible (to reduce the number of altercations that may be involved in the raid). They then call a carriage to transport the apprentice to the armorer, who is overjoyed and thanks them again and again. After a few days, the apprentice seems to come out of his delusion and realize that he was on the verge of being dragged into the cult. He gives the group some data, and they are forced to make an interesting decision on what to do next. They are not always for the public good, but in this case, their interests seem to align with those of the general public, and they may be forced to do a good deed for everyone. How infuriating! There has been too much brazenness lately.
Feeling a bit frustrated, they find themselves heading back to Oldtown, this time to investigate an apartment building where two Chaos Cults are having a joint venture. Two cults working together is probably not good news for the rest of the town, so they hire a carriage and head off.
