Lorath's contacts in the Veiled Alliance acquired a forged Urikite missive, whose discovery by the templars would surely incriminate House Tsalaxa as traitors to the city of Tyr. The party pooled cash to buy the assassin a fast crodlu mount, and he rode form the city to find a suitable patsy to deliver the letter and take the fall for them.
While he was away, Vlodymyr returned to the templars, taking on the role of a helpful toady willing to inform on his fellow citizens. His cringing manner didn't endear him to the average templar in the street, and was taken back to the templar district for interrogation by a mindbender.
The monk found himself face to face with templar Validius, the very man that had been responsible for his earlier mind-imprinting. This bought him a little more credibility, but Validius was not impressed with a tale of some anonymous people in a bar discussing a potential messenger in a distinctive shawl bearing what may or may not be important news. He needed names and locations, and sent Vlodymyr away with instructions to be more attentive in his spying.
With The Plan at risk, Ungarth instead suggested that perhaps they could get House Tsalaxa another way. The party dispersed across the city, Pik and Raina hitting bars across the warrens while the barbarian went to see Jossi the Juggler. Each group spread the word that Patamon the halfling (wannabe crime boss and 'employer' of Yeifang's son Kwang) was blackmailing House Tsalaxa over their dealings with Urik. With the gossip well and truly slathered over the area, it was time for stage two.
Dressing in the black Tsalaxa cloaks taken from the assassins that had attacked them in the desert - and leaving their distinctive bear at home - the five of them - Vlodymyr, Ungarth, Raina and Pik with Vimacz the half-giant providing some 'muscle' went off to Patamon's lair, kicking open the door and declaring loudly that House Tsalaxa had come for revenge.
Unleashing blatant magic (Pik threw a few lightning bolts around, and drew upon the skull's power to summon snakes and strike down his enemies with poison) to devastate the halfling's human and mul underlings - but being careful to leave some alive - the party rampaged to the cellar where Patamon's office was located. A pair of cilopses were on guard there, and while the one-eyed centipedes were easily defeated, Patamon had escaped through a narrow back tunnel. The group gave chase, but he was long gone by the time they emerged into the street. They could hear angry mobs already gathering to put an end to the 'Tsalaxa wizards' that had been seen attacking, and templars were among their number. Ditching their disguises, they disappeared into the night...
Meanwhile, Lorath stopped at a caravanserai a day's ride from Tyr, looking for a likely target to take the letter the Tyr. Passing over several groups, he settled upon the lone dwarf Hasad, travelling with his kank from Ledopolis to start a new life in the city of freedom. He was more than happy to help, even if it did mean wearing an elven shawl to get the attention of the message's recipient. It would be his first gainful employment in the city, and he was sure overjoyed to have met such a swell, helpful person on the road.
Lorath left him to it.
Laurence J Sinclair
