The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 6th Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 8th Level (PC) Nicola - Cleric 6th Level (PC) Dollin - Druid 6th Level (PC) Wed - Mage 5th Level (NPC) Little John - Fighter 6th Level (NPC)
Locale	Critwall
Date	5th day of Wealsun, 585 CY (Common Year)
Time	late afternoon

The party did fairly brisk sales and as by late afternoon had sold nearly all of the foodstuffs. The majority of the customers were city guards, who actually looked a bit undernourished. Rheaphlyndar the budding businessman offered them a steep discount and picked up some more information about the city. Unfortunately, none of the very casual inquiries revealed the location of the temple, and a plan was made to do some scouting after dark.

Rheaphlyndar	Maybe I can hit a few taverns and make some inquiries.
Nicola	Yeah, right, Reaph.
Gimar	Maybe I could strike up a conversation with some of these dwarven overseers we've been seeing.
Dollin	I haven't seen any around for a while.
Rheaphlyndar	I've got some info on that -- the work crews quit and scatter in the mid-afternoon, so you'll probably have to get them tomorrow.

The merchants were mostly packing up their wagons and beginning a general drift towards the ruined part of the city. The slave-hawker from the next wagon over was also packing up. Jaron noticed, rather smugly, that he hadn't managed to sell his wares that day.

Rheaphlyndar	(aside to Jaron) Out of evil cometh good. That is, occasionally.
Gimar	(striding up) Say, neighbor, what's the best area to camp?
Hawker	Ah, Snake is the name, and you're the healthiest gully dwarf I've seen in a while.
Gimar	(smirking) Well, I have been known to dip into the food occasionally. Say, my companions and I are new to the city and I wonder if you know of a good place to camp. I can give you some food . . .
Snake	(chuckling) Well, yeah, as a matter of fact I do know of a place. I've been setting up a shelter over by that ruined building there. (pointing) You're welcome to join us -- several of the merchants do.
Gimar	Well, Snake, My name is Axeman, and that sounds just fine.
Snake	And I'll take your offer of food gladly, but I am afraid that I have to charge you what I charge the rest of the merchants -- you'll see when you get there. I'll see you there -- I call it the Snake Pit, har har har.

Jaron spotted a shimmer of movement in the bushes, and it was confirmed by Little John and Nicola. Gimar continued ahead with Snake, to make sure he didn't notice as well.

In the bushes was a little girl, and when the party approached her she froze.

Rheaphlyndar

(almost like she's trying to hide in shadows)

The rogue pulled on his eyepatch and examined the girl, while Nicola whispered to Jaron "is she evil?". No evil, magic or illusion was detected, however. Jaron approached her, but the girl's eyes darted left and right, as if she was looking for a way to run.

Nicola	(whispering) I don't understand, Jaron's got a lot of charisma.
Rheaphlyndar	Even as an ogre he still looks like an authority figure. She looks kind of thin, do we have any good food?
Nicola	I can create some, let me just jog over to the wagon.
Girl	Stay where you are! I'm a mighty mage and I'll cast a big spell that really hurts if you don't!
Nicola	Ooo, you've got me trembling.
Reaphlyndar	(pulling out some rations) You also look like a hungry mage. You'e obviously been casting many protection spells to have remained hidden so well . . . . . . and not had enough mana left over to conjure up some food. Would you be willing to protect us, if we gave you some food? We're strangers here, and could use the protection of a mighty mage . . .

The girl slowly but surely bought into the rogues lines, or else was overwhelmed by the smell of food. Soon she was stuffing her face.

Girl	I was (marrumph) just kidding about the mage (grumph) thing. My name is Natt.
Reaphlyndar	Why are you alone, and how have you been surviving?
Natt	Family is gone, I'm all alone now, except for my big brother.
Nicola	What happened to your family?
Natt	They Dided
Reaphlyndar	(looking around) Is he hungry, too? He can join us, if he's nearby.
Natt	Nawp, he's not here. Thanks for the food, I really need to get back the Snoop Patrol.
Nicola	Snoop Patrol? What's that?
Reaphlyndar	Can you tell us about the Snoop Patrol? Are they recuiting?

Natt closed her mouth and looked about, like she had revealed a secret that she shouldn't have. Now that she bore closer inspection, she seemed to be about eight years old and very scrawny. She changed the subject and continued.

Natt	My family died when the monsters took the city.
Nicola	Does your brother take care of you now?
Natt	Yep, do you want to meet him?
Nicola	Yes, we do.
Reaphlyndar	Sure! Can our friends come along? They might get worried if we wander off alone.
Natt	(seeing the wagon) You can't bring that with you, but sure, come on along.

There was a quick discussion, and the party decided to split. Wed, Nicola, Jaron, and Rheaphlyndar all went with Natt. Earlier in the day, Dollin had made a small pet of a weasel from the area, and he sent the weasel along with Natt's group.

Dollin	He can act as a messenger if need be.
Nicola	What's his name?
Dollin	I've been calling him Kanjii.

The biscuits followed the little girl through the rubble of many shattered buildings. When she reached an overturned tree stump she stopped and crawled beneath.

Natt	Wait here till I get the smelly clothes.
Nicola	The what?
Jaron	Something about the smelly clothes. Why?

A moment later she reappeared with tattered black robes for everyone. Further inspection of the robes revealed the emblem of a smiling skull sewn into the fabric.

Natt	(holding her nose) Here, put these on and the smelly folk will leave you alone.
Jaron	(shocked) These are vestments of the church of Iuz!
Nicola	Oh, this is NOT a good sign. No wonder she called them smelly.
Jaron	(stammering) I . . . I . . . cannot wear this.
Nicola	(reluctantly) I think we'll have to.
Jaron	Forgive me Pelor!

The now smelly party wandered further through the ruins. The rank stench of unburied (or unearthed) bodies and garbage continued to assault any sense of smell. Jaron made a disparaging comment that the little girl's big brother was probably Iuz, but a stern glare from Nicola shushed him. Natt arrived at another overturned tree. Underneath the stump was a hole, which led to a large pipe.

Natt	We're here! Oh, and one more thing. Make sure you tell the truth, cause, Jorell don't like liars at ALL!
Nicola	Who's Jorell?
Natt	My big brother. Who wants to go first?
Jaron	(sensing no evil intent) I shall.

Unfortunately, the paladin's armor got quickly stuck in the pipe and he had to be pulled out. He and Nicola then stripped off their armor and bundled it up. Wed dispelled his illusion, which the girl had clearly seen through anyhow.

Wed	(quickly casting) That should help you.
Jaron	What?
Wed	A shielding spell, it should protect you from normal missiles.

Jaron then headed into the pipe, feet first, and his armor was handed in next. The rest of the party quickly followed. The pipe descended for about a hundred feet, and eventually the whole party was caught up in rope netting. Several dirty faces peered back at the party of four humanoids and one weasel. As Natt arrived, the net was lowered.

Jaron	(eyes quickly adjusted) They've got crossbows. My, what fine construction.
Natt	(leaving the party) I forgot about the questions. Remember . . .

A tall boy appeared, probably the eldest of the lot. He carried a rune etched bastard sword of ancient design. Nicola estimated he was at most fourteen.

Boy	Greetings, my name is Jorell, and I am a Knight of the Holy Shielding.

There were a few snickers behind him, quickly silenced by a look from the young knight.

Jorell	I ask you to tell me three things. What are your true names? Are you here to kill the evil one's troops? And finally, do you fight on the side of the Knights of Good?"
Jaron	(detecting no evil intent) My name is Sir Jaron Yhanovaar, we are here to rescue an object of the temple of Pelor, and I am a Knight of Good.
Jorell	And your companions?
Jaron	This humble cleric is Nicola Machiavelli. My elven companion is Rheaphlyndar. And finally, this is our quiet mage, Wed Booth.

Jorell bowed, and offered the party water, which was politely refused. The rest of the children left, except for four crossbowmen who stood by his side.

Jaron	And may I ask who you represent?
Jorell	I am the son of Jerumm Torann, Knight of the Holy Shielding and garrison commander of Critwall. When our city was attacked, my father, fatally wounded, brought the children and myself to the Temple of the Sun where, before he died, he knighted me with his sword and made me their ward. I have often prayed to Mayaheine for a key to unlock our captivity and lead us back to the lands of good. Are you that Key?
Jaron	Perhaps. Do you know a discreet way out of the city?
Jorell	Yes, I do, but we have no way of getting past that.
Nicola	Past what?
Jorell	The open countryside is filled with monsters and evil ones. We no longer see the battle we once did -- has the war ended now?
Jaron	In a way it has.
Nicola	We can handle monsters and evil ones.
Jorell	I can provide you with detailed information about troop movements within the city, if that will help. General Rehmat himself was seen last night with a large force, sweeping the sewers beneath the city. Could he be searching for that object also?
Nicola	You bet your sweet bippy.
Jorell	Then we can help you, if you can help us. I know of an underground route to the Temple, but we cannot go there any longer.
Jaron	Why not?
Jorell	Natt reported that there is a giant frog that sweats and stinks who sleeps there, and it apparently ate one of her friends. I believe her implicitly.
Nicola	Ummm, giant frog sound familiar to anybody?
Jaron	Most of the party has fought one before, yes.
Nicola	Okay, perhaps we need to gather our missing members together and follow up on this?

Jorell offers to send somebody, but the weasel takes off running before he can.

Jorell	Will we be leaving tonight, then? After you go into the Temple, that is?
Nicola	My take on that is the sooner the better.

A flurry of activity met that announcement as the children packed up their meager belongings. Within minutes the tunnel looked like a deserted sewer again.

Jorell

Follow me to the fountain of life!

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