Chapter One: The Iron Sphere of Sthombo

"I agree. This way to the Hazard Road. It runs along the Ophid for much of its length. Let's be quiet about it - sounds echo down here."

Mordred leads the party out of the city towards the river.

Unless anyone else has other ideas? I feel like we might be able to pump the Justiciar for more information, but I'm not sure it's worth it...

Felor follows Mordred, anxious to get out of the city before the city guard find them.

Leth follows the rest of them, bow still in his hand, just in case they run into more trouble or if Mordred turns out to be less trustworthy than he thought.

At the mention of Kells and the sphere, Mordred stops. He looks carefully at his new companions.

"Go to the third passage on the right, turn the corner and wait there, out of sight. I need to find out what they know about Edvers Kells and the Iron Sphere. A friend of mine is involved with this situation, and I need to make sure they are not in danger from the authorities."

He pauses to make sure the importance of his next statement is clear.

"If you have any knowledge about what happened to the Iron Sphere, and what - if any - involvement Kells may have had in it, I beg you to tell me when I return. The life of someone very dear to me may be at stake."

He pulls his cowl over his face and dims his lantern, and returns to where Scarlip lies. He splashes a bit of water in the Justiciar's face to wake him. Disguising his voice and hiding his face as much as possible, he addresses Scarlip.

"By the Tetrarchs' carved thrones, what is this? Sir? What has happened here, good lawman? I think I heard you mention the Great Sphere, whose absence impoverishes our city and our souls. Are you on the hunt for the dastardly criminals? Did Kells have accomplices?"

It doesn't seem like the Justiciar will be of much help at the moment. Hopefully his new companions will be more forthcoming.

"Murderers, you say? How deviant. I shall fetch help at once, be still and rest."

Mordred returns to the party.

"It seems you lot are wanted for murder. Now please, if I am going to lead you any further, I must know the truth of it. You can tell me as we walk. What do you have to do with Kells and the theft of the Sphere, and who exactly has been murdered?"

Leth is taken aback at this and opens his mouth to speak, but Mordred continues and then leaves them before he has a chance to ask any questions. He glances at his companions.
"He knows someone involved with Kells and the Sphere, but he himself doesn't seem to know any more about the situation itself than we do... I dunno guys. How much do we tell him? If he knows someone who might be able to give us more information about what happened, I think it's worth a shot. I don't quite know what to make of him yet, but at this point, we need all the help we can get..."

They don't have much time to discuss it, however, as Mordred returns soon after departing with more questions. Leth takes a deep breath and sighs.
"All right, well, I'll tell you as much as I can, but we should definitely be getting out of the city as fast as we can. Lead on, and I'll fill you in on the basic points. We can probably discuss this in greater detail once we're out of the city."

Once they are moving again, Leth continues.

"I just want you to know that two people have already died on account of getting involved with this, though not by our hands. That's one of the reasons I've been so hesitant to tell you anything. If you listen to what we have to say, and choose to get involved, be warned that you're taking your life into your own hands." He said meaningfully. "We're being hunted - now by two groups of people - and if you join up with us for long you may find yourself being hunted as well."

If Mordred agrees, Leth will continue.

"We were all acquaintances of Kells in one way or another, though most of us didn't know each other before his death. We were summoned to bear his body away for burial - that was when most of us met each other and we got involved in this whole situation." He pauses for a moment, as it suddenly occurs to him that Frekki, Carrillion, and Tzipporah might also be hunted down by the Justiciars as long as they were here in the city... He'd have to bring that up to Vad and Felor. For the time being though, he continues,
"Unfortunately, we don't know much of anything about the theft of the sphere itself. That's why we're heading out of town now, we're hoping to meet someone who can give us more information - Kell's daughter, Zora. Also, you know, the fact that the authorities aren't too keen on us any more." He says wryly.

If Mordred doesn't interrupt him here, Leth will continue:

"Anyway, we were ambushed while we were burying his body. Turns out there's some group of witch-men out there who thinks that we might know where the sphere is - which we don't - and is intent on capturing us to learn it's location. We survived, and discovered a six-pronged-crown symbol on one of their belongings. That night we also had a chance encounter with a prophetic spirit, who told us where we could find Zora. We returned to Sthombo in the morning to try and find out more information about this crown symbol. I talked to two women who said they might be able to get us some information and would ask for us, but they never showed up to meet me the next day. Turns out they were murdered - likely by the same group that's out to get us. And of course because I was seen talking to them, the brilliant Justiciars of Sthombo pinned the whole thing on us." He says bitterly. "We disagreed, of course, and made a run for it - which is where you came in to the picture. Since we've obviously over-stayed our welcome in Sthombo, our current goal is to go find Zora and see if we can get to the bottom of what's really going on." He finishes.

"Does that satisfy you?"

Mordred listens to all this patiently, but as the party follows him through the sewers, even in the dim light they can see the tiefling visibly tense at certain points.

"What you say is shocking to me. I find it hard to believe, and if we hadn't met in such unlikely circumstances, I would be suspicious that you were trying to set me up. As it is, after you hear what I have to tell you may feel the same way about me. Being hunted is no new experience for me, so do not worry yourself about that, and any natural caution I might have in this situation must be cast aside. You see, for as much as my meager existence on the fringes of Sthombo can be said to be worth anything at all, I owe it all to Zora Kells. She befriended me when we were both much younger, and her kindness is what has allowed me to make anything of myself. That is why, when she asked me, not more that two days ago, to help her find a secret way out of the city, I guided her through some of the same tunnels I am now taking you. If you are looking for Zora, then so am I."

He pauses to help the group through a narrow passage.

"You will also be interested in the last advice Zora had for me. She said that if I were to encounter the sigil of a six-pointed crown I should run in the other direction as fast as I could. It seems these witch-men are just as dangerous as she thought. If you'll allow it, I will accompany you to find Zora, and to clear her father's name. No ill will come to her while Mordred Kaliban draws breath."