Blurb

A desperate rescue of plague-stricken Ringo from an angry mob led to a chaotic heist at the Abbey, where Ray, Orm and Brenda barely escaped with stolen medicine after botching their stealth mission.

Harry, Mordechai, Rufus and Mort recruited Warden Elias Blackthorn's support by stealing bonecharms from his family farm (keeping them for themselves while replacing them with rat bones), earning his promise of City Watch assistance if they could prove New Dawn's connection to the rat plague.

Synopsis

Orm, Brenda, Ray, Ringo

On a sweltering day as summer waned, the Docks District buzzed with activity. A boisterous crowd had gathered outside a house where Ringo, afflicted with an infection, was barricaded inside. Amidst calls for his expulsion, Ray mustered the courage to stand atop a barrel, but his plea for assistance fell on deaf ears.

When Ringo emerged, the crowd recoiled in fear. Seizing the moment, our heroes exacerbated the panic, exploiting the chaos to slip away with Ringo, evading a futile barrage of thrown rocks. Finding refuge in an abandoned house, they caught their breath as the crowd dispersed.

With Ringo's life hanging in the balance, they hastened to the apothecary for aid. Though the apothecary offered little help, they obtained discounted medical supplies as gratitude. Advised to seek solace at the Abbey of the Allseeing, they gleaned tidbits about the Abbey's mysterious Blessed Unguent.

Gaining entry to the Abbey District through donations, they attended a sermon before questioning the Overseer about the plague. Unaided by the Overseer's vague response, they were clandestinely informed about the Blessed Unguent by an initiate, who was promptly reprimanded. Snatching a dropped note, they deduced the Unguent's whereabouts and stealthily procured two jars from the Brother's chamber.

Their theft did not go unnoticed, and sparked a pursuit that left them battered and with a tarnished reputation at the Abbey. Nonetheless, they succeeded in administering the Unguent to Ringo, saving him from his illness before day's end.

Harry, Mordechai, Rufus, Mort

Meanwhile in their quest for support against New Dawn, our second group of heroes consulted the Iron Anchor Tavern bartender, who directed them towards recruiting mercenaries or seeking aid from the City Watch. Wandering the city streets, they stumbled upon a swarm of rats accompanying a weeper, leading to a skirmish where they dispatched the creatures. Undeterred, they visited the Blackthorn family farm, where Tony Blackthorn divulged the whereabouts of his brother, Warden Elias Blackthorn, suggesting they'd find him in the city.

Upon reaching the City Watch headquarters, they negotiated a bounty arrangement for dealing with the rat plague and weepers, securing a promise from the clerk to relay their request for assistance to the Warden. With newfound leads about the Warden's city residence and rumours of a connection to the Abbey, they were summoned to the residence by a messenger named Jorg.

Meeting Warden Elias, they shared their suspicions of New Dawn's involvement in the rat plague, earning his appreciation but needing to establish trust. Elias tasked them with retrieving a mysterious chest from the family farm. Under cover of darkness, they infiltrated the farm, faced challenges including squeaky hinges and failed technology, eventually procuring the chest amidst a distraction caused by a fire.

Examining the chest, they found bonecharms, one of which imbued Harry with improved stealth abilities. Deciding to keep the charms, they replaced them with bones from the dispatched rats and returned the chest to Elias. Elias, grateful for their assistance, pledged City Watch support if they could substantiate the connection between the rat plague and New Dawn.