The Fireball Gazette

A Plea for Heplessness
Inside the cathedral, the party witnessed a rather distressing conversation between Elio and a very upset, red-haired woman named Marina. She was pleading for a séance to contact her deceased sister, but Elio explained he simply couldn’t spare resources for anything that wasn't an absolute emergency - he had a bit of a queue forming already. However, sensing her distress, the party offered to assist Elio, who confided his worries about recent, quite unpleasant terrorist attacks in Port Elgin, allegedly led by Moon Church separatists. Mad Matt agreed to help gather information, though he did emphasise that the party definitely wasn’t in Port Elgin when the dreadful business occurred. Before they could continue their chat, the Paladin entered, whispering to Elio about a somewhat mysterious barrel delivery that had arrived without even a 'please' or 'thank you'.

Explosive Discovery
Curious, the party inspected the barrels outside, noting they were tightly sealed with liquid inside. Selah and Matt already feared the worst, believing these barrels to be quite similar to the unpleasant ones in Port Elgin. With the help of a bird, Deva tracked down a rather nervous monk managing a cart nearby. As the party began interrogating him - trying their best to remain civil - he muttered a spell, and moments later, an explosion rocked the cathedral, which was terribly disruptive. Assassins in dark robes suddenly attacked, casting off their disguising rags and striking down unprepared monks and paladins with very little regard for etiquette.

Vines and Greataxes
Deva summoned vines to ensnare the assassin, transforming into a horse to tackle him from above - a bit of a dramatic entrance, admittedly. Meanwhile, Marina, startled from her hiding spot, charged out with her greataxe and went after the assassin. Despite an initial miss, she landed a second blow, wounding him quite badly. She pursued him relentlessly, eventually ending his flight down a staircase in a final, decisive strike.

Defending Elio
Ace took a strategic position near the cathedral, though an assassin managed to slash him before he could find proper cover. Near the entrance, Mad Matt rushed to protect Elio from a crossbow attack, which was quickly thwarted by Ace’s expert shot. Horse-Deva corralled an assassin into a corner, securing Elio and the Paladin’s retreat back inside, much like a well-managed queue.

The Assassin’s Leader Emerges
Rachel Boon, leader of the assassins, stepped into view, declaring her intent to destroy the cathedral - quite a rude way to introduce oneself. With a grim flourish, she ignited barrels placed around the area, sending waves of pinkish-blue flames across the cathedral grounds, which made the weather feel even more miserable. Selah, using her ki, climbed atop a tree and enveloped the courtyard in magical darkness, adding a new layer of confusion to the battlefield.

Battle in the Darkness
The party fought blindly in the gloom. Matt, positioning himself to intercept Rachel, managed to wound her with his black tendrils just as she advanced. Ace fired a well-timed crossbow bolt, striking her in the abdomen. Nearby, Deva, still in horse form, stalked her remaining target, delivering powerful kicks until he succumbed. With Rachel down and the darkness dissipated, Deva transformed into a bear, finishing off the last assassin in a rather fierce final blow.

Inside the Cathedral
The party captured a chi-blocked assassin and Rachel herself, rushing them, along with a critically wounded civilian, inside. They feared the worst, as they suspected the Paladin to be a double agent, but it became clear he had been defending Elio quite admirably. Grateful for their help, Elio healed the wounded and attempted to interrogate Rachel, who refused to answer, which was rather unhelpful. He ordered her and the assassin to be held until judgment could be passed.

Revelations and Rewards
Thankful for the heroes' intervention, Elio agreed to conduct a séance for Marina. However, even with twenty candles and deep meditation, he couldn’t contact her sister, Luna, from beyond the grave. There could only be one explanation for this - Luna was still alive!
When Ace tried to offer Elio a vial of liquid gold to aid repairs, he kindly refused the gift, insisting on paying 200 gold for it instead. Knowing Selah’s interest in relics, he invited the party to visit the Northern Cathedral’s treasury, promising a guided tour of the church’s most treasured artifacts the next day…

– TO BE CONTINUED –