Temple delving for fun and... NO NOT FUN!!

Leaving the Bell to head into murder alley, I decide to traipse off to the gambling den! Tak and I bimble off to the same place -that’s convenient! Apparently, Ardetta had been seen trading with merchant types from past beyond the Rusty Dragon inn.
 
I am a bumpkin tour guide in a gambling den. Huzzah! The punters are really mean. Boo.
 
There's a new place opening in the slums - those new people who've moved in seem to be opening a den in a basement somewhere? These guys are ponying up 20 shillings per round! That's... a whole lot of money. - moving in to one of the basements tucked down an alley on the northern edge. Gambling/fences/merc jobs - and apparently they've got the money to fit it already! They apparently moved in about a week ago - the mover and shaker is Ambrian, but they're running a mixed bag. Clearly a bit brazen to pick something on the edge of the slums rather than in the dingy middle. Did they arrive at the same time as the blue bands? No name as yet. I might have to dig a little deeper.
 
I leave Tak to go do some investigating of his own and decide to give the Temple a try. I randomly break into the temple through the back and watch three town watch (two in blue) drag Father Belargo away from his sermon to be arrested by order of Mayor Grendol. I finagle my way back into the temple and attempt to scope out the lower level. It's waaaaaaay down. I find a massive iron banded door - there's a man made tunnel plunging into darkness. I head into the tunnel - there's a cross roads of three - left right or straight. I do an explore!
 
Tak goes to the garrison to see the medicus being escorted by Blue Cloaks - they snuck her into the town hall through the back door (also arrested by order of Mayor Grendol.) There is a FREAKY WHISPER AND A GLOW! WHY IS THERE A FREAKY WHISPER? WHY IS IT FOLLOWING ME?! Spectral figure with tattered robes gaping eye sockets and its features run like wax and now it looks like me - what the fuck. I am being eaten by the grave!! It's... gaining on me and the cold is sinking into my brain. I can't move properly. The blood is freezing in my veins. It's going to take my face. It's going to take me. I'm going to be lost again. I'm not going to be myself. I'm not going to make it out of here alive. I can't breathe. An icy, skeletal hand touches my shoulder and the whisper furrows into my mind, like some kind of unholy chorus discordant in my brain. I somehow make it out... I'm a shuddering mess. There's a streak of white in my hair that wasn't there before. I am blue in the face and icy cold to touch. Tak gives me his cloak, takes me to the Bell and Agshela gets hot water for my tea. The tea does its job, and things start to make a little more sense, but I still can't get any words out.
 
Abe finds me and Tak in the Bell. I am still a little wild around the edges. I pull my jerkin down to find a perfect, hand shaped and finger-shaped, taloned bruise. We head upstairs to talk about what they’ve found. The Commander’s been arrested and taken to the Town Hall! I am still catatonic!
 
Purgida just came to say Kagliostro just left the town through the north gate with about 20 people with him, all in town watch uniform. Someone said he’s taken the axe from the town hall – it’s been there forever. Part of the bell and the dragon story. There was originally a barbarian town menaced by a dragon and a witch told him that an ancient Symbarian bell – they rang the bell, it weakened the dragon, and they killed it with the axe. Purgida says they were moving really quickly. She takes a look over me and says I have a grave burn! I’ve been grabbed by something dead. (And how!)
 
I’m being taken downstairs to “be snapped out of it….” Help…?? She puts me in front of the flame servant and says: “Ignis! Look big!” He flares up in a giant balrog of warmth and flame and I feel the icy fingers let go of my mind a little. Purgida follows Tak out of the North gate to follow Kagliostro – they are heading West across country.
 
Abe and I go into the very empty town hall… I search the administrative offices downstairs and half inch a key oft the hook by the back door. Abe searches the hoity toity rooms upstairs on the mezzanine floor. Mayor Grendol is signing papers… with a knife sticking out of his left eye!! EEEEW!!!