The team is called in when they hear that the Slinky Siene in Parisius is partialy damaged, and a few 'patrons' are injured or killed. The local thieves guild lets the team know they are preparing to be attacked shortly themselves. They have been sent a pouch / knife combo with blood on it with three ears & three Thieves of Frankia marking in it.
The team are supplied with a small quartz stone for unlocking a room below an old rundown abandoned Dwarven brewery. There they find the old store room converted to a ritual room. Four points are marked on the floor (as part of a circle) with a small bronze bowl on each. Each is pointing to a cardinal point, and the bowls contain specific materials as follows:
- North - strange substance giving off gas representing air
- South - grave eart representing earth
- East - burning oil representing fire
- West - ice representing water
A slightly larger brass bowl lies in the middle of the circle with a mix of the others as the vocal point and representing the aether. It seems that there is a small amount of fur tied round a black candle placed on a table. A wooden bowl is next to it containing a mix of blood and sulphur, and a ritual silver knife is there too.
A page is present describing the ritual. The fur is from Reolus & preserved. The caster calls upon the primordial chaos before the creation of the world, dipping the hair & candle in the blood & sulpher, then lighting it and to send a message through the aether to Reolus with a phrase spoken. The phrase is: "Sleeper Awaken". Four others are standing at each cardinal point chanting the same phrase and Reolus' name.
This would cause Reolus to "awaken" a hidden psychological programming in the same room, allowing the caster to send messages and imprints of who to rob and/or kill.
Lying in a corner is a pack that contains about 50 gold, and a magical knife that is +2, and does an extra 7
2d6 poison damage. A letter states that a Rudolf de Sade (a minor noble in Charlemagne's court) is wanting Gabrielle de Rais assassinated by a member of the Bladed Pouch, using the knife and someone who could get into Frankish Court without arousing suspicion.
It also looks like the Master of the Bladed Pouch as been in the room recently. The room had been set up and ready to use. Shadows are everywhere and these seem to move, a coldness is also found and there is a raven featherwith it tipped in silver on the base lying to one side. The letter mentioned earlier has a line stating that the Queen of Shadows & Beating Wings will get her dues.
The team can run into a number of Shadar-Kai in the area, and they may be hostile. If persuaded, they may point or at least allude to one of their own who was banished to the Material Plane being the Master. They have a base in a ruined overgrown fortress nearby made by ancient High Elves.
If the team gfoes there they may well find the Master and a few of Shadar-Kai, cultists, thieves & assassins.
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