Session 3, the Rescue

The Privateers spent much of their wealth at the 2 competing Magic Shops within Rel Astra. One known as 'the Inkwell' started as a repository and shop specializing in scrolls which has branched out into other types of magic items for sale. The second shop 'the Magic Monger's' is a place where a half dozen wizards own jointly, and buy and sell magic items.
After selling much of their new found wealth, the 5 Privateers cast about for something new. Pumkinhead Johnny was off doing his own thing saying he had 'obligations' before he went off.
A young boy, named Morosino came into the groups inn looking for Hadrian. They spoke and Hadrian told the group the following "It seems a friend of my mentor, a woman named Janiven, wishes to meet us at Vizio's tavern." Morosino gives Hadrian direction to the tavern and then leaves on another errand.
Upon entering the mostly empty tavern in mid-day, they saw a comely woman in her 20's. With wavy auburn hair of medium length, slight freckles and tanned from the sun, 5'4", wearing leather and chin shirt, with a bow and sword. Morosino introduced her as Janiven.
She greeted each of the 5 Privateers, and was surprised to see a cleric of hextor in the company of Hadrian, but with a shrug she proceeded to speak of Rel Astra's plight. The forced curfew, due to shadowy creatures allowed to roam the city after dark. The ineffective and corrupt Dottari constables and Mayor, and the tyrannical Hell Knights. With this thought she, and Hadrian's mentor, Arael, have been speaking out to restore the city to it's former glory. Arael has inspired others in town, a dozen or more so far, and they are calling themselves 'the Children of Medegia'. She is reaching out to you 5 to see if they are receptive to joining. Each of you realize that what she is saying could be seen as seditious and treasonous.
As they talked about her ideas, Morosino burst into the front door out of breath and distressed. He yells out "They've got Arael!" He doubles over brought on by a long run. Janiven's face grows grim and she comforts the boy. He recovers enough to tell her "The dottari nabbed Arael, and the Hellknights of the Rack are trying to get custody of him. The Hell Knights on their way here now."
The sound of clanking armor advancing on the tavern is heard, and through the front windows a large group of heavily armored and armed hell knights is seen. Similar sounds are heard from the rear of the tavern as well.
Janiven heads towards a cupboard and pushes the back open to reveal a tunnel opening. "Come on if you want your freedom." She heads in followed by the lad, and after a brief hesitation, the 5 Privateers.
The secret door led to a bolt hole basement room, which Janiven barred after they came through the door. In a chest was a pair of tanterns, some extra lamp oil, and a number of potions. She gave one to each of the privateers "Potions of Curing" she said as she led to a secret door leading to the sewer system. "Arael and I put marks on the walls to lead us safely out."
Janiven led them through the sewers, after a bit they could hear sounds behind them echoing through the tunnels. Within 15 minutes they fought a trio of Hell Knights from a side tunnel. They were trained, but not too tough. The three were slain, and the group pressed on.
Eventually Janiven led them up and out of the sewers near a safe house in the ruins. The place looked like it had once been a shrine, though the windows were boarded up. It had only one entrance, which she unlocked, and led the Privateers and Morosino inside.
Inside the shrine was bare, with only a few bed rolls, a table, some chests with dry goods, and a few jugs of water. After 20 minutes two young people knocked on the door and Janiven let them inside. A young man and woman in their late teens. Janiven introduced them as Ermolos and Tarvi, members of the Children of Medegia. "We heard about Arael." After another hour two more of the group had come to the hide out, these were Fiosa and Vitti. A female halfling and a human lad in his early 20's with green died hair. Before long Janiven had they 4 what had happened, and then told Ermolos and Morosino to go find the other Childern of Medegia and tell them to remain calm and meet in groups no larger than 3's.
The evening was spent eating bread and water with a small fire in a discreet fireplace in the back of the shrine. They hunkered down, as it was dangerous to travel the ruins at night. Brimbul and Fiosa chatted, as did Janiven with Hadrian and Kurgan.
Prexus found it hard to believe the streets were as dangerous as people said. He wanted to see what sort of danger was outside. He ordered Imgar to attend him and went outside with a torch. In the half hour they were in the street, they heard noises but never saw anything. They came back inside after pounding on the door, and Hadrian and Prexus argued over the wisdom of going out at night. There seemed to be a rift growing between the two clerics.
The next morning the Children of Medegia spread out thru the city to find out Arael's fate. Janiven asked Hadrian and the rest of the Privateers to check in later in the day if the still wished to help. Laterin the day Janiven met with the Privateers at the safe house. Arael had been transferred to the custody of the Hell Knights, and would be transported tomorrow to Fort Rivad. I was presumed he would be tortured and killed.
The Privateers and Janiven hatched a planm to rescue him. For the plan to work, they would all need horses, a cart with hay or other 'goods' and the help of two of the Children of Medegia and Janiven to hold the horses in reserve and provide missile fire if needed.
Before dawn Janiven, Ermelos, Larko, the Privateers left town with a hay filled wagon, and riding horses. They headed west towards the town of Mentrey. The Hell Knights of the Order of the Rack are headquartered in Fort Rivad outside the town. On the way there's a small bridge over a creek. They overturned the cart on the bridge, and unhitched the draft horses. The other horses were hidden in a copse of trees further down the road. Ermelos and Larko had been outfitted in leather armor, spear and light wooden shields by Hadrian, are their job was to stay with the horses with Janiven then run up once the trap was sprung.
An hour or two later 4 Hell Knight riders followed by a fortified coach with a balista mounted on the top approached the bridge. Kurgan, Imgar and Prexus were concealed beneath the bridge. Hadrian and Brimbul wore travelling cloaks over their gear and were acting out leavering the cart back into position and handling the draft horses.
One of the Hell Knights ordered them to move immediately or suffer. He drew steel as he said this.
Hadrian tried to explain their predicament, but between his artless bluff or heavy armor beneath his cloak the Hell Knight knew something was afoot. "An Ambush! Kill them all!" Yelled the man. This was the signal for the attack to begin.
Janiven and the other Children of Medegia rushed up, while Kurgan, Imgar and Prexus engaged the riders. The riders advanced on Hadrian, who snapped off a shot from his crossbow, then the riders withdrew under the threat of the warriors. The Balista shot at Hadrian and the bolt hammered into him but he was saved by his armor.
Brimbul rushed the coach. The driver leapt down calling inside, as another hell knight came out to similarily engage the halfling. Afte a few seconds another figure, this one in hell knight full plate emerged from the coach.
The leader was a cleric of Pyremius, god of assassins and fire. He commanded Bruimbul to Fall, which the halfling did, but even then the two hell knights couldn't hit him.
Meanwhile Janiven was trading bow fire with the Balista gunner. She took a hit and Hadrian healed her then turned his attention back to the mounted knight left on the bridge. The two Children of Medegia were trying to fight him with spear and shield but he was much better trained. Eventually all four knights were killed as was one of their horses.
The Cleric and the two Hell Knights spent a long time trying to hit Brimbul, when a lucky blow from the Clerics mace struck him down. The cleric ordered a Hell Knight to 'Finish him'. Then they advanced on Prexus, Kurgan and Imgar. Brimbul was slain, but the remaining Hell Knights perished quickly, thanks to a lucky blow from Imgar striking the cleric down.
Inside the carriage was a beaten and barely concious Arael. His gear was in a box in the carriage, and he was able to use his holy symbol of Pelor to heal himself. He greeted the Privateers and raised an eyebrow whern he recognized Prexus' unholy symbol. It was a time for action, not querstions so he helped cover up the ambush.
The remaining Privateers mourned their comrade briefly before gathering the cart, horses and what gear they could grab. The Hell Knights wear distincitive armor. Hadrian insisted he wanted the cleric's full plate. He told the group what he planned, and while they were covering the tracks, dragging the bodies into the woods, etc. He dragged the dead cleric up streamto the north. Dragging the body for over an hour he set to digging, first with a boot knife he found, then with the man's own helmet. He dug a shallow grave, wrapped the man in his cloak, then covered him as best he could. He planned to return in a few days to dig him up and steal the armor.
Hadrian returned to the group as they were calling for him. They all returned to town, concealing their wounds as best they could. Thankfully the safe house was in the ruined portion of Rel Astra, and as such has fewer people to witness them drag themsleves into town.
Arael asked if Brimbul had any next of kin? The Privateers wondered as well. After consultation, the four Privateers decided to investigate the casting of a Speak with Dead spell and a Reincarnate spell. The clergy of Zilchus readily agreed to cast a speak with dead spell for 250 gps. After a weeks time, and with the help of Pumkinhead Johnny you were able to find a travelling druid of Obad Hai named Norwegier, outside the city walls tending to a small congregation of subsistence farmers. He would cast the spell for 560 gps. Brimbul's +1 studded leather was sold and Norwegier paid to ressurect Brimbul. He came back as a dwarf. A dwarf who was incapable of speaking dwarvish and had all of Brimbul's memories and skills.