Back at it, finally

The Inquisitor's aide tells me that Ostana has found something that fits my "skills" and "temper" better. Ulric knows what the whiny little coward means, I'm sure he's rude, but I don't care. I get to actually do some damage to a bunch of cultists. 'Bout damn time. There are people who like guard-duty to mean standing around waiting for someone to take a shot, but I'd rather go around delivering the good news. He hands me a letter and tells me where to go, where to find this Inquisitor Johanna. She's a real hard charger, I¨'m told, and I like that. The aide leads me out, but outside he's a little slow as usual, and I "accidentally" bump him across the railing and into the middens. I don't think he heard me when I mumbled 'talk your way outta that', but heres hoping.

I meet Johanna and her crew, and they seem nice enough. A little rough around the edges, but if what I hear is true, that is well earned. Except this little thing called Sunniva, no rough edges there. I'm certain she actually could have talked her way out of the middens as well, scary smooth when she wants to. A crazy fire mage (OK, Ulric dislikes magic, but this guy is on fire in every way. My kind of mage.) and a surly kid who is good with a bow rounds out Johannas guys.

Sunniva goes out to meet some guy, and comes back with reinforcements and news. There is a price on Johanna and Sunnivas heads. This looks good! Ok, sorry, I'll rein it in. But damn, this might get rowdy right away. You're really doing the right things when the cultists put a prize on your head! The reinforcements are a local thug-lord, a good looking guy who knows how to carry himself, called Johan. I don't particularily like thugs, gotta mention that. We'll see.

We are going to follow the main lead Margareta Buchberger, who has been seen getting aboard a river barge the next morning. But first beer. Decent amounts of beer. 

The following day we actually disguise ourselves before boarding the Carlotta. Ugh. Really don't like. But if this is what it takes I'll do it. The following day we find a Strigany camp - the main antagonist supposedly disguises as one. We go in, they don't like us. One tries to sneak away, we follow, and it is actually her. She freaks out, and there is a short fight. It seems it is not her, Margareta is able to look exactly like her. Dark magicks for sure. The woman is called Esmeralda, and she met Margareta some half a year earlier. The woman is a witch, and for some reason Johanna hesitates to take her head. I hope she isn't too nice.

And then a bunch of chaos spawn and mutants show up. The champion growls "so there you are". Yess. I'm back again. The big guy is actually a wimp, and hides behind the other chaos spawn. So I have to hack my way through them. There really is nothing like battle like this. An enemy who deserves anything they get, and no hesitation whatsoever. Perfect. We thrash them, but not without some scrapes. The new guy is good in a fight, and the surly teen is very handy with his beautiful bow. Johanna's hand is badly mangled, but Esmeralda is able to fix it. In the confusion she then disappears.

Eldur finds a document on the big wimp, that says "go to some location and you will be transported to your quarry". This might get very interesting. Someone says that we should show the astromancers the document. More mages. Ulric won't like it a lot.

Anyway, back to town. We visit the astromancer boss. Keep your mouth shut and don't think to loudly is how I read my part of the brief for the visit. Kinda like watching the Inquisitor HQ. But not quite, their building is amazing. I don't have words, but if you can ever visit, do it. Not that you can.

He is speculating that some chalice might be wanted by the bad guys, and that it might be making it harder to find some renowned library hereabouts. It is kinda hard to follow. He also looks at the document, and uses it to look for Margareta. She is somewhere to the north, in her natural form. Ok, better than nothing, but the north is biggish.

He says there won't be too many such contracts, they are 'expensive' to make. But the previous hit-team were good sport, so a few more will definitely spice things up a bit. He will scry more, to see if he can narrow down 'north' a bit. We wait, as, as far as I understand, we don't really have any more leads to follow.

All in all, a good crew it seems like. A bit too talkative perhaps, but no freeloaders as far as I can tell. Johanna wasn't soft in the fight, but I'm a little worried after that thing with the witch.