Across the city there have been a number of unexplained murders. Normally this would be left to the City Watch, but for some reason the Church of the Warrior has chosen to step in. They are seeking resourceful individuals from their own ranks, while also seeking trusted individuals from outside the church to supplement skills which the church's own members may be lacking.
Rumour has it that the church has chosen to step in because a blessing that one of its members carries indicates that the murderer may hold something of special interest to the Warrior herself.
After being briefed as to the importance of recovering the ‘artefact’ (a knife made from the body of the Warrior) the party head out to investigate the most recent crime scene. On the way there they run into an exceptionally unlucky gang shaking down a store owner for protection money. After a brief discussion on the moral equivalencies of a protection racket and theft, Anders shatters their weapons, causing most of them to flee. A few demand compensation for their broken weapons, with Senta offering to provide their fixed weapons to them at her Church.
The party investigate the crime scene, quickly establishing the sequence of events leading to the victim's death. They then head to the victim’s wake, hoping to find details of why the victim was killed. Unfortunately they only really establish that the family is involved in some sort of organised crime and is interested in “cleaning up the kitchen” since the death of their boss. Luckily Brother Miller is aware of a drug operation in the docs district which fits the bill, and the party head there.
Arriving at the docks, the party misjudge the alliances of the gang they are dealing with, sparking a combat as Altieri loyal gang members attempt to put down the party. After an attempt at torturing information out of the gang-leader with a cocktail of drugs goes south, the party split, with fetching the watch and then heading to the Warrior church while others remain to look for clues. Looking through their records, Paige manages to piece together the history of the Kitchen, which was briefly seized from Altieri’s control by another faction, but was re-seized in the last day or so.
At the Warrior Church the party finally get a debrief from the City Watch, the details of which paint a picture of a dangerously skilled assassin. Various members of the Church of the Warrior discuss the case with the party, including the de facto head of the church Leana Caulson. Unfortunately this meeting is cut short, as a tattoo of a knife appears on Brother Miller, indicating another murder, and the party race to intercept the killer. The party leave a veritable trail of destruction behind them as they race through the city and reach the recently murdered corpse. Unlike most of the victims, a trail of blood red mist seems to rise out of the corpse and head down an alley, as each member of the party reaches this point, they choose to follow the trail. The exception is Bartholemew, who calls upon the Tender’s power to bring the victim back to life, in the process gaining the thanks and help of the victim.
The rest of the party find one of Altieri’s safe houses burning down, after he used one of his mages to break the tracking curse that had been put on him. The party are quick to venture into the house, gathering most of the information that Altieri was burning, and in doing so piecing together the logic of why he was killing his victims and who the next victim was. With this information, they head to the house of Katie Sander’s, one of Altieri’s lieutenants who sides with his daughter Reagan when she turned on him. On the way to the Sanders estate the party are met by Regan herself, who has received word from her subordinate (whom Bartholemew saved) that they are looking to kill Altieri. She convinces the party to follow her plan (press Altieri sufficiently on his next kill that he flees to “the source of his power”, then head directly there and kill him). The party agree, although distrust Reagan sufficiently that they agree to kill her immediately after Altieri. They then head to the Sanders estate, managing to convince Katie to allow them to aid her against Altieri, even casting a minor miracle of the Warrior on her so that they can detect killing intent directed against them.
With plenty of time to prepare, the party is easily able to see Altieri’s attack off, with the power of the Leader preventing his killing blow finishing off Sanders. Then, after searching the estate for Altieri, the party then head towards the address given to them by Reagan. This involves fighting their way through a large number of gangsters, but is nothing the party can’t handle. Once there, the party find Reagan defeated on the ground (and slightly grumpy at how long they took) and Altieri standing in a Fountain which makes Bartholemew feel quite queasy. A short fight later and the party have broken through Altieri’s magical defences and dropped Altieri, with Lucian putting in the killing blow by calling on the power of both the Leader and the Traitor (and earning himself an excommunication in the process).
However, before the party can think of doing anything to Regan, she marches into the fountain and claims it as her birthright, before exploding in a shower of vines. Bartholemew reacts fastest, managing to cast a Miracle of the Tender to purify the fountain, but is then unable apply the effects due to the endless vines. With the push of vines, the party are split up and pushed back, with many being dropped and only surviving due to the power of the Splintered Man. Eventually Armand casts a miracle of the Warrior, calling upon the power of the knife and Mar Andreya’s shield. The miracle works, with Anders taking on the appearance of the Lord of the Rock and Armand taking on the appearance of the Warrior, they then rush towards the fountain. Although the force of the vines drops Armand, Mar continues on and carries Armand on her shoulder before leaping and punching the fountain with all her might. When the steam clears there is no sign of either the vines nor the fountain.
The party return to Warrior church, by this point Anders and Armand have returned to their usual appearance. They do their best to explain what has happened: that Reagan corrupted the fountain and Armand did something with knife which destroyed both the knife and the fountain. Brother Miller makes it clear that he believes the Warrior is happy with this outcome, and that this is a good thing. The Warrior Churches representative remains unhappy about the loss of the knife.
Bartholemew goes back to Tender church, asking them to check whether he has been corrupted by Tuireann. They give him a clean bill of health, having missed the insidious influence which is now within him.
Party check to see if there is a bounty of Altieri’s head, which there is not (or at least not from any reputable source).
Over the next few weeks discontent in the outcome of the adventure simmers in the Warrior Church, coming to a head when Senta announces that she will engage in single combat against anyone who has issues. Using a Miracle of the Warrior, each of her opponents discover their own miracles failing them, and each one is punched out and left in a pile.
Armand, somewhat unsettled over the loss of an opportunity to fix the Warrior of the injuries sustained at the hands of the Traitor, prays on the subject hoping to receive some inspiration. Although he receives more guidance than he has ever heard of a Warrior priest receiving, the response is a somewhat indifferent “meh”. Armand also makes sure that the Council receive a detailed report about their adventure, and that the public of Acryn get a fictionalised account via a new set of Pamphlets.
Mar Andreya sets up a series of “socials” between the Church of the Lord of the Rock and the Warrior Church. These are met with skepticism on both sides, despite the fact that members of both churches seem to get on very well. Mar’s story of the Lord of the Rock and the Warrior teaming up to punch a Dragon in the face is also applauded as a quality piece of fiction, although impossible in the real world. The loudest opponents, a Lord of the Rock devotee by the name of Melissa and a Warrior priest named Averick, come to blows early in the night although are mysteriously missing for the rest of the night.
Both Paige and Lucien report to Katie Sanders that they have successfully killed Altieri (and that Reagan is also dead). Katie is impressed with both of them, providing Lucien with a piece of Mastercrafted Light Armour for his troubles, while taking on Paige as a bit or a protege.
Lucian also sends a letter to Felip Caulson, informing him of what happened and thanking him for the power to deal with Altieri. He receives a very terse reply “Glad it worked out”.
Brother Miller starts marking criminals he has beaten up with the Altieri “Two Knives” symbol, choosing to take the symbol for himself (since it is indelibly recorded on his skin). This results in some very confused rumours regarding Altieri’s survival and mental state.
Senta attempt to indoctrinate the thugs who attempt to collect their weaponry from her church, this is a mostly pointless exercise, although one or two do seem to engage. She also takes time to discuss her concerns over Armand with Leana. Finally Senta sends a letter to Ghita Darrish, demanding to know what she is doing about the Tuireann problem, receiving only a form letter informing her that the information has been passed to the correct individuals.
Jimmy Hoskins pays those who accept 50 r.