The following call for assistance begins to make its way about the less reputable parts of Acryn. A rumour in a bar, a message passed in the shade of a dark alleyway: there's a job going, and it's a big 'un. Those who know where to look eventually uncover the details: an opportunity for those willing to take it.

Those who are interested in unimaginable wealth, who have the skills to acquire it, mindset to take it, and mentality to not think twice about it are invited to congregate by the statue on the East Side of Founder's Square at 12 noon on the third Saturday of the month. Be prepared.

• Simon (alias Marcus)
• Jimmy Hoskins (alias Mr Grey)
• Karlos Farblade
• A Man of Many Means (alias Leopold Street)

While congregating with other thugs and rabble near Founders Square, the four members of the party were picked out of the crowd by some shadowy individuals suggesting that they should follow a lead they have from their employer at the Greenslade Emporium. Reluctantly, but given nothing else was happening, the party turn up to the bookshop where a cagey Bothwart Greenslade explained how he'd found a recently stabilised Vault underneath the city containing vast amounts of wealth, and items of interest. He explained he had a fracturing ritual in a knife that could get them in, and that in return for the party breaking out of the Vault to allow everyone else in to cover their tracks that they could have first pickings of the contents of the Vault. Pushed for details, Greenslade explained that he was after a certain piece of headgear inside the Vault, and when pushed for more details went as far as to explain he was working with various others, but that their interests did not conflict. He also offers 200R each in remuneration if the party is not satisfied with what they take from the Vault.

The party left, and following Greenslade's directions entered the continuous party of the Rampant beneath Founders Square, whereupon they craftily drugged the partygoers in order to allow them to use the ritual knife uninterrupted. They used the ritual and via a short draconic trip arrived in a stone walled corridor. Exploring, they encountered various guard golems, puzzles and traps of magical and divine construction. In particular, they took interest in the alchemical cores of the Guard Golems. Arriving at a treasure room, they believed they had found gold but it was deemed fake just as the area was plunged into Flux and the lot were attacked by a group of Wayfinder Thugs who believed they'd gotten the upper hand. Quickly dispatched, all but one were disposed of by Leopold and Karlos, before more people appeared in the tunnel that had been worldshaped in, a curious group including a Wayfinder “Mr Grey” had hired to be a back-up plan and a group of followers of Zozimos the Curious (and the godling himself). They shared food and stories with them, and agreed in exchange for information about what's in the vault that Zozimos would assist with projects they had in mind.

Deciding another wayfinder would be a good idea, Karlos used a manipulation ritual to brainwash the fellow they interrogated (and was already drunk), before taking a challenge from a Locksmith Mage in the Zozimos troupe and attempting to unlock a very complex door by eating it. Karlos learned the combination to unlock it, but by using Consume and Assume gained an aspect of the esoteric door which had parts that would move seemingly disconnected from other cogs.

Moving on, the party delved deeper into the Vault. A fiendishly tight walkway in absolute darkness saw Mr Grey plunge to certain death, but after quickly regenerating he dispatched several security golems before leaping into the air to rejoin the party. More golems dispatched, eventually the group end up in the deep vault, a room littered with gold and inhabited by Ravens. The Ravens pestered the party while a golden one teased them about a riddle over one more vault door reading “SPEAK NO GREATER THAN LOYALTY”. Upon investigating the door, Karlos was sucked into the inside of the door by touching it. Believing this to be the way through, the others followed suit and became trapped. Eventually, Karlos managed to gnaw his way through and a small hole was created large enough to climb through and the party ended up in a room with a variety of artefacts being held by statues.

Karlos picked up a laurel, providing him with leaderly qualities, while Simon spotted the Heart of Arcus Blackthorn and pocketed it. “Mr Grey” picked up a dark, sharp knife on one statue, when suddenly a light blinded everyone in the room and they were accused of being servants of Abraxis stealing from the Leader. Simon immediately used the power of the Traitor to leave the vault leaving his compatriots to fight of the security systems. Eventually they succeeded, blasted their way out of the vault and used their wayfinder to worldshape their way out as Simon encountered Hierarch Bastian and a squad of Leader Priests responding to the alarm. They accosted him, but Simon continued to use the gaze of the Traitor to get out, shouting the name “Abraxis! Abraxis!” as he did.

The three remaining party watch a horde of this charge into vault, overwhelming leader priests. Hierarch Bastian eventually clears them out, but by this time the party are gone:

They murder the wayfinder once in consensus, and Karlos eats them. They go to Jimmy’s safe house and count their (pure) gold. Total around 800 Riel’s worth in the pile. Jimmy offers to convert gold into cash.

Jimmy's agents report that Greenslade does indeed just own a bookshop, but went on holiday: they followed the guy the party met until he gave them the slip. They do trace back to a building where they are asked to leave. Trail of building ownership is odd; listing goes in loops. They agree to go to confront the people who hired them and decide whether to give them the laurel or not. Jimmy sliiiigghtly blackmails Karlos over the dagger, agreeing to not tell the White Duke about his earnings on this adventure.

Meanwhile, Simon has a modest quantity of gold but cannot get it appraised for value. (Eventually gets 50 Riel for this.) He lurks near the bookshop, hoping for the others to appear, but no-one shows up.

Jimmy, Karlos and MoMM head to the dubious building and ask to meet Mr Greenslade. Get told to leave. Jimmy threatens until doorkeeper disappears. Jimmy gets impatient and Karlos bites the door open. The body of Greenslade is hanging from the ceiling. Has been dead for a day. Forensic examination reveals that he died of hanging. Karlos finds thick makeup on his face and licks it off. Karlos noms Greenslade with taste of knowledge. Learns that the hanging was voluntary, and that ‘Greenslade’ was working as a servant of the Traitor.

Karlos suggests ransoming the laurel back to the Leader church. Jimmy is unconvinced. MoMM points out that ‘Greenslade’ was not true employer. Karlos comforts MoMM that he has earned money even if all he did was help someone else achieve their evil plans. Jimmy is unhappy about manipulation of his organisation to achieve someone else's ends with not being paid for it. There is an agreement that the 200 Riel promised in remuneration if they weren’t satisfied with what was in the Vault will be… remembered.

Jimmy offers to ‘keep’ the laurel. He offers to help Karlos build that library he wants in exchange for this. Leopold keeps quiet, not wanting to annoy Jimmy. They head off to find Zozimos.

Simon heads to the Traitor church to see if he can find out what the dagger was. He reports that ‘Mr Grey’ probably took the dagger, that he recognises Leopold from wanted posters for Felix, and also reports Karlos Farblade was in the party. Upon request he draws a picture of the knife and this is passed on. Is challenged that someone was heard to shout 'Abraxis’ while leaving the vault and his questioned about his subtlety. Is told that he will help the traitor church deal with the expenses incurred by this publicity. Lies about the piles of gold and decides to take on the Traitor church head to head, because why not. Threatens to bring 'Abraxis' here. Is called on the threat. Uses a miracle to summon the Traitor’s attention. Lights go out, and when they come back on a knife is left stabbed into the middle of the table. Traitor church let Simon go with a promise that he will cover everything up and a threat of what will happen if he makes them regret letting him go.

At Zozimos’s shrine, they find that Zozimos is there, conveniently. He is surrounded by books but is happy to see the party. He explains that the alarm sounds alarmed them and they got the hired wayfinder to help them get out. The party explains what happened in the vault and what was there and how Marcus ran off with the heart. Confirms that the laurel was not the crown of Acryn. Karlos proceeds to consume little bits of both the knife and the laurel: gets that the knife has never been used (except just now, when Zozimos cut himself), and that the laurel was the hat of the Leader.

Karlos asks whether Zozimos could help with cheating a gambling establishment of large amounts of money. Zozimos offers to put him in touch with the followers of this (Valyddi) god. Karlos is unimpressed and tries to ask for a second offer of assistance, but eventually takes the address. Leopold asks for further teaching in alchemy, particularly alchemy of motion. Zozimos asks how Leopold is getting on with alchemy, and Leopold explains sentence structure to Zozimos while also telling him about the moving statue he and Vulcan made for Mudra. Leopold explains his desire to make jump boots and a mortar launcher. Zozimos offers to help teach him more about the alchemy of motion. Karlos offers to tell Zozimos everything that happens to him in the future in exchange for future favours.

Karlos and Leopold leave to discuss Karlos's ‘alchemical project’ to murder the White Duke. Leopold explains his reluctance on account of his suspicion that Mr Grey is Jimmy Hopkins. Karlos suggests all he needs to do is provide the poison, and offers to pay Leopold the money he makes in the takeover of the White Duke's business. Leopold can't currently make either a vast quantity of poison or a giant bomb, and offers go away and come back to Karlos when he's managed to do that.

Jimmy demonstrates the slowing down of the universe into stasis on Zozimos’s fire, and asks for his help in this ‘project’ to find a way to reverse it. Zozimos offers to work with Jimmy to help. Jimmy tells Zozimos that Frederick Dines was behind the Upheaval and behind this stasis problem.

Karlos goes to put in a player request to start the process of taking over the White Duke's business. Makes contacts at gambling church and offers to help them circumvent the cheating penalties at the Palace of Games. Is asked to help out with the fact that their god has fallen under the ‘dangerous gods’ umbrella and their followers keep being stopped by the Watch. Karlos agrees to this and asks the church to work out a way to bankrupt the Palace quickly in return.

Leopold goes to see Jimmy Hoskins and sells out Karlos's plan to poison the White Duke. He also offers that he has a potential ‘in’ with the Brotherhood of the Closed Eye, if he can bring them a dangerous mage. After some consideration of Karlos's suitability for this role, Jimmy suggests that more expendable dangerous mages can be found, but that Karlos's plan should be put off for now. Leopold then fills Jimmy in on the events of [recent adventure for Glassinger’s player request]. Jimmy is more disappointed by Leopold not telling him straight away, and hopes this will be a learning experience. He assures him it will be. Jimmy offers to make Leopold a proper member of ‘the organisation’, agrees to waive earnings levy but requires that Leopold make himself available when his skills would be useful, pass on any relevant information and refrain from passing sensitive information to the Watch etc.

Jimmy offers to build Karlos's library for 250 Riel, is bargained down to 220. Does this.

Leopold brings a dead raven back to life and attempts alchemical manipulation with Dumb Drunk to make it obey his every command. Gets a slightly drunk raven, tells it to sit on his shoulder and look menacing.

Leader church goes into lockdown for a few days, seals off vault, then there is rumour of Leader priests arguing with the Watch about security. Everything goes quiet. Jimmy's sources tell him there are internal investigations ongoing into possible Traitor church connections, etc. There is a suggestion that they have found a trace to follow in their investigation. Jimmy asks representation of the Leader church in the Council whether there is any truth in the rumour that the Traitor church was behind this. Leader church refuses to confirm at this time but supports idea of more city resources being used to fight the Traitor church.

• Gains 50R
• Gains the Heart of Arcus Blackthorn (while holding this heart, you are immune to the effects of CEASE YOUR DECEPTIONS)

• Gains 267R
• Plus 220R from Karlos for the library
• Minus money to build Karlos's library
• Gains the Leader's Laurel (Gain the Majestic Aura of the Leader while wearing it (party gain 2 RESIST FEAR or +1 damages, +1 DODGE))
• Gains Dark Unused Master Crafted Knife
• Promise from Zozimos to look into the stasis problem

• Gains 266R
• Minus 220R to Jimmy for the Library
• Minus 10R lost to the Cult of the Gambler
• Promise from Zozimos to help in future matters if information is provided about his future adventures
• Promise from the Cult of the Gambler to assist him taking down the White Duke if he stops the Watch harassing followers of the Gambler.

• Gains 267R
• Further research and teachings on the Alchemy of Motion from Zozimos the Curious.
• Soulbound Familiar - Raven.