Making Friends on the job

As Durim recovers from his intestinal discomfort - the grapes are all eaten - the party arrives at the Tomb outside of Applo.  Justian spends several hours investigating, retracing the party's steps.  The guards out front are tasked with building a gate, which will make their jobs easier; they readily agree.

Then - off to Joven!  Milosh asks the party to visit the province capitols and get a sense for what's going on, and (if possible) track down any weird stuff or cultist activity.  The party feels this is a bit too stringent a task but agrees, reluctantly, to do as their Emperor orders.  Horace insists that his underworld contact report unusual activity to the Emperor, and Cimbri and AOfEk have a conversation with High Priest Carlton on the nature of priest spells (and how they are similar and different to/from arcane spells).  Tara shows AOfEk her investigations into the tomb at Applo, and how she has found evidence of another crypt to the far east.  Justian is left to his research, and the party is off to Amber, the capital of Vallea.

Amber is a mining and metalworking town, and a green haze hangs over the dry, dusty city as they approach.  Our band heads to the worst bar they can find, in the middle of the smelting district, where Cimbri shows off his ability to withstand fire.  The priest assigned to the smelting district is being derelect in her duties, and has not been healing the injured smelter workers; Cimbri gives one with a severe burn on his hand a healing potion, and hears the tales of woe about Kylie Rodin, the priest in question.  The party also hears of two cultist attacks nearby - a grain mill several hours outside of town, and a bar and brothel in the warehouse district.

Kylie is defensive and dismissive when the party approaches her; the mayor of Amber (Paige Ovitt) is more polite, but also dismissive.  Peter Wakely, the Colonel of the Militia in Amber, is much more forthcoming, and is entirely on board with the party's task, offering whatever help they need in their investigations.  Joel Northern, the foreman of the Union Carbide smelter in town, is questioned, and, while pleasant and helpful, has no information or help to give.  Investigating the bar reveals the word "SHELOI" written, in blood, under several bottles of spirits in a back corner of the bar.  Uh-oh!

On their way to see Jarred Treen - the priest of Amber - Cimbri stops in at the Artificer's Guild to enchant his sword.  Jarred, though defensive, is understanding of the party's goal, and though he doesn't understand the nature of the problem in the world, is willing to help.  Some of the aid he provides is Kylie Rodin, who is ordered to accompany the party to the Crypt several days ride to the northeast.

As Cimbri waits for his sword to be enchanted, the party questions the patrons who were at the bar during the attacks; no new information is gathered, and the people there seemed more freaked out than anything.  The priest watching the interviews, however, is led to the realization that 'detect evil' might be useful to help ferret out cultists, and promises to disseminate the information.

And then - the party rides off, into the mountains, in search of crypts.  Exciting times!