Whew, I’m so glad we did not meet up with the one’s who did the professional hit that Sapphira insists was done on the Nautiloid ship, it was nerve wracking enough holding our ship steady while my companions carried out the snatch and grab investigation of the wreckage. We got a scroll, a couple bolts, some maps, a ring, a robe and a memory crystal. We’re keeping what’s useful and selling what isn’t pertinent to us or that which would incriminate us. I managed to translate the scroll, there’s a missing seal and sash that along with the scroll identified the bearer as an ambassador. We decide to head back to Bral to identify what we can and do some research. My battered companions slept most of the way back.

Upon our arrival Vedis immediately notices how tense everyone is in low town. We dropped Kenari off at the Library of Spheres (she had to do research this time) and the rest of us headed to Balic’s Blades, he immediately identified the bolts as belonging to the enforcers of the Tenth Pit Mercenaries. He also kindly advised us to keep the lowest profile possible and to be very careful asking questions about the Tenth Pit. We tipped him and thanked him and headed to the Rockrat to regroup.

I had never seen an Ogre in a tuxedo before somehow he looked even bigger; this one was collecting weapons, specifically ours. His name it turned out was Grinder and he was rather sweet (Vedis snorted that only I would think an Ogre was sweet). After drinking for a while Ef Utan nudged us as a group of scruffy humans staggered in with wisps of mist clinging to their heels. Heroes began gathering weapons from Grinder and after eyeing Sapphira’s curvy form warn her to watch herself as the Red Masks and Yakuza were battling it out on the streets. I thought to myself, that was something that was unheard of in Bral, the Council of Captains, Prince and Guard never put up with that before.

We collected our weapons from Grinder and I asked him if there was another way out. He thought for a moment and shook his head and gruffly replied, “Afraid not”. We pushed our way into the night, we feared the mists as they resembled those that kidnapped us in the first place but it wasn’t as thick or pervasive as that. We had to get to Kenari and get to the ship. Shouts, curses and spells rang through the streets chorused by the ringing of steel and the screams of pain and rage. The only sign of the guard is the crumpled, uniformed mess left on the adjacent corner.

All of a sudden humanoids burst from a nearby alley headed toward the docks, followed by these strange and horrifying beasts. They looked like melted wax formed into the rudimentary shape of a person. Her face fierce, Sapphira shouted over the din, “They’re Fiends! Oni, a breed of Tanar’ri from the Abyss!” We hold our position, hoping they’ll pass us by as this wasn’t our battle. No such luck as one of the Oni pass by it delivered a vicious blow to Sapphira and it was on. Sapphira starts firing magic missiles, Ef Utan blades rang as I flanked him with both dragon pistols loaded with rat shot.

Fortunately, for us most of the Oni passed us by pursuing the Red Masks. We dispatched two of them and a few Red Masks ourselves each of us taking some hits, one of them nearly knocked me out with a makeshift sap. It was all I could do not to surrender to the blackness that crept over my vision. After long minutes I made it back onto my feet. Halflings had taken positions on the rooftops and had helped pick off the bad guys with their sturdy crossbows. They too had suffered causalities and injuries. I performed a heal all spell that covered our little group and the Halflings. It was the least I could do. It definitely earned us favor in their camp and they bid us call on them should we need assistance in the future. Oh, nearly forgot that we rolled the corpses, Ef Utan and Sapphira acquired pistols and I a sword and scabbard.

We made it quickly and without further incident to collect Kenari and all the way back to the ship. Kenari’s pouted at both having missed the battle and not having pistols of her own. We’ll have to get her some; she has a great aim and was really getting the hang of mine when we practiced.