The Cracked Wooden Mask, Act II

Sea Day, Cancer 10th, 576 CÆ, Year of the Tiger

Liturga and Xararhaan went to the festival plaza between Sigurtz Bazaar and Cinzel Yard. Liturga performed near a large ancient oak hung with lanterns. Xararhaan spoke with the Xathoqquan clergy. They returned to the Bullworks later in the day.

Ligotorix woke at the Golden Lamprey with the holy symbol of Azathoth carved into his forehead. He had no memory of it being done. He also experienced a vision: a dark room lit by sourceless color with a floor that appeared to breathe.

Wulfweard concluded his meeting with Cormac at the Broken Tusk. Cormac confirmed Old Kethros visits a pump house at the end of Cord Alley in the Drips on every new moon. He advised speaking to him before killing him. He agreed to lead the party there, naming the Golden Lamprey as the meeting point eight hours hence. Wulfweard then visited Ortolo's Mask Shop and bought a mask. On leaving he spotted two mirror-polished masked figures duck into a side alley, followed to the corner, and found them gone.

The full party gathered and agreed to follow Cormac's lead despite uncertainty about his motives. On the way to the Golden Lamprey they encountered a Procession of Rel: three white-robed clergy in blank masks, one carrying a staff hung with finger bones and iron keys, followed by three caged wagons — a pale feline, a bear, and one covered wagon emitting an unidentified sound. The procession moved inland toward Rel's temple.

Cormac led the party to the Drips. He cautioned them: keep swords loose, don't touch anything, don't make eye contact. Cord Alley was narrow and nearly lightless, opening at the far end into a small courtyard. A dozen street children occupied one corner; the pump house was across from them. Rathar paid the children; a girl confirmed Old Kethros always came alone.

Inside the pump house the floor was unexpectedly clean. Cormac found a replacement stone set flush in the floor and pried it up: iron spikes for handholds descending into a shaft, with a faint green light rising from below.

The party descended into a cistern. Ancient pre-Green Death mosaics on the walls, dry floor, nine pillars, three lanterns emitting a pulsing green light that was not flame. The floor sloped toward a square iron hatch ringed by metal discs stamped with the owl-and-crescent symbol. One socket in the ring was empty; Valeria's pendant coin fit it exactly. The hatch bore a pictographic inscription in an unknown script. Wulfweard found a hidden press-stone on the third side that released the hatch.

Wulfweard descended alone into a small square room below. The walls had runes torn into the stone, each glowing blue and pulsing out of rhythm with the others. The floor bowed upward at the center. The floor around the center was ringed with dried blood in many overlapping layers — years of repeated ritual. Wulfweard felt increasing pressure the longer he stayed. He came back up and disabled the hatch mechanism.

Ligotorix identified the room: it matched his vision exactly.

The party questioned Cormac. He claimed he had heard Old Kethros's name mentioned two nights prior and followed it — he had not known what was beneath. He revealed that Old Kethros was his oldest friend, that he had watched over him from a distance for years at the man's own request. Rathar grabbed him; Liturga put a knife to his throat. Cormac did not struggle and maintained his account was genuine. The knife and fist were eventually lowered. Cormac offered to take them to Old Kethros directly.