January 4th Back in Lothia there have been some significant unrest following the security lockdown. There have been cries that basic rights are being violated. Some of the unrest is believed to be other nations exploiting the turmoil in the wake of the terrorist attack on the capitol. Chandra and Jaenelle immediately dump researchers onto the cat remains. Jaenelle especially appreciates that the party brought back a live specimen. Nothing is heard for the next few days. The cats have a very different manner of thinking and it is causing problems in understanding the results of the investigation. It is revealed that most of their "vision" is based on an incredible sense of smell, and unnatural awareness of magical auras and metal objects and a set of intangible feelers that seem virtually unfoolable for a very close proximity to the cats. January 7th Jaenelle briefs the party on what was found. The live cat had memories of several "allies" but the descriptions took a while to understand since there were no visual or auditory associations. The cats are intelligent and self aware. They are involved in the current undertaking due to pressure from the "Alpha". There is very little notion of why they are doing what they are doing, but it seems that they were harvesting souls of blacksmiths. There was a quota of a certain number of souls per moon but lately the quota had become weekly and not monthly due to some issues with deterioration. The cats were working with clean-air man, brimstone man, and cat-man. The cat's had a drop off point on the second layer of Rigus, in an alleyway with sewage leaking from one wall. The alley had light smells of perfumed oils, insect/serpent, and heavy humanoid musk. The cats are highly elemental resistant, but acid corrodes them quickly. Sound waves of any intensity have absolutely no effect on them as they have a sonic dampening field that keeps them from making a hideous amount of noise when they move. Party return to the Outlands to find out who is commanding the cats with the order to take more live prisoners for questioning. Party gets to an alleyway that matches the description of the drop-off point. Investigation of the area reveals a nearby smithy appears to be partially hidden in another dimension with some carefully disguised magical defenses. Entering the smithy the group triggers a Symbol which charms Herunaro and converts him to the dark side. The party talk to the ifrit whom runs the smithy while Qarnain explores invisibly. The only tenants seem to be a firegiant smith working the forge, the ifrit whom works the front, and a pet Behir. Unfortunately the Behir senses Qarnain and battle is joined. The party overwhelms the ifrit and firegiant. Suprised at the quick resolution the group looks through the racks of weapons and find most of the work is only mediocre. The smith's forging hammer is made of Baatorian steel and very magical, but the only other magic appears to be an illusionary wall and several high level spells. There are some signs the ifrit might have been a noble of his race which is suprising since they are amazingly powerful. The fact that one would be running a front for soul-laundering is like seeing a gods avatar selling lemonade. Unless that is expensive lemonade it really doesn't make sense. The stakes must be pretty high to involve a creature that can grant wishes at will. The group bags a demon steel bastard sword and a celestial steel greatsword. They also decide to keep the ifrit body to question it for more information. While looking at the illusionary wall Kellerik trips a magical Symbol that drives him and Swiftwind from the building. Alex attempts to disable the symbol but the magic overcomes him and also drives him off. Berrik is left alone in the otherwise empty store and he walks over and carefully retrieves Swiftwind's keen sword and Alex's monstrous morningstar using the wall for protection from the spell. Having retrieved the items he stands up and finds himself standing between a dapper looking elderly gentleman witha orange cat in his arms and a silk clad celestial duelist whom ask Berrik if everything is alright. Berrik is overwhelmed by the carefully laid aura of friendship and docility and relieved to have friends backing him up. Berrik helps the Angel finish looting the place. And sets fire to the records under the direction of the man with the the cat. Berrik then travels away with the strangers. The strangers ask Berrik a lot of questions about his friends and offer to help them get back together later. But first there are some people they would like him to meet. When the party return to the forge the place is thoroughly looted and Berrik is gone. A fire is raging in the bedroom and the firegiant and the has been defaced to where they are no longer magically raisable. The tounges have also been removed so that "speak with dead" also reveals nothing. The group retreats to the prime and uses some divination to reveal Berrik is no longer alive. Due to the high stakes involved Chandria uses a Resurrection to bring Berrik back. After resurrection fails she uses a True Resurection to bring him back and the group learns the Berrik was questioned thoroughly by the fallen angel and the mage. After questioning him and letting a flaming priest observe him for a bit they asked Berrik to submit to a divination spell because they are afraid he might be charmed. When he submits they kill him using the "Destruction" spell which destroys his body and his soul. SESSION END January 7th 217B NEXT TIME : All this over one lousy sword?