Petchko's Plight

Arvien was fuming.  No food whatsoever, she began pondering eating her leather belt.  But no that was way below her.  Try and stay calm she thought.  How could anyone make a rule about FOOD like this.  That was completely illogical.  Boy am I hungry was all that rattled throughout her head.

The rest of the party was more stoic, tomorrow we can receive the dole.  We can make it.  Varrid headed down to the common room, peered around, found who she thought was the party'a tail and sat down to discuss the situation with him.  The discussion was wide ranging, where was the party headed?  Why the no magic ban?  What kind of food would be available.  Does anyone defy the ban on food?
As she sat there she noticed a design of what appeared to be ivory above the doorway.  Looking closer it was clear that the ivory was in reality, finger bones and vertebrae set in a beautiful display.  On the shelf behind the bar she noticed drinking cups that appeared to be made of skulls.  When she asked her table mate about them he replied.
"Traditionally, a family member volunteers to fast for up to two weeks as a sacrifice to Zhakata; if great favor or honor is desired, this family member will starve to death.  Dying of starvation brings great blessings to the dead person's family.  The skulls of those who starve to death are made into guesting cups, while finger bones and vertebrae are worked into intricate designs."
Varrid shook her head, "What great blessings have been given to this family?" she queried.
"Just look at how much business the owner has," came the reply.
Varrid stayed the night in the common room with her new companion.  The rest of the party slept away in the rooms they had rented.  Arvien was fuming all night.
In the morning the group decided to explore the town and see what kind of shops the city had to offer.  Any magic items or weapons for Baru, Drovic and Ralom.  Varrid, Grunyar and Seglun were looking for other ordinary shops and where the dole would be delivered.
The city was huge, they saw statues of Zhakata standing all over the city.  Parks had stocks on the western edges.  Shops abounded, all the people were thin, or very thin.  Varrid learned that they had to go to a interior gate to receive the dole at sunset.  Baru and Ralom found weapons shops, nothing magic though.  In one shop the proprietor offered Ralom some food in exchange for money.  Ralom, sensing a trap, declined.
Both groups headed toward a gate to receive today's dole.  Along the way they encountered people going about their daily routine.  Varrid and group saw an old man stumble into the street from a house.  He began begging passersby for a scrap of food.  When he reached Varrid, a younger man and woman emerged, ran over to the old man and began to encourage him to return to the house.  "Remember, Dad, you are to be a "noble sacrifice" that will bring great blessings on us,"  said the woman.  They ushered him back into the house quickly and quietly as the people on the streets basically ignored them.
Ralom and company encountered an peasant riddled with some dread disease, begging for assistance. Baru casually walked up to the woman, touched her with his healing touch, and offered his concern.  This was done as the rest of the party continued to amble on not paying any notice.
Both groups saw a trio of inquisitors moving from street corner to street corner, reading aloud the names of currently imprisoned "criminals" who were to be transformed into mongrelmen at the next ceremony.  The citizens reacted, not in sorrow, but with righteous blood-lust, eager to watch the heretics be stripped of their humanity.
Arvien sat in the inn eating out her innards.  She was coherent enough to send Summergale to inspect the temple area.  Summergale reported a gated walled area on the highest point of the city.  Three large buildings surrounded the red walled temple.  There were stables and possible guard quarters.  Also it was apparent that a bakery existed as she smelled delicious exhaust from a large chimney.  The temple was a large complex, five stories or so high with an altar on the roof astride two pits.  I appeared that the area would be home to a display of some kind.  There was a outside staircase from the top down to a lower floor.  Summergale saw several guards and red robed "inquisitors" marching across the pebbled stone courtyard.
At Zhakata's Dole the heroes received what they considered enough food for maybe one day's rations.  It would be skimpy for one day let alone two.   Arvien would make breakfast out of the dole, thought Seglun as they headed back to the inn.
At the inn Arvien tore into the food as the party entered the room, she had to be physically restrained from eating all the food.  Seglun set to cooking up what they had in the common room and the party felt the hunger pangs retreat slightly.  Arvien was only worried that the food would disappear overnight and suggested eating it all tonight.
To everyone's delight the food was still existing in the morning.  They ate a little and headed out to scout the town, maybe even leave if they could.  Ralom decided to stay in the inn.  The party learned that this was a fasting day for the citizens, not strangers on their way out.  Along the street they found a young mother dying of starvation, the babe she held suckling hopelessly.  She effusively praised the wisdom of Zhakata through her pain.  Two children stood beside her and begged passersby for food, including the heroes.  The party kept on walking but Arvien sneaked behind a house, cast invisibility on herself and walked over to give the children as portion of her food and told them to get inside.  They did so after helping their mother to her feet.
Next they saw a hunched, hooded figure begging.
"Your mercy, I beg, faithful of Zhakata," his voice called.  "Please, a mere crumb, a moldy crust!  Anything, for the love of the Beast-God who sees over all!"  People ignored him, muttering "filthy animal" or "vulgar cur."
He called out "Zhakata bless you" to all no matter how poorly he was treated. 
The mongrelman wore shreds of red cloth.  Varrid approached and began to talk with him.  He was once a priest, now he is a thing of derision.  He introduced himself as Petchko.  He doesn't discuss his crimes, only revealed he was too popular for Yagno.  Sensing this might be their quarry, Varrid asks his mothers name.  He replied "Callian, but I know not where she is."  The group decided to help him, maybe escape the city, as this was Callian and Marda's request.  As the leave the area they spot two inquisitors, one of which runs off in a hurry.
The group, minus Ralom decided to try and leave the city.  So they head to their entry gate,  Seglun walked up to the guards, and Grunyar tried to push his way through the throng.  This led to an immediate attack by the guards.  The guards were dangerous Seglun and Grunyar found immediately.  The rest of the party was suddenly set upon by groups of inquisitors shouting "Judgement of Profane Destruction" or "Judgement of Profane Justice" while attacking the party.  The inquisitors attacks became more damaging as the gathered together or surrounded the party.  Drovic turned into a Woolly Mammoth, Arvien grabbed Petchko and Dimension stepped passed the guards out onto the drawbridge.  The battle continued savagely as the inquisitors were surrounding the party.  Grunyar and Seglun broke through to the drawbridge but more inquisitors emerged from beneath it and attacked from the outside.  The Woolly Mammoth was the first to fall.  Then Baru was last seen under a cloud of red.  Grunyar jumped into the dry moat and blew his horn of fog, a guard and inquisitor followed.  Next Varrid fell under a group of inquisitors, followed by Seglun.  Petchko surrendered and Grunyar tried to flee but was soon cut down by the guard.
Arvien cast greater invisibility on herself, called an Anklyosauer into existence and fled to the south.  Apparently some of the inquisitors could spot invisible creatures as they directed their fellows to Arvien.  She cast fireball into the crowd of inquisitors and Dimension stepped to the walls of the city.  But alas the inquisitors found her once again and even though a guard fell into her hungry pit, she also fell to the red robed attack.
Meanwhile back at the inn, two inquisitors knocked on the door of Ralom's room and said, "We have your co-conspirators, surrender and come with us!!"  Seeing no way out Ralom complied and was perp-walked to the temple dungeons.

DM's Notes:  No XP were awarded for tonight.