Liartians in Rye

Players and Characters
Evan- Human Druid Chatterfang
Nick- Human Paladin Urban
Sam- Elf Bard Capote
Katya/NPC- Human Draconic Sorcerer- Druka

Summary
The party is traveling in the Southern City States, headed for the riverport town of Rye. Bad rainstorms delay them and put them off track and they arrive at the city gate to the Dock Quarter instead of their intended destination. They head across the docks looking for a better part of town to find an inn. As the rain ends, Capote hears a cry and sounds of struggle. They approach to find three men attacking a woman. Druka slams a Firebolt into one (natural 20!), Chatterfang hurls an Ice Knife at another (natural 20 again!) which wounds the others and Capote throws a Firebolt as well (third natural 20!!). Most of the party moves in closer to engage the men and urban spots another man in the alley. Chatterfang goes into bear form. The figure in the alley hurls a red Guiding Bolt of pain magic at the bear and then strikes Urban with a red glowing sword delivering more pain magic. Capote approaches and attacks and he summons a Cloud of Daggers to block the alley. The spellcaster turns to escape after the party kills the first three men. Most of the party is blocked by the Cloud of Daggers, but Druka runs down a parallel alley and comes out behind the fleeing spellcaster. She throws a Firebolt and misses, he hits her with a green ray that leaves her poisoned. As he turns to run again, she pulls her concentration together and hits him with one more Firebolt and kills him.
The dagger spell ends and most of the party rushes down the alley. Capote helps the woman. They grab the spellcaster and make sure he's dead and drag him back. Searching the bodies, they find he's a Liartian priest, worshippers of the evil god Liart! It looks like a kidnap team, out to grab victims for the Liartians' rituals of torture and sacrifice. They loot the bodies and head into a better part of town to find an inn. In the morning, they go to the local temple of the High Lord and speak to the priest there. She is upset about Liartians taking victims in her town and offers to help. She gives them a Potion of healing and two vials of holy water. She will go talk to people and see what she can learn, if they come back in the afternoon, hopefully she will have some clues. The party goes shopping in town and picks up some more Potions of Healing and a Potion of Fire Resistance. When they return to the temple, the priestess tells them she has heard of disappearances around the border between the town's Poor Quarter and the river docks. After dark, the party heads that way to search. Chatterfang uses Speak with Animals and finds a rat that knows an area in the sewers that smells of death and blood. Chatterfang shapeshifts into a rat to follow and finds a stretch of walkway with dried blood. He finds a nearby manhole and returns for the party. They find the patch of bloody walkway and there's a concealed door. They think it's the Liartian temple entrance and stake it out to attack anyone who comes out. They don't want to go in because no one has Detect Magic prepared… But the night passes without incident and they return to their inn to rest. Before they return the next night, Urban prays and prepares Detect Magic. When they return, beyond the secret door is a short hallway with more blood stains and drag marks, and another secret door at the other end. Urban detects a magical symbol on the wall. With no way to dispel it, they press on. The Glyph of Warding appears, glowing silver and a thunderous shockwave hurls Urban against the wall, wounding him deeply. the Liartians have surely been alarmed and they consider retreating, but vote in favor of pressing on.
Beyond the second secret door is small cell block with bloody and dirty cells for sacrificial victims. One holds a seriously wounded dwarf who is barely breathing. Before they can investigate further, a door at one end opens and a fighter and a Liartian priest attack. Chatterfang again goes into bear form, popping around a corner to attack and ducking back. Druka burns them with Agannazar's Scorcher. The priest shouts an unholy word and wounds them all. They kill the warrior and Urban attacks the priest who fights back with spells and a Spiritual Weapon. More guards and another priest come running down the hallway. Druka keeps burning them with scorchers, Chatterfang and Urban hold the line and Capote hurls some spells, dropping a Shatter spell in the Liartians that causes part of the roof to collapse and hit them with falling bricks. The priest knocks Urban out, but Capote shouts a Healing Word to get Urban back on his feet. Urban Lays on Hands to heal himself further. A fighter pushes into the party's midst and Capote throws a Firebolt but misses and hits the bear (Botch!). The bear tears the guard apart and they finally dish out enough wounds to drop the priest. They search the rest of the complex and find the Liartians' temple and some rooms in a complex below ground (GM's note- they came in the back door the Liartians used to dump bodies in the sewer). After looking for more villains, they heal the dwarf and return above ground to get more help clearing the temple. The dwarf was a kidnapped merchant and his company pays them a reward for rescuing him. They take a couple of high quality weapons, a Cloak of Protection and coins from the Liartians. The high priest had an enchanted axe, but it was evil and they destroy it.

Silly Quotes and Smart Remarks
The first round of combat, Jim rolled a natural 20 for Druka, then Evan got one for Chatterfang. Then it was Sam's turn
Jim "If you roll a natural 20, I'm throwing in the towel"
Sam rolls a natural 20, Jim throws up his hands and gives everyone a white chip. Evan gives Sam a blue chip

Nick was asking questions about Laying on Hands and Jim repeated the One Man's Castle discussion that it had to be hands, you can't head butt or teabag someone
Evan "So that's what people are trying to do online; they're trying to heal you"

The first Liartian priest in the alley is knocked out
Evan "Teabag him"

The party sets off the thunder Glyph of Warding which also serves as an alarm and are deciding what to do, go on or retreat
Sam "We could run away; Ding Dong Ditch"

Sam is considering casting Shatter, but doesn't want to collapse the sewer and cause damage or injury to people living above
Nick "We're in the Poor Quarter, <waves dismissingly> nothing important"

Talking about how when the bear takes enough damage, Chatterfang will return to human form. Sam botches and Capote hits the bear with a Firebolt
Evan, marking down damage "Still a bear"

Trying to deflect the Liartian's Spiritual Weapon spell, could they grab it with Mage Hand and hit the bad guy with his own spell?
Evan "Stop hitting yourself, why are you hitting yourself?"