The Rise of Baa Episode 2: A Cult? No way!
Stinking, worn out, covered in mud and crypt debries... whatever that may entail, the band returns to Tarrenfall. They burst through the doors of the Wild Boar in, order a round, and promptly fall asleep at their table before the drinks even arrive. A member of the Temple of Baa, a new church in town, leaves through a back door.
"Morning!" screams the Innkeeper as the band awakens, having one of the best sleeps of their lives, as he drops off their drinks from last night. They all down the drinks, and start to plan. Something is up with this Golden Rod, and they're getting that funny feeling that somethings amiss in this town. They decide to wander around and see if anyone has some interesting tales or if something odd is happening.
After a few conversations with the locals, the only weird thing around town is the brand new Temple of Baa that has appeared, almost over night. The patrons usually keep to themselves, other than ordering some supplies every now and then. Our heroic adventures decide, yes, this must be all connected, and decide to investigate.
They wait until nightfall, kidnap one of the clerics, and being a long and awkward interrogation. Learning that the Temple of Baa is more than it seems, but how much more they cannot uncover, as at one point they all left the room to chat, and while they were gone the cleric escaped!
Humph decides the best course of action is to try and catch him before he makes it to the Temple. A chase ensues, and ends with them bursting through the front doors into the waiting arms of the Temple patrons. Heavily armed arms. Battle begins and carries on throughout the Temple as the party fights their way, lower and lower into the catacombs, at the bottom they find a horrific ritual. The Temple of Baa sure seems a lot more like an evil Cult than a religion. You know, because they're trying to burn a girl to death in a ritual sacrifice...
They fail to save the girl, and instead release an Intellect Devourer! But our party is ready, they leveled up earlier and had a long rest! Spells and attacks fly from their hands, destroying the beast and the remaining followers. Uncovering another piece of the Golden Rod, this one with a pointed end. It clinks together perfectly with the first piece, and held in The Wizard Formerly Known as Tuna, it slowly turns in his palm to point north...
The party nods, thinks it might be a good time to skip town anyways, and starts out in the darkness. North, towards adventure... and away from the 27 murdered cult worshipers.