Crystal Methods

It is decided that a swift report to the guard is in order. It seems likely that anyone important has had time to flee but what matters now is dismantling the network of secret access tunnels leading to various properties throughout the city.
The guard is alerted and the group helps them navigate the traps and points out areas for further exploration before turning their attention to a lesser used branch of the sewer lines.
Turning one way brings them into contact – and battle – with a bunch of creepy crawly slime crawlers, and the other way eventually leads them into an unused section of the sewers. An old, dry cistern leads them to a passageway – the sounds of chanting can be heard ahead.
Proceeding cautiously, the group discovers that the passageway ends on a narrow ledge far above the floor of the room below. Therein a scene of ritual sacrifice seems to be taking place. While a crystal skull bathes the room in a lurid red glow, a slavering fiend from the darkest planes of the Abyss looms over a helpless girl, securely chained to the altar. The group assembles a hasty plan then springs into action.
They fly, glide, swoop and climb down from the ledge to engage the cultists and their evil overlord. The demon bellows for the skull to be protected at all costs, so naturally the group destroys it as soon as they are able. The cultists battle, but are no match for the righteous wrath of the party. Merchant’s guild guards come to reinforce the wavering cultists, but meert the same untimely end. While most of the cultists are dead and dying, the shattering skull rings like a giant bell before breaking into a dozen or so shards of crystal.
The demon laughs and howls in triumph before vanishing. A bit stunned, the party finishes off the remaining foes and takes one prisoner for further questioning, then frees the girl. Adventuring into a death maze with a helpless child in tow is not an option and so the group eventually reverses course and ascends from the sewers into a scene of madness.
Huge sections of the merchant’s guild hall are aflame and the surrounding wall has been battered down in several locations. CIty watch, city guards and the warriors of the Thyrmian church battle with guild mercenaries amidst the rubble. The group delivers the girl to the city guard and returns to the sewers. An attempt is made to exit the ritual chamber through the guild hall – but the hallway beyond is full of menacing statuary and the cleric’s magic detects traps in abundance. There is a swift and heated debate about whether or not to run the gauntlet to see what loot may be looted from the guild holdings, but in the end the group returns to the inn and sacks out for a few hours in preparation for what is to come.
After a few hours the situation within the city walls seems in hand and the group has informed the city leaders of what it has discovered. Pearsay is present and reveals what he has learned – the crystal shards can be used to track the demon. He urges the group to continue their work and finish the evil.
As the group agrees, magic items are distributed and a small sum of gold is provided. As the evening turns to night, the group prepares to start pursuit.