While his explorations in the upper parts of the city had been fascinating, River's business took him to the murky depths of Karith.  He had been warned about the fumes, and offered equipment and supplies.  Both of which he had taken gratefully.  He had told the Shen Michi Yuren that he intended to help the poor by investigating some rumors of smuggling.  Which was something he had heard mentioned in the streets above.  Something he couldn't explain to the officials had drawn him here, and River knew that if he told them of his business, it was likely he would be hindered.  Most people didn't understand the dealings of a spirit binder, and River didn't feel that he had the time to explain.

All that being said, River was beginning to wish he had taken the advice of hiring a guide.  Slogging through a sewer pipe without any real sense of direction was becoming more difficult, and he was only able to find his way because he could sense trapped spirits… somewhere ahead.  The pipes were a maze and he had been forced to backtrack several times.  He knew of the rumors of a cult that had been kidnapping people, but River suspected there were more sinister things at play than just missing people.  He had found no guards yet, but he didn't expect to just yet.  The faint aura of the spirits was still a distance off.

There was splashing from behind him.  River shrank back into an alcove, he didn't want to be found yet.  The guild's officials still ventured down here occasionally, and it would be a guard.  Or someone else entirely?  He didn't know, and he didn't want to make his presence known until he was certain of who was there…

Of all the places she'd been, Evridiki most frequently returned to the lower levels of Karith. Although she was welcome in the upper levels due to her angelic traits, the poor citizens below were always in more need of her assistance. Because of this, she had come to be friends with a few locals and had a place to stay whenever she visited. Her current hostess was a woman whom she'd come to know only recently, but Evri could tell something was wrong. When pressed for details, the woman told her that her brother had gone missing a few days ago without a trace. It took two minutes for the half-angel to be ready and out the door.

Upon investigating the matter further, she learned that the lady's brother was hardly the first disappearance; there was a string of kidnappings plaguing the city. The situation itself was much bigger than any job she had ever taken on alone, and she wondered briefly if she should go to the guards for help in locating the missing people. However, Evri knew that if they truly intended to do anything about the kidnappings, then they would have already searched the area. So, she ended up conducting her own search, eventually coming across a lead that led her to an old sewer pipe. For a moment, she considered flying over the thick sludge, but the passage was much too narrow, so she simply tucked her wings in and began to trudge through the murky liquid.

Her metal boots clanked with each step, making her regret wearing her armor for such an arduous task. But it was only a slight doubt, since one could never be too prepared. Soon, the light was all but gone, and she was tripping more and more frequently, causing an undesirable amount of ruckus. "Olapireta," she whispered, and a few small orbs of light began floating around her. Up ahead, something moved; it seemed large enough to be a person, though she still could not see clearly. "Niis, reveal yourself," she commanded, a hand resting on her sword.

The metal boots should have been a hint that he was being followed, but the sewers tended to echo and distort the noise all around him.  Raising his hands to show he was not intending violence, at least not at this moment, River stepped out to see the woman who had called out.  He was guessing he had made the right call, knowing a bit of the different races of the world.  The wings marked her as being of one of the better natured races, at least in his past experience.  The charms and crystals on his bracelet jingled faintly as he moved, and he hoped she knew that they marked him as a spiritbinder.  Though the impression of his profession tended to vary widely between people, it was a chance he was willing to take.  "My name is River, I'm trying to figure out why people are disappearing down here," he said quickly, trying to make it clear he did not want a fight.  At least not with her.

Glancing behind him, he thought there had been a noise.  But it was most likely another echo.  Perhaps they should form an alliance of sorts.  "Are you down here to help find the kidnapped people as well?  I've found a way to track some of them down, but this place is such a maze.  Surely two sets of eyes will be better than one," he suggested.  And with her armor, she would stand a much better chance if it came down to a fight.

An exasperated sigh escaped her as she strained her eyes to see down the cramped tunnels. Evridiki kept a hand on her sword, not allowing her stance to become any less defensive. Carefully, she studied the man before her. Her summoned orbs cast light on the crystals dangling from his bracelet. They looked familiar, though it took her a moment to place where she had seen them before. Raising an eyebrow, Evri murmured, "A spiritbinder?" She nodded curtly, her red eyes blazing into his. "I am Evridiki. A friend asked me to look into this matter, though the matter seems to be much bigger than I'd initially thought." Uncomfortably, her feathers ruffled behind her, and she shifted her weight into a slightly more relaxed position.

"Tell me, sir, what business does a spiritbinder have investigating this matter?" River's presence could mean that handling the situation was beyond her capabilities, and she would only be an obstacle if he tried freeing the captives. As the tiny orbs of light floated around her, she noticed a glint of metal in the distance, accompanied by a quiet clinking. Tensing up, she hastily whispered, "Oresa." The flickering lights vanished, leaving an empty darkness in their wake. "Someone is coming," Evri stated, moving as stealthily as possible to hide in a dark corner of the tunnel. She wondered if they should follow the figure or stay out of sight– either way, she'd have to decide fast.

She knew what he was, and she did not attack right away.  That was a good sign.  Not everyone was so understanding of his path.  "I came down here seeking out the missing as well, though I can tell something more… sinister is at play here.  And I agree," River said, stepping out so that she could see him better.  He was trusting her to not attack, and River hoped that the trust would be returned.  Glancing down the tunnel, he chose his words carefully before answering.  "I can sense there are spirits down here, anchored to something not their physical forms.  I suspect that may be what the cult is doing to their victims.  But as to the purpose, I don't know," he explained.  It was the easiest explanation, and one that most would understand.  There would be those already dead, but River hoped that others yet lived.  Working together, they could free both.

He moved quickly towards her, and they hid close to each other in the dark of the tunnel.  He wanted to see who was coming, and to see if the person was one of the cultists.  Given the robes and the muttering to himself, River could only assume.  The madness was stereotypical, but those did have to start somewhere.  He beckoned to Evridiki, then started to move quietly behind the cultist.  He was going to find out just what was going on, one way or the other.  He could pick out a few words and phrases, mostly concerning the feed and care of their prisoners.  And trying to find more herbs and resins for sacrifices.  So they were killing the missing.  He paused and glanced back to see if she was following, and moved forward regardless of Evri's actions.

Hiding in the dancing shadows, Evri's dull eyes followed the figure intently, trying to pick out what he was rambling about. So there truly was a cult… That was not a good sign. Cultists were somewhat more of a threat than just common criminals and bandits. Some were brainwashed into believing whatever their cult worshipped, some actually believed in the nonsense they were told, but all of them were reckless and willing to die for their beliefs, so long as the enemy was taken down. As she walked behind River, she cast a minor levitation spell so that her boots wouldn't make any noise and they could follow in silence. Catching a few words here and there, she gave the spirit binder a concerned glance, knowing he'd likely heard it as well. If the man was any indication of what the rest of the members were like, this was not going to be a pleasant encounter for more reasons than one.

Eventually, they reached an opening, much bigger than the narrow pathway they had been traveling through. She paused at the entrance, hidden against the darkened wall as she looked around the edge to see what was inside. Most of the room was filled with cages holding prisoners in various states of health. Many were pale and bloodied, most were unnaturally thin with skin hanging from bone, and only a few, presumably new prisoners seemed to have any energy at all. A few were screaming and slamming against the bars, but otherwise, there was no noise. About a dozen guards were patrolling the room, though others flowed in and out of a door at the far end of the room. "This is horrific," Evri whispered when she was sure they were out of earshot.

It was little wonder why no one had found the missing people, the sewers were a maze.  They would have to be careful when they left, otherwise they would become lost.  But River had a few ideas how to prevent that from happening.  He started seeing runes drawn in blood on the walls, though he could tell they were inert.  A defensive spell, perhaps?  He couldn't tell for certain though, rune magic wasn't his specialty.  But the words the man were muttering concerned him still, and the narrow pathway finally opened.  He paused for a few moments, allowing the cultist to pass through and away before peering through.  And what he saw horrified him.  It was clear that the people were being slowly starved to death, and there were a few being escorted to the far end of the room.  There were a dozen or so guards in sight, but there could be more elsewhere…

He nodded at what Evri said, then focused his sense for a moment.  The crystal charm on his bracelet shimmered a soft blue, not enough to be noticed by anyone unless they were within a few feet.  "Their souls are being ripped out.  That's the energy I was sensing.  It's all being stored for some reason," he whispered after a long pause.  His voice was choked, he couldn't quite believe the horrific deeds being done.  But there was determination building in his eyes as well.  It was his duty to put a stop to this.  He had to free the stolen souls, and help those who were still living.  "We need a plan.  I don't think we can make it back, and get help in time to stop whatever they're doing down here.  I can provide some distractions.  Should we try and capture one or two of them?  The authorities will certainly want to know what happened," he whispered, mentally running down a list of how he could distract the cultists.

Evridiki nodded, considering his suggestions. From his tone, it was obvious that this was likely not the first rescue mission River had undertaken. As a spirit binder, she supposed it made sense for him to be involved in these sorts of things. The fact that the cult members were ripping out souls from innocent people was more than enough reason to keep from exploring the depths alone, so Evri was glad that she hadn't followed her initial plan of investigating the cult on her own. Perhaps they were more similar than she'd thought, though that was hardly her main concern. Her eyes scanned the dimly lit room, searching for one of the weaker guards. She spotted one; he was scrawny and didn't seem to have the same confidence as the others, and he looked to be a good deal younger than the majority of the patrollers. "There," she whispered, gesturing to where he walked along the wall. "If you can draw the rest in this direction, I'll be able to trap him before they notice his absence."

The plan seemed well enough in her mind, but she had faith that River could hold his own if anything went wrong. At this point, she couldn't afford to be doubtful. Extending her wings, she swiftly and quietly dropped down into the shadows behind a few large boulders, with only a minor clink from her boots as they touched the ground. A few guards snapped their heads towards the tunnel but appeared to attribute the noise to the natural sounds of the sewer. The boy was slowly slinking his way past, and the half-angel glanced up at the entrance she had just come from, awaiting River's signal so that she could grab the boy in one motion.

The one she wanted to grab was a target he could agree with.  He looked barely into manhood.  Perhaps he had been brought in by an older sibling or family member?  Or he was trying to take care of family.  There would be time to tell later.  "Agreed.  Don't be afraid of anything you see, my friends will not hurt you," he said with a slight crooked smile.  Calling them friends was close enough, though not a definition that everyone would use.  He moved to where he could see the chamber a bit better, figuring out where the best place to cast his incantation would be.  There was a ledge that would be perfect.  Murmuring words in an ancient tongue, River cut his hand open, offering the blood to strengthen the spell.

A dozen spectral cats were suddenly prowling on the ledge, then leaped into the midst of the cultists.  The sudden interference should be perfect for Evridiki to grab the boy.  The cats were perfect for this, it was harder to dispatch them than most enemies.  But they would still need help.  Sketching a sigil in the air, he stood aside as his hydra thundered onto the scene.  The massive creature was bizarre looking, but the plant hydra was a force of destruction.  And in the meantime, River could turn his attention elsewhere.  The people in the cages were stirring, interested and surprised in the sudden turn of events.  The screams of the cultists became muted as he concentrated on getting the cages open.

The first cage's lock was only rope, but tied in some kind of ridiculous knot.  His dagger made quick work of it, and River moved onto the next.  The metal lock was open at a touch, a very useful cantrip he had picked up as a slave.  Moving from cage to cage, he freed people, instructing them to the mouth of the tunnel he had entered from while his pets caused chaos to give them cover.  But there was still the matter of the trapped souls.  As if on cue, a women in an elaborate set of robes came out of the back area, a long knife dripping in blood.  Her eyes widened at the chaos, but she soon found River.  With a screech, she launched herself at him.