Wall walkers of Adjepbar: Difference between revisions

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Summary

Adventure: Wall walkers of Adjepbar
GM: Jonathan Bean
Season: TBC
Night: 11
Level: TBC

Party

Aurora - Scribe, Elf - played by Keith Smith
Lizette - Party Leader, Human - played by Dylan Stephens
Keshah - Mil Sci, Elf - played by Michael Haycock

Employer: TBC
Mission: TBC
Pay: TBC

Wall walkers of Adjepbar The adventurers, Aurora, Lizette, and Keshah, find themselves at the bustling Siren's Court, navigating courtly rumors and diplomatic duties while still recovering from previous trials. Amidst discussions of magical obligations and a mysterious deep well, they are abruptly transported to a frigid, snowy forest in Ionia. Here, they discover approximately 40 Ibanian refugees, pursued by a formidable ogre, cavalry, and archers. Tasked by the Red Crowns to secure the refugees' safety before dawn, the party engages in a tense standoff, providing healing and transport, and using the harsh environment to their advantage. The session concludes with the refugees sheltered in Adjepbar, but with new threats, including a massive scorpion creature, already emerging.

Scribe Notes

Night 1

Chapter 1: The Merchant's Shadowed Commission

We are hired in the halls of the Seagate Adventurer's Guild

Day 1
Within a high-ceilinged chamber, somewhere in the Seagate Adventurer's Guild, whose walls shimmered with faint inner light, the merchant lord of one of Adjepbar's oldest trading families regarded the three adventurers seated before him. The air carried the scent of ledger ink, spiced wine, and the distant clamour of the market below. The merchant representative, who did not give us his name, spoke without preamble, his voice low and measured.

"We believe someone is spying on our merchant business," he said. "Our rivals have been improbably lucky for the past year. They anticipate our caravans, undercut our prices, and steal our buyers before ink dries on the contracts. We do not wish to alarm the rest of the house. You will investigate discreetly. Report only to me."

Keshah, the black-haired mage with striking green eyes, inclined his head. "You'll learn about us soon enough," he replied. "What precautions would you suggest?"

The merchant outlined the web of alliances his house maintained with seven other families, the importance of heraldry, and the sprawling compounds where secrets multiplied like mould in the cellars. An internal probe had yielded nothing; outsiders were required. Payment would be generous if results came within four weeks. Equipment would be provided, but the Wall Walkers must remain unconnected to the family should anything go wrong.

It seemed reasonable to me that we should go there as merchant representatives ourselves, so I made enquires about if any local merchants were looking for markets in Adjepbar. I ended up getting in contact with a local leather works that had lots of stuff to sell. "Thirty tons of leather," I noted, steering the talk toward practical matters. "Two barns, bound for the Five Sisters Way. We can arrange watchers and a caravan if needed."

Keshah nodded. A young man entered quietly, offering additional details on the shipment before withdrawing. The merchant's expression remained guarded. "If you remain untroubled and successful, further contracts will follow. There are ancient ruins in the north that may hold answers, but that is for later."

Conversation drifted toward the city's unwritten laws. One of the Wall Walkers murmured the words of a subtle social charm, its effect like oil smoothing troubled waters. The merchant answered their careful questions with visible reluctance. We did discover that the kidnapping and ransoming back of remarkable looking women was an accepted practice. At that point, all eyes turned to Lizette, our red haired, emerald eyed beauty.

"Under Lord Bray's precedents, the death of a woman is often not counted a crime," he said flatly. "Kidnapping and ransom of commoners draws little notice. Honour matters more when dealing with the powerful. Champion the wrong house and you place yourself outside all protection. Challenge a lady or accept one, and the rules of engagement are merciless. Lose face and you may lose far more."

Keshah absorbed the warning, fingers tapping the table. Rumour of double agents and an elemental that had seized a distant throne were mentioned in passing, along with the possibility of bodyguards who could allow armour to remain hidden. Keshah told us the story of what happened the last time he was in Adjebah, something to do with a kidnapped daughter being 'employed' as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and a very angry and very powerful father who wanted her back. When the meeting concluded, handshakes were exchanged and quiet thanks offered.

"Good luck," The merchant said as we rose. "You will need it in these houses."

Their first commission had begun: walk the delicate line between merchant houses, expose the spy, and survive the customs of a city that rewarded cunning far more than mercy.

Chapter 2: The Glowing Walls of Adjepbar

The Wall Walkers arrive at the luminous market of Adjepbar

The discussion turned practical as weariness settled over the group. Lizette offered her healing arts, restoring strength where fatigue had accumulated from our earlier exertions. Keshah told us he had some rune portals that could get us quickly to our destination, several hundred miles south, but they would make us rather tired going through. Fortunately, it would only take two hops but we would need to rest for a bit after each hop. So, late that evening, we set off. With refreshed resolve, we consulted our maps and activated the dimensional artifacts. The world folded around us, and in the space of two swift jumps we stood amid the crumbling stones of an abandoned ruin high on a windswept plateau. Beneath us the desert stretched away in silvered darkness, while green hills rolled northward under starlight.

Day 2
Night still held the land when we descended toward the city. Its outer wall emitted a steady bluish radiance, casting ethereal light across the sands. Aurora remained just beyond the glow, watchful, while the others approached the northern gate. The streets within revealed a wonder: flat-roofed buildings whose terraces overflowed with rooftop gardens, lush greenery defying the arid climate. Ground floors showed few windows, most shuttered or barred, but higher levels opened to the air.

We followed the map to a busy intersection where the night market thrived despite the hour. Hundreds of locals moved among stalls, trading cloth and linen, steel tools, spices, and hot food that scented the warm air. Most travelled in small groups of three or four; guards patrolled discreetly. Children darted between adults while merchants called their wares beneath strings of lanterns.

Keshah stayed close as the party observed the flow of commerce. One among them, seeking not to blend but to command respect, approached a clothier’s stall. The merchant, an amiable man with quick eyes, listened to the request for garments befitting a representative of an important trading house.

"Gold," the merchant advised with a knowing smile. "Gold proclaims wealth and influence here. Red can serve, but gold… gold draws the eye of those who matter." He spoke of the coming festival on Friday, when the city would celebrate with special trade and pageantry. Samples were brought forth—fine linens, richly dyed silks, a tailored jacket with flowing sleeves in the local style. The chosen ensemble was measured and fitted while the group sampled warm bread and kept watch on the surrounding crowds.

By the time the transaction finished, the sky had begun to pale toward morning. Eight o’clock brought a pleasant eighteen degrees and clear air. The Wall Walkers, now attired as prosperous emissaries, moved deeper into the glowing city with purpose, the weight of their covert errand for the Adjepbar merchant house resting lightly on their shoulders.

Night 2

Chapter 3: A Haven Overlooking the Port

Arrival at Lady Alba's courtyard haven in Adjepbar

The streets of Adjepbar's merchant district thronged with well-to-do traders, most of them human, their footsteps echoing off sturdy stone façades. For the last hour we moved through the flow of commerce, drawing glances that lingered especially on me, much to my chagrin. I could see the young men watched me with open admiration, which still made me uncomfortable although I should be used to it by now. For a while, I considered buying a hat to blunt the attention. but I was really never a hat person anyway.

We pressed on toward the port, looking for a reputable place to stay, sacks of goods slung over shoulders, until we reached a handsome building set behind a low wall. A small garden lay beyond, graced with two large reflecting pools and riotous flower beds. A dwarf and a hobbit sat chatting in the shade while a woman moved among the blooms. She looked up as the party entered.

I greeted her diplomatically and politely and asked if she had rooms to let. Her name was Alba, and she smiled, brushing flour from her hands. "You are from up north, yes? A bit further than the port district, I think." She studied them a moment, then nodded towards Keshah.. "We have rooms. Excellent ones for you and your two daughters."

After a brief confusion over identities, we were led up a flight of stairs to a spacious chamber on the first floor. High windows shaped like elongated pods looked out over the harbour, letting in salt air and the cries of gulls. A balcony overlooked the inner courtyard, and the room itself was airy and well-appointed, bright with colourful hangings and clever wooden screens. Two smaller bedrooms opened off it.

"The balcony faces the courtyard," Alba explained. "You may come down and play dice if you wish. We have a fur trader, a ship captain, and others who gather in the evenings."

While servants brought cool water and fresh linens, a boy of about eight appeared in a miniature captain's uniform, bubbling with excitement. His older sister, Marian, followed more sedately. She appeared to be fifteen or sixteen, not quite human, with an easy grace. "I can help you learn Adjepbaran," Marian offered, "if you wish. An hour each morning, perhaps? Just enough to speak with other merchants." "That is a very good idea," I replied. "We'll do that." Marian's face brightened. She spoke of the Tournier, an elven organisation that had spent the last decade fighting drought and the expansion of the drow, striving to change things for the better in the city. The companions exchanged glances; the name was new to them, but clearly important. I decided to change into the light blue silk kaftan I I had bought earlier so as not to look so distinctive Talk turned to the length of our stay—three or four weeks at first, perhaps longer—and to meals and guides. The boy tugged at Keshahs sleeve. "Are you good with a sword? Will you come to the martial yards and meet the others?" "Maybe," Keshah answered with a smile, "but not today." "I will arrange a guide for you in the morning," Alba promised As the sun dipped lower, a tray of delicate pastries appeared, each topped with a thin layer of candied lemon. Marian's mother, who was our host, Alba, it seemed, was an exceptional baker, though she guarded her recipes closely. The companions sampled them gratefully, speaking of the Western Kingdom and the possibility of growing the same fruit there. Before anyone could finish their tea, a group of twelve people entered below, accompanied by guards. Two men led the way up the stairs, their voices carrying clearly through the open windows. Whatever business had brought them to Alba’s door, it carried the unmistakable weight of importance.

Chapter 4: Merchants, Magic, and Moonlit Baths

Negotiating lodgings and secrets in the merchant house garden

In the shaded garden of the merchant house, where pod-like windows overlooked beds of fragrant herbs, we found themselves greeted by a courteous attendant and a pair of watchful guards. The man bowed politely, explaining that his lord and lady were resting upstairs. "If you require any assistance," he offered, "my lord employs many fine guards. We would be happy to help."

We introduced ourselves as representatives of a northern merchant company seeking trading contacts, our story centering on shipments of fine leather from the Western Kingdoms. "We are on the east coast," the attendant confirmed, smiling at their momentary confusion about the western lands. He spoke knowledgeably of the uncharted territories beyond, where sea-grass prairies stretched toward the Sea of Grass and hostile tribes made commerce perilous.

When talk shifted to their length of stay, our host’s brightened. "Three weeks, you say? That can be arranged, with a modest discount for such valued guests." They settled on full board—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—plus the use of the common areas. The host grew more serious when the subject turned to security. "We wish to avoid any unnatural troubles," she said carefully. "Elementals, devils, or the Fair Folk bring nothing but complications."

"We understand completely," I replied. "If we encounter any such problems, you will be the first to know." To ensure our privacy, we requested permission to raise a simple ward against scrying. The attendant agreed, provided it harmed no mortals, and soon a subtle veil of magic shimmered around our quarters, courtesy of Lizette. As evening approached, conversation grew lighter. We were invited to the night market and the coming festival. "The day after tomorrow is Friday by the old Elven calendar—derived, they say, from the Hobbit reckoning." Over glasses of cool wine, he described the other guests: a noble party from the country whose presence had heightened security. "Their captain informed me of your arrival," he added. "They have enemies in the city."

I admitted I worked with the magic of the air. "I fly often," I confessed. "Though I know some places shoot down anything that takes to the sky." The attendant took this in stride, then arranged for Keshah to have a bedroll in the outer chamber, ensuring us ladies would be better protected. Later, the group descended a narrow spiral stair into the cool earth beneath the courtyard. Dripping water echoed softly thirty feet below ground. Here lay the baths: one pool steamed with medium heat, while the other remained magically chilled, its waters crystalline and refreshing. The air smelled of minerals and herbs. As we lingered, the captain of the upstairs guard approached with polite but pointed questions about the timing of their arrival and the nature of our work.

Lizette met his gaze evenly. "We have no interest in causing trouble," she assured him. "Nor in entanglements of any sort." A shadow of old heartbreak flickered behind her words, but she dismissed it with a small smile. The captain seemed satisfied, and the companions returned to their rooms, the weight of their dual identities—merchants on the surface, Wall Walkers beneath—settling more comfortably around them in the warm Adjepbar night.

Chapter 5: Aspects of the Sun and Secrets in the Garden

Exploring the fortified gardens of Adjepbar

The conversation drifted comfortably in the lamplit common room. "First breakfast will be served after eight," our host said. "You're welcome to join us. Sunrise comes around five thirty in these parts."

Aurora smiled. "That suits me perfectly. Ever since I was a little girl I've woken with the sun. I believe it has something to do with my Solar aspect."

"Solar," the host repeated, clearly intrigued. I then spoke quietly of my own troubled aspect, the result of a magical accident years before. Sympathy flickered across the host's face before the talk turned to practicalities.

Meetings would be best held in public places over the coming weeks, the group agreed. Some would use enchanted items to search the premises for hidden portals or structural weaknesses, while others planned a lengthy preparatory ritual to ensure safer travel later. One vessel in particular earned admiration: a pitcher that kept itself filled and perfectly cool. "I like that," Aurora said. "Where can I get one?"

"How about the baths first?" Lizette suggested. The idea met with quick approval. Temperature was debated lightly; Aurora, protected by her resistance to cold, cared little whether the water ran hot or cool. Plans for the next day took shape around them. Their recent acquaintance clearly meant to monopolise their time, beginning with the first festival tomorrow evening and continuing the day after. Still, there would be moments for their own pursuits.

"I want a proper look around the room and grounds," one of the Wall Walkers declared. "I'd rather we went together." The others concurred. Some could dress down and mute their more obvious traits, an elf among them and a northerner besides. They would wander the city, consult private maps, and begin gathering information on their target merchant. Street inquiries or a quiet word with the local magistrate might prove safer than magical spying; their quarry was almost certainly warded against such intrusions.

We stepped out into the evening air. Before we even reached the elevated terrace, guards could be seen at the head of the staircase. Small wind-up birds, delicate mechanical constructs, flitted among the foliage. The garden itself was breathtaking, almost excessively so, with living roofs of overlapping leaves and artful pod-like windows catching the last light. "Somebody has gone rather over the top," I murmured, half admiring, half amused.

The grounds were lovely but not undefended. Shards of broken crockery lined the tops of the walls, enough to discourage casual climbers. A shimmering field of spikes was called into being across a vulnerable stretch of ground, its magic glimmering faintly through the floorboards of the rooms above. It would hold for half an hour, more than long enough.

Chapter 6: Candlelight and Careful Words

Dinner among merchants and mysterious guests

The afternoon light had already begun to fade when we settled on our approach. Posing as merchants offered the clearest path to move freely within the organisation and the household itself.

When the bell rang downstairs, we shut away our preparatory spells and made our way to the dining hall. A long trestle table had been laid with crisp linens and flickering candles. Five new faces waited among the family: a burly bodyguard whose watchful eyes missed nothing, three women whose quiet conversation suggested both status and caution, and a handful of others. A merchant and two physicians sat beside several family members, including a dwarf and a hobbit who tutored the children in mathematics and arcane theory.

Conversation flowed easily at first. One of the merchants produced a small wooden case and offered samples of sugar-salted dried oranges, bright with flavour. I leaned in, genuinely interested. “How long have you been trading these?” I asked. The man explained the difficulties of export to the Western Kingdom versus the Lunar Empire, and soon they were speaking of olives, figs, and the ingenious underground barrels in which the household grew much of its produce. The talk drifted to mutual acquaintances and older adventures; one guest remarked that Keshah looked familiar from a clean-up operation years before. “I was hired on for that one,” he admitted, and the table nodded with approval.

The fourth son of the house, permitted to visit the city because of his place in the line of succession, proved an eager conversationalist. He spoke freely with both Keshah and Lizette, who had chosen a simpler, more practical outfit reminiscent of the household staff. Captain Gendel Hammersong, a powerfully built man introduced as one of the legendary figures from Superstition Mountain, eventually turned the discussion toward more serious matters. “I understand you were involved last night,” he said carefully. “I hope you lost no one who did not deserve it.”

The table quieted. Talk turned to the uncontrolled summoning that had complicated everything: a creature that slipped its bonds, a general left furious, and the lingering question of whether a doppelganger had orchestrated the chaos. Speculation passed back and forth—whether the summoner had been replaced, how one might banish such a being, or whether anyone still owed favours that could open doors on other planes. Hammersong listened closely, offering that further investigation might prove useful to all parties. “If you learn more,” he said, “we would be interested in employing your talents.”

The meal continued with careful attention to the dishes: flavourful creations ranging from delicate to boldly spiced, though everyone avoided the vivid red garnishes that tasted distinctly alien. When the last plates were cleared, the companions retired upstairs. A young servant girl informed them that Mr. Tumblewall would join them for breakfast at eight, and that language lessons could be arranged if desired. As they climbed the stairs, conversation turned to practical wards and the limits of certain magics, but the night air carried the sense that alliances were quietly forming beneath the candlelight.

Night 3

Chapter 7: Steam and Sweet Offerings

A soothing soak in the inn's misty baths

The common room had settled into the comfortable rhythm of evening, the bard's voice rising and falling like distant waves as he recounted an epic of dwarfish campaigns against the Dark Circle. Lizette lingered a quarter-hour longer than her companions, content to let the story wash over her, but the rest of the party soon slipped away. They had already decided against splitting up; wherever one went, the others followed, especially when the promise of hot water beckoned from below.

The stairs to the baths were narrow and built for smaller folk, forcing the taller members of the group to descend sideways, one shoulder forward. Mist curled thick in the underground chamber, carrying the pleasant scent of minerals and warmth. Two pools lay side by side, separated by a low dividing wall that rose only a few inches above the waterline. One steamed invitingly hot; the other offered a gentler, cooler embrace.

Lizette eased into the hotter pool with a sigh of pleasure, while Keshah and I chose the milder waters. "Quite pleasant actually," I remarked, sinking deeper. Conversation drifted lazily between them: comparisons to the tiered baths of the Lunar Empire, jokes about the pool's nine-foot depth – which allowed me to submerge myself entirely, and whether even someone like Matt Tumbledown could fit down the stairs. Laughter echoed softly off the stone as we moved between temperatures, letting the day's travels melt from weary muscles. By the time we climbed out, skin flushed and minds clear, the experience had lived up to the inn's reputation.

Returning to our chamber, we found it transformed. The room had been tidied with care; fresh towels lay neatly stacked, shutters drawn against the night. Outside their door waited a tray bearing a small bowl in which orchids and jasmine blossoms floated like a miniature lily pond. Beneath the covers lay an assortment of delicate sweets that filled the air with fragrant sweetness.

We had scarcely settled when a soft tap sounded at the door. The young male servant stood outside, eyes bright and manner polite. "Um, hello, Mistress," he said. "Is there anything you need before turning in for the night?"

After checking with the others, the answer was no. The conversation turned to practicalities. "What time for these language lessons?" we asked. The lad replied that he had arranged them for two hours after dawn. Breakfast could be brought up or taken downstairs; after brief discussion and a humorous detour into second breakfasts and the merits of hobbit-like appetites, it was decided the meal would arrive in pur room. The young man nodded wisely at the tale of a distant shaman who had once claimed I carried more than a little hobbit in their soul, then bid them good night.

The companions closed the door, the faint scent of jasmine lingering in the air, and prepared for well-earned rest before the new day's studies began.

Chapter 8: The Lady Cat's Vendetta

Aurora negotiates with the imperious lady cat

The conversation with the servant concluded pleasantly. The Wall Walkers would receive their language tutor after breakfast; the offer was accepted with polite gratitude. Once the man had withdrawn, Keshah moved to the doorway and windows, setting small runestones in place. The runes were tuned with care so they would ignore the ordinary traffic of the corridor and the presence of the party themselves, stirring only if unknown living things approached.

Day 3
Night passed without incident. The early risers stirred while the city still lay in darkness. I rose at four to begin my purifications, and the others followed as dawn neared, each performing their purifications and preparatory spells. The usual chorus of birds was muted here; the upper districts of Adjepbar offered little countryside, only rooftops and the distant murmur of the poor quarter below. We spoke quietly of the stones and the precise nature of the wards while the household began to stir.

At half past six a discreet tap sounded at the door. I answered it. Marian, the flour-dusted daughter of the house, stood outside with a laden tray. "I have brought you breakfast," she said, stepping past her guest to set the meal on a side table. A sleek cat followed at her heels, tail high, and promptly began weaving between ankles.

I couldn’t resist, kneeling and , reaching to stroke the visitor. With a soft invocation of the animal speech I had retained from her fairy days, I greeted the cat. The feline's golden eyes fixed on me with sudden interest. I had a sudden feeling I was going to regret this.

"I am fine," she replied, "but I smell bacon."

The exchange that followed was as imperious as it was amusing. The cat introduced herself as the true mistress of these chambers and promptly denounced one Tommy, a rival who had been trespassing on her territory for far too long. "That ***** has been treating on my turf," she declared. "I want you to kill him."

I laughed despite herself. "Tommy? I take it he's another cat."

"Of course he's another **** cat. What are you, stupid?"

I assured the feline, who we later found out preferred to be addressed as Your Magnificence, I was merely confirming details, then scratched behind its ears as requested. The cat demanded milk, more bacon, and continued scratches, all while eyeing the rest of the party with aristocratic disdain. When her gaze fell on Keshah she paused.

"Does that dumb one over there understand me?” the cat5 asked Only if I translate," I replied

The cat considered him. "Tell the elf to feed me. He looks funny. Actually, yeah… elf. You look nice. He looks dumb."

I decided not to relay to relay the insult, remarking that he would not be wounded by the opinion of a cat. Meanwhile the creature rolled onto her back, demanding belly rubs. Again I could not resist. Having three cats of my own at home, As I obliged, the cat purred and continued her list of grievances, clearly accustomed to ruling the household from the tops of cupboards and the laps of nobles. Breakfast grew slightly colder while the Wall Walkers listened, translated, and tried not to laugh too loudly at the small tyrant now holding court in our room.

Chapter 9: Cats, Courtiers, and the Tongue of Five Sisters

Aurora communes with the household cat as Mr. Tudor arrives for the morning lesson.

Sunlight slanted through the tall windows of the guest chambers, catching on the delicate arrangements of flowers that had been left for their comfort. I stood near the casement, head tilted as I listened to the bird calls drifting from the courtyard. "I heard them this morning," I said. "I should speak with them too, and see whether they've brought any news."

My companions exchanged glances. Keshah leaned forward, voice low. "I think they are the eyes and ears of creatures not of this place. Spy birds, if you take my meaning."

I smiled with recognition. "I've done that sort of thing myself in the past." I described the metal birds she had seen in the courtyard, unmoving and unnaturally sturdy. Their conversation was interrupted by the imperious arrival of Your Magnificence, who made her demands plain. Marian, the young servant attending them, was promptly sent for more milk.

When she returned, Marian looked apologetic. "I'm terribly sorry about that," she said, referring to the aggressive lady cat she had carried out by the scruff. I only chuckled, listening to the exiled feline's indignant complaints fading beyond the door. "She's a lovely cat," I remarked, "though it seems she prefers belly rubs, milk, and bacon above all else. You know what cats are like."

Lizette looked astonished. "You speak to all animals?"

"Yes," I admitted. "It comes from when I used to be a fairy. I've retained some of the old magics, including plant empathy. I can tell when a growing thing isn't well." She gestured to the flowers on the sideboard. "These aren't complete plants. It's hard to explain, but sometimes it's nicer to have one still rooted in a pot."

Marian's brow furrowed in polite confusion, but she recovered quickly. "We can organise that. Half a dozen, perhaps? Roses or lilies?" I thanked her after requesting lilies, , and the servant promised to see it done before asking whether we needed to dress for the tutor's arrival.

I glanced down at her casual attire and agreed it was time to change. I managed the unfamiliar garments with surprising speed, though Marian still stepped in to help. "You've got it over the wrong shoulder today," the servant noted gently. After a brief adjustment that tightened the kaftan in all the proper places, I felt presentable once more.

"I'm still trying to get the hang of it," I confessed. "I rather like this style. I might wear it back home." When asked what I normally wore in the Western Kingdoms, I described the finer courtier dress required for audiences with the king. "I spend much of my time at court as a diplomat. It can be taxing, but I have a few friends there, and my own estate besides."

The others debated their own attire. "Are we supposed to be wearing our festival clothing today?" Keshah asked. Marian shook her head. "No, the octopus-raising festival is tomorrow."

A soft knock sounded at the door. The young male servant bowed politely. "Good morning. Your tutor is here."

Mr. Tudor entered with quiet dignity, being an elderly man wearing a floppy hat. He bowed low, then straightened and greeted them in fluent Volksprachtt. "I understand you are from the Western Kingdoms," he said. I confirmed it, complimenting his own command of the tongue. Tudor smiled. "I hailed from there for some time. I am only passable, but I get by."

He settled himself, eyes bright with purpose. "We have much to discuss. I will bring you up to speed on the terrible goings-on within the city. But first, I shall introduce you to the beautiful, delicate tongue of the Five Sisters." He broke at once into the liquid, intricate language.

Lizette admitted quietly that she already spoke it, though she had wondered whether it was a tongue reserved for halflings or the ruling class. Tudor waved the concern away. "Tutoring is not necessary for you, then. Perhaps instead you might bring hot water and some light refreshments?"

The morning, it seemed, would be equal parts conversation and careful study.

Chapter 10: Blessings of the Five Sisters

Breakfast at the noble house in Adjepbar

In the sunlit upper rooms of the noble house, Master Tudor adjusted his robes and regarded his pupils with a scholar's gravity. "Please have a seat," he intoned, before turning a critical eye on Lizette. "Who says your tongue is perfect? You have no need for lessons. You are dismissed." Lizette retreated gracefully, though not before the elves exchanged a few light-hearted remarks about their own halting command of local tongues.

The tutor puffed up like an indignant pigeon when further interruptions followed. "Interrupt me again, young lady, and you will be punished. I am conducting serious lessons here." Yet once order was restored he settled into his work, weaving ritual words that drew visible strands of mana into the air. For nearly an hour the elves listened as the magic coalesced, until at last Tudor rose.

"Now I will prepare magic for you which will last for today and enhance your ability to understand the languages of the Five Sisters. We will continue the lesson tomorrow at the same time. In the meantime, let my blessings be upon you." With a few precise gestures he cast the enchantment over Keshah and myself. Our ears and tongues tingled; suddenly the rolling vowels and subtle cadences of the city felt far more natural. When we thanked him in the newly clarified speech, Tudor beamed. "Their oral fixation will be magnificent," he declared with theatrical flair before bowing and taking his leave.

A polite tap at the door announced that breakfast awaited. We descended to find the long table alive with nearly twenty members of the household. The Mistress of the House moved among them, her arms and nose dusted white with flour and a faint kiss-mark still visible on one flour-streaked cheek. Servants had packed six generous lunch cases with sandwiches, meat pies, and delicacies for the day's expedition. The dwarves were already eating heartily, and the rest of the staff greeted the guests with warm familiarity.

A bard had claimed the far end of the table and was regaling the company with colourful tales of the visitors' exploits. Some details were flattering, others clearly fanciful. The noble mother watched her son with visible displeasure as the young man hung on every word about the elves. "There were mostly flattering tales," she remarked dryly, "about you sending your human servant in your place to protect your virtue." I laughed it off, insisting my servants could run my distant Artzdorf estate far better than I ever could.

Conversation soon turned to the coming festival. "I would like to stay for it," one of the party admitted. The mother nodded. "A lot of the young men of the great houses will be wheeling statues up and down the street in carts. The first saints who arrived here were set upon by tasks; the hobbits told them that to settle they must carry burdens from the docks all the way to the fortress walls. That endurance is what we celebrate today." We listened with genuine interest, sensing that witnessing the procession might reveal more about the city's layered history than any formal tour. All the while the packed lunches waited, a promise of further adventures once breakfast and gossip had run their course.

Chapter 11: Debates of Equality and Olives

A spirited debate on taxes, elves, and olives in the breakfast hall

The lord leaned back in his chair, a faint dusting of flour still clinging to his sleeves from the morning's kitchen oversight. "If you were aware of any skulduggery, I'm sure you would put a stop to it," he said with a knowing smile, recalling the thief they had once driven from the lands with thrown stones.

I returned the grin. "Lightning bolts," I declared, eyes twinkling. "And I say that with a smile. It would be rather shocking."

Their host chuckled before turning to Lizette. "Miss Summers, do you heal the poor and afflicted?"

"I try to heal everyone if I can," she replied earnestly.

The lord nodded. "Then you will have your work cut out for you east along the docks, in the poor quarter. Many there are suffering. The elvish enclave fights against such poverty as well, though their methods..." He trailed off with a disapproving wave.

Lizette glanced at her companions. "If we have time today, it wouldn't hurt to go down there. I suspect I won't have the endurance to help them all, but perhaps I can ease a few burdens. We should all go together—and disguised, lest we be mobbed."

"A wise precaution," Keshah agreed. He explained again, to the lord's visible confusion, that he and Lizette held equal status, with her perhaps ranking slightly higher by background. The nobleman blinked, clearly unaccustomed to such notions.

When the conversation turned to the elves, the lord's expression soured. "They spread dangerous ideas of equality and claim the nobility should pay taxes to the town. They've been teaching the poor trades and skills far above their station."

"And what is wrong with that?" Keshah asked. "Knowledge benefits everyone."

"Where we come from, it is normal for nobles to pay taxes," Lizette added. "An educated populace can earn more, buy more, and strengthen the entire city."

The lord looked genuinely horrified. "Our lords, the hobbits, only tax the merchants. We own our own lands. If just anyone could afford our olives, it would be tragic. Our goods are precious; they must remain so. Besides, there will always be the poor. My own great-great-grandfather spoke of such reforms in riddles and nonsense. It came to nothing."

I listened with quiet amusement as the economic debate circled olives, oil, and limited supply. The lord remained adamant that expanding the market would cheapen their legacy.

Eventually the talk drifted from philosophy to more personal matters. One of the adventurers confessed to being an exile from Alfheim itself, though it had been many years since they last walked its streets. Plans for the day diverged: some would visit the upper city, while others expressed keen interest in the docks and the seaside. Pearl diving sounded thrilling, though Keshah warned of ruffians.

"They wear very little, leap from the piers into deep water," he explained. "It actually sounds rather fun." I replied. "I learned to swim not long ago. I've holidayed on magical islands and planes of water—beautiful places, though reaching them requires knowing the right paths."

"You could guide others there," Keshah suggested.

"I prefer to remain a visitor," came the reply, "enjoying the sights like any tourist. Perhaps the dwarves would be interested, though they've rather suddenly departed."

The lord listened to these tales of distant realms with a mixture of fascination and skepticism as the morning light shifted across the hall, hinting at the adventures that lay ahead in Adjepbar's divided streets.

Chapter 12: Bones, Cats, and Goat Skeletons

The goat-skeleton cultists parade past as a curious cat approaches the Wall Walkers.

The master of the house rose from the breakfast table, gave his flour-dusted wife a fond peck on the cheek, and gathered his packed lunch. "Good luck in your travels today," he told the guests. "Try not to get lost, and keep your servants from running too far out of control." With that, he departed with his small entourage, leaving the room suddenly quieter.

I exhaled, glad to drop the polite smile I had worn all morning. "We'll head off as well," I said. Keshah nodded, already thinking ahead. "We're free until the festival tomorrow night. We could walk down to the poor quarter. Lizette can see to the sick while we gather what news we can."

We stepped from the cool interior into the bright, noisy streets of Adjepbar. Porters streamed in both directions, voices rose and fell, and at least fifty souls seemed to fill the thoroughfare at any moment. I kept one ear tuned to the local dialect, quietly matching half-heard phrases to those I had learned and tucking the rest away in memory. Keshah adjusted the mask at his belt, and the trio debated whether their packed lunches would suffice or if they should buy extra food for the destitute. The suggestion of a bakery near the docks won out; better to purchase a hundred plain loaves than anything sweet.

The main road widened. Ahead came the steady thump of drums and the brazen clang of gongs. A procession wound toward them: robed figures with long, plaited hair carrying the bleached skeletons of goats mounted on poles like banners. Citizens made way without complaint. I watched the macabre parade with open curiosity.

Before I could ask questions, a large tabby male cat sauntered up, sniffed once at my boots, and looked me in the eye. I sighed then murmured the familiar words that opened my mind to the speech of beasts. The cat's voice arrived crisp and disdainful. This was Tommy.

"You've been fraternising with that fat fool from the big house. I am called elsewhere, but you will do. The rats are smuggling the bones of the Earl into the city. Tell them to stop their games."

Amused and intrigued, I followed the cat down a narrow alley. Halfway along the left wall lay a heavy iron grate set into the stone. With a grunt of effort I hauled it aside. Several pairs of beady eyes gleamed from the darkness below.

"Oi, rat!" I called down. "Message for you. From Tommy. He knows about the bones and the Earl."

A chorus of vulgar curses rose in reply. Their apparent leader, a grizzled specimen missing half an ear, spat, "Who the **** are you and how the **** do you speak our tongue?" The exchange grew no more polite. Once the warning had been delivered, I let the magic fade, replaced the grate, and walked away. The cat followed for a few steps, meowing indignantly.

Keshah arched an eyebrow when I rejoined them. "What was all that about?"

"The cat thinks the rats are smuggling the bones of some long-dead Earl," I explained. "The rats have mouths like dockside mercenaries. It feels as though we've stumbled into something larger than simple vermin squabbles."

Keshah frowned. "I agree. This city keeps its secrets close."

We had not gone far when a young man was shoved directly into their path by the retreating edge of the cultist parade. He stumbled, caught himself, and stared up at the elves and the striking woman before him. Rather than bolt, he offered a sheepish grin.

"Sorry, honoured folk. Didn't mean to run into you. Those goat-bone cultists always clear the street."

"Who are they exactly?" I asked. The youth shrugged. "They watch for signs. When the goat skeletons rise and walk on their own, they take it as a command to attack Kirkul, one of the Five Sisters. The city was sacked forty years ago. Pirates, skeletal wights, and worse things live there now. Not many follow the cult, but some of the middle families quietly support them. Everyone wants the old cities reclaimed."

I exchanged a thoughtful glance with my companions as the drums faded into the distance. The streets of Adjepbar, it seemed, held more than bread and gossip.

Chapter 13: Blue Sands and Sunken Minds

Traversing the blue quarter of Adjepbar

The young servant spoke with quiet conviction about the displaced citizens of the fallen city. They had scrimped and saved for years, he explained, and in two years' time they meant to hire mercenaries and reclaim their homes. "When the goat-skeleton animates," he added darkly, "foreigners will be blamed for raising the bones. It will go badly for the cats."

One of the companions murmured agreement. The servant then asked whether they had any connection to the elven citadel. Learning we intended to visit the enclave, he offered to escort us; he himself was due for sword lessons. The party accepted, and the group set off through the winding streets.

As we walked, the servant glanced at the two elven women with open curiosity. "Your wives seem remarkably articulate in the local tongue," he observed. There followed an awkward but good-natured clarification: the elves were independent merchants under escort, not spouses. The servant himself was married, a fact that seemed to amuse him once the misunderstanding was cleared. "I see," he said at last. "Well, you are all clearly well looked after in our city."

Several blocks later the walls around them deepened into vivid cerulean. The servant gestured upward to a painted high-water line at the level of the first floor. "This is the blue district," he announced. "Power of observation." When asked why the colour dominated, he described the substance sold only after dark: blue sand. Refined by desert cultists from crystals unearthed by the shifting dunes, the powder brought on pleasant hallucinations. Those who partook felt their minds fill with cool, crystalline water in which they could swim; the experience was trippy rather than distressing. Sunlight destroyed the drug instantly, which was why it could never be sold by day.

We pressed him on its nature. Was it addictive? Did users suffer cravings after a single dose? The servant admitted uncertainty; some perhaps did, though he believed most did not. Lizette wondered whether healers could cure any dependency that took root. The answer was a simple no. Still, the possibility of acquiring a sample for study lingered in the air as they continued onward.

Conversation drifted to older sorrows. I recited the grim history of Kirkul, southernmost of the Five Sisters. Sacked first by Ivenian longships, then again by the Dark Circle in 805, the city now stood empty. Its former people traded from offshore islands or had resettled elsewhere; only rumours remained—undead herds, evil cults, and the occasional ill-fated expedition by church knights. The servant listened with open admiration. "Your knowledge is extensive," he said.

The scholar among them shrugged modestly. "There is a great deal in our library. When I am not otherwise occupied, I read." I mentioned the Seagate Guild's past involvement and noted an intriguing reference to the Blue Morning Fog of 810. Lizette speculated that the fog might be the very same substance burning away at dawn. "Just a theory," she added with a smile. I nodded, already planning further research upon their return home.

As the elven enclave drew nearer, talk turned to practicalities. The dwarves might find the blue sand fascinating, one adventurer mused, but the others counselled caution. They were conducting an investigation; becoming entangled with too many powers would only complicate matters. The slums, after all, were not their concern. With that quiet resolution they pressed on, the blue walls slowly giving way to the green heights of the citadel ahead.

Chapter 14: The Elven Enclave

Keshah demonstrates the hand-and-a-half sword to the students of the Elven enclave

The conversation had turned serious as the group considered venturing alone into the slums. "If we go down there, things could get out of hand," Lizette warned. "We don't want to hurt anyone, but if a mob sets on us our choices become limited." Keshah shrugged off the concern with grim indifference. "I don't give a damn if a whole bunch of humans want to kill themselves attacking me." Yet compassion tempered their words; the thought of rampant disease in the squalor weighed on them. "It would be good to help," Lizette admitted. "Cure a few illnesses, prevent the spread. And perhaps, in speaking with enough of them, we might learn something useful."

In the end we chose caution and followed their guide out of the blue-sanded quarter. The streets soon changed. Fountains glittered between carefully planted beds of greenery, and the air itself seemed lighter. "This is nice," I murmured. Our escort led us to a grand building that claimed most of a city block. Broad steps flanked by columns rose to an entrance that opened, after a short climb and descent, onto a vast courtyard.

More than a hundred fighters moved across the sanded floor, wooden weapons clacking in disciplined patterns. Most were human, though dozens of elves moved among them, correcting stances and demonstrating forms. The air rang with the rattle of practice blades.

An elf of obvious rank noticed the newcomers. He crossed the courtyard with measured grace and addressed Aurora and Keshah in fluid Elvish. "If I am not mistaken, it is Aurora of the Western Court and Keshah of the Adventurers' Guild." He inclined his head. "I am a friend of the ambassador to the Western King. What fine humans have you brought to us, and why?"

The conversation flowed easily in the elven tongue. The visitors learned that this enclave sought to extend Alfheim's influence against the drow, who had begun pressing naval forces toward the Five Sisters. Remarks were made about the brevity of human lives; Lizette, the healer accompanying them, drew polite approval when her talents were mentioned. "A healer," their host noted with genuine pleasure. "Very good."

The elf clapped his hands sharply. The courtyard fell silent as students formed neat ranks. In a voice that carried to every corner he announced the honoured guests: Lady Dawn of the Western Kingdom and the esteemed warrior Keshah. Then he turned to the swordsman. "Keshah has offered to give us a few pointers. Which weapon would you prefer?"

"My best is the hand-and-a-half," Keshah replied.

A practice blade of appropriate size was brought forward. Keshah took it with easy familiarity and began to speak, explaining how the weapon earned its name by being equally effective in one hand or two. The students listened with rapt attention, even I watched closely., as I have a magical hand and a half I intend to get better with using. With smooth, unhurried movements Keshah demonstrated simple forms, showing how the grip changed, how balance shifted, how the same blade could cut or thrust with lethal grace depending on the wielder's stance. The elf instructor smiled. "Are you willing to give us a display fight?"

Keshah glanced at his companions. "We'll just do a demonstration," he decided. The instructor nodded, clearly pleased, and prepared to cooperate. The courtyard waited, expectant, as the renowned visitor readied himself to show what a true master could do with steel.

Chapter 15: Demonstrations and Stacks

Lunchtime debates at the elvish enclave

In the sunlit training yard of the elvish enclave, Keshah stepped forward. "I'll slow it right down," he said, "so everyone can follow." With the effortless control granted by long mastery, the figure moved through the sequence: precise cuts flowing into held poses that somehow looked both lethal and serene. The mixed company of fisherfolk, fourth sons of merchants, and bakers' boys watched in attentive silence. When the final stance was released they offered quiet applause. The style was clearly foreign to them, yet they remained courteous and thoughtful.

Practice blades clacked across the yard for a time longer before the trainers called the midday break. Benches were drawn up and simple fare laid out. Once the clash of weapons ceased, the broad local accents softened into the common speech of the Five Sisters, even among the elves. Conversation turned first to the purpose of their school.

"We educate people," an instructor explained, "and create disciplined fighters. A folk who can defend themselves are harder to oppress." One of the Wall Walkers nodded. "Which is why the nobles dislike it. No one wants armed peasants answering back." The elves conceded the point but noted that all here were free folk. The brown-booted dwarves of the city guard, they added, were pleased; muggings and street violence had fallen sharply since the training began. A few fatalities seemed an acceptable price for safer docks and alleys.

Talk drifted to the goat-skeleton cultists who had lately left the city. "The Skellieweds took a caravan back toward the sacked city," an elf said. "They mean to prepare the ground and reclaim it in a year or two, once the worst of the undead are cleared. They brought adventurers with them; there was some trouble with a minotaur cult and pirates, but that was long ago." We exchanged glances, quietly marking the place for a possible visit on their return journey.

Lizette found herself surrounded by a knot of teenage lads who puffed their chests and traded mock insults. She smiled at their boasting. "I'm older than I look," she told them. "A great deal of prolonged life has gone into this face." The elves nearby chuckled, confirming that judging an elf's true age was notoriously difficult.

More serious matters soon surfaced. The enclave trainers spoke of fresh trouble between the three major Stacks: northern, southern, and western. "Trade disputes, as always," one said with a sigh. "Rumours claim certain houses have hired extra swords, and at least one party travels with a great healer. We do not yet know who." They warned that the coming octopus-raising festival might see 'accidents' as old scores were settled. Without strong authority in the city, the merchant Stacks had moved to fill the vacuum, and jealousy could turn deadly.

The elves admitted they felt a measure of responsibility for the region. Their long trade in myrrh with the hobbits had helped shape the city's fortunes, and they continued to teach the poor so they would not be so easily victimised. Still, they doubted the lessons would overturn the social order.

As the meal drew to a close, news from Alfheim was shared: debates over skirt lengths had reached new heights of absurdity, with the enclave elves proudly claiming to be more forward-thinking than their kin in the upper city. Far graver was word that agents of the Drow were working within Adjepbar, seeking to open direct trade between the city and the Elvish Isles.

"Of special interest to them are the sands of the Blue Quarter," an instructor noted. When asked whether the blue sand was addictive, the elf gave a solemn nod. "Very much so. Yet in the fogs of the Elven Isles it lets the user see the creatures that swim through the air. A useful gift, if one can survive the cost." We listened closely, aware that gifts from such quarters often carried hidden poison.

Chapter 16: Visions of the Deep and the Saint's Bones

Conversations of powder, wererats, and the festival of statues

In the quiet halls of the elvish enclave, the conversation had drifted from language lessons to more curious matters. Their host leaned back, describing the effects of the crystalline powder the adventurers had inquired about. "It makes you regenerate," he explained. "It also makes you fiercely hungry and increases one's libido. Your heart rate rises, and the regeneration is quicker."

One of the party members tilted his head. "So what other effects does it have besides changing the vision?"

"Underwater visions," the host replied. "While giving you visions of underwater realms. It isn't truly addictive, though some grow fond of it, like a very strong cup of coffee. It may have some medicinal value, though I'm not certain it would be useful for true healing."

We exchanged thoughtful glances. The prospect of a substance that could speed recovery while inducing strange oceanic hallucinations was intriguing indeed. Their host then changed the subject. "I understand from the young lads that you're planning on visiting the poor quarter this afternoon."

"That was the plan," Keshah replied. "We were going down to the coast, and Lady Lizette wanted to offer healing to the poor and sick."

The host nodded gravely. "As a healer, then. Some people down there will need it." He produced pen and paper, quickly scratching down several names and addresses. "If you could swing by these places and ask for these people in particular, that would be good. There are many others you should politely overlook. If you make it well known that you're giving away healing for free, especially at high ranks, you will get mobbed and cause chaos. The people on this list will keep their mouths shut. We can send some guards with you—they know the area and command respect."

When asked about conditions in the slums, the host's expression darkened. "On the edges, not too bad. In the centre, however, there's a strange cult of wererats which has inflicted some of the poor quarter with their shape-changing curse. They keep to themselves and have set up an enclave. They are human-sized rats, living above ground."

I straightened up . "Speaking of rats, you haven't heard anything about the bones of earls being smuggled into the city by a bunch of rats? I have the ability to talk to animals, and a cat gave me a message to pass on to the rats. They confirmed it."

Their host looked momentarily confused, then intrigued. "From a cat? Well, I hadn't heard that particular rumour, but it is of great interest. There's an old legend of a saint who was the first Earl of the city. They could return, and whoever returns with his bones to the centre of the city can take power. I hadn't heard it for a good forty years. No one believes it these days, but you should investigate while you're in the poor quarter. The dwarves put down a similar rat problem a couple of years ago, though they're distracted at the moment."

The talk turned at last to lighter matters. "The festival tonight is to do with some fish in the harbour," their host said. "Tomorrow night's festival involves escorting the statues—all the statues—up to the Hobbit Wolds. The captain of the guard, normally a dwarf, will receive them. The younger sons of all the great houses and stacks, dressed in loincloths and oil, will carry these Adonis-like marble statues from the lowest city to the highest under torchlight, with much chanting and singing. It is a display of manly virtue."

"Do the statues ever get dropped?" asked Lizette.

"They're heavy. It is seen as bad luck, but accidents occur. Seven are being represented this year by alliances of houses, minor stacks, and merchant guilds flexing their muscle. We were invited but have no interest. You should go along. You will probably find handsome young men flexing their oiled muscles under torchlight and cloths."

Chapter 17: Festival of the Fishes

The docks of Adjepbar prepare for the Festival of the Fishes

The conversation turned, as such talks often do, to the spectacle awaiting them the following night. "It'll be a spectacle," their host assured them between bites. We leaned in, weighing the customs of this strange city. Keshah asked whether the rival houses were likely to sabotage one another. The answer came with a wry smile: of course they would. Tricks and traps were expected, wheels removed, ground made slippery, yet outright violence was forbidden. A brawl between stacks would end in a duel, and duels, their host noted dryly, were regrettably hit-or-miss affairs.

They learned that only three or four of the great statues usually reached the top intact. The largest were hauled by teams of thirty or more from the extended families known as stacks, some numbering hundreds of souls. It was not strictly a race; prestige lay in the size of the statue and the dignity with which it arrived. Injuries were inevitable on the steep, narrow streets, but families could call upon reserves during the long pauses along the route. Healing an injured rival, however, would be seen as declaring allegiance, and a healer who switched sides too freely would soon be branded a turncoat.

Satisfied, the group thanked their host for lunch and made their way down to the docks. The waterfront had transformed. Nearly five hundred souls crowded the wharves in a swirl of purposeful chaos. Long, pale octopuses were being lifted on tall poles, their tentacles arranged like living banners above the throng. Fishermen practised raising and lowering the creatures, turning the eerie forms into swaying puppets that drew laughter and applause. Nearby, open fires roared beneath iron plates where fish sizzled and seafood delicacies bubbled. Young women with skirts hitched high stomped inside wide barrels, crushing fish heads into a pungent tomato coloured mash that their guide identified as garum, the strong fish sauce favoured throughout the region.

Lizette moved among them like a jewel dropped into rough gravel; her finery alone seemed to account for half the wealth on the docks. The others blended more easily, threading past musicians and puppet shows on one side and the serious industry of gutting, cooking, and barrel-stomping on the other. Hundreds of fishing boats bobbed alongside the quay, their crews adding to the din.

Curious about the octopus ritual, I sought out a local and asked its meaning. The man grinned, showing teeth stained by years at sea. "If you can do it the best," he explained, "no girl can refuse your kisses." When pressed whether the custom belonged only to men, he laughed. "Or to girls who like girls. Everyone knows you're always allowed to kiss underneath an octopus." He went on to tell the tale of the pearl diver, generations ago, who had somehow managed the feat and afterward could breathe underwater, or so the story claimed. The listeners exchanged glances, half-amused, half-intrigued, while the octopuses swayed overhead like pale ghosts against the evening sky and the smell of garum and grilled fish wrapped the docks in the promise of a long and lively night.

Chapter 18: Kisses Beneath the Octopus

The wererat addresses the Wall Walkers amid the bones of contention

The docks of Adjepbar thrummed with life as the Festival of the Octopus spilled across the wharves. Lanterns swayed above stalls heavy with coral carvings and the day's glistening catch. Locals paraded with live octopuses draped across their arms, and the air itself seemed salted with anticipation.

A friendly vendor explained the custom to the three striking outsiders. "It ended in tragedy, the old tales say. The creatures slowly lost their ability to breathe air once they left the water. Kisses keep the badness away. So no one refuses a kiss beneath an octopus." She winked. "It's considered very bad form."

We could not help but notice the attention we drew, which was a bit concerning. The crowd seemed enchanted by us in particular; even among the port's own pretty faces, we stood out like visitors from some brighter realm. Keshah, in particular, drew appreciative glances, though the octopus-bearers appeared most interested in the women.

As we moved through the throng, our eyes fell on delicate coral statues prepared for the next day's procession to the hobbits high above the city. "Carry one up on foot and leave it with them," we were told, "and trade will smile on you all year." I pressed a few silvers into a vendor's hand and selected a pair, slipping them safely into my pack. The afternoon was wearing on; the true festivities would begin in roughly five hours.

There was work to do first. The elf's list of addresses led us into the poor quarter. At the first home, a cramped two-room sandal shop, a young girl showed them inside. Seven people lived here in pinched circumstances. The mother limped on a knee that had mended crooked after a bad break. Her husband sat motionless on one side, the legacy of a stroke that had stolen the use of his left arm and leg.

Lizette let her empathetic senses brush across them, confirming the nature of the damage. While Keshah worked on the wife's leg with focused care, Lizette invoked her special healing rites. Between them they coaxed damaged nerves to life again, restoring strength and sensation. The couple's gratitude was quiet but profound; colour returned to their faces as years of pain began to ebb.

The next call took them closer to the water. A dock labourer lay wheezing on a pallet, her breathing ragged and wet. Her young daughter coughed with the same hollow sound. This was no ordinary illness. The lungs were scarred, poisoned by the blue sand that sometimes drifted from the desert crystals. After neutralising the lingering toxin, the healers turned their arts to regeneration. Fresh tissue knit together while the family watched in stunned silence. The mother managed a weak smile. "The fish we handle... some of them carry strange dust," she whispered. The adventurers warned her to keep clear of the blue drifts in future.

Twilight was nearing as they left the docks. In the distance, the grotesque parade of goat-skeleton cultists still capered through the middle town. The trio gave the main festival a wide berth and turned toward their lodgings. That was when the cat found them.

A sleek, battle-scarred tom bounded from the shadows. "What have you done?" he demanded, voice sharp with indignation. "You started a turf war. Go down there and tell them they will be driven out, that their tails will fall off if they don't get rid of those bones at once!"

Exchanging glances, we followed. The cat led us around a corner where a couple was stealing kisses in a narrow alley. Beyond them lay an astonishing sight: forty or fifty pounds of carefully arranged bones. The remains appeared to be those of a minotaur or perhaps an ogre; but the skull was missing. Tiny tooth marks showed the rats had transported every piece.

Keshah stepped forward. One rat in particular stood atop the pile, larger than its fellows and unnaturally bold. It rose on its hind legs and squeaked, yet the sound carried meaning. "We have summoned you. You will obey us, rat speaker."

Lizette extended her senses, reading the currents of magic that clung to the creature. "A wererat," she murmured. The animal was clearly under some form of compulsion, a spell woven to grant it authority over its kin. The party felt an odd, artificial friendliness toward the rodent, yet the enchantment's edges were unmistakable. Whatever game the rats and cats played over these bones, it had just become far more interesting than a simple turf war.

Chapter 19: The Promised Land

The Wall Walkers receive their grim errand from the rat speaker

The cat regarded the party with yellow eyes that gleamed like chipped citrine. "Take these bones and be gone," he urged, voice sharp with feline disdain, "quick, quick, before the rats do terrible things to you."

The bones proved far heavier than expected when lifted; what should have been dry and brittle felt dense as lead, carrying an unnatural weight that made every skull and femur a burden. "Not bone," Lizette muttered after close inspection, though whether this was observation or intuition none could say.

We worked quickly, feeding the remains into a magical satchel that swallowed the impossible load without complaint. "We can't walk into the inn carrying an entire skeleton," I observed. "There might be questions asked."

"You could claim it's for any number of festivals," Lizette replied with a shrug. "The octopus-raising is coming up. You're always allowed to kiss underneath an octopus, after all."

From the shadows came the rustle of many small bodies. The rat speaker stepped forward, whiskers twitching with self-importance. "Thank you, mister," it chittered. "Just carry them safely to the promised lands."

I glanced at her companions, then addressed the rat directly. "What are you trying to achieve here? Where is this promised land?"

The rat drew itself up. "You are under my control," it declared with surprising gravity. "Take the bones to the promised land—the warehouse in the Blue Street districts. Down to the one in the centre."

I gave a theatrical bow. "I obey, great rat. I obey my master." Behind the performance my eyes met the cat's in mutual disdain; the cat returned the look with aristocratic contempt.

With the last of the bones secured and the rats' instructions memorised, we withdrew from the stacks. They crossed back through the poor quarter under starlit skies, the city gates clanging shut behind them as they reached their inn. The hour was late. Inside, the common room stood quiet, and one by one they retired, the weight of their strange cargo and stranger errands lingering in the dark.

Night 4

Chapter 20: The Ragged Intruder

Capturing the puzzle-monster in the dead of night

We slipped back into the inn under cover of night, the weight of our recent discoveries heavy on our minds. We had scarcely closed the door before a familiar shape darted inside: the sarcastic house cat known as Magnificent—or Mags to those she tolerated. The cat's golden eyes gleamed as she complained about the long wait and the poor quality of the scraps offered.

Downstairs, the innkeeper's daughter announced dinner with a warm smile. The meal proved a welcome distraction, and accompanied with acrobatic performers who moved with surprising grace. Conversation flowed easily between bites of spiced fish and fresh bread. I, elegant even in travel-worn attire, introduced myself as a diplomat, while Keshah declared herself a bodyguard and adventurer. The young woman asked about our travels and the curious statues we had acquired, sparking debate about whether to walk the five miles uphill or risk the no-fly zones that seemed to blanket the city. Laughter mingled with the clink of utensils as we traded stories of narrow escapes and ambitious suitors best avoided.

Later, in the privacy of our room, we savoured bowls of steaming chocolate laced with spices, accompanied by grapes, melons, and crisp cookies. Mags returned, her demands for fish growing more imperious. I translated the cat's barbs with amusement, revealing that I kept a small pride of felines, or they kept me, back home in the Western Kingdoms—Selene, Luna, and Celestia among them. Talk turned to the mechanical songbirds that had begun appearing, their eyes unnaturally watchful. Mags confirmed the birds served as spies for stranger powers, creatures that saw what ordinary eyes could not.

The bones taken from the alley refused to stay quiet. Even within their bag they shifted and reassembled in subtle new patterns, as though yearning for a missing shape. I, dressed for sleep in a flowing negligee that drew a startled glance from the returning innkeeper's daughter, insisted on further study come morning. Yet sleep proved elusive. A living bird appeared at their window, soon joined by its mechanical twin. When Lizette attempted to heal the creature, the cat grew agitated.

Day 4
"Wake up," Mags yowled through my translation, batting insistently at my faces I followed her guidance to Lizette's room and there, half-hidden in shadow, crouched the intruder: a ragged spectral construct no taller than a forearm. It resembled a golem of string, rags, and glittering knickknacks, its form slick and mutable like a wet puddle given malicious intent. Eyes and blisters surfaced and sank across its shifting surface. It watched them with predatory patience, poised to smother and deliver its poison.

Keshah's blade came free in a heartbeat. Working together, we overpowered the creature before it could strike. It proved surprisingly strong for its size, yet no match for our combined efforts. We emptied a glass jar of its water and manoeuvred the squelching entity inside, where it bulged and twisted uselessly against the glass. Mags observed with feline satisfaction, offering cryptic warnings about the one who commanded such servants—the enchanter who saw through birds and bent winged things to his will. She urged them not to speak his name aloud - Maranor the Unholy.

As the inn settled into quiet once more, we regarded our captive. The puzzle-monster floated in its prison, a macabre trophy and a warning. Whatever plot swirled around the bones and the factions of Adjepbar, it had now reached their doorstep. The day would bring divinations and difficult choices, but for tonight they had turned a silent threat into a contained curiosity—and earned a few more sardonic compliments from the cat who had saved their sleep.

Chapter 21: Songbirds, Bones, and a Cat's Demands

Lizette divines the songbird's secrets as Magnificent looks on

In the upper room of the comfortable inn, Lizette closed her eyes and let her awareness sink into the delicate mechanisms of the songbird perched before her. Mana flowed from her in steady pulses as she worked two separate divinations, one after the other. The first revealed the bird as a greater summoning construct, animated to act as a spy. Highest rank on the mechanical bird: Wizard's Sight. It also has animation and a Wizard's Ear. I identified the species it looked like as a Peeping Russel. As for the ‘pond golem’ when its power faded it would disassemble, but not before delivering a more lethal purpose: it could smother a sleeping victim and force poison down their throat.

"It could probably drop little bits of itself into their cupped hands," Lizette murmured, eyes still distant.

Her companions absorbed the grim intelligence. The second working turned toward the jumbled bag of bones we had acquired. These proved far older and more complex, steeped in necromantic energies and blood magic that carried faint echoes of werewolves and shapechangers. The construct, when assembled, stood roughly eight feet tall and required the blood of a doppelganger or other mutable being to fully animate. Someone had carefully prepared it as the foundation for something far more dangerous.

"We'll split the important pieces," Keshah declared, separating the pelvis and a few other key bones so the skeleton could not easily be remade. We nodded; and he bones were divided and hidden among our gear.

As the morning advanced, Mags possessed a withering sense of sarcasm that needed no translation. When they attempted to explain their discoveries, the cat simply yawned.

"You smell the people and they give you food," Mags observed through lazy blinks. "Just like magic."

We could not help laughing. To a cat, it seemed, all worthy sorcery ultimately led to breakfast.

Downstairs the innkeeper's family had prepared a generous spread of porridge, honeyed bacon, twisted pastries, and curious crepes rolled with fruit and nuts. The landlady, upon hearing about the mechanical bird, shook her head in disbelief.

"A spy device? Here? Those are common tricks in the Western Kingdoms, but why would anyone bother watching my guests?" She glanced at the cat. "You should ask her where she found it."

We did. This particular bird proved to not come from the courtyard as a quick count soon accounted for all of them. Nothing unusual was discovered about them except that the last one had a spell called ‘Detect Spy’ on it. We also discovered that these mechanical songbirds could be obtained in the market place.

The conversation turned practical. The innkeeper asked a favour: her daughter had the evening free for the ongoing festival, and she wondered whether the trustworthy visitors might escort the young woman. We readily agreed. In return she promised a packed lunch and offered advice on local customs. Festival attire, it seemed, should be worn all day.

"We'll be back by one o'clock," we assured her.

After the meal we stepped into the sunlit streets of Adjepbar, Mags trotting imperiously at tour heels. I was convinced by Mags to give a dozing tomcat, Tommy, on a garden wall a gentle nudge, well Mags wanted him pushed off the fence but I thought that was a bit mean. The offended feline retaliated with a lightning swipe that left four deep scratches on my hand. Magic knit the wound closed before real damage could linger, but the message was clear: Adjepbar's cats suffered no fools.

Our destination was a market stall tended by a dwarf wearing an eyeglass. Exquisite mechanical songbirds gleamed on display, gem-eyed and delicately winged. The merchant tried to steer them toward cheaper models until he realised these customers understood exactly what they were buying. We were told that the cheaper models needed returning and recharging every two weeks but the more expensive ones could hold out for a year before the magic ran out. Installed in them was a spell called ‘Sunsong’.

"Top of the line," he admitted with a grin. "They'll last a good while longer than the common ones."

I purchased two of the finest, wrapped in ribboned boxes, along with a few simpler robins for experimentation. As we negotiated, Mags wound between their ankles, reminding them with periodic yowls that her patience, like her milk supply, had strict limits.

Chapter 22: Whispers of the Blue Tower

The mosaic artist at work on the Cat Lady’s grounds

The shopkeeper leaned back against his bench of half-assembled mechanisms, eyes narrowing as he studied the strangers before him. "I'm not sure I'm gonna divulge that information, you know?" he said, looking them up and down. "Yeah, you should be careful. There are stories. The cat told me." I replied.

When pressed, the tale unfolded. In a blue tower perched on the edge of the industrial district—past the red tower, amid rising smoke-stacks from the forges—an enchanter had lost something valuable inside a heavily trapped stronghold. The man, called Mungo or something near it, turned out to be Maranor the Unholy.,sought clever winged creatures to fly in and retrieve the prize. "He's got money," the shopkeeper added with a grimace, "but he smells terrible. Constant bad BO. You don't wanna be around him. And apparently he can control anything with wings."

The companions exchanged glances. We recalled the strange mechanical songbird that had perched upon our windowsill that morning. It had not flown away like any natural creature; instead it had brought an injured companion for healing—an act far outside ordinary avian behaviour. "It can't be a bird," one murmured. "Not really."

The shopkeeper shrugged. "That'll be that fella in the blue tower. Maybe you should have a chat with him—but be careful."

Before departing, conversation turned to commerce. I introduced myself as Dawn representing a leather concern from distant lands. The artisan’s eyes brightened at the mention of cowhide; such material was rare in Adjepbar. "If you've got nautical leather, I don't know how many gears I could work," he said. Details were exchanged, hands shaken, and a future meeting of merchants arranged with professional courtesy.

Thanking him for the pair of songbirds now in our care, we took our leave and made our way through the streets to the Cat Lady’s compound. The wooden building stood out among the adobe structures, its high fence smelling faintly of salt and age. A bell on a string summoned movement above. An elderly man peered down, his face weathered by decades and rumoured to have once tasted fire-drake blood.

"My tall lords, what brings you to our fine abode?"

"The cat has brought us here to speak to the Cat Lady," Keshah answered.

With a gracious nod he lowered a stout rope net. The fence itself rose fourteen feet, fashioned from the clinker-built hull of some forgotten ship, its planks now standing upright like battlements of driftwood and concrete. The party climbed, well, I flew, emerging onto an interior balcony that overlooked a scene of startling beauty.

Before us stretched a half-finished mosaic floor. An extravagantly dressed artist worked with serene concentration, arranging sands of a dozen hues into intricate patterns. Half a dozen peculiar brass instruments stood on spindly legs nearby, each pouring carefully measured pebbles. The man’s chief tool was a two-foot mechanism shaped like a splayed spider, its central body a flawless magnifying lens. Sunlight, focused through the glass, burned the coloured grains into fused glass pebbles that locked the design permanently in place. Where he had finished, the floor glowed like living jewellery; where he had not yet reached, plain cobblestones waited their transformation.

The artist spared the newcomers no glance, lost in the alchemy of light and stone. The old servant simply smiled, as though such wonders were everyday matters beneath the Cat Lady’s roof.

Chapter 23: Moonlight Mosaics and Feline Councils

Merda the Cat Lady receives the Wall Walkers in her sunlit court

The late morning light slanted across the high walls of the Cat Lady's estate as I launched into the air with Magnificent clutched safely in my arms. A few gasps rose from the street below while the cat's indignant meows trailed behind her. The climb to the top of the mosaicist's tower was swift, though Lizette's cloak briefly snagged on the stonework, forcing her to wriggle free with a rueful laugh. "I'll have to get used to this," she muttered.

The elderly man looked up, his eyes widening with delight at the sight of them. "That was very well done," he declared, to the artist, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Keep working like that and you'll make first mate in no time." He gestured proudly at the half-finished mosaic: depicting three figures battling tentacled fish-monsters from a small boat, every shard of glass fused into a shimmering masterpiece.

"It must be viewed from above," he explained, clearly hoping they would linger. When I drew near, the artist grew even more animated. "You would be magnificent under moonlight. I have just the lens for it." He produced a curious crystal and held it to the light. "Pose for me in four days' time. We could create something extraordinary." Would that be the next full moon on the 14th? I wasn't sure but, if I had to admit, I was rather curious about this. Besides, the mosaic itself was amazingly beautiful. But in four days, the moon would have only reached First Quarter. Was it something to do with the angle?

Lizette and I exchanged glances at the modelling proposal. Was he talking about posing nude? With a few carefully chosen words of namer magic, Lizette teased out the heart of his enchantment: moonlight. The sculptor beamed. "Yes! Come back when the moon is right. We shall have wine. Red, I think, for the young lady? It will be quite an experience." Though the conversation drifted toward practical concerns, the artist assured them his tower held its own defences against prying eyes. "No peeping here," he laughed. "Only art."

The old servant, who had watched the exchange with growing impatience, cleared his throat. "None of these side jobs," he grumbled, though his fondness for Magnificent was obvious. "We are here to see the Cat Lady. Merda." He led them down a spiral stair and through a series of coloured doors until they stepped into a wide, sun-bathed chamber. A dozen cats turned as one to regard the newcomers. An elderly woman with the unmistakable grace of a sentient cat-folk rose from her balcony seat, flanked by a younger cat-woman and the old man himself.

Merda's golden eyes swept over them. She meowed a long, intricate greeting to the assembled felines, then switched smoothly to the common tongue. "I am told you speak with cats," she said, clearly intrigued. The old servant explained his own gift with a touch of pride. "When I was young I drank the blood of a fire-drake. It lets me converse with household beasts." He added, almost as an afterthought, that he had once been something of a fairy knight before reforming his ways.

The Cat Lady settled onto a cushioned divan while her cats arranged themselves like a living tapestry. "You have come seeking guidance," she said. "Tell me of these bones."

Lizette and I took turns recounting what we had learned. The sack contained a jumble of minotaur and other bones, a necromantic construct that could be animated with the blood of a shapeshifter, a weir, or an innocent. Several factions in Adjepbar hungered for it. The Goat Cult and their First Lords wished to wield the creature against the ruins of Kurkul. The fish-folk of the harbour sought to carry it to the ocean depths to purify poisoned waters. Doppelgangers schemed in the shadows, and the ratfolk seemed desperate to be rid of the whole affair.

Merda listened without interruption, her tail flicking thoughtfully. "The doppelgangers hold one skull and threaten the ratfolk with it," she murmured. "The bones themselves are said to drink in necromantic energy, growing stronger as they consume the dead. Some believe they could cleanse an entire city of undeath. Others simply wish to loose chaos."

Keshah leaned forward. "Cleaning the ocean sounds like the noblest cause. But what of the skull we lack?"

The old servant gave a crafty smile. "I have a plan for that. There is an evil shapechanger in the city. If we force it to assume the form of a cyclops and petrify it at the moment we strike, we may claim a cyclops skull. With that, the construct could be completed on our terms."

I accepted the grim suggestion with a nod of thanks, trying not to show my misgivings. Around us the cats watched with unblinking intensity, as though weighing the souls of these tall, curious strangers. Sunlight glinted on the distant mosaic tower, a reminder that beauty and danger often shared the same walls in Adjepbar. The conversation had only begun, but already the weight of prophecies and rival ambitions pressed upon them like the city's own ancient stones.

Chapter 24: Charms, Spirits, and Cyclops Skulls

Merda the Cat Lady strikes a blood bargain with the Wall Walkers

The talk turned to the city's restless ghosts. Merda knew of a murder that had occurred a couple of nights ago that could be relevant Keshah confessed he could see spirits naturally and could investigate. Merda's ears twitched with interest. "I have the place of death," she said. "If the victim's spirit lingers, could you speak with it? I would pay well for the truth of what happened."

We exchanged glances. When Lizette quietly revealed her mastery of restorative arts, capable even of returning life to the dead, Merda's expression brightened with calculation. She then looked at me since I was the one with wings. "In that case, your blood, properly purified by Lizette’s gifts, could serve a greater purpose. We could craft a charm to protect you from the enchanter who dwells in the blue tower. He has a fondness for winged creatures, and a sentient who can fly would be irresistible to him."

I leaned forward, allowing my Air Wings to flicker into visibility for a moment by fluttering them so she could see the movement. "What would this charm do, exactly?" I asked. Merda gestured with a graceful paw. "An amulet of distraction, perhaps, to veil your power and beauty so you appear unremarkable. The enchanter would waste little effort on you. In exchange for investigating the murder scene and questioning any spirit you find there, I will provide such protections, along with introductions among the city's factions." I was thinking Lizette would also need some sort of Amulet to hide her Physical Beauty. Even I felt some sort of attraction for her but didn’t want to try anything with a fellow party member. After all, it hadn’t worked with Lila. I was also looking a little pale as they seemed to be talking a LOT of blood to make the Amulet.

Keshah considered the offer carefully, weighing the dangers of the blue tower against the value of Merda's goodwill. The group spoke of doppelgangers seeking refuge, of mechanical songbirds and circling political interests, but the immediate bargain felt solid. By the time the discussion drew to a close, the Wall Walkers had agreed to visit the site of the killing before the spirit's trail grew any colder. Outside, the sun stood at its zenith on the third day of their stay in Adjepbar, and the intricate game of favours and secrets had only just begun.

Night 5

Chapter 25: The Healing of Elves and the Fevered Procession

The fevered procession of statues winds through Adjepbar as the companions observe from a rooftop sanctuary.

We slipped down from our high perch. Keshah landed lightly on his feet, while Lizette followed with equal grace. Aurora extended her invisible wings and glided silently to the cobbles, the group reforming without drawing undue attention from passers-by on the lamplit street below.

My keen senses caught a furtive huddle of figures off to one side, but the tempting aromas of lamb, cinnamon, and crackling pork from a nearby bakery soon distracted me. Before I could dwell on the odd blue dust I had smelt earlier, a well-dressed young hobbit came sprinting up. "My lord," he panted, "are you the ones who visited the Elvish fighting school?" He pressed a note into Keshah's hand and dashed away.

The message spoke of an alteration at the port involving the Navy from Albertsburg. Deciding the school lay on their route, the party quickened their pace. What they found was no simple dockside dispute. A tense stand-off gripped the atrium. Dwarves and hobbits on one side of the street, warily eyeing a group of elves on the other. Inside, blood stained the stones and two young elves lay injured.

The Grandmaster recognised us at once and gestured toward a side door. Tension hung thick in the air; armed figures crowded the staircases. One elf had suffered a punctured lung and poisoning. Lizette set to work, first drawing out the toxin. The elf coughed up a wriggling black slug that splashed onto the floor. A helpful young man produced an empty potion bottle, and the creature was safely contained. Ribs were mended, bruises tended. The elf's colour returned as bones knit and breath came freely again.

Questioning revealed the fight had begun when dwarves and hobbits objected to the school's teachings. A duel had been demanded; their captain was humiliatingly defeated three times. Rumours, it seemed, had poisoned more than just the wounded elf. Talk turned to a blue enchanter stirring trouble, possibly linked to the blue dust plaguing the districts, and to the two young women travelling with the party who had drawn unwanted eyes. The Grandmaster offered aid should they need strong arms, and one of the healed elves extended a dinner invitation towards me for the following night, aboard a lantern-lit boat. It actually sounded interesting so I accepted.

No sooner had we finished than a dwarf captain approached. "Lady Lizette, you are under arrest. Come with us to the palace at once." The same command fell upon me which had me rather puzzled. Though the wording was blunt, resistance seemed unwise. The dwarves proved courteous escorts, allowing the party to stop at their inn so I could change onto something more appropriate and courtly. I emerged in a sky-blue royal ball gown that shimmered with gem-dust sparkles, complemented by an ever-blooming crimson rose pinned to the bodice. The effect was breathtaking.

At the palace gates, repairs from earlier damage had rendered the courtyard pristine once more. The Chamberlain himself greeted us—the very man a previous party had nearly resurrected on a previous visit. He was all gracious smiles and politely rebuked us for not announcing our arrival sooner. "The heroes of Adjepbar should have been received at once," he said, eyes lingering on me, which was making me rather nervous.. I was even presented with a sash that I was told aided in pregnancy, which had me really worried for a bit. Rooms were offered but politely declined in favour of our current lodgings. After a brief audience and assurances of future welcome, we were released with an escort back to the inn.

Marian, our young charge, awaited us. Apologies for lateness were met with understanding, though rumours of marriage proposals and palace business had already circulated. Changing back into more practical attire, the group set out once more, cutting across town toward the port district. Chants of goat-wielding cultists echoed from back alleys.

The streets opened onto an astonishing spectacle. Sixteen colossal marble statues, each many times the height of a man, were being hauled toward some unknown destination. Hundreds of citizens swarmed the procession, chanting and cheering. Teams of fifteen muscular workers heaved at ropes and poles, swapping with fresh hands while others drove wedges and worked block-and-tackle rigs scavenged from ships. Scented oil and flower petals filled the air. I felt the temperature around the statues rising unnaturally; the oil carried a spice that left humans flushed and exhilarated, their hearts racing with an almost drunken fervour.

Lizette and Marian showed signs of breathing the vapour, though it posed no immediate danger but I decided to employ Vapour Breathing spells on us all as a safety precaution. Keshah lifted Marian onto his shoulders so she could see better over the crowd. From second- and third-story windows and rooftops, watchful elves observed with bows at rest. Spotting us, a lithe elven woman slipped through the throng whom I admired for her agility.. She greeted Keshah warmly and extended an invitation from Lady Olga: to join them on the roof of the next red-brick house for a clearer, more peaceful view.

We ascended an outer staircase into a jasmine-scented rooftop garden. Lady Olga and her companions—dark-elven, fair-elven, and human women—bowed in greeting. Mind-speech was cast so all could converse above the roar of the streets. Olga inquired politely about our presence in Adjepbar. Keshah spoke of leather trade, while the others admitted curiosity about recent troubles: the bones of the Earl, goat cultists seeking them to cleanse an undead-haunted city abandoned centuries ago.

"Caston," Olga murmured. "It fell on hard times long ago." She confirmed the desert spice drifting on the breeze, a festival tradition that inflamed human passions but left elves largely untouched. As the massive statues ground onward below, propelled by sweat-slicked teams and ecstatic crowds, the companions felt the city's layered intrigues tightening around them like invisible threads.

Chapter 26: Whispers Above the Scented Procession

Conversations on the balcony as the festival procession passes below

The air hung thick with the sharp, invigorating scent of blue spice as teams of men and women below thrashed the road with birch switches. The oil they spread rose in vaporous clouds, catching the late light and lending a fevered energy to every movement. On the balcony above, the elf that had invited us up here watched the slow procession with a warrior's idle vigilance, her bow nearly as tall as she was.

"It makes men work harder," the elf explained, her voice carrying the easy cadence of one accustomed to courtly talk, "and women grow more... observant. No addictive qualities, of course. It's traditional for the festivals. The heat from the statues helps the vapour spread." She glanced sidelong at her listeners. "The young women love it."

I stood a little apart, still adjusting to the city's exuberant customs. When I complimented the immense bow, and compared it to my own bow, the conversation turned personal. The tall elf regarded her with quiet amusement. "I'm not that experienced with such attention," she admitted. "I usually avoid it.". I had to agree with that but added "Depends who's offering the attention,"

A faint smile. "Clearly you've been meeting the wrong sort. You should visit the Elvish court sometime. I had to admit I had never been.

We spoke of origins then—Alfheim and its high elves, the freer ways of wood elves in the outlying forests. I described herself as young for her kind, only recently joined to the Seagate Adventures Guild. The taller elf, whom I shall refer to as Cleo, studied me with new interest. "If you have things to learn, you're in good hands with Keshah. My great-aunt once described Keshah as magnificent."

The talk drifted from courtly dalliances to matters of the heart. I ended up confessing my wariness, the way I kept suitors at arm's length. Cleo’s eyes sparkled with recognition. "All sentences in Adjepbar begin and end with the love of a good woman," she observed. When conversation turned to the sash the palace master had given her—intended to ensure a healthy pregnancy—the elf translated the courtly blessing with gentle humour, then teased my limited understanding of water mages – which was true.

Below, the statue-bearers continued their laborious march, the crowd's fervour rising as the day waned. Marion remained transfixed by the spectacle, while Lizette listened with a healer's quiet concern. When talk shifted to the violent trials unfolding in the streets, Cleo grew serious. "Keshah is a good man," she warned, "but the body count would be high before the mob tore him apart defending you. They have their own healers. Do not meddle in the affairs of humans unless you wish to choose sides. Some blood must be spilled for the spectacle to hold meaning."

Lizette's discomfort was plain. "I never liked it when preventable deaths occur under the guise of sport." Yet the elf's counsel was firm: the injured would not thank an outsider's interference.

As the light began to fail, conversation turned lighter. Plans for dinners aboard harbour boats, invitations from lords' sons and princesses, and the promise of future festivals in the sands north of the city. Cleo spoke of golden lizards whose fresh blood granted air mages the ability to converse with creatures of earth and sky. I was already gifted in such magics, and weighed the convenience against the chaos of constant chatter from every bird and beast.

Then a small, furry shape appeared at the edge of the balcony—a ratman, short-tailed and cautious. He waved us toward a shadowed passage. I crouched to his level so as not to loom. "An acquaintance of mine," I explained to the others as I attempted to get the Speak with Animals spell off, succeeding on the second try.

The creature's whiskers twitched. "We will meet you after dark and take you to the scene of the murder."

"Unless we already know it," I answered.

"Very good. We will see you at the alley." The ratman slipped back into the gloom, leaving the companions to contemplate the evening's darker obligations. The festival's drums still throbbed below, but the true work of the night lay ahead.

Chapter 27: Blue Spice and Clockwork Gifts

Evening indulgences and the cat's curious gift

We trudged back to their rooms, the weight of the evening's revelations still clinging to them. The spirit had shown them the site of a murder from long ago, and the danger had been real. Yet Marian's mother looked visibly relieved as we arrived, her shoulders loosening with the knowledge that the night had been worth it. She had seen too much already; a little ringing in the ears from the blast was a small price.

To my surprise and delight, Cleo had offered to come back with me so we excused ourselves for a bath while the others unpacked. Supper arrived in fragrant waves: cinnamon, nutmeg, and the distinctive metallic tang of blue spice woven through a cake that invited investigation. "It's rare," their host explained with a knowing smile. "It lasts for seasons and finds its way into most everything. Some say it carries a touch of magic."

Star-shaped biscuits with vivid blue icing followed. "Three and no more," came the firm instruction. Lizette accepted the warning, yet the flavour proved treacherous. Each bite doubled the joy of the last, until she was shaking and the tray had to be taken away. She salvaged the final crumb as an offering before the urge overpowered her completely. The others felt it too, that bright spike of delight that made ordinary food taste suddenly bitter by comparison.

In their chambers a servant delivered a tray of hardened dates, twisted breads, and fruit, all laced with the same blue dust. "Of course it's in them," he said when asked. "It goes in all the food here." Conversation turned to its effects: euphoric happiness followed, he warned, by a deep sadness the next morning. Still, lamb rolls were ordered, extra portions set aside for me when I returned from my soak.

While they ate, the mages turned their attentions to more arcane matters. Divination on that sash revealed a gentle regenerative power that awakened only in the presence of injury, along with a blessing for unborn children and an easing of childbirth. Useful, if narrowly situational. Then the cookies called again. Their magic was mild, born of something once living, and each one intensified the pleasure of the previous bite until restraint became difficult. "Fifteen or twenty might kill you with sheer dopamine," Keshah observed wryly. To prevent that happening to Lizette who was trying to eat the lot, the remaining biscuits were banished into a portable hole.

Only then did they notice the clockwork bird resting in the middle of my bedroom floor. It was not the one she had purchased earlier; that piece still lay boxed. This metallic creature bore fresh claw marks across its surface, dragged in by the ever-meddlesome cat. "Magnificence must have caught it," one of them guessed. The bird itself was inanimate now, though faint traces of prior enchantment lingered.

Down in the bathhouse, I submerged herself, the water-breathing ring cool against my finger. I kept my head above water at first, then thought better of it, letting the ring do its work. Mouth closed, senses stretched wide, I floated in the warm silence and waited while enjoying Cleo’s ministrations.. I frowned as I detected something moving at the edge of my perception, just beyond the tiled walls.

Chapter 28: Sirens, Cookies, and the Hunter's Prize

Magnificence delivers her prize

The faint melody drifted upward through the water like a half-remembered dream. The moment the notes reached them, both companions surfaced quickly, exchanging wary glances. "Another siren," I muttered. After my last encounter with such creatures, neither wished to investigate further. We climbed from the pool, dressed, and made our way back through the tiled corridors to the safety of my room.

We opened the door to a peculiar scene. Lizette knelt on the floor, arms raised in supplication, her face a mask of desperate longing. Keshah held her firmly by one wrist, preventing her from reaching the plate of treats. "Do I want to know what's going on?" I asked dryly.

"Don't eat the blue cookies," Keshah warned. "They're addictive."

What followed was a long, increasingly mathematical conversation about exactly how addictive they were. I tallied the escalating pleasure each biscuit delivered, doubling with every bite until the numbers grew absurd. "Two to the power of six... or was it ten?" Lizette managed between pleas. By the time they finished calculating, it was clear the treats had overwhelmed her willpower. The addiction, they hoped, would fade after sleep.

A soft knock interrupted us. The young servant boy stood in the doorway, offering a red cookie on a small tray. "My mother said you might be in need of this," he explained. The red variety, it seemed, would help counteract the blue. We accepted it gratefully, noting the boy's discretion.

Meanwhile, Mags, the cat who preferred to be addressed as Her Magnificence, strode through the open door with tail held high. At my feet she dropped a mechanical bird, its neck cruelly twisted. "It was trying to spy on me?" I exclaimed, stroking the triumphant feline. Moments later, Mags coughed up a writhing black slug that hit the floor with a wet sound. A swift stomp ended the parasite's existence, bringing visible relief to everyone present.

"Who's the smartest hunter amongst us?" I cooed, as the cat curled contentedly into my lap. "You are a magnificent pursuer." The praise seemed to please Mags immensely. From the doorway, Cleo watched with amusement. "Are you going to be stroking that pussy long?" she asked, the double meaning unmistakable. I turned scarlet while the group could only laugh, acknowledging that, for now at least, the cat's will remained firmly in control.

Chapter 29: The Cat's Insistent Counsel

Breakfast with Magnificence, where even the cat has opinions on the coming night's intrigues.

The last conversations of the night faded as we retired retired. We checked their rooms for hidden threats before sleep claimed them, the enigmatic cat padding alongside with promises to guard the open window. Mags was no ordinary beast; through some ancient pact or potion from distant isles, it could make its thoughts known, and it took full advantage of the privilege.

Day 5
Dawn arrived with a gentle tap at the door. A young servant girl entered bearing trays of steaming porridge, eggs wrapped in crisp bacon sprinkled with sesame, and wriggling delicacies that testified to their freshness. The bacon still twitched on the hot plate, a local custom that drew mixed reactions from the visitors. Keshah sampled the water first, wary of the thick green drink that seemed to stain the teeth, while Lizette bore faint traces of cookie crumbs from the night before.

No sooner had the trays settled than the cat appeared, voicing imperious demands through its spell. "Feed me," she insisted, leaping onto a lap with practised entitlement. The companions obliged with strips of bacon and a saucer of milk, all while exchanging amused barbs. The cat complained about rough handling and slow service, prompting stories of past feline misadventures and backhands that ended with claws.

Between bites, conversation turned to more serious matters. The cat recounted its interrogation of a courtyard bird before dispatching it. The creature had tried to bribe its way to safety with "words of power" meant for the sick, though the cat had dismissed the offer. Examination confirmed traces of strange magic on the broken bird, raising questions about its true nature and purpose. Was it one of the mechanical spies rumoured to haunt the city, or something sent by the enchanters whose shadows seemed to lengthen each night?

The language tutor arrived for the morning lesson, along with Marian, who blushed at the sight of Keshah, and raised her eyebrows at the noisy cat now presiding over the gathering. The lesson was frequently interrupted as the cat was gently but firmly removed from the room, only to return with indignant meows. During a lull, we asked a servant girl to carry a message to the lady of the house: that something had sung from the depths of the temperate pool, a siren-like presence that warranted investigation. The girl promised to relay the warning at once.

As the lesson continued, the tutor shared the tragic tale of two lovers from rival families in old Adjepbar. Denied union by their houses, they had sung to each other across the harbour in the trade tongue, their voices carrying on the night wind until fate intervened. Cleo listened with raised brows, clearly entertained by the chaotic household she had joined.

By the time the trays were cleared and the cat had been appeased with one final piece of bacon, the group's thoughts turned outward. The mechanical bird still required further divination, but more pressing was the plan forming for the evening. They would go over the back wall tonight, slipping into the palace grounds to speak with the major domo and unravel the threads of intrigue that had drawn them to Adjepbar. The cat, watching with half-lidded eyes, seemed to approve of the mischief to come.

Chapter 30: Whirring Gears and Vanishing Footsteps

The dismantled mechanical bird and the silent pool where Marian vanished.

In the garden behind the house, a small mechanical bird perched among the leaves, its intricate gears clicking softly as it drank in the sunlight. "Is this a live bird or a mechanical one?" I asked. The answer came quickly: it was winding itself up, recharging for another flight.

Determined to examine the curious construct, I called forth invisible wings and fluttered upward. The bird proved elusive, hopping nimbly from branch to branch and leaving its pursuer thrashing among the twigs. A colourful goblin oath escaped in frustration. Below, suggestions flew back and forth until a bow was raised. The arrow found its mark; the bird spiralled down in a clatter of metal and feathers.

Gathering the scattered pieces revealed remarkable craftsmanship. The mainspring had been wound so tightly that the impact had shaken the entire mechanism apart. It gave one last feeble chirp, a large cog spinning uselessly before the device ran down completely, its small red eye flickering out. "Put it in the sunlight," someone offered. "Maybe it'll charge up." But the bird remained lifeless in their hands. I collected the components, and the group debated its origins. The work seemed too fine for the marketplace tinkerer; perhaps the enigmatic figure in the tower had crafted it, or maybe the merchant simply kept a hidden workshop busy replacing the devices as fast as they were lost.

I eyed the broken thing thoughtfully. "I'm tempted to take the other one down and get it fixed. We thought he was a Binder, right?" Before the conversation could deepen, voices rose from inside the house. Descending the stairs, the party found the family in distress. The mother spoke urgently with the farmer and their two daughters while the young boy tugged at sleeves.

"She went down there about ten minutes ago," he explained, wide-eyed. "I just went to check and she's not there at all. Her clothes have been folded up next to the pool. I can show you." The metal-tempered bathing pool shimmered at the bottom of the stairs. The party exchanged grim looks. "We are definitely going to deal with this," one declared.

As we followed the boy toward the water, I sighed. "Well, it's happened. I think I'm going to end up having a singing competition with a siren. The last time I did that, it didn't turn out well." Lizette offered a reassuring nod. "Maybe I can help back you up. I do the singing, but more of the courtly style." Together we approached the pool, the folded clothes a silent warning of whatever had claimed Marian from the water's edge.

Night 6

Chapter 31: The Young Lad's Tears

The tearful brother arrives as the Wall Walkers prepare to face the siren

In the upper room of the inn, we spoke quietly of Marian's disappearance. She had gone down to the back-house baths the night before and simply vanished. Cleo and I (Aurora) had heard an eerie song rising from the park below, like the call of a siren, but had decided against investigating in the darkness. Now, with morning light, we resolved to face whatever waited in those waters. I was fully expecting to be going underwater so I dressed in my two piece scaly swimsuit, added a belt with beltpouches and my maingauche - since my Spirit Dagger was already safely hidden in my leg - and put practical walking boots on my feet. As it turned out, I was wrong - so very wrong - but at least the dwarves appreciated it.

"She's trapped by a water thing," I reminded the rest. I had memories of an earlier clash with a siren which were still raw; the creature had not been easily bested, and it nearly bested me. Speculation followed on whether such beings attacked the elderly or relied on their charming song. Keshah and I admitted we were probably susceptible ourselves, and the tactics for breaking free were quietly rehearsed.

A knock sounded at the door. The young lad, Marian's brother, stood trembling on the threshold, his face wet with tears. "It's all right," Keshah told him gently. "We're gearing up to go get your sister back." The boy looked from one face to the next. "It's alright," he answered, "they found her."

We hurried downstairs together. At the top of the staircase leading to the baths was the common room. There, a crowd had gathered. An angry-looking dwarf stood among them, and the faces of the onlookers were pale. One of the house workers covered her eyes. We pushed through into the common area where breakfast was normally served.

Chapter 32: The Leg in the Bathhouse

The ghost of Jock emerges in the bathhouse

All eyes were fixed on something on the floor. It was a leg, severed near the thigh. The dwarf had found the remains in the bath and brought what he could upstairs.

We pressed closer to examine the limb. It showed signs of a violent severing—clean in some places, marked by what looked like multiple sharp wounds in others. No trace of magic lingered upon it. Keshah spotted something unusual just behind the thigh: a small tattoo of a bow. Though the limb was the right size for a child of twelve or so, its pallor and other details convinced us it did not belong to Marian. Plus it was not customary in this region to tattoo a child so young. We questioned the dwarf. He had discovered the partial remains beside the bath with no sign of the rest of the body.

The innkeeper, and Marian’s mother, who had been hovering nearby, let out a sharp breath at those words. Relief washed over her face, but it proved too much; her knees buckled as she fainted. Lizette moved swiftly, catching her before she struck the floor and easing her into the care of one of the younger girls, who helped the woman breathe steadily.

"We still have a mission," Lizette said quietly to the others. "A child is missing."

The group turned their attention to the three young women among the staff—the baker, the milkmaid, and the housemaid—who had been exchanging uneasy glances. When questioned about their nervousness and the strange sounds from the water, they hesitated before speaking. "It's a ghost," one of them whispered. "A whitey ghost. There was a young man called Jock. He was interested in both the milkmaid and the housemaid. They fought over him, and Jock died trying to stop the fighting. Now his ghost takes revenge. Sometimes he makes things go missing."

"Ghosts don't usually bite off limbs," I observed. The girls had no answer for that, only nervous shrugs before they slipped away to their duties.

Leaving the upper floor, I descended the stairs into the lower bath corridor. The air grew heavier, carrying the scent of warm water and minerals. Three arched entrances led to the tiered bathing pools, where the hottest water flowed down into cooler ones. Mosaics of skeletons danced across the walls in the city's distinctive artistic style, and buckets with sponges sat ready for patrons. Stools held discarded clothing, some of it torn and overturned.

A sloshing sound echoed from the pool room. Then came the unmistakable chill. From the corner of my eye, I saw a ghostly figure burst from the wall—a young man with an angry face, and a head that had been smashed in. The apparition swung at my back in one fluid motion, but missed, before vanishing into the floor. The temperature plummeted, leaving a crackle in the air. Keshah had arrived just in time to see that too, with Lizette behind him. Previously the dwarf had handed him three coins with instructions to put them in our mouths for luck, two gold and one silver. I took one of the gold ones.

"It looked like he meant to go through the floor," Kesha said, "or perhaps he lost control."

We readied our weapons, each one enchanted to strike such spirits. From another room came more wet, slurping noises. Then Keshah felt something shift on his back. A black slug-like creature with six legs wriggled free and dropped to the floor with a wet plop. Lizette did not hesitate. She stepped forward and drove her blade into the thing before it could scuttle away, ending its brief escape.

The bathhouse fell quiet once more, save for the distant sloshing of water. Whatever had claimed the rest of the girl's body—and whatever force commanded both ghost and creature—still waited in the depths.

Chapter 33: The Ghost in the Walls

The philosopher's ghost emerges from the wall

Moments later, black slug-like creatures with six legs dropped from the ceiling onto Keshah and myself. Lizette spotted them immediately. "There are some on you as well," she warned, turning so her companion could see her own back. The creatures were dispatched quickly, one revealing yellow stripes that suggested poison. They had come from somewhere above, perhaps the sewers. Inky black droplets began to fall from the ceiling in half a dozen places. The party moved clear, advancing cautiously beneath the archway into the pool room.

The corridor opened ahead with overturned wooden benches lining one wall and three arches leading into a single chamber. Within lay three pools: one warm, one of medium temperature, and one cool, each reached by worn stone steps polished by generations of feet. As I backed warily toward the pools, black inky droplets began to fall from above. The companions quickly stepped clear.

Then the ghost appeared. A young man stepped out of the solid wall, lunged toward me crying "Help me!" and collapsed through the floor. Thirty seconds later he repeated the cycle, always from the same spot, always falling away again. Keshah acted swiftly, slicing his own leg to draw blood and tracing glowing runes in the air. The magic flared and the ghost was caught, held fast within a net of crimson light. He dropped to one knee, unable to break free.

The spirit was a philosopher, still fresh in death, his form translucent yet revealing the handsome features hidden beneath a skull-like pallor. "There's a terrible monster," he gasped. "I tried warning everyone. No one could hear me." When asked where it lived, he pointed down the hallway. "In a crypt through the walls... beyond the end of the corridor. Dark and terrible. Claws... teeth." He admitted he had been struck from behind in this very bathhouse, though he could not recall the killer. Friends had been present, yet the memory remained clouded. He moved with obvious difficulty, drifting and falling as though drained of all energy.

We spoke quietly among themselves. The city of Adjepbar was built atop older ruins; a secret tunnel might connect the baths to whatever lay beneath. Lizette examined a small artifact we had recovered earlier and determined it radiated an aura of fear, likely meant to keep intruders away. While we conferred, I stepped around the corner to peer deeper into the chamber. My gaze travelled past Keshah's shoulder to the far wall where a decorative bone sculpture began to stir. The carved remains of three creatures peeled away from the stone, knitting themselves into a single towering skeletal horror.

"It's coming out of the wall!" I shouted, already backing away. The group retreated toward the base of the stairs while the animated monstrosity advanced slowly, ten feet away and closing. Lizette readied herself to meet it with steel as the others prepared spells and weapons, knowing they could neither let it reach the upper levels nor allow it to surround them in the narrow corridor.

Chapter 34: Horrors from the Black Wall

Kesha confronts the black slugs born from necromantic crystals

We fell back in alarm. I retreated around the corner as the skeletal horror advanced. We raced up the spiral staircase to the common room above, where a stout dwarf had already positioned three round shields to barricade the doors. The dwarf stood ready with weapon in hand, having heard the blood-curdling screams from below. That had been Lizette. Us elves are fairly immune to the fear effects of the undead, but Lizette was not.

"Skeletons down there? Plus necromancy?" the dwarf growled. "There's crooks near the bottom everywhere. Somebody's incorporated skeletons into the very walls." He pressed a tankard of good dwarven ale into our hands, offering blunt advice between swallows, mostly at Lizette. "You don't go mucking around with that bad stuff. You either zap it or you blast it or you throw a hammer. You're the weaker race. Hide between the rocks and try not to run away." The dwarven ale proved to be rather fortifying and Lizette was able to collect herself enough to cure the mental damage that she had suffered. Besides, if a dwarf offers you good dwarven ale, it would be the height of rudeness to refuse it.

Fortified and steadied, the adventurers descended once more. Keshah maintained distance from the troubling black patch on the floor that radiated supernatural fear, while I took the lead. I had already extracted my Spirit Dagger from my leg and had it, and the maingauche ready. At the bottom of the stairs we felt a sudden change in air pressure. Then the walls moved. Black crystals rained from the ceiling, splattering and coalescing into dozens of slick, inch-long slugs. Some merged into larger horrors a foot long, ringed with circular teeth and possessing three eyes. One of the larger creatures seemed to prepare a spell.

I acted swiftly, summoning a powerful blast of air that hurled the entire squirming mass down the corridor. The creatures smashed against the far wall with terrible force, many bursting apart while the black patches that spawned them diminished. The fear that had gripped us began to fade.

Pressing forward, we reached a heavy door at the corridor's end. The ghost appeared once more, struggling to hold it open from the other side. I found a sturdy bench and jammed it firmly into the doorway to keep the passage clear. Beyond lay inky darkness and the unmistakable stench of death. Keshah's light spell, cast upon a rune on his staff, pushed back the shadows to reveal a corpse—little more than bones now, missing a leg bone, dead no more than three months.

A sulphurous hot-water drain ran through a gutter cut into the rock, confirming this crypt connected to the bathhouse above. The tunnel opened into a much larger chamber. Ancient sarcophagi lined the walls, their stone lids carved with lunar-eyed figures and dates suggesting three hundred years or more. One lid stood slightly askew, leaving gaps at the edges. Something dark and tar-like bubbled beneath it.

Chapter 35: The Spectral Warrior and the Rat's Warning

The ritual chamber and the Hellmouth

Keshah's staff cast a bright, steady light from its activated rune as the party ventured deeper into the darkness. Scurrying sounds echoed from a far corner of the chamber while they examined a corpse some fifteen feet away. The group advanced carefully, noting the floor was covered in tracks—many ordinary, but others disturbingly large, six or eight feet in span. Something about the prints seemed wrong; the creatures left impressions as if walking on hind legs alone, more like hyenas or civets than ordinary beasts.

The room opened into a much larger space that stretched off into shadow. Keshah's light revealed a corpse picked clean to the bone lying on the floor. A distinct magical aura pulsed just above the ground, suggesting the presence of a ward. "We probably shouldn't hang around here," one companion urged. "We should continue looking for the the girl."

Further on we discovered a row of stone sarcophagi set into the walls, each adorned with curved decorative work and small statues above. The figures looked lifelike save for their oversized noses. Dates carved into the stone placed them roughly three hundred years in the past. One sarcophagus stood out from the rest; it sat askew, with a five-inch gap along one side while the others rested flush against the floor.

The heavy lid resisted at first, but with effort Keshah slid it aside. Beneath, a dark, oily substance bubbled slowly upward, and long-legged grave scorpions skittered across the interior. Inside lay a remarkably well-preserved pair of boots and leggings, and within the sarcophagus rested the body of a large human warrior. The form looked freshly dead, held in unnatural stasis. As the lid moved fully clear, the body began to stir.

The greater undead warrior started to rise. Before it could fully animate, however, a spectral apparition separated from the corpse—a ghostly, striking male figure clad as a champion of old. The spirit regarded the party with tired eyes and spoke in a resonant voice. "Champions of the realm, you have come at last. This is good. There is evil presence here. It must be defeated. I fear I may have fallen. It carries a black whip and a shield which eats the soul of those that gaze upon it. Take care. You are most suited for dealing with this enemy."

The apparition looked exhausted as it faded away, and the body collapsed lifeless once more. The group stood in momentary silence. It was me that urged turning back, citing the little girl who still needed rescue and the feeling that we were travelling the wrong path. Keshah insisted we press on; as retreat would only mean retracing their steps through water and darkness. As we debated, a new sound reached us from ahead: the scrabbling of claws.

A large rat, the size of a dog, came scrabbling up a low bank toward them. It rose onto its hind legs and addressed Keshah directly. "Keshah. The others have told me you are working on the quest of the bones. Be quick—there is an evil creature who has charmed a few of my brethren, and I think they mean to kill that young girl. There is an altar. Make sure she doesn't die on it. She will be forever lost."

The rat offered to lead us. I pulled out my Draw Mage Robes that I had shoved in one of the larger belt pouches and put it on over my swimsuit for extra magical protection. We then followed the large rat (raus?) through passages that dipped low then rose again until they reached the edge of a drop. Thirty feet below and forty feet across, torchlight revealed a grim tableau. Two humans stood beside a stone altar where a young girl lay tied by all four limbs. Swarming around them were twenty or more rat creatures, most wolf-sized, though a few were smaller. The beasts moved with unnatural, charmed obedience. One of the humans waved a sacrificial dagger above the girl while chanting, the gathered creatures encircling the scene. On the far wall yawned a dark, warty cave mouth ringed with jagged teeth like a maw. Hot steam billowed from it, occasionally lit from within by red-black glows—the Hellmouth – at least that was what I named it.

Chapter 36: The Interrupted Sacrifice

The Wall Walkers disrupt the necromantic ritual

Kneeling on the ledge overlooking the chamber, Keshah drew and released while Lizette prepared spells to counter the Necromantic magic. The arrow, bright with my enhancing magic, sped true toward the necromancer ranting at the head of the stone altar. Ten feet from the sacrificial slab the hooded figure stood, his voice rising and falling in a mad blend of Common, Elvish, and Hobbitish words that echoed off the walls. The shaft struck hard; the necromancer spun in place, clearly wounded.

Below, several rat creatures inside the camp spell shook off the compulsion’s hold. One reared up, ankle clearly broken, yet both sprang sideways and bolted through the crowd in panic. The rest of the worshippers milled uncertainly, some still shaking their heads as though waking from a dream. From the ridge I launched into flight, wings carrying me forward on a bombing run of knockout gas spells, ready to triple the effect across a wide area, mindful of the nasty red substance coating the far side of the roof. As I dove, Keshah nocked another shaft and tracked the new threat: a humanoid pushing through the ratmen straight toward a ceremonial dagger lying near the altar.

"No, no, slay her with the dagger before it's too late!" the human shouted. "You will complete the quest, my friends!"

I descended in a controlled glide, fluttering wings slowing my fall enough to survive the thirty-foot drop. I landed beside the altar where young Marian lay bound and began cutting. The ropes proved mostly rags and cloth; a few quick chops started to free her. The human cultist reached the dagger, but events overtook him. A second necromancer, previously hidden among the rats, completed a dark incantation. Invisible force slammed into the rescuers. I felt my joints lock and twist as though rigor mortis had seized me while still alive; bones popped, knees and thumbs wrenched from their sockets. I endured internal agony, then more as the spell renewed. Sweat beaded on my skin; every movement became a battle. Keshah suffered the same wracking pain, left with only half his normal speed. I was swearing like a sailor.

Despite the torment we kept fighting. The cultist who had seized the dagger dropped it. The chamber began to clear as the last ratmen scattered. Under the luminous ritual light the lead necromancer whirled on us, face twisted with fury.

"You've interrupted it, you fool!" he screamed. "It will come out and devour you all!"

Night 7

Chapter 37: The Broken Charm

Rats surge in panic as the necromancers' dark charm shatters within the sooty portal chamber.

The chamber opened like a great maw, its walls curving outward and circling the entire space. High along one edge ran a narrow ledge where Keshah stood, the drop to the floor below a sheer thirty feet. From that vantage the chaos below was plain: rats swarmed in every direction, no longer a coherent mass but a frantic horde seeking any door or passage that might carry them to safety.

Two of the necromancers had already fallen. One lay pierced through with arrows, collapsed where he had stood. The second had stepped forward to seize an object from the altar only to be shot in turn, dropping his prize as he fell. The third screamed a warning that went unheeded. At the exact moment the second sorcerer lost consciousness, the foul charm that had bound the rats shattered. As one they woke to their surroundings and erupted into pure panic, fleeing in runaway mode, maximizing their own safety above all else.

"They're not working as a coherent group nor mob," observed one of the companions. "More like maximizing their safety." The rats clearly hated the place; the bad magic and oppressive juju prickled at their instincts. A single friendly rat that had accompanied the group chose that moment to retreat hastily back up the corridor by which it had arrived.

Lizette stood amid the tumult, the fleeing rodents momentarily hemming her in. "Can you fly me back up?" she called toward the ledge. Yet there was no time to wait. Something stirred within the portal—an open, cave-like maw from which occasional gusts of soot drifted upward on unseen currents. The remaining necromancer, the one positioned nearest that dread aperture, prepared a countermeasure and pressed himself against the wall, staring with open fright toward the entrance.

Lizette moved purposefully toward the altar, angling to one side so as not to obstruct what I was doing. "I'm intending to run over to the altar," she had declared, and now she threaded her way through the scattering rats. I continued slicing the cords that needed freeing, my hands steady despite the surrounding disorder. Keshah had an arrow nocked and aimed in the general direction of the necromancers, eyes fixed on both the sorcerers and the restless portal.

Only three living adventurers remained active in the chamber with their spectral allies. The rats continued their mad dash for every available exit while the final necromancer watched the entrance in terror, the broken enchantment having turned his ritual into pandemonium.

Chapter 38: Demons at the Altar

Aurora cuts Marian free as demons emerge

Lizette and I stood over the altar, voices tight with urgency. "Is Marian doing anything?" Lizette asked. "She seems to be unconscious," came the reply. "Or dead. Hard to say. She's not bleeding, though." It was always a bad sign when there was lots of blood, we agreed. At least she was attached by only two bonds now. If we could free her, she might be pushed clear of the table.

All around us the chamber teemed with rats, far larger than any natural vermin, some standing waist-high. They scurried in every direction, screaming. One leapt onto the altar itself. I yelled at it in an attempt to get it off. None had yet run through the portal, at least. "This is what we call a target-rich environment," someone muttered.

Near one of the side doors, one of the creatures was changing, its body twisting halfway into human shape as it scrabbled at the latch. Lizette drew on her power and released a healing burst that washed over herself, Marian, and two of the nearer rats. The necromancer they had thought defeated, stirred. He dragged himself upright on the far side of the altar, arrows still jutting from his body, and cowered there for cover.

Then the hairs rose on the backs of our arms. A sickening presence filled the air. Keshah's senses cut through the chaos: five new figures had appeared, a mixture of undead and devils. The smallest, winged one looked like a disheveled imp. The rest were drawn and emaciated, their forms nastily demonic. One of the rat creatures staggered as it approached them, then collapsed, slipping involuntarily between rat and humanoid shapes in violent spasms.

Keshah lifted his bow and loosed an arrow at the clawed demon in the center of the group. The shaft struck savagely, knocking the creature back, though it glanced away without sticking. With his keen perception he noticed something more: a mystical bond like a chain of energy ran from one of the demons to two of the others. "We should shoot that one next," he said. Lizette's voice cut in, urgent. "You guys probably should get out of there. Get Marian."

The rat-things continued to run and scream, flinging themselves at the newcomers. Claws and fangs savaged two of the demonic figures, leaving them savagely wounded though not yet dead. The door swung open; several rats bolted through it. "I think they add to our worries," Lizette observed.

I launched myself into the air, wings carrying me over the chaos to the far side of the altar. I drew my blade and began slicing at the remaining ropes. The panicked rats scattered from my path. A few precise cuts and the last bonds fell away; Marian was free. On the ground, Lizette readied the dagger she had carried into the room, preparing to hold the undead at bay until I could carry the girl to safety.

Chapter 39: The Altar's Dark Awakening

The necromancer rises with burning red eyes

Keshah drew his bow and took aim at the imp. "He's a demon, isn't he?" he asked. The reply came quickly: he was no demon, but an imp among the devils, far less powerful though still dangerous. His shot struck home with magical force, and the creature exploded. With its death the undead it had commanded began to stumble, no longer directed.

A black stream of necromantic energy poured from the doorway in response. Rotted organs, twisted screaming faces, and bursting pustules flooded the area. Several undead collapsed beneath the wave. Lizette and I took part of the brunt; the filth clung to us, leaving us feeling more soiled than they had been in the past six months. "My gloves are still nice and clean, at least," Lizette remarked dryly, though the humour could not mask the revulsion. I just threatened to pour filth over them.

Their military scientist noted the presence of the necromantic caster responsible. The wall walkers began to pull back. I picked up Marian and ascended on swift wings to lift her thirty feet up the sheer surface, promising to return if anyone became trapped below. Keshah seized Marian and made an orderly withdrawal, shield ready. While I flew back down to get Lizette. "I don't see much point going down there since we're just going to come back up again," the fighter observed.

From his elevated vantage he watched the two surviving necromancers. The younger one moved frantically beside a low altar, stabbing his elder colleague with the bloodied dagger in what was clearly an emergency sacrifice. Red blood spilled across the stone and began to boil. The ground trembled faintly.

Hoping to thwart whatever ritual was forming, Lizette reached out with healing magic to close the stab wounds of the fallen necromancer. The blood and black corruption swirling on the altar surged back into the body through the open gashes. The wounds sealed. The necromancer rose, eyes now burning a furious red. "You have overdone it," he said in a voice thick with new power.

He stepped forward and extended a draining touch. Lizette felt life force and willpower ripped away before any resistance could be mustered. Around the empowered necromancer the inky muck, loose eyeballs, and putrid slime slid across the ground toward him, gathering at his feet like loyal hounds.

Chapter 40: The Five-Way Battle

Aurora rescues Lizette as Keshah confronts the necromancer

The ritual chamber had fallen into complete pandemonium. "Well, you stopped the sacrifice, then, by the looks of it," I observed. "I think so. Unless they were trying to summon something like this. But I don't think so. I think this is a side event." Lizette replied.

Rats poured across the floor in a squeaking tide, fleeing through every available doorway. "Time for rats to run around," someone muttered. More undead were already shambling through another entrance at the far side of the chamber. "These are skeletons, aren't they?"

The grim inventory continued: one skeleton, a ghast or ghoul, another skeleton, a particularly large one, and a caster directing them from somewhere nearby. "It's a philosopher's set of undead," I said. "If we get out of this, I'll tell you all about them."

One of the skeletons raised an amulet high toward a recruit who answered with an amulet of his own, while elsewhere a figure tore violently into the necromancer. The conflict unfolded in a chain reaction of betrayals. "Undead, so demons controlling undead, and then undead trying to control the demons," Lizette said. "No, four-way battle, and then there's the rats, and then there's us."

When the dark pulse subsided, the immediate danger fixed itself on Lizette. The necromancer came at her with terrifying speed. "You go first," she told her companion. "I'll try and shoot him and slow him down."

The necromancer struck first. His bone dagger punched into Lizette's lower abdomen twice in quick succession. Excruciating pain flared through her body as he drank deeply of her essence. She felt her strength and willpower bleed away, the wounds from earlier injuries compounding into a single burning torment. "Not loving that," she gasped.

Still the creature pursued as she tried to break away. He stabbed her again, draining her once more. The necromancer looked increasingly vital while Lizette staggered, her vision swimming. "The whole plan was for you to fly down and get me," she managed to shout.

Keshah acted without hesitation. He swapped weapons, triggered his teleportation device, and materialised amid the fray with blades drawn. He placed himself squarely between the necromancer and Lizette, shielding her even as the motion knocked her from her feet. A restorative surge washed over the companions; the healing lifted Lizette enough that she remained conscious despite collapsing.

The necromancer lunged again, but Keshah met the attack. His sword connected with unnatural force, the blow landing far harder than expected. The short necromancer staggered backward under the impact, wounded severely for the first time in the fight. Lizette, though still reeling, shook off the worst of the draining effect.

"I’m grabbing Lizette," I called as I swept in low. I seized my fallen companion and lifted her clear of the deadly melee, carrying her back toward safer ground while the necromancer reeled and the wider battle of skeletons, ghouls, and rats continued to rage.

Chapter 41: The Rat's Plea

The rat's desperate plea amid the fall

In the thick of combat, one of the rats leaped at me clinging desperately to my leg. 'Save me, save me,' it squeaked in a high-pitched voice. I, my wings beating hard under the strain, decided to take the creature with me despite the burden. 'If I can take him as well, I'll take him,' I said.

Fully encumbered now, I felt my ascent slow dramatically, but I pressed on, wings labouring. Lizette and others lay unconscious, while the necromantic spell that followed washed over the conscious party. Keshah and I, resisted its pull even at a severe disadvantage. The Willow Healing took effect just in time, causing the rat to lose its grip and tumble earthward.

I crashed soon after, toppling the necromancer as I fell. Keshah acted swiftly, gesturing to transfer the impact into his staff where it would remain for a time. The necromancer exceeded his limits and collapsed. The rat, unfortunately, did not survive the fall. Both Lizette and I hovered on the edge of death, though I absorbed the worst of her landing against her armour and bounced back with a single point of endurance. Things were dire; both Lizette and Keisha found themselves on death's buzzer as well.

Keshah took stock of the battlefield alone. The foes seemed inclined to eliminate one another as much as their enemies. He stepped forward, unengaged from the immediate fray, and seized the live survivor among the fallen. With a second charge of his teleport, he vanished and reappeared at the top.. Efforts to heal me or provide soul fortification came up short.

Conversation turned to the necromancers. One had emerged from the blood moor with burning red eyes, only to be dragged back into it by unseen forces. The hobbit necromancer was gone as well. Keshah reflected on his own aspect, caused by an enchanted pure heart that brought death at night and life in the day, wondering if it might be changed. Meanwhile, deadites pressed against the wall and tried to open a nearby door while others hauled the hobbit necromancer's form away.

Chapter 42: From Death's Grasp

Lizette revives, yet the strange discovery leaves the Wall Walkers unsettled

A claw had torn through me, ripping body parts and dragging my entrails across the floor in a slick trail of blood. I lay, bleeding profusely as the fight's final moments ticked away. Keshah knelt beside me. "I need a big heal," he said, but the usual plant-powered options were useless here. Instead he fed me a standard golden healing potion. "You'll regain consciousness soon," he told her, "and pick up a little more at the end."

My eyes opened moments later. "Oh, good grief, what's going on here?" I breathed. The potion had lifted me just above death, yet I remained critically weak. So I drank a special healing potions, colour slowly returning to my face. Keshah admitted he rarely carried vast stores of healing because he seldom took damage himself; his amulets and staff usually delayed injuries until the battle ended. "There's always another necromancer," he added grimly as word came of two more humanoid deaths in the distance—shape-shifters, judging by their final words. The rank necromancer they had feared was still at large. My comment was that one cannot have too many healing potions.

Our attention turned at once to Lizette, who lay dead at the bottom of the cliff. Keshah peered over the edge and saw her body with a rat-like creature literally trying to hide beneath her skirts. He teleported down, keeping low in an attempt to remain unseen, but the creature noticed him anyway. It crossed the distance and struck him hard across the abdomen with its staff before turning away.

Keshah won the race for initiative. He seized both Lizette's corpse and the rat—which clung desperately for its life—and transported them back to the clifftop. Once safe, he studied the dead woman. Empathy revealed that something was wrong with her. "That tapping was suspicious," he muttered. The warning signs were unmistakable: a necromancer, a fresh corpse, and a place steeped in necromantic power. "It's bad," he warned.

"How long has it been since she died?" I asked. "Less than a minute," Keshah answered. I produced a crystal I had carried for ages. "In that case I've got something that will bring her right back. It's a Canith Get Up and Go Crystal." Though we feared what might happen when the crystal's life energy met the necromantic taint, it was our last, best hope of preventing her from rising as something undead. I cracked the crystal between Lizette’s teeth and hoped it worked.

A surge of vital force swept through Lizette. The crystal restored her fully, returning endurance and even fatigue in a rush that left her feeling ghastly yet delivered from agonizing pain. All of them now stood alive at the top of the cliff. When Keshah moved to lift her, however, his hand came away with only a thick clump of her hair while her body remained motionless at his feet. "Shit. What?" he exclaimed, staring in confusion.

Chapter 43: Strength and Shadows

The empowered flight from the crypts

The decision was made in the tense darkness of the crypt. "You should pick up the girl," Keshah urged. "Fine, I'll pick up the girl," I replied. I drank the Strength of Stone potion, and its power surged through me. My muscles swelled dramatically, arms thickening until they rivaled the biceps of the strongest labourers.

"Maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea," I muttered, flexing my newly massive limbs, "but it doesn't matter. I need the speed." Marian proved light as a feather in my grasp. We moved swiftly down the passageway, our powerful strides carrying us forward. We paused after a time in the corridor, waiting for lingering afflictions to fade. Two minutes, we had agreed. Yet before long, sounds echoed from behind us. A shimmering haze appeared roughly sixty feet back in the passage, near the ledge we had left behind.

Undeterred, we pressed on. I navigated a dangerous drop of four feet with mixed success; my landing was jarring, but my armor absorbed the impact. We reached the secret door at last. The undead halted on the far side of the protective ward, unable to pass into the chamber that held the great coffin. "So what are we going to do?" I asked. The consensus was clear: take Marian back to the inn, then return later to finish cleansing the crypt without further complications.

Before departing, we studied the door carefully. Between the thief's keen eye and tour combined efforts, we discovered the mechanism—a pressure plate disguised as one of the floor tiles. After sending one through to test it, we confirmed the door could be operated from both sides. We passed through, closed it securely behind us, and verified they could reopen it if needed.

As we began ascending, Lizette, who carried the unnatural presence within her, spoke. "Before things go too far, the thing inside of me... I have lost feeling of undead. Have I heard of something like this?" We exchanged glances. It was not undead, we determined, but possibly demonic. Empathy revealed it was roughly four weeks along in what should have been a normal human gestation. "The crystals may have affected it and healed it as well," I noted, drawing comparison to what had happened to a lizard person, several years ago. It was clearly not natural.

Continuing upstairs, we passed the black splotch on the ceiling from our earlier battle. It was merely a stain now, inert and harmless. Lizette bolstered her morale and, with uncertainty clouding her thoughts, cast a Greater Summoning Counter upon herself. The stairs led us back toward the surface, the weight of Marian in my arms matched only by the heavier mysteries we carried within.

Chapter 44: Emergence from the Hellmouth

The Wall Walkers surface with Marian and grim news of the hellmouth

Having countered the greater summoning, we gathered around the unconscious Marian. A careful reading of her condition revealed she was an ordinary human who had endured a terrible fright along with abrasions from being dropped. She showed no sign of pregnancy or deeper affliction.

"She's good," Lizette declared. "We can take her out." We slipped her a healing draught for good measure and lifted her carefully, filing through the secret door and sealing it behind us. Keshah, who had absorbed fifty-one points of necrotic damage moved with leaden steps; the pulse of dark energy had left him gutted, fatigue entirely spent. Though he insisted he could regenerate and needed no further healing, his companions supported him up the steep stairs from the bathhouse depths.

Nearly eight minutes after the fight, we reached the surface. A waft of sulphur rolled out with them, turning heads. The dwarves had already donned armour and weapons and stood ready. "You guys got a serious undead problem down there," we announced. "Necromancer hobbits—at least three, though one of them may have been human—skeletons, minor demons, devils. There's an altar and a sacrificial dagger. Marian was meant to be the sacrifice for a major summoning. We called it a hellmouth."

The dwarven captain nodded grimly. "Devils, you say? I'll get the guard. We'll bring healers and some of the lads—really tough sods."

Marian's mother rushed forward, relief breaking over her in a flood of tears. While the girl remained unconscious but stable, one of the rescuers produced smelling salts. The sharp scent soon brought Mariun around so mother and daughter could embrace. In the midst of the reunion, attention turned to Lizette. She was running hot, her body fevered in a way that felt unnatural. When we examined her more closely, the truth emerged: she was pregnant, but not in any natural sense. The life within her carried the mark of something else entirely.

Chapter 45: Dwarven Carts and Hobbit Priestesses

Dwarven reinforcements arrive with mysterious caskets as hobbit priestesses of Estee look on.

The conversation lingered on the child. It had been born only four weeks earlier, its growth accelerated by the massive crystals that had saturated the site. The party weighed whether the infant leaned more toward the ledger's darker side, yet all agreed it carried no taint of negative energy. Whatever the creature was, it felt more like a cambion than mere undead, and even if that proved true, half of its blood remained human. I, in particular, felt the weight of uncertainty; she resolved to seek a divination once the immediate crisis passed.

Before long the room filled with dwarves. More arrived every minute until the space became standing-room only, crowded with bearded figures and the original companions. I offered to lead them down to the bathhouse and show them the secret door, but the dwarves waved the suggestion aside. Still, we followed at the rear, counting the stocky warriors as they descended. One hundred and twenty dwarves in all made their way through the hidden passage.

The dwarves worked with brisk efficiency. They lifted the secret door off its hinges and set it aside, then laid rails from the first floor down the spiral staircase, past the baths, and through the open crypt entrance. Small mine carts soon rattled along the improvised track. The operation took perhaps fourteen minutes, each cart bearing a sturdy wooden casket. We watched with interest, especially the engineer among us who admired the cleverness of the setup.

Keshah struck up a conversation with one of the dwarves during a brief lull. He explained the necromancers' desperate ritual, the sacrificial dagger, and how the younger mage had turned the blade on his elder after the companions had prevented the girl's death. The dwarf listened gravely, consulted a large ledger, and asked about the ward that still hummed in the crypt. We assured him it belonged to a dead hero resting in a nearby sarcophagus and advised against tampering with it. The dwarves had already cut their own tunnel to bypass the barrier.

When talk turned to the caskets and whether they contained holy water, the dwarf gave a non-committal grunt. Counterspells were mentioned; we offered what aid they could, though I admitted my own reserves were limited. I checked my restorative supplies while the dwarves continued their grim preparations.

At that moment three priestesses from the local temple arrived. They were hobbits, the most strikingly attractive and beautiful the companions had ever seen. I found myself flushing and muttering that I was out of her league. Lizette, equally captivated, asked who the priestesses served. The answer came readily: Estee, goddess of fertility, wellbeing, and healing. The revelation eased some tension; I quietly explained the gentle portfolio to any who had not heard it before. Even amid the carts, rails, and looming battle with the undead, the small procession of holy women brought an unexpected note of grace to the crowded crypt.

Chapter 46: Twinkling Sands and Careful Distractions

The dwarf guides Keshah away from the perilous sands

In the dim passages beneath Adjepbar, the work continued with steady purpose. Tracks had been laid beyond the bath chamber, threading through layers of counterspells and pressing onward toward the altar room. Labourers had broken open several caskets and were now sprinkling a fine yellow and blue twinkling sand across the floors.

I eyed the shimmering grains. "What's this stuff?" I asked. When I pressed whether it was the same blue sand rumoured to cause hallucinations, the dwarf took me gently by the hand and around the waist, guiding me back down the line toward the entrance. "I don't want you to have any problems," he told me. "Just breathe easy back here. Afterwards we'll get a drink and I'll bring you up to speed about it."

I smiled at the prospect. "Drink sounds right good after I've had a bath." The dwarf's eyes sparkled with mischief. "I'll slide you into a nice hot bath. I might even get a couple of those priestesses to join us if I'm lucky."

I shifted the conversation, reminding him we still needed to investigate the baths because I had heard a siren song. The dwarf acknowledged that sirens were an ongoing issue in Adjepbar; many baths in the city suffered their calls. I recalled my last encounter with such a creature as particularly nasty.

Further reports came in. The teams had reached the altar room, which still held critters. Carts of the sand were being shipped down. "If you're an adept down there, just don't draw any mana for God's sake," the dwarf warned. When I learned the sand would transform any mana-drawing creature into more of itself, I suggested an air blast from the ledge once the sand was poured, driving it toward the hellmouth.

The dwarf shook his head. "The proximity to the sand would probably have a negative effect on you. You're a brave lass, but you'd have to draw magic." After further back-and-forth, he patted me on the bum and chuckled. "When we're in that bath together having a hot brew, a couple of priestesses, me and you, you can be my wingman any day. Now just go sit over there and look pretty for me."

I conceded with a wry smile. We agreed it was wise to withdraw. "With this much anti-magic around, we probably don't want to be in proximity." We moved upstairs, where the sand was less concentrated. Carts of the substance continued to pass us on the way down.

Once above, three priestesses approached. "Keshah, could you introduce us to Lizette and Aurora?" They curtsied gracefully and each kissed our hands. Blushing, one added, "The dwarf told us that you have an eye for the ladies and a fickle heart." I gave a small laugh. "I don't know about fickle, but..."

Chapter 47: Revelation at the Temple

Cerse reveals the dark omen within the Temple of the Mother

The priestess's words landed with embarrassing precision. "He says it was a moving smorgasbord of desire and lusts that you were displaying," she told me. I promptly turned a deep shade of crimson. The second priestess intervened kindly. "Now, now, don't be so harsh on the young lass. She's young and innocent and hasn't made her mind up. Isn't that right?"

"No, I haven't," I answered quietly.

"Well, there's plenty of time for everything."

"Yeah, I'm an elf," I replied. "I've plenty of time apparently. That might cause problems."

One of the priestesses fixed me with a steady gaze. "Hm. We should have words, young lady."

What began as an awkward conversation soon escalated. When a private room was suggested, the senior priestess shook her head. "That's probably not wise. How about we do it our way? Guards, grab her!" The dwarven guards looked startled but moved to seize Lizette who the priestess now called a dangerous woman, a hero of Adjepbar afflicted by unconsented necromantic magic.

"You can be a bit more subtle," Keshah suggested, stepping forward. The priestess insisted the matter required care, especially given the victim's charmed state. After brief debate about privacy and reputation, she touched the dwarven guards' foreheads and murmured, "Your lips are sealed on this matter, gentlemen." We agreed to accompany her to the temple, the embarrassed elf declaring they should stick together and never split the party. The priestess quickly scribbled a message, dispatched a runner, and the dwarves cleared the streets ahead of them.

A quarter of an hour later we arrived at the temple, where fifteen or so elderly hobbits fussed about their duties. A hobbit woman in a bright white robe with gold sash and golden headband approached, her presence radiating calm authority. "Pleased to meet you. Aurora, is it?" "Yes." "My name is Cerse. I am the guardian of the hearth here, and I represent the mother of all." She glanced at the party. "I understand your associate, your fellow adventurer, has been afflicted by necromantic magics in a place of power."

Over cups of tea she poured for each of us, we recounted the incident: a necromancer striking their companion in the torso with his staff. Cerse listened, then confirmed what we suspected. "You are very much charmed," she told the one who asked. When they questioned how she could tell what their own healing arts had missed, she replied simply, "Because I am not the recipient, nor am I charmed. This sort of thing has happened before."

"There are multiple ways of dealing with this," Cerse continued. "We can safely get rid of it from here, and it will go back to whence it came." The conversation turned to the nature of the affliction. The priestess explained that such entities were often tied to schemes and symbols of power, and if left alone the outcome would be a creature of bad omen: a child likely born dead, raised by dark forces, able to predict terrible happenings yet never believed. The adventurers absorbed the grim lore, asking whether the being would be essentially human, simply carrying a dark doom. Cerse confirmed it was so.

Chapter 48: The Priestess's Counsel

The priestess outlines the dark choices surrounding Lizette's pregnancy

In the hushed sanctuary, the priestess regarded her visitors with a grave expression. "Maybe. A dark human," she said. "The city is very complicated. There seems to be all sorts of things going on." The conversation turned quickly to the entity growing inside their companion Lizette. One of the group observed that she would probably not be able to carry it to a normal term.

"So what are we looking at?" I asked. The priestess explained that they were looking at addressing it that very night. When someone suggested it might be only human, she corrected them firmly: it would only become human by feeding upon Lizette. There was no 'just' about it. The exchange grew heavier as they questioned whether both mother and child could survive. Lizette admitted that when she had believed it a demon, she had been more willing to see it destroyed, but now hesitated.

The priestess offered tea to ease the tension, though it was eyed with open suspicion. "Is it just tea?" "It's tea," the priestess assured, and the cup was accepted. She insisted we not reach any conclusions without Lizette present, noting that our friend was not in her right mind and could not yet make sound judgments. We stepped aside to speak further with the priestess, out of Lizette’s hearing, who laid out the grim truth.

The spirit inside Lizette was that of a fallen necromancer, using her as a charmed vessel to live on. It would amplify her abilities over the coming weeks and months before consuming well over half of them at birth. The priestess identified it clearly as devilish rather than demonic, one of the lower powers. Lizette had been chosen in part for her healer abilities, which would help keep both mother and child alive through the ordeal. Normally such a being would emerge in eight to twelve weeks; Lizette was already about four weeks along. In the interim, she would attract concentrations of mana, which the child would absorb, eventually claiming her powers as its own.

Several options were presented. They could venture to the nether realms, where Lizette might give birth as part of a spell to send the creature back as a vengeful hunter against the tormented necromancer. An alliance with beings from the Plane of Air offered another path, as did the graces of a great elvish lady from one of the travelling courts. Consulting the Chamberlain was strongly recommended; given Lizette's status as a hero of the city, he would wish the matter resolved in her favour. Surgery remained possible but risky, the priestess warned. Both mother and child would likely resist, and the spirit might attempt to possess Lizette to preserve itself.

I was asked for my views. "Whatever's best for Lizette, I would guess," I replied. The priestess sighed that such matters rarely left anyone better off. I spoke of my own experience having primary abilities carved away, still working to regain them. The priestess offered assistance. Keshah then described his own affliction, a heart condition with a daylight aspect that had left him ineffective halfway through their latest encounter. The priestess acknowledged the dilemma.

Seeing that all three of us carried significant burdens and that Lizette stood in high regard, the priestess declared they could call upon favours. She urged them to speak with Lizette now that they had consulted among themselves. Before departing, one adventurer turned back with a final question for the priestesses: was there a way to remove the evil soul or spirit and allow the child to be born normal? The priestess considered it a worthwhile aim and confirmed that, yes, it was an excellent line of inquiry. "How might we start doing this?" he pressed, as the weight of uncertain choices settled over the chamber.

Chapter 49: Paths of Purification

Lizette seeks a path to purification in the temple

In the quiet sanctuary of the temple, Lizette pressed the priestess for answers. The reply chilled her: every day she should sacrifice a newborn child to the thing inside her. The blood of innocence would purify it. Lizette recoiled at once. "What? Is this like a test? I'm not that far gone." The priestess assured her it was no test; she had simply asked what could be done, and the answer was given honestly, though neither the temple nor its servants would condone or permit such an act.

Lizette shook her head, desperate for another path. The priestess acknowledged that other ways existed, though they were worse. When Lizette asked whether they might speak to one of the powers of life, the priestess reminded her of recent experiences with pacts and negotiations, then offered a different possibility: rumours spoke of travelling to the lands of the dead to stand before Death himself, who could slay the evil within a person if he chose. Yet she warned that such a journey would likely end in the deaths of all three companions.

Lizette's companions joined the conversation, one of them summarising the harsh timeline. The entity would emerge in four weeks, or perhaps eight to twelve, far shorter than any human gestation. It was no ordinary child. Lizette insisted that if the evil could be removed, what remained might yet become human. Keshah countered that it was not running on normal biology at all; it was something else entirely, more parasite than baby.

The High Priestess returned, her expression grave. She made it clear the temple would not tolerate any talk of sacrificing newborns, then listened as Lizette described the other suggestions. Appeals to the powers of light were discussed: Michael, Uriel, Raphael. The priestess noted that such beings would certainly make the entity not evil, but their methods were heavy-handed. They cared little for collateral damage, believing that the righteous would simply ascend to heaven. Raphael, she suggested, might be the most likely to grant a hearing without immediate destruction.

"You should look upon this as a spell that has been cast upon you," the High Priestess urged. "You are being manipulated at a fundamental level by the powers of evil. If you have not been listening, then there is no hope for you." Lizette still clung to the hope of saving what grew inside her rather than destroying it outright, but the priestess and her companions emphasised again that no true baby existed, only an internal parasite on an unnatural clock. With the weight of those warnings hanging in the air, Lizette finally said they should go.

Chapter 50: The Chamberlain's Counsel

The Chamberlain tests Lizette's resolve in the temple sitting room.

In the quiet of the temple, conversation turned to practical matters. Lizette announced she would take time to clean herself up, still bearing the mess from earlier trials.

"There seems to be some really weird stuff going on at the moment," I said carefully. "Sirens in the bottom of the baths, for one. And there's the business with the bones—something to do with an earl, or cultists from Shurakura (Shorapur?) dragging them around. Then there's the goat skeleton cult, tied to one of the cities ransacked by the undead. Kirkul, I think."

The temple official confirmed the sirens were an infrequent but known nuisance, occurring perhaps once a year. "People still like baths," he noted, adding that adventurers had been sent to deal with the problem before. He offered me the notes from the previous three failed expeditions, which I accepted with the admission that she had tangled with sirens in the past and knew how messy such encounters could become.

Talk shifted to the old legends of cats and rats. "The stories go that when the cats and rats eventually leave the town, pestilence will follow," the official explained. He encouraged the party to address all three matters if they could. I noted the play on words when he mentioned handling them "before dawn," prompting a brief smile as my own name was recognised in the pun.

A young man soon appeared, guiding them through to the main sitting room. It was a large, open-air square chamber appointed with columns, breezy curtains, low cushions scattered about, and incense burning in many places. Finger foods had been laid out. Into this space walked a well-appointed hobbit—the Chamberlain himself. He smiled from ear to ear upon seeing them.

"Why am I not surprised?" he said. "You've got yourself into a pickle."

I replied that such was the nature of our business. The Chamberlain understood that Lizette had been charmed by demonic powers and infected as well. He thanked Keshah for offering to resurrect him the previous year, calling the gesture noble, though he was glad it had not been followed through; it would have led to mass carnage and much death. He had been slain by the sultan, he explained, but resurrected shortly thereafter by another hand. There had been a misunderstanding.

"You are somebody of great importance to us, Lizette," the Chamberlain continued, "and this has happened in our city to you. This is not a good thing. You're probably also not in your right mind." He glanced at Keshah and then at me, noting that her friends remained undecided on the matter. "What would you have us do? How can we assist you?"

Lizette answered steadily: "I would like to find a way to get rid of the evil soul spirit that is trying to be reborn and keep the child."

The Chamberlain put out his hand and stabbed it with a dagger. Blood welled. "Does that satisfy you? That was the first child to be murdered in front of you—to ensure that your child is born pure."

Lizette recoiled. "No. They've told me there are other ways. Ways that don't involve committing evil acts. I won't get rid of evil by committing more evil. That seems kind of counterproductive."

The Chamberlain healed the wound before their eyes. "Then you should try to send it back where it came from—the dark realms."

"That wouldn't help," Lizette replied. "How would we do that? I'm fine with getting rid of the spirit, sending it back. Is there a way to do that while keeping the child?"

Keshah interjected that they could not even be certain it was a child at all. "I don't think it's a child. It's a parasite."

Lizette pressed on. "What can we do? How can we stop this?"

Chapter 51: The Blighted Gift

The grim cost of foresight

In the shadowed sanctuary of the temple, the priest's voice carried the weight of inevitability. "The cost is great," he warned, "and I'm unclear if you're aware of what is to be paid."

Lizette met his gaze steadily. "Perhaps you could enlighten me."

The priest offered a harsh demonstration involving severed fingers to illustrate the folly of her ways, but Lizette immediately objected. "Without killing children. I think we already discussed no evil."

"It won't kill children," the priest replied. "I will just cut several of your fingers off."

Keshah leaned forward. "And what's this going to do?"

"This will show her the folly of her ways," the priest said. The healer among them dismissed the notion outright, noting that Lizette could simply regenerate what was lost. The priest conceded the point but maintained it would grant her time for contemplation.

Further discussion unveiled the true price. Everything Lizette had worked for would be halved or worse. The child would foresee events and horrors yet always be ignored, condemned to a blighted existence that would warp its spirit into something undesired. It was, they agreed, effectively a curse.

Talk turned to other possibilities, including the plane of air, but the priest confirmed such a path would demand a major miracle beyond their knowledge. Syrene, however, had already been summoned—though her court roamed between locations. When Keshah offered to visit her, the priest advised against Lizette leaving the temple; the risk was too great, with a seventy-five percent chance she would permanently lose half her abilities.

"I will make arrangements," Keshah said. "I'll head off now then, if that's okay."

Lizette urged him not to take me, insisting I would be safe within the temple. Keshah confirmed he held rights to travel to the outskirts of Seagate by magic tunnel. The Elvish ambassador there could reveal the court's location, allowing him to portal close and proceed with my aid if needed. He admitted his limited familiarity with the Elven Court, given his background as the bastard son of elven high nobility and his father's history as an Elvish invader to the Western Kingdom.

"I'll start up a rune portal and head off," Keshah decided. There was no sense in taking others and draining more fatigue. His companion planned to pursue separate leads at the temple, prompting Lizette's wry remark about admirers checking him earlier. "No, not those sort of leads," the companion clarified.

As preparations finished, Lizette allowed herself a moment of dark humour. "So, it's a virgin birth. I should start a religion."

"It's not gonna actually be born though," Keshah reminded her. "It's a chest popper, remember?"

"I'm hoping Syrene can help with this," Lizette said quietly. "I'm gonna end up owing her big time."

"You're bound to," came the reply. "I don't think she would be adverse to that idea."

Keshah stepped through the portal to Seagate. Shortly thereafter, Marian and her mother arrived at the temple as well. To Lizette's quiet relief, Marian looked well.

Chapter 52: Whispers of Caution

Rules of the big things

And her mother and her were ushered off to another room. The words that followed came laced with uncertainty. "But, you know, there are lots of really big things out there. Just be careful, there are rules. I, I get them wrong, so I'm the worst person. But, something like you're only supposed to speak to... No, don't know that. Well, then don't speak around. Alright. But really? Okay. I, I could be wrong. Talk to someone who's actually sure what's going on, because you don't want to get it wrong."

As we waited for Keshah to return, I was feeling a bit worried about what I was getting myself into. Names had been mentioned of people I had only read about on Scribe Notes and the Seagate Times. Now it seemed I was about to meet them. Very powerful people as I understood them. People like Syrene and Matt Tumbledown and who knows who else. I took stock about things we still had to do or had got ourselves obliged to do, and many of them, I was worried that we would have to disappoint people.

Our original mission, to investigate an information leak in a local merchant house - we hadn't even started on that one.
Lizette and I was supposed to pose for a sculpture under the light of the next Full Moon.
I had talked myself into a dinner on a boat at some future date.
I had also been talked into a drink and a bath with a dwarf, hopefully with the company of lady hobbit priestesses.
The business with the skeleton, an Earl, and what connections that had to do with the City of Kirkul was still on my list.
The Siren in the Bathhouse - was that a threat that also needed investigation?
And what was the Enchanter in the Blue Tower up to?

But, I knew that this business with Lizette now had to take priority? But a worry was still running around in my mind. At what personal cost? And did I really want my fae powers back? I really wasn't sure.

Night 8

Chapter 53: The Titan's Summons

Lord Keshah meets the titan who will carry him to Lady Syrene

Day 6
The decision had been made to return to Cazala. Lord Keshah sought the elven ambassador, confident the noble would know how to reach Lady Syrene. The lady had once spoken of Lizette's fertility as a shadow that might trouble them in days to come, and that warning now demanded attention.

By midday he stood once more within the city's walls. After a satisfying meal at the guild hall, where a lone party member drew a few raised eyebrows. Keshah changed into finer attire. He had no wish to be turned away at the ambassador's door. An elf he might be, yet appearances still mattered among his kind.

The Chamberlain of the ambassador greeted him with polite recognition. "It is a pleasure to meet you again, Lord Keshah. I doubt you remember me." Keshah assured him otherwise and came quickly to the point: an urgent matter required contact with Lady Syrene's court, and they understood the ambassador could open that path. The chamberlain listened, then nodded. "I know the titan well. Come this way."

He led Keshah into a wide yard, calling for it to be cleared. Another elf waiting nearby was asked to step aside. A servant rang a great hammer against a post; though the blow looked powerful, it produced no sound. Moments later the air itself seemed to split. A massive titan appeared, stooping to set a heavy stone upon the ground. The being surveyed the yard with ancient eyes.

"Greetings, Keshah," the titan rumbled. "I have an emergency. I must reach Lady Syrene as soon as possible." Keshah replied.

"Then hold tight," the titan instructed, offering a thick forearm. "Do not let go."

Keshah grasped the limb. The world folded. When it unfolded again he stood in a cool glade where daylight had already slipped toward late afternoon. The temperature was stifling. Through the trees he glimpsed broken ground giving way to desert under a southern sky. Pink flamingos crossed overhead. They had come far indeed, somewhere along the coast east of familiar lands.

The titan led him along a path worn by recent feet. As they walked, conversation turned to Keshah's altered heart. The change that granted him new strength had also made him sensitive to daylight; in melee he grew sluggish when the sun was high. Night brought relief, yet the imbalance hindered his work. The titan listened, offering measured thoughts. Removal and regrowth might be possible with a daring healer, or other, darker roads could be taken. A drow temple where life could be traded for death was mentioned, though such bargains carried their own cost.

Before long two young elves appeared on the trail. "Lord Keshah," one called. "Welcome. Lady Syrene is expecting you. We received word only a short while ago."

They continued together until the trees opened upon a shaded pavilion. Lady Syrene awaited news of Lizette, who it seemed rested in Adjepbar, a settlement not far along the coast. The Lady provided a token meant for the high priestess there, a guarantee that the matter of Lizette's condition would neither be refused nor allowed to fester. "You may bring her," Syrene agreed, "but only once proper arrangements are made. Emotional matters sometimes require care."

Keshah accepted the token and the counsel. When the time came he would return by teleportation rather than risk the titan's route again. For now he sat beneath the pavilion's awning, the forest humming around him, while plans took shape to bring Lizette before the Lady who had foreseen her trouble.

Chapter 54: Blackened Essence and the Elven Escort

Elven escort meets the Wall Walkers beneath coastal hills

The conversation turned to practical matters of distance and travel. The portal lay roughly five miles outside the city, its walls glistening on the horizon under bright sunshine—an hour's steady walk at least—though Syrene's camp had proven closer along the coast than first imagined.

Returning to the city was straightforward. Upon arrival a street hawker approached Keshah with an offering of blue-hazed dates; they were purchased but left uneaten as he quickly withdrew. From there the path led back to the temple to rejoin myself, still waiting. Lizette had already been absent nearly three hours. In that interval an attempt was made to purify the soul and lift its inner bindings. Dark fragments began dropping from Lizette's fingers, yet the caster admitted their suspicions had not been entirely accurate.

Upon returning, Keshah announced, "I'm back. The portal is about five miles out along the coast." Questions followed about how the earlier troubles had ended. Documentation was produced showing that the woman had enjoyed magical protection regarding her condition for some time. The healer had offered no particular advice on injuries, and Lizette soon began to ramble, her speech choking off at intervals.

A cat leaped down from a small cart and regarded us with a distinctly grumpy expression. "That cat doesn’t live here," someone observed. She certainly didn’t as this was Mags. What followed was an odd, circular exchange with her. She was annoyed the inn was full of dwarves, describing them as fat, round-bellied figures. I countered that they were merely sturdy, not fat. That didn’t matter to Mags. She wanted them gone and insisted I get it done. I was starting to get annoyed as the exchange sharpened into open threats. : "Do you like the smell of fish heads? I will curse you with smelling as them if you don't complete this." The reply came swiftly: "You’re acting like a petulant fey child."Actually, I like that one. I think I'll stick with it. I was so tempted to throw a Pixie Prank at Mags.

We were transported to Syrene’s camp.. Before long a handful of elves stepped from behind the trees, bows lowered. The token was displayed. "Back so soon?" one asked. "With company. Good company." The elves found it interesting and promised to break camp quickly. A medallion was passed over, its design showing two hands upon an owl, one of them resembling the recipient.

I had arrived still wearing the drow robe, which earned a look of open contempt from the elves. I offered to take it off, and reveal the bikini instead.. They didn’t think much of that idea either. Discussion turned at once to attire; first impressions mattered. A concealing cloak was offered and accepted.

The elves waved us forward to begin the escort. We found ourselves upon a hillside where low scrub gave way to sandy desert. Five miles distant, past the headland, lay bright white marine sands, low white cliffs, and the open sea. Lizette felt the weight of her malady. Empathy was dulled, capabilities reduced by lingering negatives. "Still, I'm alive," she noted. The poison was clearly not of any ordinary sort. For now we chose to hold off on any further attempt to unburden ourselves.

Chapter 55: The Seer's Grave Warning

Lady Syrene delivers her ominous prophecy

As we wandered down into camp we saw a large pit dominated by a grand pavilion perched upon its edge. Inside, roughly seventy-five souls gathered around a great square stone while a performer was in the midst of an acrobatic display, deftly weaving through circles of fire alongside several hobbits, to the clear delight of Syrene and the Titan who watched from nearby. The air hummed with the colors and crests of many factions.

We recognized pennants of the Destinian Wood Elves and several northern clans, along with banners bearing gold and silver crowns on red fields. A lively company of young hobbit noblemen known as The Kings Rapiers occupied several tables, their bright rapiers and colorful attire unmistakable. They recognized me at once since I was the Western Kingdom Queen's Special Advisor to the Kings Rapiers, and waved me over. One of the rapiers leaned in. "There are some witches who've been talking about you. Something about a prophecy. They see into the future, you know." I raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure that I've been told I'm part of any prophecy." The man shrugged. "It would behoove you to pay attention. It's only polite. And don't go near the water mage. He's a creep."

Platters arrived bearing sizzling artichokes and wriggling vine-like tentacles that had to be seized and devoured before they escaped the dark plates. The food proved nourishing once mastered. When the acrobatic display ended to generous applause, One of the hobbits attempted to climb into my lap, prompting swift clarification that we were not sleeping together. Courtly banter followed about rumours started in the Western Kingdom, until the hobbit was pulled away by the ear and deposited in his own chair. I was trying to hide my disdain.

Lady Syrene soon approached with a small glass of water and sat at their table. "Thank you, Keshah," she said, then turned to Lizette. "Have you taken my words to heart? Last time we met I told you that bad things would enter your line and lineage if you continued as an adventurer. It appears you have continued this way." Lizette acknowledged the warning and asked what could be done. The seer spoke plainly: the presence growing inside her was no child but a tainted thing that fed upon her daily, growing stronger until it would burst free. Only by accompanying Keshah on his quest to a fountain in the perilous lands of the dead did she stand any chance of purging the horror and returning to the living. The journey would be deadly for all, yet refusal promised only greater loss. Aurora, too, might reclaim something she had lost if she chose to drink from the same pool. Syrene's gaze was steady. "The longer you carry it, the more it devours you. You should go with him."

Chapter 56: The Fountain of Death

Planning the journey to the Fountain of Death

The conversation soon turned to the Kings Rapiers and the strange notion that whichever of them could sleep with me would earn promotion from the queen. The captain of the guard approached, urging the gentlemen to stop fawning, to get off my lap and cease drooling over my bosoms. I had originally started rumours that I wasn't interested in men in order to keep them from trying to court me but it now seemed that had backfired on me. It was obvious I was going to have to put my foot down to prevent such amorous behavior in Court and elsewhere. He led us aside. "Please come this way, and if you could wipe some of the drool off yourself—a wave of the hand and it will disappear." The captain's tone grew somber. "Your friend is not in good condition, and I am sorry for your loss." He then then added, "I would expect nothing more than encouraging those little fellows to try and sleep with you. I am going to have to put my foot down." "I thought gentle persuasion and rumors to the contrary would have done that." I replied. "Obviously not". More conversation with the guard captain revealed his opinion that I had taken excellent, tender care of the queen. "Oh, I'm just doing my job," I replied modestly. Discussion moved to my dual role: passing the king's instructions onward while gathering rumours and information to advise the queen in return. The court, I and him agreed, was the happening place.

Then the talk grew serious. "If you wish, there is an opportunity to accompany Keshah. He is going on a very dangerous mission." It concerned a drow-controlled island near Delph—far to the south, some two thousand kilometers as the cloud flies—where the Fountain of Death lay, a grim counterpart to the Fountain of Youth. Concerns about mortality arose at once. "What happens if we all die?" The reply was pragmatic: if any fell, resurrection would be attempted provided the group reached safety quickly enough. Plans were made to return any remains to a place where revival remained possible.

Maps were produced and examined. "It is Delph. There is the Five Sisters." Fingers traced the equator line and the dark blue markings; the island lay fifteen to twenty degrees south, making the journey more than two thousand kilometers as the cloud flies. Keshah located a worn sheet listing rune portals he had previously created.. A portal waited in the middle of the western ocean and another farther south; each square on the map represented roughly two hundred miles. Travel options were weighed. Matt Tumbledown, the Titan, could advise us, yet traveling there himself was forbidden lest the island's citizens provoke him. Still, all agreed he was very brave and that they wanted him back. The name Matt Tumbledown was mentioned with interest; I confessed I had heard and read, much but had never met the man and was tempted to introduce myself.

Strange rumors surfaced. Someone, mainly me, had spread tales that only women could sleep with me but another rumour was out that men would gain greater enchantment thereby by doing so. I would have to quash that one. I admitted adding parts of the rumour myself to discourage unwanted attention. When talk turned to calling upon the witches of the Red Crowns, a warning followed: "Try not to sleep with all of them at once. They are quite enthusiastic. They are very powerful all around." The Crowns might attempt to recruit, yet their aid could prove invaluable. With a red crown of gold in mind for added preparation, we settled on a route down towards Pasifika as the simplest path forward.

Chapter 57: Plans for the Forbidden Pool

The Wall Walkers deliberate their stealthy approach to the sacred pool

In the busy common room, where clusters of curious courtiers had begun drifting closer with ears tuned to every murmur, we spoke in low, urgent tones over a spread map. Keshah frowned at the distances involved. "How far can you make portal?" I asked, only to learn that his own abilities could not reach places he had never visited. The target lay nearly three thousand miles away on the southern side of the larger of two islands at the map's bottom edge.

Suggestions flew back and forth. I proposed flying first to the closest town and securing passage from there, perhaps by charming captains or offering coin and the chance to earn favor. Keshah mentioned his flying vessel, describing a skiff some twenty-five feet long with a steep mast that could sail the air or glide across waves, even submerge to fifty feet if sufficient water were aboard. Its speed depended on the navigator's skill, though it was no match for the clouds I could summon.

Syrene listened carefully before offering a clearer path. Returning first to Seagate, we could place Lizette inside a stasis crate, the Keshah possessed, —a heavy wooden box that halted time itself while sealed—preserving what remained of her strength. From Seagate we could reach Pasifika with relative ease, then continue by air or sail to the island itself. Only once there would they open the crate, revive her, and attempt the dangerous task at the pool.

Syrene watched us gravely. "It is a religious pool for them," he said. "You will be stealing from them, and none of them will be happy about this. They worship oblivion, and we have driven them from the slave docks many times before. They will remain unhappy with you forever." The warning settled heavily. The waters themselves were perilous. "If things go adequately," Syrene continued, "it is likely you will die. Lizette may be able to resurrect you—if she is still capable. She may have already lost that power."

The locals included dark celestial mages, a handful of elementalists, and three notorious drow brothers—summoners currently at war with one another. When the party asked whether the brothers might become allies, Syrene shook his head. "They are too untrustworthy."

I glanced around the table. "Should we try to blend in with the natives?"

Syrene regarded her with a measured look. "Not. You haven't got the skin for it. You haven't got the eyes for it. You haven't got the hair for it." She added that the party was far more worldly than her; the decision on how to proceed must be theirs. The consensus settled on maximum stealth—slipping in unnoticed, avoiding scrying magics where possible, and forgoing any risky alliances that might end in betrayal.

"We might need better information," one companion noted. Syrene agreed that the Gold Crowns possessed unreasonably accurate intelligence and a talent for devising sound plans. She turned to me. "Off you go. Try not to offend anyone. Remember you have a flag of trust."

"I will try very hard not to do that," I replied, rising to carry their hopes to the influential faction. The rest of the party watched her depart, the weight of the perilous journey ahead settling over them like a gathering storm.

Chapter 58: The Sisterhood's Visions

Lady Olga and the Sisterhood share their visions

The conversation in the high-vaulted chamber turned practical as Lizette examined a small item. "I can use this on us," she declared. Her companions crowded closer. "What is it?" I asked. "Oh, it's the Gold Nuggets," came the reply, "and it's magical stuff, which is probably worth it once we settle on a plan for how this works."

Meanwhile, I nervously approached the Crowns. After sorting through an initial question and some confusion over introductions, a formal welcome rang out. "Greetings, Aurora. Captain, you are dismissed. Please come in and thank you." The speaker acknowledged the many questions I carried, assuring me of equally numerous answers.

Remarks turned to lineage and power. I observed that my host seemed much like my cousin Starflower, though probably more powerful. Confirmation followed: an MA well over 200 placed the speaker definitively beyond Starflower's abilities. The sisterhood, it was explained, counted many members among its ranks, including several water mages and some elementalists. The current speaker ranked among the rare mages.

Inquiry was made about prior communication with cats, which I admitted to being able to do. "Yes, very good," came the reply. I saw that one of them had taken something from a nearby shelf. The cats, it was agreed, were remarkable; but I had not yet tried the ability on my own three but suspected the usefulness of certain items acquired from Mags remained uncertain. Affinity for plants was likewise affirmed.

"This is Lady Olga," the introductions continued, indicating a white young woman who appeared almost elvish. Two snow-white wolves stood on each side of her. The walls around looked quite high, yet the wolves seemed capable of scaling them, though not at present. One wolf mouthed the words with extreme care: "Your service will be remembered." Thanks were returned. Questions followed about the timing of my last talk with the cat—it had not been long ago, before certain preparations were made. "How can we assist you?" the sisters asked. My response outlined the need for transport methods for Keshah, with Delph as the apparent destination. The women glanced at one another. One of the Crown slid a parchment across the surface of the table towards me. The text spoke of a great explosive force coming down. Concern arose over resistance, numbers such as seventy-two, creams, dark and white surfaces, and the need to make the white colour prominent. The meaning remained unclear despite examination.

A flurry of chatter entered my mind, followed by an older voice speaking in Elvish: "It is alright. I know Lady Dawn. What do you need of us? I'm not with you, but I can help you." I assumed that was the Head of the Crowns. The exchange deepened. Certain actions could not be done as requested, yet I was expressing no problem s with Lizette's desire to see it born, but not as a calamity. However the birth would not occur under normal conditions. One speaker admitted acting under a misapprehension and acknowledged it would not be the first time. "Do you think it is human?" That was a question relating to thing growing inside Lizette. My reply was that logic indicated otherwise; the questioner was not a stupid woman. The situation reminded the speaker of what had happened to someone else.

Somehow talk turned to the time I had nearly committed suicide on adventure. All I could remember was being enamoured with a fae court and the possibly of being a full fae and have the power of True Flight but, if I had done that I would have been permanently lost to this world. Besides, I had already obtained the Air Wings back then but they weren't ranked very high at the time. I had to force myself to return but it had been hard, and part of me didn't want to, even though the other part of me wanted to live. At the time I had the beginnings of the Fae College as well as my Air College and also the vulnerability to Cold Iron. I had been left with all my primary attributes halved and I would have to work hard to get them back. Even now a few of them had not regenerated but I had managed to compensate for much of that and made some stronger. My next mission after some Guild Counselling from the Sorceress in Silver and Starflower found me in Silverstream when I met the Lady of Lyonesse who had shrived off much of my faeness and had repaired some of the damage I had caused to my own psyche. Even so I had lost much of my confidence. Concern was voiced at my broken state of mind which may be the cause of some of my current eccentricities. "You should come on a holiday with us. Once you have drunk and fallen in the pool." The promise was given to facilitate the requests once I had agreed to their conditions. It was suggested that Lady Olga should take me to a cave. I was also instructed to travel with my companions but not bring the Titan. I told them that we had already been instructed not to do so. I also showed off the translucent Bound Air wings I had received as a Boon after a mission to the Elemental Plane of Air that when fully learnt also gave me True Flight. They seemed a bit surprised I had them. However, the final question lingered: did the best spells stand ready, and after all fatigue had been cleared, was one near death?

Chapter 59: A Year and a Day

Aurora signs the pact and receives the boon

I listened as the discussion turned to the need for a contingency. "You have a very good point," I said. "We need a contingency plan."

The being who was speaking into my mind insisted on greater focus. Success was vital. They warned that I and my companions would require a swift means of leaving the island if savagely wounded, along with a disguise that would not fail should my fae illusion talent fade. An item-bound enchantment would serve best. I admitted she possessed no such method at present and asked whether the Crowns could provide one.

"Of course I can," they replied. "I will give you such a boon, because I know you will repay the favor." Terms were settled: once her obligations to her two comrades were fulfilled, I would offer the Crowns my company for a year and a day—not necessarily in a single stretch—and obey three requests, provided they involved no evil actions. "Then we have a deal," the being declared. A contract appeared and I signed at the bottom while Crowns formed a silent circle, staring. I gazed at the paper as I worried what I had just let myself in for as a strapless carry bag with a handle was passed to me. "This is for you," the being said. "Pay attention so this so your friends may also learn this when they look into your mind." Inside lay three potions that would restore life and three potions of a highly ranked wind walking. There was also a silver coloured powder, which when poured upon the pool, it would blind and burn the minds of all who had looked upon us in the last five minutes, erasing their memory of recent events. Another powder that smelled of cinnamon, would suppress the ability of summoned devils from other worlds to track us. "You must use them before going out there or taking flight," the being instructed. I confirmed my understanding.

For departure, I was considering shifting to another plane of reality and returning to the material plane at their destination without crossing the intervening space. "You will need to speak to one of the elemental princes for that. Summon an elemental to carry a message to the elemental princess." I considered that while recalling my prior visit to the Air Elemental Plane. I smiled at the thought of visiting the PoA again, yet the voice in my mind reminded me that the debt to her kin must first be repaid.

When the being asked if she had questions, I answered, "Not at the moment, but I'm pretty sure I'll think of some later."

The conversation shifted to the sacred waters of Lord Isher. Basically I was told that the Waters would strip away much; and I must face the trial with all my resources if my hoped to endure. That made me a bit more worried, but I knew that to help Lizette, that it was something I would have to do.

Chapter 60: Rebuke of the Siren

Syrene delivers her foreordained warning

While I was communing with the Crowns, Lizette and Keshah were discussing things with Lady Syrene. Once the Crowns were satisfied I had memorised their instructions precisely, I was allowed to rejoin them.

"I was planning to return to the guild because I have a stasis box stored there which I can put Lizette," Keshah was saying, "and that will halt her degradation.

Talk then turned to the practicalities of infiltration and withdrawal. They would employ the rune portals already installed for initial distance, followed by using Keshah's air skiff as fast as it would go and short hops using wings if needed. "I would suggest we use the winds, which will get us a couple extra miles of speed," one proposed. "Then a big hop from wherever we end up near the far shore of Delph. We have been able to keep the boat afloat, and the wind will help us get out of the local area."

The mood shifted as Syrene addressed the deeper wound. "Do you not understand what has happened? To the child. You have been cursed. You are not with an actual child."

Lizette met her gaze. "This thing has been greatly accelerated from what we feel sure is due to magic. Is there a way to stop this happening again or at least be forewarned?"

Syrene's tone hardened. "I already warned you once. You took my words and cast them aside. Whatever guidance I give you now is pointless. All of this that has fallen upon you was foreordained. I warned you of it. You chose to not heed my warnings. You chose the path that you are on. All the suffering to you and your friends is unfortunate. Just remember everything that Aurora is giving up for you."

Quiet acknowledgment followed. Apologies were offered, and the promise to learn from the hard road ahead. Syrene remained unmoved yet not cruel. "We will see this new leaf that you turn over."

The group spoke then of the waters themselves, how they might fix the lingering problem. Drinking from them at this time of year held more power than mere survival for an aspect. Lizette hesitated at the end.

"Sorry, may I ask a foolish question?" she asked. Syrene's reply was dry. "No. How about you phrase it into a wise question?". I tried very hard not to grin.

Chapter 61: The Locus of Death and the Price of Wings

Debating the pool of death before the descent to the Sea of Grass

The discussion had grown serious. Lizette voiced her uncertainty, hoping the question was a wise one. "When you say it can fix a problem," she asked, "is it like some kind of wish that simply fixes things?" Keshah suggested she direct the matter to Syrene directly, then rose and excused himself, promising to return in five minutes.

The Captain of the Guard cut in firmly. "Don't be so foolish. It is the death of something." In this case, he explained, it meant the death of that unborn monster, the dragon of death. The pool was the ending of it. One companion described feeding the life aspect he carried during the day into the locus, surrendering the infestation in exchange for having his heart restored to what it had been before. They recalled the last battle, when the infestation—a creature of darkness and evil—had been offered to the pool, itself a place of evil and darkness, and received a cure in return.

"Is it powering it?" someone asked. The answer came patiently: the pool was not powered by such offerings. It was a locus, a place of power for death, the opposite of the fountain of life. It simply existed as a feature of the world.

The conversation turned to the hope of transformation. "Can we not simply make the child into a normal human child?" The response was blunt. "Have you not worked out you aren't carrying a child?" It was impossible to turn a demon into a child, just as one could not transform a natural infant into something it was not. Lady Olga spoke softly, admitting she was not quite sure what Lizette was feeling.

Meanwhile I was casting my mind back roughly ten years. I remembered the faeness I had sought, and how its cost had grown too high. I had begun turning more fae-like, losing my humanity, her sense of self. The change had come after her first meeting with Dramus in his court. Obsessed with exploring my fae nature, I had nearly been sucked into a fae court in a manner that would have meant her complete loss—essentially committing suicide. I had only used the favor for half a day, yet the pull had been terrifying.

"Before you jump in the water," one companion advised, "figure out what you want from the favor. As an elf, with luck you may gain what you desire and not die." I acknowledged I still had a long way to go in restoring myself.

Before we set out, it was agreed we should consult the grounds on the best way to infiltrate the pool. Plans for escape were laid out: they would use the portals Keshah had to travel as far as possible. A scry shield fixed in space and time would not serve; they needed a portable scry shield, something that could envelop the entire group. The Crowns confirmed such magic existed—it belonged to an older college, too useful to have been forgotten.

The route took shape. From Seagate they could reach the island by way of a known portal to Pacifica. Rune portals departed from the trading post in Carzala, within Seagate itself, carrying travelers to the Pasifican portal within the Sea of Grass. That was their destination. The rune portals remained in place, ready for their use.,

Chapter 62: The Torc, the Parasite, and the Crown's Bargain

Lizette considers the torc as plans for the long voyage take shape.

The discussion turned at once to the long journey ahead. Two thousand miles separated Pasifika from the island that was their goal. One adventurer suggested layering spells for extended duration, noting that multiple castings could triple the effect. Another voiced concern whether it would last long enough, prompting talk of enchanters who might strengthen their efforts.

A plan took shape around Kesha's special boat that flew when air was bound twice to the mast and once to the keel. Kesha explained that one companion could perform the rituals while the other piloted, allowing shifts so each could rest. We also considered setting up room portals in stages: travel partway, return for scry protection, then continue, never drawing within two hundred miles of their target until properly shielded. The fewer people involved the better, we agreed; with just two making the run there should be no complications.

Conversation shifted to a far stranger matter. Lizette read aloud from a detailed description of an ancient torc intended for female wearers alone. Once implanted it fused with the neck bones, granting the ability to transform. At a thought the torc would tear free in a noisy, messy surge of blood and bone shards, cloaking the wearer in thick matte-gray armor of an old style. The process caused no harm, and the armor could be returned by remaining still for fifty-five minutes or more, though that too was unsettling to watch. It offered twelve points of protection against blows and six against endurance strikes, yet carried a weight factor of four and an agility penalty. Most crucially, while worn the bearer became invisible to all magic; no spell could affect her, nor could she draw upon mana, cast, or benefit from healing arts. Even the healer’s skill would fail until the armor was removed.

Lizette wondered if this would help her. A parasitic entity was devouring her soul in noticeable chunks, and she asked whether donning the torc might halt its progress, at least temporarily. We weighed the question. The armor would certainly make her invisible to magical detection, which might blur any threat the temple scryers could perceive. Yet the parasite’s nature remained uncertain; some wondered if it would simply fall away or continue its work unaffected. Testing the idea directly was risky. We settled on a safer path: a precognition to observe whether wearing the armor for a day would leave her any worse once it was removed.

The armor’s interaction with other necessities complicated matters further. If Lizette needed to drink the prepared water, the torc might spring forth at the conscious act, spilling it uselessly. The solution proposed was straightforward if grim: render her unconscious with a single pulse, then pour the liquid down her throat while she could not resist. It would make little difference, one noted, given the parasite would kill her anyway.

To secure the needed precognition and additional tools, we turned back to the Ladies of the Crown. Three portable scry shield amulets were offered, items that would function especially well for Aurora and Lady Lizette, though less so for the other gender. In exchange the terms were plainly stated. The items must be returned. Aurora would spend one year, one month, and one day assisting in the learnings of magic. Should any item be lost or the agreement broken, she would join the Crown indefinitely and serve as ambassador to her guild at their pleasure. The weight of the pact settled over the room, yet the path forward was now clearer.

Chapter 63: Portals, Curses, and the Stasis Box

Strategic council in the secret garden

Within the secluded green of the secret garden of Syrene's Court, we concluded our business with Lady Syrene and turned our attention to more urgent matters. Syrene confirmed that the troubling water was not celestial magic, which meant the nuggets they had acquired could still be used against it.

We moved on to the soul effect itself. Immunity to magic would not delay its progress, nor would it serve as more than a temporary measure. The armor that could halt the affliction came with its own dangers: it would vanish after fifteen minutes of stillness, meaning the wearer could never sleep again without risking instant death. The discussion acknowledged that the armor might buy time but could not serve as a cure.

Travel plans took shape next. With one of our number in need of immediate aid, the we agreed we must reach the outskirts of Seagate as quickly as possible. Matt would guide us there by tunnel magic and see us safely to the edge of the city. From there the plan turned to the long journey ahead. Portals offered the best solution: a series of five-hundred-mile hops across the ocean to an island, then onward, far faster than flying at twenty-five miles per hour. The portals were solid once cast, difficult to track, and would require fifteen minutes of protection while being established.

"The portals are much harder to track," one companion noted, "and also much quicker."

I had one quick side task to do, collect the rest of my gear from the inn. This I managed to do quickly but I had to deal with an annoyed cat and an annoyed dwarf once there. Once I informed both I was on a 'life and death' mission and would return as soon as I could, they were mollified but Mags still insisted I had a week before she would lay the fish head smell curse on me. Already I was pondering how Mags would look with green fur.

Upon my return we made our way to Seagate and hence to the Guild. There, in a storage chamber, we examined the stasis box: a sarcophagus five feet wide, four feet high, and twelve feet long that weighed two hundred pounds. Once its lid was sealed, anything inside entered stasis. Fitting it aboard our modest boat would require careful placement in the lower hold.

Nothing extra-planar would interfere with it, but any resistance to stasis itself would be dangerous. Lizette would enter the device after receiving strong buffs, for the stasis would preserve those spells until the lid opened just before the infiltration of the pool. The sarcophagus would suppress the curse. The effect would last for weeks equal to the device's rank.

"Get yourself buffed up and then into the box," Keshah told Lizette.

Chapter 64: Portals, Potions, and Mountain Vistas

Admiring the mountain view before the perilous infiltration

The conversation lingered on celestial magic and the sanctuary charm that would shield them. One adventurer broke it down clearly: the protection absorbed incoming spells, lowering its strength by the rank of each hostile magic. Once it reached zero it would fail, but with three charges it could withstand significant punishment before needing renewal.

Plans turned to their emergency extraction. The method was straightforward yet daring. Lizette would drink the potion and collapse as though dead. Her companion would lift her while both activated wind walking, carrying them swiftly to a distant sit spot. From there, successive one-minute room portals would leap them thirty miles at a time. Only after putting enough distance behind them, and relying on lost memory and misdirection, would the half-hour portal carry them to final safety. The oversized coffin would remain with the boat, which itself resided in a magical bottle; when summoned, the skiff stretched twenty-five feet long, six feet across, stood eight feet tall at the mast, and could bear limited cargo in its covered hold.

We then reviewed gear and obligations. A guild master offered thanks for services rendered. "You have done great services," he told them. "Are you planning on coming back here?" We spoke of unfinished tasks in the region and settled accounts: a two-percent information fee was paid on the valuation of twelve thousand and fifty gold.

Before setting out, we gathered essential supplies. Potions of mind shield (r66) and Scrolls of Strength of Stone (r12) were purchased to add to the supplies we had received from the Crowns "We put the cinnamon powder on ourselves before we sneak in," I explained. "All the things that can track you won't be able to. Earth elementals won't be able to track you." To counter the overpowering scent, vapour-breathing was prepared so no one would inhale the spice. Keshah confirmed their ritual healing, enhanced by a wish that granted expertise from the Rune College, reducing casting time and boosting effective rank.

Everything checked and double-checked, the plan crystallized: get down, sneak in, drink the water, and get out. "Consider it done," we affirmed, ready for the assault.

Night 9

Chapter 65: Scrying the Misty Gate

The crystal reveals the fog-shrouded gate

Day 10
We were finally at our destination. It had taken at least three days with portal hopping and continuous flight with Keshah and I taking turns piloting the skiff while the other slept. But it was now the afternoon of the fourth day. We stood at the mainland's lava-scarred tip, the distant shape of Mullin Island hazy across the channel. Lizette was still in the box. Our talk turned to survival. "We've got the potions," Keshah said, "but she'd have to try and give it to me, because you'd be unconscious." None of us had bargains with archangels or greater powers that might whisk their bodies away upon death, which meant one less thing to be worried about. The guild's insurance, roughly four hundred thousand, might cover retrieval costs, but beyond that we were on our own.

We returned to the crystal ball that had been our eye upon the target. The last images showed a bowl-shaped valley ringed by sharp mountain walls on three sides, a road and gatehouse perched where the pathway vanished into thick mist. From outside it looked like ordinary fog puddling against the mountainside and boiling lazily over the wall's edge. Keshah, who had last traveled here twenty years earlier during a drought early in his career, found the outlines faintly familiar.

Dressed still my flowing drow robes, I considered changing into my assassin suit for better stealth; as talking our way past the inhabitants seemed unlikely. Before risking the eye inside the mist we weighed a pre-cognition ritual. "It's an hour ritual," Keshah cautioned. "Are we in a hurry?" I asked. "Not yet" was the answer. While the spell was prepared in a hidden crevice safe from overhead eyes, the crystal continued its survey.

It showed a small port village on the coast with a handful of ships at anchor and a long stair climbing a couple of miles from the gatehouse above. Symbols of spiders and drow—not elves—adorned the buildings; a path led upward into the mountains. "I'm not the biggest fan of spiders," I muttered. Since we were using a multi-jump Crystal of Vision, I possessed, I jumped the view to the gatehouse itself. The gates stood closed. Darkness waited inside, and though mist churned and boiled across the top of the wall, none spilled through the entrance. "That would tend to indicate that there's some protections at the gates," I observed, "otherwise the fog should be pouring out." I, with a truth rune upon me, let her aerial affinity brush across the scene, seeking to understand what held the vapour at bay.

Chapter 66: Illusion, Stone, and Shadowed Waters

Emerging from the mist into the drow-guarded pool chamber

I was now in my black stealth armour and we were all flying. We hung in the thin air high above the mountains, studying the gate in the distance. "By your reckoning of having rank twenty aerial ability and your perception check, you would say that atmosphere's not normal," Keshah observed. I nodded. "Mind you, that could be some sort of magic in the gate that's preventing it from going through. It's probably not being blown by the wind or anything like that."

Closer inspection revealed the truth. The drifting fog was no natural vapor but an illusionary terrain, and through it they could now make out carved blood runes encircling the gate. These formed a ward, something very like a harming smite, steeped in dark celestial or necromantic power. The group wasted no time: protective magics were laid down against both colleges, spells that would last the better part of fifteen minutes.

I caused the Crystal of Vision to send a magical eye drifting closer to peer through the illusion. It settled perfectly above the gate, yet almost at once the observer stiffened. "I think we may be compromised," came the quiet warning. My gaze met the others. "We may already be compromised." There was no time to linger. The eye was withdrawn at once and the party pulled back, choosing a longer, safer route.

Four miles distant they descended the mountainside under cover of windwalk, moving low and swift. I, scouting ahead, suddenly froze as a large Komodo-like dragon creature rose to meet me; its gaze turned me to stone. The others closed quickly, slaying the basilisk before it could do further harm, then restored their companion.

We recast our windwalking spells and continued, sending me ahead once more so the rest could follow my form through the darkness. I was starting to wonder if I should be displaying running lights to the left and right so they could deduce my orientation and direction of travel. We swept around the flank of the mountain, well away from the original gate, and crested a strange mist. Below them lay a broad pool seventy feet across, its surface dark and still. A staircase climbed from its far side into another gatehouse, while half a dozen cave entrances yawned along the perimeter, linked by a stone walkway.

On the path stood three drow: one clearly a marshal, the other two casters of some kind. The priests spotted the intruders and rushed to engage. One hurled a bolt of boiling black fire; the spell washed over the party but was shaken off, thanks to the protective powder they had rubbed into their skin. Steel met dark armor. The fight was swift and decisive. All three drow lay dead within moments.

Breathing hard, the companions turned to the pool itself. They applied the last of the powder along their flanks, added a measure of cinnamon, and lifted Lizette between them. Then they stepped out, walking across the water at remarkable speed. Their saving throw held; whatever power lurked in those depths could not claim them. As the far side rose to meet them, one adventurer gave a rueful laugh. "That was worth going cross country, wasn't it?"

Chapter 67: Wings Through the Wards

Descending through the wards toward the pool

The previous trip had been the result of the Limited Precog. Now we were ready to do the whole thing for real. I changed into my formfitting black stealth armour, got Lizette out of the box, then coated ourselves liberally in the magical cinnamon powder. The sun had slipped beneath the horizon, leaving the sky bruised purple and the air heavy with the bite of volcanic sulfur. For the second time we agreed we would wind-walk the final stretch; the spell's short duration made it too risky to rely on while soaring high above jagged slopes. One misstep and the magic would fail, dropping us hard onto the rock. Personally I would find that a very embarrassing death.

We spoke of the ward we had shaken off during their earlier 'trial' flight, a brief flare of power that had demanded no resistance and left no obvious mark. Through the scrying crystal something had tried to speak, though whether the island's masters now knew of our approach remained uncertain. True-form rituals were discussed and discarded; the mountain wildlife was known to be vicious, and we had no wish to walk its slopes. Flying or wind-walking would carry them from the mainland, across the water, onto the north shore, and up into the high ridges until they were four miles from the pool, on the far side of the final crest. We wanted this to be quick - in and out as fast as possible, which was why we were saving the higher powered Wind-Walks for the exit.

Night had fully claimed the sky when we took to the air. The heat rolling off distant lava flows could still be felt even miles away. An hour and a half into the crossing, sharp eyes picked out movement: a flying carpet towed through the air by a team of small winged humanoids, perhaps three hundred feet above them and a mile distant. The strangers were heading east, circling in a manner that suggested they might have noticed the party. Without discussion we dropped lower, altered course, and left the patrol behind.

We finally set down three-quarters of the way up a steep mountainside. Above us a sharp ridge blocked the way; beyond it lay the pool, four miles distant. While the night deepened we drank potions and layered what short-term blessings we carried. One among us used the last dose of a potent poison, accepting the risk. Another received a spiked rune, warned not to strike allies with it. Fatigue was shaken off, and the group took to the air once more, following Keshah's blue light.

We rose over the first crest, slipped down into a valley where fog pooled like milk along the floor, then climbed again past a second ridge and around a towering stone pinnacle. Three minutes after clearing the final rise the pool came into view. As we descended through the fog, magic crackled around us. A brief flare of power brushed across our bodies, then a second surge as celestial magic was consumed by the gold nuggets, shedding the ward like water from oiled cloth.

We touched down on the near shore, the mountain at our backs, the pool stretching away to its far wall. All three of us could see clearly across the water. Then the voices came—growling syllables in a tongue Lizette did not know. To me, it was the drow language and it carried the unmistakable tang of dark fae magic.

Chapter 68: Clash at the Shadow Pool

Guardians rise from the shadow pool

This was it. We were here. Now we had to battle the guardians, drink the water and get out. We touched down with flawless balance on the narrow ledge of stone that bordered the pool. No more than six feet across, the shelf felt precarious, ancient steps rising behind them toward the mouths of shadowed caves. Forty or fifty feet away across the dark water, the guardians had already marked their arrival. One finished casting a spell that settled over the intruders like a chill veil. Another flung darts skyward; the missiles hung suspended, drifting with ominous purpose. A third reached into the pool and drew forth a weapon forged of pure darkness.

The air turned crisp, charged with static. A faint metallic taste of ozone touched every tongue. "I'm getting a little cold," I murmured, feeling it despite my Resist Cold spell. Something watched them from every direction at once.

"Zap 'em, blast 'em, get 'em," Keshah urged. I considered my options. "I was thinking of a knockout gas. That works. Still won't get all three of them."

The warrior who had drawn the dark blade did not hesitate. He sprinted straight across the pool's surface, leaving not a single ripple in his wake. Keshah reversed course to meet him along the edge while I held my position wondering if I should flutter up ten feet or so.. The enemy lunged, blade whistling, yet his strikes glanced away as though turned by an unseen hand. Surprise flickered across his face. He circled, trying to find an angle past the protection Lizette had laid upon her shield, only to realize too late that Keshah had flanked him.

Keshah surged forward in a charge that carried him past the pool's brink. His blow struck home with lethal force. The guardian crumpled, his dark weapon clattering away. Meanwhile a cloud of knockout vapour rolled across the chamber, and the remaining foes dropped unconscious.

With the immediate threat broken, the party turned to the next step of their plan. I produced a straw out of my pocket and sucked up as much of the vile black liquid as I could. drinking as instructed. Lizette stood watch, then drank in turn. Yet in that same moment darts whistled from the far side of the pool. Three of them found Lizette, two punching through her armor. She stiffened, then slumped unconscious to the stone.

The others moved quickly, feeding her more of the pool's water in hopes it would counteract the venom. "You do realize this is a breach of the guild contract," one reminded the group. "I know," came my reply. "We had an agreement about it. Nonetheless... I know I'm feeling really bad about this." The voice hardened. "but not anymore. I'm trying to be cold and calculating now."

Keshah broke a glass vial and drank its contents under the cover of night, seeking the death aspect that only darkness could grant him. As the liquid settled in our bellies, our sight changed. From a black hole at the pool's center, small humanoid figures began to boil upward—yellow, snarling things that looked strangely familiar. Behind them rose three spectral creatures, scanning the cavern with deliberate intelligence as though memorizing every corner before the real violence began.

Chapter 69: Ethereal Flight to the Cracked Lands

Revival amid the lava flows

The knockout gas still lingered in the chamber, though the breathing mixture had long since dissipated. Luckily We had seized the initiative. Keshah lifted the deceased Lizette into his arms, closing his eyes while I triggered the silver dust, a blast meant to distract the dandy creature. The explosion rang out behind them as we, consumed our more powerful potions and vanished into the winds, racing low and stealthily back the way they had come.

Soaring at tremendous speed through the darkness while hugging the ground was, in my opinion, rather terrifying. I was in front so I used my fae powers to emit a faint glow so the others could follow. Navigation proved tricky at a hundred and fifty miles an hour, yet we pressed northward over the pinnacle in a counter-rotational path until the coast appeared below. It soon became clear we were not over solid ground. An eerie underglow rose from a canopy of tall aquatic plants beneath the waves, bathing the night sea in ghostly light. "I don't think we're on land," one observed. Calculations placed their destination some one hundred and eighty miles across the open water.

The air was cold and crisp, but Keshah's and my aerial affinity let us shrug off the chill. Once back to Wings We chose to fly straight across rather than land and spend an hour on a rune portal; as our flight held unlimited duration. I slowed, drifting to the right and slightly below Keshah so we could speak more easily while the storm gathered strength on the horizon. By the time the rune portal site came into view we were flying through the teeth of it, yet we descended and landed completely undisturbed on the cracked earth, back at our starting point.

Aurora immediately prepared the resurrection potion and fed it to Lizette. The resurrection took hold. Lizette's eyes fluttered open to see me doubled over in distress. "Are you alright? What's happening?" Lizette asked. "We're going to wait a minute and a half until the death aspects run off," I answered, voice tight. "I'm not used to this Aspect. I think I'm gonna throw up."

Once the dark energies subsided, I set to work. I fed Lizette a strength of stone potion, restoring her endurance, before Keshah and I layered on the standard protections—vapour breathing, resist cold, rune armor, runes of protection, and a heart rune. "Wonderful, thank you," Lizette said, color returning to her face. We now stood in the midst of a dead, crackling land where lava poured off a hillside into crystals of boiling water, sending up hissing steam along the coast.

Chapter 70: Death Aspect and Mango Groves

Gathering windfall mangoes on the mainland hillside

As the patient left the room, conversation turned to me. I now bore a strange mark beside one eye, unfamiliar to my companions. "Is this related?" I asked. Lizette's examination brought relief on one count at least: she was not pregnant. Her abilities and attributes appeared intact, though the parasite had come perilously close to claiming far more.

"Let this be a lesson," came the warning. "Do not heal the cultists next time. This is what caused all this." The healer among them absorbed the words with a sigh. "I guess I'm not going to be trying to resurrect people anymore." The reply was pragmatic: they would simply need to wait a minute or two between such efforts. The mark and the new aspect were noted, along with the reminder to have empathy for themselves.

With immediate concerns addressed, talk shifted to unfinished business. Coins meant for detonation had been forgotten amid the chaos; one adventurer had even placed them in their mouth before being reminded. Keshah, still tasting the bitter remnants of a potion taken to prevent immediate triggering, began preparing the next rune portal despite being drained of fatigue. "I just want to get the awful taste of this water out of my mouth," he muttered, channeling through staff and spell.

Day 11
The portal delivered us to a well-lit hillside on the mainland, hot and humid in the morning sun. The air carried the rich scent of ripe mangoes and dates; in the distance goats bleated across white-pebbled beaches. We had come from the small island off the south of Delph, flown to the southernmost point of Delph itself, and now stood secure in the knowledge that their pursuers could no longer track them. Mango trees swayed overhead, hundreds of fruits visible on the ground and in the branches. I gathered several fresh windfalls. "I'm sure they won't object," I said. "Although whoever is feeding those goats down there might mind if I took them from the trees, but these are fair game." Besides, I wanted the mango juice to also get thew vile taste of the water out of my mouth.

The heat was already raising a light sweat. After a brief pause, Keshah fired up another portal, carrying the group five hundred miles farther into tropical jungle. We emerged on a distinctive hill known as a tepui, its strange shape offering rocky crags and a defensible position. A permanent portal was established, camp was pitched, and watches were set for the night. The view from their vantage was spectacular.

As they settled in, conversation drifted to past perils and future tasks. I recounted a incident on the way down, being attacked by gargoyles that hurled long-range lightning bolts like a thunderclap. "That was when I did the sensible thing and woke Keshah up," I said. Lizette asked about a personal quest given to me by Magnificence: to get rid of the dwarves. "Now that Marian's all sorted out, they should be gone by now." was my reply The timeline was clarified; Matt had returned them to Seagate, after which they had flown five hundred miles a day southward. It had taken roughly three days. The dwarves, it seemed, had not yet been gone long enough.

Chapter 71: The Web-Woven Falls and the Wasteland Procession

From the web-woven sanctuary to the war-torn shores of Azuria

The conversation drifted from an appointment with a sculptor to the vexing matter of the moon. "It's going to take us until the next new moon?" I asked, only to realize my grasp of the lunar phases had reversed themselves. "There was moonlight. I kept thinking it was new moon. I meant full" Another recalled the fourteenth, the midnight ritual in the desert with the blue dust, and the special extension that had carried them forward in time. Still, according to my count, it was only the tenth.

We stood in a rocky, isolated pocket of jungle we had selected on our journey, a place easily reached by wing. A waterfall spilled behind them into a central pool before flowing outward, yet its source proved far from ordinary. Enormous webs stretched across the heights, trapping moisture from the constant tropical rains and condensing it into streaming droplets that gathered into the cascade itself. "I'm not going to interfere with those," I declared, eyeing the structures with respect. "Don't be rude. Huge webs imply huge spiders."

The craftsmanship drew open admiration. "Is that fairy art?" "It is," came the answer. "Trapping the air into the dew, causing water bullets that turn into this waterfall coming down from the top of the pyramid." We agreed to leave the delicate working untouched.

With our strength restored, talk turned to practical matters. One asked whether anyone intended to cook. Mangoes were produced; jokes followed about grilling the fruit or fashioning ice cream from it. Goats bleated in the distance, but none wandered near our camp. Overhead, the cries of truly massive birds drifted on the wind. I and another spotted them first: creatures with twelve-foot wingspans, resembling condors crossed with pterodactyls, circling as hunters rather than mere carrion feeders. The surrounding plants seemed normal for the jungle north of the crater.

Keshah consumed a restorative to ease the loss of his fatigue and began the next renewal. The magic shifted them instantly. Bright midday sun beat down on a desiccated wasteland littered with the hulks of broken war machines, great rock-throwers battered by some recent conflict. In the distance two ships burned upon the sea: an Azurian galley smashing its way through a cog in what looked like pirate violence. A column of roughly one hundred and forty people in strange outfits trudged back toward the city, shadowed at a safe distance by centaurs with bows ready.

"It looks as if some sort of Azurian galley is smashing the ship out of some kind of cog," one observed, peering closer with the aid of the crystal of vision. Pity stirred for the dying, yet not strongly enough to warrant intervention. Discussion turned to practical needs: a visit to the temple at Syrene's camp to secure clearance and perhaps a letter of introduction. Another restorative was taken, wings were summoned, and we rose into the hot sky. They would skirt the city and make for Syrene's place, leaving the burning ships and watchful centaurs behind them.

Chapter 72: Greetings, Lady Dawn

Lady Dawn and Lizette receive formal greetings upon their return

Beyond the settled farmlands the air carried the sharp scent of dry rock and sparse coastal trees. The companions walked with a shared hunger, all of them craving fresh meat after the spell that had sharpened their senses for the hunt.

"I'm not wearing drow robes this time," I said, smoothing the folds of a more sensible gown. "This is closer to my royal court attire, though perhaps still too fine for the middle of nowhere. Maybe I should commission something a little less ball-gowny but court suitable."

Our path led us to a high elven office where a dignified official waited. "Greetings, Lady Dawn," he called in a clear, formal voice. "You have returned and I am very pleased. I see the mark of success about you—literally, I presume."

"Greetings to you too, my lord," I answered.

He turned to Lizette with an elvish phrase of welcome. I translated smoothly. The official continued, "The Elven ambassador in Carzala has sent word that you are to report in when you return. Would you like to come this way?" He offered us a comfortable room; we accepted, knowing it would be rude to refuse.

Inside, conversation turned to whispers that had already reached the elves. "I have heard rumors that somebody has started—that you have drunk the liquids of purity and come upon women, and now have put yourself at their wish," the official said carefully. "Drunk the liquid of purity?"

"Not as far as I'm aware," Lizette replied. "It's quite recent. We're not quite sure of the effects yet." Meanwhile I said nothing, not wanting to let anything slip about what I had done.

The official nodded then turned to me. "I have also heard that you are turning over a new leaf, putting an end to the rumors that you were only interested in women to protect yourself in court. Those courtiers can be pushy."

"If you point them out to me, I'll challenge them at once," Lizette offered. "A good stabbing solves that most of the time."

"I'm sure we can find more diplomatic ways," I replied with a small smile. "Besides, when all else fails, that doesn't stop me doing any stabbing necessary." To illustrate, I called a bone dagger smoothly from inside my left leg, displayed it, and returned it. "I'm well equipped, just in case."

Talk moved to the witches with the crown—the red ones. "I swore an oath to aid them in return for the boons that we used in order to complete our mission." I admitted.

Soon another elf guard arrived. "Greetings, Lizette. Have you managed to cure yourself?"

"Yes, of course. I already have."

"Syrene has asked me to take care of you," the guard told her.

The discussion drifted to the nature of divination. The diviner, Syrene had organised for us explained that while a diviner usually must remain relatively still and focused, magic could still be cast so long as it was not flashy enough to break concentration. We were intrigued by the methods he described, fire stones or hot oil.

"Your method of elimination is slightly different to mine," Lizette noted. "Do you do firewalking where you come from? I've heard of that."

"Yes, of course, for divination," the diviner answered. "I am from the plane of fire myself."

That explained much. The traditional approach, that Lizette, as well as other Guild diviners employed, involved sitting, channeling magic, and staring fixedly at the subject for an hour—or three for greater divinations.

"Oh my goodness," I laughed. "Which is why I usually bring something to read while I'm being divinated."

The divinator's eyes eyes sparkled. "Are you a good dancer? I can accompany you. I will show you the walk. Wonderful. We will do it tonight. It takes several hours for the stones to be heated."

"Thank you, my friend. I think we do," Lizette said, already anticipating the ritual. I was meanwhile feeling a little apprehensive.

Chapter 73: Revelations Upon the Coals

Lizette's path across the coals

The conversation lingered on the limits of ordinary divination and what the ancient casting had truly revealed about the changes each of us had undergone. Our guide, a fire mage, offered to show us their version of the Fire College's method of divination. He led us to a large bonfire where three women in red robes were directing the burning of sacks filled with heavy rocks.

"This is the fire college version of divination?" I said in surprise. Back at the Guild, fire mages used the usual method of sitting down and analysing the target's aura. The mage confirmed it and began to explain. The ritual required crossing a broad expanse of burning coals the size of a tennis court. Walkers were blindfolded and chose their route by feel alone; the path itself would disclose hidden truths. To protect them from the heat he proposed covering their bodies in a special oil that would render them completely proof against fire. Though the prospect of disrobing clearly mortified some, the mage was persuaded to allow modest attire. I decided I could manage in my bikini, just for a lark. The mage assured us that, if all was done correctly, we would feel no pain. Although, even having that thought made me wonder if I had indeed got rid of my 'air-headedness' and 'silliness' as I had been thinking of. Sometimes I can be as playful as a hobbit - and sometimes have the appetite of one.

Lizette went first. She had put on fire protection magic over her clothes and, once, blindfolded, she began the careful traversal. About halfway across she suddenly veered to the right. Flames erupted around her in distinct colored tints that the observers found significant. She continued until she stood atop a large mound of coals, heat rippling upward in waves. When she finally stepped free, the fire mage studied her and spoke.

"It is clear to me that what has transpired is of your evil intent." The words caused a stir, but the mage quickly clarified. The reading referred to an evil that had been implanted within her, an influence that would have possessed her and dragged her down a path of blood magic and dark arts. Everyone was relieved to hear that the corruption had already been removed and no longer threatened her.

He added that her aspect had aligned with Keshah's. To strengthen her clarity and prevent her aura from drifting, he advised her to eat fresh cooked meat once a day for the next month. We spoke at length about the warning, agreeing that blood magic held no appeal and that we had no desire to walk such a road. Keshah remarked that he himself had been accused of black magic simply for using healing skills; the mage observed that ignorant voices were common, especially among shorter-lived humans.

We also discussed whether to try the water mages' method instead, especially me, but curiosity and confidence in the fire ritual prevailed. The mage then turned to Keshah, noting that he was an elf and would likely be the one called upon to defend the group if creatures of the dark arts appeared. Such attacks were uncommon during ordinary divinations, but this reading seemed different.

As the ritual resumed and the fire mage oriented Keshah toward his magic aspect, a small dwarvish stone creature with burning red eyes pulled itself out of the ground. Keshah moved at once, stripping away a clinging vine pod and killing the elemental with two solid blows. The fire mage watched with open approval. "That is the fastest anyone's done it in quite a few years. It's a good sword." The swift resolution left the diviner visibly impressed, and the coals continued to glow as the revelations settled over the group. Now I was wondering if I was going to have to fight something when it was my turn, and what weapon I should be doing it with.

Chapter 74: Trials of Flame and Specter

Aurora, anointed in burning oil, confronts the spectral flames

Spectators packed the edges of the burning arena, a major event that had taken half the afternoon to prepare. The ground was strewn with glowing coals broken by patches of dirt and winding paths of rocky terrain. A fruit-like creature suddenly spooled up from the earth and struck the blindfolded warrior with a crackling charge. Though he resisted its full force, the attack still burned him painfully.

"I will put healing on you. Don't resist me," his guide instructed, "but you're welcome to take the blindfold off and kill it." The warrior chose the latter. He slipped the cloth from his eyes, drew his sword, and advanced across the scorching field to within forty feet of the beast. With a powerful swing he felled it; the creature retaliated with a fiery backhand before collapsing into a smoldering heap.

"Well done," the guide said. "That was a big one. I haven't seen one that strong in quite some time. These grounds are obviously high in mana." He replaced the blindfold and led the warrior onward.

The next creature to emerge was a fire elemental that boiled up from a patch of coals. The gathered crowd fell into a hushed, astonished silence. The warrior dispatched this foe as well, cleaving it so that it vanished in a burst of flame. Afterward, conversation turned to recent divinations. Powerful enemies had been seeking them through the elemental realms, sending hunter elementals in pursuit, but those threats had now been defeated.

It was my turn. Syrene laid a strengthening spell upon me. A large bucket of red, glowing oil was brought forward; its secondary property was protection from draining. My companions studied it briefly, then helped rub the hot, thick substance over every inch of my body. The oil flowed like ordinary liquid yet burned fiercely to the touch, its heat already radiating through her skin. I had already stripped down to my bikini, drawing a burst of applause from the spectators as the glistening coating transformed me into a living ember reflecting the coals' fierce light.

"Do you have a weapon of more substance than that toothpick you pulled out before?" the guide asked. I selected the Blackheart Blade, a substantial hand-and-a-half sword of true silver imbued with spectral power. I then admitted I was only newly familiar with it but resolved to strike as hard as I could. I was actually hoping to get tips on how to use it from Keshah later.

As I started traversing the coals, a black, burning, oily creature more pre-mantis than humanoid erupted from the ground in a surge of foam and flame. I removed my blindfold, engaged it swiftly, and cut it down. It toppled backward and disappeared in a burst of fire. "It's getting harder now," the guide warned as he replaced the blindfold.

He was right. The next summons brought two spectral creatures of flame, one appearing to my left and one to my right, their forms dancing like living torches. I pushed the blindfold aside once more and landed a solid blow on the first, staggering it so that it spun in place and shook its head. The second lunged forward, stabbing out with multiple spear-like protrusions from its fingers. The strike pierced my shoulder, sending waves of fatigue and pain through my body. I should have gone for the water method. It had to be safer.

Chapter 75: The Burning Scimitar Assault

Aurora stands against the burning four-armed guardian

The fight pressed on without mercy. One creature teetered on its last legs before being pulled down and destroyed. A second soon joined it in death, leaving two enemies defeated. I required assistance, yet Keshah was warned it was unlikely any help could be offered without causing me further harm. It was obvious though that I was not used to this sword.

I drank deep from a healing potion that was tossed to me, steeling myself for what came next. "What is it?" I asked. The answer chilled the air: a large burning fruit-like being armed with four burning scimitars, one in each hand. "Oh for goodness sakes" - or words to that effect. It was obvious I was getting the tough ones.

The monstrous entity attacked without hesitation. Its blades slashed and stabbed, the third and fourth strikes slicing in hard. I hit back with everything I possessed, triggering my Willow Healing at the pulse of combat. I then smacked the creature solidly, yet it stood unmoved and stared at me before countering. It was unimpressed. The being then began to spin up all its weapons in a whirling frenzy before unleashing a torrent of blows. The first screamed toward my head. The second and third smashed home with brutal force. A fourth followed, cracking and burning through the air.

My protections managed to hold, the shielding braces and other protections doing their silent work. At the end of each frenzied exchange I recovered a measure of strength, though the damage was mounting. "It's looking bad out there, Keshah," Lizette observed. "Nah, she's got it," came the steady reply, even as fatigue threatened to overwhelm me.

The creature wound up again, clearly aiming for an ending combination. Its four scimitars rained down in a storm. Some blows missed as it danced around me, abandoning ambush tactics to simply hammer away. Others landed heavily, stabbing at my leg and smashing into my frame. I felt the impacts jar through every bone. The being was on its last legs, yet so was I, slowly being worn down. It simply refused to fall quickly enough.

However, I endured, drawing on reserves I had not yet fully tested. The fiery guardian gave no quarter, its burning form casting hellish light across the ancient stones as the desperate battle continued. I ducked all it's attacks then hit it again. It collapsed to the ground and burst into flame before disappearing. Two more healing potions were thrown at me and I gratefully drunk them down. That was a tough fight.

"That is the third fight." the diviner said. "Do you wish to go for the, for the, fourth one? " I decided not to continue. Quit while I'm still going. But I think I'm going to practice with this weapon more.

After getting cleaned up and dressed, we were given the results. We were told that our aura's were still in a state of flux and, if we wanted them to settle down, we'd have to eat meat for a month. I was okay with that. Besides, I was getting used to having bacon in the morning and fighting off the bacon thieving cat.

Day 12
Next morning, Keshah was woken up to see the sunrise over the blue dunes. I was intending to go too but I just felt tired and weary all over. Same with Lizette. I guess the last few days were catching up with us. So I just rolled over and went back to sleep. I think I slept most of the day, I was that exhausted.

Night 11

Chapter 1: A Courtly Return and Ominous Omens

Amidst the grandeur of Siren's court, Aurora, Lizette, and Keshah prepare for their duties, bearing the weight of recent battles and unexpected magical shifts.

The lingering scent of smoke and the chill of the evening air did little to ease Aurora's weariness. Her mind, though exhausted, replayed recent events and curious communiques. *We may owe the 200,* she mused, recalling a peculiar message. An inquiry had been made about her prior communication with cats, a skill she was known to possess. 'Yes, very good,' came a reply in her memory, accompanied by the image of one of the felines taking something from a nearby shelf. The cats, it had been agreed, were truly remarkable, though her full capabilities with them remained untested. Not at present, at least. She recalled uttering a mouthful of words with extreme care: 'Your service will be remembered.' Thanks were returned, followed by questions about the timing of her last talk with the cat. It hadn't been long ago, just before certain preparations were made. Further introductions, she remembered, concerned a syndicated captain.

Then, another question, one that echoed from recent conversations: *When would the sisters arrive?* The answer had been a definitive 'no'; their arrival remained some years off. 'How can we assist you?' the sisters had then asked, their voices distant in her memory. The response had outlined a critical need for transport methods from Keshah, with Delft as the apparent destination. The women had glanced at one another, three holding up pieces of parchment. The text on the surface spoke of a great explosive force coming down. Concern had arisen over resistance, with numbers like '72 creams dark' from dark and white surfaces, and the imperative to make the white.

The afternoon's exhausting combats had finally concluded, giving way to the early evening. Now, the three of them—Keshah, Lizette, and Aurora—found themselves at Siren's court. Keshah had managed to change, and Lizette, too, had cleaned up, though the lingering fatigue was palpable for all. The court was a bustling affair, with perhaps a hundred to a hundred and twenty people gathered. Elves and their guards mingled with human rangers, while dwarves in chain and others sporting odd caps moved through the crowd. Matt Tumbledown was present, as was Siren herself, speaking with a group of hobbits. These hobbits, Aurora knew, were the King's Rapiers, dressed in leather armor and wielding tricorne capes and rapiers. Beyond them were the familiar Red Crowns and a smaller contingent of Gold Crowns, along with elvish rangers and a multitude of human and elvish staff.

Since leaving the area of the fire-walking ritual, Aurora had noticed an oddly discordant, out-of-place feature: an amazingly square-cut well, perhaps a hundred or a hundred and twenty-five feet on a side. 'A well?' she asked, surprised at its sheer scale. 'Yes,' came the confirmation. 'A hundred and twenty-five feet on a side?' she repeated, the size striking her. 'Correct,' was the firm reply. It stepped down into the ground, full of liquid about twenty-five feet down. Aurora conjectured, 'That's probably where the water divination takes place.' She pondered aloud, 'Do they make the circle where they go, or does it somehow move with us?' The GM simply stated, 'You ask them. I have no idea.' Off to the side, a few people attended to what appeared to be wild horses, serving as steeds and mounts.

'How big is Siren's court?' Aurora wondered, considering the number of people and various activities. 'It must be huge.' She was told that the banqueting area alone comprised four large pavilions. People were cooking food further down the hill, nestled amongst the tree line.

'Well, the first thing,' Aurora declared, 'after the fire readings by divinations or whatever you want to call them, I'm going to get myself more presentable.' Lizette asked, 'In what way?' 'I'm going to put on something a little bit more formal,' Aurora replied. 'Which of your outfits are you putting on?' the GM inquired. 'I'm going for my royal outfits, the ones I would wear to court,' she specified. 'In the western kingdom?' Lizette clarified. 'Yes.' Aurora continued, 'I'll also clean myself up and collect up all the crown amulets that we got, all three of them, and return them to the crown.' There was a brief moment of confusion. 'At least the talks,' the GM started, but Aurora corrected, 'What? No, I think the talk was something else. In fact, I'm pretty sure the talk was something else; I just can't remember what it was. So it was sort of a neck burster or something.' The GM, amused, asked, 'Did you just say a neck burster?' Aurora explained, 'Yes. Because apparently there was a talk and then it—I think you described it as coming out of your neck and covering you with armor.' Lizette interjected, 'My armor. You're confusing two different talks.' 'Oh,' Aurora realized, and the GM confirmed, 'Correct.' Lizette added, 'That's what I thought had happened when you said neck burster.' Aurora confirmed, 'Yeah. No, I thought the crown amulets were just amulets.' 'They are indeed just amulets,' Lizette affirmed. 'Yeah, I'll collect them up and return them as requested,' Aurora concluded. Lizette then asked, 'Is this the one that Keshah is wearing internally?' Aurora was resolute, 'Well, if it was, we're going to get it out of them, which shouldn't be too hard, and I'll just heal them up. But they wanted them back, so I'm making sure they get back.'

'It's been a couple of days since you've been resurrected,' Lizette noted, trying to gauge the time. 'Wait, I'm a little confused over times,' she continued. 'So it was—it's probably been twenty-four hours, something like that.' The GM clarified that given the need to rest and regain fatigue between portals, it had been a longer period. 'Although Keshah did use gut busters when using you,' the GM added, addressing Lizette and Aurora, 'you two have, let me see, you've just traveled hundreds of miles on zero fatigue. Your muscles are aching; you're sore and exhausted.' They had then turned up at Siren's court and promptly undertaken dangerous fire-walking divinations upon their exhausted return from the south. The time was now around seven in the evening. 'I thought we were doing the divinations in the evening, so it was sort of getting dark,' Aurora said, and the GM confirmed, 'It is.' Lizette suggested, 'Okay, so we should eat, I think.'

Aurora felt an overwhelming desire for comfort. 'I so I lay down and I—yeah, Aurora just wants to, you know, I think you're feeling so weary you just want to stretch out and lie on something soft and yielding, like a—I don't know—a bath.' She sighed. 'And then I suppose I have to find out about my obligations.' Lizette chimed in, 'I think I promised someone a dance. I'm sure they'll find me.' Aurora remembered her own promises. 'I know I promised somebody a few things, which I have had, which I have—That's right, my poor sculptor. We passed the full moon.' Lizette agreed, 'Yep, we'll go talk to him, but we should talk with the Red Crowns.' 'Yes, yes, yes,' Aurora affirmed, her mind still sorting through her responsibilities. Lizette then confirmed, 'Okay, so you've got these three amulets in your hand.' 'I'll hand them back,' Aurora stated, preparing to fulfill her duty.

Suddenly, a thought struck Aurora, her eyes widening. 'Oh, I just suddenly realized something. My aspect has been changed to dark—I mean, death. It originally was solar dark. I was actually tempted to go to a place during a solar, that's midday on a solar eclipse, and see what happens.'

Chapter 2: The Red Crowns' Invitation

Aurora, Lizette, and Keshah engage in a tense, formal conversation with the Red Crowns, whose powerful aura and enchanted regalia hint at the depth of Aurora's new obligations.

“It’s just death,” Lizette declared, her voice heavy with the memory of the death pool. “It’s a death pool, and while we’re with the Red Crowns, I can’t do that anymore.” Aurora nodded in agreement. “With the Red Crowns, I would like to talk to them if I may.”

The assembled Red Crowns turned their gaze to Aurora. She began, choosing her words carefully. “Since part of what Aurora has accrued, or is due to me, I was wondering if…” Lizette interjected with a pointed, “Okay, security… yeah. I didn’t really want you to know about that, Lizette.”

Lizette paused. “Oh, well, if you…” Aurora tried to clarify, “I mean, it’s… it’s…” but Lizette cut in, “I think I’m fine with it. I shall leave it up to you to decide this.” Aurora, flustered, responded, “Well, it’s just a… it’s something that I felt there was the right thing to do. Yeah, yeah, I mean, I don’t know what you were thinking, what you were going to say.” She finally conceded, “Oh, I’ll talk with you about it later then.”

The Red Crown in charge assented, “Yeah, okay, yeah, that’s fine. You can talk to Lizette and Aurora now if you wish. There are plenty of moments in the camp where you are alone.”

“The Red Crowns were very helpful in our last mission,” Aurora mused, then abruptly added, “If you join them…” Keshah blinked at the suddenness of Aurora’s suggestion. “Were they interested in you?” Lizette pressed, clearly curious.

Aurora deflected, “I’m not quite sure what you are talking about. I think you were a little bit—weren’t you more concerned about getting that creature out of you, which I presume it is now?” Lizette affirmed, “Yep. Divination and empathy both say so.” Aurora sighed in relief. “But okay, well that’s a good thing, that means we succeeded.” She then turned her attention to Lizette. “What? Didn’t know what the waters did to you.”

Keshah admitted, “Yeah, I am still trying to figure that bit out too, because I don’t feel any different apart from my aspect changing. I mean, I was thinking of doing an experiment with a solar eclipse at high noon or something to see what would happen with my older aspect, but that… that’s basically…” Lizette cut in with finality, “Your old aspect is gone.” Keshah acknowledged, “Yeah, I know that’s why I’m saying my old aspect, but that is now out the window.” Lizette simply replied, “Yes.” Keshah continued, “The difference with this one here is that it has a degree of definiteness.”

Aurora elaborated, “Yeah, um, so I’ve given up my old aspect, yes. I don’t know whether I’ve given up anything else, but I have, say, I do… I did make an obligation. Yes. I did make an obligation which I will fulfill because it was the right thing to do and we needed their support.” Lizette chimed in, “Yes, we all needed their support.” Aurora added, “Yes, and I’ve got it, and but there was a price and I was willing to pay it.” Lizette offered, “What I’m saying is maybe we can help you pay the price, which is something we all needed.” Aurora, however, was firm: “That’s something you’d have to discuss with them.”

Just then, half a dozen women in red dresses approached. “Oh, good morning… uh, good evening,” Aurora stammered, offering a deep courtesy. She looked markedly different, deferential. “No, I’m not drinking code tonight, and there is a reason.” She clarified, “Aurora is definitely deferring, as if she is a subordinate and they are her superiors. Yeah, that’s the way to put it.” Lizette, intrigued by Aurora’s unusual behavior, murmured, “They got me curious.” Keshah, observing the display, decided, “I will pay them respect and resist the urge to put a mind counter on myself.” She greeted them, “Good evening, ladies, what can I do for you?”

Keshah observed that the women wore red dresses and some bore gold crowns, while others wore no crowns at all. Lizette asked, “And the crowns, is there anything that might be obvious after looking at a few crowns? As in, do they seem to indicate rank or standing, or are they all…?” Lizette noted they all seemed decorative. Aurora clarified, “Red crowns, and they’re clearly enchanted.” Keshah concurred, “But… um… they seem to be decorative. And they have a magical aura to them.” Aurora then posited, “Just, we can, assuming that given that there are not as many gold crowns as there are red crowns, the gold crown wearers are more important. At least, that is the assumption I am making.” The women in red dresses looked at both Aurora and Lizette.

Lizette, a skilled seamstress of rank eight, inquired further, “Actually, what I am somewhat good at is the clothing. Does the clothing all seem to be made the same ways, same standards? Is it all random? Is it…?” Keshah confirmed, “Yes, you would say that it is all rank eight, well appointed, highly rich, and enchanted outfits.”

Aurora offered another courtesy. “Can I help you, ladies, or is there anything you want?” A woman from the group responded, “Yes, why don’t you come and sit at our table, both of you.” Aurora agreed, “All right.”

As they moved, one of the Red Crowns remarked, “It appears Lizette has many questions to ask of you.” Aurora chuckled, “Oh, I’m sure she does. It was… I mean, she’s been half the time in the stasis box and…” The Red Crown cut her off. “Really?” Aurora replied, “That’s how we got her there without… um… cause maybe I should just tell you the story.” The Red Crown waved a dismissive hand. “It’s all right, we know.” Aurora exchanged a glance with Lizette. The Red Crowns then sat, and Aurora and Lizette joined them.

One of the Red Crowns turned to Lizette. “So, Lizette, what languages do you speak?” Lizette began to answer, but before she could finish, the Red Crowns switched to Elvish, asking directly, “Do you speak Elvish?” Aurora, observing Lizette’s comprehension, concluded, “Well, she responded to it, so I’d say yes.”

Later, discussing linguistic needs, Keshah advised on practical language choices. “If you are leaning on those languages, then you’re out of luck. Your greater nobility from the Western Kingdom and Brandenburg…” Aurora interrupted, “Okay, so what would you suggest for the three languages? Obviously I need common, but for the other two.” Keshah suggested, “The middling ranked one you should have as common. The…”

Chapter 3: A Companion's Pledge and a Blank Contract

Lizette signs the blank contract, pledging her service to the Gold Crowsn, despite their skepticism regarding her abilities.

Aurora, recalling the names of distant lands, mentioned “probably Western Kingdom, maybe Frochsbart, Wolfsbart, Drachenberg, Flugelheim.” She took a moment, considering, before adding, “I would… Flugelheim.” After a brief exchange where Aurora conceded to taking on some Elvish language learning later, she attempted to speak politely to the Gold Crowsn representatives, though her Elvish was clearly unpracticed. The representatives, sensing her struggle, switched to Common, indicating they had questions for the group. Lizette stepped forward, her intent clear. “I understand that Aurora has some obligations for your help, and your help is needed for all of us. I want to try and take part of the obligations from her and apply them to myself instead.” Aurora raised an eyebrow at Lizette’s declaration, but wisely held her tongue. She considered, “Oh, I am a merchant. That's probably not exactly a merchant thing.” Aloud, she simply said, “That's a very generous offer. It seems only fair.” The Gold Crowsn representative, however, was less impressed. “Your abilities are somewhat lacking though,” they stated bluntly. Lizette acknowledged this, “In some areas. In many areas, but in other areas I'm a bit more accomplished.” “Then what?” the representative pressed. Lizette, perhaps flustered, clarified, “Then the areas I am less accomplished in. Sorry, I'm not trying to play around, just…” The representative cut her off, “You can accompany Aurora as a companion if you wish.” Lizette paused, then appealed again, “I feel I can be useful enough that maybe you consider slightly lessening her obligations.” Aurora raised an eyebrow once more, finding the suggestion unnecessary. Lizette, undeterred, explained, “Yes, I sorry, the timing of things happened a bit rushed, so I haven't discussed it with her. But I feel like if I was to take on some of the obligation and she was released from some of hers, that you would still be gaining a lot.” The Gold Crowsn representative then asked, “What can you offer us?” Lizette listed her talents, “Well, I am a rather accomplished tailor. Obviously I'm a namer, so I'm good at counter magic, anti magic.” She continued, “Aside from that, I have a range of skills. I am a seamstress of some skill. I was admiring your outfits. If you ever needed more of them, I could make them.” The representative responded with a surprised, “Really?” “Yes,” Lizette affirmed, then hesitated. “They wait, are they magical?” “Yes,” the representative replied. “Oh,” Lizette said, slightly deflated. “I do not do the magical side, but I mean I could make the basic outfits.” After a moment, the Gold Crowsn representative stated, “We will discuss your offer.” Then, turning back to Lizette, they declared, “Very well, we will accept.” A blank piece of parchment was slid across the table. “Sign at the bottom of this.” Lizette was visibly taken aback. “Is it normal to sign a blank piece of paper? Normally one sees what they're signing.” The representative was unyielding. “No, we have no interest in sharing up what you're signing with anyone.” “Shouldn't I know what I'm signing?” Lizette pressed. “No. It's not necessary. Your agreement and obedience is all required.” Lizette expressed her apprehension, “That would concern me a lot more if you weren't part of Siren's court, but isn't it…” She was interrupted by Lizette, confused, asking, “Sorry?” The Gold Crowsn corrected her, “We are guests at her court.” “Yes,” Lizette acknowledged. “And what Like I said, if you weren't, if this was some other place, I'd probably be more concerned. Can I at least ask the duration I am signing for?” “It's yet to be determined,” came the curt reply. Lizette’s concern grew. “That's slightly concerning.” The representative seemed amused. “Do not be concerned. We do not think a lot of you. We think you're wholly inadequate and will be briefly staying with us if at all.” Lizette made one last attempt to negotiate. “Can I at least ask that it not be longer than Aurora is obligation?” The representative was firm. “You're either going to sign or you're not. You either feel a set of a duty to her or not. The choice is yours. We're not tricking you. We're not some sort of demons. This isn't a cursed document or anything.” After a pause, Lizette resigned herself. “Okay. I'll sign it. So yes, I sign it.” “Okay,” the representative acknowledged. “I it doesn't need to be in blood, does it? No,” Lizette asked. “Not for you,” the representative replied. “Excellent. I sign it.” The representative added, dismissively, “You're just going to be a companion, an observer effectively if at all.” “Okay,” Lizette responded. The representative continued to list her perceived shortcomings. “You're not an elementalist. You're not an elf. You don't have high enough language skills in Elvish as yet.” Lizette, ever practical, inquired, “Would it help if I improved them?” “Of course. All of our work is done in Elvish,” the representative confirmed. “I shall work on that,” Lizette vowed. She then offered a temporary solution, “In the meantime I could check a little if that would help.” But the representative was uninterested in short-term solutions. “Short-term gains like that may suffice for your personal well-being, but are of no interests to us. The fact of the matter is is your primary language skills are not that of Elvish as yet.” The Gold Crowsn representative concluded, “Once you have reached rank six in Elvish language, we will consider your request.” “My request?” Lizette asked, surprised. “Yes.” “Ah yes. Okay, I shall work on that then. I do appreciate the chance.” The representative then observed, “Your friends are very loyal.” Keshah, surprised, agreed, “Yes, I was not expecting that to be quite honest.” The representative continued, addressing Aurora about Keshah, “As for your male companion, he also is welcome to visit if necessary. But would not be welcome to stay.” Aurora confirmed her understanding, remarking that she should inform Keshah and let the C date guild know of her extended absence to prevent them from searching. She specifically mentioned being away in the Western Kingdoms. Aurora then expressed her desire to visit Siren at some point, acknowledging that it would require patience. As the conversation continued around the table, the Gold Crowsn representatives began speaking in Elvish. Aurora, having only basic proficiency, found most of it going over her head. She asked if it would be acceptable to temporarily speak Elvish through her companion. The representative, ever dismissive, replied, “We're not insulted by your cheating as you put it.” Aurora then prompted Lizette to whisper in her ear, aiding her understanding.

Chapter 4: Courtly Intrigue and Lingering Rumors

Keshah attempts to navigate flirtatious advances and shifting rumors during a courtly dinner.

The evening's dinner unfolded under the watchful eyes of the court, where the company discreetly monitored an ongoing situation, listening intently to developments. Keshah, ever observant, resolved not to pry directly into the court's affairs, assuming they would reveal what was pertinent in due course. The atmosphere shifted when one of the King's Rapiers approached a Red Crown, inviting her to dance.

Mere moments later, the same young, dashing hobbit who had previously caused a stir by sitting on Keshah's lap—and subsequently being pulled away by his ear by the captain—boldly claimed the Red Crown's recently vacated seat. Keshah cast a stern look at the hobbit, a silent admonishment not to repeat past antics, but the hobbit simply responded with a wide, ear-to-ear smile before hopping onto the seat beside him.

Keshah, exasperated, turned to Aurora. "Is this something I need to know?" Aurora, with a knowing look, replied, "Oh, we both know the effect that you have on me, Lady Dawn." Lizette interjected, "Is this the result of rumours?" Keshah sighed. "This is the result of rumours. Rumours I am going to have to deal with." He addressed Aurora directly: "I can't really do much about the bad effect, and I honestly it's probably not your fault. Well, it is in a way, but as long as we can agree to keep everything above board in court, I will tolerate it." Aurora, however, was not amused. "I'm a bit peeved," she confessed. "I will admit I'm a bit peeved."

Lizette, ever the diplomat, asked Aurora, "What distresses you so? Do you need a champion?" Aurora shook her head. "Not at the moment, no, but maybe when I get back to the Western Kingdoms, we'll sort out. I need to squash a few rumours." Keshah offered his assistance. "I could speak to my patron if you wish." Aurora inquired, "Lady Clementine?" Keshah confirmed, "Yes." Lizette added, "She's very good at squashing rumours." Aurora mused, considering the offer, "Yes, yes, I maybe yes, I was thinking of having a word with her. But although is that wise?" She repeated, "Lady Clementine?"

Lizette then turned to Keshah. "You says you do know about the rumours, don't you?" Keshah, confused, asked, "Well, which ones?" Lizette clarified, "About you and Lady Clementine." Keshah's eyes widened. "Oh, no. She's going to kill me." He elaborated on his fear: "I've seen Lady Clementine when she gets mad. She turns into this big bear. And I'm thinking, 'oh god, I'm dead.'" Lizette drew a comparison, "Like Griselda?" Keshah, startled, responded, "What?" Lizette pressed, "Doesn't Griselda turn into a bear?" Keshah affirmed, "Yes, Griselda turns into a bear, but so does Clementine, and she's a hobbit." Lizette gasped, "What?"

Suddenly, the hobbit next to Keshah extended his hand, which Lizette noted was "particularly cold." Keshah, ever practical, offered, "Where's this cold? Customer is this cold that could fix it, help him. That should help him." But Lizette corrected him, "This is no, you missed the point." Keshah asked, "Why am I missing the—" Lizette finished, explaining the hobbit's desire, "I need to be sitting upon your lap, wrapped in your loving arms to warm my heart." Keshah responded with a stunned, "Oh." He then looked to Aurora and Lizette with a silent plea for help, unable to handle the situation. Aurora, amused, simply offered, "Um, just what I do."

Attempting to defer the uncomfortable conversation, Keshah proposed, "Look, can we can we can we discuss this at another time when we're back at the Western Kingdoms or or is the rapier supposed to be off doing something else?" Lizette explained, "Well, many of the rapiers are off doing many things." Keshah acknowledged, "Yes, I know there's a whole bunch of you guys in Seagate. I still don't know what you're doing there." He added, "At least no one's told me." Lizette countered, "I don't believe they report to you." Keshah, invoking his authority, asserted, "Well, they don't report to me, but I'm supposed to be the Queen's special advisor to you. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I presume that, um, I'm supposed to advise the Queen on your comings and goings, which means I need to know about your comings and goings so I can tell her." Lizette reiterated her advice, "You should speak to Lady Clementine." Keshah grimaced, "I should speak to Clementine. I will do that when I get back. She's going to kill me."

The conversation then shifted. Lizette mentioned, "Okay, so we've been talking to the red hats." Keshah posed a hypothetical, "And if you wake them up and knock them out again and—" to which Lizette responded, "Then they'll just say no." Keshah continued, illustrating the potential repercussions, "What's more, you wake up the innkeeper and he's probably pretty angry at you at that point. And the locals will probably end up in a bar fight. Maybe." Keshah then mistook Lizette for Aurora, asking, "Is that Lizette?" Lizette corrected him, "That's Aurora." Keshah then addressed Aurora directly: "Oh, that's for Aurora. So Aurora, think about it. If you do sleep gas and knock out 10 people—" Lizette promptly noted, "Yeah. That takes them out of the fight." Keshah agreed, "That's decisive action." Lizette added, "That is a decisive action, yes. Whether or not I would define this one or 10, I don't know." Keshah clarified the game's mechanics, stating, "Each time you decisively take out a sentient entity." Aurora understood, "All right, yes, it would accumulate." Keshah concluded, "I'm just pointing out the combo." Aurora, accepting the explanation, remarked, "Yeah, very cool. Um, actually I'll roll."

Lizette then outlined their character aspects: "Lizette's will be around death and life aspect and yours would be around life and dark." Keshah confirmed, "All life and dark, okay." Keshah then corrected a prior assumption, realizing, "I was wrong I was wrong. I thought I'd you with Clementine and, um, no, I haven't." He quickly added, "Um, so ignore everything I said about her wanting to kill me." Lizette shifted focus again, noting, "Okay, and at some point, I still need to talk to Saren." Lizette speculated about Aurora's unique traits: "That might actually help us help Aurora if she starts smelling. The halflings might give her some space." Keshah clarified, "Oh, no, that's what it's complaining true." Lizette concluded by stating, "I want to talk to the two of you." Keshah remembered a detail, "It was Leila, I think. So we which should you just quickly fill in so we got back—" Lizette filled in the blanks, "So you've got back and you're in Saren's camp." Keshah confirmed their current situation, "Uh, we went So we're just talking to Saren in her camp at the moment." Lizette reiterated, "So you're in Saren's camp."

Chapter 5: A Blank Page and Lingering Concerns

Lizette, Aurora, and Keshah discuss the guild's policies and new directives, contemplating the implications of signed agreements and the need for vigilance.

Lizette found herself conversing with two young women, both clad in the distinctive red crowns of new recruits. Aurora, observing the scene, remarked, "The newest recruit." Lizette corrected her, "They're two newest recruits." A flicker of surprise crossed Aurora's face. "Two? Oh, you signed up as well?" Lizette offered a cryptic smile. "Well, yes and no. Yes, I signed a blank page, which probably means yes." Aurora's eyebrows rose. "You signed a blank page?" Lizette confirmed with a nod. Aurora considered this. "That's what I... I mean, the right group, apparently. But the point was I asked for them to perhaps lessen Aurora's obligations, and in return, I would also take some obligations." Keshah chimed in, a grin touching his lips, "Two for the price of one, excellent.

Later, a casual comment from Keshah brought up the long-standing leadership dynamic. "Lizette's been the party leader all the time," he stated. Aurora, with a slight shake of her head, admitted, "I've been demoted. I've been confused." Keshah chuckled, taking some of the blame. "Yeah, I fear that was my fault, or at least Aurora's fault, or my fault. I can't remember which." Lizette then added, with a pointed look at Keshah, "Keshah has to do 75% of the lifting." Aurora clarified good-naturedly, "By the melee anyway." Keshah began, "The talking's done mainly by—" but Aurora quickly finished for him, "Yeah, that was me."

The conversation soon turned more serious, Lizette addressing Aurora directly. "The thing I want you to talk about is Aurora did what she had to do, and we all understand that, and I am grateful she did it. But the guild may not look at it quite so simply. Is there any way we can deal with it? I'm thinking you were asking Saren if she could give us any ideas." Aurora dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand. "I don't think the guild's going to have any problems." Keshah agreed, "Guild adventurers go do their own thing all the time." Aurora elaborated, "They just consign deals if they want to, as long as it's not pacts to demons or undead." Lizette cut in, her voice firm, "Not that. No, not that. I think you're missing it. The part where you killed me. Like I said, I'm grateful for it, and I have no problems with that, but I'm not sure the guild will see it so simply." Aurora remained unperturbed. "No, it's no trouble, because you agreed to it verbally, and they can check that." Lizette confirmed, "Yes." Aurora continued, "So if somebody wants to commit suicide, they're fully able to, and the guild doesn't hold the rest of the party responsible, as long as the person made that decision in clear mental health as well." Lizette, still pondering, asked, "Okay, so we're fairly sure everything's going to be fine?" Aurora confidently affirmed, "Oh, totally sure." Keshah, ever practical, mused, "If someone plots to commit suicide, I wouldn't exactly call that..." Aurora quickly clarified, "Well, no, it was a different plan, because otherwise she was in deep trouble."

Lizette shifted topics, speaking of her own affairs. "I spend a lot of my non-adventuring time when I'm not at the guild at the Western Kingdom court. And I'm pretty sure the guild doesn't have any problem with that." Aurora suggested, "I probably would appreciate a bit of extra..." Lizette finished, "An extra ear?" She then expressed doubt, "I have tried. Sometimes I do try to push the guild's interest a bit, but there's not really much I can do because... how much influence does a guild have politically in the Western Kingdoms? Sod all, I think." Aurora countered, "Quite a bit of economic power down there." Lizette conceded, "Yeah, the public is a bit of that. There is that." Keshah remarked, "I suppose I'm the unofficial guild ambassador of the Western Kingdoms." Aurora added, "And the guild members probably have a serious amount of cash." Lizette then mentioned a key contact, "And besides, Clementine, who is also a guild member, is also the captain or the leader of the King's Rapiers. And I'm supposed to be liaising with her." Keshah commented on a broader trend, "There's a surprising amount of nobility in the guild." Lizette agreed, citing Maxima as an example. Aurora questioned, "Was there a surprising amount of guild members who have accumulated some nobility?" Lizette confirmed. Keshah added, "I won't exactly call myself noble, but I've got a mansion and estates..." Aurora interjected, "If you've got a title, then you're a noble." Keshah conceded, "Well, I'm sort of a, well, lady. I guess that's a title." Aurora pressed, "Particularly if you got land holdings and..." Keshah confirmed, "Yeah, I got land holdings in the Western Kingdoms. I also got land holdings on Lilac." Aurora differentiated, "Well, different planes and different realms that are a little bit less."

Keshah paused, a distant look in his eyes. "I still remember when I was a green adventurer, and my first adventure led me to being stabbed through the gut by a silvered scimitar." Aurora simply said, "That is quite a bit." Shaking off the memory, Keshah reminded them of upcoming duties. "Tomorrow we have the awakening at dawn, but then on the 14th I believe you have to do something." Lizette and Aurora both questioned, "What? What do we have to do tomorrow?" Keshah clarified, "Don't you have to watch the sun come up? Or maybe have I totally just made that up?" Lizette confirmed, "No, no, you haven't made that." Aurora added, "We've been away for quite days. All that Thursday's gone." Keshah insisted, "No, no, you have to watch the sun come up at time of divination or something?" Lizette conceded, "Well, I believe that is correct." "And then on the 14th you have to do something to enhance your rituals or whatever."

Keshah then produced a document. "The Gold Crowns will give you this." Aurora inquired, "Is it already signed?" Keshah explained, "That was it signed, and now it's come back with words on it." Lizette mused, "It appears the Guild's Captain of the Guard has been talking at length." Aurora confirmed he'd been speaking "For a couple of hours." Lizette sought clarification, "Which guard?" Aurora corrected herself, "Sorry, Guild. The Captain of the Guild Guard." She explained the ambiguity of the title, noting that the Captain had been engaging with various people quite openly, including someone named Matt. The Captain's message was relayed: "All of the parties here are under a truce at the moment, but there are things further afield that are afoot. And some of our guests, patrons, and guests are in conflict at the moment." The Captain continued with specific instructions for the party: "Consequently, if any of my guards come to you and ask for a word, that is when you should take care to escort your two companions closely. You keep an eye on them, just to try and minimize serious breaches or temptations towards serious breaches of guest rights." Lizette acknowledged, "Yes." Aurora reiterated the core of the instruction, "So, no wandering off from two."

Chapter 6: A Courtly Pretense and Scriber's Secrets

Aurora and Peter cultivate a public display of affection, much to Lizette's mixed reactions, as the topic of shriving arises.

Peter, stepping from the shadows or out of sight, addressed Aurora. "Anyway," he began, "it's about this time that you should go join your companions with the Red Crowns." He offered to stand respectfully in the background when rejoining them, not wishing to loom too much over their new prospects. Lizette offered a simple, "Right."Before Aurora could fully articulate her thoughts, Peter interrupted, playfully suggesting, "How about we'll snuggle up under your arm?" Aurora hesitated, a wry smirk touching her lips. "Yeah, I… are you sure you want to do that? You don't know where that's been. I'll tell you what." Peter, undeterred and grinning, conceded, "You're right." He then promptly proceeded to try and sit on her lap. Gently deflecting him, Aurora continued, "I'll tell you what. You might have just given me an idea to A, protect my reputation, and B, try and keep the other courtiers off me."Peter, still amused, inquired, "How can I assist?" Lizette interjected with a formal, "Madame." Aurora explained her scheme. "I want you to play wingman. I want you to… well, wingman, or what's the word? Run interference." Peter, with characteristic flair, offered, "Jilted… jilted lover?" Aurora demurred, "I'm not jilted, perhaps, maybe, but…" Peter, grinning from ear to ear, then suggested, "Okay. Satisfied deeply lover." Aurora quickly countered, "Must not go that far just yet, but let's just say best friends." She clarified, "Best friends in public."Lizette pondered the implications of this new arrangement. Peter, meanwhile, mused aloud, "What benefit is there in keeping his true face than I am?" Aurora responded, "Let's put a wry check on the benefits of the mind, mind you." She then added, "I shouldn't anything really to the party." Lizette voiced her concern directly. "I'm going to have to talk to Clementine whether or not it's allowable for the Queen's representative to be having an affair with one of the King's Rapiers, as it were."At this, Peter snuggled back into Aurora's lap, his head firmly on her breast, looking totally satisfied. Lizette, perhaps sensing a need to defuse potential scandal, offered, "So, if it's really bad, I can make it better." "Oh well, I just will cross that bridge when we come to it," Aurora replied, before noticing, "But you may have to get off soon because the lady will want that chair. Oh, I see you're not in it anymore." Peter, unconcerned, replied, "No, no problem." "I've been very thoughtful," Aurora muttered, as Lizette hummed in agreement. "Fine, you may stay for a little bit," Aurora conceded to Peter.Lizette shifted topics. "You know, I think the fire guy asked me for a dance last time, so I'll keep an eye for him cases around." Aurora glanced over her shoulder at the crown lady seated nearby, trying to gauge her expression, wondering if she was "doing the right thing or whether or not I'm doing completely stupid." Lizette observed, "Peter doesn't have an opinion on this," adding, "No, I'm not going to argue with that."Changing the subject once more, Aurora asked Peter, "So, any thoughts on how we can wing Elven quickly?" Peter answered, "There's a number of ways to do it." "Yeah, I can think of one. It's called shrive the language," Aurora stated. "Shriving for us? For what?" Peter questioned, confused. "For us," Aurora clarified. Lizette echoed, "For us?" Peter explained, "It teaches languages twice the rate." Aurora slowly mouthed the words "for us," considering. Peter noted, "That's two of them." Lizette inquired, "Is he a tower?" "I can't remember exactly which one I missed the..." Aurora pondered. Peter supplied, "He's one of the soft fluffy ones. As far as any of them are fluffy, fluffy."Aurora mused, "Yeah, I'm still not sure about seeing about..." Peter offered, "Yeah, the guest guys are a little bit obnoxious. He's a bit obnoxious that one." Aurora agreed, "Um, yeah, he has a tendency to put his foot in places where I mean..." She glanced around, as if searching for a cat with glowing green eyes. Lizette asked, "So, the one that's been teaching you?" Aurora dismissed the idea of that specific scriber being present in such a place. "Mind you, this is Syrene's court. He wouldn't even dare put here." Lizette recalled, "He said he could teach me open a bit faster." Peter remarked, "He probably can. He seems to have some quasi-magical effects." Lizette decided, "I might have to talk to him about a private contract." Aurora suggested, "Uh, going through scribe notes, I can think of a couple of scribers you might want to talk to."Lizette admitted, "Many of the people I'm with think it's best to avoid scribers, but I may be unfairly biased against..." Peter added, "A lot of people consume them, um, morally even." Aurora explained, "Well, it depends what you want shrived or whether or not what the purpose. I mean, I know, I mean, I'm pretty sure one of them just collects things that people don't want anymore and puts them into bottles." Peter conceded, "Well, they do have a certain amount of usefulness." Aurora continued, recommending a particular scriber, "But yeah, then I go down to Pacifica to talk to that one. Besides, she's reformed." Lizette acknowledged, "Yeah, no. Seen a lot of trading with them." Aurora mentioned other contacts, "Yeah, I think they want… There's a silent guy. I don't know if he's a scriber or not. There's this other guy, I think his name's Morgan or something."Peter then revealed a piece of lore: "You know from your childhood stories in Brendenburg that there is an area to the north of Brendenburg called the Shriven Hills." Aurora confirmed, "Yes. I think you'll find that's where a lot of them hang out." Lizette sounded a note of caution. "It sounds perhaps a little scary if there's too many of them around. Even if the majority of them are lovely people, it only takes one or two of them not to be quite so pure for things to go…" Peter confirmed her fears, stating, "The problem is that some of them basically kidnap people and shrive them and mine them effectively." "Uh huh," Lizette acknowledged gravely. "Well, that's shriving without consent," Aurora stated plainly. "Yeah, that does sound problematic," Lizette agreed. "Maybe I'll start by talking to our… we see each morning."Aurora then had a realization. "Well, you know, that's a point. Yeah, we got to get back to the inn at some point. They're probably wondering where we've got to. At least I paid them in advance, so our room will still be there." Lizette checked, "Okay, so you both know where you've been waking up before dawn, right?" Peter responded, "Yeah, because we're supposed to be watching the sunset out way." Aurora offered, "I might join you." Lizette clarified, "So, we don't have to do anything. We just have to go to sleep and we'll be waking up…" Peter corrected himself, "A sunrise, Peter. Sunrise or sunset? Sunrise, I thought, wasn't it?" Lizette confirmed. "Mhm." "You just said sunset, but that's all right," Peter chuckled. "Yeah," Lizette affirmed. "Okay, good. So," she concluded.

Chapter 7: Evening Discussions and a Kindred Mage

Darren, an Earth mage of Syrene, offers magical aid to the fatigued adventurers, casting Strength of Stone as they settle for the night.

As the evening drew in, the weary adventurers prepared for rest. "Wake me up as well," Keshah said, looking forward to the quiet dawn. "I wouldn't mind joining in on that." Aurora readily agreed, adding, "Yeah, we should stay together." Even with watching the sunrise, Lizette reminded Aurora, "You need a new greater." Aurora acknowledged, "Yes. You probably should set that up some stage while we're here." Keshah chimed in, "I'm pretty sure somebody around here would be able to do it." Aurora concurred, "Well, exactly. Much better to get it up here than in Either that or we could pick up a new one when we go back to the guild." Aurora emphasized the urgency, stating, "It's dangerous for you to be on adventure without a greater concerning how many saving throws you need to make decision." Lizette conceded, "That is That is true." Keshah couldn't resist a playful jab: "Some people say you shouldn't be out on adventure without a minder." Lizette offered a simple, "Hey."Keshah then brought up a pressing question: "Can you remind me what's the difference between a Red Crown and a Gold Crown? Almost sounds like a riddle." Aurora mused, "I think the Red Crowns are more militant, extreme or driven or." Lizette interjected, explaining, "But they're right on the same team, but different factions, I think." Keshah drew a parallel: "It's Look at the um Church of Michael, for instance. You got all these church knights running around um the difference between Michael lines and Gable lines or Michael lines." Lizette offered another analogy, thinking aloud about "church priests and church knights." Keshah wondered, "Are they the same organization or they just different parts of the same organization, I would say." Aurora affirmed, "They call it organization. Yeah. Yeah."Aurora then pondered their own allegiances. "These These two have hooked up with Gold Crowns, haven't they?" Lizette confirmed with a nod. Keshah, however, corrected her, "Red Crowns." Aurora was momentarily confused, "Gold Crowns." Keshah simply replied, "Oh." After a moment, Keshah said, "It It doesn't make any difference to me, but I actually thought it was." Aurora knew better. "Well, it actually will." Keshah conceded, "Yeah, I'm sure it will. Right. But you know, at the moment I don't really understand the difference, so it doesn't." Lizette noted, "But if they're unable to um consider training that." Aurora sighed, "You probably should have done that before you signed up for something." Keshah, ever practical, stated, "Well, I kind of had to." Aurora acknowledged, "Still worth checking out way." Keshah added, "Besides, I sort of hoping I'm sort of thinking of the training opportunities." Lizette then surprised them: "The first thing they basically asked of me is to learn Elven." Aurora responded, "Right." Keshah seemed incredulous, "You can't just learn Elven normally." He joked, "Well, why don't we just go there have a holiday in in in Alpine for a while and listen to the locals? Soon pick up a few phrases."Lizette then queried, "Are you sure that curse wouldn't help you?" Keshah replied, "What?" Lizette elaborated, "The cat curse. You sure it wouldn't help you?" Keshah quickly dismissed the idea, "Wouldn't in this case." Aurora added, "Oh yeah." After a pause, Aurora asked, "What do we actually have to do for the cat Oh." Keshah explained, "Yeah, but I'm not sure whether or not I should try applying it in this case. I'm supposed to be the queen's representative." Aurora replied, "Fair enough." Keshah continued, "And I'm really going to have to get hold of Clementine and find out exactly what she thinks that entails being the queen representative to the king's rapiers that she's in charge of." Aurora agreed, "Yep, always good to know what's going on. Okay, so we're all pretty tired. We've eaten. Oh, have we eaten?"Lizette clarified the timeline. "Okay. You've been eating from about seven probably till about eleven." Keshah remarked, "That's quite a bit of eating." Lizette explained their fatigue: "You ran on gut busters for a day to do your portals across the countryside. These two were stripped of fatigue time and recently resurrected and then fought." Keshah nodded, "Yep." Lizette continued, "Yeah, I was just thinking we need to have a proper rest as all of us are at zero fatigue." Lizette added, "Yeah, I And I need to stock up on gut busters. I think those are my Um well, I had quite a few rain falls, you see. So we were burning our way through those." Lizette observed Aurora's weariness. "Uh Aurora has got droopy eyelids by eleven o'clock." Keshah concurred, "Yep, we probably should sleep." Keshah saw an opportunity. "Um because this is a chance to do it without having to have a watch and all that stuff." Lizette emphasized the importance of rest, warning, "Yep, and if we don't get enough sleep, I will give people more fatigue in the morning. So get as much as you can by sleeping."As the party contemplated their much-needed rest, an elderly Elvish man in a brown robe approached. "Excuse me, Lord Kesha," he said, "my name is Darren. Um I am one of Syrene's earth mages and I understand it's come to her attention that you don't have strength stone on for your for your companions." Keshah admitted, "No, sadly we." Darren continued, "Or a lesser enchantment. Uh do you mind if I rectify that situation?" Keshah readily agreed, "Yep, don't mind. Lesser enchantments okay, but this little young lady needs a lesser enchantment different." Lizette, surprised, asked, "I thought I got one when I got when before you left the guild. Yes." Aurora clarified, "You've got one. Yes, he's talking about clearly." Lizette remarked, "The strength of stones, I usually get mine from a bottle." She then added, "Hell level. I cast them." Keshah acknowledged, "I know you do. You're an earth mage. You just said that." Darren confirmed, "Correct." Keshah approved, "It's probably the best way to get them. Bottle ones are always good to have." Darren then proceeded to cast Strength of Stone on Endurance. Keshah offered his thanks, "Thank you very much." Darren concluded, "Come and see me in the morning and I will refresh them."Lizette then used her empathy. "Okay, you're empathizing him." Aurora asked, "Um oh How is he?" Keshah, with a playful tone, quipped, "Uh he's pregnant." Aurora laughed, "Aside from the how is he?" Lizette quickly corrected, "He's uh healthy. He's not pregnant." Keshah added, "One of those I wonder if they're a new person coming."

Chapter 8: A Night's Rest and Morning's Plans

As night fell, camp arrangements were made, and future investigations, both magical and mundane, were planned.

Keshah offered a reassuring nod. "He is, um, he's healthy," he confirmed, referring to a companion, adding that he would have certainly offered aid if anything had been needed. Lizette responded, "Okay, wonderful," echoing Keshah's sentiment that she too would have helped. "Medical services here at the camp are pretty good," Lizette remarked, though Keshah grumbled, "And you know, people who like, 'oh, such a minor nag, I'm not going to bother going on with this' sometimes..." Lizette finished his thought, "They don't get to be old that way very much." Aurora, ever practical, mused, "I would have thought though, someone who had a, who was had healing talent, would be inundated by people wanting to wanting them to fix their aches and pains. And you go out looking for them." Lizette then confessed, "You're listening around court right sometimes and, um, you can hear some of the is going on about, 'oh, the old knees playing up again. Haven't it hasn't been like that since I got shot by an arrow. And I'm just why should get around to fixing it.'" She then added with a slight smile, "Oh yeah, but it gives me a good insider when it's going to rain." Keshah simply replied, "Much appreciated.""I will see you in the morning," Lizette said, bidding them goodnight. A short while later, a young lass, perhaps fourteen years old, approached Keshah. She wore a livery of green and brown. "Lord Keshah," she began politely, "would you like to inspect your pavilion?" Lizette interjected, "Yes, please. We have, we brought. Yep, inspect and use." Aurora then asked the lass, "Could we get a wake up call just a bit before dawn as well, please?" Lizette inquired, "How much of a bit before dawn?" "Forty minutes, please," Aurora clarified. Lizette confirmed, and Aurora added, "I'll take that as well, please." Keshah, speaking to Lizette, said, "Yeah, and I'll come with you guys of course." Lizette, however, had other plans. "Well, I was intending to purify." Keshah looked concerned. "Oh, that will take too long if you're only getting up 40 minutes before." "Or you can just keep on sitting through," Lizette offered. Aurora then interjected, "Yeah, I give I I purify at dawn." Lizette decided, "Anyway, yep, we'll inspect and see you and sleep." Keshah, needing time to himself, mentioned, "Yeah, I need to re-evaluate some stuff.""Okay," Lizette said, then turned her attention to a smaller concern. "Um, what are you doing with the hobbit?" Aurora replied with a chuckle, "He is soundly asleep with his arms wrapped around your neck." Carefully, Lizette picked up the slumbering hobbit. "I might have a special assignment for him," she mused as she carried him back to the King's Rapiers, essentially handing him over to his captain. "I think this one is one of yours. I should really get his name at some point." The captain responded, "This is um..." Lizette continued, "That's a very good idea. He, uh, speaks multiple languages. Um, he's not very good with a rapier, but he is a cunning linguist." Aurora's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's that could be actually useful to me. Uh, how many what what languages does he know?" Lizette simply raised an eyebrow in response. Aurora continued, "This is um, I will send him to you in the morning." "Yes, yes, we'll compare notes because I do know of quite a few languages, but there are quite a few other languages I don't know that I probably should learn. Mm. Very well," Lizette agreed, while Keshah simply commented, "It's always new languages.""Oh, um, after dawn, by the way, I'll be watching the sunrise, uh, and purifying. I presume you know what that means," Lizette said. Keshah looked at her. "Getting my mind attuned to the magic," she clarified. "I am a man," Keshah stated. Lizette, surprised, asked, "You're a what?" "Celestial mage man," Keshah reiterated. "Right. Okay, I did not know that. I apologize profusely," Lizette quickly responded. Keshah teased, "You need more practice, Cordelia." Lizette took it in stride. "Uh, I need to get to know my king's rapiers. That's what I need. I am going to have to get to know you guys a bit more. I'm going to talk to Clementine." Keshah nodded, "That's young lass." Lizette agreed, adding, "And, um, the has a strange item." Keshah, confused, asked, "Strange what?" "The item," Lizette clarified. "Item, item," Keshah repeated, understanding now. "Um, okay, speaking of which, tomorrow I think we should get a few divinations out of the way if we get the chance," Lizette proposed. Keshah readily agreed. "Yep, definitely should. Um, a whole heap of them lined up I seem to remember." Lizette added, "Yeah, and I'd like to divinate the two of you as well. Just to be sure." Aurora asked, "I can see the behind them, but what do you mean by having a whole lot of divinations lined up, Kesha?" Keshah began to list, "Well, we each need one for our new aspects and then there's three or four items at least that we got tucked away. Those coins..." "And the," Lizette prompted. "The belts," Keshah finished. "And there was other stuff that we we had divinated the..." Keshah pondered aloud, "I should do my thing. Is it water or magically cursed? Magically water cursed?" Lizette wasn't sure. "I think there was other stuff." Keshah agreed, "Oh." "No," Lizette then stated. Aurora then asked, "Not that I can remember at least what did we pick up anything from that from that horde of necromancers and undead and whatnot?" Keshah answered, "I think they mostly ran away." Aurora then remembered. "Oh, we picked up the girl, but we probably don't need to divinate her." Keshah agreed, "No." But Aurora quickly reconsidered, "Actually, maybe we should." Keshah conceded, "Yeah, it couldn't hurt." Lizette commented, "Doesn't be on the same side. Taking on..." Keshah interjected, "No, no, I know." Lizette continued, "But it's been about five days since it's like that she would have been divinated already." Keshah hoped, "Hopefully we can at least..." Lizette finished, "The size of the priest might have got sure should have done it." Keshah concluded, "We can at least ask."

Chapter 9: A Dawn of Broth and Lingering Exhaustion

A new day begins, but the lingering exhaustion from resurrected battles and portal jumps weighs heavily on the companions.

As Keshah covered their lantern, the room plunged into darkness. Keshah assented with a low 'Mhm.' Dawn eventually rolled around, Lizette offered a sleepy 'Yeah,' breaking after six hours of sleep. The GM then asked, "Any of you doing anything during the night?" Lizette confirmed they were "Sleeping." Aurora agreed, 'Yeah,' and Keshah acknowledged he had "a lot of fatigue to recover." The GM clarified the duration of their slumber, "So you guys will get midnight through six. So six hours sleep."

The morning brought with it a discussion about their recent arduous journey. Aurora inquired, "How many jumps were there?" Lizette tallied them, "Uh one, one, two, three, four." Aurora confirmed, "Four jumps." Keshah, already feeling the toll, decided, "Mm. Well, I guess I'm going to find myself restorative for breakfast." Aurora, realizing the collective exhaustion, mused, "Yeah, I could have given us fatigue back after each jump. It's only the two of us. Wait, did you need fatigue back as well?" Lizette affirmed, "Of course I do. I need to cast a new ritual. I need three points each time I cast." Aurora nodded, "Yeah, okay. Oh. How many jumps we got? Four." Lizette reached for restoratives, explaining that for the first two jumps, she could use the staff, which held seven points, but she still needed three points per cast. Aurora recalled Lizette's fragile state after her resurrection, noting, "No, that's right. You came back and you'd just been resurrected. So your fatigue pool was zero. And you were already out of fatigue." Keshah added that he had taken a restorative, pumping it straight into his healing pool, and noted he had already subtracted four four-point restoratives. Aurora reminded him that he had given her one, and that she should have been taking one every jump, meaning she had to subtract a lot more herself. Aurora, recalling Keshah's close calls, cautioned him, "Okay, cross off another endurance pool if you died again." Lizette clarified her own restorative needs, saying, "Why I need the I had fatigue in my staff for the first two jumps anyway... So that was the one was the first one. And then two, three. So I only need one lot." Aurora decided, "Okay, well I'm going to subtract another three restoratives anyway."

The GM summarized their plight: "You have traveled for a day. You've managed to exhaust yourself because you've gone through multiple room portals stripping your fatigue." He noted Keshah had been using a staff and restoratives, but for Aurora and Lizette, he considered them "exhausted" due to their ordeal. He reminded them they had then "turned around and fought elementals" just after the taxing portals, with Keshah agreeing, "Yeah, that was pretty close. Yeah." The GM pressed, "And did it running on the empty?" Keshah confirmed, "Basically. Even though we've been stopped and stoked up with um But yeah, running on empty like that is sudden surge of um fatigue and endurance to do the combat. That would have been" Lizette commented, "So you get to sleep heavily." The GM then asked Keshah about an earlier promise regarding his fighting technique: "Which reminds me Kesha. Yeah. You think you can give us some pointers on using the hand and a half?" Keshah admitted, "I forgot about that." The GM then pointed out Keshah's current state: "Down to three endurance over here." Keshah confirmed, "And no fatigue." The GM continued, "Um I mean I got this fancy hand and a half. I must as well learn how to use it properly."

At 5:30 in the morning, a young lass gently kicked Keshah's foot, rousing him. She handed him a hot cup of broth. Keshah, stirring, gratefully accepted, "Thank you kindly. Oh, thank you again." The lass asked, "Do your comrades wish to be woken?" Keshah replied, "Yes, please." The lass proceeded to kick Aurora's foot and hand her a broth. "Oh, thank you. Oh, what's this?" Aurora murmured. Keshah drank his hot cup of broth, presuming it to be morning tea. The lass confirmed, "Yes," and Keshah thanked her.

Lizette reflected on their recent ordeal, stating, "Yes, you have been resurrected. You then traveled where you got all of your fatigue constantly stripped as your body tried to recover itself. You then fought elementals on a fire bed. Uh uh and then you engaged in a delicate um dance where now you're looking back upon it, people took advantage of you." Aurora, defending their actions, stated, "I thought it was important to show trust." Lizette acknowledged that "exhaustion played a um you were a bit trusting." Aurora agreed, "Yeah. I did mention it at the time that I thought it was a bit strange, but I decided to trust them." Lizette summarized their morning state, "Exhaustion is what you can put it down to. Um you two wake up in the morning and you're still gut wrenchingly fatigued." Keshah, observing them, recognized the signs of their exhaustion, understanding it stemmed from their fighting, resurrection, portaling, and constant fatigue stripping.

Aurora inquired about their recovery, asking what guidance they'd been given to find a solution to their fatigue. She then analyzed a mechanical detail, referencing "strength of stone of rank 12" which she believed "adds 13." Lizette confirmed, "Correct." Aurora concluded, "So that'll be 34." Lizette then explained the recovery rate: "So you're getting plus one point of fatigue per hour. Well, actually not per hour at the moment because you're exhausted, but per meal." Aurora processed the information, murmuring, "Okay, so I'm..." Lizette suggested, "You should switch to hobbit mode and get a meal every two hours." Aurora's player enthusiastically agreed, "Oh, yeah, knowing Aurora she will switch to hobbit mode. Because she's got she's got the um sometimes the personality of a hobbit." Lizette remarked, "She has natural talents for," to which Aurora's player added, "Yeah. Someone actually called her a hobbit in the in the body as well."

The GM, sensing their deep fatigue, suggested, "Anyway, so wake up and uh you guys probably should go back to sleep." Aurora, however, rejected the idea, "Uh no." The GM pressed Keshah, asking about his morning duties: "And what can which is done with you?" Aurora countered, arguing against separation, "So it's we shouldn't be splitting up." Keshah, referring to his commitment to the captain of the guard, stated, "I the captain of the guard says um let me do my purification then I'll go back to bed." The GM commented on the necessity of rest, suggesting, "You should turn it back to before 12 hours." Keshah agreed, "That's what I'm saying." Aurora offered a more extended rest, suggesting, "Or maybe even 24 and leave tomorrow." The GM insisted, "As much as scientists you should go you guys should go girls should go back to sleep because you're non combat affected." Aurora reasoned, "We're probably actually safe here. And you're going to be with who? You're probably safe here." Lizette, however, seemed unsure of her position, saying, "Just outside the Oh no, I'm off to one side. I don't know." Aurora pressed Keshah for his exact plans, "Fine. Who are you going to be with?" The GM clarified Keshah's commitment, "Uh the person who said I had to be there. Was was the elf person, wasn't it?" Aurora confirmed, "Yeah."

Chapter 10: A Day of Rest and Revealing Aspects

Amidst luxurious chambers, exhausted adventurers receive solicitous care from attentive hobbits, enjoying a much-needed respite and recovery.

“Well, if you put it like that, Keshah,” Aurora stifled a yawn, “since the intention is to sleep for the rest of the day, I don't really need to purify. Good night.” Lizette, ever practical, warned, “You probably can't with zero fatigue. There might be an option, but you'll probably be making willpower checks, and they’re horrific nights.”From a distance, a fragment of a story drifted through the air. “Yep,” acknowledged Keshah. He had managed to stay up until dawn, barely half an hour away. Feeling the bone-deep weariness, he mentally placed some of his fatigue into his armor, preparing for a long sleep. “Yeah,” he thought, just before he laid down. But a strange thought struck him: *what* fatigue? A voice, almost a command, echoed in his mind: “Make a willpower check.” “You got meal fatigue,” it clarified. “Didn't we just get it from the food? It's dawn. It's just before dawn. Meals you've just got a little hot broth,” he mused.Aurora hummed in agreement. Lizette added, “Well, you had a last night meal and this morning meal.” Keshah recalled the warm liquid. “What was that hot broth? Beef or something like that? Beef broth?” “Yes,” Lizette confirmed. “Oh shit, that's delicious,” Aurora murmured, though Lizette quickly corrected, “Oh, that's delicious. Actually, mushroom.”Keshah turned to Aurora. “So you're going to stay up for breakfast, are you?” Aurora shook her head. “Just for dawn, which is like another half hour. And then I'm going to crash out.” “Right,” Keshah conceded, “So you're going to skip breakfast.” He then wondered aloud, “What time does breakfast start?” “In about an hour's time from now,” Lizette responded. “It's purification time. Keshah is up to go and purify.” “Yeah,” Keshah acknowledged. Lizette added, “And something else, but we'll find out soon.” “Yeah, okay. I'll purify,” Keshah resolved. “I need to actually have that find still.” Lizette, ever organized, planned, “I'm going to leave a little note.”Another mental command came: “Make a willpower check.” Aurora, determined, stated, “Okay. Um, I will get up because I need to be awake by dawn.” Again, the invisible prompt: “Make a willpower check.” For a moment, she merely rolled over, resisting the call of the new day.“Uh Oh well,” the Captain of the Guard announced as he approached Keshah. “Your friends are safe. I will send the Earth mage to cast Strength of Stones on all of you again, and have food delivered to your quarters. The Destinians,” he continued, with a graver tone, “are causing problems on the Elbereth Isles.” Lizette, now fully roused, interjected, “Right. Anything that's on island they consider it their property, more or less.” The Captain merely stated, “This is, I'm just have been instructed to inform you.” “Oh, thank you very much,” Lizette replied.Aurora remembered a brief moment of wakefulness earlier, where she had scrawled a note by her bed: “Please bring me something sweet and healthy. I'll eat it when I wake up. Preferably fruit.”When Keshah returned to his quarters after purification, a young hobbit, perhaps from the King's Rapier household, stood with a tray laden with assorted yumminesses. “This is after dawn, isn't it?” Keshah asked, verifying the time. “Yep, when you get back,” came the confirmation. “Right.” Having purified, Keshah noticed something profound: his aspect had changed. He was quite aware of it, even if Aurora remarked, “There's the aspect, but not how I know it.” It was, however, “mostly the same,” he decided.Aurora, as she rose, decided, “When I get up I fold up the nation hopefully I'll get a slightly better insights.” It was about mid-morning. “Mid morning, Aurora, you can make…” the voice trailed off. “At mid-morning, I'll probably wake them up for late breakfast,” the unseen speaker added.A hobbit, not in armor today but in courtly attire, appeared. Aurora, noting the finery, mused, “The skins will probably look pretty snazzy uniforms, don't they? I'm pretty sure they do.” The hobbit, specifically referred to as '70 It', had brought a tray of sweet treats.Lizette remembered, “Oh, we're supposed to be discussing languages, weren't we? Can we defer that till tomorrow?” “Of course,” an unseen voice replied. “Thank you,” Lizette said. Aurora planned, “Because I think I'm going to be having this and then go back to sleep. I feel…” she left the sentence unfinished.“Oh, I have a magic hairbrush,” someone commented. “I think I might have one of those as well,” Aurora mused. Lizette, determined to care for her friend, resolved, “I'll get Lizette a late breakfast and if she's not awake, I'll wake her up and get her to eat it.”Suddenly, Lizette woke up, as if her internal clock had chimed '07'. It was mid-morning, and she heard a voice urging, “You should eat this breakfast and then go back to sleep.” “Wonderful, thank you,” she replied, and Lizette confirmed, “I'll make sure she eats it before she goes back to sleep.”Meanwhile, a short hobbit was pampering over Aurora. “Short hobbit, isn't he shorter than a normal hobbit?” Lizette wondered. “Maybe,” came the reply. “Where is a hobbit any short?” she pressed. “Maybe,” the voice repeated. “It's hard to tell,” Lizette concluded. The hobbit was clearly dedicated, looking after Aurora, seeming to comb her hair. “I'll allow it,” Lizette finally conceded. “Okay.”Keshah, meanwhile, was enjoying his breakfast. “Is everything okay?” he asked. “Yep,” Lizette replied, “except you guys are exhausted, so you should sleep.” “Yeah, thank you,” Keshah said gratefully. Aurora added, “And Aurora's in her negligee, of course.” Lizette chuckled, “It's more than the bikini.”Evening rolled around. “Excellent,” Keshah noted, “by now, twelve hours should be over.” “Yeah,” came the agreement. He mused, “She getting fatigued back?” “Yeah, you've in the afternoon you start to recover fatigue.” “Excellent.”“Yeah, really. A greater and the purification,” a voice commented, hinting at further tasks. “Oh, greater seventy-five,” Aurora replied, suggesting a specific kind of magical working. Lizette confirmed, “You can organize the greater here without too much…” her voice trailed off. Aurora added, “Oh, these are two more ish.”Someone (presumably the Captain of the Guard) confided, “It occurs to me that I think that Aurora has charmed me.” He immediately clarified, “He says this is a magical, magical spell.” Aurora, surprised, responded, “Uh, not consciously. No, I think it's just sheer amount of PD.”

Chapter 11: A Royal Appointment and Shimmering Attire

Aurora, resplendent in her sky blue gown, is led by the Captain to a mysterious well, as Keshah keeps watch.

A soft murmur, “All right. This is some good special,” drifted through Aurora's waking thoughts. Her mind, still half-caught in dreams, tried to grasp a fleeting concept. “Oh, and her guile… and what’s the term? Naivety. What’s the… I can’t…”“Naivety,” a very sleepy voice confirmed, presumably her own. “A very sleepy voice is naivety,” the voice clarified, before trailing off again. “That one. Naivety. That one. And goes back to sleep.” Aurora let out a soft “Hm.”Later that afternoon, the promise of a proper dinner hung in the air. The Captain of the King's Rapier approached Lizette. “I'm going to assign Ernest to accompany Aurora and yourself,” he stated, his tone businesslike. “Just not too much of a chore.”Lizette responded with practiced courtesy, “I'm sure his help will be greatly appreciated.”The Captain's demeanor grew slightly more serious. “If he gets code, could you return them to us, please?”Without a moment's hesitation, Lizette assured him, “I will be able to resurrect him.”“So, it's very good,” the Captain acknowledged with a nod. Lizette, reflecting, noted, “I use Fortify Self.” She quickly corrected herself, realizing she wasn't fully awake yet. “Oh, sorry. When I will wake, I use Fortify Self. I thought I was awake.” The Captain merely offered an “Mhm.”“Mhm. But we'll wake people up for dinner,” he added. Lizette resolved, “I'll tell Aurora about the hobbit being assigned.” She mused to herself, “Yeah, I was expecting that. I'm thinking I'm trying to figure out what um liaison perhaps, but I suppose I should give him something. I'm just trying to think. Aid? I suppose that's the usual term.”Before the evening's formal engagements, the group made perception checks, assessing their surroundings. A conversation then turned to the capabilities of their allies. “Okay, so you think we can get graders here?” one asked, referring to potent magical enhancements.“Yes,” came the confident reply. “Saren has the… facility to empower… or organize graders on people.”“I thought Saren was an earth mage in the guild records,” someone observed, expressing surprise.“She has a very extensive staff,” was the simple explanation.“Why am I not surprised?” a voice scoffed with a slight chuckle. There was an “Okay” of acknowledgement. “She can probably organize pretty much any of them. If not, she can probably organize Matt to drop you off where you can get pretty much anything.” The speaker elaborated on Saren's far-reaching influence. “Need to go to the Lunar Empire? Done. If it's important enough.”Sunlight streamed into their pavilion, a warm, golden glow that indicated the approach of evening. “Oh, what time is it?” Keshah asked, stirring from a deep rest.“It's coming up on about fiveish by this stage,” came the reply.“At night?” Keshah clarified.“In the evening,” confirmed another voice. “In the evening, yeah. Just make sure—”A young lass entered, her voice cheerful. “Oh, you're finally awake! They were exhausted.”“So we really were,” Keshah agreed, feeling the lingering weariness.“Well, we were,” the lass confirmed. “Come with me, and I will introduce you to the captain, who will put an enchantment on you—on them—and inform you.”“Ah, yes, thank you. I do need a hand dressing,” Keshah replied, preparing for the upcoming court engagements.As they began to ready themselves, the question of attire naturally arose. “What are you wearing?” Keshah asked.“What are we doing aside from this today?” came Aurora's query.“We're talking to Sarine, probably having dinner with some people,” was the answer. “We're still doing court stuff. We should dress appropriately.”“Yep. Okay,” Aurora affirmed. She decided on her outfit. “Okay, dressed in ‘name of blues.’ Names wear blue, and they have small pieces of iron, too small to interfere with magic.” An “And okay” and “Mhm” acknowledged her choice. “It's how the skies name is wear. So that's what I wear today.”Keshah, meanwhile, assessed her own options. “And I've got my look smelling like—” She quickly reconsidered. “Yeah, I okay, I see. I know I'll wear something rank eight then. I won't wear my name of blues today. I've never thought about making my own. I'll do that.” She confirmed, “Yeah, I'll wear rank eight. Yeah, I'll I'll make some things.” Her old ‘name of blues’ were still with her, but they looked “tatty, soiled, and worn out.”“Oh dear. I'll see what I can do with with cantrips but—” Aurora offered help.“No, no. I'll wear something else. I think it's the main takeaway,” Keshah interrupted, an “Okay” solidifying her decision. “So I'll wear one that's white with gold trim.”“Okay,” Aurora acknowledged, then elaborated on her own choice. “Is it a ball gown, the old bell-shaped thing, or is it just basically—”“Yeah,” came the confirmation. “It just says a sky blue ball gown made of sky blue silk with white cloud-like trim. The gown glitters and sparkles with tiny specks of gem, which gives the shimmering fairy dust and look which complements Aurora's complexion.” This master-crafted gown, made by a rank eight seamstress, also “enhances Aurora's natural assets to the extent of adding four points of effective PV.”“But what does Aurora look?” Keshah wondered aloud, trying to visualize the ensemble. Aurora then thought, “I was going to ask um well what I'd describe to look okay with that otherwise look okay with that.” She considered Keshah's choice. “Well, well that look okay with white and gold trim?” There was a brief “Um” of hesitation. “Otherwise I'll wear something red maybe that looks better with it. You know, I'll I'll compare a few of my outfits and I'll wear one that specifically goes with it.”“Well, that one's a,” Keshah began, before another voice interjected, “I might have to get something else now.” Keshah clarified, describing her accessory as having a “red gem and dark colour bronzy brassy look and red.”Aurora concluded, “White and gold probably goes with that okay because it contrasts quite nicely with the red.”“Yeah. Excellent. Uh,” Keshah agreed.As they finalized their appearances, a Red Crown approached Keshah. “Could you make sure that your companions are sober around 10 p.m., please, Keshah?”“Okay, we'll do,” Keshah affirmed, a hint of surprise in her voice.“Thank you. And dress warm at around 10,” the Red Crown added.“So, after all the trouble of getting the right outfit,” Keshah muttered, shaking her head slightly.Soon after, Aurora, having put so much effort into her attire, went with the Captain. There was an “Mhm” and a “Yep” as they moved. The Captain hesitated for a moment, “He uh he uh... he says oh yes of course. Now come this way.” He led her off to a prominent well. “Please have a seat, ma’am,” he instructed. Aurora sat down as Keshah, ever vigilant, watched from a distance, keeping an eye on her.

Chapter 12: A Pact and Preparations for Court

A hobbit in elegant attire, prepared for court, engages in conversation with the adventurers, embodying newfound alliances and diplomatic efforts.

The captain, flanked by a diligent pair of guards who purposefully moved to intercept any approach, made his way towards Aurora. He offered a swift, powerful gesture, casting a greater enchantment upon her. The spell was potent, granting a rank four boost to magic in a single area, and was set to last for weeks.

“Thank you for that,” Aurora replied, genuinely grateful. “If there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know. I’m primarily a healer.”

“I know of your reputation,” the captain responded simply. Aurora realized she hadn't explicitly been given his name. There was a brief discussion amongst the group, recalling an earlier missed event – a special rune or ritual extension scheduled for the 14th midnight till dawn. It had involved gathering spices from the desert, a task that was ultimately banned due to a local 'infestation.' It seemed they had been distracted, but the opportunity might arise again, perhaps with the next lunar cycle, if it was indeed tied to the moon.

They also spoke of samples of a certain 'blue stuff' and the need for more 'blue cookies.' Aurora mused about her past near-death experiences. “I have to learn how to not die,” she stated, almost to herself. The captain offered a reassuring, “You seem to have that quite well in hand.”

Another voice chimed in, “Don’t do things like healing people that are sacrificing themselves to summon a major evil.” This sparked a brief, somewhat confused, discussion about a past incident where Aurora had healed someone who had already been sacrificed, just as they were about to give their life force. It was deemed a “special case,” occurring at a place of power, stabbed by a sacrificial dagger, not a typical outcome. The conversation shifted to their collective fatigue and items that could delay damage.

Soon after, instructions arrived from the Red Crowns: they were to dress formally and be prepared for 10 o'clock. It was suggested they might want to bring their adventuring gear as well. Aurora considered putting on 'resistance colds' for the group, which would help with dressing warmly, and thought aloud about commissioning a court-suitable outfit for herself, something less formal than a ball gown. The hobbit, now revealed to be accompanying them, appeared dressed in a fine, rank eight outfit. He also carried an enchanted weapon, though he blushed when asked if it was 'magic,' clarifying it was 'not so much that.'

Aurora then asked the hobbit about his language skills, noting his captain had mentioned he knew many. The hobbit blushed again, looking down. “My captain was mocking both of us, saying that I was a cunning linguist.” He revealed his rank in Hobbit was excellent, while Aurora's was only five. He also possessed a rank eight in Common, surpassing Aurora. She saw an opportunity. “Maybe I can use you,” she mused.

“I intend for you to use me,” the hobbit replied, blushing once more. “I intend for you to pick up Elvish and Hobbit.” Another voice added, “I might also need you to be my eyes and ears in court while I’m away.” The hobbit confirmed, “I will be accompanying you. I’ve been assigned.” However, there was a pause as the speaker looked towards the Red Crowns, implying there might be places he wouldn't be allowed. The hobbit clarified, “I’m going to be staying with them for a while.” Aurora sought confirmation, “Is that fine?” The response was that they would “cross that bridge when we come to it,” noting that the group was usually all-female, though they did have some male members.

Chapter 13: A Muse from the Well and a Hidden Complex

The glowing muse emerges from the colossal well, her serene presence captivating the party as they uncover the mystery of the enchanted item and its subterranean complex.

Keshah proposed an exchange of knowledge, offering to teach Aurora Common and the hobbit language, both of which he knew better than she. In return, he expected instruction in other languages. Aurora, however, revealed a prohibition. "They do?" she asked, then after Keshah's confirmation, "Oh." She confessed, "I've been asked not to learn those," referring to tongues like "right spiel" and "the long vault." Lizette, surprised, asked, "What?"

"Why not?" Keshah pressed.

"Uh because they're used in the Whispering Kingdom court," Aurora explained.

"You're a king's rapier. Aren't you supposed to be part of the Western Kingdoms?" Keshah challenged.

"Yes," Aurora affirmed, "but I am often around people that don't want me to understand what's being said."

"That's the whole point!" Keshah retorted, a sly grin playing on his lips. "You don't let them know you know a language. But you make it look like you don't understand what they're saying and actually you do." He then leaned in, his voice dropping conspiratorially, "I was thinking I could use him as a spy. Right. I'm going to teach you to read lips."

Aurora felt a blush creep up her neck. "This is um," she began, flustered. Keshah, observing her reaction, simply looked at her lips and blushed again.

Aurora then inquired about the time and dinner. "Okay, so what time is it roughly? Are we going for dinner now?" she asked.

"We've had dinner," Keshah replied.

"Oh, had dinner," Aurora murmured, slightly disoriented.

Lizette interjected, "Uh well, no, no, you go and sit down for dinner. There's a performance happening. It's uh acrobats," Aurora exclaimed, "Ooh!" Lizette continued, "and um and some in a dancing troop." Aurora hummed in thought. Lizette added that the performers were "very good. As it happens." Aurora replied, "Yeah. Nice."

As the company settled, Lizette pointed towards the well. "And there is a a glowing young lady has emerged from the well," she noted. "Oh," Aurora responded.

"Observe, that has definitely got my interest," Keshah remarked.

"Uh does she look familiar?" Lizette asked Aurora. Aurora hesitated. "How many times have you been here?" Lizette considered. "Oh, a few, but I was thinking of um thinking of uh uh someone who is who inspires people." Aurora clarified, "Amused?" Lizette confirmed, "Amused, yeah." "Yes, she is indeed the muse," Aurora affirmed, "and she is standing off by the um well, watching the performance." "And she came out of the well?" Keshah pressed. "Yes," Aurora confirmed. Lizette acknowledged, "Okay."

Keshah then leaned towards Aurora. "Who's that?" Lizette clarified, "She's amused, which means when you're around her you're better." "And it is an divine creature type thing," Keshah wondered. "I was wondering if she was a nymph or a nixie or something of that nature." Lizette agreed she was "Do something of that nature."

Aurora then shared a surprising detail. The woman, she explained, "that um that that woman is in fact a um a enchanted item. And she is a muse that lives in a statue that is in the bottom of the well."

"Oh," Keshah exclaimed, "I was wondering what the deal was with that 120 ft wide well round." "Is is she," Lizette started. Aurora interjected, "It says I can take you there if you wish maybe in the morning. Would I need a Um it depends on the time of the day." Lizette then asked, "Is she the one that's married to Kelsey's character's child?" "I think so," Keshah replied, and Lizette confirmed, "Yeah." Keshah then expressed, "If it's allowed, I might take you up on that," his curiosity piqued. Lizette, too, found herself intrigued. "Hm. Because that you have that has got me curious." Aurora asked, "Thinking Or what what has made you curious about it?" Lizette responded, "You said she's part of the statue that's in the bottom of the well."

Aurora casually mentioned, "Probably use for a year." Lizette then proposed, "We can Well, later tonight I can show you to the well. That will be low tide there." "Low tide?" Aurora questioned. "As in the water will be out," Lizette clarified. "Okay," Aurora said, understanding. "Then we can walk down," Lizette added. "Okay," Aurora responded. "Well, that explains the steps," Keshah remarked. "Yes," Lizette continued, "It's a large complex with many dozens of rooms." "Oh," Aurora breathed, clearly stunned.

"It's magic," Keshah stated. "There's a whole complex and it's and this is part of Siren's core. And there's a whole complex down there?" Aurora asked, overwhelmed. "Yes. It's an item, remember?" Keshah reminded her. "Item? It must be conventional," Lizette said, to which Aurora replied, "Has to be. I think my mind was blown."

Lizette then seemed to indicate that someone "will come you here" and "charm someone," which Aurora mentally filed away as "Something to check on in a bit." Lizette agreed, "Yeah, I think so."

Suddenly, a Red Crown approached Aurora. "Have you divinated the belt yet? Do you know how to use it?" he asked. "No, I've no had time today," Aurora responded. "I'll start divinating," the Red Crown offered.

Chapter 14: Preparation for the Ogre and the Muse's Retreat

Aurora delves into divination, while Keshah arms himself with potent antidotes for the looming ogre confrontation. Nearby, the enigmatic muse subtly withdraws into the depths.

“Okay,” Aurora began, readying herself. Their contact swiftly replied, “You'll be expected to use it within the hour. Be quick.” Aurora countered, “It will take me an hour to do.” The contact pressed, “Well, be quick.” Aurora then sought a suitable place to sit, remarking, “It's not magically quick order to curse.” The contact seemed more concerned with her understanding the item's attributes but conceded, “that's fine. What's this colds?”

Turning to the party, the contact outlined the immediate threat: “there's an ogre and some cavalrymen. If D was to take the cavalrymen or the ogre?” Keshah immediately volunteered, “I'll take the ogre.” The contact approved, “This is very good. It should be a quick victory. If you get injured, preferably don't stall the damages. That's all right, we have a couple of mind mages here who will be able to interview you.” Keshah confirmed his understanding. He then inquired about taking an item from his foe: “I'll take the item off them.” The contact clarified, “Don't that trinket's optional,” with another voice adding, “Up to yourself.” Keshah mused, “What is it? I still I probably store it because then it can be healed in a more appropriate time setting.” The contact affirmed, “Certainly.”

Aurora settled into her task. “Okay, so I just divinate till the hour's up and this I get.” One of the attendants approached her, “Aurora, could you put your snow boots on?” Aurora, surprised, repeated, “My snow boots?” “Yes,” the attendant confirmed. “Okay,” she replied, adding, “Uh you probably want to make sure your boots are on but you want you your armor is on.” The attendant acknowledged, “Yes, I will have to go and get my uh I just.” Aurora continued, “I'll make sure buffs are on people. My buffs are on people 'cause they're probably fallen off and I haven't put them back on.” Keshah, meanwhile, made a practical decision. “Since people seem to object to the drail robes, I'm going to get the assassin suit.”

A group of earth mages and sirens approached Keshah. “Do you want armor of earth, Keshah?” they inquired. “Uh no, I don't think so,” he replied. “Or any of your companions,” they pressed. “Um up to them. They may want to try something different,” Keshah deflected. “We were talking to them. We're talking to you, good sir,” a mage insisted. Keshah decided, “In which case I'll probably stick with my armor because it it gives more prediction but less defense.” “Very good,” the mage responded. “Have you got immunity to poisons?” Keshah affirmed, “I have got poison resistance, my talent.” The attendant offered him a small bottle. “The buffs out a bottle says you might need this within the hour.” Keshah clarified, “What, uh so is the antidote or poison?” “Uh this is an antidote,” came the reply. “Okay, right.” “Um particularly vicious poison, so um like use it liberally.” “Okay,” Keshah acknowledged. “That ogre's a nasty fellow.” “Yep.”

Aurora continued her focus. “Let's keep divinating.” After some time, the contact announced, “Okay. Uh you now understand how to use the item.” “Excellent,” Aurora declared, then asked, “Do I have time to put my armor in?” “Yes.” “Excellent.”

Later, as preparations finalized, Aurora addressed Keshah. “Okay. Um Aurora, it sounds to me like we're fighting one group. He's fighting the ogre. He might not be near us. Can you check a resist cold on him?” Keshah promptly answered, “I've already done that.” “It's above,” Aurora confirmed. “Cool,” the contact added. Keshah added, “Yeah.” He then seemed to have a realization. “Um hang on. I thought you it was said that um you were taking the ogre with you. So I presumed he was on your side.” Aurora clarified sharply, “No. No. It's fighting me.” Keshah corrected himself, “I was asked whether I wanted the ogre or the horseman.” Aurora then noted, “Okay, and poison might be a thing so it's good that you've got the resist poison.” The contact chimed in, “Cuz if I'm not with you, I can't cure you.” Keshah explained his strategy, “Uh yes and no cuz I can as I said I delay the damage that delays the poison. It it's only pulses that it gets delayed but hopefully you will be with me or I'll be with you by the time the the pulses run out. It just delays at 10 pulses.” “Excellent,” Aurora affirmed. She then considered a spell, “An extra 15 in health or should I give it to Aurora? Well, that's not an honor but yes, you're probably right. Okay, I'll put it on me.”

Aurora then looked around. “Okay. Uh the It where's the muse? Is there any chance we can do our buffs around the muse?” Their contact indicated, “Uh she's about 140 ft over there.” Aurora decided to ask directly. “Oh okay. Um I would like to ask you is it okay if we stand around you when we buff up for the fight?” As they began to approach, the muse reacted immediately. “As you approach, she will back off and disappear into the water as you get close like oh 40 ft away, 50 ft away.” Keshah, observing, remarked to Aurora, “I'm not liking you Aurora. You should check that at some stage.” Aurora conceded, “That's true. That's quite possibly what it is.” The contact then observed, “Um Okay, so the hobbit at the hobbit is um got uh a dark and wispy shadow moving around him.” Keshah immediately suggested, “You probably should buff them as well with your.” “Yeah, I'll do that,” the contact responded. Keshah offered, “I'll give him uh room mage buffs as well.” The contact confirmed, “Okay. He's got a shadow from him.” “Oh, which case I'll just give him the heart room,” Keshah finalized. “Good.”

Chapter 15: A Sudden Chill in Ionia

Transported to a frigid Ionian night, the Wall Walkers brace for danger as fleeing locals, mostly women and children, are pursued by unseen cavalry, illuminated by a bizarre flaming weapon.

As the six Gold Crowns approached, Matt joined them, his gaze falling upon Aurora. "Lady Aurora," he began, "you're dressed in black." Lizette, standing nearby, simply offered, "Yes." Aurora, for her part, met his directness with a question of her own. "Is that a problem?" Matt pressed on, ignoring her query. "Do you have an enchanted weapon?" Aurora confirmed, "I do." Matt then inquired, "Is it enchanted now?" Aurora paused, considering, before admitting she needed to choose her weapon. Matt's impatience was clear: "Anytime now." Aurora sighed, "All right." Lizette, ever practical, interjected, "So what are we going to be fighting?" Matt merely gestured, instructing Aurora to "grab my leg." Aurora complied, placing one hand on his leg, and as she did, Matt added, "Aurora, get your weapon out." She then placed her other hand on his leg. She settled on her weapon choice, stating, "I got a short sword. Yep. I'll do it. Try this one." Lizette observed, hearing an implied message, "He says you're fighting with the short sword." Aurora clarified, "Short sword and a main gauche." Lizette sighed, remarking, "She's not front line material." Aurora acknowledged, "I see that."

Without warning, their surroundings dissolved, and they were instantly transported to the edge of a dark, snowy forest. Aurora and Keshah found their footing quickly, but the change was jarring. "It is shockingly cold here," the GM noted. Aurora shivered, asking, "Is it still nighttime?" The GM confirmed, "Yes, it is still nighttime." Aurora murmured, wondering, "I'll just see whether we change time zones." The GM elaborated, "You would say that you are in Ionia somewhere. And it is uh it's damagingly cold." Aurora, remembering a trick, announced, "I'll spit." She watched as the spittle froze "just as it leaves the lips." "Oh, it's really cold," she confirmed, the reality of their frigid new location sinking in. Lizette, assessing the situation, quickly consumed a restorative from her belt, tapping into her reserves to counter the damaging cold. She managed to raise her resistance to the bitter cold, adjusting her personal comfort to a more bearable level. The temperature, the GM noted, felt like minus ten. Lizette responded that it was "not too bad" now.

Matt departed, leaving Aurora, Lizette, Keshah, a hobbit, and the six Crowns in the bitter cold. Aurora, already anticipating trouble, drew out her staff, then her other weapon—a short sword and main gauche—ready to engage, scanning the dark woods for ogres. Suddenly, a summoned weapon appeared, what one might consider an enchanted dart or a less-than-standard sword. It was, undeniably, summoned, and crackled through the air, "dropping fire as it crackles through the air." Aurora remarked on the light it cast, "Light the darkness and fire and make it or..." The weapon was dark in nature, yet "literally dripping fire onto the ground" where it burned the snow. It occurred to the party that in this season and location, it had been dark for hours. "Yeah, if we go a long way north and it's winter time there then of course here it's it's a long time after sunset which is... Sunset's about 3:00 in the afternoon," Aurora mused.

Through the swirling snow and gloom, they observed "a bunch of cavalry people heading towards a bunch of people who are running through the forest" past their position. "So fleeing," Aurora confirmed. "Oh, very much so," the GM replied. They could see Keshah was about to be engaged by what looked like a giant, which Aurora observed appeared to be fading, while archers were also present among the pursuers. Lizette, noticing their plight, wondered aloud about the identity of the fleeing people, a group that was about to rush closely past them and beyond whom was a group of cavalry. The GM asked if any of them had been to Ivinia. Aurora replied, "I don't think so." The GM clarified, "Yes, Keshah has," further adding, "Yes, you have. Yeah." Aurora, however, reiterated her uncertainty, "Not sure I'm not sure. No, I don't think I." The fleeing individuals were clearly "locals," from Ivinia, characterized by their furs. Lizette mused on their appearance, describing them as "blonde looking chefs. Well," though the GM quickly clarified they were "more blonde than normal," before adding, "Uh no, it's too cold to have hair out. Everyone is all bundled." Lizette reasoned, "I know but they might have the if it males will have the beards sticking out potentially." The GM then observed, "You don't think that there is that many males amongst them." Lizette quickly confirmed, "Okay, women and children is it?" The GM affirmed, "Yep."

Lizette then turned to Aurora, "Aurora," she began, "could you describe yourself? You've got black leather armor." Aurora elaborated, "Full fitting leather armor is further... Blood leather armor." Lizette added, "Right. Do you want more details on wearing the shield? Um I have various jewelry on which is some which is magical."

Chapter 16: A Reluctant Truce

Keshah defends the refugees and negotiates a temporary truce with the ogre and his archers.

Lizette, clad in red-black leather armor, described her protective gear to the group. "It's all one piece," she affirmed, detailing the staff, sword, and the distinctive floating shield Keshah also wore. As she spoke, two enemy archers drew their bows and targeted her.

"What is your defense, Lizette?" a voice from the shadows called out. Lizette quickly calculated, "I think sixty-nine, but let's double check that. We also have the twenty-five from the windshield." Even with her robust defenses, the arrows struck home, inflicting a deep sense of weariness upon her. "Sixteen points of fatigue," came the pronouncement. Lizette, feeling the strain, confirmed, "Yep." Keshah, always attentive, prompted, "Are you going to tell me your defense?" Lizette clarified, "Sixty-nine, sorry."

"That's two blows," Keshah observed. Lizette turned to him, "Okay, so what do we do next, Keshah?" The attacks continued, draining her reserves. "Fourteen fatigue and sixteen endurance," the voice detailed. Keshah, witnessing her struggle, explained, "Of the sixteen endurance, three will remain. I'll turn to zero endurance," he declared, feeling the familiar surge as his Heart Rune triggered, shoring up his defenses. Lizette expressed her relief, "Oh, wonderful!"

Suddenly, the focus shifted to a new, larger threat. "The ogre," the voice announced. Keshah stepped forward, declaring his formidable evasion, "I'm evading with a hundred and... a lot of defense." The ogre grunted a low, guttural "Ah." Then, with a hint of recognition, it spoke directly to Keshah, "Says Keshah, if I'm not mistaken."

Keshah met its gaze. "That is correct. If you recognize me, you should probably head back that way really quickly. I will evade here for another pulse." The ogre seemed to consider this. "I agree," it rumbled. Keshah repeated his intention to hold his ground. Observing the ogre's subsequent movements, Keshah demanded, "As long as he's not heading towards the refugees." The GM confirmed, "Yes, he's heading towards the refugees. They are a large band of refugees." Keshah moved decisively, interposing himself. "No, no. Back! I'll intercept between him and the refugees. Last warning."

The ogre responded, "I made your move." Keshah didn't flinch. "You did." The ogre seemed to challenge him, "Surely you should start evading again." Keshah's confidence was unwavering. "I can move and evade. Do you really want me to teleport into a re-hex and try and murder you?" The ogre recoiled slightly. "That would be unsporting." Keshah scoffed, "No, it wouldn't. I have the skill to say that it is sporting. See, a warning." The ogre hesitated. "I think it would be unwise of you to kill me." Keshah pushed, "Well, I might nearly hurt you severely."

The ogre's recognition deepened. "Now I see you are toying with me. You were with that Northman, Mugu... no, Mambo." Keshah corrected him smoothly, "Mungo." The ogre repeated, "Mungo." Keshah added playfully, "Don't say that you forgot his name; he will be heartbroken." The ogre chuckled, "Well, you know who I mean. That loudmouth." Keshah acknowledged the description, "Him." Lizette, listening intently, interjected, "Are we talking about Mungo the humble?" Keshah swiftly corrected her, "No, Mungo the magnificent!" Lizette let out a groan. Keshah then conceded with a grin, "Right, yeah, Mungo the humble."

The ogre then shifted its tone, asserting, "These people have been involved in crimes against the gods." Keshah looked at the fleeing masses. "Yes, but they look like women and children to me, and I don't generally think that children are involved in crimes against the gods. I think you might be misstating things slightly. And if anybody was involved, it's probably the men of the group, who don't seem to be present at the moment." Lizette murmured, "Oh, look at the reputation."

Keshah's argument resonated. "You make a fair point," the ogre admitted. "I will tell you what. You can have them till dawn, interrogate them as you see fit. And then we will pursue again." Keshah agreed, "Okay." The ogre then yelled orders, and the archers, who had been continuously firing at Lizette, finally ceased their barrage. "Oh, that's awesome, a mighty fine thing," Keshah remarked, as the ogre declared the truce until dawn, turned, and began to stride away.

Keshah immediately began planning. "I will talk to the Gold Crowns while keeping an eye on the ogre." He corrected himself, "Red Crowns... Gold Crowns... Gold Crowns... Red Crowns." The GM interjected with a warning, "They will wait for us to be off our guard and then attack us in the middle of the night." Keshah proposed, "Why don't we gather up the refugees and then leave this abhorrent place? After all, we are here to rescue the refugees, aren't we?"

The GM hesitated. "There are three in particular that we wish to speak to." Keshah asked, "What's our plan?" Lizette, always ready to help, offered, "I've been preparing all this time. If any of the refugees are hurt, I can assist them." Keshah reminded them, "We have to gather them up because they're still fleeing, aren't they?" The GM confirmed, "Yes, they are proceeding to move past you." Lizette watched for the most vulnerable. "Keep an eye out for any that are particularly obviously..." The GM added, "I'm watching the cavalry." Keshah reiterated his earlier success, "I talked to the Gold Crowns; they have agreed to disengage until dawn. The ogre recognized me, and I basically warned them off, and then I managed to convince them."

Chapter 17: A Fragile Truce and Fleeing Folk

Amidst the chilling landscape, a fragile truce allows for the rescue of weary refugees, while the party tends to their thermal shock and dehydration under the protective warmth of a magical belt.

A moment of tense silence hung heavy in the air, broken by Aurora's decisive words. "I felt that we're probably not here to kill them. We're here to rescue the refugees as such, so I accepted the temporary truce." Lizette, ever practical, confirmed, "So you don't want me to put knockout gas on those cavalry guys chasing the refugees?" Aurora shook her head. "No, as long as they've backed off, which they said." Lizette acknowledged, "Okay." "So hold for the moment," Aurora instructed, a command Lizette readily accepted. "All right." It was then that Aurora turned her attention to the more immediate task. "So we should talk to the refugees."

A voice offered an unexpected boon, promising, "We will match you coin for coin for giving them coin." Lizette, meanwhile, was grappling with a more pressing physical reality. "Okay. Wow, that's going to be a shock. What are we looking at? Difference of around about 15 degrees in temperature." Aurora considered it. "Yeah, around about, actually, isn't it? 30-ish degrees, minus 10... no, maybe 40 degrees difference. Minus 10 to 30."

"Another day," Aurora muttered, before refocusing. "Anyway, we should gather the refugees up and save them." There were approximately thirty, perhaps even forty, people huddled together. As they approached, the question of communication arose. "Do you speak any of the Ivanian tongues, any of you?" Keshah admitted, "I don't even know what languages they speak up here." Aurora replied, "Ivanian," adding quietly, "I have Ivanian at three, which is not very much." Lizette remarked, "I can't do it again until tomorrow," referring to some unstated 'cold thing'. Aurora, taking charge, offered, "I will check with common languages and see just in case somebody within the group has a higher rank in common, or dwarvish, or elvish, or something else that we can share." After a brief exchange, it became clear, "A few of them have Common high enough rank that they will translate." Aurora brightened. "Okay, well we have better looking up."

Observing the crowd, it was evident that they were "all a bit unsettled about the temperature change, but they're not entirely sure." More curiously, "a few of them have mentioned Keshah a couple of times in sentences over there amongst those people." Once the refugees were gathered, Aurora sought their story. "Why are they being chased through the snow by an powerful ogre and a group of horsemen and archers?" The answer came through the translators: they had "escape[d]." "We'll get it through Common so we can get a proper story." They recounted how they had "refused to... they were sent to heal and help another community, but it turns out that they were captured and have been are about to be unsold to the ogre and his men. And they don't want any part of that." Aurora pressed further. "Do they know who the ogre and his men, which noble or faction they were?" The reply was vague, naming "one of the king's men, Ray Reagan or something."

Lizette's healer instincts kicked in. "Do any of them obviously look like they need the arts of a healer?" The grim assessment was that "all of them do, all of them look fatigued and cold and a bit malnourished and a bit cold." Lizette resolved, "I suppose I can use some of my spells." Aurora offered, "I can, I'll check in a couple of resist colds to those who look a little more..." Lizette interrupted, "I don't think they need to resist cold." The GM clarified, "We're in the heat again now. Now, I think." Aurora seemed surprised, "What?" Lizette corrected, "We're in... Oh, no, no. You're standing around in the forest. In the north. Matt hasn't even turned up yet." Aurora processed this. "Right. I mean, if anyone looked really cold, I'll put the put the colds on." The GM then revealed, "There is this pocket of warm air around you." Aurora found this "a bit unusual." Lizette supplied the explanation: "That's the belt, I think." The GM confirmed, "Have you missed that part of the conversation entirely where Lizette triggered her the belt?"

Focusing on the most vulnerable, Aurora affirmed, "Yeah, the people that the any of the refugees that look like they were really starting to suffer from the cold." Lizette noted, "Yep. So their breath will still be um missing like that." Aurora promised, "Yeah. Yeah, I'll drop resist colds on them." She continued, "Okay. There's a lot of them. I've got one of them that cloak to wear for now. So I'll set up protection or look to set up protections and I did, um, lookouts and stuff like that." Amidst the activity, the GM relayed, "I heard something, one of them said that there were three of them that they, um, that they were particularly wanting to talk to?" Lizette specified, "That's the grounds. You should talk to the grounds. They were wanting to suffer." "Okay. I'll better go and find those three. I'll go and talk to the grounds, find out which three they want to talk to and I'll go get them." Lizette suggested, "It's, uh, let us discuss it in Adjepbar."

"And, uh, shortly thereafter, Matt will turn up," Lizette announced. Indeed, Matt arrived, and immediately began transporting groups, leaving with six people, and then another six twenty seconds later. "How many of them are there?" the GM asked. Aurora and Lizette confirmed, "40-ish." The GM instructed, "Yeah, I'll best get them the best, the worst affected ones." One of the Crowns approached Lizette. "Are you able, do you have, um, a waterskin?" Lizette confirmed. "Yeah." "You should go on the next and all the people that are fainted, try and bring them around. Make sure they're breathing. Thermal shock." Aurora quickly volunteered, "I should go with them." The Crown agreed, "I guess you should go as well." Aurora concurred, "Cool." "Oh yeah, dehydration," she added, realizing the cause. Keshah, ever vigilant, declared, "I'll stay to the last." "Just to keep the ogres honest," Aurora finished. This rapid transport and care took "all of about 10 minutes, backwards and forwards." Matt, by the end, was noticeably "a little bit out of breath." Aurora attempted to offer him a restorative, but Matt politely declined, "I don't do those."

Chapter 18: A Northern Chill and a Warm Welcome

Aurora heals frostbitten refugees north of Adjepbar while Lizette provides magical sustenance under the cool, clear night sky.

The party materialized in the surprisingly cool, still air north of Adjepbar. From their vantage, Keshah and Aurora could clearly discern blue lights dancing across the sands about half a mile distant. To the south, the sprawling night sky of Adjepbar city stretched, crisp and already cold. The chill was notable, a constant presence that hovered around zero degrees, though Aurora mused it wouldn't be overly severe for those accustomed to northern climes. Yet, the refugees they had rescued told a different story; approximately fifteen individuals among them suffered from frostbite. Aurora quickly resolved to cast 'resist colds' upon them, hoping it would alleviate their suffering, and then focused on healing. Gathering them close, she channeled her restorative magic, healing them for a full sixteen points of damage each. This potent burst of healing proved sufficient to mend the frostbite of all seventeen or eighteen individuals.

After tending to their physical wounds, Lizette addressed one of the Gold Crowns. "Can we get some food?" she inquired. The Gold Crown's response was sharp and immediate, "I can do food," followed by a terse, "Do they need this?" Lizette was taken aback by the brusque tone. "She says to you, 'Never ask me that again,'" the Gold Crown added. "I apologize," Lizette stammered, "I didn't mean that... it's just I thought you would know better." The Gold Crown cut her off sharply, "Stop now. Quit digging." Lizette immediately ceased her line of questioning, turning instead to the refugees. She asked if they had eaten recently; many responded with a negative, their hunger palpable.

Undeterred, Lizette conjured her magical food platters. Fish, bread, greens, and fruit appeared, enough to feed twenty-four people generously. The refugees, deeply thankful and visibly pleased, devoured every last morsel, leaving nothing behind. The party then sought to understand the refugees' plight more fully, inquiring about their homeland. It was determined they hailed from Ivinia, specifically from a place just outside either Kelby or Ralby, a region described as Ralby after some initial clarity issues. They had been captured and sold to others, a grim reality that prompted discussion about the nature of such northern cultures, often based on raiding.

Aurora noted that these cultures, sometimes called 'Goa Viking,' frequently saw men and warriors embark on longboat raids during the summer. While some kingdoms in the north were more settled, this region was known for its harshness. Lizette considered learning some of their languages but saw no immediate reason to. The more pressing concern was understanding the Gold Crowns' specific objectives for these people, beyond simply saving them and needing to speak with some individuals. The idea of taking the refugees to Seagate and 'dumping them' on Mango, who hailed from the realm of Golvenia, arose as a humorous if somewhat practical solution, leveraging his reputation for magnificence, not the "humble" demeanor he sometimes affected.

Chapter 19: A Northern Migration and Desert Perils

Under the blue glow of the desert, Aurora takes to the sky to scout for threats as the party escorts the disoriented refugees towards safety.

“Oh,” Aurora murmured, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. Lizette recounted, “I’m pretty sure I heard him say he got this from his deity or something.” Aurora nodded, completing her thought, “Yeah, the dude with the ravens… Odin.”

“Odin?” Lizette questioned, surprised. “That’s him! I met him once, I think I ventured with Mango on a mission.”

“What?” Aurora asked, startled.

“The god did,” Lizette clarified. “I don’t really remember, actually. That was a while back. I think it was Mango on that adventure.”

“So we’ll get as much of the story from them as possible,” Aurora decided, shifting her focus to the pressing matter of their rescued companions. Lizette confirmed the refugees were simply happy to have escaped. Aurora took it upon herself to explain their current predicament, noting the general confusion among the group. They rubbed sand through their hands, still processing the monumental shift in their reality.

“If they can read the stars, they can figure it out,” Aurora mused, then offered her own estimation of their displacement. “They are… what, two and a half thousand miles away? Something like that.” She pointed out that Aurora, possessing a collection of maps, would surely have a general world map. “No, it shouldn’t be that much, we’re at about twenty degrees north at the moment, aren’t we?” Aurora corrected herself. “And they’re from sixty, seventy degrees north. So it’s the equivalent of taking people from Canada down to Colombia, roughly.”

Jonathan Bean, overseeing their journey, confirmed the immense distance, noting that each hex on his map represented 200 miles. “Yeah, it’s about 2,600 miles thereabouts, yeah, 2,500 miles, whatever. So, you’ve gone from the north of Norway to…”

“Morocco,” Aurora finished.

“Yeah, Morocco, maybe,” Jonathan agreed. “Somewhere on the coast. And it’s still cold here where you are.”

The Red Crowns, ever practical, advised the party, “We should get them into town and into accommodation before dawn. We should use the cold to our advantage.” They inquired about Aurora’s area spells, specifically in case of encounters with the 'worms'—or scorpions. Aurora confirmed, “Yeah, I got the knockout gas that’s area effect.”

“Yes, if we get attacked by the scorpions,” Jonathan prompted, as the Red Crowns pointed towards a distant blue aurora and glow across the sands. “Use knockout gas.”

“Yeah, okay,” Aurora responded. “Is this a blue dust thing? Is that what it’s…?”

“That’s where it comes from,” Jonathan affirmed. Lizette added, “Yeah, I noticed the blue glow.” Jonathan then corrected, “You can’t see any of this, they’re pointing somewhere you don’t have Wood Sight.” Aurora countered, “Yeah, we neither.”

“You do have Wood Sight,” Jonathan corrected. “Okay, then you can see this.”

“So apparently the scorpions cause the blue dust, maybe?” Aurora speculated. Jonathan then suggested, “I wonder if we should fly up and keep a lookout.” Aurora responded, “Blue sands. But we don’t have time to investigate at the moment because we’re escorting the refugees.”

“No, yep, yep, let’s do it,” Jonathan agreed. He then queried, “Do you wish to go into town and get some wagons and come out, or a caravan, or should we just walk the six miles?”

“How far are we? Six miles?” Aurora asked. Jonathan clarified, “Five miles, maybe.”

“We probably should just walk because organizing the caravan would leave them in the desert for hours potentially,” Aurora concluded. Jonathan agreed, “Yeah, you’re correct.” Lizette added, with concern, “A lot of little children, though.” Jonathan then narrated, “That says ‘I must be away’ and disappears.” Lizette immediately responded, “I will, I guess, try and carry at least one of the children if people are…”

“Okay, you start legging it into town after much discussion,” Jonathan described. Aurora added, “Yeah, fly a little bit. Keep an eye on the scorpions.”

The Gold Crowns, representing their benefactors, conveyed, “We can probably afford a few thousands of a pennies towards this. We’re going to need to front cash.”

“Yeah, I’ve got… I guess I can pull out a few gems or jewels or something and use those,” Aurora offered. “Because they’re basically going to need to be accommodated somewhere and fed for some time until we decide what’s going to happen. I would suggest taking them back to Seagate because leaving them here would be risky.”

“And how are we going to get them to Seagate?” Lizette asked. “If we can get them to Sarens’…”

“I can transport them up there in a day or two,” Aurora explained. Jonathan added, from a Red Crown’s perspective, “On a ship, she says.” Aurora clarified, “If we… I can teleport them in a couple of days.”

“Aren’t we fairly close to Sarens’ place? She has tunnels to Seagate,” Lizette pointed out. Aurora confirmed, “Yeah, she does. Oh, you are a hero up there, so maybe we would need to check with them before bringing thirty people into our camp.”

“Yeah, yeah, definitely ask for…” Lizette agreed. Jonathan interjected, “Forty.”

“Forty people into our camp,” Aurora corrected herself. Jonathan then elaborated, “Now that you’ve done a headcount, it’s forty-six people.”

“Yeah, forty-six,” Lizette confirmed. “With children all added in.” Aurora realized, “Yep, they weren’t just bundles of clothing.”

“Cool, indeed there are sparkles of lightning from the sky down to the sands,” Jonathan described. “Yeah, okay,” Aurora responded. “I might take to the air, not very high, but enough to get a better look at what’s going on.”

“Look over the next sand dune,” Jonathan instructed. “Yeah, look over the next sand dune, sort of thing.”

As Aurora ascended slightly, “Some things see something. Some sort of scorpion creature, a large scorpion creature, sees you flying.”

“Oh, crap,” Aurora exclaimed, but the creature simply “buggers off.”

Chapter 20: Arrival at Adjepbar: Sanctuary and Scrutiny

Dawn breaks over the walls of Adjepbar as refugees and travelers await entry, seeking sanctuary within its ancient gates.

As the hours passed and the city walls loomed closer, Aurora reflected on their approach, musing, "Oh good, because I was getting a knockout gas spell." Lizette, ever practical, reminded her, "They fly at night," to which Aurora added, "A dangerous generally." Dressed in black, Aurora felt herself "really steeled up" for whatever lay ahead.After about four hours of travel, the group finally reached the imposing walls of the city. "What time is this then?" Aurora inquired, and the response placed them at "maybe 4:00 in the morning." Aurora considered resting until the town gates opened, assuming correctly that "they close at night, don't they?" It was agreed that attempting to gain entry before the official opening was unwise.They were not alone in their wait; a couple of Bedouin-styled families, complete with camels, were also parked outside the city, waiting to get in. Aurora noted their own appearance, saying, "We'll just be off to one side looking very strange in our furs, or they will be in their furs." The gate was scheduled to open around five o'clock.Before entering, Aurora took the initiative to explain the city's customs to the refugees, detailing "what they can and cannot do." She outlined the "constraints" and rules they had previously learned: they must "stay together," and "do not separate." A grim warning followed: "People have been known to be grabbed and sold in the city." She stressed the importance of vigilance, advising, "So keep a close eye on your children and don't wander off as yourselves." Lizette acknowledged the advice, adding, "We can probably get some help if we need it. The civil groups who would want to be helpful."Once inside, the party and refugees found themselves in "one of the small mustering yards," a bustling hub with "five roads going off in different directions around the walls and off into the city itself." The immediate concern was finding a secure place for the refugees for "the next day or two," especially since they were to be interviewed. A rented building was procured, a decision the party noted should ideally be funded by the Gold Crowns.A captain of the guard soon arrived, having "sent for my cousin's brother's man" to guide them to "a house that is of good repute that these ladies have rented." The captain extended a courteous welcome, suggesting, "you and your fine ladies are welcome to sit in the shade if you wish," an offer Aurora gratefully accepted. The morning was already heating up rapidly, with the "wavering of heat on the cobblestones" clearly visible, and the refugees were already "beginning to peel layers off." Aurora ensured they would be kept in the shade with plenty of water.A couple more hours later, they reached the designated building, a "respectable building" with "a high wall around it," featuring a basement, a ground floor, a first floor, and a roof. The refugees went inside, but Aurora quickly discerned its nature. "I take it this is not Lady Alba's place," she commented, asking how far it was from their usual lodgings. The guide explained it was "about half a mile, something like that, a several blocks... many blocks over." Aurora understood; "You are staying in where you guys are is in a nice part of town. This is not a nice part of town. This is a reasonably..." She finished the thought, "Yeah, it's a flop house."Indeed, as the party members surveyed their surroundings, it became clear that "lots of dubious characters have been paying attention" to their arrival at the building. Aurora confirmed that the refugees were "all women and kids," and upon inquiry, learned that "none that live" among the women were martially oriented. She conveyed the danger to the refugees, explaining, "this is a slightly lower class part of town and many criminals have noted your presence here. So I would suggest you keep the gates locked and barred unless it's one of and us and I'll point us and the crowns who are at the gate."The Gold Crowns confirmed, "we will stay here for the moment if you wish to conduct yourself around town and come back." They assured the party that "we will not have much trouble from the any fools that come in trouble us." Aurora, having observed their capabilities, agreed, "I'm very very surprised that any of the locals managed to..." The Crowns added that they had already organized for "a merchant factor coming by later this morning."Aurora, with her own errands in mind, stated, "Yes, I've got to see a cat about some dwarfs." She then pressed for a long-term plan for the refugees, asking, "what do you want done with these people?" The Crowns, however, were still uncertain, admitting, "we're unsure at the moment. We probably might just we will seek instructions."

Chapter 21: A Looming Shadow and Lingering Doubts

The party, visibly weary, receives unsettling news of an approaching Ogre despite previous assurances of safety, while hidden tensions simmer.

Aurora mused on the fate of the rescued people, considering their home up north. "There's always, I'm assuming they have a home back up north. The other option would basically just live in them back there, potentially, but..." Lizette interjected with concern, asking, "If it's safe for them?" The woman Aurora had been speaking with affirmed, "Yes, we will seek instructions." Aurora explained her apprehension, recalling, "I think last time I was up there, the city that they came from was under attack." The woman agreed, "That might, yeah, that's what I mean," as Aurora admitted, "I am not sure what the current military situation is up" north. The woman grimly stated, "Well, Ogres are a nasty business. We should keep them out of the hands of Ogres." A wave of exhaustion settled over the group, a heavy weight after their recent ordeal, making the prospect of rest and recovery a deeply desired outcome. While others might be sleeping, the fatigue still clung to them, and the hope of breakfast wouldn't erase the weariness. Aurora then remembered something. "Yeah, you seem to bring... Oh, I will give back the antidote I was given," she offered, explaining, "Because I didn't need it." The woman accepted it, saying, "She hands it back to you and says, give it to the captain when you see him." Aurora acknowledged, "Okay, right." Lizette, however, was still preoccupied. She had noticed Aurora acting very deferential in this situation, clearly suspecting that some sort of private arrangement was underway that she knew nothing about. "Well, so aren't we dealing with Ogres at dawn?" Lizette questioned, then added, almost to herself, "Well, though I'm not sure how they're funding us, so maybe not." Aurora looked puzzled. "What Ogres at dawn?" Lizette clarified, "I thought the Ogre was going to come back." Aurora scoffed, confident. "Yeah, of course he's going to come back, and we're two and a half thousand miles away, and he's going to come back to two and a half thousand miles to the north, see a bunch of tracks through the snow, and they end." Lizette seemed to grasp her meaning, "Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm saying." Aurora concluded with certainty, "And good luck to him to track us down here." Lizette noted, "Yeah, you seem to know you..." Aurora confirmed, "I've been up north before." Lizette uttered a surprised, "Oh." Aurora pondered aloud, "Um, though yeah, I was a little bit surprised in the end, you mean." Before the conversation could delve further, a new task emerged. "And we'd better check in on Mags," the woman suggested. Lizette replied, "Yeah, I actually gave me a Mags gave me a week." The woman corrected her promptly, "10 days." The discussion of distant threats and past dealings was abruptly cut short when the ominous news arrived: "No. Uh, there is an ogre heading towards you."

People and Places

Alba - Our host at the inn
Marian - Alba's daughter
Captain Grendel Hammersong - Captain of the Dwarven Guard
Mr Tudor Tumblewall - Our language tutor - teaching us the local language
"Her Magnificence" (Mags) - the inn's cat
Tommy - a local tomcat
Maranor the Unholy - the Enchanter who lives in the Blue Tower
Merda - The Cat Lady
Cerse - The hobbit head priestess of the Temple of Estee (Goddess of Fertility, Wellbeing, and Healing) - Guardian of the Hearth, representative of the Mother of All; pragmatic and compassionate
**The Chamberlain** – senior hobbit official able to call upon city favours.
Syrene
Matt Tumbledown
Red Crowns

Lore and Clues

TBC - Review clues, prophecies, promises, and discovered facts.

Buffs & Mil Sci

Long Term (assumed always on)

Magic	Caster / NPC	Rk	Base Chance	Range	Duration	FT	Target	Effects
TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC

Short Term

Magic	Caster / NPC	Rk	Base Chance	Range	Duration	FT	Target	Effects
TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC

Misc

TBC - Review daily rituals, consumables, protective auras, meals, rings, shells, and other recurring resources.

Watch Order

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC

Marching Order

Default: TBC
Double File: TBC
Single File: TBC

Astrology

TBC - Review lucky numbers, readings, auspicious days, and party-wide astrological effects.

Loot

TBC - Review payment, treasure, potions, invested items, services, destroyed items, and unresolved claims.
Boons: A free rank in a primary stat, a weapon, and a spell.

Calendar

Seasonal Overview: TBC - Populate from NPC Forge weather timeline when date range is known.
Icon Legend: [sun] clear, [sun/cloud] mixed, [cloud] cloudy, [rain] rain, [storm] storm, [fog] fog, [warning] severe, [wind] wind, [new moon]/[crescent]/[full moon] moon phase.

Date	Day	Weather	Temperature	Rain	Wind	Dawn	Sunset	Moon	Notes
TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC

Winter

Winter
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday		Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
	Samhain
Frost (7)
			1	Guild Meeting	2		3		4		5		6
	7		8		9		10		11		12		13
	14		15		16		17		18		19		20
	21		22		23		24		25		26		27
	28		29		30
Snow (8)
							1		2		3		4
	5		6		7		8		9		10		11
	12		13		14		15	Solstice	16		17	The Duke of Carzala's Winter Ball	18	Yuletide
	19	Days of Chaos	20	DoC 2	21	DoC 3	22	DoC 4	23	DoC 5	24	DoC 6	25	DoC 7
	26	DoC 8	27	DoC 9	28	DoC 10	29	DoC 11	30	Twelfth Night
Ice (9)
											1		2
	3		4		5		6	First Plough	7		8		9
	10		11		12		13		14		15		16
	17		18		19		20		21		22		23
	24		25		26		27		28		29		30

GM Review Notes

Reader-style draft generated from the safe Roleplaying/Reader Mode stream.
Review names, links, operational sections, and chapter emphasis before moving this text to a permanent campaign page.

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-[[Category:Jono Bean]][[Category:Scribe Notes]][[Scribe_Notes#Winter 826 WK|Scribe Notes]]
+<div style="float: right; font-size: smaller; margin-left: 10px; ">__TOC__</div>
-<div class="TOC">__TOC__</div>
+[[Category:Scribe Notes]]
+[[Scribe_Notes|Scribe Notes]]<br>
+== Summary ==
+'''Adventure''': Wall walkers of Adjepbar<br>
+'''GM''': Jonathan Bean<br>
+'''Season''': TBC<br>
+'''Night''': 11<br>
+'''Level''': TBC<br>
+; Party
+* [[Aurora]] - Scribe, Elf - played by Keith Smith
+* [[Lizette]] - Party Leader, Human - played by Dylan Stephens
+* [[Keshah]] - Mil Sci, Elf - played by Michael Haycock
+; Employer
+: TBC
+; Mission
+: TBC
+; Pay
+: TBC
+'''Wall walkers of Adjepbar'''
+The adventurers, Aurora, Lizette, and Keshah, find themselves at the bustling Siren's Court, navigating courtly rumors and diplomatic duties while still recovering from previous trials. Amidst discussions of magical obligations and a mysterious deep well, they are abruptly transported to a frigid, snowy forest in Ionia. Here, they discover approximately 40 Ibanian refugees, pursued by a formidable ogre, cavalry, and archers. Tasked by the Red Crowns to secure the refugees' safety before dawn, the party engages in a tense standoff, providing healing and transport, and using the harsh environment to their advantage. The session concludes with the refugees sheltered in Adjepbar, but with new threats, including a massive scorpion creature, already emerging.
+== Scribe Notes ==
+=== Night 1 ===
+==== Chapter 1: The Merchant's Shadowed Commission ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1782129904150_01_Night_1_The_Merchants_Shadowed_Commission.jpg|200px|thumb|left|We are hired in the halls of the Seagate Adventurers Guild.]]
+''We are hired in the halls of the Seagate Adventurer's Guild''
+'''Day 1'''<br />
+Within a high-ceilinged chamber, somewhere in the Seagate Adventurer's Guild, whose walls shimmered with faint inner light, the merchant lord of one of Adjepbar's oldest trading families regarded the three adventurers seated before him. The air carried the scent of ledger ink, spiced wine, and the distant clamour of the market below. The merchant representative, who did not give us his name, spoke without preamble, his voice low and measured.
+"We believe someone is spying on our merchant business," he said. "Our rivals have been improbably lucky for the past year. They anticipate our caravans, undercut our prices, and steal our buyers before ink dries on the contracts. We do not wish to alarm the rest of the house. You will investigate discreetly. Report only to me."
+Keshah, the black-haired mage with striking green eyes, inclined his head. "You'll learn about us soon enough," he replied. "What precautions would you suggest?"
+The merchant outlined the web of alliances his house maintained with seven other families, the importance of heraldry, and the sprawling compounds where secrets multiplied like mould in the cellars. An internal probe had yielded nothing; outsiders were required. Payment would be generous if results came within four weeks. Equipment would be provided, but the Wall Walkers must remain unconnected to the family should anything go wrong.
+It seemed reasonable to me that we should go there as merchant representatives ourselves, so I made enquires about if any local merchants were looking for markets in Adjepbar. I ended up getting in contact with a local leather works that had lots of stuff to sell. "Thirty tons of leather," I noted, steering the talk toward practical matters. "Two barns, bound for the Five Sisters Way. We can arrange watchers and a caravan if needed."
+Keshah nodded. A young man entered quietly, offering additional details on the shipment before withdrawing. The merchant's expression remained guarded. "If you remain untroubled and successful, further contracts will follow. There are ancient ruins in the north that may hold answers, but that is for later."
+Conversation drifted toward the city's unwritten laws. One of the Wall Walkers murmured the words of a subtle social charm, its effect like oil smoothing troubled waters. The merchant answered their careful questions with visible reluctance. We did discover that the kidnapping and ransoming back of remarkable looking women was an accepted practice. At that point, all eyes turned to Lizette, our red haired, emerald eyed beauty.
+"Under Lord Bray's precedents, the death of a woman is often not counted a crime," he said flatly. "Kidnapping and ransom of commoners draws little notice. Honour matters more when dealing with the powerful. Champion the wrong house and you place yourself outside all protection. Challenge a lady or accept one, and the rules of engagement are merciless. Lose face and you may lose far more."
+Keshah absorbed the warning, fingers tapping the table. Rumour of double agents and an elemental that had seized a distant throne were mentioned in passing, along with the possibility of bodyguards who could allow armour to remain hidden. Keshah told us the story of what happened the last time he was in Adjebah, something to do with a kidnapped daughter being 'employed' as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and a very angry and very powerful father who wanted her back. When the meeting concluded, handshakes were exchanged and quiet thanks offered.
+"Good luck," The merchant said as we rose. "You will need it in these houses."
+Their first commission had begun: walk the delicate line between merchant houses, expose the spy, and survive the customs of a city that rewarded cunning far more than mercy.
+==== Chapter 2: The Glowing Walls of Adjepbar ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1782129904150_02_Night_1_The_Glowing_Walls_of_Adjepbar.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The Wall Walkers arrive at the luminous market of Adjepbar]]
+''The Wall Walkers arrive at the luminous market of Adjepbar''
+The discussion turned practical as weariness settled over the group. Lizette offered her healing arts, restoring strength where fatigue had accumulated from our earlier exertions. Keshah told us he had some rune portals that could get us quickly to our destination, several hundred miles south, but they would make us rather tired going through. Fortunately, it would only take two hops but we would need to rest for a bit after each hop. So, late that evening, we set off. With refreshed resolve, we consulted our maps and activated the dimensional artifacts. The world folded around us, and in the space of two swift jumps we stood amid the crumbling stones of an abandoned ruin high on a windswept plateau. Beneath us the desert stretched away in silvered darkness, while green hills rolled northward under starlight.
+'''Day 2'''<br />
+Night still held the land when we descended toward the city. Its outer wall emitted a steady bluish radiance, casting ethereal light across the sands. Aurora remained just beyond the glow, watchful, while the others approached the northern gate. The streets within revealed a wonder: flat-roofed buildings whose terraces overflowed with rooftop gardens, lush greenery defying the arid climate. Ground floors showed few windows, most shuttered or barred, but higher levels opened to the air.
+We followed the map to a busy intersection where the night market thrived despite the hour. Hundreds of locals moved among stalls, trading cloth and linen, steel tools, spices, and hot food that scented the warm air. Most travelled in small groups of three or four; guards patrolled discreetly. Children darted between adults while merchants called their wares beneath strings of lanterns.
+Keshah stayed close as the party observed the flow of commerce. One among them, seeking not to blend but to command respect, approached a clothier’s stall. The merchant, an amiable man with quick eyes, listened to the request for garments befitting a representative of an important trading house.
+"Gold," the merchant advised with a knowing smile. "Gold proclaims wealth and influence here. Red can serve, but gold… gold draws the eye of those who matter." He spoke of the coming festival on Friday, when the city would celebrate with special trade and pageantry. Samples were brought forth—fine linens, richly dyed silks, a tailored jacket with flowing sleeves in the local style. The chosen ensemble was measured and fitted while the group sampled warm bread and kept watch on the surrounding crowds.
+By the time the transaction finished, the sky had begun to pale toward morning. Eight o’clock brought a pleasant eighteen degrees and clear air. The Wall Walkers, now attired as prosperous emissaries, moved deeper into the glowing city with purpose, the weight of their covert errand for the Adjepbar merchant house resting lightly on their shoulders.
+=== Night 2 ===
+==== Chapter 3: A Haven Overlooking the Port ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1782728961325_01_Night_2_A_Haven_Overlooking_the_Port.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Arrival at Lady Alba's courtyard haven in Adjepbar]]
+''Arrival at Lady Alba's courtyard haven in Adjepbar''
+The streets of Adjepbar's merchant district thronged with well-to-do traders, most of them human, their footsteps echoing off sturdy stone façades. For the last hour we moved through the flow of commerce, drawing glances that lingered especially on me, much to my chagrin. I could see the young men watched me with open admiration, which still made me uncomfortable although I should be used to it by now. For a while, I considered  buying a hat to blunt the attention. but I was really never a hat person anyway.
+We pressed on toward the port, looking for a reputable place to stay, sacks of goods slung over shoulders, until we reached a handsome building set behind a low wall. A small garden lay beyond, graced with two large reflecting pools and riotous flower beds. A dwarf and a hobbit sat chatting in the shade while a woman moved among the blooms. She looked up as the party entered.
+I greeted her diplomatically and politely and asked if she had rooms to let. Her name was Alba, and she smiled, brushing flour from her hands. "You are from up north, yes? A bit further than the port district, I think." She studied them a moment, then nodded towards Keshah.. "We have rooms. Excellent ones for you and your two daughters."
+After a brief confusion over identities, we were led up a flight of stairs to a spacious chamber on the first floor. High windows shaped like elongated pods looked out over the harbour, letting in salt air and the cries of gulls. A balcony overlooked the inner courtyard, and the room itself was airy and well-appointed, bright with colourful hangings and clever wooden screens. Two smaller bedrooms opened off it.
+"The balcony faces the courtyard," Alba explained. "You may come down and play dice if you wish. We have a fur trader, a ship captain, and others who gather in the evenings."
+While servants brought cool water and fresh linens, a boy of about eight appeared in a miniature captain's uniform, bubbling with excitement. His older sister, Marian, followed more sedately. She appeared to be fifteen or sixteen, not quite human, with an easy grace.
+"I can help you learn Adjepbaran," Marian offered, "if you wish. An hour each morning, perhaps? Just enough to speak with other merchants."
+"That is a very good idea," I replied. "We'll do that."
+Marian's face brightened. She spoke of the Tournier, an elven organisation that had spent the last decade fighting drought and the expansion of the drow, striving to change things for the better in the city. The companions exchanged glances; the name was new to them, but clearly important.
+I decided to change into the light blue silk kaftan I I had bought earlier so as not to look so distinctive  Talk turned to the length of our stay—three or four weeks at first, perhaps longer—and to meals and guides. The boy tugged at Keshahs sleeve. "Are you good with a sword? Will you come to the martial yards and meet the others?"
+"Maybe," Keshah answered with a smile, "but not today."
+"I will arrange a guide for you in the morning," Alba promised
+As the sun dipped lower, a tray of delicate pastries appeared, each topped with a thin layer of candied lemon. Marian's mother, who was our host, Alba, it seemed, was an exceptional baker, though she guarded her recipes closely. The companions sampled them gratefully, speaking of the Western Kingdom and the possibility of growing the same fruit there.
+Before anyone could finish their tea, a group of twelve people entered below, accompanied by guards. Two men led the way up the stairs, their voices carrying clearly through the open windows. Whatever business had brought them to Alba’s door, it carried the unmistakable weight of importance.
+==== Chapter 4: Merchants, Magic, and Moonlit Baths ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1782728961325_02_Night_2_Merchants_Magic_and_Moonlit_Baths.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Negotiating lodgings and secrets in the merchant house garden]]
+''Negotiating lodgings and secrets in the merchant house garden''
+In the shaded garden of the merchant house, where pod-like windows overlooked beds of fragrant herbs, we found themselves greeted by a courteous attendant and a pair of watchful guards. The man bowed politely, explaining that his lord and lady were resting upstairs. "If you require any assistance," he offered, "my lord employs many fine guards. We would be happy to help."
+We introduced ourselves as representatives of a northern merchant company seeking trading contacts, our story centering on shipments of fine leather from the Western Kingdoms.  "We are on the east coast," the attendant confirmed, smiling at their momentary confusion about the western lands. He spoke knowledgeably of the uncharted territories beyond, where sea-grass prairies stretched toward the Sea of Grass and hostile tribes made commerce perilous.
+When talk shifted to their length of stay, our host’s brightened. "Three weeks, you say? That can be arranged, with a modest discount for such valued guests." They settled on full board—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—plus the use of the common areas. The host grew more serious when the subject turned to security. "We wish to avoid any unnatural troubles," she said carefully. "Elementals, devils, or the Fair Folk bring nothing but complications."
+"We understand completely," I replied. "If we encounter any such problems, you will be the first to know." To ensure our privacy, we requested permission to raise a simple ward against scrying. The attendant agreed, provided it harmed no mortals, and soon a subtle veil of magic shimmered around our quarters, courtesy of Lizette.
+As evening approached, conversation grew lighter. We were invited to the night market and the coming festival. "The day after tomorrow is Friday by the old Elven calendar—derived, they say, from the Hobbit reckoning." Over glasses of cool wine, he described the other guests: a noble party from the country whose presence had heightened security. "Their captain informed me of your arrival," he added. "They have enemies in the city."
+I admitted I worked with the magic of the air. "I fly often," I confessed. "Though I know some places shoot down anything that takes to the sky." The attendant took this in stride, then arranged for  Keshah to have a bedroll in the outer chamber, ensuring us ladies would be better protected.
+Later, the group descended a narrow spiral stair into the cool earth beneath the courtyard. Dripping water echoed softly thirty feet below ground. Here lay the baths: one pool steamed with medium heat, while the other remained magically chilled, its waters crystalline and refreshing. The air smelled of minerals and herbs. As we lingered, the captain of the upstairs guard approached with polite but pointed questions about the timing of their arrival and the nature of our work.
+Lizette met his gaze evenly. "We have no interest in causing trouble," she assured him. "Nor in entanglements of any sort." A shadow of old heartbreak flickered behind her words, but she dismissed it with a small smile. The captain seemed satisfied, and the companions returned to their rooms, the weight of their dual identities—merchants on the surface, Wall Walkers beneath—settling more comfortably around them in the warm Adjepbar night.
+==== Chapter 5: Aspects of the Sun and Secrets in the Garden ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1782728961325_03_Night_2_Aspects_of_the_Sun_and_Secrets_in_the_Garden.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Exploring the fortified gardens of Adjepbar]]
+''Exploring the fortified gardens of Adjepbar''
+The conversation drifted comfortably in the lamplit common room. "First breakfast will be served after eight," our host said. "You're welcome to join us. Sunrise comes around five thirty in these parts."
+Aurora smiled. "That suits me perfectly. Ever since I was a little girl I've woken with the sun. I believe it has something to do with my Solar aspect."
+"Solar," the host repeated, clearly intrigued. I then spoke quietly of my own troubled aspect, the result of a magical accident years before. Sympathy flickered across the host's face before the talk turned to practicalities.
+Meetings would be best held in public places over the coming weeks, the group agreed. Some would use enchanted items to search the premises for hidden portals or structural weaknesses, while others planned a lengthy preparatory ritual to ensure safer travel later. One vessel in particular earned admiration: a pitcher that kept itself filled and perfectly cool. "I like that," Aurora said. "Where can I get one?"
+"How about the baths first?" Lizette suggested. The idea met with quick approval. Temperature was debated lightly; Aurora, protected by her resistance to cold, cared little whether the water ran hot or cool. Plans for the next day took shape around them. Their recent acquaintance clearly meant to monopolise their time, beginning with the first festival tomorrow evening and continuing the day after. Still, there would be moments for their own pursuits.
+"I want a proper look around the room and grounds," one of the Wall Walkers declared. "I'd rather we went together." The others concurred. Some could dress down and mute their more obvious traits, an elf among them and a northerner besides. They would wander the city, consult private maps, and begin gathering information on their target merchant. Street inquiries or a quiet word with the local magistrate might prove safer than magical spying; their quarry was almost certainly warded against such intrusions.
+We stepped out into the evening air. Before we even reached the elevated terrace, guards could be seen at the head of the staircase. Small wind-up birds, delicate mechanical constructs, flitted among the foliage. The garden itself was breathtaking, almost excessively so, with living roofs of overlapping leaves and artful pod-like windows catching the last light. "Somebody has gone rather over the top," I murmured, half admiring, half amused.
+The grounds were lovely but not undefended. Shards of broken crockery lined the tops of the walls, enough to discourage casual climbers. A shimmering field of spikes was called into being across a vulnerable stretch of ground, its magic glimmering faintly through the floorboards of the rooms above. It would hold for half an hour, more than long enough.
+==== Chapter 6: Candlelight and Careful Words ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1782728961325_04_Night_2_Candlelight_and_Careful_Words.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Dinner among merchants and mysterious guests]]
+''Dinner among merchants and mysterious guests''
+The afternoon light had already begun to fade when we settled on our approach. Posing as merchants offered the clearest path to move freely within the organisation and the household itself.
+When the bell rang downstairs, we shut away our preparatory spells and made our way to the dining hall. A long trestle table had been laid with crisp linens and flickering candles. Five new faces waited among the family: a burly bodyguard whose watchful eyes missed nothing, three women whose quiet conversation suggested both status and caution, and a handful of others. A merchant and two physicians sat beside several family members, including a dwarf and a hobbit who tutored the children in mathematics and arcane theory.
+Conversation flowed easily at first. One of the merchants produced a small wooden case and offered samples of sugar-salted dried oranges, bright with flavour. I leaned in, genuinely interested. “How long have you been trading these?” I asked. The man explained the difficulties of export to the Western Kingdom versus the Lunar Empire, and soon they were speaking of olives, figs, and the ingenious underground barrels in which the household grew much of its produce. The talk drifted to mutual acquaintances and older adventures; one guest remarked that Keshah looked familiar from a clean-up operation years before. “I was hired on for that one,” he admitted, and the table nodded with approval.
+The fourth son of the house, permitted to visit the city because of his place in the line of succession, proved an eager conversationalist. He spoke freely with both Keshah and Lizette, who had chosen a simpler, more practical outfit reminiscent of the household staff. Captain Gendel Hammersong, a powerfully built man introduced as one of the legendary figures from Superstition Mountain, eventually turned the discussion toward more serious matters. “I understand you were involved last night,” he said carefully. “I hope you lost no one who did not deserve it.”
+The table quieted. Talk turned to the uncontrolled summoning that had complicated everything: a creature that slipped its bonds, a general left furious, and the lingering question of whether a doppelganger had orchestrated the chaos. Speculation passed back and forth—whether the summoner had been replaced, how one might banish such a being, or whether anyone still owed favours that could open doors on other planes. Hammersong listened closely, offering that further investigation might prove useful to all parties. “If you learn more,” he said, “we would be interested in employing your talents.”
+The meal continued with careful attention to the dishes: flavourful creations ranging from delicate to boldly spiced, though everyone avoided the vivid red garnishes that tasted distinctly alien. When the last plates were cleared, the companions retired upstairs. A young servant girl informed them that Mr. Tumblewall would join them for breakfast at eight, and that language lessons could be arranged if desired. As they climbed the stairs, conversation turned to practical wards and the limits of certain magics, but the night air carried the sense that alliances were quietly forming beneath the candlelight.
+=== Night 3 ===
+==== Chapter 7: Steam and Sweet Offerings ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_01_Night_3_Steam_and_Sweet_Offerings.jpg|200px|thumb|left|A soothing soak in the inn's misty baths]]
+''A soothing soak in the inn's misty baths''
+The common room had settled into the comfortable rhythm of evening, the bard's voice rising and falling like distant waves as he recounted an epic of dwarfish campaigns against the Dark Circle. Lizette lingered a quarter-hour longer than her companions, content to let the story wash over her, but the rest of the party soon slipped away. They had already decided against splitting up; wherever one went, the others followed, especially when the promise of hot water beckoned from below.
+The stairs to the baths were narrow and built for smaller folk, forcing the taller members of the group to descend sideways, one shoulder forward. Mist curled thick in the underground chamber, carrying the pleasant scent of minerals and warmth. Two pools lay side by side, separated by a low dividing wall that rose only a few inches above the waterline. One steamed invitingly hot; the other offered a gentler, cooler embrace.
+Lizette eased into the hotter pool with a sigh of pleasure, while Keshah and I chose the milder waters. "Quite pleasant actually," I remarked, sinking deeper. Conversation drifted lazily between them: comparisons to the tiered baths of the Lunar Empire, jokes about the pool's nine-foot depth – which allowed me to submerge myself entirely, and whether even someone like [[Matt Tumbledown]] could fit down the stairs. Laughter echoed softly off the stone as we moved between temperatures, letting the day's travels melt from weary muscles. By the time we climbed out, skin flushed and minds clear, the experience had lived up to the inn's reputation.
+Returning to our chamber, we found it transformed. The room had been tidied with care; fresh towels lay neatly stacked, shutters drawn against the night. Outside their door waited a tray bearing a small bowl in which orchids and jasmine blossoms floated like a miniature lily pond. Beneath the covers lay an assortment of delicate sweets that filled the air with fragrant sweetness.
+We had scarcely settled when a soft tap sounded at the door. The young male servant stood outside, eyes bright and manner polite. "Um, hello, Mistress," he said. "Is there anything you need before turning in for the night?"
+After checking with the others, the answer was no. The conversation turned to practicalities. "What time for these language lessons?" we asked. The lad replied that he had arranged them for two hours after dawn. Breakfast could be brought up or taken downstairs; after brief discussion and a humorous detour into second breakfasts and the merits of hobbit-like appetites, it was decided the meal would arrive in pur room. The young man nodded wisely at the tale of a distant shaman who had once claimed I carried more than a little hobbit in their soul, then bid them good night.
+The companions closed the door, the faint scent of jasmine lingering in the air, and prepared for well-earned rest before the new day's studies began.
+==== Chapter 8: The Lady Cat's Vendetta ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_02_Night_3_The_Lady_Cats_Vendetta.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Aurora negotiates with the imperious lady cat]]
+''Aurora negotiates with the imperious lady cat''
+The conversation with the servant concluded pleasantly. The Wall Walkers would receive their language tutor after breakfast; the offer was accepted with polite gratitude. Once the man had withdrawn, Keshah moved to the doorway and windows, setting small runestones in place. The runes were tuned with care so they would ignore the ordinary traffic of the corridor and the presence of the party themselves, stirring only if unknown living things approached.
+'''Day 3'''<br />
+Night passed without incident. The early risers stirred while the city still lay in darkness. I rose at four to begin my purifications, and the others followed as dawn neared, each performing their purifications and preparatory spells. The usual chorus of birds was muted here; the upper districts of Adjepbar offered little countryside, only rooftops and the distant murmur of the poor quarter below. We spoke quietly of the stones and the precise nature of the wards while the household began to stir.
+At half past six a discreet tap sounded at the door. I answered it. Marian, the flour-dusted daughter of the house, stood outside with a laden tray. "I have brought you breakfast," she said, stepping past her guest to set the meal on a side table. A sleek cat followed at her heels, tail high, and promptly began weaving between ankles.
+I couldn’t resist, kneeling and , reaching to stroke the visitor. With a soft invocation of the animal speech I had retained from her fairy days, I greeted the cat. The feline's golden eyes fixed on me with sudden interest. I had a sudden feeling I was going to regret this.
+"I am fine," she replied, "but I smell bacon."
+The exchange that followed was as imperious as it was amusing. The cat introduced herself as the true mistress of these chambers and promptly denounced one Tommy, a rival who had been trespassing on her territory for far too long. "That ***** has been treating on my turf," she declared. "I want you to kill him."
+I  laughed despite herself. "Tommy? I take it he's another cat."
+"Of course he's another **** cat. What are you, stupid?"
+I assured the feline, who we later found out preferred to be addressed as Your Magnificence,  I was merely confirming details, then scratched behind its ears as requested. The cat demanded milk, more bacon, and continued scratches, all while eyeing the rest of the party with aristocratic disdain. When her gaze fell on Keshah she paused.
+"Does that dumb one over there understand me?” the cat5 asked Only if I translate," I replied
+The cat considered him. "Tell the elf to feed me. He looks funny. Actually, yeah… elf. You look nice. He looks dumb."
+I decided not to relay to relay the insult, remarking that he would not be wounded by the opinion of a cat. Meanwhile the creature rolled onto her back, demanding belly rubs. Again I could not resist. Having three cats of my own at home, As I obliged, the cat purred and continued her list of grievances, clearly accustomed to ruling the household from the tops of cupboards and the laps of nobles. Breakfast grew slightly colder while the Wall Walkers listened, translated, and tried not to laugh too loudly at the small tyrant now holding court in our room.
+==== Chapter 9: Cats, Courtiers, and the Tongue of Five Sisters ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_03_Night_3_Cats_Courtiers_and_the_Tongue_of_Five_Sisters.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Aurora communes with the household cat as Mr. Tudor arrives for the morning lesson.]]
+''Aurora communes with the household cat as Mr. Tudor arrives for the morning lesson.''
+Sunlight slanted through the tall windows of the guest chambers, catching on the delicate arrangements of flowers that had been left for their comfort. I  stood near the casement, head tilted as I listened to the bird calls drifting from the courtyard. "I heard them this morning," I said. "I should speak with them too, and see whether they've brought any news."
+My companions exchanged glances. Keshah leaned forward, voice low. "I think they are the eyes and ears of creatures not of this place. Spy birds, if you take my meaning."
+I smiled with recognition. "I've done that sort of thing myself in the past." I described the metal birds she had seen in the courtyard, unmoving and unnaturally sturdy. Their conversation was interrupted by the imperious arrival of Your Magnificence, who made her demands plain. Marian, the young servant attending them, was promptly sent for more milk.
+When she returned, Marian looked apologetic. "I'm terribly sorry about that," she said, referring to the aggressive lady cat she had carried out by the scruff. I only chuckled, listening to the exiled feline's indignant complaints fading beyond the door. "She's a lovely cat," I remarked, "though it seems she prefers belly rubs, milk, and bacon above all else. You know what cats are like."
+Lizette looked astonished. "You speak to all animals?"
+"Yes," I admitted. "It comes from when I used to be a fairy. I've retained some of the old magics, including plant empathy. I can tell when a growing thing isn't well." She gestured to the flowers on the sideboard. "These aren't complete plants. It's hard to explain, but sometimes it's nicer to have one still rooted in a pot."
+Marian's brow furrowed in polite confusion, but she recovered quickly. "We can organise that. Half a dozen, perhaps? Roses or lilies?" I thanked her after requesting lilies, , and the servant promised to see it done before asking whether we needed to dress for the tutor's arrival.
+I glanced down at her casual attire and agreed it was time to change. I  managed the unfamiliar garments with surprising speed, though Marian still stepped in to help. "You've got it over the wrong shoulder today," the servant noted gently. After a brief adjustment that tightened the kaftan in all the proper places, I felt presentable once more.
+"I'm still trying to get the hang of it," I confessed. "I rather like this style. I might wear it back home." When asked what I normally wore in the Western Kingdoms, I described the finer courtier dress required for audiences with the king. "I spend much of my time at court as a diplomat. It can be taxing, but I have a few friends there, and my own estate besides."
+The others debated their own attire. "Are we supposed to be wearing our festival clothing today?" Keshah asked. Marian shook her head. "No, the octopus-raising festival is tomorrow."
+A soft knock sounded at the door. The young male servant bowed politely. "Good morning. Your tutor is here."
+Mr. Tudor entered with quiet dignity, being an elderly man wearing a floppy hat. He bowed low, then straightened and greeted them in fluent Volksprachtt. "I understand you are from the Western Kingdoms," he said. I confirmed it, complimenting his own command of the tongue. Tudor smiled. "I hailed from there for some time. I am only passable, but I get by."
+He settled himself, eyes bright with purpose. "We have much to discuss. I will bring you up to speed on the terrible goings-on within the city. But first, I shall introduce you to the beautiful, delicate tongue of the Five Sisters." He broke at once into the liquid, intricate language.
+Lizette admitted quietly that she already spoke it, though she had wondered whether it was a tongue reserved for halflings or the ruling class. Tudor waved the concern away. "Tutoring is not necessary for you, then. Perhaps instead you might bring hot water and some light refreshments?"
+The morning, it seemed, would be equal parts conversation and careful study.
+==== Chapter 10: Blessings of the Five Sisters ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_04_Night_3_Blessings_of_the_Five_Sisters.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Breakfast at the noble house in Adjepbar]]
+''Breakfast at the noble house in Adjepbar''
+In the sunlit upper rooms of the noble house, Master Tudor adjusted his robes and regarded his pupils with a scholar's gravity. "Please have a seat," he intoned, before turning a critical eye on Lizette. "Who says your tongue is perfect? You have no need for lessons. You are dismissed." Lizette retreated gracefully, though not before the elves exchanged a few light-hearted remarks about their own halting command of local tongues.
+The tutor puffed up like an indignant pigeon when further interruptions followed. "Interrupt me again, young lady, and you will be punished. I am conducting serious lessons here." Yet once order was restored he settled into his work, weaving ritual words that drew visible strands of mana into the air. For nearly an hour the elves listened as the magic coalesced, until at last Tudor rose.
+"Now I will prepare magic for you which will last for today and enhance your ability to understand the languages of the Five Sisters. We will continue the lesson tomorrow at the same time. In the meantime, let my blessings be upon you." With a few precise gestures he cast the enchantment over Keshah and myself. Our ears and tongues tingled; suddenly the rolling vowels and subtle cadences of the city felt far more natural. When we thanked him in the newly clarified speech, Tudor beamed. "Their oral fixation will be magnificent," he declared with theatrical flair before bowing and taking his leave.
+A polite tap at the door announced that breakfast awaited. We descended to find the long table alive with nearly twenty members of the household. The Mistress of the House moved among them, her arms and nose dusted white with flour and a faint kiss-mark still visible on one flour-streaked cheek. Servants had packed six generous lunch cases with sandwiches, meat pies, and delicacies for the day's expedition. The dwarves were already eating heartily, and the rest of the staff greeted the guests with warm familiarity.
+A bard had claimed the far end of the table and was regaling the company with colourful tales of the visitors' exploits. Some details were flattering, others clearly fanciful. The noble mother watched her son with visible displeasure as the young man hung on every word about the elves. "There were mostly flattering tales," she remarked dryly, "about you sending your human servant in your place to protect your virtue." I laughed it off, insisting my servants could run my distant Artzdorf estate far better than I ever could.
+Conversation soon turned to the coming festival. "I would like to stay for it," one of the party admitted. The mother nodded. "A lot of the young men of the great houses will be wheeling statues up and down the street in carts. The first saints who arrived here were set upon by tasks; the hobbits told them that to settle they must carry burdens from the docks all the way to the fortress walls. That endurance is what we celebrate today." We listened with genuine interest, sensing that witnessing the procession might reveal more about the city's layered history than any formal tour. All the while the packed lunches waited, a promise of further adventures once breakfast and gossip had run their course.
+==== Chapter 11: Debates of Equality and Olives ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_05_Night_3_Debates_of_Equality_and_Olives.jpg|200px|thumb|left|A spirited debate on taxes, elves, and olives in the breakfast hall]]
+''A spirited debate on taxes, elves, and olives in the breakfast hall''
+The lord leaned back in his chair, a faint dusting of flour still clinging to his sleeves from the morning's kitchen oversight. "If you were aware of any skulduggery, I'm sure you would put a stop to it," he said with a knowing smile, recalling the thief they had once driven from the lands with thrown stones.
+I returned the grin. "Lightning bolts," I declared, eyes twinkling. "And I say that with a smile. It would be rather shocking."
+Their host chuckled before turning to Lizette. "Miss Summers, do you heal the poor and afflicted?"
+"I try to heal everyone if I can," she replied earnestly.
+The lord nodded. "Then you will have your work cut out for you east along the docks, in the poor quarter. Many there are suffering. The elvish enclave fights against such poverty as well, though their methods..." He trailed off with a disapproving wave.
+Lizette glanced at her companions. "If we have time today, it wouldn't hurt to go down there. I suspect I won't have the endurance to help them all, but perhaps I can ease a few burdens. We should all go together—and disguised, lest we be mobbed."
+"A wise precaution," Keshah agreed. He explained again, to the lord's visible confusion, that he and Lizette held equal status, with her perhaps ranking slightly higher by background. The nobleman blinked, clearly unaccustomed to such notions.
+When the conversation turned to the elves, the lord's expression soured. "They spread dangerous ideas of equality and claim the nobility should pay taxes to the town. They've been teaching the poor trades and skills far above their station."
+"And what is wrong with that?" Keshah asked. "Knowledge benefits everyone."
+"Where we come from, it is normal for nobles to pay taxes," Lizette added. "An educated populace can earn more, buy more, and strengthen the entire city."
+The lord looked genuinely horrified. "Our lords, the hobbits, only tax the merchants. We own our own lands. If just anyone could afford our olives, it would be tragic. Our goods are precious; they must remain so. Besides, there will always be the poor. My own great-great-grandfather spoke of such reforms in riddles and nonsense. It came to nothing."
+I listened with quiet amusement as the economic debate circled olives, oil, and limited supply. The lord remained adamant that expanding the market would cheapen their legacy.
+Eventually the talk drifted from philosophy to more personal matters. One of the adventurers confessed to being an exile from Alfheim itself, though it had been many years since they last walked its streets. Plans for the day diverged: some would visit the upper city, while others expressed keen interest in the docks and the seaside. Pearl diving sounded thrilling, though Keshah warned of ruffians.
+"They wear very little, leap from the piers into deep water," he explained. "It actually sounds rather fun." I replied.  "I learned to swim not long ago. I've holidayed on magical islands and planes of water—beautiful places, though reaching them requires knowing the right paths."
+"You could guide others there," Keshah suggested.
+"I prefer to remain a visitor," came the reply, "enjoying the sights like any tourist. Perhaps the dwarves would be interested, though they've rather suddenly departed."
+The lord listened to these tales of distant realms with a mixture of fascination and skepticism as the morning light shifted across the hall, hinting at the adventures that lay ahead in Adjepbar's divided streets.
+==== Chapter 12: Bones, Cats, and Goat Skeletons ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_06_Night_3_Bones_Cats_and_Goat_Skeletons.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The goat-skeleton cultists parade past as a curious cat approaches the Wall Walkers.]]
+''The goat-skeleton cultists parade past as a curious cat approaches the Wall Walkers.''
+The master of the house rose from the breakfast table, gave his flour-dusted wife a fond peck on the cheek, and gathered his packed lunch. "Good luck in your travels today," he told the guests. "Try not to get lost, and keep your servants from running too far out of control." With that, he departed with his small entourage, leaving the room suddenly quieter.
+I exhaled, glad to drop the polite smile I had worn all morning. "We'll head off as well," I said. Keshah nodded, already thinking ahead. "We're free until the festival tomorrow night. We could walk down to the poor quarter. Lizette can see to the sick while we gather what news we can."
+We stepped from the cool interior into the bright, noisy streets of Adjepbar. Porters streamed in both directions, voices rose and fell, and at least fifty souls seemed to fill the thoroughfare at any moment. I kept one ear tuned to the local dialect, quietly matching half-heard phrases to those I had learned and tucking the rest away in memory. Keshah adjusted the mask at his belt, and the trio debated whether their packed lunches would suffice or if they should buy extra food for the destitute. The suggestion of a bakery near the docks won out; better to purchase a hundred plain loaves than anything sweet.
+The main road widened. Ahead came the steady thump of drums and the brazen clang of gongs. A procession wound toward them: robed figures with long, plaited hair carrying the bleached skeletons of goats mounted on poles like banners. Citizens made way without complaint. I watched the macabre parade with open curiosity.
+Before I could ask questions, a large tabby male cat sauntered up, sniffed once at my boots, and looked me in the eye. I sighed then murmured the familiar words that opened my mind to the speech of beasts. The cat's voice arrived crisp and disdainful. This was Tommy.
+"You've been fraternising with that fat fool from the big house. I am called elsewhere, but you will do. The rats are smuggling the bones of the Earl into the city. Tell them to stop their games."
+Amused and intrigued, I followed the cat down a narrow alley. Halfway along the left wall lay a heavy iron grate set into the stone. With a grunt of effort I hauled it aside. Several pairs of beady eyes gleamed from the darkness below.
+"Oi, rat!" I called down. "Message for you. From Tommy. He knows about the bones and the Earl."
+A chorus of vulgar curses rose in reply. Their apparent leader, a grizzled specimen missing half an ear, spat, "Who the **** are you and how the **** do you speak our tongue?" The exchange grew no more polite. Once the warning had been delivered, I let the magic fade, replaced the grate, and walked away. The cat followed for a few steps, meowing indignantly.
+Keshah arched an eyebrow when I rejoined them. "What was all that about?"
+"The cat thinks the rats are smuggling the bones of some long-dead Earl,"  I explained. "The rats have mouths like dockside mercenaries. It feels as though we've stumbled into something larger than simple vermin squabbles."
+Keshah frowned. "I agree. This city keeps its secrets close."
+We had not gone far when a young man was shoved directly into their path by the retreating edge of the cultist parade. He stumbled, caught himself, and stared up at the elves and the striking woman before him. Rather than bolt, he offered a sheepish grin.
+"Sorry, honoured folk. Didn't mean to run into you. Those goat-bone cultists always clear the street."
+"Who are they exactly?" I asked.
+The youth shrugged. "They watch for signs. When the goat skeletons rise and walk on their own, they take it as a command to attack [[Kirkul]], one of the Five Sisters. The city was sacked forty years ago. Pirates, skeletal wights, and worse things live there now. Not many follow the cult, but some of the middle families quietly support them. Everyone wants the old cities reclaimed."
+I exchanged a thoughtful glance with my companions as the drums faded into the distance. The streets of Adjepbar, it seemed, held more than bread and gossip.
+==== Chapter 13: Blue Sands and Sunken Minds ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_07_Night_3_Blue_Sands_and_Sunken_Minds.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Traversing the blue quarter of Adjepbar]]
+''Traversing the blue quarter of Adjepbar''
+The young servant spoke with quiet conviction about the displaced citizens of the fallen city. They had scrimped and saved for years, he explained, and in two years' time they meant to hire mercenaries and reclaim their homes. "When the goat-skeleton animates," he added darkly, "foreigners will be blamed for raising the bones. It will go badly for the cats."
+One of the companions murmured agreement. The servant then asked whether they had any connection to the elven citadel. Learning we intended to visit the enclave, he offered to escort us; he himself was due for sword lessons. The party accepted, and the group set off through the winding streets.
+As we walked, the servant glanced at the two elven women with open curiosity. "Your wives seem remarkably articulate in the local tongue," he observed. There followed an awkward but good-natured clarification: the elves were independent merchants under escort, not spouses. The servant himself was married, a fact that seemed to amuse him once the misunderstanding was cleared. "I see," he said at last. "Well, you are all clearly well looked after in our city."
+Several blocks later the walls around them deepened into vivid cerulean. The servant gestured upward to a painted high-water line at the level of the first floor. "This is the blue district," he announced. "Power of observation." When asked why the colour dominated, he described the substance sold only after dark: blue sand. Refined by desert cultists from crystals unearthed by the shifting dunes, the powder brought on pleasant hallucinations. Those who partook felt their minds fill with cool, crystalline water in which they could swim; the experience was trippy rather than distressing. Sunlight destroyed the drug instantly, which was why it could never be sold by day.
+We pressed him on its nature. Was it addictive? Did users suffer cravings after a single dose? The servant admitted uncertainty; some perhaps did, though he believed most did not. Lizette wondered whether healers could cure any dependency that took root. The answer was a simple no. Still, the possibility of acquiring a sample for study lingered in the air as they continued onward.
+Conversation drifted to older sorrows. I recited the grim history of Kirkul, southernmost of the Five Sisters. Sacked first by Ivenian longships, then again by the Dark Circle in 805, the city now stood empty. Its former people traded from offshore islands or had resettled elsewhere; only rumours remained—undead herds, evil cults, and the occasional ill-fated expedition by church knights. The servant listened with open admiration. "Your knowledge is extensive," he said.
+The scholar among them shrugged modestly. "There is a great deal in our library. When I am not otherwise occupied, I read."  I mentioned the Seagate Guild's past involvement and noted an intriguing reference to the Blue Morning Fog of 810. Lizette speculated that the fog might be the very same substance burning away at dawn. "Just a theory," she added with a smile. I nodded, already planning further research upon their return home.
+As the elven enclave drew nearer, talk turned to practicalities. The dwarves might find the blue sand fascinating, one adventurer mused, but the others counselled caution. They were conducting an investigation; becoming entangled with too many powers would only complicate matters. The slums, after all, were not their concern. With that quiet resolution they pressed on, the blue walls slowly giving way to the green heights of the citadel ahead.
+==== Chapter 14: The Elven Enclave ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_08_Night_3_The_Elven_Enclave.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Keshah demonstrates the hand-and-a-half sword to the students of the Elven enclave]]
+''Keshah demonstrates the hand-and-a-half sword to the students of the Elven enclave''
+The conversation had turned serious as the group considered venturing alone into the slums. "If we go down there, things could get out of hand," Lizette warned. "We don't want to hurt anyone, but if a mob sets on us our choices become limited." Keshah shrugged off the concern with grim indifference. "I don't give a damn if a whole bunch of humans want to kill themselves attacking me." Yet compassion tempered their words; the thought of rampant disease in the squalor weighed on them. "It would be good to help," Lizette admitted. "Cure a few illnesses, prevent the spread. And perhaps, in speaking with enough of them, we might learn something useful."
+In the end we chose caution and followed their guide out of the blue-sanded quarter. The streets soon changed. Fountains glittered between carefully planted beds of greenery, and the air itself seemed lighter. "This is nice," I murmured. Our escort led us to a grand building that claimed most of a city block. Broad steps flanked by columns rose to an entrance that opened, after a short climb and descent, onto a vast courtyard.
+More than a hundred fighters moved across the sanded floor, wooden weapons clacking in disciplined patterns. Most were human, though dozens of elves moved among them, correcting stances and demonstrating forms. The air rang with the rattle of practice blades.
+An elf of obvious rank noticed the newcomers. He crossed the courtyard with measured grace and addressed Aurora and Keshah in fluid Elvish. "If I am not mistaken, it is Aurora of the Western Court and Keshah of the Adventurers' Guild." He inclined his head. "I am a friend of the ambassador to the Western King. What fine humans have you brought to us, and why?"
+The conversation flowed easily in the elven tongue. The visitors learned that this enclave sought to extend Alfheim's influence against the drow, who had begun pressing naval forces toward the Five Sisters. Remarks were made about the brevity of human lives; Lizette, the healer accompanying them, drew polite approval when her talents were mentioned. "A healer," their host noted with genuine pleasure. "Very good."
+The elf clapped his hands sharply. The courtyard fell silent as students formed neat ranks. In a voice that carried to every corner he announced the honoured guests: Lady Dawn of the Western Kingdom and the esteemed warrior Keshah. Then he turned to the swordsman. "Keshah has offered to give us a few pointers. Which weapon would you prefer?"
+"My best is the hand-and-a-half," Keshah replied.
+A practice blade of appropriate size was brought forward. Keshah took it with easy familiarity and began to speak, explaining how the weapon earned its name by being equally effective in one hand or two. The students listened with rapt attention, even I watched closely., as I have a magical hand and a half I intend to get better with using. With smooth, unhurried movements Keshah demonstrated simple forms, showing how the grip changed, how balance shifted, how the same blade could cut or thrust with lethal grace depending on the wielder's stance. The elf instructor smiled. "Are you willing to give us a display fight?"
+Keshah glanced at his companions. "We'll just do a demonstration," he decided. The instructor nodded, clearly pleased, and prepared to cooperate. The courtyard waited, expectant, as the renowned visitor readied himself to show what a true master could do with steel.
+==== Chapter 15: Demonstrations and Stacks ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_09_Night_3_Demonstrations_and_Stacks.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lunchtime debates at the elvish enclave]]
+''Lunchtime debates at the elvish enclave''
+In the sunlit training yard of the elvish enclave, Keshah stepped forward. "I'll slow it right down," he said, "so everyone can follow." With the effortless control granted by long mastery, the figure moved through the sequence: precise cuts flowing into held poses that somehow looked both lethal and serene. The mixed company of fisherfolk, fourth sons of merchants, and bakers' boys watched in attentive silence. When the final stance was released they offered quiet applause. The style was clearly foreign to them, yet they remained courteous and thoughtful.
+Practice blades clacked across the yard for a time longer before the trainers called the midday break. Benches were drawn up and simple fare laid out. Once the clash of weapons ceased, the broad local accents softened into the common speech of the Five Sisters, even among the elves. Conversation turned first to the purpose of their school.
+"We educate people," an instructor explained, "and create disciplined fighters. A folk who can defend themselves are harder to oppress." One of the Wall Walkers nodded. "Which is why the nobles dislike it. No one wants armed peasants answering back." The elves conceded the point but noted that all here were free folk. The brown-booted dwarves of the city guard, they added, were pleased; muggings and street violence had fallen sharply since the training began. A few fatalities seemed an acceptable price for safer docks and alleys.
+Talk drifted to the goat-skeleton cultists who had lately left the city. "The Skellieweds took a caravan back toward the sacked city," an elf said. "They mean to prepare the ground and reclaim it in a year or two, once the worst of the undead are cleared. They brought adventurers with them; there was some trouble with a minotaur cult and pirates, but that was long ago." We exchanged glances, quietly marking the place for a possible visit on their return journey.
+Lizette found herself surrounded by a knot of teenage lads who puffed their chests and traded mock insults. She smiled at their boasting. "I'm older than I look," she told them. "A great deal of prolonged life has gone into this face." The elves nearby chuckled, confirming that judging an elf's true age was notoriously difficult.
+More serious matters soon surfaced. The enclave trainers spoke of fresh trouble between the three major Stacks: northern, southern, and western. "Trade disputes, as always," one said with a sigh. "Rumours claim certain houses have hired extra swords, and at least one party travels with a great healer. We do not yet know who." They warned that the coming octopus-raising festival might see 'accidents' as old scores were settled. Without strong authority in the city, the merchant Stacks had moved to fill the vacuum, and jealousy could turn deadly.
+The elves admitted they felt a measure of responsibility for the region. Their long trade in myrrh with the hobbits had helped shape the city's fortunes, and they continued to teach the poor so they would not be so easily victimised. Still, they doubted the lessons would overturn the social order.
+As the meal drew to a close, news from Alfheim was shared: debates over skirt lengths had reached new heights of absurdity, with the enclave elves proudly claiming to be more forward-thinking than their kin in the upper city. Far graver was word that agents of the Drow were working within Adjepbar, seeking to open direct trade between the city and the Elvish Isles.
+"Of special interest to them are the sands of the Blue Quarter," an instructor noted. When asked whether the blue sand was addictive, the elf gave a solemn nod. "Very much so. Yet in the fogs of the Elven Isles it lets the user see the creatures that swim through the air. A useful gift, if one can survive the cost." We listened closely, aware that gifts from such quarters often carried hidden poison.
+==== Chapter 16: Visions of the Deep and the Saint's Bones ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_10_Night_3_Visions_of_the_Deep_and_the_Saints_Bones.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Conversations of powder, wererats, and the festival of statues]]
+''Conversations of powder, wererats, and the festival of statues''
+In the quiet halls of the elvish enclave, the conversation had drifted from language lessons to more curious matters. Their host leaned back, describing the effects of the crystalline powder the adventurers had inquired about. "It makes you regenerate," he explained. "It also makes you fiercely hungry and increases one's libido. Your heart rate rises, and the regeneration is quicker."
+One of the party members tilted his head. "So what other effects does it have besides changing the vision?"
+"Underwater visions," the host replied. "While giving you visions of underwater realms. It isn't truly addictive, though some grow fond of it, like a very strong cup of coffee. It may have some medicinal value, though I'm not certain it would be useful for true healing."
+We exchanged thoughtful glances. The prospect of a substance that could speed recovery while inducing strange oceanic hallucinations was intriguing indeed. Their host then changed the subject. "I understand from the young lads that you're planning on visiting the poor quarter this afternoon."
+"That was the plan," Keshah replied. "We were going down to the coast, and Lady Lizette wanted to offer healing to the poor and sick."
+The host nodded gravely. "As a healer, then. Some people down there will need it." He produced pen and paper, quickly scratching down several names and addresses. "If you could swing by these places and ask for these people in particular, that would be good. There are many others you should politely overlook. If you make it well known that you're giving away healing for free, especially at high ranks, you will get mobbed and cause chaos. The people on this list will keep their mouths shut. We can send some guards with you—they know the area and command respect."
+When asked about conditions in the slums, the host's expression darkened. "On the edges, not too bad. In the centre, however, there's a strange cult of wererats which has inflicted some of the poor quarter with their shape-changing curse. They keep to themselves and have set up an enclave. They are human-sized rats, living above ground."
+I straightened up . "Speaking of rats, you haven't heard anything about the bones of earls being smuggled into the city by a bunch of rats? I have the ability to talk to animals, and a cat gave me a message to pass on to the rats. They confirmed it."
+Their host looked momentarily confused, then intrigued. "From a cat? Well, I hadn't heard that particular rumour, but it is of great interest. There's an old legend of a saint who was the first Earl of the city. They could return, and whoever returns with his bones to the centre of the city can take power. I hadn't heard it for a good forty years. No one believes it these days, but you should investigate while you're in the poor quarter. The dwarves put down a similar rat problem a couple of years ago, though they're distracted at the moment."
+The talk turned at last to lighter matters. "The festival tonight is to do with some fish in the harbour," their host said. "Tomorrow night's festival involves escorting the statues—all the statues—up to the Hobbit Wolds. The captain of the guard, normally a dwarf, will receive them. The younger sons of all the great houses and stacks, dressed in loincloths and oil, will carry these Adonis-like marble statues from the lowest city to the highest under torchlight, with much chanting and singing. It is a display of manly virtue."
+"Do the statues ever get dropped?" asked Lizette.
+"They're heavy. It is seen as bad luck, but accidents occur. Seven are being represented this year by alliances of houses, minor stacks, and merchant guilds flexing their muscle. We were invited but have no interest. You should go along. You will probably find handsome young men flexing their oiled muscles under torchlight and cloths."
+==== Chapter 17: Festival of the Fishes ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_11_Night_3_Festival_of_the_Fishes.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The docks of Adjepbar prepare for the Festival of the Fishes]]
+''The docks of Adjepbar prepare for the Festival of the Fishes''
+The conversation turned, as such talks often do, to the spectacle awaiting them the following night. "It'll be a spectacle," their host assured them between bites. We leaned in, weighing the customs of this strange city. Keshah asked whether the rival houses were likely to sabotage one another. The answer came with a wry smile: of course they would. Tricks and traps were expected, wheels removed, ground made slippery, yet outright violence was forbidden. A brawl between stacks would end in a duel, and duels, their host noted dryly, were regrettably hit-or-miss affairs.
+They learned that only three or four of the great statues usually reached the top intact. The largest were hauled by teams of thirty or more from the extended families known as stacks, some numbering hundreds of souls. It was not strictly a race; prestige lay in the size of the statue and the dignity with which it arrived. Injuries were inevitable on the steep, narrow streets, but families could call upon reserves during the long pauses along the route. Healing an injured rival, however, would be seen as declaring allegiance, and a healer who switched sides too freely would soon be branded a turncoat.
+Satisfied, the group thanked their host for lunch and made their way down to the docks. The waterfront had transformed. Nearly five hundred souls crowded the wharves in a swirl of purposeful chaos. Long, pale octopuses were being lifted on tall poles, their tentacles arranged like living banners above the throng. Fishermen practised raising and lowering the creatures, turning the eerie forms into swaying puppets that drew laughter and applause. Nearby, open fires roared beneath iron plates where fish sizzled and seafood delicacies bubbled. Young women with skirts hitched high stomped inside wide barrels, crushing fish heads into a pungent tomato coloured mash that their guide identified as garum, the strong fish sauce favoured throughout the region.
+Lizette moved among them like a jewel dropped into rough gravel; her finery alone seemed to account for half the wealth on the docks. The others blended more easily, threading past musicians and puppet shows on one side and the serious industry of gutting, cooking, and barrel-stomping on the other. Hundreds of fishing boats bobbed alongside the quay, their crews adding to the din.
+Curious about the octopus ritual, I sought out a local and asked its meaning. The man grinned, showing teeth stained by years at sea. "If you can do it the best," he explained, "no girl can refuse your kisses." When pressed whether the custom belonged only to men, he laughed. "Or to girls who like girls. Everyone knows you're always allowed to kiss underneath an octopus." He went on to tell the tale of the pearl diver, generations ago, who had somehow managed the feat and afterward could breathe underwater, or so the story claimed. The listeners exchanged glances, half-amused, half-intrigued, while the octopuses swayed overhead like pale ghosts against the evening sky and the smell of garum and grilled fish wrapped the docks in the promise of a long and lively night.
+==== Chapter 18: Kisses Beneath the Octopus ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_12_Night_3_Kisses_Beneath_the_Octopus.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The wererat addresses the Wall Walkers amid the bones of contention]]
+''The wererat addresses the Wall Walkers amid the bones of contention''
+The docks of Adjepbar thrummed with life as the Festival of the Octopus spilled across the wharves. Lanterns swayed above stalls heavy with coral carvings and the day's glistening catch. Locals paraded with live octopuses draped across their arms, and the air itself seemed salted with anticipation.
+A friendly vendor explained the custom to the three striking outsiders. "It ended in tragedy, the old tales say. The creatures slowly lost their ability to breathe air once they left the water. Kisses keep the badness away. So no one refuses a kiss beneath an octopus." She winked. "It's considered very bad form."
+We could not help but notice the attention we drew, which was a bit concerning. The crowd seemed enchanted by us in particular; even among the port's own pretty faces, we stood out like visitors from some brighter realm. Keshah, in particular, drew appreciative glances, though the octopus-bearers appeared most interested in the women.
+As we moved through the throng, our eyes fell on delicate coral statues prepared for the next day's procession to the hobbits high above the city. "Carry one up on foot and leave it with them," we were told, "and trade will smile on you all year." I pressed a few silvers into a vendor's hand and selected a pair, slipping them safely into my pack. The afternoon was wearing on; the true festivities would begin in roughly five hours.
+There was work to do first. The elf's list of addresses led us into the poor quarter. At the first home, a cramped two-room sandal shop, a young girl showed them inside. Seven people lived here in pinched circumstances. The mother limped on a knee that had mended crooked after a bad break. Her husband sat motionless on one side, the legacy of a stroke that had stolen the use of his left arm and leg.
+Lizette let her empathetic senses brush across them, confirming the nature of the damage. While Keshah worked on the wife's leg with focused care, Lizette invoked her special healing rites. Between them they coaxed damaged nerves to life again, restoring strength and sensation. The couple's gratitude was quiet but profound; colour returned to their faces as years of pain began to ebb.
+The next call took them closer to the water. A dock labourer lay wheezing on a pallet, her breathing ragged and wet. Her young daughter coughed with the same hollow sound. This was no ordinary illness. The lungs were scarred, poisoned by the blue sand that sometimes drifted from the desert crystals. After neutralising the lingering toxin, the healers turned their arts to regeneration. Fresh tissue knit together while the family watched in stunned silence. The mother managed a weak smile. "The fish we handle... some of them carry strange dust," she whispered. The adventurers warned her to keep clear of the blue drifts in future.
+Twilight was nearing as they left the docks. In the distance, the grotesque parade of goat-skeleton cultists still capered through the middle town. The trio gave the main festival a wide berth and turned toward their lodgings. That was when the cat found them.
+A sleek, battle-scarred tom bounded from the shadows. "What have you done?" he demanded, voice sharp with indignation. "You started a turf war. Go down there and tell them they will be driven out, that their tails will fall off if they don't get rid of those bones at once!"
+Exchanging glances, we followed. The cat led us around a corner where a couple was stealing kisses in a narrow alley. Beyond them lay an astonishing sight: forty or fifty pounds of carefully arranged bones. The remains appeared to be those of a minotaur or perhaps an ogre; but the skull was missing. Tiny tooth marks showed the rats had transported every piece.
+Keshah stepped forward. One rat in particular stood atop the pile, larger than its fellows and unnaturally bold. It rose on its hind legs and squeaked, yet the sound carried meaning. "We have summoned you. You will obey us, rat speaker."
+Lizette extended her senses, reading the currents of magic that clung to the creature. "A wererat," she murmured. The animal was clearly under some form of compulsion, a spell woven to grant it authority over its kin. The party felt an odd, artificial friendliness toward the rodent, yet the enchantment's edges were unmistakable. Whatever game the rats and cats played over these bones, it had just become far more interesting than a simple turf war.
+==== Chapter 19: The Promised Land ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783337383115_13_Night_3_The_Promised_Land.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The Wall Walkers receive their grim errand from the rat speaker]]
+''The Wall Walkers receive their grim errand from the rat speaker''
+The cat regarded the party with yellow eyes that gleamed like chipped citrine. "Take these bones and be gone," he urged, voice sharp with feline disdain, "quick, quick, before the rats do terrible things to you."
+The bones proved far heavier than expected when lifted; what should have been dry and brittle felt dense as lead, carrying an unnatural weight that made every skull and femur a burden. "Not bone," Lizette muttered after close inspection, though whether this was observation or intuition none could say.
+We worked quickly, feeding the remains into a magical satchel that swallowed the impossible load without complaint. "We can't walk into the inn carrying an entire skeleton," I observed. "There might be questions asked."
+"You could claim it's for any number of festivals," Lizette replied with a shrug. "The octopus-raising is coming up. You're always allowed to kiss underneath an octopus, after all."
+From the shadows came the rustle of many small bodies. The rat speaker stepped forward, whiskers twitching with self-importance. "Thank you, mister," it chittered. "Just carry them safely to the promised lands."
+I glanced at her companions, then addressed the rat directly. "What are you trying to achieve here? Where is this promised land?"
+The rat drew itself up. "You are under my control," it declared with surprising gravity. "Take the bones to the promised land—the warehouse in the Blue Street districts. Down to the one in the centre."
+I gave a theatrical bow. "I obey, great rat. I obey my master." Behind the performance my eyes met the cat's in mutual disdain; the cat returned the look with aristocratic contempt.
+With the last of the bones secured and the rats' instructions memorised, we withdrew from the stacks. They crossed back through the poor quarter under starlit skies, the city gates clanging shut behind them as they reached their inn. The hour was late. Inside, the common room stood quiet, and one by one they retired, the weight of their strange cargo and stranger errands lingering in the dark.
+=== Night 4 ===
+==== Chapter 20: The Ragged Intruder ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783942972422_01_Night_4_The_Ragged_Intruder.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Capturing the puzzle-monster in the dead of night]]
+''Capturing the puzzle-monster in the dead of night''
+We slipped back into the inn under cover of night, the weight of our recent discoveries heavy on our minds.  We had scarcely closed the door before a familiar shape darted inside: the sarcastic house cat known as Magnificent—or Mags to those she tolerated.  The cat's golden eyes gleamed as she complained about the long wait and the poor quality of the scraps offered.
+Downstairs, the innkeeper's daughter announced dinner with a warm smile. The meal proved a welcome distraction, and accompanied with acrobatic performers who moved with surprising grace. Conversation flowed easily between bites of spiced fish and fresh bread. I, elegant even in travel-worn attire, introduced myself as a diplomat, while Keshah declared herself a bodyguard and adventurer. The young woman asked about our travels and the curious statues we had acquired, sparking debate about whether to walk the five miles uphill or risk the no-fly zones that seemed to blanket the city. Laughter mingled with the clink of utensils as we traded stories of narrow escapes and ambitious suitors best avoided.
+Later, in the privacy of our room, we savoured bowls of steaming chocolate laced with spices, accompanied by grapes, melons, and crisp cookies. Mags returned, her demands for fish growing more imperious. I translated the cat's barbs with amusement, revealing that I kept a small pride of felines, or they kept me,  back home in the Western Kingdoms—Selene, Luna, and Celestia among them. Talk turned to the mechanical songbirds that had begun appearing, their eyes unnaturally watchful. Mags confirmed the birds served as spies for stranger powers, creatures that saw what ordinary eyes could not.
+The bones taken from the alley refused to stay quiet. Even within their bag they shifted and reassembled in subtle new patterns, as though yearning for a missing shape. I, dressed for sleep in a flowing negligee that drew a startled glance from the returning innkeeper's daughter, insisted on further study come morning. Yet sleep proved elusive. A living bird appeared at their window, soon joined by its mechanical twin. When Lizette attempted to heal the creature, the cat grew agitated.
+'''Day 4'''<br />
+"Wake up," Mags yowled through my translation, batting insistently at my faces I followed her guidance to Lizette's  room and there, half-hidden in shadow, crouched the intruder: a ragged spectral construct no taller than a forearm. It resembled a golem of string, rags, and glittering knickknacks, its form slick and mutable like a wet puddle given malicious intent. Eyes and blisters surfaced and sank across its shifting surface. It watched them with predatory patience, poised to smother and deliver its poison.
+Keshah's blade came free in a heartbeat. Working together, we overpowered the creature before it could strike. It proved surprisingly strong for its size, yet no match for our combined efforts. We emptied a glass jar of its water and manoeuvred the squelching entity inside, where it bulged and twisted uselessly against the glass. Mags observed with feline satisfaction, offering cryptic warnings about the one who commanded such servants—the enchanter who saw through birds and bent winged things to his will. She urged them not to speak his name aloud - Maranor the Unholy.
+As the inn settled into quiet once more, we regarded our captive. The puzzle-monster floated in its prison, a macabre trophy and a warning. Whatever plot swirled around the bones and the factions of Adjepbar, it had now reached their doorstep. The day would bring divinations and difficult choices, but for tonight they had turned a silent threat into a contained curiosity—and earned a few more sardonic compliments from the cat who had saved their sleep.
+==== Chapter 21: Songbirds, Bones, and a Cat's Demands ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783942972422_02_Night_4_Songbirds_Bones_and_a_Cats_Demands.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lizette divines the songbird's secrets as Magnificent looks on]]
+''Lizette divines the songbird's secrets as Magnificent looks on''
+In the upper room of the comfortable inn, Lizette closed her eyes and let her awareness sink into the delicate mechanisms of the songbird perched before her. Mana flowed from her in steady pulses as she worked two separate divinations, one after the other. The first revealed the bird as a greater summoning construct, animated to act as a spy.  Highest rank on the mechanical bird: Wizard's Sight. It also has animation and a Wizard's Ear. I identified the species it looked like as a Peeping Russel. As for the ‘pond golem’ when its power faded it would disassemble, but not before delivering a more lethal purpose: it could smother a sleeping victim and force poison down their throat.
+"It could probably drop little bits of itself into their cupped hands," Lizette murmured, eyes still distant.
+Her companions absorbed the grim intelligence. The second working turned toward the jumbled bag of bones we had acquired. These proved far older and more complex, steeped in necromantic energies and blood magic that carried faint echoes of werewolves and shapechangers. The construct, when assembled, stood roughly eight feet tall and required the blood of a doppelganger or other mutable being to fully animate. Someone had carefully prepared it as the foundation for something far more dangerous.
+"We'll split the important pieces," Keshah declared, separating the pelvis and a few other key bones so the skeleton could not easily be remade. We nodded; and he bones were divided and hidden among our gear.
+As the morning advanced, Mags possessed a withering sense of sarcasm that needed no translation. When they attempted to explain their discoveries, the cat simply yawned.
+"You smell the people and they give you food," Mags observed through lazy blinks. "Just like magic."
+We could not help laughing. To a cat, it seemed, all worthy sorcery ultimately led to breakfast.
+Downstairs the innkeeper's family had prepared a generous spread of porridge, honeyed bacon, twisted pastries, and curious crepes rolled with fruit and nuts. The landlady, upon hearing about the mechanical bird, shook her head in disbelief.
+"A spy device? Here? Those are common tricks in the Western Kingdoms, but why would anyone bother watching my guests?" She glanced at the cat. "You should ask her where she found it."
+We did. This particular bird proved to not come from the courtyard as a quick count soon accounted for all of them. Nothing unusual was discovered about them except that the last one had a spell called ‘Detect Spy’ on it. We also discovered that these mechanical songbirds could be obtained in the market place.
+The conversation turned practical. The innkeeper asked a favour: her daughter had the evening free for the ongoing festival, and she wondered whether the trustworthy visitors might escort the young woman. We readily agreed. In return she promised a packed lunch and offered advice on local customs. Festival attire, it seemed, should be worn all day.
+"We'll be back by one o'clock," we assured her.
+After the meal we stepped into the sunlit streets of Adjepbar, Mags trotting imperiously at tour heels. I was convinced by Mags to give a dozing tomcat, Tommy,  on a garden wall a gentle nudge, well Mags wanted him pushed off the fence but I thought that was a bit mean. The offended feline retaliated with a lightning swipe that left four deep scratches on my hand. Magic knit the wound closed before real damage could linger, but the message was clear: Adjepbar's cats suffered no fools.
+Our destination was a market stall tended by a dwarf wearing an eyeglass. Exquisite mechanical songbirds gleamed on display, gem-eyed and delicately winged. The merchant tried to steer them toward cheaper models until he realised these customers understood exactly what they were buying. We were told that the cheaper models needed returning and recharging every two weeks but the more expensive ones could hold out for a year before the magic ran out. Installed in them was a spell called ‘Sunsong’.
+"Top of the line," he admitted with a grin. "They'll last a good while longer than the common ones."
+I purchased two of the finest, wrapped in ribboned boxes, along with a few simpler robins for experimentation. As we negotiated, Mags wound between their ankles, reminding them with periodic yowls that her patience, like her milk supply, had strict limits.
+==== Chapter 22: Whispers of the Blue Tower ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783942972422_03_Night_4_Whispers_of_the_Blue_Tower.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The mosaic artist at work on the Cat Lady’s grounds]]
+''The mosaic artist at work on the Cat Lady’s grounds''
+The shopkeeper leaned back against his bench of half-assembled mechanisms, eyes narrowing as he studied the strangers before him. "I'm not sure I'm gonna divulge that information, you know?" he said, looking them up and down. "Yeah, you should be careful. There are stories. The cat told me." I replied.
+When pressed, the tale unfolded. In a blue tower perched on the edge of the industrial district—past the red tower, amid rising smoke-stacks from the forges—an enchanter had lost something valuable inside a heavily trapped stronghold. The man, called Mungo or something near it, turned out to be Maranor the Unholy.,sought clever winged creatures to fly in and retrieve the prize. "He's got money," the shopkeeper added with a grimace, "but he smells terrible. Constant bad BO. You don't wanna be around him. And apparently he can control anything with wings."
+The companions exchanged glances. We recalled the strange mechanical songbird that had perched upon our windowsill that morning. It had not flown away like any natural creature; instead it had brought an injured companion for healing—an act far outside ordinary avian behaviour. "It can't be a bird," one murmured. "Not really."
+The shopkeeper shrugged. "That'll be that fella in the blue tower. Maybe you should have a chat with him—but be careful."
+Before departing, conversation turned to commerce. I introduced myself as Dawn representing a leather concern from distant lands. The artisan’s eyes brightened at the mention of cowhide; such material was rare in Adjepbar. "If you've got nautical leather, I don't know how many gears I could work," he said. Details were exchanged, hands shaken, and a future meeting of merchants arranged with professional courtesy.
+Thanking him for the pair of songbirds now in our care, we took our leave and made our way through the streets to the Cat Lady’s compound. The wooden building stood out among the adobe structures, its high fence smelling faintly of salt and age. A bell on a string summoned movement above. An elderly man peered down, his face weathered by decades and rumoured to have once tasted fire-drake blood.
+"My tall lords, what brings you to our fine abode?"
+"The cat has brought us here to speak to the Cat Lady," Keshah answered.
+With a gracious nod he lowered a stout rope net. The fence itself rose fourteen feet, fashioned from the clinker-built hull of some forgotten ship, its planks now standing upright like battlements of driftwood and concrete. The party climbed, well, I flew, emerging onto an interior balcony that overlooked a scene of startling beauty.
+Before us stretched a half-finished mosaic floor. An extravagantly dressed artist worked with serene concentration, arranging sands of a dozen hues into intricate patterns. Half a dozen peculiar brass instruments stood on spindly legs nearby, each pouring carefully measured pebbles. The man’s chief tool was a two-foot mechanism shaped like a splayed spider, its central body a flawless magnifying lens. Sunlight, focused through the glass, burned the coloured grains into fused glass pebbles that locked the design permanently in place. Where he had finished, the floor glowed like living jewellery; where he had not yet reached, plain cobblestones waited their transformation.
+The artist spared the newcomers no glance, lost in the alchemy of light and stone. The old servant simply smiled, as though such wonders were everyday matters beneath the Cat Lady’s roof.
+==== Chapter 23: Moonlight Mosaics and Feline Councils ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783942972422_04_Night_4_Moonlight_Mosaics_and_Feline_Councils.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Merda the Cat Lady receives the Wall Walkers in her sunlit court]]
+''Merda the Cat Lady receives the Wall Walkers in her sunlit court''
+The late morning light slanted across the high walls of the Cat Lady's estate as I launched into the air with Magnificent clutched safely in my arms. A few gasps rose from the street below while the cat's indignant meows trailed behind her. The climb to the top of the mosaicist's tower was swift, though Lizette's cloak briefly snagged on the stonework, forcing her to wriggle free with a rueful laugh. "I'll have to get used to this," she muttered.
+The elderly man looked up, his eyes widening with delight at the sight of them. "That was very well done," he declared, to the artist, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Keep working like that and you'll make first mate in no time." He gestured proudly at the half-finished mosaic: depicting three figures battling tentacled fish-monsters from a small boat, every shard of glass fused into a shimmering masterpiece.
+"It must be viewed from above," he explained, clearly hoping they would linger. When I drew near, the artist grew even more animated. "You would be magnificent under moonlight. I have just the lens for it." He produced a curious crystal and held it to the light. "Pose for me in four days' time. We could create something extraordinary." Would that be the next full moon on the 14th? I wasn't sure but, if I had to admit, I was rather curious about this. Besides, the mosaic itself was amazingly beautiful. But in four days, the moon would have only reached First Quarter. Was it something to do with the angle?
+Lizette and I exchanged glances at the modelling proposal. Was he talking about posing nude?  With a few carefully chosen words of namer magic, Lizette teased out the heart of his enchantment: moonlight. The sculptor beamed. "Yes! Come back when the moon is right. We shall have wine. Red, I think, for the young lady? It will be quite an experience." Though the conversation drifted toward practical concerns, the artist assured them his tower held its own defences against prying eyes. "No peeping here," he laughed. "Only art."
+The old servant, who had watched the exchange with growing impatience, cleared his throat. "None of these side jobs," he grumbled, though his fondness for Magnificent was obvious. "We are here to see the Cat Lady. Merda." He led them down a spiral stair and through a series of coloured doors until they stepped into a wide, sun-bathed chamber. A dozen cats turned as one to regard the newcomers. An elderly woman with the unmistakable grace of a sentient cat-folk rose from her balcony seat, flanked by a younger cat-woman and the old man himself.
+Merda's golden eyes swept over them. She meowed a long, intricate greeting to the assembled felines, then switched smoothly to the common tongue. "I am told you speak with cats," she said, clearly intrigued. The old servant explained his own gift with a touch of pride. "When I was young I drank the blood of a fire-drake. It lets me converse with household beasts." He added, almost as an afterthought, that he had once been something of a fairy knight before reforming his ways.
+The Cat Lady settled onto a cushioned divan while her cats arranged themselves like a living tapestry. "You have come seeking guidance," she said. "Tell me of these bones."
+Lizette and I took turns recounting what we had learned. The sack contained a jumble of minotaur and other bones, a necromantic construct that could be animated with the blood of a shapeshifter, a weir, or an innocent. Several factions in Adjepbar hungered for it. The Goat Cult and their First Lords wished to wield the creature against the ruins of Kurkul. The fish-folk of the harbour sought to carry it to the ocean depths to purify poisoned waters. Doppelgangers schemed in the shadows, and the ratfolk seemed desperate to be rid of the whole affair.
+Merda listened without interruption, her tail flicking thoughtfully. "The doppelgangers hold one skull and threaten the ratfolk with it," she murmured. "The bones themselves are said to drink in necromantic energy, growing stronger as they consume the dead. Some believe they could cleanse an entire city of undeath. Others simply wish to loose chaos."
+Keshah leaned forward. "Cleaning the ocean sounds like the noblest cause. But what of the skull we lack?"
+The old servant gave a crafty smile. "I have a plan for that. There is an evil shapechanger in the city. If we force it to assume the form of a cyclops and petrify it at the moment we strike, we may claim a cyclops skull. With that, the construct could be completed on our terms."
+I accepted the grim suggestion with a nod of thanks, trying not to show my misgivings. Around us the cats watched with unblinking intensity, as though weighing the souls of these tall, curious strangers. Sunlight glinted on the distant mosaic tower, a reminder that beauty and danger often shared the same walls in Adjepbar. The conversation had only begun, but already the weight of prophecies and rival ambitions pressed upon them like the city's own ancient stones.
+==== Chapter 24: Charms, Spirits, and Cyclops Skulls ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1783942972422_05_Night_4_Charms_Spirits_and_Cyclops_Skulls.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Merda the Cat Lady strikes a blood bargain with the Wall Walkers]]
+''Merda the Cat Lady strikes a blood bargain with the Wall Walkers''
+The talk turned to the city's restless ghosts. Merda knew of a murder that had occurred a couple of nights ago that could be relevant  Keshah confessed he could see spirits naturally and could investigate. Merda's ears twitched with interest. "I have the place of death," she said. "If the victim's spirit lingers, could you speak with it? I would pay well for the truth of what happened."
+We exchanged glances. When Lizette quietly revealed her mastery of restorative arts, capable even of returning life to the dead, Merda's expression brightened with calculation. She then looked at me since I was the one with wings. "In that case, your blood, properly purified by Lizette’s gifts, could serve a greater purpose. We could craft a charm to protect you from the enchanter who dwells in the blue tower. He has a fondness for winged creatures, and a sentient  who can fly would be irresistible to him."
+I leaned forward, allowing my Air Wings to flicker into visibility for a moment by fluttering them so she could see the movement. "What would this charm do, exactly?" I asked. Merda gestured with a graceful paw. "An amulet of distraction, perhaps, to veil your power and beauty so you appear unremarkable. The enchanter would waste little effort on you. In exchange for investigating the murder scene and questioning any spirit you find there, I will provide such protections, along with introductions among the city's factions." I was thinking Lizette would also need some sort of Amulet to hide her Physical Beauty. Even I felt some sort of attraction for her but didn’t want to try anything with a fellow party member. After all, it hadn’t worked with Lila.  I was also looking a little pale as they seemed to be talking a LOT of blood to make the Amulet.
+Keshah considered the offer carefully, weighing the dangers of the blue tower against the value of Merda's goodwill. The group spoke of doppelgangers seeking refuge, of mechanical songbirds and circling political interests, but the immediate bargain felt solid. By the time the discussion drew to a close, the Wall Walkers had agreed to visit the site of the killing before the spirit's trail grew any colder. Outside, the sun stood at its zenith on the third day of their stay in Adjepbar, and the intricate game of favours and secrets had only just begun.
+=== Night 5 ===
+==== Chapter 25: The Healing of Elves and the Fevered Procession ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1784623139774_01_Night_5_The_Healing_of_Elves_and_the_Fevered_Procession.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The fevered procession of statues winds through Adjepbar as the companions observe from a rooftop sanctuary.]]
+''The fevered procession of statues winds through Adjepbar as the companions observe from a rooftop sanctuary.''
+We slipped down from our high perch. Keshah landed lightly on his feet, while Lizette followed with equal grace. Aurora extended her invisible wings and glided silently to the cobbles, the group reforming without drawing undue attention from passers-by on the lamplit street below.
+My keen senses caught a furtive huddle of figures off to one side, but the tempting aromas of lamb, cinnamon, and crackling pork from a nearby bakery soon distracted me. Before I could dwell on the odd blue dust I had smelt earlier, a well-dressed young hobbit came sprinting up. "My lord," he panted, "are you the ones who visited the Elvish fighting school?" He pressed a note into Keshah's hand and dashed away.
+The message spoke of an alteration at the port involving the Navy from Albertsburg. Deciding the school lay on their route, the party quickened their pace. What they found was no simple dockside dispute. A tense stand-off gripped the atrium. Dwarves and hobbits on one side of the street, warily eyeing a group of elves on the other. Inside, blood stained the stones and two young elves lay injured.
+The Grandmaster recognised us at once and gestured toward a side door. Tension hung thick in the air; armed figures crowded the staircases. One elf had suffered a punctured lung and poisoning. Lizette set to work, first drawing out the toxin. The elf coughed up a wriggling black slug that splashed onto the floor. A helpful young man produced an empty potion bottle, and the creature was safely contained. Ribs were mended, bruises tended. The elf's colour returned as bones knit and breath came freely again.
+Questioning revealed the fight had begun when dwarves and hobbits objected to the school's teachings. A duel had been demanded; their captain was humiliatingly defeated three times. Rumours, it seemed, had poisoned more than just the wounded elf. Talk turned to a blue enchanter stirring trouble, possibly linked to the blue dust plaguing the districts, and to the two young women travelling with the party who had drawn unwanted eyes. The Grandmaster offered aid should they need strong arms, and one of the healed elves extended a dinner invitation towards me  for the following night, aboard a lantern-lit boat. It actually sounded interesting so I accepted.
+No sooner had we finished than a dwarf captain approached. "Lady Lizette, you are under arrest. Come with us to the palace at once." The same command fell upon me which had me rather puzzled. Though the wording was blunt, resistance seemed unwise. The dwarves proved courteous escorts, allowing the party to stop at their inn so I could change onto something more appropriate and courtly. I emerged in a sky-blue royal ball gown that shimmered with gem-dust sparkles, complemented by an ever-blooming crimson rose pinned to the bodice. The effect was breathtaking.
+At the palace gates, repairs from earlier damage had rendered the courtyard pristine once more. The Chamberlain himself greeted us—the very man a previous party had nearly resurrected on a previous visit. He was all gracious smiles and politely rebuked us for not announcing our arrival sooner. "The heroes of Adjepbar should have been received at once," he said, eyes lingering on me, which was making me rather nervous.. I was even presented with a sash that I was told aided in pregnancy, which had me really worried for a bit. Rooms were offered but politely declined in favour of our current lodgings. After a brief audience and assurances of future welcome, we were released with an escort back to the inn.
+Marian, our young charge, awaited us. Apologies for lateness were met with understanding, though rumours of marriage proposals and palace business had already circulated. Changing back into more practical attire, the group set out once more, cutting across town toward the port district. Chants of goat-wielding cultists echoed from back alleys.
+The streets opened onto an astonishing spectacle. Sixteen colossal marble statues, each many times the height of a man, were being hauled toward some unknown destination. Hundreds of citizens swarmed the procession, chanting and cheering. Teams of fifteen muscular workers heaved at ropes and poles, swapping with fresh hands while others drove wedges and worked block-and-tackle rigs scavenged from ships. Scented oil and flower petals filled the air. I felt the temperature around the statues rising unnaturally; the oil carried a spice that left humans flushed and exhilarated, their hearts racing with an almost drunken fervour.
+Lizette and Marian showed signs of breathing the vapour, though it posed no immediate danger but I decided to employ Vapour Breathing spells on us all as a safety precaution.  Keshah lifted Marian onto his shoulders so she could see better over the crowd. From second- and third-story windows and rooftops, watchful elves observed with bows at rest. Spotting us, a lithe elven woman slipped through the throng whom I admired for her agility.. She greeted Keshah warmly and extended an invitation from Lady Olga: to join them on the roof of the next red-brick house for a clearer, more peaceful view.
+We ascended an outer staircase into a jasmine-scented rooftop garden. Lady Olga and her companions—dark-elven, fair-elven, and human women—bowed in greeting. Mind-speech was cast so all could converse above the roar of the streets. Olga inquired politely about our presence in Adjepbar. Keshah spoke of leather trade, while the others admitted curiosity about recent troubles: the bones of the Earl, goat cultists seeking them to cleanse an undead-haunted city abandoned centuries ago.
+"Caston," Olga murmured. "It fell on hard times long ago." She confirmed the desert spice drifting on the breeze, a festival tradition that inflamed human passions but left elves largely untouched. As the massive statues ground onward below, propelled by sweat-slicked teams and ecstatic crowds, the companions felt the city's layered intrigues tightening around them like invisible threads.
+==== Chapter 26: Whispers Above the Scented Procession ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1784623139774_02_Night_5_Whispers_Above_the_Scented_Procession.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Conversations on the balcony as the festival procession passes below]]
+''Conversations on the balcony as the festival procession passes below''
+The air hung thick with the sharp, invigorating scent of blue spice as teams of men and women below thrashed the road with birch switches. The oil they spread rose in vaporous clouds, catching the late light and lending a fevered energy to every movement. On the balcony above, the elf that had invited us up here watched the slow procession with a warrior's idle vigilance, her bow nearly as tall as she was.
+"It makes men work harder," the elf explained, her voice carrying the easy cadence of one accustomed to courtly talk, "and women grow more... observant. No addictive qualities, of course. It's traditional for the festivals. The heat from the statues helps the vapour spread." She glanced sidelong at her listeners. "The young women love it."
+I stood a little apart, still adjusting to the city's exuberant customs. When I complimented the immense bow, and compared it to my own bow, the conversation turned personal. The tall elf regarded her with quiet amusement. "I'm not that experienced with such attention," she admitted. "I usually avoid it.". I had to agree with that but added "Depends who's offering the attention,"
+A faint smile. "Clearly you've been meeting the wrong sort. You should visit the Elvish court sometime. I had to admit I had never been.
+We spoke of origins then—Alfheim and its high elves, the freer ways of wood elves in the outlying forests. I described herself as young for her kind, only recently joined to the Seagate Adventures Guild. The taller elf, whom I shall refer to as Cleo, studied me with new interest. "If you have things to learn, you're in good hands with Keshah. My great-aunt once described Keshah as magnificent."
+The talk drifted from courtly dalliances to matters of the heart. I ended up confessing my wariness, the way I kept suitors at arm's length. Cleo’s eyes sparkled with recognition. "All sentences in Adjepbar begin and end with the love of a good woman," she observed. When conversation turned to the sash the palace master had given her—intended to ensure a healthy pregnancy—the elf translated the courtly blessing with gentle humour, then teased my limited understanding of water mages – which was true.
+Below, the statue-bearers continued their laborious march, the crowd's fervour rising as the day waned. Marion remained transfixed by the spectacle, while Lizette listened with a healer's quiet concern. When talk shifted to the violent trials unfolding in the streets, Cleo grew serious. "Keshah is a good man," she warned, "but the body count would be high before the mob tore him apart defending you. They have their own healers. Do not meddle in the affairs of humans unless you wish to choose sides. Some blood must be spilled for the spectacle to hold meaning."
+Lizette's discomfort was plain. "I never liked it when preventable deaths occur under the guise of sport." Yet the elf's counsel was firm: the injured would not thank an outsider's interference.
+As the light began to fail, conversation turned lighter. Plans for dinners aboard harbour boats, invitations from lords' sons and princesses, and the promise of future festivals in the sands north of the city. Cleo spoke of golden lizards whose fresh blood granted air mages the ability to converse with creatures of earth and sky. I was already gifted in such magics, and weighed the convenience against the chaos of constant chatter from every bird and beast.
+Then a small, furry shape appeared at the edge of the balcony—a ratman, short-tailed and cautious. He waved us toward a shadowed passage. I crouched to his level so as not to loom. "An acquaintance of mine," I explained to the others as I attempted to get the Speak with Animals spell off, succeeding on the second try.
+The creature's whiskers twitched. "We will meet you after dark and take you to the scene of the murder."
+"Unless we already know it," I answered.
+"Very good. We will see you at the alley." The ratman slipped back into the gloom, leaving the companions to contemplate the evening's darker obligations. The festival's drums still throbbed below, but the true work of the night lay ahead.
+==== Chapter 27: Blue Spice and Clockwork Gifts ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1784623139774_03_Night_5_Blue_Spice_and_Clockwork_Gifts.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Evening indulgences and the cat's curious gift]]
+''Evening indulgences and the cat's curious gift''
+We trudged back to their rooms, the weight of the evening's revelations still clinging to them. The spirit had shown them the site of a murder from long ago, and the danger had been real. Yet Marian's mother looked visibly relieved as we arrived, her shoulders loosening with the knowledge that the night had been worth it. She had seen too much already; a little ringing in the ears from the blast was a small price.
+To my surprise and delight, Cleo had offered to come back with me  so we excused ourselves for a bath while the others unpacked. Supper arrived in fragrant waves: cinnamon, nutmeg, and the distinctive metallic tang of blue spice woven through a cake that invited investigation. "It's rare," their host explained with a knowing smile. "It lasts for seasons and finds its way into most everything. Some say it carries a touch of magic."
+Star-shaped biscuits with vivid blue icing followed. "Three and no more," came the firm instruction. Lizette accepted the warning, yet the flavour proved treacherous. Each bite doubled the joy of the last, until she was shaking and the tray had to be taken away. She salvaged the final crumb as an offering before the urge overpowered her completely. The others felt it too, that bright spike of delight that made ordinary food taste suddenly bitter by comparison.
+In their chambers a servant delivered a tray of hardened dates, twisted breads, and fruit, all laced with the same blue dust. "Of course it's in them," he said when asked. "It goes in all the food here." Conversation turned to its effects: euphoric happiness followed, he warned, by a deep sadness the next morning. Still, lamb rolls were ordered, extra portions set aside for me when I returned from my soak.
+While they ate, the mages turned their attentions to more arcane matters. Divination on that sash revealed a gentle regenerative power that awakened only in the presence of injury, along with a blessing for unborn children and an easing of childbirth. Useful, if narrowly situational. Then the cookies called again. Their magic was mild, born of something once living, and each one intensified the pleasure of the previous bite until restraint became difficult. "Fifteen or twenty might kill you with sheer dopamine," Keshah observed wryly. To prevent that happening to Lizette who was trying to eat the lot,  the remaining biscuits were banished into a portable hole.
+Only then did they notice the clockwork bird resting in the middle of my bedroom floor. It was not the one she had purchased earlier; that piece still lay boxed. This metallic creature bore fresh claw marks across its surface, dragged in by the ever-meddlesome cat. "Magnificence must have caught it," one of them guessed. The bird itself was inanimate now, though faint traces of prior enchantment lingered.
+Down in the bathhouse, I submerged herself, the water-breathing ring cool against my finger. I  kept my head above water at first, then thought better of it, letting the ring do its work. Mouth closed, senses stretched wide, I floated in the warm silence and waited while enjoying Cleo’s ministrations.. I frowned as I detected something  moving at the edge of my perception, just beyond the tiled walls.
+==== Chapter 28: Sirens, Cookies, and the Hunter's Prize ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1784623139774_04_Night_5_Sirens_Cookies_and_the_Hunters_Prize.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Magnificence delivers her prize]]
+''Magnificence delivers her prize''
+The faint melody drifted upward through the water like a half-remembered dream. The moment the notes reached them, both companions surfaced quickly, exchanging wary glances. "Another siren," I muttered. After my last encounter with such creatures, neither wished to investigate further. We climbed from the pool, dressed, and made our way back through the tiled corridors to the safety of my room.
+We opened the door to a peculiar scene. Lizette knelt on the floor, arms raised in supplication, her face a mask of desperate longing. Keshah held her firmly by one wrist, preventing her from reaching the plate of treats. "Do I want to know what's going on?" I asked dryly.
+"Don't eat the blue cookies," Keshah warned. "They're addictive."
+What followed was a long, increasingly mathematical conversation about exactly how addictive they were. I tallied the escalating pleasure each biscuit delivered, doubling with every bite until the numbers grew absurd. "Two to the power of six... or was it ten?" Lizette managed between pleas. By the time they finished calculating, it was clear the treats had overwhelmed her willpower. The addiction, they hoped, would fade after sleep.
+A soft knock interrupted us. The young servant boy stood in the doorway, offering a red cookie on a small tray. "My mother said you might be in need of this," he explained. The red variety, it seemed, would help counteract the blue. We accepted it gratefully, noting the boy's discretion.
+Meanwhile, Mags, the cat who preferred to be addressed as Her Magnificence, strode through the open door with tail held high. At my feet she dropped a mechanical bird, its neck cruelly twisted. "It was trying to spy on me?" I exclaimed, stroking the triumphant feline. Moments later, Mags coughed up a writhing black slug that hit the floor with a wet sound. A swift stomp ended the parasite's existence, bringing visible relief to everyone present.
+"Who's the smartest hunter amongst us?" I cooed, as the cat curled contentedly into my lap. "You are a magnificent pursuer." The praise seemed to please Mags immensely. From the doorway, Cleo watched with amusement. "Are you going to be stroking that pussy long?" she asked, the double meaning unmistakable. I turned scarlet while the group could only laugh, acknowledging that, for now at least, the cat's will remained firmly in control.
+==== Chapter 29: The Cat's Insistent Counsel ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1784623139774_05_Night_5_The_Cats_Insistent_Counsel.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Breakfast with Magnificence, where even the cat has opinions on the coming night's intrigues.]]
+''Breakfast with Magnificence, where even the cat has opinions on the coming night's intrigues.''
+The last conversations of the night faded as we retired retired. We checked their rooms for hidden threats before sleep claimed them, the enigmatic cat padding alongside with promises to guard the open window. Mags was no ordinary beast; through some ancient pact or potion from distant isles, it could make its thoughts known, and it took full advantage of the privilege.
+'''Day 5'''<br />
+Dawn arrived with a gentle tap at the door. A young servant girl entered bearing trays of steaming porridge, eggs wrapped in crisp bacon sprinkled with sesame, and wriggling delicacies that testified to their freshness. The bacon still twitched on the hot plate, a local custom that drew mixed reactions from the visitors. Keshah sampled the water first, wary of the thick green drink that seemed to stain the teeth, while Lizette bore faint traces of cookie crumbs from the night before.
+No sooner had the trays settled than the cat appeared, voicing imperious demands through its spell. "Feed me," she insisted, leaping onto a lap with practised entitlement. The companions obliged with strips of bacon and a saucer of milk, all while exchanging amused barbs. The cat complained about rough handling and slow service, prompting stories of past feline misadventures and backhands that ended with claws.
+Between bites, conversation turned to more serious matters. The cat recounted its interrogation of a courtyard bird before dispatching it. The creature had tried to bribe its way to safety with "words of power" meant for the sick, though the cat had dismissed the offer. Examination confirmed traces of strange magic on the broken bird, raising questions about its true nature and purpose. Was it one of the mechanical spies rumoured to haunt the city, or something sent by the enchanters whose shadows seemed to lengthen each night?
+The language tutor arrived for the morning lesson, along with Marian, who blushed at the sight of Keshah, and raised her eyebrows at the noisy cat now presiding over the gathering. The lesson was frequently interrupted as the cat was gently but firmly removed from the room, only to return with indignant meows. During a lull, we asked a servant girl to carry a message to the lady of the house: that something had sung from the depths of the temperate pool, a siren-like presence that warranted investigation. The girl promised to relay the warning at once.
+As the lesson continued, the tutor shared the tragic tale of two lovers from rival families in old Adjepbar. Denied union by their houses, they had sung to each other across the harbour in the trade tongue, their voices carrying on the night wind until fate intervened. Cleo listened with raised brows, clearly entertained by the chaotic household she had joined.
+By the time the trays were cleared and the cat had been appeased with one final piece of bacon, the group's thoughts turned outward. The mechanical bird still required further divination, but more pressing was the plan forming for the evening. They would go over the back wall tonight, slipping into the palace grounds to speak with the major domo and unravel the threads of intrigue that had drawn them to Adjepbar. The cat, watching with half-lidded eyes, seemed to approve of the mischief to come.
+==== Chapter 30: Whirring Gears and Vanishing Footsteps ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1784623139774_06_Night_5_Whirring_Gears_and_Vanishing_Footsteps.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The dismantled mechanical bird and the silent pool where Marian vanished.]]
+''The dismantled mechanical bird and the silent pool where Marian vanished.''
+In the garden behind the house, a small mechanical bird perched among the leaves, its intricate gears clicking softly as it drank in the sunlight. "Is this a live bird or a mechanical one?" I asked. The answer came quickly: it was winding itself up, recharging for another flight.
+Determined to examine the curious construct, I called forth invisible wings and fluttered upward. The bird proved elusive, hopping nimbly from branch to branch and leaving its pursuer thrashing among the twigs. A colourful goblin oath escaped in frustration. Below, suggestions flew back and forth until a bow was raised. The arrow found its mark; the bird spiralled down in a clatter of metal and feathers.
+Gathering the scattered pieces revealed remarkable craftsmanship. The mainspring had been wound so tightly that the impact had shaken the entire mechanism apart. It gave one last feeble chirp, a large cog spinning uselessly before the device ran down completely, its small red eye flickering out. "Put it in the sunlight," someone offered. "Maybe it'll charge up." But the bird remained lifeless in their hands. I collected the components, and the group debated its origins. The work seemed too fine for the marketplace tinkerer; perhaps the enigmatic figure in the tower had crafted it, or maybe the merchant simply kept a hidden workshop busy replacing the devices as fast as they were lost.
+I eyed the broken thing thoughtfully. "I'm tempted to take the other one down and get it fixed. We thought he was a Binder, right?" Before the conversation could deepen, voices rose from inside the house. Descending the stairs, the party found the family in distress. The mother spoke urgently with the farmer and their two daughters while the young boy tugged at sleeves.
+"She went down there about ten minutes ago," he explained, wide-eyed. "I just went to check and she's not there at all. Her clothes have been folded up next to the pool. I can show you." The metal-tempered bathing pool shimmered at the bottom of the stairs. The party exchanged grim looks. "We are definitely going to deal with this," one declared.
+As we followed the boy toward the water, I sighed. "Well, it's happened. I think I'm going to end up having a singing competition with a siren. The last time I did that, it didn't turn out well." Lizette offered a reassuring nod. "Maybe I can help back you up. I do the singing, but more of the courtly style." Together we approached the pool, the folded clothes a silent warning of whatever had claimed Marian from the water's edge.
+=== Night 6 ===
+==== Chapter 31: The Young Lad's Tears ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1785760216764_01_Night_7_The_Young_Lads_Tears.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The tearful brother arrives as the Wall Walkers prepare to face the siren]]
+''The tearful brother arrives as the Wall Walkers prepare to face the siren''
+In the upper room of the inn, we spoke quietly of Marian's disappearance. She had gone down to the back-house baths the night before and simply vanished. Cleo and I (Aurora) had heard an eerie song rising from the park below, like the call of a siren, but had decided against investigating in the darkness. Now, with morning light, we resolved to face whatever waited in those waters. I was fully expecting to be going underwater so I dressed in my two piece scaly swimsuit, added a belt with beltpouches and my maingauche - since my Spirit Dagger was already safely hidden in my leg - and put practical walking boots on my feet. As it turned out, I was wrong - so very wrong - but at least the dwarves appreciated it.
+"She's trapped by a water thing," I reminded the rest. I had memories of an earlier clash with a siren which were still raw; the creature had not been easily bested, and it nearly bested me. Speculation followed on whether such beings attacked the elderly or relied on their charming song. Keshah and I admitted we were probably susceptible ourselves, and the tactics for breaking free were quietly rehearsed.
+A knock sounded at the door. The young lad, Marian's brother, stood trembling on the threshold, his face wet with tears. "It's all right," Keshah told him gently. "We're gearing up to go get your sister back."
+The boy looked from one face to the next. "It's alright," he answered, "they found her."
+We hurried downstairs together. At the top of the staircase leading to the baths was the common room. There, a crowd had gathered. An angry-looking dwarf stood among them, and the faces of the onlookers were pale. One of the house workers covered her eyes. We pushed through into the common area where breakfast was normally served.
+==== Chapter 32: The Leg in the Bathhouse ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1785760216764_02_Night_7_The_Leg_in_the_Bathhouse.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The ghost of Jock emerges in the bathhouse]]
+''The ghost of Jock emerges in the bathhouse''
+All eyes were fixed on something on the floor. It was a leg, severed near the thigh.  The dwarf had found the remains in the bath and brought what he could upstairs.
+We pressed closer to examine the limb. It showed signs of a violent severing—clean in some places, marked by what looked like multiple sharp wounds in others. No trace of magic lingered upon it. Keshah spotted something unusual just behind the thigh: a small tattoo of a bow. Though the limb was the right size for a child of twelve or so, its pallor and other details convinced us it did not belong to Marian. Plus it was not customary in this region to tattoo a child so young.  We questioned the dwarf. He had discovered the partial remains beside the bath with no sign of the rest of the body.
+The innkeeper, and Marian’s mother,  who had been hovering nearby, let out a sharp breath at those words. Relief washed over her face, but it proved too much; her knees buckled as she fainted. Lizette moved swiftly, catching her before she struck the floor and easing her into the care of one of the younger girls, who helped the woman breathe steadily.
+"We still have a mission," Lizette said quietly to the others. "A child is missing."
+The group turned their attention to the three young women among the staff—the baker, the milkmaid, and the housemaid—who had been exchanging uneasy glances. When questioned about their nervousness and the strange sounds from the water, they hesitated before speaking. "It's a ghost," one of them whispered. "A whitey ghost. There was a young man called Jock. He was interested in both the milkmaid and the housemaid. They fought over him, and Jock died trying to stop the fighting. Now his ghost takes revenge. Sometimes he makes things go missing."
+"Ghosts don't usually bite off limbs," I observed. The girls had no answer for that, only nervous shrugs before they slipped away to their duties.
+Leaving the upper floor, I descended the stairs into the lower bath corridor. The air grew heavier, carrying the scent of warm water and minerals. Three arched entrances led to the tiered bathing pools, where the hottest water flowed down into cooler ones. Mosaics of skeletons danced across the walls in the city's distinctive artistic style, and buckets with sponges sat ready for patrons. Stools held discarded clothing, some of it torn and overturned.
+A sloshing sound echoed from the pool room. Then came the unmistakable chill. From the corner of my eye, I saw a ghostly figure burst from the wall—a young man with an angry face, and a head that had been smashed in. The apparition swung at my back in one fluid motion, but missed, before vanishing into the floor. The temperature plummeted, leaving a crackle in the air. Keshah had arrived just in time to see that too, with Lizette behind him. Previously the dwarf had handed him three coins with instructions to put them in our mouths for luck, two gold and one silver. I took one of the gold ones.
+"It looked like he meant to go through the floor," Kesha said, "or perhaps he lost control."
+We readied our weapons, each one enchanted to strike such spirits. From another room came more wet, slurping noises. Then Keshah felt something shift on his back. A black slug-like creature with six legs wriggled free and dropped to the floor with a wet plop. Lizette did not hesitate. She stepped forward and drove her blade into the thing before it could scuttle away, ending its brief escape.
+The bathhouse fell quiet once more, save for the distant sloshing of water. Whatever had claimed the rest of the girl's body—and whatever force commanded both ghost and creature—still waited in the depths.
+==== Chapter 33: The Ghost in the Walls ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1785760216764_03_Night_7_The_Ghost_in_the_Walls.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The philosopher's ghost emerges from the wall]]
+''The philosopher's ghost emerges from the wall''
+Moments later, black slug-like creatures with six legs dropped from the ceiling onto Keshah and myself. Lizette spotted them immediately. "There are some on you as well," she warned, turning so her companion could see her own back. The creatures were dispatched quickly, one revealing yellow stripes that suggested poison. They had come from somewhere above, perhaps the sewers. Inky black droplets began to fall from the ceiling in half a dozen places. The party moved clear, advancing cautiously beneath the archway into the pool room.
+The corridor opened ahead with overturned wooden benches lining one wall and three arches leading into a single chamber. Within lay three pools: one warm, one of medium temperature, and one cool, each reached by worn stone steps polished by generations of feet. As I backed warily toward the pools, black inky droplets began to fall from above. The companions quickly stepped clear.
+Then the ghost appeared. A young man stepped out of the solid wall, lunged toward me crying "Help me!" and collapsed through the floor. Thirty seconds later he repeated the cycle, always from the same spot, always falling away again. Keshah acted swiftly, slicing his own leg to draw blood and tracing glowing runes in the air. The magic flared and the ghost was caught, held fast within a net of crimson light. He dropped to one knee, unable to break free.
+The spirit was a philosopher, still fresh in death, his form translucent yet revealing the handsome features hidden beneath a skull-like pallor. "There's a terrible monster," he gasped. "I tried warning everyone. No one could hear me." When asked where it lived, he pointed down the hallway. "In a crypt through the walls... beyond the end of the corridor. Dark and terrible. Claws... teeth." He admitted he had been struck from behind in this very bathhouse, though he could not recall the killer. Friends had been present, yet the memory remained clouded. He moved with obvious difficulty, drifting and falling as though drained of all energy.
+We spoke quietly among themselves. The city of Adjepbar was built atop older ruins; a secret tunnel might connect the baths to whatever lay beneath. Lizette examined a small artifact we had recovered earlier and determined it radiated an aura of fear, likely meant to keep intruders away. While we conferred, I stepped around the corner to peer deeper into the chamber. My gaze travelled past Keshah's shoulder to the far wall where a decorative bone sculpture began to stir. The carved remains of three creatures peeled away from the stone, knitting themselves into a single towering skeletal horror.
+"It's coming out of the wall!" I shouted, already backing away. The group retreated toward the base of the stairs while the animated monstrosity advanced slowly, ten feet away and closing. Lizette readied herself to meet it with steel as the others prepared spells and weapons, knowing they could neither let it reach the upper levels nor allow it to surround them in the narrow corridor.
+==== Chapter 34: Horrors from the Black Wall ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1785760216764_04_Night_7_Horrors_from_the_Black_Wall.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Kesha confronts the black slugs born from necromantic crystals]]
+''Kesha confronts the black slugs born from necromantic crystals''
+We fell back in alarm. I retreated around the corner as the skeletal horror advanced. We raced up the spiral staircase to the common room above, where a stout dwarf had already positioned three round shields to barricade the doors. The dwarf stood ready with weapon in hand, having heard the blood-curdling screams from below. That had been Lizette. Us elves are fairly immune to the fear effects of the undead, but Lizette was not.
+"Skeletons down there? Plus necromancy?" the dwarf growled. "There's crooks near the bottom everywhere. Somebody's incorporated skeletons into the very walls." He pressed a tankard of good dwarven ale into our hands, offering blunt advice between swallows, mostly at Lizette. "You don't go mucking around with that bad stuff. You either zap it or you blast it or you throw a hammer. You're the weaker race. Hide between the rocks and try not to run away." The dwarven ale proved to be rather fortifying and Lizette was able to collect herself enough to cure the mental damage that she had suffered. Besides, if a dwarf offers you good dwarven ale, it would be the height of rudeness to refuse it.
+Fortified and steadied, the adventurers descended once more. Keshah maintained distance from the troubling black patch on the floor that radiated supernatural fear, while I took the lead. I had already extracted my Spirit Dagger from my leg and had it, and the maingauche ready. At the bottom of the stairs we felt a sudden change in air pressure. Then the walls moved. Black crystals rained from the ceiling, splattering and coalescing into dozens of slick, inch-long slugs. Some merged into larger horrors a foot long, ringed with circular teeth and possessing three eyes. One of the larger creatures seemed to prepare a spell.
+I acted swiftly, summoning a powerful blast of air that hurled the entire squirming mass down the corridor. The creatures smashed against the far wall with terrible force, many bursting apart while the black patches that spawned them diminished. The fear that had gripped us began to fade.
+Pressing forward, we reached a heavy door at the corridor's end. The ghost appeared once more, struggling to hold it open from the other side. I found a sturdy bench and jammed it firmly into the doorway to keep the passage clear. Beyond lay inky darkness and the unmistakable stench of death. Keshah's light spell, cast upon a rune on his staff, pushed back the shadows to reveal a corpse—little more than bones now, missing a leg bone, dead no more than three months.
+A sulphurous hot-water drain ran through a gutter cut into the rock, confirming this crypt connected to the bathhouse above. The tunnel opened into a much larger chamber. Ancient sarcophagi lined the walls, their stone lids carved with lunar-eyed figures and dates suggesting three hundred years or more. One lid stood slightly askew, leaving gaps at the edges. Something dark and tar-like bubbled beneath it.
+==== Chapter 35: The Spectral Warrior and the Rat's Warning ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1785760216764_05_Night_7_The_Spectral_Warrior_and_the_Rats_Warning.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The ritual chamber and the Hellmouth]]
+''The ritual chamber and the Hellmouth''
+Keshah's staff cast a bright, steady light from its activated rune as the party ventured deeper into the darkness. Scurrying sounds echoed from a far corner of the chamber while they examined a corpse some fifteen feet away. The group advanced carefully, noting the floor was covered in tracks—many ordinary, but others disturbingly large, six or eight feet in span. Something about the prints seemed wrong; the creatures left impressions as if walking on hind legs alone, more like hyenas or civets than ordinary beasts.
+The room opened into a much larger space that stretched off into shadow. Keshah's light revealed a corpse picked clean to the bone lying on the floor. A distinct magical aura pulsed just above the ground, suggesting the presence of a ward. "We probably shouldn't hang around here," one companion urged. "We should continue looking for the the girl."
+Further on we discovered a row of stone sarcophagi set into the walls, each adorned with curved decorative work and small statues above. The figures looked lifelike save for their oversized noses. Dates carved into the stone placed them roughly three hundred years in the past. One sarcophagus stood out from the rest; it sat askew, with a five-inch gap along one side while the others rested flush against the floor.
+The heavy lid resisted at first, but with effort Keshah slid it aside. Beneath, a dark, oily substance bubbled slowly upward, and long-legged grave scorpions skittered across the interior. Inside lay a remarkably well-preserved pair of boots and leggings, and within the sarcophagus rested the body of a large human warrior. The form looked freshly dead, held in unnatural stasis. As the lid moved fully clear, the body began to stir.
+The greater undead warrior started to rise. Before it could fully animate, however, a spectral apparition separated from the corpse—a ghostly, striking male figure clad as a champion of old. The spirit regarded the party with tired eyes and spoke in a resonant voice. "Champions of the realm, you have come at last. This is good. There is evil presence here. It must be defeated. I fear I may have fallen. It carries a black whip and a shield which eats the soul of those that gaze upon it. Take care. You are most suited for dealing with this enemy."
+The apparition looked exhausted as it faded away, and the body collapsed lifeless once more. The group stood in momentary silence. It was me that urged turning back, citing the little girl who still needed rescue and the feeling that we were travelling the wrong path. Keshah insisted we press on; as retreat would only mean retracing their steps through water and darkness. As we debated, a new sound reached us from ahead: the scrabbling of claws.
+A large rat, the size of a dog, came scrabbling up a low bank toward them. It rose onto its hind legs and addressed Keshah directly. "Keshah. The others have told me you are working on the quest of the bones. Be quick—there is an evil creature who has charmed a few of my brethren, and I think they mean to kill that young girl. There is an altar. Make sure she doesn't die on it. She will be forever lost."
+The rat offered to lead us. I pulled out my Draw Mage Robes that I had shoved in one of the larger belt pouches and put it on over my swimsuit for extra magical protection. We then followed the large rat (raus?) through passages that dipped low then rose again until they reached the edge of a drop. Thirty feet below and forty feet across, torchlight revealed a grim tableau. Two humans stood beside a stone altar where a young girl lay tied by all four limbs. Swarming around them were twenty or more rat creatures, most wolf-sized, though a few were smaller. The beasts moved with unnatural, charmed obedience. One of the humans waved a sacrificial dagger above the girl while chanting, the gathered creatures encircling the scene. On the far wall yawned a dark, warty cave mouth ringed with jagged teeth like a maw. Hot steam billowed from it, occasionally lit from within by red-black glows—the Hellmouth – at least that was what I named it.
+==== Chapter 36: The Interrupted Sacrifice ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1785760216764_06_Night_7_The_Interrupted_Sacrifice.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The Wall Walkers disrupt the necromantic ritual]]
+''The Wall Walkers disrupt the necromantic ritual''
+Kneeling on the ledge overlooking the chamber, Keshah drew and released while Lizette prepared spells to counter the Necromantic magic. The arrow, bright with my enhancing magic, sped true toward the necromancer ranting at the head of the stone altar. Ten feet from the sacrificial slab the hooded figure stood, his voice rising and falling in a mad blend of Common, Elvish, and Hobbitish words that echoed off the walls. The shaft struck hard; the necromancer spun in place, clearly wounded.
+Below, several rat creatures inside the camp spell shook off the compulsion’s hold. One reared up, ankle clearly broken, yet both sprang sideways and bolted through the crowd in panic. The rest of the worshippers milled uncertainly, some still shaking their heads as though waking from a dream.
+From the ridge I launched into flight, wings carrying me forward on a bombing run of knockout gas spells, ready to triple the effect across a wide area, mindful of the nasty red substance coating the far side of the roof. As I dove, Keshah nocked another shaft and tracked the new threat: a humanoid pushing through the ratmen straight toward a ceremonial dagger lying near the altar.
+"No, no, slay her with the dagger before it's too late!" the human shouted. "You will complete the quest, my friends!"
+I descended in a controlled glide, fluttering wings slowing my fall enough to survive the thirty-foot drop. I landed beside the altar where young Marian lay bound and began cutting. The ropes proved mostly rags and cloth; a few quick chops started to free her. The human cultist reached the dagger, but events overtook him. A second necromancer, previously hidden among the rats, completed a dark incantation. Invisible force slammed into the rescuers. I felt my joints lock and twist as though rigor mortis had seized me while still alive; bones popped, knees and thumbs wrenched from their sockets. I endured internal agony, then more as the spell renewed. Sweat beaded on my skin; every movement became a battle. Keshah suffered the same wracking pain, left with only half his normal speed. I was swearing like a sailor.
+Despite the torment we kept fighting. The cultist who had seized the dagger dropped it. The chamber began to clear as the last ratmen scattered. Under the luminous ritual light the lead necromancer whirled on us, face twisted with fury.
+"You've interrupted it, you fool!" he screamed. "It will come out and devour you all!"
+=== Night 7 ===
+==== Chapter 37: The Broken Charm ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_01_Night_8_The_Broken_Charm.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Rats surge in panic as the necromancers' dark charm shatters within the sooty portal chamber.]]
+''Rats surge in panic as the necromancers' dark charm shatters within the sooty portal chamber.''
+The chamber opened like a great maw, its walls curving outward and circling the entire space. High along one edge ran a narrow ledge where Keshah stood, the drop to the floor below a sheer thirty feet. From that vantage the chaos below was plain: rats swarmed in every direction, no longer a coherent mass but a frantic horde seeking any door or passage that might carry them to safety.
+Two of the necromancers had already fallen. One lay pierced through with arrows, collapsed where he had stood. The second had stepped forward to seize an object from the altar only to be shot in turn, dropping his prize as he fell. The third screamed a warning that went unheeded. At the exact moment the second sorcerer lost consciousness, the foul charm that had bound the rats shattered. As one they woke to their surroundings and erupted into pure panic, fleeing in runaway mode, maximizing their own safety above all else.
+"They're not working as a coherent group nor mob," observed one of the companions. "More like maximizing their safety." The rats clearly hated the place; the bad magic and oppressive juju prickled at their instincts. A single friendly rat that had accompanied the group chose that moment to retreat hastily back up the corridor by which it had arrived.
+Lizette stood amid the tumult, the fleeing rodents momentarily hemming her in. "Can you fly me back up?" she called toward the ledge. Yet there was no time to wait. Something stirred within the portal—an open, cave-like maw from which occasional gusts of soot drifted upward on unseen currents. The remaining necromancer, the one positioned nearest that dread aperture, prepared a countermeasure and pressed himself against the wall, staring with open fright toward the entrance.
+Lizette moved purposefully toward the altar, angling to one side so as not to obstruct what I was doing. "I'm intending to run over to the altar," she had declared, and now she threaded her way through the scattering rats. I continued slicing the cords that needed freeing, my hands steady despite the surrounding disorder. Keshah had an arrow nocked and aimed in the general direction of the necromancers, eyes fixed on both the sorcerers and the restless portal.
+Only three living adventurers remained active in the chamber with their spectral allies. The rats continued their mad dash for every available exit while the final necromancer watched the entrance in terror, the broken enchantment having turned his ritual into pandemonium.
+==== Chapter 38: Demons at the Altar ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_02_Night_8_Demons_at_the_Altar.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Aurora cuts Marian free as demons emerge]]
+''Aurora cuts Marian free as demons emerge''
+Lizette and I stood over the altar, voices tight with urgency. "Is Marian doing anything?" Lizette asked. "She seems to be unconscious," came the reply. "Or dead. Hard to say. She's not bleeding, though." It was always a bad sign when there was lots of blood, we agreed. At least she was attached by only two bonds now. If we could free her, she might be pushed clear of the table.
+All around us the chamber teemed with rats, far larger than any natural vermin, some standing waist-high. They scurried in every direction, screaming. One leapt onto the altar itself. I yelled at it in an attempt to get it off. None had yet run through the portal, at least. "This is what we call a target-rich environment," someone muttered.
+Near one of the side doors, one of the creatures was changing, its body twisting halfway into human shape as it scrabbled at the latch. Lizette drew on her power and released a healing burst that washed over herself, Marian, and two of the nearer rats. The necromancer they had thought defeated, stirred. He dragged himself upright on the far side of the altar, arrows still jutting from his body, and cowered there for cover.
+Then the hairs rose on the backs of our arms. A sickening presence filled the air. Keshah's senses cut through the chaos: five new figures had appeared, a mixture of undead and devils. The smallest, winged one looked like a disheveled imp. The rest were drawn and emaciated, their forms nastily demonic. One of the rat creatures staggered as it approached them, then collapsed, slipping involuntarily between rat and humanoid shapes in violent spasms.
+Keshah lifted his bow and loosed an arrow at the clawed demon in the center of the group. The shaft struck savagely, knocking the creature back, though it glanced away without sticking. With his keen perception he noticed something more: a mystical bond like a chain of energy ran from one of the demons to two of the others. "We should shoot that one next," he said. Lizette's voice cut in, urgent. "You guys probably should get out of there. Get Marian."
+The rat-things continued to run and scream, flinging themselves at the newcomers. Claws and fangs savaged two of the demonic figures, leaving them savagely wounded though not yet dead. The door swung open; several rats bolted through it. "I think they add to our worries," Lizette observed.
+I launched myself into the air, wings carrying me over the chaos to the far side of the altar. I drew my blade and began slicing at the remaining ropes. The panicked rats scattered from my path. A few precise cuts and the last bonds fell away; Marian was free. On the ground, Lizette readied the dagger she had carried into the room, preparing to hold the undead at bay until I could carry the girl to safety.
+==== Chapter 39: The Altar's Dark Awakening ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_03_Night_8_The_Altars_Dark_Awakening.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The necromancer rises with burning red eyes]]
+''The necromancer rises with burning red eyes''
+Keshah drew his bow and took aim at the imp. "He's a demon, isn't he?" he asked. The reply came quickly: he was no demon, but an imp among the devils, far less powerful though still dangerous. His shot struck home with magical force, and the creature exploded. With its death the undead it had commanded began to stumble, no longer directed.
+A black stream of necromantic energy poured from the doorway in response. Rotted organs, twisted screaming faces, and bursting pustules flooded the area. Several undead collapsed beneath the wave. Lizette and I took part of the brunt; the filth clung to us, leaving us feeling more soiled than they had been in the past six months. "My gloves are still nice and clean, at least," Lizette remarked dryly, though the humour could not mask the revulsion.  I just threatened to pour filth over them.
+Their military scientist noted the presence of the necromantic caster responsible. The wall walkers began to pull back. I picked up Marian and ascended  on swift wings to lift her  thirty feet up the sheer surface, promising to return if anyone became trapped below. Keshah  seized Marian and made an orderly withdrawal, shield ready. While I flew back down to get Lizette. "I don't see much point going down there since we're just going to come back up again," the fighter observed.
+From his elevated vantage he watched the two surviving necromancers. The younger one moved frantically beside a low altar, stabbing his elder colleague with the bloodied dagger in what was clearly an emergency sacrifice. Red blood spilled across the stone and began to boil. The ground trembled faintly.
+Hoping to thwart whatever ritual was forming, Lizette reached out with healing magic to close the stab wounds of the fallen necromancer. The blood and black corruption swirling on the altar surged back into the body through the open gashes. The wounds sealed. The necromancer rose, eyes now burning a furious red. "You have overdone it," he said in a voice thick with new power.
+He stepped forward and extended a draining touch. Lizette felt life force and  willpower ripped away before any resistance could be mustered. Around the empowered necromancer the inky muck, loose eyeballs, and putrid slime slid across the ground toward him, gathering at his feet like loyal hounds.
+==== Chapter 40: The Five-Way Battle ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_04_Night_8_The_Five-Way_Battle.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Aurora rescues Lizette as Keshah confronts the necromancer]]
+''Aurora rescues Lizette as Keshah confronts the necromancer''
+The ritual chamber had fallen into complete pandemonium. "Well, you stopped the sacrifice, then, by the looks of it," I observed. "I think so. Unless they were trying to summon something like this. But I don't think so. I think this is a side event." Lizette replied.
+Rats poured across the floor in a squeaking tide, fleeing through every available doorway. "Time for rats to run around," someone muttered. More undead were already shambling through another entrance at the far side of the chamber. "These are skeletons, aren't they?"
+The grim inventory continued: one skeleton, a ghast or ghoul, another skeleton, a particularly large one, and a caster directing them from somewhere nearby. "It's a philosopher's set of undead," I said. "If we get out of this, I'll tell you all about them."
+One of the skeletons raised an amulet high toward a recruit who answered with an amulet of his own, while elsewhere a figure tore violently into the necromancer. The conflict unfolded in a chain reaction of betrayals. "Undead, so demons controlling undead, and then undead trying to control the demons," Lizette said. "No, four-way battle, and then there's the rats, and then there's us."
+When the dark pulse subsided, the immediate danger fixed itself on Lizette. The necromancer came at her with terrifying speed. "You go first," she told her companion. "I'll try and shoot him and slow him down."
+The necromancer struck first. His bone dagger punched into Lizette's lower abdomen twice in quick succession. Excruciating pain flared through her body as he drank deeply of her essence. She felt her strength and willpower bleed away, the wounds from earlier injuries compounding into a single burning torment. "Not loving that," she gasped.
+Still the creature pursued as she tried to break away. He stabbed her again, draining her once more. The necromancer looked increasingly vital while Lizette staggered, her vision swimming. "The whole plan was for you to fly down and get me," she managed to shout.
+Keshah acted without hesitation. He swapped weapons, triggered his teleportation device, and materialised amid the fray with blades drawn. He placed himself squarely between the necromancer and Lizette, shielding her even as the motion knocked her from her feet. A restorative surge washed over the companions; the healing lifted Lizette enough that she remained conscious despite collapsing.
+The necromancer lunged again, but Keshah met the attack. His sword connected with unnatural force, the blow landing far harder than expected. The short necromancer staggered backward under the impact, wounded severely for the first time in the fight. Lizette, though still reeling, shook off the worst of the draining effect.
+"I’m grabbing Lizette," I called as I swept in low. I seized my fallen companion and lifted her clear of the deadly melee, carrying her back toward safer ground while the necromancer reeled and the wider battle of skeletons, ghouls, and rats continued to rage.
+==== Chapter 41: The Rat's Plea ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_05_Night_8_The_Rats_Plea.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The rat's desperate plea amid the fall]]
+''The rat's desperate plea amid the fall''
+In the thick of combat, one of the rats leaped at me clinging desperately to my leg. 'Save me, save me,' it squeaked in a high-pitched voice. I, my wings beating hard under the strain, decided to take the creature with me despite the burden. 'If I can take him as well, I'll take him,' I said.
+Fully encumbered now, I felt my ascent slow dramatically, but I pressed on, wings labouring. Lizette and others lay unconscious, while the necromantic spell that followed washed over the conscious party. Keshah and I, resisted its pull even at a severe disadvantage. The Willow Healing took effect just in time, causing the rat to lose its grip and tumble earthward.
+I crashed soon after, toppling the necromancer as I fell. Keshah acted swiftly, gesturing to transfer the impact into his staff where it would remain for a time. The necromancer exceeded his limits and collapsed. The rat, unfortunately, did not survive the fall. Both Lizette and I hovered on the edge of death, though I absorbed the worst of her landing against her armour and bounced back with a single point of endurance. Things were dire; both Lizette and Keisha found themselves on death's buzzer as well.
+Keshah took stock of the battlefield alone. The foes seemed inclined to eliminate one another as much as their enemies. He stepped forward, unengaged from the immediate fray, and seized the live survivor among the fallen. With a second charge of his teleport, he vanished and reappeared at the top.. Efforts to heal me or provide soul fortification came up short.
+Conversation turned to the necromancers. One had emerged from the blood moor with burning red eyes, only to be dragged back into it by unseen forces. The hobbit necromancer was gone as well. Keshah reflected on his own aspect, caused by an enchanted pure heart that brought death at night and life in the day, wondering if it might be changed.  Meanwhile, deadites pressed against the wall and tried to open a nearby door while others hauled the hobbit necromancer's form away.
+==== Chapter 42: From Death's Grasp ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_06_Night_8_From_Deaths_Grasp.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lizette revives, yet the strange discovery leaves the Wall Walkers unsettled]]
+''Lizette revives, yet the strange discovery leaves the Wall Walkers unsettled''
+A claw had torn through me, ripping body parts and dragging my entrails across the floor in a slick trail of blood. I lay, bleeding profusely as the fight's final moments ticked away. Keshah knelt beside me. "I need a big heal," he said, but the usual plant-powered options were useless here. Instead he fed me a standard golden healing potion. "You'll regain consciousness soon," he told her, "and pick up a little more at the end."
+My eyes opened moments later. "Oh, good grief, what's going on here?" I breathed. The potion had lifted me just above death, yet I remained critically weak. So I drank a special healing potions, colour slowly returning to my face. Keshah admitted he rarely carried vast stores of healing because he seldom took damage himself; his amulets and staff usually delayed injuries until the battle ended. "There's always another necromancer," he added grimly as word came of two more humanoid deaths in the distance—shape-shifters, judging by their final words. The rank necromancer they had feared was still at large. My comment was that one cannot have too many healing potions.
+Our attention turned at once to Lizette, who lay dead at the bottom of the cliff. Keshah peered over the edge and saw her body with a rat-like creature literally trying to hide beneath her skirts. He teleported down, keeping low in an attempt to remain unseen, but the creature noticed him anyway. It crossed the distance and struck him hard across the abdomen with its staff before turning away.
+Keshah won the race for initiative. He seized both Lizette's corpse and the rat—which clung desperately for its life—and transported them back to the clifftop. Once safe, he studied the dead woman. Empathy revealed that something was wrong with her. "That tapping was suspicious," he muttered. The warning signs were unmistakable: a necromancer, a fresh corpse, and a place steeped in necromantic power. "It's bad," he warned.
+"How long has it been since she died?" I asked. "Less than a minute," Keshah answered. I produced a crystal I had carried for ages. "In that case I've got something that will bring her right back. It's a Canith Get Up and Go Crystal." Though we feared what might happen when the crystal's life energy met the necromantic taint, it was our last, best hope of preventing her from rising as something undead. I cracked the crystal between Lizette’s teeth and hoped it worked.
+A surge of vital force swept through Lizette. The crystal restored her fully, returning endurance and even fatigue in a rush that left her feeling ghastly yet delivered from agonizing pain. All of them now stood alive at the top of the cliff. When Keshah moved to lift her, however, his hand came away with only a thick clump of her hair while her body remained motionless at his feet. "Shit. What?" he exclaimed, staring in confusion.
+==== Chapter 43: Strength and Shadows ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_07_Night_8_Strength_and_Shadows.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The empowered flight from the crypts]]
+''The empowered flight from the crypts''
+The decision was made in the tense darkness of the crypt. "You should pick up the girl," Keshah urged. "Fine, I'll pick up the girl," I replied. I drank the Strength of Stone potion, and its power surged through me. My muscles swelled dramatically, arms thickening until they rivaled the biceps of the strongest labourers.
+"Maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea," I muttered, flexing my newly massive limbs, "but it doesn't matter. I need the speed." Marian proved light as a feather in my grasp. We moved swiftly down the passageway, our powerful strides carrying us forward. We paused after a time in the corridor, waiting for lingering afflictions to fade. Two minutes, we had agreed. Yet before long, sounds echoed from behind us. A shimmering haze appeared roughly sixty feet back in the passage, near the ledge we had left behind.
+Undeterred, we pressed on. I navigated a dangerous drop of four feet with mixed success; my landing was jarring, but my armor absorbed the impact. We reached the secret door at last. The undead halted on the far side of the protective ward, unable to pass into the chamber that held the great coffin. "So what are we going to do?" I asked. The consensus was clear: take Marian back to the inn, then return later to finish cleansing the crypt without further complications.
+Before departing, we studied the door carefully. Between the thief's keen eye and tour combined efforts, we discovered the mechanism—a pressure plate disguised as one of the floor tiles. After sending one through to test it, we confirmed the door could be operated from both sides. We passed through, closed it securely behind us, and verified they could reopen it if needed.
+As we began ascending, Lizette, who carried the unnatural presence within her, spoke. "Before things go too far, the thing inside of me... I have lost feeling of undead. Have I heard of something like this?" We exchanged glances. It was not undead, we determined, but possibly demonic. Empathy revealed it was roughly four weeks along in what should have been a normal human gestation. "The crystals may have affected it and healed it as well," I noted, drawing comparison to what had happened to a lizard person, several years ago. It was clearly not natural.
+Continuing upstairs, we passed the black splotch on the ceiling from our earlier battle. It was merely a stain now, inert and harmless. Lizette bolstered her morale and, with uncertainty clouding her thoughts, cast a Greater Summoning Counter upon herself. The stairs led us back toward the surface, the weight of  Marian in my arms matched only by the heavier mysteries we carried within.
+==== Chapter 44: Emergence from the Hellmouth ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_08_Night_8_Emergence_from_the_Hellmouth.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The Wall Walkers surface with Marian and grim news of the hellmouth]]
+''The Wall Walkers surface with Marian and grim news of the hellmouth''
+Having countered the greater summoning, we gathered around the unconscious Marian. A careful reading of her condition revealed she was an ordinary human who had endured a terrible fright along with abrasions from being dropped. She showed no sign of pregnancy or deeper affliction.
+"She's good," Lizette declared. "We can take her out." We slipped her a healing draught for good measure and lifted her carefully, filing through the secret door and sealing it behind us. Keshah, who had absorbed fifty-one points of necrotic damage moved with leaden steps; the pulse of dark energy had left him gutted, fatigue entirely spent. Though he insisted he could regenerate and needed no further healing, his companions supported him up the steep stairs from the bathhouse depths.
+Nearly eight minutes after the fight, we reached the surface. A waft of sulphur rolled out with them, turning heads. The dwarves had already donned armour and weapons and stood ready. "You guys got a serious undead problem down there," we announced. "Necromancer hobbits—at least three, though one of them may have been human—skeletons, minor demons, devils. There's an altar and a sacrificial dagger. Marian was meant to be the sacrifice for a major summoning. We called it a hellmouth."
+The dwarven captain nodded grimly. "Devils, you say? I'll get the guard. We'll bring healers and some of the lads—really tough sods."
+Marian's mother rushed forward, relief breaking over her in a flood of tears. While the girl remained unconscious but stable, one of the rescuers produced smelling salts. The sharp scent soon brought Mariun around so mother and daughter could embrace. In the midst of the reunion, attention turned to Lizette. She was running hot, her body fevered in a way that felt unnatural. When we examined her more closely, the truth emerged: she was pregnant, but not in any natural sense. The life within her carried the mark of something else entirely.
+==== Chapter 45: Dwarven Carts and Hobbit Priestesses ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_09_Night_8_Dwarven_Carts_and_Hobbit_Priestesses.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Dwarven reinforcements arrive with mysterious caskets as hobbit priestesses of Estee look on.]]
+''Dwarven reinforcements arrive with mysterious caskets as hobbit priestesses of Estee look on.''
+The conversation lingered on the child. It had been born only four weeks earlier, its growth accelerated by the massive crystals that had saturated the site. The party weighed whether the infant leaned more toward the ledger's darker side, yet all agreed it carried no taint of negative energy. Whatever the creature was, it felt more like a cambion than mere undead, and even if that proved true, half of its blood remained human. I, in particular, felt the weight of uncertainty; she resolved to seek a divination once the immediate crisis passed.
+Before long the room filled with dwarves. More arrived every minute until the space became standing-room only, crowded with bearded figures and the original companions. I offered to lead them down to the bathhouse and show them the secret door, but the dwarves waved the suggestion aside. Still, we followed at the rear, counting the stocky warriors as they descended. One hundred and twenty dwarves in all made their way through the hidden passage.
+The dwarves worked with brisk efficiency. They lifted the secret door off its hinges and set it aside, then laid rails from the first floor down the spiral staircase, past the baths, and through the open crypt entrance. Small mine carts soon rattled along the improvised track. The operation took perhaps fourteen minutes, each cart bearing a sturdy wooden casket. We watched with interest, especially the engineer among us who admired the cleverness of the setup.
+Keshah struck up a conversation with one of the dwarves during a brief lull. He explained the necromancers' desperate ritual, the sacrificial dagger, and how the younger mage had turned the blade on his elder after the companions had prevented the girl's death. The dwarf listened gravely, consulted a large ledger, and asked about the ward that still hummed in the crypt. We assured him it belonged to a dead hero resting in a nearby sarcophagus and advised against tampering with it. The dwarves had already cut their own tunnel to bypass the barrier.
+When talk turned to the caskets and whether they contained holy water, the dwarf gave a non-committal grunt. Counterspells were mentioned; we offered what aid they could, though I admitted my own reserves were limited. I checked my restorative supplies while the dwarves continued their grim preparations.
+At that moment three priestesses from the local temple arrived. They were hobbits, the most strikingly attractive and beautiful the companions had ever seen. I found myself flushing and muttering that I was out of her league. Lizette, equally captivated, asked who the priestesses served. The answer came readily: Estee, goddess of fertility, wellbeing, and healing. The revelation eased some tension; I quietly explained the gentle portfolio to any who had not heard it before. Even amid the carts, rails, and looming battle with the undead, the small procession of holy women brought an unexpected note of grace to the crowded crypt.
+==== Chapter 46: Twinkling Sands and Careful Distractions ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_10_Night_8_Twinkling_Sands_and_Careful_Distractions.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The dwarf guides Keshah away from the perilous sands]]
+''The dwarf guides Keshah away from the perilous sands''
+In the dim passages beneath Adjepbar, the work continued with steady purpose. Tracks had been laid beyond the bath chamber, threading through layers of counterspells and pressing onward toward the altar room. Labourers had broken open several caskets and were now sprinkling a fine yellow and blue twinkling sand across the floors.
+I eyed the shimmering grains. "What's this stuff?" I asked. When I pressed whether it was the same blue sand rumoured to cause hallucinations, the dwarf took me gently by the hand and around the waist, guiding me back down the line toward the entrance. "I don't want you to have any problems," he told me. "Just breathe easy back here. Afterwards we'll get a drink and I'll bring you up to speed about it."
+I smiled at the prospect. "Drink sounds right good after I've had a bath." The dwarf's eyes sparkled with mischief. "I'll slide you into a nice hot bath. I might even get a couple of those priestesses to join us if I'm lucky."
+I shifted the conversation, reminding him we still needed to investigate the baths because I had heard a siren song. The dwarf acknowledged that sirens were an ongoing issue in Adjepbar; many baths in the city suffered their calls. I recalled my last encounter with such a creature as particularly nasty.
+Further reports came in. The teams had reached the altar room, which still held critters. Carts of the sand were being shipped down. "If you're an adept down there, just don't draw any mana for God's sake," the dwarf warned. When I learned the sand would transform any mana-drawing creature into more of itself, I suggested an air blast from the ledge once the sand was poured, driving it toward the hellmouth.
+The dwarf shook his head. "The proximity to the sand would probably have a negative effect on you. You're a brave lass, but you'd have to draw magic." After further back-and-forth, he patted me on the bum and chuckled. "When we're in that bath together having a hot brew, a couple of priestesses, me and you, you can be my wingman any day. Now just go sit over there and look pretty for me."
+I conceded with a wry smile. We agreed it was wise to withdraw. "With this much anti-magic around, we probably don't want to be in proximity." We moved upstairs, where the sand was less concentrated. Carts of the substance continued to pass us on the way down.
+Once above, three priestesses approached. "Keshah, could you introduce us to Lizette and Aurora?" They curtsied gracefully and each kissed our hands. Blushing, one added, "The dwarf told us that you have an eye for the ladies and a fickle heart."
+I gave a small laugh. "I don't know about fickle, but..."
+==== Chapter 47: Revelation at the Temple ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_11_Night_8_Revelation_at_the_Temple.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Cerse reveals the dark omen within the Temple of the Mother]]
+''Cerse reveals the dark omen within the Temple of the Mother''
+The priestess's words landed with embarrassing precision. "He says it was a moving smorgasbord of desire and lusts that you were displaying," she told me. I promptly turned a deep shade of crimson. The second priestess intervened kindly. "Now, now, don't be so harsh on the young lass. She's young and innocent and hasn't made her mind up. Isn't that right?"
+"No, I haven't," I answered quietly.
+"Well, there's plenty of time for everything."
+"Yeah, I'm an elf," I replied. "I've plenty of time apparently. That might cause problems."
+One of the priestesses fixed me with a steady gaze. "Hm. We should have words, young lady."
+What began as an awkward conversation soon escalated. When a private room was suggested, the senior priestess shook her head. "That's probably not wise. How about we do it our way? Guards, grab her!" The dwarven guards looked startled but moved to seize Lizette who the priestess now called a dangerous woman, a hero of Adjepbar afflicted by unconsented necromantic magic.
+"You can be a bit more subtle," Keshah suggested, stepping forward. The priestess insisted the matter required care, especially given the victim's charmed state. After brief debate about privacy and reputation, she touched the dwarven guards' foreheads and murmured, "Your lips are sealed on this matter, gentlemen." We agreed to accompany her to the temple, the embarrassed elf declaring they should stick together and never split the party. The priestess quickly scribbled a message, dispatched a runner, and the dwarves cleared the streets ahead of them.
+A quarter of an hour later we arrived at the temple, where fifteen or so elderly hobbits fussed about their duties. A hobbit woman in a bright white robe with gold sash and golden headband approached, her presence radiating calm authority. "Pleased to meet you. Aurora, is it?"
+"Yes."
+"My name is Cerse. I am the guardian of the hearth here, and I represent the mother of all." She glanced at the party. "I understand your associate, your fellow adventurer, has been afflicted by necromantic magics in a place of power."
+Over cups of tea she poured for each of us, we recounted the incident: a necromancer striking their companion in the torso with his staff. Cerse listened, then confirmed what we suspected. "You are very much charmed," she told the one who asked. When they questioned how she could tell what their own healing arts had missed, she replied simply, "Because I am not the recipient, nor am I charmed. This sort of thing has happened before."
+"There are multiple ways of dealing with this," Cerse continued. "We can safely get rid of it from here, and it will go back to whence it came." The conversation turned to the nature of the affliction. The priestess explained that such entities were often tied to schemes and symbols of power, and if left alone the outcome would be a creature of bad omen: a child likely born dead, raised by dark forces, able to predict terrible happenings yet never believed. The adventurers absorbed the grim lore, asking whether the being would be essentially human, simply carrying a dark doom. Cerse confirmed it was so.
+==== Chapter 48: The Priestess's Counsel ====
+''The priestess outlines the dark choices surrounding Lizette's pregnancy''
+In the hushed sanctuary, the priestess regarded her visitors with a grave expression. "Maybe. A dark human," she said. "The city is very complicated. There seems to be all sorts of things going on." The conversation turned quickly to the entity growing inside their companion Lizette. One of the group observed that she would probably not be able to carry it to a normal term.
+"So what are we looking at?" I asked. The priestess explained that they were looking at addressing it that very night. When someone suggested it might be only human, she corrected them firmly: it would only become human by feeding upon Lizette. There was no 'just' about it. The exchange grew heavier as they questioned whether both mother and child could survive. Lizette admitted that when she had believed it a demon, she had been more willing to see it destroyed, but now hesitated.
+The priestess offered tea to ease the tension, though it was eyed with open suspicion. "Is it just tea?" "It's tea," the priestess assured, and the cup was accepted. She insisted we not reach any conclusions without Lizette present, noting that our friend was not in her right mind and could not yet make sound judgments. We stepped aside to speak further with the priestess, out of Lizette’s hearing, who laid out the grim truth.
+The spirit inside Lizette was that of a fallen necromancer, using her as a charmed vessel to live on. It would amplify her abilities over the coming weeks and months before consuming well over half of them at birth. The priestess identified it clearly as devilish rather than demonic, one of the lower powers. Lizette had been chosen in part for her healer abilities, which would help keep both mother and child alive through the ordeal. Normally such a being would emerge in eight to twelve weeks; Lizette was already about four weeks along. In the interim, she would attract concentrations of mana, which the child would absorb, eventually claiming her powers as its own.
+Several options were presented. They could venture to the nether realms, where Lizette might give birth as part of a spell to send the creature back as a vengeful hunter against the tormented necromancer. An alliance with beings from the Plane of Air offered another path, as did the graces of a great elvish lady from one of the travelling courts. Consulting the Chamberlain was strongly recommended; given Lizette's status as a hero of the city, he would wish the matter resolved in her favour. Surgery remained possible but risky, the priestess warned. Both mother and child would likely resist, and the spirit might attempt to possess Lizette to preserve itself.
+I was asked for my views. "Whatever's best for Lizette, I would guess," I replied. The priestess sighed that such matters rarely left anyone better off. I spoke of my own experience having primary abilities carved away, still working to regain them. The priestess offered assistance. Keshah then described his own affliction, a heart condition with a daylight aspect that had left him ineffective halfway through their latest encounter. The priestess acknowledged the dilemma.
+Seeing that all three of us carried significant burdens and that Lizette stood in high regard, the priestess declared they could call upon favours. She urged them to speak with Lizette now that they had consulted among themselves. Before departing, one adventurer turned back with a final question for the priestesses: was there a way to remove the evil soul or spirit and allow the child to be born normal? The priestess considered it a worthwhile aim and confirmed that, yes, it was an excellent line of inquiry. "How might we start doing this?" he pressed, as the weight of uncertain choices settled over the chamber.
+==== Chapter 49: Paths of Purification ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_13_Night_8_Paths_of_Purification.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lizette seeks a path to purification in the temple]]
+''Lizette seeks a path to purification in the temple''
+In the quiet sanctuary of the temple, Lizette pressed the priestess for answers. The reply chilled her: every day she should sacrifice a newborn child to the thing inside her. The blood of innocence would purify it. Lizette recoiled at once. "What? Is this like a test? I'm not that far gone." The priestess assured her it was no test; she had simply asked what could be done, and the answer was given honestly, though neither the temple nor its servants would condone or permit such an act.
+Lizette shook her head, desperate for another path. The priestess acknowledged that other ways existed, though they were worse. When Lizette asked whether they might speak to one of the powers of life, the priestess reminded her of recent experiences with pacts and negotiations, then offered a different possibility: rumours spoke of travelling to the lands of the dead to stand before Death himself, who could slay the evil within a person if he chose. Yet she warned that such a journey would likely end in the deaths of all three companions.
+Lizette's companions joined the conversation, one of them summarising the harsh timeline. The entity would emerge in four weeks, or perhaps eight to twelve, far shorter than any human gestation. It was no ordinary child. Lizette insisted that if the evil could be removed, what remained might yet become human. Keshah countered that it was not running on normal biology at all; it was something else entirely, more parasite than baby.
+The High Priestess returned, her expression grave. She made it clear the temple would not tolerate any talk of sacrificing newborns, then listened as Lizette described the other suggestions. Appeals to the powers of light were discussed: Michael, Uriel, Raphael. The priestess noted that such beings would certainly make the entity not evil, but their methods were heavy-handed. They cared little for collateral damage, believing that the righteous would simply ascend to heaven. Raphael, she suggested, might be the most likely to grant a hearing without immediate destruction.
+"You should look upon this as a spell that has been cast upon you," the High Priestess urged. "You are being manipulated at a fundamental level by the powers of evil. If you have not been listening, then there is no hope for you." Lizette still clung to the hope of saving what grew inside her rather than destroying it outright, but the priestess and her companions emphasised again that no true baby existed, only an internal parasite on an unnatural clock. With the weight of those warnings hanging in the air, Lizette finally said they should go.
+==== Chapter 50: The Chamberlain's Counsel ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_14_Night_8_The_Chamberlains_Counsel.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The Chamberlain tests Lizette's resolve in the temple sitting room.]]
+''The Chamberlain tests Lizette's resolve in the temple sitting room.''
+In the quiet of the temple, conversation turned to practical matters. Lizette announced she would take time to clean herself up, still bearing the mess from earlier trials.
+"There seems to be some really weird stuff going on at the moment," I said carefully. "Sirens in the bottom of the baths, for one. And there's the business with the bones—something to do with an earl, or cultists from Shurakura ([[Shorapur]]?) dragging them around. Then there's the goat skeleton cult, tied to one of the cities ransacked by the undead. [[Kirkul]], I think."
+The temple official confirmed the sirens were an infrequent but known nuisance, occurring perhaps once a year. "People still like baths," he noted, adding that adventurers had been sent to deal with the problem before. He offered me the notes from the previous three failed expeditions, which I accepted with the admission that she had tangled with sirens in the past and knew how messy such encounters could become.
+Talk shifted to the old legends of cats and rats. "The stories go that when the cats and rats eventually leave the town, pestilence will follow," the official explained. He encouraged the party to address all three matters if they could. I noted the play on words when he mentioned handling them "before dawn," prompting a brief smile as my own name was recognised in the pun.
+A young man soon appeared, guiding them through to the main sitting room. It was a large, open-air square chamber appointed with columns, breezy curtains, low cushions scattered about, and incense burning in many places. Finger foods had been laid out. Into this space walked a well-appointed hobbit—the Chamberlain himself. He smiled from ear to ear upon seeing them.
+"Why am I not surprised?" he said. "You've got yourself into a pickle."
+I replied that such was the nature of our business. The Chamberlain understood that Lizette had been charmed by demonic powers and infected as well. He thanked Keshah for offering to resurrect him the previous year, calling the gesture noble, though he was glad it had not been followed through; it would have led to mass carnage and much death. He had been slain by the sultan, he explained, but resurrected shortly thereafter by another hand. There had been a misunderstanding.
+"You are somebody of great importance to us, Lizette," the Chamberlain continued, "and this has happened in our city to you. This is not a good thing. You're probably also not in your right mind." He glanced at Keshah and then at me, noting that her friends remained undecided on the matter. "What would you have us do? How can we assist you?"
+Lizette answered steadily: "I would like to find a way to get rid of the evil soul spirit that is trying to be reborn and keep the child."
+The Chamberlain put out his hand and stabbed it with a dagger. Blood welled. "Does that satisfy you? That was the first child to be murdered in front of you—to ensure that your child is born pure."
+Lizette recoiled. "No. They've told me there are other ways. Ways that don't involve committing evil acts. I won't get rid of evil by committing more evil. That seems kind of counterproductive."
+The Chamberlain healed the wound before their eyes. "Then you should try to send it back where it came from—the dark realms."
+"That wouldn't help," Lizette replied. "How would we do that? I'm fine with getting rid of the spirit, sending it back. Is there a way to do that while keeping the child?"
+Keshah interjected that they could not even be certain it was a child at all. "I don't think it's a child. It's a parasite."
+Lizette pressed on. "What can we do? How can we stop this?"
+==== Chapter 51: The Blighted Gift ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_15_Night_8_The_Blighted_Gift.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The grim cost of foresight]]
+''The grim cost of foresight''
+In the shadowed sanctuary of the temple, the priest's voice carried the weight of inevitability. "The cost is great," he warned, "and I'm unclear if you're aware of what is to be paid."
+Lizette met his gaze steadily. "Perhaps you could enlighten me."
+The priest offered a harsh demonstration involving severed fingers to illustrate the folly of her ways, but Lizette immediately objected. "Without killing children. I think we already discussed no evil."
+"It won't kill children," the priest replied. "I will just cut several of your fingers off."
+Keshah leaned forward. "And what's this going to do?"
+"This will show her the folly of her ways," the priest said. The healer among them dismissed the notion outright, noting that Lizette could simply regenerate what was lost. The priest conceded the point but maintained it would grant her time for contemplation.
+Further discussion unveiled the true price. Everything Lizette had worked for would be halved or worse. The child would foresee events and horrors yet always be ignored, condemned to a blighted existence that would warp its spirit into something undesired. It was, they agreed, effectively a curse.
+Talk turned to other possibilities, including the plane of air, but the priest confirmed such a path would demand a major miracle beyond their knowledge. Syrene, however, had already been summoned—though her court roamed between locations. When Keshah offered to visit her, the priest advised against Lizette leaving the temple; the risk was too great, with a seventy-five percent chance she would permanently lose half her abilities.
+"I will make arrangements," Keshah said. "I'll head off now then, if that's okay."
+Lizette urged him not to take me, insisting I would be safe within the temple. Keshah confirmed he held rights to travel to the outskirts of Seagate by magic tunnel. The Elvish ambassador there could reveal the court's location, allowing him to portal close and proceed with my aid if needed. He admitted his limited familiarity with the Elven Court, given his background as the bastard son of elven high nobility  and his father's history as an Elvish invader to the Western Kingdom.
+"I'll start up a rune portal and head off," Keshah decided. There was no sense in taking others and draining more fatigue. His companion planned to pursue separate leads at the temple, prompting Lizette's wry remark about admirers checking him earlier. "No, not those sort of leads," the companion clarified.
+As preparations finished, Lizette allowed herself a moment of dark humour. "So, it's a virgin birth. I should start a religion."
+"It's not gonna actually be born though," Keshah reminded her. "It's a chest popper, remember?"
+"I'm hoping Syrene can help with this," Lizette said quietly. "I'm gonna end up owing her big time."
+"You're bound to," came the reply. "I don't think she would be adverse to that idea."
+Keshah stepped through the portal to Seagate. Shortly thereafter, Marian and her mother arrived at the temple as well. To Lizette's quiet relief, Marian looked well.
+==== Chapter 52: Whispers of Caution ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786406623220_16_Night_8_Whispers_of_Caution.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Rules of the big things]]
+''Rules of the big things''
+And her mother and her were ushered off to another room. The words that followed came laced with uncertainty. "But, you know, there are lots of really big things out there. Just be careful, there are rules. I, I get them wrong, so I'm the worst person. But, something like you're only supposed to speak to... No, don't know that. Well, then don't speak around. Alright. But really? Okay. I, I could be wrong. Talk to someone who's actually sure what's going on, because you don't want to get it wrong."
+As we waited for Keshah to return, I was feeling a bit worried about what I was getting myself into. Names had been mentioned of people I had only read about on Scribe Notes and the Seagate Times. Now it seemed I was about to meet them. Very powerful people as I understood them. People like [[Syrene]] and [[Matt Tumbledown]] and who knows who else. I took stock about things we still had to do or had got ourselves obliged to do, and many of them, I was worried that we would have to disappoint people.
+* Our original mission, to investigate an information leak in a local merchant house - we hadn't even started on that one.
+* Lizette and I was supposed to pose for a sculpture under the light of the next Full Moon.
+* I had talked myself into a dinner on a boat at some future date.
+* I had also been talked into a drink and a bath with a dwarf, hopefully with the company of lady hobbit priestesses.
+* The business with the skeleton, an Earl, and what connections that had to do with the City of Kirkul was still on my list.
+* The Siren in the Bathhouse - was that a threat that also needed investigation?
+* And what was the Enchanter in the Blue Tower up to?
+But, I knew that this business with Lizette now had to take priority? But a worry was still running around in my mind. At what personal cost? And did I really want my fae powers back? I really wasn't sure.
+=== Night 8 ===
+==== Chapter 53: The Titan's Summons ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_01_Night_9_The_Titans_Summons.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lord Keshah meets the titan who will carry him to Lady Syrene]]
+''Lord Keshah meets the titan who will carry him to Lady Syrene''
+'''Day 6'''<br />
+The decision had been made to return to Cazala. Lord Keshah sought the elven ambassador, confident the noble would know how to reach Lady Syrene. The lady had once spoken of Lizette's fertility as a shadow that might trouble them in days to come, and that warning now demanded attention.
+By midday he stood once more within the city's walls. After a satisfying meal at the guild hall, where a lone party member drew a few raised eyebrows. Keshah changed into finer attire. He had no wish to be turned away at the ambassador's door. An elf he might be, yet appearances still mattered among his kind.
+The Chamberlain of the ambassador greeted him with polite recognition. "It is a pleasure to meet you again, Lord Keshah. I doubt you remember me." Keshah assured him otherwise and came quickly to the point: an urgent matter required contact with Lady Syrene's court, and they understood the ambassador could open that path. The chamberlain listened, then nodded. "I know the titan well. Come this way."
+He led Keshah into a wide yard, calling for it to be cleared. Another elf waiting nearby was asked to step aside. A servant rang a great hammer against a post; though the blow looked powerful, it produced no sound. Moments later the air itself seemed to split. A massive titan appeared, stooping to set a heavy stone upon the ground. The being surveyed the yard with ancient eyes.
+"Greetings, Keshah," the titan rumbled. "I have an emergency. I must reach Lady Syrene as soon as possible." Keshah replied.
+"Then hold tight," the titan instructed, offering a thick forearm. "Do not let go."
+Keshah grasped the limb. The world folded. When it unfolded again he stood in a cool glade where daylight had already slipped toward late afternoon. The temperature was stifling. Through the trees he glimpsed broken ground giving way to desert under a southern sky. Pink flamingos crossed overhead. They had come far indeed, somewhere along the coast east of familiar lands.
+The titan led him along a path worn by recent feet. As they walked, conversation turned to Keshah's altered heart. The change that granted him new strength had also made him sensitive to daylight; in melee he grew sluggish when the sun was high. Night brought relief, yet the imbalance hindered his work. The titan listened, offering measured thoughts. Removal and regrowth might be possible with a daring healer, or other, darker roads could be taken. A drow temple where life could be traded for death was mentioned, though such bargains carried their own cost.
+Before long two young elves appeared on the trail. "Lord Keshah," one called. "Welcome. Lady Syrene is expecting you. We received word only a short while ago."
+They continued together until the trees opened upon a shaded pavilion. Lady Syrene awaited news of Lizette, who it seemed rested in Adjepbar, a settlement not far along the coast. The Lady provided a token meant for the high priestess there, a guarantee that the matter of Lizette's condition would neither be refused nor allowed to fester. "You may bring her," Syrene agreed, "but only once proper arrangements are made. Emotional matters sometimes require care."
+Keshah accepted the token and the counsel. When the time came he would return by teleportation rather than risk the titan's route again. For now he sat beneath the pavilion's awning, the forest humming around him, while plans took shape to bring Lizette before the Lady who had foreseen her trouble.
+==== Chapter 54: Blackened Essence and the Elven Escort ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_02_Night_9_Blackened_Essence_and_the_Elven_Escort.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Elven escort meets the Wall Walkers beneath coastal hills]]
+''Elven escort meets the Wall Walkers beneath coastal hills''
+The conversation turned to practical matters of distance and travel. The portal lay roughly five miles outside the city, its walls glistening on the horizon under bright sunshine—an hour's steady walk at least—though Syrene's camp had proven closer along the coast than first imagined.
+Returning to the city was straightforward. Upon arrival a street hawker approached Keshah with an offering of blue-hazed dates; they were purchased but left uneaten as he quickly withdrew. From there the path led back to the temple to rejoin myself, still waiting. Lizette had already been absent nearly three hours. In that interval an attempt was made to purify the soul and lift its inner bindings. Dark fragments began dropping from Lizette's fingers, yet the caster admitted their suspicions had not been entirely accurate.
+Upon returning, Keshah announced, "I'm back. The portal is about five miles out along the coast." Questions followed about how the earlier troubles had ended. Documentation was produced showing that the woman had enjoyed magical protection regarding her condition for some time. The healer had offered no particular advice on injuries, and Lizette soon began to ramble, her speech choking off at intervals.
+A cat leaped down from a small cart and regarded us with a distinctly grumpy expression. "That cat doesn’t live here," someone observed. She certainly didn’t as this was Mags. What followed was an odd, circular exchange with her. She was annoyed the inn was full of dwarves, describing them as fat, round-bellied figures. I countered that they were merely sturdy, not fat.  That didn’t matter to Mags. She wanted them gone and insisted I get it done. I was starting to get annoyed as the exchange sharpened into open threats. : "Do you like the smell of fish heads? I will curse you with smelling as them if you don't complete this." The reply came swiftly: "You’re acting like a petulant fey child."Actually, I like that one. I think I'll stick with it. I was so tempted to throw a Pixie Prank at Mags.
+We were transported to Syrene’s camp.. Before long a handful of elves stepped from behind the trees, bows lowered. The token was displayed. "Back so soon?" one asked. "With company. Good company." The elves found it interesting and promised to break camp quickly. A medallion was passed over, its design showing two hands upon an owl, one of them resembling the recipient.
+I had arrived still wearing the drow robe, which earned a look of open contempt from the elves. I offered to take it off, and reveal the bikini instead.. They didn’t think much of that idea either.  Discussion turned at once to attire; first impressions mattered.  A concealing cloak was offered and accepted.
+The elves waved us forward to begin the escort. We found ourselves upon a hillside where low scrub gave way to sandy desert. Five miles distant, past the headland, lay bright white marine sands, low white cliffs, and the open sea. Lizette felt the weight of her malady. Empathy was dulled, capabilities reduced by lingering negatives. "Still, I'm alive," she noted. The poison was clearly not of any ordinary sort. For now we chose to hold off on any further attempt to unburden ourselves.
+==== Chapter 55: The Seer's Grave Warning ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_03_Night_9_The_Seers_Grave_Warning.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lady Syrene delivers her ominous prophecy]]
+''Lady Syrene delivers her ominous prophecy''
+As we wandered down into camp we saw a large pit dominated by a grand pavilion perched upon its edge. Inside, roughly seventy-five souls gathered around a great square stone while a performer was in the midst of an acrobatic display, deftly weaving through circles of fire alongside several hobbits, to the clear delight of Syrene and the Titan who watched from nearby. The air hummed with the colors and crests of many factions.
+We recognized pennants of the Destinian Wood Elves and several northern clans, along with banners bearing gold and silver crowns on red fields. A lively company of young hobbit noblemen known as [[The Kings Rapiers]] occupied several tables, their bright rapiers and colorful attire unmistakable. They recognized me at once since I was the Western Kingdom Queen's Special Advisor to the Kings Rapiers, and waved me over. One of the rapiers leaned in. "There are some witches who've been talking about you. Something about a prophecy. They see into the future, you know." I raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure that I've been told I'm part of any prophecy." The man shrugged. "It would behoove you to pay attention. It's only polite. And don't go near the water mage. He's a creep."
+Platters arrived bearing sizzling artichokes and wriggling vine-like tentacles that had to be seized and devoured before they escaped the dark plates. The food proved nourishing once mastered. When the acrobatic display ended to generous applause, One of the hobbits attempted to climb into my lap, prompting swift clarification that we were not sleeping together. Courtly banter followed about rumours started in the Western Kingdom, until the hobbit was pulled away by the ear and deposited in his own chair. I was trying to hide my disdain.
+Lady Syrene soon approached with a small glass of water and sat at their table. "Thank you, Keshah," she said, then turned to Lizette. "Have you taken my words to heart? Last time we met I told you that bad things would enter your line and lineage if you continued as an adventurer. It appears you have continued this way." Lizette acknowledged the warning and asked what could be done. The seer spoke plainly: the presence growing inside her was no child but a tainted thing that fed upon her daily, growing stronger until it would burst free. Only by accompanying Keshah on his quest to a fountain in the perilous lands of the dead did she stand any chance of purging the horror and returning to the living. The journey would be deadly for all, yet refusal promised only greater loss. Aurora, too, might reclaim something she had lost if she chose to drink from the same pool. Syrene's gaze was steady. "The longer you carry it, the more it devours you. You should go with him."
+==== Chapter 56: The Fountain of Death ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_04_Night_9_The_Fountain_of_Death.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Planning the journey to the Fountain of Death]]
+''Planning the journey to the Fountain of Death''
+The conversation soon turned to the Kings Rapiers and the strange notion that whichever of them could sleep with me would earn promotion from the queen. The captain of the guard approached, urging the gentlemen to stop fawning, to get off my lap and cease drooling over my bosoms. I had originally started rumours that I wasn't interested in men in order to keep them from trying to court me but it now seemed that had backfired on me. It was obvious I was going to have to put my foot down to prevent such amorous behavior in Court and elsewhere.  He led us aside. "Please come this way, and if you could wipe some of the drool off yourself—a wave of the hand and it will disappear." The captain's tone grew somber. "Your friend is not in good condition, and I am sorry for your loss." He then then added, "I would expect nothing more than encouraging those little fellows to try and sleep with you. I am going to have to put my foot down." "I thought gentle persuasion and rumors to the contrary would have done that." I replied. "Obviously not". More conversation with the guard captain revealed his opinion that I had taken excellent, tender care of the queen. "Oh, I'm just doing my job," I replied modestly. Discussion moved to my dual role: passing the king's instructions onward while gathering rumours and information to advise the queen in return. The court, I and him agreed, was the happening place.
+Then the talk grew serious. "If you wish, there is an opportunity to accompany Keshah. He is going on a very dangerous mission." It concerned a drow-controlled island near Delph—far to the south, some two thousand kilometers as the cloud flies—where the Fountain of Death lay, a grim counterpart to the Fountain of Youth. Concerns about mortality arose at once. "What happens if we all die?" The reply was pragmatic: if any fell, resurrection would be attempted provided the group reached safety quickly enough. Plans were made to return any remains to a place where revival remained possible.
+Maps were produced and examined. "It is Delph. There is the Five Sisters." Fingers traced the equator line and the dark blue markings; the island lay fifteen to twenty degrees south, making the journey more than two thousand kilometers as the cloud flies. Keshah located a worn sheet listing rune portals he had previously created.. A portal waited in the middle of the western ocean and another farther south; each square on the map represented roughly two hundred miles. Travel options were weighed. Matt Tumbledown, the Titan, could advise us, yet traveling there himself was forbidden lest the island's citizens provoke him. Still, all agreed he was very brave and that they wanted him back. The name Matt Tumbledown was mentioned with interest; I confessed I had heard and read, much but had never met the man and was tempted to introduce myself.
+Strange rumors surfaced. Someone, mainly me, had spread tales that only women could sleep with me but another rumour was out that men would gain greater enchantment thereby by doing so. I would have to quash that one. I admitted adding parts of the rumour myself to discourage unwanted attention. When talk turned to calling upon the witches of the Red Crowns, a warning followed: "Try not to sleep with all of them at once. They are quite enthusiastic. They are very powerful all around." The Crowns might attempt to recruit, yet their aid could prove invaluable. With a red crown of gold in mind for added preparation, we settled on a route down towards Pasifika as the simplest path forward.
+==== Chapter 57: Plans for the Forbidden Pool ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_05_Night_9_Plans_for_the_Forbidden_Pool.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The Wall Walkers deliberate their stealthy approach to the sacred pool]]
+''The Wall Walkers deliberate their stealthy approach to the sacred pool''
+In the busy common room, where clusters of curious courtiers had begun drifting closer with ears tuned to every murmur, we spoke in low, urgent tones over a spread map. Keshah frowned at the distances involved. "How far can you make portal?" I asked, only to learn that his own abilities could not reach places he had never visited. The target lay nearly three thousand miles away on the southern side of the larger of two islands at the map's bottom edge.
+Suggestions flew back and forth. I proposed flying first to the closest town and securing passage from there, perhaps by charming captains or offering coin and the chance to earn favor. Keshah mentioned his flying vessel, describing a skiff some twenty-five feet long with a steep mast that could sail the air or glide across waves, even submerge to fifty feet if sufficient water were aboard. Its speed depended on the navigator's skill, though it was no match for the clouds I could summon.
+Syrene listened carefully before offering a clearer path. Returning first to Seagate, we could place Lizette inside a stasis crate, the Keshah possessed, —a heavy wooden box that halted time itself while sealed—preserving what remained of her strength. From Seagate we could reach Pasifika with relative ease, then continue by air or sail to the island itself. Only once there would they open the crate, revive her, and attempt the dangerous task at the pool.
+Syrene watched us gravely. "It is a religious pool for them," he said. "You will be stealing from them, and none of them will be happy about this. They worship oblivion, and we have driven them from the slave docks many times before. They will remain unhappy with you forever."  The warning settled heavily. The waters themselves were perilous. "If things go adequately," Syrene continued, "it is likely you will die. Lizette may be able to resurrect you—if she is still capable. She may have already lost that power."
+The locals included dark celestial mages, a handful of elementalists, and three notorious drow brothers—summoners currently at war with one another. When the party asked whether the brothers might become allies, Syrene shook his head. "They are too untrustworthy."
+I glanced around the table. "Should we try to blend in with the natives?"
+Syrene regarded her with a measured look. "Not. You haven't got the skin for it. You haven't got the eyes for it. You haven't got the hair for it." She added that the party was far more worldly than her; the decision on how to proceed must be theirs. The consensus settled on maximum stealth—slipping in unnoticed, avoiding scrying magics where possible, and forgoing any risky alliances that might end in betrayal.
+"We might need better information," one companion noted. Syrene agreed that the Gold Crowns possessed unreasonably accurate intelligence and a talent for devising sound plans. She turned to me. "Off you go. Try not to offend anyone. Remember you have a flag of trust."
+"I will try very hard not to do that," I replied, rising to carry their hopes to the influential faction. The rest of the party watched her depart, the weight of the perilous journey ahead settling over them like a gathering storm.
+==== Chapter 58: The Sisterhood's Visions ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_06_Night_9_The_Sisterhoods_Visions.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lady Olga and the Sisterhood share their visions]]
+''Lady Olga and the Sisterhood share their visions''
+The conversation in the high-vaulted chamber turned practical as Lizette examined a small item. "I can use this on us," she declared. Her companions crowded closer. "What is it?" I asked. "Oh, it's the Gold Nuggets," came the reply, "and it's magical stuff, which is probably worth it once we settle on a plan for how this works."
+Meanwhile, I nervously approached the Crowns. After sorting through an initial question and some confusion over introductions, a formal welcome rang out. "Greetings, Aurora. Captain, you are dismissed. Please come in and thank you." The speaker acknowledged the many questions I carried, assuring me of equally numerous answers.
+Remarks turned to lineage and power. I observed that my host seemed much like my cousin [[Starflower]], though probably more powerful. Confirmation followed: an MA well over 200 placed the speaker definitively beyond Starflower's abilities. The sisterhood, it was explained, counted many members among its ranks, including several water mages and some elementalists. The current speaker ranked among the rare mages.
+Inquiry was made about prior communication with cats, which I admitted to being able to do. "Yes, very good," came the reply. I saw that one of them had taken something from a nearby shelf. The cats, it was agreed, were remarkable; but I had not yet tried the ability on my own three but suspected the usefulness of certain items acquired from Mags remained uncertain. Affinity for plants was likewise affirmed.
+"This is Lady Olga," the introductions continued, indicating a white young woman who appeared almost elvish. Two snow-white wolves stood on each side of her. The walls around looked quite high, yet the wolves seemed capable of scaling them, though not at present. One wolf mouthed the words with extreme care: "Your service will be remembered." Thanks were returned. Questions followed about the timing of my last talk with the cat—it had not been long ago, before certain preparations were made. "How can we assist you?" the sisters asked. My response outlined the need for transport methods for Keshah, with Delph as the apparent destination. The women glanced at one another. One of the Crown slid a parchment across the surface of the table towards me. The text spoke of a great explosive force coming down. Concern arose over resistance, numbers such as seventy-two, creams, dark and white surfaces, and the need to make the white colour prominent. The meaning remained unclear despite examination.
+A flurry of chatter entered my mind, followed by an older voice speaking in Elvish: "It is alright. I know Lady Dawn. What do you need of us? I'm not with you, but I can help you." I assumed that was the Head of the Crowns. The exchange deepened. Certain actions could not be done as requested, yet I was expressing no problem s with Lizette's desire to see it born, but not as a calamity. However the birth would not occur under normal conditions. One speaker admitted acting under a misapprehension and acknowledged it would not be the first time. "Do you think it is human?" That was a question relating to thing growing inside Lizette. My reply was that logic indicated otherwise; the questioner was not a stupid woman. The situation reminded the speaker of what had happened to someone else.
+Somehow talk turned to the time I had nearly committed suicide on [[Vun Enchanted Evening | adventure]]. All I could remember was being enamoured with a fae court and the possibly of being a full fae and have the power of True Flight but, if I had done that I would have been permanently lost to this world. Besides, I had already obtained the Air Wings back then but they weren't ranked very high at the time. I had to force myself to return but it had been hard, and part of me didn't want to, even though the other part of me wanted to live. At the time I had the beginnings of the Fae College as well as my Air College and also the vulnerability to Cold Iron. I had been left with all my primary attributes halved and I would have to work hard to get them back. Even now a few of them had not regenerated but I had managed to compensate for much of that and made some stronger. [[Into the Valley of Roses | My next mission]] after some Guild Counselling from the [[Sorceress in Silver]] and Starflower found me in Silverstream when I met the Lady of Lyonesse who had shrived off much of my faeness and had repaired some of the damage I had caused to my own psyche. Even so I had lost much of my confidence. Concern was voiced at my broken state of mind which may be the cause of some of my current eccentricities. "You should come on a holiday with us. Once you have drunk and fallen in the pool." The promise was given to facilitate the requests once I had agreed to their conditions. It was suggested that Lady Olga should take me to a cave. I was also instructed to travel with my companions but not bring the Titan. I told them that we had already been instructed not to do so. I also showed off the translucent Bound Air wings I had received as a Boon after [[Following the Fumes II | a mission to the Elemental Plane of Air]] that when fully learnt also gave me True Flight. They seemed a bit surprised I had them. However, the final question lingered:  did the best spells stand ready, and after all fatigue had been cleared, was one near death?
+==== Chapter 59: A Year and a Day ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_07_Night_9_A_Year_and_a_Day.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Aurora signs the pact and receives the boon]]
+''Aurora signs the pact and receives the boon''
+I listened as the discussion turned to the need for a contingency. "You have a very good point," I said. "We need a contingency plan."
+The being who was speaking into my mind insisted on greater focus. Success was vital. They warned that I and my companions would require a swift means of leaving the island if savagely wounded, along with a disguise that would not fail should my fae illusion talent fade. An item-bound enchantment would serve best. I admitted she possessed no such method at present and asked whether the Crowns could provide one.
+"Of course I can," they replied. "I will give you such a boon, because I know you will repay the favor." Terms were settled: once her obligations to her two comrades were fulfilled, I would offer the Crowns my company for a year and a day—not necessarily in a single stretch—and obey three requests, provided they involved no evil actions. "Then we have a deal," the being declared. A contract appeared and I signed at the bottom while Crowns formed a silent circle, staring. I gazed at the paper as I worried what I had just let myself in for as a strapless carry bag with a handle was passed to me. "This is for you," the being said. "Pay attention so this so your friends may also learn this when they look into your mind." Inside lay three potions that would restore life and three potions of a highly ranked wind walking. There was also a silver coloured powder, which when poured upon the pool, it would blind and burn the minds of all who had looked upon us in the last five minutes, erasing their memory of recent events. Another powder that smelled of cinnamon, would suppress the ability of summoned devils from other worlds to track us. "You must use them before going out there or taking flight," the being instructed. I confirmed my understanding.
+For departure, I was considering shifting to another plane of reality and returning to the material plane at their destination without crossing the intervening space. "You will need to speak to one of the elemental princes for that. Summon an elemental to carry a message to the elemental princess." I considered that while  recalling my prior visit to the Air Elemental Plane.  I smiled at the thought of visiting the PoA again, yet the voice in my mind reminded me that the debt to her kin must first be repaid.
+When the being asked if she had questions, I answered, "Not at the moment, but I'm pretty sure I'll think of some later."
+The conversation shifted to the sacred waters of Lord Isher. Basically I was told that the Waters would strip away much; and I must face the trial with all my resources if my hoped to endure. That made me a bit more worried, but I knew that to help Lizette, that it was something I would have to do.
+==== Chapter 60: Rebuke of the Siren ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_08_Night_9_Rebuke_of_the_Siren.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Sirene delivers her foreordained warning]]
+''Syrene delivers her foreordained warning''
+While I was communing with the Crowns, Lizette and Keshah were discussing things with Lady Syrene. Once the Crowns were satisfied I had memorised their instructions precisely, I was allowed to rejoin them.
+"I was planning to return to the guild because I have a stasis box stored there which I can put Lizette," Keshah was saying, "and that will halt her degradation.
+Talk then turned to the practicalities of infiltration and withdrawal. They would employ the rune portals already installed for initial distance, followed by using Keshah's air skiff as fast as it would go  and short hops using wings if needed. "I would suggest we use the winds, which will get us a couple extra miles of speed," one proposed. "Then a big hop from wherever we end up near the far shore of Delph. We have been able to keep the boat afloat, and the wind will help us get out of the local area."
+The mood shifted as Syrene addressed the deeper wound. "Do you not understand what has happened? To the child. You have been cursed. You are not with an actual child."
+Lizette met her gaze. "This thing has been greatly accelerated from what we feel sure is due to magic. Is there a way to stop this happening again or at least be forewarned?"
+Syrene's tone hardened. "I already warned you once. You took my words and cast them aside. Whatever guidance I give you now is pointless. All of this that has fallen upon you was foreordained. I warned you of it. You chose to not heed my warnings. You chose the path that you are on. All the suffering to you and your friends is unfortunate. Just remember everything that Aurora is giving up for you."
+Quiet acknowledgment followed. Apologies were offered, and the promise to learn from the hard road ahead. Syrene remained unmoved yet not cruel. "We will see this new leaf that you turn over."
+The group spoke then of the waters themselves, how they might fix the lingering problem. Drinking from them at this time of year held more power than mere survival for an aspect. Lizette hesitated at the end.
+"Sorry, may I ask a foolish question?" she asked. Syrene's reply was dry. "No. How about you phrase it into a wise question?". I tried very hard not to grin.
+==== Chapter 61: The Locus of Death and the Price of Wings ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_09_Night_9_The_Locus_of_Death_and_the_Price_of_Wings.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Debating the pool of death before the descent to the Sea of Grass]]
+''Debating the pool of death before the descent to the Sea of Grass''
+The discussion had grown serious. Lizette voiced her uncertainty, hoping the question was a wise one. "When you say it can fix a problem," she asked, "is it like some kind of wish that simply fixes things?" Keshah suggested she direct the matter to Syrene directly, then rose and excused himself, promising to return in five minutes.
+The Captain of the Guard cut in firmly. "Don't be so foolish. It is the death of something." In this case, he explained, it meant the death of that unborn monster, the dragon of death. The pool was the ending of it. One companion described feeding the life aspect he carried during the day into the locus, surrendering the infestation in exchange for having his heart restored to what it had been before. They recalled the last battle, when the infestation—a creature of darkness and evil—had been offered to the pool, itself a place of evil and darkness, and received a cure in return.
+"Is it powering it?" someone asked. The answer came patiently: the pool was not powered by such offerings. It was a locus, a place of power for death, the opposite of the fountain of life. It simply existed as a feature of the world.
+The conversation turned to the hope of transformation. "Can we not simply make the child into a normal human child?" The response was blunt. "Have you not worked out you aren't carrying a child?" It was impossible to turn a demon into a child, just as one could not transform a natural infant into something it was not. Lady Olga spoke softly, admitting she was not quite sure what Lizette was feeling.
+Meanwhile I was casting my mind back roughly ten years. I remembered the faeness I had sought, and how its cost had grown too high. I had begun turning more fae-like, losing my humanity, her sense of self. The change had come after her first meeting with [[Dramus]] in his court. Obsessed with exploring my fae nature, I had nearly been sucked into a fae court in a manner that would have meant her complete loss—essentially committing suicide. I had only used the favor for half a day, yet the pull had been terrifying.
+"Before you jump in the water," one companion advised, "figure out what you want from the favor. As an elf, with luck you may gain what you desire and not die." I acknowledged I still had a long way to go in restoring myself.
+Before we set out, it was agreed we should consult the grounds on the best way to infiltrate the pool. Plans for escape were laid out: they would use the portals Keshah had to travel as far as possible. A scry shield fixed in space and time would not serve; they needed a portable scry shield, something that could envelop the entire group. The Crowns confirmed such magic existed—it belonged to an older college, too useful to have been forgotten.
+The route took shape. From Seagate they could reach the island by way of a known portal to Pacifica. Rune portals departed from the trading post in Carzala, within Seagate itself, carrying travelers to the Pasifican portal within the Sea of Grass. That was their destination. The rune portals remained in place, ready for their use.,
+==== Chapter 62: The Torc, the Parasite, and the Crown's Bargain ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_10_Night_9_The_Torc_the_Parasite_and_the_Crowns_Bargain.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lizette considers the torc as plans for the long voyage take shape.]]
+''Lizette considers the torc as plans for the long voyage take shape.''
+The discussion turned at once to the long journey ahead. Two thousand miles separated Pasifika from the island that was their goal. One adventurer suggested layering spells for extended duration, noting that multiple castings could triple the effect. Another voiced concern whether it would last long enough, prompting talk of enchanters who might strengthen their efforts.
+A plan took shape around Kesha's special boat that flew when air was bound twice to the mast and once to the keel. Kesha explained that one companion could perform the rituals while the other piloted, allowing shifts so each could rest. We also considered setting up room portals in stages: travel partway, return for scry protection, then continue, never drawing within two hundred miles of their target until properly shielded. The fewer people involved the better, we agreed; with just two making the run there should be no complications.
+Conversation shifted to a far stranger matter. Lizette read aloud from a detailed description of an ancient torc intended for female wearers alone. Once implanted it fused with the neck bones, granting the ability to transform. At a thought the torc would tear free in a noisy, messy surge of blood and bone shards, cloaking the wearer in thick matte-gray armor of an old style. The process caused no harm, and the armor could be returned by remaining still for fifty-five minutes or more, though that too was unsettling to watch. It offered twelve points of protection against blows and six against endurance strikes, yet carried a weight factor of four and an agility penalty. Most crucially, while worn the bearer became invisible to all magic; no spell could affect her, nor could she draw upon mana, cast, or benefit from healing arts. Even the healer’s skill would fail until the armor was removed.
+Lizette wondered if this would help her. A parasitic entity was devouring her soul in noticeable chunks, and she asked whether donning the torc might halt its progress, at least temporarily. We weighed the question. The armor would certainly make her invisible to magical detection, which might blur any threat the temple scryers could perceive. Yet the parasite’s nature remained uncertain; some wondered if it would simply fall away or continue its work unaffected. Testing the idea directly was risky. We settled on a safer path: a precognition to observe whether wearing the armor for a day would leave her any worse once it was removed.
+The armor’s interaction with other necessities complicated matters further. If Lizette needed to drink the prepared water, the torc might spring forth at the conscious act, spilling it uselessly. The solution proposed was straightforward if grim: render her unconscious with a single pulse, then pour the liquid down her throat while she could not resist. It would make little difference, one noted, given the parasite would kill her anyway.
+To secure the needed precognition and additional tools, we turned back to the Ladies of the Crown. Three portable scry shield amulets were offered, items that would function especially well for Aurora and Lady Lizette, though less so for the other gender. In exchange the terms were plainly stated. The items must be returned. Aurora would spend one year, one month, and one day assisting in the learnings of magic. Should any item be lost or the agreement broken, she would join the Crown indefinitely and serve as ambassador to her guild at their pleasure. The weight of the pact settled over the room, yet the path forward was now clearer.
+==== Chapter 63: Portals, Curses, and the Stasis Box ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_11_Night_9_Portals_Curses_and_the_Stasis_Box.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Strategic council in the secret garden]]
+''Strategic council in the secret garden''
+Within the secluded green of the secret garden of Syrene's Court, we concluded our business with Lady Syrene and turned our attention to more urgent matters. Syrene confirmed that the troubling water was not celestial magic, which meant the nuggets they had acquired could still be used against it.
+We moved on to the soul effect itself. Immunity to magic would not delay its progress, nor would it serve as more than a temporary measure. The armor that could halt the affliction came with its own dangers: it would vanish after fifteen minutes of stillness, meaning the wearer could never sleep again without risking instant death. The discussion acknowledged that the armor might buy time but could not serve as a cure.
+Travel plans took shape next. With one of our number in need of immediate aid, the we agreed we must reach the outskirts of Seagate as quickly as possible. Matt would guide us there by tunnel magic and see us safely to the edge of the city. From there the plan turned to the long journey ahead. Portals offered the best solution: a series of five-hundred-mile hops across the ocean to an island, then onward, far faster than flying at twenty-five miles per hour. The portals were solid once cast, difficult to track, and would require fifteen minutes of protection while being established.
+"The portals are much harder to track," one companion noted, "and also much quicker."
+I had one quick side task to do, collect the rest of my gear from the inn. This I managed to do quickly but I had to deal with an annoyed cat and an annoyed dwarf once there. Once I informed both I was on a 'life and death' mission and would return as soon as I could, they were mollified but Mags still insisted I had a week before she would lay the fish head smell curse on me. Already I was pondering how Mags would look with green fur.
+Upon my return we made our way to Seagate and hence to the Guild. There, in a storage chamber, we examined the stasis box: a sarcophagus five feet wide, four feet high, and twelve feet long that weighed two hundred pounds. Once its lid was sealed, anything inside entered stasis. Fitting it aboard our modest boat would require careful placement in the lower hold.
+Nothing extra-planar would interfere with it, but any resistance to stasis itself would be dangerous. Lizette would enter the device after receiving strong buffs, for the stasis would preserve those spells until the lid opened just before the infiltration of the pool. The sarcophagus would suppress the curse. The effect would last for weeks equal to the device's rank.
+"Get yourself buffed up and then into the box," Keshah told Lizette.
+==== Chapter 64: Portals, Potions, and Mountain Vistas ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1786966162657_12_Night_9_Portals_Potions_and_Mountain_Vistas.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Admiring the mountain view before the perilous infiltration]]
+''Admiring the mountain view before the perilous infiltration''
+The conversation lingered on celestial magic and the sanctuary charm that would shield them. One adventurer broke it down clearly: the protection absorbed incoming spells, lowering its strength by the rank of each hostile magic. Once it reached zero it would fail, but with three charges it could withstand significant punishment before needing renewal.
+Plans turned to their emergency extraction. The method was straightforward yet daring. Lizette would drink the potion and collapse as though dead. Her companion would lift her while both activated wind walking, carrying them swiftly to a distant sit spot. From there, successive one-minute room portals would leap them thirty miles at a time. Only after putting enough distance behind them, and relying on lost memory and misdirection, would the half-hour portal carry them to final safety. The oversized coffin would remain with the boat, which itself resided in a magical bottle; when summoned, the skiff stretched twenty-five feet long, six feet across, stood eight feet tall at the mast, and could bear limited cargo in its covered hold.
+We then reviewed gear and obligations. A guild master offered thanks for services rendered. "You have done great services," he told them. "Are you planning on coming back here?" We spoke of unfinished tasks in the region and settled accounts: a two-percent information fee was paid on the valuation of twelve thousand and fifty gold.
+Before setting out, we gathered essential supplies. Potions of mind shield (r66) and Scrolls of Strength of Stone (r12) were purchased to add to the supplies we had received from the Crowns "We put the cinnamon powder on ourselves before we sneak in," I explained. "All the things that can track you won't be able to. Earth elementals won't be able to track you." To counter the overpowering scent, vapour-breathing was prepared so no one would inhale the spice. Keshah confirmed their ritual healing, enhanced by a wish that granted expertise from the Rune College, reducing casting time and boosting effective rank.
+Everything checked and double-checked, the plan crystallized: get down, sneak in, drink the water, and get out. "Consider it done," we affirmed, ready for the assault.
+=== Night 9 ===
+==== Chapter 65: Scrying the Misty Gate ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_01_Night_10_Scrying_the_Misty_Gate.png|200px|thumb|left|The crystal reveals the fog-shrouded gate]]
+''The crystal reveals the fog-shrouded gate''
+'''Day 10'''<br />
+We were finally at our destination. It had taken at least three days with portal hopping and continuous flight with Keshah and I taking turns piloting the skiff while the other slept. But it was now the afternoon of the fourth day. We stood at the mainland's lava-scarred tip, the distant shape of Mullin Island hazy across the channel. Lizette was still in the box. Our talk turned to survival. "We've got the potions," Keshah said, "but she'd have to try and give it to me, because you'd be unconscious." None of us had bargains with archangels or greater powers that might whisk their bodies away upon death, which meant one less thing to be worried about. The guild's insurance, roughly four hundred thousand, might cover retrieval costs, but beyond that we were on our own.
+We returned to the crystal ball that had been our eye upon the target. The last images showed a bowl-shaped valley ringed by sharp mountain walls on three sides, a road and gatehouse perched where the pathway vanished into thick mist. From outside it looked like ordinary fog puddling against the mountainside and boiling lazily over the wall's edge. Keshah, who had last traveled here twenty years earlier during a drought early in his career, found the outlines faintly familiar.
+Dressed still my flowing drow robes, I considered changing into my assassin suit for better stealth; as talking our way past the inhabitants seemed unlikely. Before risking the eye inside the mist we weighed a pre-cognition ritual. "It's an hour ritual," Keshah cautioned. "Are we in a hurry?" I asked. "Not yet" was the answer. While the spell was prepared in a hidden crevice safe from overhead eyes, the crystal continued its survey.
+It showed a small port village on the coast with a handful of ships at anchor and a long stair climbing a couple of miles from the gatehouse above. Symbols of spiders and drow—not elves—adorned the buildings; a path led upward into the mountains. "I'm not the biggest fan of spiders," I muttered. Since we were using a multi-jump Crystal of Vision, I possessed, I jumped the view to the gatehouse itself. The gates stood closed. Darkness waited inside, and though mist churned and boiled across the top of the wall, none spilled through the entrance. "That would tend to indicate that there's some protections at the gates," I observed, "otherwise the fog should be pouring out." I, with a truth rune upon me, let her aerial affinity brush across the scene, seeking to understand what held the vapour at bay.
+==== Chapter 66: Illusion, Stone, and Shadowed Waters ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_02_Night_10_Illusion_Stone_and_Shadowed_Waters.png|200px|thumb|left|Emerging from the mist into the drow-guarded pool chamber]]
+''Emerging from the mist into the drow-guarded pool chamber''
+I was now in my black stealth armour and we were all flying. We hung in the thin air high above the mountains, studying the gate in the distance. "By your reckoning of having rank twenty aerial ability and your perception check, you would say that atmosphere's not normal," Keshah observed. I nodded. "Mind you, that could be some sort of magic in the gate that's preventing it from going through. It's probably not being blown by the wind or anything like that."
+Closer inspection revealed the truth. The drifting fog was no natural vapor but an illusionary terrain, and through it they could now make out carved blood runes encircling the gate. These formed a ward, something very like a harming smite, steeped in dark celestial or necromantic power. The group wasted no time: protective magics were laid down against both colleges, spells that would last the better part of fifteen minutes.
+I caused the Crystal of Vision to send a magical eye drifting closer to peer through the illusion. It settled perfectly above the gate, yet almost at once the observer stiffened. "I think we may be compromised," came the quiet warning. My gaze met the others. "We may already be compromised." There was no time to linger. The eye was withdrawn at once and the party pulled back, choosing a longer, safer route.
+Four miles distant they descended the mountainside under cover of windwalk, moving low and swift. I, scouting ahead, suddenly froze as a large Komodo-like dragon creature rose to meet me; its gaze turned me to stone. The others closed quickly, slaying the basilisk before it could do further harm, then restored their companion.
+We recast our windwalking spells and continued, sending me ahead once more so the rest could follow my form through the darkness. I was starting to wonder if I should be displaying running lights to the left and right so they could deduce my orientation and direction of travel. We swept around the flank of the mountain, well away from the original gate, and crested a strange mist. Below them lay a broad pool seventy feet across, its surface dark and still. A staircase climbed from its far side into another gatehouse, while half a dozen cave entrances yawned along the perimeter, linked by a stone walkway.
+On the path stood three drow: one clearly a marshal, the other two casters of some kind. The priests spotted the intruders and rushed to engage. One hurled a bolt of boiling black fire; the spell washed over the party but was shaken off, thanks to the protective powder they had rubbed into their skin. Steel met dark armor. The fight was swift and decisive. All three drow lay dead within moments.
+Breathing hard, the companions turned to the pool itself. They applied the last of the powder along their flanks, added a measure of cinnamon, and lifted Lizette between them. Then they stepped out, walking across the water at remarkable speed. Their saving throw held; whatever power lurked in those depths could not claim them. As the far side rose to meet them, one adventurer gave a rueful laugh. "That was worth going cross country, wasn't it?"
+==== Chapter 67: Wings Through the Wards ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_03_Night_10_Wings_Through_the_Wards.png|200px|thumb|left|Descending through the wards toward the pool]]
+''Descending through the wards toward the pool''
+The previous trip had been the result of the Limited Precog. Now we were ready to do the whole thing for real. I changed into my formfitting black stealth armour, got Lizette out of the box, then coated ourselves liberally in the magical cinnamon powder. The sun had slipped beneath the horizon, leaving the sky bruised purple and the air heavy with the bite of volcanic sulfur. For the second time we agreed we would wind-walk the final stretch; the spell's short duration made it too risky to rely on while soaring high above jagged slopes. One misstep and the magic would fail, dropping us hard onto the rock. Personally I would find that a very embarrassing death.
+We spoke of the ward we had shaken off during their earlier 'trial' flight, a brief flare of power that had demanded no resistance and left no obvious mark. Through the scrying crystal something had tried to speak, though whether the island's masters now knew of our approach remained uncertain. True-form rituals were discussed and discarded; the mountain wildlife was known to be vicious, and we had no wish to walk its slopes. Flying or wind-walking would carry them from the mainland, across the water, onto the north shore, and up into the high ridges until they were four miles from the pool, on the far side of the final crest. We wanted this to be quick - in and out as fast as possible, which was why we were saving the higher powered Wind-Walks for the exit.
+Night had fully claimed the sky when we took to the air. The heat rolling off distant lava flows could still be felt even miles away. An hour and a half into the crossing, sharp eyes picked out movement: a flying carpet towed through the air by a team of small winged humanoids, perhaps three hundred feet above them and a mile distant. The strangers were heading east, circling in a manner that suggested they might have noticed the party. Without discussion we dropped lower, altered course, and left the patrol behind.
+We finally set down three-quarters of the way up a steep mountainside. Above us a sharp ridge blocked the way; beyond it lay the pool, four miles distant. While the night deepened we drank potions and layered what short-term blessings we carried. One among us used the last dose of a potent poison, accepting the risk. Another received a spiked rune, warned not to strike allies with it. Fatigue was shaken off, and the group took to the air once more, following Keshah's blue light.
+We rose over the first crest, slipped down into a valley where fog pooled like milk along the floor, then climbed again past a second ridge and around a towering stone pinnacle. Three minutes after clearing the final rise the pool came into view. As we descended through the fog, magic crackled around us. A brief flare of power brushed across our bodies, then a second surge as celestial magic was consumed by the gold nuggets, shedding the ward like water from oiled cloth.
+We touched down on the near shore, the mountain at our backs, the pool stretching away to its far wall. All three of us could see clearly across the water. Then the voices came—growling syllables in a tongue Lizette did not know. To me, it was the drow language and it carried the unmistakable tang of dark fae magic.
+==== Chapter 68: Clash at the Shadow Pool ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_04_Night_10_Clash_at_the_Shadow_Pool.png|200px|thumb|left|Guardians rise from the shadow pool]]
+''Guardians rise from the shadow pool''
+This was it. We were here. Now we had to battle the guardians, drink the water and get out. We touched down with flawless balance on the narrow ledge of stone that bordered the pool. No more than six feet across, the shelf felt precarious, ancient steps rising behind them toward the mouths of shadowed caves. Forty or fifty feet away across the dark water, the guardians had already marked their arrival. One finished casting a spell that settled over the intruders like a chill veil. Another flung darts skyward; the missiles hung suspended, drifting with ominous purpose. A third reached into the pool and drew forth a weapon forged of pure darkness.
+The air turned crisp, charged with static. A faint metallic taste of ozone touched every tongue. "I'm getting a little cold," I murmured, feeling it despite my Resist Cold spell. Something watched them from every direction at once.
+"Zap 'em, blast 'em, get 'em," Keshah urged. I considered my options. "I was thinking of a knockout gas. That works. Still won't get all three of them."
+The warrior who had drawn the dark blade did not hesitate. He sprinted straight across the pool's surface, leaving not a single ripple in his wake. Keshah reversed course to meet him along the edge while I held my position wondering if I should flutter up ten feet or so.. The enemy lunged, blade whistling, yet his strikes glanced away as though turned by an unseen hand. Surprise flickered across his face. He circled, trying to find an angle past the protection Lizette had laid upon her shield, only to realize too late that Keshah had flanked him.
+Keshah surged forward in a charge that carried him past the pool's brink. His blow struck home with lethal force. The guardian crumpled, his dark weapon clattering away. Meanwhile a cloud of knockout vapour rolled across the chamber, and the remaining foes dropped unconscious.
+With the immediate threat broken, the party turned to the next step of their plan. I produced a straw out of my pocket and sucked up as much of the vile black liquid as I could. drinking as instructed. Lizette stood watch, then drank in turn. Yet in that same moment darts whistled from the far side of the pool. Three of them found Lizette, two punching through her armor. She stiffened, then slumped unconscious to the stone.
+The others moved quickly, feeding her more of the pool's water in hopes it would counteract the venom. "You do realize this is a breach of the guild contract," one reminded the group. "I know," came my reply. "We had an agreement about it. Nonetheless... I know I'm feeling really bad about this." The voice hardened. "but not anymore. I'm trying to be cold and calculating now."
+Keshah broke a glass vial and drank its contents under the cover of night, seeking the death aspect that only darkness could grant him. As the liquid settled in our bellies, our sight changed. From a black hole at the pool's center, small humanoid figures began to boil upward—yellow, snarling things that looked strangely familiar. Behind them rose three spectral creatures, scanning the cavern with deliberate intelligence as though memorizing every corner before the real violence began.
-= Summary =
+==== Chapter 69: Ethereal Flight to the Cracked Lands ====
-'''Adventure''': Wall walkers of Adjepbar<br>
-'''GM''': [[Jono Bean|Jono]]<br>
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_05_Night_10_Ethereal_Flight_to_the_Cracked_Lands.png|200px|thumb|left|Revival amid the lava flows]]
-'''Season''': ~[[Winter]] 826 WK<br>
-'''Night''': Starting Monday at 7pm on the 15th June 2026 at Jono's.<br>
+''Revival amid the lava flows''
-'''Area''': The Five Sisters<br>
-'''Level''': [[Experience#Quest_Level|Medium]]<br>
+The knockout gas still lingered in the chamber, though the breathing mixture had long since dissipated. Luckily We had seized the initiative. Keshah lifted the deceased Lizette into his arms, closing his eyes while I triggered the silver dust, a blast meant to distract the dandy creature. The explosion rang out behind them as we,  consumed our more powerful  potions and vanished into the winds, racing low and stealthily back the way they had come.
-'''Info''': [[Information from players for Jono]]<br>
-'''House Rules''': [[Jono Quickness and Slowness]]<br>
+Soaring at tremendous speed through the darkness while hugging the ground was, in my opinion, rather terrifying. I was in front so I used my fae powers to emit a faint glow so the others could follow. Navigation proved tricky at a hundred and fifty miles an hour, yet we pressed northward over the pinnacle in a counter-rotational path until the coast appeared below. It soon became clear we were not over solid ground. An eerie underglow rose from a canopy of tall aquatic plants beneath the waves, bathing the night sea in ghostly light. "I don't think we're on land," one observed. Calculations placed their destination some one hundred and eighty miles across the open water.
-<br>
-This is for a small group of players for a short adventure to work for the interests of a wealthy trading family in Adjepbar. They want to find out who, is stealing from the vaults, among other things.<br>
+The air was cold and crisp, but Keshah's and my aerial affinity let us shrug off the chill. Once back to Wings We chose to fly straight across rather than land and spend an hour on a rune portal; as our flight held unlimited duration. I slowed, drifting to the right and slightly below Keshah so we could speak more easily while the storm gathered strength on the horizon. By the time the rune portal site came into view we were flying through the teeth of it, yet we descended and landed completely undisturbed on the cracked earth, back at our starting point.
-<br>
-This is a short game as its really a play testing of some new software for DQ. NPC-forge.com - DQ Character app, DQ GM Mentor, NPC Forge, Scribe Notes Keeper, and Item Forge leading to supporting a new VTT.<br>
+Aurora immediately prepared the resurrection potion and fed it to Lizette. The resurrection took hold. Lizette's eyes fluttered open to see me doubled over in distress. "Are you alright? What's happening?" Lizette asked. "We're going to wait a minute and a half until the death aspects run off," I answered, voice tight. "I'm not used to this Aspect. I think I'm gonna throw up."
-<br>
-=== Party ===
+Once the dark energies subsided, I set to work. I fed Lizette a strength of stone potion, restoring her endurance, before Keshah and I layered on the standard protections—vapour breathing, resist cold, rune armor, runes of protection, and a heart rune. "Wonderful, thank you," Lizette said, color returning to her face. We now stood in the midst of a dead, crackling land where lava poured off a hillside into crystals of boiling water, sending up hissing steam along the coast.
-<br>
-[[User:Keith|Keith]]<br>
+==== Chapter 70: Death Aspect and Mango Groves ====
-Surfboard<br>
-Dylan<br>
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_06_Night_10_Death_Aspect_and_Mango_Groves.png|200px|thumb|left|Gathering windfall mangoes on the mainland hillside]]
-<br>
+''Gathering windfall mangoes on the mainland hillside''
+As the patient left the room, conversation turned to me. I now bore a strange mark beside one eye, unfamiliar to my companions. "Is this related?" I asked. Lizette's examination brought relief on one count at least: she was not pregnant. Her abilities and attributes appeared intact, though the parasite had come perilously close to claiming far more.
+"Let this be a lesson," came the warning. "Do not heal the cultists next time. This is what caused all this." The healer among them absorbed the words with a sigh. "I guess I'm not going to be trying to resurrect people anymore." The reply was pragmatic: they would simply need to wait a minute or two between such efforts. The mark and the new aspect were noted, along with the reminder to have empathy for themselves.
+With immediate concerns addressed, talk shifted to unfinished business. Coins meant for detonation had been forgotten amid the chaos; one adventurer had even placed them in their mouth before being reminded. Keshah, still tasting the bitter remnants of a potion taken to prevent immediate triggering, began preparing the next rune portal despite being drained of fatigue. "I just want to get the awful taste of this water out of my mouth," he muttered, channeling through staff and spell.
+'''Day 11'''<br />
+The portal delivered us to a well-lit hillside on the mainland, hot and humid in the morning sun. The air carried the rich scent of ripe mangoes and dates; in the distance goats bleated across white-pebbled beaches. We had come from the small island off the south of Delph, flown to the southernmost point of Delph itself, and now stood secure in the knowledge that their pursuers could no longer track them. Mango trees swayed overhead, hundreds of fruits visible on the ground and in the branches. I gathered several fresh windfalls. "I'm sure they won't object," I said. "Although whoever is feeding those goats down there might mind if I took them from the trees, but these are fair game." Besides, I wanted the mango juice to also get thew vile taste of the water out of my mouth.
+The heat was already raising a light sweat. After a brief pause, Keshah fired up another portal, carrying the group five hundred miles farther into tropical jungle. We emerged on a distinctive hill known as a tepui, its strange shape offering rocky crags and a defensible position. A permanent portal was established, camp was pitched, and watches were set for the night. The view from their vantage was spectacular.
+As they settled in, conversation drifted to past perils and future tasks. I recounted a incident on the way down, being attacked by gargoyles that hurled long-range lightning bolts like a thunderclap. "That was when I did the sensible thing and woke Keshah up," I said. Lizette asked about a personal quest given to me by Magnificence: to get rid of the dwarves. "Now that Marian's all sorted out, they should be gone by now." was my reply The timeline was clarified; Matt had returned them to Seagate, after which they had flown five hundred miles a day southward. It had taken roughly three days. The dwarves, it seemed, had not yet been gone long enough.
+==== Chapter 71: The Web-Woven Falls and the Wasteland Procession ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_07_Night_10_The_Web-Woven_Falls_and_the_Wasteland_Procession.png|200px|thumb|left|From the web-woven sanctuary to the war-torn shores of Azuria]]
+''From the web-woven sanctuary to the war-torn shores of Azuria''
+The conversation drifted from an appointment with a sculptor to the vexing matter of the moon. "It's going to take us until the next new moon?" I asked, only to realize my grasp of the lunar phases had reversed themselves. "There was moonlight. I kept thinking it was new moon. I meant full" Another recalled the fourteenth, the midnight ritual in the desert with the blue dust, and the special extension that had carried them forward in time. Still, according to my count, it was only the tenth.
+We stood in a rocky, isolated pocket of jungle we had selected on our journey, a place easily reached by wing. A waterfall spilled behind them into a central pool before flowing outward, yet its source proved far from ordinary. Enormous webs stretched across the heights, trapping moisture from the constant tropical rains and condensing it into streaming droplets that gathered into the cascade itself. "I'm not going to interfere with those," I declared, eyeing the structures with respect. "Don't be rude. Huge webs imply huge spiders."
+The craftsmanship drew open admiration. "Is that fairy art?" "It is," came the answer. "Trapping the air into the dew, causing water bullets that turn into this waterfall coming down from the top of the pyramid." We agreed to leave the delicate working untouched.
+With our strength restored, talk turned to practical matters. One asked whether anyone intended to cook. Mangoes were produced; jokes followed about grilling the fruit or fashioning ice cream from it. Goats bleated in the distance, but none wandered near our camp. Overhead, the cries of truly massive birds drifted on the wind. I and another spotted them first: creatures with twelve-foot wingspans, resembling condors crossed with pterodactyls, circling as hunters rather than mere carrion feeders. The surrounding plants seemed normal for the jungle north of the crater.
+Keshah consumed a restorative to ease the loss of his fatigue and began the next renewal. The magic shifted them instantly. Bright midday sun beat down on a desiccated wasteland littered with the hulks of broken war machines, great rock-throwers battered by some recent conflict. In the distance two ships burned upon the sea: an Azurian galley smashing its way through a cog in what looked like pirate violence. A column of roughly one hundred and forty people in strange outfits trudged back toward the city, shadowed at a safe distance by centaurs with bows ready.
+"It looks as if some sort of Azurian galley is smashing the ship out of some kind of cog," one observed, peering closer with the aid of the crystal of vision. Pity stirred for the dying, yet not strongly enough to warrant intervention. Discussion turned to practical needs: a visit to the temple at Syrene's camp to secure clearance and perhaps a letter of introduction. Another restorative was taken, wings were summoned, and we rose into the hot sky. They would skirt the city and make for Syrene's place, leaving the burning ships and watchful centaurs behind them.
+==== Chapter 72: Greetings, Lady Dawn ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_08_Night_10_Greetings_Lady_Dawn.png|200px|thumb|left|Lady Dawn and Lizette receive formal greetings upon their return]]
+''Lady Dawn and Lizette receive formal greetings upon their return''
+Beyond the settled farmlands the air carried the sharp scent of dry rock and sparse coastal trees. The companions walked with a shared hunger, all of them craving fresh meat after the spell that had sharpened their senses for the hunt.
+"I'm not wearing drow robes this time," I said, smoothing the folds of a more sensible gown. "This is closer to my royal court attire, though perhaps still too fine for the middle of nowhere. Maybe I should commission something a little less ball-gowny but court suitable."
+Our path led us to a high elven office where a dignified official waited. "Greetings, Lady Dawn," he called in a clear, formal voice. "You have returned and I am very pleased. I see the mark of success about you—literally, I presume."
+"Greetings to you too, my lord," I answered.
+He turned to Lizette with an elvish phrase of welcome. I translated smoothly. The official continued, "The Elven ambassador in Carzala has sent word that you are to report in when you return. Would you like to come this way?" He offered us a comfortable room; we accepted, knowing it would be rude to refuse.
+Inside, conversation turned to whispers that had already reached the elves. "I have heard rumors that somebody has started—that you have drunk the liquids of purity and come upon women, and now have put yourself at their wish," the official said carefully. "Drunk the liquid of purity?"
+"Not as far as I'm aware," Lizette replied. "It's quite recent. We're not quite sure of the effects yet." Meanwhile I said nothing, not wanting to let anything slip about what I had done.
+The official nodded then turned to me. "I have also heard that you are turning over a new leaf, putting an end to the rumors that you were only interested in women to protect yourself in court. Those courtiers can be pushy."
+"If you point them out to me, I'll challenge them at once," Lizette offered. "A good stabbing solves that most of the time."
+"I'm sure we can find more diplomatic ways," I replied with a small smile. "Besides, when all else fails, that doesn't stop me doing any stabbing necessary." To illustrate, I called a bone dagger smoothly from inside my left leg, displayed it, and returned it. "I'm well equipped, just in case."
+Talk moved to the witches with the crown—the red ones. "I swore an oath to aid them in return for the boons that we used in order to complete our mission." I admitted.
+Soon another elf guard arrived. "Greetings, Lizette. Have you managed to cure yourself?"
+"Yes, of course. I already have."
+"Syrene has asked me to take care of you," the guard told her.
+The discussion drifted to the nature of divination. The diviner, Syrene had organised for us explained that while a diviner usually must remain relatively still and focused, magic could still be cast so long as it was not flashy enough to break concentration. We were intrigued by the methods he described, fire stones or hot oil.
+"Your method of elimination is slightly different to mine," Lizette noted. "Do you do firewalking where you come from? I've heard of that."
+"Yes, of course, for divination," the diviner answered. "I am from the plane of fire myself."
+That explained much. The traditional approach, that Lizette, as well as other Guild diviners employed, involved sitting, channeling magic, and staring fixedly at the subject for an hour—or three for greater divinations.
+"Oh my goodness," I laughed. "Which is why I usually bring something to read while I'm being divinated."
+The divinator's eyes eyes sparkled. "Are you a good dancer?  I can accompany you. I will show you the walk. Wonderful. We will do it tonight. It takes several hours for the stones to be heated."
+"Thank you, my friend. I think we do," Lizette said, already anticipating the ritual. I was meanwhile feeling a little apprehensive.
+==== Chapter 73: Revelations Upon the Coals ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_09_Night_10_Revelations_Upon_the_Coals.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Lizette's path across the coals]]
+''Lizette's path across the coals''
+The conversation lingered on the limits of ordinary divination and what the ancient casting had truly revealed about the changes each of us had undergone. Our guide, a fire mage, offered to show us their version of the Fire College's method of divination. He led us to a large bonfire where three women in red robes were directing the burning of sacks filled with heavy rocks.
+"This is the fire college version of divination?" I said in surprise. Back at the Guild, fire mages used the usual method of sitting down and analysing the target's aura. The mage confirmed it and began to explain. The ritual required crossing a broad expanse of burning coals the size of a tennis court. Walkers were blindfolded and chose their route by feel alone; the path itself would disclose hidden truths. To protect them from the heat he proposed covering their bodies in a special oil that would render them completely proof against fire. Though the prospect of disrobing clearly mortified some, the mage was persuaded to allow modest attire. I decided I could manage in my bikini, just for a lark. The mage assured us that, if all was done correctly, we would feel no pain. Although, even having that thought made me wonder if I had indeed got rid of my 'air-headedness' and 'silliness' as I had been thinking of. Sometimes I can be as playful as a hobbit - and sometimes have the appetite of one.
+Lizette went first. She had put on fire protection magic over her clothes and, once, blindfolded, she began the careful traversal. About halfway across she suddenly veered to the right. Flames erupted around her in distinct colored tints that the observers found significant. She continued until she stood atop a large mound of coals, heat rippling upward in waves. When she finally stepped free, the fire mage studied her and spoke.
+"It is clear to me that what has transpired is of your evil intent." The words caused a stir, but the mage quickly clarified. The reading referred to an evil that had been implanted within her, an influence that would have possessed her and dragged her down a path of blood magic and dark arts. Everyone was relieved to hear that the corruption had already been removed and no longer threatened her.
+He added that her aspect had aligned with Keshah's. To strengthen her clarity and prevent her aura from drifting, he advised her to eat fresh cooked meat once a day for the next month. We spoke at length about the warning, agreeing that blood magic held no appeal and that we had no desire to walk such a road. Keshah remarked that he himself had been accused of black magic simply for using healing skills; the mage observed that ignorant voices were common, especially among shorter-lived humans.
+We also discussed whether to try the water mages' method instead, especially me, but curiosity and confidence in the fire ritual prevailed. The mage then turned to Keshah, noting that he was an elf and would likely be the one called upon to defend the group if creatures of the dark arts appeared. Such attacks were uncommon during ordinary divinations, but this reading seemed different.
+As the ritual resumed and the fire mage oriented Keshah toward his magic aspect, a small dwarvish stone creature with burning red eyes pulled itself out of the ground. Keshah moved at once, stripping away a clinging vine pod and killing the elemental with two solid blows. The fire mage watched with open approval. "That is the fastest anyone's done it in quite a few years. It's a good sword." The swift resolution left the diviner visibly impressed, and the coals continued to glow as the revelations settled over the group. Now I was wondering if I was going to have to fight something when it was my turn, and what weapon I should be doing it with.
+==== Chapter 74: Trials of Flame and Specter ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_10_Night_10_Trials_of_Flame_and_Specter.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Aurora, anointed in burning oil, confronts the spectral flames]]
+''Aurora, anointed in burning oil, confronts the spectral flames''
+Spectators packed the edges of the burning arena, a major event that had taken half the afternoon to prepare. The ground was strewn with glowing coals broken by patches of dirt and winding paths of rocky terrain. A fruit-like creature suddenly spooled up from the earth and struck the blindfolded warrior with a crackling charge. Though he resisted its full force, the attack still burned him painfully.
+"I will put healing on you. Don't resist me," his guide instructed, "but you're welcome to take the blindfold off and kill it." The warrior chose the latter. He slipped the cloth from his eyes, drew his sword, and advanced across the scorching field to within forty feet of the beast. With a powerful swing he felled it; the creature retaliated with a fiery backhand before collapsing into a smoldering heap.
+"Well done," the guide said. "That was a big one. I haven't seen one that strong in quite some time. These grounds are obviously high in mana." He replaced the blindfold and led the warrior onward.
+The next creature to emerge was a fire elemental that boiled up from a patch of coals. The gathered crowd fell into a hushed, astonished silence. The warrior dispatched this foe as well, cleaving it so that it vanished in a burst of flame. Afterward, conversation turned to recent divinations. Powerful enemies had been seeking them through the elemental realms, sending hunter elementals in pursuit, but those threats had now been defeated.
+It was my turn. Syrene laid a strengthening spell upon me. A large bucket of red, glowing oil was brought forward; its secondary property was protection from draining. My companions studied it briefly, then helped rub the hot, thick substance over every inch of my body. The oil flowed like ordinary liquid yet burned fiercely to the touch, its heat already radiating through her skin. I had already stripped down to my bikini, drawing a burst of applause from the spectators as the glistening coating transformed me into a living ember reflecting the coals' fierce light.
+"Do you have a weapon of more substance than that toothpick you pulled out before?" the guide asked. I selected the Blackheart Blade, a substantial hand-and-a-half sword of true silver imbued with spectral power. I then admitted I was only newly familiar with it but resolved to strike as hard as I could. I was actually hoping to get tips on how to use it from Keshah later.
+As I started traversing the coals, a black, burning, oily creature more pre-mantis than humanoid erupted from the ground in a surge of foam and flame. I removed my blindfold, engaged it swiftly, and cut it down. It toppled backward and disappeared in a burst of fire. "It's getting harder now," the guide warned as he replaced the blindfold.
+He was right. The next summons brought two spectral creatures of flame, one appearing to my left and one to my right, their forms dancing like living torches. I pushed the blindfold aside once more and landed a solid blow on the first, staggering it so that it spun in place and shook its head. The second lunged forward, stabbing out with multiple spear-like protrusions from its fingers. The strike pierced my shoulder, sending waves of fatigue and pain through my body. I should have gone for the water method. It had to be safer.
+==== Chapter 75: The Burning Scimitar Assault ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1787570495994_11_Night_10_The_Burning_Scimitar_Assault.png|200px|thumb|left|Aueora stands against the burning four-armed guardian]]
+''Aurora stands against the burning four-armed guardian''
+The fight  pressed on without mercy. One creature teetered on its last legs before being pulled down and destroyed. A second soon joined it in death, leaving two enemies defeated. I required assistance, yet Keshah was warned it was unlikely any help could be offered without causing me further harm. It was obvious though that I was not used to this sword.
+I drank deep from a healing potion that was tossed to me, steeling myself for what came next. "What is it?" I asked. The answer chilled the air: a large burning fruit-like being armed with four burning scimitars, one in each hand. "Oh for goodness sakes" - or words to that effect. It was obvious I was getting the tough ones.
+The monstrous entity attacked without hesitation. Its blades slashed and stabbed, the third and fourth strikes slicing in hard. I hit back with everything I possessed, triggering my Willow Healing at the pulse of combat. I then smacked the creature solidly, yet it stood unmoved and stared at me before countering. It was unimpressed. The being then began to spin up all its weapons in a whirling frenzy before unleashing a torrent of blows. The first screamed toward my head. The second and third smashed home with brutal force. A fourth followed, cracking and burning through the air.
+My protections managed to hold, the shielding braces and other protections doing their silent work. At the end of each frenzied exchange I recovered a measure of strength, though the damage was mounting. "It's looking bad out there, Keshah," Lizette observed. "Nah, she's got it," came the steady reply, even as fatigue threatened to overwhelm me.
+The creature wound up again, clearly aiming for an ending combination. Its four scimitars rained down in a storm. Some blows missed as it danced around me, abandoning ambush tactics to simply hammer away. Others landed heavily, stabbing at my leg and smashing into my frame. I felt the impacts jar through every bone. The being was on its last legs, yet so was I, slowly being worn down. It simply refused to fall quickly enough.
+However, I endured, drawing on reserves I had not yet fully tested. The fiery guardian gave no quarter, its burning form casting hellish light across the ancient stones as the desperate battle continued. I ducked all it's attacks then hit it again. It collapsed to the ground and burst into flame before disappearing. Two more healing potions were thrown at me and I gratefully drunk them down. That was a tough fight.
+"That is the third fight." the diviner said. "Do you wish to go for the, for the, fourth one? " I decided not to continue. Quit while I'm still going. But I think I'm going to practice with this weapon more.
+After getting cleaned up and dressed, we were given the results. We were told that our aura's were still in a state of flux and, if we wanted them to settle down, we'd have to eat meat for a month. I was okay with that. Besides, I was getting used to having bacon in the morning and fighting off the bacon thieving cat.
+'''Day 12'''<br />
+Next morning, Keshah was woken up to see the sunrise over the blue dunes. I was intending to go too but I just felt tired and weary all over. Same with Lizette. I guess the last few days were catching up with us. So I just rolled over and went back to sleep. I think I slept most of the day, I was that exhausted.
+=== Night 11 ===
+==== Chapter 1: A Courtly Return and Ominous Omens ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_01_Night_11_A_Courtly_Return_and_Ominous_Omens.png|200px|thumb|left|Amidst the grandeur of Siren's court, Aurora, Lizette, and Keshah prepare for their duties, bearing the weight of recent battles and unexpected magical shifts.]]
+''Amidst the grandeur of Siren's court, Aurora, Lizette, and Keshah prepare for their duties, bearing the weight of recent battles and unexpected magical shifts.''
+The lingering scent of smoke and the chill of the evening air did little to ease Aurora's weariness. Her mind, though exhausted, replayed recent events and curious communiques. *We may owe the 200,* she mused, recalling a peculiar message. An inquiry had been made about her prior communication with cats, a skill she was known to possess. 'Yes, very good,' came a reply in her memory, accompanied by the image of one of the felines taking something from a nearby shelf. The cats, it had been agreed, were truly remarkable, though her full capabilities with them remained untested. Not at present, at least. She recalled uttering a mouthful of words with extreme care: 'Your service will be remembered.' Thanks were returned, followed by questions about the timing of her last talk with the cat. It hadn't been long ago, just before certain preparations were made. Further introductions, she remembered, concerned a syndicated captain.
+Then, another question, one that echoed from recent conversations: *When would the sisters arrive?* The answer had been a definitive 'no'; their arrival remained some years off. 'How can we assist you?' the sisters had then asked, their voices distant in her memory. The response had outlined a critical need for transport methods from Keshah, with Delft as the apparent destination. The women had glanced at one another, three holding up pieces of parchment. The text on the surface spoke of a great explosive force coming down. Concern had arisen over resistance, with numbers like '72 creams dark' from dark and white surfaces, and the imperative to make the white.
+The afternoon's exhausting combats had finally concluded, giving way to the early evening. Now, the three of them—Keshah, Lizette, and Aurora—found themselves at Siren's court. Keshah had managed to change, and Lizette, too, had cleaned up, though the lingering fatigue was palpable for all. The court was a bustling affair, with perhaps a hundred to a hundred and twenty people gathered. Elves and their guards mingled with human rangers, while dwarves in chain and others sporting odd caps moved through the crowd. Matt Tumbledown was present, as was Siren herself, speaking with a group of hobbits. These hobbits, Aurora knew, were the King's Rapiers, dressed in leather armor and wielding tricorne capes and rapiers. Beyond them were the familiar Red Crowns and a smaller contingent of Gold Crowns, along with elvish rangers and a multitude of human and elvish staff.
+Since leaving the area of the fire-walking ritual, Aurora had noticed an oddly discordant, out-of-place feature: an amazingly square-cut well, perhaps a hundred or a hundred and twenty-five feet on a side. 'A well?' she asked, surprised at its sheer scale. 'Yes,' came the confirmation. 'A hundred and twenty-five feet on a side?' she repeated, the size striking her. 'Correct,' was the firm reply. It stepped down into the ground, full of liquid about twenty-five feet down. Aurora conjectured, 'That's probably where the water divination takes place.' She pondered aloud, 'Do they make the circle where they go, or does it somehow move with us?' The GM simply stated, 'You ask them. I have no idea.' Off to the side, a few people attended to what appeared to be wild horses, serving as steeds and mounts.
+'How big is Siren's court?' Aurora wondered, considering the number of people and various activities. 'It must be huge.' She was told that the banqueting area alone comprised four large pavilions. People were cooking food further down the hill, nestled amongst the tree line.
+'Well, the first thing,' Aurora declared, 'after the fire readings by divinations or whatever you want to call them, I'm going to get myself more presentable.' Lizette asked, 'In what way?' 'I'm going to put on something a little bit more formal,' Aurora replied. 'Which of your outfits are you putting on?' the GM inquired. 'I'm going for my royal outfits, the ones I would wear to court,' she specified. 'In the western kingdom?' Lizette clarified. 'Yes.' Aurora continued, 'I'll also clean myself up and collect up all the crown amulets that we got, all three of them, and return them to the crown.' There was a brief moment of confusion. 'At least the talks,' the GM started, but Aurora corrected, 'What? No, I think the talk was something else. In fact, I'm pretty sure the talk was something else; I just can't remember what it was. So it was sort of a neck burster or something.' The GM, amused, asked, 'Did you just say a neck burster?' Aurora explained, 'Yes. Because apparently there was a talk and then it—I think you described it as coming out of your neck and covering you with armor.' Lizette interjected, 'My armor. You're confusing two different talks.' 'Oh,' Aurora realized, and the GM confirmed, 'Correct.' Lizette added, 'That's what I thought had happened when you said neck burster.' Aurora confirmed, 'Yeah. No, I thought the crown amulets were just amulets.' 'They are indeed just amulets,' Lizette affirmed. 'Yeah, I'll collect them up and return them as requested,' Aurora concluded. Lizette then asked, 'Is this the one that Keshah is wearing internally?' Aurora was resolute, 'Well, if it was, we're going to get it out of them, which shouldn't be too hard, and I'll just heal them up. But they wanted them back, so I'm making sure they get back.'
+'It's been a couple of days since you've been resurrected,' Lizette noted, trying to gauge the time. 'Wait, I'm a little confused over times,' she continued. 'So it was—it's probably been twenty-four hours, something like that.' The GM clarified that given the need to rest and regain fatigue between portals, it had been a longer period. 'Although Keshah did use gut busters when using you,' the GM added, addressing Lizette and Aurora, 'you two have, let me see, you've just traveled hundreds of miles on zero fatigue. Your muscles are aching; you're sore and exhausted.' They had then turned up at Siren's court and promptly undertaken dangerous fire-walking divinations upon their exhausted return from the south. The time was now around seven in the evening. 'I thought we were doing the divinations in the evening, so it was sort of getting dark,' Aurora said, and the GM confirmed, 'It is.' Lizette suggested, 'Okay, so we should eat, I think.'
+Aurora felt an overwhelming desire for comfort. 'I so I lay down and I—yeah, Aurora just wants to, you know, I think you're feeling so weary you just want to stretch out and lie on something soft and yielding, like a—I don't know—a bath.' She sighed. 'And then I suppose I have to find out about my obligations.' Lizette chimed in, 'I think I promised someone a dance. I'm sure they'll find me.' Aurora remembered her own promises. 'I know I promised somebody a few things, which I have had, which I have—That's right, my poor sculptor. We passed the full moon.' Lizette agreed, 'Yep, we'll go talk to him, but we should talk with the Red Crowns.' 'Yes, yes, yes,' Aurora affirmed, her mind still sorting through her responsibilities. Lizette then confirmed, 'Okay, so you've got these three amulets in your hand.' 'I'll hand them back,' Aurora stated, preparing to fulfill her duty.
+Suddenly, a thought struck Aurora, her eyes widening. 'Oh, I just suddenly realized something. My aspect has been changed to dark—I mean, death. It originally was solar dark. I was actually tempted to go to a place during a solar, that's midday on a solar eclipse, and see what happens.'
+==== Chapter 2: The Red Crowns' Invitation ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_02_Night_11_The_Red_Crowns_Invitation.png|200px|thumb|left|Aurora, Lizette, and Keshah engage in a tense, formal conversation with the Red Crowns, whose powerful aura and enchanted regalia hint at the depth of Aurora's new obligations.]]
+''Aurora, Lizette, and Keshah engage in a tense, formal conversation with the Red Crowns, whose powerful aura and enchanted regalia hint at the depth of Aurora's new obligations.''
+“It’s just death,” Lizette declared, her voice heavy with the memory of the death pool. “It’s a death pool, and while we’re with the Red Crowns, I can’t do that anymore.” Aurora nodded in agreement. “With the Red Crowns, I would like to talk to them if I may.”
+The assembled Red Crowns turned their gaze to Aurora. She began, choosing her words carefully. “Since part of what Aurora has accrued, or is due to me, I was wondering if…” Lizette interjected with a pointed, “Okay, security… yeah. I didn’t really want you to know about that, Lizette.”
+Lizette paused. “Oh, well, if you…” Aurora tried to clarify, “I mean, it’s… it’s…” but Lizette cut in, “I think I’m fine with it. I shall leave it up to you to decide this.” Aurora, flustered, responded, “Well, it’s just a… it’s something that I felt there was the right thing to do. Yeah, yeah, I mean, I don’t know what you were thinking, what you were going to say.” She finally conceded, “Oh, I’ll talk with you about it later then.”
+The Red Crown in charge assented, “Yeah, okay, yeah, that’s fine. You can talk to Lizette and Aurora now if you wish. There are plenty of moments in the camp where you are alone.”
+“The Red Crowns were very helpful in our last mission,” Aurora mused, then abruptly added, “If you join them…” Keshah blinked at the suddenness of Aurora’s suggestion. “Were they interested in you?” Lizette pressed, clearly curious.
+Aurora deflected, “I’m not quite sure what you are talking about. I think you were a little bit—weren’t you more concerned about getting that creature out of you, which I presume it is now?” Lizette affirmed, “Yep. Divination and empathy both say so.” Aurora sighed in relief. “But okay, well that’s a good thing, that means we succeeded.” She then turned her attention to Lizette. “What? Didn’t know what the waters did to you.”
+Keshah admitted, “Yeah, I am still trying to figure that bit out too, because I don’t feel any different apart from my aspect changing. I mean, I was thinking of doing an experiment with a solar eclipse at high noon or something to see what would happen with my older aspect, but that… that’s basically…” Lizette cut in with finality, “Your old aspect is gone.” Keshah acknowledged, “Yeah, I know that’s why I’m saying my old aspect, but that is now out the window.” Lizette simply replied, “Yes.” Keshah continued, “The difference with this one here is that it has a degree of definiteness.”
+Aurora elaborated, “Yeah, um, so I’ve given up my old aspect, yes. I don’t know whether I’ve given up anything else, but I have, say, I do… I did make an obligation. Yes. I did make an obligation which I will fulfill because it was the right thing to do and we needed their support.” Lizette chimed in, “Yes, we all needed their support.” Aurora added, “Yes, and I’ve got it, and but there was a price and I was willing to pay it.” Lizette offered, “What I’m saying is maybe we can help you pay the price, which is something we all needed.” Aurora, however, was firm: “That’s something you’d have to discuss with them.”
+Just then, half a dozen women in red dresses approached. “Oh, good morning… uh, good evening,” Aurora stammered, offering a deep courtesy. She looked markedly different, deferential. “No, I’m not drinking code tonight, and there is a reason.” She clarified, “Aurora is definitely deferring, as if she is a subordinate and they are her superiors. Yeah, that’s the way to put it.” Lizette, intrigued by Aurora’s unusual behavior, murmured, “They got me curious.” Keshah, observing the display, decided, “I will pay them respect and resist the urge to put a mind counter on myself.” She greeted them, “Good evening, ladies, what can I do for you?”
+Keshah observed that the women wore red dresses and some bore gold crowns, while others wore no crowns at all. Lizette asked, “And the crowns, is there anything that might be obvious after looking at a few crowns? As in, do they seem to indicate rank or standing, or are they all…?” Lizette noted they all seemed decorative. Aurora clarified, “Red crowns, and they’re clearly enchanted.” Keshah concurred, “But… um… they seem to be decorative. And they have a magical aura to them.” Aurora then posited, “Just, we can, assuming that given that there are not as many gold crowns as there are red crowns, the gold crown wearers are more important. At least, that is the assumption I am making.” The women in red dresses looked at both Aurora and Lizette.
+Lizette, a skilled seamstress of rank eight, inquired further, “Actually, what I am somewhat good at is the clothing. Does the clothing all seem to be made the same ways, same standards? Is it all random? Is it…?” Keshah confirmed, “Yes, you would say that it is all rank eight, well appointed, highly rich, and enchanted outfits.”
+Aurora offered another courtesy. “Can I help you, ladies, or is there anything you want?” A woman from the group responded, “Yes, why don’t you come and sit at our table, both of you.” Aurora agreed, “All right.”
+As they moved, one of the Red Crowns remarked, “It appears Lizette has many questions to ask of you.” Aurora chuckled, “Oh, I’m sure she does. It was… I mean, she’s been half the time in the stasis box and…” The Red Crown cut her off. “Really?” Aurora replied, “That’s how we got her there without… um… cause maybe I should just tell you the story.” The Red Crown waved a dismissive hand. “It’s all right, we know.” Aurora exchanged a glance with Lizette. The Red Crowns then sat, and Aurora and Lizette joined them.
+One of the Red Crowns turned to Lizette. “So, Lizette, what languages do you speak?” Lizette began to answer, but before she could finish, the Red Crowns switched to Elvish, asking directly, “Do you speak Elvish?” Aurora, observing Lizette’s comprehension, concluded, “Well, she responded to it, so I’d say yes.”
+Later, discussing linguistic needs, Keshah advised on practical language choices. “If you are leaning on those languages, then you’re out of luck. Your greater nobility from the Western Kingdom and Brandenburg…” Aurora interrupted, “Okay, so what would you suggest for the three languages? Obviously I need common, but for the other two.” Keshah suggested, “The middling ranked one you should have as common. The…”
+==== Chapter 3: A Companion's Pledge and a Blank Contract ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_03_Night_11_A_Companions_Pledge_and_a_Blank_Contract.png|200px|thumb|left|Lizette signs the blank contract, pledging her service to the Gold Crowsn, despite their skepticism regarding her abilities.]]
+''Lizette signs the blank contract, pledging her service to the Gold Crowsn, despite their skepticism regarding her abilities.''
+Aurora, recalling the names of distant lands, mentioned “probably Western Kingdom, maybe Frochsbart, Wolfsbart, Drachenberg, Flugelheim.” She took a moment, considering, before adding, “I would… Flugelheim.” After a brief exchange where Aurora conceded to taking on some Elvish language learning later, she attempted to speak politely to the Gold Crowsn representatives, though her Elvish was clearly unpracticed. The representatives, sensing her struggle, switched to Common, indicating they had questions for the group. Lizette stepped forward, her intent clear. “I understand that Aurora has some obligations for your help, and your help is needed for all of us. I want to try and take part of the obligations from her and apply them to myself instead.” Aurora raised an eyebrow at Lizette’s declaration, but wisely held her tongue. She considered, “Oh, I am a merchant. That's probably not exactly a merchant thing.” Aloud, she simply said, “That's a very generous offer. It seems only fair.” The Gold Crowsn representative, however, was less impressed. “Your abilities are somewhat lacking though,” they stated bluntly. Lizette acknowledged this, “In some areas. In many areas, but in other areas I'm a bit more accomplished.” “Then what?” the representative pressed. Lizette, perhaps flustered, clarified, “Then the areas I am less accomplished in. Sorry, I'm not trying to play around, just…” The representative cut her off, “You can accompany Aurora as a companion if you wish.” Lizette paused, then appealed again, “I feel I can be useful enough that maybe you consider slightly lessening her obligations.” Aurora raised an eyebrow once more, finding the suggestion unnecessary. Lizette, undeterred, explained, “Yes, I sorry, the timing of things happened a bit rushed, so I haven't discussed it with her. But I feel like if I was to take on some of the obligation and she was released from some of hers, that you would still be gaining a lot.” The Gold Crowsn representative then asked, “What can you offer us?” Lizette listed her talents, “Well, I am a rather accomplished tailor. Obviously I'm a namer, so I'm good at counter magic, anti magic.” She continued, “Aside from that, I have a range of skills. I am a seamstress of some skill. I was admiring your outfits. If you ever needed more of them, I could make them.” The representative responded with a surprised, “Really?” “Yes,” Lizette affirmed, then hesitated. “They wait, are they magical?” “Yes,” the representative replied. “Oh,” Lizette said, slightly deflated. “I do not do the magical side, but I mean I could make the basic outfits.” After a moment, the Gold Crowsn representative stated, “We will discuss your offer.” Then, turning back to Lizette, they declared, “Very well, we will accept.” A blank piece of parchment was slid across the table. “Sign at the bottom of this.” Lizette was visibly taken aback. “Is it normal to sign a blank piece of paper? Normally one sees what they're signing.” The representative was unyielding. “No, we have no interest in sharing up what you're signing with anyone.” “Shouldn't I know what I'm signing?” Lizette pressed. “No. It's not necessary. Your agreement and obedience is all required.” Lizette expressed her apprehension, “That would concern me a lot more if you weren't part of Siren's court, but isn't it…” She was interrupted by Lizette, confused, asking, “Sorry?” The Gold Crowsn corrected her, “We are guests at her court.” “Yes,” Lizette acknowledged. “And what Like I said, if you weren't, if this was some other place, I'd probably be more concerned. Can I at least ask the duration I am signing for?” “It's yet to be determined,” came the curt reply. Lizette’s concern grew. “That's slightly concerning.” The representative seemed amused. “Do not be concerned. We do not think a lot of you. We think you're wholly inadequate and will be briefly staying with us if at all.” Lizette made one last attempt to negotiate. “Can I at least ask that it not be longer than Aurora is obligation?” The representative was firm. “You're either going to sign or you're not. You either feel a set of a duty to her or not. The choice is yours. We're not tricking you. We're not some sort of demons. This isn't a cursed document or anything.” After a pause, Lizette resigned herself. “Okay. I'll sign it. So yes, I sign it.” “Okay,” the representative acknowledged. “I it doesn't need to be in blood, does it? No,” Lizette asked. “Not for you,” the representative replied. “Excellent. I sign it.” The representative added, dismissively, “You're just going to be a companion, an observer effectively if at all.” “Okay,” Lizette responded. The representative continued to list her perceived shortcomings. “You're not an elementalist. You're not an elf. You don't have high enough language skills in Elvish as yet.” Lizette, ever practical, inquired, “Would it help if I improved them?” “Of course. All of our work is done in Elvish,” the representative confirmed. “I shall work on that,” Lizette vowed. She then offered a temporary solution, “In the meantime I could check a little if that would help.” But the representative was uninterested in short-term solutions. “Short-term gains like that may suffice for your personal well-being, but are of no interests to us. The fact of the matter is is your primary language skills are not that of Elvish as yet.” The Gold Crowsn representative concluded, “Once you have reached rank six in Elvish language, we will consider your request.” “My request?” Lizette asked, surprised. “Yes.” “Ah yes. Okay, I shall work on that then. I do appreciate the chance.” The representative then observed, “Your friends are very loyal.” Keshah, surprised, agreed, “Yes, I was not expecting that to be quite honest.” The representative continued, addressing Aurora about Keshah, “As for your male companion, he also is welcome to visit if necessary. But would not be welcome to stay.” Aurora confirmed her understanding, remarking that she should inform Keshah and let the C date guild know of her extended absence to prevent them from searching. She specifically mentioned being away in the Western Kingdoms. Aurora then expressed her desire to visit Siren at some point, acknowledging that it would require patience. As the conversation continued around the table, the Gold Crowsn representatives began speaking in Elvish. Aurora, having only basic proficiency, found most of it going over her head. She asked if it would be acceptable to temporarily speak Elvish through her companion. The representative, ever dismissive, replied, “We're not insulted by your cheating as you put it.” Aurora then prompted Lizette to whisper in her ear, aiding her understanding.
+==== Chapter 4: Courtly Intrigue and Lingering Rumors ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_04_Night_11_Courtly_Intrigue_and_Lingering_Rumors.png|200px|thumb|left|Keshah attempts to navigate flirtatious advances and shifting rumors during a courtly dinner.]]
+''Keshah attempts to navigate flirtatious advances and shifting rumors during a courtly dinner.''
+The evening's dinner unfolded under the watchful eyes of the court, where the company discreetly monitored an ongoing situation, listening intently to developments.
+Keshah, ever observant, resolved not to pry directly into the court's affairs, assuming they would reveal what was pertinent in due course. The atmosphere shifted when one of the King's Rapiers approached a Red Crown, inviting her to dance.
+Mere moments later, the same young, dashing hobbit who had previously caused a stir by sitting on Keshah's lap—and subsequently being pulled away by his ear by the captain—boldly claimed the Red Crown's recently vacated seat. Keshah cast a stern look at the hobbit, a silent admonishment not to repeat past antics, but the hobbit simply responded with a wide, ear-to-ear smile before hopping onto the seat beside him.
+Keshah, exasperated, turned to Aurora. "Is this something I need to know?" Aurora, with a knowing look, replied, "Oh, we both know the effect that you have on me, Lady Dawn." Lizette interjected, "Is this the result of rumours?" Keshah sighed. "This is the result of rumours. Rumours I am going to have to deal with." He addressed Aurora directly: "I can't really do much about the bad effect, and I honestly it's probably not your fault. Well, it is in a way, but as long as we can agree to keep everything above board in court, I will tolerate it." Aurora, however, was not amused. "I'm a bit peeved," she confessed. "I will admit I'm a bit peeved."
+Lizette, ever the diplomat, asked Aurora, "What distresses you so? Do you need a champion?" Aurora shook her head. "Not at the moment, no, but maybe when I get back to the Western Kingdoms, we'll sort out. I need to squash a few rumours." Keshah offered his assistance. "I could speak to my patron if you wish." Aurora inquired, "Lady Clementine?" Keshah confirmed, "Yes." Lizette added, "She's very good at squashing rumours." Aurora mused, considering the offer, "Yes, yes, I maybe yes, I was thinking of having a word with her. But although is that wise?" She repeated, "Lady Clementine?"
+Lizette then turned to Keshah. "You says you do know about the rumours, don't you?" Keshah, confused, asked, "Well, which ones?" Lizette clarified, "About you and Lady Clementine." Keshah's eyes widened. "Oh, no. She's going to kill me." He elaborated on his fear: "I've seen Lady Clementine when she gets mad. She turns into this big bear. And I'm thinking, 'oh god, I'm dead.'" Lizette drew a comparison, "Like Griselda?" Keshah, startled, responded, "What?" Lizette pressed, "Doesn't Griselda turn into a bear?" Keshah affirmed, "Yes, Griselda turns into a bear, but so does Clementine, and she's a hobbit." Lizette gasped, "What?"
+Suddenly, the hobbit next to Keshah extended his hand, which Lizette noted was "particularly cold." Keshah, ever practical, offered, "Where's this cold? Customer is this cold that could fix it, help him. That should help him." But Lizette corrected him, "This is no, you missed the point." Keshah asked, "Why am I missing the—" Lizette finished, explaining the hobbit's desire, "I need to be sitting upon your lap, wrapped in your loving arms to warm my heart." Keshah responded with a stunned, "Oh." He then looked to Aurora and Lizette with a silent plea for help, unable to handle the situation. Aurora, amused, simply offered, "Um, just what I do."
+Attempting to defer the uncomfortable conversation, Keshah proposed, "Look, can we can we can we discuss this at another time when we're back at the Western Kingdoms or or is the rapier supposed to be off doing something else?" Lizette explained, "Well, many of the rapiers are off doing many things." Keshah acknowledged, "Yes, I know there's a whole bunch of you guys in Seagate. I still don't know what you're doing there." He added, "At least no one's told me." Lizette countered, "I don't believe they report to you." Keshah, invoking his authority, asserted, "Well, they don't report to me, but I'm supposed to be the Queen's special advisor to you. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I presume that, um, I'm supposed to advise the Queen on your comings and goings, which means I need to know about your comings and goings so I can tell her." Lizette reiterated her advice, "You should speak to Lady Clementine." Keshah grimaced, "I should speak to Clementine. I will do that when I get back. She's going to kill me."
+The conversation then shifted. Lizette mentioned, "Okay, so we've been talking to the red hats." Keshah posed a hypothetical, "And if you wake them up and knock them out again and—" to which Lizette responded, "Then they'll just say no." Keshah continued, illustrating the potential repercussions, "What's more, you wake up the innkeeper and he's probably pretty angry at you at that point. And the locals will probably end up in a bar fight. Maybe." Keshah then mistook Lizette for Aurora, asking, "Is that Lizette?" Lizette corrected him, "That's Aurora." Keshah then addressed Aurora directly: "Oh, that's for Aurora. So Aurora, think about it. If you do sleep gas and knock out 10 people—" Lizette promptly noted, "Yeah. That takes them out of the fight." Keshah agreed, "That's decisive action." Lizette added, "That is a decisive action, yes. Whether or not I would define this one or 10, I don't know." Keshah clarified the game's mechanics, stating, "Each time you decisively take out a sentient entity." Aurora understood, "All right, yes, it would accumulate." Keshah concluded, "I'm just pointing out the combo." Aurora, accepting the explanation, remarked, "Yeah, very cool. Um, actually I'll roll."
+Lizette then outlined their character aspects: "Lizette's will be around death and life aspect and yours would be around life and dark." Keshah confirmed, "All life and dark, okay." Keshah then corrected a prior assumption, realizing, "I was wrong I was wrong. I thought I'd you with Clementine and, um, no, I haven't." He quickly added, "Um, so ignore everything I said about her wanting to kill me." Lizette shifted focus again, noting, "Okay, and at some point, I still need to talk to Saren." Lizette speculated about Aurora's unique traits: "That might actually help us help Aurora if she starts smelling. The halflings might give her some space." Keshah clarified, "Oh, no, that's what it's complaining true." Lizette concluded by stating, "I want to talk to the two of you." Keshah remembered a detail, "It was Leila, I think. So we which should you just quickly fill in so we got back—" Lizette filled in the blanks, "So you've got back and you're in Saren's camp." Keshah confirmed their current situation, "Uh, we went So we're just talking to Saren in her camp at the moment." Lizette reiterated, "So you're in Saren's camp."
+==== Chapter 5: A Blank Page and Lingering Concerns ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_05_Night_11_A_Blank_Page_and_Lingering_Concerns.png|200px|thumb|left|Lizette, Aurora, and Keshah discuss the guild's policies and new directives, contemplating the implications of signed agreements and the need for vigilance.]]
+''Lizette, Aurora, and Keshah discuss the guild's policies and new directives, contemplating the implications of signed agreements and the need for vigilance.''
+Lizette found herself conversing with two young women, both clad in the distinctive red crowns of new recruits. Aurora, observing the scene, remarked, "The newest recruit." Lizette corrected her, "They're two newest recruits." A flicker of surprise crossed Aurora's face. "Two? Oh, you signed up as well?" Lizette offered a cryptic smile. "Well, yes and no. Yes, I signed a blank page, which probably means yes." Aurora's eyebrows rose. "You signed a blank page?" Lizette confirmed with a nod. Aurora considered this. "That's what I... I mean, the right group, apparently. But the point was I asked for them to perhaps lessen Aurora's obligations, and in return, I would also take some obligations." Keshah chimed in, a grin touching his lips, "Two for the price of one, excellent.
+Later, a casual comment from Keshah brought up the long-standing leadership dynamic. "Lizette's been the party leader all the time," he stated. Aurora, with a slight shake of her head, admitted, "I've been demoted. I've been confused." Keshah chuckled, taking some of the blame. "Yeah, I fear that was my fault, or at least Aurora's fault, or my fault. I can't remember which." Lizette then added, with a pointed look at Keshah, "Keshah has to do 75% of the lifting." Aurora clarified good-naturedly, "By the melee anyway." Keshah began, "The talking's done mainly by—" but Aurora quickly finished for him, "Yeah, that was me."
+The conversation soon turned more serious, Lizette addressing Aurora directly. "The thing I want you to talk about is Aurora did what she had to do, and we all understand that, and I am grateful she did it. But the guild may not look at it quite so simply. Is there any way we can deal with it? I'm thinking you were asking Saren if she could give us any ideas." Aurora dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand. "I don't think the guild's going to have any problems." Keshah agreed, "Guild adventurers go do their own thing all the time." Aurora elaborated, "They just consign deals if they want to, as long as it's not pacts to demons or undead." Lizette cut in, her voice firm, "Not that. No, not that. I think you're missing it. The part where you killed me. Like I said, I'm grateful for it, and I have no problems with that, but I'm not sure the guild will see it so simply." Aurora remained unperturbed. "No, it's no trouble, because you agreed to it verbally, and they can check that." Lizette confirmed, "Yes." Aurora continued, "So if somebody wants to commit suicide, they're fully able to, and the guild doesn't hold the rest of the party responsible, as long as the person made that decision in clear mental health as well." Lizette, still pondering, asked, "Okay, so we're fairly sure everything's going to be fine?" Aurora confidently affirmed, "Oh, totally sure." Keshah, ever practical, mused, "If someone plots to commit suicide, I wouldn't exactly call that..." Aurora quickly clarified, "Well, no, it was a different plan, because otherwise she was in deep trouble."
+Lizette shifted topics, speaking of her own affairs. "I spend a lot of my non-adventuring time when I'm not at the guild at the Western Kingdom court. And I'm pretty sure the guild doesn't have any problem with that." Aurora suggested, "I probably would appreciate a bit of extra..." Lizette finished, "An extra ear?" She then expressed doubt, "I have tried. Sometimes I do try to push the guild's interest a bit, but there's not really much I can do because... how much influence does a guild have politically in the Western Kingdoms? Sod all, I think." Aurora countered, "Quite a bit of economic power down there." Lizette conceded, "Yeah, the public is a bit of that. There is that." Keshah remarked, "I suppose I'm the unofficial guild ambassador of the Western Kingdoms." Aurora added, "And the guild members probably have a serious amount of cash." Lizette then mentioned a key contact, "And besides, Clementine, who is also a guild member, is also the captain or the leader of the King's Rapiers. And I'm supposed to be liaising with her." Keshah commented on a broader trend, "There's a surprising amount of nobility in the guild." Lizette agreed, citing Maxima as an example. Aurora questioned, "Was there a surprising amount of guild members who have accumulated some nobility?" Lizette confirmed. Keshah added, "I won't exactly call myself noble, but I've got a mansion and estates..." Aurora interjected, "If you've got a title, then you're a noble." Keshah conceded, "Well, I'm sort of a, well, lady. I guess that's a title." Aurora pressed, "Particularly if you got land holdings and..." Keshah confirmed, "Yeah, I got land holdings in the Western Kingdoms. I also got land holdings on Lilac." Aurora differentiated, "Well, different planes and different realms that are a little bit less."
+Keshah paused, a distant look in his eyes. "I still remember when I was a green adventurer, and my first adventure led me to being stabbed through the gut by a silvered scimitar." Aurora simply said, "That is quite a bit." Shaking off the memory, Keshah reminded them of upcoming duties. "Tomorrow we have the awakening at dawn, but then on the 14th I believe you have to do something." Lizette and Aurora both questioned, "What? What do we have to do tomorrow?" Keshah clarified, "Don't you have to watch the sun come up? Or maybe have I totally just made that up?" Lizette confirmed, "No, no, you haven't made that." Aurora added, "We've been away for quite days. All that Thursday's gone." Keshah insisted, "No, no, you have to watch the sun come up at time of divination or something?" Lizette conceded, "Well, I believe that is correct." "And then on the 14th you have to do something to enhance your rituals or whatever."
+Keshah then produced a document. "The Gold Crowns will give you this." Aurora inquired, "Is it already signed?" Keshah explained, "That was it signed, and now it's come back with words on it." Lizette mused, "It appears the Guild's Captain of the Guard has been talking at length." Aurora confirmed he'd been speaking "For a couple of hours." Lizette sought clarification, "Which guard?" Aurora corrected herself, "Sorry, Guild. The Captain of the Guild Guard." She explained the ambiguity of the title, noting that the Captain had been engaging with various people quite openly, including someone named Matt. The Captain's message was relayed: "All of the parties here are under a truce at the moment, but there are things further afield that are afoot. And some of our guests, patrons, and guests are in conflict at the moment." The Captain continued with specific instructions for the party: "Consequently, if any of my guards come to you and ask for a word, that is when you should take care to escort your two companions closely. You keep an eye on them, just to try and minimize serious breaches or temptations towards serious breaches of guest rights." Lizette acknowledged, "Yes." Aurora reiterated the core of the instruction, "So, no wandering off from two."
+==== Chapter 6: A Courtly Pretense and Scriber's Secrets ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_06_Night_11_A_Courtly_Pretense_and_Scribers_Secrets.png|200px|thumb|left|Aurora and Peter cultivate a public display of affection, much to Lizette's mixed reactions, as the topic of shriving arises.]]
+''Aurora and Peter cultivate a public display of affection, much to Lizette's mixed reactions, as the topic of shriving arises.''
+Peter, stepping from the shadows or out of sight, addressed Aurora. "Anyway," he began, "it's about this time that you should go join your companions with the Red Crowns." He offered to stand respectfully in the background when rejoining them, not wishing to loom too much over their new prospects. Lizette offered a simple, "Right."Before Aurora could fully articulate her thoughts, Peter interrupted, playfully suggesting, "How about we'll snuggle up under your arm?" Aurora hesitated, a wry smirk touching her lips. "Yeah, I… are you sure you want to do that? You don't know where that's been. I'll tell you what." Peter, undeterred and grinning, conceded, "You're right." He then promptly proceeded to try and sit on her lap. Gently deflecting him, Aurora continued, "I'll tell you what. You might have just given me an idea to A, protect my reputation, and B, try and keep the other courtiers off me."Peter, still amused, inquired, "How can I assist?" Lizette interjected with a formal, "Madame." Aurora explained her scheme. "I want you to play wingman. I want you to… well, wingman, or what's the word? Run interference." Peter, with characteristic flair, offered, "Jilted… jilted lover?" Aurora demurred, "I'm not jilted, perhaps, maybe, but…" Peter, grinning from ear to ear, then suggested, "Okay. Satisfied deeply lover." Aurora quickly countered, "Must not go that far just yet, but let's just say best friends." She clarified, "Best friends in public."Lizette pondered the implications of this new arrangement. Peter, meanwhile, mused aloud, "What benefit is there in keeping his true face than I am?" Aurora responded, "Let's put a wry check on the benefits of the mind, mind you." She then added, "I shouldn't anything really to the party." Lizette voiced her concern directly. "I'm going to have to talk to Clementine whether or not it's allowable for the Queen's representative to be having an affair with one of the King's Rapiers, as it were."At this, Peter snuggled back into Aurora's lap, his head firmly on her breast, looking totally satisfied. Lizette, perhaps sensing a need to defuse potential scandal, offered, "So, if it's really bad, I can make it better." "Oh well, I just will cross that bridge when we come to it," Aurora replied, before noticing, "But you may have to get off soon because the lady will want that chair. Oh, I see you're not in it anymore." Peter, unconcerned, replied, "No, no problem." "I've been very thoughtful," Aurora muttered, as Lizette hummed in agreement. "Fine, you may stay for a little bit," Aurora conceded to Peter.Lizette shifted topics. "You know, I think the fire guy asked me for a dance last time, so I'll keep an eye for him cases around." Aurora glanced over her shoulder at the crown lady seated nearby, trying to gauge her expression, wondering if she was "doing the right thing or whether or not I'm doing completely stupid." Lizette observed, "Peter doesn't have an opinion on this," adding, "No, I'm not going to argue with that."Changing the subject once more, Aurora asked Peter, "So, any thoughts on how we can wing Elven quickly?" Peter answered, "There's a number of ways to do it." "Yeah, I can think of one. It's called shrive the language," Aurora stated. "Shriving for us? For what?" Peter questioned, confused. "For us," Aurora clarified. Lizette echoed, "For us?" Peter explained, "It teaches languages twice the rate." Aurora slowly mouthed the words "for us," considering. Peter noted, "That's two of them." Lizette inquired, "Is he a tower?" "I can't remember exactly which one I missed the..." Aurora pondered. Peter supplied, "He's one of the soft fluffy ones. As far as any of them are fluffy, fluffy."Aurora mused, "Yeah, I'm still not sure about seeing about..." Peter offered, "Yeah, the guest guys are a little bit obnoxious. He's a bit obnoxious that one." Aurora agreed, "Um, yeah, he has a tendency to put his foot in places where I mean..." She glanced around, as if searching for a cat with glowing green eyes. Lizette asked, "So, the one that's been teaching you?" Aurora dismissed the idea of that specific scriber being present in such a place. "Mind you, this is Syrene's court. He wouldn't even dare put here." Lizette recalled, "He said he could teach me open a bit faster." Peter remarked, "He probably can. He seems to have some quasi-magical effects." Lizette decided, "I might have to talk to him about a private contract." Aurora suggested, "Uh, going through scribe notes, I can think of a couple of scribers you might want to talk to."Lizette admitted, "Many of the people I'm with think it's best to avoid scribers, but I may be unfairly biased against..." Peter added, "A lot of people consume them, um, morally even." Aurora explained, "Well, it depends what you want shrived or whether or not what the purpose. I mean, I know, I mean, I'm pretty sure one of them just collects things that people don't want anymore and puts them into bottles." Peter conceded, "Well, they do have a certain amount of usefulness." Aurora continued, recommending a particular scriber, "But yeah, then I go down to Pacifica to talk to that one. Besides, she's reformed." Lizette acknowledged, "Yeah, no. Seen a lot of trading with them." Aurora mentioned other contacts, "Yeah, I think they want… There's a silent guy. I don't know if he's a scriber or not. There's this other guy, I think his name's Morgan or something."Peter then revealed a piece of lore: "You know from your childhood stories in Brendenburg that there is an area to the north of Brendenburg called the Shriven Hills." Aurora confirmed, "Yes. I think you'll find that's where a lot of them hang out." Lizette sounded a note of caution. "It sounds perhaps a little scary if there's too many of them around. Even if the majority of them are lovely people, it only takes one or two of them not to be quite so pure for things to go…" Peter confirmed her fears, stating, "The problem is that some of them basically kidnap people and shrive them and mine them effectively." "Uh huh," Lizette acknowledged gravely. "Well, that's shriving without consent," Aurora stated plainly. "Yeah, that does sound problematic," Lizette agreed. "Maybe I'll start by talking to our… we see each morning."Aurora then had a realization. "Well, you know, that's a point. Yeah, we got to get back to the inn at some point. They're probably wondering where we've got to. At least I paid them in advance, so our room will still be there." Lizette checked, "Okay, so you both know where you've been waking up before dawn, right?" Peter responded, "Yeah, because we're supposed to be watching the sunset out way." Aurora offered, "I might join you." Lizette clarified, "So, we don't have to do anything. We just have to go to sleep and we'll be waking up…" Peter corrected himself, "A sunrise, Peter. Sunrise or sunset? Sunrise, I thought, wasn't it?" Lizette confirmed. "Mhm." "You just said sunset, but that's all right," Peter chuckled. "Yeah," Lizette affirmed. "Okay, good. So," she concluded.
+==== Chapter 7: Evening Discussions and a Kindred Mage ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_07_Night_11_Evening_Discussions_and_a_Kindred_Mage.png|200px|thumb|left|Darren, an Earth mage of Syrene, offers magical aid to the fatigued adventurers, casting Strength of Stone as they settle for the night.]]
+''Darren, an Earth mage of Syrene, offers magical aid to the fatigued adventurers, casting Strength of Stone as they settle for the night.''
+As the evening drew in, the weary adventurers prepared for rest. "Wake me up as well," Keshah said, looking forward to the quiet dawn. "I wouldn't mind joining in on that." Aurora readily agreed, adding, "Yeah, we should stay together." Even with watching the sunrise, Lizette reminded Aurora, "You need a new greater." Aurora acknowledged, "Yes. You probably should set that up some stage while we're here." Keshah chimed in, "I'm pretty sure somebody around here would be able to do it." Aurora concurred, "Well, exactly. Much better to get it up here than in Either that or we could pick up a new one when we go back to the guild." Aurora emphasized the urgency, stating, "It's dangerous for you to be on adventure without a greater concerning how many saving throws you need to make decision." Lizette conceded, "That is That is true." Keshah couldn't resist a playful jab: "Some people say you shouldn't be out on adventure without a minder." Lizette offered a simple, "Hey."Keshah then brought up a pressing question: "Can you remind me what's the difference between a Red Crown and a Gold Crown? Almost sounds like a riddle." Aurora mused, "I think the Red Crowns are more militant, extreme or driven or." Lizette interjected, explaining, "But they're right on the same team, but different factions, I think." Keshah drew a parallel: "It's Look at the um Church of Michael, for instance. You got all these church knights running around um the difference between Michael lines and Gable lines or Michael lines." Lizette offered another analogy, thinking aloud about "church priests and church knights." Keshah wondered, "Are they the same organization or they just different parts of the same organization, I would say." Aurora affirmed, "They call it organization. Yeah. Yeah."Aurora then pondered their own allegiances. "These These two have hooked up with Gold Crowns, haven't they?" Lizette confirmed with a nod. Keshah, however, corrected her, "Red Crowns." Aurora was momentarily confused, "Gold Crowns." Keshah simply replied, "Oh." After a moment, Keshah said, "It It doesn't make any difference to me, but I actually thought it was." Aurora knew better. "Well, it actually will." Keshah conceded, "Yeah, I'm sure it will. Right. But you know, at the moment I don't really understand the difference, so it doesn't." Lizette noted, "But if they're unable to um consider training that." Aurora sighed, "You probably should have done that before you signed up for something." Keshah, ever practical, stated, "Well, I kind of had to." Aurora acknowledged, "Still worth checking out way." Keshah added, "Besides, I sort of hoping I'm sort of thinking of the training opportunities." Lizette then surprised them: "The first thing they basically asked of me is to learn Elven." Aurora responded, "Right." Keshah seemed incredulous, "You can't just learn Elven normally." He joked, "Well, why don't we just go there have a holiday in in in Alpine for a while and listen to the locals? Soon pick up a few phrases."Lizette then queried, "Are you sure that curse wouldn't help you?" Keshah replied, "What?" Lizette elaborated, "The cat curse. You sure it wouldn't help you?" Keshah quickly dismissed the idea, "Wouldn't in this case." Aurora added, "Oh yeah." After a pause, Aurora asked, "What do we actually have to do for the cat Oh." Keshah explained, "Yeah, but I'm not sure whether or not I should try applying it in this case. I'm supposed to be the queen's representative." Aurora replied, "Fair enough." Keshah continued, "And I'm really going to have to get hold of Clementine and find out exactly what she thinks that entails being the queen representative to the king's rapiers that she's in charge of." Aurora agreed, "Yep, always good to know what's going on. Okay, so we're all pretty tired. We've eaten. Oh, have we eaten?"Lizette clarified the timeline. "Okay. You've been eating from about seven probably till about eleven." Keshah remarked, "That's quite a bit of eating." Lizette explained their fatigue: "You ran on gut busters for a day to do your portals across the countryside. These two were stripped of fatigue time and recently resurrected and then fought." Keshah nodded, "Yep." Lizette continued, "Yeah, I was just thinking we need to have a proper rest as all of us are at zero fatigue." Lizette added, "Yeah, I And I need to stock up on gut busters. I think those are my Um well, I had quite a few rain falls, you see. So we were burning our way through those." Lizette observed Aurora's weariness. "Uh Aurora has got droopy eyelids by eleven o'clock." Keshah concurred, "Yep, we probably should sleep." Keshah saw an opportunity. "Um because this is a chance to do it without having to have a watch and all that stuff." Lizette emphasized the importance of rest, warning, "Yep, and if we don't get enough sleep, I will give people more fatigue in the morning. So get as much as you can by sleeping."As the party contemplated their much-needed rest, an elderly Elvish man in a brown robe approached. "Excuse me, Lord Kesha," he said, "my name is Darren. Um I am one of Syrene's earth mages and I understand it's come to her attention that you don't have strength stone on for your for your companions." Keshah admitted, "No, sadly we." Darren continued, "Or a lesser enchantment. Uh do you mind if I rectify that situation?" Keshah readily agreed, "Yep, don't mind. Lesser enchantments okay, but this little young lady needs a lesser enchantment different." Lizette, surprised, asked, "I thought I got one when I got when before you left the guild. Yes." Aurora clarified, "You've got one. Yes, he's talking about clearly." Lizette remarked, "The strength of stones, I usually get mine from a bottle." She then added, "Hell level. I cast them." Keshah acknowledged, "I know you do. You're an earth mage. You just said that." Darren confirmed, "Correct." Keshah approved, "It's probably the best way to get them. Bottle ones are always good to have." Darren then proceeded to cast Strength of Stone on Endurance. Keshah offered his thanks, "Thank you very much." Darren concluded, "Come and see me in the morning and I will refresh them."Lizette then used her empathy. "Okay, you're empathizing him." Aurora asked, "Um oh How is he?" Keshah, with a playful tone, quipped, "Uh he's pregnant." Aurora laughed, "Aside from the how is he?" Lizette quickly corrected, "He's uh healthy. He's not pregnant." Keshah added, "One of those I wonder if they're a new person coming."
+==== Chapter 8: A Night's Rest and Morning's Plans ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_08_Night_11_A_Nights_Rest_and_Mornings_Plans.png|200px|thumb|left|As night fell, camp arrangements were made, and future investigations, both magical and mundane, were planned.]]
+''As night fell, camp arrangements were made, and future investigations, both magical and mundane, were planned.''
+Keshah offered a reassuring nod. "He is, um, he's healthy," he confirmed, referring to a companion, adding that he would have certainly offered aid if anything had been needed. Lizette responded, "Okay, wonderful," echoing Keshah's sentiment that she too would have helped. "Medical services here at the camp are pretty good," Lizette remarked, though Keshah grumbled, "And you know, people who like, 'oh, such a minor nag, I'm not going to bother going on with this' sometimes..." Lizette finished his thought, "They don't get to be old that way very much." Aurora, ever practical, mused, "I would have thought though, someone who had a, who was had healing talent, would be inundated by people wanting to wanting them to fix their aches and pains. And you go out looking for them." Lizette then confessed, "You're listening around court right sometimes and, um, you can hear some of the is going on about, 'oh, the old knees playing up again. Haven't it hasn't been like that since I got shot by an arrow. And I'm just why should get around to fixing it.'" She then added with a slight smile, "Oh yeah, but it gives me a good insider when it's going to rain." Keshah simply replied, "Much appreciated.""I will see you in the morning," Lizette said, bidding them goodnight. A short while later, a young lass, perhaps fourteen years old, approached Keshah. She wore a livery of green and brown. "Lord Keshah," she began politely, "would you like to inspect your pavilion?" Lizette interjected, "Yes, please. We have, we brought. Yep, inspect and use." Aurora then asked the lass, "Could we get a wake up call just a bit before dawn as well, please?" Lizette inquired, "How much of a bit before dawn?" "Forty minutes, please," Aurora clarified. Lizette confirmed, and Aurora added, "I'll take that as well, please." Keshah, speaking to Lizette, said, "Yeah, and I'll come with you guys of course." Lizette, however, had other plans. "Well, I was intending to purify." Keshah looked concerned. "Oh, that will take too long if you're only getting up 40 minutes before." "Or you can just keep on sitting through," Lizette offered. Aurora then interjected, "Yeah, I give I I purify at dawn." Lizette decided, "Anyway, yep, we'll inspect and see you and sleep." Keshah, needing time to himself, mentioned, "Yeah, I need to re-evaluate some stuff.""Okay," Lizette said, then turned her attention to a smaller concern. "Um, what are you doing with the hobbit?" Aurora replied with a chuckle, "He is soundly asleep with his arms wrapped around your neck." Carefully, Lizette picked up the slumbering hobbit. "I might have a special assignment for him," she mused as she carried him back to the King's Rapiers, essentially handing him over to his captain. "I think this one is one of yours. I should really get his name at some point." The captain responded, "This is um..." Lizette continued, "That's a very good idea. He, uh, speaks multiple languages. Um, he's not very good with a rapier, but he is a cunning linguist." Aurora's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's that could be actually useful to me. Uh, how many what what languages does he know?" Lizette simply raised an eyebrow in response. Aurora continued, "This is um, I will send him to you in the morning." "Yes, yes, we'll compare notes because I do know of quite a few languages, but there are quite a few other languages I don't know that I probably should learn. Mm. Very well," Lizette agreed, while Keshah simply commented, "It's always new languages.""Oh, um, after dawn, by the way, I'll be watching the sunrise, uh, and purifying. I presume you know what that means," Lizette said. Keshah looked at her. "Getting my mind attuned to the magic," she clarified. "I am a man," Keshah stated. Lizette, surprised, asked, "You're a what?" "Celestial mage man," Keshah reiterated. "Right. Okay, I did not know that. I apologize profusely," Lizette quickly responded. Keshah teased, "You need more practice, Cordelia." Lizette took it in stride. "Uh, I need to get to know my king's rapiers. That's what I need. I am going to have to get to know you guys a bit more. I'm going to talk to Clementine." Keshah nodded, "That's young lass." Lizette agreed, adding, "And, um, the has a strange item." Keshah, confused, asked, "Strange what?" "The item," Lizette clarified. "Item, item," Keshah repeated, understanding now. "Um, okay, speaking of which, tomorrow I think we should get a few divinations out of the way if we get the chance," Lizette proposed. Keshah readily agreed. "Yep, definitely should. Um, a whole heap of them lined up I seem to remember." Lizette added, "Yeah, and I'd like to divinate the two of you as well. Just to be sure." Aurora asked, "I can see the behind them, but what do you mean by having a whole lot of divinations lined up, Kesha?" Keshah began to list, "Well, we each need one for our new aspects and then there's three or four items at least that we got tucked away. Those coins..." "And the," Lizette prompted. "The belts," Keshah finished. "And there was other stuff that we we had divinated the..." Keshah pondered aloud, "I should do my thing. Is it water or magically cursed? Magically water cursed?" Lizette wasn't sure. "I think there was other stuff." Keshah agreed, "Oh." "No," Lizette then stated. Aurora then asked, "Not that I can remember at least what did we pick up anything from that from that horde of necromancers and undead and whatnot?" Keshah answered, "I think they mostly ran away." Aurora then remembered. "Oh, we picked up the girl, but we probably don't need to divinate her." Keshah agreed, "No." But Aurora quickly reconsidered, "Actually, maybe we should." Keshah conceded, "Yeah, it couldn't hurt." Lizette commented, "Doesn't be on the same side. Taking on..." Keshah interjected, "No, no, I know." Lizette continued, "But it's been about five days since it's like that she would have been divinated already." Keshah hoped, "Hopefully we can at least..." Lizette finished, "The size of the priest might have got sure should have done it." Keshah concluded, "We can at least ask."
+==== Chapter 9: A Dawn of Broth and Lingering Exhaustion ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_09_Night_11_A_Dawn_of_Broth_and_Lingering_Exhaustion.png|200px|thumb|left|A new day begins, but the lingering exhaustion from resurrected battles and portal jumps weighs heavily on the companions.]]
+''A new day begins, but the lingering exhaustion from resurrected battles and portal jumps weighs heavily on the companions.''
+As Keshah covered their lantern, the room plunged into darkness. Keshah assented with a low 'Mhm.' Dawn eventually rolled around, Lizette offered a sleepy 'Yeah,' breaking after six hours of sleep. The GM then asked, "Any of you doing anything during the night?" Lizette confirmed they were "Sleeping." Aurora agreed, 'Yeah,' and Keshah acknowledged he had "a lot of fatigue to recover." The GM clarified the duration of their slumber, "So you guys will get midnight through six. So six hours sleep."
+The morning brought with it a discussion about their recent arduous journey. Aurora inquired, "How many jumps were there?" Lizette tallied them, "Uh one, one, two, three, four." Aurora confirmed, "Four jumps." Keshah, already feeling the toll, decided, "Mm. Well, I guess I'm going to find myself restorative for breakfast." Aurora, realizing the collective exhaustion, mused, "Yeah, I could have given us fatigue back after each jump. It's only the two of us. Wait, did you need fatigue back as well?" Lizette affirmed, "Of course I do. I need to cast a new ritual. I need three points each time I cast." Aurora nodded, "Yeah, okay. Oh. How many jumps we got? Four." Lizette reached for restoratives, explaining that for the first two jumps, she could use the staff, which held seven points, but she still needed three points per cast. Aurora recalled Lizette's fragile state after her resurrection, noting, "No, that's right. You came back and you'd just been resurrected. So your fatigue pool was zero. And you were already out of fatigue." Keshah added that he had taken a restorative, pumping it straight into his healing pool, and noted he had already subtracted four four-point restoratives. Aurora reminded him that he had given her one, and that she should have been taking one every jump, meaning she had to subtract a lot more herself. Aurora, recalling Keshah's close calls, cautioned him, "Okay, cross off another endurance pool if you died again." Lizette clarified her own restorative needs, saying, "Why I need the I had fatigue in my staff for the first two jumps anyway... So that was the one was the first one. And then two, three. So I only need one lot." Aurora decided, "Okay, well I'm going to subtract another three restoratives anyway."
+The GM summarized their plight: "You have traveled for a day. You've managed to exhaust yourself because you've gone through multiple room portals stripping your fatigue." He noted Keshah had been using a staff and restoratives, but for Aurora and Lizette, he considered them "exhausted" due to their ordeal. He reminded them they had then "turned around and fought elementals" just after the taxing portals, with Keshah agreeing, "Yeah, that was pretty close. Yeah." The GM pressed, "And did it running on the empty?" Keshah confirmed, "Basically. Even though we've been stopped and stoked up with um But yeah, running on empty like that is sudden surge of um fatigue and endurance to do the combat. That would have been" Lizette commented, "So you get to sleep heavily." The GM then asked Keshah about an earlier promise regarding his fighting technique: "Which reminds me Kesha. Yeah. You think you can give us some pointers on using the hand and a half?" Keshah admitted, "I forgot about that." The GM then pointed out Keshah's current state: "Down to three endurance over here." Keshah confirmed, "And no fatigue." The GM continued, "Um I mean I got this fancy hand and a half. I must as well learn how to use it properly."
+At 5:30 in the morning, a young lass gently kicked Keshah's foot, rousing him. She handed him a hot cup of broth. Keshah, stirring, gratefully accepted, "Thank you kindly. Oh, thank you again." The lass asked, "Do your comrades wish to be woken?" Keshah replied, "Yes, please." The lass proceeded to kick Aurora's foot and hand her a broth. "Oh, thank you. Oh, what's this?" Aurora murmured. Keshah drank his hot cup of broth, presuming it to be morning tea. The lass confirmed, "Yes," and Keshah thanked her.
+Lizette reflected on their recent ordeal, stating, "Yes, you have been resurrected. You then traveled where you got all of your fatigue constantly stripped as your body tried to recover itself. You then fought elementals on a fire bed. Uh uh and then you engaged in a delicate um dance where now you're looking back upon it, people took advantage of you." Aurora, defending their actions, stated, "I thought it was important to show trust." Lizette acknowledged that "exhaustion played a um you were a bit trusting." Aurora agreed, "Yeah. I did mention it at the time that I thought it was a bit strange, but I decided to trust them." Lizette summarized their morning state, "Exhaustion is what you can put it down to. Um you two wake up in the morning and you're still gut wrenchingly fatigued." Keshah, observing them, recognized the signs of their exhaustion, understanding it stemmed from their fighting, resurrection, portaling, and constant fatigue stripping.
+Aurora inquired about their recovery, asking what guidance they'd been given to find a solution to their fatigue. She then analyzed a mechanical detail, referencing "strength of stone of rank 12" which she believed "adds 13." Lizette confirmed, "Correct." Aurora concluded, "So that'll be 34." Lizette then explained the recovery rate: "So you're getting plus one point of fatigue per hour. Well, actually not per hour at the moment because you're exhausted, but per meal." Aurora processed the information, murmuring, "Okay, so I'm..." Lizette suggested, "You should switch to hobbit mode and get a meal every two hours." Aurora's player enthusiastically agreed, "Oh, yeah, knowing Aurora she will switch to hobbit mode. Because she's got she's got the um sometimes the personality of a hobbit." Lizette remarked, "She has natural talents for," to which Aurora's player added, "Yeah. Someone actually called her a hobbit in the in the body as well."
+The GM, sensing their deep fatigue, suggested, "Anyway, so wake up and uh you guys probably should go back to sleep." Aurora, however, rejected the idea, "Uh no." The GM pressed Keshah, asking about his morning duties: "And what can which is done with you?" Aurora countered, arguing against separation, "So it's we shouldn't be splitting up." Keshah, referring to his commitment to the captain of the guard, stated, "I the captain of the guard says um let me do my purification then I'll go back to bed." The GM commented on the necessity of rest, suggesting, "You should turn it back to before 12 hours." Keshah agreed, "That's what I'm saying." Aurora offered a more extended rest, suggesting, "Or maybe even 24 and leave tomorrow." The GM insisted, "As much as scientists you should go you guys should go girls should go back to sleep because you're non combat affected." Aurora reasoned, "We're probably actually safe here. And you're going to be with who? You're probably safe here." Lizette, however, seemed unsure of her position, saying, "Just outside the Oh no, I'm off to one side. I don't know." Aurora pressed Keshah for his exact plans, "Fine. Who are you going to be with?" The GM clarified Keshah's commitment, "Uh the person who said I had to be there. Was was the elf person, wasn't it?" Aurora confirmed, "Yeah."
+==== Chapter 10: A Day of Rest and Revealing Aspects ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_10_Night_11_A_Day_of_Rest_and_Revealing_Aspects.png|200px|thumb|left|Amidst luxurious chambers, exhausted adventurers receive solicitous care from attentive hobbits, enjoying a much-needed respite and recovery.]]
+''Amidst luxurious chambers, exhausted adventurers receive solicitous care from attentive hobbits, enjoying a much-needed respite and recovery.''
+“Well, if you put it like that, Keshah,” Aurora stifled a yawn, “since the intention is to sleep for the rest of the day, I don't really need to purify. Good night.” Lizette, ever practical, warned, “You probably can't with zero fatigue. There might be an option, but you'll probably be making willpower checks, and they’re horrific nights.”From a distance, a fragment of a story drifted through the air. “Yep,” acknowledged Keshah. He had managed to stay up until dawn, barely half an hour away. Feeling the bone-deep weariness, he mentally placed some of his fatigue into his armor, preparing for a long sleep. “Yeah,” he thought, just before he laid down. But a strange thought struck him: *what* fatigue? A voice, almost a command, echoed in his mind: “Make a willpower check.” “You got meal fatigue,” it clarified. “Didn't we just get it from the food? It's dawn. It's just before dawn. Meals you've just got a little hot broth,” he mused.Aurora hummed in agreement. Lizette added, “Well, you had a last night meal and this morning meal.” Keshah recalled the warm liquid. “What was that hot broth? Beef or something like that? Beef broth?” “Yes,” Lizette confirmed. “Oh shit, that's delicious,” Aurora murmured, though Lizette quickly corrected, “Oh, that's delicious. Actually, mushroom.”Keshah turned to Aurora. “So you're going to stay up for breakfast, are you?” Aurora shook her head. “Just for dawn, which is like another half hour. And then I'm going to crash out.” “Right,” Keshah conceded, “So you're going to skip breakfast.” He then wondered aloud, “What time does breakfast start?” “In about an hour's time from now,” Lizette responded. “It's purification time. Keshah is up to go and purify.” “Yeah,” Keshah acknowledged. Lizette added, “And something else, but we'll find out soon.” “Yeah, okay. I'll purify,” Keshah resolved. “I need to actually have that find still.” Lizette, ever organized, planned, “I'm going to leave a little note.”Another mental command came: “Make a willpower check.” Aurora, determined, stated, “Okay. Um, I will get up because I need to be awake by dawn.” Again, the invisible prompt: “Make a willpower check.” For a moment, she merely rolled over, resisting the call of the new day.“Uh Oh well,” the Captain of the Guard announced as he approached Keshah. “Your friends are safe. I will send the Earth mage to cast Strength of Stones on all of you again, and have food delivered to your quarters. The Destinians,” he continued, with a graver tone, “are causing problems on the Elbereth Isles.” Lizette, now fully roused, interjected, “Right. Anything that's on island they consider it their property, more or less.” The Captain merely stated, “This is, I'm just have been instructed to inform you.” “Oh, thank you very much,” Lizette replied.Aurora remembered a brief moment of wakefulness earlier, where she had scrawled a note by her bed: “Please bring me something sweet and healthy. I'll eat it when I wake up. Preferably fruit.”When Keshah returned to his quarters after purification, a young hobbit, perhaps from the King's Rapier household, stood with a tray laden with assorted yumminesses. “This is after dawn, isn't it?” Keshah asked, verifying the time. “Yep, when you get back,” came the confirmation. “Right.” Having purified, Keshah noticed something profound: his aspect had changed. He was quite aware of it, even if Aurora remarked, “There's the aspect, but not how I know it.” It was, however, “mostly the same,” he decided.Aurora, as she rose, decided, “When I get up I fold up the nation hopefully I'll get a slightly better insights.” It was about mid-morning. “Mid morning, Aurora, you can make…” the voice trailed off. “At mid-morning, I'll probably wake them up for late breakfast,” the unseen speaker added.A hobbit, not in armor today but in courtly attire, appeared. Aurora, noting the finery, mused, “The skins will probably look pretty snazzy uniforms, don't they? I'm pretty sure they do.” The hobbit, specifically referred to as '70 It', had brought a tray of sweet treats.Lizette remembered, “Oh, we're supposed to be discussing languages, weren't we? Can we defer that till tomorrow?” “Of course,” an unseen voice replied. “Thank you,” Lizette said. Aurora planned, “Because I think I'm going to be having this and then go back to sleep. I feel…” she left the sentence unfinished.“Oh, I have a magic hairbrush,” someone commented. “I think I might have one of those as well,” Aurora mused. Lizette, determined to care for her friend, resolved, “I'll get Lizette a late breakfast and if she's not awake, I'll wake her up and get her to eat it.”Suddenly, Lizette woke up, as if her internal clock had chimed '07'. It was mid-morning, and she heard a voice urging, “You should eat this breakfast and then go back to sleep.” “Wonderful, thank you,” she replied, and Lizette confirmed, “I'll make sure she eats it before she goes back to sleep.”Meanwhile, a short hobbit was pampering over Aurora. “Short hobbit, isn't he shorter than a normal hobbit?” Lizette wondered. “Maybe,” came the reply. “Where is a hobbit any short?” she pressed. “Maybe,” the voice repeated. “It's hard to tell,” Lizette concluded. The hobbit was clearly dedicated, looking after Aurora, seeming to comb her hair. “I'll allow it,” Lizette finally conceded. “Okay.”Keshah, meanwhile, was enjoying his breakfast. “Is everything okay?” he asked. “Yep,” Lizette replied, “except you guys are exhausted, so you should sleep.” “Yeah, thank you,” Keshah said gratefully. Aurora added, “And Aurora's in her negligee, of course.” Lizette chuckled, “It's more than the bikini.”Evening rolled around. “Excellent,” Keshah noted, “by now, twelve hours should be over.” “Yeah,” came the agreement. He mused, “She getting fatigued back?” “Yeah, you've in the afternoon you start to recover fatigue.” “Excellent.”“Yeah, really. A greater and the purification,” a voice commented, hinting at further tasks. “Oh, greater seventy-five,” Aurora replied, suggesting a specific kind of magical working. Lizette confirmed, “You can organize the greater here without too much…” her voice trailed off. Aurora added, “Oh, these are two more ish.”Someone (presumably the Captain of the Guard) confided, “It occurs to me that I think that Aurora has charmed me.” He immediately clarified, “He says this is a magical, magical spell.” Aurora, surprised, responded, “Uh, not consciously. No, I think it's just sheer amount of PD.”
+==== Chapter 11: A Royal Appointment and Shimmering Attire ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_11_Night_11_A_Royal_Appointment_and_Shimmering_Attire.png|200px|thumb|left|Aurora, resplendent in her sky blue gown, is led by the Captain to a mysterious well, as Keshah keeps watch.]]
+''Aurora, resplendent in her sky blue gown, is led by the Captain to a mysterious well, as Keshah keeps watch.''
+A soft murmur, “All right. This is some good special,” drifted through Aurora's waking thoughts. Her mind, still half-caught in dreams, tried to grasp a fleeting concept. “Oh, and her guile… and what’s the term? Naivety. What’s the… I can’t…”“Naivety,” a very sleepy voice confirmed, presumably her own. “A very sleepy voice is naivety,” the voice clarified, before trailing off again. “That one. Naivety. That one. And goes back to sleep.” Aurora let out a soft “Hm.”Later that afternoon, the promise of a proper dinner hung in the air. The Captain of the King's Rapier approached Lizette. “I'm going to assign Ernest to accompany Aurora and yourself,” he stated, his tone businesslike. “Just not too much of a chore.”Lizette responded with practiced courtesy, “I'm sure his help will be greatly appreciated.”The Captain's demeanor grew slightly more serious. “If he gets code, could you return them to us, please?”Without a moment's hesitation, Lizette assured him, “I will be able to resurrect him.”“So, it's very good,” the Captain acknowledged with a nod. Lizette, reflecting, noted, “I use Fortify Self.” She quickly corrected herself, realizing she wasn't fully awake yet. “Oh, sorry. When I will wake, I use Fortify Self. I thought I was awake.” The Captain merely offered an “Mhm.”“Mhm. But we'll wake people up for dinner,” he added. Lizette resolved, “I'll tell Aurora about the hobbit being assigned.” She mused to herself, “Yeah, I was expecting that. I'm thinking I'm trying to figure out what um liaison perhaps, but I suppose I should give him something. I'm just trying to think. Aid? I suppose that's the usual term.”Before the evening's formal engagements, the group made perception checks, assessing their surroundings. A conversation then turned to the capabilities of their allies. “Okay, so you think we can get graders here?” one asked, referring to potent magical enhancements.“Yes,” came the confident reply. “Saren has the… facility to empower… or organize graders on people.”“I thought Saren was an earth mage in the guild records,” someone observed, expressing surprise.“She has a very extensive staff,” was the simple explanation.“Why am I not surprised?” a voice scoffed with a slight chuckle. There was an “Okay” of acknowledgement. “She can probably organize pretty much any of them. If not, she can probably organize Matt to drop you off where you can get pretty much anything.” The speaker elaborated on Saren's far-reaching influence. “Need to go to the Lunar Empire? Done. If it's important enough.”Sunlight streamed into their pavilion, a warm, golden glow that indicated the approach of evening. “Oh, what time is it?” Keshah asked, stirring from a deep rest.“It's coming up on about fiveish by this stage,” came the reply.“At night?” Keshah clarified.“In the evening,” confirmed another voice. “In the evening, yeah. Just make sure—”A young lass entered, her voice cheerful. “Oh, you're finally awake! They were exhausted.”“So we really were,” Keshah agreed, feeling the lingering weariness.“Well, we were,” the lass confirmed. “Come with me, and I will introduce you to the captain, who will put an enchantment on you—on them—and inform you.”“Ah, yes, thank you. I do need a hand dressing,” Keshah replied, preparing for the upcoming court engagements.As they began to ready themselves, the question of attire naturally arose. “What are you wearing?” Keshah asked.“What are we doing aside from this today?” came Aurora's query.“We're talking to Sarine, probably having dinner with some people,” was the answer. “We're still doing court stuff. We should dress appropriately.”“Yep. Okay,” Aurora affirmed. She decided on her outfit. “Okay, dressed in ‘name of blues.’ Names wear blue, and they have small pieces of iron, too small to interfere with magic.” An “And okay” and “Mhm” acknowledged her choice. “It's how the skies name is wear. So that's what I wear today.”Keshah, meanwhile, assessed her own options. “And I've got my look smelling like—” She quickly reconsidered. “Yeah, I okay, I see. I know I'll wear something rank eight then. I won't wear my name of blues today. I've never thought about making my own. I'll do that.” She confirmed, “Yeah, I'll wear rank eight. Yeah, I'll I'll make some things.” Her old ‘name of blues’ were still with her, but they looked “tatty, soiled, and worn out.”“Oh dear. I'll see what I can do with with cantrips but—” Aurora offered help.“No, no. I'll wear something else. I think it's the main takeaway,” Keshah interrupted, an “Okay” solidifying her decision. “So I'll wear one that's white with gold trim.”“Okay,” Aurora acknowledged, then elaborated on her own choice. “Is it a ball gown, the old bell-shaped thing, or is it just basically—”“Yeah,” came the confirmation. “It just says a sky blue ball gown made of sky blue silk with white cloud-like trim. The gown glitters and sparkles with tiny specks of gem, which gives the shimmering fairy dust and look which complements Aurora's complexion.” This master-crafted gown, made by a rank eight seamstress, also “enhances Aurora's natural assets to the extent of adding four points of effective PV.”“But what does Aurora look?” Keshah wondered aloud, trying to visualize the ensemble. Aurora then thought, “I was going to ask um well what I'd describe to look okay with that otherwise look okay with that.” She considered Keshah's choice. “Well, well that look okay with white and gold trim?” There was a brief “Um” of hesitation. “Otherwise I'll wear something red maybe that looks better with it. You know, I'll I'll compare a few of my outfits and I'll wear one that specifically goes with it.”“Well, that one's a,” Keshah began, before another voice interjected, “I might have to get something else now.” Keshah clarified, describing her accessory as having a “red gem and dark colour bronzy brassy look and red.”Aurora concluded, “White and gold probably goes with that okay because it contrasts quite nicely with the red.”“Yeah. Excellent. Uh,” Keshah agreed.As they finalized their appearances, a Red Crown approached Keshah. “Could you make sure that your companions are sober around 10 p.m., please, Keshah?”“Okay, we'll do,” Keshah affirmed, a hint of surprise in her voice.“Thank you. And dress warm at around 10,” the Red Crown added.“So, after all the trouble of getting the right outfit,” Keshah muttered, shaking her head slightly.Soon after, Aurora, having put so much effort into her attire, went with the Captain. There was an “Mhm” and a “Yep” as they moved. The Captain hesitated for a moment, “He uh he uh... he says oh yes of course. Now come this way.” He led her off to a prominent well. “Please have a seat, ma’am,” he instructed. Aurora sat down as Keshah, ever vigilant, watched from a distance, keeping an eye on her.
+==== Chapter 12: A Pact and Preparations for Court ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_12_Night_11_A_Pact_and_Preparations_for_Court.png|200px|thumb|left|A hobbit in elegant attire, prepared for court, engages in conversation with the adventurers, embodying newfound alliances and diplomatic efforts.]]
+''A hobbit in elegant attire, prepared for court, engages in conversation with the adventurers, embodying newfound alliances and diplomatic efforts.''
+The captain, flanked by a diligent pair of guards who purposefully moved to intercept any approach, made his way towards Aurora. He offered a swift, powerful gesture, casting a greater enchantment upon her. The spell was potent, granting a rank four boost to magic in a single area, and was set to last for weeks.
+“Thank you for that,” Aurora replied, genuinely grateful. “If there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know. I’m primarily a healer.”
+“I know of your reputation,” the captain responded simply. Aurora realized she hadn't explicitly been given his name. There was a brief discussion amongst the group, recalling an earlier missed event – a special rune or ritual extension scheduled for the 14th midnight till dawn. It had involved gathering spices from the desert, a task that was ultimately banned due to a local 'infestation.' It seemed they had been distracted, but the opportunity might arise again, perhaps with the next lunar cycle, if it was indeed tied to the moon.
+They also spoke of samples of a certain 'blue stuff' and the need for more 'blue cookies.' Aurora mused about her past near-death experiences. “I have to learn how to not die,” she stated, almost to herself. The captain offered a reassuring, “You seem to have that quite well in hand.”
+Another voice chimed in, “Don’t do things like healing people that are sacrificing themselves to summon a major evil.” This sparked a brief, somewhat confused, discussion about a past incident where Aurora had healed someone who had already been sacrificed, just as they were about to give their life force. It was deemed a “special case,” occurring at a place of power, stabbed by a sacrificial dagger, not a typical outcome. The conversation shifted to their collective fatigue and items that could delay damage.
+Soon after, instructions arrived from the Red Crowns: they were to dress formally and be prepared for 10 o'clock. It was suggested they might want to bring their adventuring gear as well. Aurora considered putting on 'resistance colds' for the group, which would help with dressing warmly, and thought aloud about commissioning a court-suitable outfit for herself, something less formal than a ball gown. The hobbit, now revealed to be accompanying them, appeared dressed in a fine, rank eight outfit. He also carried an enchanted weapon, though he blushed when asked if it was 'magic,' clarifying it was 'not so much that.'
+Aurora then asked the hobbit about his language skills, noting his captain had mentioned he knew many. The hobbit blushed again, looking down. “My captain was mocking both of us, saying that I was a cunning linguist.” He revealed his rank in Hobbit was excellent, while Aurora's was only five. He also possessed a rank eight in Common, surpassing Aurora. She saw an opportunity. “Maybe I can use you,” she mused.
+“I intend for you to use me,” the hobbit replied, blushing once more. “I intend for you to pick up Elvish and Hobbit.” Another voice added, “I might also need you to be my eyes and ears in court while I’m away.” The hobbit confirmed, “I will be accompanying you. I’ve been assigned.” However, there was a pause as the speaker looked towards the Red Crowns, implying there might be places he wouldn't be allowed. The hobbit clarified, “I’m going to be staying with them for a while.” Aurora sought confirmation, “Is that fine?” The response was that they would “cross that bridge when we come to it,” noting that the group was usually all-female, though they did have some male members.
+==== Chapter 13: A Muse from the Well and a Hidden Complex ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_13_Night_11_A_Muse_from_the_Well_and_a_Hidden_Complex.png|200px|thumb|left|The glowing muse emerges from the colossal well, her serene presence captivating the party as they uncover the mystery of the enchanted item and its subterranean complex.]]
+''The glowing muse emerges from the colossal well, her serene presence captivating the party as they uncover the mystery of the enchanted item and its subterranean complex.''
+Keshah proposed an exchange of knowledge, offering to teach Aurora Common and the hobbit language, both of which he knew better than she. In return, he expected instruction in other languages. Aurora, however, revealed a prohibition. "They do?" she asked, then after Keshah's confirmation, "Oh." She confessed, "I've been asked not to learn those," referring to tongues like "right spiel" and "the long vault." Lizette, surprised, asked, "What?"
+"Why not?" Keshah pressed.
+"Uh because they're used in the Whispering Kingdom court," Aurora explained.
+"You're a king's rapier. Aren't you supposed to be part of the Western Kingdoms?" Keshah challenged.
+"Yes," Aurora affirmed, "but I am often around people that don't want me to understand what's being said."
+"That's the whole point!" Keshah retorted, a sly grin playing on his lips. "You don't let them know you know a language. But you make it look like you don't understand what they're saying and actually you do." He then leaned in, his voice dropping conspiratorially, "I was thinking I could use him as a spy. Right. I'm going to teach you to read lips."
+Aurora felt a blush creep up her neck. "This is um," she began, flustered. Keshah, observing her reaction, simply looked at her lips and blushed again.
+Aurora then inquired about the time and dinner. "Okay, so what time is it roughly? Are we going for dinner now?" she asked.
+"We've had dinner," Keshah replied.
+"Oh, had dinner," Aurora murmured, slightly disoriented.
+Lizette interjected, "Uh well, no, no, you go and sit down for dinner. There's a performance happening. It's uh acrobats," Aurora exclaimed, "Ooh!" Lizette continued, "and um and some in a dancing troop." Aurora hummed in thought. Lizette added that the performers were "very good. As it happens." Aurora replied, "Yeah. Nice."
+As the company settled, Lizette pointed towards the well. "And there is a a glowing young lady has emerged from the well," she noted. "Oh," Aurora responded.
+"Observe, that has definitely got my interest," Keshah remarked.
+"Uh does she look familiar?" Lizette asked Aurora. Aurora hesitated. "How many times have you been here?" Lizette considered. "Oh, a few, but I was thinking of um thinking of uh uh someone who is who inspires people." Aurora clarified, "Amused?" Lizette confirmed, "Amused, yeah." "Yes, she is indeed the muse," Aurora affirmed, "and she is standing off by the um well, watching the performance." "And she came out of the well?" Keshah pressed. "Yes," Aurora confirmed. Lizette acknowledged, "Okay."
+Keshah then leaned towards Aurora. "Who's that?" Lizette clarified, "She's amused, which means when you're around her you're better." "And it is an divine creature type thing," Keshah wondered. "I was wondering if she was a nymph or a nixie or something of that nature." Lizette agreed she was "Do something of that nature."
+Aurora then shared a surprising detail. The woman, she explained, "that um that that woman is in fact a um a enchanted item. And she is a muse that lives in a statue that is in the bottom of the well."
+"Oh," Keshah exclaimed, "I was wondering what the deal was with that 120 ft wide well round." "Is is she," Lizette started. Aurora interjected, "It says I can take you there if you wish maybe in the morning. Would I need a Um it depends on the time of the day." Lizette then asked, "Is she the one that's married to Kelsey's character's child?" "I think so," Keshah replied, and Lizette confirmed, "Yeah." Keshah then expressed, "If it's allowed, I might take you up on that," his curiosity piqued. Lizette, too, found herself intrigued. "Hm. Because that you have that has got me curious." Aurora asked, "Thinking Or what what has made you curious about it?" Lizette responded, "You said she's part of the statue that's in the bottom of the well."
+Aurora casually mentioned, "Probably use for a year." Lizette then proposed, "We can Well, later tonight I can show you to the well. That will be low tide there." "Low tide?" Aurora questioned. "As in the water will be out," Lizette clarified. "Okay," Aurora said, understanding. "Then we can walk down," Lizette added. "Okay," Aurora responded. "Well, that explains the steps," Keshah remarked. "Yes," Lizette continued, "It's a large complex with many dozens of rooms." "Oh," Aurora breathed, clearly stunned.
+"It's magic," Keshah stated. "There's a whole complex and it's and this is part of Siren's core. And there's a whole complex down there?" Aurora asked, overwhelmed. "Yes. It's an item, remember?" Keshah reminded her. "Item? It must be conventional," Lizette said, to which Aurora replied, "Has to be. I think my mind was blown."
+Lizette then seemed to indicate that someone "will come you here" and "charm someone," which Aurora mentally filed away as "Something to check on in a bit." Lizette agreed, "Yeah, I think so."
+Suddenly, a Red Crown approached Aurora. "Have you divinated the belt yet? Do you know how to use it?" he asked. "No, I've no had time today," Aurora responded. "I'll start divinating," the Red Crown offered.
+==== Chapter 14: Preparation for the Ogre and the Muse's Retreat ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_14_Night_11_Preparation_for_the_Ogre_and_the_Muses_Retreat.png|200px|thumb|left|Aurora delves into divination, while Keshah arms himself with potent antidotes for the looming ogre confrontation. Nearby, the enigmatic muse subtly withdraws into the depths.]]
+''Aurora delves into divination, while Keshah arms himself with potent antidotes for the looming ogre confrontation. Nearby, the enigmatic muse subtly withdraws into the depths.''
+“Okay,” Aurora began, readying herself. Their contact swiftly replied, “You'll be expected to use it within the hour. Be quick.” Aurora countered, “It will take me an hour to do.” The contact pressed, “Well, be quick.” Aurora then sought a suitable place to sit, remarking, “It's not magically quick order to curse.” The contact seemed more concerned with her understanding the item's attributes but conceded, “that's fine. What's this colds?”
+Turning to the party, the contact outlined the immediate threat: “there's an ogre and some cavalrymen. If D was to take the cavalrymen or the ogre?” Keshah immediately volunteered, “I'll take the ogre.” The contact approved, “This is very good. It should be a quick victory. If you get injured, preferably don't stall the damages. That's all right, we have a couple of mind mages here who will be able to interview you.” Keshah confirmed his understanding. He then inquired about taking an item from his foe: “I'll take the item off them.” The contact clarified, “Don't that trinket's optional,” with another voice adding, “Up to yourself.” Keshah mused, “What is it? I still I probably store it because then it can be healed in a more appropriate time setting.” The contact affirmed, “Certainly.”
+Aurora settled into her task. “Okay, so I just divinate till the hour's up and this I get.” One of the attendants approached her, “Aurora, could you put your snow boots on?” Aurora, surprised, repeated, “My snow boots?” “Yes,” the attendant confirmed. “Okay,” she replied, adding, “Uh you probably want to make sure your boots are on but you want you your armor is on.” The attendant acknowledged, “Yes, I will have to go and get my uh I just.” Aurora continued, “I'll make sure buffs are on people. My buffs are on people 'cause they're probably fallen off and I haven't put them back on.” Keshah, meanwhile, made a practical decision. “Since people seem to object to the drail robes, I'm going to get the assassin suit.”
+A group of earth mages and sirens approached Keshah. “Do you want armor of earth, Keshah?” they inquired. “Uh no, I don't think so,” he replied. “Or any of your companions,” they pressed. “Um up to them. They may want to try something different,” Keshah deflected. “We were talking to them. We're talking to you, good sir,” a mage insisted. Keshah decided, “In which case I'll probably stick with my armor because it it gives more prediction but less defense.” “Very good,” the mage responded. “Have you got immunity to poisons?” Keshah affirmed, “I have got poison resistance, my talent.” The attendant offered him a small bottle. “The buffs out a bottle says you might need this within the hour.” Keshah clarified, “What, uh so is the antidote or poison?” “Uh this is an antidote,” came the reply. “Okay, right.” “Um particularly vicious poison, so um like use it liberally.” “Okay,” Keshah acknowledged. “That ogre's a nasty fellow.” “Yep.”
+Aurora continued her focus. “Let's keep divinating.” After some time, the contact announced, “Okay. Uh you now understand how to use the item.” “Excellent,” Aurora declared, then asked, “Do I have time to put my armor in?” “Yes.” “Excellent.”
+Later, as preparations finalized, Aurora addressed Keshah. “Okay. Um Aurora, it sounds to me like we're fighting one group. He's fighting the ogre. He might not be near us. Can you check a resist cold on him?” Keshah promptly answered, “I've already done that.” “It's above,” Aurora confirmed. “Cool,” the contact added. Keshah added, “Yeah.” He then seemed to have a realization. “Um hang on. I thought you it was said that um you were taking the ogre with you. So I presumed he was on your side.” Aurora clarified sharply, “No. No. It's fighting me.” Keshah corrected himself, “I was asked whether I wanted the ogre or the horseman.” Aurora then noted, “Okay, and poison might be a thing so it's good that you've got the resist poison.” The contact chimed in, “Cuz if I'm not with you, I can't cure you.” Keshah explained his strategy, “Uh yes and no cuz I can as I said I delay the damage that delays the poison. It it's only pulses that it gets delayed but hopefully you will be with me or I'll be with you by the time the the pulses run out. It just delays at 10 pulses.” “Excellent,” Aurora affirmed. She then considered a spell, “An extra 15 in health or should I give it to Aurora? Well, that's not an honor but yes, you're probably right. Okay, I'll put it on me.”
+Aurora then looked around. “Okay. Uh the It where's the muse? Is there any chance we can do our buffs around the muse?” Their contact indicated, “Uh she's about 140 ft over there.” Aurora decided to ask directly. “Oh okay. Um I would like to ask you is it okay if we stand around you when we buff up for the fight?” As they began to approach, the muse reacted immediately. “As you approach, she will back off and disappear into the water as you get close like oh 40 ft away, 50 ft away.” Keshah, observing, remarked to Aurora, “I'm not liking you Aurora. You should check that at some stage.” Aurora conceded, “That's true. That's quite possibly what it is.” The contact then observed, “Um Okay, so the hobbit at the hobbit is um got uh a dark and wispy shadow moving around him.” Keshah immediately suggested, “You probably should buff them as well with your.” “Yeah, I'll do that,” the contact responded. Keshah offered, “I'll give him uh room mage buffs as well.” The contact confirmed, “Okay. He's got a shadow from him.” “Oh, which case I'll just give him the heart room,” Keshah finalized. “Good.”
+==== Chapter 15: A Sudden Chill in Ionia ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_15_Night_11_A_Sudden_Chill_in_Ionia.png|200px|thumb|left|Transported to a frigid Ionian night, the Wall Walkers brace for danger as fleeing locals, mostly women and children, are pursued by unseen cavalry, illuminated by a bizarre flaming weapon.]]
+''Transported to a frigid Ionian night, the Wall Walkers brace for danger as fleeing locals, mostly women and children, are pursued by unseen cavalry, illuminated by a bizarre flaming weapon.''
+As the six Gold Crowns approached, Matt joined them, his gaze falling upon Aurora. "Lady Aurora," he began, "you're dressed in black." Lizette, standing nearby, simply offered, "Yes." Aurora, for her part, met his directness with a question of her own. "Is that a problem?" Matt pressed on, ignoring her query. "Do you have an enchanted weapon?" Aurora confirmed, "I do." Matt then inquired, "Is it enchanted now?" Aurora paused, considering, before admitting she needed to choose her weapon. Matt's impatience was clear: "Anytime now." Aurora sighed, "All right." Lizette, ever practical, interjected, "So what are we going to be fighting?" Matt merely gestured, instructing Aurora to "grab my leg." Aurora complied, placing one hand on his leg, and as she did, Matt added, "Aurora, get your weapon out." She then placed her other hand on his leg. She settled on her weapon choice, stating, "I got a short sword. Yep. I'll do it. Try this one." Lizette observed, hearing an implied message, "He says you're fighting with the short sword." Aurora clarified, "Short sword and a main gauche." Lizette sighed, remarking, "She's not front line material." Aurora acknowledged, "I see that."
+Without warning, their surroundings dissolved, and they were instantly transported to the edge of a dark, snowy forest. Aurora and Keshah found their footing quickly, but the change was jarring. "It is shockingly cold here," the GM noted. Aurora shivered, asking, "Is it still nighttime?" The GM confirmed, "Yes, it is still nighttime." Aurora murmured, wondering, "I'll just see whether we change time zones." The GM elaborated, "You would say that you are in Ionia somewhere. And it is uh it's damagingly cold." Aurora, remembering a trick, announced, "I'll spit." She watched as the spittle froze "just as it leaves the lips." "Oh, it's really cold," she confirmed, the reality of their frigid new location sinking in. Lizette, assessing the situation, quickly consumed a restorative from her belt, tapping into her reserves to counter the damaging cold. She managed to raise her resistance to the bitter cold, adjusting her personal comfort to a more bearable level. The temperature, the GM noted, felt like minus ten. Lizette responded that it was "not too bad" now.
+Matt departed, leaving Aurora, Lizette, Keshah, a hobbit, and the six Crowns in the bitter cold. Aurora, already anticipating trouble, drew out her staff, then her other weapon—a short sword and main gauche—ready to engage, scanning the dark woods for ogres. Suddenly, a summoned weapon appeared, what one might consider an enchanted dart or a less-than-standard sword. It was, undeniably, summoned, and crackled through the air, "dropping fire as it crackles through the air." Aurora remarked on the light it cast, "Light the darkness and fire and make it or..." The weapon was dark in nature, yet "literally dripping fire onto the ground" where it burned the snow. It occurred to the party that in this season and location, it had been dark for hours. "Yeah, if we go a long way north and it's winter time there then of course here it's it's a long time after sunset which is... Sunset's about 3:00 in the afternoon," Aurora mused.
+Through the swirling snow and gloom, they observed "a bunch of cavalry people heading towards a bunch of people who are running through the forest" past their position. "So fleeing," Aurora confirmed. "Oh, very much so," the GM replied. They could see Keshah was about to be engaged by what looked like a giant, which Aurora observed appeared to be fading, while archers were also present among the pursuers. Lizette, noticing their plight, wondered aloud about the identity of the fleeing people, a group that was about to rush closely past them and beyond whom was a group of cavalry. The GM asked if any of them had been to Ivinia. Aurora replied, "I don't think so." The GM clarified, "Yes, Keshah has," further adding, "Yes, you have. Yeah." Aurora, however, reiterated her uncertainty, "Not sure I'm not sure. No, I don't think I." The fleeing individuals were clearly "locals," from Ivinia, characterized by their furs. Lizette mused on their appearance, describing them as "blonde looking chefs. Well," though the GM quickly clarified they were "more blonde than normal," before adding, "Uh no, it's too cold to have hair out. Everyone is all bundled." Lizette reasoned, "I know but they might have the if it males will have the beards sticking out potentially." The GM then observed, "You don't think that there is that many males amongst them." Lizette quickly confirmed, "Okay, women and children is it?" The GM affirmed, "Yep."
+Lizette then turned to Aurora, "Aurora," she began, "could you describe yourself? You've got black leather armor." Aurora elaborated, "Full fitting leather armor is further... Blood leather armor." Lizette added, "Right. Do you want more details on wearing the shield? Um I have various jewelry on which is some which is magical."
+==== Chapter 16: A Reluctant Truce ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_16_Night_11_A_Reluctant_Truce.png|200px|thumb|left|Keshah defends the refugees and negotiates a temporary truce with the ogre and his archers.]]
+''Keshah defends the refugees and negotiates a temporary truce with the ogre and his archers.''
+Lizette, clad in red-black leather armor, described her protective gear to the group. "It's all one piece," she affirmed, detailing the staff, sword, and the distinctive floating shield Keshah also wore. As she spoke, two enemy archers drew their bows and targeted her.
+"What is your defense, Lizette?" a voice from the shadows called out. Lizette quickly calculated, "I think sixty-nine, but let's double check that. We also have the twenty-five from the windshield." Even with her robust defenses, the arrows struck home, inflicting a deep sense of weariness upon her. "Sixteen points of fatigue," came the pronouncement. Lizette, feeling the strain, confirmed, "Yep." Keshah, always attentive, prompted, "Are you going to tell me your defense?" Lizette clarified, "Sixty-nine, sorry."
+"That's two blows," Keshah observed. Lizette turned to him, "Okay, so what do we do next, Keshah?" The attacks continued, draining her reserves. "Fourteen fatigue and sixteen endurance," the voice detailed. Keshah, witnessing her struggle, explained, "Of the sixteen endurance, three will remain. I'll turn to zero endurance," he declared, feeling the familiar surge as his Heart Rune triggered, shoring up his defenses. Lizette expressed her relief, "Oh, wonderful!"
+Suddenly, the focus shifted to a new, larger threat. "The ogre," the voice announced. Keshah stepped forward, declaring his formidable evasion, "I'm evading with a hundred and... a lot of defense." The ogre grunted a low, guttural "Ah." Then, with a hint of recognition, it spoke directly to Keshah, "Says Keshah, if I'm not mistaken."
+Keshah met its gaze. "That is correct. If you recognize me, you should probably head back that way really quickly. I will evade here for another pulse." The ogre seemed to consider this. "I agree," it rumbled. Keshah repeated his intention to hold his ground. Observing the ogre's subsequent movements, Keshah demanded, "As long as he's not heading towards the refugees." The GM confirmed, "Yes, he's heading towards the refugees. They are a large band of refugees." Keshah moved decisively, interposing himself. "No, no. Back! I'll intercept between him and the refugees. Last warning."
+The ogre responded, "I made your move." Keshah didn't flinch. "You did." The ogre seemed to challenge him, "Surely you should start evading again." Keshah's confidence was unwavering. "I can move and evade. Do you really want me to teleport into a re-hex and try and murder you?" The ogre recoiled slightly. "That would be unsporting." Keshah scoffed, "No, it wouldn't. I have the skill to say that it is sporting. See, a warning." The ogre hesitated. "I think it would be unwise of you to kill me." Keshah pushed, "Well, I might nearly hurt you severely."
+The ogre's recognition deepened. "Now I see you are toying with me. You were with that Northman, Mugu... no, Mambo." Keshah corrected him smoothly, "Mungo." The ogre repeated, "Mungo." Keshah added playfully, "Don't say that you forgot his name; he will be heartbroken." The ogre chuckled, "Well, you know who I mean. That loudmouth." Keshah acknowledged the description, "Him." Lizette, listening intently, interjected, "Are we talking about Mungo the humble?" Keshah swiftly corrected her, "No, Mungo the magnificent!" Lizette let out a groan. Keshah then conceded with a grin, "Right, yeah, Mungo the humble."
+The ogre then shifted its tone, asserting, "These people have been involved in crimes against the gods." Keshah looked at the fleeing masses. "Yes, but they look like women and children to me, and I don't generally think that children are involved in crimes against the gods. I think you might be misstating things slightly. And if anybody was involved, it's probably the men of the group, who don't seem to be present at the moment." Lizette murmured, "Oh, look at the reputation."
+Keshah's argument resonated. "You make a fair point," the ogre admitted. "I will tell you what. You can have them till dawn, interrogate them as you see fit. And then we will pursue again." Keshah agreed, "Okay." The ogre then yelled orders, and the archers, who had been continuously firing at Lizette, finally ceased their barrage. "Oh, that's awesome, a mighty fine thing," Keshah remarked, as the ogre declared the truce until dawn, turned, and began to stride away.
+Keshah immediately began planning. "I will talk to the Gold Crowns while keeping an eye on the ogre." He corrected himself, "Red Crowns... Gold Crowns... Gold Crowns... Red Crowns." The GM interjected with a warning, "They will wait for us to be off our guard and then attack us in the middle of the night." Keshah proposed, "Why don't we gather up the refugees and then leave this abhorrent place? After all, we are here to rescue the refugees, aren't we?"
+The GM hesitated. "There are three in particular that we wish to speak to." Keshah asked, "What's our plan?" Lizette, always ready to help, offered, "I've been preparing all this time. If any of the refugees are hurt, I can assist them." Keshah reminded them, "We have to gather them up because they're still fleeing, aren't they?" The GM confirmed, "Yes, they are proceeding to move past you." Lizette watched for the most vulnerable. "Keep an eye out for any that are particularly obviously..." The GM added, "I'm watching the cavalry." Keshah reiterated his earlier success, "I talked to the Gold Crowns; they have agreed to disengage until dawn. The ogre recognized me, and I basically warned them off, and then I managed to convince them."
+==== Chapter 17: A Fragile Truce and Fleeing Folk ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_17_Night_11_A_Fragile_Truce_and_Fleeing_Folk.png|200px|thumb|left|Amidst the chilling landscape, a fragile truce allows for the rescue of weary refugees, while the party tends to their thermal shock and dehydration under the protective warmth of a magical belt.]]
+''Amidst the chilling landscape, a fragile truce allows for the rescue of weary refugees, while the party tends to their thermal shock and dehydration under the protective warmth of a magical belt.''
+A moment of tense silence hung heavy in the air, broken by Aurora's decisive words. "I felt that we're probably not here to kill them. We're here to rescue the refugees as such, so I accepted the temporary truce." Lizette, ever practical, confirmed, "So you don't want me to put knockout gas on those cavalry guys chasing the refugees?" Aurora shook her head. "No, as long as they've backed off, which they said." Lizette acknowledged, "Okay." "So hold for the moment," Aurora instructed, a command Lizette readily accepted. "All right." It was then that Aurora turned her attention to the more immediate task. "So we should talk to the refugees."
+A voice offered an unexpected boon, promising, "We will match you coin for coin for giving them coin." Lizette, meanwhile, was grappling with a more pressing physical reality. "Okay. Wow, that's going to be a shock. What are we looking at? Difference of around about 15 degrees in temperature." Aurora considered it. "Yeah, around about, actually, isn't it? 30-ish degrees, minus 10... no, maybe 40 degrees difference. Minus 10 to 30."
+"Another day," Aurora muttered, before refocusing. "Anyway, we should gather the refugees up and save them." There were approximately thirty, perhaps even forty, people huddled together. As they approached, the question of communication arose. "Do you speak any of the Ivanian tongues, any of you?" Keshah admitted, "I don't even know what languages they speak up here." Aurora replied, "Ivanian," adding quietly, "I have Ivanian at three, which is not very much." Lizette remarked, "I can't do it again until tomorrow," referring to some unstated 'cold thing'. Aurora, taking charge, offered, "I will check with common languages and see just in case somebody within the group has a higher rank in common, or dwarvish, or elvish, or something else that we can share." After a brief exchange, it became clear, "A few of them have Common high enough rank that they will translate." Aurora brightened. "Okay, well we have better looking up."
+Observing the crowd, it was evident that they were "all a bit unsettled about the temperature change, but they're not entirely sure." More curiously, "a few of them have mentioned Keshah a couple of times in sentences over there amongst those people." Once the refugees were gathered, Aurora sought their story. "Why are they being chased through the snow by an powerful ogre and a group of horsemen and archers?" The answer came through the translators: they had "escape[d]." "We'll get it through Common so we can get a proper story." They recounted how they had "refused to... they were sent to heal and help another community, but it turns out that they were captured and have been are about to be unsold to the ogre and his men. And they don't want any part of that." Aurora pressed further. "Do they know who the ogre and his men, which noble or faction they were?" The reply was vague, naming "one of the king's men, Ray Reagan or something."
+Lizette's healer instincts kicked in. "Do any of them obviously look like they need the arts of a healer?" The grim assessment was that "all of them do, all of them look fatigued and cold and a bit malnourished and a bit cold." Lizette resolved, "I suppose I can use some of my spells." Aurora offered, "I can, I'll check in a couple of resist colds to those who look a little more..." Lizette interrupted, "I don't think they need to resist cold." The GM clarified, "We're in the heat again now. Now, I think." Aurora seemed surprised, "What?" Lizette corrected, "We're in... Oh, no, no. You're standing around in the forest. In the north. Matt hasn't even turned up yet." Aurora processed this. "Right. I mean, if anyone looked really cold, I'll put the put the colds on." The GM then revealed, "There is this pocket of warm air around you." Aurora found this "a bit unusual." Lizette supplied the explanation: "That's the belt, I think." The GM confirmed, "Have you missed that part of the conversation entirely where Lizette triggered her the belt?"
+Focusing on the most vulnerable, Aurora affirmed, "Yeah, the people that the any of the refugees that look like they were really starting to suffer from the cold." Lizette noted, "Yep. So their breath will still be um missing like that." Aurora promised, "Yeah. Yeah, I'll drop resist colds on them." She continued, "Okay. There's a lot of them. I've got one of them that cloak to wear for now. So I'll set up protection or look to set up protections and I did, um, lookouts and stuff like that." Amidst the activity, the GM relayed, "I heard something, one of them said that there were three of them that they, um, that they were particularly wanting to talk to?" Lizette specified, "That's the grounds. You should talk to the grounds. They were wanting to suffer." "Okay. I'll better go and find those three. I'll go and talk to the grounds, find out which three they want to talk to and I'll go get them." Lizette suggested, "It's, uh, let us discuss it in Adjepbar."
+"And, uh, shortly thereafter, Matt will turn up," Lizette announced. Indeed, Matt arrived, and immediately began transporting groups, leaving with six people, and then another six twenty seconds later. "How many of them are there?" the GM asked. Aurora and Lizette confirmed, "40-ish." The GM instructed, "Yeah, I'll best get them the best, the worst affected ones." One of the Crowns approached Lizette. "Are you able, do you have, um, a waterskin?" Lizette confirmed. "Yeah." "You should go on the next and all the people that are fainted, try and bring them around. Make sure they're breathing. Thermal shock." Aurora quickly volunteered, "I should go with them." The Crown agreed, "I guess you should go as well." Aurora concurred, "Cool." "Oh yeah, dehydration," she added, realizing the cause. Keshah, ever vigilant, declared, "I'll stay to the last." "Just to keep the ogres honest," Aurora finished. This rapid transport and care took "all of about 10 minutes, backwards and forwards." Matt, by the end, was noticeably "a little bit out of breath." Aurora attempted to offer him a restorative, but Matt politely declined, "I don't do those."
+==== Chapter 18: A Northern Chill and a Warm Welcome ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_18_Night_11_A_Northern_Chill_and_a_Warm_Welcome.png|200px|thumb|left|Aurora heals frostbitten refugees north of Adjepbar while Lizette provides magical sustenance under the cool, clear night sky.]]
+''Aurora heals frostbitten refugees north of Adjepbar while Lizette provides magical sustenance under the cool, clear night sky.''
+The party materialized in the surprisingly cool, still air north of Adjepbar. From their vantage, Keshah and Aurora could clearly discern blue lights dancing across the sands about half a mile distant. To the south, the sprawling night sky of Adjepbar city stretched, crisp and already cold. The chill was notable, a constant presence that hovered around zero degrees, though Aurora mused it wouldn't be overly severe for those accustomed to northern climes. Yet, the refugees they had rescued told a different story; approximately fifteen individuals among them suffered from frostbite. Aurora quickly resolved to cast 'resist colds' upon them, hoping it would alleviate their suffering, and then focused on healing. Gathering them close, she channeled her restorative magic, healing them for a full sixteen points of damage each. This potent burst of healing proved sufficient to mend the frostbite of all seventeen or eighteen individuals.
+After tending to their physical wounds, Lizette addressed one of the Gold Crowns. "Can we get some food?" she inquired. The Gold Crown's response was sharp and immediate, "I can do food," followed by a terse, "Do they need this?" Lizette was taken aback by the brusque tone. "She says to you, 'Never ask me that again,'" the Gold Crown added. "I apologize," Lizette stammered, "I didn't mean that... it's just I thought you would know better." The Gold Crown cut her off sharply, "Stop now. Quit digging." Lizette immediately ceased her line of questioning, turning instead to the refugees. She asked if they had eaten recently; many responded with a negative, their hunger palpable.
+Undeterred, Lizette conjured her magical food platters. Fish, bread, greens, and fruit appeared, enough to feed twenty-four people generously. The refugees, deeply thankful and visibly pleased, devoured every last morsel, leaving nothing behind. The party then sought to understand the refugees' plight more fully, inquiring about their homeland. It was determined they hailed from Ivinia, specifically from a place just outside either Kelby or Ralby, a region described as Ralby after some initial clarity issues. They had been captured and sold to others, a grim reality that prompted discussion about the nature of such northern cultures, often based on raiding.
+Aurora noted that these cultures, sometimes called 'Goa Viking,' frequently saw men and warriors embark on longboat raids during the summer. While some kingdoms in the north were more settled, this region was known for its harshness. Lizette considered learning some of their languages but saw no immediate reason to. The more pressing concern was understanding the Gold Crowns' specific objectives for these people, beyond simply saving them and needing to speak with some individuals. The idea of taking the refugees to Seagate and 'dumping them' on Mango, who hailed from the realm of Golvenia, arose as a humorous if somewhat practical solution, leveraging his reputation for magnificence, not the "humble" demeanor he sometimes affected.
+==== Chapter 19: A Northern Migration and Desert Perils ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_19_Night_11_A_Northern_Migration_and_Desert_Perils.png|200px|thumb|left|Under the blue glow of the desert, Aurora takes to the sky to scout for threats as the party escorts the disoriented refugees towards safety.]]
+''Under the blue glow of the desert, Aurora takes to the sky to scout for threats as the party escorts the disoriented refugees towards safety.''
+“Oh,” Aurora murmured, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. Lizette recounted, “I’m pretty sure I heard him say he got this from his deity or something.” Aurora nodded, completing her thought, “Yeah, the dude with the ravens… Odin.”
+“Odin?” Lizette questioned, surprised. “That’s him! I met him once, I think I ventured with Mango on a mission.”
+“What?” Aurora asked, startled.
+“The god did,” Lizette clarified. “I don’t really remember, actually. That was a while back. I think it was Mango on that adventure.”
+“So we’ll get as much of the story from them as possible,” Aurora decided, shifting her focus to the pressing matter of their rescued companions. Lizette confirmed the refugees were simply happy to have escaped. Aurora took it upon herself to explain their current predicament, noting the general confusion among the group. They rubbed sand through their hands, still processing the monumental shift in their reality.
+“If they can read the stars, they can figure it out,” Aurora mused, then offered her own estimation of their displacement. “They are… what, two and a half thousand miles away? Something like that.” She pointed out that Aurora, possessing a collection of maps, would surely have a general world map. “No, it shouldn’t be that much, we’re at about twenty degrees north at the moment, aren’t we?” Aurora corrected herself. “And they’re from sixty, seventy degrees north. So it’s the equivalent of taking people from Canada down to Colombia, roughly.”
+Jonathan Bean, overseeing their journey, confirmed the immense distance, noting that each hex on his map represented 200 miles. “Yeah, it’s about 2,600 miles thereabouts, yeah, 2,500 miles, whatever. So, you’ve gone from the north of Norway to…”
+“Morocco,” Aurora finished.
+“Yeah, Morocco, maybe,” Jonathan agreed. “Somewhere on the coast. And it’s still cold here where you are.”
+The Red Crowns, ever practical, advised the party, “We should get them into town and into accommodation before dawn. We should use the cold to our advantage.” They inquired about Aurora’s area spells, specifically in case of encounters with the 'worms'—or scorpions. Aurora confirmed, “Yeah, I got the knockout gas that’s area effect.”
+“Yes, if we get attacked by the scorpions,” Jonathan prompted, as the Red Crowns pointed towards a distant blue aurora and glow across the sands. “Use knockout gas.”
+“Yeah, okay,” Aurora responded. “Is this a blue dust thing? Is that what it’s…?”
+“That’s where it comes from,” Jonathan affirmed. Lizette added, “Yeah, I noticed the blue glow.” Jonathan then corrected, “You can’t see any of this, they’re pointing somewhere you don’t have Wood Sight.” Aurora countered, “Yeah, we neither.”
+“You do have Wood Sight,” Jonathan corrected. “Okay, then you can see this.”
+“So apparently the scorpions cause the blue dust, maybe?” Aurora speculated. Jonathan then suggested, “I wonder if we should fly up and keep a lookout.” Aurora responded, “Blue sands. But we don’t have time to investigate at the moment because we’re escorting the refugees.”
+“No, yep, yep, let’s do it,” Jonathan agreed. He then queried, “Do you wish to go into town and get some wagons and come out, or a caravan, or should we just walk the six miles?”
+“How far are we? Six miles?” Aurora asked. Jonathan clarified, “Five miles, maybe.”
+“We probably should just walk because organizing the caravan would leave them in the desert for hours potentially,” Aurora concluded. Jonathan agreed, “Yeah, you’re correct.” Lizette added, with concern, “A lot of little children, though.” Jonathan then narrated, “That says ‘I must be away’ and disappears.” Lizette immediately responded, “I will, I guess, try and carry at least one of the children if people are…”
+“Okay, you start legging it into town after much discussion,” Jonathan described. Aurora added, “Yeah, fly a little bit. Keep an eye on the scorpions.”
+The Gold Crowns, representing their benefactors, conveyed, “We can probably afford a few thousands of a pennies towards this. We’re going to need to front cash.”
+“Yeah, I’ve got… I guess I can pull out a few gems or jewels or something and use those,” Aurora offered. “Because they’re basically going to need to be accommodated somewhere and fed for some time until we decide what’s going to happen. I would suggest taking them back to Seagate because leaving them here would be risky.”
+“And how are we going to get them to Seagate?” Lizette asked. “If we can get them to Sarens’…”
+“I can transport them up there in a day or two,” Aurora explained. Jonathan added, from a Red Crown’s perspective, “On a ship, she says.” Aurora clarified, “If we… I can teleport them in a couple of days.”
+“Aren’t we fairly close to Sarens’ place? She has tunnels to Seagate,” Lizette pointed out. Aurora confirmed, “Yeah, she does. Oh, you are a hero up there, so maybe we would need to check with them before bringing thirty people into our camp.”
+“Yeah, yeah, definitely ask for…” Lizette agreed. Jonathan interjected, “Forty.”
+“Forty people into our camp,” Aurora corrected herself. Jonathan then elaborated, “Now that you’ve done a headcount, it’s forty-six people.”
+“Yeah, forty-six,” Lizette confirmed. “With children all added in.” Aurora realized, “Yep, they weren’t just bundles of clothing.”
+“Cool, indeed there are sparkles of lightning from the sky down to the sands,” Jonathan described. “Yeah, okay,” Aurora responded. “I might take to the air, not very high, but enough to get a better look at what’s going on.”
+“Look over the next sand dune,” Jonathan instructed. “Yeah, look over the next sand dune, sort of thing.”
+As Aurora ascended slightly, “Some things see something. Some sort of scorpion creature, a large scorpion creature, sees you flying.”
+“Oh, crap,” Aurora exclaimed, but the creature simply “buggers off.”
+==== Chapter 20: Arrival at Adjepbar: Sanctuary and Scrutiny ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_20_Night_11_Arrival_at_Adjepbar_Sanctuary_and_Scrutiny.png|200px|thumb|left|Dawn breaks over the walls of Adjepbar as refugees and travelers await entry, seeking sanctuary within its ancient gates.]]
+''Dawn breaks over the walls of Adjepbar as refugees and travelers await entry, seeking sanctuary within its ancient gates.''
+As the hours passed and the city walls loomed closer, Aurora reflected on their approach, musing, "Oh good, because I was getting a knockout gas spell." Lizette, ever practical, reminded her, "They fly at night," to which Aurora added, "A dangerous generally." Dressed in black, Aurora felt herself "really steeled up" for whatever lay ahead.After about four hours of travel, the group finally reached the imposing walls of the city. "What time is this then?" Aurora inquired, and the response placed them at "maybe 4:00 in the morning." Aurora considered resting until the town gates opened, assuming correctly that "they close at night, don't they?" It was agreed that attempting to gain entry before the official opening was unwise.They were not alone in their wait; a couple of Bedouin-styled families, complete with camels, were also parked outside the city, waiting to get in. Aurora noted their own appearance, saying, "We'll just be off to one side looking very strange in our furs, or they will be in their furs." The gate was scheduled to open around five o'clock.Before entering, Aurora took the initiative to explain the city's customs to the refugees, detailing "what they can and cannot do." She outlined the "constraints" and rules they had previously learned: they must "stay together," and "do not separate." A grim warning followed: "People have been known to be grabbed and sold in the city." She stressed the importance of vigilance, advising, "So keep a close eye on your children and don't wander off as yourselves." Lizette acknowledged the advice, adding, "We can probably get some help if we need it. The civil groups who would want to be helpful."Once inside, the party and refugees found themselves in "one of the small mustering yards," a bustling hub with "five roads going off in different directions around the walls and off into the city itself." The immediate concern was finding a secure place for the refugees for "the next day or two," especially since they were to be interviewed. A rented building was procured, a decision the party noted should ideally be funded by the Gold Crowns.A captain of the guard soon arrived, having "sent for my cousin's brother's man" to guide them to "a house that is of good repute that these ladies have rented." The captain extended a courteous welcome, suggesting, "you and your fine ladies are welcome to sit in the shade if you wish," an offer Aurora gratefully accepted. The morning was already heating up rapidly, with the "wavering of heat on the cobblestones" clearly visible, and the refugees were already "beginning to peel layers off." Aurora ensured they would be kept in the shade with plenty of water.A couple more hours later, they reached the designated building, a "respectable building" with "a high wall around it," featuring a basement, a ground floor, a first floor, and a roof. The refugees went inside, but Aurora quickly discerned its nature. "I take it this is not Lady Alba's place," she commented, asking how far it was from their usual lodgings. The guide explained it was "about half a mile, something like that, a several blocks... many blocks over." Aurora understood; "You are staying in where you guys are is in a nice part of town. This is not a nice part of town. This is a reasonably..." She finished the thought, "Yeah, it's a flop house."Indeed, as the party members surveyed their surroundings, it became clear that "lots of dubious characters have been paying attention" to their arrival at the building. Aurora confirmed that the refugees were "all women and kids," and upon inquiry, learned that "none that live" among the women were martially oriented. She conveyed the danger to the refugees, explaining, "this is a slightly lower class part of town and many criminals have noted your presence here. So I would suggest you keep the gates locked and barred unless it's one of and us and I'll point us and the crowns who are at the gate."The Gold Crowns confirmed, "we will stay here for the moment if you wish to conduct yourself around town and come back." They assured the party that "we will not have much trouble from the any fools that come in trouble us." Aurora, having observed their capabilities, agreed, "I'm very very surprised that any of the locals managed to..." The Crowns added that they had already organized for "a merchant factor coming by later this morning."Aurora, with her own errands in mind, stated, "Yes, I've got to see a cat about some dwarfs." She then pressed for a long-term plan for the refugees, asking, "what do you want done with these people?" The Crowns, however, were still uncertain, admitting, "we're unsure at the moment. We probably might just we will seek instructions."
+==== Chapter 21: A Looming Shadow and Lingering Doubts ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_meeting_upload_1788181519855_21_Night_11_A_Looming_Shadow_and_Lingering_Doubts.png|200px|thumb|left|The party, visibly weary, receives unsettling news of an approaching Ogre despite previous assurances of safety, while hidden tensions simmer.]]
+''The party, visibly weary, receives unsettling news of an approaching Ogre despite previous assurances of safety, while hidden tensions simmer.''
+Aurora mused on the fate of the rescued people, considering their home up north. "There's always, I'm assuming they have a home back up north. The other option would basically just live in them back there, potentially, but..." Lizette interjected with concern, asking, "If it's safe for them?" The woman Aurora had been speaking with affirmed, "Yes, we will seek instructions." Aurora explained her apprehension, recalling, "I think last time I was up there, the city that they came from was under attack." The woman agreed, "That might, yeah, that's what I mean," as Aurora admitted, "I am not sure what the current military situation is up" north. The woman grimly stated, "Well, Ogres are a nasty business. We should keep them out of the hands of Ogres." A wave of exhaustion settled over the group, a heavy weight after their recent ordeal, making the prospect of rest and recovery a deeply desired outcome. While others might be sleeping, the fatigue still clung to them, and the hope of breakfast wouldn't erase the weariness. Aurora then remembered something. "Yeah, you seem to bring... Oh, I will give back the antidote I was given," she offered, explaining, "Because I didn't need it." The woman accepted it, saying, "She hands it back to you and says, give it to the captain when you see him." Aurora acknowledged, "Okay, right." Lizette, however, was still preoccupied. She had noticed Aurora acting very deferential in this situation, clearly suspecting that some sort of private arrangement was underway that she knew nothing about. "Well, so aren't we dealing with Ogres at dawn?" Lizette questioned, then added, almost to herself, "Well, though I'm not sure how they're funding us, so maybe not." Aurora looked puzzled. "What Ogres at dawn?" Lizette clarified, "I thought the Ogre was going to come back." Aurora scoffed, confident. "Yeah, of course he's going to come back, and we're two and a half thousand miles away, and he's going to come back to two and a half thousand miles to the north, see a bunch of tracks through the snow, and they end." Lizette seemed to grasp her meaning, "Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm saying." Aurora concluded with certainty, "And good luck to him to track us down here." Lizette noted, "Yeah, you seem to know you..." Aurora confirmed, "I've been up north before." Lizette uttered a surprised, "Oh." Aurora pondered aloud, "Um, though yeah, I was a little bit surprised in the end, you mean." Before the conversation could delve further, a new task emerged. "And we'd better check in on Mags," the woman suggested. Lizette replied, "Yeah, I actually gave me a Mags gave me a week." The woman corrected her promptly, "10 days." The discussion of distant threats and past dealings was abruptly cut short when the ominous news arrived: "No. Uh, there is an ogre heading towards you."
+== People and Places ==
+* Alba - Our host at the inn
+* Marian - Alba's daughter
+* Captain Grendel Hammersong - Captain of the Dwarven Guard
+* Mr Tudor Tumblewall - Our language tutor - teaching us the local language
+* "Her Magnificence" (Mags) - the inn's cat
+* Tommy - a local tomcat
+* Maranor the Unholy - the Enchanter who lives in the Blue Tower
+* Merda - The Cat Lady
+* Cerse - The hobbit head priestess of the Temple of Estee (Goddess of Fertility, Wellbeing, and Healing) - Guardian of the Hearth, representative of the Mother of All; pragmatic and compassionate
+* **The Chamberlain** – senior hobbit official able to call upon city favours.
+* [[Syrene]]
+* [[Matt Tumbledown]]
+* [[Red Crowns]]
-=== Scribe notes ===
+== Lore and Clues ==
-These are the last test of scribe notes - [[Test Page for - Scribe notes wiki output]]<br>
+* TBC - Review clues, prophecies, promises, and discovered facts.
-<br>
+== Buffs & Mil Sci ==
+=== Long Term (assumed always on) ===
+{| class="wikitable"
+! Magic !! Caster / NPC !! Rk !! Base Chance !! Range !! Duration !! FT !! Target !! Effects
+|-
+| TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC
+|}
+=== Short Term ===
+{| class="wikitable"
+! Magic !! Caster / NPC !! Rk !! Base Chance !! Range !! Duration !! FT !! Target !! Effects
+|-
+| TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC
+|}
+=== Misc ===
+* TBC - Review daily rituals, consumables, protective auras, meals, rings, shells, and other recurring resources.
+=== Watch Order ===
+{| class="wikitable"
+! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12
+|-
+| TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC
+|}
+=== Marching Order ===
+; Default
+: TBC
+; Double File
+: TBC
+; Single File
+: TBC
+=== Astrology ===
+* TBC - Review lucky numbers, readings, auspicious days, and party-wide astrological effects.
+== Loot ==
+* TBC - Review payment, treasure, potions, invested items, services, destroyed items, and unresolved claims.
+* Boons: A free rank in a primary stat, a weapon, and a spell.
-=== Loot ===
+== Calendar ==
-<br>
+; Seasonal Overview
-<br>
+: TBC - Populate from NPC Forge weather timeline when date range is known.
+; Icon Legend
+: [sun] clear, [sun/cloud] mixed, [cloud] cloudy, [rain] rain, [storm] storm, [fog] fog, [warning] severe, [wind] wind, [new moon]/[crescent]/[full moon] moon phase.
+{| class="wikitable"
+! Date !! Day !! Weather !! Temperature !! Rain !! Wind !! Dawn !! Sunset !! Moon !! Notes
+|-
+| TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC || TBC
+|}
+[[Category:Season]]<div class=noprint>
+{| width="100%" border=0
+| width="16%" | [[Autumn|Previous season]]
+| width="16%" | [[Summer]]
+| width="16%" | [[Autumn]]
+| width="16%" | Winter
+| width="16%" | [[Spring]]
+| width="16%" | [[Spring|Next season]]
+|}</div>
+{| cellspacing=1 width="100%" border=0 class="Season" id="Winter"
+! colspan=15 | <h1>Winter</h1>
+|-
+| class="calMoon" |
+! colspan=2 | Moonday
+! colspan=2 | Duesday
+! colspan=2 | W'ansday
+! colspan=2 | Th'rsday
+! colspan=2 | Frysday
+! colspan=2 | Reapsday
+! colspan=2 | Sunday
+|-
+| class="calMoon" | [[Image:moon2.jpg]]
+| colspan=14 | <b>[[Samhain]]</b>
+|-
+! colspan=15 | <span style="font-size: 130%;">[[Frost]] (7)</span>
+|-
+! colspan=3 height=54px | &nbsp;
+| class=day |  1 || <i>Guild Meeting</i>
+| class=day |  2 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  3 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  4 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  5 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  6 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon3.jpg]]
+| class=day |  7 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  8 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  9 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 10 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 11 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 12 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 13 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon0.jpg]]
+| class=day | 14 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 15 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 16 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 17 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 18 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 19 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 20 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon1.jpg]]
+| class=day | 21 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 22 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 23 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 24 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 25 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 26 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 27 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon2.jpg]]
+| class=day | 28 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 29 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 30 || &nbsp;
+| colspan=8 | &nbsp;
+|-
+! colspan=15 | <span style="font-size: 130%;">[[Snow]] (8)</span>
+|-
+! colspan=7 height=54px | &nbsp;
+| class=day |  1 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  2 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  3 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  4 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon3.jpg]]
+| class=day |  5 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  6 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  7 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  8 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  9 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 10 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 11 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon0.jpg]]
+| class=day | 12 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 13 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 14 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 15 || <i>Solstice</i>
+| class=day | 16 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 17 || <i>The Duke of Carzala's Winter Ball</i>
+| class=day | 18 || <i>Yuletide</i>
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon1.jpg]]
+| class=day | 19 || <i>Days of Chaos</i>
+| class=day | 20 || <i>DoC 2</i>
+| class=day | 21 || <i>DoC 3</i>
+| class=day | 22 || <i>DoC 4</i>
+| class=day | 23 || <i>DoC 5</i>
+| class=day | 24 || <i>DoC 6</i>
+| class=day | 25 || <i>DoC 7</i>
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon2.jpg]]
+| class=day | 26 || <i>DoC 8</i>
+| class=day | 27 || <i>DoC 9</i>
+| class=day | 28 || <i>DoC 10</i>
+| class=day | 29 || <i>DoC 11</i>
+| class=day | 30 || <i>Twelfth Night</i>
+| colspan=4 | &nbsp;
+|-
+! colspan=15 | <span style="font-size: 130%;">[[Ice]] (9)</span>
+|-
+! colspan=11 height=54px | &nbsp;
+| class=day |  1 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  2 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon3.jpg]]
+| class=day |  3 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  4 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  5 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  6 || <i>First Plough</i>
+| class=day |  7 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  8 || &nbsp;
+| class=day |  9 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon0.jpg]]
+| class=day | 10 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 11 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 12 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 13 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 14 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 15 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 16 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon1.jpg]]
+| class=day | 17 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 18 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 19 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 20 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 21 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 22 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 23 || &nbsp;
+|-
+| class="calMoon" height=54px | [[Image:moon2.jpg]]
+| class=day | 24 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 25 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 26 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 27 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 28 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 29 || &nbsp;
+| class=day | 30 || &nbsp;
+|}
+[[Category:Season]]
+== GM Review Notes ==
+* Reader-style draft generated from the safe Roleplaying/Reader Mode stream.
+* Review names, links, operational sections, and chapter emphasis before moving this text to a permanent campaign page.