Wall walkers of Adjepbar part 2: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 05:16, 26 September 2026

Summary

Adventure: Wall walkers of Adjepbar Part 2
GM: Jonathan Bean
Season: TBC
Night: 2
Level: TBC

Party

Lady Lizette Summers - Healer, Buff Mage, Courtier, Human - played by RPer 4eva
Aurora Steelwind - Troubadour, Assassin, Scribe, Courtier, Transport, Wood Elf - played by Keith Smith
Keshah - Mil Sci, Melee Tank, Melee Damage per pulse, Assassin, Transport, Courtier, High Elf - played by Michael Haycock
Dae - Party Leader, Ranger, Jack-of-all-trades, High Elf - played by Gus

Employer: TBC
Mission: TBC
Pay: TBC

Wall Walkers of Adjepbar: Whispers in the Blue Dust Before departing the familiar bounds of Seagate, Dae and his companions make a fraught visit to the ranger's eccentric elven mother, departing with family contacts, harsh critiques, and an errand to retrieve rare blue sands from the arid wastes. Following bureaucratic handoffs, an unsettling astrology reading foretelling dire omens for Lady Lizette, and a shrewd bounty collection scam, the party steps through a disorienting portal into the sun-baked city of Adjepbar. There they are immediately plunged into regional peril: dodging green poison gas in the streets, securing the release of their cultured tutor Chitterjoy, and conferring with feline spies and hospitable innkeepers at the Courtyard Inn. As spicy morning dishes sharpen their wits, rumors of rogue doppelgangers protected by the court, an octopus-worshiping cult, and a chaotic municipal Ogre Run begin to paint a treacherous picture of the desert metropolis.

Scribe Notes

Night 1

Chapter 1: Reunion at the Guild Gates

Dae reunites with Lizette, Keshah, and Aurora at the guild gates as their rescued refugees look on.

Determined to continue our aborted mission, the three of us wandered into the guild grounds, where we came upon Dae lounging under the sun along a low rowstone wall. He was deep in conversation with a rather attractive water mage and an equally striking mind mage, the pair absorbed in discussing their respective colleges with him.

"Oh, hey, Dae!" called Lizette across the stones, noting that it had been a while. A greeting followed, remarking that it was good to see her still alive, though looking quite pale even after being out in the sun and on a boat. Lizette clarified her condition, stating that whatever rumors had spread, she was no longer demon-infested and no longer Pacted to death. The sea trip had left lingering wooziness, with the ground feeling as though it were swaying back and forth.

Attention soon shifted to the others in the courtyard, prompting a question as to whether these were traveling companions. Introductions were quickly offered, with Keshah stepping forward to present himself. The male elf stood about five-foot-ten, with dark black hair and green eyes. Over his shoulders rested a suit of handsome, ornate red leather armor, complemented by a finely crafted hand-and-a-half sword, a bow slung ready, and a stout quarterstaff etched with runes.

Beside him I stood. I introduced myself as Aurora. Standing at five-foot-seven—rather short for an elf—I bore nearly waist-length blonde hair and wore the traditional blues and whites of the Air College over sensible traveling attire. Known as well for being a reporter for the *Seagate Times*, I regarded the gathering with interest.

Dae, who had previously journeyed alongside Lizette, was recognizable as a youngish male elf with dark hair. Subtle touches of makeup were visible, used to make him appear older as a human rather than an elf, having grown up in human settlements without many elven elders around. Aurora found him familiar from guild dispatches, while Lizette noted he was also a hero of Adjepbar. When rumors were mentioned, Dae remarked that it was an accident—depending on which rumor was meant.

I prompted an introduction to the charming companions on the wall, but the two mages demurred, politely excusing themselves so as not to intrude. Bidding Dae farewell and telling him not to wander off, they departed. For some reason I felt a little disappointed.

Lizette then asked for opinions on the Red Crowns and Gold Crowns, mentioning she remembered only a little about them. Dae replied plainly that he did not enjoy their company.

About that time, a gaggle of about fifteen stragglers neatly attired in fresh clothing appeared behind us at the guild gates. Keshah explained that on our last mission we had rescued thirty-eight Ivinians who were being hunted by nasty creatures. After taking them far south and returning them safely to Seagate, the plan had been to release them, but the refugees now wished to hire on as servants.

I noted that maybe I could perhaps use some, though the choice was up to them, mentioning I had a manor house kept running by a majordomo during my frequent absences. Keshah suggested they might also be happy settling into a local village to farm, tend orchards, or care for gardens. I agreed that farms and gardens always needed care, though word was that the Western Kingdom was in turmoil. Lizette expressed a desire to keep all thirty-eight together if possible, a sentiment I shared, preferring not to split them up without their consent.

Chapter 2: Guild Divinations and Debrief

The party undergoes magical divination and delivers their unconventional debriefing upon returning to the Guild.

A voice assented as the group regrouped. A guild representative came by, inquiring whether they had any items requiring divination. The reply came that there were a few, and they would have a go at it. I pointed out that beyond their gear, they had a bunch of divinations to conduct on themselves as well, considering conditions had not remained static—in fact, other things had shifted, even if she was not entirely sure what had changed. Besides, I wanted to make sure there hadn't6 been some other effects that weren't picked up in the initial post-adventure divination.

Lizette asked whether she could check the items for magically cursed water intended to attract the refugees, deciding she would perform the inspection once they made land. The announcement came immediately that they were already at land.

Stepping forward, the guild representative approached once more. "Excuse me, Lady Dawn, oh, could you come this way for a divination, please?"

"Oh, okay," I agreed. Turning back toward Dae, she added before the thought slipped away, "Oh, Dae, while I remember, I'm not sure you'll be mentioned in the Seagate Times — I might have to remedy that. Not sure it's going to be this issue, maybe the next one." When someone mentioned stories, I clarified my process with some annoyance "I do NOT do fake news". Basically I do not invent stories; I interview people, listen as they told their accounts, wrote them down, and then head off to handle the journaling. It was noted that the guild representative had come directly to me, and the party agreed to check in and complete the routine.

Taking stock of their commercial cover, I reviewed my notes and was horrified to discover I had forgotten to pass on the merchant details to the local leather merchants. I had gathered a roster of names, displayed the samples, and secured viable contacts. My intention was now to simply turn the details over to the leather merchants and let them manage the trade. Lizette countered that the commercial venture had merely been a cover rather than the actual assignment, though others acknowledged that the legwork had nonetheless been carried out. When Lizette trailed off wondering whether they wanted to keep lugging around twenty-three chests of leather, or thirty-eight refugees, I clarified that I referred specifically to the twenty-three chests of leather goods, which could now be returned once the leather merchant took over the outreach.

After agreeing to report to the leather guild, I submitted to my magical reading. The diviner confirmed that her aura had indeed shifted. I had anticipated as much, curious whether any further alterations would show. The assessment revealed that she had resisted a rank-one curse approximately six times, with the residue linked to foul odors. I immediately identified the culprit: Her Magnificent, the inn's cat. Chuckling that the beast was clearly not that powerful, I mused that should we cross paths again, I might use a 'pixie prank' to dye the tips of her fur green once more—or, assuming I was now in its good graces, perhaps make her smell of violets instead. Nearby, an inquiry was raised about having the party's animals checked as well.

When asked whether a message had been left for their employer at the drop position back in Adjepbar, I explained that I was sure I had left that task to Keshah. Had it not been done? Regardless, we were now safely within the guild halls, where examinations confirmed the travelers were fine.

The formal debriefing proved less smooth. When the guild representative pressed for an explanation after hearing they had accomplished little of the original objective, Aurora explained their quandary: they had never received the specific contact or identified the targeted merchant house, leaving them stymied before extraneous crises sidetracked the entire enterprise.

"Did it really go as badly as planned?" came the question.

"Yep," came the blunt confirmation.

Asked to identify the party leader, Lizette was named. Keshah stepped in to provide the critical context: while attempting to rescue a bystander at their inn, Lizette had been struck by what amounted to a death curse. With their leader facing the grim certainty of being dead and devoured within six weeks, the mission had necessarily pivoted entirely toward saving her life.

Chapter 3: Contracts and Crowns

The adventurers debate the hidden perils of blank contracts and debts owed to the Gold Crowns.

The debriefing began with grim reflections on what had transpired. "What do you think?" someone murmured, the consensus settling on a grim assessment: consumed from within.

"So that was pretty much the rest of the adventure," Keshah said flatly, summing up the conclusion of the venture.

"Yeah, well, understandable," I admitted. "So we thought we'd better come back and regroup, plus we needed some, backup."

A voice chimed in with a suggestion: backup, as in assistance—perhaps taking that nice, friendly man, Dae, along with them. I started to answer, but trailing commentary noted the grim financial reality: it was a matter of money, and they were already poor. Struggling to summarize the tangled complications, I confessed, "It sort of got a little bit—to be quite honest, it was a little over my head."

"Yes, yes, we understand," the Guild representative reassured gently. "It's alright, Aurora. Just, please just sit there and look beautiful for the moment.". So I said down and fumed for a bit.

The discussion quickly turned to official scrutiny. Word had reached the Guild representative that something was amiss regarding Lizette and the rest of the circle, questioning whether inquiries were about donations or genuine alarm over their dealings—specifically concerning their souls and signed contracts.

"Oh, those?" I interjected, ready to address the matter directly. "Yes, in that case, I will explain that. Yes, please, that's okay. Guild security would wanna know. Yes. Apparently I've got a debt to the Red Crowns. Or was it the Gold Crowns? I can't remember. No wait, it was the Gold Crowns. Because Lizette needed some assistance from them in order to sort out her little problem, so I signed a contract with them to spend six months with them."

A question was directed to Lizette: "And, Lizette, what's your situation?"

"Well, since you didn't help me, I went to talk to them about if I could absorb some of her debt to them," Lizette explained, faltering slightly over the outcome. "I'm not sure I got as well as I... yeah."

"She ended up signing a blank piece of paper," I noted dryly. "Goodness knows what she signed."

Exclamations went around the circle over whether past mistakes had taught them anything. The reminder was raised that last time had ended in a signature with death, though Lizette maintained that was unintentional. Pressed on whether she had entered another blind agreement, Lizette clarified that it had not literally begun as a signed page, but rather an understanding—a gentleman's agreement, or a binding one. Yet the Guild Rep pressed the point: this time, paper had indeed been signed. When asked what the paper said, the answer was plain: blank. It had been blank, remained blank, effectively committing to nothing on its face.

"However, I think we can trust them," Lizette maintained, appealing to the idea of Syrene's Court. Voices questioned how they fit into any court at all, describing them merely as guests. Dae countered that they were as much part of Syrene's Court as the party was.

The Guild Rep noted that, unfortunately for them, there existed something far more delectable that the Crowns would be interested in. When Dae wryly asked what could possibly be more delectable than a Lizette, Lizette acknowledged they had little interest in her. Keshah observed that they held a strong interest in Dae, but the topic soon shifted toward Dae. An objection arose against offering Dae up, prompting the tactical reminder that one does not simply give Dae away, but rather dangles Dae as leverage.

"Right!" I remarked, realizing the stakes. "I guess I got some research to do in the guild's library before we go."

Lizette recalled that the contract had contained a protective specification: I would not be compelled to do anything she found morally repugnant. I voiced no misgivings on that account, curious about what I might learn from them, though Lizette repeated the caution that Dae could not simply be surrendered.

"And besides that, you'll probably quite like their culture," Keshah added thoughtfully. "It's infamous."

Chapter 4: Briefing and the Gray Fox

Whispers of regional unrest and mysterious affiliations lead the companions from the strategy table to the archives.

Reflecting on survival and past perils, Dae acknowledged that standing there at all was owed entirely to having good friends. Keshah brought up the grueling journey once taken to resolve Lizette’s dilemma, remarking that the travel itself was nothing compared to the severity of the problem they faced. A voice nearby noted that for a time, at least, it had still been fun.

The conversation turned to lingering supernatural bonds. I inquired whether anyone was pacted. Though the answer came that there had never been such a pact, divination readings on me suggested otherwise—or at least revealed something resembling an "almost pacting." The Guild Rep countered that on their end, it registered instead as a great debt. I admitted uncertainty about whether the connection could be exorcised just yet, deciding it was an issue best tackled directly once this current mission concluded. For now, spending six months under the employ of the Gold Crowns offered a welcome reprieve from the Western Kingdom. From what word had reached her, turmoil was stirring across the west, with nobles discovering their estates slipping away due to lapsed or disputed paperwork. When the question arose of who was seizing the land, I had no definitive answer beyond mounting rumor and hearsay. Keshah observed that such dispossessions were the spark for civil war, prompting further debate over whether the unrest threatened a peasant uprising or an aristocratic revolt against the crown—a grim prospect I hoped would not come to pass.

The Guild representative weighed in, urging that Keshah be assisted in keeping the group under control, with a pointed admonition directed toward keeping certain desires in check. A defensive reply protested that magic had been the cause—specifically being struck by a magical staff—even if that explanation hardly improved matters. Regardless, the directive stood: the company was to return to Adjepbar and investigate the developments surrounding the merchant family. While old mission grounds remained in the vicinity, they were considered unlikely to cause trouble.

Clarifying the geography, Aurora asked about Syrene's Court. Was it still sixty miles down the coast, or had they moved. Dae and Keshah clarified that the factions present were visitors rather than permanent fixtures of Syrene's Court, traveling alongside Destinians and others. Meanwhile, elves had gathered in Adjepbar, actively instructing the local citizens in martial combat and healing arts, even as word spread of Destinians and elves clashing back in the Elven Isles.

With too many threads tangling at once, I announced I would be in the library, intent on sifting through scribe notes and verifying rumors about Dae's background and associates before stepping into the field, So I set off into the stacks—learning that he was, by all accounts, kin to the Gray Fox.

Chapter 5: Guild Formalities and the Displaced

The party reorganizes their ranks and responsibilities within the guild while planning for their followers camped outside.

A brief murmur of agreement opened the inquiry as the records were laid bare. The Guild's accounts suggested Dae descended from a line of elves believed to be in hiding from Alfheim, driven away after his parents eloped to escape an arranged marriage. For my part, I was simply sifting through the public knowledge of the day to ensure she understood her new companion.

By all accounts, Dae stood as the hero of Adjepbar, maintaining good standing there after joining the Guild as a fresh recruit out of Gugnir's Hope. His service record noted several excursions into the Fastness of Girwyllan, including ventures touching upon the Elemental Plane of Earth and a brief posting to the Plane of Fire—brief indeed for such an unforgiving realm. "Okay, no, those are the highlights," I noted, satisfied with familiarizing myself with a veteran fellow adventurer so as not to be caught unawares by someone of proper standing. The Guild had recently promoted him from recruit to full-time member. Dae acknowledged the status with a dry point of pride: "I've only killed one member, so it's good standing."

Observation turned to his affinity as a water-based practitioner before conversation drifted toward immediate domestic burdens. An entourage had gathered outside, sheltering in tents upon the commons outside the guild. It was suggested they might be transported toward an estate, perhaps requiring the establishment of a barony or a manor house. I clarified that her holding was merely a manor house reachable through her home. Keshah pointed out that housing would have to be erected if people were simply dumped there, while Dae mentioned having leads on a Runemage legacy he intended to investigate in due time.

Details of the manor estate offered little relief for a large resettlement. At eighteen hundred acres, the crop and pasture land was sufficient to maintain an upper-class standard of living for the owner and sixteen others—including four servants, two mounts, and two draft horses—providing expenses for sixteen months but generating no extra income beyond that. Furthermore, the displaced people had no desire to travel off-plane, so the Lilac manor was out as they wished to remain beneath the familiar night sky of their homeland. Though they could look for work and remain camped near the guild temporarily, the guild representative made it clear they could not stay long-term, urging arrangements to be settled within eight weeks. I offered to inquire at court to see if any households required hands. The group noted that the contingent consisted predominantly of women and children—the martial-trained women having stayed behind to face the attack—and Guild rules did not permit them membership.

Keshah offered to handle arrangements for the camp before turning back to administrative business: "We should probably do the formalities again, get a new military scientist and scribe and add a leader and stuff."

The guild representative promptly addressed the party's command. "Uh-huh, Lizette," the official remarked. "Yes, given your astounding accomplishments in leading a party on the last mission, we suggest that you pass the mantle to somebody else."

Lizette accepted the assessment, noting that the others had previously declined because of the demands of Inscribing. Turning to Dae, she asked how he felt about stepping into the position. Keshah agreed that Dae would be an appropriate choice given his strong perspective on the crowns. Dae considered the offer and agreed he could make a good effort of it. Confirmation followed around the circle for Military Duties and Scribe, with me raising no objection, leaving Lizette to settle into her responsibilities as cook and healer. With the leadership decided, the party welcomed their new leader aboard.

Chapter 6: Return to Adjepbar

Travel plans and trade intrigues converge as the party prepares to navigate the factions of the old city.

A voice announced the shift in leadership: "Now you're in charge."

"You can try and make this party go in a straight line," Keshah remarked dryly.

The conversation turned to their destination. Adjepbar lay to the south—not excessively far, but distinctly southward. I weighed our transit options, wondering aloud whether we should take wing or use magical transit. "Wanna fly there or we gonna, rune portal or what?" I asked, briefly contemplating flight for the sake of an efficient journey before settling on the portal. It was noted that rune porting had been their method previously, requiring just two hops to cover the distance, even though both hops left us completely fatigued. Maybe I should stock up on Restoratives.

During the preparations, attention turned to Dae's unusual appearance. Dae was remarkably slim—thin and celery-like, even by elven standards. Dae himself pointed out that at first glance, an onlooker might mistake him for a human simply because he was so ugly for an elf, an appraisal met with candid agreement.

Matters of commerce also required attention. Regarding the leather trade, I explained that I still needed to update the local leather workers on the contacts I had gathered, passing the leads along for them to pursue. I intended to remain vigilant for further opportunities once back in Adjepbar.

Adjepbar was an old city possessing a unique civic structure. It was ruled by hobbits who resided in a smaller quarter of the town, while the human populace was divided into three large political factions known as "stacks." Near the center of one such stack stood Salador House, an established merchant line dealing in diverse wares, including specialty spices used in culinary rituals. Lately, the house had suffered an unexpected string of lost bids to their competitors, leading them to suspect an internal leak. Dae confirmed that the house was indeed the client for the operation.

Communication protocols were straightforward. An inn called The Hobbit's Arms served as our designated liaison point. The party could stop by at any time to deposit messages, updates, or specific requests, with the employer clearing the drops daily.

Chapter 7: Guild Preparations and Prudent Clauses

The adventurers finalize their equipment, enchantments, and travel plans at the guild.

Enquiries regarding the local architecture revealed that the city's great houses were typically narrow and tall, standing some five or six stone-block stories high over a relatively small footprint due to their age and occasional expansion into adjacent structures. That implies that telepathy spells would be useful to find out what is going on inside.

At the guild house, final preparations were set in motion before departure. We needed to get Greater Enchantments and Lesser Enchantments. The guild representative confirmed that a rank eleven greater enchantment, for all areas, was on offer for the party, adding with dry candor that they should do their best to keep Lizette alive—though if they could not, that would simply have to do. Keshah suggested securing a couple of Strength of Stone enchantments as well. Dae quipped that they were as sturdy as a burnt out oak—albeit a very thin burnt oak. Examining our equipment, the guild representative cast an appraising eye over a set of shark leather skin armor that Dae was wearing. Keshah commented that we spent most of our last visit to Adjepbar talking to cats. Yep. That was a dig at me.

The conversation turned to operational details. Dae urged that we first do what we can with the mechanical birds we had on hand and seek assistance from the cat lady. Lizette clarified that most of the birds had little direct connection to the enchanter; he merely utilized those already present across the city rather than fabricating or distributing them himself, a point I confirmed. I'll have to do an inventory on how many working birds I can muster from what I salvaged last time. Earth Luck - another term for the Earth College Lesser Enchantment spell.

To aid their defense, the guild representative proposed that we take a couple of days to travel down to Slippery Rock and back, offering to pen a letter of introduction so Lizette might purchase a protective amulet against fear. When Lizette asked whether a rune portal could whisk them back or required presence on both sides, Keshah pointed out that while runic transit was possible, opening one directly into that vicinity—a few miles outside town—would likely irritate the locals. Flying was raised as the faster alternative, estimated at roughly forty minutes. I agreed, noting she could bestow flight upon the other three and rely on her own wings.

Before details progressed, Dae presented an non disclosure agreement for signature, insisting on our agreement before speaking further. Though greeted with mild surprise, Keshah acknowledged the measure was simply to ensure the party kept whatever information Dae was about to disclose strictly confidential.

As terms and guild provisions were settled, the representative noted the enchantments would hold for a season, although replacement guarantees were tied to an immediate window of five days, tapering down to three. The Guild Master then intervened to set the limit firmly at two days, taking the opportunity to ask Lizette whether it was true she had received awards for stupidest adventurer and best-death categories at the last Guild meeting. Lizette noted she had not been present to witness it, while Keshah affirmed it had at least been a strong effort. With business concluded, the guild representative handed the paperwork, including the letter of introduction, over to me to look after.

Chapter 8: Flight to Slippery Rock

The party glides over the Sweetwater, surveying river barges and scarred frontier ruins from the morning sky.

A formal letter of introduction was handed across the desk, meant for the wiccans stationed at Slippery Rock. With the document accepted with thanks, the party was advised to take wing and fly down together—naturally subject to their commander's permission—with the parting wish that they return in one piece.

Before departing, questions arose regarding defenses against lingering horrors. Lizette asked whether there was an emblem capable of keeping undead at bay. There were actually two such protective items available, though Aurora noted with a dry remark that having one meant needing to be careful—and being careful was hardly her forte. Acquiring them would require considerable coin, running into thousands. Inquiring into their balance and requesting a withdrawal against the account, paperwork was drawn up. Once Lizette signed the voucher, a substantial sum was released: fifty thousand silver pieces, handed over in a massive, heavy bag that made for an astonishing hoard to carry in one place.

Setting out to retrieve what was needed, the company prepared for the journey. I pointed out that following the winding course of the Sweetwater was the most reliable path; though not a direct line, one could hardly lose their way, and the road remained visible below as a second guide. Moreover, Slippery Rock was perched prominently upon a hill, easily spotted from the river.

By mid-morning, we took to the skies together on a crisp, bright spring day ideal for flight. Warnings were passed to keep a watchful eye out to avoid 'bird strikes', while I quipped about making sure my 'little chickadees' got there safe, met with the reassurance that if anyone crashed and broke something, Lizette would fix them up.

From our vantage aloft, the Sweetwater bustled with activity. River barges plied the waters laden with hay, fodder, and fresh vegetables making their way downstream toward Seagate, while rafts and packs of harvested logs floated along the river. Keshah noted that they would need to keep clear of the barges, lest things become tricky.

Tracking the river south past a turnoff, the landscape shifted. The wooded expanse around the hill approached—marked out as Slippery Rock—dense with trees and forest. Gazing down at the broader countryside, the land appeared choked with desolate remnants: Byson Ruin, Tim's Ruin, the Thock Ruin, and others, with virtually every mapped site known as fallen save for Broken Arrow far down the road to the east. When Keshah asked whether this marked where the undead plague had swept across, it was confirmed that these ruins forming a line across the territory was indeed the Dark Wall, the last defense against the Dark Circle. The 'line' stretched all the way to Duntow Ruin in the South.

I checked whether we were sharing the air with anyone else or if it was just us. The sky around us was clear save for our own group, though far to the south a lone figure could be seen in the air near Regar's Keep. Satisfied with our approach, someone announced their descent, and the party landed easily in a pasture where a herd of goats was grazing in the field.

Chapter 9: Slippery Rock

A stop at the Slippery Rock general store turns into an unexpected summons toward Gugnir's Hope.

The road led upward, delivering the party at last into Slippery Rock. It was a picturesque settlement—clean, tidy, and quiet, woven together with cobbled streets, raised hedges, and small clusters of cottages where nearly every home seemed to hide a private garden behind its greenery.

Yet for all its pastoral charm, the village felt sparse. Barely fifteen buildings made up the entire hamlet, and it was entirely devoid of the bustling trade signs or guilds common to larger towns; there was not even a blacksmith's forge ringing in the distance. The sole center of commerce appeared to be a large general store sitting squarely in the middle of town.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd buy amulets at the main store," Lizette remarked, eyeing the quiet building. "I thought it'd be more of an artisan thing, but I guess we can go check it out."

"Well, it's a small settlement," Dae reasoned. "Maybe they have to expand on what they sell."

Agreeing that it was a remarkably quiet village, they made their way toward the general store. As they approached, two young women rose to meet them. Lizette offered a polite greeting, explaining that she had come looking to buy amulets and had been told this was the place.

I stepped forward to present their letter of introduction. The women cast an eye over the parchment, their demeanor instantly warming. "Very welcome, this way," one said, recognizing Lizette's name. "We heard that you signed up with the Red Crowns. Is that true?"

"Oh, it was the Gold Crowns, wasn't it?" Lizette confessed with an apologetic wince, admitting how easily she mixed up the factions. "I honestly get confused. I apologize—they would probably be very disapproving of me for not knowing."

"Rumors about her body parts having miraculous healing powers are probably overinflated, if you've heard those ones," Keshah dryly interjected, prompting murmurs about whether it was mere wordplay or the truth of a growing cult.

The young women led them around the side of the main building, guiding the travelers through a narrow doorway into a smaller adjoining space. Behind the counter sat a woman who appeared hale and well, accompanied by a dog and a sleek black cat which perched nearby. Looking up, her face brightened with familiarity.

"Greetings, Lizette," she said warmly, before turning her gaze across the rest of the group. "Hello, Dae. Nice to see you. Is your mother well?"

"That's an excellent question," Dae answered candidly. "I would love to have an answer. I'm a busy guild member, and I haven't received news from her for a while. For all I know..."

The woman studied the companions and inquired who their air mage was, prompting me to introduce myself as Lady Aurora. Pleased to meet her, the shopkeeper opened a large tome upon the counter, quickly scanning a few lines before shutting the volume firmly.

"Could you see Dae through to Gugnir's Hope by the end of today?" the woman asked me. "Make sure he takes some flowers and a little bit of spending money. He needs to visit his mother."

Aurora promptly produced a small travel map, scanning across the parchment until her finger located the landmark. "Oh, it's over there," she noted, tracing the route back and down.

Chapter 10: Wares of the Gold Crowns

Negotiating for protective charms and carbuncles at the witch's counter.

I nodded in assent, and the morning's business proceeded. An elderly witch handed over a bag, stating the tally: "That'll be fifteen thousand six hundred silver pieces."

"Cool," Lizette replied, promptly paying her. Mindful of their ongoing duties, she asked, "We are in a bit of a hurry, but does anyone here need any healing?"

"We require no assistance from you, thank you," came the reply from the witch, noting she was glad she had not said otherwise. An unidentified voice added that they were glad to hear it, mentioning, "I am married to Kilroy. Your reputation has preceded you."

"Reputation, whatever else you could... I, I assume you hear in my head these days," Lizette replied.

Keshah joined in, remarking, "Nice you heard. I then inquired about Kilroy, knowing he is a very experienced Guild adventurer. "Quietly retired, by the sound of it." Keshah repl,ied.

The witch wished Keshah good luck, which he took in stride. "Should be okay. It's a quiet little adventure. Nothing much will happen."

"Touching a wooden object immediately," someone muttered against the jinx.

Lizette sought to reassure them: "Dae will make sure that we stay in the safer areas and get things done, I'm sure."

"'Cause he is a pillar of sensibility and logic," Keshah said.

Dae weighed in on his own situation: "As long as it's not avoiding, avoiding the Crown, I am." A companion countered that it was already too late on the avoiding side, seeing as they had both signed up. Keshah remarked that they didn't need barrels, while another voice noted they could dig themselves a little bit deeper in. Dae mused, "Part of me still suspects that whoever assigned me to this, like, got paid to, to, to sign me in." Someone agreed it was easy to spot the new recruit.

"I'm confused," Lizette confessed regarding the factions. "I'm just gonna claim on with the Red Crowns until I learn that I'm mistaken." She was cautioned that she shouldn't claim at all. "Well, no, I probably won't, but if anyone brings it up, I probably won't bring it up at all. I don't think I should."

The elderly witch looked at them and firmly set the record straight: it was the Gold Crowns. The party acknowledged the correction with thanks, surprised at how quickly news traveled, though she noted the matter had already been discussed the previous day.

Attention then turned to protective trinkets. "I should get a carbuncle," Aurora said. "It's probably a very good idea, actually. Don't have one of those."

A query arose about defenses against cat curses. When asked if anyone was actively suffering from them, I explained that I was merely a frequent target, but the curses kept bouncing. Lizette encouraged keeping in good standing with the witch to avoid trouble, but the witch countered: "You know I can't do that, don't you? Each one you bounce adds to their lives. That's where cats get their nine lives from, you understand?"

Questions followed over whether deflected curses could strip away a life instead, though it was explained that speaking directly with cats was the key.

Turning back to the shop's stock, options were weighed between an Iron Amulet, or a Jet Amulet, or both. Deciding that taking both would be best—especially if paying in advance—an order was placed for one of each, along with the carbuncle I wanted. Priced at nine thousand silver pieces, Aurora recognized it was steep, but noted it decreased damage done by poison, recalling the situation I got into with the necromances.

When settling up with gems instead of coin, as carrying all those gold pieces around can be annoying, the shopkeeper agreed to accept them, though with a condition: there would be a ten percent surcharge.

"Why am I not—" I began but then paid up.

Chapter 11: Restoratives and Celestial Portents

Truscilla delivers an unsettling warning about the night sky while settling the account for restoratives.

I looked over my possessions thinking I should purchase the other amulets I don't have that could be useful.

Keshah gave a slow nod, weighing the difficulty of appraising such goods. "It's very difficult to... yeah, they don't come stamped with a certain amount of value," he observed, adding a moment later, "Yeah, I guess there isn't." I replied. I then remarked that an adventurer would obviously need such supplies, though Keshah noted the distinction: "It's just that as an elf, you're less affected by some of the items."

"The chalcedony is 4,800, so that'll be 8,800 total," I calculated. Across the counter, further figures were bandied about—a mention of another 9,200 until a compromise was struck. "Yeah, let's call it 9,000 and we'll be done with it," came the consensus.

Lizette did not dispute the figure. "Okay, I will pay the nine thousand," she agreed, loosening the purse strings. "All right." I immediately resolved to pay Lizette back at the earliest opportunity - or the Guild. Don't want the Guild Accountants on my case.

The merchant accepted the nine thousand. "I think that's everything I need". I replied before adding "Although restoratives are always a good idea." The shopkeeper then asked Dae, "Are you interested in the amulets? It appears that Lizette is carrying the bag of coins of bottomless size."

Dae demurred with quiet dignity. "I wouldn't impose myself that way on my companions."

"Oh, very good," came the reply. Inquiries soon turned to the shop's concoctions: how long the restoratives would last and what potency was available. The apothecary explained that their draughts ranged from small to large; brewed at top dollar, they would last indefinitely, whereas paying bottom dollar meant an efficacy of three months. Keshah leaned in to ask for details: "Top dollar ten point fatigue, how much would that cost? Well, twelve—ten or twelve, whichever, round about that ballpark figure, ten or twelve points." An agreement was made to settle payment for the potions with true silver, since it would amount to a moderate quantity of coin.

Then the tone shifted. The shopkeeper looked squarely at Lady Summers. "So, Lizette., What dealings have you had with Delixe Berna11?((sp))" Keshah remembers her as a drow commander during the recent drow war.

"Look, I'm sorry, the name escapes me," Lizette replied honestly.

"Well, the year's running out."

"The what is running out, sorry?"

"The year," came the firm answer. A question followed about whether some impending doom loomed. "Have you looked at the night skies recently?"

"No."

"You don't believe in that, I presume?"

"No, no, I've seen it come in handy many times, but it's not one of my skills," Lizette answered.

"I see, yes." "When does the timer run out, just out of interest?" Keshah asked.

"This year," Lizette echoed, prompting the natural follow-up: "And what's supposed to happen?"

"Oh, it's not for me to just say," the merchant cautioned. "You might need to go and read the dark skies." When Lizette admitted she lacked the means, the apothecary offered alternatives: "You could return to the guild and you could get it done. You could do it, I could do it, and the guild could do it. Why don't you go return to your guild and get an astrology reading?"

"Sounds like an excellent idea. Yeah, I think we may have to," came the response. The witch pointed out that information would cost five silver. Lizette readily produced the coins. "Of course, and I'll give you five silvers. I appreciate the information."

As a parting friendly reminder, the witch noted that the Baron's Arms was a fine establishment in Gugner's Hope. Keshah took note: "We will head there immediately next. Very good. You should think about buying a gift here, potentially. There's some really nice gifts here I think you could buy."

A brief debate arose over whether to return straight to the Guild first to see what was happening or make the journey elsewhere first. "No, no, no, we can always do that later," it was urged. "Like, it's only a couple hours' flight, we can still be back at the guild for the evening, potentially. You're not getting out of this. We're flying to Gugnir's Hope."

Keshah offered to do an astrology reading, prompting Lizette to ask, "Isn't it what they send you back to the Guild for?"

"They probably can do it better than I can," came the concession. "So what are you doing?"

Chapter 12: Flight to Gugnir's Hope

Gugnir's Hope rises upon its rocky butte as hundreds of riders assemble near the stables below.

A decision was made: the destination was Gugnir's Hope. Dae suggested we should first garner some help from the guild on the way out, noting that taking such a detour would give an excuse to check in there, instead of checking with his mother - at least that was what I was surmising. . Others felt the settlement should be the immediate goal. Keshah pointed out that word was already being sent ahead to Dae's mother, warning that failing to turn up would reflect poorly and cost far too many brownie points. While another voice mused that having a mother to visit was at least something, they admitted having no personal need for the town beyond curiosity about the place.

Looking at the hour, the morning was already slipping past—what had begun around nine was now near midday. Keshah noted there was still plenty of time, as the flight to Gugnir's Hope would take only a couple of hours, and their investigation could not proceed until the night sky arrived anyway. The town itself held a reputation for ancient stone craft; Keshah brought up its fascinating dwarven ruins and subterranean works. Dae agreed that the town held interesting things. As talk turned to the old stonework, Lizette pressed Dae on why he seemed so intent on avoiding his mother. Dae insisted he was not avoiding her, only declining to rush, preferring a healthy distance without unnecessary smothering. When Lizette wondered aloud if the pressure stemmed from talk of marriage, Dae countered that he had never heard his mother express such an ambition. A curious exchange touched on Red Crowns and whether there were suitors—hundreds of them, Gold Crowns and Red Crowns alike, but they only want him for his mind, according to Keshah.

Our course was mapped past Slippery Rock and South Gate, trailing along the river past Crystal Spring before striking straight north-northwest toward the rocky promontory. Gugnir's Hope was built upon a high butte, its foundations rooted in ancient dwarven architecture, though Dae and I recalled crypts and remnants of undead beneath the city.

Taking to the air for the roughly fifty-mile journey, the flight spanned an hour and a half. Below them unfolded the waters of Crystal Spring, followed by open fields and meadows, light woodlands, and rough high hills. To the far west rose the distant expanses of the Fastness. As we crossed past Red Tree, the rocky butte of Gugnir's Hope swung into clear view. Coming in toward the settlement, the party spotted massive stables below, where an assembly of roughly three hundred people was actively mounting up. Watching the gathering, I wondered what they were up to.

Chapter 13: Drovers of the Earth Plane

Drovers gather outside the town gates as whispers of planar trade routes and subterranean dangers are exchanged.

Descending toward the settlement, I looked for a place where the party could touch down safely without incident. A question arose as to whether we should put down at the base of the hill or within the town itself, though an open, level patch of ground was needed either way. While the companions were travelling via air magic rather than physical wings, Aurora pointed out that she alone possessed wings enabling true vertical takeoff and landing. Keshah suggested bringing the flight down along the road just outside the settlement if traffic permitted, noting that local guards and townsfolk generally took issue with people flying directly over the defensive walls—a sentiment I readily echoed.

The party came to rest on the promontory outside the town gates. Looking out over the surrounding grounds, we saw no vast herds of livestock gathered, but a substantial company of cattlemen and horses were busily mounting up. As the observers wondered whether a drive was commencing or concluding here, Dae scanned the gathering to see if any familiar drovers who supplied cattle toward the Plane of Earth and the rambling man were present.

Spotting activity half a mile down at the foot of the hill, Dae set off to investigate whether the portal and delivery routes remained consistent. Within five minutes, Dae located the man in question. The cattle boss was currently dressing down three young drovers still thoroughly intoxicated from their night in town and lashing them securely into their saddles. Despite the unruly morning, he welcomed Dae—calling out to Keshah—and expressed genuine pleasure at the reunion. He mentioned that Dae's mother had been asking after him incessantly, having messengers spread enquiries across Carzala.

Turning to business, the cattleman affirmed that their earlier joint venture had been fantastic. Dae inquired whether that same delivery run was still operational. The drover admitted it was proving dangerous as hell, with orcs and goblins continually ambushing the lines. Dae explained to the others that the settlement at Gugnir's Hope had secured an arrangement with folk on the Plane of Earth who were unable to raise livestock locally, requiring herds to be driven through. I admitted unfamiliarity with that plane beyond understanding it was largely subterranean and honeycombed with tunnels. When Keshah began recounting how drovers push up into the Fastness toward a great river and follow a submerged tunnel route, the drover quickly hushed the elf, warning that such paths were not to be discussed openly, though confirming a passage existed.

Dae cautioned that anyone visiting that realm should take care never to jump or fly away. I agreed that visiting sounded daunting, then brought up a past escape involving a bonfire. Dae confirmed they had been fleeing from dangerous pursuers. the Janx, as formidable threats best avoided, prompting me to note their foul reputation and ask whether they and the Senators of Decay were connected to the Lunar Empire.

Chapter 14: Detour to the Bakery

A greased pig leads a thundering chase through the cobbled streets of town.

Conversation turned grimly to politics and the undead as I and my companions agreed that the senators were far worse than ordinary troubles. They were nasty, dead, and rightly called the senators of decay, with rumors holding that everything around them decayed.

Dae sought to steer the mood elsewhere, mentioning a great bakery in town and offering to lead the way. I suggested taking care of business after the mission and seeing him home first. Keshah voiced hope for a bounty upon delivering the prodigal son, while others wondered aloud about rewards of tea and cakes, pointing toward a fourth house on the left. Keshah urged haste before word spread, though Dae quipped that an only son was inevitably the prodigal one.

The gesture, however, had pointed not to a town dwelling but out into the forest and surrounding countryside, as Dae's elven kin lived in the woods outside Gugnir's Hope. Dae insisted that a detour to the bakery remained essential; bakeries were best in the morning, and showing up with food and presents was non-negotiable.

Entering the town streets, we found the thoroughfare bustling with children wielding sticks. Suddenly, a hue and cry echoed off the cobbles as a lone, greased pig came tearing around the corner—snorting, steaming, bristling, and sprinting at breakneck speed. Behind the beast surged a chasing mob of roughly sixty children and teenagers dressed in kilts, tabards, and simple clothes. Stepping well aside, with me choosing to float upward to avoid the stampede, the travelers let the chaos sweep past.

Continuing down the cobbled lane, past the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency and several restored dwarvish structures that caught Keshah's mechanical interest, they reached the bakery. Inside, the shop was doing a brisk trade in sliced rolls wrapped around long green spears, which I promptly and accurately identified as baked asparagus.

Chapter 15: The Holiday Bakery

A monumental order of cream buns and pastries at the local bakery.

The bakery shelves displayed an intriguing variety. Among the featured offerings were asparagus rolls made with red, green, and white stalks, some glazed and rolled in honey and nuts. The notion struck the company as appetizing, though I wondered aloud about the combination.

"Green and what?" I asked. "Red, green, and white asparagus?"

It was confirmed, and Lizette made up her mind to purchase something for an upcoming visit. I observed that asparagus rolls were at their best when freshly harvested—snapped straight from the earth and wrapped into bread with all possible haste. The shopkeeper agreed, noting that this was, after all, a holiday bakery.

Taking in the display, Keshah placed his order first. "I'll get a dozen green asparagus rolls for myself."

I considered taking some if any remained, though the counter was well stocked. Inquiries followed regarding whether they had diced ham, paste cream, or cream buns, and it was noted that salads were not part of their trade. When the baker made a remark about refusing cream buns to certain sorts, Dae chimed in to explain that while they did bake them, they did not sell to local delicatessens. I protested good-naturedly that while some likened my appetite to that of a hobbit, I hardly deserved to be denied. When the shopkeeper jokingly maintained the refusal, the response was a theatrical capitulation: asparagus rolls would do, appearing suitably healthy anyway.

I added that a cake was also needed to bring along to a friend's house. Lizette promptly inquired whose house she meant, joining another curious bystander. When asked about preferences, the shopkeeper explained that cinnamon rolls were a favorite, prompting the group to add them to the selection.

Lizette addressed the counter with a smile, remarking on that he had simply brought his friends along today to give the shop good business. Relenting at Dae's presence, the baker agreed that since they were accompanying Dae, they could purchase cream buns after all.

"They come in twenties," the baker cautioned.

That proved entirely acceptable. The baker settled on a baker's dozen—thirteen racks of twenty, amounting to two hundred and sixty buns in total. When asked if they had means to carry them, I felt confident the haul could be tucked into my hefty carry capacity backpack—save for one which I took immediately, eating it on the spot with the defense that there was never room for the final bun anyway. I noted that despite my elven appearance, people often joked I was hollow inside given how much I could eat.

Turning back to gifts, Lizette asked if there was something suitable to take to Dae's mother's house. The baker reiterated that she was quite fond of cinnamon buns, and offered cinnamon twists as well for variety. The group agreed on the twists. To complete the parcel, the baker recommended a crushed tea she was especially partial to, which was gratefully accepted.

Chapter 16: Provisions at the Bakery

The adventurers conclude an unusual shopping trip at the bakery, packing away specialized tea, eccentric loaves, and hundreds of buns.

At the counter, an unfamiliar blend caught the eye. "Tea," came the quiet remark.

"What's that?" the shopkeeper asked, before clarifying with a nod. "It's a special blend which goes in a teapot. And makes a very nice herbal drink, cup of tea."

I offered an appreciative smile. "Well, I've been a bit of a tea connoisseur, but I don't think I've ever had that." Deciding quickly, I added, "Yes, I'll get some."

"Oh, this is the Red Dawn variety," came the vendor's explanation, nodding along. "So I assume it's... I guess it's appropriate."

"Alright, well, that will come to—that will come to five hundred and seventy silver pennies."

"How much? I'll go five hundred."

"Five hundred and seventy," the vendor insisted flatly.

"Hey, the man, would you like that?"

Lizette offered to cover the bill. "Sure. I'll, I'll pay. And also the—"

"Cinnamon twists? You wanted some for you."

"Yes," the baker agreed. "So you're after cinnamon twists, yes, please. Yes, do you want also the tea, as we spoke about?"

"Yes, please. I would... yeah, I'll take the tea."

"Oh, do you want the tea as well?" someone asked.

Keshah cut in, sorting through the confusion. "As well? No, no, she wants the tea. Yes."

"Who wants?"

"I don't. She wants the tea, she wants the twists."

"Okay, well the tea will be thirty silvers, sorry about that," the baker calculated. "The tea will be thirty silvers and... and the twists will be seven."

"Okay, excellent, thank you."

"Today would you like... would you like a pre-buttered loaf?"

"Yes, please. Just as much buttering as you can get."

"Okay. Yeah, we'll bring out a pre-buttered loaf," the shopkeeper said, presenting the specialty. "Pre-buttered loaf, it's banana and hazelnut loaf, which has got honey drizzled across the top, and already pre-cut with butter sliced through it, and stuffed with fresh olives, pickles, and strawberries."

"Interesting," came the hesitant response from beside the counter.

Aurora leaned in to peer at the peculiar confection. "Yeah, I look forward to tasting that. I wouldn't have thought you'd mix olives and strawberries together, to be quite honest. I mean, they're completely different flavors."

"We will find out soon."

"I suppose you would," the vendor conceded with a faint shrug. "Now, your... red asparagus, what? Are you going to be buying any red asparagus?"

"No, just the green ones." I replied.

"Are you sure about the red ones? These help you see underground."

"Are you sure they're not carrots in disguise?" I asked.

"I know what carrots are," the shopkeeper answered firmly.

"So do I. I think they're not. These are not carrots."

"Yes, carrots also let you see underground."

Keshah stared in disbelief. "What? Carrots also help you see underground as well? Well, that's a bit of a..."

"These are made with turnips," someone interjected, correcting the claim. "Special turnips. Magic turnips. Yes. But anyway, turnips."

With purchases settled and parcels wrapped, the companions stepped out of the bakery, loaded down with their odd assortment of rations.

"Stacked up with the... stacked up? Where are you putting the two hundred and sixty?"

I tapped her pack with a knowing grin. "I got a backpack that can take more than what it looks."

Chapter 17: Dae's Cottage

A finely carved statue of Dae stands proudly in the sunlit garden of his woodland cottage.

With storage sorted, we set about packing up the provisions, Keshah helping load buns into the extradimensional space tray after tray.

"Well, that was proper," someone remarked warmly, while another mused that perhaps they ought to have picked some flowers. Behind us, the shop's open sign was flipped to closed—or jokingly the other way around—having sold their entire stock and then some. Still, it was undeniably good to be back. With our business concluded, they headed out of town and down the road.

Thirty minutes later, the walk brought them to Dae's front yard. Resting right in the front yard was a startling sight: a small statue of Dae.

"What the f**k?" Dae exclaimed.

"Oh wow, you're famous," came the amused reaction from Keshah. "Yeah, famous in his own time." I added.

"How accurate is it?" Lizette asked, before adding, "Perfectly accurate."

"I was beginning to wonder whether or not it had been done by a medusa," I remarked, "but then that would imply—otherwise he wouldn't be walking around in front of us."

Past the stone likeness stood Dae's home—a lovely little cottage set among the trees in a bright, sunny clearing, surrounded by pleasant grounds.

"You know, if I didn't have the Manor, I'd like a place like this," I admitted.

"Lovely," a companion agreed. "Flowers all around, lovely grounds."

From just beyond the clearing came the tranquil sound of a running brook which I was tempted to investigate but concluded that would be rude without permission.

Night 2

Chapter 18: A Garden of Stone and Scolding

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Dae's mother greets the party with a barrage of weeds and garden scolding outside the family home.

Outside Dae's family home, the late season was particularly pleasant. A cool wind whispered through the overhead canopy of the forest, rustling across wide, fragrant herb gardens that sprawled around the property. Standing squarely amid the foliage was a prominent, fairly new statue of Dae himself, measuring five feet tall. It portrayed him short and caught mid-flight—fully clothed, to everyone's collective relief, as any anatomical alternative would have been deeply disturbing. The companions examined the stonework with critical eyes; it possessed remarkable craft, looking very much like the handiwork of a master sculptor such as Sebastian, carved with immense effort.

"Why are they making statues of you, Dae?" came the question. "So it's easier for people to recognize and hunt you?"

"Bronze statues are generally more mobile," another noted dryly.

"I love my mother," Dae murmured in resignation, "but she's a little bit of a psychopath."

Before they could decide what pleasantries might set her mind at ease, a figure popped abruptly up from behind a bush. Armed with a garden trowel in one hand and a cluster of freshly pulled weeds in the other, Dae's elven mother glared at the travelers and went on the attack, swatting at them for their impudence.

"You are bad!" she scolded fiercely, speaking in accented Common. "Moving my Dae away from me! What is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" one of the companions offered placatingly, dodging stray dead flowers as she flung them across the path. "Of course a mother has first dibs on her child, but don't you think it's good he's getting out into the world?"

Unmoved, she turned back to her son. "Come inside and leave the trash on the lawn. Quick, quick, there are things to discuss!"

Realizing they had decidedly not been invited indoors, Keshah and the others exchanged wry glances. They agreed to remain by the garden path, keeping clear until the domestic fireworks settled. As Dae offered a sheepish apology, jokes lingered behind him about whether a magical scan might reveal the statue to be an animated guardian golem—though Dae conceded such a monster would likely possess far more endurance than himself.

Inside, the elven matriarch wasted no time. "I understand from my sisters at Slippery Rock that you are off to Adjepbar," she said.

"Indeed I am," Dae replied.

"This is very good. You are well respected there," she nodded briskly. "If you run into any problems, I have a contact for you: a dwarf who owes our family a favor. His name is Ernest Rockfall. He was a lieutenant in the city guard—a good dwarf, and a man going places."

Dae made note of the name. "All right, Mother. Anything else I should look out for?"

"Well, of course you know about the blue sands, don't you?" she asked. Dae admitted he had heard tales of them. Without another word, she bustled away, returning a moment later to thrust an empty glass jar directly into his hands.

"Mother..." Dae sighed.

Chapter 19: Of Blue Sands and Mothers

Dae's mother examines a sample of blue sand on her porch while tasking the party with acquiring more from Adjepbar.

“I need this filled with blue sands,” Dae’s mother said plainly, setting down the task before any proper pleasantries could take root.

Dae stared at her, alarm sharpening his voice. “Mother, have you fallen to these temptations?”

“It is for my research, please,” she countered dismissively. “I am very close to breaking five extra rings of curses.”

“Is this why you were missing the whole last year?” Dae pressed, his worry mounting. “Have you become a blue sands acolyte?”

“No, of course not. I was discussing things with some women who dress in red dresses.”

“I will keep away from them—”

“As it turns out, they will be keeping away from us,” she said with sharp finality.

“Good to hear,” Dae murmured.

“Yes,” she allowed, though she narrowed her eyes. “Us in general. Or rather, me. So be careful.”

“All right, so one job,” Dae said, attempting to steer the conversation back to solid ground. But his mother was already looking past him toward the courtyard.

“And that woman—the one with all the cleavage outside,” she asked bluntly. “Who is she?”

“Mother, I do not plan on having any offspring with the other races,” Dae insisted quickly.

“Very good. Very good. That is what I told the crowns.”

“Now you’re just making them try to get an elf crown,” Dae sighed. “Look, these people have presents for you.”

Relenting slightly, she stepped aside from the entryway. “You can come in now. You too.” Her gaze flicked sharply to Lady Lizette. “You can sit on the deck, Ms. Hussy.”

“Thank you,” someone murmured as they filed forward. Lizette blinked, pausing on the threshold. “Oh, does she have cats?”

“Yes,” the matriarch replied coolly. “There is a cat watching you.”

Aurora Steelwind eyed the feline sitting nearby. Curious, she quietly prepared a spell to speak with animals, deciding simply to listen in without actively engaging it. Meanwhile, Lizette extended a bundle at the doorway. “I have some cinnamon twists,” Lizette offered politely before retreating toward the indicated deck. Aurora stepped up to sweeten the gesture, adding a selection of fresh buns into the mix.

Dae’s mother brought cups and a teapot out onto the porch, setting them down with measured clatter before turning a stern eye upon Lizette. “No more sideways from you. It is very unbecoming. Can you use your words out loud rather than speaking out of the corner of your mouth?”

“I apologize,” Lizette said smoothly. “I was just going to remind Dae that he had something else for you.”

Nearby, Aurora raised an eyebrow. Through the ambient hum of her magic, she could hear the cat distinctly mumbling an incantation under its breath—already halfway through the casting. Deciding discretion was the better part of valor, Aurora elected to leave the spellcasting feline strictly alone, though she kept one ear pointed in its direction.

“I apologize for any misunderstanding,” Lizette continued, addressing the matriarch with diplomatic poise. “I am not trying to steal your son.”

“You mean for the rudeness?” Aurora chimed in dryly.

“It wasn’t a misunderstanding,” Dae’s mother said flatly. “I heard you outside quite plainly, telling him how to lie to his mother.”

“No, no,” Lizette protested. “I was asking him which of his accomplishments we should talk up the most to show you how much he has progressed.”

“Anyway,” the matriarch sniffed, pivoting her attention away from Lizette toward the bard. “You, young lady. What is your surname?”

Aurora paused for a heartbeat. “Steelwind.”

“That took a while, didn’t it?”

“I don’t actually use it that often,” Aurora explained with an easy smile. “In the Western Kingdoms I usually go by Dawn, not Steelwind. But Steelwind is my family name back in Alfheim.”

Dae’s mother switched seamlessly into Elven. “I presume you are an artist of note. Your reputation precedes you.”

“Hopefully not too bad,” Aurora replied in kind.

“It is gaining traction. There are those amongst the clans who would follow someone of your ilk.”

“I generally try to keep away from politics,” Aurora said, gracefully sidestepping clan ambitions while still keeping an ear tilted toward the mumbling cat.

“I understand you are taking Dae away to Adjepbar,” the elder elf noted, returning to the common tongue.

“Yes, we have a few missions down there,” Aurora said. “Hopefully nothing too violent or dangerous, but there are a few things going on.”

The matriarch glanced back at Lizette. “I understand some of your ilk learn to improve themselves.”

“I think a lot of—assuming you mean humans, yes, a lot do,” Lizette replied cautiously. “Unless you meant another group?”

“What other group did you think I was associating you with?”

“Possibly the Guild?”

“You are a Guild member dressed like that?” Dae’s mother asked, skeptical.

“This is a glamour over my armor,” Lizette explained with dignity.

“Dressed like that,” the older woman repeated, unconvinced.

“We don’t let her wander on her own,” Aurora joked lightly. “She’s a kidnap risk.”

“I am quite grateful to Keshah for his protection,” Lizette said, refusing the bait. “And I was actually with your son when we dealt with the djinn in Adjepbar.”

“Right. Dangerous, but nothing untoward,” the mother echoed suspiciously. “What were you doing with my son in Adjepbar with a djinn?”

“We were part of a Guild party,” Lizette explained. “We dealt with a problem that had a djinn rather upset. It was to the good of everyone that the issue was resolved and the djinn became less troubled.”

Beside them, Aurora fought hard to suppress a giggle, her mind racing with puns about bottled spirits and runaway genies. Dae quickly stepped in to support Lizette’s account. “They were very impressed with us in Adjepbar. It was a djinn problem, we helped him solve it, and we left on good terms.”

Satisfied or simply impatient, Dae’s mother set a clear glass jar in the middle of the table. “Since you are going back to Adjepbar, it would be useful if you returned with some blue sands.”

“I think we actually have some,” Aurora said.

Lizette reached into her pouch and produced a small sample, sliding it across the wood. “Here.”

“Yes, this type of stuff,” the mother said, examining the grains. “I am perfecting a modification to remove curses using this.”

“We gathered a few samples down there last time,” Keshah noted evenly. “Obviously, we will collect more.”

“It can be addictive,” she warned them.

Keshah shrugged. “Well, only if you consume it.”

Chapter 20: Sands of the Desert Beast

Dae's mother examines the vial of blue sand water while sharing rumors of desert crypts and subterranean horrors.

The conversation turned back to the mysterious draught they carried. "Yes, well, there were—" Dae’s mother began, only for the party to clarify that they had originally planned on consuming it. Dae's mother caught her breath, mouthing silently across the table that it was only meant for three people. Watching the exchange, Aurora quickly hid her grin.

"Oh, here it is," Aurora said, producing the vial. "So I don't suppose that this healing water was made of blue sand? It’s blue, after all. I was going to get that checked, but I never got around to it."

Dae’s mother waved her hand lightly over the liquid. "Yes, this has blue sands in it. It comes from the center of the desert."

"And so it obviously dissolves in water," Lizette observed.

Keshah leaned forward, taking note of the discovery. "We must go and check it more carefully then."

"Apparently, I was told that in the blue district, the consumption or partaking of blue sands makes one think they’re underwater, hallucinating fish or something," Aurora remarked.

"Only if you're in the blue district," Dae’s mother replied smoothly. "They cut it with white sands to have that effect."

Aurora raised her eyebrows. "Oh. Okay, so there are many different types of sands? That's actually very interesting—not that many experts in that. Anyway, I am sorry. I apologize for the interruption."

"Will one jar be enough?" Dae’s mother asked, indicating a rather substantial vessel.

"Probably. That’s quite a large jar," Aurora conceded.

Carefully, Dae's mother accepted the jar and stowed it securely inside her bag of holding, while Keshah reiterated the need for thorough investigation. Aurora added a quiet warning: "There are blue cultists that you should keep an eye out for. Be wary of them."

"What is the blue cult?" Keshah asked. "What are the cultists' aims?"

"I have told Dae of a family contact in the area who may be of assistance," Dae’s mother explained. "As for the cult, I think there is a creature buried somewhere in the desert that attracts seawater to pour into it. There is a rumor that the sea pours off like a waterfall into the desert, emptying into a giant hole."

Aurora nodded. "I think I heard something like that."

"And the blue sand is a byproduct of this?" Keshah inquired.

"No," Dae’s mother answered. "There is a creature at the bottom and they wish to free it. I believe they worship it."

"Hang on," Aurora cut in. "I think that has something to do with the octopus parade."

"I think some of the octopus people are involved," Dae's mother agreed.

"Is it the Kraken?" Lizette wondered. "I remember hearing something about it needing..."

"In the North Sea, I believe," Keshah supplied.

"Yeah, the Kraken's heart," Aurora said. Lizette asked if it was the only one, while Keshah absorbed the scale of the threat. A creature lurking under the sands, swallowing the ocean itself, was certainly something new to explore. Water pouring endlessly into an unfillable hole suggested it was likely draining off-plane somewhere. Aurora smirked faintly, remarking that she knew someone who would be furious to learn of the sea being drained, though she deemed it best not to tell her.

"There was also something about sunrise over the blue sands," Aurora recalled, piecing together fragments of lore. "I was keeping an eye out for scorpions. I did see one, but it sort of skedaddled. And there were blue sparks around."

"The scorpions at dawn—their tails point the way to a crypt," Dae’s mother revealed. "And since you fly, you should know there are red flares and blue sparks in the sky."

Lizette asked about the crypt, and Aurora presumed it housed either the creature or a forgotten goddess, before pausing to rein in the table. "I should point out that we are actually on a mission, and I really don't want a repetition of last season when we got sidetracked, didn't do the job, and ended up chasing everything else. We should really get the job done this time."

"It’s still good to know about these things," Lizette countered.

"I know, but—oh, I’ve got to see some leathersmiths too," Aurora admitted with a rueful sigh. "I set up trade opportunities for them in Adjepbar and keep forgetting to tell them."

Dae’s mother looked over the group curiously. "What’s your name, dear? Do you have a name?"

"Lady Lizette Summers looks as if she's a merchant," Lizette suggested of herself. "Why don't you get her engagement?"

"That’s probably a good idea," Aurora agreed. She recalled their previous attempts at blending in: "We were posing as merchants down there to avoid suspicion. It worked reasonably well, actually, until we found the cultists and the crypts—necromancers. Things sort of went a little downhill from there."

With preparations winding down, Dae’s mother turned her gaze firmly upon her son. "So, Dae, I don't expect you back for supper. But if you're going to be away for more than a month, how about you write to your mom? Write to me."

"I'll try," Dae muttered.

"I can always send a message by carrier pigeon," she urged.

"They could probably go that far," Keshah noted supportively.

Dae gave in with a nod. "Yes, all right."

Chapter 21: Carrier Chickens and Parting Courtesies

Dae's mother presents her carrier chickens before the adventurers take flight from the cottage.

Someone suggested speaking with avians—or at the very least binding a slip of parchment to a bird's leg and casting it skyward. Dae’s mother conceded the point readily. Agreeing she would return in a moment, she bustled around the side of the house, leaving the visitors to wait and see what might unfold once her cat finished its fastidious grooming.

When the feline completed its toilette, it showed no sign of stopping its muttered complaints in the feline tongue. Without letting on that anyone understood, the companions listened as it grumbled softly under its breath about the inhumane filth being traipsed through the home, marveling that its mistress tolerated whatever stray riffraff was dragged through the doorway.

One of the companions turned smoothly toward the cat and countered in fluent feline, asking when, precisely, it had last dragged in a mouse. Though startled by the frequent mention, the cat sniffed airily, claiming it had not meant anyone present, before eyeing another member of the group and remarking in cat speech that the creature looked like an overripe fruit, positively plump and practically begging to be plucked.

Before the creature's overwhelming ripeness could be debated further, Dae’s mother reappeared from around the corner of the cottage. Balanced along a sturdy perch were an entire brood of chickens.

"Carrier chickens," came the dry observation. Dae had certainly not anticipated poultry.

His mother explained that while she had no doves on hand, these would do. When met with skepticism over whether chickens could actually fly, she pointed out that magic could make them fly, allowing parchment to be tied to their legs so they would make the journey safely back. The company countered that chickens were notoriously top-heavy and ill-suited for travel. Wing spans and body weight meant a chicken tended to flutter clumsily rather than fly, and a standard flight enchantment might carry one halfway across a four-hundred-and-fifty-mile trek at best.

Dae’s mother wondered if additional levitation or carrying spells could bridge the distance, or if the cat would have to be retained for traveling back and forth. A long look was exchanged with the chickens. One bird cocked its head and gave an inquisitive boink, then another. Glancing hungrily between the cat and the plump birds, one of the travelers licked their lips. When Dae’s mother asked why they didn’t simply speak to the chicken, asking if anyone was really going to be an elitist about animal speech, the travelers demurred; chickens simply lacked the wit for deep conversation, and a local wild bird with proper long-range capability would serve far better.

Satisfied that the afternoon entertainment had concluded, Dae’s mother offered a parting blessing for their journey and reminded them to carry out the fresh trash on their way out. The adventurers thanked her graciously for the afternoon tea, assured her the birds would be safe with Keshah, and politely excused themselves. With a nod of thanks, she retreated inside the cottage.

Once past the doorstep, Dae offered an embarrassed apology for his mother's lack of tact and her inability to keep elven haughtiness behind closed doors. The Western Kingdom veteran waved off the concern without offense; after living among humans everywhere, subtle elven prejudices were far from the worst they had weathered, and the matriarch's fondness for Keshah proved she could not be all bad.

The conversation turned to the sculpted figure standing on the grounds outside the cottage. The statue, presented as a gift, was destined to facilitate communication across vast distances once empowered by blue sands. Dae’s mother intended to shift it from the front yard into the parlor, accompanied by strict parting admonitions against handing it over to any disreputable girls—and forbidding any breeding with them under any circumstances. Dae protested defensively that past incidents had been entirely magical rather than romantic, while the others teased him about his mother’s dream of seeing him settle down with a proper elven lady, an upper-class noble, or a princess—a standard that cheerfully ruled out the rest of the company.

With good humor restored and the statue safely relegated to the parlor, the companions settled on their immediate course: return to the guild, deliver the leather, and make their report. With flight enchantments still active over the winding forest path, and parting jokes about the statue making certain figures look rather diminutive, the party launched into the air.

Chapter 22: A Notice of Disappearance

The party reviews their employer's missing persons writ in the Seagate Guild courtyard.

Taking a few measured steps to catch the wind, Aurora sprang into the air and took flight, leaving the ground behind. The rear guard lingered for just a moment to keep a watchful eye on their departure before joining the ascent. High above the landscape, their heading carried them directly toward Seagate. Far off to the north, perhaps forty miles distant against the horizon, massive flying creatures banked through the sky. A glance confirmed that their paths were not on converging courses; twenty miles northward lay the bay and the shimmering coastline stretching out toward the open sea, safely distant from their transit.

By the time they descended toward the Seagate Adventurers Guild, the afternoon had worn on to three o’clock. The midsummer heat left them flushed and sweltering as their boots touched the flagstones. A guild representative promptly approached with a writ in hand, voicing polite surprise at seeing them return so soon. The companions clarified that they had merely taken a brief local jaunt and had not yet formally departed on their wider assignment.

"Ah, I understand," the guild official replied, acknowledging Keshah's return. "Well, there is mail for you. Addressed to the guild, really, but meant for your group."

The dispatch was passed over for inspection. While guild members nearby murmured in conversation regarding Lizette, the party weighed their immediate errands—securing an astrologer, returning the treated leather, and handing over contacts. But the letter swiftly demanded their full attention. It bore the name of Celine Saladar Dowers, their employer and contracting principal, and carried the sobering subject line: *Disappearance of Adventuring Party*.

Skimming the missive, they found a detailed account of their own recent movements. Dowers noted that after discovering devils in the basement of a town property, the adventurers had consulted local clergy and temples, only to vanish without a report, message, explanation, or request for assistance. Fearing they had fallen prey to grave danger, Dowers had been forced to retrace their steps through hearsay from priests and townspeople, ultimately requesting that the Seagate Guild post a missing notice—an all-points inquiry through every associated chapter, temple, and mission.

"Well, they put out a bolo for us," came the dry observation, though there was quiet appreciation that their patron had cared enough to raise the alarm.

Rather than invent excuses, they agreed the unvarnished truth was best. Between rushing south to Dell, dealing with cultists and a demonic presence, visiting the camp, and shepherding refugees onto an outbound vessel, reporting in had simply slipped through the cracks. Though lodging arrangements with their landlady had been maintained, formal word to Dowers had been completely neglected. Nor was the blame easily assigned; whether the fault lay with the scribe, the guild liaison, or party leadership, they were all accountable.

Before handling the leather with Lizette or debating whether Kellows would offer them lodging instead of their usual quarters, their first priority was clear. Tucking the letter into a pocket, they set off to report in person, confirm they had recruited reinforcements and completed training, and assure Dowers that the mission remained entirely on track.

Chapter 23: A Matter of Leather and Letters

A flustered merchant courier blushes under the gaze of the adventuring company in the front sitting room.

"Well, they did say immediately," Dae remarked, weighing the gravity of the summons before them.

"They're sending people for us," Lizette pointed out reasonably. "It's far better we go in ourselves than get dragged in."

"Yes," came the dry agreement. "Preferably not by Guild security."

The Guild representative scoffed at the notion. Guild security was hardly going to rough them up, not when they had Keshah in their company. Still, brute force was never the real issue. The true sting lay in the sheer embarrassment of it all—having their names paraded across the front pages of the *Seagate Times* for every scoundrel in the city to read. Having read the contents of the letter, confronting the matter head-on seemed the only dignified course.

"Yes, we're going," Dae affirmed, checking for an address. While there was no street name written plainly, they knew they would have a contact within the Guild to track the man down once they arrived. The Guild representative confirmed the dispatch had travelled all the way from Edge of Bar. Since their path led there anyway, returning immediately made the most sense. They would have to slip in quietly under serendipity, contacting their liaisons discreetly through a known halfling inn or dropping a message off at a covert drop point without exposing secret lines. And, of course, they still had to see their primary mission through.

"Let's get rid of this leather stuff first," Dae said.

The Guild representative handed over the full dossier with an amused sigh. "This is what came in regarding your tricky compatriots. Please read it carefully so you understand what sort of trouble you're all in, especially since you are the party leader now."

While sending an advance runner was briefly considered, fast travel meant they would outpace any conventional courier anyway. With only their nightly affairs and the pending leather delivery left to settle, they could be ready to depart within an hour or so, leaving just the short journey from outside the city walls into the gates.

"There is a man waiting in the front sitting room," the representative noted. "Do you wish to speak with him?"

"Yes, I'll do that right now. Come on, Lizette."

Before heading in, Dae clarified the arrangement. While holding onto the title of trade representative remained an option, there was no need to stay tangled in the logistics. Dae could simply turn over the gathered contact lists, hand off the leather goods for them to ship, and pass the documentation along to let the merchant house handle the distribution.

Waiting inside the front sitting room sat a young lad, twisting his hands nervously in his seat. Dae offered a polite greeting, asking if he was the courier sent for the leather.

"Oh yes, yes, I've been waiting here," the boy replied with relief, confessing that his vigil had begun yesterday—or perhaps the day before, as the hours had completely blurred together.

"I know the feeling; got the same problem," Dae sympathized, opening a notebook and tearing out several pages. "Here are some names and addresses—contact details of traders down in Edge of Bar who want leather. Some of them might already have orders attached to them."

The lad accepted the sheets gratefully, though his gaze quickly drifted past Dae toward the companions, his brow furrowing with sudden curiosity. "Are... are you the healer?"

"Uh, no, that's her," Dae corrected.

Finding himself suddenly face to face with the stately figure, the lad looked Lizette up and down and instantly flushed bright red. Trying to cover his fluster, he stumbled over his words, asking whether what he was seeing was mere clothing or armor. Lizette explained calmly that she wore armor disguised beneath an illusion of everyday garments, explaining the soft drape over the rigid structure underneath.

"It says it was important we know what it looks like as well," the lad mumbled, attempting to steady his composure before timidly bringing up a personal ailment: growing pains.

"Growing pains?" Dae echoed, glancing over. Hearing about such mundane aches fell well outside Dae's rudimentary knowledge, having only just begun studying the healing arts.

"That's why I was asking if you were the healer," the youth stammered, glancing between the armor and the gentle hands before him. Dae reminded him that between them, Dae was merely an apprentice.

"Very good," the flustered young courier managed, ducking his head with an awkward smile. "Oh, I have a master as well. He's... well, he's not nearly as nice as you."

Chapter 24: Growing Pains and Leather Guilds

Lizette mends the young apprentice's growing pains before trade contacts are exchanged.

The young lad was content enough when they returned to him, confirming that the girls had kindly looked after him with oranges, biscuits, and sandwiches. The companions apologized for keeping him waiting, glad to see he had been properly tended to. Turning their attention to his condition, they wondered whether he was unwell. An empathetic check left some ambiguity as to whether he was underfed or overstressed, but the core issue soon became clear: the boy was simply enduring tremendous growing pains. At roughly thirteen years of age, he was shooting up so quickly that his bones seemed to lengthen faster than his flesh could adapt.

Considering the best remedy, Lizette realized that rather than merely soothing his pain, a spell to heal his endurance would set him right in record time. When asked if he was amenable to having the ache relieved, the boy agreed and promptly began unbuttoning his shirt. Smiling, Lizette assured him that this was non-invasive magic—a gentle technique she had learned during her earliest training—and that there was no need to undress.

As the healing magic washed through him, an audible chorus of snaps, crackles, and pops resonated from his joints as everything settled into place. The lad straightened his posture, seeming to gain two full inches on the spot. Grinning, he marveled at how much better he felt, declaring that he was bound to grow tall. He explained that his workshop fed the apprentices real food three times a day—a welcome luxury far superior to sandy bread or the notoriously fibrous C-class rations that Lynn the potion maker was always advocating.

The boy elaborated that their supplies came through Arms Ferry, where lush pastures supported cattle runs providing abundant beef and quality hides for the leather workers, who maintained ties with the Sticks Trading Guild. Pleased to hear of the guild's success, the party noted that several merchants had shown interest in their leather wares and promised to return in a couple of months with further names. The lad conveyed his master's well-wishes and bowed respectfully. Returning the bow, the party handed over valuable freight and shipping contacts they had secured from sea captains while arranging their own passage, an offering the young courier gratefully received as extremely useful.

Chapter 25: A Messenger's Reward and Lingering Portents

A generous tip for nine days of waiting, followed by talk of missing-persons notices and forgotten portents.

"Well, good luck on your mystery adventures," the young messenger said warmly.

"Thank you very much. And again, sorry for keeping you waiting," Lizette replied, genuinely apologetic for the delay.

"Oh, that's all right. I've been up here every day for the last nine days," the boy said with an earnest smile. "It's been a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Sorry we kept you waiting so long," she repeated as they spoke.

"Oh, it's fine! It's much better than moving crates back home, and they feed me lunch here. It's so nice."

"Working in a cannery—or a tannery—can be quite hard as well," remarked Keshah.

"Oh yeah," the boy agreed. "Do you know what they used to treat leather with?"

"Mhm, yes," Keshah said, nodding knowingly. "I thought you would. It's certainly better than some meals, standing easily down by the water discharge."

"Make sure you eat properly. Get lean meat," Lizette told him, drawing out a generous pouch and pressing fifty silver pennies into his hands.

He stared down at the coins, eyes wide and bewildered. "Okay... that is very good of you, mistress. What... what does this oblige me to do?"

"Nothing," Lizette assured him gently. "Nothing at all. You've already done what you were supposed to do."

"It's for the time you spent waiting for us," Keshah explained. "A compensation thereof."

"Oh, I see! Thank you, that is very generous of you," the lad beamed, clutching his unexpected fortune. "I will be leaving now."

"Yes, we should get going too," Lizette said. "We actually have to leave today, not tonight."

Before slipping out, the apprentice paused. "Oh, there are some people looking for you. They were from the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency. I happen to know someone in it."

"Who were they looking for, exactly?" Lizette asked.

"All of you. They said somebody reported that you were missing. I can send them a message."

"Yes, thank you, we're going to sort that out," Lizette told him.

"Can we go?" someone prompted as they stood in the middle of the C Gate.

As the boy skipped off, the Guild clerk gave a dry whistle. "Well, that went very well. Though paying our guests a month's wages in one hit—for a young apprentice like that, it'll probably just earn him beatings when he gets home."

"Only if he doesn't give his cut to the master," Keshah countered.

"Maybe he won't talk about it," Lizette suggested.

"Well, it's also goodwill between the Guild and the populace," the attendant mused with a shrug. "And according to the accountants, goodwill is an asset. An intangible asset, but an asset nonetheless."

Lizette shifted her stance, remembering an outstanding obligation. "We need to find an astrologer."

"What do we need an astrologer for?" the clerk asked.

"Lizette was advised to get an astrology reading," Keshah said. "We really shouldn't wait now."

"Indeed," the clerk sighed, rifling through notes. "We've received 'be on the lookout' notices from the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency looking for you three, as well as messages from your employer alerting us to your unexplained disappearance. Is there anyone else I need to send messages to?"

"Is there a reward for us?" Keshah asked.

"Not yet. Give it a few more weeks, and your employer will probably be looking to hire a new party to compose your replacements."

"We have been traveling the whole day," Keshah explained, "and there is a potential shadow lurking above that would be much better to deal with tonight."

"And get this down there in an hour," Dae added firmly.

"As you wish. I'll go down to the whereabouts of my contact at the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency, or see if I have to fly down to the bottom bay," the attendant offered. "I can do that while you handle the astrology reading."

"We can get the astrology reading sorted if an astrologist can get down there," Keshah noted. "I feel better having it done here where people know the right level of skill."

"Yeah, we'll help you with that," Lizette agreed.

"While you're doing that, I'll head down to the hobbit agency," the clerk confirmed.

Keshah scratched his chin, thinking back. "I will try and remember the exact details about the reference. Lizette was warned that she needed an astrology reading, but I can't personally remember the exact reasons."

"I have a perfect memory," Dae spoke up. "It was back in Slippery Rock, from the lady at the general store."

"Did she give any hint as to what it was about?" Keshah asked, trying to piece together the prophecy before they stepped beneath the stars.

Chapter 26: Omens in the Hide

A prophetic reading from the llama-hide codex reveals strange and unsettling omens for Lizette's future.

A lingering unease settled over the companions. "I have a feeling we're on it," someone murmured, though memories grew hazy. "I don't remember." Yet the foreboding persisted—a pressing deadline that something dreadful or momentous was about to happen to Lizette, even if none could recall the exact terms.

"If you want, I'll do an astrology reading for Lizette about important impending events," offered Keshah. Lizette wondered aloud how late into the night it would need to be, but the inquiry turned out to be unnecessary. Puzzled by the notion of waiting for a late hour, Keshah glanced upward to gauge the skies, asking what the weather was like and whether the heavens were clear.

Practical debts briefly derailed the divinations. "So we didn't give the leather back," Lizette realized. A brief, muddled debate flared—some thinking they had returned the hides, others correcting them until the cold truth settled: no, they had not, prompting a muttered "Crap." Keshah insisted it simply meant continuing their good work, while Aurora volunteered to deliver the leather herself. If worse came to worst, Lizette reasoned, they could pay for the leather outright. Keshah and Aurora firmly dismissed that idea; it was merely an administrative matter of arranging to return it to the rightful dealers.

Aurora initially thought the leatherworkers were based in Seagate, but Lizette reminded her they were in Arms Ferry, recalling their earlier mention. Aurora checked a mental map, mistaking a southerly point for their destination before Keshah corrected her—Arms Ferry lay up north, right beside the river. Aurora calculated the flight: a half-hour to an hour's journey on the wing, well within her capabilities. Lizette warned they would have to recast spells to sustain the journey, but Aurora pointed out that flying solo with her leather wings required no recasting at all. Lizette remained wary of sending her alone, recalling the sinister letters and whatever instructions had been given to haul her back.

Pushing the errand aside, Keshah brought forth a prophetic codex fashioned of finely tanned llama hide, adorned with intricate hieroglyphs and pentagraphs. With clear intent to divine the looming perils facing Lizette, the codex was consulted. Amid discussions of whether someone should accompany Aurora if she ventured near the detective agency after leaving the guild by herself, the prophecy unveiled its cryptic verses.

The general outline took shape: Aurora and the night lights would lead Lizette to foreign shores, culminating in an unnatural, immaculate conception that would unleash unforeseen developments over a full year of service. Shaken by the omen, Lizette pressed for more exact details. The vision revealed that the strange conception somehow intertwined with ending the bloodline of a Seagate adventurer.

"Child, were you born under the calamity of a death star?" Keshah asked solemnly. When Lizette doubted it, the talk turned pointedly to bloodlines. Lizette eyed Keshah askance, wondering aloud why talk of blood magic brought the warrior to mind. "I haven't been considered a blood mage for years now, thank you—years," came the defensive retort.

As for the riddle of the "night lights," the companions pondered whether it referred to the celestial crowns, noting that the stars of the firmament were indeed night lights. Seeking further clarity on the omens cast from the little bones and the llama hide, they sought the location of this unnatural event. The codex answered in riddles: it would transpire "under the chorus guide of crashing waves of life." Aurora wondered whether it signified the chasm out in the desert, but desert sands were hardly known as chorus gates of living tide. Still, salt water surged within that sunken opening—and seawater, after all, was life itself.

Chapter 27: A Stone-Cold Surrender

Negotiations take an unexpected turn at the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency after Aurora is petrified on the spot.

Before turning to other affairs, a question arose regarding the impending future: was the foreseen event a good thing or a bad thing for Lady Lizette Summers in general terms? The answer came back reassuringly—it was a good thing for Lizette. There it was, then; it was her event and her future, so there was no need to avoid it. Lizette mused that she had previously considered having her ovaries removed—after all, she could always regrow them later—but if the event was supposed to be a blessing, that drastic step seemed unnecessary. A companion pointed out that whatever might already be growing might not be ovaries at all, though that had not come to pass yet. A guild representative chimed in, noting she was not the only one capable of regrowing ovaries. Miracles did happen, and someone suggested that removing them first would certainly make any regrowth appear all the more miraculous; one might as well go for the whole home and take the womb too. Still, Lizette sought reassurance that it was genuinely supposed to be good for her. It was certainly an improvement over prior reports that she had been indisposed with dark afflictions—infested, even. Perhaps the turning tide was related to that, sounding far better than last time, even if no one could say for certain what was at work. Without two trusted allies at hand to help, real trouble might have loomed, especially given that Keshah was a guild member in good standing.

With that matter settled, attention turned to Aurora. An hour's journey lay ahead. Dae and Aurora decided to take a trip into town, prompting Lizette to ask where they were heading. Their destination was the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency. While one could fly or walk in Seagate, carriage travel was customary for such an errand. They hired a carriage and rode through the bustling thoroughfares of Seagate, passing street vendors selling piping-hot potatoes and locals loudly bickering over spicy sauces. Eventually, they pulled up outside the front door of the agency, and the doorbell gave a cheerful chime as they entered.

A small hobbit woman stood up from behind the wooden counter. Aurora, driven by curiosity, offered a tentative greeting, only to tense as the hobbit recognized her with a sharp, "Hello, Aurora. How are you?"

"Hi," Aurora replied plainly. "I've just come to turn myself in."

Noting the active inquiry on her, the hobbit woman didn't hesitate: "Well, then don't resist. Stand there." She reached over to a long box, retrieved a wand, and leveled it with a swift *zap*. Aurora offered no resistance, and the magical charge took hold instantly. The wand pivoted as the investigator turned her gaze toward Dae; where Aurora had stood, there was now only solid stone.

Dae inquired why on earth she had petrified an adventurer like Aurora. The hobbit explained matter-of-factly that Aurora was wanted and carried a reward. Dae muttered that they should have gone for the boundary instead, then asked whether the bounty was for Aurora herself or merely for information leading to her. The hobbit answered that it was for both, moving methodically between storage boxes before demanding Dae's identity. Dae initially offered the alias Kesha Cleary, remarking that names were powerful things, but when pressed to cut to the chase, gave the true name: Dae. The hobbit relaxed slightly, glad not to be dealing with the actual Keshah, remarking that several folks refused to bring in women.

When asked if Dae was freelancing as some kind of bounty hunter, Dae claimed the original plan had been to escort Aurora to a bar before ending up here. The hobbit sternly warned that no one was cutting in on her claim: Aurora had surrendered of her own free will, which amounted to an open-and-shut confession, and there was a full five grand on the line—five thousand silvers. Dae countered that having physically brought Aurora inside warranted a cut of the prize. Dismissively, the hobbit flicked a single silver coin across the counter, telling the scallywag to take it and get out.

Two other short hobbits suddenly scurried out from beneath the counter, low enough that they did not even need to lift the swinging flap. Dae warned them that they seemed awfully eager to make enemies of the Adventurers of Seagate. The hobbits asked if there was money in that proposition, to which Dae retorted that there was only profit for those aiming to ruin themselves against the guild. Perplexed, the hobbits asked what this talk of enemies was about, insisting they were Seagate locals themselves. Dae pointed out that Aurora was an adventurer in good standing who had simply arrived to clear things up, only to be subjected to what amounted to a blatant kidnapping.

The hobbits defended their actions, arguing they had merely secured someone wandering about who might not have been in her right mind, adding that it was fortunate they hadn't used the wand's alternative setting, which would have left a bloody mess—and a political catastrophe to boot. The younger hobbit folded his arms while the elder considered Dae's words. Five thousand silvers was an enormous sum, and Dae asked who was actually putting up that kind of coin. The hobbit explained that it came from someone connected to a door company—a maple door or barn door outfit—out in Adjepbar, seeking an employee who had gone missing.

Dae confirmed that Aurora was indeed meant to return to Adjepbar through the portals the very next day. Hearing this, the hobbits realized that handing her over to Dae would spare them a grueling month-long journey each way. They agreed to write out a note acknowledging the resolution, but turned back to the division of the purse. Dae magnanimously acknowledged that the hobbits had put in the hard work of securing the contract, but proposed a clean fifty-fifty split for handling the swift delivery.

Chapter 28: Bounties, Pastries, and Town Guards

Susie Sweetfoot and Dae face off with the Seagate town guards while Aurora shares pastries from her seemingly bottomless satchel.

Negotiations intensified as Dae pressed the advantage. 'Hold it, hold it a second,' he urged. 'If you can bring in Keshah, we'll give you fifty percent on both of them. Otherwise, we've got the soft one.' Aurora piped up from the haze, countered with sixty percent, and offered to bring Lady Lizette Summers into the arrangement as well. The halflings quickly huddled together, murmuring amongst themselves before turning back. They agreed to sixty-forty, though they immediately scrambled over who claimed the sixty percent. Dae reminded them of all the lucrative work they could accomplish during the full month they would not spend traveling on the road. The halflings conceded the point; after all, time was money and money was time. When they asked whether Dae wanted their representative to accompany him—to hand over the targets, secure the payout, split the cut, and ensure she returned in one piece without dying—Dae insisted on drafting a formal agreement ensuring payment upon return once confirmation came from the client, alongside letters of introduction. The halflings agreed to send one of their own along with him. With another sudden zap, Aurora snapped fully back to consciousness to find Dae warmly shaking hands with a hobbit, while two additional halflings stood in the room. Bewildered, Aurora asked what had just transpired. The halflings chuckled that Dae was a fierce negotiator, while Dae assured her that everything was now settled and everyone was fine. Shaking off the lingering shock, Aurora began rummaging through her adventuring bag, asking where she had stashed her pastries. Reaching inside, she started hauling them out one by one—counting past five, six, seven, eight, and nine. Astounded, the halflings asked where one could possibly purchase a magnificent bag that spat out endless baked goods. Aurora explained she had bought the bag in Ganger's Hope and had simply packed an enormous stock into it herself. As the count reached thirteen, the halflings called for a halt lest they all grow fat, though Aurora reminded them she knew full well how much halflings could eat, possessing over one hundred and fifty pastries—perhaps over two hundred—that she intended to share. The halflings formally introduced Susie Sweetfoot, explaining that she would accompany Dae and Aurora to Adjepbar over the coming days to make introductions with a mutual acquaintance and collect the hefty bounty to split with Dae. Susie eagerly accepted another pastry, beaming up at Aurora, but cheekily wondered aloud what they would possibly eat on the second day of the two-day trek. Aurora blinked in disbelief, joking that she herself had often been called a hobbit in an elf's body, while Dae quietly assessed whether the halfling companion was cute. Handed a note confirming the arrangement, they stepped out onto the street only to be confronted by three Seagate Town Guardsmen. Aurora offered her customary friendly wave, but the guards immediately recognized her from their all-points bulletin as a wanted, high-demand fugitive. When Dae stated he was personally delivering her, Susie Sweetfoot darted forward, aggressively telling the guardsmen to press off and fiercely disputing who had rightful claim to Aurora. Dae calmly cited the documented chain of control and valuable property rights, politely bid the guards a good day, and ushered Aurora away while the guards and halflings bickered furiously and trooped into the shop. Remarking that the squabbling was worse than the Western Kingdom's Accord, Aurora urged Dae to hurry back before guild security caught wind and demanded a cut. Reaching the carriage station, they found a wagon laden with guild supplies—heaped with ten dead pigs and a large board on the back—ready for transport.

Chapter 29: Bounties and Best Intentions

The party consults guild officials about collecting their own rescue bounty while Sweet Foot offers unexpected fashion commentary.

The storage bins were packed nearly to the brim. With the loading finished, ten pigs were secured—a haul that was bound to keep Micks happy for at least a week. Hauling the livestock, they made the journey up toward the guild in record time.

Along the road, signs of trouble lingered: a few dead pigs lay discarded, and nearby stood an encampment of tents pitched across the thoroughfare. A heated argument had broken out, with a crowd of onlookers watching a woman dispute fiercely with a man—the Northerners who had been walked back. Passing the confrontation, the wagon rolled into the guild yard, and everyone jumped down.

Lady Lizette Summers and Keshah came wandering over to meet them.

"You sort it all out?" came the question.

"Sort it all out," Keshah echoed.

"Yes, sort of," Dae replied.

A halfling woman piped up, glancing around to ask where the hobbit was before fixing her attention on Keshah. "I'm Sweet Foot," she announced cheerfully. "You must be Kesha. Oh, I've got a running bet on you. I think that no one's going to bring you in. I'm going to get rich."

"No, I don't want to be booted," Keshah muttered, before checking back with Dae. "So it's all sorted, is it?"

"Um, sort of," Dae hedged aloud, while Sweet Foot chirped that it was indeed all settled.

Dae immediately wove a *Mind Speech* spell to link the four of them silently. Catching the mental tether, Keshah fell quiet. Over the telepathic link, Dae explained the real situation: there was an active bounty on bringing them into Adjepbar, and they could collect sixty percent of the payout simply by turning themselves in before any more complications cropped up.

Keshah questioned whether they were merely supporting Dae in this scheme, while a note of caution was raised about guild regulations forbidding adventurers from profiting off selling their own party members. Dae countered that it wasn't selling anyone out, though consulting a guild representative first seemed prudent.

"Is there a guild rep here?" Keshah asked aloud.

A guild representative stepped forward. "What about?"

"Apparently there's a bounty on a couple of us," Keshah said.

"Well, yes, of course we did warn you all then," the representative answered smoothly.

Keshah inquired if there would be any infraction of the rules if Dae collected the bounty.

"As far as I can tell, no, no—that's quite a sensible idea, really," the representative replied. Since an outside bounty hunter might deliver them to imprisonment, they could simply claim they had rescued their companions and return them directly to their employer.

Keshah remained uneasy. "I feel we may be on the hook for the amount paid as bounty, something along those lines. Probably going to rip it out of our—"

"If you've read the letter, he's speaking in sadness," the representative explained. "He thinks that terrible things have happened, and he's offering a reward to get you guys back."

"Terrible things *did* happen—it took you to Lizette," Keshah said with a sigh. "But it doesn't feel morally right to get him to pay for us."

"He'd probably just take it out of our payment," Dae pointed out.

"Look, if anyone gets nasty about it, I'll just donate the whole lot to charity," Keshah said. "Or we pay him back out of our earnings. I've got no problem with that."

"We can always just front up and pay for the reward ourselves," Dae agreed.

The guild official squinted at them suspiciously. "Are you guys using funny mind magic? You're all looking really hard at each other."

"No," Keshah and Dae chorused instinctively.

Dae winced and quickly corrected himself. "Also, yes. Because I've got a rune-proof on it—I can't lie."

"Oh, it is true," the representative acknowledged with an amused nod.

Sweet Foot chimed back in, appraising Keshah with an admiring grin. "Kesha, you're very pretty for a tall person. Really quite pronounced breasts."

"Yes, the breasts," Dae agreed dryly.

Keshah tugged self-consciously at her attire. "Yeah, I'm thinking maybe this wasn't quite the right outfit to use."

"That's a glorious outfit," Sweet Foot insisted.

"Not really sort of street wear," Dae murmured, "but never mind."

Chapter 30: Through the Portal to Adjepbar

The party arrives at the bustling gates of Adjepbar just as the guard commander steps forward to interrogate them.

A casual debate over attire lingered in the air—depending on which street one was walking, of course, though it was quickly agreed that certain styles leaned far more toward indoor boudoir wear than proper street clothes.

Taking advantage of the lull, Aurora glanced over at Dae with a grin. "So how does it feel, Dae? To be pulling all these babes like this? You being such a big upstanding elf and all, in the shadow of Keshah. And these two being drop-dead gorgeous... and then there's you and me."

"Hey, I think you're drop-dead gorgeous for a halfling," came the cheerful reply.

"No, I'm half your height, honey."

"So? I'm not a part-height."

"A what?"

"A part-height!"

Rolling her eyes, Aurora steered the conversation back on track. "So, when are we going?"

"Half an hour," Dae answered. "In half an hour, we'll move to the portal room."

"We need six more," Aurora declared, eyeing the supplies. Without missing a beat, six more pastries were produced and handed over. Aurora set about polishing them off in rapid succession, practically slurping them down one after the other. "Oh, you can have one if you want."

"We're going to need to exercise her," Dae remarked dryly, "otherwise she's going to become a very fat little hobbit."

"I'm not sure I've ever seen another hobbit put it away like that. Not even—oh, what's—no, I've forgotten the name now."

Aurora smirked. "You are half-height. You've forgotten the name, you're half-height."

"I know lots of names!"

"Oh yeah, you know all the best names, such as Shorty, Short Stuff, Stumpy..."

"Why would I want to call a hobbit those? Besides, isn't a dwarf usually known as Stumpy?"

"Oh yeah," Aurora conceded breezily, "but some people, you know, elves and stuff, they often get confused."

Preparing the portal was no simple task; it took two hours of effort to get the magic to function. Naturally, that called for another six buns. Dae offered a reminder to speak up whenever fatigue threatened to set in. Looking at the fresh treats, someone marvelled, "Are those really real?"

"I got them in Ganger's Hope," came the proud confirmation.

Before stepping into the swirling aperture, personal protective enchantments were raised with a fortified self. It took another hour to finish the magic and step through, making it three full hours in total to emerge outside the government of Adjepbar. Everyone ate a pair of buns, and rank-four restoratives were passed around to ward off the magical toll.

Still, the sudden transit took its toll. "How did you make the world change like that? Why do I feel so ghastly?"

"Our rune magic," Dae explained. "We just teleported five hundred miles."

"Drink this and you might feel better."

Someone stepped aside, threw up a bit, and returned, groaning. "I feel as if I've been trampled by a bull."

"Yeah," Dae sympathized. "It used to be better magic, but then the world changed and it got a bit harsher."

"Didn't they teach you about bedside manners?" came the grumble, cushioned by yet another cream bun.

Outside Adjepbar, it was roughly eight o'clock at night. In the early spring dusk, the light was fading fast. Below them, a rock shelf fell away beside one of the main roads that cut through the open wastelands and broken ground surrounding the formidable city walls. Fortunately, the city gates remained wide open.

"We should head there quickly," Dae urged.

Crowding the gateway was an enormous herd of goats being driven inward through the portal archway. When asked if the herd was moving in or out, Dae pointed out that goats rarely exit a city. That sparked a brief query over whether the beasts were simple food supplies or connected to the goat cult, though it was quickly clarified that these were very much alive, whereas the cult notoriously favoured dead goats.

"Okay, we have to go to the palace fairly soon," someone noted. "Pretty soon, or they're going to send people for us. They'll want to know when you turn up."

"Maybe we'd better deal with our accommodation first," Aurora suggested. "Let's see if Lady Alba's place is available."

As the group approached the gate, a flurry of activity erupted among the guards. Men were frantically brushing down their tunics, straightening their gear, and jamming helmets onto their heads while a stout dwarf barked orders at them. The dwarven guard commander turned on his heel and stomped straight over to the newcomers.

"Hello, ma'am," he began awkwardly. "You're not a goat herder?"

"No..."

Catching himself, the dwarf cleared his throat. "I'm a guard. How about we try this again: Hello, ma'am. You're not a goat herder?"

Before Aurora could answer, Dae stepped forward smoothly. "Allow me to introduce Aurora—hero of Adjepbar!"

Aurora flinched and hissed back, "I'm not a hero of Adjepbar, you guys!"

Chapter 31: Audience at the Palace

Hobbit courtiers at the palace receive the party, settling bounties and offering courtly reprimands.

The guard squinted, taking in the group and realizing just who was approaching. Aurora was quick to point out that two of their number were celebrated heroes of Adjepbar, offering to introduce them properly. The guard took notice of Lady Lizette Summers, his eyes wandering unreservedly toward her exposed midriff and bodice as he tried, with no subtlety whatsoever, to evaluate her attire. Lizette admitted to her companions that it was a fine dress, though Aurora noted it was hardly practical streetwear—especially around these parts. While Lizette remarked that one might see similar gowns at court, the guard made it clear they were nowhere near court.

Informing Lizette that she and her revealing ensemble were coming along since she was wanted, the guard stepped in to escort them. When they confirmed that being brought in was precisely why they were there, the guard seemed pleased. Aurora explained that Dae was turning them in, separating the lost lambs as it were, and the guard readily agreed that they should proceed to the palace at once. Though Lizette voiced quiet reservations about whether this scheme was entirely sound, they were led on their way.

At the palace, a handful of guards stood watch who were not dwarves, while half a dozen remarkably well-dressed hobbits—draped in pearls, gems, and fine courtier finery—descended the stairs. One of the courtiers recognized Dae with warm familiarity, greeting him and remarking that it had been perhaps two years since their last meeting. Gesturing to the entrance, the courtier pointed out that the doors had been rebuilt and were back on their hinges, asking about the incident where someone had been hurled through the wall. Aurora recalled the jinn that had smashed its way in. Greeted politely, the young hobbit who accompanied the party looked on in absolute awe as the courtiers promptly turned their attention to her, speaking in a rapid flurry of hobbit-ese that Aurora only partially understood.

When the chamberlain indicated that formal custody would not be necessary and assured them that no one should be out of pocket—promising to cover the sixty percent—Aurora tried to interject to explain their side to whoever had sought them. The courtiers paused, firmly requesting silence while the hobbits were speaking, before resuming in their mother tongue. Once satisfied that expenses were accounted for, the chamberlain clapped hands, summoned attendants to draw the necessary funds, and inquired about the bounty owed to the companion. Dae clarified that he owed her nothing. Acknowledging that the party had rescued and brought them back, the officials declared it excellent work, delivering two large sacks of coin: a smaller one for her and a larger sack containing six thousand for Dae, who spat on his hand and sealed the agreement with a handshake. Before concluding the business, she awkwardly conveyed her superior's request to know if they could banish her; upon hearing the affirmative, she gave her thanks.

With business settled, the party was told they were free to enjoy the city, and Dae expressed his gratitude for the court’s hospitality, with the courtiers reassuring him that he was ever welcome at the palace. Before they could withdraw, however, Lizette was directed onto her knees as an attendant brought out a cushion. Kneeling down to hear what was required, she listened as the courtier patted her knee and chided her gently. The guards had reported her manner of dress, and the court had not forgotten a previous incident involving consorting with undesirables. Though Lizette defended the past incident as magic, the courtier noted dryly that their magic seemed to attract magic, questioning her current presentation. Accepting the critique, Lizette promised to change. When asked where they intended to stay, Lady Alba’s residence was mentioned, and the courtier assured them there would be ample room. Lizette confirmed that this appearance satisfied the requirement for visiting heroes to report to the palace. With business concluded and the hour advancing toward the ruler house, the companions prepared to take their leave.

Chapter 32: A Misguided Rescue

A well-intentioned ambush goes awry in the Blue District as rat-men attempt to 'rescue' the party from their own guards.

By nine o'clock in the evening, dusk was settling fast over the city, and the companions agreed it was time to head back to the inn before darkness overtook the streets. The halfling authorities arranged for a contingent of guards to escort them safely on their way. Walking alongside the company, Lizette leaned toward Keshah and whispered in hushed Elvish, admitting she felt like a chastised child told to keep quiet while the adults were speaking. Keshah reminded her that halflings held absolute authority here as the nobility and ruling elite—a reality Lizette ruefully admitted she had momentarily forgotten.

To their surprise, the captain of the escort piped up in flawless, elegant Elvish, assuring her with a polite chuckle that she would be forgiven. When Lizette asked in shock if he understood the language, the captain proudly declared himself a cunning linguist who knew many tongues. He then noted that a reward had been posted for their tutor, who had been implicated in their mysterious disappearance and brought in for questioning several weeks prior. In fact, the poor scholar was still being held in custody. Alarmed by how much confusion their absence had caused, Lizette and Aurora urged that he be released so their lessons could continue, noting he had done no harm. Lizette checked with Dae, who agreed that securing the tutor's immediate release was more than acceptable.

As the company made their way outside the Citadel toward the inn, casual chatter filled the evening air. The conversation drifted from cultist tales of fabled fallen lands and lost cities to constellations. Lizette mused over the Seven Sisters—a stellar cluster that marked the start of the new year in distant Pacifica, recalling the beaches she had visited there, from pale white coral sand to the dark volcanic sands found further south.

Soon their path led into the distinctive Blue District, where rows of buildings were painted in vibrant azure, their second stories sculpted with unusual shell-shaped reliefs. The tranquil stroll shattered when Keshah suddenly called out a warning of immediate danger. Scanning the shadows, they caught sight of a small rat-man hurling a glass bottle straight into the escort. The vial shattered on the paving stones, bursting into a cloud of pungent green vapor.

"Gas grenade!" came the urgent cry. Though Lizette noted the mist would not linger long, three-quarters of the guards were instantly overcome, staggering to their knees before collapsing unconscious into the street. The companions drew their weapons and prepared for battle as half a dozen tall rat-men armed with belts, small bucklers, and curved falchions advanced out of an alleyway.

Stepping forward, their leader addressed the party in rough, broken Elvish: "Make a run for it! We have freed you from these foul guards. Our debt to you is paid!"

Stunned by the misunderstanding, the companions quickly set them straight. "They're our guards! Our escorts!" they called out, explaining that they were entirely friendly with the palace. Realizing their disastrous blunder, the rat-men froze in mortified panic. When Lizette urged them to make a run for it themselves, the creatures wasted no time and promptly scarpered into the alleys.

Chapter 33: A Concussed Escort

The party revives the concussed guardsman following the knockout gas incident.

A sudden gust swept through the street as the lingering green vapor was blown away, clearing the air. Lady Lizette Summers, having briefly dropped to her knees under the haze, rose swiftly back to her feet and immediately moved to inspect the fallen guards.

While her companion peered at the stricken patrol with mystical visions to discern the extent of the vapor's effect—noting aloud that knockout gas was rarely ever green—Lizette channeled her magic to cure the poison coursing through them. Within a couple of minutes, and with the hurried assistance of a few passing townsfolk, the guards began to stir. They sat up in bewildered surprise, blinking through the remnants of the mist. All but one managed to stagger upright; a lone soldier remained sprawled on the ground, having struck his head and neck hard against the pavement in his fall.

Seeing him inert, Lizette's companion prepared a deeper diagnostic effort, remarking that the guard would likely need time to recover. Before they could fret further, the captain of the watch brushed dust from his tabard and cleared his throat with official gravity.

"We're not entirely sure what that was," the captain announced, sounding as though he were reciting a standard report rather than truly claiming credit, "but it appears you were attacked. Just as well we were here to protect you."

"Right, well... it sorted out the problem," Lizette replied politely, humoring his bravado. "I'm sure it won't happen again."

"Indeed. Let us get you to your inn before things get entirely out of hand," the captain offered, to which the party readily agreed.

First, however, there was the matter of the soldier still on the cobblestones. Though his comrades propped him up, he remained semi-conscious, giddy, and unsteady on his feet from a severe concussion. Determining that a restoration of endurance was needed, Lizette worked her healing art to mend the head injury.

Her companion leaned in to test the guard's recovering senses, holding up a hand. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Twelve," the guard muttered groggily.

"Okay. You just lie there for a little bit."

"Why don't you lean down?" the soldier slurred, peering up with squinted eyes. "If you kiss me on all the cheeks, then I will be cured."

Lizette chuckled at the bold bedside request. "A new healing method! Go for it, Lizette," her companion teased, before Lizette pointed out that the soldier had been staring straight at the companion when he made his plea. The guard weakly confirmed he was speaking to the one who had asked about his fingers.

Her companion hastily cast a sleeping spell to shut the man's advances down, prompting an exasperated look from Lizette. "Why are you knocking him out again? Now we'll have to carry him! He's a human in full armor and he's heavy—just kiss him and make him happy!"

The rest of the patrol pointedly turned their faces to examine the architecture down the street, pretending not to hear a word.

As they steadied the soldier, the banter drifted to the potent aura of physical beauty Lizette had been projecting. Her companion joked that keeping such an overwhelming presence active might actually do a favor by distracting Ernest whenever he caught up, but Lizette insisted she would have to tone it down if they were to walk the city streets safely. The two traded dry suggestions for disguises—ranging from foot plates and chainmail to slipping an ankle-length sack over her head with eyeholes cut out—before wondering aloud whether any local desert customs or modest veils might serve the same purpose without looking quite so ridiculous.

Chapter 34: Return to the Courtyard

The warm, mosaic-tiled courtyard of the inn welcomes the adventurers back from the night's troubles.

The party finally arrived back at their inn after the long night's ordeal. Turning to their guard escort, Dae offered their gratitude, but Ernest shook his head, insisting that the guards should be thanking them instead. Ernest apologized for how things had turned out, adding that they had felt far safer having the companions around. Dae smoothly reassured him that not another word needed to be said—as far as anyone was concerned, nothing had happened tonight. Ernest gratefully took his leave, thanking Dae in return.

Before the escort departed, Keshah checked on the guard who had suffered a concussion. The man remained mildly concussed and pleasantly charmed, still glowing from affectionate kisses on his cheeks. A touch of healing mended the head injury, leaving him alert and well. After Keshah thanked the human guard, Rutherford, for his service, the guards took their leave.

Stepping inside, the party was greeted by Miriam, who was thoroughly delighted to see them return. She rushed over and threw her arms around Keshah in a tight hug, catching a mild electric zap in the process. The lively innkeeper, a well-presented woman in her late thirties wearing an apron dusted with flour, was flanked by household staff and her two teenage children—a daughter of sixteen or seventeen and a twelve-year-old son. The three of them clucked and fussed over the arrivals in the spacious entryway.

The house opened up grandly around them, rising an entire floor on both sides with balconies overlooking an interior mosaic courtyard complete with long dining tables, a fountain at its center, and mechanical birds roosting in the courtyard trees. As the hosts chattered rapidly in their halting Common, Keshah worked to follow along and make proper introductions. When Miriam asked whether the accompanying elf was Keshah's husband, the notion was quickly dispelled; he was simply a companion of their adventuring party. Dae quipped that he might be as ugly as a human, but he remained an elf, to which Miriam warmly replied that elves and humans lived together in harmony throughout their city.

The companions inquired whether there had been any further incidents at the bathhouse—specifically whether anyone had heard sirens singing after their sudden departure following the necromantic cultist affair in the basement. Miriam assured them that no singing or further troubles had arisen.

With the visiting dwarves having vacated, Miriam led them across to the premier quarters on the opposite side of the building: a grand common hall framed by large mosaic windows, flanked by four private chambers. Miriam bid them rest, wash up, and come downstairs whenever they were ready for supper and dessert.

Left to their privacy, the companions retreated into their rooms to change their clothes and tidy themselves up. Once settled, they brought out the heavy bag earned as their reward for bringing everyone back safely. Untying the pouch revealed several pounds of coin—a generous heap of silver, glints of gold flakes, and copper—ready to be tallied and divided four ways.

Chapter 35: Eyes in the Service Cupboard

Mace brings warning of mechanical spies hidden in the inn's service cupboard.

A persistent scratching sounded at the door, soft wood rasping under determined claws. Keshah gave a wry grimace, realizing aloud that she had intended to fetch Mace on the way up and forgotten, though the omission hardly mattered. Another brisk *scratch, scratch, scratch* followed until someone cracked the door open.

In sauntered Mace. The large, fluffy cat entered with imperial poise, taking in the room with an aloof sweep of her whiskers before deigning to acknowledge its occupants. Fluttering her eyelids, she raised her head, gave the air a deliberate sniff, and headed straight for Aurora’s quarters, pushing the door until it swung completely wide.

Inside, Aurora was half-dressed, caught mid-motion in pulling on the familiar caftan she had acquired during their previous stay in the city. Seen from behind as she struggled into her robes, she froze at the sound of the swinging door and the demanding meow that accompanied it.

“Hmm. Oh no,” Aurora murmured, hastily weaving a spell of animal speech before turning. “Good afternoon. Good evening, Mace.”

“I have been missing you so much,” the cat declared, her voice settling into Aurora’s enchanted perception. “You are the only one I can talk to at the moment. There has been so much going on.”

“Oh?” Aurora coaxed.

“Jump up on the bed and tell me all about it,” the cat seemed to imply—or rather, demanded the space to do so herself. With brisk familiarity, Mace scrambled up Aurora’s leg and across her back—drawing a sharp, pained “Ow!” from the troubadour—before landing squarely on the bedding in front of her.

Shedding any pretense of ordinary feline business, Mace shared what she had gathered. Strange currents stirred across the city: the mage in the blue tower was visibly growing in power, and ever since the party had liberated the street rats from their prior servitude, the rodents had been roaming the thoroughfares in an unsettled frenzy, hunting down old bones.

“Does Lady Melba have any news?” Aurora asked, curious about the eccentric cat lady.

“You must follow me,” Mace insisted, ignoring the inquiry entirely.

“What, now?”

“Yes, it is very important.”

Aurora cast a longing look toward the hall. “But so is dessert.”

“Put on some clothes and follow me,” the cat ordered flatly.

Resigned, Aurora finished smoothing down her caftan and followed Mace into the corridor. The cat paused outside a door and commanded, “Open this door.”

Aurora reached for the handle, drawing immediate questions from her companions. “Wait, where are you going?” Keshah called out.

“I don’t know,” Aurora replied, gesturing vaguely downward. “I’m following the cat. She just told me to open the door.”

“Don’t go wandering by yourself, remember?” Keshah warned. Lizette chimed in with a stern reminder to alert everyone if she intended to step foot outside the inn. Aurora countered playfully that, technically, accompanying a cat meant she was never unaccompanied, to which Keshah dryly retorted that kidnappers would surely respect that distinction.

Heeding the warning not to leave the building, Aurora followed Mace inside a service cupboard.

“Look,” the cat instructed. “Duck down.”

Crouching low into the cramped space, Aurora peered past the shelves. At the rear of the cupboard, a section of the wall had been subtly shifted outward. Tucked into the hollow was a cluster of half a dozen broken, twitching clockwork birds.

“Be careful, they are not dead,” Mace warned softly. “They have been trying to keep an eye on this place.”

“Oh, have they?” Aurora murmured. She carefully began gathering the mechanical surveillance relics, passing them out into the service area where the others could examine them and inspect their auras. Mace noted there were likely a few more positioned along the opposite face of the structure.

Beyond the hidden nook, the inn proved exceptionally comfortable for Dae and the rest of the company. More akin to an upscale private guest house than a standard tavern, the well-appointed suite boasted soaring ceilings, intricate stone mosaic floors, fine woodwork, and plush cushions. Large windows promised to catch the warming morning sunlight, while the split-height furnishings—low and intimate on one flank, full-sized on the other—were crafted to accommodate taller guests, dwarves, and hobbits with equal ease.

As the clockwork birds were stacked away, Miriam approached the parlor with a gracious smile, asking if the travelers were ready for supper and dessert.

“Always,” Aurora declared.

Chapter 36: Of Clockwork Birds and Rolled Pancakes

Supper and town gossip downstairs after a long day of intrigue.

Lady Lizette Summers blinked, letting out a soft murmur as Dae looked over at her.

"Where are you?" Dae asked. "What? Are you back with us?"

"Yeah, I brought back a whole lot of mechanical birds for you to have a look at," Dae explained, laying them out side by side. "One, two, three..."

"Okay, I can magically analyze them," Lizette offered.

Aurora looked over the metal contraptions. "She made boys. What do you want to know from them?"

"Why don't you open the bag?" Lizette suggested.

"I was going to say, examine them for the last spell that impacted them," Dae said. "Things like, I don't know, Wizard's Eye, Wizard's Ear—whatever they're called."

"Okay, we can," Lizette agreed.

Before they could begin, Mace the cat padded into their midst, brushing against Aurora and rubbing her scent along the assassin's legs. Lizette noticed the cat caressing something, and Aurora leaned down to pet the feline very gently, just as instructed. Content with the greeting, the cat clambered up Aurora's side and settled onto her shoulder.

"I hope you got armor," Dae teased.

"Everybody's got armor," Lizette replied with a shrug.

Aurora chuckled softly. "I'm quite happy with that if she wants to sit there."

The cat perched proudly upon Aurora's shoulder, surveying the room from her elevated vantage point before bounding lightly back down to the floor.

Miriam peered over at the table, taking in the strange metal remnants. "What are these?"

"They are broken," Aurora remarked.

"More of these mechanical birds," Dae noted, turning toward Miriam. "Are they yours? You're not missing any, are you? You had nine of them last time I knew."

"I think six," Aurora and Miriam both corrected.

"Six? Oh, I thought there were nine," Dae mused.

"I saw them still on the trees downstairs, didn't I?" Lizette pointed out. As Miriam nodded, Lizette looked back at the scrap on the table with narrowed eyes. "Now, these are foreign spy birds. Why don't you just put them in her bag of holding and we can deal with it after dessert?"

"Yep, all right. They'll be preserved in there," Dae agreed cheerfully. "Okay, we'll head down for dessert."

"They can all break in there," Lizette added wryly.

"Oh, I hope it's—what do they call those little... oh, the blue biscuits? No, not those," Dae wondered aloud. "I'm talking about the fruit stuff, the sugared fruits. What are they called?"

Miriam smiled wearily. "Are we going downstairs for supper? It's been a very long day."

"Oh, I bet it has," Dae agreed.

"There were those dwarves coming by asking for you guys again as well," Miriam mentioned as they gathered their things.

"Oh, Hammer Fist, sorry?" Dae guessed.

"Hammersong," Miriam corrected.

"Hammersong," Dae repeated.

Deciding their investigations could wait, they followed Miriam downstairs to the common hall. A magnificent spread greeted them: rolled-up pancakes heaped with fresh fruits and glistening syrups, cooked fresh right before the patrons. Lizette scanned the warm dining area, wondering if Mace the cat had followed them down.

Half a dozen cooks bustled around the griddles, serving the party alongside three other elves and about four humans. Among them was an older man in his mid-thirties accompanied by three sons, all of them reasonably well-dressed in stylish local town attire. Dae and Aurora had already changed into loose, comfortable local caftans suited to the lingering warmth of the evening, while Lizette remained clad in her Sea Gate clothes, maintaining her persona as a traveling bodyguard.

The hall buzzed with evening chatter in Common interspersed with Elvish as guests traded rumors of recent city events. Much of the speculation centered around the so-called "Blender cult."

"Blender cult?" Lizette echoed, catching the term.

It was explained that the moniker had arisen after the granary belonging to Blendor and Sons was burned to the ground during an incident involving the octopus people; locals had derisively dubbed the perpetrators the "Blender cult" ever since.

"So the octopus people are called the Blender cult now," Lizette murmured. "Does anyone know why they did that?"

"Lots of people have been trying to investigate. Nobody's sure," came the reply.

"But there are lots of rumors," Aurora pointed out.

"Conspiracy theories," Aurora added with a nod.

"Oh, I bet there are plenty of those," came the knowing agreement.

Lizette considered the implications, looking thoughtfully at the lavish food spread. "Has it affected the grain food supply?"

Chapter 37: Tidings at the Table

The companions trade pastries, tales, and troubled city rumors over a crowded tavern meal.

Late winter held the town in its quiet grip, a notoriously lean season when larders grew thin. While the lower town wondered where its next bulk stores might come from, the hobbits still managed to keep themselves fed. Fortunately, they were hardly oppressive overlords; to any hobbit hierarchy, securing the food supply was an article of utmost importance.

Attention in the dining hall gravitated easily toward the companions. The townsfolk were well familiar with three of them, but the unfamiliar faces drew a steady stream of curious eyes and casual conversation. Seeking to return hospitality, Lady Albar was presented with a fresh assortment of pastries fetched from Cazala earlier that morning. At her mild, teasing query as to whether her own cooking was found lacking, she was swiftly reassured: the delicacies were merely an appreciative offering of local fare, especially since the parcel had to be shared around to whittle the generous stash down from forty. Asparagus rolls and other selections still sat nearby, complemented by a sweet assortment of candied fruits that the elves readily enjoyed.

Across the crowded room, where patrons were seated together enjoying their meal, Dae sought out Miriam. Reaching out with an empathic touch to ensure the innkeeper was holding up, he drew an arched brow from a nearby elf watching across the table. Dae promptly clarified in Common—and, when met with a prolonged stare, repeated in Elven—that they had helped rescue Miriam from necromancers some time back and had departed the city too abruptly to check on her wellbeing. The elf dryly noted that he had understood perfectly well the first time, while remarks passed around the table that having their host unsettled or floating off into trouble would be distinctly bad for business.

Aside from a father and his sons who had traveled in from the west to purchase supplies in town, no visiting merchants were present. Keshah leaned into the atmosphere, passing the time by spinning grand tales of past exploits to out-of-towners and anyone willing to listen. He calibrated his heroic embellishments to his audience—building up Lady Arcadia before elven listeners, and praising companions like Ruby to the humans—while others listened in, ready to jot down a few notes.

Through easy conversation and courtly probing, darker currents of city gossip soon surfaced. Whispers spoke of a bizarre half-doppelganger god wandering the alleys of the blue sector, manifesting as a swirling green mist that caused folk to vanish without a trace. Stranger still were conflicting rumors that doppelgangers enjoyed the discreet protection of the palace—a claim scoffed at by loyalists as scandalous rubbish.

Down along the water, further unrest stirred. The usual schools of fish had failed to arrive, leaving the fisher folk deeply uneasy and worsening the season's scarce food outlook. The companions debated whether the shoals had merely altered their migration or had been pulled into the mysterious hole in the sea. Though a quick aerial reconnaissance over the desert or the open water was tempting to spot where the currents might be swallowed down, urgent business called them elsewhere.

Inquiring after Chitterjoy, they received troubling news from Lady Albar. About two weeks prior, the cultured bard had been taken into custody. Rumors had spread that the party had been driven from port and put to sea in tremendous haste; looking for answers regarding their sudden flight, the palace guards had brought Chitterjoy in for questioning.

Chapter 38: Sauce, Stones, and Festivals

A jar of spicy, stone-percolated sauce from the kitchen brings local flavors to the table.

The party settled in to catch up on what had transpired during their absence. They expected their contact should have been released by now following their request, noting they wanted to hear the moment he returned so plans could proceed. A quick explanation followed: after the necromancer incident, an urgent problem had forced them away for about a week. It had been handled in haste, though an apology was offered for not sending word sooner.

Word had not stayed still, however. Dwarves had been sniffing around, prompting one of the companions to recall owing one of them a drink and a bath, even if they could not remember which dwarf it was. Worse still, a local artist had come by multiple times claiming someone had promised to pose naked for a statue. He had even approached young Miriam, though he was promptly warned off on account of her age. When the question of the statue was raised, one companion hastily demurred, explaining they might have misconstrued things earlier and were certainly not keen on naked modeling. Another shrugged and offered to take their place, joking that the sculptor had merely insisted on catching the figure in a very particular light.

Local politics were equally fraught. Word in the city indicated mounting pressures and quiet rumors circulating against the Elven academy, driven by powers that be and disgruntled trading houses unhappy with their dealings.

Seeking lighter news, the companions asked about upcoming festivities. There was the Festival of the Three Feet, associated with hobbits. While some guessed it might involve tying legs together for a race, it was described more as an elaborate festival and dance. Streets would be packed with unfathomable mounds of tomatoes—more than anyone would see in an entire lifetime—and people were expected to make their way through the slippery mess without falling, much to the amusement of onlookers. When concerns arose about dirt and waste, it was explained that water mages scoured the avenues beforehand to ensure cleanliness, and the mashed produce was gathered up afterward rather than thrown away.

Once crushed, the harvest was bottled with olives and special blue stones gathered from deep in the desert. Though questions immediately arose regarding whether these were related to blue dust or sands, they were assured it was a completely different phenomenon. The stones lent a rich, fiery heat to the mixture. Miriam fetched a jar from the kitchen to provide a sample. Bottled the previous year and fully preserved, the sauce sat over the blue stones beneath an unsealed, vented cap that constantly percolated air. A small pour confirmed it was intensely spicy—perhaps a bit too hot for some, but undeniably flavorful.

Attention then turned toward breakfast sweets. Miriam was asked if she might prepare three blue biscuits for the following morning. The restriction was deliberate: once you reached five biscuits, it was notoriously hard to stop eating and even harder to keep count. Limiting the plate to three was the only certain way to ensure nobody accidentally devoured seven.

Chapter 39: Rumors, Ogre Runs, and Exhaustion

The companions wind down in the sweltering courtyard as rumors and exhaustion take their toll.

A lingering debate over sweet provisions drifted across the table—how one could think they had only four biscuits when they actually had ten, and the sudden realization of being hopelessly addicted. When asked if the confectionery was tied into the strange blue dust affair, the consensus was an easy affirmative.

Turning back to their hostess, the party pressed Miriam on a matter of greater concern: what she might know about Chitterjoy. Word had reached them that their language tutor had landed in serious trouble on their account. Miriam initially wondered if they meant the house, but once clarified that they spoke of the teacher, she confirmed grim tidings. Chitterjoy had reportedly been arrested, caught up in wild municipal gossip claiming he had conspired with pirates to dispatch them to sea. Other whispers alleged that Ionian sailors had embarked on piratical ventures with them, or that fur-cloaked northern bandits had ensorcelled them into taking ship.

They quickly set the story straight: the supposed bandits were merely refugees whom they had rescued from an ogre and other foul pursuit far to the north before magicking them to safety. The mention of ogres prompted Miriam to bring up the city's notorious ogre run festival. In response to questions about the event—whether an ogre was greased in oil to be caught, or if it chased bystanders—the lethal reality was laid out. An ogre armed with a colossal mace was turned loose in the city streets, free to wreck anything and smack down anyone in its path. City custom forbade bladed weapons entirely; contenders could only bring the beast down with darts or arrows from ordinary bows. When asked if any aid was offered to the unlucky citizens splattered by the brute's club, the answer was blunt: those struck normally just died. The sole reward for bringing down the monster was civic renown—several days of raucous celebration, especially prestigious for a scion of a noble house. Still, the prospect of taking to the air with flight to spot the rampaging brute held a certain appeal.

Steering back to their jailed tutor, Dae sought Miriam's advice on how best to apologize to Chitterjoy and make amends. Miriam cheekily asked why they didn't simply ask him in person, dissolving into giggles. She added that the standard approach was either vast amounts of money or feminine wiles. Flustered, the party quickly insisted that gold would have to suffice, apologizing for how the inquiry had sounded, which only caused Miriam to blush bright red and giggle all the harder.

With snacks finished and rumors gathered, Aurora secured a doggy bag packed with candied fruit for the night. The courtyard remained stiflingly hot—a true scorcher of an evening—though the air promised to turn refreshingly cool in the depths of the night. With every window already propped wide in hopes of catching a draft, Lizette stripped off her outer caftan for sleepwear and took a moment to cast empathy upon Dae.

The magic confirmed what was plain to see: Dae was utterly spent. Passing through two room pools had stripped his fatigue away, followed by miles of marching up to the palace without food or drink. Reminding one another to speak up before collapsing so restorative magic or costly potions could be shared when needed, the companions conceded that the grueling day was finally at an end, and yielded to sleep.

Chapter 40: Nightfall Whispers and Feline Tidings

Under the quarter moon, Mags reveals both uncanny shadows and dire news from the city below.

Tracing paths across their memories—from the girl to slippery rock, flying all the way and back again, then from the girl to the sea gate and beyond—the group finally paused to catch their breath. They were in a secure spot, safe enough that posting a formal sentry seemed unnecessary. Even so, caution prevailed. Warning stones were carefully placed and attuned, instructed to ignore the two children and their mother while sounding an alarm should any intruder attempt to breach the room. A brief adjustment had to be made for the feline resident, who was notorious for vaulting straight through the bedroom window. Settling the matter of elevation, they confirmed they were up on the third story, high above the ground. Someone suggested sweeping the perimeter once more to ensure no lurking shadows remained, but exhaustion won the argument; it was late, and sleep was sorely needed.

From the high vantage of the third floor, the view opened wide across the city's slanting rooftops. The urban expanse tumbled down a long valley toward a bustling harbor roughly a mile distant. Faint singing drifted up on the nighttime breeze, carrying across forty or so vessels anchored beneath the pale glow—a quiet armada of sailing crafts and fishing rigs. It was just past midnight, slipping into the early hours of the second day immediately following the guild meeting. The moon hung in its first quarter, precisely the moon phase required by their patron, despite how unusual it seemed to prefer that specific light over the full or new moon.

A spell hummed into place just as Mags the cat took an interest, peering about greedily before marching forward and perching directly on a head. She demanded food with insistent, repeating urgency. With no bacon to offer and an outright refusal to part with candied fruit, a generous solution appeared: a travel platter stocked with enough fish to feed two dozen people. Wisely choosing not to stand between the ravenous cat, Aurora, and the platter, the feast was laid directly on the floor. Mags immediately darted in and set to devouring the meal.

In the silver moonlight streaming across the floorboards, an eerie trick of vision unfolded. Out of the corner of the eye, Mags appeared to swell to five times her ordinary size, tearing into the fish like a monstrous shadow beast. Yet whenever anyone turned to look directly, she was merely an ordinary cat, thoroughly engrossed in her late-night banquet.

Once her appetite was somewhat appeased, Mags turned her attention to local gossip and warnings. Being high up on the third story was remarkably clever, she noted, because neither the spiders nor the snakes would ever reach them. She revealed that the Blue Tower had begun unleashing blue snakes and blue spiders into the city below. Furthermore, an enigmatic cat woman had been making inquiries about the party. Finally, she vented about a troublesome tomcat up the street named Tommy, who persisted in improper advances. When a dry suggestion was made to shove the tom off a fence—recalling a prior encounter that had ended in nasty scratches—it was countered that protective wards against claws were now firmly in place.

Chapter 41: Breakfast and Bespoke Garments

Miriam assists Dae with his wardrobe before serving a clarifying, fiery breakfast of roasted goat.

The cat had been scratched hard enough to pop his rain shield, proving himself quite a sharp fellow through the ordeal, but with the night drawing down it had been great, and they let him curl up and go to sleep.

Morning soon rolled around, heralded by a rap at the door before Miriam breezed inside with an airy cheer. She announced good news: the tutor had arrived for the morning lesson, and down below they were already feeding him breakfast while catching up on local gossip. It was definitely time to rise. When it was noted that dressing was overdue, Miriam gladly offered her assistance, promising to help ensure everyone was turned out in sensible attire.

One of them went across to help Dae, giving a quick knock on the wood. When Miriam stepped in to join him, she eyed his appearance and asked if he planned to wear those fancy foreign garments again today, remarking that he looked remarkably dashing in them before repeating that his tutor had arrived. Dae blinked, asking what kind of tutor had shown up, only to be reminded that the language tutor was there for all of them.

Looking over what to wear around town, Dae noted that he needed to purchase more clothes. Airing out and thoroughly cleaning the leather garments he had worn the day before would take time, and a proper town outfit was needed. Miriam took one look at Dae's efforts to clothe himself and told him flatly that he was doing it all wrong, looking entirely odd, and desperately required assistance. Accepting the critique, Dae worked with her for ten minutes while she explained what was amiss and helped him correct it, earning his heartfelt thanks.

Miriam then proposed that at nine o'clock, right after his lesson, she would personally escort him to Sandor's—a fine clothier whose wares were top quality, reasonably priced, durable, and particularly adept at keeping the desert sand out. She inquired whether he preferred something that repelled sand or fabric designed to keep him cooler. Dae replied that Sandor's sand-resistant clothes sounded perfect, as he didn't mind the heat at all.

With attire settled, Dae asked what was on offer for breakfast. Miriam explained that because they had slept in so late, she hadn't wanted to disturb them, but offered to bring up a meal of goat peel: delicious roasted goat that was peeled, marinated, and served kebab-style. Reassured that genuine meat was involved, they eagerly asked for it to be brought up.

Servings were delivered in bowls, revealing the succulent roasted meat garnished in the center with small, elongated red fruits. Eyeballing the bright red garnish, suspicion immediately arose that it might be a fiery chili or a red pepper. Pulling one out to inspect it and seeking its true generic nature, fingers began to cast a faint glow upon handling the pepper.

Curious about the taste, they found it unexpectedly delicious. Keshah ate a couple of the peppers and found that they staved off hunger while leaving him feeling distinctly more alert. The heat was sharp and intensely clarifying, swiftly clearing out sinuses, ears, and eyes—prompting memories of a spirited court competition held a while back to see who could endure eating the hottest chili.

Chapter 42: Lessons, Rumors, and Stuffed Chilies

A unique local breakfast served alongside the ritual bowls of a language lesson.

Breakfast arrived with an elaborate spread of stuffed chilies arranged with care. Each chili was packed with salty black fish and olives at its core, wrapped tightly in a thin strip of marinated goat meat with savory sauce coated along the inside. Left whole as neat, savory logs rather than sliced, they proved easy to handle and surprisingly delectable.

"This is interesting," came the satisfied murmur around the table as they ate. "Very nice."

"Right, where are we off to today?"

"We need to start working."

Before they could venture forth, their language tutor arrived for their scheduled instruction. For an hour, he guided their recitations, having them repeat phrases and sounds. As he worked, he set out a collection of strange silver bowls filled with shimmering liquids, methodically explaining each step. Through ritualistic magic woven into the instruction, the tongue was subtly imbued into their minds, leaving a faint, tingling impression by the time the hour drew to a close.

Preparations for the street followed. The question arose whether to use the enchantment of the belt to adjust the gauge for everyone, and whether Elva and her children should be included in its protection. The idea was set aside; as locals, Elva and her family were already attuned to the climate, and shifting their gauge by two notches would feel unnatural to them. Though modifications to air affinity could last a full day, the party decided to manage their own protections.

While the tutor packed away his silver bowls, the conversation turned to his recent absence. Asked how the past two weeks had treated him and what had transpired, he offered a wry sigh.

"I was a guest at the palace," he explained. As a man of substance, he had been treated with respect and as well as could be expected, which had been a profound relief both to him and to his wife. Nevertheless, his stay had been an enforced detention. Word had circulated through the court that he had used enchantment to prompt the party to recruit Ivorians from the north and embark on a piracy campaign. Nobody had offered him a direct explanation, but now that the party had returned alive and clearly unsold into servitude, his reputation and name were poised to be cleared.

By the time the lesson concluded, the day outside was already hot, the surrounding city humming with the sound of merchants and laborers who had already been hard at work for hours. With breakfast finished and their minds fortified, the adventurers stood ready to step out into the bustle of the town.

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

Spring

Spring
	Moonday	Duesday		W'ansday	Th'rsday		Frysday		Reapsday		Sunday
	Candlemansa
Thaw (10)
		1	Guild Meeting	2	3		4		5	The Carzalan Generals Ball	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
Seedtime (11)
					1		2		3		4
	5	6		7	8	Rites of Thunor	9		10		11
	12	13		14	15	Equinox	16		17	Eostre	18	The Seagate Spring Ball
	19	20		21	22		23		24		25
	26	27		28	29		30
Blossom (12)
									1		2
	3	4		5	6		7		8		9
	10	11		12	13		14		15		16
	17	18		19	20		21	Floralia	22		23
	24	25		26	27		28		29		30	Walpurgisnacht

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 '''Adventure''': Wall walkers of Adjepbar Part 2<br>
 '''GM''': Jonathan Bean<br>
-'''Season''': Spring<br>
+'''Season''': TBC<br>
-'''Night''': 1<br>
+'''Night''': 2<br>
-'''Level''': Medium<br>
+'''Level''': TBC<br>
 ; Party
-* [[Dae]] - Party Leader, Ranger, Jack-of-all-trades - played by Gus
+* [[Lady Lizette Summers]] - Healer, Buff Mage, Courtier, Human - played by RPer 4eva
-* [[Lizette|Lady Lizette Summers]] - Healer, Buff Mage, Courtier, human - played by RPer 4eva
+* [[Aurora Steelwind]] - Troubadour, Assassin, Scribe, Courtier, Transport, Wood Elf - played by Keith Smith
-* [[Aurora|Aurora Steelwind]] - Starting Character, Troubadour, Assassin, Scribe, Courtier, Transport, Wood Elf - played by Keith Smith
+* [[Keshah]] - Mil Sci, Melee Tank, Melee Damage per pulse, Assassin, Transport, Courtier, High Elf - played by Michael Haycock
-* [[Keshah]] - Mil Sci, Melee Tank, Melee Damage per pulse, Assassin - played by Michael Haycock
+* [[Dae]] - Party Leader, Ranger, Jack-of-all-trades, High Elf - played by Gus
 ; Employer
-: Est Selim Celadour
+: TBC
 ; Mission
-: Find the spy, or leak.
+: TBC
 ; Pay
-: 12,000 sp
+: TBC
-'''Wall Walkers of Adjepbar — Part 2'''<br>
+'''Wall Walkers of Adjepbar: Whispers in the Blue Dust'''
-Reuniting on the sundrenched wall of the Seagate Guild, the party gathers in the wake of a grueling maritime venture. Accompanied by thirty-eight rescued Ivinian refugees needing settlement, the adventurers face guild divinations, financial scrutiny from the Gold Crowns, and an administrative changing of the guard as Lizette yields party leadership to Dae. Commissioned by House Salador to quietly investigate a commercial leak in Adjepbar, the group embarks on an essential logistical detour before reporting to their dead drops. Flying south along the Sweetwater to the quiet hamlet of Slippery Rock, they secure protective amulets and draughts from the Slippery Rock apothecary, who imparts an ominous warning concerning an approaching year-end celestial deadline. Setting course north-northwest to Gugnir's Hope so Dae can visit his mother, the party gathers planar intelligence from a cattle drover moving stock toward the Plane of Earth, dodges a festive holiday pig chase through dwarven streets, and provisions themselves with trays of bakery rolls and cream buns—only to be met in the garden of Dae's family cottage by a startlingly accurate stone statue of Dae himself.
+Before departing the familiar bounds of Seagate, Dae and his companions make a fraught visit to the ranger's eccentric elven mother, departing with family contacts, harsh critiques, and an errand to retrieve rare blue sands from the arid wastes. Following bureaucratic handoffs, an unsettling astrology reading foretelling dire omens for Lady Lizette, and a shrewd bounty collection scam, the party steps through a disorienting portal into the sun-baked city of Adjepbar. There they are immediately plunged into regional peril: dodging green poison gas in the streets, securing the release of their cultured tutor Chitterjoy, and conferring with feline spies and hospitable innkeepers at the Courtyard Inn. As spicy morning dishes sharpen their wits, rumors of rogue doppelgangers protected by the court, an octopus-worshiping cult, and a chaotic municipal Ogre Run begin to paint a treacherous picture of the desert metropolis.
 == Scribe Notes ==
@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 Attention soon shifted to the others in the courtyard, prompting a question as to whether these were traveling companions. Introductions were quickly offered, with [[Keshah]] stepping forward to present himself. The male elf stood about five-foot-ten, with dark black hair and green eyes. Over his shoulders rested a suit of handsome, ornate red leather armor, complemented by a finely crafted hand-and-a-half sword, a bow slung ready, and a stout quarterstaff etched with runes.
-Beside him I stood I introduced myself as [[Aurora]]. Standing at five-foot-seven—rather short for an elf—I bore nearly waist-length blonde hair and wore the traditional blues and whites of the Air College over sensible traveling attire. Known as well for being a reporter for the *Seagate Times*, I regarded the gathering with interest.
+Beside him I stood. I introduced myself as [[Aurora]]. Standing at five-foot-seven—rather short for an elf—I bore nearly waist-length blonde hair and wore the traditional blues and whites of the Air College over sensible traveling attire. Known as well for being a reporter for the *Seagate Times*, I regarded the gathering with interest.
 Dae, who had previously journeyed alongside Lizette, was recognizable as a youngish male elf with dark hair. Subtle touches of makeup were visible, used to make him appear older as a human rather than an elf, having grown up in human settlements without many elven elders around. Aurora found him familiar from guild dispatches, while Lizette noted he was also a hero of [[Adjepbar]]. When rumors were mentioned, Dae remarked that it was an accident—depending on which rumor was meant.
@@ Line 61: / Line 61: @@
 Stepping forward, the guild representative approached once more. "Excuse me, Lady Dawn, oh, could you come this way for a divination, please?"
-"Oh, okay," I agreed. Turning back toward Dae, she added before the thought slipped away, "Oh, Dae, while I remember, I'm not sure you'll be mentioned in the *Seagate Times*—I might have to remedy that. Not sure it's going to be this issue, maybe the next one." When someone mentioned stories, I clarified my process with some annoyance "I do NOT do fake news". Basically I do not invent stories; I interview people, listen as they told their accounts, wrote them down, and then head off to handle the journaling. It was noted that the guild representative had come directly to me, and the party agreed to check in and complete the routine.
+"Oh, okay," I agreed. Turning back toward Dae, she added before the thought slipped away, "Oh, Dae, while I remember, I'm not sure you'll be mentioned in the [[Seagate Times]] — I might have to remedy that. Not sure it's going to be this issue, maybe the next one." When someone mentioned stories, I clarified my process with some annoyance "I do NOT do fake news". Basically I do not invent stories; I interview people, listen as they told their accounts, wrote them down, and then head off to handle the journaling. It was noted that the guild representative had come directly to me, and the party agreed to check in and complete the routine.
 Taking stock of their commercial cover, I reviewed my notes and was horrified to discover I had forgotten to pass on the merchant details to the local leather merchants. I had gathered a roster of names, displayed the samples, and secured viable contacts. My intention was now to simply turn the details over to the leather merchants and let them manage the trade. Lizette countered that the commercial venture had merely been a cover rather than the actual assignment, though others acknowledged that the legwork had nonetheless been carried out. When Lizette trailed off wondering whether they wanted to keep lugging around twenty-three chests of leather, or thirty-eight refugees, I clarified that I referred specifically to the twenty-three chests of leather goods, which could now be returned once the leather merchant took over the outreach.
@@ Line 95: / Line 95: @@
 The discussion quickly turned to official scrutiny. Word had reached the Guild representative that something was amiss regarding Lizette and the rest of the circle, questioning whether inquiries were about donations or genuine alarm over their dealings—specifically concerning their souls and signed contracts.
-"Oh, those?" I interjected, ready to address the matter directly. "Yes, in that case, I will explain that. Yes, please, that's okay. Guild security would wanna know. Yes. Apparently I've got a debt to the Red Crowns. Oh dear. Or was it the Gold Crowns? I can't remember. No wait, it was the Gold Crowns. Because Lizette needed some assistance from them in order to sort out her little problem, so I signed a contract with them to spend six months with them."
+"Oh, those?" I interjected, ready to address the matter directly. "Yes, in that case, I will explain that. Yes, please, that's okay. Guild security would wanna know. Yes. Apparently I've got a debt to the Red Crowns. Or was it the Gold Crowns? I can't remember. No wait, it was the Gold Crowns. Because Lizette needed some assistance from them in order to sort out her little problem, so I signed a contract with them to spend six months with them."
 A question was directed to Lizette: "And, Lizette, what's your situation?"
@@ Line 105: / Line 105: @@
 Exclamations went around the circle over whether past mistakes had taught them anything. The reminder was raised that last time had ended in a signature with death, though Lizette maintained that was unintentional. Pressed on whether she had entered another blind agreement, Lizette clarified that it had not literally begun as a signed page, but rather an understanding—a gentleman's agreement, or a binding one. Yet the Guild Rep pressed the point: this time, paper had indeed been signed. When asked what the paper said, the answer was plain: blank. It had been blank, remained blank, effectively committing to nothing on its face.
-"However, I think we can trust them," Lizette maintained, appealing to the idea of Syrene's Court. Voices questioned how they fit into any court at all, describing them merely as guests. Dae countered that they were as much part of Syrene's Court as the party was.
+"However, I think we can trust them," Lizette maintained, appealing to the idea of [[Syrene]]'s Court. Voices questioned how they fit into any court at all, describing them merely as guests. Dae countered that they were as much part of Syrene's Court as the party was.
-The Guild Rep noted that, unfortunately for them, there existed something far more delectable that the Crowns would be interested in. When someone wryly asked what could possibly be more delectable than a lizard, Lizette acknowledged they had little interest in her. Keshah observed that they held a strong interest in him, but the topic soon shifted toward Dae. An objection arose against offering Dae up, prompting the tactical reminder that one does not simply give Dae away, but rather dangles Dae as leverage.
+The Guild Rep noted that, unfortunately for them, there existed something far more delectable that the Crowns would be interested in. When Dae wryly asked what could possibly be more delectable than a Lizette, Lizette acknowledged they had little interest in her. Keshah observed that they held a strong interest in Dae, but the topic soon shifted toward Dae. An objection arose against offering Dae up, prompting the tactical reminder that one does not simply give Dae away, but rather dangles Dae as leverage.
 "Right!" I remarked, realizing the stakes. "I guess I got some research to do in the guild's library before we go."
@@ Line 123: / Line 123: @@
 Reflecting on survival and past perils, Dae acknowledged that standing there at all was owed entirely to having good friends. Keshah brought up the grueling journey once taken to resolve Lizette’s dilemma, remarking that the travel itself was nothing compared to the severity of the problem they faced. A voice nearby noted that for a time, at least, it had still been fun.
-The conversation turned to lingering supernatural bonds. Aurora inquired whether anyone was pacted. Though the answer came that there had never been such a pact, divination readings suggested otherwise—or at least revealed something resembling an "almost pacting." An observer countered that on their end, it registered instead as a great deal. Aurora admitted uncertainty about whether the connection could be exorcised just yet, deciding it was an issue best tackled directly once this current mission concluded. For now, spending six months under the employ of the Gold Crowns offered a welcome reprieve from the Western Kingdoms. From what word had reached her, turmoil was stirring across the west, with nobles discovering their estates slipping away due to lapsed or disputed paperwork. When the question arose of who was seizing the land, Aurora had no definitive answer beyond mounting rumor and hearsay. Keshah observed that such dispossessions were the spark for civil war, prompting further debate over whether the unrest threatened a peasant uprising or an aristocratic revolt against the crown—a grim prospect Aurora hoped would not come to pass.
+The conversation turned to lingering supernatural bonds. I inquired whether anyone was pacted. Though the answer came that there had never been such a pact, divination readings on me suggested otherwise—or at least revealed something resembling an "almost pacting." The Guild Rep countered that on their end, it registered instead as a great debt. I admitted uncertainty about whether the connection could be exorcised just yet, deciding it was an issue best tackled directly once this current mission concluded. For now, spending six months under the employ of the Gold Crowns offered a welcome reprieve from the [[Western Kingdom]]. From what word had reached her, turmoil was stirring across the west, with nobles discovering their estates slipping away due to lapsed or disputed paperwork. When the question arose of who was seizing the land, I had no definitive answer beyond mounting rumor and hearsay. Keshah observed that such dispossessions were the spark for civil war, prompting further debate over whether the unrest threatened a peasant uprising or an aristocratic revolt against the crown—a grim prospect I hoped would not come to pass.
-A briefing representative weighed in, urging that Keshah be assisted in keeping the group under control, with a pointed admonition directed toward keeping certain desires in check. A defensive reply protested that magic had been the cause—specifically being struck by a magical staff—even if that explanation hardly improved matters. Regardless, the directive stood: the company was to return to Adjepbar and investigate the developments surrounding the merchant family. While old mission grounds remained in the vicinity, they were considered unlikely to cause trouble.
+The Guild representative weighed in, urging that Keshah be assisted in keeping the group under control, with a pointed admonition directed toward keeping certain desires in check. A defensive reply protested that magic had been the cause—specifically being struck by a magical staff—even if that explanation hardly improved matters. Regardless, the directive stood: the company was to return to Adjepbar and investigate the developments surrounding the merchant family. While old mission grounds remained in the vicinity, they were considered unlikely to cause trouble.
-Clarifying the geography, Aurora asked about Siren's Court sixty miles down the coast, wondering if they were mobile. Dae and Keshah clarified that the factions present were visitors rather than permanent fixtures of Siren's Court, traveling alongside Distantians and others. Meanwhile, elves had gathered in Adjepbar, actively instructing the local citizens in martial combat and healing arts, even as word spread of Distantians and elves clashing back in the Elven Isles.
+Clarifying the geography, Aurora asked about Syrene's Court. Was it still sixty miles down the coast, or had they moved. Dae and Keshah clarified that the factions present were visitors rather than permanent fixtures of Syrene's Court, traveling alongside Destinians and others. Meanwhile, elves had gathered in Adjepbar, actively instructing the local citizens in martial combat and healing arts, even as word spread of Destinians and elves clashing back in the Elven Isles.
-With too many threads tangling at once, Aurora announced she would be in the library. Intent on sifting through scribe notes and verifying rumors about Dae's background and associates before stepping into the field, she set off into the stacks—learning that he was, by all accounts, kin to the Gray Fox.
+With too many threads tangling at once, I announced I would be in the library, intent on sifting through scribe notes and verifying rumors about Dae's background and associates before stepping into the field, So I set off into the stacks—learning that he was, by all accounts, kin to the [[Gray Fox]].
 ==== Chapter 5: Guild Formalities and the Displaced ====
@@ Line 137: / Line 137: @@
 ''The party reorganizes their ranks and responsibilities within the guild while planning for their followers camped outside.''
-A brief murmur of agreement opened the inquiry as the records were laid bare. The Guild's accounts suggested Dae descended from a line of elves believed to be in hiding from Alphheim, driven away after his parents eloped to escape an arranged marriage. For her part, Aurora was simply sifting through the public knowledge of the day to ensure she understood her new companion.
+A brief murmur of agreement opened the inquiry as the records were laid bare. The Guild's accounts suggested Dae descended from a line of elves believed to be in hiding from [[Alfheim]], driven away after his parents eloped to escape an arranged marriage. For my part, I was simply sifting through the public knowledge of the day to ensure she understood her new companion.
-By all accounts, Dae stood as the hero of Adjepbar, maintaining good standing there after joining the Guild as a fresh recruit out of Gugnir's Hope. His service record noted several excursions into the vastness of Golarion, including ventures touching upon the Elemental Plane of Earth and a brief posting to the Plane of Fire—brief indeed for such an unforgiving realm. "Okay, no, those are the highlights," Aurora noted, satisfied with familiarizing herself with a veteran fellow adventurer so as not to be caught unawares by someone of proper standing. The Guild had recently promoted him from recruit to full-time member. Dae acknowledged the status with a dry point of pride: "I've only killed one member, so it's good standing."
+By all accounts, Dae stood as the hero of Adjepbar, maintaining good standing there after joining the Guild as a fresh recruit out of [[Gugnir's Hope]]. His service record noted several excursions into the [[Fastness of Girwyllan]], including ventures touching upon the Elemental Plane of Earth and a brief posting to the Plane of Fire—brief indeed for such an unforgiving realm. "Okay, no, those are the highlights," I noted, satisfied with familiarizing myself with a veteran fellow adventurer so as not to be caught unawares by someone of proper standing. The Guild had recently promoted him from recruit to full-time member. Dae acknowledged the status with a dry point of pride: "I've only killed one member, so it's good standing."
-Observation turned to his affinity as a water-based practitioner before conversation drifted toward immediate domestic burdens. An entourage had gathered outside, sheltering in tents upon the commons outside the guild. It was suggested they might be transported toward an estate, perhaps requiring the establishment of a barony or a manor house. Aurora clarified that her holding was merely a manor house reachable through her home. Keshah pointed out that housing would have to be erected if people were simply dumped there, while Dae mentioned having leads on a Runemage legacy he intended to investigate in due time.
+Observation turned to his affinity as a water-based practitioner before conversation drifted toward immediate domestic burdens. An entourage had gathered outside, sheltering in tents upon the commons outside the guild. It was suggested they might be transported toward an estate, perhaps requiring the establishment of a barony or a manor house. I clarified that her holding was merely a manor house reachable through her home. Keshah pointed out that housing would have to be erected if people were simply dumped there, while Dae mentioned having leads on a Runemage legacy he intended to investigate in due time.
-Details of the manor estate offered little relief for a large resettlement. At eighteen hundred acres, the crop and pasture land was sufficient to maintain an upper-class standard of living for the owner and sixteen others—including four servants, two mounts, and two draft horses—providing expenses for sixteen months but generating no extra income beyond that. Furthermore, the displaced people had no desire to travel off-plane; they wished to remain beneath the familiar night sky of their homeland. Though they could look for work and remain camped near the guild temporarily, the guild representative made it clear they could not stay long-term, urging arrangements to be settled within eight weeks. Aurora offered to inquire at court to see if any households required hands. The group noted that the contingent consisted predominantly of women and children—the martial-trained women having stayed behind to face the attack—and Guild rules did not permit them membership.
+Details of the manor estate offered little relief for a large resettlement. At eighteen hundred acres, the crop and pasture land was sufficient to maintain an upper-class standard of living for the owner and sixteen others—including four servants, two mounts, and two draft horses—providing expenses for sixteen months but generating no extra income beyond that. Furthermore, the displaced people had no desire to travel off-plane, so the [[Lilac]] manor was out as they wished to remain beneath the familiar night sky of their homeland. Though they could look for work and remain camped near the guild temporarily, the guild representative made it clear they could not stay long-term, urging arrangements to be settled within eight weeks. I offered to inquire at court to see if any households required hands. The group noted that the contingent consisted predominantly of women and children—the martial-trained women having stayed behind to face the attack—and Guild rules did not permit them membership.
-Keshah offered to handle arrangements for the camp before turning back to administrative business: "We should probably do the formalities again, get a new military scientist to inscribe and add a leader and stuff."
+Keshah offered to handle arrangements for the camp before turning back to administrative business: "We should probably do the formalities again, get a new military scientist and scribe and add a leader and stuff."
 The guild representative promptly addressed the party's command. "Uh-huh, Lizette," the official remarked. "Yes, given your astounding accomplishments in leading a party on the last mission, we suggest that you pass the mantle to somebody else."
-Lizette accepted the assessment, noting that the others had previously declined because of the demands of Inscribing. Turning to Dae, she asked how he felt about stepping into the position. Keshah agreed that Dae would be an appropriate choice given his strong perspective on the crowns. Dae considered the offer and agreed he could make a good effort of it. Confirmation followed around the circle for military duties and rigs, with Aurora raising no objection, leaving Lizette to settle into her responsibilities as cook and healer. With the leadership decided, the party welcomed their new leader aboard.
+Lizette accepted the assessment, noting that the others had previously declined because of the demands of Inscribing. Turning to Dae, she asked how he felt about stepping into the position. Keshah agreed that Dae would be an appropriate choice given his strong perspective on the crowns. Dae considered the offer and agreed he could make a good effort of it. Confirmation followed around the circle for Military Duties and Scribe, with me raising no objection, leaving Lizette to settle into her responsibilities as cook and healer. With the leadership decided, the party welcomed their new leader aboard.
 ==== Chapter 6: Return to Adjepbar ====
@@ Line 161: / Line 161: @@
 "You can try and make this party go in a straight line," Keshah remarked dryly.
-The conversation turned to their destination. Adjepbar lay to the south—not excessively far, but distinctly southward. Aurora weighed their transit options, wondering aloud whether they should take wing or use magical transit. "Wanna fly there or we gonna, rune portal or what?" she asked, briefly contemplating flight for the sake of an efficient journey before settling on the portal. It was noted that rune porting had been their method previously, requiring just two hops to cover the distance.
+The conversation turned to their destination. Adjepbar lay to the south—not excessively far, but distinctly southward. I weighed our transit options, wondering aloud whether we should take wing or use magical transit. "Wanna fly there or we gonna, rune portal or what?" I asked, briefly contemplating flight for the sake of an efficient journey before settling on the portal. It was noted that rune porting had been their method previously, requiring just two hops to cover the distance, even though both hops left us completely fatigued. Maybe I should stock up on Restoratives.
 During the preparations, attention turned to Dae's unusual appearance. Dae was remarkably slim—thin and celery-like, even by elven standards. Dae himself pointed out that at first glance, an onlooker might mistake him for a human simply because he was so ugly for an elf, an appraisal met with candid agreement.
-Matters of commerce also required attention. Regarding the leather trade, Aurora explained that she had updated the local leather workers on the contacts she had gathered, passing the leads along for them to pursue. She intended to remain vigilant for further opportunities once back in Adjepbar.
+Matters of commerce also required attention. Regarding the leather trade, I explained that I still needed to update the local leather workers on the contacts I had gathered, passing the leads along for them to pursue. I intended to remain vigilant for further opportunities once back in Adjepbar.
 Adjepbar was an old city possessing a unique civic structure. It was ruled by hobbits who resided in a smaller quarter of the town, while the human populace was divided into three large political factions known as "stacks." Near the center of one such stack stood Salador House, an established merchant line dealing in diverse wares, including specialty spices used in culinary rituals. Lately, the house had suffered an unexpected string of lost bids to their competitors, leading them to suspect an internal leak. Dae confirmed that the house was indeed the client for the operation.
-Communication protocols were straightforward. An inn called The Hobbit's Arms served as their designated liaison point. The party could stop by at any time to deposit messages, updates, or specific requests, with the employer clearing the drops daily.
+Communication protocols were straightforward. An inn called The Hobbit's Arms served as our designated liaison point. The party could stop by at any time to deposit messages, updates, or specific requests, with the employer clearing the drops daily.
 ==== Chapter 7: Guild Preparations and Prudent Clauses ====
@@ Line 177: / Line 177: @@
 ''The adventurers finalize their equipment, enchantments, and travel plans at the guild.''
-Inquiries regarding the local architecture revealed that the city's great houses were typically narrow and tall, standing some five or six stone-block stories high over a relatively small footprint due to their age and occasional expansion into adjacent structures.
+Enquiries regarding the local architecture revealed that the city's great houses were typically narrow and tall, standing some five or six stone-block stories high over a relatively small footprint due to their age and occasional expansion into adjacent structures. That implies that telepathy spells would be useful to find out what is going on inside.
-At the guild house, final preparations were set in motion before departure. Keshah noted he would see to his casting before heading out, while equipment laces, practices, and gear were double-checked. The guild representative confirmed that a rank eleven greater enchantment was on offer for the party, adding with dry candor that they should do their best to keep Lizette alive—though if they could not, that would simply have to do. Keshah suggested securing a pair of Strength of Stone enchantments as well. One companion quipped that they were as sturdy as burnt oak—albeit a very thin burnt oak, an assessment Dae echoed with amusement. Examining their equipment, the guild representative cast an appraising eye over a set of shark leather skin armor.
+At the guild house, final preparations were set in motion before departure. We needed to get Greater Enchantments and Lesser Enchantments. The guild representative confirmed that a rank eleven greater enchantment, for all areas,  was on offer for the party, adding with dry candor that they should do their best to keep Lizette alive—though if they could not, that would simply have to do. Keshah suggested securing a couple of Strength of Stone enchantments as well. Dae quipped that they were as sturdy as a burnt out oak—albeit a very thin burnt oak. Examining our equipment, the guild representative cast an appraising eye over a set of shark leather skin armor that Dae was wearing. Keshah commented that we spent most of our last visit to Adjepbar talking to cats. Yep. That was a dig at me.
-The conversation turned to operational details. Dae urged that they first establish the birds at hand and seek assistance from the shipper Skotts. Lizette clarified that most of the birds had little direct connection to the enchanter; he merely utilized those already present across the city rather than fabricating or distributing them himself, a point Aurora seemed to confirm.
+The conversation turned to operational details. Dae urged that we first do what we can with the mechanical birds we had on hand and seek assistance from the cat lady. Lizette clarified that most of the birds had little direct connection to the enchanter; he merely utilized those already present across the city rather than fabricating or distributing them himself, a point I confirmed. I'll have to do an inventory on how many working birds I can muster from what I salvaged last time. Earth Luck - another term for the Earth College Lesser Enchantment spell.
-To aid their defense, the guild representative proposed that they take a couple of days to travel down to Slippery Rock and back, offering to pen a letter of introduction so Lizette might purchase a protective amulet. When Lizette asked whether a rune portal could whisk them back or required presence on both sides, Keshah pointed out that while runic transit was possible, opening one directly into that vicinity—a few miles outside town—would likely irritate the locals. Flying was raised as the faster alternative, estimated at roughly forty minutes. Aurora agreed, noting she could bestow flight upon the other three and rely on her own wings.
+To aid their defense, the guild representative proposed that we take a couple of days to travel down to Slippery Rock and back, offering to pen a letter of introduction so Lizette might purchase a protective amulet against fear. When Lizette asked whether a rune portal could whisk them back or required presence on both sides, Keshah pointed out that while runic transit was possible, opening one directly into that vicinity—a few miles outside town—would likely irritate the locals. Flying was raised as the faster alternative, estimated at roughly forty minutes. I agreed, noting she could bestow flight upon the other three and rely on her own wings.
-Before details progressed, Dae presented an agreement for signature, insisting upon a non-disclosure document before speaking further. Though greeted with mild surprise, Keshah acknowledged the measure was simply to ensure the party kept whatever information Dae was about to disclose strictly confidential.
+Before details progressed, Dae presented an non disclosure agreement for signature, insisting on our agreement before speaking further. Though greeted with mild surprise, Keshah acknowledged the measure was simply to ensure the party kept whatever information Dae was about to disclose strictly confidential.
-As terms and guild provisions were settled, the representative noted the enchantments would hold for a season, though replacement guarantees were tied to an immediate window of five days, tapering down to three. The Guild Master then intervened to set the limit firmly at two days, taking the opportunity to ask Lizette whether it was true she had received awards for stupidest adventurer and best-differs skill decision. Lizette noted she had not been present to witness it, while Keshah affirmed it had at least been a strong effort. With business concluded, the guild representative handed the paperwork over to Aurora.
+As terms and guild provisions were settled, the representative noted the enchantments would hold for a season, although replacement guarantees were tied to an immediate window of five days, tapering down to three. The Guild Master then intervened to set the limit firmly at two days, taking the opportunity to ask Lizette whether it was true she had received awards for stupidest adventurer and best-death categories at the last Guild meeting. Lizette noted she had not been present to witness it, while Keshah affirmed it had at least been a strong effort. With business concluded, the guild representative handed the paperwork, including the letter of introduction, over to me to look after.
-==== Chapter 8: Flight to Swift Rock ====
+==== Chapter 8: Flight to Slippery Rock ====
 [[Image:ScribeNotes_scheduled-7c56e6a9c6f5027b1db380d962080a9073bb68aee93b61d0_08_Night_1_Flight_to_Swift_Rock.png|200px|thumb|left|The party glides over the Sweetwater, surveying river barges and scarred frontier ruins from the morning sky.]]
@@ Line 195: / Line 195: @@
 ''The party glides over the Sweetwater, surveying river barges and scarred frontier ruins from the morning sky.''
-A formal letter of introduction was handed across the desk, meant for the workers stationed at Swift Rock. With the document accepted with thanks, the party was advised to take wing and fly down together—naturally subject to their commander's permission—with the parting wish that they return in one piece.
+A formal letter of introduction was handed across the desk, meant for the wiccans stationed at Slippery Rock. With the document accepted with thanks, the party was advised to take wing and fly down together—naturally subject to their commander's permission—with the parting wish that they return in one piece.
 Before departing, questions arose regarding defenses against lingering horrors. Lizette asked whether there was an emblem capable of keeping undead at bay. There were actually two such protective items available, though Aurora noted with a dry remark that having one meant needing to be careful—and being careful was hardly her forte. Acquiring them would require considerable coin, running into thousands. Inquiring into their balance and requesting a withdrawal against the account, paperwork was drawn up. Once Lizette signed the voucher, a substantial sum was released: fifty thousand silver pieces, handed over in a massive, heavy bag that made for an astonishing hoard to carry in one place.
-Setting out to retrieve what was needed, the company prepared for the journey. Aurora pointed out that following the winding course of the Sweetwater was the most reliable path; though not a direct line, one could hardly lose their way, and the road remained visible below as a second guide. Moreover, Slippery Rock was perched prominently upon a hill, easily spotted from the river.
+Setting out to retrieve what was needed, the company prepared for the journey. I pointed out that following the winding course of the Sweetwater was the most reliable path; though not a direct line, one could hardly lose their way, and the road remained visible below as a second guide. Moreover, Slippery Rock was perched prominently upon a hill, easily spotted from the river.
-By mid-morning, the party took to the skies together on a crisp, bright spring day ideal for flight. Warnings passed to keep a watchful eye, while Aurora quipped about making sure her little chickadees got their say, met with the reassurance that if anyone crashed and broke something, Lizette would fix them up.
+By mid-morning, we took to the skies together on a crisp, bright spring day ideal for flight. Warnings were passed to keep a watchful eye out to avoid 'bird strikes', while I quipped about making sure my 'little chickadees' got there safe, met with the reassurance that if anyone crashed and broke something, Lizette would fix them up.
-From their vantage aloft, the Sweetwater bustled with activity. River barges plied the waters laden with hay, fodder, and fresh vegetables making their way downstream toward Seagate, while rafts and packs of harvested logs floated along the river. Keshah noted that they would need to keep clear of the barges, lest things become tricky.
+From our vantage aloft, the Sweetwater bustled with activity. River barges plied the waters laden with hay, fodder, and fresh vegetables making their way downstream toward Seagate, while rafts and packs of harvested logs floated along the river. Keshah noted that they would need to keep clear of the barges, lest things become tricky.
-Tracking the river south past a turnoff, the landscape shifted. The wooded expanse around the hill approached—marked out as Strawberry Rock—dense with trees and forest. Gazing down at the broader countryside, the land appeared choked with desolate remnants: Bryson ruins, Tim's ruins, the Thack ruins, and others, with virtually every mapped site marked as fallen save for Broken Arrow far down the road to the east. When Keshah asked whether this marked where the undead plague had swept across, it was confirmed that the grey line stretching across the territory was indeed the Dark Wall.
+Tracking the river south past a turnoff, the landscape shifted. The wooded expanse around the hill approached—marked out as Slippery Rock—dense with trees and forest. Gazing down at the broader countryside, the land appeared choked with desolate remnants: [[Byson Ruin]], [[Tim's Ruin]], the [[Thock Ruin]], and others, with virtually every mapped site known as fallen save for [[Broken Arrow]] far down the road to the east. When Keshah asked whether this marked where the undead plague had swept across, it was confirmed that these ruins forming a line across the territory was indeed the [[Dark Wall]], the last defense against the [[Dark Circle]]. The 'line' stretched all the way to [[Duntow Ruin]] in the South.
-Aurora checked whether they were sharing the air with anyone else or if it was just them. The sky around them was clear save for their own group, though far to the south a lone figure could be seen in the air near Riga's key. Satisfied with their approach, someone announced their descent, and the party landed easily in a pasture where a herd of goats was grazing in the field.
+I checked whether we were sharing the air with anyone else or if it was just us. The sky around us was clear save for our own group, though far to the south a lone figure could be seen in the air near [[Regar's Keep]]. Satisfied with our approach, someone announced their descent, and the party landed easily in a pasture where a herd of goats was grazing in the field.
 ==== Chapter 9: Slippery Rock ====
@@ Line 215: / Line 215: @@
 ''A stop at the Slippery Rock general store turns into an unexpected summons toward Gugnir's Hope.''
-The road led upward through Truth Run, delivering the party at last into Slippery Rock. It was a picturesque settlement—clean, tidy, and quiet, woven together with cobbled streets, raised hedges, and small clusters of cottages where nearly every home seemed to hide a private garden behind its greenery.
+The road led upward, delivering the party at last into [[Slippery Rock]]. It was a picturesque settlement—clean, tidy, and quiet, woven together with cobbled streets, raised hedges, and small clusters of cottages where nearly every home seemed to hide a private garden behind its greenery.
 Yet for all its pastoral charm, the village felt sparse. Barely fifteen buildings made up the entire hamlet, and it was entirely devoid of the bustling trade signs or guilds common to larger towns; there was not even a blacksmith's forge ringing in the distance. The sole center of commerce appeared to be a large general store sitting squarely in the middle of town.
-"I wouldn't have thought you'd buy emeralds at the main store," Lizette remarked, eyeing the quiet building. "I thought it'd be more of an artisanal thing, but I guess we can go check it out."
+"I wouldn't have thought you'd buy amulets at the main store," Lizette remarked, eyeing the quiet building. "I thought it'd be more of an artisan thing, but I guess we can go check it out."
 "Well, it's a small settlement," Dae reasoned. "Maybe they have to expand on what they sell."
-Agreeing that it was a remarkably quiet village, they made their way toward the general store. As they approached, two young women rose to meet them. Lizette offered a polite greeting, explaining that she had come looking to buy emeralds and had been told this was the place.
+Agreeing that it was a remarkably quiet village, they made their way toward the general store. As they approached, two young women rose to meet them. Lizette offered a polite greeting, explaining that she had come looking to buy amulets and had been told this was the place.
-Aurora stepped forward to present their letter of introduction. The women cast an eye over the parchment, their demeanor instantly warming. "Very welcome, this way," one said, recognizing Lizette's name. "We heard that you signed up with the Red Crowns. Is that true?"
+I stepped forward to present their letter of introduction. The women cast an eye over the parchment, their demeanor instantly warming. "Very welcome, this way," one said, recognizing Lizette's name. "We heard that you signed up with the Red Crowns. Is that true?"
-"Oh, it was the Gold Crowns, wasn't it?" Lizette confessed with an apologetic wince, admitting how easily she mixed up the factions. "I honestly get confused, but so do we. I apologize—they would probably be very disapproving of me for not knowing."
+"Oh, it was the Gold Crowns, wasn't it?" Lizette confessed with an apologetic wince, admitting how easily she mixed up the factions. "I honestly get confused. I apologize—they would probably be very disapproving of me for not knowing."
 "Rumors about her body parts having miraculous healing powers are probably overinflated, if you've heard those ones," Keshah dryly interjected, prompting murmurs about whether it was mere wordplay or the truth of a growing cult.
-The young women led them around the side of the main building, guiding the travelers through a narrow doorway into a smaller adjoining space. Behind the counter sat a woman who appeared hale and well, accompanied by a dog and a sleek black cat perched nearby. Looking up, her face brightened with familiarity.
+The young women led them around the side of the main building, guiding the travelers through a narrow doorway into a smaller adjoining space. Behind the counter sat a woman who appeared hale and well, accompanied by a dog and a sleek black cat which perched nearby. Looking up, her face brightened with familiarity.
 "Greetings, Lizette," she said warmly, before turning her gaze across the rest of the group. "Hello, Dae. Nice to see you. Is your mother well?"
@@ Line 237: / Line 237: @@
 "That's an excellent question," Dae answered candidly. "I would love to have an answer. I'm a busy guild member, and I haven't received news from her for a while. For all I know..."
-The woman studied the companions and inquired who their mage was, prompting Aurora to introduce herself as Lady Aurora. Pleased to meet her, the shopkeeper opened a large tome upon the counter, quickly scanning a few lines before shutting the volume firmly.
+The woman studied the companions and inquired who their air mage was, prompting me to introduce myself as Lady Aurora. Pleased to meet her, the shopkeeper opened a large tome upon the counter, quickly scanning a few lines before shutting the volume firmly.
-"Could you see Dae through to Gugnir's Hope by the end of today?" the woman asked Aurora. "Make sure he takes some flowers and a little bit of spending money. He needs to visit his mother."
+"Could you see Dae through to Gugnir's Hope by the end of today?" the woman asked me. "Make sure he takes some flowers and a little bit of spending money. He needs to visit his mother."
-Aurora promptly produced a small travel map, scanning across the parchment until her finger located the landmark nestled just beneath the rim of a teapot. "Oh, it's over there," she noted, tracing the route back and down.
+Aurora promptly produced a small travel map, scanning across the parchment until her finger located the landmark. "Oh, it's over there," she noted, tracing the route back and down.
 ==== Chapter 10: Wares of the Gold Crowns ====
@@ Line 249: / Line 249: @@
 ''Negotiating for protective charms and carbuncles at the witch's counter.''
-Aurora nodded in assent, and the morning's business proceeded. An elderly witch handed over a bag, stating the tally: "That'll be fifteen thousand six hundred silver pieces."
+I nodded in assent, and the morning's business proceeded. An elderly witch handed over a bag, stating the tally: "That'll be fifteen thousand six hundred silver pieces."
-"Cool," Lizette replied, promptly paying her. Mindful of their ongoing duties, she asked, "We, we are in a bit of a hurry, but does anyone here need any healing?"
+"Cool," Lizette replied, promptly paying her. Mindful of their ongoing duties, she asked, "We are in a bit of a hurry, but does anyone here need any healing?"
-"We require no assistance from you, thank you," came the reply from the witch, noting she was glad she had not said otherwise. An unidentified voice added that they were glad to hear it, mentioning, "I am married to Kowal. Your reputation has preceded you."
+"We require no assistance from you, thank you," came the reply from the witch, noting she was glad she had not said otherwise. An unidentified voice added that they were glad to hear it, mentioning, "I am married to [[Kilroy]]. Your reputation has preceded you."
-"Reputation, whatever else you could... I, I assume you heard in my head these days," Lizette replied.
+"Reputation, whatever else you could... I, I assume you hear in my head these days," Lizette replied.
-Keshah joined in, remarking, "Nice you heard. Quietly retired, by the sound of it."
+Keshah joined in, remarking, "Nice you heard. I then inquired about Kilroy, knowing he is a very experienced Guild adventurer.  "Quietly retired, by the sound of it." Keshah repl,ied.
-A voice wished Keshah good luck, which he took in stride. "Should be okay. It's a quiet little adventure. Nothing much will happen."
+The witch wished Keshah good luck, which he took in stride. "Should be okay. It's a quiet little adventure. Nothing much will happen."
 "Touching a wooden object immediately," someone muttered against the jinx.
-Lizette sought to reassure them: "They will make sure that we stay in the safer areas and get things done, I'm sure."
+Lizette sought to reassure them: "Dae will make sure that we stay in the safer areas and get things done, I'm sure."
 "'Cause he is a pillar of sensibility and logic," Keshah said.
@@ Line 273: / Line 273: @@
 The elderly witch looked at them and firmly set the record straight: it was the Gold Crowns. The party acknowledged the correction with thanks, surprised at how quickly news traveled, though she noted the matter had already been discussed the previous day.
 Attention then turned to protective trinkets. "I should get a carbuncle," Aurora said. "It's probably a very good idea, actually. Don't have one of those."
-A query arose about defenses against cat curses. When asked if anyone was actively suffering from them, the speaker explained they were merely a frequent target, but the curses kept bouncing. Lizette encouraged keeping in good standing with the witch to avoid trouble, but the witch countered: "You know I can't do that, don't you? Each one you bounce adds to their lives. That's where cats get their nine lives from, you understand?"
+A query arose about defenses against cat curses. When asked if anyone was actively suffering from them, I explained that I was merely a frequent target, but the curses kept bouncing. Lizette encouraged keeping in good standing with the witch to avoid trouble, but the witch countered: "You know I can't do that, don't you? Each one you bounce adds to their lives. That's where cats get their nine lives from, you understand?"
 Questions followed over whether deflected curses could strip away a life instead, though it was explained that speaking directly with cats was the key.
-Turning back to the shop's stock, options were weighed between an Island Jet, a Jet Hamlet, or an Island Hamlet. Deciding that taking both would be best—especially if paying in advance—an order was placed for one of each, along with Aurora's carbuncle. Priced at nine thousand silver pieces, Aurora recognized it was steep, but noted it decreased damage done by poison, recalling the situation the necromancer had gotten into.
+Turning back to the shop's stock, options were weighed between an Iron Amulet, or a Jet Amulet, or both. Deciding that taking both would be best—especially if paying in advance—an order was placed for one of each, along with the carbuncle I wanted. Priced at nine thousand silver pieces, Aurora recognized it was steep, but noted it decreased damage done by poison, recalling the situation I got into with the necromances.
-When settling up with gems instead of coin, the shopkeeper agreed to accept them, though with a condition: there would be a ten percent surcharge.
+When settling up with gems instead of coin, as carrying all those gold pieces around can be annoying, the shopkeeper agreed to accept them, though with a condition: there would be a ten percent surcharge.
-"Why am I not—" Aurora began.
+"Why am I not—" I began but then paid up.
 ==== Chapter 11: Restoratives and Celestial Portents ====
@@ Line 291: / Line 291: @@
 ''Truscilla delivers an unsettling warning about the night sky while settling the account for restoratives.''
-Aurora looked over her possessions with a knowing air. "Surprised?" she asked. "They're mine."
+I looked over my possessions thinking I should purchase the other amulets I don't have that could be useful.
-Keshah gave a slow nod, weighing the difficulty of appraising such goods. "It's very difficult to... yeah, they don't come stamped with a certain amount of value," he observed, adding a moment later, "Yeah, I guess there isn't." A voice remarked that an adventurer would obviously need such supplies, though Keshah noted the distinction: "It's just that as an elf, you're less affected by some of the items."
+Keshah gave a slow nod, weighing the difficulty of appraising such goods. "It's very difficult to... yeah, they don't come stamped with a certain amount of value," he observed, adding a moment later, "Yeah, I guess there isn't." I replied. I then remarked that an adventurer would obviously need such supplies, though Keshah noted the distinction: "It's just that as an elf, you're less affected by some of the items."
-"The chalcedony is £4,800, so that'll be £8,800 total," Aurora calculated. Across the counter, further figures were bandied about—a mention of another £9,200 until a compromise was struck. "Yeah, let's call it £9,000, we'll be done with it," came the consensus. "Somebody rocks them well."
+"The chalcedony is 4,800, so that'll be 8,800 total," I calculated. Across the counter, further figures were bandied about—a mention of another 9,200 until a compromise was struck. "Yeah, let's call it 9,000 and we'll be done with it," came the consensus.
-Lizette did not dispute the figure. "Okay, I will pay the nine thousand," she agreed, loosening the purse strings. "All right."
+Lizette did not dispute the figure. "Okay, I will pay the nine thousand," she agreed, loosening the purse strings. "All right." I immediately resolved to pay Lizette back at the earliest opportunity - or the Guild. Don't want the Guild Accountants on my case.
-The merchant accepted the nine thousand. One of the party mused, "I think that's everything I need, although a restorative is always a good idea." The shopkeeper then asked, "Are you interested in the emeralds? It appears that Liz is carrying the bag of coins of bottomless size."
+The merchant accepted the nine thousand. "I think that's everything I need". I replied before adding "Although restoratives are always a good idea." The shopkeeper then asked Dae, "Are you interested in the amulets? It appears that Lizette is carrying the bag of coins of bottomless size."
 Dae demurred with quiet dignity. "I wouldn't impose myself that way on my companions."
-"Oh, very good," came the reply. Inquiries soon turned to the shop's concoctions: how long the restoratives would last and what potency was available. The apothecary explained that their draughts ranged from small to large; brewed at top dollar, they would last indefinitely, whereas paying bottom dollar meant an efficacy of three months. Keshah leaned in to ask for details: "Top dollar ten point fatigue, how much would that cost? Well, twelve—ten or twelve, whichever, round about that ballpark figure, ten or twelve points." An agreement was made to settle payment for the potions with Truscilla, since it would amount to a moderate quantity of coin.
+"Oh, very good," came the reply. Inquiries soon turned to the shop's concoctions: how long the restoratives would last and what potency was available. The apothecary explained that their draughts ranged from small to large; brewed at top dollar, they would last indefinitely, whereas paying bottom dollar meant an efficacy of three months. Keshah leaned in to ask for details: "Top dollar ten point fatigue, how much would that cost? Well, twelve—ten or twelve, whichever, round about that ballpark figure, ten or twelve points." An agreement was made to settle payment for the potions with true silver, since it would amount to a moderate quantity of coin.
-Then the tone shifted. The shopkeeper looked squarely at Lady Summers. "So, Lizette, yes? What dealings have you had with Delecia Bernath?"
+Then the tone shifted. The shopkeeper looked squarely at Lady Summers. "So, Lizette., What dealings have you had with Delixe Berna11?''((sp))''" Keshah remembers her as a drow commander during the recent drow war.
 "Look, I'm sorry, the name escapes me," Lizette replied honestly.
@@ Line 321: / Line 321: @@
 "No, no, I've seen it come in handy many times, but it's not one of my skills," Lizette answered.
-"I see, yes. When does the timer run out, just out of interest?" someone asked.
+"I see, yes."  "When does the timer run out, just out of interest?" Keshah asked.
 "This year," Lizette echoed, prompting the natural follow-up: "And what's supposed to happen?"
-"Oh, it's not for me to just say," the merchant cautioned. "You might need to go and read the duchy's notes." When Lizette admitted she lacked the means, the apothecary offered alternatives: "You could return to the guild and you could get it done. You could do it, I could do it, and the guild could do it. Why don't you go return to your guild and get an estrange?"
+"Oh, it's not for me to just say," the merchant cautioned. "You might need to go and read the dark skies." When Lizette admitted she lacked the means, the apothecary offered alternatives: "You could return to the guild and you could get it done. You could do it, I could do it, and the guild could do it. Why don't you go return to your guild and get an astrology reading?"
-"Sounds like an excellent idea. Yeah, I think we may have to," came the response. It was noted that a check could also be made with the Warashi, though that information would cost five silver studs. Lizette readily produced the coins. "Of course, and I'll give you five silver studs. I appreciate the information."
+"Sounds like an excellent idea. Yeah, I think we may have to," came the response. The witch pointed out that information would cost five silver. Lizette readily produced the coins. "Of course, and I'll give you five silvers. I appreciate the information."
-As a parting friendly reminder, the merchant noted that the Baron's Arms was a fine establishment, as was the Government Arms. When it was pointed out that Dae had an upcoming date, Keshah took note: "We will head there immediately next. Very good. You should think about buying a gift here, potentially. There's some really nice gifts here I think you could buy."
+As a parting friendly reminder, the witch noted that the Baron's Arms was a fine establishment in Gugner's Hope. Keshah took note: "We will head there immediately next. Very good. You should think about buying a gift here, potentially. There's some really nice gifts here I think you could buy."
 A brief debate arose over whether to return straight to the Guild first to see what was happening or make the journey elsewhere first. "No, no, no, we can always do that later," it was urged. "Like, it's only a couple hours' flight, we can still be back at the guild for the evening, potentially. You're not getting out of this. We're flying to Gugnir's Hope."
-Another voice offered to do an astrology reading, prompting Lizette to ask, "Isn't it what they send you back to the Guild for?"
+Keshah offered to do an astrology reading, prompting Lizette to ask, "Isn't it what they send you back to the Guild for?"
 "They probably can do it better than I can," came the concession. "So what are you doing?"
@@ Line 343: / Line 343: @@
 ''Gugnir's Hope rises upon its rocky butte as hundreds of riders assemble near the stables below.''
-A decision was called: the destination was Gugnir's Hope. Dae suggested they could garner some help from the guild on the way out, noting that taking such a detour would give an excuse to check in. Others felt the settlement should be the immediate goal. Keshah pointed out that word was already being sent ahead to Dae's mother, warning that failing to turn up would reflect poorly and cost far too many grounding points. While another voice mused that having a mother to visit was at least something, they admitted having no personal need for the town beyond curiosity about the place.
+A decision was made: the destination was Gugnir's Hope. Dae suggested we should first garner some help from the guild on the way out, noting that taking such a detour would give an excuse to check in there, instead of checking with his mother - at least that was what I was surmising. . Others felt the settlement should be the immediate goal. Keshah pointed out that word was already being sent ahead to Dae's mother, warning that failing to turn up would reflect poorly and cost far too many brownie points. While another voice mused that having a mother to visit was at least something, they admitted having no personal need for the town beyond curiosity about the place.
-Looking at the hour, the morning was already slipping past—what had begun around nine was now near midday. Keshah noted there was still plenty of time, as the flight to Gugnir's Hope would take only a couple of hours, and their investigation could not proceed until the night sky arrived anyway. The town itself held a reputation for ancient stone craft; Keshah brought up its fascinating dwarven ruins and subterranean works. Dae agreed that the dark held interesting things. As talk turned to the old stonework, Lizette pressed Dae on why he seemed so intent on avoiding his mother. Dae insisted he was not avoiding her, only declining to rush, preferring a healthy distance without unnecessary smothering. When Lizette wondered aloud if the pressure stemmed from talk of marriage, Dae countered that he had never heard his mother express such an ambition. A curious exchange touched on Red Crowns and whether there were suitors—hundreds of them, Gold Crowns and Red Crowns alike, bound up in questions of lineages—though Keshah promptly dismissed the notion.
+Looking at the hour, the morning was already slipping past—what had begun around nine was now near midday. Keshah noted there was still plenty of time, as the flight to Gugnir's Hope would take only a couple of hours, and their investigation could not proceed until the night sky arrived anyway. The town itself held a reputation for ancient stone craft; Keshah brought up its fascinating dwarven ruins and subterranean works. Dae agreed that the town held interesting things. As talk turned to the old stonework, Lizette pressed Dae on why he seemed so intent on avoiding his mother. Dae insisted he was not avoiding her, only declining to rush, preferring a healthy distance without unnecessary smothering. When Lizette wondered aloud if the pressure stemmed from talk of marriage, Dae countered that he had never heard his mother express such an ambition. A curious exchange touched on Red Crowns and whether there were suitors—hundreds of them, Gold Crowns and Red Crowns alike, but they only want him for his mind, according to Keshah.
-Their course was mapped past Slippery Rock and Southgate, trailing along the river past Crystal Springs before striking straight north-northwest toward the rocky promontory. Gugnir's Hope was built upon a high butte, its foundations rooted in ancient dwarven architecture, though Dae and Aurora recalled crypts and remnants of undead beneath the city.
+Our course was mapped past [[Slippery Rock]] and [[South Gate]], trailing along the river past [[Crystal Spring]] before striking straight north-northwest toward the rocky promontory. Gugnir's Hope was built upon a high butte, its foundations rooted in ancient dwarven architecture, though Dae and I recalled crypts and remnants of undead beneath the city.
-Taking to the air for the roughly fifty-mile journey, the flight spanned an hour and a half. Below them unfolded the waters of Crystal Springs, followed by open fields and meadows, light woodlands, and rough high hills. To the far west rose the distant expanses of Gwalia. As they crossed past Red Tree, the rocky butte of Gugnir's Hope swung into clear view. Coming in toward the settlement, the party spotted massive stables below, where an assembly of roughly three hundred people was actively mounting up. Watching the gathering, Aurora wondered what they were up to.
+Taking to the air for the roughly fifty-mile journey, the flight spanned an hour and a half. Below them unfolded the waters of Crystal Spring, followed by open fields and meadows, light woodlands, and rough high hills. To the far west rose the distant expanses of the Fastness. As we crossed past [[Red Tree]], the rocky butte of Gugnir's Hope swung into clear view. Coming in toward the settlement, the party spotted massive stables below, where an assembly of roughly three hundred people was actively mounting up. Watching the gathering, I wondered what they were up to.
 ==== Chapter 13: Drovers of the Earth Plane ====
@@ Line 357: / Line 357: @@
 ''Drovers gather outside the town gates as whispers of planar trade routes and subterranean dangers are exchanged.''
-Descending toward the settlement, Aurora looked for a place where the party could touch down safely without incident. A question arose as to whether they ought to put down at the base of the hill or within the town itself, though an open, level patch of ground was needed either way. While the companions were travelling via air magic rather than physical wings, Aurora pointed out that she alone possessed wings enabling true vertical takeoff and landing. Keshah suggested bringing the flight down along the road just outside the settlement if traffic permitted, noting that local guards and townsfolk generally took issue with people flying directly over the defensive walls—a sentiment Aurora readily echoed.
+Descending toward the settlement, I looked for a place where the party could touch down safely without incident. A question arose as to whether we should put down at the base of the hill or within the town itself, though an open, level patch of ground was needed either way. While the companions were travelling via air magic rather than physical wings, Aurora pointed out that she alone possessed wings enabling true vertical takeoff and landing. Keshah suggested bringing the flight down along the road just outside the settlement if traffic permitted, noting that local guards and townsfolk generally took issue with people flying directly over the defensive walls—a sentiment I readily echoed.
-The party came to rest on the promontory outside the town gates. Looking out over the surrounding grounds, they saw no vast herds of livestock gathered, but a substantial company of cattlemen and horses were busily mounting up. As the observers wondered whether a drive was commencing or concluding here, Dae scanned the gathering to see if any familiar drovers who supplied cattle toward the Plane of Earth and the rambling man were present.
+The party came to rest on the promontory outside the town gates. Looking out over the surrounding grounds, we saw no vast herds of livestock gathered, but a substantial company of cattlemen and horses were busily mounting up. As the observers wondered whether a drive was commencing or concluding here, Dae scanned the gathering to see if any familiar drovers who supplied cattle toward the Plane of Earth and the rambling man were present.
-Spotting activity half a mile down at the foot of the hill, Dae set off to investigate whether the portal and delivery routes remained consistent. Within five minutes, Dae located the man in question. The cattle boss was currently dressing down three young drovers still thoroughly intoxicated from their night in town and lashing them securely into their saddles. Despite the unruly morning, he welcomed Dae—calling out to Sisah—and expressed genuine pleasure at the reunion. He mentioned that Dae's mother had been asking after him incessantly, having messengers spread inquiries across Kazala.
+Spotting activity half a mile down at the foot of the hill, Dae set off to investigate whether the portal and delivery routes remained consistent. Within five minutes, Dae located the man in question. The cattle boss was currently dressing down three young drovers still thoroughly intoxicated from their night in town and lashing them securely into their saddles. Despite the unruly morning, he welcomed Dae—calling out to Keshah—and expressed genuine pleasure at the reunion. He mentioned that Dae's mother had been asking after him incessantly, having messengers spread enquiries across [[Carzala]].
-Turning to business, the cattleman affirmed that their earlier joint venture had been fantastic. Dae inquired whether that same delivery run was still operational. The drover admitted it was proving dangerous as hell, with orcs and goblins continually ambushing the lines. Dae explained to the others that the settlement at Gugnir's Hope had secured an arrangement with folk on the Plane of Earth who were unable to raise livestock locally, requiring herds to be driven through. Aurora admitted unfamiliarity with that plane beyond understanding it was largely subterranean and honeycombed with tunnels. When Keshah began recounting how drovers push up into the Faslers toward a great river and follow a submerged tunnel route, the drover quickly hushed the old elf, warning that such paths were not to be discussed openly, though confirming a passage existed.
+Turning to business, the cattleman affirmed that their earlier joint venture had been fantastic. Dae inquired whether that same delivery run was still operational. The drover admitted it was proving dangerous as hell, with orcs and goblins continually ambushing the lines. Dae explained to the others that the settlement at Gugnir's Hope had secured an arrangement with folk on the Plane of Earth who were unable to raise livestock locally, requiring herds to be driven through. I admitted unfamiliarity with that plane beyond understanding it was largely subterranean and honeycombed with tunnels. When Keshah began recounting how drovers push up into the Fastness toward a great river and follow a submerged tunnel route, the drover quickly hushed the elf, warning that such paths were not to be discussed openly, though confirming a passage existed.
-Dae cautioned that anyone visiting that realm should take care never to jump or fly away. Aurora agreed that visiting sounded daunting, then brought up a past escape involving a bonfire. Dae confirmed they had been fleeing from dangerous pursuers. Remarks were traded regarding the Efreeti, the Janks, and the Zethos as formidable threats best avoided, prompting Aurora to note their foul reputation and ask whether they and the Senators of Decay were connected to the Lunar Empire.
+Dae cautioned that anyone visiting that realm should take care never to jump or fly away. I agreed that visiting sounded daunting, then brought up a past escape involving a bonfire. Dae confirmed they had been fleeing from dangerous pursuers. the [[Janx]], as formidable threats best avoided, prompting me to note their foul reputation and ask whether they and the [[Senators of Decay]] were connected to the [[Lunar Empire]].
 ==== Chapter 14: Detour to the Bakery ====
@@ Line 373: / Line 373: @@
 ''A greased pig leads a thundering chase through the cobbled streets of town.''
-Conversation turned grimly to politics and the undead as Aurora and her companions agreed that the senators were far worse than ordinary troubles. They were nasty, dead, and rightly called the senators of decay, with rumors holding that everything around them decayed.
+Conversation turned grimly to politics and the undead as I and my companions agreed that the senators were far worse than ordinary troubles. They were nasty, dead, and rightly called the senators of decay, with rumors holding that everything around them decayed.
-Dae sought to steer the mood elsewhere, mentioning a great bakery in town and offering to lead the way. Aurora suggested taking care of business after the mission and seeing him home first. Keshah voiced hope for a bounty upon delivering the prodigal son, while others wondered aloud about rewards of tea and cakes, pointing toward a fourth house on the left. Keshah urged haste before word spread, though Dae quipped that an only son was inevitably the prodigal one.
+Dae sought to steer the mood elsewhere, mentioning a great bakery in town and offering to lead the way. I suggested taking care of business after the mission and seeing him home first. Keshah voiced hope for a bounty upon delivering the prodigal son, while others wondered aloud about rewards of tea and cakes, pointing toward a fourth house on the left. Keshah urged haste before word spread, though Dae quipped that an only son was inevitably the prodigal one.
 The gesture, however, had pointed not to a town dwelling but out into the forest and surrounding countryside, as Dae's elven kin lived in the woods outside Gugnir's Hope. Dae insisted that a detour to the bakery remained essential; bakeries were best in the morning, and showing up with food and presents was non-negotiable.
-Entering the town streets, the party found the thoroughfare bustling with children wielding sticks. Suddenly, a hue and cry echoed off the cobbles as a lone, greased pig came tearing around the corner—snorting, steaming, bristling, and sprinting at breakneck speed. Behind the beast surged a chasing mob of roughly sixty children and teenagers dressed in kilts, tabards, and simple clothes. Stepping well aside, with Aurora choosing to move upward to avoid the stampede, the travelers let the chaos sweep past.
+Entering the town streets, we found the thoroughfare bustling with children wielding sticks. Suddenly, a hue and cry echoed off the cobbles as a lone, greased pig came tearing around the corner—snorting, steaming, bristling, and sprinting at breakneck speed. Behind the beast surged a chasing mob of roughly sixty children and teenagers dressed in kilts, tabards, and simple clothes. Stepping well aside, with me choosing to float upward to avoid the stampede, the travelers let the chaos sweep past.
-Continuing down the cobbled lane, past the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency and several restored dwarvish structures that caught Keshah's mechanical interest, they reached the bakery. Inside, the shop was doing a brisk trade in sliced rolls wrapped around long green spears, which Aurora promptly and accurately identified as baked asparagus.
+Continuing down the cobbled lane, past the [[No. 1 Hobbits' Detective Agency | Number One Hobbit Detective Agency]] and several restored dwarvish structures that caught Keshah's mechanical interest, they reached the bakery. Inside, the shop was doing a brisk trade in sliced rolls wrapped around long green spears, which I promptly and accurately identified as baked asparagus.
 ==== Chapter 15: The Holiday Bakery ====
@@ Line 389: / Line 389: @@
 ''A monumental order of cream buns and pastries at the local bakery.''
-The bakery shelves displayed an intriguing variety. Among the featured offerings were asparagus rolls made with red, green, and white stalks, some glazed and rolled in honey and nuts. The notion struck the company as appetizing, though Aurora wondered aloud about the combination.
+The bakery shelves displayed an intriguing variety. Among the featured offerings were asparagus rolls made with red, green, and white stalks, some glazed and rolled in honey and nuts. The notion struck the company as appetizing, though I wondered aloud about the combination.
-"Green and what?" Aurora asked. "Red, green, and white asparagus?"
+"Green and what?" I asked. "Red, green, and white asparagus?"
-It was confirmed, and Lizette made up her mind to purchase something for an upcoming visit. Aurora observed that asparagus rolls were at their best when freshly harvested—snapped straight from the earth and wrapped into bread with all possible haste. The shopkeeper agreed, noting that this was, after all, a holiday bakery.
+It was confirmed, and Lizette made up her mind to purchase something for an upcoming visit. I observed that asparagus rolls were at their best when freshly harvested—snapped straight from the earth and wrapped into bread with all possible haste. The shopkeeper agreed, noting that this was, after all, a holiday bakery.
 Taking in the display, Keshah placed his order first. "I'll get a dozen green asparagus rolls for myself."
-Aurora considered taking some if any remained, though the counter was well stocked. Inquiries followed regarding whether they had diced ham, paste cream, or cream buns, and it was noted that salads were not part of their trade. When the baker made a remark about refusing cream buns to certain sorts, Dae chimed in to explain that while they did bake them, they did not sell to local delicatessens. Aurora protested good-naturedly that while some likened her appetite to that of a hobbit, she hardly deserved to be denied. When the shopkeeper jokingly maintained the refusal, the response was a theatrical capitulation: asparagus rolls would do, appearing suitably healthy anyway.
+I considered taking some if any remained, though the counter was well stocked. Inquiries followed regarding whether they had diced ham, paste cream, or cream buns, and it was noted that salads were not part of their trade. When the baker made a remark about refusing cream buns to certain sorts, Dae chimed in to explain that while they did bake them, they did not sell to local delicatessens. I protested good-naturedly that while some likened my appetite to that of a hobbit, I hardly deserved to be denied. When the shopkeeper jokingly maintained the refusal, the response was a theatrical capitulation: asparagus rolls would do, appearing suitably healthy anyway.
-Aurora added that a cake was also needed to bring along to a friend's house. Lizette promptly inquired whose house she meant, joining another curious bystander. When asked about preferences, the shopkeeper explained that cinnamon rolls were a favorite, prompting the group to add them to the selection.
+I added that a cake was also needed to bring along to a friend's house. Lizette promptly inquired whose house she meant, joining another curious bystander. When asked about preferences, the shopkeeper explained that cinnamon rolls were a favorite, prompting the group to add them to the selection.
-Lizette addressed the counter with a smile, remarking on how the boss had simply brought his friends along today to give the shop good business. Relenting at Dae's presence, the baker agreed that since they were accompanying Dae, they could purchase cream buns after all.
+Lizette addressed the counter with a smile, remarking on that he had simply brought his friends along today to give the shop good business. Relenting at Dae's presence, the baker agreed that since they were accompanying Dae, they could purchase cream buns after all.
 "They come in twenties," the baker cautioned.
-That proved entirely acceptable. The baker settled on a baker's dozen—thirteen racks of twenty, amounting to two hundred and sixty buns in total. When asked if they had means to carry them, Aurora felt confident the haul could be tucked into a backpack—save for one. Lizette took that solitary bun immediately, eating it on the spot with the defense that there was never room for the final bun anyway. Aurora noted that despite her elven appearance, people often joked she was hollow inside given how much she could eat.
+That proved entirely acceptable. The baker settled on a baker's dozen—thirteen racks of twenty, amounting to two hundred and sixty buns in total. When asked if they had means to carry them, I felt confident the haul could be tucked into my hefty carry capacity backpack—save for one which I took immediately, eating it on the spot with the defense that there was never room for the final bun anyway. I noted that despite my elven appearance, people often joked I was hollow inside given how much I could eat.
 Turning back to gifts, Lizette asked if there was something suitable to take to Dae's mother's house. The baker reiterated that she was quite fond of cinnamon buns, and offered cinnamon twists as well for variety. The group agreed on the twists. To complete the parcel, the baker recommended a crushed tea she was especially partial to, which was gratefully accepted.
@@ Line 419: / Line 419: @@
 "What's that?" the shopkeeper asked, before clarifying with a nod. "It's a special blend which goes in a teapot. And makes a very nice herbal drink, cup of tea."
-Aurora offered an appreciative smile. "Well, you've been a bit of a tea connoisseur, but I don't think I've ever had that." Deciding quickly, she added, "Yes, I'll get some."
+I offered an appreciative smile. "Well, I've been a bit of a tea connoisseur, but I don't think I've ever had that." Deciding quickly, I added, "Yes, I'll get some."
 "Oh, this is the Red Dawn variety," came the vendor's explanation, nodding along. "So I assume it's... I guess it's appropriate."
@@ Line 465: / Line 465: @@
 "I suppose you would," the vendor conceded with a faint shrug. "Now, your... red asparagus, what? Are you going to be buying any red asparagus?"
-"No, just the green ones."
+"No, just the green ones." I replied.
 "Are you sure about the red ones? These help you see underground."
-"Are you sure they're not carrots in disguise?"
+"Are you sure they're not carrots in disguise?" I asked.
 "I know what carrots are," the shopkeeper answered firmly.
@@ Line 485: / Line 485: @@
 "Stacked up with the... stacked up? Where are you putting the two hundred and sixty?"
-"Buns," came the reply. "I got a backpack—"
+I tapped her pack with a knowing grin. "I got a backpack that can take more than what it looks."
-Aurora tapped her pack with a knowing grin. "I got a backpack that can take more than what it looks."
 ==== Chapter 17: Dae's Cottage ====
@@ Line 495: / Line 493: @@
 ''A finely carved statue of Dae stands proudly in the sunlit garden of his woodland cottage.''
-"Haven't we got a—" Aurora began.
+With storage sorted, we set about packing up the provisions, Keshah helping load buns into the extradimensional space tray after tray.
+"Well, that was proper," someone remarked warmly, while another mused that perhaps they ought to have picked some flowers. Behind us, the shop's open sign was flipped to closed—or jokingly the other way around—having sold their entire stock and then some. Still, it was undeniably good to be back. With our business concluded, they headed out of town and down the road.
+Thirty minutes later, the walk brought them to Dae's front yard. Resting right in the front yard was a startling sight: a small statue of Dae.
+"What the f**k?" Dae exclaimed.
+"Oh wow, you're famous," came the amused reaction from Keshah. "Yeah, famous in his own time." I added.
+"How accurate is it?" Lizette asked, before adding, "Perfectly accurate."
+"I was beginning to wonder whether or not it had been done by a medusa," I remarked, "but then that would imply—otherwise he wouldn't be walking around in front of us."
+Past the stone likeness stood Dae's home—a lovely little cottage set among the trees in a bright, sunny clearing, surrounded by pleasant grounds.
+"You know, if I didn't have the Manor, I'd like a place like this," I admitted.
+"Lovely," a companion agreed. "Flowers all around, lovely grounds."
+From just beyond the clearing came the tranquil sound of a running brook which I was tempted to investigate but concluded that would be rude without permission.
+=== Night 2 ===
+<!-- scribe-night-source: jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2 -->
+==== Chapter 18: A Garden of Stone and Scolding ====
+<!-- mentor-summary:night=2:start -->
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_01_Night_2_A_Garden_of_Stone_and_Scolding.png|300px|thumb|right|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_I0QtApIuE|alt=Watch the party and adventure summary on YouTube|Party Summary & Adventure Summary]]
+[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_I0QtApIuE ? Watch Party Summary & Adventure Summary on YouTube]
+[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_I0QtApIuE&t=10s Party Summary] · [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_I0QtApIuE&t=55s Adventure Summary]
+<!-- mentor-summary:night=2:end -->
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_01_Night_2_A_Garden_of_Stone_and_Scolding.png|200px|thumb|left|Dae's mother greets the party with a barrage of weeds and garden scolding outside the family home.]]
+''Dae's mother greets the party with a barrage of weeds and garden scolding outside the family home.''
+Outside Dae's family home, the late season was particularly pleasant. A cool wind whispered through the overhead canopy of the forest, rustling across wide, fragrant herb gardens that sprawled around the property. Standing squarely amid the foliage was a prominent, fairly new statue of Dae himself, measuring five feet tall. It portrayed him short and caught mid-flight—fully clothed, to everyone's collective relief, as any anatomical alternative would have been deeply disturbing. The companions examined the stonework with critical eyes; it possessed remarkable craft, looking very much like the handiwork of a master sculptor such as Sebastian, carved with immense effort.
+"Why are they making statues of you, Dae?" came the question. "So it's easier for people to recognize and hunt you?"
+"Bronze statues are generally more mobile," another noted dryly.
+"I love my mother," Dae murmured in resignation, "but she's a little bit of a psychopath."
+Before they could decide what pleasantries might set her mind at ease, a figure popped abruptly up from behind a bush. Armed with a garden trowel in one hand and a cluster of freshly pulled weeds in the other, Dae's elven mother glared at the travelers and went on the attack, swatting at them for their impudence.
+"You are bad!" she scolded fiercely, speaking in accented Common. "Moving my Dae away from me! What is wrong with you?"
+"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" one of the companions offered placatingly, dodging stray dead flowers as she flung them across the path. "Of course a mother has first dibs on her child, but don't you think it's good he's getting out into the world?"
+Unmoved, she turned back to her son. "Come inside and leave the trash on the lawn. Quick, quick, there are things to discuss!"
+Realizing they had decidedly not been invited indoors, Keshah and the others exchanged wry glances. They agreed to remain by the garden path, keeping clear until the domestic fireworks settled. As Dae offered a sheepish apology, jokes lingered behind him about whether a magical scan might reveal the statue to be an animated guardian golem—though Dae conceded such a monster would likely possess far more endurance than himself.
+Inside, the elven matriarch wasted no time. "I understand from my sisters at Slippery Rock that you are off to Adjepbar," she said.
+"Indeed I am," Dae replied.
+"This is very good. You are well respected there," she nodded briskly. "If you run into any problems, I have a contact for you: a dwarf who owes our family a favor. His name is Ernest Rockfall. He was a lieutenant in the city guard—a good dwarf, and a man going places."
+Dae made note of the name. "All right, Mother. Anything else I should look out for?"
+"Well, of course you know about the blue sands, don't you?" she asked. Dae admitted he had heard tales of them. Without another word, she bustled away, returning a moment later to thrust an empty glass jar directly into his hands.
+"Mother..." Dae sighed.
+==== Chapter 19: Of Blue Sands and Mothers ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_02_Night_2_Of_Blue_Sands_and_Mothers.png|200px|thumb|left|Dae's mother examines a sample of blue sand on her porch while tasking the party with acquiring more from Adjepbar.]]
+''Dae's mother examines a sample of blue sand on her porch while tasking the party with acquiring more from Adjepbar.''
+“I need this filled with blue sands,” Dae’s mother said plainly, setting down the task before any proper pleasantries could take root.
+Dae stared at her, alarm sharpening his voice. “Mother, have you fallen to these temptations?”
+“It is for my research, please,” she countered dismissively. “I am very close to breaking five extra rings of curses.”
+“Is this why you were missing the whole last year?” Dae pressed, his worry mounting. “Have you become a blue sands acolyte?”
+“No, of course not. I was discussing things with some women who dress in red dresses.”
+“I will keep away from them—”
+“As it turns out, they will be keeping away from us,” she said with sharp finality.
+“Good to hear,” Dae murmured.
+“Yes,” she allowed, though she narrowed her eyes. “Us in general. Or rather, me. So be careful.”
+“All right, so one job,” Dae said, attempting to steer the conversation back to solid ground. But his mother was already looking past him toward the courtyard.
+“And that woman—the one with all the cleavage outside,” she asked bluntly. “Who is she?”
+“Mother, I do not plan on having any offspring with the other races,” Dae insisted quickly.
+“Very good. Very good. That is what I told the crowns.”
+“Now you’re just making them try to get an elf crown,” Dae sighed. “Look, these people have presents for you.”
+Relenting slightly, she stepped aside from the entryway. “You can come in now. You too.” Her gaze flicked sharply to Lady Lizette. “You can sit on the deck, Ms. Hussy.”
+“Thank you,” someone murmured as they filed forward. Lizette blinked, pausing on the threshold. “Oh, does she have cats?”
+“Yes,” the matriarch replied coolly. “There is a cat watching you.”
+Aurora Steelwind eyed the feline sitting nearby. Curious, she quietly prepared a spell to speak with animals, deciding simply to listen in without actively engaging it. Meanwhile, Lizette extended a bundle at the doorway. “I have some cinnamon twists,” Lizette offered politely before retreating toward the indicated deck. Aurora stepped up to sweeten the gesture, adding a selection of fresh buns into the mix.
+Dae’s mother brought cups and a teapot out onto the porch, setting them down with measured clatter before turning a stern eye upon Lizette. “No more sideways from you. It is very unbecoming. Can you use your words out loud rather than speaking out of the corner of your mouth?”
+“I apologize,” Lizette said smoothly. “I was just going to remind Dae that he had something else for you.”
+Nearby, Aurora raised an eyebrow. Through the ambient hum of her magic, she could hear the cat distinctly mumbling an incantation under its breath—already halfway through the casting. Deciding discretion was the better part of valor, Aurora elected to leave the spellcasting feline strictly alone, though she kept one ear pointed in its direction.
+“I apologize for any misunderstanding,” Lizette continued, addressing the matriarch with diplomatic poise. “I am not trying to steal your son.”
+“You mean for the rudeness?” Aurora chimed in dryly.
+“It wasn’t a misunderstanding,” Dae’s mother said flatly. “I heard you outside quite plainly, telling him how to lie to his mother.”
+“No, no,” Lizette protested. “I was asking him which of his accomplishments we should talk up the most to show you how much he has progressed.”
+“Anyway,” the matriarch sniffed, pivoting her attention away from Lizette toward the bard. “You, young lady. What is your surname?”
+Aurora paused for a heartbeat. “Steelwind.”
+“That took a while, didn’t it?”
+“I don’t actually use it that often,” Aurora explained with an easy smile. “In the Western Kingdoms I usually go by Dawn, not Steelwind. But Steelwind is my family name back in Alfheim.”
+Dae’s mother switched seamlessly into Elven. “I presume you are an artist of note. Your reputation precedes you.”
+“Hopefully not too bad,” Aurora replied in kind.
+“It is gaining traction. There are those amongst the clans who would follow someone of your ilk.”
+“I generally try to keep away from politics,” Aurora said, gracefully sidestepping clan ambitions while still keeping an ear tilted toward the mumbling cat.
+“I understand you are taking Dae away to Adjepbar,” the elder elf noted, returning to the common tongue.
+“Yes, we have a few missions down there,” Aurora said. “Hopefully nothing too violent or dangerous, but there are a few things going on.”
+The matriarch glanced back at Lizette. “I understand some of your ilk learn to improve themselves.”
+“I think a lot of—assuming you mean humans, yes, a lot do,” Lizette replied cautiously. “Unless you meant another group?”
+“What other group did you think I was associating you with?”
+“Possibly the Guild?”
+“You are a Guild member dressed like that?” Dae’s mother asked, skeptical.
+“This is a glamour over my armor,” Lizette explained with dignity.
+“Dressed like that,” the older woman repeated, unconvinced.
+“We don’t let her wander on her own,” Aurora joked lightly. “She’s a kidnap risk.”
+“I am quite grateful to Keshah for his protection,” Lizette said, refusing the bait. “And I was actually with your son when we dealt with the djinn in Adjepbar.”
+“Right. Dangerous, but nothing untoward,” the mother echoed suspiciously. “What were you doing with my son in Adjepbar with a djinn?”
+“We were part of a Guild party,” Lizette explained. “We dealt with a problem that had a djinn rather upset. It was to the good of everyone that the issue was resolved and the djinn became less troubled.”
+Beside them, Aurora fought hard to suppress a giggle, her mind racing with puns about bottled spirits and runaway genies. Dae quickly stepped in to support Lizette’s account. “They were very impressed with us in Adjepbar. It was a djinn problem, we helped him solve it, and we left on good terms.”
+Satisfied or simply impatient, Dae’s mother set a clear glass jar in the middle of the table. “Since you are going back to Adjepbar, it would be useful if you returned with some blue sands.”
+“I think we actually have some,” Aurora said.
+Lizette reached into her pouch and produced a small sample, sliding it across the wood. “Here.”
+“Yes, this type of stuff,” the mother said, examining the grains. “I am perfecting a modification to remove curses using this.”
+“We gathered a few samples down there last time,” Keshah noted evenly. “Obviously, we will collect more.”
+“It can be addictive,” she warned them.
+Keshah shrugged. “Well, only if you consume it.”
+==== Chapter 20: Sands of the Desert Beast ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_03_Night_2_Sands_of_the_Desert_Beast.png|200px|thumb|left|Dae's mother examines the vial of blue sand water while sharing rumors of desert crypts and subterranean horrors.]]
+''Dae's mother examines the vial of blue sand water while sharing rumors of desert crypts and subterranean horrors.''
+The conversation turned back to the mysterious draught they carried. "Yes, well, there were—" Dae’s mother began, only for the party to clarify that they had originally planned on consuming it. Dae's mother caught her breath, mouthing silently across the table that it was only meant for three people. Watching the exchange, Aurora quickly hid her grin.
+"Oh, here it is," Aurora said, producing the vial. "So I don't suppose that this healing water was made of blue sand? It’s blue, after all. I was going to get that checked, but I never got around to it."
+Dae’s mother waved her hand lightly over the liquid. "Yes, this has blue sands in it. It comes from the center of the desert."
+"And so it obviously dissolves in water," Lizette observed.
+Keshah leaned forward, taking note of the discovery. "We must go and check it more carefully then."
+"Apparently, I was told that in the blue district, the consumption or partaking of blue sands makes one think they’re underwater, hallucinating fish or something," Aurora remarked.
+"Only if you're in the blue district," Dae’s mother replied smoothly. "They cut it with white sands to have that effect."
+Aurora raised her eyebrows. "Oh. Okay, so there are many different types of sands? That's actually very interesting—not that many experts in that. Anyway, I am sorry. I apologize for the interruption."
+"Will one jar be enough?" Dae’s mother asked, indicating a rather substantial vessel.
+"Probably. That’s quite a large jar," Aurora conceded.
+Carefully, Dae's mother accepted the jar and stowed it securely inside her bag of holding, while Keshah reiterated the need for thorough investigation. Aurora added a quiet warning: "There are blue cultists that you should keep an eye out for. Be wary of them."
+"What is the blue cult?" Keshah asked. "What are the cultists' aims?"
+"I have told Dae of a family contact in the area who may be of assistance," Dae’s mother explained. "As for the cult, I think there is a creature buried somewhere in the desert that attracts seawater to pour into it. There is a rumor that the sea pours off like a waterfall into the desert, emptying into a giant hole."
+Aurora nodded. "I think I heard something like that."
+"And the blue sand is a byproduct of this?" Keshah inquired.
+"No," Dae’s mother answered. "There is a creature at the bottom and they wish to free it. I believe they worship it."
+"Hang on," Aurora cut in. "I think that has something to do with the octopus parade."
+"I think some of the octopus people are involved," Dae's mother agreed.
+"Is it the Kraken?" Lizette wondered. "I remember hearing something about it needing..."
+"In the North Sea, I believe," Keshah supplied.
+"Yeah, the Kraken's heart," Aurora said. Lizette asked if it was the only one, while Keshah absorbed the scale of the threat. A creature lurking under the sands, swallowing the ocean itself, was certainly something new to explore. Water pouring endlessly into an unfillable hole suggested it was likely draining off-plane somewhere. Aurora smirked faintly, remarking that she knew someone who would be furious to learn of the sea being drained, though she deemed it best not to tell her.
+"There was also something about sunrise over the blue sands," Aurora recalled, piecing together fragments of lore. "I was keeping an eye out for scorpions. I did see one, but it sort of skedaddled. And there were blue sparks around."
+"The scorpions at dawn—their tails point the way to a crypt," Dae’s mother revealed. "And since you fly, you should know there are red flares and blue sparks in the sky."
+Lizette asked about the crypt, and Aurora presumed it housed either the creature or a forgotten goddess, before pausing to rein in the table. "I should point out that we are actually on a mission, and I really don't want a repetition of last season when we got sidetracked, didn't do the job, and ended up chasing everything else. We should really get the job done this time."
+"It’s still good to know about these things," Lizette countered.
+"I know, but—oh, I’ve got to see some leathersmiths too," Aurora admitted with a rueful sigh. "I set up trade opportunities for them in Adjepbar and keep forgetting to tell them."
+Dae’s mother looked over the group curiously. "What’s your name, dear? Do you have a name?"
+"Lady Lizette Summers looks as if she's a merchant," Lizette suggested of herself. "Why don't you get her engagement?"
+"That’s probably a good idea," Aurora agreed. She recalled their previous attempts at blending in: "We were posing as merchants down there to avoid suspicion. It worked reasonably well, actually, until we found the cultists and the crypts—necromancers. Things sort of went a little downhill from there."
+With preparations winding down, Dae’s mother turned her gaze firmly upon her son. "So, Dae, I don't expect you back for supper. But if you're going to be away for more than a month, how about you write to your mom? Write to me."
+"I'll try," Dae muttered.
+"I can always send a message by carrier pigeon," she urged.
+"They could probably go that far," Keshah noted supportively.
+Dae gave in with a nod. "Yes, all right."
+==== Chapter 21: Carrier Chickens and Parting Courtesies ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_04_Night_2_Carrier_Chickens_and_Parting_Courtesies.png|200px|thumb|left|Dae's mother presents her carrier chickens before the adventurers take flight from the cottage.]]
+''Dae's mother presents her carrier chickens before the adventurers take flight from the cottage.''
+Someone suggested speaking with avians—or at the very least binding a slip of parchment to a bird's leg and casting it skyward. Dae’s mother conceded the point readily. Agreeing she would return in a moment, she bustled around the side of the house, leaving the visitors to wait and see what might unfold once her cat finished its fastidious grooming.
+When the feline completed its toilette, it showed no sign of stopping its muttered complaints in the feline tongue. Without letting on that anyone understood, the companions listened as it grumbled softly under its breath about the inhumane filth being traipsed through the home, marveling that its mistress tolerated whatever stray riffraff was dragged through the doorway.
+One of the companions turned smoothly toward the cat and countered in fluent feline, asking when, precisely, it had last dragged in a mouse. Though startled by the frequent mention, the cat sniffed airily, claiming it had not meant anyone present, before eyeing another member of the group and remarking in cat speech that the creature looked like an overripe fruit, positively plump and practically begging to be plucked.
+Before the creature's overwhelming ripeness could be debated further, Dae’s mother reappeared from around the corner of the cottage. Balanced along a sturdy perch were an entire brood of chickens.
+"Carrier chickens," came the dry observation. Dae had certainly not anticipated poultry.
+His mother explained that while she had no doves on hand, these would do. When met with skepticism over whether chickens could actually fly, she pointed out that magic could make them fly, allowing parchment to be tied to their legs so they would make the journey safely back. The company countered that chickens were notoriously top-heavy and ill-suited for travel. Wing spans and body weight meant a chicken tended to flutter clumsily rather than fly, and a standard flight enchantment might carry one halfway across a four-hundred-and-fifty-mile trek at best.
+Dae’s mother wondered if additional levitation or carrying spells could bridge the distance, or if the cat would have to be retained for traveling back and forth. A long look was exchanged with the chickens. One bird cocked its head and gave an inquisitive boink, then another. Glancing hungrily between the cat and the plump birds, one of the travelers licked their lips. When Dae’s mother asked why they didn’t simply speak to the chicken, asking if anyone was really going to be an elitist about animal speech, the travelers demurred; chickens simply lacked the wit for deep conversation, and a local wild bird with proper long-range capability would serve far better.
+Satisfied that the afternoon entertainment had concluded, Dae’s mother offered a parting blessing for their journey and reminded them to carry out the fresh trash on their way out. The adventurers thanked her graciously for the afternoon tea, assured her the birds would be safe with Keshah, and politely excused themselves. With a nod of thanks, she retreated inside the cottage.
+Once past the doorstep, Dae offered an embarrassed apology for his mother's lack of tact and her inability to keep elven haughtiness behind closed doors. The Western Kingdom veteran waved off the concern without offense; after living among humans everywhere, subtle elven prejudices were far from the worst they had weathered, and the matriarch's fondness for Keshah proved she could not be all bad.
+The conversation turned to the sculpted figure standing on the grounds outside the cottage. The statue, presented as a gift, was destined to facilitate communication across vast distances once empowered by blue sands. Dae’s mother intended to shift it from the front yard into the parlor, accompanied by strict parting admonitions against handing it over to any disreputable girls—and forbidding any breeding with them under any circumstances. Dae protested defensively that past incidents had been entirely magical rather than romantic, while the others teased him about his mother’s dream of seeing him settle down with a proper elven lady, an upper-class noble, or a princess—a standard that cheerfully ruled out the rest of the company.
+With good humor restored and the statue safely relegated to the parlor, the companions settled on their immediate course: return to the guild, deliver the leather, and make their report. With flight enchantments still active over the winding forest path, and parting jokes about the statue making certain figures look rather diminutive, the party launched into the air.
+==== Chapter 22: A Notice of Disappearance ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_05_Night_2_A_Notice_of_Disappearance.png|200px|thumb|left|The party reviews their employer's missing persons writ in the Seagate Guild courtyard.]]
+''The party reviews their employer's missing persons writ in the Seagate Guild courtyard.''
+Taking a few measured steps to catch the wind, Aurora sprang into the air and took flight, leaving the ground behind. The rear guard lingered for just a moment to keep a watchful eye on their departure before joining the ascent. High above the landscape, their heading carried them directly toward Seagate. Far off to the north, perhaps forty miles distant against the horizon, massive flying creatures banked through the sky. A glance confirmed that their paths were not on converging courses; twenty miles northward lay the bay and the shimmering coastline stretching out toward the open sea, safely distant from their transit.
+By the time they descended toward the Seagate Adventurers Guild, the afternoon had worn on to three o’clock. The midsummer heat left them flushed and sweltering as their boots touched the flagstones. A guild representative promptly approached with a writ in hand, voicing polite surprise at seeing them return so soon. The companions clarified that they had merely taken a brief local jaunt and had not yet formally departed on their wider assignment.
+"Ah, I understand," the guild official replied, acknowledging Keshah's return. "Well, there is mail for you. Addressed to the guild, really, but meant for your group."
+The dispatch was passed over for inspection. While guild members nearby murmured in conversation regarding Lizette, the party weighed their immediate errands—securing an astrologer, returning the treated leather, and handing over contacts. But the letter swiftly demanded their full attention. It bore the name of Celine Saladar Dowers, their employer and contracting principal, and carried the sobering subject line: *Disappearance of Adventuring Party*.
+Skimming the missive, they found a detailed account of their own recent movements. Dowers noted that after discovering devils in the basement of a town property, the adventurers had consulted local clergy and temples, only to vanish without a report, message, explanation, or request for assistance. Fearing they had fallen prey to grave danger, Dowers had been forced to retrace their steps through hearsay from priests and townspeople, ultimately requesting that the Seagate Guild post a missing notice—an all-points inquiry through every associated chapter, temple, and mission.
+"Well, they put out a bolo for us," came the dry observation, though there was quiet appreciation that their patron had cared enough to raise the alarm.
+Rather than invent excuses, they agreed the unvarnished truth was best. Between rushing south to Dell, dealing with cultists and a demonic presence, visiting the camp, and shepherding refugees onto an outbound vessel, reporting in had simply slipped through the cracks. Though lodging arrangements with their landlady had been maintained, formal word to Dowers had been completely neglected. Nor was the blame easily assigned; whether the fault lay with the scribe, the guild liaison, or party leadership, they were all accountable.
+Before handling the leather with Lizette or debating whether Kellows would offer them lodging instead of their usual quarters, their first priority was clear. Tucking the letter into a pocket, they set off to report in person, confirm they had recruited reinforcements and completed training, and assure Dowers that the mission remained entirely on track.
+==== Chapter 23: A Matter of Leather and Letters ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_06_Night_2_A_Matter_of_Leather_and_Letters.png|200px|thumb|left|A flustered merchant courier blushes under the gaze of the adventuring company in the front sitting room.]]
+''A flustered merchant courier blushes under the gaze of the adventuring company in the front sitting room.''
+"Well, they did say immediately," Dae remarked, weighing the gravity of the summons before them.
+"They're sending people for us," Lizette pointed out reasonably. "It's far better we go in ourselves than get dragged in."
+"Yes," came the dry agreement. "Preferably not by Guild security."
+The Guild representative scoffed at the notion. Guild security was hardly going to rough them up, not when they had Keshah in their company. Still, brute force was never the real issue. The true sting lay in the sheer embarrassment of it all—having their names paraded across the front pages of the *Seagate Times* for every scoundrel in the city to read. Having read the contents of the letter, confronting the matter head-on seemed the only dignified course.
+"Yes, we're going," Dae affirmed, checking for an address. While there was no street name written plainly, they knew they would have a contact within the Guild to track the man down once they arrived. The Guild representative confirmed the dispatch had travelled all the way from Edge of Bar. Since their path led there anyway, returning immediately made the most sense. They would have to slip in quietly under serendipity, contacting their liaisons discreetly through a known halfling inn or dropping a message off at a covert drop point without exposing secret lines. And, of course, they still had to see their primary mission through.
+"Let's get rid of this leather stuff first," Dae said.
+The Guild representative handed over the full dossier with an amused sigh. "This is what came in regarding your tricky compatriots. Please read it carefully so you understand what sort of trouble you're all in, especially since you are the party leader now."
+While sending an advance runner was briefly considered, fast travel meant they would outpace any conventional courier anyway. With only their nightly affairs and the pending leather delivery left to settle, they could be ready to depart within an hour or so, leaving just the short journey from outside the city walls into the gates.
+"There is a man waiting in the front sitting room," the representative noted. "Do you wish to speak with him?"
+"Yes, I'll do that right now. Come on, Lizette."
+Before heading in, Dae clarified the arrangement. While holding onto the title of trade representative remained an option, there was no need to stay tangled in the logistics. Dae could simply turn over the gathered contact lists, hand off the leather goods for them to ship, and pass the documentation along to let the merchant house handle the distribution.
+Waiting inside the front sitting room sat a young lad, twisting his hands nervously in his seat. Dae offered a polite greeting, asking if he was the courier sent for the leather.
+"Oh yes, yes, I've been waiting here," the boy replied with relief, confessing that his vigil had begun yesterday—or perhaps the day before, as the hours had completely blurred together.
+"I know the feeling; got the same problem," Dae sympathized, opening a notebook and tearing out several pages. "Here are some names and addresses—contact details of traders down in Edge of Bar who want leather. Some of them might already have orders attached to them."
+The lad accepted the sheets gratefully, though his gaze quickly drifted past Dae toward the companions, his brow furrowing with sudden curiosity. "Are... are you the healer?"
+"Uh, no, that's her," Dae corrected.
+Finding himself suddenly face to face with the stately figure, the lad looked Lizette up and down and instantly flushed bright red. Trying to cover his fluster, he stumbled over his words, asking whether what he was seeing was mere clothing or armor. Lizette explained calmly that she wore armor disguised beneath an illusion of everyday garments, explaining the soft drape over the rigid structure underneath.
+"It says it was important we know what it looks like as well," the lad mumbled, attempting to steady his composure before timidly bringing up a personal ailment: growing pains.
+"Growing pains?" Dae echoed, glancing over. Hearing about such mundane aches fell well outside Dae's rudimentary knowledge, having only just begun studying the healing arts.
+"That's why I was asking if you were the healer," the youth stammered, glancing between the armor and the gentle hands before him. Dae reminded him that between them, Dae was merely an apprentice.
+"Very good," the flustered young courier managed, ducking his head with an awkward smile. "Oh, I have a master as well. He's... well, he's not nearly as nice as you."
+==== Chapter 24: Growing Pains and Leather Guilds ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_07_Night_2_Growing_Pains_and_Leather_Guilds.png|200px|thumb|left|Lizette mends the young apprentice's growing pains before trade contacts are exchanged.]]
+''Lizette mends the young apprentice's growing pains before trade contacts are exchanged.''
+The young lad was content enough when they returned to him, confirming that the girls had kindly looked after him with oranges, biscuits, and sandwiches. The companions apologized for keeping him waiting, glad to see he had been properly tended to. Turning their attention to his condition, they wondered whether he was unwell. An empathetic check left some ambiguity as to whether he was underfed or overstressed, but the core issue soon became clear: the boy was simply enduring tremendous growing pains. At roughly thirteen years of age, he was shooting up so quickly that his bones seemed to lengthen faster than his flesh could adapt.
+Considering the best remedy, Lizette realized that rather than merely soothing his pain, a spell to heal his endurance would set him right in record time. When asked if he was amenable to having the ache relieved, the boy agreed and promptly began unbuttoning his shirt. Smiling, Lizette assured him that this was non-invasive magic—a gentle technique she had learned during her earliest training—and that there was no need to undress.
+As the healing magic washed through him, an audible chorus of snaps, crackles, and pops resonated from his joints as everything settled into place. The lad straightened his posture, seeming to gain two full inches on the spot. Grinning, he marveled at how much better he felt, declaring that he was bound to grow tall. He explained that his workshop fed the apprentices real food three times a day—a welcome luxury far superior to sandy bread or the notoriously fibrous C-class rations that Lynn the potion maker was always advocating.
+The boy elaborated that their supplies came through Arms Ferry, where lush pastures supported cattle runs providing abundant beef and quality hides for the leather workers, who maintained ties with the Sticks Trading Guild. Pleased to hear of the guild's success, the party noted that several merchants had shown interest in their leather wares and promised to return in a couple of months with further names. The lad conveyed his master's well-wishes and bowed respectfully. Returning the bow, the party handed over valuable freight and shipping contacts they had secured from sea captains while arranging their own passage, an offering the young courier gratefully received as extremely useful.
+==== Chapter 25: A Messenger's Reward and Lingering Portents ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_08_Night_2_A_Messengers_Reward_and_Lingering_Portents.png|200px|thumb|left|A generous tip for nine days of waiting, followed by talk of missing-persons notices and forgotten portents.]]
+''A generous tip for nine days of waiting, followed by talk of missing-persons notices and forgotten portents.''
+"Well, good luck on your mystery adventures," the young messenger said warmly.
+"Thank you very much. And again, sorry for keeping you waiting," Lizette replied, genuinely apologetic for the delay.
+"Oh, that's all right. I've been up here every day for the last nine days," the boy said with an earnest smile. "It's been a pleasure to finally meet you."
+"Sorry we kept you waiting so long," she repeated as they spoke.
+"Oh, it's fine! It's much better than moving crates back home, and they feed me lunch here. It's so nice."
+"Working in a cannery—or a tannery—can be quite hard as well," remarked Keshah.
+"Oh yeah," the boy agreed. "Do you know what they used to treat leather with?"
+"Mhm, yes," Keshah said, nodding knowingly. "I thought you would. It's certainly better than some meals, standing easily down by the water discharge."
+"Make sure you eat properly. Get lean meat," Lizette told him, drawing out a generous pouch and pressing fifty silver pennies into his hands.
+He stared down at the coins, eyes wide and bewildered. "Okay... that is very good of you, mistress. What... what does this oblige me to do?"
+"Nothing," Lizette assured him gently. "Nothing at all. You've already done what you were supposed to do."
+"It's for the time you spent waiting for us," Keshah explained. "A compensation thereof."
+"Oh, I see! Thank you, that is very generous of you," the lad beamed, clutching his unexpected fortune. "I will be leaving now."
+"Yes, we should get going too," Lizette said. "We actually have to leave today, not tonight."
+Before slipping out, the apprentice paused. "Oh, there are some people looking for you. They were from the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency. I happen to know someone in it."
+"Who were they looking for, exactly?" Lizette asked.
+"All of you. They said somebody reported that you were missing. I can send them a message."
+"Yes, thank you, we're going to sort that out," Lizette told him.
+"Can we go?" someone prompted as they stood in the middle of the C Gate.
+As the boy skipped off, the Guild clerk gave a dry whistle. "Well, that went very well. Though paying our guests a month's wages in one hit—for a young apprentice like that, it'll probably just earn him beatings when he gets home."
+"Only if he doesn't give his cut to the master," Keshah countered.
+"Maybe he won't talk about it," Lizette suggested.
+"Well, it's also goodwill between the Guild and the populace," the attendant mused with a shrug. "And according to the accountants, goodwill is an asset. An intangible asset, but an asset nonetheless."
+Lizette shifted her stance, remembering an outstanding obligation. "We need to find an astrologer."
+"What do we need an astrologer for?" the clerk asked.
+"Lizette was advised to get an astrology reading," Keshah said. "We really shouldn't wait now."
+"Indeed," the clerk sighed, rifling through notes. "We've received 'be on the lookout' notices from the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency looking for you three, as well as messages from your employer alerting us to your unexplained disappearance. Is there anyone else I need to send messages to?"
+"Is there a reward for us?" Keshah asked.
+"Not yet. Give it a few more weeks, and your employer will probably be looking to hire a new party to compose your replacements."
+"We have been traveling the whole day," Keshah explained, "and there is a potential shadow lurking above that would be much better to deal with tonight."
+"And get this down there in an hour," Dae added firmly.
+"As you wish. I'll go down to the whereabouts of my contact at the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency, or see if I have to fly down to the bottom bay," the attendant offered. "I can do that while you handle the astrology reading."
+"We can get the astrology reading sorted if an astrologist can get down there," Keshah noted. "I feel better having it done here where people know the right level of skill."
+"Yeah, we'll help you with that," Lizette agreed.
+"While you're doing that, I'll head down to the hobbit agency," the clerk confirmed.
+Keshah scratched his chin, thinking back. "I will try and remember the exact details about the reference. Lizette was warned that she needed an astrology reading, but I can't personally remember the exact reasons."
+"I have a perfect memory," Dae spoke up. "It was back in Slippery Rock, from the lady at the general store."
+"Did she give any hint as to what it was about?" Keshah asked, trying to piece together the prophecy before they stepped beneath the stars.
+==== Chapter 26: Omens in the Hide ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_09_Night_2_Omens_in_the_Hide.png|200px|thumb|left|A prophetic reading from the llama-hide codex reveals strange and unsettling omens for Lizette's future.]]
+''A prophetic reading from the llama-hide codex reveals strange and unsettling omens for Lizette's future.''
+A lingering unease settled over the companions. "I have a feeling we're on it," someone murmured, though memories grew hazy. "I don't remember." Yet the foreboding persisted—a pressing deadline that something dreadful or momentous was about to happen to Lizette, even if none could recall the exact terms.
+"If you want, I'll do an astrology reading for Lizette about important impending events," offered Keshah. Lizette wondered aloud how late into the night it would need to be, but the inquiry turned out to be unnecessary. Puzzled by the notion of waiting for a late hour, Keshah glanced upward to gauge the skies, asking what the weather was like and whether the heavens were clear.
+Practical debts briefly derailed the divinations. "So we didn't give the leather back," Lizette realized. A brief, muddled debate flared—some thinking they had returned the hides, others correcting them until the cold truth settled: no, they had not, prompting a muttered "Crap." Keshah insisted it simply meant continuing their good work, while Aurora volunteered to deliver the leather herself. If worse came to worst, Lizette reasoned, they could pay for the leather outright. Keshah and Aurora firmly dismissed that idea; it was merely an administrative matter of arranging to return it to the rightful dealers.
+Aurora initially thought the leatherworkers were based in Seagate, but Lizette reminded her they were in Arms Ferry, recalling their earlier mention. Aurora checked a mental map, mistaking a southerly point for their destination before Keshah corrected her—Arms Ferry lay up north, right beside the river. Aurora calculated the flight: a half-hour to an hour's journey on the wing, well within her capabilities. Lizette warned they would have to recast spells to sustain the journey, but Aurora pointed out that flying solo with her leather wings required no recasting at all. Lizette remained wary of sending her alone, recalling the sinister letters and whatever instructions had been given to haul her back.
+Pushing the errand aside, Keshah brought forth a prophetic codex fashioned of finely tanned llama hide, adorned with intricate hieroglyphs and pentagraphs. With clear intent to divine the looming perils facing Lizette, the codex was consulted. Amid discussions of whether someone should accompany Aurora if she ventured near the detective agency after leaving the guild by herself, the prophecy unveiled its cryptic verses.
+The general outline took shape: Aurora and the night lights would lead Lizette to foreign shores, culminating in an unnatural, immaculate conception that would unleash unforeseen developments over a full year of service. Shaken by the omen, Lizette pressed for more exact details. The vision revealed that the strange conception somehow intertwined with ending the bloodline of a Seagate adventurer.
+"Child, were you born under the calamity of a death star?" Keshah asked solemnly. When Lizette doubted it, the talk turned pointedly to bloodlines. Lizette eyed Keshah askance, wondering aloud why talk of blood magic brought the warrior to mind. "I haven't been considered a blood mage for years now, thank you—years," came the defensive retort.
+As for the riddle of the "night lights," the companions pondered whether it referred to the celestial crowns, noting that the stars of the firmament were indeed night lights. Seeking further clarity on the omens cast from the little bones and the llama hide, they sought the location of this unnatural event. The codex answered in riddles: it would transpire "under the chorus guide of crashing waves of life." Aurora wondered whether it signified the chasm out in the desert, but desert sands were hardly known as chorus gates of living tide. Still, salt water surged within that sunken opening—and seawater, after all, was life itself.
+==== Chapter 27: A Stone-Cold Surrender ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_10_Night_2_A_Stone-Cold_Surrender.png|200px|thumb|left|Negotiations take an unexpected turn at the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency after Aurora is petrified on the spot.]]
+''Negotiations take an unexpected turn at the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency after Aurora is petrified on the spot.''
+Before turning to other affairs, a question arose regarding the impending future: was the foreseen event a good thing or a bad thing for Lady Lizette Summers in general terms? The answer came back reassuringly—it was a good thing for Lizette. There it was, then; it was her event and her future, so there was no need to avoid it. Lizette mused that she had previously considered having her ovaries removed—after all, she could always regrow them later—but if the event was supposed to be a blessing, that drastic step seemed unnecessary. A companion pointed out that whatever might already be growing might not be ovaries at all, though that had not come to pass yet. A guild representative chimed in, noting she was not the only one capable of regrowing ovaries. Miracles did happen, and someone suggested that removing them first would certainly make any regrowth appear all the more miraculous; one might as well go for the whole home and take the womb too. Still, Lizette sought reassurance that it was genuinely supposed to be good for her. It was certainly an improvement over prior reports that she had been indisposed with dark afflictions—infested, even. Perhaps the turning tide was related to that, sounding far better than last time, even if no one could say for certain what was at work. Without two trusted allies at hand to help, real trouble might have loomed, especially given that Keshah was a guild member in good standing.
+With that matter settled, attention turned to Aurora. An hour's journey lay ahead. Dae and Aurora decided to take a trip into town, prompting Lizette to ask where they were heading. Their destination was the Number One Hobbit Detective Agency. While one could fly or walk in Seagate, carriage travel was customary for such an errand. They hired a carriage and rode through the bustling thoroughfares of Seagate, passing street vendors selling piping-hot potatoes and locals loudly bickering over spicy sauces. Eventually, they pulled up outside the front door of the agency, and the doorbell gave a cheerful chime as they entered.
+A small hobbit woman stood up from behind the wooden counter. Aurora, driven by curiosity, offered a tentative greeting, only to tense as the hobbit recognized her with a sharp, "Hello, Aurora. How are you?"
+"Hi," Aurora replied plainly. "I've just come to turn myself in."
+Noting the active inquiry on her, the hobbit woman didn't hesitate: "Well, then don't resist. Stand there." She reached over to a long box, retrieved a wand, and leveled it with a swift *zap*. Aurora offered no resistance, and the magical charge took hold instantly. The wand pivoted as the investigator turned her gaze toward Dae; where Aurora had stood, there was now only solid stone.
+Dae inquired why on earth she had petrified an adventurer like Aurora. The hobbit explained matter-of-factly that Aurora was wanted and carried a reward. Dae muttered that they should have gone for the boundary instead, then asked whether the bounty was for Aurora herself or merely for information leading to her. The hobbit answered that it was for both, moving methodically between storage boxes before demanding Dae's identity. Dae initially offered the alias Kesha Cleary, remarking that names were powerful things, but when pressed to cut to the chase, gave the true name: Dae. The hobbit relaxed slightly, glad not to be dealing with the actual Keshah, remarking that several folks refused to bring in women.
+When asked if Dae was freelancing as some kind of bounty hunter, Dae claimed the original plan had been to escort Aurora to a bar before ending up here. The hobbit sternly warned that no one was cutting in on her claim: Aurora had surrendered of her own free will, which amounted to an open-and-shut confession, and there was a full five grand on the line—five thousand silvers. Dae countered that having physically brought Aurora inside warranted a cut of the prize. Dismissively, the hobbit flicked a single silver coin across the counter, telling the scallywag to take it and get out.
+Two other short hobbits suddenly scurried out from beneath the counter, low enough that they did not even need to lift the swinging flap. Dae warned them that they seemed awfully eager to make enemies of the Adventurers of Seagate. The hobbits asked if there was money in that proposition, to which Dae retorted that there was only profit for those aiming to ruin themselves against the guild. Perplexed, the hobbits asked what this talk of enemies was about, insisting they were Seagate locals themselves. Dae pointed out that Aurora was an adventurer in good standing who had simply arrived to clear things up, only to be subjected to what amounted to a blatant kidnapping.
+The hobbits defended their actions, arguing they had merely secured someone wandering about who might not have been in her right mind, adding that it was fortunate they hadn't used the wand's alternative setting, which would have left a bloody mess—and a political catastrophe to boot. The younger hobbit folded his arms while the elder considered Dae's words. Five thousand silvers was an enormous sum, and Dae asked who was actually putting up that kind of coin. The hobbit explained that it came from someone connected to a door company—a maple door or barn door outfit—out in Adjepbar, seeking an employee who had gone missing.
+Dae confirmed that Aurora was indeed meant to return to Adjepbar through the portals the very next day. Hearing this, the hobbits realized that handing her over to Dae would spare them a grueling month-long journey each way. They agreed to write out a note acknowledging the resolution, but turned back to the division of the purse. Dae magnanimously acknowledged that the hobbits had put in the hard work of securing the contract, but proposed a clean fifty-fifty split for handling the swift delivery.
+==== Chapter 28: Bounties, Pastries, and Town Guards ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_11_Night_2_Bounties_Pastries_and_Town_Guards.png|200px|thumb|left|Susie Sweetfoot and Dae face off with the Seagate town guards while Aurora shares pastries from her seemingly bottomless satchel.]]
+''Susie Sweetfoot and Dae face off with the Seagate town guards while Aurora shares pastries from her seemingly bottomless satchel.''
+Negotiations intensified as Dae pressed the advantage. 'Hold it, hold it a second,' he urged. 'If you can bring in Keshah, we'll give you fifty percent on both of them. Otherwise, we've got the soft one.' Aurora piped up from the haze, countered with sixty percent, and offered to bring Lady Lizette Summers into the arrangement as well. The halflings quickly huddled together, murmuring amongst themselves before turning back. They agreed to sixty-forty, though they immediately scrambled over who claimed the sixty percent. Dae reminded them of all the lucrative work they could accomplish during the full month they would not spend traveling on the road. The halflings conceded the point; after all, time was money and money was time. When they asked whether Dae wanted their representative to accompany him—to hand over the targets, secure the payout, split the cut, and ensure she returned in one piece without dying—Dae insisted on drafting a formal agreement ensuring payment upon return once confirmation came from the client, alongside letters of introduction. The halflings agreed to send one of their own along with him. With another sudden zap, Aurora snapped fully back to consciousness to find Dae warmly shaking hands with a hobbit, while two additional halflings stood in the room. Bewildered, Aurora asked what had just transpired. The halflings chuckled that Dae was a fierce negotiator, while Dae assured her that everything was now settled and everyone was fine. Shaking off the lingering shock, Aurora began rummaging through her adventuring bag, asking where she had stashed her pastries. Reaching inside, she started hauling them out one by one—counting past five, six, seven, eight, and nine. Astounded, the halflings asked where one could possibly purchase a magnificent bag that spat out endless baked goods. Aurora explained she had bought the bag in Ganger's Hope and had simply packed an enormous stock into it herself. As the count reached thirteen, the halflings called for a halt lest they all grow fat, though Aurora reminded them she knew full well how much halflings could eat, possessing over one hundred and fifty pastries—perhaps over two hundred—that she intended to share. The halflings formally introduced Susie Sweetfoot, explaining that she would accompany Dae and Aurora to Adjepbar over the coming days to make introductions with a mutual acquaintance and collect the hefty bounty to split with Dae. Susie eagerly accepted another pastry, beaming up at Aurora, but cheekily wondered aloud what they would possibly eat on the second day of the two-day trek. Aurora blinked in disbelief, joking that she herself had often been called a hobbit in an elf's body, while Dae quietly assessed whether the halfling companion was cute. Handed a note confirming the arrangement, they stepped out onto the street only to be confronted by three Seagate Town Guardsmen. Aurora offered her customary friendly wave, but the guards immediately recognized her from their all-points bulletin as a wanted, high-demand fugitive. When Dae stated he was personally delivering her, Susie Sweetfoot darted forward, aggressively telling the guardsmen to press off and fiercely disputing who had rightful claim to Aurora. Dae calmly cited the documented chain of control and valuable property rights, politely bid the guards a good day, and ushered Aurora away while the guards and halflings bickered furiously and trooped into the shop. Remarking that the squabbling was worse than the Western Kingdom's Accord, Aurora urged Dae to hurry back before guild security caught wind and demanded a cut. Reaching the carriage station, they found a wagon laden with guild supplies—heaped with ten dead pigs and a large board on the back—ready for transport.
+==== Chapter 29: Bounties and Best Intentions ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_12_Night_2_Bounties_and_Best_Intentions.png|200px|thumb|left|The party consults guild officials about collecting their own rescue bounty while Sweet Foot offers unexpected fashion commentary.]]
+''The party consults guild officials about collecting their own rescue bounty while Sweet Foot offers unexpected fashion commentary.''
+The storage bins were packed nearly to the brim. With the loading finished, ten pigs were secured—a haul that was bound to keep Micks happy for at least a week. Hauling the livestock, they made the journey up toward the guild in record time.
+Along the road, signs of trouble lingered: a few dead pigs lay discarded, and nearby stood an encampment of tents pitched across the thoroughfare. A heated argument had broken out, with a crowd of onlookers watching a woman dispute fiercely with a man—the Northerners who had been walked back. Passing the confrontation, the wagon rolled into the guild yard, and everyone jumped down.
+Lady Lizette Summers and Keshah came wandering over to meet them.
+"You sort it all out?" came the question.
+"Sort it all out," Keshah echoed.
+"Yes, sort of," Dae replied.
+A halfling woman piped up, glancing around to ask where the hobbit was before fixing her attention on Keshah. "I'm Sweet Foot," she announced cheerfully. "You must be Kesha. Oh, I've got a running bet on you. I think that no one's going to bring you in. I'm going to get rich."
+"No, I don't want to be booted," Keshah muttered, before checking back with Dae. "So it's all sorted, is it?"
+"Um, sort of," Dae hedged aloud, while Sweet Foot chirped that it was indeed all settled.
+Dae immediately wove a *Mind Speech* spell to link the four of them silently. Catching the mental tether, Keshah fell quiet. Over the telepathic link, Dae explained the real situation: there was an active bounty on bringing them into Adjepbar, and they could collect sixty percent of the payout simply by turning themselves in before any more complications cropped up.
+Keshah questioned whether they were merely supporting Dae in this scheme, while a note of caution was raised about guild regulations forbidding adventurers from profiting off selling their own party members. Dae countered that it wasn't selling anyone out, though consulting a guild representative first seemed prudent.
+"Is there a guild rep here?" Keshah asked aloud.
+A guild representative stepped forward. "What about?"
+"Apparently there's a bounty on a couple of us," Keshah said.
+"Well, yes, of course we did warn you all then," the representative answered smoothly.
+Keshah inquired if there would be any infraction of the rules if Dae collected the bounty.
+"As far as I can tell, no, no—that's quite a sensible idea, really," the representative replied. Since an outside bounty hunter might deliver them to imprisonment, they could simply claim they had rescued their companions and return them directly to their employer.
+Keshah remained uneasy. "I feel we may be on the hook for the amount paid as bounty, something along those lines. Probably going to rip it out of our—"
+"If you've read the letter, he's speaking in sadness," the representative explained. "He thinks that terrible things have happened, and he's offering a reward to get you guys back."
+"Terrible things *did* happen—it took you to Lizette," Keshah said with a sigh. "But it doesn't feel morally right to get him to pay for us."
+"He'd probably just take it out of our payment," Dae pointed out.
+"Look, if anyone gets nasty about it, I'll just donate the whole lot to charity," Keshah said. "Or we pay him back out of our earnings. I've got no problem with that."
+"We can always just front up and pay for the reward ourselves," Dae agreed.
+The guild official squinted at them suspiciously. "Are you guys using funny mind magic? You're all looking really hard at each other."
+"No," Keshah and Dae chorused instinctively.
+Dae winced and quickly corrected himself. "Also, yes. Because I've got a rune-proof on it—I can't lie."
+"Oh, it is true," the representative acknowledged with an amused nod.
+Sweet Foot chimed back in, appraising Keshah with an admiring grin. "Kesha, you're very pretty for a tall person. Really quite pronounced breasts."
+"Yes, the breasts," Dae agreed dryly.
+Keshah tugged self-consciously at her attire. "Yeah, I'm thinking maybe this wasn't quite the right outfit to use."
+"That's a glorious outfit," Sweet Foot insisted.
+"Not really sort of street wear," Dae murmured, "but never mind."
+==== Chapter 30: Through the Portal to Adjepbar ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_13_Night_2_Through_the_Portal_to_Adjepbar.png|200px|thumb|left|The party arrives at the bustling gates of Adjepbar just as the guard commander steps forward to interrogate them.]]
+''The party arrives at the bustling gates of Adjepbar just as the guard commander steps forward to interrogate them.''
-"—a special storage thing?" someone chimed in.
+A casual debate over attire lingered in the air—depending on which street one was walking, of course, though it was quickly agreed that certain styles leaned far more toward indoor boudoir wear than proper street clothes.
-"What? Somebody's portable hole?" Aurora asked. "Yeah, somebody put them in there, yeah."
+Taking advantage of the lull, Aurora glanced over at Dae with a grin. "So how does it feel, Dae? To be pulling all these babes like this? You being such a big upstanding elf and all, in the shadow of Keshah. And these two being drop-dead gorgeous... and then there's you and me."
-"But remember, it's full, two—" Lizette started.
+"Hey, I think you're drop-dead gorgeous for a halfling," came the cheerful reply.
-"—hundred, no, not anymore, it's not," another corrected. "All the chests are gone?"
+"No, I'm half your height, honey."
-"I've got space, I've got room in my bag of holding," an adventurer offered.
+"So? I'm not a part-height."
-"Yeah, we'll find something. Bag of holding. Yeah. Okay. Yep."
+"A what?"
-With storage sorted, they set about packing up the provisions, Keshah helping load buns into the extradimensional space tray after tray.
+"A part-height!"
-"Well, that was proper," someone remarked warmly, while another mused that perhaps they ought to have picked some flowers. Behind them, the shop's open sign was flipped to closed—or jokingly the other way around—having sold their entire stock and then some. Still, it was undeniably good to be back. With their business concluded, they headed out of town and down the road.
+Rolling her eyes, Aurora steered the conversation back on track. "So, when are we going?"
-Thirty minutes later, the walk brought them to Dae's front yard. Resting right in the front yard was a startling sight: a small statue of Dae.
+"Half an hour," Dae answered. "In half an hour, we'll move to the portal room."
+"We need six more," Aurora declared, eyeing the supplies. Without missing a beat, six more pastries were produced and handed over. Aurora set about polishing them off in rapid succession, practically slurping them down one after the other. "Oh, you can have one if you want."
+"We're going to need to exercise her," Dae remarked dryly, "otherwise she's going to become a very fat little hobbit."
+"I'm not sure I've ever seen another hobbit put it away like that. Not even—oh, what's—no, I've forgotten the name now."
+Aurora smirked. "You are half-height. You've forgotten the name, you're half-height."
+"I know lots of names!"
+"Oh yeah, you know all the best names, such as Shorty, Short Stuff, Stumpy..."
+"Why would I want to call a hobbit those? Besides, isn't a dwarf usually known as Stumpy?"
+"Oh yeah," Aurora conceded breezily, "but some people, you know, elves and stuff, they often get confused."
+Preparing the portal was no simple task; it took two hours of effort to get the magic to function. Naturally, that called for another six buns. Dae offered a reminder to speak up whenever fatigue threatened to set in. Looking at the fresh treats, someone marvelled, "Are those really real?"
+"I got them in Ganger's Hope," came the proud confirmation.
+Before stepping into the swirling aperture, personal protective enchantments were raised with a fortified self. It took another hour to finish the magic and step through, making it three full hours in total to emerge outside the government of Adjepbar. Everyone ate a pair of buns, and rank-four restoratives were passed around to ward off the magical toll.
+Still, the sudden transit took its toll. "How did you make the world change like that? Why do I feel so ghastly?"
+"Our rune magic," Dae explained. "We just teleported five hundred miles."
+"Drink this and you might feel better."
+Someone stepped aside, threw up a bit, and returned, groaning. "I feel as if I've been trampled by a bull."
+"Yeah," Dae sympathized. "It used to be better magic, but then the world changed and it got a bit harsher."
+"Didn't they teach you about bedside manners?" came the grumble, cushioned by yet another cream bun.
+Outside Adjepbar, it was roughly eight o'clock at night. In the early spring dusk, the light was fading fast. Below them, a rock shelf fell away beside one of the main roads that cut through the open wastelands and broken ground surrounding the formidable city walls. Fortunately, the city gates remained wide open.
+"We should head there quickly," Dae urged.
+Crowding the gateway was an enormous herd of goats being driven inward through the portal archway. When asked if the herd was moving in or out, Dae pointed out that goats rarely exit a city. That sparked a brief query over whether the beasts were simple food supplies or connected to the goat cult, though it was quickly clarified that these were very much alive, whereas the cult notoriously favoured dead goats.
+"Okay, we have to go to the palace fairly soon," someone noted. "Pretty soon, or they're going to send people for us. They'll want to know when you turn up."
+"Maybe we'd better deal with our accommodation first," Aurora suggested. "Let's see if Lady Alba's place is available."
+As the group approached the gate, a flurry of activity erupted among the guards. Men were frantically brushing down their tunics, straightening their gear, and jamming helmets onto their heads while a stout dwarf barked orders at them. The dwarven guard commander turned on his heel and stomped straight over to the newcomers.
+"Hello, ma'am," he began awkwardly. "You're not a goat herder?"
+"No..."
+Catching himself, the dwarf cleared his throat. "I'm a guard. How about we try this again: Hello, ma'am. You're not a goat herder?"
+Before Aurora could answer, Dae stepped forward smoothly. "Allow me to introduce Aurora—hero of Adjepbar!"
+Aurora flinched and hissed back, "I'm not a hero of Adjepbar, you guys!"
+==== Chapter 31: Audience at the Palace ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_14_Night_2_Audience_at_the_Palace.png|200px|thumb|left|Hobbit courtiers at the palace receive the party, settling bounties and offering courtly reprimands.]]
+''Hobbit courtiers at the palace receive the party, settling bounties and offering courtly reprimands.''
+The guard squinted, taking in the group and realizing just who was approaching. Aurora was quick to point out that two of their number were celebrated heroes of Adjepbar, offering to introduce them properly. The guard took notice of Lady Lizette Summers, his eyes wandering unreservedly toward her exposed midriff and bodice as he tried, with no subtlety whatsoever, to evaluate her attire. Lizette admitted to her companions that it was a fine dress, though Aurora noted it was hardly practical streetwear—especially around these parts. While Lizette remarked that one might see similar gowns at court, the guard made it clear they were nowhere near court.
+Informing Lizette that she and her revealing ensemble were coming along since she was wanted, the guard stepped in to escort them. When they confirmed that being brought in was precisely why they were there, the guard seemed pleased. Aurora explained that Dae was turning them in, separating the lost lambs as it were, and the guard readily agreed that they should proceed to the palace at once. Though Lizette voiced quiet reservations about whether this scheme was entirely sound, they were led on their way.
+At the palace, a handful of guards stood watch who were not dwarves, while half a dozen remarkably well-dressed hobbits—draped in pearls, gems, and fine courtier finery—descended the stairs. One of the courtiers recognized Dae with warm familiarity, greeting him and remarking that it had been perhaps two years since their last meeting. Gesturing to the entrance, the courtier pointed out that the doors had been rebuilt and were back on their hinges, asking about the incident where someone had been hurled through the wall. Aurora recalled the jinn that had smashed its way in. Greeted politely, the young hobbit who accompanied the party looked on in absolute awe as the courtiers promptly turned their attention to her, speaking in a rapid flurry of hobbit-ese that Aurora only partially understood.
+When the chamberlain indicated that formal custody would not be necessary and assured them that no one should be out of pocket—promising to cover the sixty percent—Aurora tried to interject to explain their side to whoever had sought them. The courtiers paused, firmly requesting silence while the hobbits were speaking, before resuming in their mother tongue. Once satisfied that expenses were accounted for, the chamberlain clapped hands, summoned attendants to draw the necessary funds, and inquired about the bounty owed to the companion. Dae clarified that he owed her nothing. Acknowledging that the party had rescued and brought them back, the officials declared it excellent work, delivering two large sacks of coin: a smaller one for her and a larger sack containing six thousand for Dae, who spat on his hand and sealed the agreement with a handshake. Before concluding the business, she awkwardly conveyed her superior's request to know if they could banish her; upon hearing the affirmative, she gave her thanks.
+With business settled, the party was told they were free to enjoy the city, and Dae expressed his gratitude for the court’s hospitality, with the courtiers reassuring him that he was ever welcome at the palace. Before they could withdraw, however, Lizette was directed onto her knees as an attendant brought out a cushion. Kneeling down to hear what was required, she listened as the courtier patted her knee and chided her gently. The guards had reported her manner of dress, and the court had not forgotten a previous incident involving consorting with undesirables. Though Lizette defended the past incident as magic, the courtier noted dryly that their magic seemed to attract magic, questioning her current presentation. Accepting the critique, Lizette promised to change. When asked where they intended to stay, Lady Alba’s residence was mentioned, and the courtier assured them there would be ample room. Lizette confirmed that this appearance satisfied the requirement for visiting heroes to report to the palace. With business concluded and the hour advancing toward the ruler house, the companions prepared to take their leave.
+==== Chapter 32: A Misguided Rescue ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_15_Night_2_A_Misguided_Rescue.png|200px|thumb|left|A well-intentioned ambush goes awry in the Blue District as rat-men attempt to 'rescue' the party from their own guards.]]
+''A well-intentioned ambush goes awry in the Blue District as rat-men attempt to 'rescue' the party from their own guards.''
+By nine o'clock in the evening, dusk was settling fast over the city, and the companions agreed it was time to head back to the inn before darkness overtook the streets. The halfling authorities arranged for a contingent of guards to escort them safely on their way. Walking alongside the company, Lizette leaned toward Keshah and whispered in hushed Elvish, admitting she felt like a chastised child told to keep quiet while the adults were speaking. Keshah reminded her that halflings held absolute authority here as the nobility and ruling elite—a reality Lizette ruefully admitted she had momentarily forgotten.
+To their surprise, the captain of the escort piped up in flawless, elegant Elvish, assuring her with a polite chuckle that she would be forgiven. When Lizette asked in shock if he understood the language, the captain proudly declared himself a cunning linguist who knew many tongues. He then noted that a reward had been posted for their tutor, who had been implicated in their mysterious disappearance and brought in for questioning several weeks prior. In fact, the poor scholar was still being held in custody. Alarmed by how much confusion their absence had caused, Lizette and Aurora urged that he be released so their lessons could continue, noting he had done no harm. Lizette checked with Dae, who agreed that securing the tutor's immediate release was more than acceptable.
+As the company made their way outside the Citadel toward the inn, casual chatter filled the evening air. The conversation drifted from cultist tales of fabled fallen lands and lost cities to constellations. Lizette mused over the Seven Sisters—a stellar cluster that marked the start of the new year in distant Pacifica, recalling the beaches she had visited there, from pale white coral sand to the dark volcanic sands found further south.
+Soon their path led into the distinctive Blue District, where rows of buildings were painted in vibrant azure, their second stories sculpted with unusual shell-shaped reliefs. The tranquil stroll shattered when Keshah suddenly called out a warning of immediate danger. Scanning the shadows, they caught sight of a small rat-man hurling a glass bottle straight into the escort. The vial shattered on the paving stones, bursting into a cloud of pungent green vapor.
+"Gas grenade!" came the urgent cry. Though Lizette noted the mist would not linger long, three-quarters of the guards were instantly overcome, staggering to their knees before collapsing unconscious into the street. The companions drew their weapons and prepared for battle as half a dozen tall rat-men armed with belts, small bucklers, and curved falchions advanced out of an alleyway.
+Stepping forward, their leader addressed the party in rough, broken Elvish: "Make a run for it! We have freed you from these foul guards. Our debt to you is paid!"
+Stunned by the misunderstanding, the companions quickly set them straight. "They're our guards! Our escorts!" they called out, explaining that they were entirely friendly with the palace. Realizing their disastrous blunder, the rat-men froze in mortified panic. When Lizette urged them to make a run for it themselves, the creatures wasted no time and promptly scarpered into the alleys.
+==== Chapter 33: A Concussed Escort ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_16_Night_2_A_Concussed_Escort.png|200px|thumb|left|The party revives the concussed guardsman following the knockout gas incident.]]
+''The party revives the concussed guardsman following the knockout gas incident.''
+A sudden gust swept through the street as the lingering green vapor was blown away, clearing the air. Lady Lizette Summers, having briefly dropped to her knees under the haze, rose swiftly back to her feet and immediately moved to inspect the fallen guards.
+While her companion peered at the stricken patrol with mystical visions to discern the extent of the vapor's effect—noting aloud that knockout gas was rarely ever green—Lizette channeled her magic to cure the poison coursing through them. Within a couple of minutes, and with the hurried assistance of a few passing townsfolk, the guards began to stir. They sat up in bewildered surprise, blinking through the remnants of the mist. All but one managed to stagger upright; a lone soldier remained sprawled on the ground, having struck his head and neck hard against the pavement in his fall.
+Seeing him inert, Lizette's companion prepared a deeper diagnostic effort, remarking that the guard would likely need time to recover. Before they could fret further, the captain of the watch brushed dust from his tabard and cleared his throat with official gravity.
+"We're not entirely sure what that was," the captain announced, sounding as though he were reciting a standard report rather than truly claiming credit, "but it appears you were attacked. Just as well we were here to protect you."
+"Right, well... it sorted out the problem," Lizette replied politely, humoring his bravado. "I'm sure it won't happen again."
+"Indeed. Let us get you to your inn before things get entirely out of hand," the captain offered, to which the party readily agreed.
+First, however, there was the matter of the soldier still on the cobblestones. Though his comrades propped him up, he remained semi-conscious, giddy, and unsteady on his feet from a severe concussion. Determining that a restoration of endurance was needed, Lizette worked her healing art to mend the head injury.
+Her companion leaned in to test the guard's recovering senses, holding up a hand. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
+"Twelve," the guard muttered groggily.
+"Okay. You just lie there for a little bit."
+"Why don't you lean down?" the soldier slurred, peering up with squinted eyes. "If you kiss me on all the cheeks, then I will be cured."
+Lizette chuckled at the bold bedside request. "A new healing method! Go for it, Lizette," her companion teased, before Lizette pointed out that the soldier had been staring straight at the companion when he made his plea. The guard weakly confirmed he was speaking to the one who had asked about his fingers.
+Her companion hastily cast a sleeping spell to shut the man's advances down, prompting an exasperated look from Lizette. "Why are you knocking him out again? Now we'll have to carry him! He's a human in full armor and he's heavy—just kiss him and make him happy!"
+The rest of the patrol pointedly turned their faces to examine the architecture down the street, pretending not to hear a word.
+As they steadied the soldier, the banter drifted to the potent aura of physical beauty Lizette had been projecting. Her companion joked that keeping such an overwhelming presence active might actually do a favor by distracting Ernest whenever he caught up, but Lizette insisted she would have to tone it down if they were to walk the city streets safely. The two traded dry suggestions for disguises—ranging from foot plates and chainmail to slipping an ankle-length sack over her head with eyeholes cut out—before wondering aloud whether any local desert customs or modest veils might serve the same purpose without looking quite so ridiculous.
+==== Chapter 34: Return to the Courtyard ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_17_Night_2_Return_to_the_Courtyard.png|200px|thumb|left|The warm, mosaic-tiled courtyard of the inn welcomes the adventurers back from the night's troubles.]]
+''The warm, mosaic-tiled courtyard of the inn welcomes the adventurers back from the night's troubles.''
+The party finally arrived back at their inn after the long night's ordeal. Turning to their guard escort, Dae offered their gratitude, but Ernest shook his head, insisting that the guards should be thanking them instead. Ernest apologized for how things had turned out, adding that they had felt far safer having the companions around. Dae smoothly reassured him that not another word needed to be said—as far as anyone was concerned, nothing had happened tonight. Ernest gratefully took his leave, thanking Dae in return.
+Before the escort departed, Keshah checked on the guard who had suffered a concussion. The man remained mildly concussed and pleasantly charmed, still glowing from affectionate kisses on his cheeks. A touch of healing mended the head injury, leaving him alert and well. After Keshah thanked the human guard, Rutherford, for his service, the guards took their leave.
+Stepping inside, the party was greeted by Miriam, who was thoroughly delighted to see them return. She rushed over and threw her arms around Keshah in a tight hug, catching a mild electric zap in the process. The lively innkeeper, a well-presented woman in her late thirties wearing an apron dusted with flour, was flanked by household staff and her two teenage children—a daughter of sixteen or seventeen and a twelve-year-old son. The three of them clucked and fussed over the arrivals in the spacious entryway.
+The house opened up grandly around them, rising an entire floor on both sides with balconies overlooking an interior mosaic courtyard complete with long dining tables, a fountain at its center, and mechanical birds roosting in the courtyard trees. As the hosts chattered rapidly in their halting Common, Keshah worked to follow along and make proper introductions. When Miriam asked whether the accompanying elf was Keshah's husband, the notion was quickly dispelled; he was simply a companion of their adventuring party. Dae quipped that he might be as ugly as a human, but he remained an elf, to which Miriam warmly replied that elves and humans lived together in harmony throughout their city.
+The companions inquired whether there had been any further incidents at the bathhouse—specifically whether anyone had heard sirens singing after their sudden departure following the necromantic cultist affair in the basement. Miriam assured them that no singing or further troubles had arisen.
+With the visiting dwarves having vacated, Miriam led them across to the premier quarters on the opposite side of the building: a grand common hall framed by large mosaic windows, flanked by four private chambers. Miriam bid them rest, wash up, and come downstairs whenever they were ready for supper and dessert.
+Left to their privacy, the companions retreated into their rooms to change their clothes and tidy themselves up. Once settled, they brought out the heavy bag earned as their reward for bringing everyone back safely. Untying the pouch revealed several pounds of coin—a generous heap of silver, glints of gold flakes, and copper—ready to be tallied and divided four ways.
+==== Chapter 35: Eyes in the Service Cupboard ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_18_Night_2_Eyes_in_the_Service_Cupboard.png|200px|thumb|left|Mace brings warning of mechanical spies hidden in the inn's service cupboard.]]
+''Mace brings warning of mechanical spies hidden in the inn's service cupboard.''
+A persistent scratching sounded at the door, soft wood rasping under determined claws. Keshah gave a wry grimace, realizing aloud that she had intended to fetch Mace on the way up and forgotten, though the omission hardly mattered. Another brisk *scratch, scratch, scratch* followed until someone cracked the door open.
+In sauntered Mace. The large, fluffy cat entered with imperial poise, taking in the room with an aloof sweep of her whiskers before deigning to acknowledge its occupants. Fluttering her eyelids, she raised her head, gave the air a deliberate sniff, and headed straight for Aurora’s quarters, pushing the door until it swung completely wide.
+Inside, Aurora was half-dressed, caught mid-motion in pulling on the familiar caftan she had acquired during their previous stay in the city. Seen from behind as she struggled into her robes, she froze at the sound of the swinging door and the demanding meow that accompanied it.
+“Hmm. Oh no,” Aurora murmured, hastily weaving a spell of animal speech before turning. “Good afternoon. Good evening, Mace.”
+“I have been missing you so much,” the cat declared, her voice settling into Aurora’s enchanted perception. “You are the only one I can talk to at the moment. There has been so much going on.”
+“Oh?” Aurora coaxed.
+“Jump up on the bed and tell me all about it,” the cat seemed to imply—or rather, demanded the space to do so herself. With brisk familiarity, Mace scrambled up Aurora’s leg and across her back—drawing a sharp, pained “Ow!” from the troubadour—before landing squarely on the bedding in front of her.
+Shedding any pretense of ordinary feline business, Mace shared what she had gathered. Strange currents stirred across the city: the mage in the blue tower was visibly growing in power, and ever since the party had liberated the street rats from their prior servitude, the rodents had been roaming the thoroughfares in an unsettled frenzy, hunting down old bones.
+“Does Lady Melba have any news?” Aurora asked, curious about the eccentric cat lady.
+“You must follow me,” Mace insisted, ignoring the inquiry entirely.
+“What, now?”
+“Yes, it is very important.”
+Aurora cast a longing look toward the hall. “But so is dessert.”
+“Put on some clothes and follow me,” the cat ordered flatly.
+Resigned, Aurora finished smoothing down her caftan and followed Mace into the corridor. The cat paused outside a door and commanded, “Open this door.”
+Aurora reached for the handle, drawing immediate questions from her companions. “Wait, where are you going?” Keshah called out.
+“I don’t know,” Aurora replied, gesturing vaguely downward. “I’m following the cat. She just told me to open the door.”
+“Don’t go wandering by yourself, remember?” Keshah warned. Lizette chimed in with a stern reminder to alert everyone if she intended to step foot outside the inn. Aurora countered playfully that, technically, accompanying a cat meant she was never unaccompanied, to which Keshah dryly retorted that kidnappers would surely respect that distinction.
+Heeding the warning not to leave the building, Aurora followed Mace inside a service cupboard.
+“Look,” the cat instructed. “Duck down.”
+Crouching low into the cramped space, Aurora peered past the shelves. At the rear of the cupboard, a section of the wall had been subtly shifted outward. Tucked into the hollow was a cluster of half a dozen broken, twitching clockwork birds.
+“Be careful, they are not dead,” Mace warned softly. “They have been trying to keep an eye on this place.”
+“Oh, have they?” Aurora murmured. She carefully began gathering the mechanical surveillance relics, passing them out into the service area where the others could examine them and inspect their auras. Mace noted there were likely a few more positioned along the opposite face of the structure.
+Beyond the hidden nook, the inn proved exceptionally comfortable for Dae and the rest of the company. More akin to an upscale private guest house than a standard tavern, the well-appointed suite boasted soaring ceilings, intricate stone mosaic floors, fine woodwork, and plush cushions. Large windows promised to catch the warming morning sunlight, while the split-height furnishings—low and intimate on one flank, full-sized on the other—were crafted to accommodate taller guests, dwarves, and hobbits with equal ease.
+As the clockwork birds were stacked away, Miriam approached the parlor with a gracious smile, asking if the travelers were ready for supper and dessert.
+“Always,” Aurora declared.
+==== Chapter 36: Of Clockwork Birds and Rolled Pancakes ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_19_Night_2_Of_Clockwork_Birds_and_Rolled_Pancakes.png|200px|thumb|left|Supper and town gossip downstairs after a long day of intrigue.]]
+''Supper and town gossip downstairs after a long day of intrigue.''
+Lady Lizette Summers blinked, letting out a soft murmur as Dae looked over at her.
+"Where are you?" Dae asked. "What? Are you back with us?"
+"Yeah, I brought back a whole lot of mechanical birds for you to have a look at," Dae explained, laying them out side by side. "One, two, three..."
+"Okay, I can magically analyze them," Lizette offered.
+Aurora looked over the metal contraptions. "She made boys. What do you want to know from them?"
+"Why don't you open the bag?" Lizette suggested.
+"I was going to say, examine them for the last spell that impacted them," Dae said. "Things like, I don't know, Wizard's Eye, Wizard's Ear—whatever they're called."
+"Okay, we can," Lizette agreed.
+Before they could begin, Mace the cat padded into their midst, brushing against Aurora and rubbing her scent along the assassin's legs. Lizette noticed the cat caressing something, and Aurora leaned down to pet the feline very gently, just as instructed. Content with the greeting, the cat clambered up Aurora's side and settled onto her shoulder.
+"I hope you got armor," Dae teased.
+"Everybody's got armor," Lizette replied with a shrug.
+Aurora chuckled softly. "I'm quite happy with that if she wants to sit there."
+The cat perched proudly upon Aurora's shoulder, surveying the room from her elevated vantage point before bounding lightly back down to the floor.
+Miriam peered over at the table, taking in the strange metal remnants. "What are these?"
+"They are broken," Aurora remarked.
+"More of these mechanical birds," Dae noted, turning toward Miriam. "Are they yours? You're not missing any, are you? You had nine of them last time I knew."
+"I think six," Aurora and Miriam both corrected.
+"Six? Oh, I thought there were nine," Dae mused.
+"I saw them still on the trees downstairs, didn't I?" Lizette pointed out. As Miriam nodded, Lizette looked back at the scrap on the table with narrowed eyes. "Now, these are foreign spy birds. Why don't you just put them in her bag of holding and we can deal with it after dessert?"
+"Yep, all right. They'll be preserved in there," Dae agreed cheerfully. "Okay, we'll head down for dessert."
+"They can all break in there," Lizette added wryly.
+"Oh, I hope it's—what do they call those little... oh, the blue biscuits? No, not those," Dae wondered aloud. "I'm talking about the fruit stuff, the sugared fruits. What are they called?"
+Miriam smiled wearily. "Are we going downstairs for supper? It's been a very long day."
+"Oh, I bet it has," Dae agreed.
+"There were those dwarves coming by asking for you guys again as well," Miriam mentioned as they gathered their things.
+"Oh, Hammer Fist, sorry?" Dae guessed.
+"Hammersong," Miriam corrected.
+"Hammersong," Dae repeated.
+Deciding their investigations could wait, they followed Miriam downstairs to the common hall. A magnificent spread greeted them: rolled-up pancakes heaped with fresh fruits and glistening syrups, cooked fresh right before the patrons. Lizette scanned the warm dining area, wondering if Mace the cat had followed them down.
+Half a dozen cooks bustled around the griddles, serving the party alongside three other elves and about four humans. Among them was an older man in his mid-thirties accompanied by three sons, all of them reasonably well-dressed in stylish local town attire. Dae and Aurora had already changed into loose, comfortable local caftans suited to the lingering warmth of the evening, while Lizette remained clad in her Sea Gate clothes, maintaining her persona as a traveling bodyguard.
+The hall buzzed with evening chatter in Common interspersed with Elvish as guests traded rumors of recent city events. Much of the speculation centered around the so-called "Blender cult."
+"Blender cult?" Lizette echoed, catching the term.
+It was explained that the moniker had arisen after the granary belonging to Blendor and Sons was burned to the ground during an incident involving the octopus people; locals had derisively dubbed the perpetrators the "Blender cult" ever since.
+"So the octopus people are called the Blender cult now," Lizette murmured. "Does anyone know why they did that?"
+"Lots of people have been trying to investigate. Nobody's sure," came the reply.
+"But there are lots of rumors," Aurora pointed out.
+"Conspiracy theories," Aurora added with a nod.
+"Oh, I bet there are plenty of those," came the knowing agreement.
+Lizette considered the implications, looking thoughtfully at the lavish food spread. "Has it affected the grain food supply?"
+==== Chapter 37: Tidings at the Table ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_20_Night_2_Tidings_at_the_Table.png|200px|thumb|left|The companions trade pastries, tales, and troubled city rumors over a crowded tavern meal.]]
+''The companions trade pastries, tales, and troubled city rumors over a crowded tavern meal.''
+Late winter held the town in its quiet grip, a notoriously lean season when larders grew thin. While the lower town wondered where its next bulk stores might come from, the hobbits still managed to keep themselves fed. Fortunately, they were hardly oppressive overlords; to any hobbit hierarchy, securing the food supply was an article of utmost importance.
+Attention in the dining hall gravitated easily toward the companions. The townsfolk were well familiar with three of them, but the unfamiliar faces drew a steady stream of curious eyes and casual conversation. Seeking to return hospitality, Lady Albar was presented with a fresh assortment of pastries fetched from Cazala earlier that morning. At her mild, teasing query as to whether her own cooking was found lacking, she was swiftly reassured: the delicacies were merely an appreciative offering of local fare, especially since the parcel had to be shared around to whittle the generous stash down from forty. Asparagus rolls and other selections still sat nearby, complemented by a sweet assortment of candied fruits that the elves readily enjoyed.
+Across the crowded room, where patrons were seated together enjoying their meal, Dae sought out Miriam. Reaching out with an empathic touch to ensure the innkeeper was holding up, he drew an arched brow from a nearby elf watching across the table. Dae promptly clarified in Common—and, when met with a prolonged stare, repeated in Elven—that they had helped rescue Miriam from necromancers some time back and had departed the city too abruptly to check on her wellbeing. The elf dryly noted that he had understood perfectly well the first time, while remarks passed around the table that having their host unsettled or floating off into trouble would be distinctly bad for business.
+Aside from a father and his sons who had traveled in from the west to purchase supplies in town, no visiting merchants were present. Keshah leaned into the atmosphere, passing the time by spinning grand tales of past exploits to out-of-towners and anyone willing to listen. He calibrated his heroic embellishments to his audience—building up Lady Arcadia before elven listeners, and praising companions like Ruby to the humans—while others listened in, ready to jot down a few notes.
+Through easy conversation and courtly probing, darker currents of city gossip soon surfaced. Whispers spoke of a bizarre half-doppelganger god wandering the alleys of the blue sector, manifesting as a swirling green mist that caused folk to vanish without a trace. Stranger still were conflicting rumors that doppelgangers enjoyed the discreet protection of the palace—a claim scoffed at by loyalists as scandalous rubbish.
+Down along the water, further unrest stirred. The usual schools of fish had failed to arrive, leaving the fisher folk deeply uneasy and worsening the season's scarce food outlook. The companions debated whether the shoals had merely altered their migration or had been pulled into the mysterious hole in the sea. Though a quick aerial reconnaissance over the desert or the open water was tempting to spot where the currents might be swallowed down, urgent business called them elsewhere.
+Inquiring after Chitterjoy, they received troubling news from Lady Albar. About two weeks prior, the cultured bard had been taken into custody. Rumors had spread that the party had been driven from port and put to sea in tremendous haste; looking for answers regarding their sudden flight, the palace guards had brought Chitterjoy in for questioning.
+==== Chapter 38: Sauce, Stones, and Festivals ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_21_Night_2_Sauce_Stones_and_Festivals.png|200px|thumb|left|A jar of spicy, stone-percolated sauce from the kitchen brings local flavors to the table.]]
+''A jar of spicy, stone-percolated sauce from the kitchen brings local flavors to the table.''
+The party settled in to catch up on what had transpired during their absence. They expected their contact should have been released by now following their request, noting they wanted to hear the moment he returned so plans could proceed. A quick explanation followed: after the necromancer incident, an urgent problem had forced them away for about a week. It had been handled in haste, though an apology was offered for not sending word sooner.
+Word had not stayed still, however. Dwarves had been sniffing around, prompting one of the companions to recall owing one of them a drink and a bath, even if they could not remember which dwarf it was. Worse still, a local artist had come by multiple times claiming someone had promised to pose naked for a statue. He had even approached young Miriam, though he was promptly warned off on account of her age. When the question of the statue was raised, one companion hastily demurred, explaining they might have misconstrued things earlier and were certainly not keen on naked modeling. Another shrugged and offered to take their place, joking that the sculptor had merely insisted on catching the figure in a very particular light.
+Local politics were equally fraught. Word in the city indicated mounting pressures and quiet rumors circulating against the Elven academy, driven by powers that be and disgruntled trading houses unhappy with their dealings.
+Seeking lighter news, the companions asked about upcoming festivities. There was the Festival of the Three Feet, associated with hobbits. While some guessed it might involve tying legs together for a race, it was described more as an elaborate festival and dance. Streets would be packed with unfathomable mounds of tomatoes—more than anyone would see in an entire lifetime—and people were expected to make their way through the slippery mess without falling, much to the amusement of onlookers. When concerns arose about dirt and waste, it was explained that water mages scoured the avenues beforehand to ensure cleanliness, and the mashed produce was gathered up afterward rather than thrown away.
+Once crushed, the harvest was bottled with olives and special blue stones gathered from deep in the desert. Though questions immediately arose regarding whether these were related to blue dust or sands, they were assured it was a completely different phenomenon. The stones lent a rich, fiery heat to the mixture. Miriam fetched a jar from the kitchen to provide a sample. Bottled the previous year and fully preserved, the sauce sat over the blue stones beneath an unsealed, vented cap that constantly percolated air. A small pour confirmed it was intensely spicy—perhaps a bit too hot for some, but undeniably flavorful.
+Attention then turned toward breakfast sweets. Miriam was asked if she might prepare three blue biscuits for the following morning. The restriction was deliberate: once you reached five biscuits, it was notoriously hard to stop eating and even harder to keep count. Limiting the plate to three was the only certain way to ensure nobody accidentally devoured seven.
+==== Chapter 39: Rumors, Ogre Runs, and Exhaustion ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_22_Night_2_Rumors_Ogre_Runs_and_Exhaustion.png|200px|thumb|left|The companions wind down in the sweltering courtyard as rumors and exhaustion take their toll.]]
+''The companions wind down in the sweltering courtyard as rumors and exhaustion take their toll.''
+A lingering debate over sweet provisions drifted across the table—how one could think they had only four biscuits when they actually had ten, and the sudden realization of being hopelessly addicted. When asked if the confectionery was tied into the strange blue dust affair, the consensus was an easy affirmative.
+Turning back to their hostess, the party pressed Miriam on a matter of greater concern: what she might know about Chitterjoy. Word had reached them that their language tutor had landed in serious trouble on their account. Miriam initially wondered if they meant the house, but once clarified that they spoke of the teacher, she confirmed grim tidings. Chitterjoy had reportedly been arrested, caught up in wild municipal gossip claiming he had conspired with pirates to dispatch them to sea. Other whispers alleged that Ionian sailors had embarked on piratical ventures with them, or that fur-cloaked northern bandits had ensorcelled them into taking ship.
+They quickly set the story straight: the supposed bandits were merely refugees whom they had rescued from an ogre and other foul pursuit far to the north before magicking them to safety. The mention of ogres prompted Miriam to bring up the city's notorious ogre run festival. In response to questions about the event—whether an ogre was greased in oil to be caught, or if it chased bystanders—the lethal reality was laid out. An ogre armed with a colossal mace was turned loose in the city streets, free to wreck anything and smack down anyone in its path. City custom forbade bladed weapons entirely; contenders could only bring the beast down with darts or arrows from ordinary bows. When asked if any aid was offered to the unlucky citizens splattered by the brute's club, the answer was blunt: those struck normally just died. The sole reward for bringing down the monster was civic renown—several days of raucous celebration, especially prestigious for a scion of a noble house. Still, the prospect of taking to the air with flight to spot the rampaging brute held a certain appeal.
+Steering back to their jailed tutor, Dae sought Miriam's advice on how best to apologize to Chitterjoy and make amends. Miriam cheekily asked why they didn't simply ask him in person, dissolving into giggles. She added that the standard approach was either vast amounts of money or feminine wiles. Flustered, the party quickly insisted that gold would have to suffice, apologizing for how the inquiry had sounded, which only caused Miriam to blush bright red and giggle all the harder.
+With snacks finished and rumors gathered, Aurora secured a doggy bag packed with candied fruit for the night. The courtyard remained stiflingly hot—a true scorcher of an evening—though the air promised to turn refreshingly cool in the depths of the night. With every window already propped wide in hopes of catching a draft, Lizette stripped off her outer caftan for sleepwear and took a moment to cast empathy upon Dae.
+The magic confirmed what was plain to see: Dae was utterly spent. Passing through two room pools had stripped his fatigue away, followed by miles of marching up to the palace without food or drink. Reminding one another to speak up before collapsing so restorative magic or costly potions could be shared when needed, the companions conceded that the grueling day was finally at an end, and yielded to sleep.
+==== Chapter 40: Nightfall Whispers and Feline Tidings ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_23_Night_2_Nightfall_Whispers_and_Feline_Tidings.png|200px|thumb|left|Under the quarter moon, Mags reveals both uncanny shadows and dire news from the city below.]]
+''Under the quarter moon, Mags reveals both uncanny shadows and dire news from the city below.''
+Tracing paths across their memories—from the girl to slippery rock, flying all the way and back again, then from the girl to the sea gate and beyond—the group finally paused to catch their breath. They were in a secure spot, safe enough that posting a formal sentry seemed unnecessary. Even so, caution prevailed. Warning stones were carefully placed and attuned, instructed to ignore the two children and their mother while sounding an alarm should any intruder attempt to breach the room. A brief adjustment had to be made for the feline resident, who was notorious for vaulting straight through the bedroom window. Settling the matter of elevation, they confirmed they were up on the third story, high above the ground. Someone suggested sweeping the perimeter once more to ensure no lurking shadows remained, but exhaustion won the argument; it was late, and sleep was sorely needed.
+From the high vantage of the third floor, the view opened wide across the city's slanting rooftops. The urban expanse tumbled down a long valley toward a bustling harbor roughly a mile distant. Faint singing drifted up on the nighttime breeze, carrying across forty or so vessels anchored beneath the pale glow—a quiet armada of sailing crafts and fishing rigs. It was just past midnight, slipping into the early hours of the second day immediately following the guild meeting. The moon hung in its first quarter, precisely the moon phase required by their patron, despite how unusual it seemed to prefer that specific light over the full or new moon.
+A spell hummed into place just as Mags the cat took an interest, peering about greedily before marching forward and perching directly on a head. She demanded food with insistent, repeating urgency. With no bacon to offer and an outright refusal to part with candied fruit, a generous solution appeared: a travel platter stocked with enough fish to feed two dozen people. Wisely choosing not to stand between the ravenous cat, Aurora, and the platter, the feast was laid directly on the floor. Mags immediately darted in and set to devouring the meal.
+In the silver moonlight streaming across the floorboards, an eerie trick of vision unfolded. Out of the corner of the eye, Mags appeared to swell to five times her ordinary size, tearing into the fish like a monstrous shadow beast. Yet whenever anyone turned to look directly, she was merely an ordinary cat, thoroughly engrossed in her late-night banquet.
+Once her appetite was somewhat appeased, Mags turned her attention to local gossip and warnings. Being high up on the third story was remarkably clever, she noted, because neither the spiders nor the snakes would ever reach them. She revealed that the Blue Tower had begun unleashing blue snakes and blue spiders into the city below. Furthermore, an enigmatic cat woman had been making inquiries about the party. Finally, she vented about a troublesome tomcat up the street named Tommy, who persisted in improper advances. When a dry suggestion was made to shove the tom off a fence—recalling a prior encounter that had ended in nasty scratches—it was countered that protective wards against claws were now firmly in place.
+==== Chapter 41: Breakfast and Bespoke Garments ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_24_Night_2_Breakfast_and_Bespoke_Garments.png|200px|thumb|left|Miriam assists Dae with his wardrobe before serving a clarifying, fiery breakfast of roasted goat.]]
+''Miriam assists Dae with his wardrobe before serving a clarifying, fiery breakfast of roasted goat.''
+The cat had been scratched hard enough to pop his rain shield, proving himself quite a sharp fellow through the ordeal, but with the night drawing down it had been great, and they let him curl up and go to sleep.
+Morning soon rolled around, heralded by a rap at the door before Miriam breezed inside with an airy cheer. She announced good news: the tutor had arrived for the morning lesson, and down below they were already feeding him breakfast while catching up on local gossip. It was definitely time to rise. When it was noted that dressing was overdue, Miriam gladly offered her assistance, promising to help ensure everyone was turned out in sensible attire.
+One of them went across to help Dae, giving a quick knock on the wood. When Miriam stepped in to join him, she eyed his appearance and asked if he planned to wear those fancy foreign garments again today, remarking that he looked remarkably dashing in them before repeating that his tutor had arrived. Dae blinked, asking what kind of tutor had shown up, only to be reminded that the language tutor was there for all of them.
+Looking over what to wear around town, Dae noted that he needed to purchase more clothes. Airing out and thoroughly cleaning the leather garments he had worn the day before would take time, and a proper town outfit was needed. Miriam took one look at Dae's efforts to clothe himself and told him flatly that he was doing it all wrong, looking entirely odd, and desperately required assistance. Accepting the critique, Dae worked with her for ten minutes while she explained what was amiss and helped him correct it, earning his heartfelt thanks.
+Miriam then proposed that at nine o'clock, right after his lesson, she would personally escort him to Sandor's—a fine clothier whose wares were top quality, reasonably priced, durable, and particularly adept at keeping the desert sand out. She inquired whether he preferred something that repelled sand or fabric designed to keep him cooler. Dae replied that Sandor's sand-resistant clothes sounded perfect, as he didn't mind the heat at all.
+With attire settled, Dae asked what was on offer for breakfast. Miriam explained that because they had slept in so late, she hadn't wanted to disturb them, but offered to bring up a meal of goat peel: delicious roasted goat that was peeled, marinated, and served kebab-style. Reassured that genuine meat was involved, they eagerly asked for it to be brought up.
+Servings were delivered in bowls, revealing the succulent roasted meat garnished in the center with small, elongated red fruits. Eyeballing the bright red garnish, suspicion immediately arose that it might be a fiery chili or a red pepper. Pulling one out to inspect it and seeking its true generic nature, fingers began to cast a faint glow upon handling the pepper.
+Curious about the taste, they found it unexpectedly delicious. Keshah ate a couple of the peppers and found that they staved off hunger while leaving him feeling distinctly more alert. The heat was sharp and intensely clarifying, swiftly clearing out sinuses, ears, and eyes—prompting memories of a spirited court competition held a while back to see who could endure eating the hottest chili.
+==== Chapter 42: Lessons, Rumors, and Stuffed Chilies ====
+[[Image:ScribeNotes_jonathan-bean-wall-walkers-of-adjepbar2-night-2-scheduled-2026-09-21-2_25_Night_2_Lessons_Rumors_and_Stuffed_Chilies.png|200px|thumb|left|A unique local breakfast served alongside the ritual bowls of a language lesson.]]
+''A unique local breakfast served alongside the ritual bowls of a language lesson.''
-"What the fuck?"
+Breakfast arrived with an elaborate spread of stuffed chilies arranged with care. Each chili was packed with salty black fish and olives at its core, wrapped tightly in a thin strip of marinated goat meat with savory sauce coated along the inside. Left whole as neat, savory logs rather than sliced, they proved easy to handle and surprisingly delectable.
-"Oh wow, you're famous," came the amused reaction. "Yeah, famous in his own time."
+"This is interesting," came the satisfied murmur around the table as they ate. "Very nice."
-"How accurate is it?" Lizette asked, before adding, "Perfectly accurate."
+"Right, where are we off to today?"
-"I was beginning to wonder whether or not it had been done by Medusa," Aurora remarked, "but then that wouldn't imply—otherwise he wouldn't be walking around in front of us."
+"We need to start working."
-Past the stone likeness stood Dae's home—a lovely little cottage set among the trees in a bright, sunny clearing, surrounded by pleasant grounds.
+Before they could venture forth, their language tutor arrived for their scheduled instruction. For an hour, he guided their recitations, having them repeat phrases and sounds. As he worked, he set out a collection of strange silver bowls filled with shimmering liquids, methodically explaining each step. Through ritualistic magic woven into the instruction, the tongue was subtly imbued into their minds, leaving a faint, tingling impression by the time the hour drew to a close.
-"You know, if I didn't have the Manor, I'd like a place like this," Aurora admitted.
+Preparations for the street followed. The question arose whether to use the enchantment of the belt to adjust the gauge for everyone, and whether Elva and her children should be included in its protection. The idea was set aside; as locals, Elva and her family were already attuned to the climate, and shifting their gauge by two notches would feel unnatural to them. Though modifications to air affinity could last a full day, the party decided to manage their own protections.
-"Lovely," a companion agreed. "Flowers all around, lovely grounds."
+While the tutor packed away his silver bowls, the conversation turned to his recent absence. Asked how the past two weeks had treated him and what had transpired, he offered a wry sigh.
-From just beyond the clearing came the tranquil sound of a running brook. When someone started, "Are you just leaving items—"
+"I was a guest at the palace," he explained. As a man of substance, he had been treated with respect and as well as could be expected, which had been a profound relief both to him and to his wife. Nevertheless, his stay had been an enforced detention. Word had circulated through the court that he had used enchantment to prompt the party to recruit Ivorians from the north and embark on a piracy campaign. Nobody had offered him a direct explanation, but now that the party had returned alive and clearly unsold into servitude, his reputation and name were poised to be cleared.
-"—all over the place?" Aurora finished. "Yeah, I know. Tempted to investigate that brook, but maybe not. That would be a bit rude without the permission."
+By the time the lesson concluded, the day outside was already hot, the surrounding city humming with the sound of merchants and laborers who had already been hard at work for hours. With breakfast finished and their minds fortified, the adventurers stood ready to step out into the bustle of the town.
 == Buffs & Mil Sci ==