Session Twelve: CARNAGE AND CAPERS

After the familiar swirling feeling of the teleportation spell faded, the party found themselves in Thordan Orixbane’s small country shrine. He soon came bounding down the stairs to greet them. “Well what do we have here!” he bellowed. They greeted him warmly, but the cleric’s face suddenly went white when he was introduced to the Duchess of Cindre. “Oh no...” he muttered. “You brought her... here?” Thordan looked at them with an expression of horror on his face. “I don’t know how to take care of a Duchess! I don’t even know how to cook!” But Anna smiled and assured him that she would be all right.

After calming down, Thordan shared what little news he had heard. So far, word of Anna’s “kidnapping” had not reached this part of Highrock. They wouldn’t be treated as fugitives quite yet, but there was no telling how fast the news was traveling. Also, Cedric had reported that there was some sort of political scandal in Revo. Perhaps Emmon, the Outcast they had sent to wrest control of the duchy from his brother, was making his move?

There was one other piece of business to deal with before they left the shrine: protecting Lorwyn Unghart, who remained in a magical sleep, hoping to stave off the effects of the soul sickness. Ardwyn pulled out the protective amulet that Anna had provided them and showed it to Thordan, but Ralnur grabbed it out of her hand mid-sentence and put it around his adoptive mother’s neck. They stared, but nothing seemed to happen. “Should we wake her up?” asked Ardwyn. Thordan gave her an uncomfortable look. He explained that it would probably not do any harm, but he thought there was a small chance that it would cause Lorwyn to get worse. It would be safer, he thought, to wait until they dealt with (or at least understood) the underlying cause of the disease. Regretfully, they agreed to wait. “If we woke her up just to make things worse...” mused Ardwyn, “I’d probably become even less talkative and even more... drunkydrunk.”

Thordan asked where they were heading next, and they told him that they planned to make a daring raid on the Treasury. He told them that their best bet was talking to Davros, the gnome who ran the Treasury in the past, but who had been pushed out of his position by the Regency. He now lived in a cottage just outside the city. “You can’t miss it!” Thordan assured them with a smile.

They climbed out of the shrine’s basement and stepped out into the rolling hills and wide fields of Highrock. After spending the previous days in the cramped darkness of a cellar, the fresh air and sunshine were a welcome change. They set out on the small road south toward the city.

After a day’s travel, Ralnur spotted a worrisome scene about a mile up the road. It looked like a Seraph and two scouts were standing outside a small cottage alongside the road. The Seraph had a halfling shoved against a wall and seemed to be engaged in a less-than-gentle interrogation. He consulted with the party, and they all quickly agreed to deal with the problem head-on.

Adamir started by casting Pass Without Trace, shrouding the party’s movements as they crept quickly toward the cottage. They were able to reach a small ridge nearby without being seen. The Seraph was still manhandling the halfling, while the two scouts were leaning on the walls of the cottage, looking bored. They were not prepared for what came next.

Ardwyn launched herself from her hiding place, rushing straight toward the Seraph. He barely heard her approach before her battleaxe smashed into him, cutting deep below his armor. Ralnur followed up next, going into a battle rage and throwing two javelins at once. He launched them both with incredible force, but, sadly, they thudded into the wall of the cottage instead of their intended target. Tessel charged in, swinging her longsword, and Valra followed up by casting Entangle, sending vines shooting out of the earth to grab the feet of the scouts. (Adamir, meanwhile, had been a bit distracted when the others had signaled the attack, and was left flat-footed on the ridge.)

The scouts reacted quickly, trying to kick away the vines entangling their feet. One of them struggled in vain, but the other one was able to jump clear of the vines and fire a flurry of arrows toward Ralnur. One of them struck flesh, but the barbarian, deep in his battle rage, barely even felt it.

The Seraph, badly hurt by the sudden ambush, was not in a much better state. He drew his greatsword and slashed twice in quick succession, but none of his blows were able to get through Tessel’s thick armor. He stumbled away from his assailants, but his escape was slowed by Valra’s magical vines. Looking back on the party with hatred, he reached for a silver locket that hung at his neck... but Ralnur rushed in and grappled with him, crushing his hands and wrenching them away from the locket. Tessel ran to the other side, surrounding the Seraph and cutting off his escape route before landing two cruel hits with her sword.

Ardwyn let the bigger fighters enjoy their battle, turning away and climbing onto the low roof of the cottage. Stepping nimbly over the thatch, she rushed over to the far side of the cottage, where one of the scouts had just broken free of the vines and hidden behind the far wall. Ardwyn jumped over the unsuspecting scout, swinging her battleaxe around in mid-air and beheading the archer in one hit. She landed deftly, but soon saw the other scout firing a longbow in her direction. Two arrows struck her before she could react.

By then, Adamir had entered the fray. Taking careful aim, he fired his own arrows toward the Seraph, landing a solid hit. “Nice of you to join us!” called Ardwyn. Valra then shifted stealthily into the nearby blueberry bushes before casting Faerie Fire, igniting the remaining scout with purple flames. It was no trouble for Ardwyn to close the distance and strike down the scout with one more mighty chop.

The Seraph was still standing, but wasn’t faring much better. He swung wildly, striking a glancing blow against Ralnur before hitting the cottage wall at an awkward angle and losing his grip on the huge sword. It clattered to the ground. With his face finally showing fear, he reached once more for the locket, but Ralnur recklessly swung his greataxe with all his might. It crashed down onto the Seraph’s chest, tearing his armor apart and killing him instantly.

They took a moment to catch their breath and survey the battle scene. Tessel walked around to the closer side of the cottage, where the badly-beaten halfling had slipped away during the battle. She found him with his back up against the wall, an alarmed expression on his bruised face. “Um, hello!” he said, sounding more cheerful than he looked. “Thank you for that! Ah... are they, ah, all dead?” Tessel told him that he was safe and introduced herself politely before asking him about what had led to his unfortunate situation.

The halfling’s name was Teppo, and he claimed to be a local who grew some crops and raised some sheep in the fields nearby. The Seraph had arrived not long before the party had found them. Teppo hadn’t suspected any trouble, but the Seraph quickly became aggressive and began demanding information about Ralnur. Teppo knew the half-orc vaguely (“The dwarf’s boy! From the village! Right?”), but didn’t like the Seraph’s tone, and he had refused to give up any information. “We halflings are tougher than we look,” he said with more than a hint of pride.

Tessel smiled brightly at him. “Ralnur,” she called out, “do you--” She cut herself off as she looked around the corner and saw Ralnur standing over the Seraph’s corpse, his eyes entirely black, while blood slowly dripped from his axe and his body. Ardwyn was walking up to him with the heads of the two scouts in her hands. “He got anything good?” asked the dwarf nonchalantly. Ralnur turned his head towards her slowly and he smiled wildly. Suddenly, he bent down to the corpse and violently ripped the silver locket off the dead man’s chest before letting out a raucous “CAAAAWWWWWW!” Then, just as suddenly, he fainted and collapsed to the floor.

Tessel turned back to Teppo. “He’s busy.”

Adamir busied himself by going through the travel sacks that the Seraph and his goons had been carrying. There wasn’t much of value inside, but he did stumble across a short letter that appeared to be written in some sort of cipher. He peered intently for a long moment, but it was clear that he would need to devote a good deal more time if he wanted to have any hope of decoding it. Valra, meanwhile, decided to unwind with a post-battle snack of fresh blueberries, sharing some with Ardwyn and Ralnur as he slowly recovered from his battle trance.

Teppo greeted the rest of them warmly, giving his thanks for the timely rescue. Valra stared at him suspiciously, but after a long and insightful look, she concluded that he was exactly what he appeared to be: a kind farmer who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. After moving the bodies to a spot where Teppo claimed he could hide and bury them, they picked a few more blueberries and set off again on the road.

That evening, they sat around the campfire and tried to decode the letter together, with Valra calling upon her druidic Guidance to assist Adamir and the others in the task. However, even with all of them bending all of their intellectual prowess to the task, they didn’t make much headway. They fell asleep with a feeling of disappointment, taking turns keeping watch, as usual. Past midnight, as Valra sat awake, staring into the hills, the others dreamed a strange dream. They slowly became aware of the other party members standing near them, and in front of them stood the unmistakable figure of Baldric.

“So it’s true,” the vision of Baldric said with mild surprise. “You live. I honestly didn’t believe it.” He looked at each of them in turn, as they alternately thought up clever insults or wondered whether any of this was real. “Mephisto told me that the Hand of Belial was ‘an artifact of power beyond price’. And yet here you stand.” His face twisted into an ever-so-slight grimace. “I was a fool to trust his gifts.” And with that, he faded out of the dream, and they returned to a peaceful slumber.

When they woke, they quickly realized that they had shared the same dream, but beyond that, they didn’t know what to make of it. They set off again toward Highrock.

As they approached the walls of the low city, Ralnur saw that there were few guards, only occasionally spying one walking the ramparts. To the side, just in front of the walls, was a tiny cottage built into the ground. Ardwyn and Valra went ahead to scout. They saw the little gnome, Davros, sitting in a comfortable armchair and tinkering with a tiny pair of spectacles. The others walked up to the door and knocked. Startled, Davros looked up and saw Valra staring at him through the window. He scowled and opened the door. “Can I *help* you?” he asked with a thin veneer of courtesy.

They reintroduced themselves, and he invited them inside (though they had to stoop to enter, and he took the only chair for himself. When they proposed their idea to break into the Treasury, he seemed skeptical at first, telling them that although he “had built the finest institution this land has even known,” the security had been improved even further since he had been unceremoniously kicked out. There was now a two-stage gate to enter and exit, and “no living person has set foot in there for decades.” Instead, magical constructs carried everything in and out. Ardwyn looked him dead in the eye and made her best pitch. “You’re clearly a professional,” she began, and she explained that they were seeking to depose Baldric, the regime that had thrown him out of his job. Perhaps once they succeeded, he could once again take his old position?

Davros seemed to be swayed by her arguments. “It would be utterly impossible for anyone to steal from the Treasury,” said Davros. But a wicked grin was slowly spreading across his face. “Unless...” he continued, “unless the gnome who designed the Treasury’s original wards left a gap in its defenses...” Adamir nodded in understanding. “And will you tell us about this... gap?”

Davros became serious again and opened a drawer by his side. He pulled out another small pair of glasses. “Take these. Take them to my friend Belden. He runs an inn inside the city called the Peregrine. He will know what to do.”

He seemed ready to see them leave, but they took a moment to inspect the glasses. They appeared to make magically enchanted items glow with a blue light when viewed through them; apparently Davros’s tea kettle and several other pairs of spectacles were enchanted. He explained that he sold the glasses, and he showed them a couple of other pairs. Tessel decided to spend 100gp on the Sun Glasses, which helped the wearer to see in both darkness or bright light. Davros did not welcome any negotiation or haggling.

They departed his cottage, but they did not immediately try to enter the city. Instead, they traveled nearly a mile outside the city, toward a thinly-wooded area that would offer them a modicum of shelter. There, they set up camp, rested, allowed their wounds to heal, and discussed their plan.

The next day, following Davros’s advice, they approached the city from the west, not wanting to try their luck with the guards at the main gate. First, Ralnur used his crow vision to wait for a moment when the guards wouldn’t disturb them. Then, after reaching the wall, Adamir used his climbing gear to ascend to the top. He then threw down a rope, and the others hurried to follow him up the wall and down into the city. In no time, they were inside.

This part of the city was full of the low hillside dwellings that were common in the city. Though it had less pedestrian traffic and surface stalls than most, they were still able to find someone that they could ask for directions. A friendly halfling told them how to find the Peregrine, happily telling them that he really thought they were going to like it there. They found the inn shortly thereafter.

Inside, the found a tap room with dozens of casks and hundreds of bottles lining the walls in shelves. Two of the small tables were covered in tiny tasting glasses, while small groups of dwarves and halflings chatted excitedly around them in quiet voices. Belden, a pale gnome standing on a stool behind the bar, grinned and called out a greeting to them. “Weeelcome to the Peregrine! How can I help you today?” He laid out a thick scroll for them and opened it to reveal an enormous menu, assisting them in picking out drinks.

Tessel conspicuously set Davros’s spectacles on the counter, but Belden didn’t seem to notice them until after the drinks were served. His face turned quickly from giddy excitement to nervousness. “Ah... right. Davros sent you? So it’s finally time, eh?” He gestured for them to follow him into the back before pausing. “I suppose we’ll need some privacy... wouldn’t want anyone to find out that we’re up to something,” he said anxiously. He hopped back onto his stool and shouted to the handful of customers at the tables. “HEY! WE’RE CLOSING EARLY! GO! GET OUT! GOODBYE! WE’RE CLOSED! GOODNIIIIGHT!” He gave a satisfied smile as they filed out, grumbling and shooting dirty looks at the party.

Belden led them down into a cellar that was filled with even more casks. He pulled out two spell scrolls and looked at the party nervously. “Okay. This is a two step process.” He put on Davros’s glasses and looked around the cellar, his eyes eventually settling on a spot on the floor beneath them. He held out one of the scrolls and read the arcane words on it, casting the Passwall spell.

The scroll dissolved suddenly. So did the floor. All of them began falling deep, deep beneath the earth. “STEP TWOOOOOO!!!” called out Belden as he opened the second scroll. He spoke a word, and the Feather Fall spell took hold of them, gently guiding them to the ground. When they landed, they looked around and recognized that they stood in the deepest recesses of the Treasury. “Thank goodness for step two!” quipped Tessel.

Belden scratched his head and looked up sheepishly at the hole in the ceiling above them. He smiled awkwardly before looking around at the adventurers surrounding him. “I, ah... In retrospect I think maybe I was supposed to stay up there?”

Session Eleven: RHETORIC AND REVOLUTION

The party arrived at the Chattyrat Tavern to find Rose waiting at the door, ushering them inside. Once safe, Ralnur shook the Duchess awake. She opened her eyes and was startled upon seeing the half-orc, falling to the floor before quickly falling asleep again. Tessel asked Rose if she had any spells that might help. The cleric nodded and cast Lesser Restoration, and Duchess Anna soon returned to her normal self. “I apologize for all that,” she said, blinking. “My tutor Xavier sometimes slips a sleeping draught into my food and drink without telling me. Are we safe?” Adamir explained that they were all right for now, but their cover may have been blown. Ardwyn averted her eyes.

Rose gathered them in the cellar and prepared the Teleportation Circle. “It might not be safe to come back here, at least at first," she told them. “Wait for my word before you come back, or check in with me.” With that, she sent them to their destination of choice: the palace of Cindre.

They arrived to find themselves alone in a dark wine cellar. They took a moment to get their bearings before they heard an old man’s voice. “Who’s there?” he called out. Ardwyn quietly rushed toward the voice, hearing his slow steps and seeing the light of his torch as he proceeded down the stairway. She briefly mimicked the sounds of a mouse, which the man seemed to believe, but he nonetheless continued down the staircase. Ardwyn switched to plan B, lurching into his sight and pretending to be a drunkard who had found her way into the wine cellar. The old man rolled his eyes, scolded her, and sent her away. “You can find your own way out. I need to check something,” he muttered, gazing toward the nook where the rest of the party was hiding. “Wait,” cried Ardwyn, “who are you?” He turned toward her, still with a sour look. “I am the steward in charge here. My name is Perrin.”

Perrin, they recalled, was the name of the mage they had befriended at the Silver Tower so long ago, now part of the conspiracy with Cedric and his clerics. He was the man who maintained the Teleportation Circle here. He was first surprised, then bemused as the rest of the party stepped out of the shadows and introduced themselves (with Valra casting Spider Climb and walking sideways along the wall). Last came the Duchess, who stepped up and gave him a light punch in the arm, dispelling the magical disguise that had still clung to her. Perrin’s eyes widened in recognition, and he dropped to a knee to greet her. “Welcome home, my lady.”

The seven of them gathered in a circle for a long conversation about their next steps. First, Anna told them everything she knew, sharing several interesting bits of information: Xavier was responsible for casting a spell of Nondetection three times a day to protect the Capital Hall from spying. Baldric held long one-on-one meetings with his advisors and ministers every day, but they all complained that they didn’t get as much time with him as the others. The city guards seemed to think that the Peacekeepers were spread too thinly around the country, with the bulk of their manpower currently surrounding the Elfwood. Apparently, even thought her life had been sheltered, there was a lot that she overheard.

She also showed them what was in her pack. Most of it was not of any immediate use, such as a portrait of her grandmother and some books on history and military tactics. But she also gave them a handful of small, flat jade amulets that she had purloined from the pocket of Xavier’s coat. He had given her one of these amulets and told her to “wear it always” to prevent her from getting sick. Anna presumed that they somehow protected against soul sickness. There were seven amulets, so everyone took one, with the exception of Tessel. The paladin insisted that her faith made her immune to disease, and so the last amulet was saved for Lorwyn Unghart (Ardwyn’s sister and Ralnur’s adoptive mother).

Next, now that the Duchess had been rescued, they had to decide what to do. Should they stay in hiding? Stir the unruly people of Cindre to rebellion? Some other clever scheme? Anna expressed nervousness, but she said she was prepared to do her part, whatever they decided. After much discussion, the group developed a plan. First, Perrin would go around the city and gather as many Cindrean loyalists as possible. (He had kept his position until now by pretending to be a doddering old fool, but there may still have been spies planted in his employ. Until he called together all his known allies, the loyalties of the palace’s servants and guards were suspect.) Next, Anna would give a speech, officially announcing her ascent to power and making clear that she was in Cindre of her own free will. Lastly, they would teleport away with the Duchess to somewhere safe and out-of-the-way.

Perrin rushed off to begin gathering the loyalists, promising to have them ready by noon of the following day (about 36 hours from now). He offered to install them in the royal bedchamber or his own more modest suite, but Adamir questioned whether or not it would be safe, so they camped out in the cellar, resting.

They each passed the time in their own way. Ardwyn read through some of Anna’s history books, then swapped ghost stories with Ralnur. (Anna tried to share her own ghost story, but it ended up being more historical than horrifying.) Anna spent most of her time trying to write a worthy speech, and she asked for help from everyone. Ralnur suggested that she mention “how we’re definitely gonna bathe in the blood of our enemies”, but Anna did not seem especially convinced. Tessel gave an effective lesson on rhetoric and the lofty art of oration; Ardwyn advised the Duchess to “listen to the paladin, but maybe turn it down a notch.” Adamir suggested reminding the audience of her lineage, and to “be strong but fair”. Valra, unlike the rest, merely sat in silent meditation with the Duchess as she wrote. After a few hours, the Duchess got up, putting a hand on Valra’s shoulder and thanking her earnestly.

The next day, with only a few hours left before the planned speech, Ralnur heard the sound of someone descending the staircase. He rushed over and saw a man in servant’s garb about to enter the cellar. They both froze in place and stammered out unpersuasive lies. “Uh... I was just... the wine... you see...” The man stepped forward and tried to look around the corner, but Ralnur, recognizing a spy when he saw one, tried to grab hold of him. The man twisted away and ran, shouting at the top of his lungs “HELP! THEY’RE DOWN HERE!” Ralnur swung out his axe and gave the man a shallow cut before his target managed to get out of reach.

The others, hearing the commotion, jumped to their feet. Adamir stayed behind to guard the Duchess, while the rest sprinted to the top of the staircase. Tessel, first to arrive, saw nothing except an uninteresting black rat. The rat, however, promptly turned invisible, making it very interesting indeed. “Umm, I just saw a really suspicious rat disappear!” she called out to Valra. “What am I supposed to do?” the druid asked. “I don’t know, but you’re a magic animal person!” shouted the confused paladin.

On the other side of the room, Ralnur raced to catch up with the “servant” who had discovered them. He again made a grab for the man, and this time luck was with him, as the man tripped over his own feet and landed in the half-orc’s grip. Ralnur knocked him unconscious without hesitation and returned to their hiding place downstairs.

Tessel, still hoping to track down the suspicious rat, took a chance on her Divine Sense, and she was rewarded with the sudden and terrible knowledge that a fiend was nearby, standing on the staircase. She felt the devil turn and flee past her, accompanied by the skitter of a rat’s claws. “Right there!” she called out, pointing at the spot. Valra quickly cast Dispel Magic, and sure enough, the rat popped back into visibility, simultaneously morphing into its true form: an imp.

Ardwyn rushed to join them, throwing her magical dagger, which tore through the imp’s wing. Tessel then ran forward, imbuing her longsword with holy power before smashing it into the imp’s side. With a blast of white light, the creature slammed into the wall and crumpled to the floor, dead.

The party gathered again at their makeshift camp in the cellar. Ralnur shook the captured spy awake and gave him a cold stare. “Tell us who you are, or I am going to cut off your head right now,” he said calmly. The intimidation worked wonders. The man leaned back in fear and sputtered his story. “Tristan... my name is Tristan. There were four of us. Two servants, a Seraph, and a druid.” Ardwyn looked at him skeptically. “Did your ‘druid’ transform into a rat?” she asked. “Yeah, he was a rat the whole time. He was supposed to help us find you,” he replied. The rogue kicked the corpse of the dead imp. “That’s you’re druid right there.” Tristan gazed in horror at the imp’s body, muttering excuses under his breath as the truth slowly dawned on him. “I never meant... I didn’t know...”

As their captive slowly came to terms with what had happened, the party considered their situation. According to Tristan, there were still at least two people nearby who were searching for them. Should they move to a new hiding spot, or stay put? Should they keep Tristan captive, kill him outright, or put him to work? After much consideration, they decided to use the man to get the others off their trail. Tristan, who still seemed shaken, agreed to find his companions and lead them away from the palace. Valra muttered discontentedly, not trusting that he would keep his word, but Adamir tried to seal his loyalty with a few quiet threats before his departure. Afterwards, Ralnur sidled up to the ranger, offered a friendly fist bump, and confided “I woulda killed him if the princess weren’t here.”

Although the last few hours were tense, they passed uneventfully. Perrin arrived right on time, smiling. “There’s quite a crowd waiting for you! I trust there wasn’t any trouble?” He stopped smiling when told about the infiltration, but promised that the loyalty of the servants and guards wouldn’t be a problem now that he had called together the loyalists. After making sure that everything was ready, he led them out of the cellar and toward the palace’s great hall.

The hall was filled with dozens of Cindrean citizens, all of whom turned to stare as the Duchess entered. Tessel and Perrin stood on either side of Anna as she took her place before the throne, while the rest of the party fanned out around the room, looking for any signs of trouble.

As the crowd quieted down, Anna drew in a breath... but before she could start her speech, she was interrupted by a disturbance in the crowd. A large man threw off his cloak to reveal the armor of a Seraph. “Are we going to put up with this nonsense! The girl has been kidnapped! Release her at once!” Ardwyn was standing nearest to the Seraph, and she pushed through the crowd, trying to stealthily tie up his boots, but she only succeeded in drawing the crowd's attention even more as the man kicked her hands away. Perrin began to deny the charge of kidnapping, but Tessel shushed him, suggesting that the Duchess could speak for herself. And she did. “I was not kidnapped,” she declared angrily. “I am here of my own free will!”

The Seraph was not deterred. “The girl has obviously been enchanted!” he yelled. But the Duchess had found her voice. “I have not been enchanted. I am of sound mind. And you are not welcome here. Seize this man!” At first, the crowd did not move, wary of the danger. But Ralnur stepped forward and grabbed him, wrenching his hands behind his back. Seeing this, the crowd joined in enthusiastically, with every hand nearby reaching to hold the Seraph captive. Ardwyn planted a kick onto the Seraph’s armor with a backflip before tying him up. “I watched Adamir do this once,” she commented happily as she knotted the rope.

With the interruption complete, the Duchess delivered her speech. She began with pointed references to her great aunt Saphira and grandmother Lanna, and she announced that she had returned to Cindre to take up the burden that they had once carried. Although she did not state outright that she had been kept in Balenor against her will, she made it clear that it was her choice to come home. Anna also subtly introduced the party, referring to the heroes who had assisted with her return, but refraining from mentioning that they were the same heroes who had supposedly died 44 years ago. At the end of her speech, Anna warned that she might have to stay out of sight for a short time, but implored the crowd to spread the word of her return. Although it was clear that she was not accustomed to public speaking, she delivered her words with confidence and enthusiasm. When she finished, they cheered.

Perrin led the party back to the staircase, gesturing for Ralnur to join them and leave the Seraph in the hands of the crowd. They congratulated Anna during the brisk walk down to the cellar and back onto the Teleportation Circle. Perrin was smiling again and a bit out of breath when he spoke. “So, where to?”

Their answer: “Highrock.”

Session Ten: REFUGE AND RESCUE

The party found themselves on the edge of the forest on a chilly, overcast autumn day, and they decided to head into Balenor to rescue to the Duchess of Cindre, since it was so nearby and their identities had still not been discovered. Ralnur was a bit disappointed that nobody else was as eager for battle as he was, but Tessel reassured him that “we might still have to fight some guards in Balenor”, which boosted his spirits. “Although,” Adamir chimed in, “we’re much better at destroying animals than anything else.” This earned him a searing glare from Valra.

They walked north a short distance until the main road to the city came into sight. This was still some distance away; Ralnur’s spiritual link to the crow totem had blessed him with the ability to see a mile away, and he spied some travelers heading towards them. But they didn't look like anything threatening: merely two commoners and their children traveling with an oxcart.

They soon met the family on the road. The man called out a friendly greeting. “Hullo there! Are you also out enjoying a nice walk on this fine day!” But his voice dripped with bitterness until his wife quietly scolded him. Tessel stepped forward to answer, and asked where they were heading. They introduced themselves as Owen and Hatty, and they said that they were traveling to Balenor as refugees. They told the rest of their story as they walked alongside the party. Apparently, some Peacekeepers had confiscated their grain shortly after the harvest, saying that it was needed due to the famine elsewhere in Rakos. They even took the family's winter stocks and seed grain, leaving them no choice but to leave. With no travel papers, they couldn’t go anywhere but Balenor, the only city where refugees were being welcomed.

After a few hours of walking, the party was stopped by a pair of Peacekeepers on the road, who announced that their was a 5gp-per-person toll. It was obvious extortion. Owen and Hatty looked toward the party for help. Ardwyn announced that they were traveling entertainers and offered to pay the toll with a performance. She pulled out her Poser Composer and began to play, while Ralnur joined in with dancing, clapping, and stomping. Thanks in part to the magic instrument, the performance turned out quite well. But the two soldiers were unimpressed and repeated their demands.

Tessel responded by casting Zone of Truth, magically barring the two soldiers from telling lies. Some astute questions revealed that they were waiting to join with their commander, Isabel, before heading toward Highrock. The paladin followed up by using her Charmor, winking at the more aggressive of the two Peacekeepers, who immediately calmed down and approached the paladin with an intense look of fascination. Seeing this, Ardwyn immediately took action, asking the man if he could just let them pass through. “Of course,” he said distractedly. He took Tessel’s hand in his own. “What’s her name?” he asked. “Tessel,” replied the dwarf. “Tessel. Tessssellll....” said the charmed soldier as his companion frantically tried to get his attention and snap him out of it. Ardwyn quickly remembered their fake identities, however. “Ah, that’s her nickname, though. Her real name is Michelle. And she doesn’t really like being touched.” The soldier pulled back his hand as if it had been shocked, while his friend grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to get him to see sense.

The party took this opportunity to hurry past the soldiers, following the family of commoners who had slipped past a few moments earlier. Owen and Hatty, unsure of what they’d just seen, were more than happy to let the party run past them.

They reached Balenor early the next day. After being waved through the gates, they found themselves in a line of refugees, and they were each soon handed a cloth sack containing two loaves of bread, a small waterskin, and some thick V-shaped leaves. Ralnur recognized them as “hackalo leaf”, which was sometimes chewed for its sweet taste and mild mind-numbing effect. Tessel handed out her extra bread to some of the children on the street. Valra tried the hackalo leaf, but, not knowing that it was meant to be chewed, swallowed it whole.

Balenor had changed since their last visit. Many of the previously-abandoned buildings were now being used to house a large population of refugees, many of which looked similar to the family they’d met on the road. As the party pressed on toward the center of the city, it gradually became more familiar and prosperous. They remembered that Rose, one of the clerics who had helped to resurrect them, was supposed to be in the city, and the decided to seek her out.

They arrived at the Chattyrat Tavern and immediately saw Rose working as a waitress. Her eyes went wide for a moment as she saw them, but she quickly regained her composure and announced to the bartender that she would be taking a break downstairs. After a nod from the friendly bartender, they followed her down into a small cellar.

“Where have you been?” she asked excitedly. “I mean, we heard about the Outcasts of course, but what else?” Adamir responded with a nonchalant tone. “Fought a crocodile. Killed some devils. You know.” The flabbergasted cleric was thrilled to hear about their exploits, and words poured out of her in a flood of enthusiasm. After hearing the whole story, she pressed a Scroll of Sending into their hands to ensure that the party would have a way to stay in contact if there was an emergency. Ralnur asked for another boon as well: a set of drums that he could play during the party’s fake performances. With a few empty casks from Rose and the crocodile skin from Adamir, he was able to rig together an instrument, though the quality left something to be desired.

The party soon steered the conversation toward the task at hand: how to rescue the Duchess Anna. Rose informed them that it was not unusual for groups of mercenaries or others to approach nobility in search of work; although they wouldn’t be able to simply walk out with her, they would at least get a chance to meet her and scout out the Capital Hall. The party agreed. A slightly tipsy Valra gave Rose a wink on their way out.

A few hours later, they were walking up the stairs of the Capital Hall and into its entrance hall. A man sat behind a desk, looking them up and down. He showed some surprise when they asked to meet with the Duchess of Cindre, and he warned them that she wasn’t likely to offer any employment unless they also spoke to her tutor, Xavier. But nonetheless, he gave them directions and asked them to store their weapons in a chest during their visit. Everyone placed they weapons in the chest, but Ardwyn and Adamir stealthily kept some of their blades on hand.

They proceeded to the Duchess’s small sitting room, where they found the Duchess Anna sitting with a book. She was slim, wore a plain green dress, and sat with perfectly proper posture. She put her book down as she greeted them, formally but politely. Unfortunately, she was not alone. Standing to the side of the room was a Seraph, looking both formidable and bored out of his mind.

Tessel introduced herself and her companions as traveling entertainers in search of a patron. “Oh, that sounds lovely,” said Anna, “but we shall have to consult with my tutor. I am thankful that I have never had to make such difficult decisions myself, but that does mean I must rely on my trusted advisors for guidance.” Meanwhile, Adamir and Ralnur took turns trying to distract the Seraph.

Suddenly, as she looked over each of them in turn, the Duchess’s eyes went wide, and her tone took on a distinct note of agitation. “Oh,” she said, “um, by any chance did you work for... my predecessor?” She looked around wildly and grabbed one of the books on the table, flipping through it. “Actually, I could use your help with something! I’ve been reading this book and there’s a passage I don’t quite understand.” The Seraph craned his neck to get a look at the book (succeeding despite Ralnur’s best efforts to distract him), but merely rolled his eyes upon seeing the cover.

Anna opened the book to a certain page and opened it on the table. They could read it clearly:

“Oh Reginald,” she said, clinging to him tightly. “I will always be with you, in your heart.”
“No, my love. That is not enough.” His broad chest swelled as his eyes shone with fresh determination. “We will escape together, or not at all. I will free you from this prison!”
Geraldine’s eyes glistened with tears as she gazed longingly at him. “But how? I cannot openly defy father. And his servants are always watching, always listening.” A tear rolled down her flushed cheek. “Even speaking to you here may not be safe. I can’t imagine what he would do if he found out that we... that we...”
He wrapped her in his thick arms and held her close as she began to shake with heavy sobs. “Fear not, my love. When our child is born, we shall be free, and far from this accursed place.” He looked up and turned his steely gaze toward the lush fields beyond the castle wall. “Fear not,” he repeated in a hot whisper, “for I have a plan. Listen closely...”

“That’s as far as I’ve read,” said Anna, closing the book, “but I’m dying to know what happens next.” She stared at them intently, her meaning unmistakable.

But the conversation was cut short by the entrance of a handsome man with narrow features, oily slicked-back hair, and a fashionable cape. He introduced himself as Xavier, the tutor of the Duchess, and he quickly dismissed her from the room. “You must be tired,” he said with unctuous concern. “Why don’t you go rest and leave me to handle this?” The Duchess responded with good cheer. “Of course!” She paused before retreating from the room. “Sir, may I go read in the garden tonight? The one by the back gate? It’s so beautiful under the full moon.” Xavier waved her away. “Yes, yes, as you will.”

He sat across from the party and folded his hands. “Such a lovely girl, our Duchess. But she is not well-suited for affairs of state. She is so very delicate.... Now, what is it you wanted?” The party repeated their story: they were entertainers, seeking a patron. Ralnur took the opportunity to play the drums, and Ardwyn played a brief accompaniment before Xavier’s displeasure became obvious.

Still, he did not reject their appeal. “Yes, if you are seeking employment, I may be able to find some work for you... as a favor. I often assist the Duchess with her responsibilities.” Tessel inquired as to whether there was anything they could do to help. The tutor gave a subtle smirk. “Soon the Regent will have to find her a suitable husband and she will rule in her own right. But, it is sad. This kind of work would exhaust our poor Duchess. Surely the Regent should pick a husband who knows her limitations and can help her with her duties, don’t you agree? Perhaps you could mention it to him, if you happen to find yourself speaking with him?” The party made agreeable noises and quickly excused themselves.

Back in the hallway, they decided to take the opportunity to explore the Capital Hall a bit further. They wandered toward the back of the fortress, eventually finding themselves on a balcony that overlooked the gardens. They were lush and well-kept, surrounded by a tall lattice fence with a small gate. One guard patrolled the gardens themselves, while another walked along the switchback trail that led up to the back gate. Unfortunately, a guard also showed up on the balcony, accosting the party and demanding that they leave, now that their business was finished. They apologized, followed the guard to the entrance hall, retrieved their weapons, and made their exit.

They were not done with their scouting mission, however. On the steps of the Capital Hall, Valra volunteered to transform into a black cat and explore the path that led to the garden. In feline form, she calmly walked past the Warren, peeking in the windows. The old Ranger headquarters was clearly being used as a base for the Seraphs now, though only one person was inside at the moment. She continued up the switchback trail to the thin garden fence, dodging the guard’s lazy kicks as she passed.

Reaching the fence, Valra easily leapt onto it and climbed to the top... but just as she crossed over, she was startled by the sudden cry of a magical alarm. She quickly retreated and returned along the same path. The rest of the party heard the alarm all the way on the other side of the Capital Hall. Adamir decided that it wouldn’t be suspicious if he showed his curiosity, so he went down the path as well, passing Valra on her way back. Further along, he was stopped by the guard, who angrily demanded to know his business. Adamir inquired about the alarm. The guard said it was just a cat, but asked the ranger his name in a suspicious tone. “I’m Petey,” he responded. “Petey...” repeated the guard, “I’ll remember that.” Craning his neck, Adamir saw that some guards were entering and exiting the door from the gardens to the Capital Hall, and after some discussion, the alarm’s noise stopped. Deciding not to press his luck, he returned to the others.

They went back to the Chattyrat Tavern and spoke with Rose about what they had seen. She gave them directions to the street behind the Capital Hall, which would give them easier access to the switchback and the gardens. After much discussion, a rescue plan was hatched. They enjoyed a short rest and a few drinks before night fell.

They returned to the base of the hill under cover of darkness, hiding in the thick brush below the main path. Valra transformed into a calico cat and again walked up the switchback trail to the garden’s back gate, passing the guard once again. She found the Duchess Anna sitting against the fence, reading a book, with a large travel sack next to her.

Valra meowed loudly, and Anna jumped in her seat. She calmed down when she saw the cat, but then furrowed her brow in confusion. “Wait,” she said, “are you... Valra?” The druid nodded and meowed in affirmation. “Oh my goodness,” said the Duchess excitedly, “I’m ready. You’re going to get me out of here, right? What do I need to do?” Unfortunately, Valra could only respond with meows and gestures with her paws. The Duchess was understandably confused. “Um... meow?” she responded uncertainly. “Are the others nearby?” The druid nodded, meowed again, and held out a paw to indicate that Anna should wait. With that, she returned to her companions.

Ardwyn took out her Mouthbeast and used the puppet to relay Valra’s report to the rest of the party. So far, everything was going according to plan. The next step, however, was likely to be the most dangerous. Moving further toward the main path, the party hid themselves as best they could, while Ardwyn got ready for an ambush.

Unfortunately, the guard noticed a rustling coming from the bushes in Adamir’s direction. “Who’s there?” he called out. Thinking quickly, Valra sprung from her hiding place nearby, still in the form of a calico cat, and ran through the guard’s legs. Smiling, he continued on his patrol. But he didn’t make it more than a few feet before Ardwyn slipped from her own hiding place and struck a single precise blow with her battleaxe. “Boo.” The rogue’s swing was perfect, and the guard’s head somehow landed on the path with barely a sound, followed a moment later by the rest of his body. Adamir disposed of the body. They found no keys, but the ranger stayed behind to swap his clothes for the dead guard’s uniform.

The others hurriedly climbed the switchback trail up to the fence, where Anna was waiting for them. She quickly warned them that the fence was magically reinforced, and the garden’s guard was not far away. “I have rope, though!” She rummaged through her pack and pulled out a 50ft length of rope, and Tessel told her to tie it around her waist. Meanwhile, Ardwyn set to work picking the lock. The Duchess did her best to tie the rope around herself, but the knot was a mess. “Okay, I’m ready,” she said. But suddenly, she stumbled backwards. “Oh... I’m feeling a bit dizzy...”

Tessel looked at her companions. “We need to do this now,” she insisted. Just then, Ardwyn finished picking the lock, and the gate swung open... but the alarm went off nonetheless. It set off a flurry of motion. Tessel grabbed the increasingly unsteady Duchess and threw her into Ralnur’s waiting arms, along with her travel sack. Ardwyn smashed a Masqueregg onto Anna, magically disguising her as a peasant girl, and then quickly followed up with another Masqueregg for herself. In an instant, the dwarf looked like a perfect copy of the Duchess, and she hurriedly sat down by the fence. Valra darted inside the garden with feline grace, hoping to be blamed for the alarm again. The guard, meanwhile, ran toward them. Fooled by Ardwyn’s disguise, he held out his hand to her. “Duchess, follow me!” The rogue smiled sweetly and approached, but surprised him with a swing of her battleaxe, causing her disguise to melt away as quickly as it had appeared.

Badly injured, the guard screamed and ran, followed soon by one of Ardwyn’s thrown daggers. Ralnur, cradling his precious cargo, took the opportunity to sprint away down the hill. Tessel tried to finish off the guard with a javelin, but unfortunately Valra arrived at the same time and managed to trip up the guard’s legs. He hurtled to the ground and saw the javelin bury itself in the grass just in front of him. Screaming again, he clambered to his feet and continued to flee into the Capital Hall. With the alarm still blaring, the party decided that escape would be wiser than pursuit. They followed the half-orc out the gate, and they ran.

On the hill below, Adamir heard the alarm and emerged from the brush, disguised as a guard. Soon, a figure emerged from the darkness, running down the path that came from the direction of the Warren. It was Isabel, the Seraph they had met at the Gold Tower. “You, what’s going on?” she demanded. “Just a false alarm! Looks like it was a cat again,” said Adamir with a smile. Isabel narrowed her eyes and put a hand on her greatsword. “What’s the password?” she asked. The ranged tried to bluff, but she drew her sword. She spoke one word before she attacked: “Adamir.” She rushed forward ferociously, but Adamir dodged the first swing of her sword, and in her anger, she missed even wider with the second swing, sending sparks flying from a stone at their feet. “At first I didn’t believe it when my men said they met a ‘Tessel’ on the road,” she growled. “How did you get here before me?” Adamir answered by charging, sending Isabel sprawling on the ground. He followed this with two strikes of his shortswords, leaving two clean shallow cuts. The ranger then danced backward, easily dodging as the Seraph swung her greatsword once more.

By this time, the others had nearly returned. Ralnur, seeing that the Duchess had passed out in his arms, didn’t stop for a moment. He ran toward the streets leading into the city, giving the fight a wide berth. Tessel hurried down the path, following as fast as she could. Valra, hoping to offer her companions a boost of speed, transformed back into an elf and cast Conjure Animals, summoning four magical warhorses, positioned next to herself and each of her remaining companions. Tessel eagerly climbed onto her new mount. Ardwyn, for her part, leapt down part of the switchback, hoping to join the fight.

Isabel, however, saw that she was outnumbered, and she understood that discretion is the better part of valor. Climbing to her feet, she muttered that “the Regent will hear about this,” and she turned to run. Ardwyn cried out after her, “she’s getting away!” But Valra was not interested in a prolonged fight in enemy territory, and she directed one of her warhorses to knock the rogue over before the chase could begin. Ardwyn allowed herself to be pushed and relented, “okay, okay.”

Mounting their magical warhorses, they all galloped down into the streets of the city, soon catching up with Ralnur and the Duchess. They left the Capital Hall behind in a hurry, never seeing what kind of response the guards had finally mustered. They eventually slowed, blending into the city once again, and made their way back to the Chattyrat Tavern, carrying the sleeping Duchess with them...