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.”“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.
“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...”
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...
