Act 1 / Episode 3 - The Blood Vow Lair, Part 1 (April 13, 2014)

Beyond the turnoff for the Hunclay Manor and the ruins of the Witch Tower, the Old Quarry Road was in very poor shape and had evidently not seen any traffic in many years. All that remained of the road was a muddy track now overgrown with beech, holly, thickets of deciduous shrubs, and low hanging branches of oak and blackwood. Fortunately, the site of the flooded quarry was barely a half mile or so from the eastern edge of Belhaim, and easy to find; the party made good time and reached their destination around mid-afternoon. Jiri kept an eye out for tracks in the mud, but initially noticed nothing but the spoor of deer, boar, bear, rabbit and rodents; only when they neared the quarry did he notice clawed, reptilian tracks that likely belonged to kobolds.

The flooded quarry itself was a crater fourty feet deep and perhaps a few hundred feet across, most of it now filled with a murky lake surrounded by a narrow pebble beach. The limestone quarry was surrounded by thick brush and some rocky hills. The companions found a steep path leading down to the east end of the lake, and carefully made their way down to the pebble beach. From there, Jiri saw depressions in the stones, suggesting that whatever had made the tracks had made its way south, where boulders lay scattered between the face of a rocky cliff and the lake. 

The party had initially decided that their preference would be to pursue a diplomatic approach with the kobolds, thinking that notwithstanding the collapse of the tower and their dealings with and allegedly accidental slaying of Hunclay, there was no proof that they had abducted villagers or otherwise constituted a menace to Belhaim. Jiri cautiously scouted ahead south along the eastern wall of the quarry. As he neared the boulders, he was pelted by sling stones hurled by green-sclaed kobolds hidden behind the rocks, with remarkably good aim. Another leapt atop the boulder behind which the dwarf had taken cover and jabbed at him with a spear. At that moment, Akiro and Iacobus broke from cover and rushed to the aid of their companion, while Shalora rode her horse down the steep path to the beach with Mischief close behind, healing potion hanging from his newly designed special collar.

Three kobolds kept lobbing stones at the heroes while the fourth struck with his spear, mounting a surprisingly effective defence against the companions. Shalora channeled her spiritual energies to establish a link with Akiro and Jiri, via which she could transfer some of their wounds to herself, and heal the frontline warriors. Jiri eventually dazed one of the kobolds with his own divine magic, while Akiro slew one with his glaive; Shalora charged in on horseback and cast another spell that put the remaining reptile men to sleep. Deeming it to great a risk to leave the kobolds alive at their back, Iacobus proceeded to coup de grace the three sleeping kobolds. 

Beyond the boulders, a low, narrow tunnel in the cliff wall--less than 5' high and less than that in width--disappeared into darkness. The companions found a second tunnel entrance a little bit further south, also sheltered by boulders, and heard footsteps scurrying away down that latter tunnel. Other hidden sentries had fled to sound the alarm.

Shalora tied her horse to one of the smaller boulders, and the party decided to proceed down the second tunnel, with Akiro in the lead. Iacobus cast a light spell upon his hat, turning the Tian warrior into a walking lantern. The companions had to crouch to advance in the narrow, twisting tunnels. Akiro soon became a target for more kobold sling stones. Within moments, the hail of stones ceased and Akiro found himself being mauled by five slavering, dog-sized rats that charged at him out of the darkness. The Tian warrior struggled in the tight confines of the tunnel, and the dire rats squirmed past his defences, biting through his armour time after time. Jiri and Iacobus took turns trying to aid Akiro, either by attempting to shoot arrows or striking with their blades past him, mostly in vain. Yet, miraculously, Akiro found some of his wounds closing as he fended off the monstrous rats, while in back, Jiri and Iacobus noticed wounds like stigmata opening on Shalora even though she had not been struck. With great determination, Akiro eventually killed off all the vicious rodents. Mischief regularly exited the tunnel to act as rear guard and to ensure that no kobolds were emerging from the other tunnel to harm Shalora's new mount.

A short distance further down the tunnel, the party followed a fork that led into a higher ceilinged chamber. Straw was strewn across the floor of this large cave, and its ceiling vaulted to a height reaching fifteen feet in some areas. Three ledges, eight feet off the ground, looked out over the main cavern. A five-foot wide, twenty-foot-deep trench ran north to south through the western half of the cavern, with just one five-foot bridge of natural stone allowing passage from one side to the other. As Akiro and Jiri cautiously made their way across the natural bridge, they noticed eight kobolds rising up from the three high ledges around the cave, who immediately rained sling stones down on the heroes once again. Jiri took the most hits, followed by Akiro. The battle lasted some time. Jiri targeted the dragon-men with his short bow, while Akiro cleaved at some of his foes from below with his glaive. 

Iacobus invoked a spell that enabled him to vanish, and then conjured a shimmering rainbow of colours that he aimed at the two kobolds on the ledge nearest him. The spell had absolutely no effect on them; they merely looked on with momentary admiration, and were more shocked to witness the Taldan reappear abruptly out of nowhere. Shalora supported her companions with blessings that boosted their morale and guided their attacks, and also healed them at a distance as they suffered more and more wounds.

While Iacobus was preoccupied with the pair of kobolds above him, another two of the dragon-men charged out of another passage to the north and nearly succeeded in shoving him into one of the trenches. The Taldan dropped his falcata, which clanged at the bottom of the trench as he grasped at the ledge and held on for dear life. Jiri and Shalora kept the two new assailants occupied as Iacobus pulled himself back up from the trench. Iacobus then slit the throat of one of the kobolds with a dagger as the pair again tried to bullrush him into the trench, and hit the other with a ray of frost before plunging his blade into its eye and killing it. Once Akiro successfully climbed onto the farthest ledge and sliced the last of the three kobolds thereon in half at the waist, the final defender on the ledge above Iacobus surrendered. He unfurled a rope ladder and clambered down, as the party bade him do. The companions gathered the rope ladders found on each ledge, and tied up and lowered the sole survivor into one of the trenches after they forced him to retrieve Iacobus's falcata.

Concerned with the wounds that had been inflicted on Shalora both during and outside of combat, Akiro lay his hands gently on the elf's injuries. His eyes widened in surprise as he found them partially closing at his touch -- a power he had never previously manifested. 

After exploring a few more chambers and passages of limited interest (one that had been a dire rat pen, the other containing a well), the party came upon one torchlit cave where four kobolds held three manacled human prisoners shackled to walls, with spears at their throats. The area was obviously used for labour-intensive tasks, such as making rope from vines, drying meat, and tanning hides, but the living and working conditions were squalid at best. The humans--two women and a man--were bruised, dirty and underfed, and clearly fearful that the kobolds would kill them if the party approached. Jiri uttered a prayer that dazed the lead kobold, while Akiro's cold stare and bloody glaive, intimidated the other three into dropping their spears without harming the captives; clearly no reinforcements were on their way to support the jailers. The party released the captives using a key found on one of the jailers, and chained the four kobolds to the wall by their feet. 

One of the captives was Bophre Malak, daughter of Isadorer Malak, who had gone missing from Belhaim three months ago. To the party's dismay, the other two captives were not the Kells who also had been unexpectedly absent from the village for several months now. This other couple were Carlo and his wife Sela Bellathi, peddlers of religious charms, who declared that they had been captured a few days before Bophre Malak while traveling east on the Verduran Highway. Bophre had not seen the Kells during all her time in captivity, and was alarmed to learn that they two had gone missing--she said that both were well liked in Belhaim. After some discussion, the party decided that they could not spare time to escort the captives back to town, for that would give their foes the opportunity to regroup and reinforce, and to prepare for the return of the "bigfoots", "beards", and "ears and arrows." They escorted the three liberated humans out of the kobold lair, and gave them the option to either head back to town on their own if they were comfortable doing that, since Bophre knew the way, or to await the companions' return with Shalora's horse… hopefully within the next few hours.

   

As the party resumed their exploration of the lair, Akiro fell afoul a trap, and fell twenty feet into a concealed pit, with loose rocks tumbling down on him from above. The Tian warrior somehow escaped serious injury, and was hauled out by his companions.

A short way beyond the pit, the party came upon a baffling sight: a mound of what appeared to be rotten vegetables, fruit, and excrement sat heaped in the middle of the room, covering a spear and leather sack. The companions suspected another trap, but then noticed a single forlorn kobold sitting in the middle alcove in the northern part of the cave, its arms, legs and snout tightly bound with rope and its body lashed to iron spikes driven into the cave wall. They found it odd to find a kobold tied in this manner within a kobold lair, but looking again at the nearby mound of refuse atop the spear and leather sack, Jiri deduced that this kobold may in fact have been shamed and ostracized by the tribe. The rope was removed from its snout, and the party questioned the creature as they inspected the contents of the sack: they found what the kobold would refer to as its "two lucky sticks," bundled leather armour, 30 silver coins, and a topaz gem that Mischief promptly claimed as his own.

The kobold said her name was Nighttail, and that she had been bound and punished by Chief Roaghaz because she had repeatedly voiced her objection to the tribe working with the wizard to engineer the collapse of the tower. She said that the Blood Vow had never been in conflict with the local bigfoots before, that her philosophy was "live and let live," and that she thought that collapsing the tower was a bad idea and would anger the bigfoots. Nighttail stated that she had come to realize that the Blood Vow were a bunch of spineless cowards who just did whatever Chief Roaghaz told them to to do, and she had suffered enough at Chief Roaghaz's whims; if the party released her, she would aid them. She knew the way through the lair, and could point out the locations of traps. She informed the group that a red-scaled priest from the Hangtooth tribe had recently arrived as an envoy to the Blood Vow; and if the party killed Chief Roaghaz, Nighttail would be willing to assume leadership of the Blood Vow and promised that they would never bother the bigfoots again. The companions deemed this a reasonable proposal, set her free, and allowed her to reclaim her gear--all save the topaz that Mischief now hoarded jealously, growling at the kobold's approach. 

But before they ventured further into the lair, which Nighttail said went "two more down," she wanted to check that her "friend" was alright. The heroes became curious and suspicious… who was this friend? Was it another kobold? 

No, she replied. 

Was it a friend like Mischief? 

Yes, yes.

The party instructed that Nighttail lead the way. She took them down a nearby passage, through stout wooden gates and into a larger, higher-ceiling chamber where dozens of well-chewed deer bones littered the ground. In that chamber, the heroes were shocked to find a bipedal reptile as tall as Iacobus gnawing at a bone with its razor-filled maw. Getting it in here through the narrow tunnels would have been a tight squeeze.

The beast snorted and advanced, lowering its head for Nighttail to pet it.

"This my friend, Hak…"

Act 1 / Interlude 2 -- Around Town (April 13, 2014)

Most of their resources spent, the companions decided that they should spend at least the rest of the day resting and conducting errands around town before dealing with the Blood Vow kobolds. Based on what they had learned thus far from Sesserak as well Lady Devy and Arnholde Devy, the Sheylinites in the party in particular were not convinced that the kobolds were the looming menace that the locals now believed they were.

Akiro and Shalora (and Mischief) went straight to the Inn of the Wise Piper to relax, and with her newfound wealth, Shalora wasted no time upgrading to one of the inn's more luxurious rooms. Jiri decided that he would spend more time interrogating Sesserak at the jail, while Iacobus went about town searching for alchemical, magical and other items that could help him accelerate his recovery from the centipede poison that still affected him, and that might also be of use to the party when they confronted the Blood Vow in their lair.

Despite his best efforts, Jiri gleaned only a little more knowledge from his interrogation of the kobold, for assessing a lizard-like creature's facial expressions, or lack thereof, and tone of voice were a challenge indeed. The dwarf learned that:

. Chief Roaghaz supposedly was the most powerful sorcerer in the world;

. the tribe numbered "a hundred hundred warriors -- too many for bigfoots, ears and arrows, and stupid beards to defeat;"

. the narrow tunnels and many traps would give the bigfoots and stupid beards a hard time, and she would not reveal their locations;

. the "back" door that the stupid beard kept asking about was also a "front" door;

. "now that tower is broken, Blood Vow would cause no more trouble for bigfoot town;"

Sesserak asked that the bigfoots release her. She promised that she would leave and go far far away, would not cause problems for bigfoots, and would not go back to the Blood Vow tribe because Chief Roaghaz would kill her for her failure and for causing problems with bigfoots. For those same reasons, Sesserak would refuse to guide the party to the Blood Vow lair or to act as a peace broker, even though Jiri suggested that a parlay with Chief Roaghaz might save the lives of many Blood Vow. If she was going to die, then she would prefer to die at the hands of the bigfoots than at the hands of Chief Roaghaz, who would declare her a traitor regardless of parlay attempts. Still, despite the death sentence, Sesserak would not betray her people. "Me no traitor to the Blood Vow tribe," she said. "If bigfoots and beards and ears and arrows want kill Sesserak too, then you do it… Blood Vow are blood of the dragon, not scared of death… Will go to meet mighty Dahak, creator of dragons… and maybe Duke Vapula…"

That was all Jiri managed to learn from the stubborn kobold. Her fate would depend on the outcome of the companions' upcoming encounter with the Blood Vow tribe. Jiri did convince a hesitant Deputy Mulle to sell him a pair of manacles.

Meanwhile, Iacobus wandered Belhaim's muddy streets and briefly visited a number of merchants (all of whom had already heard rumours about his involvement in the exploration of the collapsed Witch Tower) and shops, including:

. Xemne of Demgazi at Xemne's Tonics, the apothecary located across the green from the Inn of the Wise Piper -- Iacobus was less than pleased with the selection of alchemical goods and their costs, lack of potions, and with what he perceived as Xemne's overly flighty personality and indifference to his needs -- but what more could a dedicated Abadaran expect of an obvious Shelynite with Qadiran blood?;

. Caspar Tymek's General Store -- the man was friendly enough, but all he had in his shop were mundane goods -- no magic or alchemical items;

. Phedra Delbin at Delbin's Devices -- the town tinker, Phedra was a timid woman who clearly wanted to be helpful to Iacobus, but was uncertain what exactly Iacobus was looking for -- she made animal traps, locks, manacles for the garrison, and other such items, and even admitted to having an enchanted frost blade that she would be willing to sell for no less than what she estimated was a market value around 8,000 gold pieces or for an equivalent credit note from Lady Devy. Iacobus himself was not certain what he was looking for in the tinker's shop, but he tried to convince Phedra to lend him the frost weapon, as he would be using it for the purposes of protecting Belhaim from the kobold menace, but though she wanted to aid the young man, she was reluctant to let a stranger borrow such a rare and valuable weapon;

. and Banker Eupaphenia Targas at the House of Abadar (without a doubt one of the most impressive and elaborate buildings in the village, with its rich decorations and high, thick, stained-glass windows). Banker Targas was clad in fine golden robes, and was evidently very busy filling out documents from behind a counter in a wing of the temple near the entrance. Banker Targas knew who Iacobus was and acknowledged the value of the service he had rendered to the community (while barely sparing a glance at him), and she urged him to be quick about his business. When Iacobus explained the nature of his affliction, Banker Targas indicated that the House currently had three scrolls with the power of restoration available for sale (700 gold coins each), a wand that could cure significant (moderate) wounds with 39 charges (3,510 gold coins), and a potion that could cure some of his (light) wounds. At 50 gold, the latter was the only item in his price range, and the good Banker agreed to sell it to him at the reduced price of 45 gold since Iacobus was a member of the faith; and though Iacobus tried, Banker Targas would be bargained no lower. Iacobus bought the potion. The Banker did inform him that she would pray that night for Abadar to grant her the power to lessen Iacobus's affliction, and that she could cast that blessing on him if he returned the next morning. She also reminded him of the House's vault service, should he and his companions need to place large sums of money in safekeeping. 

Iacobus had other schemes in mind that he tried to put into effect before returning to the inn. Knowing that there were still thousands of copper coins in the Canteclure treasury beneath the Witch Tower that his companions did not care to retrieve, Iacobus decided that it might be worth his while to hire some local layour to retrieve the last of the treasure while he and the party dealt with the Blood Vow kobolds tomorrow… and by creating this temporary business opportunity, he would be contributing to employment and economic growth in the village, and thereby acting in accordance with the values of Abadar. He encountered a young man on the street and tried to persuade him to enlist a few friends to go recover the last of the treasure from the ruins of the Witch Tower -- Iacobus offered him 10 gold coins, close to a year's wages for the lad's father, for a day's work hauling up copper coins. The young man was torn -- on the one hand, his family could definitely use the money, on the other hand, he was quite worried about going down into the ruins without powerful adventurers like Iacobus to keep him safe. After a lot of hemming and hawing, which annoyed Iacobus to no end, the young man agreed to go talk to some friends about Iacobus's proposition, and that they would report back to him at the Inn of the Wise Piper if they were interested. Iacobus suspected that if the lad's lack of ambition was any indication, then he was probably a Shelynite.

The group all gathered at the Inn for supper, where Iacobus reported on his general disappointment with the townsfolk he had encountered -- for the most part, he deemed them either lazy, unhelpful, none too bright, and even "not much to look at" (this last remark aimed at Phedra Delbin and Xemne of Demgazi); Jiri shared what little more he had learned from Sesserak; and Shalora was able to provide Iacobus with some treatment to mitigate the effects of the centipede poison. The party also asked Talia Orem what she had heard about the disappearances of the Kells and Bophre Malak; she essentially confirmed what Arnholde Devy had told them. She knew of no one else who had gone missing recently. Talia also added that although she never wished ill on anyone, in some ways, she was comforted that the wizard Hunclay was dead. While the wizard did very little business in town personally, he always spooked her. Talia heard that he worshipped devils and collected evil books.

That evening, a man nervously intruded on the party, desperate to ask Shalora a question. It was the man whose face Silas Gribb had "stolen" the day before -- he introduced himself as Marvon Pascis. Marvon and his wife worried that Silas's magic had cursed Marvon, and he wanted to know if that were the case, and if there were anything Shalora could do to help him. Iacobus could not believe just how stupid the man could be. Shalora assured Marvon that no harm would come to him as a result of the spell, and she even used some of her own magic to boost his morale. The man left the inn thankful and reassured.

The next morning, Iacobus was annoyed to find that only now did Shalora and Jiri decide to visit the local temple of Sheylin -- the Shrine of the Seven Roses. The magus thought the group was going to head to the Blood Vow lair first thing in the morning, and ended up grumbling about poor work ethic and (lack of) punctuality among Shelynites.

Shalora and Jiri got a very warm reception from Nilos Genser, local priest of Shelyn, who was playing his lute and singing songs of love and peace with a half dozen youthful followers in a garden behind a simple cottage decorated with flower pots and numerous whimsical and beautifully carved wooden sculptures. The man hugged Shalora and Jiri, and was especially surprised and pleased to meet a dwarven follower of the Eternal Rose -- a first for him; but his eyes really lit up at the sight of the tall and beautiful elf. Nilos hoped that the party would be able to find a peaceful solution to the kobold situation -- the village had never had problems with their draconic neighbours until now. After a while, the conversation turned to ways in which the Shrine of the Seven Roses might be of assistance, and Nilos was willing to sell the adventurers a potion of healing (cure light wounds) for 40 gold coins -- something they normally keep for followers in need. Shalora gratefully acknowledged Nilos's generosity and was happy that some of her recently earned money would go to the Shrine. Nilos also indicated that the Shrine had additional items which they were not in a position to part with at the moment, including a deep red sphere ioun stone and wand of lesser restoration with 43 charges, among other things left unnamed. 

After the visit to the Shrine, Shalora and Jiri stopped by Sensina Hides, a leatherworker's shop, where the elf made an unusual request: could they fashion a neck harness for a fox that could hold a potion flask, by early afternoon? The friendly shop owner, Theon Sensina, was up to the challenge, and delivered the goods in a timely manner. Theon held the view that the kobolds had always been trouble, and that they had become worse of late. He was certain that they were preparing for war. 

Iacobus seethed inwardly when, hours later, Shalora and Jiri finally returned to the inn, and the Taldan learned that Shalora had gotten a better deal on her potion of healing at the Shrine of the Seven Roses than he got at the House of Abadar.    

The party also paid a visit to Isadorer Malak, at the Malak dairy farm across the river from the inn, to see if she had any more information to share about the disappearance of her daughter, Bophre. Isadorer was a kind but evidently heartbroken woman. The Malaks had seven children, and Bophre was their eldest. Isadorer confirmed what Arnholde Devy had previously told the party -- that Bophre was a lively young girl who liked to go on walks in the woods or along the river bank. And then one day three months ago, she never returned from one of her walks, and though folks searched for her, no trace of her was ever found. Isadorer still believed in her heart that her daughter was still alive, and her family was willing to give their life savings of 200 gold coins for her safe return.

It was early afternoon, and still the party was not ready. Just as they were preparing to hit the road, Shalora decided to visit the Dodgion Livery behind the Inn, where she purchased a combat-trained light riding horse. Akiro could not contain his excitement when he saw the animals at the livery, and on the spur of the moment also bought a pony, which he brought back to the Inn's stable.

By mid-afternoon, the party was finally ready to make the short half mile journey up the overgrown quarry road to the Blood Vow lair...

Act 1 / Interlude 1 - First Report to the Baroness / A New Mission (April 13, 2014)

The companions were pleased to exit the sinister ruins of the ruined tower with their loot and kobold captive in tow. One of the deputies remained at the scene of the collapse, the man named Hodd, who was keeping an eye on the small gathering of villagers who remained in the area. The companions were greeted by the gawkers with a mix of relief, excitement, and fear at the sight of the kobold.

Scanning the area after clambering down to the foot of the tower, the companions noticed that whereas the hills and valley around Belhaim were green  and forested, the hilltop around the late wizard Hunclay's manor (#28 on the map) had been clear cut -- all that were left in the vicinity was an unwelcoming waste of low stumps. The adventurers recalled that the Lady Devy had informed them that the wizard had wanted the tower demolished because it obscured his view of the sky -- did he have the trees cut down for the same reason? The manor itself looked odd, crowned as it was by a large dome. 

Across the road, to the south, the heroes spotted a small house and cemetery at the foot of another hill, and beyond that an estate that was larger even than the wizard Hunclay's. Deputy Hodd indicated that the estate on the nearby hilltop overlooking the village to the west was Devy Manor, and that the party should head there without delay to give the baroness their report.

 Devy Manor's extensive, well-manicured grounds and large stables clearly reflected the wealth and status of its resident family. The manor itself appeared to be centuries old, but some of the exterior masonry was starting to show signs of decay. A trio of heavily armoured guards escorted the party into the manor's reception chamber, watching the kobold captive especially warily; the companions found Lady Devy and her son, Arnholde, awaiting them in the opulent chamber with marbled floors, luxurious carpets, chairs and divans, ornate oak tables, and portraits and historical artifacts displayed on the wood-panneled walls and pedestals around the room.

Lady Devy seemed horrified that the bloodied, grimy party had brought a kobold into her beautiful manor, and she looked non too pleased that a fox was in her reception chamber, as well, but she said nothing and simply asked whether or not the companions had accomplished their mission and what else they might have to report. She was cold and formal, but respectful to the party.

The party informed the baroness of the following:

. the kobolds had indeed engineered the collapse of the tower, but in the process they accidentally killed the wizard Hunclay (whose dead body was found half-buried under rubble), as well as some of their own;

. the captive, Sesserak, claimed that the kobolds were acting under the instructions of the wizard, who had made an arrangement with the clan's chief, Roaghaz. Sesserak knew that the wizard hated the tower and wanted it destroyed, but did not know why.

Lady Devy was not surprised to learn that the wizard Hunclay had been found under the tower and that he had been involved in the structure's collapse.

She then explained that the Canteclures who had ruled the environs of Belhaim two centuries ago had an evil reputation, and the tower was all that remained of Castle Tula -- the stronghold of the Canteclures -- after the Grand Prince's forces laid siege to it and razed it. She did not know why the tower had been left standing by the Grand Prince's forces. Because of the Canteclure's vile history, superstitious locals came to believe that the tower was cursed and took to calling it the Witch Tower, and all feared and stayed away from it, save her late husband and Balthus Hunclay, who wanted it torn down. Lady Devy wondered whether the party had found any basis for the superstitions, and whether they found any signs of supernatural evil or witchery. The companions confirmed that they had encountered guardians and unclean spirits in the ruins, and described the steel juggernaut that protected the access to the Canteclure treasury. They explained that the construct's only purpose was to guard the treasury, and that they had banished other spirits that haunted the dungeon; they omitted any mention of the raven devil "Zorg" (believing that he was bound to his chamber), but tried to reassure the baroness that nothing under the tower posed a threat to the village unless something else came up through the kobold tunnels. Lady Devy did not seem entirely convinced, but she was surprised and impressed that the companions had found the Canteclure treasury -- evidently, the Grand Prince's forces had not discovered that secret part of the complex. True to her word, whatever the party found therein would be theirs to keep.

Arnholde wondered if, given that the kobolds had delved deeper into the town and even killed a citizen -- even one as unpopular as Hunclay -- might they not have played a part in the disappearances of other locals over the past three months? Hunclay explained that the town's druid, Azmur Kell, and his wife Rima, were supposed to be back from their ranging in the eastern woods two months ago. Locals thought that the two may have decided to extend their ranging, which would not be unusual… but two months without word of them seemed rather long and out of character.

And just last week, Arnholde had heard that Isadorer Malak had increased the reward for her missing daughter Bophre, who has been missing for three months. Poor Isadorer clearly still had hope that her daughter was still alive, even after all this time. The girl was known to take walks in the woods and along the river, and a search party had found no trace of her disappearance. Some wondered whether she had not slipped into the river and been swept away and drowned. 

Lady Devy admitted that they had known for years that a tribe of kobolds had taken residence in the old flooded quarry, not even a mile east of town along the now unused road that goes past Hunclay's manor and the Witch Tower. The kobolds kept to themselves, did not enter the village, and caused no problems, so the people of Belhaim just let them be. "Indeed, as our Banker at the House of Abadar, Eupaphenia Targas, counselled, Abadar teaches the values of understanding and peaceful coexistence," said Lady Devy. "But it seems that times have changed, and if I am not mistaken, Abadar also teaches that civilization and justice require the elimination of monsters that threaten society. I believe these kobolds have crossed the line."

Lady Devy was glad that she had judged the abilities of the companions well, and agreed that they had fulfilled the terms of their original mission. At the lady's command, her guards brought out four small sacks each containing 125 gold coins, one for each member of the party. She then inquired as to whether the party would be inclined to accept another assignment -- to neutralize the Blood Vow kobold tribe that Sesserak had admitted lived in the nearby flooded quarry. The party accepted to look into the program, and the baroness committed to giving the companions a total of a dozen amethysts-- each valued at 100 gold coins--if they neutralized the kobolds at their earliest convenience.

Before the companions took their leave, Lady Devy asked whether they had found anything on the wizard Hunclay's body. They replied that the found two keys, one of which they presumed would be to the wizard's manor. The baroness asked if they would give her the keys, which the party did. Lady Devy explained that she knew only of one relative that Hunclay had in northern Taldor -- a cousin who lives in Yanmass. As per imperial law, the baroness was obligated to inform Hunclay's next of kin of his passing and to seek instructions from them before anyone could attempt to enter his estate. She agreed that it likely would be dangerous to enter the Hunclay manor, and that she would consult the party about next steps once she had received instructions from Hunclay's cousin. She would send a raven to Yanmass without delay.

In the meantime, the most urgent matter for the people of Belhaim remained the destructive and untrustworthy kobolds that threatened the village.

Arnholde Devy also inquired as to whether the companions had found any items of historical significance. The party mentioned the Canteclure crest that they had left in the dungeon in order to guarantee safe passage passed the metal guardian by the treasury. Arnholde indicated that he would be prepared to pay the party if they retrieved the crest after the kobolds had been dealt with.

Jiri initiated a polite discussion with Arnholde regarding the merits of beauty over, or in relation to, commerce and development, but was unsuccessful in swaying the man's Abadaran perspective. The discussion ended in a stalemate. Lady Devy gently encouraged the party to pay a visit to Eupaphenia Targas at the House of Abadar.

Arnholde agreed, unenthusiastically, to guide the party and introduce the party around town in the coming days. And in the meantime, Sesserak would be held in the town jail, in the garrison across from the Inn of the Wise Piper...

Act 1 / Episode 2 - Kobolds in the Ruined Tower (March 23, 2014)

As the companions broke their fast the next morning on freshly baked bread, cheese and honey, the walls of the inn rattled as though shaken by thunder. Outside the inn, people screamed and shouted, evidently disturbed by what they had witnessed. Curious, the companions stepped out of the inn and saw people rushing northeast, where a huge plume of dust billowed on a hilltop. "The Witch Tower has fallen!" called villagers in shock and worry as their curiosity nonetheless drew them toward the site.

Once Shalora had checked on Sparkles in the stables, the companions (with Mischief) also made their way northeast through the village and up the hill. A small crowd had begun to assemble at the foot of the ruins, which shared a crudely deforested hilltop with a large manor. Only fragments of the first and second floor still remained. Black stone and broken wooden debris lay scattered down the hill's southeastern slope, and a rocky ramp of sorts lead up to what was left of the tower's now exposed second floor. Some of the locals pointed at two clawed, reptilian corpses strewn in the wreckage. "Look! Kobolds!"

The two deputies that had "kept" Akiro in the inn stables the day before were puttering about, evidently unsure what to do. The woman wandered about scratching her head, while the her male comrade stood with his hands on his hips, chewing on a stalk of grass.

People in the crowd muttered that perhaps someone should check to see if the wizard Hunclay knew anything about what happened, given that his manor shared the hill with the tower. Some found it odd that he had not made an appearance given the proximity of the disaster, and wondered whether he might not have had something to do with it. Jiri surveyed the damaged tower, and concluded that the bulk of the tower seemed to have crumbled into a sinkhole, and that the rubble was still unstable. Meanwhile, Iacobus tried to determine what exactly the two deputies were doing. "Uhhh… crowd control?" they suggested, hesitantly. The Taldan warrior encouraged them, sternly, to do a better job of it.

In the meantime, an elegantly dressed, white-haired older woman and a thin, dark-haired man roughly Iacobus's age arrived on the scene and began to question the locals. The companions made their way to the wizard's manor, where they found a third, horribly charred kobold corpse lying upon the wizard's doorstep. "I would recommend against opening the door," called out the male deputy a short distance behind the companions, explaining that the wizard was powerful and may have set other traps like those that killed the charred kobold.

A moment later, the elegant pair reached the manor, and the white-haired woman instructed Deputy Hodd to keep the crowd away from the ruins. She then addressed the party, and introduced herself as Lady Origena Devy, Baroness of Belhaim; the young man was her son, Arnholde Devy. Lady Devy was pleased to learn that the companions had assisted Sheriff Benhovy in the apprehension of the smuggler and traitor Gribb the day before, and asked whether other employment currently awaited them.  When their reply was negative, she sought to hire them.

Lady Origena Devy, Baroness of Belhaim, and her son, Arnholde Devy

"Today's your lucky day. Mulle and Hodd here can't handle this without the Sheriff to hold their hands, and I want to know what happened here without delay. You seem to be a capable bunch, and exploring crumbling ruins is not what I pay the deputies to do. If you go in there and look through the rubble--find out what happened and why there are kobolds in my town--I'll pay you generously. I'm willing to offer the lot of you 500 gold coins. While you're looking around in the ruins, keep and eye out for any signs of our local eccentric, Hunclay. It seems somewhat suspicious to me that he's not coming out of his manor. Let me know what you find."

The eyes of the companions widened--if they successfully completed this assignment, they would go from rags to riches in one day!

Jiri remarked that the stonework of the tower was poor, and that if dwarves had built it, it never would have fallen. The Lady replied coldly that the builders of the era did not have the good fortune of having dwarven stonemasons living in their midst, and that the dwarf was welcome to settle here if he wanted to offer his services to the community.

Jiri and Iacobus also sensed a strain in the baroness' voice, even before the exchange regarding the stone masonry. When questioned, she sighed, then explained tersely that her fool husband lost his life poking around the damned tower and she had come to think of it as his memorial. She was not surprised that the old ruin finally fell -- Hunclay had long pestered her for permission to knock down the tower, which she declined. He always claimed that it blocked his view of the night sky. His absence from the crowd therefore was especially suspicious. Lady Devy described Hunclay for her hired swords: an elderly man with white hair and beard, likely to be wearing a robe with arcane symbols.

The companions asked how long it had been since the Lady's husband had disappeared, and whether anyone had ever gone searching for him. She answered that he had left to explore the tower several years ago and never returned, and, oddly, in the minds of the companions, no one had been sent to search for him. Iacobus asked how she could be certain that he was dead, if no one had found his remains? Perhaps he had simply run away? The Lady was deeply insulted by the insinuations, and simply stated that her husband was fascinated by the old tower, informed her against her objections that he was going to explore it on the day he disappeared, and that she had no reason to question her husband's honour. She would also welcome any information the companions might find regarding her husband's fate. Now would they do the job, or not? She insisted that the ruins be thoroughly explored before anything else be done, as she believed the kobolds to be the most imminent threat to the community and she wanted to be sure that no more lurked in the ruins.

The shifting rubble and the lack of strong climbing skills among party members made the entry via the exposed second story a hazardous proposition, but the companions made the climb with few injuries. From there, they made their way down, finding two more partly crushed kobold corpses on the collapsed main floor landing,  and on to the only level that was unblocked by rubble -- the underground level. With the help of light spells to illuminate the gloom, they investigated the crumbling barracks, where they found an iron maiden filled with bones and a rusty metal key. The group fended off an attack by a pair of giant centipedes that crawled out from cracks in the walls of the west wing and wounded Jiri and Iacobus, but Shalora's quick reaction mitigated the worst of the their injuries and poisoning. Iacobus subsequently found a tightly latched iron case amid the rubble of the west wing, within which was a pair of mithral daggers with a strange series of notches carved into the flat of each blade -- the Taldan warrior deduced that the weapons might also serve as keys.

From the barracks, the party went on to explore a cellblock, where solid iron doors hung ajar and included both peepholes at eye level, covered with a piece of sliding metal, and a smaller slot for food and water at floor level. All the cells in the first block were completely empty. Jiri noticed a curious semicircular stone ridge, about six inches across, running along the ceiling of the hallway and disappearing into a wall section in the cell block. The dwarf suspected that it might hide some sort of mechanism.

As the companions surveyed the west wing of the cellblock, they spotted decaying wall sections that once would have served as better hidden secret doors into another, more extensive cellblock. The rusty key Iacobus found in the iron maiden in the barracks could unlock the doors to the cells in this second block, in which the bones of forgotten prisoners remained shackled. The companions checked a half dozen cells, some small, some larger, until they came upon a startling discovery. A pale face suddenly appeared at the window to one cell door, its filthy hands gripping the bars. The desperate face called out.

"Oh, gods, kind faces! Aroden bless you, noble souls! I ain't seen the jailers in ages, and I think they forgot about us! We ain't eaten in days and the water's all but gone -- my cousins're both sick. I swear we'd give back the boar if we could, but we ate it, starvin' as we was. We didn't even know it was the baron's lands, didn't know we was poachin'! I beg you, we're all gonna die in here! Kindness, noble souls, we've suffered awful! GOOD BARON SARVO WILLS IT!"

As the companions attempted to ask questions of the desperate prison, he listened wide-eyed but only ever answered "Water! Food! Good Baron Sarvo wills it!" Shalora reflected that Aroden had died more than a century ago, and her sharp eyes then noticed that the prisoner's face was translucent. Likewise, Iacobus recalled that Baron Sarvo was a Belhaim lord of the Canteclure family who rebelled against the crown around two centuries prior. Shalora then closed her eyes and channeled the divine energy of Shelyn. The prisoner faded instantly, his cry of "So… hungry!!!" echoing in the cell. When the party stepped in to inspect the cell, they found only a few bones on the ground. Shalora also spotted another secret door at the back of the cell, which led down a very narrow corridor that ended at a strange metallic contraption of gears and chains. Hovering above it was a small, roiling cloud energy that periodically sent sparks of electricity into the air or along the chains that disappeared into the wall near the ceiling. Jiri suspected that the machine operated whatever it was that ran through the semicircular stone ridge he had observed previously in the main cell block, and Iacobus suspected that the strange electricity-emitting cloud might be some sort of elemental. The two guessed that the mechanism probably raised or lowered something else in the complex, but none dared touch the machine's lever out of fear of what the elemental might do.

After completing their exploration of both the main and secret cell blocks, the companions had only one corridor left to explore, which led to a torture chamber. The dank room stored an ancient rack, a fanciful brazen bull, an iron maiden, a cauldron, iron chairs with sharp edges and cruel protuberances, and a wooden table upon which sat various implements of torture. A bronze plaque affixed to the western wall depicted a crowing rooster above crossed spears. Underneath the plaque, a short phrase was inscribed, which the party would soon learn read "Confession Cleanses the Soul - Pain Clarifies the Mind."

The door to the chamber was stuck, but after several tries, the companions finally forced their way in with Iacobus leading the way. The Taldan heard a voice telling him that he looked weary, and that he should rest in one of the chamber's chairs. Iacobus complied and sat on one of the spiked iron chairs, wounding himself in the process. As he did so, a raven appeared and addressed the party in a shrill voice.

"Greetings, fine citizens of our glorious empire! So good to have visitors, though I hear I have no refreshments to offer. I assume you are here for the treasure. Well, I'd be happy to assist, provided that you give me what I require! It has been so long since I was able to ply my trade. I require only that each of you shed your life's blood in this room -- simply take seat in one of my lovely chairs."

This was the first that the companions had heard of any treasure, which instantly piqued their curiosity. Although suspicious, Shalora, Jiri and Akiro proceeded to draw some of their own blood by cutting their palms instead of sitting in the sadistic chairs. The bird then cackled with delight, informing them of the location of the secret door that would lead to the Canteclure treasury… but then said forlornly that the door was locked with an ingenious device, and that the key was amid the clutter on the table. Iacobus searched the clutter on the table, finding only rusted, bloody knives and other implements of torture, but no key. Jiri sensed that they were being played for fools by the raven, which likely was a servant of evil. He aimed his crossbow at it from across the room, asking it why he should spare its miserable life, then loosed a bolt that clacked against the wall right beside the raven. The bird instantly vanished, and seconds later a tiny red devil appeared and flew straight at Jiri, attempting to sting him with its barbed tail. Iacobus tried to slash at it with a mithral dagger but missed. Jiri took a step back, then fired a silver bolt into the creature's leg.

"Zorg," the fiend

The fiend shrieked in pain and begged for its life, claiming that it had additional and highly valuable secrets to share if they promised not to kill it. Shalora asked the creature its name, and Iacobus insisted that it tell them its true name, but it answered that its name was Zorg. It claimed to know the tower's history, and informed the party there is a chamber deeper in the dungeon where "Good Baron Sarvo wills it" was the pass phrase. Zorg claimed that he did not know exactly in what chamber the pass phrase could be used, as he allegedly had never ventured beyond the torture chamber. The fiend turned invisible again, and rather than waste their time hunting an invisible foe who likely was bound to the torture chamber, the companions made their way through the secret door that Zorg had previously pointed out, and which, as it turned out, was not locked at all.

The party were beginning to wonder why, after all this exploration, they still had not seen more signs of kobolds. Given the long corridors they continually wandered and the strange layout and contraptions they found throughout the complex, they came to the conclusion that the builders must have been both mad and extremely wealthy.

After balancing around a toxic sludge trough on a narrow ledge with minimal slips and injuries (where the party also found the end of the semicircular stone ridge, which they were now certain was part of a mechanism that would have raised a walkway to facilitate safe passage around the sludge trough), the party advanced down a very long hallway that ended at an iron door with a small barred window. Through the window, across a plain ten-foot room, was a windowless iron door in the wall beyond. The first door was locked, but easily opened by Iacobus with the use of one of the mithral key daggers he had found in the barracks. Once inside the 10' chamber, a wide mouth appeared on the far door. "Please close the door before proceeding with the pass phrase," it boomed.

The companions did as they were bid, and Iacobus then said, "Good Baron Sarvo wills it." The magic mouth then vanished from the eastern door, which opened onto a bare octagonal chamber. A ten-foot wide corridor curved north from the chamber's east end. As the party entered the chamber, a four-armed metal construct on three jointed legs at the east end clacked and whirred, and addressed them in a tinny voice: "Please present the crest for passage." A large, metallic key floated in the air next to the construct.

The companions were intimidated by this apparently invulnerable guardian of living steel, and uncertain what crest it was referring to. As they pondered the answer, the guardian clanged into a defensive position that blocked the east passage, but did not move to attack. Akiro eventually realized that the crest was probably on the bronze rooster plaque upon which the raven perched in the torture chamber, and raced back to fetch it. It was heavy and unwieldy, about 2.5 feet in diameter and weighing approximately 50 pounds, but Akiro managed to retrieve it without incident.

As Akiro cautiously approached the guardian, it raised one of its mechanical arms menacingly and a tube-like device on its shoulder seemed to swivel and aim at the Tian warrior. Yet once Akiro presented the plaque to the construct, it bent to inspect the inscription, then whirred and moved aside to allow the companions through the east passage.

In the next chamber, they found an area along the south wall in which was enclosed a cage of thick iron bars that extended from floor to ceiling. Within the enclosure sat seven black iron chests. To the north, the stone wall had collapsed, revealing a rough-hewn tunnel. Jiri heard something snarling and shuffling in the dark of the tunnel and warned the others. A slavering, long-clawed undead horror charged out of the opening, apparently "wounded" by a long sharp stalactite that stuck out of its back. Jiri fired with his crossbow and missed, but Akiro made short work of the ghoul with his glaive.

Inspecting the chamber, the companions quickly concluded that they were in the Canteclure treasury. They noticed two slots in the floor, one just each of the treasury cage and the other west. Iacobus placed in one of the mithral key daggers in the east slot, Jiri the second dagger in the west slot… and as they turned their daggers simultaneously, the treasury cage lowered into the ground, granting access to the chests within. All seven chests were locked and the heroes did not seem to have any keys that would open them, but that did little to prevent Iacobus from opening them with his lock picking tools. Scattered throughout the black chests, the party found thousands of primarily copper (more than they might be able to carry) and also silver coins, lesser amounts of gold and platinum, and a teak case containing 30 gems. The companions had never seen so much wealth in their lives. Yet before packing up the loot, they decided to lock up the treasury cage once again, keeping the treasure secure while they explored the rough-hewn tunnel to the north.

Jiri was certain that the tunnel had been freshly excavated, likely within the last day. At the end of the short tunnel, the companions triggered but avoided any harm from a trapped barricade. Beyond the barricade, they came upon a large cavern that appeared to have been recently scratched from hard-packed earth, and its ceiling was only five feet high. Several tons of debris filled the western portion of the cave. The party found the the body of an old, balding man with white hair and beard, clad in now tattered red robes with golden arcane symbols embroidered upon it, half buried under the rubble near the north end of the cave.    

The wizard Hunclay, most likely. The only items of note on the old man were a key ring with a single key on it, and another brass key. Near the old man's body were two more kobold bodies, each grasping a spade. Jiri believed that this chamber had been the epicentre of the tower's collapse… but why was the wizard down here with the kobolds when it happened?

The roughly hewn tunnel continued to the north, then forked. After following the west fork a short distance, the party found themselves ambushed by a trio of green-scaled kobolds at the entrance to a narrow cave in which were piled small piles of furs alongside the walls, like nests. The entrance was narrow, and Akiro, in the lead, found himself taking the brunt of sling stones and arrows. Two of the kobolds then charged him with spears, dodging his glaive and stabbing him at close quarters while a third kobold fired arrow after arrow. Akiro dropped his glaive and drew a dagger, killing one but falling unconscious from his numerous wounds. Shalora called on the power of Shelyn to enhance Iacobus's fighting prowess. The warrior tried to save the fallen Akiro and eventually felled the second kobold spearman. Shalora channeled her goddess' power again, healing the worst of her companions' wounds and even helping Akiro regain consciousness.

The third kobold, clad in studded leather, was an agile sharpshooter with an obvious hatred for "long shanks." She hissed and seldom missed, peppering Iacobus after dropping Akiro. Eventually, she switched from bow to spear as her foes closed in. The battle turned against the last and remarkably strong kobold as Shalora  healed her companions at a distance. After taking a few wounds from Iacobus's falcata, and finding herself cornered between the Taldan warrior, Akiro back from the dead with glaive in hand, and Jiri aiming his crossbow at her, Sesserak, as she called herself, dropped her spear, curled in a ball and surrendered, begging her foes to harm her no further.

  Sesserak

Jiri broke Sesserak's spear, but kept her bow, judging it to be of masterwork quality for shorter folk and perhaps worth selling. The party also seized the five gems and ten platinum coins she carried in a belt pouch. As the companions questioned Sesserak, she explained that her tribe had been working with the wizard, who had ordered that they collapse the tower. She did not know why he wanted the tower destroyed--the arrangement was made between her chieftain and the wizard. The wizard's death was an accident, she claimed; he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when some of the kobold miners made a miscalculation that resulted in a premature collapse that also claimed some kobolds. The passage that the wizard had followed to meet them had also collapsed. The kobolds now fear that they have angered the long shanks in the village, as well as the repercussions that may come from that. Sesserak admitted that the other fork in the tunnel lead to a low passage "many many hundreds feet long" that eventually opens on the abandoned quarry in which her people, the Blood Vow tribe, have established their lair.

Tired, wounded, many of their resources expended, the heroes determined that it would be foolish to follow the tunnel to the kobold lair. Instead, they opted to take Sesserak prisoner, recover most of the loot from the Canteclure treasury, and make their way back to the surface and to the Devy estate so that Sesserak could be interrogated in front of the baroness and so that the companions could claim their hard earned reward.

Their first mission and first true collaboration was a great success...
      

Act 1 / Episode 1 - Welcome to Belhaim (March 23, 2014)

At last, there would soon be respite from the cold rain...

Silas looked to the party members who were sitting either beside him at the front of the wagon, or at the back. The sacks of salt -- dozens of them -- were covered underneath a heavy burlap tarp. “The stables’ll be out back. While I’m not expecting any trouble here, I still think it would be wise to take turns standing watch by the wagon -- that salt’s worth a lot in these parts. Better safe than sorry. And guarding the cargo is what I hired you for. Any volunteers for first watch?”  

Akiro, who loved the company of animals as much as Shalora did, nodded silently his agreement to stand first watch over the wagon and the beasts in the inn's stable yard, out of sight of the garrison.

Once the wagon and the animals had been steered into the stable yard, Silas, Shalora, Jiri and Iacobus were relieved to step out of the cold rain and into the warmth of the inn. The common room was relatively large, but aside from the merchant and his escort, only six other patrons were seated together at the largest table in the establishment. They stopped in mid-conversation to stare at the party.

A slim Taldan woman of maybe 40 winters, who introduced herself as Talia Orem, stepped out from the kitchen to welcome the newcomers to the Inn of the Wise Piper. She was clad in a sky blue apron with a long-tailed bird stitched in silver thread on her left breast. Black hair peeked out from under her rainbow-coloured shawl. The party not only smelled fresh bread now, but some kind of stew simmering, as well. 

Talia Orem, Innkeeper, Inn of the Wise Piper

Talia was particularly happy to welcome followers of The Eternal Rose, proclaiming that she and many other locals revered Shelyn, the lady of love and beauty. Indeed, she had the goddess' emblem embroidered on her apron.   

The innkeeper sent her son, Patricio, to care for the horses and pony, and invited the party to sit where they wanted. A table by the fireplace looked particularly inviting, but Silas insisted the group sit by a window that gave a view over the stable yards. He let Talia take his cloak to dry by the fire, but kept his chain shirt on, his rapier and dagger in their sheaths, and an unloaded crossbow and his pack close at hand.

Talia brought the party hearty lamb stew with cranberries and dumplings in fresh trenchers, with mulled wine to wash it down. Silas asked how much everything would cost before she brought out the meals, evidently concerned about his ability to pay. The four were soon absorbed in the meal, the best they'd had in a long time.

A few moments later, unbeknownst to those inside the inn, six men and one woman, all heavily armed and armoured, casually walked into the yard and made their way toward the stables. Four of the men and the woman were clad in scale mail and had bucklers strapped to their wrists, while the man who led them was clad in half-plate and carried a steel shield on his back. All save the man in half-plate wore open faced helms, and all wore dark blue tabards over their armour, which featured a white tower and green laurels emblazoned in a shield on a striped yellow and black field. All had long blades and daggers hanging from their belts, all still sheathed.

The man in half-plate approached Akiro. He was a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair and neatly trimmed beard. He stopped a few paces from Akiro, hands on his hips. 

Sir Pelle Benhovy, Sheriff of Belhaim

The man introduced himself as Sir Pelle Benhovy, Sheriff of Belhaim, and the five others as his deputies. The Sheriff and the deputy kept their weapons sheathed as Sir Benhovy "welcomed" Akiro to Belhaim and began to interrogate him, gazing intently at the strange Tian warrior. Sir Benhovy asked Akiro where he and his companions had come from, what cargo they were transporting, did he see the cargo with his own eyes, and would he mind if his men inspected the cargo? The mute's gestured, often uncertain or incomprehensible replies soon began to frustrate the Sheriff, who then produced and unrolled a scroll that portrayed a likeness of Silas Gribb, and indicated that he was "Wanted by the River Guard for Smuggling and Treason." He then asked Akiro whether Silas Gribb could be found in the inn, and suggested that Akiro and his companions might be let off with a warning if they assisted, or at the very least did not interfere, in Gribb's capture if he was indeed in the inn. Akiro shrugged again uncertainly.

The Sheriff instructed two of his deputies to keep an eye on Akiro, who stood inside the stables by Sparkles, while he strode toward the inn and instructed others to search the wagon that was parked outside the stables. Akiro blew on his whistle to warn the others of trouble, and held his glaive defensively, while Patricio the stable boy went and hid in a stall. The two deputies assigned to Akiro looked at him nervously, but kept their hands on the hilt of their sheathed swords. They did not seem eager to fight. Shalora saw the whole scene unfold through the eyes of Mischief, who also sheltered from the rain in the stable with Sparkles. Silas and his escort had been momentarily distracted by their delightful meal and had not been looking out the window.

When Silas finally did look, he cursed, mumbled something about "corrupt town guards trying to steal his salt," then began to chant a series of incantations. The first resulted in his face morphing into that of one of the men at the nearby table. Those men immediately rose, shocked and frightened by what they had just witnessed. "Marvon," one of them cried out, "he stole your face!" Iacobus rose and drew his falcata, but recognized the second incantation Silas was mouthing as some sort of charm spell. Iacobus readied a spell of his own, and indicated that he would be ready to discharge it at Silas's command. Shalora began to move chairs and tables, concerned that a battle could cause significant damage to the furniture. Jiri took a few steps back, positioning himself so as to defend the other inn patrons from any violence that might erupt. Although the party had seen and heard Silas singing and playing his lute during their travels, they had not yet witnessed him casting any magic. And while he had generally been kind and sociable toward his escort, Jiri had become increasingly suspicious of the merchant since they had entered Belhaim and he had appeared nervous about his wagon being seen by the local authorities. 

Sir Benhovy entered the common room through the back door of the inn. He unrolled the scroll again and reiterated what he had told Akiro outside moments before--that he was looking for a man known as Silas Gribb, wanted by the River Guard for smuggling and treason. As he gazed at those assembled in the inn, Talia hid in the kitchen and the six men behind Jiri started running out the front door of the inn, repeating that "he stole Marvon's face!" The Sheriff immediately saw through the glamour and recognized Gribb. 

Outside, guards were dumping sacks of salt, and in many they found tightly wrapped cloth bundles within. Akiro and Mischief watched intently as the guards unfolded the bundles and found weapons within them -- primarily swords, axes and daggers. "Sheriff, there are Maheto blades hidden in the salt sacks!" called out one of the deputies--high quality arms forged by the dwarves of Maheto.

The Sheriff, who still had not drawn his weapon and seemed intend on resolving the situation without blood shed, called on Shalora, Jiri and Iacobus to help him apprehend Gribb. He said that they were not wanted by the authorities, at this point, and that he understood that a few vagabonds may have unwittingly been duped by Gribb into guarding his smuggled cargo. He would let them go with a stern warning if they cooperated.

Silas drew his rapier and ordered his employees to defend him against the thieves of the town watch, who were threatening to steal his cargo. Jiri moved to block his escape. Moment by moment, the tension mounted. Iacobus asked about the charges of treason. The Sheriff replied that Gribb was accused of smuggling weapons to Galtan exiles living in the northern portion of the Verduran Forest, and that those exiles engaged in banditry against Taldans and even fomented revolution against Grand Prince Stavian III. Iacobus hesitated to unleash the spell he had readied, but seeing that Gribb was behaving more aggressively than the Sheriff, Shalora cast a sleep spell between the two men, to which only Gribb succumbed. 

The Sheriff and his deputies quickly bound Gribb and secured all his belongings, the wagon, draft horses, and cargo. “I don’t know if it’s a sense of justice that motivated you to help us, or a desire to save your own skins, but I’d say you’ve redeemed yourselves somewhat, for the time being," said Sir Benhovy. "I’ll advise you to stay out of trouble and to be more careful when selecting your next employer... And I guess it should be a lesson well-learned, since I must confiscate all of Mr. Gribbs’ cargo and belongings.” 

Noting the holy symbol of Shelyn that hung prominently from Shalora's neck, the Sheriff added, coolly: “I would encourage you to be on your way without delay. There is nothing for you here in Belhaim, and we have enough layabouts as it is. Faldamont, a few more miles east along the Verduran Highway, may be more to your liking.” To Iacobus, whose iron symbol of Abadar was also visible, he said: “The Master of the First Vault's symbol is golden, not iron wrought, isn't it? If you want some friendly advice, son, spending too much time with these layabouts of Shelyn won’t help you gain Abadar’s favour… ” Shalora was especially offended by the Sheriff's insulting remarks and stormed out of the inn to see to Sparkles and Mischief.

“Mr. Gribb’s personal belongings, contraband and cargo now belong to the Crown," explained Sir Benhovy to those who remained. "If you wish to make a claim for wages owed, you’ll need to petition Governor Bozbeyli in Cassomir. I don’t expect Mr. Gribbs‘ trial will be heard for a while.” The only thing of Gribb's that the town watch left behind was his ratty old cloak that had been left to dry by the fireplace.

After the Sheriff and his deputies cleared out of the inn and stable yard, Talia came out from hiding and thanked the companions for the way they handled the crisis, and she also apologized for the Sheriff's insulting remarks. She explained that there was a rift in the community between those who revered Shelyn, and those who favoured Abadar. The Abadarans thought of themselves as harder workers and wanted to transform Belhaim into a trade hub, while they deemed the Shelynites to be nothing more than lazy layabouts. Folks of the Green Faith tried not to get involved in the conflict between the other two factions. It wasn't hard to guess what side the Sheriff fell on. But for all that, Talia assured the travellers that Belhaim was a pleasant place.

She took pity on the companions for having been abandoned far from home on a rainy day, with their wages unpaid. She offered to give them food and accommodation, hot baths even, for the next two nights, to help them get back on their feet while they pondered their next move, which everyone graciously accepted.

Early in the afternoon, they saw Sheriff Benhovy and some of his deputies taking Silas Gribb and his wagon out of town, heading south.

What would the unlikely companions do next?

And what lead the Sheriff to believe that Silas Gribb was going to pass through Belhaim when he did?

The companions rested in the inn for the remainder of the day and took advantage of the warm baths and even free laundry service offered by Talia and her family, who ran the inn together. Later, Iacobus locked himself in his room to study his book that night, grumpily seeking to avoid the common room banter and distracting, gay songs that Shalora and Akiro played for some curious locals. Jiri looked on, trying to read everyone…  

What next, indeed?