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The expedition rests for the night and is then led to a small temple buried in the side of a hill. While there is a massive set of doors that would lead inside, Kent spots a crumbled upper corner of the structure that can be entered, and they clamber inside using Lester’s rope of climbing. The single room structure contains a number of gigantic statues, a huge altar and masses of cobwebs in multiple corners. Staying away from the webbing to start, the team explores the darkness until they notice two humanoid-sized masses of webbing near a giant sarcophagus.

When Lester uses his eldritch cannon to burn away a chunk of the webbing, swarms of tiny spiders emerge from around the room to defend their home, while two huge phase spiders pop into existence near the half-orc. Although several of the team are freaked out by the tiny assailants, the spiders prove no match and are quickly dispatched.

Further investigation of the large web clumps finds two sets of humanoid remains, clad in deteriorating leather and chainmail armours. The latter body also has a spider locket and a deep black scimitar, still in its sheath. Kent grabs the two items, but immediately has to fend off an overwhelming urge to keep the weapon and do its bidding, successfully dropping it before giving in to the demands. The group decides to carry it in a sack, rather than risk someone falling victim to the blade.

Embers and Varis both unsuccessfully attempt to push the lid off the stone sarcophagus, but a few moments later, Lester is able to do so with fairly little effort. Varis praises the artificer by grabbing his ass and squeezing, commenting on his fine muscles.

A search of the altar uncovers a sliding panel leading to a long hallway going deeper into the side of the hill, with light spilling out of a room at the end. Pressing deeper into the structure, the team encounters a trio of skeletal giants which attack, but are fairly quickly destroyed once they realize that blunt weapons are very effective against the ancient bones. The light proves to be emanating from a giant-sized everbright lantern, which weighs an awkward 20 lbs and is nearly the size of a gnome. They also find a magical jug with multiple stoppers, which Aricon later identifies as an alchemy jug.

Returning to the drow scouting party, Lester hands over the two lost items to the scout leader. The woman pulls the blade from the sack and congratulates the half-orc on his success, while Fulton offers respectful pleasantries to be communicated to the drow matriarch. The scout reports that they will return in the morning to guide the expedition to the ruins, which is about a three day trek.

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Because of Varis and the triplets’ wilderness skills, the expedition is more competent at keeping up with the drow scouts than the dark elves had anticipated, resulting in the group arriving at the ruins in the early evening of the second day of travel. After the scout group departs, the team observes the crumbled ruins, which are now occupied by a hill giant village. Two guards patrol the perimeter with dire wolf companions, while only a single other giant is visible in the compound. Near the northwest corner of the settlement is a stockade with with a half-dozen smaller humanoids, amongst which Olivia can identify a few of the previous expedition members. As the team observes the situation, another hill giant and dire wolf return from the jungle, carrying what appears to be the spoils of a hunting trip.

The team settles on a plan to hide near the edge of the treeline while Kent stumbles into the line of sight of one of the guards, with the hope of luring both the giant and dire wolf into an ambush. The trick works very well both times, allowing the group to eliminate both of the guard patrols within a few minutes.

Taking a rest for a while before proceeding, the team spots another giant returning from an apparent hunting trip, but is alarmed when the creature notices that the guards are not present. As it comes close to their resting spot and appears about to alert to compound to the problem, Fulton uses his doss lute to successfully charm the giant and the creature happily comes over to see his “friend”. The lute also allows the nobleman to charm the dire wolf, and the trick allows the team to quietly dispatch a third set of opponents without alerting the compound at large.

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After a very fitful remainder of the night following the displacer beast attack, the expedition gets back underway with one less mule. Stab is uncharacteristically quiet as he lugs a large and somewhat bloody sack over his shoulder. Ysabel is even more anxious and startles at every little sound, putting the entire expedition even further on edge.

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After several days of trekking through increasingly rough jungle terrain, the group finds themselves at the top of a long cliff face, extending as far as they can see in each direction. After discussing possible means to get the various expedition members down the sheer rock face, the group decides to make camp while the reporters and guides scout either direction for an easier way down.

Fulton, Embers and one of the triplets head west, but after an hour travel have found no spots that would reduce the risk of falling.

Lester, Kent and Varis travel east, and after about a half-hour of travel, they spot a crumbling staircase descending the cliff face. The structure is obviously very old, and built for giants, making it easier to get down, but with additional risks from the weathered and crumbling rock. Kent checks carefully for any signs of recent giant activity, and reassured, they return to the camp with the news. Varis suggests moving the camp to the top of the stairs to get an early start on the descent, and while there is some grumbling from the expedition members who had just spent an hour setting up camp, the new location is reached before sunset.

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The expedition breaks camp and begins the careful trek down the crumbling and awkward staircase, with Fulton and Lester near the center of the group ready to case feather fall on anyone who slips. Kent uses his slippers of spider climb to range along the length of the group ready to help out anyone in need. Before long, both Embers and Ysabel slip as the stone crumbles beneath them, and Kent is closer to the young human and attempts to grab her, helped by Lester’s shouted warning. Embers plummets off the edge of the stairs, but before Fulton can even cast his spell, the docent activates and she hovers in the air on magical energy blasting from the bottom of her feet. For the rest of the descent, Ysabel hangs on to Kent’s arm tightly, preventing the half-elf from helping anyone else.

[GM note: It was around this time that we realized that Lester’s ability - Flash of Genius - amounted to him shouting advice to boost others’ checks and we started referring to it as “orcsplaining”.]

Further down the cliffside, Lilly, Fulton and one of the triplets all have difficulties, but are saved by feather fall spells. At the bottom, Ysabel is reluctant to release her death grip on Kent’s arm, and the half-elf fails to convince the young woman that she can let go. Fulton steps in and gently coaxes the girl away from the monk, allowing him to massage the bruises and fingernail divots left behind.

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The expedition reaches the edge of a large river, near a point where the flow meanders through a group of small islands. Many of the small channels are narrow enough for the group to jump across, with the exception of the first gap, which is eventually bridged with a tree cut down by the guides. Most of the group crosses uneventfully, with Embers flying Ysabel across the gap (without actually getting the girl’s permission first). Lester uses alter self to be ready to rescue anyone who falls in, and Varis intentionally falls in an apparent attempt to take advantage of this. Lester refrains from directly rescuing the guide, instead using vortex warp to transport her to safety.

On the largest of the half-dozen islands sits the ruins of a temple, crumbling from the years and the river’s relentless undermining. The presence of an iridescent tree in the midst of the structure draws the groups’ interest and they investigate. Kent scrambles over the crumbling walls to try to help Embers force open the dilapidated door, but is immediately attacked by a Spirit Naga who hisses her displeasure at the intrusion. The naga’s initial spells are impotent against both Kent and Embers, and after taking a beating, she retreats into the muddy waters.

While the main group of adventurers is distracted by the naga, two giant crocodiles emerge from the wider sections of the river and attack the non-combatants. One of the triplets and Lilly are grabbed by the beasts, the former escaping when Lester’s eldritch cannon pushes it away, and the latter being saved by Lester’s last vortex warp. Olivia and another triplet are taken down by the lizards’ tails, but saved by Fulton and Kaeron’s healing spells.

The naga re-emerges from the water to blast the group with a lightning bolt before submerging again, and Varis leaps into the water after her. The crocodiles are quickly dispatched and Lester notices blood in the water near Varis’ entry point so he dives in after her. The naga surfaces further upstream and bites the Fulton, but is quickly dispatched, and Lester drags the guide’s limp form from the river, healing her quickly. As the woman wakens, she calls the reporter “my hero”, kissing him before Lester can pull away. Luckily Lilly is still hiding in a bush out of line of sight.

Certain that the threat is gone, the team investigates the tree, quickly determining that its coloration is due to some magical effect it is drawing upon. Aricon takes a few leaves and cuttings in hopes of being able to use the effect at some time in the future. Kent and Lester discover a flooded compartment below the crumbling throne and Embers spends some time dredging out a substantial pile of giant-sized coins, a few gems, and a large number of potion vials (most of which are unstopped and full of river sludge.) The alchemist is able to help identify the four intact potions for later use, although all are giant-sized and will require a substantial effort to consume the otherwise dilute contents.

[GM note: I considered changing the effort required to consume a giant-sized potion, as it would be the equivalent of trying to chug a mini-keg. However, making it take more than an action would make the potions essentially useless in a fight.]

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Aricon announced that the magic in the leaves and cuttings from the iridescent tree is fading fast, but he has been able to create some suspensions that should give magical effects. Unfortunately, due to the unfamiliar magic and the nature of the suspensions, they need to be kept separate and drank in pairs, resulting in somewhat unpredictable effects. Inexplicably, Kent decides to down one of the two pairs of mixtures to test it out, receiving the combined effects of a potion of greater healing and a potion of mind reading for a short period of time. In addition to learning about Varis’ obvious intentions toward Lester, Lilly’s growing hatred of the half-orc guide, and Ysabel’s extreme anxiety, he also overheard Aricon’s relief that mixing of the suspensions didn’t cause the monk to explode.

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As the expedition closes in on their goal, an otherwise uneventful trudge through the jungle is interrupted by Lester stumbling into a deadfall trap. As the artificer still has feather fall available, he gently floats down, avoiding the poisoned spikes at the bottom of the 20’ drop. When Fulton and Varis examine the trap, they are fairly certain that it is of drow construction and the half-orc warns the group not to initiate any hostilities with the local tribe.

Later in the day, Lester and Kent notice humanoids paralleling their travel, with the half-orc specifically spotting the drow hunting party. Boldly waving to the group, the artificer is approached by the elves as if he were the leader, as they demand to know why the intruders shouldn’t just be driving from the tribe’s lands. Mentioning their defeat of the naga impresses the hunters enough to earn them an audience with the tribe’s matriarch, although they also learn that their victory over the monster is temporary as the naga will respawn at the site within a few days.

The drow settlement proves to be a moderate size, occupying an old giant temple set into a hillside. Marreth and Kent are not allowed entry, the gopher being referred to as half-breed and treated poorly. The rest of the group is treated with only mild disdain, apparently assumed to be Lester and Varis’ slaves, while Embers appears to be afforded a reasonable degree of respect and deference from the dark elves.

After hearing about the naga’s defeat and the expedition’s purpose in finding the giant ruins somewhere nearby, the drow matriarch offers their assistance and knowledge of the ruins in exchange for the groups’ help in retrieving her daughter’s blade and locket from another nearby ruin, overrun by spiders. Lester agrees to the offer and leads his “slaves” on the side mission.

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The trip across the bay proves to be mildly uncomfortable due to the rickety nature of the Antelope, but other than a bit of seasickness, the expedition arrives on shore safely. Several hours of hacking through the lighter jungle growth from the beach leads the group to their first campsite. Throughout the latter part of the day, Lilly is becoming increasingly ill, with runny nose, sneezing and general congestion due to apparent allergies. Aricon suggests that he could try to mix some sort of remedy, but has limited success finding ingredients initially, being scolded multiple times by Varis and the triplets for falling behind the group during their travel.

Through the evening, Fulton and Lester carefully examine the gifts from Lady Garrett, hoping to alleviate any suspicion that the items may be booby-trapped. In the process, Fulton discovers (incorrectly) that his lute is much more than it initially appeared, believing it to be a powerful ancient artifact. Lester reinforces this misconception, and even passes along the information to Stab, who gushes over the device and tells complex tales of its history and involvement in ancient legend.

[GM note: Fulton rolled a 1 on his Arcana check to examine his own item, and the player ran with the ridiculous assumption. Don’t know if this is going to go anywhere, but it was very funny in-session]

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In the morning, Kaeron holds a sunrise service, attended by Olive and Stab. The expedition breaks camp slowly, much to Varis’ annoyance, but is eventually underway.

By mid-day, the expedition reaches the town of Last Chance, thankful that they are well prepared and not needing to purchase supplies at the highly inflated prices. Despite this, Fulton decides to buy a number of healing potions just in case.

The remainder of the day’s trek is mostly unremarkable, although Varis and the triplets are becoming increasingly annoyed with Stab’s singing and loud storytelling, frequently telling the goblin to shut up, often in much ruder terms that Fulton’s similar attempts over the past month. Lilly’s allergic reactions have continued to worsen, making the gnome woman miserable and cranky. Ysabel has become increasingly jumpy and anxious, while Olive appears increasingly distracted and inattentive.

That night, most of the group experiences bad dreams that slightly disrupt their sleep:

Lester
During the night, you dream about chasing Lilly through the streets of Sharn. There is a vague feeling of anger and fear during the chase, and no matter how hard you run, you never seem to be able to quite catch the little gnome before she turns a corner. As she disappears, she glances back, her expression a mixture of hatred and pity. Each time you round the corner, Lilly is again dozens of steps ahead of you as if the chase were starting all over. At some corners, you catch a glimpse of a small measure of pale green-pink cloth clutched in her hand, but details elude you.

Fulton
During the night, you dream about attending the Tain Gala with your parents, your friend Barden ir’Tain, Ysabel, and your uncle Ruken (Prime Minister). You begin to feel anxious as you notice that everyone at the ball is giggling and pointing at you. A few of the courtiers make stage whispered comments about you wearing last year’s fashions and when you glance down, you realize with horror that it is the outfit that you wore to the Gala last month.

Kent
During the night, you dream about sparring with other acolytes of Saadak, your Astral Arms glowing more brightly than usual. You have a growing sense of anxiety as you feel ask if you are moving through water and unable to keep up with the crisp and clear movements of your opponents. Each swing you make passes harmlessly by your opponent as they shift effortlessly to the side, while you are unable to dodge even their most obvious attacks.

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The trek continues with Lilly’s allergies, Aricon’s distractibility, and Stab’s annoying stories becoming slightly worse throughout the day. Nothing of significance happens until the evening, when Lester notices Aricon sneaking away from the camp. While the alchemist appears to be just going to the bathroom, the half-orc notices him place an item into the bushes nearby and when he investigates later, discovers a small crystal obelisk shaped much like the Riedran embassy that had been bombed in Sharn.

Waking the rest of his companions, the team decides that Aricon must be leaving the devices behind as a means of leading another group to their location, and decide to confront him. The alchemist is convincingly unaware of the item, and the team’s assumption that he is carrying multiple copies to leave behind proves unfounded. Lester spends some time carefully examining the object, learning that it is both a vessel for some sort of entity (which he luckily avoids being possessed by) and a device for manipulating dreams.

After careful consideration, the team decides to destroy the object, which will likely free the entity, and they set up for the battle before doing so. When the object is destroyed, a nightmare creature of dark tendrils and psychic energy emerges and attacks. The entity weathers the barrage of attacks and manages to possess Embers, forcing the rest of the team to knock her unconscious in order to release the creature’s hold. Once driven from the barbarian’s body, the dream creature is quickly dispatched and explodes, flooding each person’s mind with a faint, but distinct trace of the dreams that were to come.

[GM note: I spend hours crafting the dreams to be slowly revealed as the sleep deprivation began to take a toll, but f&$#ing Lester couldn’t roll anything less than 25+ through the entire sequence… Probably shouldn’t have involved the dice so early in the process… sigh…]

Lester
The chase dream remains the same, although the sense of anger and fear is much more intense than before. Lilly’s expressions show more hatred and less pity, almost snarling as she rounds each corner. The colour of her hair and eyes shifts from scene to scene, changing after each alteration in her direction. The scrap of cloth in her hand appears to be half-orc flesh-toned, spotted with bits of blood and other surface features that are difficult to make out.

The desperation in your pursuit of the gnome has grown in intensity, and Lilly appears distorted and twisted as if she was slowly metamorphosing into another larger creature. Bits of her soft skin slough away at each corner as clumps of hair fall out to drift into your path as you continue to fail in your attempts to catch her. You finally get a good look at the scrap of cloth and realize it is the skin, eyes and other features of a face – your face.

The early parts of the chase continue to be frustrating and disturbing, with Lilly’s changes growing more obvious and disturbing with each corner. The face-like scrap in her hands is screaming in fear and appears to be trying to say something to you that you can’t understand. You reach up and touch your own face, only to find smooth skin across the entire surface. As you round a final corner, you see the last of Lilly’s transformation – she lifts your stolen face and places it on her own and you are staring at yourself in her place even as you feel your life strength drain from your body and you wake screaming.

Fulton
The sense of anxiety is more intense during the dream, as you find yourself the center of unwanted attention at the Gala. Your parents and uncle look on disapprovingly as Barden whispers that you should have checked the mirror before leaving. Ysabel looks at you with pity and disdain while the entirety of the Sharn upper crust begin laughing and pointing as you stand in the middle of the dance floor wearing nothing more than your underwear.

The disapproving looks and discomfort are almost unbearable this time around. You impotently clutch at tissues and napkins taken from nearby servers, trying in vain to cover up your naked body. Your father and uncle glare fiercely before turning away, while your mother looks horrified and faints dead away. Ysabel looks shocked, but then begins pointing at your genitals and laughing viciously while Barden arrives with the City Guard to take you away.

The Gala guests are again laughing and pointing as family members and friends turn on you as before. As Barden arrives with the City Guard, you are no longer naked, but dressed in filthy and torn remnants of your original attire. The nobility dab their noses with perfumed cloths to cover the stench emanating from your person. Ysabel recoils in horror at your appearance, and Barden guides the young woman away. Your father and mother scream for the Guard to remove the beggar from their sight, as you plead with them that you are Fulton. They stare at you blankly and deny having a son by that name as you wake yourself with your screams.

Kent
The frustration of your sparring intensifies as you feel that you are unable to even control the Astral Appendages properly. Strikes fly off target or don’t even happen, while your opponents are able to bypass your ineffective defenses and pummel you with impunity. At times, even your real limbs feel as if they are made of rubber and refuse to comply with your commands.

Your ability to control the Astral Self is even worse in this dream, the Arms often striking your own body or moving you into the path of your opponents’ attacks. Chyrassk (mind flayer leader of Saadak) looms nearby, exuding an aura of disapproval and disappointment. As the sense of moving your body through water intensifies, you find yourself also struggling to breathe, as the very air seems to thicken in your lungs.

The desperate frustration at your inability to move properly or control your body reaches a fever pitch as you gasp for air and feel yourself losing control of other bodily functions. Chyrassk’s disapproval adds to the thickness of the air and you feel yourself being suffocated by its disappointment. Your body refuses to respond to your attempts to pull away as the mind flayer approaches, and as the creature’s tentacles reach out to your face, you wake screaming in terror.

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Days of slogging through the jungle are taking a small toll on the group as tempers flare occasionally, but little else of note has happened. Aricon has successfully created a compound that Lilly can smear under her nose to reduce the allergic reaction, although the smell of the ointment is a bit unpleasant. Varis grows a bit bolder in her “flirtation” with Lester, occasionally offering a bum pat at opportune moments.

Lester manages to avoid blundering into a patch of itchweed, recognizing the plant before the expedition hacked their way through the growth. Embers doesn’t notice the hazard in time, but her composition proves immune to the effects and the expedition successfully bypasses the hazard.

[GM note: Another example of Lester’s ridiculous die-rolling that night. Also a hazard of having only single events happen between long rests so all of a characters resources can safely be sunk into single rolls…]

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Lester’s end-of-day bathroom trip is interrupted by additional attention from Varis, who corners the artificer against a tree, asking why he is wasting his time with the half-pint when he could have a “real woman”. Lester spots a small figure hiding nearby and launches into a loud narrative of Lilly’s virtues. Realizing that the ranger is about to go in for a kiss, Lester is able to dodge the affection, using his magical tinkering ability to cause a foul odour to emanate from himself as he claims that he “needs to go again” and rushes off.

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During the days’ trek, one of the triplets alerts Varis and the expedition leaders to alarming tracks nearby. The ranger reports that the tracks belong to “night stalkers”, large cat-like predators that stalk, toy with, and ambush prey with far greater cunning than typical animals. Varis announces additional security measures for the travel and camping at night, and the team sets up additional defenses, including alarm rituals and additional bonfires. Most of the expedition sleep poorly, and Ysabel in particular is far more anxious and jumpy over the next several days.

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After two more days and a night of tension and anxiety, the beasts make their move in the middle of the third night. Aricon luckily spots one of the displacer beasts prowling closer to the camp and raises the alarm, with the alarm rituals doing their job to wake everyone quickly. Lester herds the non-combatants into a rope trick shelter, although Ysabel forgets the plan in her panic and is badly mauled by one of the beasts hiding in a nearby shrub. Fulton is able to help the young woman scramble to the magical safety as the team kills several of the creatures and drives off the rest. Two of the triplets are injured, and poor Rations dies in the early stages of the battle, leaving Stab wailing in dismay at the loss of his long-time companion, even as the goblin begins butchering the meat for later.

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The group hurries away from Lady Garret’s estate with mixed experiences of dread, exhaustion, and excitement. Lester sends a messenger girl ahead to let Varis know that the expedition will be ready to leave shortly, and a brief reply contains instructions to meet at the port. Several small groups split off to complete last minute purchases and preparations.

Fulton checks with Kaeron about possible clerical resources in the city, quickly tracking down the Sovereign Host enclave nearby. The nobleman inquires about magical means to fix the aging that appears to have happened to Ysabel, Kaeron and Olive, discovering that the priest has a longstanding interest in the phenomena. The man is excited about more “cases” as this problem hasn’t surfaced for several years, and becomes even more intrigued when Fulton reveals that the process appears to have been linked to bad dreams, which the nobleman experienced without also undergoing the aging effect. The priest begins asking an overwhelming number of questions and pushes Fulton to provide samples of bodily fluids as well as gather them from the three affected women. Unable to get away without providing his own samples, Fulton eventually manages to extract himself from the enclave with promises to send the samples before the expedition leaves.

Within an hour the entire expedition gathering again on the docks. At the end of the pier floats a battered sloop with ragged sails and a list to the port side, it’s name plate barely readable as the Antelope.

The half-orc guide finishes speaking with a plump dwarf standing next to the gangplank, handing the man a small pouch. As she strides across the dock toward the expedition, three nearly identical young women step away from the nearby wall and fall in behind her. Varis smiles grimly at the assembled group, arms folded across the front of a well-worn steel breastplate bearing numerous dents, some of which match the patchwork of scars across her muscled shoulders.

“About time you got here. We’re gonna hafta get moving before the tides change. This kinda leisurely start to the day ain’t gonna happen once we hit the jungle. This ain’t gonna be one of yer fancy sightseeing outings from the mainland, with morning kaf and crumpets served on silver platters.” She makes a show of daintily picking an imaginary pastry from a non-existent tray.

Varis hooks a thumb at the dwarf directing the crew of the Antelope in the background, “Elcid’s gonna ferry us across the bay and drop us near Last Chance. It’ll cut a week off the trip by foot.”

The half-orc glowers at Aricon, as the alchemist roots through his sample case. She stalks over to the man and grabs him by the collar, effortlessly hoisting him a foot into the air.

“You’re obviously going to be the first one the jungle eats, so maybe I should just throw you into the bay and save us all some trouble!”

Aricon gives a feeble squeak as Varis drops him roughly to the planking, the man scampering back out of the burly woman’s reach.

“This place don’t want us here, and Xen’drik’s gonna do its damnedest to kick ya out or kill ya. Me and the girls have done this for more years than I care to count, and we only lost a handful of Khorkies in that time. So ya better not do nothing to add to that count! Some of you don’t look like you belong here at all”, Varis pointedly looks at Fulton and Ysabel, “but I’m paid to guide, not babysit.”

“I can see you’re traveling light for such a big group, and that’s good. I asked around, and seems like you’re not complete noobs at planning for this”, Varis nods in Kent’s direction. “From the money you’re throwing around the last few days, I assume you’re actually better prepared than ya look.”

“We’re gonna be traveling fast once we pass Last Chance. Me and the girls will be ranging ahead, behind, and on the flanks of the main group. I don’t much care how you organize yourselves, but you damn well better stay together. A group this big’ll spook most predators out there, but the smarter ones are gonna keep an eye out for stragglers to pick off.”

“We’re gonna be setting off as soon as it’s light, and we’re only stopping for emergencies or a break at midday, so you damn well better piss before we leave or something’s gonna eat ya with your pants down. We’ll set up camp before the light fades, and everyone will be pitching in on setup.”

“Each of us”, Varis indicates herself and the three women, “are gonna take a shift overnight, and there needs to be at least two others on each watch.” She looks at Embers and nods, “You should make sure you sentry in a position with a good view of the camp.”

One of the three women pulls out a large waterskin from her belt and raises it in toast, “To a successful expedition!” She passes it to the other two, who each take a swing and make similar exclamations before handing it to Varis. The half-orc swallows a huge mouthful and shouts “To not dying in the jungle!”, and passes it to Aricon, who flinches slightly at the movement. At the woman’s expectant look, he takes a tentative sip and nearly chokes, spitting most of the mouthful on the pier. Varis and the three women laugh, partly mockingly, as the guide gestures for the vessel to be passed around.

Marreth shrugs, taking a moderate draw from the skin, coughing and wincing as he passes it along. Stab eagerly grabs the container and takes a huge mouthful, his eyes growing wide as his face contorts in the effort to swallow without coughing the fluid out. Olive tentatively takes a small sip, making a disgusted face and rinsing her mouth with fresh water after she passes the waterskin along. Kaeron takes a modest amount, coughing and turning slightly red. Ysabel looks like she wants to pass the container, but one glance at Varis causes her to take a deep breath and try a small sip without too much choking. Lilly takes a decent mouthful, working hard to suppress any coughing or distress, her reaction only betrayed by the intense reddening of her cheeks before passing the container on to Lester. The half-orc woman smirks at the artificer, her eyes narrowed in anticipation…

Lester grabs the flask and smiles, “Nothing like a little hair of the bear. Praevalidus constitutio as they say.” The half-orc takes a large swallow and gives the waterskin an appreciative look before passing it to Fulton. Varis’ eyebrow rise briefly as a look of surprise is quickly overtaken by a more predatory gaze that lingers on the artificer for a moment before her attention turns to the nobleman.

Fulton takes the flask, raises it saying “To a successful expedition,” and takes what looks like a large gulp. “Smooth,” he says, coughing slightly, and passes the flask to Kent.

The half-elf also manages to down a reasonable mouthful of the harsh brew with only minimal discomfort and passes the waterskin to Embers. The warforged takes the vessel, but fails to grasp the nuances of the situation and stands motionless, requiring direct prompting from Varis to either drink or pass it along. Embers shrugs and drains the last of the brew, handing the empty skin to the half-orc who proclaims it a good start to the expedition.

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The ship’s crew scramble to meet the incoming dragon, with several of the characters getting off shots as the beast swoops in. When the dragon’s lightning breath scorches the deck, Fulton and Stab are injured while Lester’s arcane cannon is destroyed. The goblin yells something that no-one understands, as the Inquisitive staff and crew engage the creature along with Kaeron. Most of the expedition members hide and Marreth begins taking pictures.

Although the dragon gets a few hits in on Kaeron and Fulton, it is unable to deal much damage as the combined attacks from the crew and team begin to add up. The dragon lands on the side of the ship, causing it to rock precipitously and throwing a few of the combatants to the deck, but none fall overboard. Lester’s reconstituted arcane cannon shoves the dragon off the railing and onto the elemental pylon where the defenders continue to attack it. Bloodied and battered, the creature flies off into the distance as Stab screams something at its retreating back.

The rest of the evening is mostly filled with revelry, as the crew celebrates the amazing victory over the dragon, despite the sadness of losing one of their own during the battle. Lilly is mildly angry at Lester for putting himself at risk, although the emotion is not sustained. Marreth has several good pictures of the fight that he is going to save for the various articles in the Inquisitive. Ysabel, Aricon and Olive are somewhat shaken by the experience, while Stab retells the story at least three times with progressively more outrageous and exaggerated details emerging.

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As the ship continues to plow through the rough waters of the Thunder Sea, the crew shouts in alarm as a sahuagin warrior climbs onto the bow and demands tribute on behalf of the Thunder Stars tribe. Fulton attempts to use the aftermath of the dragon attack to convince the fish creature to back off, while Captain Oribon reassures everyone that this is a typical part of the crossing and that paying a tribute is by far the better option. Fulton’s efforts do help the Captain negotiate a lower passage fee with the sahuagin, and its tribe leaves peacefully.

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The ship arrives at Stormreach, attracting a great amount of attention from the locals. Making their way through the crowds of workers, pickpockets and hawkers, the team decides to split up to finalize preparations for the jungle expedition. Fulton and Embers are accompanied by Aricon, Kaeron, Stab, Rations, and Olive to meet with Lady Garret to see if they can secure lodgings of a suitable quality for Fulton’s needs. Kent begins searching out possible suppliers for food and water during the trip, while Lester heads to the Tharashk enclave to locate and hire Varis as a guide.

Making their way through Stormreach’s chaotic streets, Embers trails behind Fulton’s entourage to watch for trouble, and is able to surprise a group of thugs who accost the team and demand payment of “arrival taxes”. The bandits fair poorly during the ensuing melee, with only one of them successfully fleeing after his comrades are rather unceremoniously cut down.

Lester arrives at the House enclave and quickly learns that Varis is something of a legend in Stormreach, eliciting a great deal of hero worship from other members of the House. He finds her drinking with her team and retelling a story about strangling a displacer beast with her bare hands during an expedition. Lester joins the group to inquire about hiring her, and makes a mediocre impression that results in her referring to him as “Pretty Boy”. She agrees to take on the guiding job, but clearly expects Lester to join them in drinking. Lester uses his magical tinkering to make it appear that one of Varis’ team farts loudly and emits a foul stench, making the poor human the butt of jokes for the rest of the evening and taking some of the heat off himself. Lester is successful in keeping up with Varis’ consumption of ale, impressing her and causing her to vow that she will “bed him” in the near future.

Kent is able to locate a reliable source of food and water storage equipment, eventually deciding to rely mostly on Kaeron’s ability to cast create food and water which is enough to provision 15 of the 18 mouths that will be part of the trip. He stockpiles a month’s supply of food and water for the entire expedition inside the team’s portable hole, to keep as a reserve if the combination of Kaeron’s magic and Vanis’ teams’ foraging ability proves insufficient. The half-elf also inquires about Lady Garret’s reputation, having heard some initial rumours about Stormreach residents being wary of the woman. He learns that she is somewhat feared and shunned due to rumours that a number of young people have disappeared following their involvement with her in the past. Kent decides against using her possible assistance in the expedition to attempt to get a better deal from the supplier.

Arriving at Lady Garret’s estate, Fulton and his team discover an immaculate garden surrounding a modest mansion apparently built with stones salvaged from the giant ruins surrounding Stormreach. The doorman settles them into the parlour while he inquires about the Lady’s availability, later asking if they would be able to wait and join her for dinner. Lady Garret is revealed to be a tiefling woman with orange-red skin and large deep blue horns. She graciously receives Fulton, already knowing that he is the nephew of the Brelish Prime Minister and proves to be a curious and friendly dinner companion. Throughout the dinner, she is mostly focused on Fulton and asking about his uncle, Khorvaire politics, the Inquisitive, and the expedition, but does not neglect her other guests. Stab is verbose in his retelling of various stories, including an almost unrecognizable version of the dragon attack two days previously. The goblin is also excited about the various local delicacies, including a particularly smelly fruit that turns out to taste quite good despite the foul odour.

The tiefling eagerly invites Fulton and all of the expedition members to stay the night in the mansion, also inviting them for evening entertainment that turns out to be dancing and music from local performers. She coaxes Fulton into dancing with her, and the bard proves to be more than a match for the young woman, dazzling the assembled guests with their combined skill. Garret also dances with all of the other expedition members with no reservations due to gender, species or size. Lester first dances with Lilly, but the gnome proves to be much less skilled than the half-orc, resulting in some awkward turns on the dance floor. The problem is worsened by Lester’s much better performance with Lady Garret, leading to some jealousy and anger on Lilly’s part.

When the group settles into their rooms for the night, a few of the team take extra precautions due to their suspicions of Lady Garret. Kent discovers a small doorway in the wall that only opens from the other side, and decides to block it with a makeshift device. Lester casts an alarm spell to wake him if there are any intruders. Embers settles into her sentry state out in the hallway to keep watch. Fulton takes full advantage of the luxurious accommodations and sleeps better than he has in days.

During the night, Lester is awakened by his alarm and is initially unable to see any intruders. A quick faerie fire spell highlights a small open door in the wall with a tiny tunnel that holds a hint of movement. He is able to get to the opening in time to see what appears to be the tail end of a black cat outlined in his faerie fire, retreating down the tiny passage. The half-orc wakes Lilly, who initially responds with “not tonight, I have a headache”, but is more alert when Lester explains that the room is not intended to look like a bordello for that purpose. Lester goes to find Embers to explain the event and while the warforged wakes Fulton, the half-orc enters Kent’s room.

In the half-elf’s room, Lester immediately notices that the tiny door is also present, but held shut by a makeshift cover. In Fulton’s room, Embers wakens the bard from a series of strange but not unpleasant dreams about dancing with Lady Garret while being absorbed and/or transformed into the tiefling. When Lester enters, he quickly finds the secret door slightly agar and connected to his own room via the tunnel through which the half-orc’s light spell is shining.

Left with little else to do, the team returns to sleep, more wary of the tiny doors, but no other events occur through the night.

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Most of the team awaken refreshed and comfortable despite the night’s activities. Attending breakfast, they find Stab, Marreth, and Aricon happily eating and conversing. Olive, Ysabel and Kaeron arrive late, looking very tired and haggard. The Inquisitive team quickly realizes that all three women look older, particularly Kaeron. Lester is alarmed, as he recalls arcane learning about creatures that might feed on life force and cause aging. While he shares this with the group and they agree to leave as soon as possible, Fulton speaks with Kaeron and learns that she had very similar dreams to his own, but has awoken feeling exhausted and drained.

When Lady Garret joins them for breakfast, she appears radiant and happy, announcing that she has decided that she must contribute to the expedition’s noble goals of saving Olivia’s friends and colleagues. She begs them to delay their departure so that she can gather appropriate gifts, returning about 20 minutes later to present the items to each member of the group.

The tiefling first presents Olivia with a small silver locket set with a multi-faceted obsidian, whispering gently, “To wish you only tremendous luck in finding your friends and colleagues in good health.”

She then turns back to her butler and hefts a metal shield emblazoned with the symbol of the Silver Flame, and presents it to Kaeron, “This was left behind by one of the faithful who had lost his way. I pray that you can once again bring it meaning and purpose.”

She approaches Lilly, who bristles slightly at the taller woman, although Garret seems to not notice. “This may not be crucial for the outcome of the expedition”, she murmurs, “but I think it will be beneficial in your line of work.” She presents the gnome with a small jeweled hair comb.

Turning to Marreth, she gathers up a bundle of deep purple velvet cloth, smiling gently as she presents it, “This should return to someone who would appreciate its origins and utility.”

The tiefling gentle places a fine gold chain over Ysabel’s head, gently settling the amber stone in place just below the young woman’s neck, “You have chosen a difficult route, and I hope this trinket will help to keep you safe.”

She then accepts a delicate green and gold-trimmed quiver from her servant, bowing deeply to Stab and she offers the container to the goblin, “I think you will find this more useful in storing and using your unique arsenal, but I do hope you will be more circumspect in obtaining them.” The goblin’s eyes light up and he immediately rushes to the corner of the room and begins throwing various pieces of silverware, gardening tools and other household items into the various sections. Fulton is fairly certain he spots Lady Garret’s silverware, items bearing the Margrave University crest, and his own family crest amongst the assorted items that are being stowed.

To Aricon, she also offers a gold chain, this time with a gold skull medallion inset with tiny rubies, “This was a gift from an old friend whose more recent history holds some painful memories. I hope that you can find better use for it, and help me leave behind a difficult time from my past.”

The tiefling then plucks a small mechanical object from the pile, presenting the small device in her open palm as she approaches Embers, “This was retrieved from an ancient ruin deep in the crystal desert. I believe only someone of your construction could make use of it, and I hope it serves you as well as it did its ancient master.” The device looks much like a thin mechanical donut with a light blue sapphire suspended at its centre. The sapphire begins to glow as it touches Ember’s carapace, tiny wires reaching out tentatively and seeming to search for a way to attach to the warforged body. Embers shifts the object slightly and the sapphire’s blue glow brightens as the wires snap into place.

She steps up the Lester and holds up a solid silver headband, placing it gently on the half-orc’s ample brow, “You have a knack for building and research, so I hope you will find this helpful.” She also leans in and whispers something to the artificer, causing a dark expression to descend across Lilly’s countenance.

The young tiefling then pulls a pair of slippers from the pile and approaches Kent, “I hope you are able to put these items to good use. I suspect they will be especially helpful inside the massive ruins you will need to explore.” She also leans in to whisper something to the half-elf before pulling back with a smile.

Lady Garret then lifts an ornately carved lute from her servant’s arms, plucking the instrument’s strings briefly before presenting it to Fulton, “This holds much happier memories, but it has been too long since someone of skill and grace has made her sing.” She leans over to plant a gentle kiss on the bard’s cheek, whispering something into his ear.

After handing out her gifts, Lady Garret steps back and smiles brightly to the assembled group.

“I apologize that I must hurry off to attend to some important business. Please enjoy our hospitality for as long as you desire. I wish you all the best of luck and success on your expedition and hope that you all return safely with your friends. I would be honored to host again at any time. It has been far too long since I have entertained such delightful and interesting guests. It was… invigorating.”

The tiefling again bows deeply, her gaze lingering on Fulton for an additional moment before she turns and hurries out of the parlor with her assistant.

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Olivia arrives at Fulton’s home and tells the noble that the University has agreed to fund an expedition to Xen’drik to find Professor Durza and her team. As the young woman has no experience with such matters, she has come to Fulton to ask if he and his friends might be willing to help organize the trip. Fulton is enthusiastic about the idea and agrees to present the request to the rest of the group. When Olivia mentions that Stab will be coming with the expedition, there is the sound of a glass shattering from the butler’s pantry.

When the team meets at the offices of the Inquisitive, they are in agreement with the plan, although Jorgensson is initially opposed. Fulton is able to convince the editor to allow the group to go on the expedition, but it takes more effort to convince him that additional funding is a good idea. Isabel has been eavesdropping and wants to go along, but the dwarf says no. Lester is eventually able to convince him, but not before the young woman has stormed off. Lester is able to chase her down and give her the good news. Jorgensson also plans to send the paper’s photographer, Marreth, along for the trip.

Kent and Fulton return to the University to give Olivia the good news, managing to avoid Stab along the way. They learn that Durza had employed the Wayfinders Society to plan and organize that expedition. As the team does not need adventurers for their planning, Kent finds that the University has a Quartermaster who can be retained for consultation on the expedition process. The gopher begins the job of planning the trip, learning about transportation costs, need for guides, and redirecting the goblin to bother the noble.

Fulton approaches his Uncle Haftak about the expedition, receiving enthusiastic support for the endeavour and a suggestion to look up an old friend of his, Lady Garrett of Stormreach. Fulton is warned to be careful of the noblewoman’s ‘appetites’.

Lester approaches House Tharashk about the expedition, and his superiors are supportive of the idea. They offer the choice of direct funding for the trip and contact information for several Tharashk guides (including the most highly recommended guide, Vanis), or the services of Vanis and four Tharashk warriors for the duration of the trip. The half-orc decides on the direct funding but is given contact information for Vanis (half-orc House guide), Tiks (changeling non-house guide), and Borric (human House guide).

Fulton also approaches the Church of the Silver Flame to inquire about possible support for the expedition. Grevor is immediately enthusiastic about the rescue effort as one of his faithful, Markus, was part of the original expedition that vanished. He takes the bard to see Kaeron, who is easily convinced to join the trip, and Grevor contributes a small amount to the funding.

Kent goes to the Wayfinders Society to track down information on Durza’s expedition, the surrounding terrain and fauna, and other information helpful to the planning of the expedition. He learns about the likely presence of giant scorpions along the route as well as probable undead at the dig site. He learns of multiple tribes of giants and drow in the area, some of which may be less hostile than others.

The young nobleman also finds enthusiastic support from Councillor Potellas, who offers both monetary support for the trip as well as allowing the group a selection of potions for their use. In return, he asks that they take one of his alchemists, Aricon, to allow him to gather rare ingredients for the business.

Lilly confronts Lester at home about leaving on a 3+ month trip without her, and demands to be allowed to come along. Although Lilly offers 5000gp in funding from the Korranberg Chronicle, when the half-orc prevaricates about exclusive journalistic rights and defers to Jorgensson as the ultimate decision maker, she storms out. The next morning, the team arrives to find Lilly laughing with Jorgensson in the dwarf’s office as he announces that the Inquisitive and the Chronicle have an agreement to publish complementary pieces and co-fund the expedition. The team is concerned that the Chronicle is only contributing 2000gp rather than Lilly’s previous offer, and very concerned that Jorgennson is in an exceptionally good mood for an hour before returning to his usual cantankerous self.

Rouge comes to Fulton’s home to plead with the noble to take good care of her sister and make sure she returns home safely.

Kent approaches his superiors in House Medani, who also contribute a small amount to the expedition coffers.

Fulton is summoned to his parents’ home where his father Forbids him to go on the expedition. When he is unsuccessful in intimidating his son into staying in Sharn, the elder ir’Clarn offers to add 5000gp to the expedition’s funding if Fulton will abandon the trip. With further obstinance on the boy’s part, he resorts to vague threats about stopping the entire endeavor. Fulton’s mother expresses her worry about losing her only remaining child, but does not attempt to stop him, merely extracting a promise to be careful. She gives him 2000gp worth of her own jewelry to help the expedition, but Fulton places this in safe-keeping rather than adding it to the pool.

After gathering almost 20,000gp for the trip, as well as accumulating a passenger list of 11 people and one mule, the team and their Quartermaster advisor decide that travel to Stormreach by Elemental Galleon is the most cost effective method to reach the mysterious continent. They manage to book passage on the Thunder Child several days later. The ship is captained by the young helmsman from Embers’ old ship, who manifested a Lyrandar Dragonmark during the battle in which the warforged was thrown overboard. As a result of his relationship with the barbarian, Captain Oriben gives the expedition a discount on their trip.

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On the day of the journey, the harbour crew is busy loading the expedition’s supplies and people when Kent is approached by a child with a slip of paper. The rest of the departure is uneventful, although Olivia is seasick before the ship even leaves its moorings. Kaeron is able to create a herbal remedy to help the young woman be more comfortable.

Stab spends much of the day telling stories of his days in the Daakani Navy, most of which are fantastical and contradictory. Embers notes that while the actual content of the stories seems very unlikely, the terminology and details strongly suggest that the goblin does have experience in ship-board life and work.

Aricon proves to be fairly companionable, sometimes talking extensively about alchemical processes and at other times asking many questions about their destination and the previous expedition. He gravitates toward Olivia in particular when he is inquiring about Durza’s expedition.

Isabel is so happy to be on the adventure, that she seems to forget that she is still angry with Kent and Fulton.

Marreth takes a number of pictures using his supply of scapecatcher lenses, but is otherwise pleasant, laconic, and quiet.

As dusk falls on the first day of sailing, Lester suddenly asks Kent why he is staring at the half-orc’s girlfriend. Kent tells the group that he is interested in Lilly’s necklace as he has been thinking of getting gift for a special someone and was wondering about the item’s origins. The gnome tells everyone that it was a gift from her mother when she went away to university in Zilargo. She promises to contact her mother to learn where she obtained the necklace.

Just as the conversation of the necklace winds down, some of the group notice Stab jump to his feet and look up seconds before the ship lookout yells “DRAGON!”. The team looks up to see the unmistakable form of a blue dragon dropping from the sky as it opens its mouth to breathe…

Lester is woken by pounding on his door as Nicor tells him that Mr. Jorgennson wants the half-orc and Fulton at the offices right now. Lester (and Lilly) follow the boy to Fulton’s home to collect the noble, and they send the tiefling off to retrieve Kent and Embers as well.

When the group arrives at the Inquisitive, they find the editor waiting with a senior priest from the Silver Flame, a dwarf named Grevor. The cleric explains that there have been reports of strange magical happening in the Towerfall district over the past several weeks, which appear to coincide with the location of the site of the Martyrdom of Lady Faela, a Silver Flame follower who sacrificed herself on the day of Crystalfall. Another Silver Flame priest, Kaeron, is going to investigate, and Jorgennson wants the Inquisitive to have reporters on scene for the event.

Kaeron meets up with the group in the city above Towerfall, and is initially very unhappy with having ‘press’ along for the ride. Fulton’s charm warms her to the idea of spreading the tale of Faela’s sacrifice to the greater world. The group’s first task is to find an artist in Towerfall, a gnome woman named Blanksy, who is purported to know about the location of the Martyrdom and strange happenings.

Arriving at the artist’s camp, the team immediately stumbles upon a group of reavers who are attacking Blanksy’s home. Working with Kaeron, they defeat the raging attackers before Blanksy is harmed, but have difficulty communicating with her. She appears to be speaking to someone they can’t see, and during the discussion, a ghost manifests and attacks. The spectre succeeds in possessing Kent, forcing the team to knock the half-elf unconscious in order to defeat the ghost. Freed from the spectre’s influence, Blanksy is able to tell Kaeron how to get to the Martyr’s body, but warns that people bearing the mark of The Dragon Below, have already been investigating the site.

Pressing on, the group enters a roughly circular room filled with debris from the fallen tower. As they cross the room, forcefields arise at the entrances and a vortex of wind begins spinning the debris about, buffeting the group. They take shelter in some non-flying debris, but it is not enough to completely protect them. Kent braves the wind to investigate further, realizing that small dragonshards embedded in the walls are the source of power for the trap. A combination of arcane/religious knowledge and brute force allows them to deactivate the trap, but not before they take more damage.

Further along, the team encounters a quartet of frightening demons who attack immediately. Kent is momentarily paralyzed with fear, but recovers quickly, while Fulton’s terror roots him in place for the entire battle. A shadowy demon creeps up on the noble and takes advantage of the terror to attack him, but does not manage to take down Fulton.

After defeating the first set of demons, the group comes across a vrock that is screaming at a human woman to “move to the seal, now!”. They launch their attack, and four dretches appear to help the vrock, several of them unsuccessfully attempting to push Kent and Embers into the glowing silver seal at the end of the room. Although the vrock is a formidable opponent, they manage to kill the demons without too much difficulty.

After discussing the seal, and realizing it is designed to keep evil creatures out, Kent steps into it, both opening the barrier and infusing himself with energizing silvery light. When they pass through the door beyond, they find a glowing field of silvery energy barely holding back dark demonic energy, surrounding a bier with a woman’s body upon it. Inside the demonic cloud, maw demons swarm, more emerging from some unseen portal every moment. Kent unexpectedly passes through the barrier when it is pushed back by the demonic energy, and the rest of the group leaps forward to confront the demons. The half-elf quickly realizes he can infuse the woman’s body with the silver energy he carries, but the same power is also making him the exclusive target of the demons. As the rest of the group frantically tries to contain the monsters, Kent collapses just before he can transfer the silver energy completely. Fortunately, Fulton is able to heal his friend and when Kent completely the transfer, the silvery barrier retracts, destroying the demons and sealing the rift from which they were emerging.

The ethereal visage of the martyr they were search for appears to Kent, thanking him for reinforcing the barrier to prevent the evils of Khyber from coming through. She implores him to take the items of power from her body and use them to defeat evil wherever he may find it. A search of her remains finds a javelin of light, ring of mind shielding, and a wand of secrets. Once they return to the upper city, Grevor also rewards them with a ruby of the war mage and 500 gold each, promising to devote Silver Flame resources to protecting the martyr’s seal below.

In their absence, Olive has decided to return to her work at the university since it is apparent that Carric was not taken by the Swords of Liberty after all. While Stab plans to stay at Fulton’s home indefinitely, the noble’s silver tongue convinces the goblin that his expertise and prowess are needed in the wider world.

Following Kent’s abduction, the team decides to visit Carric to find out if he has any information that might help them to identify who is behind the interrogations of Inquisitive staff. When they arrive, they discover two guards outside his home, who reluctantly let them in to visit the half-elf. After exchanging barbs, the team learns only that Carric noticed one of the interrogators had a Karrnathi accent, which is a detail that Fulton, Lester and Kent did not observe.

Kent decides to go to his House and see what he can find out about anonymous’ claims of House Medani involvement, while the rest of the crew goes to visit Ysabel to warn her about the abductions. When they arrive at the Moulin household, they spot at least four armed men loitering nearby and watching the apartment block. They speak with Rouge, who lets them in, but tells them that Ysabel is not home. Lester scopes out the home to check on possible entries, while Embers returns to the front door to keep an eye on the possible bad guys. When Ysabel returns, she is pleased to see Embers and Lester, less pleased to see Fulton, and being followed by two more armed men who are apparently escorts for the young woman. The girl remains invested in anti-monarchist sentiment, and appears relatively unconcerned about the possibility of being abducted because of the protection of the ‘locals’. Lester offers to put an arcane lock on the door to increase their safety, and Ysabel is pleased with the idea.

Meanwhile, Kent spends the rest of the day speaking to various members of his House to gather information about the abductions. He learns that Medani and the Citadel are conducting investigations into the identity of anonymous, the terrorist organization, and the bombing of the embassy. He was unable to find any evidence that Medani is involved in the abductions. He did learn that a Karrnathi interrogator has been hired, but not who this person is or who may have hired them. He also takes a small detour to the river to participate in Crystalfall ceremonies and throw an ice sculpture in the river.

As Kent is explaining the results of his investigation, Lester hears a signal from the door alarm at the Lost Forge. The team piles into a skycab and races down to the Cogs, paying a premium for being dropped off right outside the alleyway entrance. They successfully sneak into the alleyway to discover five Riedran guards and a richly dressed Riedran trying to break into the arcane locked door, taking the men by surprise. The battle lasts mere seconds, with only one of the Riedran guards able to do anything before they are all cut down.

Searching the bodies, the team finds a few trinkets, a map of the alleyway and Forge entrance, and a schedule of the team’s comings and goings. Embers realizes that the schedule only lists times that she and Fulton were at the forge, and not times that either Lester or Kent were present without the former pair. Fulton makes the connection that the Riedrans are using the gifts to track the team, but cannot follow Lester or Kent because they are not carrying the items with them.

The group finishes the night by inviting Lester’s girlfriend Lilly to join them at a bar for the evening, where Fulton impresses the young woman with his singing.