Session XV: The Witchmarket

The party entered the Witchmarket which was set up on both sides of the Greyroad. As the only prospective buyers present at this time, they had considerable freedom and time to think about the unpredictable fey traders' offers. Some notable transactions undertaken here was Del'Gado's purchase of a golden wheellock pistol from Barrel-Merchant Adralei in exchange for 'a winning personality,' Caerlin's gamble with fate itself followed by an audience of sorts with the Lantern King, and Jacqualine legally acquiring huge tracts of land, the Isle of Resplendent Waves, from Adaranti Ambassador Keymoira (which was purchased for a future service). Other buys included a mind blank effect, vocational experience, and a garment of extradimensional exotic fashion.   Numerous fey goods and services richer, the Advocates continued their journey. On the 27th of Resting, Varkallin sent a letter to them informing of a doppelganger plot within the Order of Hyron which had been exposed by the Fellowship's Oval Knights; the Elysian Court recommended that the Order be suspended and disarmed in preparation for an investigation, which was to be carried out by the Karapanate. Thus, Varkallin advised Caerlin Krexis to get rid of his Order persona, which unbeknownst to her, he had already done. Two days later they received a letter signed by Yanzu Hostbane and Kinelados Winterdove, Head Councillor of the Elysian Court and Chief Judge of the Crownland Synod, respectively, ordering the Advocates to assassinate five royal servants of the Overseer Collectives of Greyhyx in the name of the King:  

• Gandas Kassiru, Royal Magistrate of Tarentan,
• Allaron Irray, Chamberlain of Tarentan,
• Markon Hoymat, Lord Mayor of Vindova,
• Davke Sakkan, Commander of the Vindovan Garrison, and
• Zaidu Sunwillow, Chairwoman of the Royal Overseer Collective Internal Council.

  This was to be done to facilitate the implementation of martial law in Greyhyx, as the Noble Alliance Army was now being mobilised for an incursion into the region, citing unclear developments. Other events that occurred during travel was Caerlin making yet another provocative comment towards Jacqualine, in addition to casting sleep on her: however, being an elf, this obviously has no effect. The cleric retaliates by launching a devastating guiding bolt at Caerlin which would have killed a family of four. Still, as Caerlin is not a family of four, he was merely left reeling on the cusp of death. Also, Del'Gado instinctively felt that the party was being watched by unseen individuals.   A few days later, the Advocates happened upon the site of an apparent ambush, seeing three horses and an armed guard shot dead by arrows in the middle of the road. A traveller and another armed guard were hunkering down at the side of the road, hurriedly asking that the party move away from the road. They explained that they had been attacked half an hour ago by bandits, and were expecting to be attacked again. They advised the party to either leave silently or join them in the defence. However, almost immediately after this was said, seven spear-wielding bandits emerged from the opposite tree-line and the battle was a fact.   Imaros and Caerlin were initially at the forefront. The mage quickly cast thunderstep, wounding several of the bandits and dispelling both the illusory ambush site and the appearances of the 'bandits,' who were actually babaus: red, jaunty skeletal creatures commonly known as assassin demons. The traveller and the guard also dropped their facades, and the rest of the party were now stood right next to another babau and a kalavakus, a large, blueish, horned demon. During the battle, the babaus deployed extensive usage of invisibility magic and also directed a heat metal incantation against the armoured Baldur, who was actually able to strike down the kalavakus during the combat. However, the offending babau and four of his surviving peers decided to retreat and used their inherent teleportation ability to do so. After thwarting the ambush and recovering nothing of note from the slain demons, the Advocates pressed onward and are now in reach of the Highforest Waystation for some much-needed respite.