Starting Time: 12th hour on the 16th of Readying, 591 CY
The bustling city of Epoch welcomed the party with pockets full of gold, and each member had their own objectives. Tama ventured into the Mystic Curios shop, seeking a Circlet of Persuasion, only to discover it would take a day to procure. Meanwhile, Otto, Quinn, and Rosemary stumbled upon Vaelin Silverglade, a small ring vendor in the Artisan's square of Epoch. Quinn's charm won favor with the skilled ringmaker, earning the party a 10% discount. Otto purchased a ring of arming, and Quinn asked about a ring of invisibility, but it remained beyond their budget.
Reuniting, the group ventured into The The Arcane Emporium, managed by Jazeera. Tama sought a Pearl of Speech, but their shopping was interrupted when Otto overheard commotion outside. An eccentric noble, Lord Percival Highgrove, approached them flailing his cape dramatically, intent on acquiring a bard's art piece in the party's possession. An amusing yet absurd exchange ensued, with Quinn's bizarre stories ultimately securing a deal for 10,000 gold from Lord Percival's Arturus guards.
Their next destination was the Bastion to report their successful pursuit. They encountered a group comprised of the apprentices, Eamon Blackwood, Sabinee, Aimen Firethorn, Lirien Moonwhisper, who mentioned no active quests, sharing tales of their recent expedition to the exotic lands of Sunhaven. Quinn's bitter recounting of his own hardships took a surprising turn when he turned to find the very woman he had been lamenting about, Elizabeth. She departed without a word, leaving Quinn bewildered.
That night, the party dined at the opulent The Guilded Gryphon, where illusionists transformed the ceiling into otherworldly realms. Otto paid for two tables to accommodate their party. Awkwardly, they found themselves sitting at a table that was once Lord Percival's table, who harbored nothing but disdain for them as he is escorted to a new table. Otto awaited Mistress Astar but received a mysterious drink instead, causing time distortions. Unexpectedly, Carrie, Otto's ex, appeared sitting before him, questioning her decision to end their relationship. Astar eventually arrived, and carrie threw her drink in Otto's face for two timing her. Astar sat and revealed an encounter with the Nightshade syndicate and showing Otto a peculiar wound. Otto believes from the description that it may be the man he met in Vespera named Malachi Shadowthorn.
Astar recounted her mission to retrieve the writs from the train, which led to confrontations with cultists and a black-armored cleric casting a dismissal spell. To avoid being stranded in another plane, Astar had teleported away in haste.
Meanwhile, Rosemary escorted Carrie back to her room. Upon her return, she discovered Brother Mathias's door ajar. Inside, she found his lifeless body with his head grotesquely crushed, and a sinister cleric in black armor wielding a massive flail standing over him. The party's peaceful respite in Epoch had taken a dark and ominous turn.
Ending Time: 22nd hour on the 16th of Readying, 591 CY
