After briefly catching up, the Protectors of the Pass spoke with Lord Gallo. They asked him if he recognized the serpent and spear insignia found on the rotting corpse monster in Steppengard's dungeon. Gallo said it belonged to a lesser noble house of yore, and the creature was likely the violent criminal of that family known as Jutras. He was said to be obsessed with the occult, and served a bat-winged deity called Ineluki, offering human sacrifices to it. Jutras was captured and executed for his crimes, calling out for his deity to rescue him before the deed was done. It was also said that he feared chickens.
Rayland also showed Bryn the documents found in the office of Serrimus the Ragesian in Steppengard's court. Bryn recognized the items listed, and knew they were used to create a drug called Red Madness, which caused aggressive insanity, similar to what Steppengard was suffering from. Could this be the Madness referenced in the Ragesian orders?
Bidding farewell to Gallo, the party made their way to the keeps of Lord Dashgoban and Lady Timor. En route, the party rested at an inn. Jack and begrudging Rayland shared a moment, and Jack helped Winry decompress from her arduous experience. Meanwhile, Myetharia asked that Bryn send some messages for her, reaching out to Lady Shalosha of Shahalesti. She updated the princess, who joked back a bit, once again calling her Mellie. Winry listened in, and gathered this information as well. It seems that Myetharia and Shalosha were very close friends in their youth. Realizing that Myetharia must be high born to have such a relationship with the princess, Bryn asked why Myetharia joined the military. Myetharia shared that the long lives that elves lead lend to monotony, and Myetharia joined the military to alleviate her boredom with every day life.
The next days found the party having audiences with both Lord Dashgoban and Lady Timor. Both had heard Jack's words in Steppengard's court via their proxies, and convinced by the Ragesian orders, the two leaders immediately commanded their forces to aid their ally, Lord Gallo.
Surprisingly, Bryn discovered that her son Keth was serving in Lady Timor's forces, and the two were reunited. Detailing how he was separated from the rest of the family, Keth made his way to Timor's keep as a refugee, joining her forces soon after. Keth asked Bryn if she saw his father, Bryn's estranged husband Brent, as Brent had returned to Gate Pass before the invasion to find Bryn and ensure her safety. Though she hadn't, Bryn enjoyed these precious moments with her son, as the party rested for the evening.