Episode 3

General Summary

The group make their way back to Nature's Rest to discuss the meaning behind the sparrow-delivered note. Coming to the conclusion that the druid, Safiyah, must be alive somewhere in the Order of the Shield's HQ; they decide that breaking into the building is their best course of action. Eva, however, has a performance to give.
The proprietor of the tavern, Freida, comes to collect the famous singer - as the tavern below has quickly filled to bursting. With Leah providing the music with her Lyre, the duo take the stage to begin the night's entertainment. Notably in attendance are the mayor, a few Knights of the Shield, the strange woman they saw in the tavern earlier and Marcoh.
The rest of the group, bar Marty who stays to keep an eye on the crowd, sneak over to the Order of the Shield HQ. The streets are quiet, and just a solitary guard stands watch outside the HQ. Being a knight himself, Godric approaches the front, while Atlas and Veda sneak around the back.
Godric does his best to persuade the knight that he can cover his post, should the guard wish to enjoy the performance in the tavern. Although the young man seems eager to go, he is resolute in his decision to keep his post. Godric instead keeps the man company, whilst thinking of a new plan.
The duo around the back of the building manage to break into the kitchen, using a silence spell to conceal their activities. The building seems mostly empty, as many knights seem to have gone to the tavern this evening. As Atlas peers through the keyhole into the main entrance hall, he witnesses Godric letting himself in through the front door. Being a member of the Knights Order allows him such privileges it seems. Godric strolls over to a more portly looking knight who is sitting in front of a descending staircase. Knowing that this is where prisoners are kept, Godric persuades the jailor to take him down to the cells - under the pretence that he is here to transport one of them to the capital.
As Godric and the jailor make their way down the stairs, Veda and Atlas sneak across the entrance hall to listen in on the conversation. There are currently 5 occupied cells in Chimuk's prison, and as the jailor explains who each of them are, Godric learns that none of them are the druid he seeks. One slightly mad animal poacher in the end cell serves as a ruse for Godric to get rid of the jailor, as the tiefling claims this is the woman he seeks, and that he must fill in some boring paperwork. Left alone in the cells, Godric coaxes the sparrow to find it's master - and it disappears through a small hole in the wall at the end of the corridor.
With the jailor now returning to the ground floor, Atlas and Veda dash up a set of iron stairs, and into a bedroom on the 1st floor. Thankfully the room is empty, save for a few beds and other pieces of furniture. The pair steal some clothes and a shortsword for possible use later, before hatching a plan to escape the room. Veda uses her bardic magic to create the sound of smashing glass from the kitchen, which successfully moves the jailor to investigate. The noise also alerts Commander Owen however, who emerges from the room next to theirs. As Owen returns to his room, the pair quickly rush back down the stairs and into the prison.
Meanwhile in Nature's Rest, Eva and Leah are giving a magnificent performance, to the delight of all the people of Chimuk. During an intermission, Eva retreats to the party's room and signals for Leah to bring the strange woman they saw earlier, who appeared somewhat disfigured.
After some coaxing, the woman joins the duo in their room. The woman seems reluctant to show her face, but at the suggestion that Leah is a healer of sorts, she looks up - revealing to Eva a green ring around the iris of her eyes. The woman, Gwen, tells the pair that she used to be somewhat of a beauty, but she became cursed and now looks as she does. Nobody has been able to help her, and Leah is likewise unable to offer any aid. With the 2nd half of the show to complete, the performers head back downstairs.
In the jail, Godric has a somewhat maddening conversation with the animal poacher, who eventually tells him how to open the secret door after Godric performs an impromptu trial, acquitting the woman of her crimes... Behind the door, Godric finds two woman in a secret cell. They are both gagged and manacled to the walls. One seems to be the missing druid, and the other is wearing the uniform of a Knight of the Shield investigator.
With Veda and Atlas' arrival, a brief catch up is had before heavy footsteps are heard descending the stairs. Veda takes the crazy woman into the secret cell, as Atlas transforms to take her place. The secret door closes just in time as Commander Owen appears at the bottom of the stairs. Owen suggests that Godric wrap up his paperwork and go, as he begins searching the cells for intruders. Attempts to bore the Commander into leaving fail, as the man comes to the end of the cells. Godric tells the knight that he heard strange noises from behind the wall, at which point Owen draws his sword - apparently no longer trusting the tiefling. Battle ensues, and the Commander is knocked unconscious with the transformed Atlas and Veda's help. The terrified jailor emerges at this point, and is quickly stuffed into a cell with the unconscious commander. The two prisoners are released, and the group escape into the night - heading for Safiyah's windmill.
As the performance in the tavern comes to an end, Eva and Leah greet some of their fans - including Marcoh who congratulates them on a job well done. As much of the town is here and will likely be hungover in the morning, Marcoh decides to delay his morning prayers by an hour, so that all can hopefully still attend. Eva and Leah (and Marty) sneak out of the tavern, and regroup with their friends at the windmill.
The investigator, Valen Elmwood and Safiyah fill the group in on the goings on of the town, as much as they have managed to overhear anyway. Valen believes that Marcoh has magically influenced at least some of the knights, as well as some of the townsfolk. He also seems to possess a great natural charisma, and those who aren't being magically coerced are simply being persuaded by his words. Valen wishes to confront Marcoh directly, trying to avoid any violence if possible. With much of the town behind the Church of Sol, she does not wish any innocents to get hurt.
Before they get there however, they must deal with Commander Owen, who will surely be discovered soon, now that the night of entertainment has come to a close...

Report Date

13 Sep 2019