Episode 9

On their way back to Wharram, the party noticed some spiders in the road. They chose to attack the spiders who had not seen them yet and easily defeated them. With the spiders out of the way, the rest of the journey to Wharram was without trouble.

Reaching Wharram, the party stopped a short distance away and discussed how to handle the guards when they see the goblins with them. Cade and Taman decided to head into to town to get Paddy and the huntmaster to come to them instead of taking the goblins into town. The group started setting up camp for the goblins, with Nok-Nok keeping a eye on them. Bixx gave Cade a coin to show to Paddy.

On their way in, Cade and Taman stop by the guard tower to inform them of the situation and to ask them to stay calm while they fetch Paddy and the huntmaster. With the guards not feeling comfortable with the situation, Taman shows them his reservist badge. They immediately correct their posture and accept the orders given to them by Taman. Cade is curious about this the badge, but does not get a good look at it.

When the two reach Paddy, Cade explains the situation and shows him the coin Bixx had provided him with. Paddy looks surprised but immediately recognizes the coin. After a short while, Paddy explains to them that he did not recognize the name "Bixx" but on see the coin, he remembered exactly who Bixx is. Bixx saved his life as a child and the coin was a very rare item which his father only gave to persons which he considered to be important to the family. He did not think he would ever meet the person who saved him as he can barely recall what happened and who was involved. Cade and Taman return to the camp site while Paddy sends for the huntmaster and meets them there.

Nok-Nok heads to the wagons and removes the small chest containing the coin. He stuffs it into his backpack. When Cade and Taman return, they relay the information to the others who find it surprising as well. Paddy and the huntmaster arrives shortly after each other and on seeing Bixx, Paddy greets him as an old friend. He invites Bixx to stay at his home and tells the guards to get more hands to help the goblins set up their tents outside his home. Nok-Nok discussed the Perin Twofoot problem with Paddy, who immediately sends for more guards to stand watch over Perin. With that the party heads into town and decides it is best to get a good nights rest at the inn. Burk has the caravans moved to his home while they offload the goods. Taman feeling energetic, asks the huntmaster if the town requires any aid. Burk doesn't let the opportunity go by and puts him to work patrolling the north eastern fields, just on the outskirts of Wharram.

Cade has a dream of a female voice asking him to meet him at the temple, he also has some vague dreams about a owl.

During the evening, Taman learns some of the basic whistle communications used by the towns militia. Taman also saves one of the patrolling militia in heroic fashion. The guards feel inspired and complete their watch with renewed strength. After his watch, Taman heads to the inn to get some food and rest. Mary serves him a meal and offers to have his armor cleaned. Exhausted, Taman accepts and heads to bed after eating.

The next morning Zaren spends some more time with the key and learns another ability the key has kept hidden from him, Zone of Truth.

Cade heads up to the huntmaster's home, after slipping past Taman eating, where the wagons containing Perin's goods were taken. He finds them and seeing the snakes on the back, decides to know on the door and explain that Bixx gave him the snakes instead of just stealing them. The guard informs him that Burk is resting and will be up in an hour, but he is allowed to take the snakes. While taking the snakes he also takes the gems from the cart in a very obvious manner, but no one seems to be paying any attention to him. Cade heads to the shrine of Leira, goddess of illusion. After spending a while there, he returns to the The Sleepy Hollow Inn.

Lilith wakes the next morning and heads down to their usual table where she orders dinner and goes through the book on runes some more. Eventually she finishes the book entirely and only find additional runes which Zaren have already identified on the key. She relays the information to him and gives the book back to him. The party heads to town to do some shopping before heading back to the inn again. Taman is still sleeping while his armor is delivered to his room.

Paddy and Burk meet the party at the inn to discuss what is to happen next. They discuss a few items and learn that there is a myth relating to a daemon stone which can be found in the vicinity of Wharram. Paddy explains that many adventurers have come looking for it in the past but no-one ever does. The party also learns form Burk that there are three pressing matters which require attention.

1.) Spiders to the west of town are turning into a problem and the town needs aid to help push them back.

2.) Kaldur and Mera are missing, they were out on patrol towards the north eastern side of town, on the outskirts of the farmlands.

3.) Perin Twofoot has been judged as guilty of murder and theft. He must be hung outside of town to the North West.

The party decide that they would like to speak to Perin and then take the duty of performing his execution themselves. They head to the prison in the huntmaster's home and remove Perin from the cell. They start walking with him towards his place of execution as described by Burk. On the way there they learn that Perin is running from the Blood Reavers, specifically a very nasty person called Polish Sweeny who goes by the alias "Missing Tooth". They learn that he "Stole" Sweeny's daughter from him and shortly thereafter she died due to his mistakes. Polish Sweeny has been looking for his head ever since. They also learn that they stole some goods at New Port and were one their way to sell the goods in Wharram when they ran into the goblins and the rest is history. Taman feeling that Perin was honest and deserves a quick death convinces Nok-Nok to rather stab and slit his throat than poison and have him sent out towards the spiders. With the deed done the party moves back to town to regroup with Lilith who did not want to join them in this particular endeavor.

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