"Always find the queen, or you will spend every day killing the ants,” Mihail mutters, a dark grimace on his face.
'There is wisdom in Father's words, just as much now as then.' Mihail muses.
"We aren't done here." Mihail's dark pronouncement rings with grim responsibility.
"We might have defeated two of the monsters but more may still around. I was visited by some in my dreams but I was protected by a white stag. The monsters were scared off and feed to the north. Seems Old Dead Eye is keeping me safe, praise the hunter. We have made some progress but... do we stay here or do we go back to report? Like Gonan said, if more are here we need to protect these people but what if instead of haunting villagers they are now haunting us? Should we leave to draw them away?" Kaid'an wonders what is the best answer. What is the right path.
"In my dream I saw a tower, the top of which blazed as if with fire. I think I have seen a place like this before near the city of Cassomir. I also saw nightguants in my vision, but I'm not sure if the two are related." She pauses, thinking, then adds "Cassomir is to the west of here, yet you said in your dream you saw the nightguants flying north. Perhaps they are unrelated then. Though if they came from the north, then they may have come from deep in the forest, and if our misgivings are correct, then there may be more from whence they came."
Jobe seems oblivious to the discussion, and calls everyone to attention. He raises a toast to the heroes who have purged Delham of the terrible creatures that were haunting their dreams and terrorizing their nights.
The farmers give a hearty cheer, joyfully clacking their wooden cups together.
Andaris wakes with a start, his fingers tingling at the anticipation of power. He listens to his friends' discussion and shares after Iluna speaks. "Last night I too dreamt these dreams of fate, and I shudder to think of what we have inexorably involved ourselves in. I saw the shards of darkness in the hands of the nightgaunts. They taunted me with the shards, and as I dashed forward to shatter them they flew off into the night." Andaris follows his half-truths with a question, "Are the nightgaunts linked to the dark brothers? If the nightgaunts were carrying the shards for the brothers perhaps both of our problems can be resolved at this tower. It's name is Treacherous Jack, a lighthouse along the coast, which I passed by on my journey into Taldor. It is a magical and unreliable lighthouse, yes, but certainly not known for being a criminal hideaway."
---
Andaris takes joy in the simple pleasures of the feast, and humbly accepts the cheers of the villagers despite feeling like he had accomplished nothing worthy of their praise.
"This doesn't feel right. We've missed something. I think we need to explore the area. We've missed something," Mihail repeats angrily.
'I can feel it burning in my gut. That dream meant something, it had to. We need to find out what it means.'
"Always find the queen, or you will spend every day killing the ants,” Mihail mutters, a dark grimace on his face.[...]
"This doesn't feel right. We've missed something. I think we need to explore the area. We've missed something," Mihail repeats angrily.
"You clearly saw something last night, Mihail, as did we all. If you truly wish to find the queen, we must head to the lighthouse. Staying here would be swatting at bees while the queen rests in her hive, continuing to breed."
Andaris plots a course from his memory in the ground, showing his companions where they need travel to reach the lighthouse.
"We can return to the Baron once the 'queen' is dead, let us make use of these horses and travel quickly now."
Andaris heads out on horse, after giving a farewell blessing to the villagers.
"I am with Andaris on this one. It is useless to keep killing the bees and leave the nest and queen alone. Follow this nightmare to the source and end it."
"That's a week's journey," Mihail protests. "I would feel remiss in my duties if I did not make certain that this area had been cleared of hostiles. We must be sure that these good folk are safe."
Mihail is resolute in his desire to search the surrounding area.
"We are wasting our time here, Mihail, we must make our move before the dark brothers consolidate their power," Andaris reasons. "These people cannot be safe until that threat is taken care of, no matter how many minor evils we crush in the countryside."
"Half a day's search is all I ask," Mihail bargains. "I will not have my honour sullied so easily. I was given this task, and it must be done to the best of my abilities. A challenge given is a challenge accepted, after all."
'I will have to watch this man. For an elder he is rather...rash.'
Andaris' temper flares, perhaps from a lack of sleep or perhaps from fear that delaying will cause the shards of darkness to once again slip from his fingers, "Your honour can rot, for all I care! My people sat in their towers of ivory and watched the lands around them fall to darkness. We produced glistening knights of chivalry and skill, but still the Oni were allowed to rule as our neighbours. For a hundred years I sat and watched the world, without taking any action of my own. I chafe just thinking of how much more I could have done, had I started on this journey when I was as young as you are now. It is high time I struck into the heart of darkness and made a real difference in this world. The lives of a few farmers, though I truly wish them the best, mean little in the face of war with hobgoblins or a struggle against an unknown shadow sweeping over this land."
Andaris calms somewhat, and says, "But if in your youth you cannot see as I do, at least hear this: the immediate danger to these people has been vanquished. In two weeks only two villagers went missing, I sincerely doubt there are more nightgaunts lurking nearby. Let us get on the road, please."
Gonan gets up from the table, and starts moving purposefully towards where the horses are kept. "Even if there are more nightgaunts here, we are probably doing more harm than good by staying. They're in our dreams now, and these people have the highest of spirits, while we sit here brooding in our concern. I agree with Andaris, we should leave."
The villagers give the heroes a rousing send-off. They supply you with one week's worth of feed for each of your mounts, refusing any protests you may have.
It is late evening by the time you arrive back in Borok. It will take roughly an hour to meet with the Baron - he is quite busy planning a war, and cannot see you immediately.
Mihail waits patiently for an opportunity to see Baron Wylder.
Andaris speaks to Kai'dan, "Come, let us secure a few rooms at the inn and stables for the horses." Turning to the others, he says, "Gonan, your knowledge of the nightgaunts should prove invaluable in talking to the Baron, perhaps you and Iluna can accompany Mihail and convince the Baron of how important our mission is."
Andaris sets out for the inn and makes arrangements for the night.
After 45 minutes of waiting, you are admitted into a comfortable study to see Baron Wylder. A thin man in noble clothing passes you in the door - you recognize him as Lord Excius, from the tournament. Wylder and Selicus are present, muttering in quiet conversation from behind a desk covered in papers.
"Welcome back, Sir Mihail. I trust you bring good news from Delham?" Wylder nods at each other member of the party in attendance.
Mihail bows politely. "Indeed I do, Lord Baron. We slew two Nightgaunts that were harassing the villagers. Later that same night, some of my party received dreams that prompted us to believe that this threat comes from the east, at a lighthouse named 'Treacherous Jack.' We stopped here to report, but are planning to continue towards our objective," Mihail reports.
"Is there anything we can assist with, Baron Wylder?"
As you report, Wylder unfurls a map and makes a note, while Selicus begins writing on another piece of paper. "Good, good. If the source is in Cassomir, there should be little threat to us in the near future. That is Governor Bozbeyli's problem now," Wylder says pensively.
Selicus passes Wylder the paper the wizard was writing on. Wylder drips candle wax onto it and impresses it with his seal. "Send the recruiter in the morning," the Baron murmurs, before addressing you again in a louder voice. "Thank you for your service. Take this..." Wylder pauses, scratching out a quick note and signing it before passing it across his desk. "... to the vaultkeeper. He will award you the sum of 2000 gold pieces."
"If there's nothing else...?" The Baron asks, as much a dismissal as a question.
Andaris wakes up refreshed, and prepares the horses for the journey to Cassomir.
He gently wakes any companions still sleeping, saying, "The horses are ready, except for Mihail's which I do not dare touch. Let us make haste towards Cassomir."
Mihail exits quietly, having much to think on. Caught in his thoughts, Mihail heads straight to bed, his thoughts too chaotic for him to want to visit the Vaultkeeper.
Unfortunately, his thoughts do not give him much rest, and he tosses and turns for much of the night.
The next morning, Mihail's dilemma remains unresolved. 'To take pay for a job undone is not a precedent I want to set. The money will keep, no matter what is decided.'
With little preamble, he gets to the meat of the matter.
"Baron Wylder has deemed Cassomir to be Governor Bozbeyli's problem. He does not see the matter in the same light as we do. While he has not specifically ordered me not to investigate further, his stance on the matter is clear."
Mihail frowns deeply.
"Is pursuing this matter further a dereliction of duty?"
"Not at all, Sir Mihail," insists Andaris. "We have done as we were asked, and have saved the townsfolk from the night terrors. Furthermore, I believe it would be neglectful of our duty to the people of these lands to not pursue the source of the darkness. All we have seen so far points to the dark brothers as the cause. Did the Baron give us anything for our troubles? We can hardly be expected to continue cleaning up his messes without reward, though in truth I would continue to pursue this path without remuneration. I am hoping we can depart as soon as possible."
"Then let us depart, goodman." Mihail's left hand brushes the pocket beneath his breastplate. 'Not yet. We are not finished our duty.'
Once they are on the road again and traveling Kaid'an moves his horse beside Andaris. "Well done convincing Mihail. Some men get to caught up in the letter of their law and duty causing them to miss what their duty calls them to do. Nice to meet a man that understands that."
Andaris looks appraisingly at Kaid'an, "Kaid'an, you surprise me with your understanding and possess wisdom well beyond your years. I hope that when the time comes you will join me in defeating the Oni of my homeland. For now, let us journey as brothers. It has been too long since I have had a family."
Five days later you arrive in Cassomir without incident - the road is well-travelled, and your numbers seem to discourage any lurking highwaymen.
The city of Cassomir (map) is Taldor's second largest, known primarily for the shipyards that produce the vast majority of the Imperial Navy. Its docks see trade from the Inner Sea and beyond. Fishing, ship construction, and sailing are the main occupations of the town, and those who do not earn their keep through hard work are frowned upon by the general populace.
On a large bluff sits Old Cassomir, protected by thick walls and towers. Below is the wealthy Threegates district, where you first enter the city. To the south lies the Admiral's Fen, built on reclaimed swampland. An impressive fortification known as Castle Greyguard rises above it.
The Dog's Teeth are a group of rocks jutting from the sea west of Castle Greyguard, and are inhabited by the largest assembly of vagabonds and adventurers in Cassomir. At low tide, the Dog’s Teeth are connected to the beach below the castle, but high tide forces the denizens of the Teeth to use rickety canoes and smaller sailing vessels to reach the
shore. The Black Market is mostly located here, as well as many of the more unsavoury businesses.
The Imperial Shipyards have been rebuilt and expanded at numerous times in the city's existence. The constant construction, combined with the region’s natural tendency to sink into the marshy soil, has given rise to a series of connected vaults, sewers, abandoned basements, and flooded tunnels known locally as Cassomir’s Locker. The Locker is said to be filled with crocodiles, human-sized rats, and giant insects, and ever-present rumors hint of a Darklands city even farther below. Only about one-quarter of the Locker has been fully explored and mapped.
It is currently mid-afternoon. The weather is fair, a change from the light rain of yesterday.
As the party journeys towards Cassomir, Iluna recalls what she can of the Dark Brothers' last visit to the city. She was still young, but those memories she has of the city were impressionable, and unsavoury.
First, she recounts the trade the brothers had with the more unscrupulous merchants who gathered at the Dog's Teeth, a collection of jagged rock towers jutting up from the sea just offshore from the peninsula where Castle Greyguard stands. At low tide the sandy sea floor is exposed, allowing black market dealers from nearby to gather and trade their wares away from prying eyes. She remembers accompanying several of the brothers as they bartered with these dealers.
Second, she remembers the warren of tunnels, collapsed docks, and sinking foundations known locally as 'the Locker.' While barely above the safety or comfort of the sewer, great portions of this network of flooded passages and buried storerooms have long been unmapped, and as such provide a refuge for those who do not wish their presence to be made known. The Dark Brothers were one such group on their last stop. Iluna remembers their being an old myth about undiscovered passages in the warrens the lead to a Darklands city further below. Such tales were told by old women to frighten children into behaving, or Svirfneblin would come and carry them off in the night, down into the darkness, lost forever. Iluna hated those stories.
Iluna shares these things with her companions as they travel.
Upon arriving in the city, Andaris suggests to his companions, "Let us scout out this Treacherous Jack, see if any activity lies within. Should our suspicions be confirmed, we can report the illicit activities to the city watch or whomever governs here."
You learn that Treacherous Jack is inaccessible by foot until low tide arrives, in about two hours. The man you are speaking to also mentions that access to the lighthouse is restricted, though that is rarely enforced. The best access is from the beach below Old Cassomir, avoiding Harbour Watch.
Andaris spends his time waiting for low tide observing the lighthouse from the beach under the harbour watch, trying to notice anyone moving inside, coming or going from the tower. He sits in stillness, partially hidden behind the wall, trying to not draw notice to himself as he observes. He enhances his vision with divine guidance.
Andaris notes that the cliff above the beach easily shields him from the lookouts of Harbour Watch, but any approach to the lighthouse itself will be visible.
He notes some movement inside - shadows occasionally passing in front of windows, but no distinct forms. An hour passes without further motion, but then two shapes appear on the top of the lighthouse. The brightness of the light atop Treacherous Jack makes it impossible to make out details of the shapes behind it, but they look humanoid.
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As Andaris walks away, a man in a dark cloak quietly hurries past the rest of you. Iluna immediately identifies his clothing as that of the Dark Brothers. The man is silently slipping through the foot traffic towards Old Cassomir, deftly sliding through small gaps in the crowd.
You didn't see his face, but from his walk your best guess is that this is Harran, a secretive member of the Dark Brothers. Little is known about his life before he joined, but you remember him as a distinctly dangerous man who was often watching from the shadows.
Iluna notices the Dark Brother as he passes, headed in the direction of Old Cassomir. She tries to follow his path as long as she can, watching for any deviation is his path, but not approaching.
When she is sure he is out of earshot she lets the others know what she saw.
Iluna follows the Dark Brother through the Threegates district, but loses sight of him just inside the gate to Old Cassomir. Too busy trying to keep up, she doesn't get another good look at him.
From the direction he was going before you lost him, he seems to be heading towards Pharasma's Pulpit, a large square in Old Cassomir.
She loses the Brother as he passes into the denser crowds in Old Cassomir, but from his trail she deduces he must be heading towards Pharasma's Pulpit, a large square near the middle of the district. She informs the others of her discovery.
Kaid'an listens to what Iluna has to say.
"Well our goal in coming here is to stop this cult so let's head towards the Pharasma's Pulpit and see if we can spot any of them. If we find one we can follow them and hopefully find out where they are hiding or least try to get an idea of what they are doing. Can you lead me to the square, Iluna?"
Once you near the square it is clear where the Dark Brothers are - Iluna recognizes Daerion's voice floating over the noisy crowd, delivering the teachings of Razmir. Standing in the center of the square are a dozen Dark Brothers, robed and masked.
Daerion is flanked by four other brothers, while the remaining others perform healing and, more importantly (Iluna informs you), collect donations. A large crowd has formed to hear Daerion's teachings, numbering in the hundreds.
"For some reason I expected the Brotherhood to act more... quietly. They seems to be very popular with the people here. That could prove to be a problem." Kaid'an thinks for a sec. "Iluna, do you think that staying here is a good idea or does this display last for a long time? We want to hopefully follow them back to their base but we might miss out on our chance to cross at low tide. That seems more important than follow them. Well at least we found them."
Gonan follows along behind Iluna and Kaid'an, attempting to get a better look at the members of the dark brothers. Ferilli peeks out of the pack as Gonan observes the situation around the brothers. "It might be a good idea for you to get back, they will likely recognize you. I will catch up with you later." Gonan then walks into the crowd mixing in with the crush of bodies. As he wanders between people he listens to what kinds of reactions the crowd is having to the teachings.
"Good hunting, Fire wizard." Kaid'an slowly makes his way out of the crowd and back to the others.
""Iluna, do you think that staying here is a good idea or does this display last for a long time? We want to hopefully follow them back to their base but we might miss out on our chance to cross at low tide. That seems more important than follow them. Well at least we found them."
"They are recruiting," Iluna says, listening to Daerion's voice. His voice is powerful but not loud. Commanding. His charismatic personality made him a natural leader, and his cunnign gave him the ambition to see that happen. "The Dark Brothers travel to spread their ideologies. The more followers they gain, the more power and freedom they have to operate openly. Crowds gather all the time when there is something to be seen and heard, Daerion knows this. He will likely have some sort of demonstration in mind, something to give the people a reason to believe in their power..." Iluna tries to think of what their true intention might be. They already have 3 of the shards... Who knows what Daerion might try, and with this crowd in such a large city. I have a bad feeling about this...
"The lighthouse!" she says, "I know the lighthouse was a sign of the city, but if all we were meant to do was find the Brothers, any other sign would have sufficed. They must be planning something to do with the lighthouse."
Gonan finds the crowd to be listening intently to the Dark Brothers' teachings.
"... and greatest is he who, following the law, seizes for himself vast wealth and power! Is the bandit king, who dines on golden plates that he steals from others, worth any esteem?" The crowd boos and hisses, playing along. "No! The law provides the frame from within we grow! The works of your own hands, that is admirable." A smattering of applause and scattered cheers sound.
Daerion seems to know how to play a crowd, and they eagerly await each word.
A thicker group of townsfolk cluster around a pair of Brothers, one of which is holding a golden chalice. He is offering what he calls one of Razmir's blessings: the Tears of Razmir. He gives out small sips of the milky liquid, which you gather restores energy and provides a pleasurable sensation, judging from the response of the crowd. The Brother says that the gift is free, though donations are accepted for those who wish to acquire more of the potion for later consumption.
Gonan goes over to the brothers with the liquid, immediately turning towards the one with the bottles. He silently offers a silver piece for a small bottle of the potion.
The Brother looks deep into Gonan's eyes, his expression concealed by his mask. With a slight nod the Brother exchanges the coin in your hand for a small vial. "May Razmir's gift of his Tears bring you joy."
Mihail watches, boredom suffusing his very being.
'Peasants,' he scoffs mentally.
Gonan nods back to the brother as he takes the vial and steps back into the crowd.
Taking the vial, he goes to the most obvious location where one would look out to the lighthouse, hoping to find a familiar face.
Following the advice of the townsperson from before, Gonan easily meets up with Andaris.
"How are we going about this?" Mihail asks tersely.
You all meet up back on the beach by the lighthouse. The tide lowers to the point where you can easily wade across.
Andaris shares quietly what he has observed in his time spent watching the lighthouse.
"What say you, friends," he asks, "do we move forward into the lighthouse or shall we try and ambush those coming and going from it?"
"I'm unsure of the best way to move forward... if we move towards them, they will likely be able to see us coming. On the other hand, if we do not move, we might miss the opportunity entirely." Gonan shrugs before looking to the rest of the group.
"I was also able to get a bit of a potion that the brotherhood was hawking down in Old Cassomir. Iluna, do you know what it might be? They called it the tears of Razmir." Gonan holds out the bottle of potion for all to see.
Tears of Razmir is a highly addictive drug used mainly as a source of income for Razmiran priests, like the Dark Brothers. The common strategy is to provide it for free to new users, but steadily increase the price once the user becomes dependent on it. You don't know what it is comprised of or precisely what its effects are.