Once Upon a Time in Golarion

Game Master vayelan

”That sounds reasonable,” Wonky decides. ”I think it would be understandable for the Magister to miss the formal occasion in order to research an ephemeral phenomenon that could unlock hope for so many of both the Prime World and First World residents. I shall stay, and I welcome you alongside, Katrine.” The gnome nods with a serious expression to the changeling.

”Please see that the mayors know of my regret for my absence, but knowledge is the font from which I drink, and the spigot is most decidedly ON!”

Ooooh. We could use the Research rules in the Gamemastery guide?

Katrine and Wonky state their opinions. Katrine's comments draw a smirk on the mage's face as she knows how the woman must be celebrating inside. However, Pelipe's inner thoughts are much more contrary. Now she is in a predicament. She is in opposition to Ahto. Will he take her correction well?

"I feel tonight's event would have happened whether we were here or not and most certainly is not in honor of us, but of the one putting on the event. If it is within your sight, I believe we can make excuse not to show up, despite our desires to and can be forgiven. That said, I think we should all come back together and try to solve this as soon as possible. You included Ahto, for who knows what could come through the portal at any moment?" she gestures toward it, then tries to reason with him. "We should all be here for this, to get it resolved quickly...especially if our goal is to get home soon." Then, showing a small sign of affection, something the group would not have seen yet, she scoots strangely close to Ahto and offers him her blood-stained, yet still delicate hand; as one would who has attraction toward the other. In a quieter voice, yet still loud enough for the others to hear, she explains, "If you feel you must still go this evening, I understand. I will regret not having the pleasure to dance with you, but my place is here beside Wonky, trying to figure this out. Her father's life is at stake, and I may be overextending my knowledge on fey realms and portals by saying I know something that can help sort this out, but it is within my heart to try." Her face is downcast in disappointment, but her large eyes look up to him asking for forgiveness.

Between handholds along the rough surface leading down the sinkhole, the ropes and tools you carry with you, and a dash of magic, it proves little challenge for you to descend into the cavern where Mather Nithra worked his worst mischief and evils.

Nithra's personal hideout is a section of the cavern partitioned by strung up carpets and curtains, likely stolen or extorted from Uringen. The interior is decorated with mirrors and shards of reflective glass, as well as small woodcuts depicting lewd scenes. The gnomes indicate that Nithra carved them himself. Even wicked fey need a side hobby, perhaps?

Stored in purloined shoe boxes, hat boxes, spittoons, and other containers are a wealth of coins and jewels, some of which appear to be uncut and unworked.

Clefts in the rough stone wall, serving as shelves, hold a pair of bottles, a quartet of scrolls coming loose from their binding strings, and a small book bound in thin wooden covers with a brass-bound spine.

The other curios in the space include a polished darkwood chalice, set of six silver dice in a hickory box, an ivory drinking horn with copper ends, and a copper serving set adorned with engravings of lion motifs. Lastly, you find a flagon, brazier, and holy symbol, all wrought from silver and adorned with engravings, although they do not appear to be a matched set.

Two notes about this loot: First, it does not include what Nithra had on his person. Second, a DC 20 Appraise check can identify which of the gems could be worked and cut to further increase their value.

"Um, there is one other item," one of the gnome women meekly offers.
"I think it might be important, but Nithra sort of...disposed of it. It...may be difficult to recover."

”Please, tell me what he disposed of,” VV says to the gnome woman. “I’ll get it.

“I took a tooth fairy alive, so maybe I best be responsible for the li’l creep. I speak its language.”

(Rewind to conversation with Pelipe)

"There is little point in having advisors if one doesn't heed their advice. Do the rest of you feel the same? Is the recommendation that I extricate our party from the festivities to handle this business instead? I do not wish to insult our hosts or risk the possibility of a strong political ally and trade partner, but I understand the weight of this matter as it pertains to Miss Prong, the unfortunates we rescued today, as well as many of our own First Citizens. I would ask for a roll call of opinions. Miss Thallan, though you have not been formally named a Councilor, I would hear your thoughts as well, just as I have heard Miss Lightdriver's. I may hold the title, but I am but one man. I do not pretend to always know what is best for Tamlyn."

Earlier
Pelipe falls silent as Ahto addresses the others in a responsible way. In her mind, she thinks back to various political events. The canceling of families to join social events was commonplace among nobility for all manner of reasons. It didn't deter from political events and their importance. She imagines these smaller circles of nobility may be more tempermental, but given the fact they just rid the mayor of her largest threat, Pelipe imagines she will be singing their praises regardless. The mage keeps silent though and listens to others. She just knows that she will feel far safer with both VV and Ahto there while they mess with the portal magic.

Later
Pelipe has spent much of her later adult life working with stone. Not just with gems and various stones, but also ensuring her statues are featured well. She has a wide breadth of knowledge concerning prices on various items that could decorate a room to make her statues shine all the more. This is not including her personal shopping experience and skill at making garments herself, so when she looks at the pile of loot, she can accurately see current market prices floating in her mind.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

"These are likely taken from various believers in the gods, as this is a flagon of Cayden Cailean, a brazier of Desna, and a holy symbol of Shelyn. Their followers would be particularly interested in acquiring these."

Appraise: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

She then, in perfected Abadarian fashion, will list out the market price for each item, as well as what they likely will receive for each one. It seems Pelipe is not just book smart. After listing these prices, even for the gems, she then sets them aside and considers them:

"These gems can be reworked. I could make them far more valuable than they are. Which I'm sure was his intention."

After looking at them, she determines their worth if she would turn them into more pristine, high-setting gems.

Taking 10 on crafting for a 20, can we get a list of how much value is increased?

(Rewind to conversation with Pelipe)

"There is little point in having advisors if one doesn't heed their advice. Do the rest of you feel the same? Is the recommendation that I extricate our party from the festivities to handle this business instead? I do not wish to insult our hosts or risk the possibility of a strong political ally and trade partner, but I understand the weight of this matter as it pertains to Miss Prong, the unfortunates we rescued today, as well as many of our own First Citizens. I would ask for a roll call of opinions. Miss Thallan, though you have not been formally named a Councilor, I would hear your thoughts as well, just as I have heard Miss Lightdriver's. I may hold the title, but I am but one man. I do not pretend to always know what is best for Tamlyn."

Katrine frowns slightly, thinking. "Okay. As I understand it, you had two objectives in traveling to Uringen. Wonky's research and forming new trade and political connections for Tamlyn. I don't see why we can't split up and do both. You and Pelipe are the experts in negotiation, so your skills would be best used at the party. Wonky is the scholar and I'm more of a fighter than a talker, so our skills would be more effective here. Vixen can do either, so what she does is up to her." She absently strokes Storm's head as she talks. "Mather Nithra was a pretty nasty customer, so I doubt other fey will come poking around his territory so soon. Wonky and I should be safe enough. Better make sure the tooth fairy doesn't escape though, they could alert any allies Nithra had."

Wonky zones out when she sees the book and scrolls.

Knowledge Arcana, Inspiration: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 10 + (2) = 13 Wow. That is amazingly bad.

Wonky gets her coat hooked on part of the curtain partition and has her attention diverted.

Once the have returned to the outside of the tunnel, Ahto moves to stand over the corpse of Mather Nithra, reaches for the iron key of Abadar around his neck, and intones a prayer.

"Be it Abadar's will that the sins you committed in life, the same sins that condemned you to death, be consumed in the fires of justice. May that same fire give me strength, and light my way through the darkness of anarchy and chaos."

As he speaks, a small white flame appears; hovering in the air mere inches before his face. An inky black, almost liquid smoke rises from the mouth of the corpse and slithers upwards, drawn as if through a hollow reed towards the flame.

As the smoke is consumed, the candle-like flame becomes a torch-sized ball of fire. Ahto reaches out with his free hand and grasps the fire, cradling it in his hand. He brings it to his mouth, and inexplicably, swallows it; the licking flames flowing into his mouth as if from a drinking horn.

Ahto shudders as he swallows, the light of the fire slowly diffusing across his skin.

Eat Sin: 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (7, 7) + 5 = 19

"In the name of Abadar, Lord of the First Vault, I call upon the soul of Mather Nithra to come forth and give testimony."

(Using speak with dead.)

Pelipe identifies potential in the sapphire, ruby, garnet, and opal in Nithra's stash. If worked by a skilled jewelcutter, their value would be doubled.

If worked, the sapphire would be worth 1200gp, the small ruby would be worth 900gp, the garnet would be 110gp, and the opal would be 450gp. The Craft (Jewelry or Gemcutting) DC would be 20 for the sapphire and ruby, 18 for the opal, and 15 for the garnet. Hiring a professional, though, would be an automatic success.

Whilst preparing the body of the dispatched grig for postmortem questioning, you are able to quickly take inventory of his belongings. On his person you find a pair of tiny wands, a gourd flask, a set of wooden bracers, a well-made crossbow with a curved stock, and a velvet pouch containing 13 crossbow bolts - 3 of which stand out from the others, made of blackened wood and tipped with heads carved from bone, perforated with many tiny holes that would likely produce a distinct sound when fired.

What's more, near where the grig was slain, you find something akin to a scrapbook that has fallen open. However, rather than pressed flowers, you find that it is filled with pressed wings taken from other fey creatures. A cloth bag tied to the book's spine contains a few handfuls of more coins. (68gp, to be precise)

The grig's body spasms and writhes, wheezing terribly as the spell takes hold.

"You can kiss my tiny, chitinous thorax!" Nithra's summoned spirit hisses through his temporarily animated body.

In the Sinkhole
"Yes...I can increase the value of these quite well. Double their worth, in fact..."

She also looks at the various arcane treats there, hoping there are spells aplenty for both her and Wonky to learn.

"Wonky, do you want help identifying some of these?"

--------

Mather Nithra's Soul
Once out of the sinkhole, Pelipe watches as Ahto empowers the soul of Mather to come up. If he thought she liked him before, now, her mouth is agape as he shows a nearly divine fraction of Abadar's great power, like a priest or inquisitor.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

"You had no honor in life, now have some in death. Tell Ahto what you know and he may ease your passing," she threatens. There is still some bit of anger in her at the gnome for almost killing Ahto through his subordinates.

As they sort through Mather's things, she will try to identify the various items for what they are with her detect magic spell.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28 I imagine his subordinates have stuff too that will eventually be collected, as well as the stuff Wonky and her found. I can do a set of rolls for each item if you wish?

Intimidate: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

"Answer my questions truthfully, and I will return your soul to its rest. I will make your return, however temporary, most uncomfortable if you do not comply. My first question, were you the sole leader, or did you have a superior that you answered to?"

(Discern lies active.)

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Nithra ???: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 12 - 2 = 13

"A genius artist like myself? A maestro of misery and mayhem? Work for someone else? Ha! You really are a dullard among biggens, aren't you?"

”So, now that we have established that you have a Master, and that you are hiding your fear of them behind your false bravado, tell me this master’s name and why you serve them,” Ahto presses.

Pelipe can't help but grin as Ahto sees through the deception of the spirit. Idly, she wonders if it is the same master as the Strouds alluded to? Was there some criminal mastermind behind everything happening here? While Ahto speaks to Mather, she tiredly makes herself useful and collects the weaponry, gear, and belongings of the other fighters (including the dead gnomes) who fought them all. With her newly learned degree of understanding prestidigitation, she didn't particularly mind getting her hands bloody if it could just wash off again.

It was nearly terrifying to see what an enlarged Ahto could do to a being with a giant sword. More terrifying than that, was seeing what a small-sized creature looked like after being torn apart by dogs and then having exploded itself. It was not pretty.

"Oh goodness..."

Nithra's minions are not as well furnished as their master. The twigjacks carried spears, and the tooth fairies had their rusty pliers, but otherwise the fey only wore their ratty, eclectic clothing. At the very least, you find more coins that were clinking in their pockets, pouches, and satchels. Of course, their size influenced how much wealth they were able to carry; the tooth fairies, for instance, only hauled around a single coin or two each, since the coins are nearly as tall as they are.

You find another 38gp and 72sp from the minions. They don't have any other items of interest.

Pelipe finds it particularly challenging to identify the enchanted items in the sinkhole stash, owing to the presence of the oblong wooden object on prominent display. To her eyes, attuned to magical auras, the object shines like a second sun with its magical power.

Nithra Will Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

"Am I supposed to be afraid of you? You can't kill me twice. As soon as this feeble spell of yours is spent, I'll be shoving off for the River of Souls. I don't have to tell you nothing!" Nithra's spirit declares defiantly.

"The River of Souls that passes through the Boneyard to the Spire, where the Gray Lady will judge you," Ahto replies. "It is not my judgment you need fear. Your soul can, indeed, die twice if it is fed to Groetus. Consider that what you say, here and now, might weigh in your favor before the Court of Pharasma. Speak the name of your Master!"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34

(Discern Lies still active.)

"Fine, fine, fine!" Nithra's spirit shouts.
"I'll speak her name, if only because burdening you with dangerous knowledge is the best revenge left to me now.

"My master is Nyrissa, the Nymph Queen of Thousandbreaths."

A sudden breeze breaches the previously still air, setting the thick canopy in motion. The susurration of the leaves sounds like a chorus of whispering voices.

"She's...she's pleased?" Nithra squeaks, in equal parts bafflement and awe.

"One last question you must answer, and your soul may rest. What is Nyrissa's goal?"

(Keeping discern lies active.)

"I...I don't know. I don't think anyone knows," Nithra stammers, his arrogance brushed aside like a pile of leaves. He grows increasingly agitated, listening to something you cannot detect.

For better or worse, Ahto detects that Nithra is not lying. He really does not know his master's goals.

"Release me. Release me at once. Send me down the river before she recalls me," he demands, barely keeping himself from screaming the words.

"Go then. May you receive the justice you deserve."

He waves a hand and dismisses the spirit from the twitching corpse.

Katrine looks around warily as the wind suddenly picks up upon Nithra's spirit uttering the name of his mistress. Storm whines, ears pinned back. "...Okay then. Who wants to bet that this Nymph Queen is the same person the hags told us about and refused to name? The one who was behind Horace's murder?"

She hadn't known that Ahto could summon the spirits of the dead for interrogation. Spooky. Still, he's a principled man. Gods know that that ability is better off in his hands than many others.

It hurts her heart to hear that even Mather Nithra here was under the torment of someone else, someone he fears. It seems to be a common theme among people in this part of the world. As Ahto releases his soul, she says a prayer to Pharasma herself to help guide him on his way and protect him from whatever this thing he fears would be.

She pays in mind this breeze that has picked up. Will it die down? Will they be meeting this mysterious person, or are they going to be left alone? She readies for attack, placing the gear she found in a pack for them to go through later.

Under the mask, VV’s eyes shift with the wind.

“The f#~+? Our fey friends weren’t kidding when they said ne’er to state the Nymph Queen’s name.”

The Vixen does not test this theory by blurting it.

"My master is Nyrissa, the Nymph Queen of Thousandbreaths."

The force of the name smacks the gnome in the face. A straddler of the First World and the Prime World, Wonky understands the power of true names, especially those within the upper echelons of potency.

Knowledge Planes, Inspiration: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 11 + (5) = 29

I had to do some serious thinking about how much information to provide, both for in-game lore reasons and for meta campaign reasons.

"Let us return to Uringen with our remaining prisoner, our released captives, and the information we have gathered. I will excuse ourselves from the evening's festivities so that we might return and give this portal our collective focus," Ahto says. "I am hopeful that the Mayors both will be appreciative that we have brought down Mather Nithra, and, for the time being, stopped the harassment from his gang out outlaws."

The Vixen gently holds the unconscious tooth fairy in her hands, making sure not to hurt the pitiful creature any more than she already has.

Pelipe is far more at ease due to the fact that Ahto has seen to their safety and security.

"Let us bind this one while you are blessed with strength, Vixen."

Strength Assist: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

When they have finished removing the wire from Mather and placing it on the unconscious fey, she will look to Ahto to perhaps take back Mather with them for proof of his death, or at the minimum his head. When they are ready, she will wait to escort the gnomes through the opening to the kitchen when Ahto is ready to return. Hopefully, their apologies won't last long and they will get to work right away. Upon the return to the grove and sinkhole, she will do her best to understand the properties of the portal before her, particularly in relation to The Bleaching. She is a transmutation mage, and being such, this is a transmutation issue, if not born in necromancy. Some kind of magic is altering something in their bodies, and that is leading to the death of gnomes. Perhaps she will have greater insight into this? Or at the minimum, will be a fresh pair of eyes for Wonky.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Katrine shrugs and begins retrieving her arrows. While most of them are damaged beyond using again, it's probably not a good idea to leave bits of cold iron lying around in the First World. "I don't think it will take all of us to study the portal, Ahto, but I defer to your judgment." Seems like kind of a waste for the Tamlyn council to travel all this way and then not do the diplomatic dance.

The Vixen says, “Once I turn in me prisoner, I’m more than happy to strip me mask and don me fancy dress.

“No reason I can’t be both the hero and the party girl.” The Child wants to come out and play.

I’m a married woman, NOT a child, replies her gentler half.

You plunge back into the earthen tunnel within the husk of the massive tree, this time with Nithra's body, his liberated loot, a tooth fairy prisoner, and the freed gnomes in tow. The air grows warmer, drier as you near the Uringen-end of the magic passageway. One by one, you carefully pick your way out of Goshstone's magic oven.

You find Althea waiting for you there, a shocked expression worn upon her face.

"By the gods, you're back?!" she exclaims. "What in all the Asmodean depths happened in there? You've been gone for three years!"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Ahto cracks a small smile. "Your attempt at humor is noted, Miss Thrune. Unfortunately, the fact that there is no sign of aging or wear on you or this shop makes your tale highly suspect."

He turns to the baker. "Mather Nithra is dead. His supporters have been slain, and those he was holding through coercion have been freed. They follow us through the oven portal now."

Perc: 1d20 ⇒ 16
“HOLY FU…oh.” The Vixen turns to Althea. ”Good one. Had three years passed, I doubt ye’d be pining by the bakery, but initial shock value was your weapon of choice and I gotta hand it to ye.”

The baroness' lips curl up, ever so slightly, in an amused grin. With her ruse undone, rather than feeling any sort of defeat, Althea appears quite pleased with Ahto's ability to see through her folly.

"That," she states sharply yet with familiarity, "was revenge for leaving me alone with Vark. Playing nursemaid to that unhinged, gussied-up goblin is probably a crueler punishment than being put to the block."

You notice that she stands alone in the bakery's shopfront, with no sign of either the store's owner or Vark.

"In case you are worried by his absence, he is in the privy. I coerced the baker into keeping watch over him. After all, if you are expecting me to begin supervising naked gnomes, then you may as well separate my head from my shoulders now."

Her words unexpectedly presage the rescued gnomes' arrival through the oven portal. Althea surveys them, her brow arching in a blend of confusion and disgust.

"As though Vark wasn't unpleasant enough...I sincerely hope you aren't expecting me to babysit an entire gaggle of these white-haired little boggins."

"Exactly," Pelipe thinks to herself as VV expresses that she doubts she'd be in the bakery awaiting them still. In any case, it was a cute attempt and shows that the girl has some personality beyond backstabbing.

"I'm sure you handled it well," she comments concerning Vark, almost as if it were a compliment in trust toward the woman's capabilities. "And though it was a joke, I think my companions underestimate the great moisturizing ability of Chelaxian lotions in age prevention." A sly smile is on her face.

At her disgust of the gnomes, Pelipe instead distracts them from the comment.

"Well, I asked Mr. Goshstone to bake while we were away and make some fresh treats. Let's see if he got to working on them in his other ovens. I could somewhat sense you all were hungry?" she asks. Pelipe is attempting to be almost sickly sweet like a mother in her kindness toward the gnomes--just enough to counter the disdain coming from Althea.

"I'm pretty sure most of these folks have family around here." Hopefully said family is in town, or at least somewhere in the vicinity. Katrine looks at Ahto. "So, how do you want to do this?"

"I believe the baker has some crescent rolls in the oven over yonder," Althea says with a disinterested flick of her wrist. "He said they should be done right around now, so you can feel free to remove them and help yourselves."

Even without Ahto's keen sense for people's inner thoughts, you all strongly suspect that Master Goshstone asked Althea to remove the rolls from the oven while he supervises Vark; however, the baroness has utterly no interest in playing servant or cook.

"Return to your families," Ahto says to the former captives. "Let them know that you are alive and safe. Each of you need to then report to the Mayors and give an account of what happened to you under the coercion Mather Nithra. If any of you wish to accompany us back to Tamlyn on our return, and start your lives anew, you are welcome."

After a moment, he adds, "Miss Thrune, please remove the rolls from the oven. I suspect they are done, and near to scorching."

When Althea submits to Ahto (assuming she does), Pelipe will help by placing the crescent rolls on napkins for them. It is evident that Pelipe has no issue serving others. It is the mark of a good ruler in her mind and she learned by experience from her father's example. He has swung a pickaxe on more than one occasion despite probably being one of the wealthiest men in Brevoy. You wouldn't guess it looking at the man.

Pelipe will offer her canteen for those who need water to share and drink from. Once they are recovered, she knows she will have to appear before the mayor and so she will begin to cast a mending spell upon her torn up clothing, not to mention the clothing of her companions. She will ensure they are cleaned by her newly-evolved prestidigitation magic, and will ensure they are all presentable to the mayor for their revelation of their unfortunate inability to show up tonight. With or without them, the event was going to take place regardless. Until Ahto reveals how he wishes to proceed and they set these plans in motion, she is in deep anticipation to return to the grove through the oven and to help Wonky. It is her chief priority.

As is her custom, Wonky seems lost in thought on the way back to Uringen. At the appearance of Althea, Wonky's musing abruptly ceases.

Perception Check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Wonky looks around in alarm. When her colleagues point out the jest, Wonky turns on a grumpy expression that only gets dispelled by Pelipe's unspoken queries.

"I'm keen to put our heads together."

Althea narrows her eyes and offers a bemused smile to Ahto.

"Interested in the domestic type, are you?" she says. Her voice sounds coy yet lands as pointedly as a javelin.

The baroness acquiesces, but she makes an exaggerated show of it as she retrieves the crescent rolls from the oven. She moves like...well, like a noblewoman roleplaying at being a servant. Perhaps surprisingly, she does not make the rookie mistake of removing the hot tray without a mitt, demonstrating that she thinks quickly and carefully about any task she sets about.

She withdraws the tray and sets it down, offering sharp, teasing glances towards Lord Ahto with every step of the process.

Meanwhile, four of the rescued gnomes step out of the bakery and into the verdant streets of Uringen. The fifth gnomish man, however, seeks out his brother, Master Goshstone, in the back of the bakery.

"My type," Ahto replies to Althea, "is one who keeps their word, speaks the truth, and deals honestly and forthrightly with others. Anyone who finds such things burdensome will doubtless find my company burdensome as well."

With the gnomes dispersing to other areas, Pelipe looks to Mr. Goshstone and his now-safe relation. His brother it seems. She can see how they look similar and awaits to hear what the two of them say. If she gets the feeling it is a private conversation, she will remove herself from the room with grace. She is not into eavesdropping. If, however, it is a moment of brotherly love and freedom, she will linger to celebrate from afar with their joy.

Now that the gnomes are gathering their families, she looks to Ahto and Althea subtly bickering with each other and volunteers the direction to head.

"Shall we? We must away to the mayors and quickly return for Wonky's father's sake."

She will move past the two of them with a hand still on her rib. She will head toward the door leading outward. Pelipe will then hold the door open for her sworn Lord to exit first and will follow suit with the others in the direction of the mayor's office. She didn't particularly enjoy standing there with Mather's body and the unconscious fey in their possession, possibly bleeding on the poor baker's floor.

Wonky follows Master Goshstone’s brother to Master Goshstone. Once the joyful reunion pauses, the gnome bluntly asks.

”While we are no closer to solving the Bleaching, I’d be keen to know what, specifically, that Mather Nithra promised you. It would seem that he had a powerful yet wicked fey ally, one that might do all the he promised.” The gnome pulls out a slip of paper and a piece of charcoal, scribbling quickly as she does so.

”Was this name (Thousandwhispers) mentioned at all?”

Voldemort.

"Miss Prong, do you need us to wait for you? We can see to our business with the Mayors if you are currently engaged in important research," Ahto says, offering Wonky the chance to stay behind and speak with the brothers in private.

"Master Vark, now that you have completed your necessities in the latrine, you and Miss Thrune will come with us."

Ahto's stare affixes Vark. The gnome stops in his tracks, perhaps about to attempt an escape whilst the baker was embracing his freed brother brother. Nervous tremors rattle his arms before he acquiesces and follows as commanded.

The baker's brother is utterly baffled by the name that Wonky presents, having never encountered it before. However, it does trigger an involuntary shudder that he can't explain. He also does not recall Nithra ever mentioning a master of his own.

"Nithra promised he could show us new experiences, new excitements to stave off - or even reverse - the bleaching," the older Goshstone says, idly rubbing his pale knuckles. "He said he had a portal to the First World. We would not be allowed to stay there too long, but he would...'facilitate' short jaunts.

"It's all the more awful because, in hindsight, he chose his words in such a way that everything he said turned out to be true."

Katrine's heart goes out to the poor Bleached gnomes. "From what I've heard about dealing with the less friendly types of fey, they are masters of such wordplay. Don't beat yourselves up for falling for it, many people do. Nithra probably had hundreds of years to perfect the art of deceiving people without actually telling an untruth." All the old fairy tales come to mind. Pay attention to exact words, never make any promises or say anything that could be construed as a promise, don't accept gifts, don't give out your true name, always carry cold iron on you. She's not sure how much of this is true- Katrine trained to fight hags, similar monstrous humanoids, and humans rather than fey- but it can't hurt to keep the stories in mind.

She probably should start training to fight fey though. Sooner or later they'll have to face down Nyrissa.

"Miss Prong, do you need us to wait for you? We can see to our business with the Mayors if you are currently engaged in important research..."

"...Nithra probably had hundreds of years to perfect the art of deceiving people without actually telling an untruth."

"AH!"

Like a thunderbolt, Wonky turns on her heels from the reunited gnome brothers and returns to the portal through the oven. After a pregnant pause in which they glance at each other with all-too-human expressions that seem to say "Not again", the two canines loyal to Wonky race after her, scrabbling through the oven.

Anyone is welcome to follow.