The Vengeful Notes 2026-06-28

Castle Malthrek Timing

Dinner Gathering

• The party prepares around Castle Malthrek’s current dinner or gathering.
  • The event seems closer to a dinner affair or ball than a formal banquet.
  • The kitchen opening around early evening makes it the next infiltration point.
• Emily appears to hold final timing authority for wider coordinated action.
• Guards and WardsGuards and WardsLevel 6 · Abjuration10 minute · Touch · 24 hourV, S, MYou create a ward that protects up to 2,500 square feet of floor space (an area 50 feet square, or one hundred 5-foot squares or twenty-five 10-foot squares). The warded area can be up to 20 feet tall, and shaped as you desire. You can ward several stories of a stronghold by dividing the area among them, as long as you can walk into each contiguous area while you are casting the spell. When you cast this spell, you can specify individuals that are unaffected by any or all of the effects that you choose. You can also specify a password that, when spoken aloud, makes the speaker immune to these effects. Guards and wards creates the following effects within the warded area. Fog fills all the warded corridors, making them Vision and Light. In addition, at each intersection or branching passage offering a choice of direction, there is a 50 chance that a creature other than you will believe it is going in the opposite direction from the one it chooses. All doors in the warded area are magically locked, as if sealed by an arcane lock spell. In addition, you can cover up to ten doors with an illusion (equivalent to the illusory object function of the minor illusion spell) to make them app… remains a proposed tool.
  • It could split Reformists inside the castle from forces outside.
  • It could delay reinforcements during the ritual or gathering.
  • The best use depends on where key Reformists are when action begins.

Reformist Movements

• Reformists appear to be rallying nearby Malthrek-area fiefs.
  • The target pool is local Malthrek vassals and fiefs, not foreign kingdoms.
  • Some expected arrivals have not yet reached the castle.
  • Recent arrivals are mostly retinues of people already present.
• Court wizards connected to John’s father may be teleporting reinforcements.
• The party suspects incoming leaders may be targeted for infection or control.

Mourning and Bodies

• Formal mourning for John and other presumed-dead Malthreks is expected to begin soon.
  • A mass, announcement, or public statement may be involved.
  • No one expects bodies from the Travertines to arrive quickly.
  • Common expectation is that actual bodies would take weeks.
• Hidden bodies, caskets, and golem materials remain unresolved.
  • The party suspects the Reformists may stage something with them.
  • The purpose could involve decoys, proof, ritual, or substitution, but none is confirmed.

Servants, Parasites, and Allies

Servant Infiltration

• The party considers servant work as cover.
  • It could allow eavesdropping.
  • It could give access to the gathering.
  • It could let allies move through Castle Malthrek without drawing attention.
• Lime may operate among servants.
  • Kitchens are the immediate entry point.
  • Servants’ quarters and other work routes remain possible.
• Servant loyalty remains uncertain.
  • Some may be parasitized.
  • Some may be magically dominated.
  • Some may be coerced, intimidated, or dependent.
  • Some castle servants and townspeople are still uninfected.

Parasite Theory

• A “baptismal” or “baptism day” phrase may refer to parasite implantation.
  • This remains party theory, not settled Reformist terminology.
• The party questions why the Reformists waited ten to fifteen years.
  • Earlier full infection would have been possible if the parasites were easy to deploy.
  • Current selectivity suggests limits, strategy, or social constraints.
• Lime frames Reformists as parasite-like socially and literally.
  • They infiltrate religions, factions, guilds, and communities.
  • They use those hosts for harm after taking root.
• Townspeople seem selectively targeted.
  • Vulnerable drunks and traumatized people are easy targets.
  • Some locals remain untouched despite parasite presence in the castle.

Local Coordination

• A local ally can coordinate Castle Malthrek and nearby Malthrek-area cells.
  • The network is loose and autonomous.
  • Outlying villages can be rallied.
  • Reinforcements may need thirty minutes to an hour after being called.
• Luana Victorique Dubreuil is wanted inside the castle.
  • Nonmagical disguises are available.
  • Avoiding magic-based detection remains important.
• Dorothy Marie Campbell and Lord Boyle Eastonton are assigned near the outskirts and outer wall.
  • Teleportation routes remain a likely concern.

Angel, Gwyniviere, and Legally Bare

Angel and Gwyniviere

• John says Angel helped before the party reached Castle Malthrek.
• Angel is credited with removing parasites from Duchess Antoinette Malthrek and Luke Malthrek.
  • Antoinette is alive.
  • Antoinette is no longer Reformist.
• Angel has two emerald shards of the Emerald Shield of Spring.
  • She is tasked with finding the rest.
  • The Children of the Crone are interested in the shards or related Elven Boons.
• Angel is traveling with Branrum Malterdale.
• Gwyniviere appears tied to family and friends returning toward the Maltreks.
  • She also appears tied to painting, modeling, and publication plans.

Legally Bare Subscriptions

• The party discusses Legally Bare VIP subscriptions.
  • Mark pays 100 gp for an annual VIP subscription.
    • Emily raises the VIP question, and the exchange pressures Mark into paying.
  • VIP subscribers can send requests, suggestions, letters, tips, and gifts.
  • Gift restrictions are framed as a safety measure.
• Luana discusses Minfilia as a possible model.
  • Luana, who has achromatopsia, describes Minfilia’s features as fine-lined.
  • The magazine team is said to capture models’ faces well.
  • She may be considered for creative direction.
• Sister Philippa guest-modeling is expected to boost sales.
  • The exact issue label remains uncertain.
• Port Rainoso readership and Nightshift Nurses comparisons remain mostly banter.

Luana and Cinna Moan

• Luana publicly uses the Cinna identity with a Legally Bare fan.
  • The fan recognizes the magazine, not her ordinary appearance.
  • She signs as Cinna Moan and also signs an About Us page as Luana.
• Kelthyr presses her after noticing the connection.
  • Luana admits Cinna is her disguise.
  • She says the tan is created with Alter SelfAlter SelfLevel 2 · Transmutation1 action · Self · 1 hourV, SYou assume a different form. When you cast the spell, choose one of the following options, the effects of which last for the duration of the spell. While the spell lasts, you can end one option as an action to gain the benefits of a different one. You adapt your body to an aquatic environment, sprouting gills and growing webbing between your fingers. You can breathe underwater and gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. You transform your appearance. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You also can't appear as a creature of a different size than you, and your basic shape stays the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this spell to become quadrupedal, for instance. At any time for the duration of the spell, you can use your action to change your appearance in this way again. You grow claws, fangs, spines, horns, or a different natural weapon of your choice. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, as appropriate….
• Jason McNatt is concerned that the magazine trail could connect back to Luana.
  • Luana also mentions an NDA.
  • Legally Bare issue 3.5 is being prepared under time pressure.

Essence, Runes, and Gear

Essence of Nymph Test

• Lime suggests Essence of Nymph to restore or ready Miya.
  • The number of bottles available remains unclear.
  • The effect may last about an hour.
  • Exact mechanics remain uncertain.
• Lord Captain Boyle Eastonton tests the Essence while protected by magic-blocking gear.
  • Henson is told to move to Boyle’s side.
  • While protected, Boyle reports only a very sweet honeysuckle-like taste.
  • When the protection is removed, the Essence appears to begin affecting him.
• Working theory:
  • The Orb of Repulsion can suppress the Essence while it is in use.
  • If the Orb is removed before the Essence leaves the system, the effect can then take hold.
  • The Orb of Repulsion is distinct from the Yellow Absorption Orb.
• Boyle later refuses further Essence testing.

Consent and Restoration

• Boyle carries or holds Miya during the test.
  • Miya is tired, disoriented, unconscious, or magically depleted at different points.
• Once affected, Boyle becomes physically affectionate.
  • Lime intervenes as promised.
  • Lime casts Lesser RestorationLesser RestorationLevel 2 · Abjuration1 action · Touch · InstantaneousV, SYou touch a creature and can end either one disease or one condition afflicting it. The condition can be blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. on Boyle.
• Lesser RestorationLesser RestorationLevel 2 · Abjuration1 action · Touch · InstantaneousV, SYou touch a creature and can end either one disease or one condition afflicting it. The condition can be blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned. does not end the Essence of Nymph effect.
  • The spell does not purge the Essence from the body.
  • The Orb can still suppress the effect, but only while the protection remains in place.

Sending Runes

• The party needs reliable communication between split groups.
  • Emily has SendingSendingLevel 3 · Evocation1 action · Unlimited · 1 roundV, S, M (a short piece of fine copper wire)You send a short message of twenty-five words or less to a creature with which you are familiar. The creature hears the message in its mind, recognizes you as the sender if it knows you, and can answer in a like manner immediately. The spell enables creatures with Intelligence scores of at least 1 to understand the meaning of your message. You can send the message across any distance and even to other planes of existence, but if the target is on a different plane than you, there is a 5 chance that the message doesn't arrive. spells and extra SendingSendingLevel 3 · Evocation1 action · Unlimited · 1 roundV, S, M (a short piece of fine copper wire)You send a short message of twenty-five words or less to a creature with which you are familiar. The creature hears the message in its mind, recognizes you as the sender if it knows you, and can answer in a like manner immediately. The spell enables creatures with Intelligence scores of at least 1 to understand the meaning of your message. You can send the message across any distance and even to other planes of existence, but if the target is on a different plane than you, there is a 5 chance that the message doesn't arrive. scrolls.
  • She has no extra sending stones.
• Emily produces three sending runes.
  • They work like SendingSendingLevel 3 · Evocation1 action · Unlimited · 1 roundV, S, M (a short piece of fine copper wire)You send a short message of twenty-five words or less to a creature with which you are familiar. The creature hears the message in its mind, recognizes you as the sender if it knows you, and can answer in a like manner immediately. The spell enables creatures with Intelligence scores of at least 1 to understand the meaning of your message. You can send the message across any distance and even to other planes of existence, but if the target is on a different plane than you, there is a 5 chance that the message doesn't arrive. without consuming a scroll.
  • They require no attunement or magical ability.
  • They are passive while carried.
  • They are individual runes, not paired stones.
• If both sides have runes, repeated back-and-forth seems possible.
• If only the sender has a rune, the recipient can answer once under the usual reply limits.
• One rune is given to Kelthyr Kulok.
  • Later distribution suggests Lime, Miya, and Emily each have communication tools.
  • John is considered, but the final distribution remains unclear.

Kelthyr, Luana, and the Hicklander Villages

Doll Work

• Luana asks Kelthyr Kulok for more doll commissions.
  • He can make one doll in three to four days if focused.
  • One Luana doll may be for Luana’s mother or a gift from her mother.
• Luana asks Kelthyr to make a doll of himself.
  • Kelthyr has apparently never made a self-doll.
  • He accepts the commission.
• Luana suggests hiding the Love Beat inside the Kelthyr doll.
  • Possible designs include a heart, removable holder, buttons, lid, or hidden access.
  • The final design remains unresolved.

Stables and Rex

• Kelthyr and Luana leave the stables on Equus Rex, later called Rex.
  • Rex is skittish and somewhat bucky.
  • Tandem riding may be uncomfortable.
  • Kelthyr treats Rex gently and does not frame him as owned or enslaved.
• Luana greets Rex respectfully.
• Kelthyr uses Fey Step earlier and cannot use it again until after rest.

Village Mobilization

• Kelthyr and Luana ride toward villages outside Castle Malthrek.
  • The immediate goal is a village-to-village mobilization chain.
  • Direct assault is not the first step.
  • Kelthyr plans to contact Hicklanders in multiple settlements.
• The mission borrows from La Camaraderie methods.
  • Luana says she is part of La Camaraderie.
  • Kelthyr supports similar partnership with Hicklanders in the Narrows.
• After the last village, Kelthyr expects to teleport back near Castle Malthrek.
  • A secret entrance found or identified by Mark remains part of the plan.
  • The exact phrasing of Mark’s role remains unresolved.

Dreams, Rebecca, and Luana’s Manifestation

Rebecca and Byzantine

• Rebecca is asleep and treated gently.
  • Lime covers her with a blanket.
  • Byzantine is placed beside her.
• Byzantine remains Rebecca’s teddy bear and magic-linked object.
  • It is not a separate ordinary NPC.
• Rebecca appears as a normal human girl while asleep.
  • Her dreams are dangerous, unstable, or inaccessible.
  • The group says they are not strong enough to handle her dreams directly.
• John’s presence seems to help Rebecca.
  • She has spoken more.
  • The group has learned more from her.
  • John is “definitely in her dreams.”
• Exact dream mechanics remain unresolved.

Justin and Luana

• Lime wakes Justin so plans can continue.
• Justin sees Luana Victorique Dubreuil and senses a familiar presence around her.
  • He says it has been a long time since he could enter that kind of dream.
  • A quiet exchange may involve Mami or Mommy.
  • A figure may have come home with the group.
• This likely connects to Luana’s dream thread, Mami/Mommy, or an Archfey of Dreams.
  • The connection remains provisional.

Luana-Like Manifestation

• At the Wheelbarrow Inn in Gralter, Luana’s body remains asleep or inert.
• A childlike manifestation resembling Luana or Cinna emerges and acts independently.
  • It can fly.
  • It can pass through doors or walls.
  • It is called Astral ProjectionAstral ProjectionLevel 9 · Necromancy1 hour · 10 ft.V, S, MYou and up to eight willing creatures within range project your astral bodies into the Astral Plane (the spell fails and the casting is wasted if you are already on that plane). The material body you leave behind is unconscious and in a state of suspended animation, it doesn't need food or air and doesn't age. Your astral body resembles your mortal form in almost every way, replicating your game statistics and possessions. The principal difference is the addition of a silvery cord that extends from between your shoulder blades and trails behind you, fading to invisibility after 1 foot. This cord is your tether to your material body. As long as the tether remains intact, you can find your way home. If the cord is cut-something that can happen only when an effect specifically states that it does-your soul and body are separated, killing you instantly. Your astral form can freely travel through the Astral Plane and can pass through portals there leading to any other plane. If you enter a new plane or return to the plane you were on when casting this spell, your body and possessions are transported along the silver cord, allowing you to re-enter your body as you enter the new plane. Y… or Ethereal-adjacent at the table.
  • Exact mechanics remain unresolved.
• The manifestation identifies herself as Luana.
  • She objects to being called a ghost.
  • She calls Luana’s body a doll.
  • She says Kelthyr should not tell anyone her name because Mommy would be displeased.
• Afterward she wants to play hide-and-seek.
  • Kelthyr gives her an ordinary handmade elf-girl doll.
  • She becomes anxious about morning and returns to Luana’s sleeping body.

Fruit Merchants and Tainted Produce

Hicklander Contact

• Kelthyr brings Luana to Mondrian, his Hickland for Hicks contact in the Gralter cell.
  • He uses a distinctive two-handed knock.
  • The contact admits them after Kelthyr identifies Luana as a friend.
  • Funeral rumors about Kelthyr and the Maltreks are addressed as cover.
• The contact understands that it is time.
  • The real action will happen inside Castle Malthrek.
  • The public mourning story still needs to be maintained.

Produce Crates

• The contact reports suspicious produce merchants near Reformist-heavy encampments.
  • Fruitarians remains tentative.
  • Later context favors fruit or produce merchants rather than a confirmed formal faction.
• At least one suspicious crate bears the Northcross Trading logo.
• Locals stole suspicious produce crates while pretending to be bandits.
  • They had been warned fruits and vegetables might be infected.
  • The crates were hidden under barn floorboards.
• Four suspicious crates are found.
  • All feel wrong to magically trained senses.
  • Detect Poison and DiseaseDetect Poison and DiseaseLevel 1 · Divination1 action · Self · 10 minuteV, S, M (a yew leaf)For the duration, you can sense the presence and location of poisons, poisonous creatures, and diseases within 30 feet of you. You also identify the kind of poison, poisonous creature, or disease in each case. The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. or similar checking confirms the contents are unsafe.
  • Faerie FireFaerie FireLevel 1 · Evocation1 action · 60 ft. · 1 minuteVEach object in a 20-foot cube within range is outlined in blue, green, or violet light (your choice). Any creature in the area when the spell is cast is also outlined in light if it fails a Dexterity saving throw. For the duration, objects and affected creatures shed dim light in a 10-foot radius. Any attack roll against an affected creature or object has advantage if the attacker can see it, and the affected creature or object can't benefit from being invisible. reveals small dots inside the vegetables.

Parasite Eggs

• The vegetables contain parasite eggs, not fully developed parasites.
  • Eating them may introduce eggs into the body.
  • The eggs may activate and eventually affect the brain.
  • The party connects this to the parasite mechanism making people “stupid.”
• Purify Food and DrinkPurify Food and DrinkLevel 1 · Transmutation1 action · 10 ft. · InstantaneousV, SAll nonmagical food and drink within a 5-foot-radius sphere centered on a point of your choice within range is purified and rendered free of poison and disease. does not solve the problem.
  • The eggs resist ordinary purification.
• A targeted CloudkillCloudkillLevel 5 · Conjuration1 action · 120 ft. · 10 minuteV, SYou create a 20-foot-radius sphere of poisonous, yellow-green fog centered on a point you choose within range. The fog spreads around corners. It lasts for the duration or until strong wind disperses the fog, ending the spell. Its area is Vision and Light. When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 5d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don't need to breathe. The fog moves 10 feet away from you at the start of each of your turns, rolling along the surface of the ground. The vapors, being heavier than air, sink to the lowest level of the land, even pouring down openings. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increases by 5d8 for each slot level above 5th.-like treatment neutralizes some eggs.
  • Many remain alive.
  • The method may need refinement, spreading the produce out, or treating eggs outside crates.

Food Supply Problem

• Burning the crates is simple but costly.
  • Food is scarce around the Maltreks.
  • Destroying food has winter-survival consequences.
• Brining later becomes an important lead.
  • Agnes has eaten vegetables but her prepared food detects as clear.
  • Her preserved food is extremely salty.
  • She brines fruits and vegetables for at least a week.
  • Salt water or brining may neutralize or reduce contamination, but this is not confirmed.

Wheelbarrow Inn Recon

Approach

• Luana and Kelthyr scout the Wheelbarrow Inn in Gralter.
  • They approach quietly without waking others.
  • Kelthyr estimates roughly twenty people may be involved.
  • Some may be workers, guards, merchants, infected carriers, or Reformists.
• Most villagers are asleep.
  • Some guards or lookouts remain awake.
  • A few appear exhausted or unnaturally forced to stay awake.
• Sensing identifies:
  • Fifteen people asleep inside the inn.
  • One light sleeper near the counter and kitchen.
  • Four people awake outside near a caravan.
  • Six people asleep near the outside group.

Wards and Detection

• The inn has a simple AlarmAlarmLevel 1 · Abjuration1 minute · 30 ft. · 8 hourV, S, M (a tiny bell and a piece of fine silver wire)You set an alarm against unwanted intrusion. Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger than a 20-foot cube. Until the spell ends, an alarm alerts you whenever a Tiny or larger creature touches or enters the warded area. When you cast the spell, you can designate creatures that won't set off the alarm. You also choose whether the alarm is mental or audible. A mental alarm alerts you with a ping in your mind if you are within 1 mile of the warded area. This ping awakens you if you are sleeping. An audible alarm produces the sound of a hand bell for 10 seconds within 60 feet. spell.
  • Kelthyr casts Dispel MagicDispel MagicLevel 3 · Abjuration1 action · 120 ft. · InstantaneousV, SChoose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends. For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a successful check, the spell ends. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you automatically end the effects of a spell on the target if the spell's level is equal to or less than the level of the spell slot you used. at 3rd level.
  • The AlarmAlarmLevel 1 · Abjuration1 minute · 30 ft. · 8 hourV, S, M (a tiny bell and a piece of fine silver wire)You set an alarm against unwanted intrusion. Choose a door, a window, or an area within range that is no larger than a 20-foot cube. Until the spell ends, an alarm alerts you whenever a Tiny or larger creature touches or enters the warded area. When you cast the spell, you can designate creatures that won't set off the alarm. You also choose whether the alarm is mental or audible. A mental alarm alerts you with a ping in your mind if you are within 1 mile of the warded area. This ping awakens you if you are sleeping. An audible alarm produces the sound of a hand bell for 10 seconds within 60 feet. is dispelled.
• Detect MagicDetect MagicLevel 1 · Divination1 action · Self · 10 minuteV, SFor the duration, you sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use your action to see a faint aura around any visible creature or object in the area that bears magic, and you learn its school of magic, if any. The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. identifies one definite Reformist.
  • The target gives off intense empathic pain.
  • The target may be a significant caster.
  • No active Transmutation is detected.
• No Teleportation CircleTeleportation CircleLevel 5 · Conjuration1 minute · 10 ft. · 1 roundV, MAs you cast the spell, you draw a 10-foot-diameter circle on the ground inscribed with sigils that link your location to a permanent teleportation circle of your choice whose sigil sequence you know and that is on the same plane of existence as you. A shimmering portal opens within the circle you drew and remains open until the end of your next turn. Any creature that enters the portal instantly appears within 5 feet of the destination circle or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Many major temples, guilds, and other important places have permanent teleportation circles inscribed somewhere within their confines. Each such circle includes a unique sigil sequence—a string of magical runes arranged in a particular pattern. When you first gain the ability to cast this spell, you learn the sigil sequences for two destinations on the Material Plane, determined by the DM. You can learn additional sigil sequences during your adventures. You can commit a new sigil sequence to memory after studying it for 1 minute. You can create a permanent teleportation circle by casting this spell in the same location every day for one year. You need not use the circle to teleport… is detected within a meaningful sixty-foot scan.
  • The scan does not cover every possible location.

Dickon and the Sleep Plan

• Kelthyr wakes the downstairs light sleeper, likely the innkeeper Dickon.
  • Dickon is defensive and says the guests are merchant customers.
  • Kelthyr warns him rather than leave him exposed.
• Luana provides a vial of Essence of Dream.
  • It is distinct from Essence of Nymph.
  • It is tied to Luana’s powers through Mommy, her patron.
  • Mommy was originally Queen Duarend, the once-human former Spring Queen who took the mantle of Queen of Dreams in the Feywild and extended her influence to Thera.
  • It is an oil-like substance that can be created during downtime by warlocks or followers of Mommy.
  • It can be delivered by smoke or vapor if used creatively through a censer, incense, or aromatherapy setup.
  • The effect is a three-day magical sleep with a DC 17 Constitution saving throw.
• Kelthyr worries about bystanders.
  • Dickon’s daughter is sleeping nearby.
  • The downstairs room is closed off to limit spread.
• The Luana-like manifestation carries the censer or vapor.
  • Upstairs guests fall unconscious.
  • The outside caravan group is also affected.
  • Kelthyr later extinguishes the remaining flame with PrestidigitationPrestidigitationCantrip · Transmutation1 action · 10 ft. · 1 hourV, SThis spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range: You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor. You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot. You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour. You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour. You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn. If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action..

Alden, Faltir, and Local Politics

Dawn Village

• The next village is Garvind, a larger mining town higher up.
  • It is active at dawn with cooking, sweeping, and morning work.
  • The southern mountain is massive, gray, bare, and imposing.
  • Mt. Thibris is the confirmed mountain name near Castle Malthrek.
• The party does not feel the same ominous Reformist presence as before.
  • Hidden Reformists or underground activity remain possible.

Alden’s Smithy

• The local contact brings Luana or Cinna to Alden’s Smithy and Wheelworks in Garvind.
  • The shop is practical, with tools, spoked wheels, and a carriage outside.
  • Alden is a smith and wheelwright with a bandana, long hair, and a thick mustache.
• Alden is told “it’s time.”
  • This means mobilization against Reformists.
  • It is not an immediate anti-monarchist revolution.
• Alden agrees to muster local forces.
  • He warns many Hicklanders hate the duke, barons, and monarchy.
  • Cooperation with nobles may be resented.
• One of Alden’s customers has carriage trouble caused by Equus Rex.
  • Two carriage horses break loose.
  • Equus Rex may have chewed through the rope.

Reformist Exploitation

• Reformists are corrupting local leadership.
  • They influence the duke’s shady dealings.
  • They take over mines and overwork miners.
  • They exploit real local anger rather than inventing it.
• John Malthrek warned contacts from Rannek or La Camaraderie.
  • Allied forces at the Narrows are involved.
• Hama is cited as an example of faction infiltration.
  • Some Hags of Hama may be willing collaborators.
  • The party prefers not to interfere with Thralmals or local hags unless they are causing trouble.

Anti-Spellcaster Tactics

• Alden warns Reformists are powerful spellcasters.
• Practical counters are reviewed.
  • Bind limbs.
  • Block speech.
  • Blind casters with sand or similar means.
• Blinding is emphasized because it prevents targeting and makes restraint easier.

Salt Settlement and Magic Shop

Disguises

• Kelthyr adopts a rough workman or miner disguise.
  • Matted brown wig.
  • Full beard.
  • Workman’s shirt.
  • Mining harness.
  • Pocket-heavy work pants.
• Luana improves the disguise with bronzer and a freckle pen.
  • Kelthyr settles on natural behavior rather than an exaggerated gruff voice.
• Luana uses a warlock ability, apparently Alter SelfAlter SelfLevel 2 · Transmutation1 action · Self · 1 hourV, SYou assume a different form. When you cast the spell, choose one of the following options, the effects of which last for the duration of the spell. While the spell lasts, you can end one option as an action to gain the benefits of a different one. You adapt your body to an aquatic environment, sprouting gills and growing webbing between your fingers. You can breathe underwater and gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. You transform your appearance. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, sound of your voice, hair length, coloration, and distinguishing characteristics, if any. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your statistics change. You also can't appear as a creature of a different size than you, and your basic shape stays the same; if you're bipedal, you can't use this spell to become quadrupedal, for instance. At any time for the duration of the spell, you can use your action to change your appearance in this way again. You grow claws, fangs, spines, horns, or a different natural weapon of your choice. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, as appropriate….
  • Her hair changes to neck-length brown.
  • She adds glasses, freckles, commoner clothing, and a bag.
• Their cover story:
  • Kelthyr is looking for salt-mining work.
  • Luana is his quiet niece or someone he helped while wandering.
  • They claim to be from the Malthrek region.

Faltir and Salt

• The party approaches Faltir, a walled salt-mining settlement.
  • The walls control mine access more than military defense.
• Salt is treated as essential to civilization.
  • Local food is aggressively salty as a show of abundance.
  • A lore claim says salt was the second gift of the Angel of Civilization after fire.
• Salt taxation is politically charged.
  • The current rate is 7%.
  • A 10% proposal failed or remains contested.
  • Duke Malthrek argued higher taxation should bring Crown accountability.
• Apgar is mentioned as a democratic polity.

Gate and Soldiers

• Guards, mounted armored forces, and mourning markers appear near the gate.
  • Soldiers wear black neckerchiefs.
  • Their faces do not look mournful.
  • The readiness feels closer to battle preparation than funeral protocol.
• At least one guard registers with Reformist wrongness.
• Rumor says the Count and others are heading to Castle Malthrek.
  • Locals expected them to leave earlier.
  • No one knows why they are waiting.

Magic Shop

• Kelthyr and Luana visit a semi-legal magic shop.
  • The shopkeeper relies on trust, reputation, and mutual leverage.
  • He sells magic items, weapons, armor, novelties, and “specials.”
  • He does not sell magical books or spell scrolls.
• Hidden stock is concealed behind a magically radiant compartment.
  • It is lead-lined and lead-backed.
  • A small stone absorbs or stores fire from the kettle.
• Items considered include:
  • Backpack-style Bag of Holding, valued around 2,500 gp.
  • Cape of Vanishing.
  • Emerald pen casting Illusory ScriptIllusory ScriptLevel 1 · Illusion1 minute · Touch · 10 dayS, MYou write on parchment, paper, or some other suitable writing material and imbue it with a potent illusion that lasts for the duration. To you and any creatures you designate when you cast the spell, the writing appears normal, written in your hand, and conveys whatever meaning you intended when you wrote the text. To all others, the writing appears as if it were written in an unknown or magical script that is unintelligible. Alternatively, you can cause the writing to appear to be an entirely different message, written in a different hand and language, though the language must be one you know. Should the spell be dispelled, the original script and the illusion both disappear. A creature with truesight can read the hidden message..
  • Spiked shield.
  • Wingwear glider.
  • Intimate ring variants.
• Luana trades rare Legally Bare and Nightshift Nurses collector material.
  • Signed Nightshift Nurses material is especially valuable because Lollia Skala signatures are scarce.
  • The collector material is accepted as equivalent value for the backpack-style Bag of Holding.
• Luana purchases or acquires:
  • The backpack-style Bag of Holding.
  • A black magical cock ring called a Variable Cock Sheath.
  • The Wingwear glider.
  • Two regular potions of healing, thrown in by the shopkeeper.
• Luana trades a +2 magical crossbow toward the ring and Wingwear.
  • The final accounting is accepted, but the exact crossbow and potion valuation is not itemized.
• The black magical cock ring is tested afterward.
  • It sizes itself to the wearer.
  • It is loose enough to be deliberately removed, but secure enough to stay on during movement.
  • The command word is “mabrast’er.”
  • It has four vibration levels.
  • Speaking the command word increases the vibration until the fourth level, then shuts it off.
  • It does not have to be worn to vibrate.
  • Increased arousal is not a magical effect; it is the intended physical effect of the vibration.

Faltir Streets and Agnes

Procession

• Kelthyr and Luana remain in a risky side area after testing a black ring.
  • A man at a nearby window may have observed them.
  • Marching boots approach.
• Soldiers or guards in black neckerchiefs move toward Castle Malthrek.
• An ornate carriage procession passes.
  • A man strews ordinary salt on the road.
  • Poor locals collect the trampled salt to wash, filter, dry, and reuse.
  • The procession is Count Godwin Ranlis’s march, not the Pontiff’s march.
• Wrongness is present in or around the carriage.
  • The salt itself is not magical.

Poor Streets and Mine Conditions

• Kelthyr leads Luana through poorer streets outside the walls.
  • The area is tightly packed.
  • Workers eat thin slop while keeping mining tools strapped on.
• Luana quietly uses PrestidigitationPrestidigitationCantrip · Transmutation1 action · 10 ft. · 1 hourV, SThis spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range: You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor. You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot. You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour. You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour. You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn. If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action. to make the slop taste like meat stew.
  • A worker immediately associates the kindness with Kelthyr.
• Agnes recognizes Kelthyr.
  • She asks if he has come to help the mines again.
  • Do not identify her with Agnes Anatto unless later evidence confirms it.
• Kelthyr previously helped shore up mine beams after a collapse risk.
  • Agnes says those fixes still hold.
  • Her son died in a mine collapse.
• Miners face increased quotas and little sleep.
  • Nearly twelve-hour shifts are common.
  • Fourteen-hour shifts are offered for extra salt rations.
  • Workers accept because salt supports families.

Rallying Support

• Kelthyr and Luana explain the Castle Malthrek crisis.
  • Soldiers and Reformist-aligned forces are gathering.
  • Comtesse Aveline Ranlis, wife of Count Godwin Ranlis, may be inside and under a spell.
  • Luke and Mark are named as corrupted.
  • John and Matthew are discussed separately.
• Agnes says Luke and Mark usually do right by the people.
  • She remembers Comtesse Aveline as better before her affliction.
• Agnes is asked to gather local people.
  • The goal is trouble at the castle walls.
  • The party wants to isolate the castle and prevent reinforcements.
  • Locals need confidence that retaliation will not hit their families.
• Luana summons restorative fey aid.
  • The spirit is reshaped as Ines, a beautiful Nuran woman with braided hair.
  • Essence of Nymph is used as part of consensual adult restorative care.
  • The spirit privately receives instructions and begins organizing or reassuring locals.

Hidden Route into Fort Faltir

Waterworks Route

• Kelthyr guides Luana from the poor-street approach into a hidden route.
  • Old wall gaps.
  • Cistern access.
  • Ladders.
  • Narrow passages.
  • Waterworks beneath or near the fortress baths.
• The cistern redirects clean rushing water away from salt deposits.
  • Salt, limestone, and aging mortar may explain the crumbling infrastructure.
  • Newer fortifications may overlook the older access points.
• The route is hazardous.
  • Rushing water.
  • Rotted grates.
  • Falls and deep passages.
  • Moss, insects, rats, bats, spiders, and unstable scaffolding.
• Kelthyr knows and maintains the route.
  • He uses MendingMendingCantrip · Transmutation1 minute · Touch · InstantaneousV, S, M (two lodestones)This spell repairs a single break or tear in an object you touch, such as broken chain link, two halves of a broken key, a torn cloak, or a leaking wineskin. As long as the break or tear is no larger than 1 foot in any dimension, you mend it, leaving no trace of the former damage. This spell can physically repair a magic item or construct, but the spell can't restore magic to such an object. for minor repairs.
  • He prepares Stone ShapeStone ShapeLevel 4 · Transmutation1 action · Touch · InstantaneousV, S, M (soft clay, which must be worked into roughly the desired shape of the stone object)You touch a stone object of Medium size or smaller or a section of stone no more than 5 feet in any dimension and form it into any shape that suits your purpose. So, for example, you could shape a large rock into a weapon, idol, or coffer, or make a small passage through a wall, as long as the wall is less than 5 feet thick. You could also shape a stone door or its frame to seal the door shut. The object you create can have up to two hinges and a latch, but finer mechanical detail isn't possible. for larger reinforcement.
  • He identifies himself as a wild magic sorcerer.

Local History

• The works are not as old as the Faltir fortress.
• A local salt-founding story is recalled.
  • A prospector found salt.
  • Mining and merchant allies followed.
  • The Maltreks eventually recognized or rewarded the operation.
  • Count Godwin Ranlis and the Ranlis family are tied to that founding story.
• Restricted Seneran sites are discussed.
  • Surrey’s Ear.
  • The Thralmal Pools.
  • Hama and its underplaces.
• Hama has a whole city below it.
  • It is tied to the White Witches rather than Kalassar.
  • A statue of the founder of the Hags of Hama is said to be there.
  • Sigrid the Netweaver is linked to the Spirit of the Spider.

Baths Entry

• Kelthyr and Luana enter beneath the castle baths.
  • They emerge near a fountain and large pool of clear water.
  • No one is bathing.
• The fountain contains old transmutation-like magic.
  • It may be Kalassarian but is not confirmed.
  • It is not identified as an orb.
• Kelthyr identifies the location as the baths in Fort Faltir’s east wing or lower east wing.
• Their immediate aim is to find Comtesse Aveline Ranlis.
  • Aveline is Count Godwin Ranlis’s wife.
  • She is likely Reformist.
  • She appears to have been left in charge of Faltir in Count Godwin’s absence.
  • This is not Duchess Antoinette Malthrek.

Wards, Dungeon, and the Changeling

Ward Bypass

• Luana and Kelthyr cast Greater InvisibilityGreater InvisibilityLevel 4 · Illusion1 action · Touch · 1 minuteV, SYou or a creature you touch becomes invisible until the spell ends. Anything the target is wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on the target's person..
  • Luana removes and stores her dress in a Bag of Holding before continuing invisibly.
  • Movement requires touch coordination.
• The fortress wards seem designed to detect magic.
  • They do not directly detect invisible creatures.
  • Kelthyr guides Luana through narrow gaps in ward coverage.
• A servant mops across their route.
  • Luana uses Magic StoneMagic StoneCantrip · Transmutation1 bonus · Touch · 1 minuteV, SYou touch one to three pebbles and imbue them with magic. You or someone else can make a ranged spell attack with one of the pebbles by throwing it or hurling it with a sling. If thrown, a pebble has a range of 60 feet. If someone else attacks with a pebble, that attacker adds your spellcasting ability modifier, not the attacker's, to the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier. Whether the attack hits or misses, the spell then ends on the stone. If you cast this spell again, the spell ends on any pebbles still affected by your previous casting. and PrestidigitationPrestidigitationCantrip · Transmutation1 action · 10 ft. · 1 hourV, SThis spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range: You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor. You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot. You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour. You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour. You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn. If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action. as a distraction.
  • Kelthyr assists with PrestidigitationPrestidigitationCantrip · Transmutation1 action · 10 ft. · 1 hourV, SThis spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range: You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor. You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot. You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour. You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour. You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn. If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action. on the mop.
• The dropped Magic StoneMagic StoneCantrip · Transmutation1 bonus · Touch · 1 minuteV, SYou touch one to three pebbles and imbue them with magic. You or someone else can make a ranged spell attack with one of the pebbles by throwing it or hurling it with a sling. If thrown, a pebble has a range of 60 feet. If someone else attacks with a pebble, that attacker adds your spellcasting ability modifier, not the attacker's, to the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier. Whether the attack hits or misses, the spell then ends on the stone. If you cast this spell again, the spell ends on any pebbles still affected by your previous casting. triggers a ward when a servant moves to pick it up.
  • The stone later reported by guards is this magic stone, not a decoy stone or golem.
  • Dispel MagicDispel MagicLevel 3 · Abjuration1 action · 120 ft. · InstantaneousV, SChoose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends. For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a successful check, the spell ends. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you automatically end the effects of a spell on the target if the spell's level is equal to or less than the level of the spell slot you used. is used.
  • The pair slips through while the ward still pulses.
  • Guards rush toward the alarm and suspect invisible intruders.
  • Magical items carried by guards create further ward triggers.
• After repeated alarms, the wards seem shut down or suppressed.

Dungeon Search

• Kelthyr refocuses on finding Comtesse Aveline.
  • Nearby routes are blocked.
  • Reaching the dungeons requires heading west.
• The dungeon is unexpectedly bright.
  • Natural-looking light rises from below.
  • The first level has barred cells.
  • One side opens onto a deep ravine.
• Prisoners are present.
  • Kelthyr does not recognize them.
  • Their crimes or reasons for imprisonment are unknown.
  • Luana suspects some may be jailed for defiance.
  • The party does not free general prisoners immediately.
• The lower level is narrower and more frightening.
  • Comtesse Aveline is overheard as the oppressor figure.
  • Another prisoner is present.
  • “Sisi” remains audio-checkable and should not be treated as a name.

Comtesse and Changeling

• Kelthyr and Luana find Comtesse Aveline with a freezing prisoner.
  • The prisoner is identified as a changeling rather than a face stealer or doppelganger.
  • Guards may have been sent away by the earlier disturbance.
• Aveline wears a bun, long dark robe, and fur coat.
  • No magic is detected on her.
  • She pressures the prisoner to work for them.
  • She asks him to show her husband’s face.
  • He changes his face into the Count’s.
• The prisoner is nearly freezing.
  • His fingers are beginning to darken.
  • Luana uses PrestidigitationPrestidigitationCantrip · Transmutation1 action · 10 ft. · 1 hourV, SThis spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range: You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor. You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot. You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour. You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour. You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn. If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action. to warm him after the rescue.

Rescue, Parasite, and Deception

Rescue

• Luana sneaks behind Aveline under Greater InvisibilityGreater InvisibilityLevel 4 · Illusion1 action · Touch · 1 minuteV, SYou or a creature you touch becomes invisible until the spell ends. Anything the target is wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on the target's person..
  • Her Stealth result is 22.
• Luana uses Essence of Dream on Aveline.
  • Save DC is 20.
  • Aveline rolls 16 and falls unconscious.
• Kelthyr searches Aveline.
  • He finds a key.
  • He opens the cell.
  • He pulls the prisoner out and closes the door.
• The changeling returns from the Count’s face to his prior face.
  • He says nobody is supposed to know he is a changeling.
  • He is confused when asked if he is a Revivalist.

Parasite Condition

• The changeling was caught while helping with mining.
  • He mentions creatures coming from below.
  • A druid, spiders, and mine explanation starts but remains unresolved.
• MoonbeamMoonbeamLevel 2 · Evocation1 action · 120 ft. · 1 minuteV, S, M (several seeds of any moonseed plant and a piece of opalescent feldspar)A silvery beam of pale light shines down in a 5-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder centered on a point within range. Until the spell ends, dim light fills the cylinder. When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it is engulfed in ghostly flames that cause searing pain, and it must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 2d10 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A shapechanger makes its saving throw with disadvantage. If it fails, it also instantly reverts to its original form and can't assume a different form until it leaves the spell's light. On each of your turns after you cast this spell, you can use an action to move the beam up to 60 feet in any direction. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 2d10 for each slot level above 2nd. exposure previously forced him back into changeling form.
• His captors fed him something meant to let them find him wherever he goes.
  • Luana suspects a parasite.
  • Detect Poison and DiseaseDetect Poison and DiseaseLevel 1 · Divination1 action · Self · 10 minuteV, S, M (a yew leaf)For the duration, you can sense the presence and location of poisons, poisonous creatures, and diseases within 30 feet of you. You also identify the kind of poison, poisonous creature, or disease in each case. The spell can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt. confirms it.
  • The parasite was implanted about two nights earlier.
  • It is still young and probably has not fully manipulated him.
• The party cannot remove it immediately.
  • They believe removal may be possible later.
  • He receives healing.
  • An Elixir of Health or similar restorative reduces exhaustion.
  • A Goodberry helps him recover.

Disguise Plan

• Luana asks whether the changeling can copy Aveline.
  • He does not usually copy women.
  • Exhaustion and discomfort limit the transformation.
  • He can approximate her shape as close as possible, but not her genitalia.
• Aveline’s dress is removed and given to him.
• The planned performance is to berate the guards in character.
  • Intruders got in.
  • Wards were triggered.
  • The guards failed her.
• The party agrees this fits the noblewoman’s manner.

Comtesse Handling

• Killing the Comtesse is rejected.
  • Minfilia warned that killing parasite hosts or parasites may alert the network.
• The immediate plan is binding and gagging.
  • The party suspects she may be able to cast spells.
• The changeling considers permanently damaging her sight.
  • Luana calms him with a hug.
• Aveline has Stilettos of Wounding.
  • They are high-heeled magical shoes.
  • They conform to the wearer’s feet.
  • They are explicitly not cursed.
  • Cursed piercings remain distinct from the stilettos.

Fort Faltir Seizure and Aftermath

Sleep Trap

• The subdued noblewoman or authority figure is hidden in a broom closet.
• The rescued changeling impersonates the fortress’s apparent head figure.
  • He orders guards and servants into the courtyard.
  • He uses overbearing authority to set up Luana’s trap.
• Luana deploys Essence of Dream through a censer, incense, or aromatic oil.
  • The disguised figure orders everyone to assume the position.
  • Guards are put to sleep, apparently for three days.
  • Luana accidentally catches herself in the effect.
• Kelthyr snuffs the censer before the smoke spreads further.
  • Luana is awakened with Dispel MagicDispel MagicLevel 3 · Abjuration1 action · 120 ft. · InstantaneousV, SChoose one creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends. For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a successful check, the spell ends. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you automatically end the effects of a spell on the target if the spell's level is equal to or less than the level of the spell slot you used..
  • She retrieves the item.
  • The mishap is embarrassing but effective.

Reinforcements

• Kelthyr uses a Rune of Sending to contact Agnes.
  • He reports the captured noblewoman and sleeping guards.
  • He asks her to send people to Fort Faltir.
• Agnes and several rested allies arrive.
  • Some guards outside the main sleep effect may still be active.
  • Agnes’s group accepts the rescued changeling because Luana and Kelthyr trust him.
• Fort Faltir’s defeated guards and rooms become a practical equipment source.
  • Agnes frames the process as shopping.

Changeling Lore

• The changeling takes clothes and a face from a sleeping guard.
  • He avoids wearing the guard’s armor.
  • He puts the noblewoman’s clothing on the now-unclothed guard.
• He describes changeling isolation.
  • Some leave reservations for trade.
  • Outsiders exploit captured changelings for spying and assassination.
  • Elders connect that exploitation to ancestral banishment from the Feywild.
  • Their ancestors refused to follow the rules, kept few records, survived, and valued living on their own terms.
• He wants to return home after parasite removal.
  • He reluctantly agrees to meet another changeling friend because removal already requires travel.

Prisoners and Loot

• Agnes is brought to the dungeons.
  • She says the prisoners are locals, though not necessarily people she knows.
  • Patrick was reportedly taken after complaining too loudly.
  • The prisoners’ families are still nearby.
• Keys are recovered and prisoners begin being released.
  • Agnes’s group will take care of them.
  • A lower area for hardened criminals is checked, but the cage is empty.
• The bound noblewoman is pulled from the broom closet still asleep.
  • Whether she is infected remains unresolved.
• Loot recovered from Fort Faltir and the Comtesse includes:
  • A magical nine-tailed whip that deals necrotic damage.
  • Underwear of Warmth.
  • Piercings, one of which is cursed.
  • High-heeled Stilettos of Wounding.
  • Magical Bonding.
  • Magical Handcuffs that lock and unlock with a command word.
    • This pair uses the command word “crunchy.”
  • A Token of Hadar amulet.
    • It allows the wearer to cast Hunger of HadarHunger of HadarLevel 3 · Conjuration1 action · 150 ft. · 1 minuteV, S, M (a pickled octopus tentacle)You open a gateway to the dark between the stars, a region infested with unknown horrors. A 20-foot-radius sphere of blackness and bitter cold appears, centered on a point within range and lasting for the duration. This void is filled with a cacophony of soft whispers and slurping noises that can be heard up to 30 feet away. No light, magical or otherwise, can illuminate the area, and creatures fully within the area are blinded. The void creates a warp in the fabric of space, and the area is difficult terrain. Any creature that starts its turn in the area takes 2d6 cold damage. Any creature that ends its turn in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage as milky, otherworldly tentacles rub against it. and requires attunement.
  • The Gauntlet of Elemental Transmutation.
    • It has five charges and regains all expended charges daily at dawn.
    • It can turn five pounds of any solid material into four pounds of another material.
    • It was used or identified as capable of producing gunpowder.
• Weapons and armor recovered include:
  • Twenty-five half plates.
  • Ten longswords.
  • Ten shortswords.
  • Ten halberds.
  • Five heavy crossbows.
  • Lances, armor, and swords more generally.
• The area includes a network of wards.
  • Ten wards and six additional wards are noted.
• The guards have a bounty on Minfilia.
  • The bounty is 10,000 gp dead or 30,000 gp alive.
• Found cursed or magical intimate items include:
  • A cursed spiked ring, handled with gloves and placed in a cigar box.
  • A Dildo of Paralysis that prevents a target from moving if used.

Open Hooks

Reformist and Produce Threads

• Northcross, the Fruit Merchants Guild, and Reformist supply routes are connected by recovered evidence.
  • Whether this means institutional guild compromise, individual collaboration, or misuse of guild signs remains unresolved.
• Parasite-tainted produce remains a live supply-chain threat.
  • Exact concentration, timing, scalability, and application to Eastonton, Surrey, Port Surrey, or Surrey-on-the-Brams remain open.
• The elven food-supply option remains politically and geographically difficult.
• Teleportation-circle logistics remain unresolved.
  • The known nearby Reformist grove circle was destroyed.
  • Later reusable teleportation options exist, but mountain/Mt. Thibris routes for moving food or support remain unproven.

Character Threads

• Luana Victorique Dubreuil is settled as School Girl Cinna Moan, not a separate Cinna character.
• Earlier Luana-like summoned fey spirits are distinct from mundane Luana.
  • The later dream/astral manifestation near sleeping Luana remains mechanically unresolved.
• Gwyniviere’s painting work and Mark Malthrek betrothal are distinct from Angel Rannek’s Emerald Shield shard mission.
  • “Contract precision” needs a clearer source or should be removed from this hook.
• Dorothy/Miya’s Highbury lineage is settled.
  • Her legal identity, inheritance path, possible prior death declaration, and adoption/title workaround remain open.