Eyes in the darkness demand the ally Telk, and the elves lay down their lives for his defense. Meanwhile, the theurges have continued to heal the survivors.

But the end of the battle is near, and when the storm clouds begin to build, things are not going as expected. Not an attempt to put out the flames at all, these were a lightning storm fixed on wiping out the elves, and leaving the way open for the Dark.

This is the elven city where Telk was brought,

Aevasarbind was dead, but her body was not burned.

The cats ambushed the party as they rode at full gallop.

Two died immediately. A third was shot by Telk to prevent it running off with needed supplies. At the end of the fight, the elf Aevesarbind and all but one of the horses were dead. The cats’ hit and run tactics were bizarre but effective, and most of the large pack survived.

Telk was put on a horse toward the elven hold, but his dead horse was found on the trail four hours later, covered in slashes consistent with the cats.

The conversation took a lot less time than they expected.

Hostler flippantly offered the business for “1000 thaler.” When it was produced, he was trapped. He threw the deed and stalked out, leaving the party to cover their losses and start looking at their new “base of operations.”

Mosselwhyte, a healer.

Borwegn, a goblin thief.

Heovef, the ogre sentry (don’t let the facial hair fool you, it’s a woman)

The Girls

Carpenters busy cleaning up the establishment discover what you later learn are Symbarian thunder stones, a rare bit of magic that explodes when struck, hidden in the bannister.

Everything that I’d worked so hard for my whole life, stole, and collected over the years is gone. The only reason I’m not broke is because I’d given Telk and Glennis my money for safe keeping. I’m going to be honest here, I don’t often pay for things. This living with actual money in my pockets is rare. It felt strange to carry that much.

I went looking for a sound and fell into this green sludge that started to burn away my clothes, my armor, everything. The pack I’ve had since I can remember is gone too. I’m just glad that I gave the bear and book to Marybelle, she’ll protect them. It also means that I will come back for her, because I wouldn’t just abandon things like that. No one deserves to be left behind, even changelings. Maybe especially changelings.

I talked to Lexanol again. He confuses me. I’m deliberately rude and terse and he is still nice to me. I hope he hasn’t taken an interest… that is already spoken for, and I don’t have interest in changing that arrangement. He’s looking into a means of fixing my corruption, He’s also going to make sure that when we kill that familiar we don’t kill Telk, which is important. I wouldn’t think much about my corruption if that happened I don’t think.

Maybe that’s what happens, people lose something important and then it stops mattering if it consumes them. Or maybe some people are just evil fucks. Like the Ordo Magica. They killed rich girl’s family for going on this trip with us. They are going to frame the changeling for everything, because it’s known I’m a changeling. Telk was safe for just a moment, but they’ll figure out he’s switched sides eventually.

I haven’t even gotten to Freehold, that’s where I picked up this book, cause, ya know, my last one was eaten by goo. I picked up some new boots too, their Elven, and glorious, and I’m not giving them to the stupid elves, even if they would string me up for it. I bought them fair and square, and I was downright charitable to everyone else. She can give me dirty looks all she wants.

It’s been two days here so far, I have two more before I have to contact Lexanol again. Hopefully he’ll have actually information rather than just asking for more time. He’s got this weird way of always knowing where I am though, and it’s starting to worry me. Like in the woods, he said he’d been watching me. I hope he wasn’t watching everything… That would just be…odd. Even if he’s a peeper, I need his help or at least his knowledge.

Glennis is going to challenge that goon that runs the brothel to a fight, she’s our best muscle, so I’m interested in seeing what she does. Shade and Karra seem to be on the same page as me and Telk, lay low, and just get the fuck out as fast as we can. So much for a place where Changelings are people. Even the elf says that we don’t belong anywhere. Fuck em.

Garambendt agreed to buy those items that the rest of the city could not afford.

And he offered the means to free Glennis’ elf, a dagger that would bypass the defenses her Hostler had paid hundreds for over the years.

The market is filled with deals.

A party with things to sell needs a guide, and they have one, but now they need a collection of purveyors who can make use of everything the party has acquired.

Some of these are going be a hard sell, especially a crystal rod with no apparently use, and a tablet that holds an ancient secret.

Freehold is a bastion of utter freedom.

The guard captain, a goblin named Nevlic, commands the outer ring of the tri-ringed city with an iron fist—literally. His goblins have the art of forensics, and the ability to keep the peace by identifying any weapon used for a crime once they’ve held it.

Bandy Tavern is a bustling hall, filled with revelers and business deals in dark corners.

It is here that Glennis brings a purloined elf with an offer. Freedom.

Elves aren’t people in Freehold. Aevesibind-ra, an elven warden separated from her group ten years ago, is a slave in the employ of Nesbit, the owner of the brothel across the street. Her patrol attacked his caravan ten years ago, and he spared her life in return for her service.

Now she finally has a real chance to get out.

The woods parted to reveal a stone path, mostly overgrown but maintained, and wagon tracks with heavy footfalls signaling a recent passage.

Grimbael, a troll hauling a wagon filled with foodstuffs, was hurrying away from the sounds of the wolves that were likely an elven patrol. He tells the party that he’s headed to Freehold, and offers to get them in.

Accepting, the party is led to a massive stone spire, a “needle,” or wizard tower. This spire, 130 feet high, is the center of the massive city known as Freehold.