Never disturb the Kraken!

Lamashan 19, 4712

Having spent the night at Zellara's house,  Daryle and Darelle are met by Dhukhean at their new residence in Korvosa. The dwarf reports that riots are still roiling in the streets, and that several combats between different factions are affecting whole neighborhoods. Over the city they can see several plumes of black smoke rising from the numerous fires that have been set. They return inside the house, and finding enough fresh food in Zellara's pantry, Darelle cooks up a delicious breakfast.

Once the house is tidied up, the three of them head out back to the sisters' previous lodging, the Upslope House, to retrieve their remaining gear. The matron informs them that a missive came for them yesterday afternoon. Still sealed in a heavy envelope, Daryle opens it swiftly and finds a message written in an elegant hand:

"Dear Coopers, I have heard of your exploits, and I have peculiar information concerning your brother Thorne and his whereabouts you may find worth your while. I hope to meet you upon supper time tomorrow, Lamashan 19. You can find my residence at 15, Route of the Shore. Sincerely yours, Vencarlo Orisini."

Asking around reveals that this residence is located in the poor sector of the lower heights a few stone throws away from Castle Korvosa and yet so removed from its riches. The Coopers have heard of the name Orisini.Vencarlo Orisini is a master sword fighter and founder of his very own fighting school. This school, Orisini Academy, has trained some of the best fighters this side of Varisia over the last twenty years or so. Orisini is both rich and admired by the local population.

Suspicious yet tempted by the offer of information on Thorne since his disappearance at the base of the Emerald Spire over six months ago, the sisters decide to attend this meeting and invite Dhurkhean with them in case trouble arises, as the paladin has proven himself on numerous occasions. They conduct reconnaissance at the house, and find it is a simple row house squeezed between two slightly better maintained residences that has fallen in disrepair and could use a new coat of paint.

They spend the rest of the afternoon avoiding riots and large gathering of people. Returning to the house at supper time, Darelle knocks on the door and it is opened by a large matron. She motions them inside, then silently leads them to the back of the house, which abuts the hill. She touches a secret button on an armoire, revealing a secret passage. She tells the Coopers that this tunnel will lead them to another house up on the hill. Traveling a quarter mile, they find themselves in a basement. A staircase leads to the ground floor of an opulent house, where they are met by a butler in full livery. Without a sound, the butler guides the three of them to the house's third floor. They enter a large room well appointed with a four post bed, a wardrobe, and a large mirror mounted on the wall. All of the drapes covering the windows have been drawn, and the only illumination is provided by six candles. Two figures stand next to the mirror. A small long black-haired girl, about twelve years old and wearing a delicate yet expansive dress, and a man wearing a dark traveling cloak. He acknowledges the Coopers, and Daryle recognizes Thorne's voice. The rogue removes his cloak and questions the dwarf. Satisfied by Dhukhean's answer, he motions to the mirror and tells the sisters that someone would very much like to talk to them.

A shimmer swirls in the mirror, and slowly clears to reveal Duke Mosley, clad in a pristine Hellknight uniform. He welcomes the Cooper sisters, and asks a few pointed questions of Dhukhean, before returning his attention to Darelle and Daryle. He informs the sisters that he has pressing needs of his services. The girl standing before them is Olivia Wilhert, the 11 year-old daughter of Helmut Wilhert, the only heir to the Wilhert noble house of Cheliax, one of the richest. She also happens to be Mosley's niece, and she is in mortal danger. Thorne reveals that she wears a silver tattoo that stretches from her neck to her left hip. This tattoo is the physical mark of someone whose's soul has been promised to a devil. Mosley tells the Coopers that Olivia's soul was promised, but she never agreed to this binding. Through a series of circumstances unclear even to the Duke she escaped her family estate and was found by his agents. Devils have been looking for her these last three weeks. Mosley wishes her to gain the safety of lands he controls, and he wants the Coopers to assist in this mission, for the sake of the girl.

Duke Mosley then reveals an elaborate ruse. The girl standing in front of them is in fact not Olivia, but rather Emma, a street urchin from Ridwan, in the land of Nidal, a vassal state of Cheliax. Mosley spotted her years ago for her uncanny resemblance to Olivia. She has been educated and trained these last few years to one day substitute for Olivia, and now the opportunity has presented itself at the most vital of times. Mosley wants this Olivia to travel with the Coopers aboard a Chelaxian galleon named the Hellhound bound from Korvosa to Magnimar, in eastern Varisia, while the real Olivia is safely moved. In essence, Mosley asks the Coopers to act as bait for the devils that hunt his niece.

Daryle is disinclined to assist the Duke, but she and her sister eventually settle for 50,000 crowns each, while Thorne requests an enchantment for his weapon and Dhukhean settles on a fund of 25,000 for his dwarven clan to establish an embassy in Korvosa. Agreeing to their demands, Duke Mosley now bids the Coopers that they plan on sailing with the afternoon tide tomorrow. They need to attract attention without appearing to deliberately do so, so that enemy agents learn of Olivia's presence and departure from Korvosa.

The Coopers spend the rest of the night examining several scenarios to transport Olivia from the house to the wharf, board the Hellhound, and depart Korvosa. Vencarlo Orisini returns following a night at the opera, and joins in the planning. In the end, they decide to hide Olivia in one of Orsini's wagon, then head through the riots and reach the wharf just at high tide.


Lamashan 20, 4712

After a hearty breakfast the Coopers set the plan in motion. Thorne leaves Orisini's house, and takes position near Orisini Academy, where he will steal the wagon with Olivia inside. Dhukhean leaves with the rogue and makes his way to the ship, ready to assist them in boarding the ship if they are pursued. A short time later, Daryle, Darelle, and Olivia board Orisini's personal wagon. A few minutes later, Vencarlo and his driver enter the carriage house, and the wagon soon departs the estate through a city still plagued by violence, taking a circuitous route through Korvosa. Reaching the Academy, Vencarlo exits the wagon, and tells his driver to remain near the wagon as he plans to leave shortly. He advises the guards to keep the gates open.

Thorne sneaks into the Academy grounds and fires a white arrow with white fletching at the driver, missing him by an inch. He jumps on the wagon, and drives it out, much to the guards' dismay. Guiding it through the city, he avoids most of the gathered crowds and reaches the Hellhound right on time. Disbarking from the wagon, a providential gust of wind blows the cap off Olivia's cloak, revealing her delicate features. Darelle spots several individuals who take immediate notice of Olivia as she walks up the plank. The Hellhound departs without any trouble, however, and soon reaches the open sea.


Lamashan 23, 4712

The first two days at sea are uneventful. On the third day, Dhukhean's keen eyes spot a sail in the distance, moving fast and against the wind. The Hellknight crew aboard the Hellhound make ready for battle over the next four hours. As the distance closes, cannons are fired. Daryle spots a devil in command on board the enemy ship. Soon the Hellhound is rammed, and the enemy crew boards. The battle rages on between the Hellknighs and the devil's soldiers, while the Coopers engage with the outsider.

The weather, which had been decent since the beginning of the trip, has suddenly deteriorated since the assault began, and now the black clouds that have been rolling in obliterate the sun, and gale-force winds batter both ships.

Through artifice, the devil retains the upper hand as he summons several lesser devils, but its strategy is soon revealed when Darelle notices a second devil breaking through the windows of the captain's quarter from the water. Thorne dispatches two devils, Dhukhean also slays a few. Daryle effectively eliminates one of the devil commanders. Darelle manages to pull Olivia out of harm's way, but the devil is right on her tail. As the devil breaks through the door and emerges on the bridge, the Coopers are severely wounded, but they prepare for one final round of battle.

 Three large tentacles emerge from swirling waters. One grabs the devil and drags it under water, while two more seize the devils' ship and sinks it. A massive kraken emerges. Darelle uses her ranger talents and is able to talk to it. The kraken identifies himself as Tourbillion, lord of Conqueror's Bay and an enemy of all outsiders. A powerful druid looking after its water flock, Tourbillion dosn't really care for humanoids but he despises unnatural creatures even more. He agrees that the Coopers and their ship are not the enemy, and he lets them proceed on their way. The Coopers have potentially made a powerful ally. Upon departing, Tourbillion dispels the weather, and soon the Hellhound is on its way to Magnimar.


Lamashan 25, 4712

The Hellhound arrives in Magnimar, and the fake Olivia disembark from the ship under heavy Hellknight escort. The Coopers breathe a sigh of relief. They successfully kept their charge alive and provided Duke Mosley with the time needed to move the real Olivia. The Coopers head back to Korvosa on Darelle's jar of cloud, hoping for a more peaceful return trip.

The King of Korvosa is Dead! Long Live the Queen!

Lamashan 18, 4712, continued

With the Coopers sisters and their ally Dhukhean reunited aboard the ship, they stealthily move down the creaking steps. In the hold of the ship is a tall and muscular individual lifting weights, facing a mirror and admiring himself while exercising. Daryle hears the sea waters lapping at the side of the ship, indicating that they are below the water line. The muscle man, clearly intended as a line of defense against intruders, does not notice the invisible ranger. Darelle who also consumed a potion of invisibility, stands next to where she thinks her sister is. Dhukhean, who does not have the means to magically disappaer, also attempts to remain stealthy though his heavy armor is rather unwieldy for such an activity. However, the thug is so engrossed in himself that he fails to notice the intruders.

Daryle moves parallel to the ship's wall, and soon notices a small secret door leading away from the cargo hold. Keeping an eye on the thug to ensure that he does not move, she carefully opens the door, bracing for water to rush in. Neither happens. Instead, she discovers an underwater tunnel that leads back to the pier. She enters. Darelle chances the passage next, and she successfully reach the tunnel. Only Dhukhean is left by the stairs to the ship's deck. The thug is still lifting weights, sweating profusely and admiring himself in the mirror. The dwarf decides to also attempt the move across the hold. Luck is with him, and he too crosses without being noticed. With all three of them in the tunnel, Daryle softly closes the secret door and spikes it so the thug will be hard pressed to open it.

The tunnel emerges back under the Old Fishery, in a room that appears to have been hastily constructed using the pilings to support a platform and crude walls. In the middle of the room is an opening leading into the sea, and the rangers immediately spot two large sharks lazily swimming around. On one of the pilings they see a set of manacles hanging from a rope and a system of pulleys that can be pulled from the safety of the deck. The amount of clutter in this large room is overwhelming. A small wooden door leads to another room. Daryle checks the door, and notices that it is locked. Darelle steps up and uses her tools to unlock it.

Two small candles are the only illumination in this room, which is as overcrowded as the other room. A mix of sweat, rot, and old age overpowers the nose, and Daryle shakes with disdain. Sitting at a small desk counting piles of silver coin is an old man, in his early eighties. He does not notice that the door was opened. The sisters are sure they are now in the presence of the infamous Gadrien. The invisible sisters position themselves in the room, and Dhukhean enters the room and smashes Gadrien's left arm before grabbing his face and demanding to know who is patron is. Gadrien is startled and soils himself before regaining his composure. He refused to answer the dwarf's question, and instead asks how he might have wronged any dwarf. Dhukhean leans in, and casts cure light wounds to heal Gadrien's arm. He then breaks it again, before questioning the rogue one more time. Gadrien inquires if they were sent by the Grey Mantis or by the Sable Company. Dhukhean replies that he was sent by the Fellowship of the Longbeard, and he threatens to hurt Gadrien again if he doesn't talk. Gadrien agrees to talk if Dhukhean will then depart the premises. The dwarf agrees. Gadrien identifies Verik Vancaskerkin as his patron. He tells Dhukhean that Verik works for the Korvosan Guard. Dhukhean writes Verik's name with Gadrien's blood on a piece of paper, and tells him that he did promise to leave, but not to let the rogue live. Gadrien smiles a crooked and evil smirk, and tells the dwarf that his death would bury many secrets, secrets that are worth their much gold. Dhukhean replies that he has ways of making bodies talk. Gadrien's smirks widens.

Daryle notices that during this time Gadrien's left foot has been slowly moving. She yells a warning, but she is powerless to prevent Gadrien from activating a trap. The entire floor by the desk drops in the choppy waters below, attracting the sharks. Gadrien and his desk remain bolted to the wall. Dhukhean manages to jump through the door, while Darelle lands on Gadrien's lap. She uses her wand of magic missiles, while Daryle fires a few arrows. The wounds are enough to kill Gadrien.

Dhukhean searches the piles of objects littered throughout the main room. He finds a gold ingot worth about 100 crowns. This ingot bears the Cheliax coat of arms. He then discovers a miniature gold crown worth 350 crowns, a fist-sized scrimshaw carving of a kraken with garnets for eyes worth 200 crowns, and a silver ring worth 150 crowns. The ring bears the inscription “For Emmah—the light in my nights." The dwarf then comes across a highly realistic and highly scandalous ivory figurine of two entwined succubi worth 450 crowns, a masterwork shuriken, an adamantine arrowhead worth about 500 crowns, an abalone-shell holy symbol of Shelyn worth 300 crowns, a tiny glass tube containing a dose of oil of keen edge, an obsidian wand of magic missile (23 charges), a crystalline vial, itself worth 50 crowns, which contains a dose of silversheen, and a bejeweled brooch with a broken clasp. The circular gold brooch depicts a pseudodragon and an imp coiled around each other in an almost yin-yang pattern. The pseudodragon’s eye is an amethyst, while the imp’s eye is an emerald. The brooch is worth more than everything else put together, and it looks familiar to the dwarf, but Dhukhean can't immediately place where he has seen it. Upon further reflection, he remembers Queen Ileosa wore such a brooch not a month ago during the Breaching Festival.

Darelle uses her jar of cloud to create a floor to replace the pieces now at the bottom of the river twenty feet below, and she rifles through Gadrien's desk, finding his ledger books and whom he has collected money from over the last year, as well as more than a dozen shady deals the rogue has been conducting in Korvosa. Daryle searches Gadrien's wardrobe and comes upon Zellara's head in a hat box located above the wardrobe. She has been dead at least a month. Whom did they meet at her house?

Walking on the cloud, Daryle searches Gadrien's body, and discovers a signet ring of the Korvosan Guard inscribed with the name Verik on the inside. Done with her search, she shoves the body in the water below, where it is quickly eaten by the two sharks.

Ready to leave, the Coopers decide that they don't want to pass through the ship. There are no obvious means of escape except for the waters below, however, so Dhukhean decides to collapse one of the pillars holding the floor above, both to damage the building and collapse the floor, creating an exit for them. The floor collapses, providing a ramp to climb back in the slurry room. The foremen are dumbfounded, and immediately run away, quickly followed by screaming orphans.

Daryle announces that they should set the building ablaze, to destroy this nest of villainy and to prevent any other group from setting up shop. Darelle feels that the thug training in the hold of the ship deserves a chance to escape, so she runs through the tunnel to warn him. Simple-minded, the thug introduces himself as Kevin, and proudly tells Darelle that his job is to open and close the door and only let Gadrien through, but since she came from the other side she must be all right. She tells him he can leave, Gadrien is dead. Kevin appears not to understand this concept, so she tells him to follow her. Kevin agrees. He grabs his weights, then drops them to grab his bag, but returns to the weights and drops his bag for them. He is utterly bewildered, so Darelle grabs his bag and leads him to the road. Daryle and Dhukhean set the Old Fishery and the ship on fire. Darelle runs back in the building to retrieve Zellara's head, and places it in her bag of holding.

Outside, they realize that no patrol responds to the fire. They notice that many areas of town are featuring large pillars of thick black smoke. They stop a passerby, who informs them that King Eodred II has died in the night, the victim of an assassination. He then curses Queen Ileosa, and wishes her a speedy death before leaving the wharf to join a mob heading southwest. The Coopers board the jar of cloud and take a bird's eye view of Korvosa. There are several riots going on in various neighborhoods, and large mobs are converging on Castle Korvosa. The Korvosan Guard has congregated around the Castle and is violently putting down the mobs. North Point is heavily defended by Hellknights, who are protecting Chelish interests. The Sable Company hovers in the air, assisting detachments of Korvosan Guards, but appear overwhelmed. The city is in utter chaos.

Dhukhean has a theory that the master of puppet has given Gadrien tokens from each of the factions currently fighting in Korvosa. Daryle decides that they must help the city, so Darelle lands her cloud in North Point. Dhukhean recognizes the Hellknight in charge. It is none other than Lictor Severs DiViri, head of the Order of the Nail and usually headquartered at nearby Citadel Vraid but now here in Korvosa supervising the Hellknights' effort at quelling the riots. Daryle decide not to meet with the Lictor at the moment, even though she is aware that the man's daughter, Chaid DiViri, a Hellknight officer, perished in the Emerald Spire a few years back. Sir Maurice is there, however, and Daryle attracts his attention. Sir Maurice meets with them and listens to what Daryle has to say, and advises that now is not the time to distract the Lictor. If she really wants to help, she can patrol the city and stop crime. When asked why the Hellknights do not deploy more widely, Sir Maurice informs her that the Lictor's orders are to only protect Chelish interests in Korvosa, and the fate of the local Varisians and Shoanti are not their concern.

The Coopers decide to split up and meet at dusk at Zellara's house. Daryle thus decides to go hunting. She comes across a large mob attacking a lone Korvosan Guard. She successfully defuses the situation and sends the mob on its way to Castle Korvosa. The guardsman, Grau Soldado, is drunk, and Daryle manages to convince him that he stands for the defense and protection of the city and its people, not of the Queen, something Soldado has trouble accepting, but eventually Daryle manages to convince him as well, and he drunkenly heads back towards the Guards' headquarters.

Darelle and Dhukhean meanwhile go to visit Pastries and Things, the bakery she helped a few weeks ago. She tells him they took care of Gadrien and she compensate them for the money they paid to the villain. The baker, Ernest Mildenhall, tells Darelle of the history of Korvosa and particularly of its conflicts and domination by Chelish nobles despite its supposed independence and claims by Varisia. Darelle also reflects that some of this chaos could be caused by Duke Mosley, a member of the Order of the Nail, who might appreciate a closer base of operations than the Emerald Spire. Ernest informs Darelle that the most likely successor to the Queen were she to also die or abdicate would be a member of House Arkona, the wealthiest noble family in Korvosa. Darelle departs the bakery with a basket full of goodies.

At dusk they arrive at Zellara's house. There they confront the imposter, who claims to be the real Zellara. When Darelle produces the head, Zellara shimmers and glows, revealing that she is a ghost. She tells the Coopers she needed their help to defeat Gadrien. A month ago, she had indeed suffered the assault she had described, but in the process she had not managed to escape but instead had been murdered. She thanks the Coopers and Dhukhean profusely for their help, and she gives them her deck of Harrow cards. She tells them that on the table they will find a deed signed and notarized, giving them ownership of her house. She can't always follow the Coopers, but they can consult her anytime through her Harrow deck. The sisters and the dwarf decide to spend the night at Zellara's house, so as to avoid looting and mobs still roaming the streets of Korvosa.

Tale of the Harrow Deck

Lamashan 4, 4712


Having returned to Korvosa from Liveoak's tree the day before and spent a quiet night in their lodging, Darelle and Daryle leave the Upslope House after a hearty breakfast. They head to the waterfront, where they meet with their dwarven friend Dhukhean. He is supervising the preparation of the clan's ship that will take the dwarven members of the negotiation team back to the Linnorm Kingdoms with a planned departure for the following day. With his duties in Korvosa coming to an end, Dhukhean has arranged to remain behind and spend some time with the sisters.

As they meander the busy dockside, they first hear, then spot a Hellknight patrol rushing through and heading towards the Korvosan neighborhood called North Point. Darelle also notices members of the Sable Company flying on their griffins towards the same area. The sisters and Dhukhean closely follow the rushing Hellknights and arrive on the scene of a devastating fire affecting an entire block near Sunpoint boulevard. Two fire companies of Korvosan Guards are already hard at work, and while the Sable patrol continues to fly in the air, the Hellknights take a defensive position and begin pushing the crowds back, but make no attempt to help the Guards put out the fire, as this is a purely Korvosan matter and does not involve Chelaxian interests. Incensed, Daryle steps to the Hellknight commander, Sir Maurice, and orders him to assist the guard. Sir Maurice looks her up and down and instructs her to move along otherwise he'll have her arrested. Daryle threatens to report him to Duke Mosley. Sir Maurice blanches, and asks her for her credentials. Daryle produces her Hellknight badge and advises Sir Maurice that she knows Duke Mosley personally and was sent to Korvosa on a mission for him. Sir Maurice turns around and order his troops to assist the Guards.

Meanwhile, Darelle runs into the fire, being well-protected against fire thanks to the ring of protection offered to her by the Mistress of Thorns more than a year ago and able to breathe under any circumstances. She is looking for survivors, and also hopes to investigate if the fire is an accident or a magical attack of sorts. Inside one of the houses, she discovers that the fire started in the kitchen when a burning pot of oil was accidentally splashed against a wall and ignited. Huddled in another room she finds a man sheltering two little children. Finding no way to carry the children out without a severe risk of harm, she breaks through a wall and exits in an engulfed alley, followed by the father. She runs to tne end of the street and reunites the family together. Dhukhean detects evil, but the fire appears to not have had any evil intents. He softly chuckles to himself with the stupidity of humans using wood to build entire structures and neighborhood.

Daryle supervises the Hellknights when she notices an urchin attempting to steal her purse. She detains the child and calls over Sir Maurice to have him taken away. Sir Maurice identifies the child as belonging to the notorious Dock's Dozens, a group of street children associated with a known crime syndicate.

Eventually the fire is put out. Since it is near lunchtime, the Coopers depart the area and head towards Old Korvosa, hoping to find a decent place to find food. After some searching they find a small tearoom in a back alley. Called the Pewter Pot, it is a small place with seating for eight on two tables that can be placed together if necessary. The place is empty, so they take the table next to the wall, and place their order. The drinks and food are delicious, and the bill is more than reasonable. Daryle finds a harrow card in her drink. She pulls it out of her tankard of mead, still half filled with liquid, but the card itself is dry. A representation of the Publican, the card is old and worn but remains very sturdy. On the back a note is scribbled, and reads: "A man named Gadrien has wronged me, and plagues the city with his evil ways. I know you to be defenders of justice, and I hope you will take my cause. Please come to my house, 3, Lancet Street at dusk. I really need your assistance!" The note is signed by someone called Zellara. 

The Coopers get directions to Lancet Street and head to the southern end of the docks, where Zellara's house is located. They find 3, Lancet Street wedged between two similar small houses. The house directly abuts the street, and has a lovely but faded lavender door and two small windows. The two stories structure is centuries old. They observe the house but notice no movements. They meander in the neighborhood for another hour, and they return at sunset. On the door Darelle finds another note in the same handwriting. The note reads: "I stepped out for a few minutes, come on in and help yourself to food if you are hungry." Daryle warily opens the door. The inside is cozy and warm. A small table has been set with victuals and two bottles of wine. Candles gleam in lanterns throughout the house. On the table is an old Harrows deck. Daryle looks at the cards, and notices that the Publican is missing, and that the back of her card looks like the rest of this deck. She puts the card back in the deck.

As they make themselves comfortable, they hear footsteps in the street that stopped by Zellara's door. A woman in her mid fifties enter the residence, and is startled to see the Coopers sitting at her table. She quickly recovers and thanks them for agreeing to visiting with her despite her vague message. Zellara explains her reasons for inviting the Coopers over. She is a Harrow cards reader, and she tells them that about two years ago she began to receive unwanted visits by Gadrien, a scoundrel who runs a local crime syndicate. In no uncertain terms he informed her she needed to make weekly payments of several gold crowns to receive his "protection." When she refused, thugs roughed her up, breaking a few ribs and three teeth. Ever since, she has lived in fear. She had to close her lucrative business, and could only afford a small storefront in a quiet neighborhood. This cost her much of her clientele. Recently, however, she has noticed shady men following her around, and she once again was roughed up by his thugs. She now fears that Gadrien is once again attempting to obtain protection money from her. She would like the Coopers to help her in getting Gadrien to back off. She was at the Breaching Festival and witnessed their triumph, and thought that they could help her. When asked why she didn't go to the local authorities, Zellara informs the Coopers that the Sable Company and the Hellknights do not care about the Varissi, the native population of Korvosa alongside the Shoantis. The Korvosan Guard, meanwhile, is suspected of being on Gadrien's take. She really needs their help. Darelle agrees that they will help her deal with Gadrien. To thank them, Zellara conducts a classical Harrows reading using her worn deck. 

Positive past: The Forge represents strength through diversity, or strength from many sources united against a single trial. Your past actions have marked you as heroes to many, and enemies to some. Your bravery against the obstacles that marked your trial have shown that despite your misgivings you are willing to help and assist those who are downtrodden. This is why Fate has selected you to be here in Korvosa, to assist the city in its time of need. Because of its location it is a partial match, which means many sources of strength were needed for you to be triumphant. Do not ignore these strengths, for they can once again be useful.

Unclear past: The Fiend represents a devil that devours the masses of the innocent, indicating the deaths of many in a disaster. Unfortunately in your past you had to made decisions that needlessly cost a great amount of lives. These decisions made in the past influence the present still and will have repercussion in the future. Beware the hounds of hell, for they seek to ensnare you in their traps.

Negative past: The Survivor represents a creature that has managed to survive a terrible ordeal, when everyone thought him lost. An enemy you have made like the proverbial phoenix is arising out of the ashes of his doom and even now plots his revenge against you. Because of its location, it is a misaligned card which represents a profound and terrible loss that still haunts you and exerts influence on your actions.

Positive present: The Midwife represents the enabler or conduit of new creation, information, or arrivals. Confederates gather around you even as we speak, seeking to help you in your present quest. Some are already agitating in the wings, ready to provide assistance, while others are at present unaware of your existence but will gladly grant you help and succor in your time of need. A powerful ally, the Blackjack, should be sought out. Because of its location, it is a true match which represents creation, though the Midwife herself does not create. Acknowledge the import of a new arrival, for it will prove most useful.

Unclear present: The Betrayal represents selfishness and envy. There are divisions in your group even now, and some seek to acquire power without thoughts to the consequences of their actions. Your guiding hand can put them back on the right path, but do not stray far from it yourself. Because of its location, it is a partial match, which represents a self-sacrifice that resolves one of the divisions.

Negative present: The Tangled Briar represents a historical thing or creature that will have some influence on the problems facing Korvosa. A relic of old, descending from one of the most powerful of Golarion’s denizens, dwells deep within the city, slowly spreading its nefarious control to key part of the city. Deadly danger has already begun to circle around you. Because of its location, it is a partial match, which represents the hope that another ancient deed can help you.

Positive future: The Keep represents quiet, unshakeable strength that withstands any hardship. Your devotion to a righteous cause will stand as a testament to your goodness and will continue to sing praises to your name, provided you remain steadfast in your commitment to solve the challenge posed by the Tangled Briar. Because of its location, it is a partial match, which represents that you will not be shaken by any force, and that your foes are unlikely to shake of your single-minded dedication.

Unclear future: The Juggler represents destiny, deities, and those who play with the fates of others. A dangerous individual is the master of puppets, pulling strings and strives to destroy Korvosa. Already the wheels are turning and plans have been set in motion. However, the juggler is not constant. As a chaotic card, he can and often drops one of the things he juggles. The master of puppets can be thwarted, and you’re the one who will do so. Because of its location, it is a partial match, which represents that his rhythm will be off, and one or more will fall and fail, but only if you keep the Juggler off kilter.

Negative future: The Avalanche represents disaster: an unthinking panic and destruction that overruns all. Unfortunately, in your battle with the Juggler, your actions will not prevent Korvosa from destroying itself. Beware the black ships, for they will bring the city to its knees! Because of its location, it is a partial match, which means calamity can still be avoided, but at great consequences to yourself. Will you save Korvosa at great personal risk?

	Lawful	Neutral	Chaotic
Good	Positive past The Forge	Positive present The Midwife	Positive future The Keep
Neutral	Unclear past The Fiend	Unclear present The Betrayal	Unclear future The Juggler
Evil	Negative past The Survivor	Negative present The Tangled Briar	Negative future The Avalanche

After performing the reading, the Coopers decide to go bar hopping, to figure out the schedule for Gadrien's enforcers. This way they are less likely to run into them as they investigate. They head to the North Point and stop at the Pier's Lantern, a run-down tavern sitting across from the Old Fishery. On the door of the Old Fishery is a weathered notice indicating that the city government has condemned this building and plans on seizing it. The notice itself is dated from more than three years ago. 


Lamashan 5, 4712

From the Pier's Lantern the Coopers keep a close eye on the building, and throughout the night they first notice three wagons pull up and deliver heavy barrels. Then, closer to dawn, two empty wagons pull up and pick up more barrels before heading out. Darelle uses a potion of invisibility and follows the second wagon. It delivers barrels to several eateries in North Point and Old Korvosa. The ranger examines one of the barrels and finds it is filled with a foul-smelling slurry fit for fish bait or fertilizer, but clearly intended to be served as food. No wonder the prices are so low in these eateries! 

Darelle returns to the tavern and reports her findings. At the same time, six burly men arrive together at the front door of the fishery. They are let in, and leave fifteen minutes later, splitting up at the first intersection. The Coopers decide to follow one of the men. Throughout the morning, he stops in several businesses, and emerges a few minutes later with a bill of sale and a heavier purse tied to his belt. Armed with a short sword, the goon continues his round, stopping at Pastries and Things, a local bakery in North Point. The Coopers decide to put a stop to it. They corner the man in an alley, and capture him. Dhukhean ties him to a chair. Daryle and Darelle obscure their faces, but Dhukhean takes no such precaution. The dwarf steps in front of the man and questions him for a long while. At first, the man explains that he's simply selling slurry to the stores he has visited, and he has the bills of sale to prove it, but Dhukhean is intimidating enough that the thug admits he's collecting "rent" money for Gadrien. The Coopers force the thug to drink himself into a stupor, they relieve him of his purse and leave him laying in a pool of his own urine.

Returning to the baker, they attempt to give him his money back. The baker, fearful, tell them that he'd rather not take it back, and he would like Gadrien to receive it since he worries for his business and his family that works here and lives with him above the store. If money is not delivered, another thug will come and visit the following day and payment will be more. The Coopers tell him they will take care of it. Over the next four days, the Coopers systematically deal with Gadrien's thugs, and soon no men walk around to collect "rent."

The Coopers continue observing the Old Fishery for five more days. The slurry business continues, with arrival of the wagons containing fish caught 3 days dead in the nets, freakish specimens unfit for sale, or old sun-tainted fish reeking with the first hints of decay in the early parts of the night, and the slurry departing just before dawn, but no more rent collectors report for work. Instead, Gadrien has hired another group of thugs who protect the building. He seems to be gearing up for a gang war.


Lamashan 14, 4712 

Armed with this information, Dhukhean pays Zellara a visit at her shop, but it's clear the Harrows reader has not been here in quite some time. He goes to her house, but she's not there either. Dhukhean writes her a note that he came looking for her, found her not at home but perhaps will meet later on at the shop or at home. Please be well. He leaves the note unsigned. 


Lamashan 17, 4712 

Worried, Darelle keeps an eye on the shop for Zellara, but she does not come. Dhukhean finally makes contact with the Harrows reader at her home. Zellara tells the dwarf she has been under the weather recently, and left the city for a few days. She is thrilled to hear that the Coopers have demolished Gadrien's money collecting operation, but she hopes that they will deal with the ruffian personally. Dhukhean tells her not to worry, they will take care of him.


Lamashan 18, 4712 

Daryle decides it is time to pay Gadrien a visit. Dhukhean and Darelle wait for her at the Pier's Lantern. She sneaks inside the Fishery, and discovers that Gadrien employs an army of small children to mix the slurry. Three guards appear to be protecting the place at night. Out back she finds an old ship that has beached itself. There she discovers that the ship is in fact a decoy, hiding access to a series of rooms underneath the Fishery. She returns to the ship's deck, and lights an arrow and fires it up in the sky. Darelle and Dhukhean notice, and quickly rejoin her. It's time to pay Gadrien a visit ...

Of feys and hags

Lamashan 2, 4712

Having survived the Breaching Festival by escaping from the contract devil Chyvvom, the Coopers and the surviving members of their party are invited to attend a large banquet at Castle Korvosa to celebrate the signing of a new trade agreement between a dwarf clan of the Linnorm Kingdoms and Korvosa. A representative of Queen Ileosa personally delivers embossed invitations on golden sheets. The Cooper sisters are leery, but accept the invitation nonetheless. With free time on hand, the sisters decide to explore Korvosa. At Evelyn's Potions and Experiments, Daryle purchases a dozen cure light wounds and a few cure medium wounds. She also purchases two potions of invisibility, and a potion of feather fall. Darelle locates an herbalist shop called Bergman's of Korvosa and purchases three bundles of angel blue herbs, which would make about 6 to 8 doses of the poison. She also acquires a bundle of bishop's weed. A small plant with pale blue flowers and pale green leaves with blue veins, bishop's weed can be crushed and mixed in with wine to provide a certain level of protection (+5 bonus on Fortitude saves to resist a disease or a plague) against non-magical plagues. Its effectiveness lasts for about a week. Over 100 crowns a bundle, the price of bishop's weed goes up rapidly in times when diseases spread far and wide.

Continuing their tour of Korvosa, the sisters come upon a small out of the way magic shop, the Eye of the Beholder. Darelle purchases a rod of escape, while Daryle acquires the Book of Geometry. Their money from the reward spent, the sisters return to the Upslope House, a quaint two stories bed and breakfast located midway up the hill leading to the castle. This building features ten rooms that can accommodate up to twenty-two people. They spend a relaxing afternoon and make last minute preparations to attend the official dinner. Their brother Roscoe has remained in his room since their arrival in Korvosa, and refuses to leave for reasons of his own. The sisters share their invitation with him, then depart for Castle Korvosa.

Dhukhean Grimmail is a dwarf paladin who accompanies the dwarf delegation. Fourth in command, he is there to supervise the security of the delegation. With the official dinner in a few hours but with all preparations done and ready, he decides to explore Korvosa. At first, he searches a shrine to the dwarven got Torag, but even among the multiplicity of gods and goddesses worshiped in the city, this god cannot be found. He turns his attention to the various stores that peddle wares more exotic than what he is used to, and quickly locates the Eye of the Beholder. After arduous negotiations, Dhukhean purchases a  belt of incredible dexterity +2. Pleased with his new acquisition, he returns to the palace and prepares for the official dinner.

Arriving at Castle Korvosa, the sisters are met by a beautiful woman dressed in magnificent full plate armor—the queen’s handmaiden, bodyguard, and closest companion, Sabina Merrin. She examines the sisters' invitation, then allows them to proceed to the Great Hall. The sisters find their seats midway through a long table set for 150 guests. They are sitting next to the dwarven delegation, and find their dining companion to be a talkative dwarf named Dhukhean.

King Eodred II welcomes the guests, and pronounces a short speech on the value of this new commercial alliance. He then introduces his queen, Ileosa, and excuses himself from the dinner. Where the King is clearly in his mid eighties, Ileosa is beautiful and very young, barely in her twenties. It is clear to the sisters that she is the true power in Korvosa.

After the speeches by the Queen and the leader of the dwarf negotiations team, Darelle asks Dhukhean if he knows Grunt Farnsworth. Dhukhean recalls that the Farnsworth clan exiled one of its own about fifteen years ago. Darelle questions the dwarf on what happened, and Dhukhean replies that that Farnsworth individual had insisted upon shaving his beard for a time, to the horror and shame of his clan, forcing his exile. Dhukhean then relates the origins of his name and why he serves the dwarven god Torag.

During the proceedings, Dhukhean detects evil and notices that about a quarter of the guests are of the evil persuasion, especially those sitting in the Queen's entourage, but the sheer number of people makes it impossible to distinguish exactly who possesses evil tendencies. Spotting Sabina, Dhukhean shares with the sisters information that he gathered about the Queen's bodyguard. According to rumors, Sabina was once the protégé of the famed weapons master Vencarlo Orisini, whose family has been influential in Korvosa for generations. Sabina left the school under dubious circumstances after she fought bitter duel with her former master. Since her departure from Orisini’s academy, she found her way into the Korvosan Guard. Her skills has led to a swift rise through the ranks, and her ferocity in battle and her gothic beauty are said to have quickly caught Queen Ileosa’s eye. The queen requested Sabina be discharged from the Guard, then quickly reassigned her to her current role as royal bodyguard, handmaiden, and, according to gossip, lover. Whatever Sabina’s actual relationship with Ileosa, she is rarely seen far from the queen’s side.

Darelle and Dhukhean then discuss the treaty his clan and the Korvosans are signing in the morning. He tells her about the frost giants that plague his land, and she tells him about Zoarth, the cloud giant who dwells in a castle with thousands of cats. Dhukhean had never heard of Zoarth, and finds the concept of a cloud giant owning many cats a wonder.

When the dinner wraps up, Dhukhean and the rest of the delegation return to their lodging. They are  staying at The Wise Dragon Inn, a three level inn with an attached restaurant. They plan on returning in the morning, to sign the treaty. The sisters, meanwhile, also return to their bed and breakfast and spend a quiet night sleeping their worries away.


Lamashan 3, 4712

Unsure why they remain in Korvosa, the Cooper sisters leave the Upslope House and meander through Korvosa. Encountering an old woman peddling on the side of a busy street, Darelle offers her a crown. The old crone in exchange announces she will perform a reading for her. Darelle receives a Harrowing reading from the elder Shoanti woman. Using the sword pattern to answer Darelle's general inquiry abut the future, she lets Darelle pick the first card to determine the alignment of the reading. Darelle draws the Inquisitor, which represents overwhelming strength that catches the subject up in something much more powerful.

The reading indicates that Korvosa is about to endure catastrophic events, driven together by a conjecture of evil intentions and the manipulations of a force beyond their comprehension. However, as outsiders they can save Korvosa from itself. The Shoanti woman then has a vision, and in a small and distant voice relays a cry for help from the forest outside of town. Someone is in desperate need of a ranger.

As Dhukhean's services were not needed for the final signature, he was given leave to wander the town, and came upon the two sisters as the Shoanti woman was performing her reading. He remained in the background, but as the Coopers began to walk towards the North Bridge he joined them, and they agreed to walk in the woods together. The main road quickly became a small path, which forked into an even less traveled passage. They came upon a series of bloody prints that led to a thicket of trees where they found a dead Gerald. He had been badly cut, as if a thousand pieces of paper had been used on him all over his exposed skin. Strangely, there were no footprints other than Gerald's anywhere. Daryle searches the body and finds that this Gerald carried twelve hushing arrows and a small brass key. They burn and bury the body. 

Following the path in the reverse direction, they quickly come to a small pond with a majestic oak tree in the middle of a small island. Carefully, they cross the water and arrive at the island. About 20 feet up the tree they find a small house, with the delectable smell of fresh bread baking wafting down. The Coopers announce their presence, and a small fey creature flutters down to meet them. She introduces herself as Liveoak, queen fey of the oak pond, and welcomes them to her domain. She offers them water and bread. Darelle questions her about other humans that may have passed through here recently, and she can tell that Liveoak is being evasive in her answer. Dhukhean decides to not touch the food. In the conversation that follows, Liveoak reveals that her fey sisters are missing, and she has not seen them for a few days. The Coopers announce they will help her find them.

Dhukhean, who has the brass key, comes up with a clever plan. He inconspicuously casts detect evil, and the fey returns a strong sensation of chaotic evil. He shares this knowledge with Daryle and Darelle, who decide to depart. Politely excusing themselves, they tell Liveoak they will search for the fey and come back with any news.

In the woods on the other side of the pond they locate a large stone that is clearly out of place in this location. They find the likeness of the fey queen carved into the block. Darelle employs a potion of invisibility and uses her hand of glory but sees no invisible creatures nor the fey queen herself. Coming up with a plan, Darelle uses her jar of cloud and flies across the pond to the oak. As she does not see or hear Liveoak, she peeks inside the small house and notices a tidy space with a small kitchen, a bed with four posts, lots of colorful fabric draped everywhere, and a small chest with a brass lock. She takes the chess with her back to her cloud, and opens it. Inside she finds several fey dresses, as well as a glass jar containing a liquid stone-like substance.

She returns to the stone. Dhukhean, careful not to touch the substance, opens the jar and uses a stick to spread the substance on the stone. The stone salve restores the true fey queen to life as she slowly turns back to flesh. Once she has recuperated, she introduces herself as Liveoak, queen fey of the oak pond, and tells the Coopers that a hag has captured her sisters. The Coopers and Dhukhean quickly agree to find this hag. Following the small river that feeds the pond, they come upon a large burrow. Climbing down, Dhukhean is confronted by a hag. Daryle and Darelle join, but are engaged by another hag that was hiding in the roots.

Dhukhean strikes a mighty blow and kill his hag. Beyond her he sees a horrific scene. A third hag stands, holding a small fey in her crooked hand. She snaps the fey's neck, then bites her head off. Next to her is a small cage with five other fey creatures trembling. The hag's hand reaches towards the cage. As Dhukhean enters the room to save the remaining fey, a large earth elemental emerges from the mud and tackles the dwarf to the ground.

The sisters and Liveoak join the fray once again, and they are soon able to defeat the hag and her elemental servant. No other fey is harmed. Liveoak rewards the Coopers for their bravery and help with an onyx ring worth 500 crowns, a pearl necklace worth 500 crowns, and a miniature golden sundial worth 300 crowns. Dhukhean declares that he would like to honor the fallen fey by setting up the sundial at the base of the majestic oak tree to commemorate her passing, and the Cooper sisters agree. Liveoak thanks them profusely. She and her remaining sisters set up the memorial, and pronounce a short service honoring her fallen sister's memory. The queen then thanks the trio for their help in wiping out the hags, and informs them that they are most welcome to visit anytime they wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Devils and contracts

Lamashan 1, 4712, continued

With the key in hand, Darelle considers her options. Should she open the magical door ahead of them and step through to claim the prize, or is there a trap awaiting her? Nervously, she inserts the key and turns it slowly. The door opens, and reveals the auditorium of the Hall of Summoning. But something is off. Grunt pushes past Daryle and Darelle. Daryle attempts to trip him but misses. Grunt enters the auditorium first, followed by the rest of the group except Whilelor, who decide to hang back and explore the remaining rooms.

In the balcony of the auditorium stand two devils, a barbed devil and a devourer who are arguing with each other. Daryle senses that they are about to come to blows. Darelle, who can comprehend languages thanks to an item she picked up in the Emerald Spire, understands the conversation perfectly. They are both angrily discussing the future of a soul the devourer has seized but that rightfully belongs to the barbed devil, who had a contract with the soul's owner for possession. Apparently, the barbed devil's contract has been lost in the library and the barbed devil is upset that the devourer is not following hellish law and relinquishing its hold on the soul.

Grunt turns back and motions to the party to be quiet. Darelle, Daryle and Lawrence move quietly into the room. Whilelor follows a moment later, having decided to explore the rooms later. The party stops and observes the discussion. The devils have not noticed them yet. Lawrence can't understand the conversation, but also feels like the devils are about to come to blows. Whilelor sneaks to the door across the auditorium, but Grunt yells out an obscenity, disturbing the devils' argument. They turn and face the Coopers on the main floor. There follows a short discussion during which Grunt convinces the barbed devil that his claim is indeed the right one and that the Coopers are willing to assist him in destroying the devourer. The barbed devil agrees and a fight erupts. Grunt charges up the stairs, but soon finds himself in the middle of a summoning circle, unable to break free. The barbed devil slashes the devourer.. The devourer. in turns offers a deal to the barbed devil. He will relinquish the soul currently in his chest, if the barbed devil will agree that three of the five new souls in the auditorium belong to the devourer., including the fiesty dwarf's soul. The barbed devil agrees.

Daryle and Darelle launch missile attacks against both devils. Daryle notices that the soul inside the devil's chest bears a strange likeness to Lord Garrett, the lich necromancer who entered the Breaching Festival with them earlier in the day. The lich must have gotten here before they did. Grunt insults the devourer. Lawrence breaks the summoning circle and releases Grunt. The devourer slashes at Grunt but the dwarf avoids it. The devourer lashes back, inflicting pain on the dwarf. Lawrence uses his shuriken and reduces the devourer to half his size. He strikes the dwarf again, but a mighty blow from Grunt decapitates it, releasing the soul of Lord Garrett, which floats away accompanied by a sigh.

Meanwhile, Whilelor backtracks through the auditorium and returns to the hallway behind the magical door. He goes to the first of three rooms the Coopers did not explore. He opens the door and spikes it to ensure it does not close behind him, This room is a small lecture hall, with desks on either side of a central aisle. At the back of the room a man is chained by the hands and the feet. Whilelor recognizes the poor tortured soul as Gerald, babbling incomprehensibly. Whilelor casts cure moderate wounds then adds a lesser restoration to provide the sorcerer with some semblance of intelligence. He then removes the bonds that secure Gerald to the wall, then drags him out of the room. The sorcerer babbles incomprehensible words, but Whilelor is able to make sense of "the void behind the door," and "the devil wants a deal."

Back in the auditorium, the fight moves to the barbed devil. As the devil is busy hurling attacks at Daryle and Darelle, Lawrence sneaks behind him and strikes a mighty blow. Unfortunately, in the process he becomes grappled by the devil's barbs. The fight continues but the barbed devil is hopelessly outmatched and Grunt delivers the killing blow. Among the devil's possession, Lawrence finds a magical key as well as a hellish contract, signed by a Gerald. He pockets both, but not before Grunt notices the rogue's movement.

At the other end of the hall, Whilelor and Gerald explore the two remaining rooms and discover several doors that lead to a void of nothing. Whilelor is puzzled. Where are they?

Holding the key, Lawrence descends the stairs back to the main floor and unlocks the magical door and enters the room first, followed by Daryle, Darelle and Grunt. Whilelor and Gerald run down the hall and barely make it in before the halfling closes the door. Inside stands Chyvvom, a contract devil, in the middle of a room similar to the previous one, with balconies on either side. The ceiling features a large mural of a man resembling Toff Ornelos signing a document in the presence of Chyvvom. In each balcony are various devils, clearly part of Chyvvom's court. Chyvvom offers each member of the group the ability to bargain for anything exchange for a day of unfaltering and absolute obedience in the future. Lawrence agrees to such a contract in exchange not to be harmed by Chyvvom, who readily places his signature on top of Lawrence's, sealing the deal. None of the others choose to follow the rogue's example.

Itching for a fight, Grunt challenges Chyvvom, who is too happy to oblige. The rest of the devils, along with the Coopers, join the fray and are quickly bloodied. In a fair fight, the Coopers would have stood a chance, but with the odds stacked against them the combat is much unequal. Chyvvom launches attack after attack, striking blow after blow. The sisters focus their energies on the lesser devils, while Grunt suffers the brunt of the contract devil's wrath. A deadly delayed blast fireball incinerates Gerald and inflicts great damage on the remaining Coopers. Seeking to escape this room, Whilelor rushes past Chyvvom and opens the door at the end of the room. He only finds the void there. Desperate, he throws himself out of the room. Thus ends the life of the great Whilelor, forever lost in the void of Nothingness.

Combat continues, and the Coopers are relentlessly pursued and harried. Grunt takes a lot of punishment, and find himself needing to yield to Chyvvom before he loses his life. He inquires if the contract devil would entertain a bargain. Chyvvom agrees to hear the dwarf out, and they soon agree to the following terms: "In exchange for stopping his attack, Grunt wins the contest of retaining your soul, the gold and the fame, and he leaves immediately to return to the school and nothing more." Grunt signs the contract, and Chyvvom countersigns it. Grunt is immediately transported away from Chyvvom's kingdom.

The remaining Coopers continue the fight but are hopelessly outmatched. Chyvvom offers them another opportunity to negotiate their release, but Daryle and Daryle refuse. Chyvvom disappears in a cloud of smoke, informing them to call him when they are ready to bargain with him. The Cooper sisters and Lawrence are stuck! If they die here, Chyvvom will own their soul. Should they agree to his terms?

Fearing the end, Darelle summons the power of her rainbow star flower and calls upon its power to assist her in her time of great need. Chyvvom's realm is pierced with hundreds of plant tendrils which tear a hole in the demi-plane. Angry, the contract devil reappears with his cronies. The plants strike at the lesser devils, and even push back Chyvvom while an opening large enough for the ranger and her friends. Lawrence and Daryle jump in, followed closely by Darelle to Chyvvom's cries of anguish and dismay. The contract devil has lost!

They reappear in front of the Hall of Summoning, to the applause of the crowd. It is near midday, and only a few hours have elapsed. Toff Ornelos welcomes them back, but informs them that they were not the first ones out. That honor belongs to Grunt, who unfortunately emerged from the Hall of Summoning dead. The dwarf had won the contest and retained his soul, and earned the 153,000 crowns for being first out, but unfortunately fell from the sky and died on impact. Toff thanks the Coopers for participating, and informs them that if Grunt's heirs cannot be located they may receive some of the reward.

Lawrence confronts Toff with the happenings in the Breaching Festival, and focuses on the presence of Chyvvom. Toff professes his innocence and lack of knowledge, but Lawrence knows better and presses on. Queen Ileosa, who is present, orders the wizard's arrest, and thanks the Coopers for the services they rendered. She agrees to resurrect Grunt, and awards each of them 40,000 crowns in thanks from the Crown of Korvosa. Queen Ileosa herself is wearing a beautiful brooch that depicts a pseudodragon and an imp coiled around each other in an almost yin-yang pattern. The pseudodragon’s eye is an amethyst, while the imp’s eye is an emerald. Lawrence is quite fascinated by this one of a kind jewel ...

A rainbow of keylights

Lamashan 1, 4712

About an hour before dawn, the Coopers report to the Ornelos Building, ready for the Breaching Festival to begin. The remaining participants all trickle in over the following quarter of an hour. Toff Ornelos himself finally stands and addresses the crowd. Toff reminds the participants of the rules. They cannot attack other participants directly. They must also find a light key of a different color per individual in a group. He then asks if there are any questions, but no one asks any. His speech is interrupted by the arrival of Queen Ileosa of Korvosa and her large retinue, here to witness the day's graduation challenges.

When the first ray of light hits the Hall of Summoning, the Breaching Festival begins. The Coopers' group decide to start there, since it is the closest building. Darelle and Daryle are joined by Grunt Farnsworth the dwarf and four of his kinsmen, as well as by Lawrence the halfling and two of his henchmen, the Naga, and Whilenor. Mangarad and his crew head to the Hall of Charms. Gerald runs towards the Hall of Lies. Finally, Lord Garrett of Ged glides towards the Hall of Whispers. Roscoe, feeling under the weather, decides not to participates.

The Coopers search the Hall of Summoning. Inside a classroom on the ground floor, they find four red keylights, each hovering eight feet from the ground above a different desk. They carefully enter the classroom and approach the lights. Upon further examination, they are simply floating in the air. Grunt stands on a desk and touches the red light. Three of the lights immediately transform into Furies, while one of the light continues to hover. Whilenor sees that the red key light by him has not changed, so he grabs it. Grunt expected this attack, so he hits his target with his hammer. Lawrence throws two shurikens designed to shrink his target, but unfortunately both miss. The Naga also lands a series of forceful blows. The rest of the Coopers engage the Furies. For a while the combat proceeds in the Furies's favor, but a brilliant move by Whilenor, who transforms the table into a set of jaws which catches one of the monsters, flips the table in the Coopers' favor, and soon the Furies are no more. Grunt grabs one of the +1 longsword and one +1 flaming composite longbow, while Lawrence takes  the remaining three +1 longswords and sets them aside in one of the empty classrooms, hoping to come back for them and eventually sell them.

The Coopers and their allies move next to the Hall of Seeing. This building features a set of double doors that display giant harrow cards, which change to reflect the past or the future of the last person to touch the door. There are scrying devices everywhere. Inside there is a large hallway stretching from one end to the other. In the middle of the hallway are four mirrors. Each of them reflect an orange key-light in the middle of the room, but the room itself is empty. The Coopers puzzle this challenge for quite some time. Darelle is the first to touch the mirror. She sees a hellish vision. In her mind a large devil appears, and asks her to pose her question. Intimidated by the devil, she has difficulty forming a question. Lawrence and Grunt also touch the mirror, and encounter the same vision. Lawrence agrees to visit hell, but only on the day he can be heard shouting "I invoke the mark of the old god Throth." Grunt makes no bargain with the devil, and instead threatens him with the end of his hammer. Finally, Darelle figures out that by walking backwards she's able to reach the orange light and grabs it.

The Coopers then move to the Hall of Induction. Resembling a cube, this building is built of thick iron on three sides, and a series of iron plates on the fourth. It contains nothing aside from a spiral staircase and five empty floors. All walls in here are made of force, and keep all evocation spells contained inside the building. On the fourth floor the Coopers find some sort of alchemical apparatus. On one side is a large clear tank with a green liquid. On the other side, is a similar tank with a red liquid. In the middle is a pipe linking both tanks. The liquid in this section is yellow, and the Coopers can tell there is a yellow keylight inside the tube. Daryle takes no time and smashes the red tube. An explosion fills the floor, badly injuring he Coopers and their allies. however, they also acquire a yellow keylight.

Moving on to the Hall of Charms, they enter the building and quickly locate a blue keylight. Soon, though, all of the Coopers become confused and attack each other. Darelle lands a few good blows on her sister, who in turns attack Whilenor. Grunt and Lawrence manage to avoid most of the effects of the confusion and retrieve the blue light. They then depart the building.

The Hall of Whispers is the final home for many of the students (and participants) who were unable to complete their tasks. Home to powerful necromancy, this building is the site of many gruesome experiments. In the basement, they find several crates, one of which contains a purple light. Unfortunately, retrieving it releases a powerful horrid whilting spell that affects everyone in the group.

With enough lights for everyone, the group returns to the Hall of Wards and each person uses one of the keylight to enter the building. They find themselves in a large hall with doors at the end and several doors on either side. Proceeding down, they stop and examine the double doors at the end of the hallway. Grunt is not an expert, but he quickly determines that without a magical key they will be unable to open this door. Meanwhile, Whilenor, possibly in a fit of Geraldicitis (the inability to control's one actions and therefore unleash chaos on unsuspecting friends), decides to open a side door. He discovers a strange library where books fly from one shelf to another in a seemingly random pattern. Bookcases stretch three stories in the air, all around the room, with a desk with two lights in the middle of the room. At any one time there are hundred of books hurling from place to place.

Whilenor hears a voice behind one of the stacks and he discovers a disheveled human desperately searching for a specific book among the thousands of volumes. Every time he has looked at five or six books they quickly rearrange themselves and are replaced with more. Whilenor attempts to communicate with the man and quickly realizes that he's looking for a spellbook. Through careful diplomacy the druid is able to secure a description, and he endeavors to find the book, only to be thwarted by the powers of this room.

Meanwhile, Daryle spikes the doors to the library closed, and Lawrence takes care of the second set of doors leading to this cursed room. They enter the opposite room, and discover another alchemy lab. There they are confronted by Marrijkal, who informs them they have no hope of leaving this place. The Coopers quickly engage in combat against this devil agent and are almost overpowered before finally triumphing, thanks to massive hits by the Naga and Grunt. Amid the equipment, ingredients, body parts and various objects they find a large gold key with a ruby in the handle. Darelle picks it up. They also discover a spellbook. Daryle immediately connects this spellbook to the book the man was looking for in the library.

The Coopers return to the library, only to discover that while they were engaging the devil for half an hour Whilenor was locked in the library for over five days. Haggard, hungry, and disheveled, the druid reports that he had to lay motionless all of this time as the books and the human alternatively attacked him. When the man shows up in the door, Daryle threatens to destroy his spellbook, but Whilenor takes it from her hands and gives it to the man. He exhales slowly, then thanks Whilenor for saving his soul.

Armed with the magical key, the Coopers are ready to open the double doors and exit the building and claim the Breaching Festival's rewards. Only one question remain. Who should walk out first?