Previously, the heroes spent the morning talking to Kasia, the young Silesian girl who witnessed the incursion of Epidemius on Steward’s Square and learned what they could about the event. Afterwards, they spoke to Caius of Lynnecombe about possibly buying a acquiring a property for the heroes to stay at during the winter. Afterwards, they returned to the Careless Wanderer where Neamhan’s loose lips threatened to sink ships…
First Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262
(Silvermoon is in high sanction, Bloodmoon is waning, Darkmoon is waning)
Emrys had subtly and suddenly turned Neamhan invisible and an audible gasp went through the Careless Wanderer, including a litany of protection against witchcraft coming from one of the justices. In that shock, Emrys whispered for Neamhan to make her way to safety. She quietly darted upstairs but stops halfway up the stairs to look at what happens in the tavern.
Quentin and Astrid took up position between the Custodian strongmen and the rest of the group, preventing them from coming closer and possibly going in pursuit of Neamhan. Quentin stood steadfast, while Astrid menacingly brandished her new greatsword. Erlus, the male justice, began muttering a devotion to Paladine, but before it could take effect, Luca abjured it with a swift counterspell, driving the justice to even greater outrage. For good measure, Emrys conjured up a flash of hypnotising colours which left some of the Custodians temporarily dazed, including Erlus. It did not last long since Birna, the female justice, her eyes filled with zeal, moved to blanket part of the tavern in a veil of silence with a devotion of her own. She then quickly moved to wake the other custodians from their stupor.
It was enough to give the custodians pause. This allowed Emrys to start working his persuasive magic. At the top of the stairs, Neamhan saw the silhouette of a tiny figure standing down the hallway, who drew a tiny rapier made from an odd, dark metal and exclaimed in a short burst of words that “the realm” was under attack. Thinking quickly, Neamhan asked Wynn the Quickling whether he was in need of a steed, and when he nodded fiercely, she shifted her form into that of a timber wolf. Eager to charge forth, Wynn jumped onto her back and held onto her mane with one hand, brandishing his sword, while they charged down the stairs to take up position with Quentin and Astrid. This evoked another curse from Birna declaring the Careless Wanderer to be a fey-infested warren.
Emrys continued to appeal to the justices, especially Erlus, suggesting that with the impending arrival of Epidemius there were more important things to be concerned with than Neamhan’s ill-chosen words. The justice seemed susceptible to the notion, but Birna whispered zealous words into his ear. Erlus suggested a compromise; the heroes would turn Neamhan over to the custodians at the Tomb of St. Catherine in Eastminster for judgment, and further escalation could be avoided.
When the custodians had left the Careless Wanderer, Wynn seemed slightly disappointed that a fight had been avoided. There was a wicked look in his golden eyes that thirsted for some satisfaction. Sensing this, Neamhan, still in the form of the timber wolf, started bucking and thrashing giving Wynn a chance to tire out with a rodeo. Eventually, the wolf started spinning so fast that the quickling was ripped off its back. He flew through the air, made a deft backflip before gracefully landing. With a flourish, he sheathed his blade and then ran off, leaving behind a jingle of windchimes.
The ruckus roused Falka from her nap upstairs, and she came downstairs to join the heroes, who were discussing how to handle this situation. Falka learned about the situation with the custodians in Kingsport, and the heroes learned that Bournemouth did not have the same problem, but that the custodians had attempted to get a foothold in Eastray.
The heroes agree that they want to find Jan, the custodian they liberated from the aberrant lords and fought alongside the heroes to defeat Xarrombus. It was thought that perhaps he could mediate between the custodians and the heroes in an attempt to save Neamhan from persecution. Falka had a relationship with Prementhine Shakeslock, the defacto leader of the custodians, as he was once a lecturer at the Bournemouth Academy. She volunteered to visit the Tomb of St. Catherine on the heroes behalf.
Eventually, the conversation lead where it often lead; what to do next. The heroes considered leaving Kingsport, but Quentin felt that they had made a binding commitment to Emma to deal with Muirgheal. The heroes wondered whether the Newport Vault would be a suitable place for Muirgheal, since this was where most of the Arms of the Senhadrim in their possession had originated from. The vaults were made to hold such items, and it felt worth considering storing Muirgheal there.
