Ian is attracting a lot of attention as he walks in the corridor. Servants are doing double takes and there is hesitancy. There is a lot of excessive bowing, more than usual. Ian double checks himself to make sure nothing is off about his attire or appearance.
The group walks into the room. Sitting there is the wife of the director of council of peace, Katrina. Ian is surprised to see her. Jean recognizes her.
A woman with a red and white leather mask walks in. She has long flowing blonde hair and elaborate and richly embroidered robes. No one can see her face. She introduces the entire group: Gardener Skid, Master Ian Wayne, Maria .., Jean Snell, and the Quatro. She then introduces Katrina Gupta. She tells the group that they are going on a little mission for the sake of the emperor and the empire. A very powerful and dangerous artifact has disappeared from the palace vaults where it was kept for safe keeping.
Ian inquiries as to what special skills Katrina brings to the group. She rattles off the square root of some high number. Ian asks how that will help with the retrieval of a magical artifact. The masked woman assures the group that Katrina brings many talents that will come in handy.
The amulet of Nanazemene. When worn it produces dangerous visions and delusions that makes the wearer act erratically. A thief stole it and has made it to a country outside the city. The last time he was scryed, he was about to enter a villa owned by the Wayne family. All this happened yesterday. Ian proposes that they may find the thief incapacitated by one of the house traps. The masked woman warns that the thief is one of the imperial guardsmen and may have tricked the serfs.
The guard’s name is Olafsson. He’s worked here for years. He’s of a middling family who worked his way up. There is no known link between the family and the rebels. There was a scandal that the youngest, Javier, wasn’t willing to get married. There were whispers as to why he refused to be married. It would be preferable to question him to see if this is part of a larger conspiracy. A public trail and execution is always to the benefit of keeping order.
A carriage will escort them all the way to the Wayne estate. The keyhole on the manacles is fake. The manacles are magical. She informs the group that Ian is running the mission and everyone is to report to him and follow his orders. She also tells Ian that he can magically remove the manacles by simply touching it and willing it so. Ian observes the group as they are given this information. No one seems upset or annoyed by Ian being in charge. Maria, however, is annoyed that a gardener is accompanying them but not as a servant.
Jean recognizes Maria as Maria Ramirez, the daughter of Calypso, the great hero of the battle of Ion. He knows that she has been training at the council of magic. The son is working a simple role there. Calypso’s husband has drunk himself into oblivion.
The group is provided healing potions and other necessary items such as antitoxins.
Ian infers that this woman is the second or fourth wife. Jean inquiries as to the guardian’s abilities. He’s from Ghoran Prime. He is able to heal. Maria knows that Ghoran Prime has a favored status for not resisting the emperor when he first started to consolidate the chaos of the galaxy into a unified peaceful empire.
A serving girl brings a tray of goodies. Ian notices that she subtly cringes when she sees him. She returns with a glass of mead and looks over at Ian as though expecting him to beat her.
Maria asks Katrina what crime she committed. She says she’s allegedly a rebel. Ian point blank asks her if she’s a rebel. Katrina says no. Maria and Ian agree that she is a very gifted liar.
Jean brown noses Maria. Ian observes everyone’s interaction and takes note of what they say.
The masked woman gives Jean a wand. He then hands Ian a bag full of ten nonlabelled flasks. She undoes Katrina’s leg manacles. Ian wonders if they were sent to dispatch Katrina, but he quickly realizes that is not the case.
The masked woman leads the group down the hall. They all (minus the Quatro) notice that the servants do double takes when they see Ian and they appear scared. The group is led to the carriage that is run by two trolls and a man with a whip. Katrina says, “Hi, Bob,” to the man with the whip. He nods.
Maria offers to fly from a distance to keep an eye on the carriage. The masked lady tells her she prefers Maria inside with the others, the third eye can keep an eye on things. Ian, Katrina, and Quatro sit facing back and Maria, Jean, and Kid Skid sit facing forward.
The rumor is that if you mention the emperor’s name, it brings his attention to you.
The group passes the noble district, the mid-level district, and then the servant’s level. Jean’s eye notices that someone is about to stumble into the way of the carriage. The carriage jolts to a stop and the driver yells at the man to get out of the way. Jean sees that the man has no weapons and only a deflated wineskin. Jean throws him a silver to get him to move out of the way. The man dives for the silver. He reeks of alcohol. Maria recognizes the man as her father.
The walls next to the city gate have fresh heads on the spikes. The carriage passes a slum area outside the city. It reeks. Starving people beg for coin. Maria snarls at them in disgust. The carriage eventually makes it to the noble land with serfs working the land. Through the arcane eye, Jean spots a large group lurking in the shadows. They appear to be pulling out weapons. Jean warns that there is an ambush up ahead. ‘
Ian jumps out of the carriage, pulls out his batwings, flies to the first goblin and punches him in the jaw. Despite punching him hard, the goblin rubs his chin but remains standing. Ollie gives Quatro bark skin. Jean teleports across the field to the other side of the goblin mob. Maria flies out and casts a green ball of flame. Surprisingly, the goblins are fine. One pulls out a staff, a beam of fiery energy shoots out and engulfs the carriage driver. Quatro jumps out of the carriage and heads toward the mob.
Katrina gives Ollie a weird look and vibrates for a moment. Meanwhile, Ian continues punching the goblin in front of him. He knocks him out. One of the goblins yells, “Gobber. They took out Gobber.” He turns and punches another goblin, taking him out. Another goblin yells, “Gobber. They took out Gobber two.”
Ollie steps outside of the carriage to find the driver enveloped in flames. He douses him and the fire goes out. Jean gestures and mirror like shards fly toward the mob of goblins. The goblins are now burnt and bloodied. Jean asks, “Are you willing to surrender?”
One of the goblins turns to the others and says, “I thought she said they were going to be easy.” Maria shoots a fireball at the mob of goblins, taking out a bunch of goblins.
The goblins yell, “Gobber, Gobber, Gobber, and Gobber two are out. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard.” They turn and run. Ian knocks one unconscious so they can interrogate him.
Quatro runs toward a running goblin and swings his axe at him. He misses because he recognizes the goblin as a part of a troop of touring goblins. They released half a dozen lions in the stadium with the goblins. They supposedly left and moved on.
Katrina continues trying to use her powers. The manacles suppress everything she tries. Ian ties up the goblin he knocked out. Ollie heals the driver. Jean casts a spell to block the goblin’s withdrawal. The goblin spellcaster casts a spell that undoes Jean’s spell, and they continue running. The goblin with Quatro recognizes him and runs.
Ian calls Ollie over to rouse the tied goblin. Jean casts a final spell on the retreating goblin with the staff. The goblin nimbly avoids the daggers flying toward him.
Ollie places his hand on the goblin, waking him up. Ian uses intimidation to interrogate the goblin. He discovers that a woman paid each goblin 10 gold to ambush them. The woman wore a veil.
Ian and the group discuss the circumstances. Ian speculates that either someone tried to frame one of the wives or one of the wives wants to prevent them from getting the artifact. Quatro adds that the goblins were gladiators. Maria asks Ian if the Madam recruited him. Upon finding out that his father was the one who recruited him, Maria turns a suspicious eye on Ian.
The carriage rumbles as it enters the Wayne estate. When he steps off the carriage, the ground shakes. He sees a dozen of his servants gathered around the shed with guards who are drawing their swords.
Maria casts light on the group. They are startled, but one servant notices Ian and runs over to him. Ian is told that there is an intruder in the shed. The group decides to go investigate in case its Javier. As the ground shakes, Ian asks the spellcasters if they can identify what is causing the quakes. Ollie wonders if it’s something big burrowing underground. Jean knows that arcane spells can be cast that quake the earth, but it is usually more
Katrina tells Ian that she is a Derlen and can shape change. Ian thinks she’s deluded. Maria is invisible and can walk through the door. Ian asks her to scout ahead. Maria blinks into the room and casts light on the other side of the room. She sees Javi and casts hold person on him. Maria calls the others into the room.
Ian and the others walk in. He ties up Javi who is suddenly very happy to see Ian. Ian has never seen this man before. Maria becomes instantly suspicious. Javi becomes distraught that Ian doesn’t recognize him. Ian intimidates Javi and finds out the artifact is under a specific pumpkin patch. Katrina and Javi discuss the fact that time and space is not the way it’s supposed to be. Javi recognizes all the others. Maria flies back and prepares to attack. She stops Ian from looking for the artifact. She wants Quatro to go with Javi instead. The two quarrel.
The shaking intensifies. Then something erupts right under Quatro. Out comes a purple worm.
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