When the group reaches the Path of Aganhei it is a time of parting for two members of the group. Ulf will return to his home on the other side of the crown. He would be accompanied by Koya who wants to contact a temple of Desna about reconsecrating the crypts they have traveled through. While she would enjoy the travel, she feels the call of her goddess and the need set things right. The group parts way, with the Storm Peace Keepers heading south to Tian-Mia and Ulf and Koya heading North to recross the Crown.
On the way the weather slowly changes from winter to warmer temperatures. There are green things growing and flowing water, a welcome site after months of traveling in snow, glaciers and darkness. Along the road the group is attacked by giant spiders. The spiders are in the trees and attack as the group passes by. After a short encounter, the spiders are defeated and the group continues on their way. After several weeks of traveling, the group sees a walled town ahead of them. Approaching the gate, they are greeted by guards to the city of Ordu-Aganhei. It is the off season for trade and the guards are suspicious of the caravan. Just as the guards finish their search of the caravan, a well dressed man runs up and prostrates himself before the group. He welcomes them in the name of Prince Batsaikhar to the city of Ordu-Aganhei and invites the group to the palace to rest and talk with the Prince. The prince hopes that he will be honored with clever speech of strange lands from the group.
The group chooses to accept the offer and they enter the city. The man who greeted them, Chua, gives a black rose to each woman in the party with the words “There is no fire like the fire in the souls of the women of far lands. Beauty is the wisdom of women, and wisdom is the beauty of men.” As he leads the group the city, they see sights that seem familiar yet have a foreign flavor to them. They hear the language of Tien all around them, with people eating with sticks instead of knives like civilized people. There are many street performers performing dangerous acts, such as dodging arrows and martial arts displays. There are many shops offering many different goods, and many shout out offers as the group walks by. There is also street food that looks odd, such as rice and noodles, fried rabbit ears and other odd foods. The oddest thing is that everyone is smiling as they pass and the locals look anxious to please.
The group meets with Prince Batsaikhar in his palace. He greets them, smiling all the time while surrounded by bodyguards. He asks them about their journey and the group shares of their tale over the crown of the world. As the group shares their stories, he continues smiling and seems pleased. However, when Darsus offered help to the Prince, Darsus sensed a subtle change in the Prince’s demeanor although he did not stop smiling. At the end of the stories, the Prince offered the group a place to stay in the palace and instructed the servants to lead them to their rooms. He also said there would be a feast, the Five Feasts of Hongal in honor of their visit. The first feast would be that evening and there would be food and entertainment. When the servants appear to lead the Storm Peace Keepers to their rooms, he instructs the servants to treat the group as royal guests. The rooms are luxurious with goose feather beds, warm fireplaces, access to steaming lakes to bathe in and endless assistants to help them. The group is free to wander about the rambling palace, and as they wander there are always people around them, eager to help.
The group cleaned up and wandered into the city to look around. A group of guards accompanied and the Storm Peace Keepers noticed there was always someone around the group watching them as they wandered the city. They were able to do some shopping and returned to the palace to prepare for the feast.While walking up to the palace from shopping and walking around the palace, the group noted the heads on spikes placed outside the gates. When they returned from their trip, there appeared to be two new heads outside the walls, blood still dripping down from them. They looked vaguely familiar.
At the start of the feast servants came to escort them to the central grounds of the palace. The Prince was waiting at a central table and they were escorted to join him. He welcome them to the first night of feasting, the Feast of Three. The food on the table consisted of spicy duck heads, ox forehead, turtle casserole, pigeon brains, fried chicken feet, and tiger, dragon and phoenix soup (made with cat, snake and chicken meat). Whle the group and the prince ate, the royal guards performed an exhibition of the Three Games of Hongal – mounted archery, bareback horse racing and wrestling. All through the feast, the prince kept smiling as did all of the servants and other guests.
During the conversation the prince asked the group if they could show him a similar exhibition like his guards. After some discussion, the group said they could so Sheliak and Cendrine stepped up for the exhibition. Sheliak was able to show a demonstration of mounted archery and horse racing that was better than the guards. And Cendrine was able to pin her opponent. The prince clapped and seemed delighted at their win. However, Darsus again noticed a slight tension as the prince handed them their gift of an efficient quiver and 10 +1 arrows as their prize. Later, when the group was walking about the palace, they noticed the guards of the exhibition getting whipped and cursed for their poor performance at the feast. The group went back to their rooms to sleep for the night. While the servants and attendants did not stay in the room, there were always several people close by. The session ended here.