After cleaning up the loot, The Strangers explored the cavern and found stairs leading further into the mountain. Based on the information they had, they felt that the duergar kingdom down further and that the stairs might lead them to the kingdom. They followed the stairs and only found dwarf/duergar like footprints in the dust. When they reached the bottom of the stairs they found a large underground room, lit by glowing lichen. The room was so big that they could not make out the other side of it. A trail of the foot prints seemed to lead through the open. They saw a river and a pyramid surrounded by water to one side. The group decided to come back to explore this area after they had restocked in town. They went back up and remembered that their prisoner, a derro, might be affected by the light so they covered him up. They also weighed going down the other way of the river but based on their dream felt that they should come back after they had gained more experience. The imprisoned undead seemed deadly even though the group already has a great deal of experience in dealing with the monsters of Castle Whiterock.
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The group returned to the sanctuary and gathered up Katana and Thera and headed back to the surface. The made it back to the Keep without incident and checked in with Hugin to see how things were going. The local dwarven clan, Dronil, was busy at work adding in an outer wall for the Keep, and had repaired the door. The supplies were still holding out and the Hofers were busy farming and planting for the summer season.
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After making sure the Keep was safe, the group headed into town to turn over their prisoner and talk to the Patriarch. The Patriarch told them that he wanted to make an announcement in the town commons about how the Truemen would not be tolerated and that The Strangers would be supporting the Lantern Guard and the Magna'gard to find the culprits, no matter who they were. The group agreed to work with the Patriarch and to provide guard duty during his announcement.
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The group then went to visit Lady Talbusk, taking the book they had found in the sanctuary. She accepted the book and teared up slightly as she read through. She mentioned that she recognized her father's handwriting at the end, where it wrote about the ambush and killing of the other paladins of the group. She also teared up when she saw the straw dolls the group had brought back, mentioning that her father had made those for her and the dolls brought back happy memories of when her father was alive.
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The Strangers then told her about the dream that they had all had in the Sanctuary that seemed to indicate that her father wanted his bodies interred with his companions at the sanctuary. As they described the dream, she grew pale and very still, then told them that she had dreamed the same thing in the last few nights. After hearing of their story, she bowed her head, then looked at each of them and said “My father was first and foremost a paladin and a protector, he would want his bones to rest where he could continue to provide protection, even in his death. My clerics and acolytes will prepare his body for travel and we will go up to this sanctuary with you. We need a few weeks in order to prepare the body and ourselves for his final journey.”
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The group agreed that they would go up with Lady Talbusk and accompany her to the sanctuary. She also expressed interested in setting up a permanent group of defenders at the Castle in order to help keep peace. The stories from The Strangers seemed to indicate that it might help if there was someone guarding the main entrance, perhaps even working to bring the Castle back for defense of the area. She also told them she was working some of the nobles on the idea of offering work for the refugees in town at farming, blacksmithing and other activities in order to reduce the chaos. She then thanked them for their efforts and said that she would support them and she would start taking a more active role in fightin the chaos in Cillamar, including the Truemen. The Strangers thanked her for her support before going back into town.
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Coravel had been contacted by Batard Ost, the head of the rogue's guild and he was asked to come for a visit and to bring the rest of the group. The group then went over and found out that Batard was also concerned about the Truemen and that the people of The Warrens were asking him for help and protection against the attacks. The attacks were now cutting into the business of the guild and he had also heard rumors that he, the Patriarch or both might be attacked by an assassin. He knew that the group was working with the Patriarch and he asked them to act as an intermediary since his visits would reduce the political effectiveness of the Patriarch. The group agrees if the Patriarch will also agree. After a visit to the Patriarch, he also agrees saying that Batard is a thief but an honest thief who will keep his word.
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The group then prepares for the Patriarch's speech about fighting the Truemen. The speech is given on the night of the dark moon, the night when the Truemen have been performing their raids and attacks in the Warrens. At dusk, the townspeople gather in the commons and The Strangers spread out in the crowd, to help keep the peace. While the Patriarch is giving his speech, Aramil notices some odd fellows that look like Lantern Guardsmen, but not quite. While going over to investigate, one of the 'guards' fires at the Patriarch while another attempts to fire at Batard. As this happens, Brock, Coravel and Quis'Ari move in towards the two, pushing through the crowded commons area. They also signal to the Lantern Guardsmen and the Magna'gard to protect the Patriarch and move towards the attackers.
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Before they can be stopped, one of the attackers hits the Patriarch, who then drops. Aramil flies into check on the Patriarch while the others try to get to the attackers. In the meantime, the crowds have panicked and are trying to exit the square. Batard and his guards are also moving towards the attackers. The two attackers continue to fire at the Patriarch, while slowly backing out of the square. Brock and Coravel move close enough to attack the two and hand out some damage as the two continue to back away. One of the attackers fights back, while the others pulls at him to keep moving for an escape. The two take more damage but before they can be knocked unconscious or killed they suddenly disappear from the crowd.
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In the meantime, Aramil has looked over the Patriarch and realizes that he is poisoned and will die soon if he is not healed. He dimension doors to the temple of Iomedae, where Lady Talbusk and the clerics run in. He gives a quick assessment of the situation and asks them to help, then flies back to the Commons, just as the square is emptying out and the guards and The Strangers are assessing what happened. Aramil announces that the Patriarch is safe to the remaining crowd and then joins the group. A search is made of the surrounding area but the two attackers are not found. Batard and the Patriarch thank the group for their help and the Strangers return to their Keep. The session ended here.
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