Umber

A mysterious threat menaces Blasingdell and its Pelorites.

After hearing the tale of Nightfang Spire, Svengali shakes his head. “The world goes mad everywhere, it seems.” He pulls a sheaf of papers out of a pouch. “I bring two pieces of news which appear to be good, but between the writing and the delivery much has gone sour. I’ve been trying to get these to you for weeks, but you’ve been hard to find, my friends. Hadrack suggested I try to pick up your trail in Salt Marsh, but it was as if the earth had swallowed you whole. It wasn’t until The Bard came to Blasingdell that I had any inkling of where you might be. Once Psydney’s sister told us you’d apparently prevailed, I figured you’d head here.” He gives everyone time to read Lord Berrick and Haissha’s invitation and Glom Gargull’s letter.

Kuhlefaran wads her copies into a ball and pitches them into the fire, grumbling, “I don’t want to sit around Blasingdell toasting newlyweds and studying economic forecasts with a bunch of Pelorites and dwarves.”

“Well,” Marial says, “there is still research to be done if we are to advance in our quest, and I’m afraid I’ll be conspicuous doing it. It’s a little far-flung, but…”

Kuhlefaran leaps up as if to leave immediately, dragging Marial with her. “Far-flung? Perfect. Let’s talk.”

Everyone else looks at Svengali expectantly. “Let’s just say,” he begins, “that I hope there are still a bride, a groom, and a cleric to perform the ceremony. Sporadic attempts have been made on the lives of pretty much every Pelorite in town for the past several months. They were clumsy, but persistent. About the same time, Scald reported catching sight of orcs in the forest around the Stone Tooth. Needless to say, they gave a unicorn a wide berth, but he thinks they’re still there.

“A month ago, the Temple of Pelor was burned to the ground during the night. Sir Geoffrey Lang, a very old friend of Haissha’s, disappeared during that incident. That was enough of a blow to the town, but unfortunately, your baby Keraptis disappeared with him.” He grins wryly. “Haissha’s not exactly the maternal type, and for some reason Sir Geoffrey took a real liking to him. We figured there were worse ways for the kid to grow up than under the watchful eye of a paladin of Pelor. But now they’re both missing.

“Then about two weeks ago, someone tried to assassinate Lord Berrick, and there was nothing clumsy about that attack. Haissha and Constable Whitewood wanted to virtually close the town to visitors, but Berrick wouldn’t hear of it. And now he insists on going ahead with the wedding, so the place will be packed to the gills with all the family and friends and hangers-on that an aristocrat tends to accumulate.

“In short, something strange is going on back there. The town refuses to lay down and die — they even banded together and rebuilt the temple in record time for the nuptials — but their resources are stretched past the limit. Sounds like you’ve got other things going on, but I can’t believe that Blasingdell’s being under siege is completely unrelated to its proximity to Khundrakar. We just have time to make it to Blasingdell for the wedding, and then I suggest heading out to the Glitterhame. Will you come?”

While the party is musing over what they’ve heard, Kuhlefaran returns. “I’m off within the hour. I’m not sure where I’ll be going, big towns or small, but if there’s anything you want me to look for, spell components or scrolls and such, give me a list before I go.” Marial asks to accompany you at least as far as Blasingdell. Meepo looks up from beneath a tree where he and Edwina are playing and announces, “Then I go too!”