Letter 14: Masters of Disguise & an Ambush Gone Suddenly Wrong

General Summary

Mother,
As we recovered in our rooms we had very deep discussions about what had happened, why, and what we should do about it. Baermak was very curious, looking for every detail (even about our Kingdom). Probably in order to craft better songs.
He cast a spell on Alyonna to bring her back to her normal state, but even still she looked…poorly. She had been fed so much Glow that she was now an addict.
I learned a great deal about their cultures here. Not as much about the Sylvan culture, but certainly these mainlanders in general. Drug use seems rampant across all of their cultures, and not just alcohol. It is big, big business here. Making drugs. Providing drugs. Selling drugs. And Glow is very popular. Very!
Vessyr claims to have invented Glow, in fact. I am dubious, as he is not the most trustworthy sort. He has not been forthcoming thus far, so it seems not much a stretch that he would be spinning a nugget of truth into a grand triumphant mountain of glory with him at the top. However, I do believe that he had something to do with its production. He may even have been instrumental. They have been after him for the formula, which means he must have been integral. But that he invented it? Really?
They've also been after him for personal reasons. The scar on Eleorman’s face was due to Vessyr burning down a warehouse in order to sabotage a business deal between the Unseen and the Nightshades. So both groups are after him. But for Eleorman it was personal.
Of great interest to everybody is the fact that Eleorman turns out to have been a Sylvan all along.
Why are the Sylvans interested in Glow? Why did they infiltrate the Nightshade organization? Who else in the organization is actually a Sylvan?
Of greatest interest to us, though, is what Baermak determined, looking at the various journals and letters: the Sylvans are planning an expedition. An expedition to excavate a ruin. A ruin on our island.
They are coming to The Kingdom.
Mother, they are coming home!
I must return with haste, but still, we have loose ends to tie up; loose ends that we cannot leave dangling. Though I also greatly look forward to seeing Kronik. I have been practicing with this Sylvan sword every day, but still the balance feels off, the curve misplaced. I am not comfortable using it in battle, and could use his help mastering the weapon.
After much, much, too much discussion, we decided we needed to find out how Alyonna was compromised. Was it her contact in town that sold her out? Somebody with the Lightkeepers?
This is an open door at our back, and we must find a way to close it. "Let not the prey in front distract from the threat behind!"
Disguised as we left the ship, we noticed a carriage loitering, waiting for somebody. Aleorman?
It must have been!
We quickly returned to the ship and re-disguised ourselves. Vessyr disguised himself as Aleorman. Alyona re-dressed in the gown she was wearing as a prisoner and pretended to be drugged. Ingoria disguised herself as one of the other Drow who was with Aleorman. Baermak, good at spinning a tale but not a disguise, was himself and carried himself as if he belonged. Vessyr make me invisible, and I flew over to the carriage and gently landed on top while the rest of our crew all sauntered towards it.
The waiting team simply opened the door and waited for our “Aleorman” to board the carriage.
It had worked!
I was surprised, amazed, relieved...incredulous!
As we left the dock I noticed a man set down his beer, a woman turn from a shop window, two people in conversation stop, and a man cleaning his horse all simultaneously stop what they were doing, turn, and leave.
Their back-up plan!
The carriage drove outside of town, to an area dominated by mushroom farms. It eventually stopped at a particular farm, and a house. They opened the carriage door for “Aleorman” and he walked, with his (our) little party up to the house. I stayed on the carriage, perched atop, keeping a lookout.
I could see that Vessyr was strutting, enjoying the role and playing it to the hilt.
The door opened as “Aleorman” approached, and another Drow began chatting with him.
And then attacked him.
It happened so fast I was almost unprepared!
“Aleorman” was apparently Vessyr again.
Throwing stars began appearing, and Alyona grabbed one from the air and threw it back at her attacker! I do so love when she does that. Somebody cast a spell on our team, and the Drow from the carriage began closing in on our group. They were unaware that I was behind them. Then our team began stepping gingerly, as if they were dodging something or other. Ingoria sprinted a short distance, as if running away from something, dipping and hopping as she ran, then turned and fired at one of the Drow from the carriage.
A Drow appeared in a window on the second story and threw shuriken at Ingoria.
I knew to attack him, but thought the mage (who had been on the carriage with us) would be a better initial target. He had done something to our team. I couldn’t tell what, but something. So I shot him from behind.
Being still invisible, I was able to take my time as on an immobile practice target. I focused, drew down, and loosed. My arrow landed solidly in the center of his back, and I saw him cough up blood as he lurched forward and began to turn.
He was not dead, somehow.
And he was turning toward me.
And he was a mage.
So I shot him again.
He hadn’t moved, so I needn’t change my aim, really. I simply sent the next arrow to the same space! I aimed slightly higher so as to make a new wound, and I think I may have actually pierced his heart; he dropped immediately, like a doll falling from a child’s hand.
So then I shot the sniper in the window. Finally!
It landed solidly, but did not drop him.
More enemies appeared. A rogue came impressively rolling out of a window, landing beside Vessyr and stabbing him. Another enemy appeared from around the side of the house, closing with Baermak and cutting into him. The man in the window threw more shuriken at Ingoria, and at least one landed. She stopped in her tracks; not moving, not attacking, not dodging. The shurikens were poisoned! Just like the ones used at the dock.
The man in the window landed more shuriken in Ingoria, and still she didn’t move. So I killed him.
Baermak was engaged with the man next to him, trading blows.
That’s when the man standing next to Ingoria dropped her. Alyona was there and killed him, then ran up to the door to fight against the rogue and the man in the door, both hammering on her grandfather. As much as I wanted to loose more arrows, I sprinted to Ingoria and poured a healing potion down her throat.
While I kneeled over her prone body I saw the rogue in the doorway fall.
The man in the door immobilized Vessyr as Alyonna began beating on him. While I took stock of the situation, Ingoria jumped to her feet, sprinted to the house, leapt through the open window, somehow appeared behind the man in the doorway…and ripped his throat out!
I'm pretty sure I'm glad I revived her.
Never let a ‘Baxi behind you!
So I killed the man in front of Baermak.
We began moving the bodies into the house, and I took a look at the surrounding buildings on the farm. As I looked about, I saw that several farmers on a neighboring farm had heard the commotion of battle, and were headed our way.
They called out in Drow. I didn’t understand what they were saying, but they were clearly asking for somebody, repeating the name several times.
Ingoria, searching the house, found the bodies of the farmers who lived here. So these Drow drug dealers had killed the poor farmers in order to make a safe house.
And their neighbors were checking in on them.
They were Drow, so Vessyr had a conversation with them, and they left.
Meanwhile, Baermak had stabilized two of the Drow drug dealers. We bandaged them and brought them back to consciousness. And Vessyr interrogated them.
In his special way.
They seemed, both of them, quite forthcoming, conversing with both Vessyr and Alyonna. Though at one point Vessyr used his mechanical spider to elicit additional information, which they provided.
I have no idea what was said, but unfortunately there was not much to be gleaned. Vessyr told us that they were simply foot soldiers. We learned that Eleorman conversed mostly through his lieutenants, who we had all killed. He didn’t have a single base of operations. They were here at the farm simply as a gathering point before heading to the next destination, which these men didn’t know.
So we headed back to town.
On the way back, I noticed a patrol of the local Watch heading to the farmhouse, lead by one of the neighbors. We stayed out of their view.
After we got to the town we chartered a boat, and headed for Freehold.
We really do need to find out how Alyona was compromised. I really need to figure out how to use this sword. But I really need to get home. I must tell the court what we've learned!

Report Date

24 Jul 2022