Return to Tirasa

The party resolves to make their way back to Tirasa. This journey will be 50 miles. And will take 2 full days at normal pace or a day and a half at fast pace. The most direct route will take you back through Ukko's woods. The party could conceivably rest here for the first night.
Ukko is not home.
On the second day of travel between the woods and Tirasa, they encounter General Howlett and a battalion of men.
"You there! Halt!"
You watch as a group of soldiers on horseback circle around and make their way up to your party. They outnumber you at least 10 to 1. Most Of them have swords but you see a few with strange rare weapons (rifles) Their leader, the one who spoke, makes his way to the front and you see a very handsome man dressed on military regalia approach you
"These lands are under patrol by the armed forces of the Elder Isle. What are you doing out here?
We are here to take back this backwater country and reunite our beloved Isle.
You could be spies transporting documents for the war effort. Search them"
The soldiers train their weapons at you while one of them pats each of you down.
If he finds out you are going to Tirasa:
"Perhaps you could help with the war effort and prove your loyalty to the crown. Tirasa is currently the only city actively defying us and successfully repelling us. They seem to know when we're in the city even when we disguise ourselves.
If you could... infiltrate the city for us. See what you could find out. What their plans are. Perhaps sway the citizens to believe that we are the good guys?"
He tosses a bag of gold at you
"More where that came from IF you can deliver useful information.
I'll be in mount cashell for the remainder of the month assisting in negotiations with the local governance. I look forward to hearing what you find out..."
He starts to turn his horse around but stops and does a double take. He squints at Shitboy loooking kinda incredulous
"You there. you look familiar. Do I know you?"
He shakes his head and continues to ride off.
You continue on to Tirasa.
Magic only encounter
What would you like to do?

At the Abraxios academy: Ukko finds them at the lobby. Reunites with them. and pushes his way in to the school.
They meet Cornwallis who will answer any and all questions they have. Researchers and scholars have deduced that an artifact on the material plane must be at the cliffs of Lommond. They only recently uncovered some documents stating that a Cult of Tharizdun, being pursued by a batallion of Paladins, rushed to hide the artifact they had in their possession by delving into the underground cairns of the cliffsite and hiding it somewhere within its depths. With the soldiers closing in, They were apparently successful as the Paladins arrived soon after wiped them out and weren't able to locate the artifact afterward. So somewhere down in those deathly silent halls lies one of the artifacts You seek.
They have come across a wealth of knowledge this past few years. He informs them that they are not the only ones who came asking. Other people have paid for research purposes and materials. He is mum about who it is.
DC18 Persuasion/Decption Check to Find out who it is
DC15 Intimidation check to find out who it is.
If they get it out of him, they find out the people came from Melduinn and Antrim. They have been asking for research into the Ancient god of madness with particular emphasis on rituals and the artifacts.
Before they leave the city, A member of the Laminae stops them to deliver a message from Billy West Using Magic Mouth (cast on a book).