As Durim begins to feel queasy, our band of valiant adventurers questions the apprentice. He leads our band, reluctantly, to the shack where he and his master lived, and shows them the precious spellbooks therein. Huzzah! But as they leave the swamp and investigate Coriander further, a grizzled old citizen of the Empire approaches the party, and warns them: "You best not stick around here - those men have kin, and they'll come looking for you, now. Those men there were more swamp than man, and this town's just gonna get more so, over time." Introducing himself as Garn Pettigrew, he tells the party the rest of his family set off for Penumbria, but he was too stubborn and attached to his land to leave. Realizing that Garn meant his message as advice, and not a threat - and that they'd likely looted the village of its valuables - the party heads off East, out of town.
A day or so outside of town the party is met by a sky-clad woman flanked by two giant alligators; intrigued, the party starts a conversation with Caratra Millner, who brings a message and asks a favor of our intrepid band. "I speak for the land," she says, "And the land is troubled. You are not priests - but you know priests, yes? We would meet with your priests, if they can discuss, and not dismiss..." This is almost more than AOfEk can stand, and he angrily questions her ability to 'speak for the land', her need to meet with priests, and whether she truly wishes to help, or just to talk and converse without acting. She leaves non-plussed, but the party agrees to pass a message along to Tomas - Caratra the Druid says that Tomas will be visited by a raven to arrange a meeting.
Heading to Penumbria the party leaves their prisoner with Tomas, and reports both what they have found in Coriander (the crucified priest, the attack, and the words of Garn) and their meeting with Caratra. Tomas is disturbed and puzzled, but agrees to a meeting with the druids.
Two days from Tounder the party meets three of the people from Loxley's compound - fleeing the blood and screams of a cultist's attack. They say that cultists attacked in the night, setting barns on fire and killing everyone they saw - the three were lucky to escape alive. Investigating, the party finds the compound burned to the ground, with several bodies - mostly burnt, but some identifiable as cultists, sure enough. Two small bodies - children or midgets - were also found. The three panicked former soldiers decide to stay and bury their friends. Durim continues to eat the delicious grapes, even though they cause him so much discomfort he needs to ride on the tart. I mean, the cart.
The party then continues south to Tounder, and a meeting with Captain Georges. It goes poorly, and little is resolved. On to the temple, where Justian is told of his new orders - give up the post to Tounder, and come investigate the demon SHELOI. Simon reluctantly assumes the mantle of leadership, and Justian - laughing ruefully when told that he was chosen, according to the Emporer, because he was expendable - packs his meager belongings and saddles up with the party.
On the road the party is attacked by cultists! The party has some little difficulty, but with Father Justian's help the enemies are all dispatched. One of the cultists cast divine spells, but invoked an entity named IX (or maybe IXIA). and not Joven.
Uh-oh. That is some strange, bad shit.
Back to Penumbria and a brief hello to Tomas, and then to Applo, where Justian wants to see the tomb where this all might have begun....
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