Fleeing the Keep

9/19

In the morning, Solaera tells the Curate about the Priest of Erythnul. The Curate says it is a delicate matter with all the influence the Priest has within the keep. The Curate thanks her and blesses Solaera and Mary.
[The Curate goes to tell the Castellon about the matter.]

The Party sets out for Forge Valley. They spot 3 orcs on the way.
[The three orcs are an exiled chief and his 2 loyal followers. They stop about a hundred feet away and debate about fighting the party.]
In his anxiety, Jak shoots himself in the foot causing the orcs start laughing at him. Jak shoots again and the orcs decide to charge. Squishy blasts two of them with mind thrust. Elf evokes two magic missiles at one. Jak manages to impale one and thrust his great sword through a second. They find 74 gp and the leather armor the chief was wearing. Solaera casts cure light wounds on Jak.
Squishy eats one of their brains as they dispose of the bodies to the side of the road. Mary utilizes her claws to bury the bodies in shallow graves.
The Party continues their journey and arrives in Forge Valley just after the sun sets behind the mountains.

[Meanwhile, the Sergeant of the Watch (Drayden) is escorting the Jeweler & his party north through the pass. They come across a group of merchants that say they were robbed 3 days ago. All of their horses and 2 carts were taken. As proof, they show their guild membership badges.
Drayden turns around and gallops back to the keep. He arrives within 2 hours and asks for 2 files of cavalry and a new horse. He storms into the Guild and asks about everyone who arrived for the festival and if any discrepancies arose. The Guild master says he was just going over the material that some inspectors inquired about last night. He asks for everything to be copied and brought to the stables immediately. The commotion alerts just about everyone within the keep. The Castellon & Curate receive a message of what’s known during their meeting about the Priest of Erythnul. The Castellon approves the pursuit of the merchant impostors.
The Sergeant and 15 cavalry ride hard south towards the city of Forge Valley. Five cavalry accompany Mycran (Acolyte 1) north to tend to the robbed merchants.
The Sergeant’s troop catches the merchants 2 hours before they reach Forge Valley.]
 
Forge Valley
Elf & Jak go to the tower to see if they can learn some new spells. An apprentice asks them to prove their interest in the arcane. They both cast small cantrips to demonstrate their skills. The apprentice tells them to return tomorrow to negotiate an apprenticeship with his master, Erol. Otherwise, spells cost 1,400 gp/spell level to purchase.
Squishy goes to a tavern looking for an artist of the arcane. He avoids talking to a drunk, some dwarves, and the elves there. He meets a wizard that does recognize him as an illithid. Squishy asks if there is a place where he can study philosophy of the Planes. He’s told the Temple of Gond or the wizard’s tower would be the best places.
Mary and Solaera wander around town looking for temples. Four exist in town: Moradin, Garl Glittergold, Gond, and St Cuthbert.
After wandering a while, Squishy goes outside town to soak in the river.