Jak is dragged into a small room and seated at the other side of a table.
The Silver Sword Guild wants to prosecute Jak for the incident at the guild house at the Keep. They also want to know more about who was impersonating guards on one of their caravans. The guards think that Jak might be another spy. The churches are called in for their advice on the illithid, Squishy, that's in town.
The priests do some preliminary spell casting. Detect Evil - not evil, Detect Chaos - chaotic, Zone of Truth lasting 1 min/level (6 min) [Jak succeeds his save for both castings.]
Jak asks what he's being charged with. "Since you’re the one walking around with a severed head in your bag, we’ll be asking the questions. Who are you working for?"
Nobody. I was just passing through with a cloth merchant at the Keep.
"What is your purpose here in Forge Valley?" I got an apprenticeship under the mage, Erol.
"What is your involvement with the Silver Swords Guild?" No involvement.
"What is your relationship to the illithid?" What’s an illithid? The priest gestures with his fingers below his chin. Oh, that. He’s someone I met. We've traveled with each other a bit.
"Are you working for him?" No.
"Are you under his control?" No.
"Why is it here?" ...
"What is your exact relationship to Erol?" I’ve been his apprentice for the last 3 days.
"Why were you snooping around the Guild House at the keep?" I was trying to find a job.
"What kind did you hope to find?" Any sort of work.
"Why did you leave the keep?" Couldn’t find any work worth my while.
"Do you know the penalty for impersonating a guild official?" No idea.
"What do you know of the bandit raid on the north pass?" Jak, thinks they are referring to the attack when the bandits ambushed he and Elf. We were attacked on the pass south of the keep. We haven’t been north of the keep, except once. We ran into a dwarf clearing out a cave…Feldrum. [The guards go to confirm Feldrum’s raid report. They plan to return to the keep the next day.]
The guards show Jak the 2 merchants & 4 guards. I saw them at the festival at the Keep. They decide to release Jak around noon.
The guards are somewhat convinced that Jak is not a spy, but they will keep an eye on him. Nobody wants to get into a legal matter with Erol, however. Erol has the financial backing of a mage’s guild and would drag out the court proceedings for months. Rather than face an expensive trial, Jak is set free. The Raven Robbers are most intrigued about how Jak was able to infiltrate the Silver Sword Guild.
The party gathers just outside town and discusses what has been happening. Jak explains they were asking a lot about Squishy and his race. Elf wants to know when Jak broke into the guild house. They understand that they all have a bad mark on their reputations. They plan to track down the bandit gang (with the 1,000 gp reward) that ambushed Elf & Jak earlier. They need to recruit mercenaries for the job. That should put them in good standing with the town officials.
Back at the tower, Erol is frantic about not having his research books, yet.
Mary goes around trying to recruit mercenaries. She offers 1,000 gp just to go out and search; 500 gp up front. She manages to recruit four people: Mike (Ftr 0), Taylor (Ftr 1), Frawn (Ftr 2), and Demnek (Ftr 2).
Jak goes ahead of them to the river to inform Squishy that others are coming. Sure, the four mercenaries are a bit taken aback at Squishy, but they are getting paid over a decade’s wages just to walk along. The party heads out by 3 in the afternoon.
They reach the forest in about 3 hours. They travel along the forest edge another two hours before making camp. They discuss tales, eggs, and rumors of attacks in the area. Squishy & Mary set up just beyond the firelight. Mary digs a little hole to sleep in. Everyone goes to sleep except Squishy. Mary stays up another 2 hours.
Mary spots a boar sniffing around the camp. She charges it before it gets to close. The startled boar attacks her. Mary is seriously injured and withdraws back to her hole. Squishy keeps out of sight and uses his mind thrust ability. The boar follows Mary back to her hole. Mary is knocked unconscious. Solaera is woken by the squealing boar. The boar sees Solaera approaching and charges her, but overruns its target. Squishy blasts the boar. Solaera casts cure light wounds and lesser vigor to revive Mary. Mary pulls the carcass into her hole with her.
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