Perrol continues asking about the happenings in the castle since the Lord Marshall has been “outed”. Once done we decide to go to the Wizards to learn more about Valmarillion and also to see if there is a way to prevent teleportation. As we are leaving, Perrol realizes that small animals seem to have been following us. We wonder if this could be the work of Valmarillion.
We get to the Mage Academy and ask the admin if we can see Aaron. After telling her what we are interested in, she takes us back. Aaron tells us that Valmarillion has been a thorn in their side for 50+ years. He specializes in mind control and he has a very dangerous magical wand. The wand shoots fire bolts that are powerful. He is not aware of him being able to control animals. I ask him what magic items would be the best defense against Valmarillion’s mind control magic. He said one of his junior associates, Igor, would be the one to ask; we can arrange with the admin. We ask him if there are ways to prevent teleportation. He says there are ways to suppress or disrupt teleportation, but need to ask junior associate for specifics. Perrol asks more about animal communication. He also asks if anything more has been discovered about the area we investigated for them where all the mages died. He says there is a committee that was put together to study this. As we are leaving, Aaron tells us to be wary of the mage in the palace; he may be in cahoots with the Lord Marshall. We ask the admin to talk to Igor, but he is not available because he is sequestered looking at some of the Lord Marshall’s things. She says an apprentice is available though to help answer questions. We agree and she calls a page to take us down to Igor’s area to talk to one of his apprentices. He takes us to another building and into the basement. We enter a small room that has four people at four desks looking over scrolls. One of the apprentices tells us there are ways to suppress, most of which aren’t practical for us. They offer to research combating mind control and supressing teleportation for us at 20 sp. We decide to head to the temple but as we are walking, Perrol notices a cat watching us (and hissing). We don’t detect magic or evil so we let it be.
When we arrive at the Skyfather’s temple, we ask to see Aldus Manus. Mathias comes out to greet us. We tell him that we have news on the family disappearances. He says the High Priestess of Hospin, Helen Gaius, will be interested in this. We relay the story of how the families are being kidnapped so they can be sold in to slavery. He has heard of the Red Talon. He thinks we might want to talk to someone at the Temple of Aladan about the Red Talons. He does know there are four main leaders of the Red Talons; Arvagh, Kelgar Coalbeard, Valmarillion, and Yanna Windhand. We also ask if there is anyone in the church that can talk to us about suppressing teleportation and combating mind control. He says we should speak with the Priest of Varidon. We thank him for his time and head to the Temple of Hospin. On the way Kross notices small animals that seem to be watching the group. When he gets close to a cat, he hisses and runs away. He also notices a crow that is watching us. We do a test. Perrol goes close and it continues to watch the rest of us. Same for Ghoral and Jarlyn, with same result. Before we can test Glaive and Kross, someone closes a shutter and it flies away. We continue to the Temple of Hospin. When we arrive we ask to see the High Priestess. After a little while, we are taken back to see her. We give here the story of what is happening to the families. She tells us she is interested in seeing Yanna strung up because she is an assassin that may be responsible for about a half dozen priests killed in a different town. She’s mainly a thief by trade. We asks about Arvagh and she knows that he is a disowned noble of the Vestrian house of Altonshar. He is considered the unofficial leader of the Red Talons. He had a couple “appetites” that his family did not approve, which is why he was disowned. It is rumored that Kalgar and him are the ones that founded the Red Talons. Perrol gives her the whole story of how we determined this. She tells us that she doubts there are more than two of them together. She lets us know that if we decide to go down to the city, they will be willing to provide help, e.g. healing potions, food, etc.
It’s evening, so we head for Inn. As we do Perrol notices a dog watching us. We do the final tests and it appears to be that Kross is the one the animals are watching. We eat, check our room for magic/evil, and set watches. On Jarlyn’s watch, Kross loses 4 body and 9 stun, and he whimpers and wakes up with a Spectral over him and it’s hand in his stomach. Glaive woke up immediately, sees the Spectral, and attacks. She misses with her first and second attacks. Segment 12 starts. The spectral reaches into it’s robe and pulls out a stick, strikes it on the ground, and a scythe pops out. It approaches Jarlyn and attacks but misses. Glaive moves in and attacks, hits it in the chest for 9 body, and it screeches. On her second attack, she hits it in the vitals for 4 body. It is leering at Glaive. Perrol attacks and misses. Jarlyn casts Destroyer of the Unliving -Turn Undead and it shrieks. Ghoral attacks and misses. It turns away from me and books right through the wall. I look at him but can’t see anything wrong. I get ready to heal him but Kross starts feeling better and his color returns and he regains his body. Kross tells us that this was a Wraith.
We gain 2 xp.