We return to the party back at the villa. Cade sends a message to Nikolai & learns that people in dark robes took them, that he's on a dark cart and it’s on the move. He can't see anything. Null suggests scrying, but Cade isn’t able to do it until tomorrow. Trying a different approach, Cade sends another message to Nikolai and asks about the temperature to try and determine what direction they might be going. Nikolai responds with an obvious description of a day/night cycle, which the party can’t do much with. They try to determine next steps.
Berrik says he has an idea and is going to stay at the villa whilst the rest go to speak to any town guard who may have seen a cart leave. Lotty goes off on her own to warn Kel & McFini family of recent goings on.
Cade, Silas, Flynn and Null meet Nell, a female half-orc guard at the North Gate of Sierrona who says she will ask around and investigate but isn't likely to find any quick answers. The group have a similar encounter at the West Gate.
Cade, Silas, Flynn and Null next head to the Last Stand Inn to seek and audience with Remmi. Null, wanting to avoid an incident, stays upstairs and asks Silas to update Latharial on her tattoo reawakening. Downstairs there is already a meeting taking place with Remmi, Rhone, Mira, Latharial & Nora. Frustrated and visibly upset, Silas rushes in and interrupts the proceedings to ask of any leads or news on the missing children. Nora advises that a cart has been spotted heading North to Falonton two days ago. Falonton is a three to five day cart ride away. The closest teleportation circle to Falonton is in Glade’s Edge, which is a day’s ride away.
Getting back to the meeting, Latharial says Zanidonia is less hospitable than expected. Lady Calitrax has extended and cemented her influence. Progress on making inroads into the region has stalled.
Before making their exit, the group update Remmi on what happened at the orphanage and what they found. Someone (I think Nora or Remmi?) mentions Azher by name and say he likely has a connection to the orphanage. The group also relays that Vi was raised there and that Trolley managed to escape with 2 of the orphans.
Lotty arrives at the Last Stand Inn and sees Null sulking and nursing a drink. She gives Null Boobrie, who is now a weasel, to be an emotional support animal and sits at a different table, giving Null some space, until the group return.
Back downstairs, Silas says he needs to Latharial in private about something important. She will find him upstairs after they finish the meeting.
The Ashen Company, minus Berrik, reconvenes upstairs. Cade wants to take Null to the Divine Pansophical and have them examine the tattoo. Silas stays behind to talk to Latharial.
At the Divine Pansophical, Cade asks for the help of Justicar Shiallah to analyse what’s going on with ull and the tattoo. Null is tied to a chair and Lotty stays close by to comfort her. Shiallah casts Detect Magic, then Identify. As soon as she does this, the words “KILL, KILL, KILL” fill the room and Shiallah drops dead. Everyone is shocked. Cade rushes to Shiallah and brings her back with a Revivify. This is bad! We can’t even inspect the tattoo. The Justicar suggests a rite of annulment in Alya may help. Cade buys another soul gem and they head back home.
Back at the Last Stand Inn, Latharial joins Silas and he breaks the news to her about the return of Null’s curse, also mentioning that they discovered Null was a victim of the orphanage. Things are bad! Latharial is sad. Silas takes his leave.
Everyone gathers back the villa. Berrik joins them and relays that he has solved Ezra's puzzle cube and believes the group can gain access to his tower. But first, we’ve gotta save those orphans.
The group goes to the Order of the Arcane Eye to purchase a scroll and sigil to teleport to Glades Edge. Glade’s Edge is beautiful and exotic, but they have no time to sightsee. To try to make up some time, all but Cade hop in Flynn's jar and wild-shaped Cade carries the jar flying for eight hours straight to get to Falonton.
Shenanigans in the jar include Mordecai kicking Null out on a whim (with Flynn thankfully persuading Mordecai to bring her back before she hits the ground), random children being summoned, personal trauma, etc. Mordecai also looks at the tattoo (not dying even though he sets off the kill word) and suggests an amulet of proof against detection and location will help interfere with the divination magic of the tattoo.
In Falonton they find Lily’s Pad, an inn held 550 ft aloft a giant fountain of water. A large sign directs guests to jump up the streaming water to land at the entrance. This place is run by Lily, a tortle with an affinity for body art. Assuming they have arrived before the baddies, the group gets the suite on the top floor which gives them a 360 degree view of anything approaching. Null is made invisible and hangs out downstairs. A hooded figure enters, hands Lily some money and leaves to wait outside. Null’s peers at the ledger behind the counter and sees that Jeremiah Jenkins rented 3 rooms. She goes outside to watch the figure pace until just before her invisibility ends, then joins the party upstairs. Null sees that Lotty is still awake and mentions the amulet that Mordecai suggested. Lotty will try to have one for Null by morning. Half exhausted, the party takes turns keeping watch on the figure below. During Silas’s watch, he sees another hooded figure approach the first. Unfortunately, they notice him watching them. They turn invisible and aren’t seen again.
In the morning, Cade sends out his Wild Companion to search the surrounding area for any signs of the cart. It’s finally located travelling southwest of Falonton (towards Grimbsy?). The groups decides to try the flying jar trick again to catch up to the cart, but Cade isn’t able to wildshape again without a rest. Berrik volunteers his scroll of Catnap so that Cade can speedrun his rest. Null also tags along so she can attune to the amulet Lotty made for her.
The Ashen Company prepares to enter Flynn’s jar and give chase. We’re gonna get those kids back.
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