The Surprise

Leaving the university Irdien Talvaeth takes out the necromancer book to see what it's about. Sirona Boyd advises her not to bring it out in public, and Jak o' the Wisp asks for it back. That starts a conversation about what Jak could want the book for. Jak says he needs to learn about necromancy to defeat The Lich King. This is a goal the group can all gather behind. However, Sirona still asks him not to become a necromancer himself in exchange for information about the origin of the practice, as it derived from Morena.
They are just about to leave through the gate to the guard stops them, saying that Jak looks just like a man Talaved Man'Draq't'oran, The Emperor had very recently executed. At the news, Sirona faints. Jak takes charge over her swift recovery, saying that she needs to go back to the guild house and rest. Sirona doesn't want to but eventually gives in. Labrat carries her home. Irdien asks Adrian Maulitz for her share of the parties money, and Adrian gives her 168 gold. When they are all home, Adrian makes a list of supplies and send Jak and Irdien out to buy them. He Labrat and Sirona stay at the guild to cook food and rest, although Sirona claims that she is fine now.
Adrian reveals to everyone except Labrat that he wants to throw her a surprise birthday party as a thank you for saving his life during the fight with Garados Kessmir. It's not Labrat's actual birthday until about two weeks, but that doesn't stop them from going thought with the plan.
Jak and Irdien start by visiting an apothecary. Jak wants to replace his herbalist kit and buys supplies for basically the rest of his money. After that, they tour the bank where Irdien deposit almost her entire share of gold and ask the clerk to arrange for it to be sent back home to The Underdark. Next stop is a book shop where they get Labrat a storybook about dragons and Irdien buys Sirona a journal since she asked her to help get one. They move on to order the most fantastic birthday cake that looks just like a delicious T-bone steak. While it's in the making, they visit the docks and ask the Sailors if they can leave Eldolan tomorrow. They are told it is no problem, but that they need to be at the ship by nine in the morning. The rest of the time waiting for the cake to be done, they spend buying decorations and other supplies for the feast tonight.
Back at the guild Sirona ask Labra to join her down in the laboratory, located in the basement of the guild. They talk while Sirona brews some distilled water for her medical kit and makes the potion she got the recipe on from Jak. Sirona asks Labrat to try and forgive Jak for stabbing Sirona during the commotion in The dream theater, but Labrat refuses. She eventually agrees to give him at least a second chance. At the sound of Adrian calling down to them, Sirona asks Labrat to go on ahead while she quickly puts some stuff away and cleans the laboratory. Just as Labrat exits and Sirona is alone, she feels the presence of something and finds that the powder she was making has been tampered with. It looks, however, as it should, except there is some lipstick from a kiss on the bottle.
Upstairs Labrat is stunned by the decorated kitchen and her friends wishing her a happy birthday through song and cheers. Sirona appears behind her trying to explain what's going on. They are both very impressed by the amount of decoration and food. There is a pinata in the form of a wicker basket hung up in the ceiling that Labrat manages to break open in two attempts after being blindfolded and spun around. The cake gets decorated with candles that Labrat effortlessly blows out after further guidance on what she is supposed to do. The party eats and drinks and have a wonderful time together. Jak's special fruit punch gets both Capper and Sirona quickly drunk.
During the night, Adrian has a dream. He is in the fey wild surrounded by wisp's and strange vegetation. His Familiar, Bup, that he hasn't seen since he was severed from his magic is there to greet him. Adrian tries to cast a spell, and it works. He wakes back in the guildhall, the rest of the party asleep. Adrian tries to see if he can light the candle at his bedside, but it doesn't work. He tries to inspect the wick, but as he does, he notices Sirona having a nightmare. She wakes with a scream loud enough to wake the rest. Adrian hugs her and tells her she is safe. Jak comes over and helps guider her though her breathing exercises until she falls back to sleep. Adrian is to wound up from his own dream to go back to sleep and stays up.
In the morning, there's a knock on the door. Adrian and Jak go downstairs to see who it is. It is Headmaster Ernas with their additional reward (700gp), and the pocket dimension key mended, but not fixed. He recommends them to get an artificer to look at it within a week. Adrian sends the two drakes back inside the portal. It also includes 32 goats, which is eight more goats, then the group had when the portal broke. Jak and Irdien both ask for their share of the rewards, instead of letting Adrian hold all. Adrian asks Irdien if she is okay since she seems very short with him, but the drow keeps insisting that it is all fine.
Upstairs Irdien gives Sirona the journal she bought but doesn't which for any reimbursements. Sirona thanks her and says that she wants to try and write a letter back to the mansion in Dombuton. She hopes she can somehow explain an convince them that they should stop searching for her and Labrat. Irdien excitingly asks to be allowed to add a sentence in drow at the end, which Sirona allows.
When they are all packed, and the guild house looks pristine, the group finally moves to exit Eldolan. On their way to the docks, Sirona posts the letter to the mansion.
At the docks, they are greeted by Captain Francis Woodleaf, telling them that the ship is ready for taking off. That's when a voice calls out to them from behind. The group turns to see a man in his forties together with ten Silver Shields. Sirona and Labrat immediately recognize the man as Confessor Ilgron. He introduces himself as Senator Cromwell and asks to get Sirona back under the pretense that she is his patient. He claims to have the document proving that he is her legal guardian. Adrian talks back to him saying “the first person to try lay a hand on either of them will loose the hand” and attempts to open the portal to send the Drakes at him, but the Drakes are nowhere near the opening.
An unkindness of ravens suddenly starts calling out over the harbor and fly straight towards Sirona. They all transform into a woman with black feathers for hair. Morena blocks Ilgron as he tries to attack with his dagger. The blade sinks into her shoulder, and it's plain to see that the goddess takes damage. She retaliates by grabbing the Confessor's arm and freezing it clear of him. More Ravens fly over the silver shields attacking the guards to keep them occupied. She looks at Sirona and Labrat and tells them to run.
Labrat defies her will and runs up to help, attacking one of the guards before her while Adrian quickly picks up Ilgron's knife from the shattered ice on the ground. The dagger immediately blasts pain through his hand, and he quickly decides that throwing it into the sea is a bad idea, if someone else finds it. He closes the portal and grabs Sirona pushing her in front of him towards The Mariner, the boat. Ilgron sends out a cloud of purple mist that engulfs everyone. Adrian manages just barely to get Sirona out of its reach. The rest of the group are affected by this weakening and painful fog. Ilgron moves back, clutching his bleeding shoulder.
Jak quickly pulls out his lute and sends off a sound bursting through the guards; unfortunately, many of them shrug it off, and some of the voltage hit Labrat. Taking a hint from Adrian, Jak legs it towards the boat. As he arrives on the other side of a building, he is surprised by two additional cultists. One of them sends out a cloud of black smoke that wraps itself into chains around Jak. Capper throws a knife at Ilgron, but it goes wide. The boy starts running towards the boat. Irdien uses the commotion to vanish into the shadows, searching for the perfect spot to get in a good hit on Ilgron. Sirona stops, looking back, as Adrian tries to urge her on. She sees that he is badly wounded and quickly heals him. She doesn't want to leave Labrat behind and refuses to run without her. One of the cultists tries to grab her just as they did with Jak, but the halo of Morena's protection surrounding Sirona dispels it. Morena turns back onto a conspiracy of Ravens and the bird's attack on the guards grows less intense. Labrat withdraws from the guard she attacked and starts running towards Jak. The weakening effect of Ilgron's smoke still clinging to her.
Adrian feels the dagger in his possession, painfully burn through his body again. He promises Sirona that he will not leave anyone behind but that she needs to get on the boat. She finally nods, and he runs, throwing his bag with the dagger onboard and pulling out his bow. Ilgron sends another spell at Adrian and Capper, hitting them both. He tells Sirona that she is forcing him to hurt hem. Jak painfully rips himself free from the chains holding him and sends an acid arrow flying at Illgron. The bard keeps running for the boat. The cultist turns to Labrat instead, but she is ready for them.
In the back, behind the soldiers that are finally getting rid of the birds, Kassini steps up and starts throwing fire bolts at them. Simultaneously Irdien steps out of the shadows right in front of Sirona. She throws one of her daggers at Ilgron that embeds itself deep in him. Sirona yells back that she won't let him hurt her friends. She grabs Irdien and runs towards the boat while directing another healing spell towards Adrian, sending some of her power of restoration along with it. As they catch up to Adrian, the cultist again tries targeting Sirona with the chain spell. Adrian steps in front of her to intercept. He blocks the magic with his blade ricocheting it out at sea.
At this point, the Sailors and captain have prepared the ship enough for it to start moving away. Labrat ignores the enemies around her and starts running. She picks Sirona up and hurls her from the pier over to the ship. Sirona lands right on the railing. She starts swaying trying to find her balance and then falls backwards into the cold salty water. Adrian takes a shot at Ilgron, but the arrow misses. He runs over the gangplank screaming for Capper to find a rope to throw to Sirona. Ilgron casts another enchantment and disappears. Jak finds a rope ladder on the boat and shoves it into Capper's arms telling him to use that instead. The cultist sends their smoke chains towards Labrat, but this time Irdien intercepts and gets wrapped up in them. They can hear Kassini fighting with The Silver Shields in the distance as Capper manages to secure the rope ladder to the side of the ship. Kassini appears on the shore before the vessel extending her hand. The wind picks up in the sails and pushes the boat further out.
Irdien tears herself free from the chains and runs over the almost falling gangplank to board the ship. She throws one of her blades at the cultist nearly killing him in one hit. Sirona finally breaks through the surface, fighting the weight of her armor wanting to drag her back below. She spits and coughs, grabbing onto the ladder for dear life. She can see most of her friends, looking over the railing at her, but as she turns back, she sees that Labrat is still on the pier. Sirona sends another healing spell at her friend and shots for Labrat, scared that the boat will leave without her companion. The cultist manages to wrap its chain around Labrat, and the gangplank falls into the water as the ship picks up additional pace. Labrat pulls free and jumps, landing on the boat as it leaves the dock behind. They group hurriedly pulls the ladder back up with Sirona. She is soaked and cold but alive.
Back at the docks, the soldiers have turned on the cultist: Kassini and Ilgron have gotten away. Adrian keeps his bow ready just in case the man will suddenly appear on the boat with them.
With The Mariner leaving Eldolan behind there is one stonemason in the market square in the Commons that are still waiting for a certain bard to pick up his order of naked statues. Seeing as Jak never returns, the man decides to put the delicate and provocatively suggestive works up for sale to the public. Jak has better start praying that the girls never finds out what he's done.