The party approached the gateway of Northgate, where they were promptly stopped by the guards. The guards demanded to know their business in the city. Varis produced the sealed scroll from Angus Mountainbreaker of Oakheart, explaining that they had urgent affairs with the Lord of Northgate. Unable to argue against the official document, the guards allowed them to pass but cautioned them not to cause any trouble.
As they ventured into the border city of Northgate, they noticed a heavy military presence, with soldiers patrolling the streets and few local citizens in sight. They quietly made their way through the city, eventually locating the Twin Swords Inn. Inside, the innkeeper was engrossed in his book, nearly oblivious to their entrance. When he finally looked up, he greeted them with a smile and asked if they were seeking rooms and how many they needed.
The party discussed their accommodations, with Keira opting for a double room for herself and Ameena, while the others chose single bedrooms. Later, they gathered in Kiera's room to discuss their next steps. They were all low on supplies and had exhausted much of their magic in the battles against the black dragon and the demon. They decided it would be wise to lay low in the city for a while, recover their strength, and plan how to locate Bartimaeus, who they suspected might be imprisoned in Northgate.
The Imprisoned Knight
Varis, disguised as Alara Croft, spent his time in Northgate questioning locals about the prison, trying to gather any useful information. Some locals had brief experiences inside after tavern brawls or being drunk in public, which provided Varis with a rough idea of the layout and potential obstacles.
Determined to get more information, Varis approached the lord's estate and asked to speak with Lord Hauser. The guards were puzzled by a lady asking about the lord, but eventually, Lord Hauser himself appeared. Varis inquired about the prison, explaining that his friends were missing and he was directed there. Initially skeptical, the lord decided to entertain Varis's request and led him to the prison, a formidable structure with a large iron gate.
Inside, they met the warden and his mage associate. Varis asked if there was a prisoner named Tom Bombadil, but the warden found no such name in his ledger. When Varis mentioned Bartimaeus, the warden confirmed his presence, and Lord Hauser revealed that Bartimaeus was being held for the Church, awaiting their collection. Sensing an opportunity, Varis convinced the lord to let him examine the ledger. With his keen mind, Varis memorized its contents.
Varis requested a private word with Bartimaeus, and Lord Hauser agreed, leading him to the prison dungeon. In his cell, Bartimaeus initially didn't recognize Varis but quickly realized who he was. He pleaded for release, but Varis assured him he was working on it. Bartimaeus then shared his ordeal: he and Beastbane were overrun, and Bartimaeus had helped Beastbane flee before being captured and taken to Northgate. He spoke frantically about needing to reach Redmond, that the spirits of the river spoke to him of the Stormwoods, and a spirit in Highmarsh linked to his past as a Grail Knight.
As Bartimaeus rambled, another prisoner emerged from the shadows. Bartimaeus introduced him as "Tatterson," but the man corrected him, stating his name was Talison. Varis recalled seeing the name Talison in the ledger; he was imprisoned for striking a Dominion guard. Varis nodded, acknowledging the correction, and reassured Bartimaeus to hold on while they planned his escape. Varis informed Lord Hauser that he was done and was escorted out of the prison. He returned to the Twin Swords Inn and gathered the party, relaying all that he had uncovered about Bartimaeus and the prison.
Keira's Supply Run
Meanwhile, while Varis was at the prison, Keira wandered around Northgate on her own. She visited the local apothecary, "Traveller Remedies," where she met the local doctor, Dr. Möller. The doctor, who was busy sorting his bottles, greeted her warmly as she entered and inquired how he could assist her. Keira asked if he happened to have any vials of blood.
Dr. Möller’s curiosity was piqued, and he asked if it mattered what kind of blood and whether it needed to be old or fresh. Keira remained vague but managed to convince the doctor that she needed it for medical testing, emphasizing that fresh blood would be preferable. Pleased to encounter another person interested in the medical field, Dr. Möller gladly provided ten vials of fresh blood. Keira paid for them, thanked the doctor, and left quickly, not wanting to invite further questions.
As she continued her exploration of Northgate, Keira passed by "Gateway to the Arcane," a magic store. Intrigued, she decided to step inside and see if there was anything worth acquiring. As Keira entered the magic shop, she noticed an array of strange trinkets, but what stood out the most was a display featuring various rings. She greeted the shopkeeper, who acknowledged her with a nod while keeping a watchful eye on her. She inquired about some of the rings, then pointed out one that particularly caught her interest. The shopkeeper, in an attempt to engage, inadvertently questioned whether it was suited for her. Keira took slight offense at this implication. The man apologized but only made it worse by suggesting he had misjudged her based on her attire.
Maintaining her composure, Keira pointed out the Ring of Dispelling and a purple gemstone she found appealing. The shopkeeper hesitated before naming a price, offering a lower one as an apology for his earlier comments. Keira accepted the deal and left the shop swiftly, not giving him a chance to further his explanation.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel wandered through Northgate and sought out the guard captain. He inquired about the bounties posted outside the city, expressing a desire to receive some payment upfront since they all involved venturing into Highmarsh. Both the captain and Nathaniel were aware of the dangers, but the captain firmly declined, stating payment would only be made upon proof of bounty completion. Nathaniel sighed in frustration and walked away.
Later, the party reconvened at the inn in Keira's room. She displayed her new acquisitions to the group, including the purple gemstone. Varis was particularly interested and asked to inspect it closely. It looked familiar to him, so he pulled out a similar stone from his own belongings. He informed Keira that it was not just any gemstone, but a Chronos Stone—a magical artifact capable of making brief alterations to time itself, either by pausing it around her or speeding up her actions. Keira took the stone back, thanking Varis for the valuable information.
A Sudden Visit
While gathered in the inn room, Varis asked if Rayenne had discovered anything about Highmarsh during her downtime. Sitting on the bed, Rayenne suddenly began to recite a torrent of historical facts, events, and locations that might help them find the figure with the key from her vision. Much of what she said seemed like nonsense, as it referred to times long past. Nathaniel, the only one in the room who had been alive during the destruction of Vindrik—before it became Highmarsh—could somewhat confirm parts of Rayenne's information, though his own knowledge was limited.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Everyone froze as Keira walked over and opened it slightly to peer out. She saw Alara Croft standing in the hallway, straightening her clothes. Keira stepped outside and greeted her. Alara asked if Varis was inside. Keira, trying to keep her busy, said no. Nathaniel then came out and confronted Alara, getting up in her face to buy more time.
Inside the room, Varis heard the commotion and quickly moved to the window, jumping out to the ground below. Keira, realizing Varis’s plan, swiftly returned to the room, saw the open window, and leaped out after him. Meanwhile, Alara took advantage of the distraction to enter the room. She saw the rest of the party there and calmly sat down at the table, waiting for Varis to return.
The Proposal
Eventually, Varis was brought back into the room, and Alara asked to speak with him privately. They moved to his own room and closed the door behind them. Inside, Alara relaxed and pulled out a letter from her belongings, asking Varis what it was about. Confused, Varis asked her to clarify. She explained that it was his letter, handing it over carefully. Varis read it and saw what appeared to be his own handwriting, discussing a possible marriage proposal. Surprised and suspicious, he scrutinized the letter and noticed subtle inconsistencies in the handwriting, suggesting it was a forgery. However, he chose to play along, not revealing his discovery. Alara, seemingly oblivious to Varis's reaction, took the letter seriously and spoke of needing her family's and his family's approval for the marriage. She mentioned contacting her father to arrange a meeting between the families. She offered to assist Varis during her stay, though she was unsure of the party's purpose in Northgate.
As they prepared to leave the room and rejoin the others, Varis opened the door to find Rayenne falling in, having been eavesdropping from the other side. She played it off, and Alara didn't seem too bothered. They returned to Keira's room to discuss the primary issue: rescuing Bartimaeus from prison. Alara, while surprised, wasn't overly shocked by the situation. As the group went over the plan, Keira volunteered to attempt to sway the priest who held the wand needed to disable the prison's wards. She instructed Rayenne to meet her at the tavern after she changed into her formal clothes.
Keira arrived at the tavern and quickly spotted the priest, as she had anticipated, sitting alone at a table, enjoying the music. She approached and struck up a conversation. Rayenne entered the tavern shortly after, positioning herself at a table behind Keira. During their conversation, Keira discreetly swiped the wand from the priest and stealthily passed it to Rayenne, who swiftly exited the tavern and returned to the inn to secure the wand.
The Daring Escape
Meanwhile, Ameena stepped outside for some fresh air, and Nathaniel went to find a wagon or cart to buy or rent. Keira's conversation with the priest went smoothly, though he soon excused himself, needing to return to his duties. He thanked her for the talk and inquired if she would be at the tavern in the evening, to which she gave a noncommittal answer. As they exited the tavern, they heard the sound of marching; Keira spotted a small group of Dominion soldiers entering Northgate. Realizing time was running out, she hurried back to the inn, aware that the priest would soon discover his wand missing.
Back at the inn, the others waited as Rayenne held the wand. Keira burst in, informing them that soldiers from the Church had arrived. Amidst the frantic planning, Alara approached Varis, asking if he trusted her. Confused, Varis nodded. Alara then touched his forehead briefly, thanking him afterward. She moved to the bathroom door, where she began a magical ritual around the doorframe. Opening the door, it led directly to Bartimaeus's prison cell. Varis urged Bartimaeus and Talison to hurry through the portal back to the inn room.
Meanwhile, the clanking of armor signaled soldiers searching the inn, as word had spread about the stolen wand. Alara closed the portal and the group hid in the bathroom, while Keira disguised herself as an old woman to stall the soldiers. When soldiers insisted on searching the room, two entered, one heading towards the bathroom. Inside, Alara conjured another teleportation portal, urging everyone to go through. Despite some hesitation, they began to comply. Keira, claiming she needed the bathroom urgently, entered just as the others were stepping through the portal. Seeing Alara and Ameena prepared to stay behind, Keira grabbed them and pulled them through the portal with her. Moments later, a soldier burst into the bathroom, only to find it empty.
The party suddenly found themselves surrounded by cows, the air filled with the sound of mooing and the smell of manure. They had been teleported into a pasture, the cows curiously observing the newcomers. As they collected themselves and stood up, a large bull emerged from the herd, moving towards them. The party froze briefly before making a cautious retreat towards a stone wall. When the bull started to follow, they quickly scrambled over the wall and onto a nearby road.
Safe from immediate danger, the group regrouped and discussed their next steps, uncertain of their exact location. Alara apologized, explaining that her hastily cast teleportation spell hadn't been precise but reassured them they couldn't be too far from Northgate. Spotting a sign indicating the nearby town of Northvik. Bartimaeus expressed a desire to retrieve his belongings from the prison, but the group agreed it was too risky. Nathaniel lent him a sword and volunteered to return to Northgate to locate Twelvecut. Talison, grateful for the rescue, decided to head towards the Barony of Redmond.
Alara, displeased with her manure-covered state, declared her part in the adventure over and prepared to leave, mentioning she would await word from Varis about the proposal. This announcement caught the rest of the party off guard, leading to a flurry of questions and jabs at Varis, who tried to deflect them. Before more could be said, Alara teleported away. With that, the group, still puzzled and teasing Varis about the proposal, began their walk towards Northvik.