Adventure Summaries Sessions 53 to 65

The Faithful Lady arrives at Crescentium in the middle of the morning. When they disembark, Theresa falls on her knees in relief at being on land once again. Captain Karla Roodsdottir reminds the adventurers that she intends to sail south in two days' time, and that they should let her know as soon as they decide whether to sail to Tion aboard her ship so she knows how many berths she has remaining for other passengers.

Theresa is keen to return to the Tashim religious school, so the adventurers go there as a group. Afshin the teacher tells them that the Marajah assassin who they brought there for burial revived in the night and escaped, and that someone else was hoping to meet with them on their return. Afshin sends a young woman to fetch the other person, and she returns with a kattar named Sijam the doctor. Sijam gives Hermione a letter of introduction from Sir Makarios, and confirms his interest in travelling south with the adventurers to assist in rescuing her father from captivity.

Sijam accompanies the adventurers while they go shopping for the rare inks Theresa needs to copy arcane spells into her Book of Shadows. As it is Theresa's birthday, Zeno, Hermione, Luxian and Medeia buy the rare inks for her as a birthday gift. While they shop, they encounter Prokopios of Elea, who is pleased to see Martina, but not so pleased to see Zeno. Later, a dove lands near Theresa and passes on a message from her master to meet him that night in the gardens near the dovecotes. The dove is delighted to see the Hatuli, which it recognises as matching the description of one of the legendary creations of Saaknathur.

The adventurers decide to stay overnight in a monastic guest house. Martina gives Theresa a silver cross that she bought for her as a birthday present. While they eat an early dinner, Master Federigo arrives through the World of Spirits, accompanied by Espin of Clyster. Federigo does not stay to talk, leaving straightaway through the World of Spirits with Espin, Luxian, and the Hatuli.

After dinner, Theresa leaves to meet her master in the gardens, escorted by Martina.

The Marijah Assassin attempts to kill Zeno a second time. He paralyses Zeno by hitting him in the side of the neck with a poisoned dart while Zeno is starting to take off his armour. Hermione and Sijam hear the clutter of Zeno falling face-down on the floor in his room and come to investigate, arriving in time to drive off the assassin. Hermione shields Zeno from harm with a spectral dragon's wing from her back, and the assassin flees into the night to avoid capture. Sijam's healing hands quickly heal Zeno of the poison's effects. Hermione: "You should try and fall on your back next time, you can see more that way." When asked about the spectral wing, Hermione explains that it's a gift from Fierce. Hermione also explains her relationship with Fierce to Sijam. Hermione: "I'm the pet of a dragon. A small one."

Theresa and Martina return later that evening. Theresa looks more beautiful than ever, with sparkling eyes and lustrous hair, while Martina seems quiet and shaken. Martina is very concerned that Zeno was attacked in her absence, and stays up all night guarding Zeno so he can rest.

While the others are having breakfast, Master Federigo returns to the guest house through the World of Spirits with Luxian and the Hatuli, then departs immediately. Luxian reports to the others on the success of his search for Goduku, who is now at Kaxos with Master Federigo. Luxian asks Theresa about the previous night, and she guardedly replies, "I got to see my friend? Who helps me with my makeovers?" Sijam makes polite excuses and leaves so they can talk more openly in his absence. After his departure, Theresa explains that she asked her master for helpful and kind magic that removes curses and makes crops grow. Luxian shares that Master Federigo has promised that Goduku will become his apprentice when he becomes a master.

The adventurers return to The Faithful Lady to ensure they book berths for passage south before they are all taken, and plan to stay aboard the ship to make it harder for the assassin to approach Zeno. Captain Karla Roodsdottir still has a cabin they can book for the journey to Tion, though it will be crowded with all eight of them sharing the one room. Also already on board the ship are Feodora and her godfather Otho Crossback, who is escorting her south to live with her aunt in Vestad following the death of her father. Feodora keeps sneaking away from Otho to spend time in the hold with Theresa and Hermione, who is continuing to study and repair the broken apparatus of the lobster. During her work, Hermione realises there was a second mechanism inside the apparatus controlling the panel of levers: she decides to prioritise repairing the apparatus.

As the day passes, the adventureres meet most of the other passengers for the journey, including Lady Ostara Hurste and her squire Gebhard, Shirin the Builder, and Giorgos of Elea, who is Zeno and Martina's cousin. Giorgos tells Martina she looks tired and encourages her to smile more. Captain Karla has Zeno, Sijam, Lady Ostara and Shirin dine with her that evening. Sijam excuses himself early after learning that Captain Karla and her crew stole The Faithful Lady from its previous Kattar crew in Glendal. When asked afterwards by the others, Sijam explains that his family's ship was sunk by pirates when he was a youth.

Despite her fatigue, Martina is restless and sleeps poorly through the night.

Zeno supervises Luxian and Martina while they exercise on the deck. The Faithful Lady departs Crescentium after the final passenger, Brother Harlow of the Monastery of Lorinne in Teran, embarks. Sijam mentions to the others that he recognises Brother Harlow, as he had a meeting with Prince Petros Murall, and Martina promises to make discrete enquiries and see what she can learn about the other passengers.

Shirin and Iphianassa both suffer greatly from sea sickness when the ship reaches the open seas. Martina reports to the others that the Monastery of Lorinne has a famous rivalry with the Monastery of Amalfi in Kevland, which is heavily patronised by the Kevish monarchy. Feodora continues to spend time with Hermione and Theresa, who checks with Feodora that Otho really is her godfather, and she's not trying to run away from her kidnapper. Theresa: "And he's kind? You're not really trying to run away from him? If you are I can help you. If he's a bad man." Feodora: "He's the only person I have in the world, except for my aunt - and I've never met her."

That evening, The Faithful Lady is caught up in a powerful storm and driven far out to sea. The storm lasts for most of the night. Martina continues to sleep poorly.

Feodora continues to spend time with Hermione and Theresa, who makes Feodora apologise to Otho for leaving to join them without his permission. Otho lets Feodora stay with them, and Feodora alternates between embroidery with Theresa and tinkering with Hermione.

Gebhard discreetly asks Sijam to visit Lady Ostara, which he does. Lady Ostara explains that she is unable to rest at night because of her grief at her father's death, and Sijam prepares a mild sedative that she can take before bed that will help calm her thoughts.

Late that evening, the adventurers are woken by Feodora's screams. They find a distraught Feodora with the body of Otho just inside the entrance to the hold. It seems Otho was murdered while looking for Feodora, who had slipped out to the hold to return some parts of the apparatus that she found in her pouch. Sijam quickly determines that Otho has been murdered by suffocation, as something has drawn the air out of his lungs. Captain Karla identifies Otho's killer as a breathdrinker, and looks suspiciously at Theresa while she cuddles and comforts Feodora. After Brother Harlow and Zeno pray over Otho's body, Captain Karla has the crew take Otho's body back to his cabin, orders the crew to set watches in pairs of twos, and tells the passengers to stay in their rooms.

The adventurers bring Feodora back to their cabin, making it even more crowded. Sijam offers Feodora a mild sedative, but Theresa refuses to let her take it.

Zeno supervises Luxian and Martina while they exercise on the deck. Afterwards, Giorgos talks briefly with Martina to arrange a private conversation that evening.

The crew make a simple coffin for Otho's body, and pack the body in the coffin with salt.

Theresa talks privately to Zeno about using an arcane ritual she knows to search The Faithful Lady for arcane magic. With Zeno's approval, Theresa conducts the ritual in their cabin, then walks about the ship, identifying four unfamiliar arcane magic items: the Captain's fur stole, Giorgos' amulet, something in the side of Giorgos' right boot, and something in Lady Ostara and Gebhard's cabin. While discussing her findings, Zeno takes the opportunity to talk with Theresa about refusing Sijam's medicine last night. Zeno compares Theresa's distrust of Sijam's skill as a doctor to someone criticising her cooking, making Theresa gasp in shock. Afterwards, Theresa goes out of her way to seek out Sjiam and apologise to him.

Feodora spends the day in the hold with Hermione, helping her repair the apparatus and asking questions about her aunt Sabarinah and the country of Vestad. Hermione has Fierce take a message to Wesley about Feodora, and Wesley confirms that her aunt Sabarinah should still be at Oseburg. Theresa uses magic to talk with the ship's cat and enlist his support in looking for clues that evening in exchange for the promise of fresh fish.

Before dinner, the adventurers discuss what Theresa has learned, and Martina shares that Giorgos wants to talk to her about marriage. After dinner, Martina and Giorgos leave together for their private conversation. Later, Martina returns to the cabin on her own.

That evening, the adventurers set watches so that some of them are prepared in case of emergency. Zeno talks quietly with Theresa about how Martina hasn't been herself since the night she escorted Theresa to meet with her master. Theresa reassures Zeno that Martina didn't meet her master, who summoned mists to obscure their meeting, and speculates that Martina perhaps saw strange and unsetting visions in the mist.

Their conversation is interrupted by scratching at the cabin door. When Zeno opens the door, the cat happily slinks in to claim the promised reward. The cat leads the adventurers and the two sailors guarding their door to Giorgos' body, as he has also been murdered by having his breath stolen. Unlike Otho, Giorgos seems to have fought back, as the stiletto from his right boot is in his hand and covered in strange condensation. Captain Karla Roodsdottir, the crew, and Gebhard join the adventurers at the scene. Brother Harlow calls for news from his cabin but refuses to emerge, while Lady Ostara stays silent in her cabin and waits for Gebhard to return with news for her.

Zeno prays to the True God to make those present speak truthfully. Captain Karla is convinced of the efficacy of Zeno's prayer after questioning one of her crew about how he actually lost all his savings in Crescentium. Martina and Captain Karla both make simple declarations that they didn't kill Giorgos. Theresa provides an example of how you need to give a detailed, specific, and lengthy statement to ensure people aren't using exact words to avoid admitting their guilt, and is not pleased at the commentary from the sailors. Sailor one: "She sounds like a lawyer, but she's so hot!" Sailor two: "Yeah, but you know, you've got to keep away from crazy."

Captain Karla orders the crew to take Giorgos's body to Otho's cabin with all his belongings, including the stiletto. Theresa tries to say that they should keep it for safekeeping, but her plan is foiled by Zeno's prayer, which makes her ask for the stiletto "because it's valuable and I want it". While the sailors are collecting the body, Gebhard discreetly asks Sijam if they can meet tomorrow evening to talk about a private matter that he doesn't want to bother Lady Ostara about.

Back in their cabin, the adventurers discuss what they can do to prevent any further murders, and decide that Theresa and Zeno should talk with Lady Ostara about a possibly cursed item on her person or in her cabin.

Theresa and Zeno call on Lady Ostara in her cabin. They are let in by Gebhard, who seems worried. Lady Ostara is keen to talk to Zeno, but offends Theresa by treating her as Zeno's servant, and not their social equal as a baron's daughter. Zeno persuades Lady Ostara to allow Theresa to complete an arcane ritual in her room in order to find the arcane object she sensed yesterday, and Theresa determines that the object is a bronze flask in Gebhard's chest. Gebhard explains that he found it at a market in Crescentium and bought it as a memento of their time on crusade, and that he hasn't been able to open the cap to the flask, which is sealed closed. Lady Ostara readily gives permission for Zeno and Theresa to take the flask away for Luxian to study.

Meanwhile, Martina takes Sijam with her to search Giorgos' cabin, where they find the sealed correspondence Giorgos boasted to Martina about hiding when they talked last night. The sealed letter is addressed to Phocas. Martina and Sijam find Hermione, who is fishing for the cat's reward. Martina frets to Sijam and Hermione about what to do, as she is convinced the letter is about Zeno and feels Zeno would not want to pry. With only a little encouragement, Martina breaks the seal and opens the letter, which is written in code.

Sijam goes to call on Lady Ostara. He talks with Gebhard, who isn't able to speak freely while Lady Ostara and Zeno are in the main cabin. Sijam eventually interrupts Lady Ostara's conversation with Zeno to ask her oblique questions about her condition and her medication, making her angry about his lack of discretion. Sijam and Theresa depart together, leaving Zeno to sit and talk at length with Lady Ostara, and notice Brother Harlow watching what happens on deck through the crack of the barely-opened door to his cabin.

Sijam attempts to translate the coded message with Martina's assistance, while Theresa and Luxian examine the bronze flask and learn that it is a powerful arcane item that can be used to trap an arcane or elemental creature if you know the command word that triggers the magic. They are unable to guess the command word, while Sijam is unable to decipher the coded message.

Theresa vents to Hermione about Lady Ostara's lack of respect for her and clear interest only in Zeno, who Theresa believes is oblivous to her interest. Theresa: "Do you think Zeno is enjoying being flirted with? Do you think he likes her back?" Theresa is dismissive of Zeno's possible interest in Lady Ostara, as "He’s not smart enough to be lucky with a lady. He’d wonder if she’s a bit hot and that's why she's taking all her clothes off." Instead, Theresa ascribes Zeno's interest in Lady Ostara to his concern for others. Theresa: "You know what I think? I think he's fretting and staying in her room to guard her."

When Zeno eventually rejoins the others after lunch, the adventurers discuss their situation. Martina confesses straightaway to opening the sealed letter to Phocas, and is reassured that Zeno doesn't seem angry with her for doing so. Instead, Zeno talks with Martina about how he feels she is ready for knighthood. Pleased and surprised, Martina asks Zeno if he's sure, and asks to be knighted at Selentium.

Sijam refuses to speak directly about what he knows from his conversations with Lady Ostara as her doctor, but does advise the others that Gebhard wants to talk privately with him that evening. Theresa complains about how either Ostara or Gebhard are having some kind of significant dreams, prompting Martina to admit that she's been sleeping poorly ever since the night she guarded Theresa in Crescentium because of strange dreams involving elves. Zeno gives Martina the relic of Saint Merel to wear in the hope that it protects her while she sleeps.

Hermione volunteers to go with Sijam, and the adventurers discuss trying to get Giorgos' magic stiletto so Hermione doesn't have to use the cursed dagger to defend herself against the air elemental. However, when they approach Captain Karla about Giorgos' belongings, they discover that Giorgos has already been boxed up in a makeshift coffin packed with salt, with his dagger (and amulet) on his body.

Captain Karla is persuaded to hand over to Zeno the correspondence she collected from Giorgos' room. When they return to their cabin, Theresa has each sealed letter cut open with a single slice so he can repair the letter with magic when they have read the contents. The others letters are all in plain script, some about family business matters, and others personal letters, like the one from Prokopios to his aunt about what to plant in a vineyard they own.

At dinner, Captain Karla once again reminds all the guests to stay in their room at night, and all the crew to stay in pairs and to be alert and awake while on watch. Brother Harlow doesn't join the others for dinner, and continues to stay in his cabin as he has all day.

The other adventurers stay up late, and wait in their cabin while Sijam and Hermione go out to meet with Gebhard. Hermione takes the cursed dagger with her, while Sijam places his trust in his ability to strengthen his physical strikes with ki. Gebhard is concerned about Lady Ostara's wellbeing, and confirms that she's sleeping so solidly at night because she's taking a larger dose of the sedative than Sijam prescribed for her. After Gebhard leaves on his own to return to his cabin, Sijam and Hermione worry about his safety and trail him. The two sailors outside the cabin are dozing rather than alert and on guard. Gebhard answers the door when they knock, and when asked about the sailors, explained he gave them drinks laced with sedative so he could leave and meet with them.

In the morning, there is general relief at breakfast that nobody was murdered last night. All the same, Captain Karla reiterates her orders to her sailors that they are to be alert and awake when on guard duty. Theresa asks Martina if she slept well. Martina: "Yes, I did, thank you. I slept soundly, thanks to the relic."

Zeno and Sijam call on Lady Ostara, who is persuaded to allow Sijam to examine her in private and discuss her use of the medicine. While they wait in the outer cabin, Gebhard talks with Zeno, who agrees to Gebhard's request to meet late that evening and talk about an important matter.

Back in the cabin, the adventurers discuss what to do that evening, and plan for Zeno to meet Gebhard "on his own" while the others follow him, with Theresa using magic to conceal herself, Luxian and Martina, while Sijam and Hermione rely on their natural aptitude and training for stealth. Sijam spends the day trying to break the code with Martina's assistance, but doesn't make any progress.

That evening, Zeno convinces the sailors guarding the cabin to let him go out on his own for a "nighttime rendevous", which they assume is with Lady Ostara. The sailors are more diligent when Sijam and Hermione try to follow a little later, and are persuaded to look the other way for a minute for a penny each, which they "overhear falling on the deck around the corner" and leave to "search around for in the dark for the coins".

Zeno meets with Gebhard, who is desperate for his help. Gebhard feels he can trust Zeno, as he saw him fight against the Prince of Moneghetti's friends in the tournament at Crescentium, and believes Zeno will want to help him help Lady Ostara. Zeno prays to the True God to make those present speak truthfully. Gebhard claims there is a spy for the Prince of Moneghetti on board the ship, but he's not a clever man and he hasn't been able to figure out who the spy is. While he doesn't directly admit to killing either Otho or Giorgos, Gebhard's answers make it clear that he's responsible for their deaths. Gebhard currently suspects Sijam is the spy, but Zeno ignores that, as he is righteously angry that Gebhard has killed innocent men in his search for the spy. Zeno: "Good God, man!"

Zeno grabs Gebhard by the shirt and slams him up against the wall. Gebhard struggles to break Zeno's grip, and when that doesn't succeed, loudly calls out a strange word. The bronze flask in Theresa's backpack opens, and with a sigh air billows out of her backpack towards Zeno, coalescing into a ghostly figure with glowing red eyes that resembles Zeno, hovering over both men.

The adventurers destroy the breathdrinker and subdue Gebhard. Before it is destroyed, the breathdrinker steals some of Zeno's breath, leaving him pale and shaky. Martina notices someone in the shadows and goes to investigate, returning with Feodora, who has armed herself with Giorgos' magic dagger. Sailors arrive to investigate the sounds of fighting, and fetch Captain Karla Roodsdottir. Sijam goes to Lady Ostara's cabin and rouses her from her drugged sleep by rebalancing her ki. Sijam is concerned that Gebhard has given Lady Ostara a much larger dose than he prescribed to send her to sleep, but she insists that she chooses her own dosage.

Captain Karla holds a hearing into what's going on, and listens to the accusations against Gebhard. Zeno: "He's slain an innocent man - two innocent men, including my cousin." On hearing that Gebhard acted on a request from Geffrai Sigar, the steward of the Count of Legnano, to kill the Prince of Moneghetti’s spy, Lady Ostara takes responsibility for her servant's actions and offers to make restitution. Satisfied with the proposed resolution, Captain Karla sends everyone to their cabins for the rest of the night and orders the adventurers to have Feodora return Giorgos' magic dagger to his coffin along the way. They find that Feodora opened both coffins, but only replaced the lid on Otho's coffin.

Before they go to sleep for the night, Luxian has Hermione return the sacrificial dagger to the sack for cursed magic items.

Zeno calls on Lady Ostara in her cabin, and is shown in by Gebhard, who stays out of Zeno's way in the outer room. Lady Ostara and Zeno apologise to each other for the awkward situation they find themselves in, and Zeno quickly accepts when Lady Ostara invites him to visit her in Kevland, if he wishes.

The ship continues to be becalmed. Theresa tells Sijam that she doesn't care if he's the Prince of Moneghetti's spy, but if he's becalming the ship he'd better cut it out. Sijam: "I am terribly sorry, but I do not have any power over the winds. If I discover anything that help I will be sure to let you know." Theresa also has words with Shirin, who makes a similar claim of innocence, but is unable to talk with Brother Harlow, who continues to hide in his room and not respond to questions through the door.

Theresa and Hermione negotiate with Lady Ostara about restitution for Feodora for Otho's murder, and agree on a one-off payment of 4 pounds.

Sijam continues to translate the coded message with Martina's assistance, and they succeed in breaking the cipher by deducing that the cipher key is the Selentine religious phrase, "In the beginning was the word". The decoded message reads, "The seal was not broken. The princess is still here. She continues in his service. The prince still plans to ransom the count. He is alive and has the funds to repay the loan. A baron on crusade hired the Marijah. He will travel to Selentium for the jubilee. The crusaders march on Ibrahim. Prokopios will search the cellars for the Lamb and the Lion." Hermione has the insight that there are two alternating threads in the letter, one about Zeno and Martina and the other about matters of high politics. Nobody can guess what exactly Prokopios is searching for, though the Lamb and the Lion is well-known religious symbolism for a time of peace.

The Faithful Lady sets sail for Peronnia. The adventurers attend Otho's funeral mass, which has been paid for by Lady Ostara. Feodora wails inconsolably throughout the mass, despite Theresa's efforts to comfort her. Zeno and Martina both cry for Otho, but the others do not show the same depth of feeling. After the mass and the burial, Hermione buys a cart to carry the bronze apparatus of the lobster plus a cart horse, who she renames Rokko, as suggested by Theresa.

That evening, Luxian attunes the sacrificial dagger, and discovers that the Xathosedge now connects him to the lingering spirit of Acherades. Unwilling to remain in contact with the cursed shade of the dead priest, Luxian has Theresa break the connection with her arcane magic, which she does freely and without charge. Luxian returns the Xathosedge to the sack for cursed magic items.

Medeia is visibly saddened to see the derelict ruins of ancient Emphidor as they travel. Feodora asks why they're travelling to Vestad on a cart instead of a ship. Theresa: "We're visiting my sister for the winter solstice. She'll get herself in trouble if I'm not there." Theresa explains she doesn't want her sister to get trapped in any bad bargains. Sijam is warned not to make bargains with the red-haired elves of Emphidor, who seem to him to have much in common with the Jinn of his homeland.

The adventurers discuss what they will do to spend their free time at Sellasos during winter. Zeno and Martina are both looking forward to hunting, and while Theresa enjoyed hunting in the Deepwood by shooting at animals that were herded past her, she doesn't like the idea of hunting on horseback. Hermione: "It depends who's prey, doesn’t it?"

The adventurers finally arrive at Sellasos, where they are reunited with Quintus Rufius Clodianus, who now speaks haltingly in Low Bacchile, Fiametta, whose red hair prompts Sijam to check quietly with Luxian whether he should not thank her for food, and Lady Anna Dekanos. Anna introduces Theresa to their half-brother Alexios, who is currently her page, and her recently arrived guest from Teran, Lady Bramonde Barleigh.

Lady Barleigh has a letter from Duke Roland for Theresa, along with three gifts for her. She gives Theresa the Duke's first gift, a locker pendant with a miniature portrait of Roland by Esther Vidad: Theresa's second gift is Pauline Harth's service as her maid for the rest of the year. Theresa is delighted by the Duke's letter, and immediately puts on the pendant. Theresa checks with Hermione that they can call on the Duke at Merin on the way to Duneld to rescue her father, and Hermione agrees that it would not be too much out of their way.

While they settle into their quarters, Sijam talks with Hermione about what he should do during their visit. Sijam: "Do you have directions for me while we stay at this castle?" Hermione: "I have no instructions, except to be comfortable and be careful. We will meet Theresa's commitments to her family - for the season and under the hill, then we move on to Selentium for Zeno and Marina. Then we should collect some others to support the rescue of my father." Sijam: "Thank you. Then I will seek to make myself useful here, and look for any scholarship works that may be here, if God is willing."

Hermione continues to work on her repairs to the bronze apparatus of the lobster in her quarters. Zeno inadvertently offends Theresa with the observation that "Hermione would give up her first-born child rather than part with it." Theresa: "How dare you!" Zeno is immediately contrite and apologetic, and turns the other cheek when Theresa slaps him with her glove.

After they retire for the evening, Luxian is visited in his quarters by Dormita. Dormita tells Luxian she has located Tikaru by his nightmares, and that Tikaru is living in Kars, where Chang the Stormrider went long ago to live with the giants among of the peaks of the Mountains Under Heaven. Dormita also tells Luxian that Mayauel waits for him to return the Hatuli, and while Mayauel feels no anxiety during the day her sleep is increasingly troubled by the fear that Luxian has betrayed her and kept the Hatuli for his own purposes. Luxian tells Dormita that he intends to return the Hatuli, but has no ready counter to her observation that he is travelling away from the Grey Rock. Dormita disappears after warning Luxian that Mayauel's patience is not endless, and he should act soon before "her heart burns".

Luxian catches up with Theresa and Pauline on the way to breakfast, and Theresa sends Pauline away so they can talk privately. Luxian tells Theresa about Dormita's visit, and his concerns about returning the Hatuli to Mayauel. Luxian: "What if someone else like the pirate ghost came for the Hatuli?" Theresa; "Well, that's why it shouldn't be with us, Luxian."

While they approach the great hall to join the others for breakfast, Theresa tells Luxian of her plans to matchmake Zeno with Lady Anna instead of Lady Ostara. Theresa: “Less murderous servants.”

As the weather has improved slightly and it is not raining, Lady Anna takes Zeno, the other adventurers, and Lady Barleigh out hunting a giant boar that has been bothering one of her villages. Fiametta accompanies the observers, escorted by Quintus Rufius Clodianus, while Alexios stays with Theresa, ready to take Anna's sword to her if it is needed.

The hunt takes most of the day, but is ultimately a success. Zeno kills the giant boar after it unhorses him by killing his borrowed steed. Anna awards the head of the giant boar to Zeno as a trophy, and helps her hunters butcher the carcass.

As dusk falls, Anna returns to the castle with the boar's head, leaving her hunters to finish dressing the carcass and bring it in. Some of the company go with Anna, including Fiametta and Quintus, but the adventurers stay with the hunters, accompanied by Alexios, Pauline and Medeia.

After dusk, the hunters are perturbed to hear a hunting horn, and hurriedly leave with the carcass after warning the others not to linger. While making their way back to Sellasos, the adventurers see a well-dressed man in torn and dirty clothes run into view. The man ignores them, staring unseeingly past them and continuing to run while an eerily silent pack of white hounds comes into view. Zeno rides past on Martina's horse, picks the unresponsive man up with one arm, and rides off back to Sellasos with him, pursued by the white hounds. Theresa uses magic to raise a small forest between the hounds and Zeno, throwing the pack off the scent but drawing the attention of a group of hunters in green finery with red trim, riding on silent white horses with red-stained muzzles.

The riders stop a short distance away from the adventurers to talk. The lead rider recognises Theresa as Ninthalor's former servant, and banters about how Ninthalor would be pleased to have her returned to him. The rider lifts his helmet and winks at Theresa before the elven hunters wheel and ride silently away with their hounds in the direction of the mound where the adventurers went into Adralestor's hall on their previous visit to Sellasos.

After the elves leave, the adventurers waste no time in returning to Sellasos, where Zeno has arrived safely with the elf-struck man and Anna is panicking that Alexios is missing. Anna is greatly relieved when Theresa returns with Alexios, hugging him and telling him off in equal measure. Burning the winter ragmort the man was holding in one hand has little effect on his condition, but Theresa's magic is more efficacious, restoring the man's senses, but not his voice.

The adventurers try without success to communicate with the man, who clearly understands them but who cannot speak, writes in gibberish, and seems to use random gestures when trying to explain things to them.

In the evening, Theresa is summoned by her master to talk with him outside the castle. Theresa warns Hermione where she is going before she leaves, and Hermione follows her. Theresa: "I don't want you to come with me!" Hermione: "I'm not going to come with you, I'm going to follow you." Theresa: "Well, next time I'll tell someone else!"

Theresa's attempts to send Hermione away draw Sijam's attention, and he joins Hermione on her self-imposed mission. Martina also notices their departure, but agrees to stay behind at Theresa's request so that someone knows what's happening and can raise the alarm if none of them return within two hours.

Theresa, Hermione and Sijam leave Sellasos, disturbing a tramp who is sleeping outside the castle gates as they pass. Hermione and Sijam hang back while Theresa goes on her own to a copse of trees where Lord Ardreth is waiting for her. Ardreth warns Theresa that word of her presence at Sellasos has reached Ninthalor through Adralestor's guest Rathlond, and that she must be careful not to be captured by Rathlond or any others who may decide to curry favour with her former master by returning her to him. Ardreth tells Theresa he will send someone to help protect her, comments on the change in Theresa's guards, and asks after her previous guard (Martina). Theresa tries to bargain with Ardreth for more information, but he seems unusually short-tempered and she quickly drops the topic.

When he has finished talking with Theresa, Ardreth transforms into an owl and flies away. Theresa rejoins Hermione and Sijam, and they return to Sellasos.

Martina is poorly rested, and explains that she had troubled dreams for the first time since the early stages of the voyage to Tion on The Faithful Lady.

Sijam is concerned about the tramp and the other beggars staying outside the castle gate, and starts checking on them regularly. He learns that the tramp's name is Cleon. Sijam enlists Zeno's assistance in obtaining charity for the beggars, and they learn from Mother Niketa that most of the itinerant poor come to the church for meals and shelter, but Cleon is not one of them. When asked, Cleon explains that "I would rather freeze a free man than beg for scraps at God's altar."

Sijam tries to find out why Cleon is at Sellasos. Sijam: "I can tell many of these others are here looking for work, but it doesn't seem you are here for the same?" Cleon: "It's cold out in this dreary, rain-drenched winter - here I have some shelter from the rain, and food to eat thanks to the generosity of you and others from the castle. What more could an old man want?"

Martina is still troubled by her dreams and not sleeping well. Theresa tells Zeno she believes Lord Ardreth is reponsible for the intrusive dreams, but doesn't seem perturbed by what's happening. Theresa: "She's not screaming! He's a kind master."

Sijam talks with Martina about her sleeping difficulties, which are caused by intrusive dreams, and they realise that the dreams stopped after two nights where she was awake for most of the evening. Martina plans to stay up late at night throughout the Twelve Nights, and obtains Zeno's permission to stay up late and rise late in the mornings.

That evening, Martina and Zeno stay up very late, drinking and eating. When they eventually retire for the night, they both sleep soundly and deeply.

Theresa asks Hermione and Zeno if they can keep a secret. Hermione promises to do so unconditionally, so Theresa tells her (but not Zeno) that Sir Melissenos' missing voice is hidden in an egg in a box in a well in Adralestor's hill, and that Adralestor took his voice because Sir Melissenos boasted about planning to marry Anna and Adralestor is possessive.

The feasting stops for Fasting-Day, as is traditional. Anna and the adventurers go into the village for “The Blessing of the Waters”, an Emphidian tradition where youths dive into really cold lakes, rivers and the sea on the first day of Winter-Month to try to be first to get a cross which has been blessed by a priest and thrown into the water. Alexios and Feodora both intend to take part along with the village youths, and Theresa uses magic to prepare warmed towels for them both. The village youths don't attempt to outcompete Alexios, but Feodora does and returns to the surface with Mother Niketa's blessed cross.

Afterwards, Alexios and Feodora drops branches in the river and follow them downstream, escorted by Hermione, Luxian and Sijam. They hear distant singing from the woods near the river, and the adventurers insist on Alexios and Feodora returning to the others while they investigate. The adventurers find a young blonde woman who looks like she died from drowning singing by a small stream. The woman tries to entrance Sijam with her voice, but is put off by his non-human appearance and tells him to leave, which they do.

Meanwhile, the children explain to Theresa why they returned alone, and Theresa complains to Zeno about people following mysterious singing in the woods "like fools". Theresa reassures Zeno that the singing was in Low Bacchile and not exceptionally good, so she's reasonably sure it's not elves. Zeno: " I know! Did their mothers teach them nothing abouot what happens to children that wander?" Theresa: " Well, Luxian never had a mother, and Hermione's died young. I don't know what Sijam's excuse is." Zeno: "We should probably get horses. I don't know if the Kindly ones are such a concern in the north so it may not be as much of a risk for Sijam. Maybe those Jinn he mentioned don't lure away mortals." Theresa: " Zeno ... do you think any of them will vow to help an angry drowned ghost? Like Jack did? Humans seem ... kind of gullible ..." Zeno begins to shake his head, then pauses. Zeno: "We should hurry."

Theresa and Zeno meet up with Hermione, Luxian and Sijam as they return to the village. The adventurers ask Mother Niketa about the drowned woman, and learn that her name is Popi (short for Popilia), who went missing last year. The villagers suspected she had met with foul play, as she was being courted by a soldier from the castle, and their suspicions were confirmed when a young boy from the village was drowned in the stream by her revenant. Mother Niketa has nailed up four iron crosses around Popi's location to stop her wandering freely along the stream, and the villagers have told their children not to go there.

Mother Niketa believes Popi is seeking vengeance on the man who drowned her but can't tell people apart now that she's dead, and in any case that man probably died in the battle alongside the previous Baron. Unable to put Popi to rest by bringing justice to her murderer, the adventurers decide to go back the next day, defeat her in battle, and have Mother Niketa put her to rest by burying her in the church graveyard.

The adventurers go back to Popi's stream and confront her. Popi accuses Martina of being her murderer because Martina is carrying a shield, confirming their suspicions that Popi was murdered by a soldier. Popi raises the water from the stream into a huge wave that carries the adventurers back through the woods until it crashes into the invisible barrier created by Mother Niketa's crosses and dissipates. The adventurers regroup and make quick work of Popi, who is beaten to her second death by Sijam's ki-enhanced blows.

The adventurers return to the village with Popi's corpse, and the villagers gather for her funeral mass. After the mass, Popi's body is carried out to a freshly dug grave, and as the villagers leave Mother Niketa gives 2 pennies to the gravedigger as the traditional payment for his services as the draktoter, who decapitates the body and stakes it face-down in the grave so that it won't rise again.

The adventurers return to the castle and rejoin the feasting, which has resumed now that Fasting-Day is over.

The festivities culminate with Twelfth Night, where lords give gifts to their vassals and adults give gifts to children. Anna gives Theresa a green and black gown of fine quality, and Alexios a sword. Theresa gives Alexios a boot dagger, and Feodora embroidery supplies. Zeno gives Feodora a fine dagger, and Martina a shield decorated with the heraldry of the Order of Peregrines. Hermione gives Feodora a bracelet of dragon scales from Fierce, like her own.

Lady Barleigh gives Theresa the Duke's final gift, an ornate gold bracelet decorated with emeralds. Lady Barleigh recognises it as jewellery that belonged to the Duke's mother. Theresa quietly promises Lady Barleigh that if for any reason she rejects the Duke's suit, she will see to it that his mother's bracelet is returned.

Sijam discovers that Cleon has died overnight, apparently of exposure. Cleon's body is taken to the village church for a funeral mass. Suspicious about Cleon's death, Zeno visits the church, where he senses that Cleon's body is arcane in nature, as if he was a changeling. Zeno gives Mother Niketa 2 pennies for the gravedigger's services as the draktoter after the mass.

Anna and the adventurers prepare to go to Adralestor's Hill for Mid-Winter's Eve, dressed for battle as they did before. Theresa wears the dress Anna gave her for Twelfth Night, and uses magic to make herself look less beautiful, as she was the last time they went under the Hill. Fiametta insists on accompanying them, as she feels it is her final chance to learn why she was handed over to elves and imprisoned by Adralestor in an oubliette. Lady Barleigh accompanies Fiametta to protect her from harm, as Quintus is not prepared to return to Adralestor's Hill.

The group waits until green lights appear on the side of the Hill, then set off through the night. When they arrive, there is a large entryway leading into the Hill, with fey creatures gathering outside. A black satyr with a staff asks them their business while a wild and rustic centaur saunters past with a satyr playing a fiddle on his back. On realising that Lady Anna and her sister have arrived with their retinue, the black satyr tells them to follow him inside so he can announce their arrival.

Inside, the Hill is like a great underground hall set up for feasting and dancing, with walls that change from worked stone to packed earth to tree roots, and side chambers where guests are having more private conversations, playing at cards and dice, and staying out of the crowd of elves, fey, and other fantastical creatures in the main hall. The black satyr raps his staff on the floor and announces their arrival before returning to his duty at the outer door.

Adralestor, dressed in green finery instead of his green armour and helmet, immediately comes over to welcome Anna to his ball. Anna (forgetting Theresa's repeated instructions not to thank elves): "Thank you." Concerned that Anna and her retinue are not all appropriately dressed for the planned festivities, Adralestor leads them into a side chamber so they can change out of their armour and into suitable clothes. All the adventurers stay together, even those already in clothing instead of armour, and Theresa gives Hermione and Martina advice on what vests and trousers to choose. She also attempts to help Anna choose her outfit, but Adralestor insists on Anna wearing a green gown of his choosing. The adventurers continue to have trouble not thanking their host, with Anna, Zeno, and Lady Barleigh all slipping up.

Adralestor escorts Anna back to the main hall to dance. Rathlond and a red-haired elf woman approach Zeno and Martina, and Rathlond asks Zeno to dance. Seeing Martina's worried look, Theresa rescues her by asking the other elf to dance with her instead, which she does. Adralestor and the elf-woman, Eiryn, seem courteous and friendly while they dance and talk; Rathlond stares unflinchingly at Zeno, and tells him how he carries the sword of his dead sister Surya, who was killed by someone like him that Rathlond named "Umarth", the Ill-Fated One.

While the others dance, Luxian falls into conversation about sorcery with Arete, a red-haired woman whose dress exposes her chest and whose sleeves completely cover her arms. Arete's sleeves undulate as they talk, and make soft hissing noises. Sijam hovers beside a wall until a small pixie asks if she can sit on his shoulder and talk with him. Sijam finds that he and the pixie, who says that he may call her Petal this evening, share a great interest in the medicinal uses of flowers. Sijam is happy to talk with Petal about medicine and about his plans to travel, but is not interested in transferring any of his memories to her so that she can see the places he has been or feel the experiences he has gone through. Hermione stays with Lady Barleigh and Fiametta, who is being actively shunned by everyone at the ball for some reason.

After the dancing, Adralestor takes Anna to the high table so they can talk. Theresa goes with them, and Zeno (followed by Martina) joins them. The adventurers work together to turn the conversation to the mortally wounded knights who are imprisoned by Adralestor, and he agrees to let Anna try to free them by overcoming three challenges for their entertainment. Anna and the adventurers change back into their armour before embarking on the challenges, while Lady Barleigh remains with Fiametta, who continues to be ingnored by everyone else.

The adventurers go through a great stone door in the eastern side of the hall. The door is opened by its doorkeeper, Cleon, who is tethered to the doorpost by a chain that leads to a collar around his neck. Beyond the door is a long corridor that curves slightly towards the left, with mist rising from the floor and torches flickering with red light at intervals along the wall.

The adventurers follow the corridor for a long time, until Hermione feels they have almost completed a circuit travelling counter-clockwise around the inside of the mound. At the end of the circuit, the corridor widens into a hall lined with two rows of pillars stretching off into the darkness. The pillars are all carved statues, mostly of women, and one of the caryatids steps out to confront the adventurers. Telesilla explains that getting past her is the first of the three challenges: her gestures slow Zeno, who grapples with her so the others can run past. Martina stays back with Zeno, as she is his squire and is holding a torch so they can see. The others run around the left side of the pillars, with Sijam outstripping the others in speed and running along the wall instead of on the floor. Luxian uses sorcery to create a giant stone hand that holds Telesilla down for long enough for Zeno to get a head start, and to hasten Zeno so he moves as fast as Martina and Telesilla, who pursues them along the length of the hall to the very end. Telesilla congratulates the adventurers on completing their first task as they leave.

The adventurers catch their breath a little way along the corridor, where it opens into a circular space centred around a plain stone font filled with a heavy, crimson liquid that smells like blood, from which a granite spout shaped like a furious ox's head trickles a steady stream into the basin before it. They continue on in due course, and complete another circuit of the mound until they pass through a cave mouth into a warm, sandy desert night. The adventurers follow a path of compacted sand through the desert to a small cliff face, where Hypatia the sphinx is waiting for them. Hypatia explains that she is their second challenge, and they have to answer her riddles correctly to return to Adralestor's Hill. Theresa carefully negotiates the number of riddles with Hypatia to three, "the traditional number". The adventurers collaborate to solve all three riddles correctly, and Hermione thanks Hypatia when she congratulates them.

Hypatia uses her magic to open a cave mouth in the cliff that leads back to another curved tunnel. While they walk, Theresa once again reminds the others not to thank arcane creatures. Hermione: "I had no idea how ingrained it was. My cousin always used to call me rude!"

The adventurers complete a third circuit counter-clockwise that ends in a large cave, filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Inside, they are attacked by Arete the snake-handed woman, who shields herself from arcane magic with a globe of light while hurling fireballs and sending swarms of poisonous snakes at the group of adventurers that includes Anna. Martina protects Anna until Theresa is in danger, at which point her priority shifts to protecting Theresa. Sijam and Zeno close with Arete, who charms Zeno into defending her from Sijam, who resists her arcane power. Luxian avoids looking at Arete when she teleports near him wtih Zeno, and finds it difficult to target her with his own magic.

As the battle turns against her, Arete hurls bolts of magic that resemble angry serpents at Anna, who cannot avoid them despite Martina's assistance. The battle is then brought to an end by Adralestor, who rides into the cave in his armour astride a huge auroch. The auroch comes to a stop between Arete and the group of adventurers that includes Anna: Adralestor announces that the third challenge is over, and offers Anna a hand to pull her up onto the auroch. However, Anna prefers to stay with Theresa and the other adventurers, and walks back into the main hall with the others while Adralestor rides alongside them.

Adralestor has the nine mortally wounded knights brought into the great hall, all chained together as they were in the room that the adventurers saw them in the last time they were under the Hill. As requested, Adralestor ends the curse that sustains the knights' lives despite their grievous wounds, and they all begin to expire from their injuries, despite the best efforts of Sijam, Theresa and Zeno to save them. Zeno prays to the True God to free the knights from their suffering: in response to his devout prayer, the great hall and its arcane inhabitants immediately disappear, leaving them in a small, dark cave with the dead bodies of the long-suffering knights.

Before they leave, Theresa reminds Lady Barleigh to leave behind the clothing she's wearing so that she isn't seen as accepting a gift from Adralestor. Lady Barleigh strips naked, and Zeno lends her a cloak to wear for the trip back to the castle. The cave closes behind the adventurers as they leave with the bodies of the dead knights. Outside, they hear the rattle of metal falling to the ground, and find Lady Barleigh's armour at the base of the Hill, as if it was expelled from the mound. Fiametta helps Lady Barleigh carry her armour back to the castle.

Anna has Mother Niketa hold a funeral mass for the nine dead knights, who are all buried in the church graveyard without the services of the draktoter being called on. Anna gives each of the adventurers 4 crowns in compensation for Anna keeping the dead knights' damaged armour, except for Martina, who receives a half-share of 2 crowns as Zeno's squire.

The adventurers arrive at Selentium, which is even more crowded with pilgrims for the Jubilee than when they visited earlier in the year. They are fortunate to be able to stay once again in the outer suburbs at a hostel associated with the Ancient Order of Peregrines.

While making their plans for the next day, Theresa tells the others that she has decided not to be baptised while she is still in the service of Lord Ardreth, in case it provokes him to command her to do something incompatible with the True Faith. Instead, Theresa has decided to wait until her period of service ends. Zeno is disappointed but understands Theresa's predicament.

The adventurers split into two groups for the morning. Zeno and Hermione plan to take Medeia and Iphianassa to the Basilica of Saint Phyrinus, where pagans can register to be baptised by the Pontiff of Selentium, while Luxian and Theresa plan to accompany Sijam to the University of Selentium, and then hopefully to the Pontifical Library. Both groups plan to meet up for lunch, then go in a group to call on Lady Eirine Doukainas and her brother Sir Anthimos. In the meantime, Lady Barleigh and Fiametta, accompanied by Quintus, plan to follow the traditional path for pilgrims celebrating the Jubilee, while Pauline stays at the hostel to supervise Feodora.

Sijam, Luxian and Theresa go to the University of Selentium, which is dominated by a large circular building that surrounds an enormous courtyard, and ask for directions to the Faculty of Medicine. They meet with Professor Alfonso Carrillo, who tests Sijam's knowledge of medicine with questions and is impressed by his answers. While Professor Carrillo is preparing the letter of introduction Sijam needs to visit the Pontifical Library, Sijam explains his interest in studying herbs from other parts of Selentia, and his hope of finding novel treatments through combining ingredients from diverse locations. Professor Carrillo is intrigued, and asks Sijam to return and report on his findings when he has completed his current travel plans.

While guiding Medeia, Iphianassa and Hermione along the traditional route to the Basilica of Saint Phyrinus, Zeno is joined by Ardalion of Elea. Ardalion is delighted to have found Zeno, as Phocas has been waiting for him to arrive at Selentium for almost two months. Hermione is hostile towards Ardalion, who claims not to recognise her at first and does his best to ignore Hermione's barbed snipes while he talks with Zeno and Medeia. Hermione: “It seems to me that as traders you’re all particularly inept!” Ardalion: “I remember you now!”

Sijam, Luxian and Theresa go to the Pontifical Library, where Professor Carrillo's letter of introduction gets them immediate admission to the building. They are taken to a reading room by one of the librarians, who asks what books they wish to see, then fetches books for them to read. While they wait, Sijam overhears another librarian talking with two men in an adjacent reading room, then going to fetch the first edition copy of My Journey to the West by Niccolo of Wissenstein.

Ardalion joins Zeno in guiding Medeia and Iphianassa through the prayers and liturgy for each stage of the route to the Basilica of Saint Phyrinus. The Basilica is very quiet compared to other churches in the city, and they are immediately seen by Father Niccolo, who is surprised and pleased to have a pagan priestess and her slave in his church. Ardalion takes his leave while Medeia and Iphianassa are with Father Niccolo, leaving Zeno and Hermione to argue with each other about what Phocas is planning and why he's in Selentium.

While reading his book on medicinal herbs, Sijam overhears one of the men saying that the information is accurate but he needs more time to study and understand it, and the other man replying that he has another solution. Sijam is shocked to hear the sound of paper being cut, then folded up as the two men leave. Sijam dashes out to confront the departing men: one has an eyepatch, while the other is older and has a sooty stain on the palm of his left hand. Luxian trails after Sijam, while Theresa stays behind reading her book on poisons. After everyone has gone, Theresa slips next door to check the book, finds the places where two pages are missing at the end of a chapter, cuts out the preceding page for future examination, then returns to their reading room.

Sijam tries to raise a hue and cry about the men taking pages from a book, but there are no librarians nearby, and the only people standing guard outside the building exit are the companions of the two men, who try and protect them from Sijam. Sijam is unable to grab hold of their apparent leader, the man with the eyepatch, before the other man creates a wave of shadow from his left hand. When the wave recedes, the four adventurers have disappeared through the World of Spirits. Returning back to the reading rooms, Sijam and Luxian explain what happened to Theresa and the librarians. Fortunately, there are two later editions of My Journey to the West in the Pontifical Library, and a librarian fetches one of them so the adventurers can read the stolen pages, which discuss the pagan gods of Niccolo of Wissenstein's host. The text comments on the similarity of symbols in his host's shrine to those Niccolo had been told were from Ambardyr, the Land of the Snow Demons, and includes a sketch of those symbols.

Father Niccolo is confident that the Pontiff will agree to baptise Medeia and Iphianassa on Church-Day, and asks Zeno to bring them back tomorrow afternoon for their all-night pre-baptism vigil. The four of them go to the plaza where the others are supposed to join them for lunch, and Zeno and Hermione continue to argue about Phocas' plans while they wait. The others run late but eventually arrive at the plaza in the mid-afternoon. Zeno cuts them off in mid-explanation: "Phocas is here!"

The adventurers discuss what to do about paying Phocas in person, and how to make sure that Martina doesn't pay Phocas' steward in Kaxos as well. Zeno pays a youth to take a message to the Company of Elea and let Phocas know that Zeno will visit tomorrow morning. Zeno is surprised that the youth only wants a quarter-penny in payment, as he expects messengers to cost a penny. Zeno: “That’s what the company charges.” The youth asks where he should take Phocas' response, and Theresa pays him an extra quarter-penny to go to a different hostel, then slip out discretely to take the message to their actual hostel.

Having arranged to visit Phocas tomorrow morning, the adventurers go to the address where Lady Eirene and Sir Anthimos are staying with their cousins, Lady Juana and Miguel, who is clearly taken with Theresa's beauty. With his sister's pilgrimage completed, Sir Anthimos is keen to leave with Hermione on the quest to rescue her father: while she clearly has reservations about the dangers he will face, Lady Juana gives Miguel permission to go with Sir Anthimos as his squire. The adventurers arrange with Sir Anthimos to leave on Moon-Day, after Medeia and Iphianassa's baptism on Church-Day.

The adventurers stay with Doukainas family for dinner, then return to their hostel for the night. Pauline passes on the message delivered by the youth, which is that Phocas is looking forward to seeing Zeno tomorrow at last. The adventurers retire to their rooms for the night: warned by Pauline that Feodora kept on sneaking away from the hostel to explore the nearby streets, Theresa sets out pots so they will fall to the floor and clatter if Feodora opens the door or window to their room.

Alone in his room, Zeno notices a ticking sound that sounds similar to the sounds made by the bronze mechanism Hermione has been painstakingly repairing. Unable to find the source of the sound, Zeno wakes Hermione to ask for her help. Sijam is woken by Zeno knocking on Hermione's door, and joins them in the search. They find a metal snake lurking under Zeno's bed, and work together to immobile, elongate, and disable the mechanism that animates the metal snake. Hermione is delighted to have a new device to examine and study, while Theresa is delighted to hear the clatter of a pot and know that she has caught Feodora trying to sneak out of their room and find out what all the racket is about.

At first, there is general agreement that Phocas must have sent the snake as a very ineffecient way to try and kill Zeno. Zeno: “If our metric is cakes and snakes, then we are making a profit.” However, Medeia is fearful that the snake was sent by Atana as a warning against her upcoming baptism: the maker's mark on the metal snake is in ancient Emphidian, but isn't the mark of any of the Emphidian Twelve. Theresa invites Medeia and Iphianassa to spend the rest of the night in her room, along with Pauline and Feodora.

After breakfast, Theresa and Zeno go to the Company of Elea to see Phocas and deliver Giorgos' letters, while Luxian, accompanied by Hermione and Sijam, goes to find someone who can tell them more about the metal snake. Theresa and Zeno notice that they are being followed at a distance by a suspicious man: they go into a narrow alley to wait for him, but the man doesn't follow them into their ambush, so they continue through the alley and finish their journey to the Company of Elea without further incident.

Hermione, Luxian and Sijam find a wise woman, who identifies the metal snake as an ancient Emphidian construct, the likes of which can occasionally be purchased on the black market. The wise woman confirms that the metal snake is poisonous by forcing its fangs into a rat, which promptly dies. Better informed than before, the trio go to the Pontifical Library, where the door warden refuses to let Hermione inside with Sijam and Luxian, as she is armed and armoured like a bodyguard. Hermione occupies herself watching the crowds of pilgrims as they pass by.

Ardalion meets Theresa and Zeno when they arrive at the Company of Elea, and is delighted to see that Zeno has a more convivial travelling companion today. Ardalion leads them along a colonnade to a courtyard, where Phocas is waiting for them. Phocas is pleased to receive Giorgos' letters, even through the coded letter has been opened. Zeno tries to persuade Phocas that Martina will make the payment to his household steward at Kaxos, but Phocas insists that Zeno should make the payment in person, and that he needs the cash here in Selentium.

Zeno finds the conversation with Phocas reassuring, while Theresa notices occasional lapses in Phocas' demeanour where he seems less than honest, such as when Phocas assures Zeno that he's happy that Zeno is a knight, and seemingly overly-surprised when Zeno tells him about being attacked by a metal snake last night. Theresa also notices that Phocas loses interest in trying to organise for Martina's immediate return from Kaxos when he learns that she opened the coded correspondence on Zeno's orders, and immediately proposes that Ardalion is at a loose end and could go with Zeno to assist with Hermione's quest to rescue her father. After they leave, Theresa points out these details to Zeno, crushing his optimism at how well the meeting seemed to go.

Hermione notices Bogdana in the crowd passing the Pontifical Library and calls out to her. Bogdana has returned to Selentium for the Jubilee with her father Preben, who is also pleased to meet Hermione again. Hermione confirms with Preben and Bogdana that they are from Oseberg in Vestad, and that they know Feodora's aunt Sabarinah and her husband Derrin. Preben has already heard the gossip that a pagan priestess is to be baptised by the Pontiff tomorrow, and promises to look out for Hermione and the others at the Pontiff's basilica.

The adventurers return to their hostel for lunch, and exchange information about developments. After lunch, Zeno and Theresa escort Medeia and Iphianassa to the Basilica of Saint Phyrinus, while Hermione escorts Luxian and Sijam back to the Pontifical Library. At the Basilica, Father Niccolo introduces Medeia to Sister Isabel, who has come from the nearby Abbey of Fossa Nuova to make arrangements for Medeia and Iphianassa to join the abbey after they are baptised.

Zeno and Theresa stay at the Basilica with Medeia and Iphianassa when they begin their pre-baptism overnight vigil. Theresa hears a metalic clatter outside, and when she goes to investigate finds the broken parts of a metal cat that seems to have fallen to the ground while leaping from the roof of an adjacent building onto the Basilica. Zeno stays at the Basilica to guard Medeia and Iphianassa overnight while Theresa returns to the hostel and shows off the broken metal cat parts to Hermione and Feodora.

Hermione tells Feodora about Preben and Bogdana, and how she could travel directly to Oseburg with them rather than travel on the more circuitous route the adventurers will take through Peronnia, Kevland, Teran and beyond. Feodora: "But you're still repairing the bronze lobster?" Hermione happily accedes to Feodora's preference to continue to travel with their group, rather than leave with strangers.

The adventurers, Lady Barleigh, Fiametta, Quintus, Pauline and Feodora go to the Pontiff's basilica to attend mass and watch Medeia and Iphianassa's baptism. Lady Eirene, Sir Anthimos, Lady Juana and Miguel Doukainas also attend the mass, along with Preben, Bogdana, and many other pilgrims. During the sermon, Pontiff Paola extols the bravery of the Crusaders who are seeking to hold Ibrahim against the forces of the Caliph of Zhenir, and calls on everyone present to pray for their successful defence of Ibrahim so that pilgrims can once again go there without fear of harrassment by the Caliph's soldiers.

When Pontiff Paola baptises Medeia, the earth starts to shake, terrifying Medeia. However, the Pontiff tells everyone not to be afraid because the True God will protect them, and the earthquake immediately ends. Iphianassa's baptism proceeds without further incident: immediately afterwards, Medeia grants Iphianassa her freedom from slavery using the outdated but still legal Emphidian formula for manumission that makes Medeia her guardian and doesn't confer free status on Iphianassa's children. After the ceremony, Zeno and Theresa check with Iphianassa, who seems happy to continue to be Medeia's servant and to go to the Abbey of Fosso Nuova with her. Hermione introduces Feodora to Preben and Bogdana, who promise to tell Sabarinah about her.

Medeia and Iphianassa leave with Sister Isabel for the Abbey of Fossa Nuova, while the others return to their hostel. The adventurers discuss what to do about Zeno repaying Phocas' loan, and Zeno asks Luxian if he can try and persuade Master Federigo to bring Martina to Selentium. Luxian agrees to do so, and sends a persuasive message using the wax tablets of correspondence telling Master Federigo about an opportunity to discuss sorcery with an ancient Emphidian priestess, and asking him to bring Martina with him if he decides to visit and meet with Medeia.

Later that day, when Martina visits Master Federigo's house to exchange messages with the adventurers through the wax tablets of correspondence, Master Federigo sees Luxian's message. Master Federigo uses his thousand league boots to transport himself, Martina, and Imilia Fuscone to Selentium through the World of Spirits. Martina is pleased to see the others again, especially Zeno and Theresa, and gives Zeno the six pounds he entrusted to her to deliver. Master Federigo is not pleased that Medeia is not present to meet with him: Zeno and Martina walk out of Selentium to the Abbey, where Zeno is unable to persuade Sister Isabel to let the new arrivals leave the Abbey on their first day as novices. Sister Isabel is willing to have Master Federigo visit the Abbey to talk with Medeia, but going to an Abbey to call on a novice is beneath Master Federigo's dignity. Disappointed and angry, Master Federigo takes Imilia with him when he returns to Kaxos through the World of Spirits. Zeno apologises to Luxian for causing problems between him and his master.

Zeno announces that he plans to knight Martina before they leave Selentium. After organising with Father Niccolo to use the Basilica of Saint Phyrinus for Martina's vigil, mass and knighting ceremony, Zeno calls on the Company of Elea to repay his loan to Phocas, invite them to the ceremony, and arrange for the Company to host a celebratory lunch. Hermione lets Sir Anthimos know that their departure from Selentium has been delayed by two days, much to his disappointment. Theresa persuades the others to each pay a fifth share of the cost of a fine outfit as a gift for Martina, then goes out to buy the present. Theresa also buys ingredients for a celebratory cake.

After dinner, Martina bathes, dresses in white, and spends the night at the Basilica kneeling before the altar keeping vigil.

Theresa bakes a visibly fancy celebratory cake for the lunch before the adventurers, Lady Barleigh, Fiametta, Quintus, Pauline and Feodora go to the basilica for the mass and knighthood ceremony. Lady Eirene, Sir Anthimos, Lady Juana and Miguel Doukainas also attend, as do Phocas and Ardalion. After the mass, Martina makes her oath of knighthood, and Zeno delivers the accolade, even though Phocas is the most senior member of the Order of Peregrines present. Zeno chooses an old fashioned accolade, giving Martina the spear and shield while she stands instead of touching her shoulders with a sword while she kneels, and ending with a ceremonial embrace instead of a ceremonial blow.

After the ceremony, the guests congratulate Martina and give her gifts, the most valuable of which is the promise of a warhorse from Phocas. However, Martina seems most pleased with the outfit Theresa gives her on behalf of the adventurers, which she changes into as soon as the arrive at the Company of Elea for the celebratory lunch. Luxian uses magic to make his clothing seem more glamorous than it actually is, while Theresa continues to wear her fine gown.

Phocas suggests to Hermione that Ardalion could go with her on the quest to rescue her father, but Ardalion has to apologise because he has already promised Martina that he will take her written instructions to the steward of her estate and make sure they are carried out. Instead, Ardalion assures Phocas that he can travel with the adventurers to Kaxos and take responsiblity for delivering the warhorse he has gifted to Martina to her estate. Ardalion promises Hermione that he'll do what he can to catch up with the group, but isn't sure how long he will have to spend in the Duchy of Fossalta making sure Martina's steward is following all her instructions.

The adventurers book passage to Kaxos aboard The Lark Ascending with Captain Fustian Vant. Quintus farewells the others and sets out for Tamor, capital of Ranimia, also known as the New Selentine Empire. Hermione and Feodora demonstrate that the bronze apparatus of the lobster is now fully repaired and operational, and walk the apparatus onto The Lark Ascending and into the hold for the upcoming journey. Hermione sells her cart and Rokko the cart horse.

The crew member in the crow's nest spots a rowboat at sea, and The Lark Ascending goes to investigate. The rowboat contains a single man, suffering from exposure and exhaustion, lying helplessly in the rowboat with an improvised wooden cross on his chest. The man is brought aboard and examined by Sijam, who uses his healing hands to revitalise the man. Morley is from the Hermitage, a small monastic community on an isolated island. He is initially fearful of Sijam, as he resembles the dead Kattar who walked out from the sea at sunset and attacked the Hermitage. Morley fled on the rowboat, as the dead Kattar couldn't swim, and rowed for hours to try and reach another island before succumbing to exhaustion.

Captain Fustian steers The Lark Ascending to the island of the Hermitage, casting anchor some distance off shore. The adventurers are keen to go ashore in the rowboat and check for survivors: Sir Anthimos is also keen for action, but the boat only has space for six people, so Hermione asks him to stay on the ship with Lady Barleigh and Ardalion in case of attack.

The adventurers row to the island which is dominated by two hills with the Hermitage lying between them, close to the smaller western hill. The eastern hill is significantly higher, and has a large black obelisk on the summit that glints in the sun. The adventurers row into a sheltered grotto next to the Hermitage, where they pull the rowboat up onto the beach. A large mass of human corpses, tied up in a fishing net, is visible just below the surface of the water in the grotto.

The adventurers make their way up the beach to a door in the wall of the Hermitage, and find that it's barricaded closed from within. Rather than break in, Hermione summons Fierce to fly over the Hermitage and look for an alternate entrance. However, Fierce is quickly attacked by a peryton with a blood-stained mouth that launches itself from the top of the bell tower of the Hermitage. Fierce is forced to flee through the World of Spirits by the peryton's attack, and it shifts focus to target the adventurers, who drive it back to the top of the bell tower with their weapons and spells, where it settles down to lick its wounds.

Unwilling to risk drawing the peryton's attention again, Zeno forces open the barricaded door, which leads into a kitchen. The adventurers search the kitchen and unlock the door to the pantry with the fingerbones of the thief. In the pantry they find a hidden ladder that leads down to a secret cellar, where Galena, Barrett, and Rollo the dwarf are hiding. Galena is pleased that her prayers have been answered, as she was warned by the True God while praying in the chapel of the attack just before it began, and set out to get others to hide with her in the cellar and wait for rescue to arrive the next day. Barrett and Rollo are both suffering from disease after being bitten and scratched by the dead kattar, and Zeno heals them both through the power of his faith.

With Galena's assistance, Theresa uses supplies from the pantry to make a hearty lunch of fried potato and sausage. Theresa: "A nice lunch will help everyone feel better!" Galena asks the adventurers if they have seen Aaron, who left the cellar earlier that morning to go to the bell tower and ring the bell in the hope of alerting a passing ship. Not expecting good news, the adventurers make their way upstairs to the bell tower. As it sees them cross the battlement that leads to the tower, the peryton flies off to the taller hill, settling near the large black obelisk.

As they anticipated, the adventurers find Aaron's body in the bell tower, with a hole in his chest where the peryton devoured his heart. The adventurers bring Aaron's body downstairs, and discuss what to do about the dead with Galena, Barrett and Rollo. The Hermitage doesn't have a cemetary, so they plan to properly bury them in the garden before nightfall so that their souls can leave the Cycle of Arda. Hermione and Martina row Barrett and Rollo over to The Lark Ascending while Galena takes Luxian, Sijam, Theresa and Zeno to the garden, where they find two sea hags trying to hide from them in the scrub and the pond. Theresa calls on the sea hags to talk with them and explain what they're doing skulking around the Hermitage.

The adventurers talk cautiously with Argia and Ida the sea hags, who came to the island to scavenge for "leftovers" like they did the last time the "walkers" emerged from "the Pit of Hatred" and came to the island, ten years ago. The hags explain that they call the dead kattar "walkers" because they plod along the sea floor, and never swim. The hags give directions to "the Pit of Hatred", a rift in the sea floor only a few miles away: while they didn't see the "walkers" comes out of the rift, they come from and return towards the rift. The hags ignored the bodies in the net because they were looking for something to eat that wasn't their usual salty fare. Theresa: "Yes, but if you rinse them in fresh water, the salt comes right off."

The hags willingly leave in peace, empty-handed and unharmed, so the adventurers can begin the work of burying the dead in the garden. Hermione and Martina return from The Lark Ascending with Ardalion, who was willing to assist when asked: Anthimos refused, as he considers being a gravedigger beneath his dignity as a knight. Luxian uses sorcery to open up the ground so the others only have to fill in individual graves, rather than dig up the soil. Galena prepares simple grave markers with the names of the dead monks while Zeno, Hermione, Martina and Ardalion bury the dead, starting with Aaron. Theresa and Luxian explore the Hermitage while the others labour, and are disappointed to find that the bricked-up wall contains a makeshift latrine pit. Theresa collects various books she finds interesting, including the Bible in the undisturbed chapel, which seems to be the only room the dead kattar did not enter.

When the last of the dead monks are buried, Zeno delivers a brief funeral service to free their souls from the Cycle of Arda. Ardalion comforts Galena while the adventurers discuss what to do next. Luxian: "I like our old cad better."

The adventurers decide there's enough daylight remaining to investigate the black obelisk on the taller hill before returning to The Lark Ascending before dusk. The peryton flies away as they approach the summit along the narrow path up the hill. The obelisk on the summit has six sides: three are blank, while the other three have engraved messages in different languages - Cabbandari, Qemor, and Old Emphidian. The message in Old Emphidian instructs the reader in two ways to contact arcane powers: the safer way involves contacting and worshipping one of the Emphidian Twelve, while the riskier way is to open yourself up to communicating with whatever arcane power notices you and hope that you are not driven mad by the experience. The message in Cabbandari is the oldest and most weathered, and warns the reader that the sea elves used great magic to seal up a rift under the sea to the Underworld where the dead are imprisoned by the Gods. Theresa refers to her book of shadows and conducts an arcane ritual that allows her to understand the Qemor inscription by running her hands over the carvings. The message is Qemor is a boastful claim by a captain in service to a Kaikuhuran Pharaoh that his navy reached the island while searching the sea for his enemies and the enemies of the Kaikuhuran gods.

The adventurers prepare to return to The Lark Ascending before night falls. Theresa is disappointed that she doesn't have the rare inks to copy the Old Emphidian inscription into her book of shadows, and is delighted to learn that Martina bought some from Federigo while in Kaxos just in case Theresa needed some. Theresa stays on the island to gather some vegetables from the pantry, guarded by Martina and Sijam, while Ardalion, Galena, Hermione, Luxian and Zeno row back to the ship. Hermione and Zeno then return to the island and ferry the others back as well.

The adventurers update the others about their discoveries, and discuss what to do about the "Pit of Hatred", which is almost certainly the rift to the Underworld mentioned in the Cabbandari inscription. The four surviving monks ask to be dropped off at the next island so they can inform the bishop of what happened and why: Galena gives the Bible to Theresa (on behalf of the adventurers) as a gift in gratitude for their help. Before sailing on, Theresa is keen to return to the obelisk and add the Old Emphidian instructions to her book of shadows. Hermione is open to using the bronze apparatus of the lobster to inspect the rift, but it only has space for two people inside. The adventurers decide Hermione will take Luxian in the apparatus to investigate the rift, much to Feodora's disappointment: Theresa offers to use a ritual from her book of shadows in the morning to give the others the ability to breathe water for the day, in case Hermione and Luxian run into trouble and need rescuing.

With plans in place, everyone on The Lark Ascending watches the island as as the sun sets. Sijam and Martina have the sharpest eyes, and tell the others about the humanoid figures that shamble out of the water and onto the island. The "walkers" slowly search around the island, and are still doing so when twilight turns to night and it becomes impossible to see what's happening on the island.

The crew keep a close eye on the anchor overnight, but no "walkers" try to climb aboard using the cable.

Theresa conducts the ritual to give anyone who wants it the ability to breathe water. The ritual involves holding a person's face under water until they can't hold their breath any longer and inhale water: the only people willing to go through that experience are the adventurers and Feodora. Hermione and Luxian set out for the rift in the bronze apparatus of the lobster, while Zeno and Martina row Theresa and Sijam back to the island.

Theresa estimates that Martina's gift of rare inks will only let her copy one of the two rituals from the obelisk into her book of shadows. Theresa talks with the others about which of the two she should copy, as she is concerned about interacting with any of the Ephidian Twelve on the one hand or risking madness on the other. After Zeno has her call a coin-toss and she is unhappy with the result, Theresa reaches the conclusion she doesn't want to copy either ritual. Theresa frets to Martina about not using the rare inks, and Martina reassures Theresa that it's fine for her to wait and use the rare inks for something she values and wants. A seagull lands near Sijam and watches him while the others talk.

As the bronze apparatus approaches the estimated location of the rift, Hermione and Luxian spot the rotting skeleton of a sailing ship's stern looming up from the sea floor, where it seems to be imbedded like a spike. The schools of fish avoid the area, and the water feels unnaturally cold as they draw close. Feodora startles them by tapping on the side window, as she has been following them by swimming underwater. Hermione insists on Feodora taking their place inside the bronze apparatus, which fills with water when they open the rear hatch.

Hermione and Luxian swim ahead while Feodora follows at a distance, illuminating them with the spotlight eyes of the bronze apparatus. The stern has the name "Tammeraut" carved on one side. Through the holes in the sides of the rotting stern, they can see that it seems to have pierced through an ancient stone barrier, and there are strange lights in the darkness below the surface. When they reach the stern, the bodies of dead Kattar start walking up out of the darkness into the rotting stern to confront them. When Luxian uses sorcery to reseal the stone barrier, the arcane power animating the dead Kattar is cut off, and their bodies sink lifelessly to the sea floor.

Hermione and Luxian accompany Feodora as she returns to The Lark Ascending in the bronze apparatus, which is winched aboard with some difficulty at first, until the water drains out of the internal compartment and the apparatus loses its additional ballast. The others return from the island to the ship for lunch and learn that the rift has been sealed. With the ancient evil sealed away, Galena asks the other monks if they still want to leave the Hermitage. Rather than leave, they elect her as their new abbot.

The adventurers ferry the monks back to the island. Galena promises the adventurers that she will tell the bishop about what happened and ask him to send masons who can carve a warning message in Low Bacchile on the obelisk. Theresa returns all of the items she took from the Hermitage except for the Bible, which she intends to keep as that was given freely as a gift. Zeno tries to convince Theresa that it would be good to return the Bible, as the monks gifted it when they thought the Hermitage had disbanded, but lets the topic drop when Theresa is resistant to the suggestion. The seagull continues to shadow Sijam, who pays it no mind. Before they leave, Zeno prays on his own in the chapel.

The Lark Ascending arrives at Kaxos. The adventurers call on Master Federigo, and stay for dinner. Luxian tries to persuade Federigo to let him continue to travel with the others to rescue Hermione's father, even though he's already been away for more than two seasons and is overdue to return and take up his responsibilities as a journeyman. Federigo grudgingly agrees to let Luxian undertake the journey on the condition that he takes one of the apprentices with him to further their education.

Federigo gives the adventurers a letter from Roberta Mazzarro letting them know that Jack has gone missing and asking them to keep an eye out for him on their travels.

Theresa tells Federigo about the bronze apparatus of the lobster, and he offers to buy it for 150 pounds. The adventurers decide that Hermione should receive two shares, while Luxian, Theresa and Zeno each receive one share, and Feodora and Martina (who was also a youth when they acquired the appratus) both receive a half-share.

Martina talks with Uncle Phocas' steward and arranges to visit his stables tomorrow so she can select which warhorse to claim as her knighthood gift.

Lady Barleigh makes enquiries at the docks about organising passage for herself and Fiametta to Doringen in Teran, and for Fiametta to continue on to Clyster in Birland.

Theresa takes Hermione and Zeno shopping for fine clothes and jewellery.

Theresa goes out in the evening to meet with her master, escorted by Martina.

Martina and Ardalion visit the stables and ride the horses. Martina chooses as her gift the third-best warhorse.

Lady Barleigh secures passage for herself and Fiametta on a ship department in two days' time. Theresa makes plans for an ornate dinner party tomorrow night, before they leave. In doing so, Theresa finds someone willing to buy the chest of birds for 40 pounds, which she splits evenly with Hermione, Luxian and Zeno.