Events:
Setho 10-
While Caelen and Zane prayed with Koran in the back room of the temple, the girls walked among the statues. Katrina did her best to explain the gods to Artemis before Artemis made her way over to Two. She asked Two if he could speak too. Vethra stopped to explain that it doesn't work that way as Two shook his head no. This was a surprise, even to Vethra. As the boys rejoined the group with Koran, three cultist warriors wearing armor and brass collars entered the temple. People began to flee as they made it quite obvious that they were here to silence Koran. Ex Umbra showed them very quickly what happens to people who attack their allies, but Koran wasn't entirely helpless. Despite his age, Koran held his own in the battle. Zane decapitated one of the cultists and took another look at the rune that was on the collars and the coin he had. He realized the purpose of these runes was to make communication with the gods easier... Ragnar could hear everything, and he has heard everything that has been said around Zane while he has had this coin in his pocket. Zane called out to Ragnar with an insulting tone, and Ragnar responded, “You’re interfering in the game. Stop now, or I’ll stop you myself.” Zane and Koran placed the coin and the three collars in the back room. Ex Umbra and Koran then headed to the castle to inform the king, and Koran wanted to take this opportunity to try to convince the king that Onyx is a direct threat to Whitespire. King Vyce was grateful that Koran was safe, but he explained that he was hesitant to engage in a war against an enemy he knows nothing about. However, he told Ex Umbra about a bandit camp in the Greatwood Forest that was responsible for the capture of multiple women from Edgewood. King Vyce told them that they could consider Whitespire an ally if war is inevitable if they can free the women, kill the bandits, and secure the camp so it may be used as a future staging ground. As everyone headed to the cart an eagle few down to Shadoe, delivering a message written in a curious cypher. Vethra said that she wanted to free those women as quickly as possible, so the group headed straight for the bandit camp.
Setho 11/29-
While travelling, Vethra drank the potion that Caelen had bought her and began to read the book she has carried with her all these years. She didn't have much time, but it was enough to gather the information she needed. While she read, Caelen looked over her shoulder, compelled by Veyra to look at the pages. When Vethra finished reading she threw the book and asked Two if he had been reporting to The Doctor this whole time. Two shook his head yes and seemed as though he was full of shame and fear. Vethra didn't get very angry though. She understood. She asked Two to limit what he tells him, and lie if he has to. Vethra promised that one day she would go back, but it would be to kill The Doctor, not join him, and when he is dead, she intends to fix Two. Veyra realized that the things that were done to her had been done to Vethra as well, and in a rare moment of sincerity, she told Caelen to pass on a message to Vethra. Veyra said "I'm sorry". Soon after, Zane and Shadoe toiled away trying to decode the cypher. Shadoe had some knowledge about codes like this used by the bounty guild, but she had not encountered this exact cypher before. In an incredible turn of events, Zane stared blankly at the numbers in complete silence before he began reading what it said. Somehow Zane figured it out. The message spoke of a defector in Jaide, and was sent by Blaid and Aroe. Shadoe remembered what Wysper had said about a defector. When Zane questioned Shadoe about who Blaid and Aroe are, Shadoe told him they were a part of the same sisterhood she, Pathe, and Wysper once belonged to. She made a joke to Zane revealing that they were members of a cult. Before she could explain further Zane asked her to give him one good reason that they don't take her down right now. Caelen stepped in front of Shadoe and said "Try it". Zane wasn't intimidated by this, but Caelen was ready to defend Shadoe if it came down to that. Shadoe then explained that this cult is dead, and that it is entirely separate from the cult they are currently hunting. Zane calmed down and told her that being a member of a cult is nothing to joke about. Shadoe insisted that joking about trauma is acceptable, but that Zane wouldn't know anything about that. This entire time Kat was just vibing with Artemis.
Setho 30-
Ex umbra arrived at the bandit camp. Katrina told Artemis to guard the cart, and Shadoe sent her hawk to scout the camp from above. She relayed to the others that there were three women in cages, barley clothed and heavily bruised and scarred. Caelen suggested he could go invisible to open the side door. Vethra liked that idea but added her own twist to the plan. She caused a distraction with an illusion of hornets, drawing out anyone that may be hiding. The bandit leader stepped out of that main tent while pulling up his pants. When the team saw this they sprang into action. Caelen opened the side gate while Zane charged right through the main entrance. Zane used the spike on the pommel of his maul to rectally impale the bandit leader, killing him instantly. He then called out to the girls saying, "The rest are all yours." Vethra continued to torture the minds of the men while Katrina used her claws to castrate them and her whip to viscerally gash their necks. Shadoe summoned vines entangling three of the men in a large fire. She made sure that they felt every second of their slow painful deaths as she burned them alive. The girls then freed the captive women and clothed them. Caelen took a moment to speak with Veyra. He knew she had an intense bloodlust during the battle, but Veyra understood why Caelen let the women handle it. She told Caelen that she was no stranger to such things. Hell was full of men like the bandits. That's why the bloodlust had felt personal this time. Vethra cleaned the women's wounds while Zane made some bread pudding for them. When they got back to the cart, Katrina found herself in a hard situation as she had to explain what had happened to Artemis. Artemis didn't fully understand what these women had gone through, but she became their emotional support tiger for the journey to Edgewood.
Obo 10-
When they arrived in Edgewood a crowd quickly formed as the friends and family of the women rushed to embrace them. Vethra noticed that one of the women was met by a man wearing a wedding ring. The woman told him that the bandits took hers. Vethra took off one of her rings and gave it to the woman. It was a sweet moment. Zane informed he guardsmen that the camp was secure and suggested they send a small force to ensure it doesn't fall in to enemy hands. Caelen spoke to Shadoe, pointing out that they had done this before. The last time they saw one another before all this, they freed women from cages. It felt good to do it again. Zane mentioned the message he decoded and suggested that they make way for Jaide to find the defector and Shadoe's "sisters". Shadoe was very intent on reminding everyone that Blaid and Aroe aren't actually related.
Obo 15-
The team arrived in Coastmont and found a tavern overflowing with a crowd of young women. Zane and Caelen immediately decided to go to another bar. Vethra, Kat, and Shadoe entered the busy bar and saw Maximus Tuun performing. The women in the bar claimed he was the best bard in all the land. Vethra decided to prove them wrong. She challenged Maximus to a battle of the bards, and she whooped his ass. Maximus was impressed and paid for their drinks while trying to flirt with Vethra. When he went back to the stage to continue his performance, Vethra realized that one of the lines in his opening song suggested that he had met The Prophet.
Obo 16-
Vethra headed back to the tavern and knocked on Maximus's door. He again tried his best to flirt with her, to no avail. He told Vethra about his experience with the prophet and mentioned that he once met a lycari man in Wernstel that had also met the prophet. Maximus told Vethra that no matter if the prophet foretold glory or ruin, he was always right. He told Vethra that she should heed his words. Vethra told Maximus to "keep dreaming" as she exited the tavern and rejoined the others.
