Save or Die: Outcasts: Episode 26

__NOTOC__
==Synopsis==
The party and Renatus meet back up in the small town of Arkveld. The party have lodestones they are to deliver to Lady Zerrah. Renatus has made connect with local Fireflies members. The party go early in the morning to meet up with the Fireflies.
Grau is told much about his past as a forest gnome. The party decide to join up with the Fireflies to help them assassinate Magistrate Zerrah, but are told they should wrap up any loose ends before doing so.
==Recap==
Everyone who complemented Neal at the start of the episode got 100 exp.
===Ren's Investigation===
January 25, 1524. Renatus is in the small town of Arkveld. He arrived after the party had left the town some days ago. He was sent here on a separate task than the rest of the party.
His mission from Magistrate Zerrah is to figure out who is leaking information to the local Fireflies. Ren is conflicted about doing this mission against the Fireflies.
Army of Voraci troops traveling between Arkveld and Valebrook have been ambushed by the Fireflies. If Ren is unable to find out where the leak is, he is to use the rest of the party as bait to lure out the Fireflies. Ren however fully intends to inform the party of his orders. The party are expected back in around 3 weeks with the lodestones.
Ren goes to the Golden Throne, the town's only tavern. He acts like a traveling entertainer. The tavern-owner is happy to put up Renatus if he entertains the patrons.
Ren spends the first week gossiping with the locals to gather intel. He also gets a kitten (cream tabby) named Orion.
In the second week Renatus gets an understanding of the local political situation. The Voraci garrison consists of Captain Everpool and 5 underlings. The town elder is who the townsfolk looks to for leadership, but Everpool has all the real power. Ren meets the town elder. Overall Ren sees that the townsfolk don't really care about the Army of Voraci being here; we don't bother them, they don't bother us. 
In the third week Renatus picks up on something interesting. The local herbalist & healer named Martha is collecting wicker coins. Renatus suspects those coins are from the elves. Renatus goes to visit Martha.
Martha has a cottage an hour out of town. The cottage is in the woods inside a fenced area. Renatus meets with Martha and claims he has a pain in his foot and back. He is invited inside. Martha makes Renatus some medicinal tea. Renatus then pretends to fall asleep.
Once Renatus is alone he investigates the inside of Martha's house. He finds 3 wicker coins. They are made of a type of willow found in wet areas like near a creek or swamp. Nowhere locally has those trees.
===Party vs Grimlocks===
February 6, 1524. The party (Auguste, Arachis, Stacy & Grau) have made camp on they back to Arkveld with the Lodestones in a pass in the mountains. Auguste spotted a approaching their camp. Auguste hit the Grimlock with his glaive. The Grimlock yells out loudly. Grau finishes off the Grimlock with a bite.
Arachis says the Grimlocks are canabals and will be lured to the dead body. Auguste and Stacy take the Grimlock corpse away from the camp.
The party return to camp. Half an hour later another Grimlock shriek can be heard nearby. But no Grimlocks approach the camp.
February 7, 1524. In the morning the Grimlock corpse is gone. Arachis and Auguste argue about the existence of echolocation. Auguste believes have natural dark vision like . Grau is impressed by Arachis's knowledge of echolocation. 
===Ren's Meets with the Elves===
Renatus "wakes up" and talks with Martha some more. Martha warns Ren about a recent band of mercenaries (the party) who travelled though Arkveld with the flag of Magistrate. Renatus thanks Martha for the advice. Renatus pays the silver for his treatment and returns to town.
Renatus determines that Martha knows the "mercenaries" will be attacked and is trying to keep Renatus away from them. Renatus has concluded that Martha is the leak. 
Renatus is conflicted with what to do. He knows the evidence isn't strong, but he is certain of it. Renatus decides to spy on Martha of a night.
After 2 nights of spying, Renatus finally notices something. He sees a group of four elves go to visit Martha. Renatus sees they are wearing elven chains. One of the elves spot Renatus hiding, but still goes into the house.
Once out of sight, Renatus flees back towards town. But the elves pursue him. The elves catch up to Renatus. He recognises one of the elves as one he freed outside Holy City Ember Stone in episode 19. The elf asks if Renatus was the one with Jerimiah, which is his name for Grau. Jerimiah of the old crooked ash. He was the elder of the forest gnome tree.
Renatus says the rest of his party will be back in town within the next few days. Renatus says he can get Grau to meet with them at Martha's Cottage.
===Reunited in Arkveld===
February 13, 1524. After seven days of walking the party return to Arkveld in the mid-afternoon. They have been arguing about bats for the past week. The party head to the Golden Throne tavern and find that Renatus is performing.
Arachis pays Clubie for guiding them to the goblin village and back, but is offended that Clubie doesn't want to write a song about a bat. Clubie is tired of the party talking about bats. Clubie then takes the stage back from Renatus.
Renatus speaks with the party briefly, and arranges to meet with them tomorrow morning. 
===Meeting the Elves again===
February 14, 1524. Before dawn the party head out of town to Martha's Cabin. As they walk Renatus explains his mission. Grau is in gnome form.
At the cabin the party are invited inside by Martha, and she signals for the elves to come. Renatus then reveals what the elves told them about Grau, that he was called Jerimiah. Grau remembers the mural he saw in episode 22.
The four elves arrive. Their common names are Thorn, Cherry, Barkalis, and Wensleydale. Barkalis tries to hug Grau, but Grau reveals he lost his memories. He explains what he does remember. When Autumn is brought up the elves are visibly displeased.
Barkalis says that Grau looks identical to their friend Jerimiah, but Grau (still gnome form) is taller. When the elven woods, I' Yaara Oryn were invaded, Jerimiah family of gnomes were captured by the Army of Voraci, just like in the mural. They were taken away for interrogation in the capital of the Voraci Empire, Valesburg, and presumed dead. He should be around 85 years old.
The elves call Autumn a traitor, gave the Army of Voraci information and distracted the elves. This led to Jerimiah's village being attacked. Grau asks if Autumn turned him into this. The elves says the army of Voraci can make Draconians by corrupting good dragon eggs, so it is within their capacity.
Barkalis reveals that Autumn is a triple class fighter/mage/cleric, and brought up in the elven woods. The powerful human wizards of the Army of Voraci cursed I' Yaara Oryn, and Barkalis is unhappy that human wizards can grow so powerful. 
Barkalis says the elves won't harm the party as Grau vouches for them. The elves also says they can help free Renatus's wife, Lady Fausta.
Barkalis asks party the execute Magistrate Zerrah, as she trusts them. The party wonder if this mission is far too dangerous for them to achieve. The goal is to hurt the Voraci Empire, even if it Zerrah will just replaced with another Magistrate eventually. 
The party brainstorm plans to assassinate Zerrah.
Grau wants to know the plans with Autumn before he helps the fireflies. The elves say there is no active plan, but they carefully wait for her to make a mistake. She keeps herself safe at the tower. Barkalis would like to use a variant of the on her to trap her in a mirror for the rest of her life, but that is just their preference. Grau wants to be there when they finally go after Autumn.
Barkalis warns the party once they deal with Zerrah, they'll have to abandon all their local plot threads, so they party should deal with any loose ends before proceeding. Barkalis suggests after this is over that the party flee south to Great Bay of Solum, away from the empire. Auguste wants to stay and keep hurting the Voraci Empire.
Barkalis says if Grau wants more answers, they need to find Wattis Thresh in Valesburg. But that could be too dangerous to attempt.
==Experience==
No Experience given this episode.
After show did mention these exp gains for the previous arc:
* Auguste 7475 exp
* Arachis 5675 exp
* Grau 5325 exp
* Renatus 1200 exp
* Stacy is level 2 and 1 exp from level 3 (applied in ep 28)
The exp hasn't been given out during an episode yet.
Category:Save Or Die: Outcasts Episodes
Category:Save Or Die Episodes
Category:Save Or Die: Outcasts