The Ringer

And when upon leaving the town hall on that first and final day, a citizen asked the Bellringer "You there, sexful blue man, what have you given us, a republic or monarchy?" he is said to have replied, "A Ruleshaven, if you can keep it!"

## Summary

The party descends the belltower and are met with the cheers of Ruleshaven. They ask the names of their liberators and Bellow shares the credit with his friends and his legal uncle Hot Roddy. Former mayor Ebenezer Whitehead rides up to them on a team of strong men asking Bellow to come to city hall to clarify some of his new laws. Cordelia wants to go to the city prison while Stirfry and Frederick are still injured from the fight with Regina Dentata. The party rides on Ebenezer’s team of men and splits up to see to their own goals.

Bellow reaches city hall, a large building decorated with art of laws and statues of people obeying the rules. He’s led to a room full of reporters that ask about him and his new laws. It appears that after relying on the magical laws for so long, they are at a loss for what is and is not legal anymore. One of the reporters stabs another in the head to ask if murder is illegal.

Frederick and Stirfry reach the hospital, which is suddenly packed since Bellow declared universal healthcare. The nurses mistake Frederick for a man who lost his skin and rush the two to a room. Stifry remembers his note to himself and addresses his issues with Frederick. De Bonesby is shocked and insists he never intended to hurt Stirfry or his feelings, assuring him that their relationship is shockingly good given how they first met. He appreciated Stirfry’s help and says he’s sorry that he didn’t always show it. Stirfry is incredibly relieved and a nurse arrives to prescribe them both health potions.

Cordelia and Albee reach The Spirit of the Law, the Ruleshaven prison. She asks if Albee wants to come with her inside, but she will not tell her what she’s about to do. She trusts Albee too much and knows she’d try to talk her out of what she’s about to do, but offers to let her come with her anyway. After experimenting with her Invisibility and her newly discovered Disguise Self spells, she’s left deciding between the two. She decides to make Albee invisible and enters the prison to visit The Witch Hunter. Virginia and Joshy are found in the crime cellar, having turned themselves in out of respect for the law. Cordelia confronts her pursuer in hopes of making her abandon her chase, but Virginia is unshaken. She mentions that she has sent word to her superiors, requesting reinforcements and accepting a promotion to several ranks above Witch Hunter. Cordelia leaves her copy of Charlotte’s Web behind for her and leaves with Albee.

Stirfry and Frederick receive their healing potions, but are informed that the hospital had to improvise. Instead of humanely gathering the life force from the dying, the potions had to be made from a swarm of bees. The side effect means that while they’re healed, the two are filled with an urge to be productive. Frederick and Stirfry grab lab coats and begin to run around the hospital curing people as best they can. Frederick uses his newly learned Gaseous Form to enter a patient who had swallowed a bear skull, only to change back too soon. He explodes out of the patient and is quickly apprehended by the other surgeons.

Bellow hears out the last of the appeals and prepares to make his final ring of the bell. Ebenezer Whitehead pulls Bellow aside to ensure that he is going to be reinstated as mayor. He also asks Bellow to let him declare war on Danica Town, fearing for his beautiful daughter who turns into a spider when nobody is looking. Bellow denies this and organizes a governmental body surrounding Whitehead that will involve citizens from both Ruleshaven and Danica Town. Whitehead allows it, but as they reach the top of the bell tower, he draws his sword and stabs Bellow before he can establish the law that murder is illegal. Bellow blacks out beneath the bell.

## Link

https://rudetalesofmagic.simplecast.com/episodes/the-ringer