Arc 12: Trading Places

## Episodes

* Episode 104 - New Stages
* Episode 105 - Pre-Trip Equip
* Episode 106 - Where in the World is Aira Allaro
* Episode 107 - Nobody Left Behind
* Episode 108 - The Amazing Race
* Episode 109 - Toil and Trouble
* Episode 110 - Lighthearted
* Episode 111 - Toadalitarianism
* Episode 112 - Witch One
* Episode 113 - Flipping Friends
* Episode 114 - The Grungtown Getaway
* Episode 115 - Murder, She Boat
* Episode 116 - Elevator Pitch
* Episode 117 - Lofty Ambitions
* Episode 118 - In the Boughs of a God
* Episode 119 - In Living Memory
* Episode 120 - Piece Talks
* Episode 121 - Judge, Jury, Executioner

## Summary

Trading Places centred around the students' attempts to deal with the shapeshifting witch Ferdinand. After Winsler was previously contracted by Seltie to apprehend her former covenmate Ferdinand, and Integrity and Mira were previously contracted by the Ivory Masked Woman to do the same, the students prepared for their field trip to the Plane of Isathil with the knowledge that they may encounter her. Although they intended only to speak with a marsh spirit, their goal was quickly placed out of reach after fellow student Aira Allaro, who had previously been injured in the plane, was missing from the group at departure time. The students split up in an attempt to find her; Winsler and Serinepth ultimately found Aira, along with the missing golems, in a chamber under a gazebo at the school greenhouse. Aira explained to Serinepth that she heard a strange voice calling her last time she was in the plane, which caused her to become injured.

Serinepth comforted her and was able to convince her to rejoin the party; they did so with the use of Winsler's book seeds. Artis, not knowing where the two had gone, left in pursuit of them, being trapped at Wildcliff while the students entered the Plane of Isathil. Serinepth attempted to speak with the first elder Shin Pem to gain their blessing; however, the elders seemed to be engaged in some sort of holy meeting. After the group reunited, they met with Seltie briefly to solidify the deal, then made their way toward Moistest Marsh Past the Moles, where they intended to meet with the spirit. The group passed some moles, refusing to pay the 'mole toll', and briefly spoke with beleaguered inn owner Melan. As they continued through the marsh, the light seemed to exit from the sky as Shin Pem temporarily left the plane.

The students visited Grungtown, a town composed of cultlike frogs, and discovered that Ferdinand was being held captive there. They discovered that the chieftain was actually a Slaad named Laud, who had killed, and was disguising himself as, the actual chieftain, in order to gain the resources of the frogs. The students agreed to hand over the witch to Laud, though they had no intention of keeping the promise. During the exchange, Laud revealed to the party that Integrity was a warlock. They met with a captured Ferdinand, who had swapped skins with Ava Redding, and took her with them after Ferdinand charmed Mira. As they made their way out of the town, they were pursued by Laud and the Ivory-Masked Woman, who had been summoned by way of Integrity's tattoo. Ferdinand proposed that the group take up refuge in the Loft of Elders while they work on future solutions; the students agreed.

On the boat ride to the loft, Mira and Integrity spoke about Integrity being a warlock and reconciled, and learned that Ferdinand had knowledge of concepts not from their plane, like 'months' and 'druids'. Ferdinand explained that while it is not necessarily possible to create a copy of another person, someone may be moved to a demi-plane with their knowledge.

The group arrived at the Loft and were greeted by the third eldest, Semolai, a wooden caretaker for the loft. They spent some time researching and relaxing in the plane after inviting Laud, Seltie, and the Ivory-Masked Woman to negotiations over Ferdinand's live. Meanwhile, Serinepth asked Semolai about the origins of a voice she heard in the sewers, while Ferdinand convinced Integrity to sneak into a divine chamber to use some of Isathil's power. Integrity, with a tied-up Ferdinand in tow, traveled to the chamber to cast Conjure Memory on her orb and on the broken wand. The orb revealed a vision of The Progenitor creating it and bequeathing it to Empress Terrasis in exchange for sacrifices, while the wand revealed that its previous owner, Enlee, was the childhood best friend of mysterious character Ferimel, who killed her as an act of mercy during the Trial of Reverence. Ferdinand used the opportunity to try and steal magical water from the chamber, but was forced to return it after Serinepth accosted her.

Eventually, the three pursuers arrived in the loft, the group negotiating over Ferdinand's life. Although all three wished to be the one to kill Ferdinand, the students offered up several potential solutions in place of Ferdinand's permanent death, including granting Laud gunpowder and the corpse of Neska, and offering him the opportunity to kill Ferdinand and have Mira revivify her afterward. Laud agreed, tackling Ferdinand, leading to Ferdinand attempting to swap skins as a fighting tactic. The Ivory Masked Woman managed to land a hit on her, and was immediately turned into petrified wood for doing violence in the Loft of Elders. After a skirmish, Mira convinced Ferdinand to give their skins back and go willingly. Ferdinand, Laud, Mira, and Integrity left the loft, upon which Laud beheaded Ferdinand. Because the revivification spell could not reattach lost body parts, Mira's attempt to revive Ferdinand was unsuccessful, as she immediately died a second time.