Dark Comforts

> After spending some time in a surprisingly comfortable setup, the ladies undertake their second task.
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## Summary

A nice breakfast is waiting for the ladies in the morning. Ruby wonders if the food is poisonous while the others sigh and eat their share. Napaj drinks some tea as well as all the bacon. Mirajean joins her in the tea-drinking but can't find some brown sugar.

Byron greets the ladies with some jams and brown sugar. He's also with a female mechanic named Cogwin. Dame mentions that everyone doesn't leave the Overseer's services but Cogwin counters that by saying that she chose to stay and that Byron is a troubled child. She leaves and the vanishing leaves Ruby unnerved.

Byron gives the group a few tips to the underground kingdom of Cralgol that they're going to. Most importantly the hobgoblins are nice people. He asks if they want to kill someone, steal something or rescue someone. Ruby easily goes with the third option with Dame and Sirel agreeing with her. He tasks them with rescuing Princess Hiradegoul from the capital, finding the moonsong stone from the old electirium mines, and killing a corrupted alchemist. Sirel recognizes the moonsong stone from a goddess's experiment long ago but cast out when it couldn't fulfill the goddess's desire. It turns out to be a very desirable object but hadn't been seen in years. It turns out the Overseer wants it for immortality like the potion of longevity earlier.

Mirajean gets ready with her magic of divination and they get off the planar carriage. It's very bright inside from the crystals overtop as Sirel Corher notes that she can fly down there. Byron decides to escort them to the castle when a goblin stops them asking them to buy his wares. The party says no but the goblin does mention that the king has been in a foul mood lately. He mentions that the four year old princess is the first female hobgoblin to be born in 35 years. This makes everyone in the party sick, especially Ruby. Byron also mentions that if anyone gets in your way of rescuing the princess, they are to be cut down.

They continue on to a massive castle. Thanks to Byron signaling the guards with the mark on his hand. They're guided into a lift almost like a cage and are carried up to the top of the cavern. Napaj gets out frantically with Dame making sure Napaj is okay. Byron mentions that he's here to see the queen and shows his mark to a guard. Even Sirel is getting unnerved that people know what the mark means. A rather large hobgoblin enters and it's clear that he's the king with his resplendent armor. He introduces himself as King Abdmar Du'Guul and he asks for the party's names. Sirel and Dame comply while Napaj is not too friendly. Angrily Dame gets her snake tail in front of Napaj as everyone else introduces themselves. Byron asks to see the queen and shows his mark. Abdmar reluctantly complies and leaves to get his wife.

The queen known as Rath'mok Du'Guul comes and she's glad they've arrived. She mentions to Byron that she'll take it from here. Byron bows and vanishes. Rath'mok mentions that her life is forfeit and asks them to get her daughter to safety. She leads them up several staircases to the back of the palace. They're led to a really ornate bedroom. She mentions that the princess wasn't the daughter of Abdmar and that the king recently found out. She talks about how they weren't able to conceive for so long and Rath'mok met Magarot who was a demigod. She asks the group to take the daughter, Hira Du'Guul, to Magarot who's waiting at the end of the tunnels. Napaj asks about the staff and it turned out to be a gift from Magarot. Dame crawls down in front of the child like a kitten and Hira becomes enamored with her. She apparently sees her real father in her dreams as Rath'mok talks about Abdmar being a decent father.

Hira wanders to Napaj and asks to come up. Napaj stays silent so Dame urges Napaj to hold Hira. Sirel offers to hold Hira if Napaj doesn't want to. Napaj refuses and holds up Hira at arms length. Hira is happy and Rath'mok notices. Dame tells Rath'mok to try and live as Ruby relates to Hira's plight. Rath'mok says her farewells while swallowing at Hira's request to come back soon. Dame asks if any of the spellcasters can use invisibility. Sirel says no but Mirajean has an alternate solution. She mentions she'll need to stay still with Hira for a bit so Dame asks if anyone has a backpack. Ruby suggests protection from evil and good and Napaj uses it on Hira.

Ruby wraps Hira in the bedroll before asking where the tunnels are. Rath'mok moves her finger along a groove in the fireplace and a secret staircase going down is revealed. Mirajean casts clairvoyance on the queen so Mirajean can see what she sees. She mentions that all they have to do is find an exit and Magarot will find them. Rath'mok says her final farewells to her daughter before shooing the party into the fireplace.

## Notable events

* The party arrives in Cralgol Castle
* Cogwin, Rath'mok Du'Guul and Hira Du'Guul are introduced
* The party is tasked with getting Hira to her father Magarot