Episode 24: Valsdale, Part 2

Ridley escorts Kika, Fan and Milla to the guest rooms. Kika expresses concern about sleeping in separate rooms due to Luciana's attempts to ambush the group, but relaxes when Ridley tells her the rooms are all next to each other. Kika decides to barricade the doors to her room, borrowing a chair from Fan's room when she does not have enough. Milla, still slightly tipsy from drinking mead at dinner, hugs Ridley and compliments him on his speech, before realizing she left the book she was reading in his room. They discuss his decision to continue adventuring, and he gives her two more books, as well as telling her to keep the emerald hair clip. Ridley returns downstairs to his family, and burns all his spell slots showcasing his abilities before going to sleep.

The next morning, Kika wakes and returns to the library. Fan helps the Elderstones prepare for Ridley's grandfather's funeral, to great appreciation. Milla eventually arrives and continues to read at the table. Poppy apologises to Kika for calling her "a devil." Ridley arrives late, having slept in, in his pajamas, robe and a facial mask of his own creation. Kika is not convinced that putting avocado on your face will help with anything. Fan asks to partake, with good results. Kika asks Melba about potential allies in the capital who could protect the party from law enforcement; Melba can't make any promises, but tells Kika she will see what she can do.

Kika asks Ridley about the funeral. Ridley tells her he would like the party to be there, and Kika tells him she will be there for him. Ridley is touched. Everyone prepares for the service, picking new, more appropriate clothes.

The family (and the party) gather for the funeral in the Elderstones' resting grounds, a plot of land near the gardens. Melba begins the service, and family members take turns speaking. Ridley eventually speaks, emphasising how their family is strongest working together as a unit and his belief that the new system of management would have made his grandfather proud. Afterwards, as the family members exchange tearful hugs, Kika retreats further into the graveyard. Milla joins her, and they eventually discover Barclay Elderstone's headstone, along with his wife Narissa. Neither have dates of birth; only dates of death.

Inside, the family celebrates Hearthrow's life with food and drinks. After allowing everyone to drink enough to be open to his suggestion, Ridley gets everyone's attention and asks for their help. He first requests that the family behave as if he was never there in case law enforcement comes asking for him. He then asks for their help searching the mansion for anything Barclay may have left there, convinced there is something they have missed. He gets Melba to offer her specialty apple pie to anyone who finds something.

The party begins their search in the study. They find one of Ridley's toys - a wooden stag called William - on one of the shelves, behind the books. Poppy finds a quill. They are otherwise unsuccessful, and turn their attention to the master bedroom, and then the ballroom. Neither return any results.

Luciana turns up at the mansion and Cassandra warns Ridley. He uses *Disguise Self* to pretend to be Cassandra and convinces Luciana to retreat, insisting - tearfully - that they haven't seen Ridley in a month and are in the middle of a funeral.

They attempt to have Bose smell Barclay's letter and lead them to any locations with his scent, but apparently any scents are lost to time. Ridley becomes frustrated and goes back to the study. Milla follows to attempt to calm him down, telling him it took her "14 years" to make any progress on her search. He confesses that the lack of success isn't the only thing bothering him, and excuses himself to his room.

After an unsuccessful search, Melba decides to make pie anyway, unable to deny her family a reward for their hard work. Ridley remains absent, and Barry goes to find him. Ridley is unresponsive at first, his door locked, but eventually lets his cousin in. He has clearly been crying, and expresses his regret and guilt for not being at the estate when his grandfather passed. Barry - though he agrees that Ridley made a serious mistake - reassures him and gets him to do his Cassandra impression, which seems to cheer him up. Ridley explains that it's probably time for the party to leave, to keep the family safe from Luciana. Both return downstairs for pie.

The party discusses their next move. Kika favors returning to the Crimson Drum to see if they missed anything and attempt to make contact with the spirits. Ridley agrees. Fan is still anxious about the fate of Master Drelrik and the dragonborn at the temple of Bahamut, but agrees to do whatever the others think is best. They decide to take one of the Elderstones' trading ships from Tauriki to Ravenshire in order to leave no tracks and throw Luciana off their trail, leaving their horses at the mansion. Ridley asks Barry for some mead for the road, which Barry happily provides. He stocks up on soaps, and also brings another three books for Milla.

Ridley says goodbye to his family, who all gather outside to see him off safely. The party walks about a mile down the road before they realize how slow their progress is without horses. Ridley uses the opportunity to cast *Phantom Steed*, summoning an Irish elk for himself and Milla. Fan uses *Find Steed* and summons a bull moose (named Oak) for herself and Kika. They proceed down the road towards the town of Cambarton, passing through fog, but are stopped by Luciana. Everyone appears ready to fight until Luciana explains she's not here to fight but to offer a deal.

She presents them with a contract around an exchange of information. The party members would have to cease their activities around the Barrier and the metal spheres, and surrender all discovered artifacts. In exchange, an individual called Aristide Metaxas, the Chief Enforcer of the First Order, would provide any information requested about the Barrier, to the best of his knowledge. Kika refuses to sign, as does Fan. Ridley reads the contract and then says: "okay." He pretends to sign and uses *Prestidigitation* to create the illusion of a signature on the contract. He then passes it to Milla, who is surprised to see her signature already on the contract as part of Ridley's illusion. She goes along with it, pretending to sign, as does Kika. Fan says "I can't sign this," pointedly, alluding to the fact she cannot intentionally deceive Luciana as part of her paladin oath. Thankfully, Luciana is not paying attention, and Ridley hands the contract back to her with an illusion of all four signatures.

Luciana laments not getting to use Destiny against the party, revealing she has the weapon in a bag on her belt, and leads them down the road towards Cambarton, on their way to the Enforcer headquarters.