City Limits

*"What sets things in motion? Who, and when? Do you know? All will be clear in time."*

## Event

*Bells continue to toll as a crowd of paupers and townsfolk fill the square leading out of the Imperial City. Guards block the way, checking all wagons and persons trying to enter and leave.*

*The people cry out in protest, "Let us through! Let us through!" But they are only met with a wall of shields blocking the gates.*

*Ariadne beckons to you and Colbjorn from the alley across the street. You press through the crowd, avoiding the guards and join your companions.*

*"There are more soldiers here than we can ever hope to defeat," Estrella whispers, "and they will only gain in numbers the longer we linger."*

*"Somebody must be sacrificed," Colbjorn mumbles.*

*Malaclypse laughs, his colourful hat bells jangling. "Don't have to be so cheery about it. I vote we don't send me because I won't be enough of a distraction."*

*Ariadne's blue eyes looks worriedly between the two. "Surely there's another way we can all escape?"*

*"No. Colbjorn is right, it is the only way." Estrella says, turning to the group.*

*"Someone will have to draw the guards' attention for the others to escape. There is precious little time. Who will it be?"*

**The player must choose a Companion to distract the soldiers.**

Malaclypse the Trickster:

Malaclypse *waits for you all to get to the front of the crowd near the gate, then in a spectacular eruption of sparks and colourful paper, he appears atop a merchant's wagon in the middle of the square.*
"If I may have your attention, gentleladies and sirrahs!" he shouts, bowing. "It is I! Malaclypse! Humble bard, wine devotee and slayer of the filthy Emperor! If you can catch me, you can kill me!"
The square falls silent, but for the ringing of the bells in the distance.
"Get him!" The guards shout.
With the guards distracted, your party sneaks through the gate and out of the city.
You pause for a moment to look back, but [current companion] grabs your arm, "We must keep moving."
[companion] failed to escape.
(if Malaclypse doesn't survive) You can only give Malaclypse a moment's more thought before being rushed out of the City with a sea of peasants.
And with that, you continue over the pass with one less companion.
The mood is sombre as you set up camp at the edge of the marshes.
Do you think there's any chance...?" Ariadne asks with tears in her eyes.
No one replies.
Colbjorn the Wanderer:

(if Colbjorn doesn't survive)
Colbjorn *waits for you all to get to the front of the crowd near the gate, then clambers aloft a merchant's wagon in the centre of the square.*
*His great mass is enough to cause the square to fall silent, but for the ringing of the bells in the distance. The Northerner blinks at the sunlight in his eyes. "I am Colbjorn of Clan Eyebright. I have slain your Emperor."*
*"Get him!" The guards shout.*
*With the guards distracted, your party sneaks through the gate and out of the city.*
*You pause for a moment to look back, but [current companion] grabs your arm, "We must keep moving."*
Colbjorn failed to escape.
Estrella the Rebel:

*Estrella waits for you all to get to the front of the crowd near the gate. Then, like a martyr to the gallows, she steps up onto a merchant's cart.*
*"Soldiers of the Empire!" Her voice rings clear and commanding. The square falls silent save for the ringing of the bells in the distance. "I am Estrella Fiore. Former Captain of the Empire and the Emperor's assassin."*
*After a shocked pause, the guards spring into action, shoving past peasants to get to Estrella.*

(If Estrella is Platinum)
*With no fear in her eyes, she glances to you, Malaclypse, Ariadne and Colbjorn, nodding in acceptance.*
*Suddenly, there is a shout from one of the peasants. "It's the saviour of Far Water!"*
*"She saved the town from an army with naught but four people on her side!" another calls out. "The Peasant King, he said she would return to lead us. To lead us...to...to freedom!"*
*Like a great machine whirring into action, the peasants turn as one and charge toward the city gates.*
*"Silence this rabble! Capture the conspirator!" A Captain cries out, before he is knocked out cold by a trader's soup pot.*
*Seeing her opportunity, Estrella slips into the crowd and rejoins you and your companions as the soldiers scramble to fend off the rioting crowd.*
*Without stopping to look back you flee the city and head North-East towards the marshes.*
**The player moves to the next map.**
*"Saviour of Far Water, eh?" Malaclypse quips as you flee in to the swamps.*
*Estrella smiles. "We got lucky, and we can't hope to survive on luck alone." She turns to Ariadne, "You know these parts, where do we go from here?"*
*Ariadne looks over the marshland, "West of here is a bridge across the river and beyond that is the way to the mountains."*
Flee The Marshland.
*Malaclypse stares into the fire. "...and beyond the mountains is the Marigold Fields, and the caravan."*
T**he Out of the Mud Encounter is revealed on the map.**