Episode 25: The Enforcers of the First Order

The party heads towards Oratia to meet with Aristide Metaxas after pretending to sign the contract offered by Luciana. On the way, Luciana intercepts a group of con men posing as city guards to collect "tolls" to cross a bridge along the road to Cambarton. Kika attempts to subtly save their leader, a tiefling - the first, aside from herself, she has ever encountered - but Luciana successfully apprehends the group. One of her guards remains behind to wait for backup from the city guard, and she continues with her one remaining guard to Oratia.

In Oratia, the party is led to the Capitol building, home of the Grand Chancellor and Panterra's government. After entering through a side gate, they descend into the underground headquarters of the Enforcers of the First Order on a wooden platform, after Luciana uses her wrist device to request access. Inside, they are led to Aristide Metaxas' office and ordered to surrender all items related to the Barrier, the metal constructs, and the founding of Panterra. Kika and Ridley immediately declare that Destiny contains their only such items, and Luciana is ordered to present the weapon to Metaxas. At his request, Milla reluctantly opens the device to reveal the red and blue orbs, and he immediately inquires about the green orb. "We lost it," Kika attempts to bluff, but he is not convinced and orders Frederick to search the group. Using *Detect Magic*, Frederick locates the green orb - in Ridley's ponytail - and the large blue orb in Fan's bag, and both are handed over.

Now willing to answer the group's questions, Metaxas explains that the Enforcers were founded to conceal and destroy any information pertaining to the Barrier and Panterra's founding, on the orders of the Founders: specifically, Nayeli Ofelia Van Amatore. According to the Founders, the purpose of this information control was to protect the people of Panterra from an unknown force beyond the Barrier that would cause the complete destruction of civilization if not for the Barrier. The party questions the Enforcers' blind loyalty to the long dead Founders, even in the face of the deaths caused by the metal spheres. Metaxas insists on a strict non-interference policy, including with regards to the metal spheres. Ridley attempts to convince Metaxas to allow the group to cross the Barrier, claiming this would be beneficial for the Enforcers as they would then cease to be a problem. Metaxas denies this request, fearing the group would tamper with the Barrier using the "maintenance facilities" they believe exist outside. When it becomes clear a compromise cannot be reached, Ridley casts *Fog Cloud*, initiating an escape. The party barely escapes with their lives - Kika passing out once to a poisoned arrow from Luciana, quickly healed by Fan with a fully charged *Lay on Hands* - and their reclaimed belongings, including *Destiny*.

Kika expresses her anger at Ridley for unilaterally signing the group up for the dangerous situation they barely escaped. They then head to one of the addresses given to Kika by Melba. The occupant - a female halfling, small business owner - allows them to stay the night and rest, but insists she will not lie to law enforcement on their behalf. The party rests, and is awoken by a knock at the door: Luciana and Frederick, having discovered their location. They barely escape using Kika's knowledge of back alleys and city shortcuts, a benefit of her urchin background. When she is sure they have lost their pursuers, she leads the party into a seedy tavern and asks the bartender about the gang of which the criminals at the bridge were members: the *Voiceless*. The bartender points her in the right direction in exchange for a large tip, and the party finds three *Voiceless* in an alley, hoping they can help the group evade the Enforcers. Ridley attempts to bribe the leader of the group, a female tiefling named Rina, but she is unimpressed by his wealth. Instead, she agrees to help a fellow tiefling...