A3: Ch1: Rumors

After a month passes, the group meets back up in Chey to discuss what to do. While the were gone they each gathered rumors and potential leads. Bink learned about Keltiri steel and that there exists a single master smith in Badur who can still reforge it and also of two separate camps that the Cheyan council would like taken care of unofficially, one belonging to a fringe group known as the Severed, and the other an Arruce fort that is being rebuilt. Aire is given a special task by Grandmaster Urvash to go on a pilgrimage to the top of Badur to seek out one who is called "The Sleeping Dragon". Xar learns from his council to the queen that they have sent Rydel out with a small group of remaining soldiers into the Picris forest to prevent the Arruce from mounting an immediate second attack on the city, though he will not last without reinforcements. Shen learns from Daxius that the stones can be sealed but he needs special parts from monsters that are tied to the stones and gives him the list of items.   Together they decide they want to take care of the Arruce fort for the part of the council that supports Galren's stance in the war. They leave the city and scout out the area and plan their attack on the fort. There is a set of guards out front and another set that walks the perimeter. They sneak around back, take out the two walking around, climb to the top of the structure and find a weak spot where they can drop inside. Once inside they fight a group of unprepared soldiers, not killing them as they surrendered. Venturing further in they run into a more prepared group and a spellbreaker enters the room as well. The fight was tough as the Spellbreaker had subdued Shen and prevented him from casting any spells and brought Bink to the brink of falling unconscious. In the fort they find some valuable loot but also some correspondence from other camps such as the one Casar is in. In the letter they spot an unusual line that stands out from the rest saying "You cannot be sure of what you create" and among other letters from him and being sent to him, this line reoccurs. Forcing the guards out front to run, the party returns to the city and accepts the under the table payment from part of the Council.    They decide then to check out the Severed camp, though not fully with the intention of wiping them out. While they are preparing to head out, a couple approaches them knowing of their reputation within the city and asks for their help with a personal matter. They agree and follow them to their home where they show them their child whom looks as though he had been touched by a devil (Tiefling child). Their only choices are for the party to find a way to save the child or they will have to kill him. Shen wanted to just kill the child and get it over with, but Xar took pity on the child and took it as his own. With the party about to go to a known terrorist camp, Xar heads to Galren instead with his newly adopted child to find out what to do. He eventually finds a couple (Mr. & Mrs. Enrel) willing to look after the child for a job while he is out Adventuring.   Aire, Bink, and Shen head out to the Severed camp area. They find find a body of an Arruce soldier who's limbs has been severed from his body leaving just a torso with a head lying in a field. Walking further in, earthen walls erect around them and a single Elf walks in. The party asks for information from him but the Severed ask for a favor to prove they are trustworthy, they want the leader of a camp in Picris forest taken care of, namely the General Casar Bruhns. They party doesn't necessarily agree but doesn't aggravate the elf further. Leaving and heading back to Chey and Xar meeting them there, Aire tells them of the pilgrimage he is going to go on and the party wants to go with him. They set off toward Badur.