The party arrived in [[Polaria City|Polaria]] through a purple portal, finding themselves in a land vibrant and rich compared to the gloom of the Darklands. After regrouping and discussing their approach, they made their way to the guard station to share their urgent intelligence about [[Anam|the Withered One]]'s activities and the portal network. [[Grumthar]] led the conversation with the guards, noting their less formal appearance compared to the disciplined orc militaries he knew, though their recent battle scars spoke of genuine combat experience. When [[Grumthar]] introduced himself and asked for [[Cedric Thornwell|Cedric]], one of the guards stood and identified himself. [[Grumthar]] praised the village's defense against the recent devil incursion, and [[Cedric]] explained how the guards had fought to protect civilians while the city was ravaged. [[Grumthar]] carefully explained that they had traveled from the Orc lands through a portal raised by a wizard allied with devils, and that such portals could transport entire legions across vast distances. Though [[Cedric]] was initially skeptical about the king [[Grumthar]] mentioned, the guard's demeanor changed dramatically when the name [[Skathex - The Undying|Skathex]] was spoken—his face turned white, and he became deadly serious. [[Cedric Thornwell|Cedric]] agreed to help, offering to either navigate the slow bureaucracy of official channels or take them directly to the Maidens, who controlled the only functional portal in the city and had powerful connections. The party chose the latter, and [[Cedric Thornwell|Cedric]] led them to the location where they had first arrived. To their surprise, the portal had completely vanished, leaving only burnt grass where Shiv had scorched the ground. [[Saszotah Sseth'kaar (Sasz)|Sasz]] used his wand to detect lingering magic and discovered a faint conjuration aura with temporal distortion—evidence of a unidirectional portal with no return path. This revelation meant the party could not go back the way they came. As they walked through the increasingly crowded city streets toward Ale Street, [[Cub]] began experiencing severe sensory overload from [[Polaria City|Polaria]]'s vibrant environment. The rich soil, lush vegetation, and colorful surroundings were so different from the Darklands that [[Cub]] became euphoric and disoriented, offering goodberries to strangers and marveling at everything around him. [[Tarnik]] grew tense in the unfamiliar crowds, keeping Shiv and [[Cub]] close, while [[Grumthar]] repeatedly urged the group to stay focused on their mission. The streets were alive with vendors, the aroma of exotic foods, and the sounds of reconstruction as buildings damaged in the recent attacks were being rebuilt. They finally arrived at [[The Naked Maiden's Tavern & The Naked Maidens Network|the Naked Maiden's Tavern]], a three-story elegant establishment on Ale Street. [[Cedric Thornwell|Cedric]] warned them about potential culture shock and asked if they knew what a succubus was, explaining that the tavern was run by such beings who had made a pact with [[Polaria City|Polaria]]. A bulky Tiefling bouncer stood at the entrance, and when [[Tarnik]] attempted to tie Shiv's reins to the bouncer's horns, [[Cedric Thornwell|Cedric]] quickly intervened, explaining that Tieflings were sensitive about their horns. The bouncer informed them that Drogath and Narzag's bird could not enter, so Narzag decided to stay outside with the animal companions while the rest of the party entered. Inside the tavern, the party was immediately struck by the vibrant scene of succubi dancing on stages while patrons of various races threw coins and enjoyed drinks. The moment [[Saszotah Sseth'kaar (Sasz)|Sasz]] crossed the threshold, his magical disguise failed completely due to powerful magic suppression within the building. When he attempted to intimidate onlookers with a firebolt, the spell fizzled out, leaving him frustrated and powerless. [[Tarnik]] walked in a daze, completely befuddled by the half-naked succubi, while [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] loudly expressed her disgust and fear, declaring they were among devils. [[Grumthar]] pulled [[Tarnik]] away from the bar and urged everyone to compose themselves and focus on their mission. [[Cedric Thornwell|Cedric]] approached the bar and spoke with [[Seraphina]], a succubus bartender who greeted him warmly. When [[Cedric Thornwell|Cedric]] mentioned [[Skathex - The Undying|Skathex]], [[Seraphina]]'s demeanor changed immediately, and she hurried to fetch [[Nyxalia]], a succubus dressed in armor rather than the revealing attire of the dancers. [[Nyxalia]] listened intently as [[Grumthar]] recounted their encounter with [[Skathex - The Undying|Skathex]], the wizard [[EMBROCIEA - Master of Necromancy, The Grave-Eyed Whisper|Embrociea]], and the ritual circle they had disrupted. She explained that the tavern served as a vital information hub for the Polarian Kingdom and that they now controlled the only functional teleportation circle in the region. [[Nyxalia]] detailed how [[Anam|the Withered One]], [[Anam]], was attempting to corrupt the world's ley lines and the Great [[Sylrathis|Eldertree]], just as he had done before Solare's first destruction. [[Nyxalia]] acknowledged [[Saszotah Sseth'kaar (Sasz)|Sasz]]'s higher status among his kind and offered to arrange a meeting with Queen [[Krynvia]], who might have information about other [[Serpari]] in the city. Despite his disgust with the tavern's appearance, [[Saszotah Sseth'kaar (Sasz)|Sasz]] recognized its value as an information network and advocated for accepting their hospitality. Meanwhile, [[Cub]]'s confusion deepened as he realized he couldn't cast goodberry due to the magic suppression, and a red-haired succubus named Thyssara approached [[Volza Redhand|Volza]], flirting with her and planting a kiss on her cheek, leaving [[Volza Redhand|Volza]] visibly stiff and uncomfortable. Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, [[Volza Redhand|Volza]], Narzag, and [[Cub]] decided to leave the tavern, while [[Grumthar]] was summoned to meet Queen [[Krynvia]]. [[Grumthar]] was led to the third floor, where he entered Queen [[Krynvia]]'s lavish chambers adorned with red carpet, statues, and candelabras. The succubus queen possessed an unnatural beauty and immense power that seemed to radiate into [[Grumthar]]'s mind like warm whiskey. She questioned him directly about [[Anam]] and [[Skathex - The Undying|Skathex]], and [[Grumthar]] recounted the party's battles and observations. When [[Grumthar]] mentioned the name [[Kellenath, Queen of All Dragons|Kellenath]] in connection with the blood ritual, [[Krynvia]]'s eyes widened in alarm—the first visible emotional reaction she had shown. She explained that [[Kellenath, Queen of All Dragons|Kellenath]] was the ancient Queen of Dragons, a mountain-sized world-ender from before Solare's first destruction, defeated by the legendary hero [[Lisa the Great]] and other champions using a specially crafted weapon. [[Krynvia]] revealed her own history of escaping the Abyss and fighting against her fiendish nature to establish a network of information across the human and elven lands. She proposed an alliance with [[Grumthar]], offering her intelligence and resources in exchange for his group's assistance in thwarting [[Anam]]'s plans. She warned him that directly opposing [[Anam|the Withered One]] would put them in grave danger, as many adventurers had died attempting similar missions. [[Grumthar]] agreed to the alliance, stating his desire to serve [[Gonosh]] by defeating [[Anam]], and asked [[Krynvia]] to help locate the party's lost companions. She promised to use her contacts in other realms to find information. [[Krynvia]] then asked [[Grumthar]] to allow her to probe his mind to understand the location of the ritual site. As he complied, he experienced a warm, peaceful sensation as she extracted his memories, not just of the battle but of his deepest personal history—his relationships with his grandfather, his estranged father, his lost love [[Sela]], and his conflicted feelings about taking a wife without love. When she withdrew, [[Grumthar]] reached out to prolong the comforting sensation, and [[Krynvia]] acknowledged a deeper understanding between them. She offered to establish a mental link for future communication, which [[Grumthar]] accepted, and as he prepared to leave, [[Nyxalia]] approached him, hinting at a desire for companionship that night. The party prepared to settle in at the tavern and venture out for supplies, with [[Grumthar]] having secured a powerful and enigmatic ally in Queen [[Krynvia]].