The Dawn Wardens found themselves in [[Brensistria]], where [[Armara]] sought a private conversation with [[Keldon Ashveil|Keldon]], the leader of [[the Silver Threads]] and her former lover from a decade past. As the party waited outside, [[Ilith Ornithullin|Ilith]] secretly summoned a spectral mind beneath the stove to eavesdrop on their tense reunion. [[Keldon Ashveil|Keldon]] paced nervously, confronting [[Armara]] about using him for information just as she had ten years ago when she abandoned him. [[Armara]] revealed that her sister [[Fortuna Axton-Astervale|Fortuna]] had forced her away when she was young, pulling her from the family she had built with [[Keldon Ashveil|Keldon]] because [[Fortuna Axton-Astervale|Fortuna]] believed she was in too much danger and disapproved of their relationship. The conversation grew more intense as [[Armara]] confessed to killing an elven queen and making a dark compact with a withered one and [[the brimstone wraith]] to gain power. [[Keldon Ashveil|Keldon]] warned her that [[Renald the Sahdowmaster|Renald]], whom she believed dead, was actually alive with backup forces, and that the true leader of the Shadows resided in the [[Askaria|Askaria Empire]]'s capital city. [[Armara]] explained that with the help of Z'ul and [[Ilith Ornithullin|Ilith]], she had broken free from [[the brimstone wraith]]'s control while retaining its power, and that the symbiote now wished to be freed. She stepped close to [[Keldon Ashveil|Keldon]], confessing that she had never forgotten him and had always loved him, but he stepped back, unable to trust her after all the deception and stories he had heard about her activities. Despite his reservations, [[Keldon Ashveil|Keldon]] agreed to help her gain an audience with their old benefactor to retrieve a dangerous, corruptive gem she needed to bring down [[Anam]]'s network. Meanwhile, Z'ul found himself cornered in an alleyway by seven armed thugs—three at the entrance and four at the far end, led by a gray-haired man who appeared to be their leader. As the thugs drew daggers and crossbows, Z'ul struck first, targeting the leader's leg with a spell that caused intense pain and temporary paralysis. He followed up with devastating magical attacks that burned and withered his opponents. When the thugs retaliated with crossbow bolts, Z'ul deflected one with a protective barrier and endured the others. One thug attempted a melee attack but slipped and fell prone in his haste. Seeing the danger escalating, Z'ul unleashed a massive explosion of fire that incinerated most of the thugs instantly, their screams echoing through the alleyway as the stench of charred flesh filled the air. The blast also set a nearby haystack ablaze, threatening to spread to surrounding buildings. [[Hermes]], contacted Z'ul through their communication device, asking for directions and requesting a signal. Flying eighty feet above the city, [[Hermes]] heard screams and an explosion and spotted smoke rising from the alleyway and descended to find Z'ul standing among the charred remains of their attackers. The two worked together to extinguish the burning haystack using [[Hermes]]'s icy breath, preventing the fire from spreading to nearby structures. Faced with the aftermath of the violent encounter, they debated how to dispose of the bodies, ultimately deciding to bury them properly in the woods outside the city rather than disrespecting the dead by throwing them in the sewers. Z'ul prayed to his goddess, apologizing for the killing but explaining it had been necessary for survival. After handling the grim task, Z'ul and [[Hermes]] visited The Gilded Rune, a magic shop in the [[Lowward]] run by a young woman around sixteen to eighteen years old. Z'ul's attention was immediately drawn to a foot-long ivory tooth mounted in silver, labeled as being from the Age of [[Perserphina]] and possibly thousands of years old. He purchased it for five hundred gold pieces. [[Hermes]] noticed a beautifully crafted wooden toy resembling a dragon, while Z'ul discovered a magical map that could transform to display any location the user thought of, though its price of five thousand gold was far beyond their current means. The young shopkeeper seemed bored and unhappy, complaining about her job, her schooling, and her desire to become an adventurer. Moved by her situation, Z'ul gave her one hundred gold coins and a mystery book he had been carrying, encouraging her to pursue her dreams of becoming a powerful wizard. He recorded her name, age, and the details of their meeting in his personal notebook before leaving the shop. Z'ul continued his shopping, purchasing two sets of traveling clothes and various cooking ingredients from The Golden Crust bakery—enough supplies to prepare home-cooked meals for the group over the next two months. He then followed [[Hermes]] back to the tavern, where the rest of the party had been waiting. Inside, Thorag shared drinks with [[Madame Celestine Voss|Celestine]], the second-in-command of [[the Silver Threads]], discussing his final pilgrimage as a Dawn Warden and his unexpected involvement in stopping a great evil threatening the world. [[Madame Celestine Voss|Celestine]] spoke of the [[Lowward]]'s history, explaining how it had once been a bustling district with an important watchtower built during the Great War against dragons, but had since been forgotten and neglected by the rest of [[Brensistria]]. [[Armara]] emerged from her private conversation with [[Keldon Ashveil|Keldon]] and informed the group that they would wait for him to retrieve important information before heading to the Yggrathian Forest, where the [[Sylrathis|Eldertree]] [[Sylrathis]] was rumored to be located. She warned them about the dangers of the [[Lowward]], advising caution when moving through the slums. As the party discussed their plans, [[Benguard]] noticed a red-haired woman and a Tabaxi having an intense conversation before they both entered the room where [[Armara]] was staying. The party attempted to listen at the door, hearing fragments of a heated argument. When [[Ilith Ornithullin|Ilith]] opened the door, she found several people leaning against it, including the red-haired woman and the flamboyant Tabaxi. The Tabaxi, who introduced himself as Captain [[Chains]] B. Sullivan, expressed surprise at [[Armara]]'s appearance, having expected her to be blue based on descriptions he had heard. The red-haired woman, [[Ahria Maritani|Ahria]], known as the Witch of the North, confronted [[Armara]] about her intentions and questioned her knowledge of [[Ashuan Raul]]'s phylactery. [[Armara]] genuinely claimed to know nothing about it, and [[Chains]], with his exceptional perception, confirmed she was telling the truth. [[Armara]] explained that [[Anam]] and his group had betrayed her after a past battle, and she now sought to stop him from banishing the gods and ruling the world. [[Ahria Maritani|Ahria]] revealed that she and her companions were tracking [[Anam]]'s activities, which had led them to [[Brensistria]] and the Prismatic Forest, where she had sent [[Aeriloth (Swift) - The Watcher in the Woods|Swift]] to investigate a cult spreading corruption. [[Chains]] dramatically teleported around the room, displaying symbols of Thragos on his shoulders and chest, which immediately caught Thorag's attention. The two bonded over their shared worship of the god, sharing drinks while [[Chains]] recounted exaggerated tales of his adventures with [[the Heralds of Silver]]. He spoke of slaying a Kraken with his gun, defeating Demon Lords, and saving Polaria from the Devil King [[Zarvok - The Devil King (Banished)|Zarvok]]. He mentioned his fellow Heralds—[[Jack Homes|Jack]], who carried a coat drenched in dragon blood; [[Aeriloth (Swift) - The Watcher in the Woods|Swift]], the elf investigating the cult; and others including [[Lucas Brumary|Brumary]], Captain Lightbringer, and Artie. [[Ahria Maritani|Ahria]] stepped aside, allowing [[Chains]] to handle the conversation while expressing her deep distrust of [[Armara]]. When [[Hermes]] and Z'ul returned to the tavern, [[Hermes]] informed [[Ilith Ornithullin|Ilith]] about the magical map he had discovered, suggesting it could be useful for their travels if they could afford it or replicate its enchantment. [[Hermes]] mentioned wanting to speak with [[Keldon Ashveil|Keldon]], but [[Armara]] explained that he was out gathering information and would return later. [[Chains]] questioned the Dawn Wardens about their search for seven shield fragments, and when [[Ilith Ornithullin|Ilith]] attempted to claim they were merely studying the shield's mythology, [[Chains]] saw through her deception. The session ended with both groups in the tavern, tensions high as the [[The Heralds of Silver|Heralds of Silver]] and the Dawn Wardens sized each other up, their paths unexpectedly crossing in the [[Lowward]] of [[Brensistria]].