> [!infobox|wikipedia] > # Recording > [](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1-ZSHSow4c) > # Basic Information > Attribute | Details | > ---|---| > Session # | 29 | > Play Date | 2025-02-16 | > Players | JC<br>Kiwi<br>Lacer<br>Vael | > Party Level | 7 | > # Session Details > Attribute | Details | > ---|---| > Date | [[Campaigns/The Bloody Nails/Calendar/Year - 2507/02 - Water, 2nd.png\|13th Water, 2nd - 2507]] | > Location | [[Lighthaven]] > Characters | [[Belinda Bubblegum]]<br>[[Hugor]] | ## Summary After a long journey, the party arrives at the mist-shrouded town of [[Lighthaven]] just as the populace prepares for the upcoming [[The Emberlight Vigil|Emberlight Vigil]]. [[Ryo]], adopting the alias "Leo" to avoid recognition from a past arrest, is consumed by a need for vengeance against the local Imperial Captain, [[Captain Lucius Draegor|Lucius Draegor]], and the unknown informant who betrayed him months prior. Their arrival at the local tavern leads to a reunion of sorts; the innkeeper recognises [[Vaeleran]] from a fugue-state visit years ago, and the group encounters an eccentric Dwarven Artificer named [[Belinda Bubblegum]]. Belinda offers the party a high-stakes contract: plant a magical conduit into the ancient [[The Emberspire|Emberspire]] during the festival to help her harness its energy, in exchange for the crafting of a powerful rare magical item. While investigating the town's shops, the party identifies their target. At the Verdant Rose apothecary, they spot a young halfling assistant named [[Hugor]] fraternising with Captain Draegor. Suspecting him to be the informant, the party executes a ruthless kidnapping immediately after he leaves work. Using magical silence and commands, they drag the terrified youth into the pitch-black depths of [[The Darkwood]]. Under the threat of torture and death, Hugor confesses to selling information to the Imperials to gain favor. Rather than killing him, Ryo orchestrates a trap. He forces Hugor to run back to the Captain with a fabricated story of spotting a "lone elf" camping in the woods. The session concludes with Hugor sprinting back to town and the party entrenching themselves in the treeline, setting snares and preparing to ambush the Imperial garrison in the darkness of the forest. ## Details ### Arrival and The Foggy Tankard * The party arrives in [[Lighthaven]] at dusk; [[Ryo]] warns the group about the insular nature of the townsfolk and advises they use his alias, "Leo". * Ryo reveals his goal: to find the person who sold him out to the Empire and to kill [[Captain Lucius Draegor]]. * They check into The Foggy Tankard. The innkeeper, [[Tobias]], reveals the town is excited for [[The Emberlight Vigil]] (Winter Solstice) occurring the following night. * Tobias recognises [[Vaeleran]] from a previous visit years ago, noting that he had been "rambling about a lake in the woods" and acting strange before disappearing. * The party witnesses [[Belinda Bubblegum]] storming in to demand hop seeds from Tobias for an experiment. ### Belinda's Proposition * The group tracks [[Belinda Bubblegum|Belinda]] to her shop, [[Belinda's Chest]]. * Belinda, an Artificer from the Academy at [[Glimmerforge]], is impressed by [[Kai]]'s water magic and [[Dondar]]'s connection to the dwarves. * She offers a quest: She needs a magical piton hammered into the side of the [[The Emberspire]] during the Solstice to harness the tower's energy. * **Goal:** She intends to create a rod to teleport herself to the floating city of [[Arkangel]]. * **Reward:** She provides a list of rare magical items (e.g., *Horn of Blasting*, *Cloak of Displacement*) and promises to craft *one* for the party if they succeed. ### Gathering Intelligence * **The Blacksmith:** The party visits the Ironclad Forge. The smith, [[Dhorik]], exchanges a secret sign of the Rebellion with Dondar. [[Ryo]] questions him about the Imperials, confirming they are lazy and disliked, ruling Dhorik out as the snitch. * **The Apothecary:** At the Verdant Rose, the party spots [[Captain Lucius Draegor]] and three soldiers chatting casually with the shop assistant, [[Hugor]]. * **Shopping:** * [[Kai]] purchases a Greater Healing Potion (400g) and a Salamander Heart (100g). * Ryo buys four standard healing potions (200g) and bribes the shopkeeper to confirm that Hugor frequently informs on travellers to the Imperials. ### The Ambush Setup * The party waits for [[Hugor]] to leave work. [[Kai]] uses *Command* and [[Ryo]] uses *Silence* to quietly tackle and bag the halfling. * They drag Hugor into [[The Darkwood]] using *Pass Without Trace*. * **Interrogation:** Hugor is pinned with pitons and an Immovable Rod. He confesses to being a snitch to get a job with the Vanguard or Imperials. * **The Plan:** Ryo cuts a deal. Hugor is released on the condition he runs directly to [[Captain Lucius Draegor|Captain Draegor]] and claims he saw a "lone elf" camping in the woods, acting as bait to draw the garrison out. * Hugor is released and runs back to town. * The party spends the remainder of the session setting snares and taking tactical positions in the trees ([[Dondar]] climbing high for fireballs) to ambush the incoming soldiers.