We sleep through the night, though everyone is now on higher alert now that we’re aware of the music. However, Celestiah’s dome keeps us safe.

We wake up and there is a chill in the air. The stagecoach driver remembers hearing the music but not that it affected them.

As we set off, we notice on the map that the forest is much closer than it is supposed to be — miles. We see that the others who are with us don’t notice this at all. There’s nothing we can really do, so we continue on.

While traveling, we make very good time. We notice contradicting wind patterns, and other strange things like birds flying back and forth between trees, and squirrels. However later, the road goes back into cobblestone. After not too long, there is a fork in the road that should not be there! We decide to go to the left, and the NPCs go to the right. Things get even more weird; deer are walking in perfect circles.

Soon we see a pillar made of marble with veins of gold in it. Celestiah believes that this might be the emotion stone of joy. We come nearer to it and it says “the first laugh of the first child” on it. There are scenes of celebration. Some of us uncontrollably smiling for several minutes due to the effects of the stone. Any fear that we were holding onto disappears. Celestiah looks through her telescope and sees that it is glowing.

Later we come upon another one that is blue and black obsidian. Another emotion stone, and this one is “sorrow”. Celestiah realizes that she doens’t know how long she has been walking. This is possibly 3 miles away from the last one. We decide to head back and meet up with the others.

They are back where we originally split up and are pretty upset — the path to the right follows the edge of the forest but never goes into it. We discuss and eventually take a vote. We decide to go left as a group.

After a long while we haven’t passed any pillars. Continuing on, we finally reach a path that goes into the forest. It is strange in here, with no animals or birds anywhere to be seen.

As we keep on walking it seems to be perpetual twilight. The sounds around us are muted and it gets colder. The trees seem to lean toward the path; it’s thicker where we are but brighter elsewhere. Some of us get very disoriented. Mist starts spiraling up from the ground in little wisps, and we hear children singing again, but this time we hear it from above. Three wolves appear, their bodies like shadow and mist rather than corporeal. They make no sound and the grass is withering as they go near it.

We prepare to fight. The other adventurers take shots at the wolves with their crossbows. One guard hits the lead sorrow wolf. There is a meaty *thunk* but the bolt passes through. The creature stumbles slightly and we can see its eyes that they are flaring with pain. It lets out a blood curdling howl.

AKA “42% Tip”
AKA “One Holler, That’s a Dollar”

In the morning, we head for the stagecoach. It is us and a random woman. It is a 3 day journey. As we are leaving Vale’s End, we hear the driver and guards at the gate talking about a risk of bandits in the local area. On the guard’s station there is a small sign that says “Increase Patrols, Refugee Situation.”

We transition from city cobblestones to packed earth roads. We pass a working farm and see that the gate is open. We see wagon tracks leading out toward Vale’s End. Also the chicken coop is empty.

The family is packing up to leave. The father says that things are getting too bad here and they can’t stay. The mother says that he is overreacting but their daugter has been acting strangely after going into the woods. She has been obsessively drawing the same thing over and over.

We stop the carriage and go inside to see what the girl is doing. Her drawings are of trees with faces, a crystalline heart in a temple, and the same phrase “they remember everything.”

Gordon sees that she is under a mild enchantment. Celestiah checks her aura and sees something grasping her, but she can’t dispel it. We decide that we can’t help her and we head out.

A few hours later we cross the Silver Flow River via Bertram’s Ferry. We overhear Bertram speaking with someone, saying that the river started flowing backward. As we complete our crossing, the water goes completely clear and we see visions of the ferry being built, and then we see ourselves, older, crossing back this way. Korgrath, Celestiah, and Lupin are especially affected by the vision and suffer strain.

We glimpse the forest soon after. Later we pass a merchant who has very strange wares like a mirror that shows other people’s reflections.

As we are heading into the forest people pass us. They hand a map to Lupin and say “you will need this more than us.” The map supposedly shows safe paths through the forest. Similarly someone gives Felric a vial of Liquid Courage.

We approach a tower that is three stories. The temperature starts to drop, and mist rises up from the warm ground. The door is broken open and there is faint light coming from the windows. There are ancient carved warnings in multiple languages. Celestiah knows that it is very old, from the Mordun civilization, and was likely made by dwarves. The Mordun were the “first rememberers” and were more in tune with emotions than anything else. Their healers didn’t just mend bodies, they mended hearts and minds. Gordon’s great grandmother would have talked about these areas.

We decide to check out the tower for 20 minutes. We see carved everywhere the words “they remember.” The second floor is abandoned guard quarters. There are personal effects here left behind in haste. We find a journal entry and part of it says “day 12. The dreams are getting stronger. I can see her face. Tomorrow I go to find her.”

On the top floor we see an elf, and we startle him. He says his name is Malanis and he’s here to study the Mordun. In his journal he is sketching out the construction of the tower. He says that he is unaffected by the forest because of the pendant he’s wearing. He says that the pendant is from the order of Anamnesis. They are the “rememberers of the forgotten, the chroniclers of the lost.” He wants to understand why some things choose to be forgotten.

At night we hear music, like a child’s lullaby, coming from the forest. Celestiah summons her familiar to check out the forest.

Felric stays up to keep watch. He notices after a while that the coach drivers are humming the tune. Suddenly they get up and start walking toward the source. Lupin and Felric grab them and pull them back.

Celestiah casts a spell to create a dome around us to protect us from the music. It takes her a few moments to create it, but two more hours to make sure it is sustained for the next eight. Using her astrolabe and being under the open sky, her powers are greatly increased.

Merchant’s Quarter

Marlowe’s Menagerie

Location: 73 Silversmith’s Row
Proprietor: Thaddeus Marlowe
Specialty: Magical artifacts, curiosities, and mechanical oddities
Description: A three-story building of aged oak and weathered stone, with windows that seem to look into impossible angles. Recently reopened after being the “Blackhaven Trading Post” for decades. The interior is larger than the exterior suggests, with rooms that occasionally rearrange themselves. A faint humming sound and occasional flashes of blue light emanate from the upper windows.

Notable Features:
Items are organized by danger level across different floors

• Cellar experiences temporal anomalies
• Brass pipes and copper wiring integrated into the building’s facade
• Building is secured with both mechanical traps and magical wards

The Clockwork Compass

Location: 12 Guild Street
Proprietor: Orla Brightgear (Female Dwarf)
Specialty: Timepieces, navigation devices, and precision instruments
Description: A meticulously organized shop with glass display cases containing gears, springs, and partially assembled devices. The walls are lined with clocks that chime at different intervals, creating a constant symphony of ticking and melodious notes. The air smells of oil and metal polish.

Notable Item: “The Wayfinder’s Chronometer” – A pocket watch that always points toward what the holder most desperately seeks.

The Alchemist’s Athanor

Location: 45 Crucible Lane
Proprietor: Tymon Vex (Male Human)
Specialty: Potions, elixirs, and alchemical supplies
Description: A chaotic but methodical establishment filled with bubbling retorts, distillation apparatus, and shelves of carefully labeled ingredients. The air is thick with a mixture of herbal, mineral, and occasionally noxious odors. Tymon wears protective gloves with burn marks and has a perpetual squint from peering at precise measurements.

House Rules: No open flames, no sampling without purchase, accidents are the customer’s responsibility.

Whisper & Tome

Location: 8 Scholar’s Way
Proprietor: Elindra Nightshade (Female Elf)
Specialty: Rare books, scrolls, and writing supplies
Description: A cozy, two-story bookshop with towering shelves and reading nooks illuminated by enchanted lanterns. The upper floor requires special permission to access, housing tomes on more esoteric and potentially dangerous subjects. Elindra is over 300 years old but appears middle-aged, with silver-streaked black hair and piercing violet eyes.

Notable Feature: A magical card catalog that can locate any book in the shop within seconds, operated by whispering the subject matter to it.

The Silver Anvil

Location: 29 Forge Street
Proprietor: Durgan Stonehammer (Male Dwarf)
Specialty: Weapons, armor, and metalwork
Description: A large, open smithy with multiple forges constantly burning. The heat hits visitors like a wall when they enter. Finished pieces hang from the walls and ceiling—everything from ornate ceremonial daggers to practical farming implements. Durgan is barrel-chested with arms like tree trunks and a beard braided with iron rings.

House Specialty: “Moonfall Steel” – A distinctive silver-blue alloy Durgan creates using a secret family technique, supposedly incorporating metal from fallen stars.

Temple District

Celestial Remedies

Location: 7 Healer’s Court
Proprietor: Seren Lighttouch (Female Halfling)
Specialty: Medicinal herbs, healing potions, and spiritual remedies
Description: A serene shop with bundles of dried herbs hanging from the rafters and the sweet, calming scent of lavender and sage permeating the air. Crystal jars containing colorful powders and tinctures line the walls. Seren is extraordinarily intuitive, often knowing what ails a customer before they speak.

Notable Service: “Dreamwalker Tea” – A special blend that allows the drinker to consciously navigate their dreams, often revealing solutions to problems or hidden fears.

The Shrouded Candle

Location: 15 Mourner’s Path
Proprietor: Thorne Mortus (Male Human)
Specialty: Funerary supplies, memorial items, and spirit communication tools
Description: A somber but not gloomy establishment with tasteful displays of urns, shrouds, memorial jewelry, and ceremonial items for various cultural traditions. Thorne wears formal black attire and speaks in hushed, respectful tones. Rumors suggest he can speak with the dead, though he neither confirms nor denies this.

House Specialty: “Remembrance Lanterns” – Paper lanterns that, when released, are said to follow the path to the deceased’s spirit, carrying messages from the living.

Artisan’s Alley

Threads of Fate

Location: 33 Weaver’s Court
Proprietor: Zinnia Threadweaver (Female Human)
Specialty: Enchanted clothing, tapestries, and textiles
Description: A colorful shop with fabric samples in every hue imaginable and the gentle click-clack of a magical loom operating itself in the back room. Mannequins display clothing that seems to shift and change subtly when not directly observed. Zinnia has heterochromia—one eye blue, one green—and her clothes always complement both colors.

Notable Service: Custom garments with minor enchantments (water-resistance, temperature regulation, dirt-repelling, etc.)

Prismatic Glassworks

Location: 21 Shimmer Street
Proprietor: Finn Sparkshaper (Male Gnome)
Specialty: Stained glass, crystal objects, and magical light fixtures
Description: A dazzling workshop where sunlight streams through hanging crystal prisms, casting rainbow patterns across every surface. Display cases contain delicate glass sculptures that seem too intricate to have been crafted by mortal hands. Finn wears specialized goggles with multiple lenses that can flip down for different tasks.

House Specialty: “Luminary Orbs” – Glass spheres that absorb sunlight during the day and gently release it at night in various colors and patterns.

Riverside Market

The Siren’s Catch

Location: Pier 7, Harbor District
Proprietor: Captain Mira Saltwind (Female Human)
Specialty: Fresh seafood, exotic imports, and naval charts
Description: A weather-beaten establishment built on a sturdy pier, with barrels of salted fish, nets hanging from the ceiling, and crates of goods from distant shores. The floor is perpetually damp, and the air smells of brine and adventure. Mira is sun-weathered with fading tattoos of sea creatures on her forearms and a voice that carries like a foghorn.

Notable Feature: A massive map table where Mira marks recent sea monster sightings and dangerous currents, freely sharing this information with other captains.

The Wandering Barrel

Location: 4 Brewer’s Row
Proprietor: Barton Oakenheart (Male Human)
Specialty: Wines, spirits, and specialty beverages
Description: A cozy establishment with floor-to-ceiling racks of bottles, aging barrels, and a small tasting counter. The air is rich with the scent of oak, fruit, and spices. Barton has a magnificent mustache he constantly twirls when thinking and knows the story behind every vintage he sells.

House Specialty: “Faegleam Mead” – A honey wine with a subtle blue glow, made using honey from bees that pollinate flowers growing near magical ley lines.

Sweetsmith’s Confections

Location: 16 Sugar Lane
Proprietor: Rosemary Sweetsmith (Female Halfling)
Specialty: Candies, pastries, and magical treats
Description: A charming shop with striped awnings and the intoxicating aroma of caramelized sugar, chocolate, and baking spices. Glass jars of colorful candies line the walls, and a magical cooling cabinet displays delicate pastries. Rosemary is plump and cheerful with flour perpetually dusting her apron and a magical wooden spoon that floats beside her, ready to assist.

Notable Treat: “Memory Drops” – Candies that, when consumed, briefly allow the taster to experience a specific pleasant memory with all five senses.

Shadowmarket (Underground)

The Broken Lock

Location: Accessible through a hidden door in The Rusty Nail Tavern
Proprietor: Silas Nimblefingers (Male Halfling)
Specialty: Lockpicks, security circumvention tools, and information
Description: A secretive establishment only accessible to those who know the right people or passwords. The space is cramped but efficiently organized, with various security devices displayed both as merchandise and as examples of what Silas can help bypass. Silas has a nervous tic of constantly checking over his shoulder but is unmatched in his knowledge of Vale’s End’s security systems.

House Rules: No names, no questions about other customers, payment in advance.

The Masked Merchant

Location: Varies weekly (follow chalk symbols in the Undercity)
Proprietor: Unknown (changes appearance regularly)
Specialty: Cursed items, forbidden artifacts, and dangerous knowledge
Description: A mobile marketplace that never stays in one location for more than a few days. The merchandise is displayed on black velvet cloths, each item accompanied by a card detailing its dangers and uses. The proprietor wears an enchanted mask that subtly changes their voice and obscures their identity.

Notable Feature: Customers must leave something of “equal danger” to make a purchase—not necessarily coin, but something with equivalent risk or power.

Whisperleaf Apothecary

Location: Dead end of Tanner’s Alley, through a door marked only with a single leaf symbol
Proprietor: Nyx Shadowgarden (Female Drow)
Specialty: Rare poisons, antidotes, and mind-altering substances
Description: A dimly lit shop with preserved specimens in jars of murky liquid and plants growing under magical lights that simulate various environments. The air smells of earth, chemicals, and exotic blooms. Nyx speaks rarely and touches nothing without her thin black gloves.

House Rules: Buyers must demonstrate knowledge of proper handling or be refused service, no refunds for self-inflicted poisonings.

Mystic’s Row

Astral Harmonies

Location: 9 Stargazer’s Path
Proprietor: Lunari Constellation (Female Tiefling)
Specialty: Astronomical instruments, star charts, and celestial magic components
Description: A circular shop with a domed ceiling painted to show the night sky, complete with enchanted stars that twinkle and move to reflect the current positions of celestial bodies. Telescopes, astrolabes, and other observation instruments are displayed on carved wooden stands. Lunari has silvery skin, star-white hair, and horns that curve like crescent moons.

Notable Service: Custom birth charts that reveal not just past alignments but upcoming celestial events that might significantly impact the customer’s life.

Fauna & Flora Emporium

Location: 27 Greenward Street
Proprietor: Thorne Wildshaper (Male Half-Elf) and Ivy Thornheart (Female Half-Elf)
Specialty: Exotic plants, magical seeds, and uncommon familiars
Description: A lush, maze-like shop that feels more like a miniature jungle than a store. Magical climate zones maintain different environments for various species, from desert succulents to tropical orchids. Cages and terrariums house potential familiars ranging from mundane (but intelligent) cats and ravens to more unusual creatures like miniature elementals and pseudodragons. Thorne and Ivy are twins who finish each other’s sentences and seem to communicate with plants and animals without speaking.

House Rules: Potential pet owners are thoroughly interviewed and must demonstrate they can provide appropriate care.

Dreamweaver’s Loom

Location: 41 Twilight Terrace
Proprietor: Esmé Slumbertide (Female Human)
Specialty: Dream-related items, sleep aids, and nightmare protection
Description: A serene shop with walls draped in flowing fabrics of deep blues and purples. The lighting is soft and warm, and the air carries the gentle scent of lavender and chamomile. Enchanted dream catchers and mobiles hang from the ceiling, gently spinning and catching the light. Esmé has a calming presence and speaks in a melodious, almost hypnotic voice.

Notable Item: “Nightmare Lanterns” – Crystal lamps that absorb negative energy from dreams, gradually darkening as they fill with captured nightmares and requiring periodic cleansing.

Crafters’ Commons

Beastmaster’s Provisions

Location: 14 Hunter’s Way
Proprietor: Rowan Beastfriend (Male Human)
Specialty: Animal supplies, training equipment, and monster-hunting gear
Description: A practical establishment filled with saddles, harnesses, specialized feed, and tools for animal care alongside equipment designed for tracking, capturing, or defending against more dangerous creatures. Taxidermied heads of unusual beasts decorate the walls, each with a plaque describing how it was respectfully hunted after becoming a threat to settlements. Rowan has a pronounced limp from a wyvern attack in his youth and is always accompanied by a one-eyed wolf named Shade.

Notable Service: Custom training regimens for unusual animal companions or recently tamed wild creatures.

Runecrafter’s Workshop

Location: 38 Spellward Street
Proprietor: Grimm Sigiltouched (Male Dwarf)
Specialty: Runestones, enchanted jewelry, and protective wards
Description: A sturdy stone building with runic carvings on every surface—walls, floor, ceiling, even furniture. Different sections of the shop demonstrate different runic schools and applications. The air hums with latent magical energy, and small sparks occasionally leap between metal objects. Grimm’s beard is braided with tiny metal beads inscribed with miniature runes, and his arms are covered in tattoos that sometimes shift and change.

House Specialty: “Binding Bands” – Paired rings, bracelets, or necklaces inscribed with connection runes that allow wearers to sense each other’s general emotional state and direction regardless of distance.

The Inked Scroll

Location: 5 Scribe’s Avenue
Proprietor: Quill Inkwright (Nonbinary Human)
Specialty: Maps, documents, calligraphy, and tattoos
Description: A bright, airy shop with large windows to provide natural light for the delicate work performed within. One half of the establishment is dedicated to paper goods—maps, scrolls, and fine stationery—while the other contains a tattoo studio where Quill creates designs that occasionally move or change color based on the wearer’s mood. The walls are covered in examples of their work, from ornate wedding invitations to maps of legendary dungeons.

Notable Service: “Living Maps” that update themselves as locations change, though they require “feeding” with a drop of ink each month to maintain this ability.

Lower Ward

The Tarnished Crown

Location: Corner of Beggar’s Row and Forgotten Lane
Proprietor: “Old King” Coleman (Male Human)
Specialty: Secondhand goods, junk with hidden value, and salvage rights
Description: A sprawling, disorganized shop that spills out onto the street with tables of miscellaneous items. The interior is a labyrinth of towering piles, narrow pathways, and precariously balanced treasures mixed with trash. Despite the chaos, Coleman can locate any specific item within minutes. He wears a dented copper crown and speaks of himself in the third person as “the King.”

Notable Feature: Coleman offers “salvage contracts” that grant exclusive rights to clean out abandoned buildings, with profits split between finder and “the Crown.”

The Copper Kettle

Location: 22 Hearth Street
Proprietor: Marta Warmhands (Female Human)
Specialty: Practical household items, cookware, and comfort foods
Description: A welcoming shop that smells of fresh bread and soup, with practical household goods arranged neatly on shelves and hanging from ceiling hooks. A large hearth dominates one wall, where Marta demonstrates cookware while preparing food she shares freely with customers. Her hands are perpetually warm to the touch, rumored to be a blessing from a hearth deity she once sheltered during a winter storm.

House Specialty: “Forever Warm” pots that keep their contents at the perfect temperature for hours without additional heat.

Pins & Needles

Location: 11 Thimble Street
Proprietor: Tailor “Quickfingers” Reed (Male Halfling)
Specialty: Clothing repairs, alterations, and affordable attire
Description: A narrow but efficiently organized shop with rolls of fabric, ready-made garments, and a fitting area separated by a colorful curtain. Despite the budget prices, Tailor’s work is impeccable—he can mend a tear so perfectly it becomes invisible and repurpose damaged clothing into something entirely new and fashionable. He works with astonishing speed, his fingers a blur when he’s focused on a project.

Notable Service: “Rush Repairs” – For an additional fee, Tailor will complete mending jobs while customers wait, regardless of complexity.

Celestiah, Lupin and Felric stop by “Threads of Fate” at 33 Weaver’s Court in the Artisan Alley. It just happens to be open this late at night, thankfully. Lupin talks with her and explains that we are in a bind, and need clothing for an appointment early tomorrow morning. She seems to have stock in what we need and all 3 of us buy more subdued outfits for 75 gold each.

After changing, we head to a nearby pub called the Drunken Dragon. This is in the Temple District with the museums and academy are located. This is on the way to the Merchant’s Quarter where the Menagerie is.

The ork and dwarf are at the Hog’s Dogs pub, which is a total dive bar.

We have noticed that mechanical birds have been following us. Lupin snatches one and takes it apart — it appears to have some of the same parts as the birds we saw in the Menagerie. Clearly Marlowe has been spying on us, however this is slightly relieving that we aren’t being followed from the venue.

We go back to the Menagerie and Thaddeus is in his study. He looks like he hasn’t slept all night. He is eager to see that we have found the pendulum. Lupin tosses him the bird and says “a little bird told me that we were being followed.” He apologizes for startling us, but says that we are an expensive endeavor and he wants to keep track of his investment.

He checks out the gear and is delighted in what he sees. He gives us each a token that could be exchanged for one of the items in his shop.

He begins filling us in on our next item: The Crystalline Heart of Mistwood. It was created by a forgotten civilization that inhabited Mistwood, which is north of the Veil’s End. The Heart serves as an emotional conduit, which can capture and preserve emotional states. He gives us a map. The Heart is in a temple ruin overgrown by the forest near a village called Willowbrook. Here your emotions can be reflected back at you, which can be very dangerous.

For retrieval of the heart, he offers 500 gold per person now and on successful delivery. Also any 2 items from the Uncommon Curiosities, as well as access to his network of collectors and scholars in the region. This could give us access to information and artifacts. He also says that he has some Dwarven medical texts to give to Gordon.

We make our choices of what items we want:

• Celestiah takes the Etheric Spyglass
• Kargrath takes the Serendipity Snuffbox
• Gordon takes the Silver Fox Mechanical Familiar
• Felric takes the Arcane Lexicon Lens
• Lupin takes the Phase Cloak

Thaddeus gets a shard of something off of a shelf. He gives it to us and says that it’s a shard of the heart that will glow if we get nearer to the heart. He says that Willowbrook is 3 days from here on foot, and the temple is 2 more days north. We can get help from the people of the village to guide us. Also, we need to be careful because the trees are rumored to move.

He expects us to be back within 2 weeks, or the heart might be useless to him. We decide to get passage on a stagecoach to take us, which will be much faster. We would pay 75-100 gold one way, and the coach leaves tomorrow morning. However, the trip from the village to the temple will be on foot as it’s impassable.

We do some shopping at the local vendors to get gear for the trip before departing.

Celestiah researches and finds out more about the Star’s Return Blades. The master who made them was Lyra Stellarum. He collaborated with an astromancer from the Etherian Academy. The noble who commissioned them was Lord Deverus. This was meant to protect his daughter from the Shadowtech Consortium. They were trying to recruit her for her natural talents in celestial magic. Lyra forged the blades under a meteor shower. The astromancer then built the blades under 3 different celestial events so they are bound to the cycles of the stars.

Lupin greases some palms and finds out some information from Xavier Copperhand, a halfling. He says that the security is extremely tight. At the Rusty Nail Tavern, after the fourth ale he says that the wards flicker momentarily when the sound changes. Prof. Helena Vale carries the key to the wards. The champaign toast at 8:30 is a good time to strike; most of the guards will be in the main hall during this time. The exhibit runs until 11pm.

Gordon goes to the Dwarves’ Guild and talks with his people. Unfortunately he doesn’t find anything.

Felric goes to the city archives and finds the building’s blueprints. The 7 main areas are the Grand Foyer, the Central Atrium (with glass dome), East Wing (pendulum is here), West Wing (manuscripts archive), North Gallery, South Gallery, and Staff Corridors. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of a second exit but we could look into the sewer layout. He tries to look into the main city’s drainage system but is not successful.

Korgrath snatches a servant and finds out that the servants will be freshening the flowers at 5:30. The shift changes every 30 minutes.

We aren’t sure that we have a plan, but we will try our best. We head to the event right on time. There are many academics here in fashionable attire, and aspiring students.

Lupin recognizes Orla Brightgear, she has a shop with precious instruments. He chats her up and she says she’s interested in the device but doesn’t know much about it. She says that the hostess was here earlier but she hasn’t seen her in a bit.

When we go by the pendulum, it creates a sense of calm here. We notice that we are feeling others’ emotions and also their thoughts. Celestiah assenses the item and the wards. She thinks that she would be able to remove them with her abilities. She sets up an illusion that makes the room look like everything is normal at the threshold of the door. She then removes the ward from around the main pedestal, and then puts a sack over the device.

Korgrath and Gordon start a brawl and draw the attention of the four guards. One of them runs out to get more help. Felric tries to stop him but fails. The dwarf and ork try to leave through the servant’s wing.

Celestiah and Lupin hoof it out of there.

Lupin purchases a sword cane for defense.

Felric purchases a set of knives called “The Stars Return Blades.” These were made by a weaponsmith who worked with an astromancer to create the weapons. I’ve heard rumors that the blades dissolve into light after thrown and then rematerialize in their case. Felric negotiates and brings the price down to 60 from the original 70.

Gordon the Dwarf looks for a handaxe that will help him as a healer. He considers a couple of options and settles on the Life Mender’s Hatchet, which leeches the life force from a downed foe and captures the energy as a healing spell for later. Gordon negotiates as well and pays 110 gold.

We head back to the Menagerie and speak the password “teapot” again. Celestiah shows Marlowe the item and he is able to see through the illusion. He inspects it and is extremely pleased. Celestiah asks Marlowe what he intends to do with it, and he says that it is one of the most powerful and useful magical items in existence, and that he would never sell it; it will be kept here so it is safe and can be used for our adventures.

Marlowe goes to the register and gets us the rest of our money — 600 gold each!

We see several more curious things in the room. One is a “temporal stabilizer”. There is also a clockwork songbird, musical mechanical flowers, focusing lenses, and a consciousness vessel. We see some blueprints that say “experimental device” and it looks like he was working on something to do with memory capture. He explains that the sphere it’s a consciousness vessel that can hold parts of personality for preservation. He shows us a crystal that can capture more of a mind and preserve it.

Felric asks him why this is important to him. He says it’s his life work. He gets more serious and asks if we’ve ever lost someone. Lupin says yes. He says that he lost his sister Evelyn, and it’s her song that is playing on one of the other devices. He wants to bring her consciousness back, as a final end goal.

He goes to a spider-looking device with a crystal on it. He activates it a holographic map appears. The Thaumaturgical Society event tonight is hosting an item called the “Harmonic Pendulum” that can help to hold consciousness patterns. He says that he has tickets for us, and our job is to retrieve this item. The pendulum will be in the east wing under moderate guard. He gives us a small bag of mechanical scarabs that could provide a distraction for us.

The pendulum is encased in a hexagonal crystal display. It is brass and silver alloy and emits a humming sound that changes pitch every 3 minutes. The exhibit will close tomorrow, so this is time sensitive. He gives us 250 gold each as a down payment, and says that we can choose an “uncommon” item from his collection once the pendulum has been collected.

We decide to go to Lupin’s haberdasher, Madame Lillian’s Emporium. Marlowe says that he has arranged for reasonable pricing for us. After we get fancy clothing that would fit in during the event, we head back to our homes and get to sleep for the night.

We sit down, and suddenly Gordon knocks over a small item. It crashes to the floor and a strange liquid splashes everywhere. In an instant, we are outside and about to knock on the door again. All of us remember being inside, but it appears that time has rewound somehow. Celestiah probes the magic with her senses and it seems that this was a charm that was imbued with magical power and made us believe through an illusion that we were actually inside.

Felric, instead of knocking, speaks the password “teapot” as we were previously instructed. The door slides open of its own accord. Inside it’s dark and noticeably more sparse than what we just saw. Venturing inside, we hear someone shuffling down the stairs. It is the same man, but he looks older and less glamorous.

He says “Let’s have tea for real this time.” We do introductions and he offers us 4500 gold with 1500 up front (300 apiece) for retrieval of the first magical item that he wants us to find. Then, a percentage of the sale price of the items.

We need to seek out the Chronologist to find the item. He has an item called a Chronometric Resonator that could help us. He is in the Shadow District, in the Shifting Market part of the city. The way we find him is using an item that the man hands us. It looks like a pocket watch with 3 hands, gold, silver and copper. They all spin at different speeds, but when we’re close to the Chronologist, they will all come together and point toward him. The marketplace randomly appears in one of the districts of the city, during the 3 nights of the New Moon. Day 1 is actually today, and it will be in the Shadow District.

The item we’re looking for is a compass, but rather than pointing north, it points toward important things. This will help us to find other items that have magical potential.

He gives us all contracts to sign. We look them over and find that there are several binding runes and hidden sections that can only be seen if the paper is held up at an angle. One says that we are bound by the agreement across timelines. Celestiah negotiates with him about several of the items. He takes a moment but then he agrees, and the contracts are magically changed. We sign and take a moment to enjoy drinks before we leave.

It is about a 30 minute walk to the market from here. When we arrive, the street doesn’t look any different than normal, but as we enter we see that the market is made up of many spheres — cobblestones, or sand, or grass. Each of them is from a different area of the world and each is easily accessible to us. The market is very active with many people buying and selling.

We ask some of the merchants where the Chronologist may be, but they seem to either not hear us or get distracted with another customer rather than answering us. Celestiah uses her “Star Sight” to find out where we will need to be to find them. Apparently in 17 minutes, when a star aligns with the spire of a building, the Chronologist will be revealed.

We wait for the appointed time, and the nearby clocks all align as reality seems to twist. The compass hands all point toward the door. Passersby go around this space and don’t seem to know it exists. A door appears. Celestiah checks it magically to see if it is dangerous. She gets a bad headache but apparently it’s not a threat. We go in and see a strange room with impossible geometry and shelves lined with many items. We see on a throne a young boy with white hair and clock faces in his teeth.

Felric helps Celestiah up and walks her into the room. He feels a strange catlike kinship as he gets near to her. Peering into her magical amulet, he sees an avatar of a cat.

The boy remarks “Ah, Marlowe’s associates. And on time, this time!” Maximillian asks him if he can help us. He responds cryptically saying that we need to help him deal with Helena Vale first. Suddenly a woman comes into the room. She has jet black hair with a streak of copper in it. She is nearly 6 feet tall and in her early 40s. She has a stiff posture and looks almost militaristic. We see others who dressed like her come in as well, in total there are 2 men and 2 women.

Lupin introduces himself to the woman. She responds with her name and says that she is with the Thaumaturgical Society. He says that we are here looking for a “Time Turner” that will allow a person to go back and fix one mistake. She finds this interesting, but will not reveal what her group is looking for at first. He charms her a bit and she mentions that they are trying to find a compass.

Celestiah looks around the room for the compass and, using her magical ability, she’s able to find a small box. The Chronomancer looks up with surprise and mutters “An astromancer with star-sight, fascinating.” He gestures and the box floats over to the counter. He calls it the Chronometric Compass, crafted by Captain Elias Timewell during the convergence of the spheres when the barriers between universes were at their thinnest. It has rings on the outside with a shining crystal inside. It has runes that shift when not observed.

Lupin introduces the woman to Felric and says that he is an expert who may be able to help her find the compass. Felric bluffs and starts helping her, though in truth he has no idea what he’s talking about.

Celestiah asks the Chronomancer what he would trade for something like this. He says that he deals in memories. She suggests a memory of when she was much younger living in the forest, gazing at the stars with her best friend. He accepts the trade. After the purchase, Celestiah enchants the box so anyone looking at it will see a sextant rather than a compass.

We exit the building and as we do, the place ceases to exist. No time has passed since we entered.

Lupin looks for a magical cane for himself.

(aka Women’s Linens)

A peculiar invitation arrives, penned in flowing script that occasionally sparkles with traces of arcane residue:

Dearest Potential Associates,

Perhaps you’ve noticed the recent changes at 73 Silversmith’s Row in the Merchant’s Quarter—the old Blackhaven Trading Post has shed its decades of dust and cobwebs. The creaking sign that once announced “CLOSED INDEFINITELY” has been replaced with a gleaming brass placard reading “Marlowe’s Menagerie: Curios, Curiosities, & Commodities Most Peculiar.”

I, Thaddeus Marlowe, formerly of the Collegiate Arcanum’s Department of Paranatural Procurement (and yes, that rather dramatic departure involving the Dean’s prized singing crystal was greatly exaggerated), have invested my life’s savings in this establishment. The previous owner, poor old Maurice Blackhaven, disappeared under rather mysterious circumstances involving a cursed music box and what witnesses describe as “an unfortunate incident with time itself.” The Merchant’s Guild assured me that after seven years, the property rights default to new ownership, and any temporal anomalies are strictly the previous owner’s responsibility.

But I digress! The shop itself is a marvel—three stories of aged oak and weathered stone, with windows that seem to peek into impossible angles and a cellar that, I’m quite certain, occasionally rearranges itself. The previous inventory is… well, let’s call it “eclectic.” Thus far I’ve catalogued:

• Seventeen empty bottles labeled “Bottled Starlight (DO NOT OPEN INDOORS)”
• One seemingly ordinary sock that keeps trying to hop back to its original owner
• A collection of maps to places that may or may not exist yet
• And a rather insistent cheese wheel that whispers stock market advice

While fascinating, these curiosities alone won’t sustain a proper business. This is where you come in, my enterprising friends. I require individuals of particular talent and discretion who can help me acquire inventory of a more… specialized nature. The Merchant’s Quarter is experiencing unprecedented growth, and the nobility’s appetite for the exotic and arcane has never been greater.

I offer generous commission rates, access to my network of collectors, and the protection of my various licenses and permits (most of which are even legitimate). More importantly, I offer adventure—the chance to seek out the extraordinary and bring it back to eager customers who possess more gold than common sense.

If interested, please present yourself at the shop’s rear entrance tomorrow at sunset. Knock thrice, wait for the door to finish its riddle (the answer is always “teapot,” regardless of the question), and enter prepared for a discussion of terms. Do mind the umbrella stand—it’s not actually an umbrella stand, and we’re still not entirely sure what it is.

With Anticipation,
Thaddeus Marlowe
Proprietor, Procurer, & Occasional Problem-Solver

P.S. If you happen to encounter a sock hopping down Guild Street, do be a dear and catch it. Its original owner has been quite persistent about a reunion.

—

Local rumors whispered in taverns and alleyways:

“That Marlowe fellow? Odd sort, but honest enough. Saw him talk down an angry ghost with nothing but a tea service and some compliments about its hat.”

“The shop’s got a reputation. Old Blackhaven was collecting things that shouldn’t exist. Some say the whole building’s like a puzzle box, with rooms that only appear on certain days of the week.”

“My cousin’s friend swears she saw Marlowe haggling with a dragon over the price of its shed scales. Used a pie chart and everything. The dragon apparently found his accounting methods quite persuasive.”

The strange note is received by the five of us. We are:

• Celestiah Elunthiel, a High Elf Wizard
• Korgrath, an Ork Fighter
• Felric Ashfur, a Catfolk Scholar
• Maximillian Lupin, a Human Thief
• Gordon, a Dwarvish Healer

After receiving our cryptic invitations, which were addressed to each of us personally, we all gather at the appointed time at Marlowe’s shop.

This is the city of Vale’s End. It is a huge city, and we are in the bustling merchant’s corner, on Silversmith Row. There is a rich artifact trade here. It is twilight and the lanterns are glowing. There are strong scents of ozone, coffee and embers.

In the past there were 3 magical disasters here, so magic is restricted. The most recent one was the Brass Plague, which nearly destroyed the infrastructure of the city.

The future party members pleasantly exchange names. Most are just here for a job, but Celestiah and Felric seem to be here for arcane knowledge of some kind. Maximillian says that he wishes to employ his “particular skills” with this job. We are left to guess what that may mean.

Marlowe’s building is made of wood and stone, and the windows are in odd places. Felric notices that they shift when not observed. There is a humming sound within and frequent dlashes of light. There are enchantments and barriers throughout, which Celestiah senses keenly. We know nothing of the owner except what he related in his letter.

The door opens and a man with a false eye answers. The eye is mechanical and it quickly scans us all. He breaks into a friendly smile and welcomes us in.

There is tea set out for us. We sit down and partake, ready to hear what our potential employer has to say.