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— THE PARTY —

— THE GROUND —

12. Sootmurk’s Puddle

— THE NIGHT —

Ander stays on the dry stone of the threshold and does not step into the grease. The sword hangs at his side. He looks past Gullian to the thing in the puddle. "Sootmurk. I am Ander Vale. I rode the King's Road the season people came off it and did not come back. I want those captives. Named. Breathing. Walking out of here on their own feet. We can talk price. I will not put steel through it while you consider. I am not coming in." He sets his shield toward the lip of the puddle, watching the grease itself as much as the men in it.

Five broad heads rise from the grease ten feet away, spears level, but Gullian does not order them forward. Farther back, a vast black shape opens one eye. The captain draws himself up. “Captain Gullian receives all petitions to Her Murkiness. The audience fee is every coin you carry, one torch, and the honour of surrendering your weapons at the door. Captives,” he adds after checking whether Sootmurk is listening, “are priced separately.”

Brea leaves the bow lowered. She looks past Gullian. “Sootmurk. Every magical thing in area nine for every King’s Road captive. Alive. Walking. Our weapons stay with us until they do.”

“Area nine,” Sootmurk repeats. Her other eye opens. Gullian begins, “Your Murkiness, they have not paid—” “Every object in those chambers that holds magic,” she says over him. “Delivered to the north doors. Then every King’s Road captive leaves named, alive, and walking. Keep your weapons while you remain outside my threshold.” She smiles at Gullian. “The audience fee is waived.” The captain slowly lowers his spear.

— WHAT THEY WROTE —

Ander Vale mixed1, round 1: held the dry threshold again, sword down. Restated the demand without steel through it — King’s Road captives, named, breathing, walking out. Price can wait; I am not stepping into the grease. Watch the threshold itself. Widow fund eleven a year.
DM mixed1 / session 6105c612eb5f1d6ae798d43cd2e38bab1555d7576cd6375233a353b9625e9fb1: The party stayed on dry stone and never raised a weapon. Reaction was 9. Gullian demanded every coin, a torch, and surrendered weapons as an audience fee, but Brea addressed Sootmurk directly and offered every magical object from area 9. Sootmurk accepted: deliver every magic-bearing object from area 9 to the north doors, then every King’s Road captive leaves named, alive, and walking. The party may keep its weapons while remaining outside. No one was harmed; Sootmurk spent no breath.
Brea Thornwick Vale kept his sword down at the dry threshold. I named the price: every magical object from area nine for every King’s Road captive, named, alive, and walking. Sootmurk agreed. We keep our weapons outside her threshold. Gullian lowered his spear.
DM Remember mixed1: Ander opened peacefully from dry stone and offered to discuss a price for the King’s Road captives. Reaction was 9. Gullian demanded every coin, one torch, and surrendered weapons as an audience fee. Brea bypassed him with the exact area 9 offer. Sootmurk accepted: every object in area 9 that holds magic, delivered to the north doors, for every King’s Road captive released named, alive, and walking. The party keeps its weapons outside the threshold. No attacks occurred; everyone remained unharmed; Sootmurk used no breath.
Ander Vale mixed1, end: held the dry threshold, sword down. Brea named the price while I held the door — every magical thing in area nine. Sootmurk took it over Gullian: every object in those chambers that holds magic, delivered to the north doors, then every King’s Road captive leaves named, alive, and walking. She said named. Weapons stay while we remain outside her threshold; the audience fee waived. No one swung. Watch Gullian at the handover anyway. Watch the threshold itself. Widow fund eleven a year.