Balthasar accompanied Captain Soranna to search Jarrett’s Sundries. They found a pair of boots matching the Elfborne’s and letters from Iormel indicating that she had been manipulating him.
Dameron arrived and found a hidden wall by the stairs and Camwise was able to find the mechanism in a trunk to open it, revealing stairs leading to a secret room. He realized the mechanics were similar to what he had seen in Iormel’s basement. Balthasar and Camwise ventured into the hidden room beyond the stairs while Dameron caught up with the guard, Rutga from Anslaw, who was an old friend. From the candlelight, they could see that the secret room contained a Hatchet & Stormcloud ritual circle, a book and dagger on a small table, a dead body, a cage, and a couple of chests. The candlelight went out and they heard two voices speaking at once, one of Jarrett and the other rough and unfamiliar, saying, “Those that tread on the path of the Black Bolt shall be taken. Horam shall have his vengeance and Sturm shall cull those that are too weak to resist the coming flood.” Camwise called out to Dameron as two specters appeared, resembling two of the assassins, and attacked. Camwise went down multiple times during the battle, and Rutga eventually joined the fray, but both specters were destroyed, the last one brought down by Dameron’s Spiritual Hammer. Camwise was eager to investigate when Rutga began tampering with all the evidence they had found, causing Camwise great distress until Dameron convinced the guard to remove the unfamiliar body. When Camwise moved to examine the table and its contents, the dagger flew into his chest. Balthasar struggled to pull the dagger out and was only able to do so with Dameron’s Guidance. Dameron revived Camwise again. The book contained a list of names, including the Daring Friends’, the Shadowtuft daughter, Avarthel the druid, Watt the wizard, and many others. Camwise determined it was a detailed account of those whom Jarrett sought vengeance against for slighting him, going back decades. It confirmed that Avarthel was the baby that was stolen and Jarrett was the changeling who was driven out of town as a child and returned to kill the parents and took up residence in town with the old owner of the store who himself was not a good man. Camwise also deduced that Jarrett was the infamous Black Bolt. Captain Soranna arrived and found the evidence conclusive. She did not know who the dead woman was. The chests contained thousands of coins, copper, silver, and gold, a bloodstone, 10 magical bolts and 10 magical arrows, a Skull Liqueur, a Focusing Eye, and a Mourning Medallion, all of which Sorrana let the Daring Friends take. After a short rest, they joined Captain Soranna at Iormel’s to question him and search the place. Camwise was still weary from his ordeal with the specters. Reading through Jarrett’s papers that Captain Soranna provided him, Iormel was incredulous that he had been manipulated by her. Casting Detect Thoughts, Camwise could tell the Iormel was shocked at the irrefutable evidence that he had been betrayed having thought that at worst they were mutually using each other and was concerned about his legacy, was concerned about something else in his cellar, and had been supplementing his income by transporting rare creatures from Assardoth in the west to Songvale in the east for contacts he had made from Jarrett. Iormel detected Camwise’s mental intrusion and insisted the wizard cease. Descending into the cellar, they found another drake, still caged, and a ledger. With hatred in his eyes, Iormel agreed to provide Camwise with any information he wanted as long as it was kept confidential. Pressed by Camwise to reveal the location of the Black Bolt, Iromel suggested she might be in Assardoth or Songvale. Searching through Iromel’s cellar, they claimed a Potion of Climbing, two Potions of Healing, Dust of Disappearance, semiprecious gemstones, and thousands of copper and silver coins. As a reward for solving the mystery, the town rewarded the Daring Friends with an unused property of Iormel’s across from Delora’s Livery. After they were done dealing with Iormel, Dameron purchased supplies delivered to his farm and instructed the reformed bandits on the reconstruction, starting with a place that they could use as a residence. Camwise visited the Tollhouse and ensured all of Dameron’s legal paperwork and filings were in order. Dameron visited the Shrine of St. Aster and informed Father Derny of their success. They spent their nights at The Green Apple Inn, where Camwise cast Alarm every night.
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