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The group watched as the oasis collapsed on itself and that woman Marianne headed down to help the panicking followers of Adorned in Brass. One moment the people were sinking helplessly into the sand, and the next, the whole lot of them were just as they were but suddenly displaced about 100 yards to the right. Isha blinked. But the scene remained the same. The followers were saved. The oasis caved in taking all the trees with it. The water remained flowing.

It was the first time it occurred to Isha that just maybe destroying the oasis would destroy the river, given it was the source. But it seemed her worries were for naught. As the followers began picking themselves up and turning to stare at them as a means of escape, the group hurried back to their ship and shoved off, heading for the capital.

It was one thing to be glad they were saved. But the dragon-blessed did not have the resources nor space to transport the whole lot of these people back to where they were from. Not to mention the time. And anyway, they all traveled here themselves, they could travel back themselves.

The rest of the trip was relatively incident free. The group stopped over at a couple different towns along the way, meeting a quarantine garrison at one (where Azzy took charge of the situation) and staying with a local Baron who was quite wealthy about half a day outside of the capital.

Eventually the group docked at the river port in Achmenia around midday. They were greeted forthwith by a guard troop to escort us to the king. The dragon-blessed got their things together and departed the boat with the escort.

But it got weird. They did not take the group to the castle up on the hill. Instead the terrain went downhill, their altitude was falling. The escort lead them into an enclosed park-like thing that was empty of people and had archers hiding on the walls. Isha halted immediately and ordered the others to turn around and leave. She informed the guard captain that he had not taken them to where the expected to go and that if they wished to escort them it would be to the palace with a proper appointment. And thus the group departed.

The group discussed hitting up the Dancing Sirocco instead of the ship and began heading in that direction when Grant determined they were being shadowed on the rooftops. Isha asked him to tell her where the shadow was in a non-blatant way. He indicated a nearby building. Just as Isha turned to look, Azzy, who had stayed on the ship to finish getting his nails done appeared in her view. In as quick and thorough way possible, she explained what had happened and indicated the shadow.

The group devised a plan to capture the poor sot. They began walking again toward a prearranged destination and Azzy broke off from the group. Isha and the others kept walking but started to pretend like they were lost trying to get back to the ship. Their discussion continued in that direction. They stopped next to an apple cart in front of an alley way to continue their argument when the sound of a minor scuffle came from the alley. Isha turned to the apple vendor and bought an apple while they were arguing. She then took a bite and dropped the apple in such a way that it rolled into the alley.

Isha went after the apple and Grant declared he would too, leaving Rath to just shrug and follow. Once the shadow was subdued in the alley, Azzy questioned him thoroughly. An agent of the king, tasked with seeing where they went. Azzy sent him off back to the king and the group continued on their way to the Inn.

After asking around a bit, they were able to find it. A glance around the common room revealed no one that appeared like any of them thought their host would be so Isha hit up the innkeep for some info. The innkeeper definitely knew Mnemon Opheria, and said she'd rented them each a room and should be back the next day around noon.

After inspecting their rooms, they all collectively decided to go bang on the castle door.

It wasn't hard to find. They were invited inside with grace and met with the king who seemed legit. Apparently his escort had been legit as well? Unless the king was that good and up to something under a noble and respectful facade. They were given rooms in the castle, which they accepted, and invited to dinner.

Everyone attended and the revelry lasted until about 10p. Azzy came by to tell Isha that he had an appointment to talk to the king in just a bit in the garden. Isha then breezed by the others to pass the info along. After the king and Azzy departed (separately) the rest of the group started trickling out and back to their rooms. An hour later or so, Azzy came by Isha's room to explain what he'd learned from talking to the king.

The king's 18 year old daughter was missing. She was his heir. He did not want to have to name a new heir amongst the competing Barons. He was stuck.

She was Song's best friend. Song exalted about two weeks ago, at the same approximate time the empress reappeared. Song and her father left for Galba a few days later. A few days after that the princess disappeared and the plague started. Isha and her group landed and began taking charge of the situation about a week ago. A few days ago they took down Adorned in Brass or whoever claimed to be him. And now, about 3 days later, they stood here.

Speaking of Adorned in Brass, Azzy discovered from talking with the king, who had met him in person, that Adorned in Brass as described by someone who'd met him personally was nothing like the construct that they had seen at the oasis. The king did tell Azzy that the same location that they'd been to was known to be Adorned in Brass's lair.

So, either Adorned in Brass had been destroyed and his cult taken-over and enhanced, or someone was just pretending to be him and taking over his followers while he was hibernating or something. Azzy had prompted the king to arrange a meeting with Adorned in Brass the next day if possible and the king had agreed.

A lot of information. The daughter was the biggest concern. King Sokar's family had ruled for generations and were known to be loyal. If the rulership had to pass to another, it would be annoying to have to pacify a new ruler who might be far more uppity and motivated to break ties with Nellens. Which would be no good. Azzy had offered him an alternative if the daughter could not be found to appoint someone of their mutual agreement (the king and Nellens') as regent-heir as a fail safe. The king preferred to continue pursuing his daughter for now since she hadn't been missing all that long yet.

With that, Azzy went to explain to Rath and Isha went by Grant's room to pass the info along. Then, they all returned to their own rooms and turned in for the night. Only to be woken at 2 am with she epic shits and barfs. Except for Isha, who slept through it all peacefully.

Until someone kicked her door in at 2:30am and clanked their swords annoyingly on her armor. What a bother. She reached down, grabbed the hilt of her sword and pulled it from its sheath, through two of her attackers, and then swung it back around through a third. The second one hadn't quiet died but he ended up stumbling and killing himself on his own sword. Isha then stood up before the fourth attacker and leaned down at him menacingly. He turned tail and ran out the door. Isha shook her head and followed at a more leisurely pace.

Apparently Rath and Grant had finished that sucker off. Azzy came out into the hallway and after a short conference, it was decided that it was time to pay a visit to the king. Either he would be poisoned, or dead, or complicit. The fact that all of these options would be bad news was not lost on them, and a definite air of vexation spread over them.