Dark Side was left to tend to the market stall as the others set off in search of a strategy that would result in the destruction of Linowan's naval base. Shirking in his mercantile duties slightly, he took the opportunity to train his new minions in the ways of chaos.
After days of manning the stall, Cadence had his blood lust boil over as he began challenging passers by to duels (ostensibly to show off the quality of the merchandise). After drawing larger and larger crowds, he decided to formalize the arrangement in an underground fight club. Though small, the brutal club of enthusiasts is ultra-violent, with several members silently wishing for more.
Innocence took an unexpectedly scholarly approach to the problem at hand and sought out the town's libraries. She quickly determined that the Queen was an outcast imperial and successful bandit that managed to topple the fractious kingdom and take its reins for herself. Innocence seems to be thinking to emulate this strategy as she sought out rebellious barons in the masked gala that Baroness Vika held for the group.
Inexorable Fate continued to sow the seeds of long term discord through the Cult of Eibmoz. With several acolytes and disciples, his cult seems set to persist for a good while, as the dark miracles seem to pour forth. A number of bored debutantes have expressed interest in this new religion, potentially bringing money and respectability. Time will tell how it is embraced by the upper echelons of society.
Zen joined the army. He met the striking Baroness Faustina, who served as the executive recruiter for the army. After acing the interview with the highest scores since the re-founding of the Linowan military by Queen Arkasi, he purchased a commission and was given command of 500 green recruits.
The queen, furious that her field armies refused to engage the town following a truce, ordered Zen's unit be deployed to Valga's Lake in an effort to retake it. Zen succeeded in killing or distracting the commanders, while Cadence routed the right wing of the advancing army single-handedly. Fate cowed one of the escort triremes into submission, adding yet another ship to the Duke's growing fleet. Finally, as Dark Side prepared to set the second ship ablaze, Innocence subverted a third ship to open fire on their comrades, reducing it to flaming splinters.
As the sun set, the Linowan forces retreated to the north. In the role of a Linowan officer, Zen rode to meet Cadence and Fate on the pretense of negotiating terms. Dark Side laughed along the shore line as he peppered drowning sailors with arrows. Innocence remained about the Linowan ship unsure what to do next.