Above the west hoist, a hooded watcher, a lean adult woman in a soot-black wool cloak with her face hidden beneath the hood and a brass clasp at her throat, lowers a shutter marked with the Pale Factor’s sign. Its angle points toward the concealed captives and the trail to the red quarry tollhouse.
Gonzalo
That is a contract confirmation. The Pale Factor expected resistance here, and paid someone to track the witness network, not merely watch the camp.
The freed captives remain buried beneath the slag ribs. Zesh keeps the claim-strip behind her, while Zalise holds the lane beside Myk and watches the shutter.
Zesh
Then the tollhouse is only one hand in the chain. The watcher can signal another route before we reach it.
Zalise Zephyr-Ashe
And the hand above us has chosen to remain visible. That is either confidence or a very expensive mistake.
Elyra and Eli guard the approaches with bows ready, their trust in Myk unquestioned. The ash thickens between the hoist and tollhouse, hiding the watcher’s retreat.
Gonzalo
There is your opening, Myk. Chase the signal, seize the watcher, or let the Pale Factor believe this contract still has teeth.
✓ Quest Accepted
Disrupt the watcher’s signal
Director's note
the most powerful in the group
“I move beneath the shutter and cut off the watcher’s retreat. While Zalise takes on Gonzalo with Elyra ready to back her if needed zesh and Eli watch on guarding strip and freed captives”
SUCCESS (Superb Agility, rolled +1)
Myk slips beneath the shutter’s angle and cuts across the ash, the blackened sword drawing toward the watcher’s retreat. Marked Sorcery floods the lane with phantom routes, but Reads Pursuers strips them away.
The sword’s dark pull steadies Myk through the false turns. He reaches the hoist wall before the hooded watcher can vanish and blocks the narrow descent between broken crates.
The Hooded Watcher
You read the trail better than the Factor promised. Move aside, and I may leave you the name of the next buyer.
Behind Myk, Zalise meets the mercenary’s advance in a crack of rune-lit steel. Elyra shifts beside her, bow ready, while the clash stays away from the hidden captives.
Zalise Zephyr-Ashe
Keep your bargain teeth pointed at me, mercenary. Elyra only needs one clean opening to end this exchange.
Zesh and Eli hold the claim-strip between them, guarding it and the Freed Captives beneath the slag ribs. Neither watcher nor mercenary can reach the custody evidence.
The hooded watcher finds Myk’s sword barring every retreat. Her escape is cut off, while Zalise drives the mercenary back under Elyra’s unwavering cover.
✓ Quest Accepted
Learn who paid the watcher to track the witness network
The caster loses part of their memories, emotions, or physical senses as the cost of the spell.
Director's notewhole tale
knowing Zesh will defeat him if she feels she has to
“I pin the watcher against the hoist wall and demand her buyer's name. While Zalise battle rages on that with Gonzalo”
SUCCESS (Good Intimidation, rolled +2)
Myk drives the hooded watcher against the hoist wall, pinning her cloak beneath his forearm. The blackened sword angles beside her throat, its dark pull denying every escape.
Myk
Give me your buyer's name.
Marked Sorcery tears phantom routes across Myk's sight, stealing the exact shape of a familiar crate and wall. Reads Pursuers cuts through the false paths, while the sword anchors his grip to the safest pressure point.
Zalise Zephyr-Ashe
You heard him. Answer before Gonzalo finds out how many ways a blade can become persuasive.
Behind them, Zalise meets Gonzalo's renewed charge in a burst of rune-lit steel. Elyra's bow tracks his opening, while Zesh and Eli keep the captives covered below.
The Hooded Watcher
The buyer is Serath Vale. The Factor serves her, not the other way around. She keeps her court beneath the red quarry tollhouse.
The answer leaves the hooded watcher pinned and the buyer identified. Myk's sorcerous mark continues its quiet theft, but the sword, the pursuit-reading, and his pressure hold the watcher fast.
Quest Complete
Learn who paid the watcher to track the witness network
“I have Elyra cover us while Zalise disarms Gonzalo and I force the watcher into cuffs while zesh steps in too defeat Gonzalo while Eli keeps captives safe”
FAILURE (Good Strength, rolled +0)
Myk
Elyra, cover us. Zalise, disarm Gonzalo. Zesh, step in if he resists. Eli, keep the captives safe.
Elyra’s bow settles over the lane, while Eli backs toward the deeper shadow and keeps the freed captives clustered behind the slag. Zalise cuts across Gonzalo’s guard.
Myk twists the hooded watcher’s pinned arm and reaches for cuffs, but the absent restraints leave nothing to fasten. Marked Sorcery steals the exact feel of the clasp from his memory.
Zalise Zephyr-Ashe
Your sword is mine, Gonzalo. Try reaching for it and Zesh will make the lesson permanent.
Reads Pursuers catches Gonzalo’s true recovery step, and the blackened sword pulls Myk toward the safest leverage. He wrenches the mercenary’s weapon aside, but cannot secure the watcher.
The Hooded Watcher
No cuffs, then. Bind me with the cloak, or lose the route to Serath Vale when this wall gives way.
Zesh strips Gonzalo’s balance and drives him to one knee as Zalise kicks his magical sword beyond reach. Elyra holds the lane, and Eli keeps every captive hidden, but the hooded watcher’s cloak remains Myk’s only restraint.
The caster loses part of their memories, emotions, or physical senses as the cost of the spell.
“I bind the watcher with her cloak and have Zesh force Gonzalo to to call off signal while Eli and Elyra keep captives safe”
SUCCESS (Good Strength, rolled +1)
Myk tears the hooded watcher’s cloak free at its brass clasp, swings it around her arms, and knots the heavy wool against the hoist wall. The effort scrapes his knuckles raw.
Marked Sorcery blurs the clasp’s feel from his memory even as Reads Pursuers guides his hands through the correct folds. The blackened sword braces his stance against the watcher’s struggling weight.
Zesh steps behind Gonzalo and twists his sword arm into a hard restraint. Zalise keeps his weapon beyond reach while Elyra and Eli hold the lane around the hidden captives.
Zesh
Call off the signal. Now. You will not spend another breath gambling with those people.
Gonzalo
Call it off! No pursuit, no signal. The contract is suspended until I am free.
A distant answering whistle dies before it forms. Gonzalo’s signal is withdrawn, the hooded watcher remains bound by her own cloak, and the rescued people stay protected beneath the slag ribs.
Quest Complete
Disrupt the watcher’s signal
Attribute Upgrade: Strength Good→Great
New gift: Signal Sabotage