The Night Before

Damthus spends the evening amongst the members of Stone Clan, listening to rumours and opinions about the other factions. Some speak of Lucius' intelligence and influence, whilst others discuss Eleanna's ambition or Galmar's brutality. Everyone has a theory about how the meeting will unfold.

Later, Damthus returns to those closest to him. Lottie and Silu share the evening with him. There is laughter, affection, and the comfort of familiar company, but none of them can completely ignore the possibility that this may be their final night together.

Elsewhere in the city, Rae finds herself similarly restless. A couple of whiskies and a sharpened axe provide a distraction. She knows why they are attending the meeting. She knows Lucius is Damthus' true objective.

Whatever political discussions take place tomorrow, their priority remains the same: the safety of Stone Clan.

The Clans are Gathering

The Feathered Penelope feels strangely hollow as the group climbs towards the penthouse. The music and life that once filled the building have long since faded, leaving only quiet hallways and distant echoes.

The penthouse itself has been transformed. Rich furnishings remain, but the room has been stripped back into something colder and more formal. Lanternlight casts long shadows across a circular table positioned at the centre of the room. Upon the table sit several open ledgers and books.

The other clans are already present.

Iron Clan

Lucius Kallin sits calmly at the table. Though older than when Damthus last knew him, he appears no less formidable. Silver now threads through his dark hair and beard, but his posture remains composed and confident.

Near him stands a young boy.

The child says nothing. He moves little. His posture is unnaturally perfect and his expression remains cold and distant.

Galmar Stram prowls nearby like a predator forced into captivity. His stone eye surveys the room whilst his hands remain folded behind his back. Every part of him radiates barely restrained violence.

Copper Clan

Eleanna Thresh rises to greet the newcomers. Elegantly dressed in deep red, she carries herself with confidence. Her attendants drift around the room behind their masks, whilst an imp clerk quietly records every word spoken without ever lifting her eyes from the page.

Stone Clan

They enter last.

Lottie stands proudly amongst them, her pregnancy impossible to ignore, she wears it openly, as both a source of pride and a reminder that she has something worth fighting for.

Whilst the others settle into position, Damthus quietly surveys the room. He notes the exits, identifies the servants' entrance and positions himself accordingly. Rae remains close by, equally watchful.

Visions of the Future

The discussions begin cautiously.

Eleannais the first to present her vision. She argues that Ardgan's council has repeatedly proven itself ineffective and that the clans are already performing many of the responsibilities the government should be handling. Rather than continuing to fight one another, she suggests that the clans establish their own governing body and take control of the city directly.

Lucius offers a different perspective.

Rather than replacing the existing government, he proposes cooperation between the clans. Each faction would retain its independence whilst working together to dominate Ardgan's criminal enterprises. Combined, their influence would be unmatched.

Lottie has little interest in either proposal.

Her concerns are simpler and more immediate. Stone Clan has fought hard to survive, and her focus remains entirely on ensuring its continued safety. If peace can achieve that, she welcomes it. If not, she is prepared to continue fighting.

Subtle Mischief

Whilst the discussions unfold, Damthus finds himself distracted by the mysterious boy accompanying Lucius. The child remains unnaturally still, offering no reactions and drawing no attention to himself. Curious, Damthus quietly uses Mage Hand to tie the boy's shoelaces together.

The child does not react.

A Friendly Toast

Eventually, refreshments arrive.

The server is a familiar face to Damthus. Hathstein enters carrying wine and glasses, looking every bit as nervous as one might expect. As he moves towards the table, Damthus attempts to poison the decanter through a performed stumble. Rae provides a distraction and, despite Eleanna's visible irritation at the interruption, the attempt goes unnoticed.

Once the drinks have been placed, Hathstein bows deeply.

Then he speaks a single word, "Sovarel."

A simple Elven toast. Yet something about the pronunciation feels slightly wrong. A tiny mistake. One insignificant moment.

Then the books begin to move.

A Magic Unfolds

The ink upon the open pages contracts inward, lines twisting into impossibly precise shapes. Lanternlight dims throughout the room, not flickering but fading, as though warmth itself is being drained from the air.

Silence settles over the gathering.

There is no visible source of violence. One figure simply collapses forward onto the table. Another gasps sharply before crumpling to the floor. A glass slips from lifeless fingers and shatters against the wood.

No wounds appear. No blood is spilled. People simply die.

For a brief moment, the room is frozen by shock.

Rage Against the Meeting

Then the second book ignites and the symbols burn outward on the pages.

Violence erupts through the gathering like wildfire.

A pulse of unnatural rage tears through the room. Rational thought vanishes beneath primal aggression. Muscles tense. Weapons are drawn.

The Meeting of the Clans is over.

Blood in the Penthouse

The room descends into absolute chaos.

Galmar's shotgun roars. Damthus responds by conjuring a field of magical silence around Eleanna and the Copper Clan representatives. Rae gives herself over to rage and throws herself into the fight.

Everywhere combat breaks out at once.

Lucius immediately focuses on protecting the mysterious boy, who has slumped to the floor. Eleanna attempts to cast a spell but the silence disrupts her efforts, and instead seizes the tome her clerk had been writing in.

Lottie throws herself into the fighting with ferocity. She grabs a chair and smashes it across an opponent with such force that the furniture explodes into wooden shards.

Damthus hurls a dagger into Lucius' back as he attempts to escape. The strike lands cleanly, but Lucius simply removes the blade later as though it were a minor inconvenience. In a blink of magic, he disappears out of the room.

Across the room, Rae and Galmar collide in a battle. The dwarf's enormous hands close around her forearms and squeeze with terrifying force. Rae responds by throwing him across the room.

Around them, Iron Clan thugs and Copper Clan attendants fall one after another.

The floor grows slick with blood.

A Long Awaited Chase

Whilst the fighting rages behind him, Damthus refuses to let Lucius escape. Using the dagger he threw as a beacon, he teleports after him and continues the pursuit through the corridors beyond the penthouse.

The chase leads deeper into the Feathered Penelope.

For the first time in years, Lucius Kallin stands within reach.

Father & Son

Damthus spots Lucius down a corridor and immediately throws another dagger.

The blade misses. For a moment, everything stops.

The shouting and violence of the penthouse feel impossibly distant. Instead of running, Lucius turns to face him.

Lucius tells him to stop. Tells him to come home. Then, with surprising sincerity, asks a simple question; "Was I that bad of a father?"

Damthus does not respond, but simply charges towards him. Suddenly, magic takes hold.

His body locks in place - Hold Person.

Helpless, he watches as Lucius carefully sets the boy down and Blinks across the corridor towards him.

Lucius doesn't say a word, but simply reaches out and runs a hand across Damthus' cheek.

Then he Blinks away, collects the boy once more and disappears into the city.

Damthus can do nothing but watch him leave, as his body remains paralyzed by the magic.

The Last Ones Standing

Back in the penthouse, the battle finally reaches its conclusion.

Rae's prolonged struggle against Galmar eventually takes its toll. Bruised, battered and exhausted, she finally falls beneath the dwarf's assault. Darkness claims her before she can see how the battle ends.

When she awakens, she finds herself elsewhere.

Betsy sits nearby, visibly relieved that Rae has survived.

A Sight To Behold

By the time Damthus breaks free from Lucius' spell and returns to the penthouse, the room has fallen silent once more.

Lucius is gone.

Eleanna is gone.

Galmar is gone.

Rae is gone.

Only Lottie remains.

She stands amongst the dead with blood smeared across her face. Bodies surround her. The rage still burns within her, and in her madness she has begun devouring the fallen.

The meeting has achieved none of its intended goals. Peace has failed. Lucius has escaped. The clans are shattered.