A Brief Insight Into Ardgan's City Council

Grr-zahnn Bristlebile

An elderly human who spent the early years of his life amongst the Gnomic Orc Tribe of the Bristlebiles. Mistaken for an orc as a child and raised amongst them, he still considers himself Bristlebile despite never truly being one.

He dresses in traditional orcish clothing, wears prosthetic tusks, and carries himself with a stubbornness that borders on legendary. Though Damthushas always found him faintly ridiculous, he cannot deny the old man's influence. Grr-zahnn owns a museum dedicated to Orc heritage and culture, and despite his eccentricities many people admire him greatly.

His left eye is long gone, lost to an infection after he was exiled from the tribe, and a faded tattoo of an eye now sits where the eye once was.

Thrumley Skorn

A blue dragonborn halfling standing just three feet and nine inches tall, Thrumley spent much of his early life as a circus performer and outsider. Rae remembers him fondly from her time in the Ebony Brigade, where the two bonded over their shared experiences as people who never quite fit in.

His rise to the council is equally unusual. After the Halfling Unionpetitioned for representation, a vote was held amongst Ardgan's small (pun not intended) halfling population. Thanks largely to Grr-zahnn's insistence, Thrumley was included amongst the candidates and won by an overwhelming margin. The resulting bylaw requiring one councillor to stand below four foot one caused controversy across the city and remains a topic of debate.

Thrumley has become a respected representative of Gronan interests and currently enjoys a relationship with Ky'ra, a six-foot-eleven high elf merchant who sells trinkets throughout the city.

The Sutak Sisters

Three mummies bound together by a single bandage, they count as a single councillor despite clearly being three separate people. They are strongly aligned with Hegelian interests and are perhaps best known for introducing crème brûlée to Ardgan through a remarkably successful franchise business.

Waking the Lion

Morning finally arrives, and Lottie is awake.

Damthus throws himself at her in a hug, grateful that she has survived whatever lingering effects the magic left behind.

Betsy quickly reminds everyone that the Feathered Penelope is no longer a safe place to linger. Guards, clan members and curious citizens will eventually come looking.

They have thirty minutes to enjoy breakfast, and leave.

Damthus enjoys the Ardgan traditional meal of pantoast - circular bread cooked in a pan, and covered in honey.

Stone Clan Hideout

Stone Clan's strength has never come from a single headquarters. They operate behind businesses, workshops and properties scattered across the city.

One such location is a curious building inspired by a play written by Silu. The production had mocked the backwards feudal traditions of Ardgan. The result is a narrow tower-like townhouse, though originally intended as scenery, it now serves as one of Stone Clan's many hideaways.

Lottie is wrapped in an old outfit from the Feathered Penelope to conceal her identity. They sneak out of the building and start to make their way across the city to the Tower.

The Streets Are Quiet... Too Quiet

The streets of Ardgan feel wrong.

The city is awake. Markets are operating. Merchants are shouting for customers.

Yet something is missing, there are almost no guards patrolling the streets.

The group parts ways. Damthus heads towards the markets to gather information, whilst Rae decides to investigate Iron Clan activity directly. Lottie continues towards the Stone Clan's hideout.

Whispers at the Market

Damthus begins gathering information at Ardgan's largest market square.

Disguised as a heavily bearded Hegelian man, he visits Seven Chins Larry (Larry appears to possess at least nine chins). He operates a thriving business selling exotic fruit imported from the Veridian jungles.

Conversation quickly drifts from business to gossip. Larry happily discusses his love of crème brûlée, and his loyalty to Gronan ideals. More importantly, however, he shares useful information.

Four Iron Clan members were found dead during the night.

Before leaving, Damthus purchases a handful of fruit, including two kiwis, an avocado and a papaya. The latter is specifically chosen because Lottie enjoys them.

Exploring Iron Clan Territory

Whilst Damthus gathers rumours, Rae heads directly towards Iron Clan Headquarters.

Three guards are stationed at a gate leading up to the headquarters, but beyond that there appears to be remarkably little activity.

Rae approaches the guards, asking a very basic civilian question but is met with hostility.

Unable to gather much more information, she eventually turns back towards the city.

Silu's Townhouse

The two eventually reunite and exchange what information they have uncovered.

Together they make their way towards the western side of the city, and pass by Silu's townhouse. The building stands out immediately. Painted a warm yellow and decorated with white awnings, it rises above neighbouring buildings overlooking a small grassy square where locals gather to drink tea and discuss the latest gossip.

The atmosphere feels peaceful.

Damthus leaves the stolen documents from Lucius' office, signing the accompanying note with his own name before posting it through the door.

With Silu's skillset as a talented forger, they are uniquely suited to uncovering whatever secrets the documents contain.

Murder at the Gold Gate

The pair make their way to the western side of Ardgan, towards theGold Gate district.

A crowd has gathered near an alleyway whilst a Iron Clan captain attempts to keep onlookers at a distance.

Rae struggles to gather much useful information from the crowd itself. The captain by the alleyway notes her, and her appearance, as she stands out in the crowd formed.

Damthus receives word from Sparky regarding the victims.

There are two of them. Both are dead. Both appear to have been killed with a single stab wound.

CSI: Ardgan

Damthus wants to get a better look at the bodies to further the investigation. The solution arrives in the form of Councillor Gazelle L'orange.

Widely regarded as one of Ardgan's finest investigators, Gazelle possesses a reputation that opens doors almost anywhere in the city. Damthus adopts her appearance, taking on the form of a human woman with in her mid-late 30s with dark wavy hair.

Unfortunately, Damthus isn't entirely certain of what her voice sounds like.

The disguise is convincing enough though to get him close.

After a brief exchange, the captain allows him through. Rae follows shortly, under the guise of Damthus' assistant.

Murder on the Alley Floor

Trying his best to act like the genius investigator, Gazelle. Damthus inspects the bodies of the two fallen guards.

He pokes a finger into the wound and feels a hot, sting from within. Able to resist the effects, he deduces both were impacted by a poison.

Using Damthus' description of the sensation of the poison, Rae recalls a similar feeling when struck by the daggers of the Copper Clan representatives at the meeting the other night.

Derobing the bodies, it becomes evident that a poison was used as noticable raised and darkened veins protude from the stab wounds. Feeling the interior of the wounds with his Mage Hand, Damthus is able to deduce that the shape of the entry matches the curved blades often used by Copper Clan.

Just as the two go to investigate further, they hear a familiar voice speak up from the entrace to the alleyway, "Gazelle L'Orange, PI". They immediately jump to their feet and start to flee, as a deep voice from behind them yells - "GET 'EM!"

The Streets of Ardgan

With the sounds of chasing footsteps behind them, Damthus and Rae try to outrun their pursuers through the alleyways of Ardgan.

Rae notices quickly that she outpaces Damthus, and in one fell swoop lifts him up over her shoulder as she continues to dart through narrow passages and across busy streets.

It doesn't take long before they believe they've outrun whoever was chasing them.

Another Disturbed Crowd

As Rae and Damthus continue their way back to the Stone Clan hideout, they pass through a residential area of Ardgan with tall stone buildings.

They hear a scream from a nearby courtyard, and immediately rush to the location of the cry.

As they turn the corner they are met with a large crowd looking high above them. Tied between the balconies of a highrise building, they see suspended in midair the bright feathers and unique attire of their close friend and ally; Pachakuty