Beginning credits: In This Moment - "In The Air Tonight" [Official Lyric Video]
Title Card: Threshold, Thaumont 3, 1000 AC
Weather: Cold and clear
Once again, the party heads out from the gates of Threshold, expecting trouble. They pass through the farmlands, now covered in a tinkling coating of ice that might be beginning to melt. Although it is bitterly cold, the walk is not unpleasant. As they come near the site of Mistamere, they become aware of more tumbled ruined walls and old foundations, possibly from the time of Gygar.
Wending their way through the ruins of glory, the party is set upon by several ragged figures armed with picks, shovels, and other excavation tools, jeering and hooting in a foreign tongue. It looks like they have been excavating the ruins. All of them are wearing balls and chains.
Fleetwood: "Good people, we mean you no harm." The diggers don't appear to understand him. Clarion tries the same in Thyatian - the diggers seem to understand this and what's more they even seem enamored of her.
A commanding voice calls out over the tumult.
Luthar Chainsong: "Get you gone, or you will suffer the wrath of Bargle the Infamous."
Luthar is dressed in a colorful bard's outfit, a lute slung over his back. He also holds a whip, and several of the diggers bear the marks of its lash. Fleetwood frowns angrily.
Fleetwood: "It's Bargle who will suffer our wrath."
Luthar: "You aren't even worth *my* time." He looks instead toward Clarion. "But you may offer some amusement, if you're willing to leave this rabble." Clarion looks disgusted by the thought.
Fleetwood: (Angry) "Perhaps I was not clear enough. Let those people go."
Luthar: "You're not in Threshold now, you don't have any authority here."
Luthar starts by playing his Vicious Ditty of Fury. Fleetwood resists the pull of the music, but his way is blocked by the prisoners, who are beginning to succumb to it. Clarion also resists the melody, but they are being surrounded by angry prisoners. Greegan suddenly starts to go berserk, but Fleetwood calms him with a hand on his shoulder.
Greegan: "Get outta my way you bloody wankers!"
Fleetwood: "Don't let him get to you. We're trying to help these people."
Felonious: "Ungrateful fools! I'll teach you to hinder me!" He casts a fireball straight into the midst of the crowd before anyone can stop him. Fleetwood and Clarion are caught in the blast radius. Both tank the blast but are burned slightly. Greegan leaps out of the way but his pants are set afire.
Silverleaf: "Weak willed human scum!" She unleashes a magic missile barrage, tearing through the remaining prisoners in blind fury. Luthar looks a bit concerned by this display of magical might.
Fleetwood: "Nooooo!"
Fleetwood's shout interrupts the song, leaving the two mages horrified by their actions. Seizing the moment, Luthar draws a hand crossbow and fires, but his target's armor absorbs most of the impact. Clarion attempts to sling a stone at Luthar but misses, only to be grazed by a crossbow bolt in return. Greegan hurls a dagger taken from the kobold bodyguards, striking Luthar squarely between the shoulders. Luthar, looking green and unsteady, turns and flees. Fleetwood gives chase but is slowed by his heavy armor, while Clarion falls even further behind, tripping over an exposed stone.
Felonious hits Luthar with a magic missile, but Luthar deflects part of it with a flip of his cape. Greegan gains ground, but Luthar pulls out the dagger and throws it back, pulling ahead. Greegan catches the spinning blade. Silverleaf shoots Luthar in the leg, but it doesn't slow him. Fleetwood puts on a burst of speed but still lags behind the fleeing minstrel. Clarion trails far behind. Greegan finally catches up to Luthar and tackles him as the others arrive.
Interrogating Luthar
Background: Tense Negotiations | D&D/TTRPG Music | 1 Hour
Fleetwood manhandles the bound Luthar, forcing him to look at the destruction his manipulations have wrought.
Fleetwood: "Slavery is illegal in Karameikos! I could pike you right here and now and nobody would blame me. I should pike you."
Luthar: "I don't have to tell you anything."
Felonoious: "I don't appreciate people manipulating me. Maybe I'll just send you along with your victims,"
Luthar: "Wasn't me who conjured that little blast of flame, was it?"
Greegan: "Easy, mate. This fellow's a seeker of fortune, same as us. Right offer and it'd be you or Fleety here crackin' that whip, aye?"
Clarion: "He does deserve a fair trial."
Fleetwood: "No trials. He'll get what he deserves here, now. A short drop, and a sudden stop." Greegan looks a little green at this thought.
Greegan: (To Luthar) "Oh, he'll do it, mate. I've seen it. I'd be swingin' in the wind meself, but I found a way to make meself useful."
Luthar: "By crossing Bargle?"
Clarion: "Bargle isn't here, is he?"
Greegan: "But Fleetwood is. Between you and me, I know whose back I'd be scratchin' if I wanted to see the sunset, mate."
Luthar: "Look, I don't know much, all right."
Fleetwood: (Menacing) "Spill!" He takes out a dagger and puts it at Luthar's throat.
Luthar: "Bargle paid me very well to bring them" He nods toward the dead diggers "from Thyatis. I didn't ask who they were, and I didn't care. He told me to bring them out here, make them dig. Anything we found, we took to a fence in Threshold."
Felonious: "Why did you put a spell on us?"
Luthar: "Like he said, slavery is illegal here. Didn't want you telling on me." He laughs. "I didn't realize you were wizards. Damn near caught me in that fireball."
Fleetwood: "Who's your fence?"
Luthar: "Listen, there's crossing Bargle - and that's dangerous enough. But no one crosses the Iron Ring. No one sane."
Fleetwood: (Growing menace) "Who?"
Luthar: "Nuh-uh. No way."
Fleetwood: (Still more menace) "Who?" He suddenly thrusts out with the dagger, burying it in the ruined wall next to Luthar's head.
Luthar: (Looking honestly terrified now) "Erindra. Erindra Sableveil. Her front's as a silk merchant."
Fleetwood: "And what have you sold her?" He gives Luthar the stink eye.
Luthar: "Odd bit of pottery, some old inscriptions. Whatever Bargle's looking to get his mitts on, it isn't here. He's getting pretty insistent on it too, that's why I rousted them out in the cold."
Fleetwood: (Pats Luthar on the shoulder) "See, you can be helpful after all. Let's see if we can get him back to the Guards of the Watch, and bring out a cart for the dead."
Silverleaf prods Luthar with her sword, and he gets slowly to his feet.
Greegan examines the ruins before they depart to take Luthar back to Threshold. He discovers some hieroglyphics but appears puzzled by them
.
Greegan: "Aye, Felonious! You better take a look at this."
The wizard joins Greegan and scrutinizes the carvings. Meanwhile, Fleetwood, Clarion, and Silverleaf remain on guard, watching over Luthar. The bard's eyes widen inn surprise upon hearing Felonious' name. As Felonious converses with Greegan about the hieroglyphics, the camera shifts its focus to Luthar, leaving their discussion unheard.
Luthar: "Felonious? I've heard that name before. He works for Bargle, too. His apprentice even. "
Fleetwood: "Not anymore."
Luthar: "You sure about that? He was awfully quick to blow up those slaves when you caught me with them. "
Clarion: "How much do you really know about him?"
Fleetwood: "Well he seemed honest enough."
Luthar: "Don't we all? Bargle isn't one to just let talent get away, especially with the secrets of his magic. I'd watch out for that Felonious if I were you."
Silverleaf: "Sounds like a lie, but with this one I can't tell for sure. He's even slipperier than Greegan."
Travel Montage
Travel montage of the group pushing Luthar along through the fields. The party makes it back to Threshold but find themselves attracting more attention than they would like. Many people seem curious about their prisoner and how he relates to Bargle. The camera lingers on Clarion and Fleetwood, watching Felonious with suspicion.
(Fade to black)