Chapter 8

“To who” Wendel asked.

“To my god, from Dirt” She replied still not sure why she couldn’t say the word Earth

“And what is their name?”

“I don’t think I should say that yet but I suspect I got some help from someone more local. The voice said “He heard you.””

“And do you know who that was?” Wendel asked while throwing both his hands in Lilith’s general direction.

“No not yet at least but I will have to thank him as well or else I would have been spending the night stuck in there with Pencheska.”

“Pencheska is that her name?” Wendel asked.

“Ya chatty little thing she seemed to think we were going to kill her and send her back to the nine hells. Hey how long can we keep her in there for?” Asked Lilith while pointing at the one winged sleeping beauty in the magic circle. Both her and Celeste turning towards Wendel.

“Oh about 48 hours with these materials. But we just cast the spell again once per day and we can keep her there indefinitely. If we get some more expensive quick silver I can even make a rune that will drain the demon’s spell energy to bolster the spell each day. And after a year it becomes permanent and can be turned on or off by placing a spell stone on part of the circle” Wendel said while crossing his arms in a bit of a pose.

A guard came in and deposited the demonic dagger on a work table and returned outside.

The three of them walked out locking the door behind them. Wendel gave a short bow to the two guards protecting his tower and were then escorted back inside by the 4 spearmen that had flanked Lilith on her trip to the tower. They walked back 3 abreast Wendel in the center and Lilith on the right carrying her demonic plate armor in one hand as if it were a hand bag swinging it as she walked.

Reentering the Ducal residence Celeste and Wendel went over to speak to Sir Tanel who had already began to gather a group of guild leaders. Lilith went to her room to drop off her armor. She then went directly to the banquet table and started filling a plate.

There was roasted duck, barbecue turkey legs, roasted ham, sweet rolls, candied yam, a type of pickled cabbage, stewed carrots and several types of soups. Lilith grabbed several pieces of ham and a whole turkey leg. She piled on some carrots and a few sweet rolls. She then went to a side table and sat down to face the group of town leaders so she could watch the action.

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The group of leaders bickered and talked amongst themselves as they made sure to stand clear of the demonic wing that had since turned to a thick black sludge that continued to bubble and evaporate.

Lilith began eating while Celeste brought her a goblet of wine.

“It is your party after all.” she said with a smile after setting down the drink.

“Cheers” Lilith raised the goblet and took a drink. “Mmmmm. That’s the best wine I have ever had and this turkey is to die for. Here taste this.” she said as she handed the goblet to Celeste so she could try it. Lilith looked excitedly for her response.

Celeste had a slightly sour look on her face and said “That’s the wine she had brought out for the guests its kinda middle of the road by my tastes.”

Lilith was happy that Celeste gave her an honest opinion but didn’t understand why it was so different from her own. Instead she shrugged it off and finished the majority of what was on her plate.

Celeste got a plate too and sat down next to Lilith to watch the figurative fire works going on across from them.

The group of people in the center of the room grew silent and Sir Tanel could be heard speaking up “Then it is decided we will request a cleric from Waterdeep and begin searching for the real Lady Morwen in earnest.”

“But how will we find her? We don’t know of what clothes she is wearing and we don’t have any hair or blood from the lady” A man in ornate robes asked.

Lilith noticed the priest for the first time the gold colored robes were a bit ostentatious but she knew he was definitely a priest of some kind. The funny hat was a dead giveaway. On the front it had a star burst made to look like a rising sun. The rest of his robes also had a sun rise motif in several places.

The group continued to throw out ideas before one of them triggered her to recall something from her meeting with the succubus earlier. One of the false Duchess’s rings was an illusion. She noticed when she kissed her hand earlier in the evening. Lilith didn’t know their name so she shouted out “Your grace!” and waved at him to come over.

The older man with silver hair and golden everything else walked over and gave Lilith his attention.

“I noticed earlier one of her rings was an illusion. It was in the middle of her left hand” Lilith explained

“Do you remember what it looked like?” He asked now giving her his full attention.

“No but I think it was one of the important ones.” Lilith said as she pointed to the middle finger on her left hand.

Sir Tanel had walked over to listen in just as a few others had. “Then we will gather up the rings and see which one is missing” He suggested giving Lilith a nod.

The priest clapped his hands and bowed towards Lilith and Celeste who were both finishing up their well deserved dinners.

Then the many men got back to work gathering a clean plate and searching the top of the tables. Then under the tables and across the floor. They picked up jewelry and collected them in the dish, each new piece making a loud clank as the gold hit porcelin. Celeste cast a light spell on Sir Tanel’s ring to aid in the search but didn’t get up from her seat. They then moved all the dishes, plates and bowls off the table to make sure nothing could have been hiding under them. In under two minutes the main table was bare and there were 6 objects on the plate resting on the corner of the next table over.

Sir Tanel stood over the plate and moved the rings around with his finger pushing the hair pin to the side. “Five rings. I believe she was wearing six today.” He spun them all around to face him. “The signet ring is missing” he called out to the room.

The two girls now done with their meal began to clap. Lilith looked over at Celeste both still clapping and said “This is better than TV.”

“Yes it is…. Whats TV?”

“Its like a play.”

“Yes this is better” Celeste nodded.

A steward stepped forward and said to the gathering “The signet ring was made of adamantine metal with a square turquoise stone featuring the Daggerford crest cut into it and inlay-ed with gold. There may be a sketch of it in the library in a book covering the family history and lineage.”

The group continued to talk about what to decide next and who should decide it. Many wanting a leader but no one willing to nominate themselves.

A well dressed man who Lilith remembered was a banker of some kind stepped forward and began to speak. “I would like to nominate Sir Tanel to serve as regent of this town until the Duchess can be returned or an official regent is sent by the lords alliance.” The priest in the funny hat called out “I second that.” Another unseen person called out “All those for”

A loud shout of “aye” could be heard from most of the participants In the room.

“All those opposed” and utter silence was heard.

“The motion carries may Lathander’s light shine upon him.” the unseen man said in a resounding voice.

Lilith and Celeste clapped again. Both standing this time and smiling at Sir Tanel.