And so the party embroils itself deeper into the heart of the Sultan's conspiracy.

Soveliss and Fang spent the morning searching for information on the Underground of the city. They discovered that the Warehouse District is the best place to seek out more information. At the end of their information-gathering abilities, they called on the Mistress of the Silver Tongue, Melody. She fount out that they should seek Carl at the warehouse on the far corner of the district. Soveliss and Fang had her hang back while they sought out information. They reached the entrance to the warehouse, guarded by two toughs. After inquiring about Carl, they find themselves allowed in. Here they met a man who spoke of "Carl", and discerned that the man is he to speak with regarding arms deals, but "Carl" is the one to speak with regarding poisons. They pieced together that this man and "Carl" are the same man, operating in different businesses, but did not discover more regarding the Golem Project.

Meanwhile, Prince Aidan made his way to the Sultan's Palace. He announced himself as a Prince to the guards at the gate, and they hastily guided him to the stables, where he dropped off his steed at the skittish stable boy's care. He then was led to the Sultan Graysceal's Vizier. The Vizier spoke with Aidan for a bit, gathering that he believes himself to have a legitimate claim to the throne, as opposed to the so-called imposter Grel-en-ak. The Vizier entertained his notion, suggesting that they take a trip to the Sultan's Seers to find out about Prince Aidan's heritage and Prince Grandar's sword.

Sultan Graysceal's Seers were as cryptic as you expect seers to be. They mentioned that Prince Aidan's heritage shows "Downness pointing Up" and "Basic Beginnings", which the Vizier took to mean Prince Aidan was of common stock, and not a member of any Royal Family. Prince Aidan, however, deflected this by stating that it was his destiny to bring the Kingdom of Sharim to glory from the ashes. The Vizier decided to run with this, and tasked Aidan with discovering the identities of conspirators in the Sultan's Court in exchange for support for his bid for power in the Kingdom of Sharim. Aidan then questioned the Seers on Prince Grandar's sword, which yielded that the Unwavering Path was once of Focus and Determination until the Eye of the Whirling Sands. The Vizier then crudely dismissed Prince Aidan, and left him to find his own way out.

While these were happening, Buttercup traded her healing skills for information from the local peasantry. She, in addition to providing balms and treatments for many of the foul diseases of poverty, learned that the peasants were fond of the Sultan in part because he offered them security from the marauding humanoids as well as a greater deal of farmland and less crowding in their districts.

In the waning hours of the day, Fang, Melody, and Soveliss made two forays into the Wizard's Guild in an attempt to learn more about the Golem. At first, they recruited a drunken Freshman to sneak them into the Dr. Jeffrey's, the Construct 101 professor, lab. They noticed, at the entrance to the lab, a suit of armor with faint wisps of smoke rising from it. Soveliss' elven senses noted a wall opposite the lab had a hidden door built into it. He was unsure whether he could open it without trouble, so after humoring the Freshman for a few minutes in the lab, they departed to find the correct tools.

While the rest of the adventuresome group slept, Fang, Soveliss, and Melody made another trip to the Guild Hall. Soveliss used his tools, which they had acquired in the meantime, to prop open the pressure place which, they suspected, would trigger the suit of armor to assault them. After opening the door, they entered the secret laboratory. Inside, they found a small devilish creature apparently constructed entirely of flame. Melody kept it occupied, asking it to show them around it's master's work, while Fang and Soveliss sacked the room. They made out with 75 pounds of Adamant material, and 50 of a flexible plant matter likely made from Darkwood trees of an ancient age. In with the materials, they discovered Dr. Jeffrey's notes, mentioning a contract with the Sultan's men to build them an unstoppable War Machine. His notes indicated that the machine would require wood from the Ancient Forests of Distra, Adamant from the Deeping Lordships, a Demon's Heart from beyond the Leech Flats, and an Illithid's Brain --- from a generic southern region (perhaps the beast is mobile?).

Making their way back to camp, Fang and Soveliss woke the others to repeat their findings. Buttercup recalled magic to seek the possessors of certain items, and suggested the party flee and transform the materials, both to make them harder to track. The night then passed.

In the morning, Buttercup made her way to Farid, who admitted to also being Faird. She discovered that he had been coerced into doing experiments to make poisons hydraulicly active, and offered him a chance to make his way with them to the Hobgoblin encampment. He agreed. Buttercup made her way back. Meanwhile, Fang and Soveliss managed to convince Prince Aidan to not make his way to the Sultan's palace. They all, instead, procured armor and weapon manufacturing equipment, and met up at Farid's place.

After gathering up Farid/Faird, they skipped town (Prince Aidan stopping for a privvy break). They made their way to the Hobgoblin encampment at the badlands, and dropped off Farid as an expert, in exchange for his protection. During this time they made up several arrow heads, a kukri, and a hauberk of wooden chain.

The party now faces a four-pronged path split. Do they move to the aid of the Elven peoples? The Dwarven? Do they find out how to prevent a Demon's Heart from being re-harvested? Or kill off the strange and nightmare-inducing Illithid?