The party takes time to rest and recover from its exploits for a few days. Each person takes a room at the Ogre’s Bastion and nurses their respective wounds. Fuzzy seems especially forlorn about the loss of her companion.
Velloran summons the party to him to hear their report. He listens and then gives them new instructions after coming out of a meeting with the Elven King (a meeting which the party overheard).
It would seem that the elves are not pleased with the way things have been going in Bane, and since Bane is within their forest they are beginning to grow tired of waiting for the humans to take care of things.
Velloran orders the party to keep a special eye on the Elven Princess. They are to dress as city guardsmen and attend to her without her knowing that they will answer directly to Velloran.
After Velloran gives the party their orders he leaves, and guards are sent to get the party appropriate attire. While they are away a figure lithely leaps down from the ceiling where it was spying on the group. Much to the surprise of the party the figure unmasks and is none other than the Princess that they have just been ordered to spy on.
Some discussion takes place, and it seems that the party sides more with the elves than with the Velloran, and they agree to act as double agents of a sort.
The next day the Elven Court arrives and a meeting takes place, but the elves do not arrive alone. They are accompanied by a group of dwarves who hail from the Thunder Clan of the Emerald Mountains. Their leader is a grizzled fellow by the name of Thorn.
Dressed as guards, the party attends to the Princess. Outside Veblen smells something - something orcish. Luthien goes to investigate. Shortly the orcs attack, but quickly retreat, drawing some of the guards out with them. Luthien’s familiar is wounded, and while he goes to its aid, something sinister takes place which Wynter and Veblen bear witness to ; the apparent assassination of Chancellor Velloran.
A single arrow pierces his brow and the Chancellor of Bane goes down. Quickly the keep is sealed off, and guards, both elven and human leap into action, surrounding and protecting the members of the royal family.
Wynter and Veblen help Captain Fuller and Sgt. Redding remove Velloran’s body to the high tower. There, to their amazement, they see that Velloran is in reality a doppleganger. Captain Fuller is extremely troubled, and apparently does not know what has become of the real Chancellor. One thing is clear; there is conspiracy afoot.
Outside a tall fellow is seen approaching the keep. He turns out to be friendly, and goes by the name Eoc Gnog, a half-orc fighter of sorts.
