And so we’re stuck travelling with the Ashguard, the Judge (he was Issus’ other candidate for the Ashguard whom he initiated with the Godsblood), the Quaestor and his assistant, Issus and the blind waif in the carts. We overhear the Ashguard talking about their newly-minted “brother,” some speaking for him but most speaking against.
To save the man from execution, we speak for his character. Unfortunately, the Ashguards were bored and felt like being a bunch of dicks, so they accused us of sorcery and pitted us against one of their own to fight for the Judge’s good name… then they broke out laughing at their own clever prank, clapped us on the shoulder and took our words into account. They were pretty grateful for it, too, since our testimony will likely save the guy.
Of course, Judge doesn’t approve and is still pretty standoffish, and when we approach him for conversation, he pretty much tells us to fuck off. Nonplussed, we are then cornered by the blind woman that starts toying with us again. Pilgrimbro flies off the handle, picks her up by the scruff of her shirt and gives her a piece of his mind. She walks away rather disheartened, but we do learn that she can read our thoughts, at least in close proximity. Pilgrimbro feels like a douche.
Later in the night, we are out picking herbs and are cornered by the fake Legate, who gives us a piece of
his mind. Declares us witch and apostate for defending the “peasant” Judge, but ultimately leaves us alone. It is at that point that we start hearing the Kinsfolk approach us again. We rush back into camp, raise the alarm and watch the Ashguards push the Kinsfolk back. At that point we realize that one of the Kinsfolk is after us specifically, and run to a ruin that the Flame pointed out to us, hoping to trap her there.
We are intercepted in the ruin by the false Legate and his servant, and by the Kinsfolk that pursues us. We engage her in a hand-to-hand duel (and survive, somehow), get our ass saved by the
real Legate and his fire magic. Then they invite us to continue the hunt for their quarry: Issus and the blind waif, and we accept.
The “No Light But Rather Darkness Visible” gives us a proper introduction to the real Legate and his assistant, and a rather macabre sight of their quarry:
I simply stare morosely at the plains ahead, half-comatose with exhaustion and the fading remnants of panic, listening to the crash of thunder. It is in this reverie that I glimpse three figures far off into the distance, outlined against the splitting sky. I open my mouth to warn the Quaestor but another sheet of lightning allows me to see the third figure more clearly, a caricature of an emaciated and feral woman on all fours and, wet bone-white hair trailing behind it. My stomach heaves violently when I realize the thing is not stalking but bounding alongside the other two, like a dog would its master.
and faces us with the current dilemma: Go with the Legate, go with the Ashguard or strike out alone to find the City of Light.