The Festival of the Orcs
Jeremi Udall, a village �tonist priest, enters the outskirts of Barrid on a mission to deliver a secret, sacred object to one of the Jimalates of the city.
Rafael Sangrecabo (Rafe) and Sebastian di Befana Epiphania, meet each other while attempting to steal the object from Jeremi. Rafe, Sebastian, and Jeremi decide to work together to figure out what the object is. They approach a local semi-famous performer, Tennyson, at the Crooked Oak Tavern to see if she has heard of the object (a chalice sacred to the AEtonist priesthood) or what its engravings read. Tennyson unfortunately cannot read the ancient writings.
The Festival of Nature
Gur Prasaad, a Bhuwani Paladin from Verundhi, enters Barrid to witness the Festival of Flags. At the same time, B'gokktem, an orc (Kobali) from the east, travels to Barrid on the trail of a bandit group whom he believes killed his friend.
Tennyson tells Rafe, Sebastian, and Jeremi that a foreigner has entered the town and that he may have knowledge of the chalice. This foreigner turns out to be Gur Prasaad, whom the trio confront at the Crooked Oak. He has no knowledge of the chalice. While discussing the object, the group is attacked by an unknown group of bandits who seem intent on taking the chalice. The group is almost beaten when a powerful stranger rushes to their aid. With the stranger's help, the group fights off the bandits, but they lose the Chalice.
The stranger is discovered to be B'gokktem. He believes that the bandits who attacked the group are the same bandits who slayed his friend. He admits that he is not entirely certain as his powers of observation are somewhat lacking.
Meanwhile, Sebastian is approached in confidence by Mikela Silvestri, a local elven woman, who expresses her distrust of Jeremi. Sebastian explains to Mikela that Jeremi is a little more on the liberal side of Aetonist priests, and that he can be trusted. Mikela decides to join the group. They form a company for the express purpose of discovering who stole the Chalice, and why.
The Company enters the central city of Barrid. After wandering for awhile to gather clues, they witness the Procession of Hallowed Selanenna, one of the Hallowed 16 Prophets of �tonism. A scuffle breaks out between two family factions of the city, the Radillar and the Torina. A Radillar partisan spits on the statue of Hallowed Selaenna. The Company takes no action, and the fight is eventually broken up by members of the Valenzio Family. The adventures ask around and discover that the city populace is fairly split in their support of one faction over another.
The Company then decided to rent rooms at two different establishments: The Rattlebone Inn (a nice, upscale place) and the Flying Pig (across the street from the Rattlebone, but catering to a much seedier clientele). Later that afternoon, Mikela is approached by a man named Tomas, who hires her on an "as-needed" basis.
Meanwhile, Jeremi and Rafe decide to visit one of the Jimalates of Barrid, Cristobal Arino, to whom Jeremi was supposed to have delivered the Chalice. Unbeknownst to Jeremi and Rafe, they have been followed by Sebastian, who has disguised himself as an �tonist Initiate.
After explaining his story to the Jimalate, Jeremi is rebuffed by the very angry Cristobal who sends Jeremi from his office without another word. Rafe attempts to sneak into the office, but runs into Sebastian. The three members of the Company leave without gaining any further information.
Later that night, Rafe is confronted by four men (three of whom wear black hoods) and given 10 GPs to be "on call." Rafe is instructed to meet the men on the next night.
Blessing of the Healers
The group offers to help an old woman who has come to the Rattlebone Inn complaining of demons in her cellar. The Company enter her cellar. fight off three "dog-men", and rescue three slaves who flee from the now-dead "perros de diablo." During the combat, B'gokktem and Jeremi are knocked unconscious and are near-death. Rafe is also severly wounded and hovers near consciousness. Gur Prasaad saves the group by "laying on hands" to heal them as much as he can. The Company then takes Jeremi to a local �tonist Temple, where a priest named Oricarto heals Jeremi free-of-charge in honor of it being the Blessing of the Healers Festival. He seems very interested in the "hooded men" that Rafe mentions.
