Hal

Tillo, Sauc, and Shao traveled with General Eman across the Father of Waters to the county seat of Gawonahisda County- where the new steward lived for some time. The party's mission was to assist Eman in training the 21st Gawonahisda Volunteer Infantry- a militia unit known for cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking. The detectives met the unit at their encampment, five miles outside of town.

All three party members met with a poor start, taking the first step towards making an inpression with the dwarves by getting pass-out drunk on "The Whip"- a specialty cocktail served at the liquor tent. ( The Whip is made by combining gnome wine with a shot of corn whiskey and a shot of spiced rum.)

The next day, the detectives awoke in the camp's headquarters to the sight of a disappointed General Eman. The party spent the afternoon departing the camp and heading into town to explore. Shao shopped at the general store and Sauc purchased a custome ordered suit at the tanner's shop. Tillo examined the mill where a fatigued soldier he had encountered vampires the night before.

With night inching its way closer, Tillo turned his back to the mill- unwilling to enter a run-down building of unknown dangers without any back-up. Till returned to town. Meanwhile, Sauc and Shao made plans with General Eman for a test of athletics and bluff with the new recruits at the camp. They sent the battalion on a night run into town to celebrate at the local tavern. Tillo met his fellow detectives at the tavern where dwarven "ladies of the night" made profits on the dwarf militiamen.

Eman agreed with Shao's jest about forcing the drunken, horny soldiers to run once more through the night back to camp. One hundred sixty soldiers passed out during the return run, and another threehundred vomited throughout the exercise.

The night before, General Eman had taken the loose lipped detectives into a private room to tell them about the half-demon line and answered their questions about the current holder of the title. Tillo departed for the mill to speak with the dark presence there. Tillo walked down a dark halway decorated with masks, and attempted to take one from the wall. A loud shriek and a phantom image appeared in the dark gnome's mind. A sharply dressed man appeared behind him and returned the mask to the wall.

After holding a long conversation with the Third Demon who introduced himself as "Hal," Tillo returned to the army camp and travelled to a nearby river with Sauc and Shao. The three performed a ritual to invoke the advice of Shao's most powerful god. Eryuanxing, god of balance, dispatched a river nymph to converse with Shao. She told the elf how to draw the spirit of the half-demon into control of the Ancient Blade, telling Shao he would need to duplicate the sword and that each blade would be controlled by the two spirits trapped in the Ancient Blade.

The party spent the rest of the week training the volunteer infantry before General Eman revealed he had orders to march his unit south for their first campaign. The party decided to depart the county for an under-cover mission with a rebel army.