Renton commissions an armorer to fashion him a Wormshide shield. Vandoren attempts but fails to find someone willing and able to craft a suit of armor out of the remaining Wormshide. Sir Hamral approaches his liege, the Count of Kirke, and tells him that if he will commit his forces to an assault on Argus’s main army, Hamral will ensure that three remaining wives will be unable to assist their husband. Kirke considers this suggestion carefully and consents to this plan.

Friar Sidrach prays to the Five for guidance, believing that more horrors like the Dolorous Worm may be hidden in Wolfgare. The Gerardian learns that Phoebus, the renegade captain of Wolfgare, has converted to worship of the Five. The Friar then sends a message to Phoebus and arranges a meeting at the Shrine of the Ebon Quill.

The consortes travel to the shrine, where they are met by some of the ruckish guardians, bearing staves and wearing sackcloth. At the Shrine the consortes set up the black pavilion and witness the many rucks who have embraced Pentianity. The Friar preaches an uplifting sermon to the assembled ruck-men. Phoebus then arrives, accompanied by a hooded and reluctant Devorah. She avoids the consortes, despite Mendelor’s best efforts at courtesy.

Phoebus reveals much of what he knows about Wolfgare and Argus. The queens have great latitude in their conduct within the castle walls, and Argus does not always know—or approve—of all that they do within their tower. Phoebeus reiterates that Argus’s chief weakness is his overweening pride. Phoebus says that Argus is a formidable warrior with his morningstar, but he also wields a bit of magic.

Phoebus reveals that the mysterious new elite units recently encountered by Kirke are the Argusaries, human orphans raised from birth to reject the Five, trained in the art of warfare, and devoted to the protection of the ruckish queens. Phoebus estimates that they number somewhat less than a hundred. Phoebus notes that regular patrols are sent out from Wolfgare every day: three companies of ten to twenty ruck-men in three separate shifts.

As the conference winds down, the consortes ask Phoebus of his plans. The captain is uncertain of his next move. The consortes suggest that Phoebus could perhaps form a company of Pentian rucks, using the converts found at the Shrine. Phoebus agrees to consider this proposal.

The group then returns to Kirke’s camp, where the Friar takes three rugs and prepares special holy symbols upon them. Meanwhile Valerius draws a magical diagram of power within the secrecy of the pavilion, which Marcus has warded from scrying eyes.

The preparations complete, the Friar travels to Wolfgare where he plans to infiltrate the Tower of the Wives. In the woods he is discovered by a squad of rucks, but he destroys them before the rucks can raise an alarm. The Friar then uses mighty prayers to enter the Tower undetected, and there he overhears a lengthy discussion between the three wives and an unidentified man. The conversation concerns complicated matters of magic and an ongoing research project that requires many rare and valuable resources. The man leaves the Tower, and the Friar overhears serving-girls express their disgust with the visitor’s rude behavior.

The group returns to Kirke’s camp, where they inform the Count that he should undertake his expedition against Argus in a week. Valerius goes to his conjuring circle and calls up Faurenast, a frightful spirit of fire and air that appears as a great pillar of smoke. Valerius offers the Worm’s preserved heart in exchange for Faurenast seeking out Bethseda and bringing her broken but still-living form to Valerius. Faurenast agrees to these terms.

The consortes travel to Wolfgare, thinking that they will follow up Faurenast’s attack with a sortie of their own. They hide in the woods outside the castle complex and await the appointed hour.

Faurenast manifests within the Tower of the Wives, taking Bethseda utterly by surprise. Before the witch can summon aid or manage a proper defense, she is overcome by Faurenast and tossed from the Tower’s height while the stunned inhabitants of Wolfgare watch helplessly below. Faurenast conveys her dying form to Valerius, who exacts his revenge: Bethseda, the ruck-wife renowned for seeing things distant or yet to come, is slain. The consortes consider following through with their plan to storm the Tower, but they hesitate upon observing that the entire castle of Wolfgare is on full alert. The consortes decide to belay their plans for another day.

All values are given as 3E experience points. The Roleplaying Award (RP) includes PBM responses as well as participation in the live session. Hamral's negative amount under Other is an XP payment to boost Legrand's power; Vandoren's Other award is for Andy's "Ballad of Marcus."