Having survived the Breaching Festival by escaping from the contract devil Chyvvom, the Coopers and the surviving members of their party are invited to attend a large banquet at Castle Korvosa to celebrate the signing of a new trade agreement between a dwarf clan of the Linnorm Kingdoms and Korvosa. A representative of Queen Ileosa personally delivers embossed invitations on golden sheets. The Cooper sisters are leery, but accept the invitation nonetheless. With free time on hand, the sisters decide to explore Korvosa. At Evelyn's Potions and Experiments, Daryle purchases a dozen cure light wounds and a few cure medium wounds. She also purchases two potions of invisibility, and a potion of feather fall. Darelle locates an herbalist shop called Bergman's of Korvosa and purchases three bundles of
Continuing their tour of Korvosa, the sisters come upon a small out of the way magic shop, the Eye of the Beholder. Darelle purchases a rod of escape, while Daryle acquires the Book of Geometry. Their money from the reward spent, the sisters return to the Upslope House, a quaint two stories bed and breakfast located midway up the hill leading to the castle. This building features ten rooms that can accommodate up to twenty-two people. They spend a relaxing afternoon and make last minute preparations to attend the official dinner. Their brother Roscoe has remained in his room since their arrival in Korvosa, and refuses to leave for reasons of his own. The sisters share their invitation with him, then depart for Castle Korvosa.
Dhukhean Grimmail is a dwarf paladin who accompanies the dwarf delegation. Fourth in command, he is there to supervise the security of the delegation. With the official dinner in a few hours but with all preparations done and ready, he decides to explore Korvosa. At first, he searches a shrine to the dwarven got Torag, but even among the multiplicity of gods and goddesses worshiped in the city, this god cannot be found. He turns his attention to the various stores that peddle wares more exotic than what he is used to, and quickly locates the Eye of the Beholder. After arduous negotiations, Dhukhean purchases a belt of incredible dexterity +2. Pleased with his new acquisition, he returns to the palace and prepares for the official dinner.
Arriving at Castle Korvosa, the sisters are met by a beautiful woman dressed in magnificent full plate armor—the queen’s handmaiden, bodyguard, and closest companion, Sabina Merrin. She examines the sisters' invitation, then allows them to proceed to the Great Hall. The sisters find their seats midway through a long table set for 150 guests. They are sitting next to the dwarven delegation, and find their dining companion to be a talkative dwarf named Dhukhean.
King Eodred II welcomes the guests, and pronounces a short speech on the value of this new commercial alliance. He then introduces his queen, Ileosa, and excuses himself from the dinner. Where the King is clearly in his mid eighties, Ileosa is beautiful and very young, barely in her twenties. It is clear to the sisters that she is the true power in Korvosa.
After the speeches by the Queen and the leader of the dwarf negotiations team, Darelle asks Dhukhean if he knows Grunt Farnsworth. Dhukhean recalls that the Farnsworth clan exiled one of its own about fifteen years ago. Darelle questions the dwarf on what happened, and Dhukhean replies that that Farnsworth individual had insisted upon shaving his beard for a time, to the horror and shame of his clan, forcing his exile. Dhukhean then relates the origins of his name and why he serves the dwarven god Torag.
During the proceedings, Dhukhean detects evil and notices that about a quarter of the guests are of the evil persuasion, especially those sitting in the Queen's entourage, but the sheer number of people makes it impossible to distinguish exactly who possesses evil tendencies. Spotting Sabina, Dhukhean shares with the sisters information that he gathered about the Queen's bodyguard. According to rumors, Sabina was once the protégé of the famed weapons master Vencarlo Orisini, whose family has been influential in Korvosa for generations. Sabina left the school under dubious circumstances after she fought bitter duel with her former master. Since her departure from Orisini’s academy, she found her way into the Korvosan Guard. Her skills has led to a swift rise through the ranks, and her ferocity in battle and her gothic beauty are said to have caught Queen Ileosa’s eye. The queen requested Sabina be discharged from the Guard, then quickly reassigned her to her current role as royal bodyguard, handmaiden, and, according to gossip, lover. Whatever Sabina’s actual relationship with Ileosa, she is rarely seen far from the queen’s side.
Darelle and Dhukhean then discuss the treaty his clan and the Korvosans are signing in the morning. He tells her about the frost giants that plague his land, and she tells him about Zoarth, the cloud giant who dwells in a castle with thousands of cats. Dhukhean had never heard of Zoarth, and finds the concept of a cloud giant owning many cats a wonder.
When the dinner wraps up, Dhukhean and the rest of the delegation return to their lodging. They are staying at The Wise Dragon Inn, a three level inn with an attached restaurant. They plan on returning in the morning, to sign the treaty. The sisters, meanwhile, also return to their bed and breakfast and spend a quiet night sleeping their worries away.
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Unsure why they remain in Korvosa, the Cooper sisters leave the Upslope House and meander through Korvosa. Encountering an old woman peddling on the side of a busy street, Darelle offers her a crown. The old crone in exchange announces she will perform a reading for her. Darelle receives a Harrowing reading from the elder Shoanti woman. Using the sword pattern to answer Darelle's general inquiry abut the future, she lets Darelle pick the first card to determine the alignment of the reading. Darelle draws the Inquisitor, which represents overwhelming strength that catches the subject up in something much more powerful.
As Dhukhean's services were not needed for the final signature, he was given leave to wander the town, and came upon the two sisters as the Shoanti woman was performing her reading. He remained in the background, but as the Coopers began to walk towards the North Bridge he joined them, and they agreed to walk in the woods together. The main road quickly became a small path, which forked into an even less traveled passage. They came upon a series of bloody prints that led to a thicket of trees where they found a dead Gerald. He had been badly cut, as if a thousand pieces of paper had been used on him all over his exposed skin. Strangely, there were no footprints other than Gerald's anywhere. Daryle searches the body and finds that this Gerald carried twelve hushing arrows and a small brass key. They burn and bury the body.
Following the path in the reverse direction, they quickly come to a small pond with a majestic oak tree in the middle of a small island. Carefully, they cross the water and arrive at the island. About 20 feet up the tree they find a small house, with the delectable smell of fresh bread baking wafting down. The Coopers announce their presence, and a small fey creature flutters down to meet them. She introduces herself as Liveoak, queen fey of the oak pond, and welcomes them to her domain. She offers them water and bread. Darelle questions her about other humans that may have passed through here recently, and she can tell that Liveoak is being evasive in her answer. Dhukhean decides to not touch the food. In the conversation that follows, Liveoak reveals that her fey sisters are missing, and she has not seen them for a few days. The Coopers announce they will help her find them.
Dhukhean, who has the brass key, comes up with a clever plan. He inconspicuously casts detect evil, and the fey returns a strong sensation of chaotic evil. He shares this knowledge with Daryle and Darelle, who decide to depart. Politely excusing themselves, they tell Liveoak they will search for the fey and come back with any news.
In the woods on the other side of the pond they locate a large stone that is clearly out of place in this location. They find the likeness of the fey queen carved into the block. Darelle employs a potion of invisibility and uses her hand of glory but sees no invisible creatures nor the fey queen herself. Coming up with a plan, Darelle uses her jar of cloud and flies across the pond to the oak. As she does not see or hear Liveoak, she peeks inside the small house and notices a tidy space with a small kitchen, a bed with four posts, lots of colorful fabric draped everywhere, and a small chest with a brass lock. She takes the chess with her back to her cloud, and opens it. Inside she finds several fey dresses, as well as a glass jar containing a liquid stone-like substance.
She returns to the stone. Dhukhean, careful not to touch the substance, opens the jar and uses a stick to spread the substance on the stone. The stone salve restores the true fey queen to life as she slowly turns back to flesh. Once she has recuperated, she introduces herself as Liveoak, queen fey of the oak pond, and tells the Coopers that a hag has captured her sisters. The Coopers and Dhukhean quickly agree to find this hag. Following the small river that feeds the pond, they come upon a large burrow. Climbing down, Dhukhean is confronted by a hag. Daryle and Darelle join, but are engaged by another hag that was hiding in the roots.
Dhukhean strikes a mighty blow and kill his hag. Beyond her he sees a horrific scene. A third hag stands, holding a small fey in her crooked hand. She snaps the fey's neck, then bites her head off. Next to her is a small cage with five other fey creatures trembling. The hag's hand reaches towards the cage. As Dhukhean enters the room to save the remaining fey, a large earth elemental emerges from the mud and tackles the dwarf to the ground.
The sisters and Liveoak join the fray once again, and they are soon able to defeat the hag and her elemental servant. No other fey is harmed. Liveoak rewards the Coopers for their bravery and help with an onyx ring worth 500 crowns, a pearl necklace worth 500 crowns, and a miniature golden sundial worth 300 crowns. Dhukhean declares that he would like to honor the fallen fey by setting up the sundial at the base of the majestic oak tree to commemorate her passing, and the Cooper sisters agree. Liveoak thanks them profusely. She and her remaining sisters set up the memorial, and pronounce a short service honoring her fallen sister's memory. The queen then thanks the trio for their help in wiping out the hags, and informs them that they are most welcome to visit anytime they wish to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city.
