## [[Reya Mantlemorn]] Takes the Pledge The flickering light of a hundred candles casts long shadows across the [[High Hall]]'s vaulted ceiling. Young [[Reya Mantlemorn]], barely eighteen, kneels before High Observer [[Thavius Kreeg]] in her freshly polished armor. Around her stand a dozen other young knights-to-be, but her eyes are fixed only on the golden radiance of the [[Companion]] visible through the great windows—eternal, unchanging, perfect. [[Thavius Kreeg|Kreeg]]'s voice fills the hall, warm and paternal: "I solemnly pledge my soul and blood and blade to serve as a knight of [[Elturel]] and share the Oath of the High Observer in honoring the Gift of the [[Companion]]. I shall guard the realm of [[Elturgard]] and uphold the commands of the High Observer. I shall live my life in strict accord to the [[Creed Resolute]], placing it and this oath above all other doctrines. I shall be bound to all others who swear this oath, declaring them now and forevermore, whether in life or beyond the veil of death, to be my brothers in arms. To ensure the perfect harmony of our brotherhood, I shall permit no difference in faith to come between us, but rather hold the [[Companion]], which I shall never attribute to one god or another, as our common star." [[Reya Mantlemorn|Reya]] repeats every word, her voice steady and clear. _This is it. Everything she's trained for. Everything [[Hilde Kaas|Hilde]] prepared her for._ [[Thavius Kreeg|Kreeg]] gestures to the tome resting on its pedestal—the [[Tome of the Creed Resolute]], its leather binding worn from fifty years of service. He offers her a ceremonial pin. "Seal your oath with blood, as all your brothers and sisters have done before you." The prick of her thumb barely registers. [[Reya Mantlemorn|Reya]] presses her blood to the page, watching as her name appears in elegant script beside the crimson mark. She doesn't see the way [[Thavius Kreeg|Kreeg]]'s eyes linger on that blood. "You are now a [[Hellriders|Hellrider]], Sister [[Reya Mantlemorn|Reya]]," [[Thavius Kreeg|Kreeg]] says softly. "Your soul now serves a greater purpose." ## The Investigation Begins [[Jorik Thornwick]]'s body lay two hundred yards from camp, staged to look like the gnolls had claimed one final victim. The heroes had already seen through the deception—the clean blade wound to the throat, the superficial claw marks added after death, the drag marks leading away from the refugee column. [[Lulu]] took wing to find [[Reya Mantlemorn]] while [[Cassian]] and the others continued examining the scene. [[Cassian]] searched for any signs of cult activity while [[Char]] quietly informed nearby refugees that the boy's body had been found. No need to spread panic. Not yet. The hollowbell met [[Reya Mantlemorn]] in flight and escorted her to the scene, but first made a brief stop at [[Mira Thornwick]]'s tent. The woman who had already lost her [[Hellriders|Hellrider]] husband when [[Elturel]] fell now had to hear that her sixteen-year-old son was gone too. When [[Mira Thornwick|Mira]] asked to see her boy, [[Lulu]]'s celestial nature radiated such goodness and compassion that the grieving mother reluctantly agreed to wait just a little longer. [[Reya Mantlemorn]] arrived at the scene outraged. She listened to the heroes' theory—that [[Tarquin Belmont]] and his [[Hellriders]] were responsible for the murder—and struggled to comprehend how anyone who had pledged themselves to the [[Creed Resolute]] could commit such an act. She urged caution, suggesting they take the knights alive to learn what evil motivated them. ## A Poor Liar A [[Hellriders|Hellrider]] named [[Gareth]] arrived first. He took one look at the body and immediately suggested a gnoll attack. His performance was unconvincing at best—nervous gestures, averted eyes, words that came too quickly. He only further confirmed the heroes' suspicions. Then [[Tarquin Belmont]] himself joined them. The old knight was a far more convincing liar, his face a mask of concern and righteous sorrow. But [[Char]] saw something else behind those eyes—a disturbing fanaticism that had nothing to do with grief and everything to do with purpose. The heroes worked carefully to explain their suspicions to [[Rick]], trying to make him understand that [[Tarquin Belmont]] was likely responsible for the boy's death. [[Rick]] was outraged. His first instinct was to attack, but the rest of the party urged caution. [[Rick]] agreed. He did not listen. ## Rick's First Outburst As [[Tarquin Belmont]] moved to console [[Mira Thornwick]], [[Rick]] confronted him directly, accusing him of murder. [[Tarquin Belmont]] turned on the barbarian with genuine fury. A war of words followed that nearly spiraled into a duel before Lord [[Cassian]] intervened, insisting that [[Rick]] was confused and was not actually making accusations. The [[Lords' Alliance]] agent smiled diplomatically—[[Rick]] wanted to move up in the organization, after all, and couldn't afford to make enemies of influential knights. A temporary peace was brokered, but the damage was done. As the very on-edge caravan continued toward [[Baldur's Gate]], a wall of suspicion had risen between the heroes and the [[Hellriders]]. The knights spoke in hushed tones among themselves, watching the party with wary eyes. ## Questions Without Answers As they traveled, the heroes debated quietly. [[Rick]] still thought violence was the answer. Others suggested patience, even proposing using [[Docktor]] as bait to lure [[Tarquin Belmont]] into a trap. They reconsidered the death of [[Jorik Thornwick]] and the names on the stolen list, realizing that [[Mira Thornwick]]'s name wasn't there. After some thought, they understood one possible reason: she was from [[Waterdeep]], not [[Elturel]]. As they traveled, the heroes debated quietly. [[Rick]] still thought violence was the answer. Others suggested patience, even proposing using [[Docktor]] as bait to lure [[Tarquin Belmont]] into a trap. They reconsidered the death of [[Jorik Thornwick]] and the names on the stolen list, realizing that [[Mira Thornwick]]'s name wasn't there. After some thought, they understood one possible reason: she was from [[Waterdeep]], not [[Elturel]]. ## A Walk Between Brothers That afternoon, one of [[Tarquin Belmont]]'s men approached with a request: the knight wished to speak with "Brother Dock." [[Docktor]] went willingly, and the two men walked together along the dusty road. [[Tarquin Belmont]] questioned [[Docktor]] about why he had joined the [[Hellriders]] and pledged himself to the [[Creed Resolute]]. The old knight shared his own tragic story—the destruction of his home at Millhaven by demons during the Oblivion War, arriving three days too late to save his family, finding nothing but ruins and bones. [[Docktor]]'s explanation was far less dramatic. He suggested he had basically become a [[Hellriders|Hellrider]] because he needed something to do. [[Tarquin Belmont]] was outraged. The two men bickered, with [[Docktor]] coming to a clear conclusion: [[Tarquin Belmont]] was the worst kind of knight—a self-righteous prick. They parted company without reaching any understanding, the tension between them thick as smoke. ## Sleeping on Suspicion That night the refugees made camp. [[Tarquin Belmont]] offered his tent to the grieving [[Mira Thornwick]], a gesture of nobility that made several refugees nod approvingly. The heroes continued to debate how to handle this incredibly complicated situation. They needed solid evidence. [[Char]] decided to act. He sent his Unseen Servant into [[Tarquin Belmont]]'s tent to search through his possessions. The invisible force found a piece of paper and rushed back to deliver it. As it returned, the scene in the camp began to unravel. ## The Brawl Two [[Hellriders]]—[[Willem]] and [[Matthias]]—approached [[Rick]]. They made it clear they did not appreciate his accusations toward [[Tarquin Belmont]]. [[Rick]] again made it known—quite loudly—that [[Tarquin Belmont]] was a murderer who had betrayed the [[Hellriders]]. The two young knights responded that [[Rick]] knew nothing of [[Tarquin Belmont]]'s faith and strength. The verbal exchange quickly escalated into violence. [[Rick]] and [[Willem]] came to blows, the barbarian largely beating the younger knight while refugees scrambled away from the expanding circle of violence. The other [[Hellriders]], including [[Tarquin Belmont]], converged on the scene. As [[Rick]] continued hurling accusations—which [[Cassian]] again diplomatically insisted were not _actually_ accusations—the old knight seemed to reach some internal decision. He drew his sword and accused the heroes of being captured by some evil he had to extinguish. ## Truth in the Firelight [[Lulu]]'s voice boomed across the camp with sudden divine authority, accusing [[Tarquin Belmont]] of betraying the [[Creed Resolute]] and murdering [[Jorik Thornwick]]. The other heroes joined in, insisting the [[Hellriders]] were responsible and calling on the refugees to stand with them. Then [[Mira Thornwick]] stepped out of [[Tarquin Belmont]]'s tent. She stood at the threshold, illuminated by firelight, considering these horrible accusations. She thought of [[Lulu]]—the strange celestial creature who had shown her such compassion, who had convinced her to wait when every instinct screamed to run to her son's body. She knew, in her heart, that [[Lulu]] was telling the truth. With fury that shook the very air, she accused [[Tarquin Belmont]] of murdering her boy. The camp erupted. Refugees shouted in outrage. The [[Hellriders]] closed ranks around their commander. ## The Note Meanwhile, [[Char]] opened the paper his Unseen Servant had stolen. It was orders from [[Aetan Morrow]], written in a firm, decisive hand: _"The day that was promised has arrived. What will be asked of you will be hard. It may try your faith, but remember why we do this. Remember Millhaven. Remember your sister._ _We must have the strength to do what is necessary._ _For Her glory."_