While it would cost us more time on the material plane, we decided to follow Oriel’s advice, and not rush blindly in, drawing attention to ourselves the whole way. So, the next morning, we returned to the portal room where we had entered this plane, and where Siora and Vestele’s wagon and horses had been kept. As promised, Oriel had taken care of the sisters’ horses while we were out and about, and had them already hitched up and ready to travel when we got there.

We made our way through the sewers, and out through the same smuggler’s gate that we had entered from on our return to the city. No one spotted us. Or, if they did, they didn’t care, since we all had our disguises firmly in place.

That was fortunate. While I wouldn’t mind having a chance to test out the difference our ritually enhanced gear made, I wasn’t about to go seeking trouble within sight of the city’s walls. That would only make our attempts to get back through the city to the portal the archons were using for their invasion that much more difficult. To say nothing of the task of then finding some way to destroy the portal. That part of our adventure was already going to be difficult enough.

So, we traveled on the ground, like a merchant and their guards. I rode on Ebonheart, the sisters mounted the seat of their wagon, and Fartooth sat on the wagon’s roof, keeping his eyes scanning for trouble. The road meandered around hills as we followed the river, which eventually plunged into a canyon, and did not head straight for the Timeless Wood. Rather, the road headed towards the city of Utina, which was largely known for its mines and quarries.

Utina was the source of much of the stone in Geburatiel, at least the stone that was not divinely created. It also sported metalworks that supplied much of the weapons and armor for the forces of Torm. As such, the Church had a heavy presence in the city, including a full branch of the Inquisition. Some even said that the city was fully under Inquisitorial control.

That much we knew, from Oriel’s words, but she had never ventured to the city, herself. This was just the information she had gleaned from oft contradictory reports of merchants and travelers. But they all generally agreed that the Inquisition was a force to be reckoned with in the city.

We were making good time along the road, and had just reached a solidly built bridge that crossed the canyon. The bridge was made of carved stone, and was wide enough for four wagons to cross abreast, and have some room to spare. This bridge marked the halfway point between Geburatiel and Utina. At this rate, we would be in the city in time for the evening meal. Then, there would be the three-day trek across the broken ground between Utina and the Timeless Woods.

Such a rapid change in geography would be impossible, or at least incredibly unlikely, to see in the material realm, but this was Torm’s home plane, and the god had clearly ordered it to be thus. Part of it was to increase the resources his army would have access to, of course, but that wasn’t all. A major reason for the sudden shifts in terrain was control. If people could not easily move about, then they were easier to keep isolated, and controlled.

Of course, magic changed a lot of things, but the city mages kept watch on who teleported in or out of Geburatiel. The circle we used to return to the city was just outside the radius of their detection. And flying just made you a target for any keen-eyed sentinels.

Thus, we were making the trek on the ground, to keep from drawing too much attention to ourselves. We were already a motley crew, even in our disguises, but we could pass ourselves off as a band of mercenaries or adventurers easily enough. If we drew the wrong kind of attention, though, people might look a bit too closely at us, and that would be disastrous.

The guards at the bridge were all dressed in the armor and livery of the Inquisition. Torm’s symbol was a right-hand gauntlet in silver, held upright and palm forward. The sign of the inquisition was the same, but the gauntlet was black, and wrapped in a silver chain.

One of the guards stepped out in front of us, hand upraised.

“By order of the Inquisition, all carts must be checked before crossing the bridge, to prevent the flow of contraband in the realm during this unsettled time.”

I frowned, but whispered for Ebonheart to stop. “The Inquisition? Shouldn’t the Church’s defenders be off doing more important things, like fighting beyond the portal? Why have they reduced you down to common guardsmen?”

The guard went still, and his tone grew terse, as though he was very carefully restricting what he said. “With the army deployed across the rift, the Justicars spread thin upholding the law, and the guards refocused on securing the capitol, it falls to the Inquisition to take up the duty of ensuring that malign forces do not infiltrate the realm. We do not serve for glory, but to do our part in stopping the corruption of the material realm from invading our lands.”

Melinda’s Bluff check: 1d20+94 = 104

I feigned sincere concern. “Oh, my! I didn’t know that things had gotten so dangerous! Are we in danger of having wicked nonbelievers crossing over through the portal? I thought that there were all the soldiers and even archons guarding it! Surely, the Church wouldn’t let things get that bad!”

The guard’s body and tone relaxed slightly. “We maintain vigilance to ensure that nothing happens, Miss. When heresy begins to spread through the land, it is already too late to set up precautions against it. So, we are acting now, and rooting out anything that slips through before it can take root.”

“I understand. Will this need to be a very involved search? I would like to get to the city in time for the evening meal, so we can rest at an inn, instead of on the road.”

The guard looked the five of us over, and said with a nod, “Well, you don’t look suspicious. And having a unicorn in your midst easily proves you are of good heart. Just let me have a look in the back, and we can have you on your way.”

I nodded to Siora, who dismounted the wagon, and walked around to the back with the guard. He took a look inside, saw that it was living quarters, and nodded, before letting Siora close it back up again. As he walked back to his position, he said, “Very well, then, you can be on your way, and I chalked a mark upon the wagon as a sign, saying that you have already been inspected, so that should cut down on the wait at the city gates. And Miss? If you’re looking for an inn in Utina, then you should head to the Chaste Maiden Inn is one as caters to goodly folk. You won’t have to deal with any of the raucous types down in the Workday District.”

I managed not to laugh at the name of the inn. Considering our party, I did not think there was an inn with a less fitting name that we could stay at. Keeping my true emotions off my face, I smiled at the guard, and said, “Oh, thank you! I know that we will certainly take that into consideration. If brave men like you are suggesting it, then it must be a very safe place indeed, free of any nasty types.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, Miss. The High Inquisitor for Utina is staying in a home not twenty paces from the Chaste Maiden, and the church is just across the street. Safest place in the whole city, I assure you.”

“Well, I can’t imagine a higher recommendation than that! Thank you so much, mister guard! I hope you catch any ill-intentioned fiends before they can do any harm!”

With that little farce behind us, we continued on, towards Utina. More Inquisition forces greeted us there. Fortunately, we had the sign that the other guard marked on the wagon, so there was no need to go through any annoying inspections. The guards at the gate were better equipped than those who had been out in the field, but, between my skills and Ebonheart’s disguise, they still bought my story about us being simple travelers easily enough. When we said that we were heading to the Chaste Maiden, they just nodded, and gave us directions to the inn. After all, we couldn’t possibly be suspicious, right?

The air in the city was tense. Inquisition forces were everywhere, looking everywhere for suspicious behavior or signs of heresy. Thankfully, the protections we used kept them from spotting any of our less than holy qualities. That, and a smile, got the Inquisition guards to nod at us as we passed, and not cause us any trouble.

We pulled up before the Chaste Maiden Inn, and made our way over to the stables, where we were greeted by a young ordinal human. “Ooh, you’re a right fancy lot! Stayin’ at the inn, Ma’am? We do stabling for a gold per day, per beast, and another two for the wagon. Space is not too free here in the Sacrosanctum District, understand. But your beasts will get the best care and a stay in the most secure stables in all of Utina. And don’t worry, Ma’am, we know Unicorns be picky about who they let near, so the boys and I will just put down some prime feed and water, and let this fine creature relax.”

The price was almost highway robbery, compared to what you would find on the Material plane, but wasn’t completely out of line. Even in the Material world, it wasn’t uncommon for the high-end inns to charge more for everything, just to keep themselves more luxurious and exclusive. And it would be… unfortunate if one of the grooms tried to tend to Ebonheart, and caused his disguise to slip.

So, we paid the fee for a night’s stabling without complaint, and walked into the inn, itself. The inn was… well, it was about what I would expect out of a high-class inn across the street from a church of one of the gods of law and order. It was clean, and orderly, with tables precisely spaced so that everything fell into lines. A bard was playing on a low stage in one corner, but her songs were all of a religious tune, extoling the virtues of being a true believer in Torm. The conversation was low, respectful, and reserved.

In other words, it looked like a place where there was absolutely zero fun to be had.

But we weren’t here for merriment. Stepping up to the counter, I nodded to the bartender, who came to meet us in even, measured strides. “Well met, one and all, and welcome to the Chaste Maiden! I am Hugline, the master here. How may I help you this eve?”

I smiled at the man, and said, “Yes, thank you. We are travelers, and need a place to stay for the night. One of the guards upon the road suggested this place as the best and safest inn in town. We need three rooms for the night, and meals for all.”

“Ah, say no more. Say no more! We have three rooms available, yes indeed. Three rooms, with meals for four, comes to twenty gold pieces, but I’ll toss in a bottle of the Alese Classic Red, which will pair nicely with the roast for tonight’s meal.”

Again, the price was high, but not outrageously so. This was actually more in line with what a high-priced inn on the Material plane would charge, in fact. So, once again, we turned over our gold.

“Excellent!” Hugline said, as he handed three numbered keys to us. “Here’s your keys. The evening meal is almost ready to be served. Would you like to take it here in the common room, or in your rooms?”

“We’ll take it here, thank you.”

“Right, then! Please, have a seat at one of the tables, then, and I’ll have the server right over with your wine.”

As we sat at a table near the corner, where fewer people could listen in on us, the door opened again, and I heard Hugline call out, “Ah, my Lord High Inquisitor! So wonderful to have you back again this evening. Will you take your usual meal?”