84. Injury & Death

Jason advances to the two-star job board and selects a contract to eliminate the monster that killed a solo adventurer and recover the body or badge. The contract requires a team, so he invites Humphrey and Clive to lunch, explains the fallen-comrade mission, and reviews risks: the reported “marsh wyrm” is likely misidentified and powerful enough to have killed an iron-rank adventurer. They accept, acknowledging the duty to bring a peer home.

In parallel, Sophie and Belinda struggle through Old City after Sophie escapes a household-guard ambush arranged under the Duke’s authority. Sophie insists continued pressure will force Ventress to reveal her aims, but Belinda warns allies are wavering. They reach Jory’s clinic; Jory heals Sophie with strong potions and gives her an anti-tracking draught and a medical satchel, refusing details to preserve deniability.

At Adventure Society headquarters, Director Elspeth Arella is briefed that Lord Vordis (the Duke) escalated with bronze- and iron-rank guards who still failed to catch the thief. Arella orders a firm response: the matter remains under Adventure Society jurisdiction at iron rank. She aims to keep pressure on Lucian Lamprey until he errs, using the ongoing thief hunt and the threat of suspending adventuring activity to block the Duke’s interference.

Jason, Humphrey, and Clive travel by airboat into the delta, following a crystal orb keyed to the dead adventurer’s badge. After hacking through scrub to higher ground, the tracker indicates straight down into the marshy earth, implying the body and the threat lie buried below.