August 29. 2020

Dionaea sets up a vase of plant spies in the pyramid, Linzi prepares a card with beautiful calligraphy as a decoy. Linzi has the Sandpoint charter in their bag and is riding on Shump Shump's shoulders. We exit the pyramid and are confronted by Sheriff Hemlock and 4 guards. Hemlock draws his sword and yells at us to return the charter, and Shump Shump is unable to talk him down. Dionaea casts darkness, giving Linzi cover to become invisible and run away from the group. We reemerge and Laudius commands the Sherrif to transform (twice), and he is revealed as the shapeshifter Jian. He tries to run away but Borris pounces and bites him. We fight for a long while but he eventually escapes through an alleyway. Laudius uses his god voice to announce to the town to look out for unexpected persons. After hours of investigation, we notice many footprints in front of the general store and enter to find Ven Vinder tied up and gagged and Jian posing as him at the front of the store. Linzi mocks him into giving up his katana, and we summon Genjamin, the mayor, and the sheriff. Genjamin goes with Linzi, Dionaea, and Shump Shump back to the pyramid and treats the back of the ~*fake*~ charter that Linzi has fabricated with lemon juice and heat to reveal a map on the back, indicating that the treasure is just north of town. Linzi is dumbfounded, casts identify on the document and calls his bluff. Upon being caught, Genjamin reveals he is also a shapeshifter and that his real mission was to take the heir to the throne, Ameiko, to Brinewall castle and for her to take her place as empress. The emperor has insisted that Ameiko not know about the plan. Laudius goes with the guards to the jail under the garrison to question Jian and, impressively, learns the same story through foot stomps.