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Night Report — The Petals Whisper in Twilight

Gordel’s inquiries at the Duchy of Rivan confirm troubling signs: the border skirmish may be a distraction masking more insidious movements. Supplies, notably military rations and red cinnabar pigment—known for demonic alchemical use—are being funneled clandestinely through unofficial channels linked to the Blackglass Market. These shipments appear connected to the Crimson Talons, a mercenary band whispered to have ties with shadowy patrons within the kingdom. Murmurs among nobles suggest that some of them might be quietly financing or tolerating these forces, perhaps drawn by promises of power or personal gain.

Meanwhile, Thassil’s discreet probes within the Temple of Flame reveal a disturbing fracture. The High Priest’s unexplained silence coincides with the arrival of a red-sigilled envoy bearing the marks of the Red Hand. Whispers of secret midnight rituals in the crypts circulate among the lower clergy, and my petal-spored rats report traces of demonic spores and faint summoning magic deep beneath the temple floors. A faction within the temple’s inner circle has evidently been corrupted, embracing a heretical belief that “divine purification through fire” justifies the summoning of dark forces.

The Red Hand’s influence is weaving through the kingdom’s veins—mercenaries, merchants, nobles, and even priests. Their campaign advances under a cloak of secrecy, and the path to summoning the demon lord draws nearer. I must decide which threads to pull tighter and which to sever before the darkness becomes unstoppable.