Mishok, playing his assumed role of “Dan Pemic” the rookie town guard, suggests to “Buddy” the friendly veteran guard, that one of them should stand watch in front of stable, where the “radical” Cycek is tied up. Buddy agrees to assume that responsibility, while “Dan” goes on his rounds with “Herb” the angry guard. Herb is bitterly complaining and sucking on the wound that Fuzzidohng had inflicted upon the back of his hand. Mishok recommends that Herb get some medical attention, and Herb agrees. The wounded guard splits off from Mishok and heads toward the office near the entrance of the Stoneyard, where he can clean and bandage his hand.

Mishok heads north along the perimeter of the Stoneyard where he rejoins Sartan, Davros, and Wendella. They agree that the guard whom Sartan had knocked out, should be tied up and hidden. They drag his inert form into another crevasse at the far northeast portion of the cliff wall.

Meanwhile, Cycek, free from his bonds, and still hidden in the stable begins to raise a commotion. He induces the horses to whinny, stomp, and bang around within their stalls. Before long, Buddy comes in to take a look. It is dark inside the stable, so he is at a disadvantage compared to the elf with his natural night vision. Cycek capitalizes on this. He lies in wait and then jumps out and tackles the surprised guard. Buddy thrashes but Cycek is able to keep control of him and tie him up. Cycek offers assurances that he does not want to hurt him, but ultimately has to gag the skeptical guard to keep him quiet. With Buddy finally neutralized, Cycek hatches an idea. He gathers up some burlap sacks, stuffs them with hay, and creates a makeshift mannequin. He accessorizes the decoy with the tunic and shield of the town guard, and props it up against the exterior wall of the stable, just outside the lamplight. In the dim light, and at a distance, it bears a passing resemblance of a lazy guard loafing at his post. Cycek then climbs the wall and lies hidden on the roof of the stable.

Davros dresses himself in the garb of the unconscious guard, and he sets off with Mishok around the north perimeter of the yard, following around to the east gate. As they come around the main building, they hear voices. Donnwald has returned with his guards, and an unfortunate old man. The handle him roughly as they pass by the front of the building and go around the back as they had before. The guards threaten the old man, repeatedly barking, “Tell us! We know, you know!” Mishok and Davros let this group pass by and then follow their general direction back toward the entrance to the main building. Donnwald and company pass out of view back behind the building. Mishok and Davros enter the building and their they find the guard Herb bandaging his hand. He leaves the building muttering about that damn elf and his rat. Davors and Mishok let him go by, but stay to exchange some words with the foreman. They ask him some questions about his dealing with Donnwald. The foreman reveals that he is no fan of the Councilman, and that the city is seething with unrest since the Mayor was taken prisoner. The two reveal themselves to be in opposition to Donnwald, and they gain an ally in the foreman. He agrees to go with them to stop Donnwald’s thugs from beating the old man.

Herb storms toward the stables where he would like to have an uninterrupted word with Cycek. As he approaches, he sees what he takes to be the reclining figure of Buddy in the shadows of the stable wall. This, of course, is Cycek’s mannequin. He approaches the dummy, accusing his coworker of loafing on the job, then cocks his head quizzically as he draws near. Cycek takes this opportunity to leap down on him from the roof of the stable. He knocks Herb to the ground, tussles with him, and is soon able to restrain him. He ties him up, gags him, and drags him into the stable alongside Buddy. He then heads out toward a growing commotion behind the main building.

While Cycek was dealing with Herb, and the Davros/Mishok duet were talking with the foreman, Sartan and Wendella hid behind a stone slab to see what was happening with Donnwald. He and his guards mercilessly beat the helpless old man. Wendella, horrified, realized that this is her friend and instructor, Professor Elchor Grafton. Grafton is the keeper of the Shadowfurst Visitors’ Center and Historical Society. His facility is where Wendella and Xodar had first met and bonded over a common interest in the arcane history of this region. She is enraged at the treatment of this well-meaning man, and she realizes that the Councilman is surely trying to pry the password for the City Champion out of the scholar. To create a distraction, Sartan fires a flaming arrow onto the roof of the Stoneyard main building, and the pitch-covered roof catches fire. Two of the guards run toward the outbreak, while the others investigate the source of the arrow flight. A fight ensues. Wendella hurls Eldritch blasts at the Councilman, who is caught by surprise and unable to respond with his own spells. Sartan engages in swordplay with two of the guards, dealing wounds severe enough to entice them to surrender. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an arrow strikes Donnwald in the back and he pitches forward to the ground, stone dead. Cycek, running from across the yard, had fired a single flawless shot and brought down the evil man.

The party members all convene at the site of this sudden twist of fate. They convince the surrendered guard to swear their allegiance to them. To convince them that they mean business, Sartan swings his axe and lops of the deceased councilman’s head. He deposits the head in the burlap sack. The guards pale, and nod their acquiescence. 

The fire on the roof of the building spreads and sends a column of smoke into the darkening sky.