After summoning the spirit of Ethel, Starlight's lover, the party is faced with a strangely red tinted specter. Ethel seems aggressive, but when she passes into the aura of Murdrus' protection from possession and feeds on Star, she calms down. She does, however, talk somewhat enthusiastically about the City Below, how beautiful and red it is, and filled with teeth.

The party finds this offputting, even Star, but ask their questions. Murdrus asks where the Von Wiess estate is, and Cady asks about the door to Sterling's lair. They get vague (but more useful than they realize) descriptions.

After this the party entered downtime.

Wanting to make good on their deal with the Crimson Daggers, Ally reached out to Cady and the girls went to Star to see about spying on Sir Tristan, one of the inner circle of Blackthorn's ruling government.

They find him at the Magistrate's office, making judgements and hearing complaints. He is in full plate armor, that he never takes off even in Cady's vision, and he takes Goat Theft and Tax fraud very seriously. After posing a fake crime (egging of houses) to speak to him, he calls them on it and they leave.

They then tail him, confirming he does not take off the helmet and feeds stray kittens.

Meanwhile Meta calls on Cornelia for an afternoon visit. They talk necromancy and work life balance, and Cornelia invites him to join the Inheritors, only for him to decline.

Murdrus, whose been watching her, sees the meeting and breaks into Cornelia's home. He finds her flush with magic items, but her security, while subtle, is omnipresent. He leaves her place untouched, even the mirror he knows is a portal to the Inheritor's headquarters.