Creative Retreat

Clarence arrives to welcome you to Hatley manor, his old family estate, where the troupe is holding a workshop to come up with a new show for the theme park. You're still waiting for Torzen and Ylsanouria to show up, but Arame is in the library leading warm-ups and Cath has gone to the village shop. Clarence asks you to go and see if she needs any help.

You catch up with Cath at Gabelsworth Grocer where she's finishing getting supplies for the weekend. The lady running the shop, Sally, is very excited that you're from a theatre, and talks about her childhood aspiration to be an actress. Cath encourages her to try again as she helps you load the van. Sally asks you to wait for a moment while she retrieves something, and she returns with a pendant she found when she visited the West End. She gives it to Cath and wishes you luck. The van is full though so you'll have to run back to the manor.

On your way back to the manor you meet up with Torzen and Ylsanouria, who apologise for being late. They explain that they'd had to take a train, and complain that they'd had to wait for it to arrive instead of summoning it. They also confess that they'd had an argument, and made a wager that involved sealing their powers for the weekend. The first to beg for the return of their powers loses. This means that they will have to run along with you!

You arrive back at the Manor to find Arame fighting with Clarence about how to run the retreat. Cath berates both sides and takes charge of the group. Torzen asks about Cath's necklace, calling it an oubliette stone. As you head to your places, there's a crack of lightning and a scream from Cath. Cath runs off quickly, cackling. You'd better run after her!

You find Cath on the polo grounds. Clarence is very displeased to see the damage she's done to them. Ylsanouria and Torzen are surprised to see Cath using magic. Cath pulls a book from the earth itself and talks about her magnum opus. She asks if any of you are critics, and is pleased when you all say no. She won't have to destroy you immediately then. Finally "Cath" introduces herself as Malistrio, the most esteemed actor in all of Hell! Malistrio has written an autobiographical stage play about their own life and demands that you help them stage a production of it tomorrow night! If you defy them, Malistrio will continue possessing Cath for the rest of her life! Back in ten!