Zola and Scram eavesdrop on Brizalla's via-crystal-ball conversation with a deep, mysterious voice, and learn two things: 1. Lord Cravern’s stolen object is a crown, and 2. this organization is much larger than they initially suspected. As Brizalla comes down the stairs to check on Pleabo and the intruders, she comes upon Scram (disguised as Barry) stealing her gold, and then spots the rest of the party (who were also poorly-hid).
At the end of a harrowing combat, where Scram burns many sorcery points, and both he and Prya fall unconscious before Scram is revived by Zola’s healing potions, Brizalla is thrown out of the window of her tower and onto the ground below— her secrets dead with her.
Chapter Seven: Horrible Bosses
Zola and Scram, holding their downed ally Prya, bolt into the fortress beneath Paddlewick and barricade the doors shut. Taking care of one last guard (all of whom are slender, purple-skinned elves), they hunker down to calm the villagers and come up with a plan.
Despite being injured, panicked and surrounded by danger on all sides, Scram convinces the villagers to resist their captors and take up arms. The two guards, Miranda and Gio, hold their position as Scram, Zola and Prya head up further into the tower to peek through a trap door.
They overhear Pleabo, a tiny grey-skinned gnome, speaking to a person named Brizalla on the top floor: the apparent leader of this hideout. Pleabo spots the poorly-hidden Scram, but is swayed by the spell Friends. Scram convinces him to come closer to the trap door, allowing Zola to (yoink) pull him down for an interrogation.
Pleabo gives over very little information regarding the shady organization, so Zola and Scram leave him tied up with Gio, Miranda, and the other villagers. On the second floor, they find a break room for the employees of this organization. There, Scram is entranced by a table of gold and jewels, while Zola snags two health potions and also finds a pair of Crocs (of Elvenkind) that have her footsteps sounding quieter than ever.