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Victoria stood by the window, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and dread. The power promised by the book was immense, but the price was steep.

She had to find the table, and the castle of Branodunum seemed to be the key. She took a deep breath and resolved to find out if any of the search parties had been to the castle.

She left her cottage and walked through the quiet village, the early morning light casting long shadows. The villagers were just starting their day, and Grimbold's tavern was bustling with activity. She decided to start there, hoping to gather information from the rangers and villagers who had participated in the search.

As she entered the tavern, Grimbold was busy serving breakfast to the rangers and villagers who had returned from their search. She made her way to the back of the tavern, where Aurik, the halfling lawyer, was sitting with a map spread out on the table.

"Good morning, Victoria," Aurik said, looking up from the map. "What brings you here so early?"

Victoria took a deep breath and sat down across from him. "Aurik, I need to ask you about the castle of Branodunum. Have any of the search parties been there?"

Aurik's eyes narrowed, and he leaned back in his chair. "Branodunum? That's an old and dangerous place. Why are you interested in it?"

Victoria hesitated, looked around, and considered her response. "It's a private matter, Aurik. I need to go there for a specific reason, and I want to make sure there are no bandits around and the route is clear."

Aurik's expression grew serious. "I see. Yes, one of the search parties did visit Branodunum. They reported that the castle is in ruins, with no signs of life for many years. Part of the castle has crumbled, and it's not a safe place to be. But if you think it's important, we should consider sending a more thorough search party."

Victoria nodded, and breathed out, feeling a sense of relief and determination. "Thank you, Aurik. Can you tell me more about what they found?"

Aurik nodded and took a sip of his water. "The castle is about three miles north of the village, nestled in the hills. The search party reported that the main entrance is blocked by fallen stones, and the interior is in a state of disrepair. They didn't find any signs of recent activity such as ashes or remains of food, and they thoroughly searched the area around the castle to ensure there were no bandits."

Victoria's mind raced with the information. The castle was a potential lead, and she needed to see it for herself. "Do you think it would be safe for me to go there on my own?"

Aurik looked at her with concern. "I wouldn't recommend it, Victoria. The castle is dangerous, and you don't know what you might find. If you're determined to go, I suggest you take a few of the rangers with you for protection."

Victoria shook her head, her resolve firm. "I appreciate your concern, Aurik, but I need to go there alone. The matter I need to attend to is very personal, and I don't want anyone else involved." After a slight pause, her tone softened. "I promise to be careful."

Aurik leaned forward, his eyes sharp and inquisitive, speaking as if directing the court. "Victoria, I understand you want to keep it private, but as the lead investigator and as a lawyer, I need to know what you're planning. It could be dangerous, and a lone female with bandits in the area, if anything happened to you, the villagers here would be justified in screaming for my soul to burn in whatever hell the necromancers would send it to."

Victoria hesitated, feeling the pressure of Aurik's questioning and thinking quickly, something that was close to the truth. "It's a ritual, Aurik. I need to perform a ritual, and it's very important."

Aurik's expression softened, but his curiosity was piqued. "A ritual? For what purpose?"

Victoria took a deep breath, knowing she had to be more specific. "It's a ritual for the goddess Luna. I read about it, and I need to do it alone."

Aurik's eyes widened with interest, he thought, "I wonder where this is going." "Luna? That's unusual. What kind of ritual? I have some knowledge of the gods and their rituals, especially from my dealings with the temple of Luna in Ithrill."

Victoria felt a wave of relief mixed with unease. "It's a ritual to help with husbandry in the village and around the area. I need to perform it to ensure the village’s livestock... perform as so to say."

Aurik smiled, nodding in understanding, and rubbed his eyes to give him that additional second. "Ah, I see. Yes. The recreation of Luna’s first act of reproduction, as detailed in the ritual, when she gave pleasure to us mere mortals in acts of the flesh. A very personal matter for the priest."

Victoria paused, wondering how to respond to Aurik. "Yes, a very personal matter, as you can appreciate." It was the best she could come up with. Her hands started to shake a little.

Aurik leaned back, a friendly smile on his face. "Just be careful, Victoria, do what you need to do for the best of the village. But if you need any more information or assistance, just let me know."

Victoria stood up, feeling a mix of determination and unease. "I will. Thank you for your help, Aurik."

She left the tavern and made her way to the coach house, where the rangers were preparing for the day. She found a group of rangers gathered around, discussing their next steps.

"Excuse me," Victoria said, approaching them. "I need to speak with one of the rangers who went to Branodunum castle."

Thorne, a human warrior with broad shoulders, freshly polished armour, a walrusy moustache and a 3-inch scar across his cheek, turned to her, took the pipe out of his mouth. "I was part of that search party. What do you need to know?" His voice was grim, and flecks of spittle flew out.

Victoria took a deep breath. "I need to go to the castle as part of my role as the chapel caretaker. It's connected to a ritual for the goddess Luna, and I want to make sure there are no bandits there and the route is clear."

Thorne's expression grew curious. "The castle is dangerous. What kind of ritual are you performing?"

Victoria hesitated but decided to be vague. "It's a private matter, but it's important for the village. I need to ensure the area is safe. Did the search party thoroughly check the area around the castle for bandits?"

Thorne nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yes, we did. We searched the entire area and found no signs of bandits. The castle is in ruins, but the surrounding area is clear."

Victoria smiled, feeling a sense of relief. "Thank you. I appreciate your help. The ritual I need to perform is very personal, and I don't want anyone else involved."

Thorne shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever, no danger from bandits from what we looked out."

Victoria nodded, her resolve firm. "I will. Thank you for your help."

As Victoria left the coach house, her mind was a whirl of thoughts and emotions. The castle of Branodunum was her next destination, and she was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The power promised by the book was immense, but the path was fraught with danger. She took a deep breath and resolved to be strong and determined.

Aurik watched through the window of the tavern as Victoria returned to her cottage. His mind was racing with questions and concerns. Her behavior was odd, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. He knew he had to take action to ensure the safety of the village.

Was she involved with the bandits? She said she had to do a ritual for Luna, but there was no feast day or celebrant activity for Luna. As far as he knew, the devotees of Luna just put a finger in the air and decide to celebrate her there and then. And as for husbandry? What is she up to, and on his watch?

He focused his mind, could see the image of Thorne and whispered, "Thorne, bring your group to me, bar, now."

Thorne, the human warrior with the scar, was discussing strategy with Eira, a slender female elf with blue eyes, short cut black hair with her blond roots showing, dressed in a black form fitting leather armour under her tabard; Grym, a stout and stocky dwarf bard with a horn on his back, a chestnut beard braided , and Kira, a female half-elf with long braided auburn hair and studded leather armour and a kestral perched on her shoulder. As soon as Thorne got the message, he turned to the others. "Everyone, meet with Aurik in the bar. It's important."

The rangers exchanged curious glances but quickly followed Thorne to the bar. Aurik waited for them to gather, his mind focused on the task at hand.

Once they were all seated, Aurik leaned forward, his eyes sharp and serious. "I have some concerns about Victoria. She works in the bar here and is the caretaker for the chapel. Her behavior is suspicious, and I need to know what she's up to."

Thorne raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think she's involved with the bandits?"

Aurik gazed at Thorne, his expression thoughtful. "I didn’t say she was involved with the bandits, but what I can say is she is acting odd. A slight mania has come across her. She claims to be performing a ritual for Luna, but she doesn't strike me as a typical worshipper of Luna. Victoria seems to be keeping a lot to herself."

Kira, the half-elf ranger, added, "I can use my Kestral to follow her when she leaves the village. We can track her movements and see where she goes."

Aurik nodded, his plan taking shape. "Good. Kira, I want you to use your Kestral to follow Victoria when she leaves the village. Eira, you and Kira will track her from a distance. Thorne and Grym, we will follow up in a few hours later to provide backup if necessary. We need to know what she's up to and ensure the safety of the village."

Thorne stood up, his expression determined. "Understood. We'll do it."

Aurik stood as well, his eyes scanning the group. "Thank you. Be careful and stay hidden. We don't want to spook her if she is involved with something dangerous."

The rangers nodded in agreement and began to prepare for their mission. Kira released her Kestral, a small, agile bird of prey, and it perched on her shoulder, ready for the task.

Aurik watched as the rangers dispersed, each moving to their assigned roles. He couldn't shake the feeling that Victoria was hiding something important, and he was determined to uncover the truth.

He started to draft a warrant to enter her cottage to see what was in there, noting his justification to enter the property and praying to Kreditos for protection and judgment. It was the look in her face that got to him, and he thought back to when he had seen someone with that face before. And then he smiled, opened up his case, and flicked through the various books held in his mobile library. And then he found it, the set text for matters similar to this, Negotiations With Fiends, Fey, and the Farout.