After sneaking behind a pair of guards who were engaged in a raucous conversation about which Plouffian ale is the best, Auriane and Marjorie Broussard arrived inside Yvette’s workshop. (Patreon)

As her eyes struggled to adjust to the relative darkness, the archer noticed that walls were hidden behind an eccentric collection of books, devices, jars, gears, and unrecognizable objects that littered the shelves. In the middle of one wall, the shelves were interrupted by a workbench desk covered in strange devices.

As Auriane looked around the room, Marjorie became intrigued by one of the objects on the desk. “Don’t touch anything!” the courier whispered. Although the stealthy archer was usually amazingly alert, she was so distracted that she was taken entirely by surprise.