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As Markus, Dolcetto, and McBronzebottom leave Silverymoon, they notice several open-aired horse-drawn carriages full of families heading west, and hear excited talk amongst the children about "Whizzbanger" and how they can't wait to see it. Dolcetto magickally conjures three spectral steeds that whisk the adventurers quickly west towards the Evermoors. Several miles later, skirting the Silverwood, the adventurers see a small hamlet in the distance. There seems to be a festival atmosphere in the village, and on the far side several tents and market stalls have been erected. A large banner hung between two streets proclaims "The Whizzbanger Festival." Curious, Markus slows his mount long enough to ask a passerby what's happening. He's told that Wistof's Den is hosting the annual celebration mounted by Wizard Wistofson, and that there's games, riddles, treats, and more for children and grown-ups alike. Plus, Wizard Wistofson himself runs special contests for visitors. Markus is quite excited about the opportunity to have some fun, and Dolcetto quickly relents and agrees to find an inn so they can stay for the day.
Some time later, the trio of adventurers reunite and join a long queue that leads to a large, imposing house at one end of the village. People are laughing and smiling as they come out, often covered in feathers or soaking wet! When they reach the head of the line, the adventurers are greeted by Wizard Wistofson himself, a short man with a long white beard, a twinkle in his eyes, and a pointed hat covered in stars. He welcomes the adventurers and points to a large board covered with the cryptic names of games they can participate in. Markus decides to try one called "Poise and Noise." He's led to a large room and tasked to race another contestant around certain points while each balances a heavy tome on their head. Occasionally, a large horn blasts, and if a racer drops the book, he or she has to return to a designated checkpoint. The woman he's competing with wears heavy armor and has a crossbow looped to her belt, but she has terrible balance and keeps dropping the book! Markus wins the race easily, and receives a shiny ticket with a silver star on it, which Wistof says he can turn in later for a prize.
McBronzebottom decides to try a game called "Um Yumm Yumm," which turns out to be an eating contest--a perfect competition for a dwarf! His competitor is a rather stuck-up knight of some description who vomits first and therefore loses after eating just six sausage pies; McBronzebottom keeps going after her victory and chows down eight in total before getting sick. She too receives a prize ticket.
When her turn comes, Dolcetto tries "Ask Me a Question" and ends up in a riddle-answering contest against a half-elf named Denisio. The first contestant to fail three times loses. Dolcetto, a loremaster, is quite confident as Denisio seems rather nervous, but each contestant succeeds in answering several riddles. Unfortunately, Dolcetto stumbles one too many times and loses. She receives a yellow token, which can be exchanged for a consolation prize.
The three adventurers claim their prizes: Markus wins an arcane scroll with a few spells, McBronzebottom wins a brand-new wand capable of casting the spell Web, and Dolcetto gets a purse containing 50 gp. Wistoff tells the trio they've also earned a chance to participate in a special final event. In this game, twenty-six small treasure chests are arranged in rows, each bearing a number from 1 to 26. Dolcetto is told to take a chest but not to open it. Then, on a board, 26 values are displayed, ranging from a single copper piece all the way up to 50,000 gp! Dolcetto is told that each of the chests contains one of the listed values. Each round of the game, she's told she can select any chest but her own to be opened to see what is inside. After doing so each round, an extradimensional entity enlisted by Wistoff makes Dolcetto an offer to try to persuade her to take the offer rather than open her own chest. Dolcetto proceeds quite systematically, and initially her luck runs well as several of the smaller values are found early, leaving a good chance she may have 30,000 or even 50,000 gp in her chest. The entity offers her as much as 7,500 gp to walk away, but the loremaster is convinced her chest must be worth more and she sees the game through to the very end, refusing all offers. When the time comes to open her chest, however, she finds only 5 silver pieces inside!
The villagers watching offer sympathy to Dolcetto, and the adventurers return to the local inn. Markus gets into some shenanigans with McBronzebottom's wand, and the dwarf quickly decides to hand it to Dolcetto for safekeeping.
[16 Flamerule 1372]
The village is subdued the next morning, as everyone recovers from the frivolity of the festival. Dolcetto tries to persuade Markus to read a text on strategy, but the swordsman is not inclined to do so. When more spectral mounts have been conjured, the adventurers leave Wistof's Den and continue west. After several miles, they reach the outer edges of the Evermoors. They see that Silverymoon's army has erected some semi-permanent fortifications in the area to defend against incursions of undead. A battle-cleric of Lathander tells the adventurers that some intelligence is directing the activities of the undead in the Evermoors, and that the eastern portions are nigh-impassable. He says that only occasional small bands of undead have leaked out of the moors to date, and so Silverymoon's military has been largely redeployed to deal with a new challenge to the north of the city. He claims that every adventuring company that has entered the Evermoors has failed to return, bar one member who returned half-crazed but intent on returning to wreak vengeance for his slain fellows. Upon learning that this adventurer is a cleric, Markus lobbies Dolcetto to bring the man along. However, Dolcetto says they cannot be slowed down because their success depends on the speedy spectral mounts. The trio cross the fortifications and continue west, reaching the Evermoors proper late in the morning.
Meanwhile, that same day but to the north in the village of High Hold, the adventurers intent on reaching Nesme (Mellia, Cain, Fargrim, and Ralkin) have been confronted by more members of the Syndicate. This band of the criminal organisation is led by what Cain and Mellia recognize as a cleric of Beshaba. The cleric, Tyrone, strides up to where the adventurers are sitting and says "So, you're the lot wot done me boys in last night!" Mellia says they're just passing through and plan to leave in the evening, but Tyrone demands compensation for the loss of his men. Mellia asks him what proof he has that she and the others are responsible for their deaths. When Tyrone responds with a gendered curse, Mellia suddenly hurls a ball of fire at him! Before the off-balance cleric can respond, Ralkin sinks an arrow into his stomach and Mellia blasts him again. The cleric is incinerated in a flash, along with one of his companions. Barnabas shouts at the remaining member of the Syndicate to do something before the crazy adventurers burn down his inn. The thug, Tucker, is torn about whether to fight or flee. He decides to take up the group's offer to drag the body of his leader away.
After the split-second battle, Mellia grows woozy and faints. Cain catches her and carries her up to her room after diagnosing her with emotional exhaustion. When she's rested a little and recovered, the four adventurers quickly decide that it's time to leave. They debate where to go. Mellia suggests Startop Mountain to discuss strategy, but Ralkin expresses concern about orcs. Mellia responds that it's too dangerous to head directly for Nesme without a plan. Finally, Fargrim mentions the idea of Longsaddle, recollecting fondly about a cozy inn and the joy of watching frog-fights. Their way forward is decided, and Mellia grasps their hands and teleports them there, barely managing to sculpt the weave sufficiently.
The adventurers find themselves standing in front of the Gilded Horsehoe, the inn that has obviously been converted from an old barn. Fargrim strides inside and proclaims that "the heroes have returned!" Trappy Snulgers shouts "huzzah" and places a frothy brew on the bar, as nearby ranchers look up to see what all the fuss is about. They mock "the birdman" when Ralkin walks in, but quickly grow quiet as the heavily-armoured and intense Cain appears. After a mysterious conversation, Mellia goes to bed early. Before they know it, sunset has fallen on another day.
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