Plans of the Villains:

1.    Lord Arcane is highly irritated with the PCs, both for killing his minions and routing Ventrifact so easily. He plans revenge, but indirectly:

a.    He “firebombs” the shops of Eric’s family in several communities (Marig, Elfort and Castleton, possibly). Messages to Eric’s mother warn her to prevent his “meddling” or face further repercussions.

i.    This should be a remote event, not requiring the PCs immediate involvement, unless they choose to go investigate.

ii.    If pcs do get involved, they will find that Marac’s other son Japheth is the one carrying out the activities in Elfort, and can lead them to the actors in Marig and Castleton. Messages signed with Lord Arcane’s insignia indicate the true source of the attacks.

b.    He sends another group of minions to deliver a slightly stronger message via Glade’s family. Her father goes missing, and the only clue is the strangers seen in the area for two or three days before.

i.    The kidnappers are working for/paid by Marac Eleron, via one of his sons who has been visiting temporarily. They dump him with another group of (possibly evil) strong but neutral-if-undisturbed monster types in the area – the rescue attempt could provoke these folks (BUT I don’t know who they ARE!) into anger at being disturbed.

ii.    Glade’s mother can indicate to her who took her father, and where they said they were taking him – they may not have said exactly where, but left a few easy clues to lead the PCs there.

2.    Lord Arcane is struggling to gain lost ground in and around County Highscar. He attempts to insert a new minion with the Baroness of Dene, thinking that since she is missing her husband she may need guidance. This minion is a cleric of Mikol but has been recruited by the Midnight Arcane.

a.    L A also wants to get a finger into the Count’s court, so when Lady Dene goes there in the spring (to make her plea to have her husband declared officially dead) the cleric will try to transfer to the Count’s court or bring in a second follower at that time.

b.    L A is now interested in arranging a marriage between the young granddaughter of Sir Trelig of County Ellegon with the Count of Cedarknot’s younger son. But the girl is only about 4, so such a marriage would be in name only for as much as a decade.

c.    L. A. does have a few minions in the Court of Count Sir Liam of Highscar. He decides that the best way to rid himself of annoying PCs is to both mar their reputations and try to have them arrested. He arranges the poisoning of a minor court official who made the PCs lives difficult on their arrival. Then he has the poison planted in the quarters of one PC.

d.    He also spreads plenty of rumors that the PCs are i) responsible for Baron Denbare’s death, ii) sleeping with the widowed baroness, iii) allied with monsters (ie the kobolds).

3. Lord Arcane, in his role as wizard of the Court of Count Theodred of Ellegon, has begun making plans to recover lost ground. He is weaving himself into the daily life and education of Elfeorawyn, Count Theodred’s great-granddaughter. He intends that the girl shall become his route to power in two counties – first by becoming Countess of Ellegon in her own right (she has no siblings at this time), and secondly by marrying the younger son of the Count of Highscar. (Three guesses on how long the older son would live?)

Who is L. A.? He lives in County Ellegon (the next county over from where the PC’s live), and is the Count’s wizard. Count Theodred is quite elderly (75) and somewhat senile so his son Sir Trelig does most of the duties of Count, while his grandson Sir Timor (a nephew of Trelig’s) acts as Greenvale’s Scoutmaster (he spends most of his time away and has nothing to do with this plot). L.A. is firmly in Theodred’s trusted circle, but possibly Sir Trelig is less fond of him. L. A. has made it clear that he is very fond of Sir Trelig’s young daughter and would make sure he was in charge of the girl’s education as she grew up to become a noble lady in two counties.

Events 2c from above in more detail:

    So:

1) Baroness recruits PCs to go with her to Count Liam’s Court in Cedarknot and petition to have the Baron declared dead. Since PCs were last people (except his guards) to see him alive, their testimony is important. They also helped search for him, and can testify that his disappearance was sudden, mysterious and in the face of danger.

2) Pcs arrive with Baroness, make 1st appearance before Count. This appearance is in open court. Baroness (by custom) does not announce her petition here, but merely makes her presence known to the Count. It is up to the Count to see her in private to hear her petition (or not). PCs meet the Baroness’ Cousin, who publicly treats them rudely. This cousin is the Count’s Castellan, and thus controls much access to the Count. He will have to carry the Baroness’ petition to the Count.

3) Baroness has dinner with Cousin. He again denigrates/ignores the PCs. He treats the Baroness almost like a child, and Glade the same way. He makes definite remarks about “a woman’s place”. He urges the Baroness to let him take on her burdens – he’s her nearest male relative, and she should rely on him totally. He then makes serious pass at her – possibly even gets physical – and gets thrown out by PC's.

4) Several days pass. Each time the Baroness goes to Court, the Count seems polite, but distant. The Countess is away in the countryside with her younger children.  Baroness's attempts to see the Count in private fail – the Count simply seems to be ignoring her.

5) PCs have another run-in with the Cousin. He publicly insults them again (insinuates that they had something to do with the Baron’s death/disappearance). The captain of the castle guard is a witness to this dispute. They meet his lisping under-castellan, who hints to them that they will never manage to get the Baroness in to see the Count.

6) The Baroness’s Cousin dies of poison. The poison used is a toxic green gas, delivered by throwing a glass sphere into his chamber.  Leman accuses PCs of having done it because of their arguments.

7) The leman of the Cousin claims she saw at least one PC in the garden near her lover’s windows in the hours before the poison gas attack. There’s no reason to doubt her word at this time, except the PCs know it is not true. She demands that they be investigated.

8) Guards search  PCs belongings/rooms reveals poison or at least evidence it was there (empty storage box, or similar)

a) PCs note there is a missing servant, track him/her down. He she reveals he was paid to place "poison evidence" in PCs belongings, but doesn't know by who.

b) servant dies (maybe not in PCs direct custody)

9) Count dismisses charges against PCs for lack of evidence - perhaps there are signs that the servant was killed by an intruder.