While the rest of the party are away Zygomatic is resting in the inn, and dreams of a desert. As they travel they notice shadows growing longer, with one dark vain becoming clear, he follows this vein as the desert turns to night, then pure darkness, with ice slowly making its way up his legs. Checking his pack he finds only his armour, weapon and shield. He secures his shield as the ice covers him, then the cold pulls him forward. The sense switches to icy mountains, with the ocean in the distance. There are veins all around the area, leading to a dark figure covered in them, who tells him “There is strength in what cannot be seen. In shadow safety, patience and understanding, let it cover you”. The figure the reaches out, and the cold covers Zygomatic again, shocking him awake. In the corner the see a water dripping off their armour. He touches the puddle, and finds it incredibly cold. He feels an urge to inspect his armour, and finds it has grown darker, with a pattern of veins etched on it. While the rest of the party are making their way back to Umbra Haven Malum splits off. He says that he has spent too much time underground, and so will head straight back to Gearspire. We give him a copy of our notes on the cure, and he says he’ll make sure they are distributed, including getting a copy to Gearspun and his carers. The remaining pair soon reach the Haven, and check in on Zygomatic. He’s a bit shocked by the body of the Vordine we have with us, but is recovered enough to come with us to speak with Arkix. It takes us a little while to find Amber, who is able to show us the way to the meeting place. Arkix isn’t there, so we buy some drinks and take a table. Nearby are two individuals recognise from our last visit; an elf with a distinct ring made of the Dominion’s clockwork infused with the dark material of the Fetchlings and human with a burn scar on their face. They are wearing some fancy clothing that seems to be Dominion garb, but we think it’s a disguise

Zygomatic listens in to their conversation, and while they keep switching between languages he picks up that they have recently completed a mission, and one will return to the Dominion soon for intel. The human starts speaking about the plague, and mentions Malum, but we can’t get the full context. After 20 minutes Arkix arrives and joins us at our table. She compliments our success and the speed of the delivery, and takes the Vordine, and the blood samples from us, but Cailte holds a couple back. Caillte asks how long until the scale is due to arrive, and she says it should be couple of days, as it’s coming from the southern desert, via either the mountains or an underground city, but that the extract should be ready the next day. Zygomatic asks how the cure will be spread, and Arkix mentions that that have a network that can give it out based at her bar, but that they also work with the poorer groups. Caillte asks if they are aware of any other cases if the plague, and she says that they haven’t as yet, but it’s best to be prepared as if one person is infected it’s likely that others will be, and that the plague was never truly eradicated. She then advises if we’re worried about ourselves having been infected we should speak to a follower of the moon goddess. She then leaves, offering us more work if wanted. We then spend the next three days in the Haven, doing our own research while waiting for the ingredients to be ready.
Calitle spends his time speaking to the local Fetchlings want to know what the locals know about Ingenos. They tell him that rumour says that Ingenos is buried deep in the caverns below, but only the first few levels are explored, as people would get sick when they tried to get lower. There’s talk about troops that have been lost down there, but no-one is is a hurry to recover them. Some think Ingenos is a true god, while other suggest it’s a dragon, or a clockwork beast from out of space, or simply a remeant left by the dwarfs.

They’re not interested in it’s technology, as they prefer the use of magic, and so show their respect by leaving it alone. Zygomatic spend his time sneaking around listening for rumours, and learns that the Arcanum Steel Gardens has been attacked by the Infernals, with half the supplies being lost. This has lead to a shortage of food back at Gearspire. There’s also talk saying that some Blightwatch troops were sent to an Infernal camp nearby to prevent the attack, but failed in their attempt Nuhlra tries to find more out more about their clockwork arm, but doesn’t want to actively ask anyone. She remembers that the Sociality may have information, so goes to their hidden inn. After a while the Elf with the ring comes other to speak with her. He introduces himself as Lirien. He asks where she got her arm, and she says she’s not sure. She was hurt in battle, and when she woke up her arm had been replaced. He is obviously surprised by the story, and ask if she was willing to have the replacement, and she says she wasn’t given the chance before it was done. He mentions the Dominion may have used memory erase, and suggests she work with the Society, as they know what's going on, but can’t risk telling outsiders. He offers to pull up a list of when the experiments took place, and what parts were replaced, she offers her arm and he runs his hand over it causing his ring to glow. He confirms it’s an older model, but a resent cohort of test subjects. The Society have been trying to prevent the experiments on unwilling subjects, but haven’t made much progress. He says that the Dominion are trying to make the ultimate life-form by combining the powers of Solariel & Ingenos, which they think would be entirely made of clockwork. He says that if she wants to contact them in the future they’ll be available via the Riveted Tankard. She also asks about the clockwork men we found in the depths, to which he mentions that the Dominion are leaving their tech in places they shouldn't.