Stilgar goes to the Abbey to claim his prize, an enchanted adamantine breastplate, and attends the ceremony to get his reward, along with the winners of the other competitions, Sir Brelast of Impiltur  (jousting), and Seanthis Flamearrow, an elf in Alok Silverspear's company  (archery).  Stilgar spends some quality time with Lady Captain Ginra Inthal, administrator of the archery contest and follower of Tempus.  The two enjoy one another's company for a while after the presentation of the awards.

Grim tracks down  Kysanish Rhearhrd at the Adderposts and asks him why he is taking notes on various people and factions. Kysanish quotes a large price for Grim in order to give up some knowledge.  He lets Grim know that he is an information broker as well as an appraiser, and has learned some important matters.  For the right price, he is willing to let Grim know that shapechagers have infiltrated the Red Sword of Archendale's bodyguard.

Grim returns to Ilmeth's manor and tells Meriden and Haresk about the situation.  He has also found out that the shapechanges are likely to replace family members, including Naurvintha.  Meriden and Ilmeth go to inform Mourngrym and the Shadowdale contingent, Grim sends a runner to the Abbey of the Sword of scrolls of True Seeing, then takes Haresk with him to warn Randal Morn.  He also sends a runner for Stilgar.

Upon describing the shapechangers to lord Mourngrym, Meriden learns that the shapechangers are Malaugrym, shapechangers that are from the Plane of Shadows and are particularly vulnerable to silver.  Ilmeth gathers everyone in the meeting hall for an impromptu “celebration” and distributes silver jewelry to everyone, and Randal Morn's bards play their songs, increasing his agents chances to weed out spies. 

Stilgar, Meriden, and Grim manage to corner the Red Sword, who no longer has his bodyguards with him.  He does not know where they are at the moment, but when he tells the adventurers this, a teleportation circle trap goes off, whisking all of them off to a region in the Plane of Shadows.

The Malaugrym strike a bargain with the adventures, taking them far away from anywhere either of them have allies, and will battle them for the safety of the Red Sword of Archendale, who is currently in their clutches.  The adventures agree, and all of them are teleported to the Great Dale.

After wrapping a tentacle around Grim and electrocuting him, the first Malaugrym gets beset by Stilgar and Grim.  The other Malaugrym shifts to gain wings and reigns down magic missiles on Stilgar, until Meriden casts a ward on Stilgar making him immune to magic missiles as well as charm spells, which Meriden has just dispelled from Stilgar's mind.  Stilgar begins to pelt the Maulgrym with silver arrow, even as it resists Grim's flaming sphere spell.  Eventually both Maulgrym are brought low and killed, and the adventurers and the Red Sword wander the Great Dale until they encounter a band of plant creatures.

The creatures, the volodni, are impressed enough with Grim to let them live, and they even take the group to their leader, a druid, who casts a spell to take them back to the Standing Stone. 

The council is held over the extra days and the adventurers are rewarded for their efforts in securing the peace of the council upon their return.

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