- During the celebration, the party overhears a discreet conversation between a **well-dressed courier and a cloaked figure**. - A Perception/Insight check reveals phrases like: _“…the House will support your petition in the Court of the Dragon Throne…”_ - If they follow up, they might discover the courier wears the colors of a **real Suzail noble house**. - This immediately raises the stakes: the Cult isn’t just in alleys, it’s in the court. ### Act 1: **Rumors and Whispers** - Tavern leads → players catch wind that at least one noble house is entertaining strange “advisors.” - A Purple Dragon Knight or War Wizard might quietly ask the party to investigate — since official channels are too slow/political. ### Act 2: **Court Intrigue** - Players get dragged into a **noble ball, council session, or masquerade** where the Cult is lobbying for influence. - They might need to duel in wit, politics, or even blades. (This is where your bard shines — persuasion, performance, deception.) - Evidence gathering: cultist correspondences, coded ledgers showing smuggling, or dragon-scale tokens in noble hands. ### Act 3: **Stormhorns Tie-In** - The Cult’s political push isn’t just hot air: they’re **backed by the red dragon** in the Stormhorns. - Nobles sympathetic to the Cult argue the dragon can be “appeased” or “bargained with” — but in reality, tribute is already being smuggled to it. - The climax could involve a choice: - Expose and ruin the corrupted noble house in Suzail’s court, or - Confront the cultists delivering tribute to the dragon before the alliance cements.