As the party headed back towards ShadowReach they noticed a small fire with a lone figure in the distance. Before calmer heads could stop him, Gromm charged towards the lone figure. The figure wore strange black chainmail, formed to resemble an insect with spines along the arms and legs. As Gromm and the warrior traded blows, Tattel Tey tried to end the fight diplomatically, but soon realized the warrior was not alone as arrows were fired into the battle. The fight was short, but the group realized at least two of the enemy had escaped. The questioned the lone prisoner they managed to keep alive. He was human, Azahiir(oriental in look), and lied to his captors before asking for a Marik’s Contract. He told them his name was Bow, not really a lie, but also that the group had eight in it. Since the party didnt know what that was, he explained. It was a trade between prisoner and captor. In exchange for honestly answering eight questions as best he could, he would recieve his freedom and for at least one year avoid anything that would be against his captors. What they learned was they group that attacked them were from a group called the Mantis. That they were from ShadowReach and someone paid to have the group attacked. Once he finished answering the questions he was released, bowing and disappearing before their eyes. At this point the party started to quarrel amongst themselves, slapping and hitting each other as they argued. A laughter from nearby caught their attention and they realized a small figure was watching them, laughing at their antics. He introduced himself as Gimmishel, a gnome traveller heading for Glitterdome. They soon realized he was a bard as he began writing about the group. The gnome agreed to travel with the group as they were heading in the same direction. A short stop at a Gnomish town, Hiding Hole, before they continued to Glitterdome. Bidding the gnome farewell, they went to ShadowReach. Once inside the gate the group split up. Gromm took a set of the mantis armor to have to altered, Hodge went looking for information on the Mantis, and the spellcasters went after the book. A misunderstanding over the armor got the group in some trouble. Once they learned that the Mantis armor was illegal, and paid the fines, they were allowed to have the armor altered. While the rest of the group went to meet with Kalib, the man who was supposed to have information on Mantis, Gromm found his was into illegal pit fights under a tavern in the seedier part of town. Kalib, the tavern owner of the Silver Griffin, was a large and friendly man. Asking for 50 gold, he told them the Mantis picked up a “Warning Contract” paid for by Princess Kariya, and once they defeated that group of Mantis, they wouldnt come after them again. With this information in hand, they then went looking for Gromm and after winning some coin on the pit fights, they decided to partipate again the next day. Unfortunately for the group, the NO RULES part of the fights went to their heads, spelling up Tattel Tey before her fight, and then even more spells on Gromm before his. When Gromm came into the fight with six illusions of himself, the operators decided it only fair to have six opponents, sending in six carrior crawlers. Gromm was soon paralyzed and the group took things into their hands, using their magic on the beasts in the pit and angering the owner. After a savage battle, only Taryn managed to flee from the pit, the others falling in the area of the pit.