5. The Wood of Sharp Teeth

From what Stella can gather, the magic used to ward Aldous must be similar to the nondetection spell. That particular spell is normally reserved for students of arcane magic, but perhaps Viconia has been granted special access to it or similar magic through her worship of Shar. It certainly seems fitting for a goddess of secrecy to gift a spell that conceals its target from conventional magic.

Stella also thinks, considering how the material components of such spells are generally sprinkled over the target, that the countercharm in place on Aldous would affect his clothing as well.

Still, such magic tends to wear off over a day or so, and would need to be renewed periodically. Viconia could very well be somewhere in the camp, staying nearby in order to keep the countercharm active.

Either that, or there's a mage of some sort around here.

Tazok's tent is a large affair, and not just because it houses a formidable half-ogre. As her familiar explores the outside, Stella sees that it's larger than some houses she's seen. It seems to have some thick wooden beams holding it up.

Pausing near the rear of the tent, the sparrow finds another entrance, also guarded by a pair of bandits. The guards don't seem to give the sparrow more than idle glances. The sparrow does hear a voice that could belong to Aldous. It's hard to make out the words through the thick tent fabric, but he seems to be having a calm conversation with at least one other person - someone with a deeper voice than the young Silvershield. And then both voices pause to... laugh? It's a wry chuckle, heavy with weariness. Perhaps Aldous isn't the only prisoner here, and he's found someone to commiserate with.

"Quiet in there!" One of the guards, a Chill hobgoblin, smacks the fabric covering the entrance with his longsword. "Don't think you're so important Tazok will mind us taking a finger or two!"

The deeper voice within the tent returns the threat with a crude summary of what the guard could do with a finger, and the sparrow clearly hears laughter (mocking this time) erupt from the back of the tent. Yes, Stella is sure she hears Aldous' voice in it.

The hobgoblin guard snarls and lifts the tent flap to go inside, and the sparrow catches a glimpse of Aldous sitting on the ground, chained back-to-back with another man.

The sparrow flits quietly in on the hobgoblin's heels. Tazok's tent seems to be partitioned off in a few places by more of the thick fabric, effectively making separate 'rooms'. This one is small, and gives the hobgoblin guard barely enough room to aim some kicks at the two prisoners.

Aldous' laughter cuts off with a harsh cough as the hobgoblin plants a boot in his sternum, and the other prisoner, an orcish fellow, gets a similar kick to the face. Koveras grunts, then leans to one side and to let out a stream of bloody spittle. "When I get out, I'm killing you first, wretch."

The hobgoblin guard snorts and gives the half-orc another heavy kick for good measure, then leaves the tent to return to his post. Stella's sparrow slips out as well, and then surreptitiously makes its way back to where the party waits.