Chapter 11

After a failed stealth mission to town hall results in an explosion that kills the gnome collateral and destroys the building, Carl's group narrowly escapes the pursuing camel guards by using a summoned frog creature as a decoy. They learn the gnomes will retaliate against the city if proof of collateral isn't provided daily, and they must now contend with both the approaching sandstorm and the revelation that changelings have infiltrated the camel population.

Carl's team attempts to infiltrate town hall but is discovered when camels launch explosives at the door. After using hobgoblin bombs to cause secondary explosions and covering their escape with a smoke curtain, they summon a beanbag creature—a level-15 grulke frog from Bautista's inventory—and have it hop out of town to serve as a false scapegoat for the attack. Donut uses her Hole spell to create an exit, and they puddle-jump down the street to safety, passing off their sudden appearance as bar patrons to a curious camel named Emerald. Katia warns them the deception won't hold; the town will eventually discover there are no other frog creatures in the area. A camel named Emerald reveals that if proof of collateral (a gnome) isn't delivered daily to the gnomes, the town will be bombed like the Bactrians were. Carl realizes they've likely triggered the same consequence by destroying Wynne the gnome. The group sends Louis and Firas to a saferoom and meets with Morris and Bobby from the subterranean quadrant at the Desperado Club. Morris explains their quadrant is a maze leading to the Crypt of Anser, filled with traps and undead creatures. They failed their map quest when they accidentally killed a Bactrian camel NPC guarding one map, then Carl beat them to the second map in the air quadrant. Morris mentions Quetzalcoatlus, the non-corporeal ghost wife of the dead emperor Anser, whom they've been tasked to kill but cannot because she's immaterial. He also reveals creatures in the crypt are trying to resurrect her by obtaining a spell to give her physical form. Carl offers to share Katia's map of the crypt in exchange for cooperation. Before leaving, Carl receives two new sponsor notifications: a Silver Benefactor Box from The Open Intellect Pacifist Action Network (a non-profit group) and Donut receives a product sample from Veriluxx RealPet Companions. Loita informs them Donut secured the highest sponsorship bid in series history and that Donut and Carl will appear on an infomercial-style program in six or seven days, while Katia will do a separate interview on 'Dungeon Sidekicks.' The chapter ends as Carl returns to the saferoom as the sandstorm arrives, having received his benefactor boxes.