Beldroth's frequent absences are finally explained: he had been attending to the needs of a cult. He invites the party to come to a meeting, and they do out of curiosity. But for someone to come, someone must leave, dead or alive.
Beldroth follows fate through his cards and his patron (as a Warlock) through her calling. Both forces have aligned and have sent him searching in the city. He's looking for a group, and organization that believes in the great potential and power of magic, unaffected by the distorting lens of modern society.
He withdraws from the group. He spends his days and nights, walking, thinking, hoping for some signal of what to do. Something physical or spiritual.
Finally, it comes. He notices a small symbol, the number 121 in Dwarven script, carved into the broad door frame of a butcher, and there is a deep resonance with his psyche. He knows its a marker for the group he needs to find.
He waits all day paying close attention to everyone that enters and leaves. Nothing.
The next day he enters the store introduces himself to everyone. On the inside forearm of one of the butchers, a massive Dwarven male, is the same small symbol, small and discrete. Beldroth approaches and whispers to the Dwarf that he noticed the symbol, but his words are immediately cut off and the Dwarf gestures for them to meet outside the earshot of others. Beldroth complies.
The Dwarf says he can't talk here but is grateful to find someone who has the eye to spot the symbols. They aren't visible to everyone. He says that there will be a meeting soon, in seven days, and provides a description of the location. Beldrof mentions the rest of the party. The Dwarf says that they are welcome too. All are welcome who can pass the tests.
Beldoth makes a surprise group appearance and says that he has made a great connection with a group that can help them out, help them get onto the fortress. He says there's a meeting in seven days. They party agrees. They're still waiting around to attend to Ukhlar's invite and need to fill their time.
The party waits the seven days out and show up at right place and the right time, in front of a descending stairwell in front of a large home. At the base of the stairwell, a closed door. They descend, open the door, and walk in.
The short hallway opens into a large ballroom, mostly full of people milling about. They don't see Beldroth. The room is full of a sundry cross section of the town. Someone pulls the group aside, welcomes them, and asks them to wait in the wings of the room.
Voices die down, people begin to face the front, and a sermon begins. The party asks who's speaking and someone says Amelae.
She speaks of visions of vast forms and a coming cleanse, of good magic and bad magic, and of the chosen people in front of him. She's a captivating speaker.
She stops. Says that new people have joined and asks them to come forward. People begin to clear from the center of the ballroom as the party approaches. There's still no sign of Beldroth.
She says, four have come, four must leave. The math must be preserved. The calls out four names, and four people step out of the crowd. They're visibly armed.
She lowers her raised hand, and they attack the party in the open center of the room.
The battle is short. The party is victorious. The attackers are dead. Amelae says "welcome."
Edwyn is incensed and would likely attack Beldroth if he knew where he was. They don't know if this was a setup or a genuine attempt by Beldroth to help.
The ballroom clears out and soon the party is the only people left. They thoroughly explore the space. At the front of the room is a locked side door. They pop it open and walk in.
Behind the ballroom wall are stairs and other theater equipment. Orryn climbs up. As he reaches the top he notices that there are several small holes that look into the ballroom that wouldn't have been noticed from the outside. The party doesn't notice evidence that someone had been there, but it does concern them.
It's a mystery. They need to find Beldroth. There will be another meeting and the feel like they need to go.