Julian Pendergast

Introduced himself as Senior Auditor for the Royal Order of the Gilded Ladle. Appeared on the logging road, blocking the wagon with a white pavilion tent. Arrived with 'assistants' in oversized clean white aprons who moved with military precision — later revealed to be Silas's men in disguise. Conducted a field audit of the Greasy Spoon while the wagon traveled; awarded it his Gilded Ladle seal of compliance just before his 'assistants' dropped their disguises and leveled spears at the party. Whether Pendergast himself is complicit with Silas or was also deceived remains unresolved.