"By the gods, yes. They came one night, some days ago. They wanted my help and when I refused, they locked me in that thing and tortured me."
Caromarc is happy to tell you what little he knows of the Whispering Way’s plot—they used the Bondslave Thrall to force the Beast to steal the Seasage Effigy (though he does not know why), and once they had it in hand, they immediately departed. Caromarc’s homunculus Waxwood overheard the cultists talking in hushed tones about the Shudderwood, the dark forest to the south and east, and Caromarc suspects that they may be heading for Ascanor Lodge, since that is the only island of civility in its deadly depths. Caromarc directs you to the Silent Path, an ancient hunting trail through the Shudderwood, now little more than a memorymarked in places by strange bone fetishes. Caromarc often used the trail himself when he was younger and had more energy to seek out rare plants and toxins, accessing the old trail about a mile downstream from Schloss Caromarc. If the Whispering Way did go into the Shudderwood, that is most likely the path they took.
"I thank you for saving my son and bringing him home to me. He is.. all I have left." He looks mournfully at the body of the woman floating in the glass tube nearby.
Risbeth looks at Sonny. "There is knowing..." She taps her temple. "And there is believing..." She taps her left breast with her right hand. "The two are quite often at odds."
Risbeth turns to the old man. "You are most welcome, I am afraid your house is in a worse state than when we arrived, we had to fight through some of your defenses to get here. Our apologies for blowing your screaming biting monkey heads apart. Oh, several of the team did find some valuables that the thieves missed, and we made sure to pile them all up in a nice little sack so they'd be safe for when we found you. We didn't want some nasty horrible thieves thinking they could steal from an old man who'd been kidnapped." She smiles beautifically while speaking, her usual slightly mocking tone quite obviously intended for thieves, whereever they might be...
The man shakes his head. "I am indebted to all of you for helping my son and saving me. Mere objects are replaceable. But, you do seem capable enough..." He seems to be considering something. "I would like to hire you, to go after these Whispering Way cultists. They way they spoke, the fervor, the zeal... It scares me. I believe they are contemplating something terrible and it must be stopped. I cannot... but I can pay for someone who can. The sum of 5,000 gold, delivered to you upon your entry into any bank of Abadar. I am the last of my line, the former rulers of this land. I bear a responsibility to the people, even if I have been less than beneficial to them."
The prof, lost in his thoughts from the time the Aberrant fell, eventually comes back to his senses.
"My dear Baron! What an astonishing creation you made! There marvel in your work, believe me! As an expert from Lepidstadt Academy, I would be most pleased if you told me a little about your... art and... researches! I have rescued a poor and helpless humunculus myself, you see."
He snaps his fingers and calls: "Norbert! Show yourself!" and the little snapjaw humunculus appears from a shadow.
Risbeth grins. "OH! Cute!"
"That is most generous of you! Well, it seems nobless obligee is still alive in this land! We have to return to a city anyway to resuplly. Please take care of our friend." With those words Caesare strokes the beast tenderley.
The Baron and the Professor are soon ensconced in a discussion of constructs and their creation and improvement.
Joining into the conversation Caesare listens intently.
You spend a pleasant night at Schloss Caromarc as the Count and his homunuculus servants prepare a fine meal for you. The next morning you pass the mob that left from Lepidstadt when you did. Apparently after enduring several fallen trees they raided a farm stead and stole a few kegs of dark beer. They're sleepily waking up while cursing their overindulgence. Once you announce that the Beast is beyond their mob justice, they quietly ask you to speak softer and head back home, moving slowly.
Once back in Lepdistadt, you find Judge Daramid. She listens to your tale and is pleased to hear the Count is alive but distressed to hear that the Whispering Way is involved. Daramid confides to you that she is a member of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye, a secret organization that, among other things, seeks to defend Ustalav from threats both within and without. Now that they know the Whispering Way was involved in the theft, the Order is greatly concerned with what the Whispering Way might be up to, as it is a death cult that reveres undeath as a means of transcendence, and has disturbing connections to the Whispering Tyrant, Tar-Baphon.
In addition, she introduces you to an adventurer who was recommended by a contact in the Order of the Palatine Eye and finally, pays you the 5,000 gp each she promised. After a trip to the Bank of Abadar, you retrieve another 5,000 gp from the Count's personal accounts, leaving you with 10,000 gp to spend in Lepidstadt.
After a few days of rest and shopping, Xerice and Zanu announce that they will leave your company. However, the new chap, a fellow named Harlequin, is quite excited to travel onward with you. So it is that you leave Lepidstadt, travelling southward through the Shudderwood...