I wonder how he got in there in the first place.
Out of the idol comes an old looking weakened man who must have been in there for days, if not weeks. He looks relieved but also worried.
Darius walks over to him. "Here, let me help." and carries the man to a spot to sit all the while using his healing hands to rejuvenate the man.
Then Darius gives the man some water and some of his rations and wraps him in a blanket.
"Can you tell us what happened here?" Darius asks calmly.
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Caromarc takes the offered seat and the provisions. after taking a few bites he starts to tell what happens. "A necromancer from the Whispering Way - some Auren Vrood - came here with his entourage. They overpowered me and used the Bondslave Thrall to steal the Seasage Effigy from the University. And when they were done they put me in the idol to die a long and horrible death. Waxwood fed me water through the slits. Otherwise I would have perished long ago."
"Interesting, The Whispering Way you say, I have never heard of them. Do you know anything more of them?"
Stam will Sit next to the man, offering him some of his rations.
Count Caromac, I presume?
Are you the one who has been making these monsters and is responsible for the Bondslave Thrull?
Count Caromarc wants to share the little he knows about the Whispering Way but with Grergof's question he is as if struck by lightning. "Ehh, ... yes. But the Whispering way, who abused this is for sure working on some evil plan. Waxwood heard something about where they want to go next."
Well what can you tell us about Vrood and the Whispering Way?
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"This Vrood is a powerful wizard. Even my guards had no chance to stop him. But he also caught me off guard. They are an evil cult that reveres undeath and has disturbing connections to the Whispering Tyrant Tar-Baphon." Caromarc explains.
"The plan of these evil cultists has to be stopped. I'll reward you generously for saving me. I'll pay each of you 100pp. But if you go after them immediately, I'll double that. I mean not now. You need a rest and a meal too. But tomorrow." he suggests.
"Waxwod heard them talk about going to the Shudderwood next. The only thing in all of this wood is the Ascanor Lodge. I can tell you how you get there. It's via the Silent Path. An ancient hunting trail through the Shudderwood, now little more than a memory marked in places by strange bone fetishes. It's the most probable way they went."
"Thank you for your hospitality, we have already stayed a night in your rooming house. I must say you have some interesting items in your home. ALso who brought the trolls? There were Trolls guarding your front gate, and goblins."
Stam will pace around the room, thinking
"I know nothing about trolls. They must have come after the Whispering Way left." Caromarc replies. "Shall we move to the Manse? It is much more comfortable there."
"That is a sound idea. Here, lean on me while you gather our strength." Darius says and helps the man walk the rest of the way to the manse.
As they head back Grergof wonders aloud:
Is there a town on the way to this Shutterwood? I could really us some better armor. The bugs that were lose in your alchemist lab really did a number on my old armor.
"No. There is only the lodge." Caromarc replies.
Sorry about the destruction, there were quite a number of released creatures. Did you have an air elemental guarding the bridge? It gave us quite the fright
"Yes. Sorry about that. Under normal circumstances you'd be guided to the entrance and the door would be opened for you. It is in place to repel intruders who circumvent the gate house."
"We did go through the gate house, that is where we meet the Trolls and Goblins. None the less this has been an interesting adventure to your home, it is well protected to say the least."
Stam will plop down in a chair, lighting the pipe he "borrowed," turning to the count "This is one of yours, do you mind if I smoke?"
The Count starts speaking but the small pause igves away that he changed his mind. "No, no. You're welcome."
"Under normal circumstances you would have been greeted by the guards deployed at the gate house and they would have led you to the manse. But I guess the poor fellows were slaughtered by the whispering way or fled."
"Did you find anyone still alive in all of this? There were three engineers to rebuild the lab building and the bridge at the time."
"No Humans that were alive, although I don't remember seeing any bodies either so the may have fled." Stam takes a puff off the pipe.
"What do you plan to do no Count?" Stam pulls out his spell book and looks over it.
"I don't want to think about that now. It will take forever to fix all the damage." Caromarc sighs resting his forehead on his hand.
We honestly tried to do the least amount of destruction we could, it was all the released monsters that did most of that.
Oh by the way, in the flooded areas, be careful, we left some nasty creatures alive. We only really killed the vargouils as we searched for you and the beast.
Unfortunately, I have no skill with engineering. Spugnoir sighs. It seems the only real thing we can do is follow this Vrood.
"So you accept my offer and go after them?" Caromarc asks.
Spugnoir looks at the others. I have no objections.
"We could go to Lepidstadt together tomorrow. I would give you the money at the bank and you could get a replacement for the armor you lost." Caromarc suggests directed at Grergof. "And I could commission some repair work to get at least the gate house restored. And hire some new guards."
"May I borrow some of your alchemical ingredients? I would like to create a few extracts to get myself back into shape again." he asks Spugnoir.
"I do yes, I think my friends here have more of a reason to as well"
Stam puffs away on his pipe.
Spugnoir hands Alpon an extract of CMW and allows him to mix up from extracts.
That sounds like an excellent plan to me.
And thank you for your generous hospitality. I imagine this has been a trying time for you. I know that seeing my home in such a state would have been hard for me to take.
"Thank you for your empathy." Caromarc replies to Grergof.
He refuses to take the extract but samples from Spugnoir's Alchemist's Kit the materials needed to make his own extracts. He fetches his thick and well used formula book and some vials for that. Working his alchemy he comes up with several extracts of lesser restoration and cure potions that bring him back to his former self. "Is one of you still hurt?" he asks offering extracts to fix that if neccessary.
He prepares then a meal and tells of his problem, that his magical servants are not able to do so. After a delicious meal all go to bed to get the much needed rest.
On the next morning after breakfast he leads to Lepidstadt and pays everyone the promised 200pp plus some more for Grergof as compensation for the lost chain mail.
Then he suggests to meet in two hours again in front of the bank so everyone can run some errands.
As you meet again Caromarc as bought a coach and two horses as well as hired a coachman. The way leads back past the Schloss and to the start of the Silent path at the border of the Shudderwood.
"Thank you very much for saving my life again. And thank you that you're taking on the hunt of these evil guys." Caromarc tells as it's time for good bye.
Thank you sir. This is most generous.. Grergof says as he accepts the lesser restoration potion and the extra gold.
May the gods smile upon your rebuilding effort. Your museum of creatures is a great treasure. I hope that you are able to show it to others someday soon.
One more thought sir. Do you know what we might face in the woods we at heading to?
"There is all kind of scary wildlife there. It is mostly untouched nature. And there are diehard rumors about werewolfs. But who knows? I've never met much of it on my few travels to the Ascanor Lodge." Caromarc replies.
On departure he hands you a letter. "This is an invitation into the Lodge signed and sealed by me. It is not the formal procedure but it should be accepted there."
"Thank you for your kindness, we shall continue to hunt those who have wronged you."
Stam will go off to the college to find a couple of spells to fill out his book.
Spugnoir will bu another wand of CLLW (750) and a Forumula of Heroism for his book (210) plus brew a few potions.
While this might be some people's idea of a relaxing place, I've always preferred being out under Sarenrae's bright eye.
While I hope for a quiet journey, I fear past history has not given me much confidence in that... Do you remember last time we entered the forest we met that evil light and the spider... maybe we can hope there are unicorns in here keeping the peace?
"And not dead children" Stam says while puffing his pipe
Be sure to pack antitoxin.
Spugnoir mutters. There are creatures in the trees.
Grergof whispers back:
Where I don't' see them... as he continues to walk down the path.
Spugnoir stops. Let us stop and have a cuppa tea why don't we? A little rest right here sounds good. Spugnoir gets out some things and mutters. Over in that direction, he waves a pot around.
"Not sure what they are"
Grergof stops and comes back, after hearing what the others said he loudly says:
Do you want me to get firewood for your tea?
If the others indicate yes, he will walk in the general direction of the things in the tree and try to see if he can see them
"I could just try burning them out of the trees, although it would make a large explosion."
Stam smiles a little