Morning comes and the party wakes up to find Sildar in the common room of the inn with someone else they don’t recognize.
Sildar beckons them over and introduces to them Daran Edermath.
Daran is a half-elf of some age; clearly over a hundred years old.
He was an adventurer and marshal that patrolled the Crescent Shores in his youth.
Came to Deepdale to retire
Became a farmer and has a small apple orchard.
Sildar explains that he must leave for a couple of days to speak with his superiors about the current events.
He restates his commitment to a reward for the party’s efforts.
He also pays the party the 50 gp he promised for their escort after the goblin incident.
He did not want to leave before the party was introduced to Daran.
Daran was made aware of the party’s mission.
He knows about the Redbrands but he’s too old to do something himself.
Unfortunately he does not know Grunden or his brothers.
However he is aware of troubles reported by ore prospectors
There are reports of them coming back wounded.
They had been digging to the northeast, further down the Boar Trail, near ruins that are called Old Owl Well.
Introductions made, Sildar excuses himself and leaves.
Brannus questions Daran about the possibility of there being arcane practitioners that can shapeshift, in Deepdale.
Daran has no knowledge of anything of the sort.
He also asks about the possible location of a castle in the nearby region, hoping to find Grunden’s location.
Daran is unaware of anything specific, but has no doubt that it might exist.
He explains to the party that the surrounding environs to Deepdale are very old and teeming with old ruins of ancient towns and strongholds.
The Boar Trail itself was once a much bigger trade route, now practically abandoned.
Beyond Deepdale, it veers to the north and crosses many of these remnants.
It eventually leads to a large abandoned town called Thundertree.
With the conversation done, Daran leaves as well.
As he goes, slowly, the party notices that he has a noticeable limp.
Eager to make some progress, the party decides it is time to meet the Townmaster.
They leave Stonehill Inn, but as they walk in the main square they are accosted by four ruffians in red-branded cloaks.
They were waiting for them.
One of the ruffians stands apart from the pack and barks insults to the party.
“We’ve heard you’ve been asking questions. I think it’s time you whelps leave!"
Dwolf interjects, but is insulted in return.
Brannus casts a cantrip, and the ground beneath their feet starts shaking.
The ruffians, feeling threatened, draw out their swords and a fight starts.
Kiara demolishes the main ruffian with a single blast!
Two others attack Sigmar and Dwolf, while the third is panicking.
Sigmar empties the life out of his attacker, and the party renders the other one unconscious.
The third one runs away, towards the Sleeping Giant.
During the fight, some villagers run away while others are drawn in by the action.
When it’s over some clap and shout approvals for the defeat of the ruffians.
Sister Garaele was nearby and approaches the party, to help.
She heals Sigmar and Dwolf.
She checks on the captured Redbrand, and wakes him up with salts.
Brannus tries to question the captured Redbrand, but all he gets is spit on his face.
Kiara takes a stab (not literally, but almost!) at putting some fear into him and succeeds.
The Redbrand is bold at first.
“This town is ours”
“You are all dead. Glasstaff will get you!”
Pressed further, however, he is more forthcoming with information:
The Redbrand’s hideout is under the manor ruins.
They have monsters on their side.
His description matches bugbears.
They have undead serving as guards.
There’s a back entrance in a tunnel.
They wonder about taking the cloaks and pretending to be Redbrands.
They ask if they’d be recognized.
The ruffian doesn’t know, but they do get “new faces” all the time.
They take what’s left of the three cloaks they have access to.
With no more questions to ask, they wonder what to do with the ruffian.
Garaele informs them that there’s a small jail in the Townmaster’s hall
They decide to take the prisoner there.
They enter the Townmaster’s hall, finding a well built – clearly bureaucratic – building mostly abandoned.
People should be working here but they are not.
Their path takes them to the main room of the hall where they find a large set of doors closed.
They knock and are eventually greeted by Harbin Wester, the Townmaster.
Harbin is a short, fat, human.
He pants and wheezes constantly.
He’s not happy to see the party and not forthcoming with help.
The sight of the Redbrand prisoner makes him nervous and uncomfortable.
He sweats visibly and stutters in his speech.
This man is terrified.
Pressured by the party, and specially at the mention of Halia and her influence, Harbin relents.
He agrees, clearly against is will, to lock up the ruffian in the hall’s jail.
He leads the party to a cellar that has been turned into a jail with three cells.
It seems decent enough, but Sigmar takes a bit of time to wonder if it should be reinforced.
The deed done, Harbin seems keen in leaving the party’s sight as fast as possible.
He does so, locking himself in his office.
The party chats for a minute or so, only to see Harbin peek out of his office again.
He seems more worried about “Orc troubles” than the Redbrand threat.
He offers 100 gold pieces if the party goes and deal with them.
Sigmar rolls his eyes at it, but agrees to listen to his “plight”.
To the north of Deepdale stands a crag that is a prominent landmark of the region.
It is clearly seen from the Boar trail
Apparently orcs have made camp around there and have been “threatening travelers”.
Harbin would like them to be ousted.
The party takes some note of this, but quickly leave.
They have more pressing issues, at this moment.
The matter of the Redbrand that got away is next.
The party walks to the Sleeping Giant.
They find a dilapidated wooden cottage, with a front porch, between other houses.
A few drunks lurk about, and individuals with red cloaks are outside.
One goes inside as the party approaches.
He quickly comes back and then, both go inside.
The party inquires the drunkards, as they ask for some change
To the tune of a few coppers, the drunkards warm up to the party
They don’t share much, though.
The Redbrands frequent this place, but they are mean people.
Hard to estimate their number, they all look the same.
The party goes inside.
The stale smell of sweat and alcohol assaults their senses.
No signs of Redbrands.
Just a small room cramped with drunks and lousy furniture.
They notice a backdoor across the room.
Sigmar and Dwolf ask for a pint of beer each.
They are overcharged on a bad, watered-down, drink.
Sigmar inquires to the barkeep about the Redbrands.
He has no problems admitting they frequent the place.
They never arrive alone, and come and go regularly.
The party leaves the place by the main door
They circle around the back to search where the backdoor leads
They find a trail that leads towards the hill where the ruins lie
Kiara and Brannus don the red cloaks and walk in front with Sigmar and Dwolf behind.
The path winds a bit, but leads them straight to the manor grounds without incident.
The manor itself was clearly a building of great standing in the past.
It is derelict now, however.
There are a few walls standing, but individual rooms are all mostly gone.
While on the grounds, the party investigates.
They find several dust tracks leading from the trails to a flight of stairs on what’s left of a kitchen.
The stairs lead down to a door, towards the underground.
They ignore the door for now and take more time to search around for the tunnel entrance they heard about.
It takes them a few minutes, but they eventually find it.
In their “Redbrand” marching order, they delve in.
The tunnel takes them into the side of the hill, and they walk in darkness for a moment until a sharp turn to the right reveals some torches on the wall.
They walk for a total length of about 20 to 30 meters.
The tunnel opens into a large natural cavern filled with a cold breeze.
A faint smell of decaying flesh is noticeable throughout.
Two columns support the cavern’s ceiling and seem to form the manor’s foundations.
A large chasm “slices” the area in two, with a pair of wooden bridges spanning it.
As they walk into the cavern, the party senses an odd “tingle”.
First Kiara, then Dwolf.
It’s not physical, it’s … in their mind.
Soon enough they are contacted by something, telepathically, that inquires who they are.
Their “Redbrand” ploy is seemingly ineffective on the creature.
It seemed to have a closer connection to Kiara.
Sharing a bond from the great beyond.
The rest of the party’s experience was more nebulous.
The creature probes the party as to their intentions.
In between warnings and veiled threats, it attempts to extort values from the party.
It grows restless and progressively more aggressive.
The party is not impressed.
It pierce’s through Dwolf’s mind.
Extracts intimate knowledge.
Threatens the dwarf with it.
But this only reenforces the ranger’s resolve.
It eventually gives up trying to communicate.
The party moves further in, now in battle formation.
The creature attempts to surprise them, but fails completely.
A fight ensues.
As the creature fumbles, Kiara binds a beam of crackling, blue, energy to it.
Sigmar rushes in and smites the foe in a powerful fashion.
The creature tries its best to overcome the party’s relentless attack but is defeated.
When combat ends, the party finally has a good look at the creature.
It was a nothic, a distorted aberration that craves magic and flesh.
The Draconus Dictum
