The confrontation with Ravisin seemed cursed by bad luck on both sides. Despite a number of embarrassing setbacks, Ravisin was chased into the tomb proper and despite all her best efforts was defeated and rendered into a pile of snow.
Her shrub was thankful, and more thankful still after seeing the corpse of the cruel white moose. The shrub with no name informed our heroes that Ravisin and the moose were cruel masters, and that most other awakened animals served out of fear of retribution. It wandered into the woods to inform a crow named Germ that Ravisin’s reign had come to an end.
Among Ravisin’s belongings was a note she’d intended to send following the destruction of our heroes:
Yselm,
Auril demands that I return to Grimskalle to continue my study of the Codicil of White. In the meantime, Norsu has secured two youths from Dougan’s Hole named Silga and Finn. They already have a healthy suspicion of the ten towns and will be easy to convince to join our fold. Teach them our ways. I will return soon to escort them to Grimskalle and continue their path.
Sahnar, the awakened moon elf had begun to remember his former life and purpose, and decided to remain at the tomb in order to repair it, and protect it.
Back in LonelyWood, our heroes enjoyed the fruits of their success, having earned a well deserved rest in Nimsey’s attic, as well as more home made treats.
During evening libations, they also heard rumours of another adventuring group’s success – led by an old Goblin named Polee. Barrels of Mead were stolen from the town by a Verbeeg Giant. Polee and her crew waited for the giant to become inebriated and slew it, returning the remaining mead to Good Mead.
They also caught wind of a relentless blizzard parked over Easthaven.
In Brynn Shander, our heroes approached Duvessa Shayne to inform her of their success in dealing with the Ten Town Murderer. She brought a new issue to their attention – the Wizard D’zaan admitted before being burned in Easthaven that he was a member of the Arcane Brotherhood.
Duvessa remembers the days another member of the brotherhood – Vaelish Gant – arrived in Ten Towns to orchestrate threats to the alliance and undermine her leadership. Vaelish was apprehended by adventurers and through a deal with the Lord’s Alliance in the south, imprisoned for life in Revel’s end. She worries that other members of the brotherhood could be in ten towns to break him from the prison.
Our Heroes accompanied Markham to the Northlook Tavern to question Vellyne and her relationship with Dzaan. Feeling slightly threatened, Vellyne bowed out of the conversation to return to her home.
Lynnaea followed her as a small mouse, evading Vellyne’s owl familiar and spying on her, studying in her home while kobolds worked around her.
Lynnaea found the kobold’s quarters in a small home attached to Vellyne’s, and managed to question a kobold who was taking a break.
The kobold was open to questioning and happy to speak with a tiny mouse.
- Vellyne came to ten towns with 3 companions, and hired the kobolds.
- Dzaan was nice to the kobolds and played cards with them at the bar
- Nass was nasty to the kobolds, stole Vellyne’s ‘professor’ and killed two of the kobold entourage
- Vellyne brought these kobolds ‘back to life’.
Subsequent conversation with Vellyne, without the law’s presence, was also enlightening:
- The expedition began as a search for a Netherese city – one that the Professor was familiar with and could help locate.
- Nass was a ‘stowaway’ who followed Vellyne, Dzaan and Avarice to ten towns.
- The expedition fell apart after Nass stole the professor orb.
- Nass is a diviner who likely used the Professor’s information to locate their goal.
- D’zaan is a fool for killing adventurers, but always has an ace up his sleeve. Our heroes should be cautious if they follow his instructions. Vellyne is frustrated by D’zaan.
- Avarice went off to join some cult and abandoned the expedition to pursue her own path.