Your group passes the afternoon somewhat uneventfully. Normally time spent relaxing in a tavern would bring joy to the adventurer's soul, but the events of the day have prevented that from happening.
An occasional look out the window reminds you of the explosion at the Great Hall earlier in the afternoon. The wisps of smoke continue to rise into the cloudless sky.
With a glance around the table, you realize that it is time to head back to the Enclave. You all rise at once.
Security around the Tharashk enclave has tripled since you left, and you are delayed somewhat at the front gate while a runner is dispatched to retrieve your sponsor.
A grizzled man approaches, walking with a crutch and much of his white hair burned off -- it would seem this man was caught in the blast and survived.
"Greetings, I am Nardon, please come with me."
He leads you to a squat building on the other side of the courtyard from the Great Hall.
Entering through the double doors, he waves you towards a large round table, covered with maps and documents, some partially to completely singed.
"Our House was dealt a serious blow today, and we still have no clues as to why or from whom. We lost 18 men in the blast. Most were young recruits from the mainland."
"Another blow to our House was the loss of Barrak. He was found in the ward south from here with a hole in his skull the size of a grapefruit, with his brain missing."
"Needless to say, we're at a loss of trying to fill in the pieces to this puzzle, but both of them have involved you to a certain extent, so I would suggest you watch your backs."
"I cannot even fathom who would have issues with a retrieval mission into the jungle, but it appears that there are folks who do not want this to happen."
He shakes his head.
"Anyway, we had expected to send a regiment of our hunters out with you, into the jungle, but most of them have been killed or greviously wounded, so we have to pare the force back down to the bone -- for we have lost many over the past month now."
"Ganyon will be joining you as a guide -- he has been on land down here for the better part of 10 years. He is a skilled tracker and survivalist, so he should have no problem taking you where you need to go. With him leading you, the Curse of the Traveler should not come into play.
"As you know, our house has lost several expeditions lately. All of them have been lost in the proximity of the Titan's Teeth -- which is a collection of giant ruins that stretch into the clouds."
"Our last dispatches from the teams have originated somewhere in that region."
"In the past, the giants have not bothered us, as we have not bothered them, but it appears that things have changed. What caused it, we are not aware of, or whether this is the act of a sole band of giants, or a larger alliance."
"Our scouts have noticed an increase in strange looking creatures -- not the normal denizens of Xen'drik, for we've run into all sorts of strange mutations of creatures, like lions in the desert with a camel-like hump on their back, to jungle pumas whose fur looks like patches of leaves."
"But these things look, well, otherwordly and unnatural... They have struck fear into the most hardened of scouts and warriors."
"It is week long journey towards the Titan's Teeth, give or take a day or two, depending upon the mercy of Xen'drik."
"Once there, we are most concerned with the recovery of bodies of the expedition leaders -- their value to the house is irreplaceable, and we have contracted with Jorasco to bring them back to from the great hunt."
"Do not worry about the transportation of the bodies back, for our house team will take care of that."
"We will be sending along a homing beacon with your group, so that we will know where your group is at all times."
"Extreme caution is to be employed, as you know, giants are formidable foes, when angered."
"They are ready to depart in the morning, and we have arranged lodging for your group at the Chapterhouse, which you are already acquainted with.
Do you have any questions?"
