The Westgate Campaign Chronicles - serial

[Carlo-One]

The sun had arced across the sky some more before Darrow finally made the planned rendevous at the Black Boot. (Another point in favor of this chronicle being an accurate reflection of the events contained herein. Bardic sagas rarely feature extended periods of waiting while various adventurers get their business sorted. --R) The dwarf informed his companions that Jandrico Swift had helped assemble all of the brewery supplies needed, as well as arranging for two drivers and wagons, waiting outside the South Gate to accompany Darrow to Tallwell. When asked if they were ready to hit the road, the others were not quite as enthusiastic about the prospect of the wagon journey. Aerikoth explained that the three of them had discussed the possibility of going to Starmantle, then meeting Darrow’s caravan when it arrived in Tallwell.

The dwarf had no problem with this, saying he would accompany the carts, but asked why they were heading to Starmantle. Dermot and Shanni mentioned unfinished business and potential opportunity there, although the ranger also said he preferred the thought of them sticking together, while the petite rogue thought the magical mystery could always wait another tenday. The group eventually decided it would be best to first see about transporting the brewery supplies to Tallwell.

As the adventurers made their way across the city, Darrow mentioned that Jandrico had told him they should not expect to have rooms open at the Gatereach the next time they stopped in, as business was picking up. However, the new guest house was almost done and the innkeeper would be willing to lease it to them – assuming it didn’t burn down again, the dwarf added. (As the recently defeated Fire Knives were apparently responsible for the original destruction of the first guest house, hopefully that shall not occur again. --C) Dermot wondered out loud if they could afford it and was reassured by a cheerful Shanni, who patted her purse.

Passing through the South Gate, the four were spotted by two ox drovers, waiting by their pack animals, who introduced themselves as Hal and Lally. They seemed ready and willing to head out with the adventurers, although Aerikoth’s wizard staff earned some side glances. Darrow, who they recognized as the boss, assured the drovers that there would be nothing to worry about in getting to Tallwell, with his crew along. Lally mentioned they had no idea where this Tallwell place was, but they would follow as long as they were paid. They had been told it was located “off-road” so carts would not be a good idea, hence the pack oxen. (A most prudent measure. Traveling cross-country on wagons is painful enough when a road is available, and the path to Tallwell was described as wild country with thick forest. --C) Meanwhile, Dermot successfully made friends with an ox.

 

[Carlo-One]

The small caravan had been traveling on the road for two hours when they had their first stop. Hal made sure to rope the oxen together so that they wouldn’t run off, he said, in case they met any wild animals. The adventurers’ innate sense of danger led them to carefully check their surroundings before moving further along the forest road. It was Aerikoth who first spotted a group of worgs to the south.

The wizard warned the drovers to stay with the oxen as Shanni eeped and loaded a crossbow bolt. The beasts, smelling prey, quickly loped towards the oxen as the group engaged. Some of the beasts made it past the front line of defense, despite Darrow’s vicious axe swings and archer support, but were then surprised by Aerikoth’s summoned bear and mauled to death. The drovers Hal and Lally had pulled out clubs to protect their animals; after calming down from his battle rage, Hal complemented Aerikoth on his bear. The wizard was nonetheless not amused, narrowing his eyes at Lally and scolding them for not listening earlier to the wizard’s directions to stay out of the way.

Dermot went over the area for beast spoor, finding traces of the worg pack but no other predators. Aerikoth dismissed his bear and Hal successfully calmed the oxen down, with the other animals gone. After another six hours of travel, the group reached the Turnton/Glees fork. By this point it was nighttime and snowing, which was both unexpected and unwelcome for most, although Dermot was unfazed by it. Complaining about the weather, the drovers indicated the animals would also need rest soon. Darrow conferred with Aerikoth and it was decided to head for the village of Glees, since the wizard did not have a secure shelter spell prepared and it was not much farther.

Outside the village inn, the drovers roped the oxen to a nearby tree as the adventurers entered the building in search of rooms. Inkeeper Undt was pleased to see them, especially Aerikoth, welcoming him again to the establishment. Bustling about, Undt made sure all four rooms were ready for occupation. Shanni, grumpy from the cold and snow, asked which was the warmest and was told she was welcome to see for herself. She also asked if there was a hot bath and was cheerily informed there was a bath.

As Undt went outside to check on the drovers, Darrow and Aerikoth discussed their recent stint acting as caravan guards, which the wizard dryly noted was not his original expectation of what he would be doing after sacking Cormaeril Castle. The dwarf found this amusing, also observing that their enemies would not expect it either. They also talked of improvements that could be made on the road to Tallwell, as Darrow pondered what could be done in that respect via the Mercenaries Guild.

(This seems like a natural place to put down some thoughts on the Cormaeril Castle matter. I am in fact surprised that my predecessor as senior initiate, "R", had not yet done so by this point in the narrative. I wonder at the reason. Perhaps his practice of engaging in commentary only after having read through the entire chronicles has something to do with it. That would therefore imply that the matter is not, in fact, fully resolved. He indeed has shown care to not bias any subsequent readers - in this case, myself - with too much foreknowledge. In any event, the chapter so far has seen the effective destruction of one of the main Houses of Westgate, albeit one populated by recent Cormyrian exiles, by the adventurers known as "Helm's Shadows". The Fire Knives assassins, hidden within the House, also have apparently been eliminated, with the exception of their leader Tagreth. Although this outcome sprung more from past conflict with the party, whose guest house at the Gatereach Inn was burned down by Cormaeril agents and who was targeted by a squad of Fire Knives assassins, it cannot help but have greater repercussions in Westgate. Losifan Urdo at the Mercenaries Guild alluded to this, also highlighting that the castle itself might be up for sale. Perhaps it could even end up being the new stronghold for the adventurers. However, it seems they find themselves far from such concerns at this point. --C)

 

[Carlo-One]

Innkeeper Undt got his guests settled, with Hal and Lally gratefully taking one of the rooms. Darrow ordered an ale for bedtime and trundled upstairs, while Dermot preferred a mulled wine to take the edge off the cold; Aerikoth followed the ranger’s choice. Meanwhile, Shanni had discovered that the bath in her chosen room was not warm, but at least was not as cold as outside. Dermot and Darrow shared quarters, with Aerikoth occupying the last of the inn’s four rooms for the night. Tired from their journey, the adventurers easily fell asleep in their respective rooms, despite Darrow’s snoring.

The morning of Ches 24, Dermot was up shortly after the sun rose, waking his grumpy dwarven companion, who complained about the light, then stomped downstairs only to return shortly afterward with a half full ale glass in his hand and a sour expression. Dermot and Shanni wandered downstairs in hopes of hot food, while Aerikoth and a still-grumpy Darrow spoke about preparations for the next stage of their journey.

Undt managed to conjure up some hot porridge for the group and found a bit of honey to sweeten its taste, at Shanni’s request. He mentioned that the drovers were outside tending to the animals and excused himself, saying that he would make sure they were fed. When the innkeeper returned, Darrow asked if he had heard of how dangerous the way to Tallwell had been lately. Undt replied that there had been a couple of loggers from Tallwell who had ventured to Glees, but otherwise not much traffic from that way. The trail was still overgrown, he also warned, but at least it was better than it had been previously.

Darrow shared that he was planning to start a brewery up there, which appeared to satisfy the innkeeper’s pent-up curiosity about their business. Undt said that if he could get good quality brew, he’d be happy to be a customer, also commenting that it would be another reason for folk from Turnton to stop in the village. Darrow replied that they would see how the first batch turned out, and if it was to the innkeeper’s liking, they could make arrangements. Of course, who wouldn't like a Dwarven brewed ale, he rhetorically asked.

 

[Carlo-One]

The adventurers finished up their breakfast, Dermot scraping out a last spoonful of porridge and gobbling it down before heading outside. Darrow threw on his armor and joined the others by the oxen, as Hal and Lally got the animals ready to move. Lally observed that they usually weren’t so friendly with other people, as Dermot patted an ox and Shanni rolled her eyes at the touching display. As they started north towards Tallwell, Aerikoth cast a stoneskin spell on Darrow, to provide protection against any wild beasts encountered.

Once into the forest, Lally pointed out to Hal that his ox looked like it had a lame hoof. The drovers inspected the animal as Darrow guarded them and Dermot used his senses to detect any possible danger. Aerikoth warned that the longer the beasts remained, the more likely they would attract predators. Lally informed them that one of the oxen had a stone bruise on its hoof, but should be all right after a short rest. Shanni took the opportunity to stealthily slip away into the forest. She returned after a while, having found what Dermot recalled as a former manticore cave, but was currently unoccupied. Aerikoth observed there was the possibility of a creature moving in there at some point. (The wizard's logic often proves prescient, this being another example. --R)

To pass the time, Lally asked about the cargo and was informed by Darrow that he was setting up a brewery in Tallwell. The hin drover, who mentioned that he was originally from Luiren, said he’d been in Westgate for a while, but had never heard of Tallwell, nor had Hal, who’d been born in Westgate and lived there all his life. Darrow said that between the brewery and a new road, he was hoping to make the town more of a mark on the map. Lally was all for any place with new supplies of dwarven ale.

Dermot attempted to help the injured ox, but the beast just wanted to be left alone for a bit, as Hal explained. The ranger decided to give the forest another look, bringing Shanni along with him. Once they returned, the small caravan was ready to go and they moved out into the woods, heading east, with Dermot flanking them on the north and Shanni on the south. At a forest pool, Lally stopped to water the oxen, being warned by Darrow not to dally too long, as there might still be things around that saw the animals as lunch.

The dwarf’s words proved to be prescient, as a pair of owlbears suddenly emerged from the trees, attracted by the oxen’s scent. Dermot cried a warning and Aerikoth immediately summoned a bear in response. Darrow charged the nearest owlbear with a war-cry and his axe Haelgrim sliced clean through one of the magical beasts’ beaks, sending it flying. The other one was quickly put down as well, with no harm to the oxen. Shanni, attracted by the sounds of fighting, returned from her scouting and appeared puzzled by the corpses of the strange aberrations. Before getting the skittish oxen moving again, Aerikoth had to unsummon his bear.

 

[Carlo-One]

The remainder of the journey to the western outskirts of Tallwell was unventful. As they reached the first farmhouse, Aerikoth observed that it belonged to the Winnfall family, whose son Aratae for a brief time was a comrade in their company. (Aratae's story was a sad one, his head being delivered to the others in a box, after being tortured to death by the self-styled "Duke" Hallton's men. It is good to see that his former companions have subsequently done what they could for his village. --C) Seeing a small herd of cows out for pasture, Lally asked if they could put the oxen there as well, while Shanni needled Dermot about going to talk to them (the cows, not the family).

Darrow went up to the farmhouse door and knocked. It was soon opened by Garens Winnfall, who greeted the dwarf and welcomed Aerikoth. Darrow offered to pay for pasturing the oxen, explaining that they were carrying supplies to set up a brewery in town. The farmer said he welcomed the business, mentioning that times were hard but he would take good care of the animals. He also thanked the party for their defeat of the Beast, the bandit lord who had occupied the old Hallton manor. Aerikoth queried if any others had taken up residence there since his renewal.

In reply, Garens asked if they had not yet heard about Hallton’s ghost. The farmer went on to explain that it had killed two of Baron Pahar’s guards and screamed a bloody warning to the rest to leave the manor. The men, fearful for their lives, would no longer go near the place. The wizard found the tale intriguing, commenting that Hallton’s residence was something of a magnet for problems in the area, while Shanni evinced some skepticism. Darrow, ever-practical, reckoned that they should sort it out, ghost or not.

Asked if there were any other news, Garens mentioned that the local woodsmen were starting to trade again, which was good for business, despite the thin market in the village for their logs and such. More construction work would be welcomed, such as for the brewery. Aerikoth and Darrow also raised the idea of making a decent road through the forest, which would provide employment for the woodsmen. The grateful farmer said he would see to their animals and the drovers, while the adventurers continued into town.

 

[Carlo-One]

At Aerikoth’s suggestion, their first stop was at the barracks, to visit the leader of Baron Pahar’s guards. Darrow knocked on the door and entered, being greeted warmly by Guard Captain Calen, who immediately inquired if they had come about the ghost. The dwarf said he had just heard about it and planned to look into it. Aerikoth then asked the guard captain to tell them what he could about it.

Calen, after a glance at his men clustered in the rear of the barracks, described how the previous night they had two guards stationed outside on the manor perimeter, with the rest staying inside out of the rain. In response to a query from Shanni, the guard captain explained that although there was no specific reason to keep a watch outside, with nothing around the manor hill, he had insisted on it as standard protocol. He called the manor a source of evils, which Dermot contradicted by saying it was just bricks and tile.

After the interruptions, Calen continued by relating how when the morning shift guards had gone to relieve their comrades, they were found with their throats slit and warnings written in blood next to the bodies. The guards came running back inside, only to see blood being drawn upon the walls of the manor itself, warning that Hallton had returned to claim it. Calen believed it was indeed a ghost that wrote those words, for no hand had been seen drawing them. Aerikoth bluntly asked whether a ghost had slit his men’s throats, while Darrow suggested it could have been someone invisible, even someone who might have hopped through a gateway.

Apparently unwilling to further debate the matter, the guard captain lowered his voice and described how his men had panicked and now refused to return to the site. He described them as good men who had seen battle, but not ghosts killing in the night. Looking shamefaced, Calen admitted that the two dead guards were still there. He asked if the adventurers could at least recover the bodies, which would put him in their debt. He said he had convinced his men to stay on in Tallwell for the time being, but was not sure how long that would last. The manor was too close for comfort and some spoke of a curse on the land.

Aerikoth stated that he was starting to believe, from the information given, that this was not the work of a ghost; a ghost would act differently, if what the wizard had read were accurate. Dermot volunteered them to recover the fallen fellows, earning a grim nod of assent from Darrow and a disturbed look from Shanni. After some speculation about what they might find, Calen said he would tell the others about the adventurers’ plans, which hopefully would ease their minds, and gave them a farewell salute. (It might be easy for those who read these chronicles to feel superior in their logic and knowledge, and so to dismiss the fearful tale of a ghost as that of uneducated, panicked soldiers. I would first query any such reader whether they had seen the bodies of comrades slaughtered as their companions slept and bloody warnings scrawled on a wall, appearing before their very eyes. Reality is not so easy to deal with, in contrast with the comforting distance of events that are but words on a page. --R)

Outside the barracks, the topic of fighting ghosts was discussed, Aerikoth saying that it could be done with magic and enchanted weapons, which did nothing to improve Shanni’s mood since she had neither. Darrow offered to lend her some magic arrows, while Dermot reminded them that the business at hand was to collect the fallen lads. Aerikoth expressed his curiosity as to if it were a true ghost, or just something or someone frightening off the guards, which is what Darrow thought was the case.

The coincidence of the ghost appearing the previous night, when the night before that House Cormaeril had fallen, was not lost on either the wizard or the dwarf. Aerikoth remarked that he thought a skilled assassin could make an appearance as a ghost if needed. In response to a question from Darrow about a mage being responsible, the wizard pointed out that a potion or ring as well as a spell could be used to render the person invisible. He also recalled to the group that Hallton had been supplied by House Cormaeril in the war against Baron Pahar, some nine months past, and there was a portal in the cellar of the castle that was used to transfer supplies to Hallton magically. Shanni observed that Aerikoth must be thinking someone had skipped through the portal, as indeed the wizard did. Darrow also pointed out that if Hallton were to have come back as a ghost, why would he have waited so long after his death.

 

[Carlo-One]

By this point even Shanni, albeit reluctantly, agreed that they should try to unravel the mystery at Hallton manor. Aerikoth reassured her that this time they would not have to “whoosh jump” inside again and could use the front door. (The party's choice to teleport inside the manor to attack the Beast was the source of much vicious contention, even after its success. This time it seems a more reasonable discussion took place, likely with the previous experience in mind. --C) The wizard made some further observations to support his theory that it was not in fact a ghost at the manor, including the fact that the dead guards were killed outside the manor, instead of the men inside the supposedly haunted structure, and that ghosts could kill with a touch and would have no need of weapons to cut a throat.

Darrow wondered if they should stop by the mayor’s house, or if it would be best to head for the manor immediately, while there was still daylight. Aerikoth felt it would be appropriate to let the mayor know they were there, noting that the manor was roughly an hour and a half journey east from the town. The wizard confirmed that he had his magical shelter spell prepared, if needed while they were outside the town. While the others headed to talk to the mayor, Shanni decided her time would be best spent plying the guard captain for more details on the occurrences at Hallton manor.

Mayor Haman Amraphel answered soon after Darrow knocked on his door and welcomed the adventurers inside, asking if they had heard about the ghost. Dermot indicated they had heard about it a lot, all of a sudden, receiving in return a compliment from the mayor on their (unintended) fast work in coming. Darrow mentioned that he had brought the makings of a brewery, although it sounded to the dwarf like they had been brewing trouble recently in the village. Haman was pleased that Darrow had decided to follow through on the idea of the brewery, to the benefit of the town.

Once they had gathered around the fireplace to take the chill off, the mayor brought up what he called the strange, horrible doings again at the manor, fearing that the place was truly cursed. Aerikoth dryly expressed his doubt at the existence of an actual curse, although he acknowledged circumstances would appear to lend it to such a belief. Darrow affirmed that they would go out to recover the guardsmen and probably investigate this ghost. Haman was grateful for their assistance, especially since no one else was able to help. In that regard, he said not to blame the Pahar guards and sympathized with their plight, having had two comrades slain in such a frightful manner. Since the adventurers’ previous departure, after having slain the bandit lord called the Beast, the guards had been good to the town and helpful when possible, with even the local woodsmen tolerating their presence.

Aerikoth picked up on the mayor’s last comment and queried whether the woodsmen of the community were difficult. Haman explained that they normally kept to themselves and came into town little, being fiercely independent. He noted that they grudgingly had paid taxes to Hallton, but had respected his strength. The mayor believed they considered the townsfolk weak and dependent, yet the woodsmen themselves had a need of more work and coin. Darrow mentioned that they might have some work for the woodsmen, but they could talk more after the ghost was taken care of.

Looking concerned, Haman said that the adventurers had done much to liberate the villagers from the tyranny of men, referring to Hallton and the Beast, and expressed the hope that the ghost would not prove too much for them. Aerikoth, with the usual lack of any inflection in his speech, stated that would be determined in the near future, it would seem. With a glance at Dermot and Darrow, the wizard asked if they should go, receiving an aye from Darrow, and the ranger silently assenting.

 

[Carlo-One]

By the evening of Ches 24, the party had finished resting from their exertions on the trail to Tallwell, at least sufficiently to contemplate the two-hour hike to Hallton manor. Shanni protested at the idea of going to look for a ghost in the hours of darkness, but was rebutted by Darrow’s argument that they were damn sure not to find it in broad daylight, comparing the idea to looking for a sober dwarf in a tavern. He and Aerikoth again expressed skepticism that it was in fact a ghost, which earned a “you got me there” shrug from Shanni. Dermot agreed that they should get a look at the place and if it was haunted, maybe spend the night, since that was the traditional thing to do.

As they headed towards the forest path leading to the manor, it was eerily quiet in the village, with no one abroad in the twilight. An uneventful moonlight journey deposited the four adventurers on the manor grounds, the building silhouetted against the sky at the top of a hill. Dermot, moving silently and carefully, took the lead as the others wondered if any of the manor’s previous defenses were still there. During their approach to the building, a raven briefly circled overhead, then flew off. Aerikoth observed that it was an odd time for the raven – which was not his familiar, Zeluth – to be about. Shanni expressed concern that it might mean someone knew they were there. (Carrion feeders venture forth whenever there are victims to be had, however. --R)

After climbing up the winding path to the hilltop, the first dead guard lay in view, sprawled on the ground. Darrow, with his dwarven vision, quickly spotted the second victim’s boot and then confirmed it belonged to the guardsman’s companion. Dermot squatted on the ground next to the first body and began checking to see what had killed the man. Darrow did the same and was the first to call out that it had been a thin blade, placed right in the neck. Aerikoth, standing over the same body Dermot was examining, dryly commented that this was not the usual tactic of a ghost. Dermot, after some careful study, stated that the man he was looking at had his throat slit from behind. The ranger also mentioned that the ravens had got to him, as one of his eyes was gone.

Shanni walked over to Darrow and confirmed by demonstrating on the dwarf how the killing blow must have been made. Given the height of the guards, the petite rogue concluded that whoever had done it was not short. Darrow jokingly remarked that it ruled out kobolds, echoed more seriously by Aerikoth noting the same about gnomes or halflings. The dwarf then pointed out, somewhat tongue in cheek, that one could stand on another’s shoulders.

With the examination of the two guardsmen’s bodies complete, the four adventurers turned their attention to the manor building. In response to a question from Shanni, Aerikoth and Dermot recalled that bloody writing had been reported on a wall inside the manor, which had triggered the panicked departure of the other guards. Shanni pointed out, looking at the closed manor door, that someone else therefore had likely shut it after them. Dermot carefully listened at it, looked at his companions and nodded, then mentally counted to three and opened the door.

 

[Carlo-One]

Aerikoth quickly cast a light spell as they entered the manor halls. Dermot scanned in front and then waved his companions toward the open door to the right. Once through, they saw words scrawled in blood on the wall of the hallway: "The Manor is Mine." After a grunt of displeasure at the scene, Shanni backed into one of the corners, watchful of their surroundings. Darrow stuck his head through another doorway and reported nothing more concerning than a bunch of bunks and footlockers.

Dermot held up a palm and gestured for others to follow, pointing down the corridor to signal an alert. The cautious ranger indicated that he could hear something moving. Aerikoth volunteered to cast an invisibility spell on Darrow, allowing the dwarf to sneak up on whatever it was, and also declared he was ready to summon a beast from another plane to assist in battle. Shanni muttered softly, asking which way was the noise, hugging the corridor wall. Dermot checked the corridor again, this time seeing several rats clawing at the door on the end of it. Dermot let out a small oath of disgust as the vermin scurried into the nearest fireplace. (An anxious mind conjures up fearsome opponents where there are only rodents. Yet it is wise to be cautious. --C)

Approaching the next door, Shanni at first thought there was blood by the wall, but the smell of sour wine along with urine soon confirmed that it was a dark wine spill. Darrow wondered if it was left over from the Beast’s men occupying the place. As they contemplated the scene, Shanni looked around, frowning. The petite rogue declared that she might be paranoid, but she was sure there was someone else there, besides the party; it was like an itching on the back of her neck. Darrow, ever-practical, agreed that she was paranoid.

The next set of rooms appeared to be untouched. As they came upon a set of stairs, Darrow asked if they should head down them. Shanni, still cautious, thought it would be best to be sure no one was on their current level first. Darrow agreed that made sense. Shanni then cocked her head slightly, declaring that she had heard the sound of a door opening and closing in the distance, probably back towards the main entrance, although it was difficult to tell. She then slipped around the door in front of them and started sneaking down the corridor.

Dermot’s face betrayed his frustration as he shook his head at the others and then followed her, Darrow clanking in his armor as they moved to catch up with the rogue. Ahead, they saw Shanni open a door quietly, then gasp as the smell of rotting meat assailed her. She nevertheless poked her head in quickly, to confirm there was nothing of interest, before shutting the door again.

At the end of the corridor, cool night air wafted in from under a doorway, which presumably led outside. Darrow pulled his helm off so as to hear better as Dermot surmised that their quarry had flown the coop already. Shanni agreed that they could have gone outside, as the storeroom was a dead end, telling the others that it had really sounded like a handle rattling to open a door and a clunk of it closing. Dermot checked out the remaining room on the floor, only finding rotten meat once again. That left two options: going outside, or down.

As they pondered their choice, they returned to the barracks room, where Shanni went through the footlockers, declaring that someone had been in them recently. Given that Pahar’s soldiers had just fled from the manor, it was presumably them who had been using the room, since the Beast’s followers and Hallton’s men had not been there for some time, as Aerikoth pointed out. Shanni observed that whoever it was in the manor, they were either hiding where the party couldn’t see them, or had snuck past without being noticed, which she found worrying. The wizard agreed, noting if that the person was still there, they were watching the adventurers, and were quite skilled at stealth.

 

[Carlo-One]

After some more discussion and the setting of a trap by Dermot, Shanni came up with what she called a tactical plan. She suggested that Darrow and Aerikoth watch the doors that led outside, to make sure they didn’t open and close. She would watch the door leading downstairs, while Dermot did a sweep of the main floor of the mansion; she figured the ranger’s eyes were even better than hers. This met with general agreement, Darrow moving to set his back to the wall, next to the door exit near the storage room. The dwarf, attempting to listen intently, managed to bang his ear against the door and let out a mild curse. Meanwhile, Aerikoth took up a position in view of the main exit. (I give credit to the "petite rogue" for her canny and organized approach to addressing the problem. She has shown herself to have a disciplined and focused mind, when she wants to employ it. I also suspect some of the soldiers' possessions in the footlockers they searched earlier have been "appropriated." --R)

Dermot crept through the manor halls again, but when he returned to where Shanni was waiting, the ranger reported seeing no one. Shanni beckoned Aerikoth over, as Darrow rejoined the group from his post, but the wizard had his attention focused on something else. She shared the lack of results with the dwarf and indicated that the last place to look would be down the stairs. After waiting for Aerikoth a little longer, Darrow went over to where the wizard was standing and informed him that they were going to check out the lower level, not having found anything. In response, Aerikoth, an intent expression on his face, told him there was something outside moving.

Armor clanking loudly, Darrow went to fetch Shanni and Dermot, telling them the wizard said he had heard something outside. Dermot was ready to go after it, but Shanni objected, wondering what would happen if they came back inside. This did not bother Dermot, while Darrow pointed out that they would likely hit Dermot’s trap.

They caught up with Aerikoth just outside the main door on the manor grounds. The wizard, now invisible, explained that there had been a child there, further clarifying that it was a living one, not a ghost one, in response to a question from Dermot. Aerikoth related how the child had immediately run away as soon as the wizard had opened the door, having apparently hid in the shadows next to it. Just as Shanni began shaking her head in disbelief, they all heard the scream of a boy nearby.