p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"stronguspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Chapter Four/span/u/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The party had a well-earned rest over the next few days. The townsfolk were so grateful to them for chasing off the Redbrands that they were given a generous discount at the inn where they spent the evenings drinking and singing merrily. Toby returned to the Tresendar Crypts to take notes, draw sketches and have a proper look around. There were no more clues as to the identity or whereabouts of the Black Spider but he did fill a journal with points of historical interest. He also had time to examine the scrolls they'd found in Glasstaff's chambers and was delighted to find they contained a Fireball and Charm Person. He wasn't skilled enough to attempt the first yet but couldn't wait to add it to his spell book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn was less cheerful. He asked around town about his cousins but no one had seen the other two Rockseeker brothers in nearly a tenday. Emmaline scouted out the nearby forest but there was no sign of them there either. On the evening of their third day in Phandalin, Beorn came into the tavern soaked through. Outside they could hear the rain pounding on the roof and distant claps of thunder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Where have you been? You'll catch your death!" Lyra cried, helping Beorn shrug off his cloak and taking it to dry by the fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Heard about some mines a few miles to the west, thought my cousins might be there, but didn't find anything," Beorn sighed. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He looked miserable with water dripping from the tips of his moustache braids. Toby clicked in fingers and cast Prestidigitation. Beorn's clothes began to steam as they warmed and the dwarf sighed gratefully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Well, I've had an idea," said Emmaline as she set a tankard of ale in front of Beorn. "I've been speaking to Sister Garaele again and she says there's an old adventurer who lives on the edge of town, name of Daran Edermath. He keeps an eye out for strange happenings and apparently he's looking for someone to help him with something. Some sort of trouble out in the woods. Might be worth a try?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"With no other leads, the party decided to check it out. By morning the rain had cleared and the sun was glistening off the puddles in the dirt track. They were pointed towards the western side of town and soon came upon a tidy little cottage beside an apple orchard. A fit, silver-haired half-elf of about a hundred was pottering around the garden but he looked up as they approached./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Morning," he called, straightening up. "Can I help you young'uns?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""We hope so," said Lyra, leaning on the fence. "We're looking for some dwarves, the Rockseeker brothers. And we hear you're looking for someone to do a job."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The half-elf raised an eyebrow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""That I am. You'll be the adventurers that sorted them Redbrands then?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"They confirmed that they were and everyone introduced themselves. The half-elf shook hands with each of them in turn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Daran Edermath, pleasure to meet you. Now I don't know about these dwarves you're looking for, but there is something I need help with. I've heard worrying stories from the prospectors in the hills northeast of here, near the Old Owl Well. Say they were chased from the area by undead. Now I know that those ruins are an old Netheril watchtower, might be there's dangerous magic lying dormant there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Toby felt a flash of excitement which must have shown on his face because the others looked at him questioningly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Netheril ruins? I've never seen any before. Oh, we must take a look!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Are we supposed to know what that means?" asked Emmaline, looking non-plussed. Whilst Toby sighed and rolled his eyes at the state of education in the region, Lyra filled them in./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""The Netherese ruled this part of Faerun thousands of years ago. They were brilliant mages. You've heard of the floating cities?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Oh yes, vaguely," Emmaline shrugged and Toby had to bite his tongue. Daran Edermath watched this exchange with amusement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Well, if you're interested, the ruins are two-day march north-east."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Toby was on fire to accept the job and the others eventually came round to his way of thinking. There seemed no hope of finding the Rockseeker brothers or Cragmaw Castle by sticking close to town so it was high time they searched the forest. After stocking up on hard tack and cheese, the party set off. There was a path of sorts but it hadn't been used in years and creepers had grown wild. A light rain dampened their clothes as they travelled north and around midday they stopped for lunch under an oak tree. There they watched a pair of red squirrels chasing each other through the branches but nothing more exciting happened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Camping had never been Toby's strong suit but the rain did let up that night and he was able to get a decent night's sleep, even if it was disturbed by watch duty. Beorn was antsy, constantly glaring around at the trees as if they might spring to life and attack them at any moment. Lyra was her usual carefree self and spent some time climbing boulders and fallen logs, munching on an apple she'd snagged from a wild tree./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"It was nearing dusk on the second day when they crested a low ridge and saw the crumbling ruins of an old watchtower standing amid the rugged hills. The place was so old that the walls were only mounds of rubble enclosing a courtyard of sorts, adjacent to the broken stump of an old tower. The party paused at the top of the hill./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Doesn't look like anyone's been here for years," said Beorn. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""People tend to be wary of old ruins like these," Toby explained. "Netheril magic lingers in the stones even after all this time. We'd better be careful."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"They ventured slowly down the slope and stopped again a few feet from the low wall. Now that they were closer they could all detect the powerful stench of decay. Lyra pressed a hand to her mouth and Toby wrinkled his nose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What in nine hells is that stink?" Emmaline asked. Beorn, being an old soldier, seemed least effected and he stepped over the scattered stone blocks with his face set and his weapon raised./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""There's a camp here, and a body," he called grimly. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The others followed him in, trying to breath as shallowly as possible. As they came around the edge of the tower they saw a single red tent pitched in the courtyard, out of sight of the hill. The cold remains of a fire lay before it, with a cooking pot and fire dog knocked to one side. Not far from this was the corpse of a man. He was lying face down but Beorn rolled him over using the handle of his axe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Been dead a while this one, at least a week," said Emmaline. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The lips had pulled back from the man's teeth and started to split, attracting flies. His eyes had also sunk into his skull which was completely shaved. Toby could make out a black tattoo on his forehead which he recognised at once./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I think this fellow is from Thay," he said. "The wizards there use tattoos to show their school of magic. That's a symbol of necromancy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Didn't do him much good in the end. Look, he was strangled," said Beorn, pointing to dark welts around the wizard's neck. "Robbery maybe?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I don't think so," called Lyra and they looked around see her bottom half sticking out of the tent. "His things haven't been touched. And this is expensive stuff, look!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Her head emerged as she sat back on her heels and she pulled a satchel from the tent. She held it open for them to see./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""There's money here, a good thirty gold, a healing potion, a spell scroll. Ooo! What's this now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"She pulled a chunky gold ring from the very bottom of the bag and held it up to the light. It had a ruby set into it. Toby felt a familiar tingling in his fingers and reached for the item./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""This is magical!" he said excitedly. "And definitely Netherese in style. This poor chap must have been delving for treasure."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What does it do?" asked Emmaline and Toby turned the ring over and over, looking for markings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I'm not sure, I'll have to examine it properly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He pocketed the ring and, for good measure, fastened the button over it. When he looked up he blinked at the darkness all around. Whilst they'd been investigating, the sun had dipped below the horizon. Beorn was shifting his weight from one foot to the other and his eyes darted from side to side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I don't think we should stay here over night," he growled. "We should go back up the hill and find somewhere defensible to make camp, then come back when it's light. There's something not right about this place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Yeah, there's a dead body here for a start," said Lyra, straightening up and laying a hand on the handle of her sword. Her stance and tone were casual, but Toby knew her well enough to see that she was unnerved. "I agree with Beorn, we'll come back tomorrow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Neither Toby nor Emmaline had any objections to this so the group started to retrace their steps across the courtyard. They were about halfway there when Lyra grabbed Toby's arm tightly and made a strange hissing sound at the others make them stop. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What?" asked Beorn sharply. Lyra's eyes were fixed on the dark space beside the tower, some thirty feet away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""There's something watching us," she breathed, her free hand slowly pulled her sword from its sheath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Toby followed her gaze and at first he saw nothing. Then he picked out the dim outline of – something – someone? Whatever it was, it stood perfectly still but now Toby could feel it's gaze on them. Then he felt a horrible chill sweep over him and the strength left his limbs. He managed to stay on his feet but Lyra staggered against him, clutching her chest and gasping. Beorn threw up a hand to shield his eyes from the thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Don't look at it! Everyone back away, now!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Emmaline and Toby quickly took heed but Lyra sank to her hands and knees, her face suddenly very pale. Toby stole a glance up and gave a cry of horror as he saw the creature step out of the shadows. It was humanoid but stooped over with a mouldy green cloak covering much of its body. Its skin was blue and rotted, its mouth grotesquely elongated and it had two dark pits where its eyes ought to be. It stretched a rotten, claw-like hand towards the party and let out a chilling shriek like wind howling through an abandoned house./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I said don't look it in the eye and stay back!" Beorn roared and Toby trained his gaze on the ground between himself and the creature. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He randomly aimed a firebolt it its direction whilst lunging forward to seize Lyra. As he was helping her limp backwards the creature gave another shriek and Lyra dropped to the ground in a dead faint./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Kill it! Kill it quickly!" Toby cried, shooting more fire towards the tower./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He could hear the twang of Emmaline's bow and saw a flash of light as Beorn cast sacred flame. Toby stole another glance and saw the creature flinch away from the flames, but the arrow pierced its stomach and it barely seemed to notice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What is this thing?!" Emmaline demanded, furiously nocking another arrow. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"As she aimed it however she gave a cry of agony and dropped her bow. Toby could see why, her hands had withered to those of an old woman and she held them up in horror. The creature advanced on her but Beorn and Toby kept it back with more fire. It was clearly taking some damage, but not nearly as much as it should./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""We have to retreat," Beorn shouted even as Emmaline legs gave way and she fell like Lyra./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Toby tried to hoist Lyra under the arms but she was like a sack of rocks and he barely managed to drag her two feet before his strength gave way. What was this creature? How could they defeat it? Think, think! It was immune to non-magical attacks, that much was obvious, and the fire only seemed to hurt it a little. It attacked using its gaze and seemed to deal necrotic damage. Lyra's skin felt cold as ice beneath his fingers and a panic had gripped his mind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Then, breaking through the fog like sunlight, came a memory from his mother's library. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Bodak!" he screamed. "It's a Bodak! It's undead, Beorn! Do something – clerical!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn threw his useless axe aside and raised both hands. His eyes and the amulet around his neck glowed golden and he cried something it Dwarvish to his god. The Bodak stopped dead in its tracks and clawed at the light, hissing and spitting. For a moment Toby was sure it had worked and the monster would be turned away, but then the light faded and it turned its full and terrifying attention to Beorn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The dwarf's beard and hair turned from flaxen to white in seconds and the skin around his lips tightened and cracked. He managed to stay on his feet, but barely. Toby desperately scrabbled in his pockets for something, anything, that would help. He'd been thinking of a healing potion but his fingers closed around a tightly bound scroll instead. He gripped the scroll and willed this to work. In that moment Toby threw all caution to the wind and he pointed a shaking finger at the Bodak. A tiny ball of hissing flame appeared a few inches from its face. This sucked it the air around it, the hissing getting louder until it reached a crescendo and an explosion of fire engulfed the Bodak. The force of it blew Toby off his feet and he landed painfully on his back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He lay there, stunned, for about thirty seconds trying to catch his breath. When he finally sat up his ears were still ringing. The charred remains of the Bodak had been flung against the ruined tower and it now lay smouldering at the base. Toby and Beorn stared at it for a while to make sure it wouldn't get back up before looking at each other./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""When did you learn Fireball?" Beorn asked. He looked as terrible as Toby felt, like he'd aged a hundred years./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""It was in one of the scrolls we found it Glasstaff's room," said Toby in a shaking voice. "I was hoping to add it to my spell book, but hey ho."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"At that moment Emmaline groaned and stirred feebly. Lyra wasn't moving at all and Toby crawled over to her whilst Beorn tended to Emmaline./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"*span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Thankfully the necromantic effects of the Bodak weren't permanent and by the next morning the party felt much better. Or at least, they no longer looked three times their age. Toby insisted they all have a hot cup of tea before travelling back to town so they didn't break camp until mid-morning. By then the sun was shining and its warmth on their faces helped chase away the bad memories of the previous night./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Lyra stayed with the group this time instead of climbing rocks. Occasionally she put a hand on Toby's arm and he helped her navigate some of the muddier parts of the trail. He had a feeling she was more shaken by her brush with death that she was letting on, but he also knew better than to mention it. Soon their conversation turned to how a monster like that ended up in the ruins in the first place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Bodak's are the undead remains of someone who revered Orcus," Toby recalled. There was a whole volume dedicated to the undead in his mother's library but he'd only ever skimmed it as it gave him the creeps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""A bloody strong undead too, shrugged off my turn spell like it was nothing," Beorn complained./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I've heard that Bodak's retain some vague memories of their past lives and seek out places familiar to them. It seeks out people it knew and tried to destroy them. It's extraordinary to think that creature could have been one of the Netherese, lurking there all this time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Well, not anymore," said Emmaline firmly. "We'd better get well paid for this!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Thankfully the weather was with them and when they arrived back in town the next day it was to find children kicking a ball around the green and the smell of fresh bread wafting from the open window of the bakery. After stopping to purchase some raisin buns for their breakfast, the party made their way over to the Edermath Orchard. Daran was in his garden again and he was speaking to a middle-aged halfling woman with frizzy hair and dirt under her fingernails. There was a halfling boy, likely her son, swinging from a nearby tree. When Daran saw the party his eyes lit up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Ah here they are, our young adventurers. Did you find anything of interest at the well?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Oh you could say that," said Emmaline grimly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"They described their encounter with the Bodak and Daran's expression went from surprise to horror./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Gods, and you survived?!" he cried. "If I'd know that something that foul was lurking there, I never would have sent you! Even seasoned adventurers would struggle against such a thing. Please forgive me, I thought it would be some restless skeletons or possibly goblins."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn put up a hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""You had no way of knowing, what a monster like that was doing there is beyond me! But it's dead now and won't hurt anyone else."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"There was rustle of leaves and they looked up to see the halfling boy swing down by his legs with a lopsided grin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""And you blew it up?" he asked excitedly. "Boom! Blasted it to bits!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Carp! Get down from there 'afore you fall on your 'ead!" his mother scolded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Emmaline, being the tallest, reached up to help the boy dislodge himself the tree before setting him back on solid ground. Daran stepped in./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I should introduce you all. This is Qelline Alderleaf, she tends the nearby farm. And this strapping young lad," he clapped the boy on the shoulder. "Is Carp. Qelline, these are the adventurers everyone's been talking about."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"They all exchanged polite greetings whilst Carp shuffled from one foot to the other, apparently unable to stay still./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""So was it really gross? Was it all rotted and stinky?" he asked eagerly. "And were there like, dead bodies and stuff?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""That's enough Carp," his mother quelled before looking at the party shrewdly. "I heard around town that you're looking for Cragmaw Castle?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn brightened, his eyes shining./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Yes! Do you know where it is?" he asked but Qelline shook her head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I'm afraid not. But I have a friend who most certainly will. Reidoth, he's a druid, funny sort, keeps himself to himself. But there's not an inch of this land he doesn't know. He'll point you straight, no doubt about it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn looked like he might punch the air in triumph and Lyra beamed at him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Where does Reidoth live then?" she asked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""He doesn't live anywhere really, wondering type," Qelline replied. "But I saw him just a few days ago and he said he was heading to the ruins of Thundertree and would be there for a while."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Lyra's smile slipped and she stole a quick glance at Emmaline who had gone suddenly still. Toby and Beorn also looked at their fighter uneasily and Daran must have noticed the tension because he asked,/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Is something amiss?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""No," said Emmaline and her voice didn't betray any particular emotion. "Thank you for that information. We'll be sure to check it out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The party was subdued for the rest of the day. None of them thought it a good idea to set off into the forest again until they had a decent night's rest so they each went about their own tasks. Daran paid them each ten gold pieces for their efforts at the Old Owl Well and Toby spent a few coppers of it on a hearty lunch at the inn. Lyra joined him and they sat outside in the sun eating it, watching the children play and sipping cool ale. Lyra began plucking at her instrument in time to a skipping rhyme a group of girls were reciting, looking pensive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Are you alright?" Toby asked and she jerked out of her reverie. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Of course," she said with a smile. "I'll admit, that was not the most fun adventure we've had so far but we survived and now the area is safe from that vile thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""It looked like you were worrying," said Toby as he put his empty plate aside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I was, but not about the Bodak. I was thinking about Emmaline. I hope she's alright, it's not going to be easy going back to the Thundertree."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""She probably doesn't even remember it. She was just a baby when the volcano erupted," Toby pointed out, not unreasonably. Lyra sighed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I know. It's just – that should have been her home. She should have grown up there surrounded by family and friends, but instead she had to live in Neverwinter and we both know she hated it there. Look how eager she was to come away with us. I just think we should keep an eye on her, that's all."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The party had a well-earned rest over the next few days. The townsfolk were so grateful to them for chasing off the Redbrands that they were given a generous discount at the inn where they spent the evenings drinking and singing merrily. Toby returned to the Tresendar Crypts to take notes, draw sketches and have a proper look around. There were no more clues as to the identity or whereabouts of the Black Spider but he did fill a journal with points of historical interest. He also had time to examine the scrolls they'd found in Glasstaff's chambers and was delighted to find they contained a Fireball and Charm Person. He wasn't skilled enough to attempt the first yet but couldn't wait to add it to his spell book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn was less cheerful. He asked around town about his cousins but no one had seen the other two Rockseeker brothers in nearly a tenday. Emmaline scouted out the nearby forest but there was no sign of them there either. On the evening of their third day in Phandalin, Beorn came into the tavern soaked through. Outside they could hear the rain pounding on the roof and distant claps of thunder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Where have you been? You'll catch your death!" Lyra cried, helping Beorn shrug off his cloak and taking it to dry by the fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Heard about some mines a few miles to the west, thought my cousins might be there, but didn't find anything," Beorn sighed. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He looked miserable with water dripping from the tips of his moustache braids. Toby clicked in fingers and cast Prestidigitation. Beorn's clothes began to steam as they warmed and the dwarf sighed gratefully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Well, I've had an idea," said Emmaline as she set a tankard of ale in front of Beorn. "I've been speaking to Sister Garaele again and she says there's an old adventurer who lives on the edge of town, name of Daran Edermath. He keeps an eye out for strange happenings and apparently he's looking for someone to help him with something. Some sort of trouble out in the woods. Might be worth a try?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"With no other leads, the party decided to check it out. By morning the rain had cleared and the sun was glistening off the puddles in the dirt track. They were pointed towards the western side of town and soon came upon a tidy little cottage beside an apple orchard. A fit, silver-haired half-elf of about a hundred was pottering around the garden but he looked up as they approached./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Morning," he called, straightening up. "Can I help you young'uns?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""We hope so," said Lyra, leaning on the fence. "We're looking for some dwarves, the Rockseeker brothers. And we hear you're looking for someone to do a job."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The half-elf raised an eyebrow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""That I am. You'll be the adventurers that sorted them Redbrands then?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"They confirmed that they were and everyone introduced themselves. The half-elf shook hands with each of them in turn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Daran Edermath, pleasure to meet you. Now I don't know about these dwarves you're looking for, but there is something I need help with. I've heard worrying stories from the prospectors in the hills northeast of here, near the Old Owl Well. Say they were chased from the area by undead. Now I know that those ruins are an old Netheril watchtower, might be there's dangerous magic lying dormant there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Toby felt a flash of excitement which must have shown on his face because the others looked at him questioningly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Netheril ruins? I've never seen any before. Oh, we must take a look!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Are we supposed to know what that means?" asked Emmaline, looking non-plussed. Whilst Toby sighed and rolled his eyes at the state of education in the region, Lyra filled them in./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""The Netherese ruled this part of Faerun thousands of years ago. They were brilliant mages. You've heard of the floating cities?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Oh yes, vaguely," Emmaline shrugged and Toby had to bite his tongue. Daran Edermath watched this exchange with amusement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Well, if you're interested, the ruins are two-day march north-east."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Toby was on fire to accept the job and the others eventually came round to his way of thinking. There seemed no hope of finding the Rockseeker brothers or Cragmaw Castle by sticking close to town so it was high time they searched the forest. After stocking up on hard tack and cheese, the party set off. There was a path of sorts but it hadn't been used in years and creepers had grown wild. A light rain dampened their clothes as they travelled north and around midday they stopped for lunch under an oak tree. There they watched a pair of red squirrels chasing each other through the branches but nothing more exciting happened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Camping had never been Toby's strong suit but the rain did let up that night and he was able to get a decent night's sleep, even if it was disturbed by watch duty. Beorn was antsy, constantly glaring around at the trees as if they might spring to life and attack them at any moment. Lyra was her usual carefree self and spent some time climbing boulders and fallen logs, munching on an apple she'd snagged from a wild tree./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"It was nearing dusk on the second day when they crested a low ridge and saw the crumbling ruins of an old watchtower standing amid the rugged hills. The place was so old that the walls were only mounds of rubble enclosing a courtyard of sorts, adjacent to the broken stump of an old tower. The party paused at the top of the hill./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Doesn't look like anyone's been here for years," said Beorn. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""People tend to be wary of old ruins like these," Toby explained. "Netheril magic lingers in the stones even after all this time. We'd better be careful."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"They ventured slowly down the slope and stopped again a few feet from the low wall. Now that they were closer they could all detect the powerful stench of decay. Lyra pressed a hand to her mouth and Toby wrinkled his nose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What in nine hells is that stink?" Emmaline asked. Beorn, being an old soldier, seemed least effected and he stepped over the scattered stone blocks with his face set and his weapon raised./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""There's a camp here, and a body," he called grimly. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The others followed him in, trying to breath as shallowly as possible. As they came around the edge of the tower they saw a single red tent pitched in the courtyard, out of sight of the hill. The cold remains of a fire lay before it, with a cooking pot and fire dog knocked to one side. Not far from this was the corpse of a man. He was lying face down but Beorn rolled him over using the handle of his axe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Been dead a while this one, at least a week," said Emmaline. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The lips had pulled back from the man's teeth and started to split, attracting flies. His eyes had also sunk into his skull which was completely shaved. Toby could make out a black tattoo on his forehead which he recognised at once./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I think this fellow is from Thay," he said. "The wizards there use tattoos to show their school of magic. That's a symbol of necromancy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Didn't do him much good in the end. Look, he was strangled," said Beorn, pointing to dark welts around the wizard's neck. "Robbery maybe?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I don't think so," called Lyra and they looked around see her bottom half sticking out of the tent. "His things haven't been touched. And this is expensive stuff, look!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Her head emerged as she sat back on her heels and she pulled a satchel from the tent. She held it open for them to see./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""There's money here, a good thirty gold, a healing potion, a spell scroll. Ooo! What's this now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"She pulled a chunky gold ring from the very bottom of the bag and held it up to the light. It had a ruby set into it. Toby felt a familiar tingling in his fingers and reached for the item./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""This is magical!" he said excitedly. "And definitely Netherese in style. This poor chap must have been delving for treasure."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What does it do?" asked Emmaline and Toby turned the ring over and over, looking for markings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I'm not sure, I'll have to examine it properly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He pocketed the ring and, for good measure, fastened the button over it. When he looked up he blinked at the darkness all around. Whilst they'd been investigating, the sun had dipped below the horizon. Beorn was shifting his weight from one foot to the other and his eyes darted from side to side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I don't think we should stay here over night," he growled. "We should go back up the hill and find somewhere defensible to make camp, then come back when it's light. There's something not right about this place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Yeah, there's a dead body here for a start," said Lyra, straightening up and laying a hand on the handle of her sword. Her stance and tone were casual, but Toby knew her well enough to see that she was unnerved. "I agree with Beorn, we'll come back tomorrow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Neither Toby nor Emmaline had any objections to this so the group started to retrace their steps across the courtyard. They were about halfway there when Lyra grabbed Toby's arm tightly and made a strange hissing sound at the others make them stop. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What?" asked Beorn sharply. Lyra's eyes were fixed on the dark space beside the tower, some thirty feet away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""There's something watching us," she breathed, her free hand slowly pulled her sword from its sheath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Toby followed her gaze and at first he saw nothing. Then he picked out the dim outline of – something – someone? Whatever it was, it stood perfectly still but now Toby could feel it's gaze on them. Then he felt a horrible chill sweep over him and the strength left his limbs. He managed to stay on his feet but Lyra staggered against him, clutching her chest and gasping. Beorn threw up a hand to shield his eyes from the thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Don't look at it! Everyone back away, now!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Emmaline and Toby quickly took heed but Lyra sank to her hands and knees, her face suddenly very pale. Toby stole a glance up and gave a cry of horror as he saw the creature step out of the shadows. It was humanoid but stooped over with a mouldy green cloak covering much of its body. Its skin was blue and rotted, its mouth grotesquely elongated and it had two dark pits where its eyes ought to be. It stretched a rotten, claw-like hand towards the party and let out a chilling shriek like wind howling through an abandoned house./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I said don't look it in the eye and stay back!" Beorn roared and Toby trained his gaze on the ground between himself and the creature. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He randomly aimed a firebolt it its direction whilst lunging forward to seize Lyra. As he was helping her limp backwards the creature gave another shriek and Lyra dropped to the ground in a dead faint./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Kill it! Kill it quickly!" Toby cried, shooting more fire towards the tower./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He could hear the twang of Emmaline's bow and saw a flash of light as Beorn cast sacred flame. Toby stole another glance and saw the creature flinch away from the flames, but the arrow pierced its stomach and it barely seemed to notice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What is this thing?!" Emmaline demanded, furiously nocking another arrow. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"As she aimed it however she gave a cry of agony and dropped her bow. Toby could see why, her hands had withered to those of an old woman and she held them up in horror. The creature advanced on her but Beorn and Toby kept it back with more fire. It was clearly taking some damage, but not nearly as much as it should./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""We have to retreat," Beorn shouted even as Emmaline legs gave way and she fell like Lyra./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Toby tried to hoist Lyra under the arms but she was like a sack of rocks and he barely managed to drag her two feet before his strength gave way. What was this creature? How could they defeat it? Think, think! It was immune to non-magical attacks, that much was obvious, and the fire only seemed to hurt it a little. It attacked using its gaze and seemed to deal necrotic damage. Lyra's skin felt cold as ice beneath his fingers and a panic had gripped his mind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Then, breaking through the fog like sunlight, came a memory from his mother's library. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Bodak!" he screamed. "It's a Bodak! It's undead, Beorn! Do something – clerical!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn threw his useless axe aside and raised both hands. His eyes and the amulet around his neck glowed golden and he cried something it Dwarvish to his god. The Bodak stopped dead in its tracks and clawed at the light, hissing and spitting. For a moment Toby was sure it had worked and the monster would be turned away, but then the light faded and it turned its full and terrifying attention to Beorn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The dwarf's beard and hair turned from flaxen to white in seconds and the skin around his lips tightened and cracked. He managed to stay on his feet, but barely. Toby desperately scrabbled in his pockets for something, anything, that would help. He'd been thinking of a healing potion but his fingers closed around a tightly bound scroll instead. He gripped the scroll and willed this to work. In that moment Toby threw all caution to the wind and he pointed a shaking finger at the Bodak. A tiny ball of hissing flame appeared a few inches from its face. This sucked it the air around it, the hissing getting louder until it reached a crescendo and an explosion of fire engulfed the Bodak. The force of it blew Toby off his feet and he landed painfully on his back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He lay there, stunned, for about thirty seconds trying to catch his breath. When he finally sat up his ears were still ringing. The charred remains of the Bodak had been flung against the ruined tower and it now lay smouldering at the base. Toby and Beorn stared at it for a while to make sure it wouldn't get back up before looking at each other./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""When did you learn Fireball?" Beorn asked. He looked as terrible as Toby felt, like he'd aged a hundred years./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""It was in one of the scrolls we found it Glasstaff's room," said Toby in a shaking voice. "I was hoping to add it to my spell book, but hey ho."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"At that moment Emmaline groaned and stirred feebly. Lyra wasn't moving at all and Toby crawled over to her whilst Beorn tended to Emmaline./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"*span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span*/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Thankfully the necromantic effects of the Bodak weren't permanent and by the next morning the party felt much better. Or at least, they no longer looked three times their age. Toby insisted they all have a hot cup of tea before travelling back to town so they didn't break camp until mid-morning. By then the sun was shining and its warmth on their faces helped chase away the bad memories of the previous night./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Lyra stayed with the group this time instead of climbing rocks. Occasionally she put a hand on Toby's arm and he helped her navigate some of the muddier parts of the trail. He had a feeling she was more shaken by her brush with death that she was letting on, but he also knew better than to mention it. Soon their conversation turned to how a monster like that ended up in the ruins in the first place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Bodak's are the undead remains of someone who revered Orcus," Toby recalled. There was a whole volume dedicated to the undead in his mother's library but he'd only ever skimmed it as it gave him the creeps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""A bloody strong undead too, shrugged off my turn spell like it was nothing," Beorn complained./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I've heard that Bodak's retain some vague memories of their past lives and seek out places familiar to them. It seeks out people it knew and tried to destroy them. It's extraordinary to think that creature could have been one of the Netherese, lurking there all this time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Well, not anymore," said Emmaline firmly. "We'd better get well paid for this!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Thankfully the weather was with them and when they arrived back in town the next day it was to find children kicking a ball around the green and the smell of fresh bread wafting from the open window of the bakery. After stopping to purchase some raisin buns for their breakfast, the party made their way over to the Edermath Orchard. Daran was in his garden again and he was speaking to a middle-aged halfling woman with frizzy hair and dirt under her fingernails. There was a halfling boy, likely her son, swinging from a nearby tree. When Daran saw the party his eyes lit up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Ah here they are, our young adventurers. Did you find anything of interest at the well?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Oh you could say that," said Emmaline grimly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"They described their encounter with the Bodak and Daran's expression went from surprise to horror./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Gods, and you survived?!" he cried. "If I'd know that something that foul was lurking there, I never would have sent you! Even seasoned adventurers would struggle against such a thing. Please forgive me, I thought it would be some restless skeletons or possibly goblins."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn put up a hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""You had no way of knowing, what a monster like that was doing there is beyond me! But it's dead now and won't hurt anyone else."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"There was rustle of leaves and they looked up to see the halfling boy swing down by his legs with a lopsided grin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""And you blew it up?" he asked excitedly. "Boom! Blasted it to bits!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Carp! Get down from there 'afore you fall on your 'ead!" his mother scolded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Emmaline, being the tallest, reached up to help the boy dislodge himself the tree before setting him back on solid ground. Daran stepped in./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I should introduce you all. This is Qelline Alderleaf, she tends the nearby farm. And this strapping young lad," he clapped the boy on the shoulder. "Is Carp. Qelline, these are the adventurers everyone's been talking about."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"They all exchanged polite greetings whilst Carp shuffled from one foot to the other, apparently unable to stay still./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""So was it really gross? Was it all rotted and stinky?" he asked eagerly. "And were there like, dead bodies and stuff?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""That's enough Carp," his mother quelled before looking at the party shrewdly. "I heard around town that you're looking for Cragmaw Castle?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn brightened, his eyes shining./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Yes! Do you know where it is?" he asked but Qelline shook her head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I'm afraid not. But I have a friend who most certainly will. Reidoth, he's a druid, funny sort, keeps himself to himself. But there's not an inch of this land he doesn't know. He'll point you straight, no doubt about it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Beorn looked like he might punch the air in triumph and Lyra beamed at him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Where does Reidoth live then?" she asked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""He doesn't live anywhere really, wondering type," Qelline replied. "But I saw him just a few days ago and he said he was heading to the ruins of Thundertree and would be there for a while."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Lyra's smile slipped and she stole a quick glance at Emmaline who had gone suddenly still. Toby and Beorn also looked at their fighter uneasily and Daran must have noticed the tension because he asked,/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Is something amiss?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""No," said Emmaline and her voice didn't betray any particular emotion. "Thank you for that information. We'll be sure to check it out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The party was subdued for the rest of the day. None of them thought it a good idea to set off into the forest again until they had a decent night's rest so they each went about their own tasks. Daran paid them each ten gold pieces for their efforts at the Old Owl Well and Toby spent a few coppers of it on a hearty lunch at the inn. Lyra joined him and they sat outside in the sun eating it, watching the children play and sipping cool ale. Lyra began plucking at her instrument in time to a skipping rhyme a group of girls were reciting, looking pensive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Are you alright?" Toby asked and she jerked out of her reverie. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Of course," she said with a smile. "I'll admit, that was not the most fun adventure we've had so far but we survived and now the area is safe from that vile thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""It looked like you were worrying," said Toby as he put his empty plate aside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I was, but not about the Bodak. I was thinking about Emmaline. I hope she's alright, it's not going to be easy going back to the Thundertree."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""She probably doesn't even remember it. She was just a baby when the volcano erupted," Toby pointed out, not unreasonably. Lyra sighed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I know. It's just – that should have been her home. She should have grown up there surrounded by family and friends, but instead she had to live in Neverwinter and we both know she hated it there. Look how eager she was to come away with us. I just think we should keep an eye on her, that's all."/span/p
