"The Baron will be rewarded tremendously with new lands and new titles. We will request he stay in the capital that he may aide the growth of the nation!" Ramposa declared.
xxx
Gazef had agreed with the King's choice. Even if it were the cast that Gazef didn't like the man, the Baron Montserrat had been a tremendous aide to the nation. If he was in his own domain all the time, the Bloody Emperor would send someone to murder him in his sleep.
He was saying as much to Climb as they walked the E-Rantel streets when a messenger came for him requesting a urgent meeting with the Baron himself.
He had entered the room to find the Baron was not quite what he had expected. He was fat. He was about in his middle ages by Gazef's reckoning. His clothes were not indeed as expensive a make as the others he so often saw in the throne room. Yet, he didn't doubt his power and mind. He couldn't bring himself to think of the Baron as simply a low-born noble of the Kingdom like the others. No, he had already mentally filled the Baron away as even more intelligent than he had predicted, this is clearly a false image projected similar to the image of a fat and untrustworthy the mayor of E-Rantel had put forth. That image was a carefully constructed lie, Gazef knew that much. This must surely be the case here as well.
"Lord Stronoff." the Baron had said bowing to him. Now that was something new. Nobles hated Gazef for the most part, because he was a commoner permitted to wear the Kingdom's treasures. The fact that this man, who was both a noble and a famed one at that would treat him with such respect was moving. The Baron lifted his head after Gazef had not said anything, contemplating what to say in this situation. He gestured to the seat across from him. "Please, sit, I beg of you." The Baron said in a frantic tone.
*This must be serious.* Gazef thought. "As you wish Lord Montserrat." he responded taking his position on the chair across from Philip.
"It is an honor to meet you Gazef, I only wish it were under better circumstances." The Baron spoke.
"Likewise, I have heard a lot of talk about your great deeds." Gazef said.
"Ah, I'm happy to hear someone as great as you hold such a high opinion of me. Tell me Gazef, what do you know of Zurernorn?" the Baron asked.
Gazef frowned at the change of subject so aburbtly. Especially to such a dark subject as the cult of necromancers.
"It is my understanding that they are a rancid sort. What's going on?" Gazef asked. Now deeply concerned. It wasn't Necromancy exactly he was opposed to. By his reckoning someone didn't need their body when they were dead. The woman that saved his life had been one of the greatest necromancers to ever live of course. That cult however, was responsible for murders and mayhem. They attacked villages and cities at their leisure and had many nobles in their ranks along with the rumored "Elder Liches" that had ruled them and in some circles, in hushed whispers, perhaps even a Night Lich.
"I was approached Lord Stronoff, I have seen them here in E-Rantel. They are preparing to conduct a ritual known as "Death Spiral" in order to elevate one of their members to becoming an Elder Lich. In order to do so, they intend to sacrafice the entire city!"
the Baron practically cried out.
The entire city of E-Rantel. Gone. He would have doubted it, but in the past a city had been destroyed by the cult, and the man who was telling him about this was a hero to the Kingdom. If E-Rantel were to fall, then the entire kingdom would be at risk of invasion and starvation let alone the immense loss of life to the undead which they may not be able to clear without some VERY expensive adventurers.
"They are here in the E-Rantel Communal Cemetary, preparing to enact their foul ritual even as we speak!" the Baron declared.
Gazef stood up straight. This was an immediate danger and they couldn't waste time investigating. He would go out on a limb here and trust the man.
"Show us where."