Overview
The hamlet of Branmarc and the village of Normarc are free of the goblins. The remaining goblin brute who escaped the caves was cut down by the villagers. No enemy survived, as Typhon Kné dispatched the polymorphed ewe that was the goblin shaman. Similarly a priestess of Tyaa was slain in their company. Searching the Tyaa priestess’s body reveals 20 gp, and a note written in Old Common script, but the letter order seems non-sensical. It could be a simple cypher of some kind. She also had a silver dagger, and a blackened metal raven-clasp.
Artifacts on note include the remnants of some carving in Obsidian. The impression found in the wall has text that strikes a vague similarity to old written goblin, but before their adaptation of an Eterian alphabet based writing, but it isn’t Goblin. The symbol in the impression is a reptilian eye. The card with a picture of what could be interpreted as an older Emmeline is made of lead. How the (now dead) ’Thing One’ or Grumbaleck got it or if it is directly related to this situation is unknown, but it too has etched writing in this odd text, but more hand written. The etched picture is uncanny and must have taken a lot of time.
Returning to the Keep at the Caulder Falls, the team returns five of the lost men, including the Castellian Sir Johan Axiney’s son Sir Etienne Axiney who was very wounded, but survived. None of Typhon Kné’s old party survived. Emmeline’s minstral troop, the Sonsbizarré Singers had left already, as expected. Baron Roland Uzec’s scouting party has arrived, 24-strong on horse. The villagers and guests at the inn buy the party drinks and the Castellian expresses his appreciation. He awards each of the adventurers with a rouncey horse, a hundred gold purse, and complimentary room and board in the keep for as long as he is assigned here.
Nigel sometimes looks uncomfortable near Emmeline, but when conversation begins, that ill-comfort is quickly dismissed. One of Baron Uzec’s men delivers a message to Elemix, indicating his master is waiting in Uzec for him to return so they can submit to Master Peredhain admittance for El to join to Evocation College. El holds in his hands the knowledge of Emmeline’s strange magic and no not what to do, if anything. So far, he has stifled any discussion and focused on the here and now – yet he cannot be anything but intrigued about these abilities she suddenly manifested.
With a bit of down time, the local Aarith priest takes a look at Typhon Kné and determines that sadly the curse is a very, very powerful dragon’s or high sorcerer’s curse. Maybe the goblin shaman or Tyaanite priestess could have removed it, but now it is too late. He surmises it may reverse in time, but cannot tell Typhon Kné when. He suggests winning the favor of the Wizard’s Guild or the Temple of Aarith (or both) on Thalassa. Maybe they could do more the old priest surmises. He is willing to perhaps try to remove the curse, but he highly doubts he will succeed.
Mara whispers in musical tones, “remember our mother’s bones Mabrilith, remember,” to Emmeline, hearing for the first time a name Mara only hinted at – Emmeline does not understand, but Mara doesn’t explain. Mara instead offers new gifts to Emmeline, similar to what Elemix used before the battle, plus another ability unlooked for…