Lord Alric’s manor
Walked toward Lord Alric’s manor — absolute shit heap. Overgrown, littered with debris, but fortified with wary guards.
Cisco and Lorien Painbearer took the lead. The guards let us in but warned us to be wary and quick.
Cisco and Elijah J. Lucas successfully snuck in a dagger and hand axe; all other weapons left behind.
Interior was a dump. Met a butler-type who was reluctant to let us see Alric. Every servant looked both ways when passing through a doorway, like they were watching for someone or something.
We entered the main study. Lord Alric was “pleased” to have visitors. Sitting and fawning over a heart (blue). Spoke cryptically. Gave us a map and a task: check in on the previous group of adventurers who went to Briarhollow and retrieve something. Cryptic about the rewards.
We left and looked at the map.
Plan
Briarhollow was a few days away. We decided to wait for the Harrow’s Wake to arrive and for Fernie to finish her labor for the longbow.
The soul stone
On the way to the Empty Net, Ruasar touched the soul rock next to the great tree. Looking into a ghostly realm à la One Ring — saw a bunch of links to the spooky warehouse. Determined the warehouse was tied to soul stuff.
We decided to interrogate Edrin. He let us into the warehouse — not much inside, just zombies used as soul batteries for the hag(s).
Night attack
After debriefing in the Empty Net we went to bed.
At night: combat. Tree people (needleblights) and redcaps attacked and took prisoners to sacrifice. Ruasar, Old Briar, and Fernie all went down but came back. A few deckhands died. Who knows who else in the village.