The nimrod whirred and spun as we left the temple of Gond. We spent some time tracking down the source, trying to get closer, but determined that no matter how we searched, it would spin no faster.
We later met with Ranaer who had a proposition for us. He wanted to speak with the dead from the explosion. Shava volunteered to accompany him, and we started coming up with question for her to ask. While this was happening, we realized that the contractors working on our manor were proceeding at an amazing rate. It seems as if they may be finished soon. The opportunity to make any changes to the place is rapidly closing. Boaz and I brainstormed to make some positive changes to the layout, and the contractors quickly added it to their plans. We added an interior set of stairs to the second level, a dedicated gaming space, a private room, and a stage. Excellent.
Shava returned from her questioning and filled us in on some of the answers she received. The dead gnome was Dalakhar. When Shava spoke with him, he indicated that he was carrying the Stone of Golorr. He was trying to deliver the Stone to us. The Zhents were the ones chasing him. The dead Zhent indicated that the destination of the Stone was Gralhund Villa. The dead halfling seemed to be an innocent victim of the explosion.
We made our way to Gralhun Villa. Tobby did a bit of shadowy scouting and reported that he heard a loud party taking place inside. Was the nimrod spinning faster now? We all made our way to a portion of the wall that seemed relatively easy to climb, and with the help of Jumanji, scaled it. One, by one, we topped the wall and were hit with the sensation that we were being watched. Boaz was the first to drop to the ground, and he was immediately attacked by shadow-dogs and a shadow-man. Our group proved itself once more, as we vanquished the shadows in short order. Tobby took the lead once more as we moved into the outer structures of the villa. We found empty rooms – a barracks and a kitchen with a roaring fire. As we made our way closer to the sounds of revelry, Tobby realized that the sounds were actually more like a battle! We opened another door and found three recently murdered servants.
As we survey the scene, we are preparing for a fight with foes unknown.