The group made it back to town and the trip back seemed to revive Coravel. He successfully fought off the zombie rot and the cleric declared him healthy. The group spends some time in town working improving yourself. The group also finds out that magic items are still being stolen. Some casters have even been killed and there is a group of casters who is working to safeguard the magic that is available. The Companions of the Black Osprey contact Aramil and provide resources to him for learning additional spells. Quis'Ari contacts the local temple of Sarenrae while Coravel is contacted by the Rogue's Guild and meets with Batard Ost. Kaylord gets to know Alrux the Armorer better and meets a monk that is from the order of Erastil and knows of the monastery that Kaylord was dropped off at by his mother. The group gets information from Brianna about the unrest. In addition to the magic thefts they find out that there is a group called The True Men who rides through the Warrens during the night of the new moon each month. It is rumored that the group is made up of nobles and that the town guard has turned a blind eye to the raids. The Truemen targets the refugees from the wars in the south and anyone who looks like they don't come from Morraine is struck by the Truemen as they ride. The people of the Warrens are starting to request aid from the Rogue's Guild since the guard is not doing enough.
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The Sablewing Council contacts the group again and asks for their help in exploring Castle Whiterock further. The group agrees and heads back to Castle Whiterock taking Thera and Hugin with them to guard the wagon while they explore further underground. Once the group arrives they head underground and into the passage they found in the tomb of orcs. The passage changes from hewn, worked stone to the rough stone of a cavern as they go further down. In the first room they are attacked by small creatures that drop from the ceiling. After a panicked first few minutes the group quickly turns the situation around and takes out the creatures. They go down a passage and find a secret door and a rock fall. Coravel gets the secret door open and they group bypasses a hall filled with pit traps. Going further they find trog guards and quickly take them down.
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The next room in the cavern contains female and children trogs that shy away from the group. The females put themselves in front of the children and something causes the Strangers to take a gentler approach. Through the use of sign language the group is able to herd the females and children to the traps and to stay out of the way or be killed. They also throw in some food and sign that the females and children should stay until they are sure the group has left. As the children are playing Coravel spys an odd shaped stick and retrieves it. Aramil finds that it is a wand and adds it to his inventory.
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The group continues and finds another trog that is better trained and who gives a fight. He is taken down and the group continues into the chambers. They find another group of trog guards and move into attack them. Coravel attempts to get close and finds a net has dropped on him. In spite of being surrounded the rest of the group is able to keep the trogs away from Coravel and eventually takes them down. The Strangers then go back to the large cavern and explore another passage. This passage leads to a large room and a ledge overlooking the room. They find a large humanoid being with small wings and reddish skin with the look of a dragon called Benthoc. TBenthoc is at the other end of the chamber and is chanting to figures standing below. The group is able to hide until they get into position. They find that the figures are zombies being directed by Benthoc. ThBenthoc attacks them with powerful magic and damages Kaylord as he comes up to fight him. But theBenthoc's attacks are random and there does not seem to be a rational intelligence behind his attacks. Aramil counters his attacks and Coravel works on taking zombies out. However, when Kaylord is gravely wounded the rest of the group approaches to help with healing and to keep Benthoc away from Kaylord. Quis'Ari provides healing and with the extra boost the group is able to take Benthoc out and then finish off the zombies.
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The next chamber explored is the home of a giant spider. Fortunately the group had some clues about the spider and stays at the entrance of the cavern while fighting her. The other chamber has a small red dragon in it that is contained in a cage. Once the group gets in far enough the dragon attacks and escapes the cage. After some shifting of position the group gets the drop on the dragon and quickly takes it down. Within a few seconds of the death of the dragon the cavern shakes as if reacting to the death of the little dragon. The group decides to go back to town. On their way out they notice that the passage where there was a cave in now has an opening and they can see a chamber beyond. While the interested in seeing what more there might be the group decides to head back and make sure they have the right skills before tackling more of the cavern depths. They join up with Hugin and Thera and head back to Cillamar.
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