Chapter 4: Master Of Puppets

The group successfully returns to the camp but everything is mysterious. The people here either do their usual tasks or dig a pit at a site that hasn't been examined until now.
They don't react to calling, waving or touches. They just wander around without any interaction whatsoever.
You look around and try to decide what to do...

Melianne watches the camp in fear, tension in her posture obvious. "I told you we should've gone back," she mutters quietly, clutching her hands in each other - although her words sound less accusatory and more concerned. She tries, unsuccessfully, to wave her hand before one of the worker's eyes. "They are digging, so it must be some kind of magic from... below?.. Oh no, Hjalmar!"

The moment she remembers the archeologist, the dancer abandons the rest of the group and runs further into the camp, trying to find him or Astrid.

"Well, this all seems ominously like what that dessicated old bastard we found in the temple was trying to do to me - 'You are worthy to serve,' and all that. We're sure we destroyed that thing, right? Think there's another one around?"

Well, this was an unwelcome, albeit fascinating development. Aravel had heard some of the exploits of the group and that there had been some form of undead somesuch underground in the old ruins. Sadly he had not had a chance to look there himself. Something they could rectify shortly.
"Perhaps another look at the site where you encountered said ancient individual would be prudent? If not there, I would venture a guess the locals are trying to excavate the entrance to this ahhh, new location."

"This must be some powerful, evil magic," says Krenmuth, suddenly aware how obvious that sounds. "It looks to me that whoever, or whatever, is down there wants to get out. But I think the first thing we need to do is find a way to free our people."

The cleric gets a pained look on his face. "Could an artifact from the ruins be responsible for this?"

Tharadin's hairs stand up as he watches the camp inhabitants moving around like fleshy automatons. "I don't know about magics, but if one of you can point the thing out I can break it." he says gruffly. "What could have done this?"

Melianne runs to the archeologists' camp but doesn't find either Hjalmar or Astrid.
She looks at the people digging the pit but no one looks even closely like the two archeologists.
As you have a look around you notice that two people seem to be guarding the entrance to the temple you investigated previously. You think you recognize them as two guards who watched over the northern entrance to the camp. They are as non responsive as the others but are carrying spears. As soon as you near them they thrust their spears at you. Luckily you can easily avoid their attack but nevertheless they probably won't let you past them voluntarily...
Krenmuth investigates the camp a bit. Apart from the archeologists some people he knows are missing but they could be on a reconnaissance mission.
He has a look at the building where Korsak's office is located. Korsak doesn't seem to be here or elsewhere in the camp. Very mysterious.
Yes, you are fully rested

Melianne is distraught after finding no sign of the archeologists, and stops in the clearing before the temple, just out of reach of the two guards. "Maybe it is the strange contraption that we found below?" She bites her lip, eyeing the doors, an idea forming in her mind. "We never figured out what it was for... It looked like an orrery and was protected by magical barrier no one found a way to break." The last words are directed towards Aravel and Tharadin, as she realizes neither of them probably knows the details. "And there was also a scepter with a green gem the mummy had. I gave it to Korsak afterwards."

The dancer sighs, pulling at her silks. "It's probably one of these at fault. Are we... going to fight our way into the temple?" There is a surprisingly bloodthirsty note in her words; perhaps where it comes to personal causes, Melianne's pacifism takes a backseat.

Krenmuth says to Melianne, "If someone doesn't want us back in the temple, then I think that's where we have to go."

Then the cleric tells the group, "Several people are missing, including the archeologists, and that can't be a coincidence. First, though, I'd like to help these people here if we can. I am going to walk through the camp to search for the source of this evil magic. This will take several minutes. Would anyone mind looking for the items we brought up?"

"Trying to locate those items is a good start. That mummified creature also mentioned a High Mage, who may also be up and about. Let's take our time, and try to rule out everything we can. Lead on, Wavewarden."

"It certainly won't hurt! But unless the scepter is at Korsak's office or wherever the archeologists' tent is, then it's probably with him... And he is missing too." Melianne follows after the Wavewarden, looking around for a while before shifting to mostly staring under her feet, disheartened by the unnatural way the camp inhabitants are behaving. "The Tree back at Owl-Claw-Clan mentioned a descent, so to speak, and a druid told me of an ancient city underground, underneath these digging sites. Maybe all of the missing people are there, down below..." She shivers.

Melianne searches for Rada and Phann and finds them digging at the site, Rada holding a bucket and Phann shoveling dirt into it, both with the same empty look as everyone else.

Krenmuth meanwhile investigates the camp.
The sceptre of the mummy is not in Korsak's office and so he can't investigate it but he can make out two sources of evil.
The dug up temple where you fought the undead irradiates pure evil. The feeling is so strong that he thinks he can see black and green swirls from the corner of his eyes when he looks at the temple
And when Krenmuth walks over the dig site he has a sinking feeling in his stomach region but it's very weak. Probably the soil is still shielding most of the evil influence from below.

"Yees, yees, ancients cities far below are what I'm here for!" Aravel said with confidence to Melianne.
"The elven ones though, but these may have clues to them. So let's be off. As for killing the guards, the poor folk are under the influence of a spell, so let's not harm them, eh? A sleep spell hopefully will suffice."

The young races are susceptible to such simple magics, after all..

Krenmuth is pained as he stops by the dig site. "The evil below this place should stay where it is. Can anyone think of an idea to impede our friends' digging efforts? I would hate for them to succeed while we're underground."

Annika shrugs. "We could just take their tools off them. They're not going to get very far digging with their hands. They might become violent if we interfere with their work, though - I think it's probably safest to leave them be, and return as quickly as we can."

"These ancient cities are elven," Melianne replies to Aravel while Annika and Krenmuth discuss what to do about the digging process. "According to the druid, this region had a number of kingdoms, their territories spanning all the way to the mountains. A settlement of one of these kingdoms is allegedly below us, somewhere... This kingdom had a crest of three flower petals, if it tells anything to you?"

So to summarize:
-You came back to the camp and everyone is mindlessly digging at a spot that hasn't been investigated beforehand
-A few people are missing, most notably Hjalmar, Astrid and Korsak
-What's also missing is the sceptre that the mummy in the temple was carrying.
-The entrance to the temple that you've already cleared out is guarded by two workers carrying spears. While they won't pose much of a threat to seasoned adventurers like you, they will try to hinder you from entering the temple.

If you try to wrangle tools from one of the workers they will try to hold on to it but won't fight. You will be able to get the tools from them after all but as soon as you let them go they will try to get another shovel or pickaxe and continue working.
You could try to collect all tools and "disarm" the workers in order to stop the digging or try to find the source of the mind control which probably is in the dug-out temple before the workers dig up whatever is below the soil...

"Annika, I agree. I think we need to head underground as soon as possible. But I just thought of something that might help."

Krenmuth address the group. "Wouldn't it slow the workers down if the dirt was turned into mud? Does anyone have any spells to make that happen?"

Melianne taps a finger on her chin, thinking. "I only have magical herbs which will make spikes sprout from the ground, but I fear that it will not dissuade someone hypnotized and will only make them hurt themselves in the process. I can also heat up metal, but it would only work for one tool at a time, and only if it had a metal grip... Afraid I've got nothing." She sighs.

Annika shakes her head. "Sorry. That's not my kind of magic."