The Manor

As you are heading to the manor you hear a commotion around the back of the building and several shouts tinged with panic pull you to quicken your step as you make your way through the building and out to the gardens. There you see the shaggy figure of the Houndmaster with more of his pack in tow than you have ever seen at once. The twenty large hounds are obviously on edge and as soon as he sees you the man heads straight for you.

Something is changing in the plains to the south. The pack came back from the hunt last night with several wounded. They know better than to bother those that are a threat to them. I followed them back to where they fought and found tracks that are not normal. I was on my way to talk with Magian to see if he would accompany me. You would be a welcome addition.

Your presence calms the panicking people and you encourage them to retire inside the house for a while and get the Keeper to send most of the pack to back into the woods while you accompany him to go see Magian. There the Keeper explains more on what he found. Far to the south the pack encountered something with tracks indicating it is far larger than any beast he had previously seen. He intends to go out with the rest of the pack and hunt down this new threat.

Magian listens intently to the Keeper but looks to you as he responds. I agree we should investigate but if it already faced the pack do you think returning to the hunt immediately is the best option? If we take the griffins we can get there quicker and together we can search the area.
If it is truly soo large then we will likely be able to easily find it form the sky.

Turning to look to you. Would you accompany us? I believe I can get a couple of griffin to bear the both of you and this would be a good test for them. What say you?

The three of you quickly make arrangements and with a bit of encouragement and reassurance from Magian the Keeper is persuaded to stay close while you and the stable master fly out to investigate. Flying south for about an hour you spot a rather odd transition that Magian says was not there before. Gliding low you land and quickly dismount form the only partially trained and domesticated griffin to look out across a swath of the plains that looks to have been plucked from a distant land. While still consisting of rolling hills the grass of this section has grown to over 4 feet in height and exceeding 6 or even 8 feet high in places. Trees of the area are usually scarce and scattered but in this odd region they are taller and clustered in groves and thickets dozens of feed wide. It is only now as you look out over this area that you realize how much you did not understand the Keepers description of where the pack encountered the large creature.

You reluctantly allow Magian to help you once again mount up onto the griffin and take to the air to begin searching the area for the signs of conflict. It does not take too long for you to find the site and upon landing once again realize you failed to fully understand the Keepers description. The print of whatever fought the pack are larger than a griffin and deep enough to make you think dragon or dinosaur but the shape is all wrong. Magian is equally stumped, not having any ideas what the thing might be.

Give me a plan of investigation with test rolls to support it.

You search the area for clear signs and make some rough sketches and use a length of rope to record measurements. Once done you approximate the creature to have legs well over 20' long so the creatures is likely 30' tall and even longer. The tracks are odd but it does not appear bipedal but beyond that you are not sure.

Deciding to see if you could track the strange creature you return, somewhat reluctantly, to the air to try and track it. You spend some time following the track, an easy task due to their size and depth, despite staying higher in the sky than you would like. Fortunately the creature does not seem to like the more heavily wooded region around the Manor and eventually wanders back to the south. It is just as you are about to turn back and head towards home that you catch sight of what you can only assume to be the creature in the distance. It begins to stand, which is why you noticed it at all as while it was laying down it looked much like any other hill nearby. Then you spy a lone wagon with moving away from the thing you guess to be a massive earth elemental.

Go ahead and join the duo of newcomers in the Stormy Beginning

Getting down to business With the arrival of a merchant traveling the old road by wagon the manor is put into a frenzy of speculation and chatter as the residence, both old and new, wonder as the arrival. Along with the merchet are a couple guards and companions, a strange beast of burden, and a telepathic insect a bit bigger than a duende.

Danol escorts you into the manor, through the interior of the once prosperous manor house which exudes an air of faded grandeur and eerie enchantment, frozen in time from its glory days. Freshly cleaned there are still signs of neglect, such as cracked windows and weathered tapestries that hang from the walls. The scent of aged wood and a hint of magic permeates the air.

You are guided to the drawing room, which showcases worn but still luxurious furnishing. Threadbare velvet sofas and chairs surround a marble fireplace, adorned with aged family portraits in gilded frames. Faded drapes frame the windows, revealing overgrown gardens outside. A grand piano sits in one corner, its keys untouched for years, but the music it once produced still lingers in the air. Gilded frames hold paintings of idyllic landscapes and family members from generations past. He tells you to make yourselves comfortable and that drinks will arrive shortly before excusing himself to fetch the lady of the house.

You all get comfortable and Ambasador begins inspecting all the fabricated goods and you are brough drinks of either cool water or chilled mild wine. A few minutes pass before Danoll returns with a young half-elven lady.

Greeting! I can not tell you how surprise I am to learn that the wheels of commerce have found their way to this remote settlement. I have so many questions for you and can not wait to hear how you found us. The lady is a mixture of polite grace and youthful exuberance and bubbling curiosity, and awaits your tale to be shared with her.

Your story goes well and is well received. After you chat for a while you are allowed to freshen up and rest for a time before dinner, where Sylfir tells you that you may be asked for a bit of your tale again as many of the communities leaders are eager for news. The building continues to reveal its age, but it's quality seems up for the task and the care it is now receiving make it quite comfortable. You spend the rest of the day getting clean and a bit of rest before joining the dozens of locals in the dining hall. Hear you learn that most of the people were recently rescued from the city Eldergrove, which fell during the Dawn War. Its protector cursed the city and remaining inhabitants to defeat the demon attackers and protect as much as possible. Now free of the curse they are staying at the manor, some in hope of returning to reclaim the city while other are content in this new home. They are in contact with Paphos but only via magic as the road between the manor and city passes through territory claimed by aggressive and contending forces.

Though Paphos was Hazel's original destination she is only all too happy to forgo that opportunity for one closer and safer to reach. She and Sylfir chat much of the night about possible trade arrangements while you talk with Danolle and others of this odd settlement.

In the morning you learn that Zeva has set out as her sword claims to have recognized something from last nights talk and is leading her to where they believe the grave to be. Hazel informs you that she will be staying here a couple days before heading back to the towns you came from. A couple of the local plan to go with her so they too will know the way and there are plans to begin work on restoring the roads fur future travels.