Chapter 1: The Village of Hommlet

Not having met elder Nevets yet, Solus silently stays in the back of the party...

Itkovian also stays in the background. He had been visiting the craftspeople of the town when the others had gone to meet with the Elder. He kept his eyes out in the alleys and darkened windows that look out onto their position.

Ixion stayed with the others in the background to observe the meeting. The old man seemed much better than Lady Esmenlara had described, and Ixion hoped this was another sign that things were turning around for the village of Hommlet. He did give the father and daughter a once over, though.

Itkovian elbows Ixion as he catches her giving the Elder's daughter a once-over. He speaks in a low voice.

"Easy lad, best to keep your sword sheathed. Don't want to cause any trouble with the locals."

Ixion's eyes bulge at the suggestion.

"I wasn't! I wouldn't! I..." he trailed off and thought it best to hold his tongue before it unknowingly got him into trouble like his eyes had.

Ixion and Itkovian don't spot any trouble on the road, just the people in front of you and random villagers going about their business.

The elder smiles, "Ah yes, I'm feeling much better, thank you," he says, much more strength in his voice than before, "It's good to hear that you've cleared that vile place. What exactly was going on in there?"

Esmenlara replies, "A cult of an evil god took residence within the cellars. We do not know what plans they had, but we managed to drive them out and at least disrupt their activities. There were also gnolls and other bandits that had some neutrality agreement between themselves, but they have also departed."

"And that fat, smelly... thing," Ixion added with obvious distaste.

Esmenlara nods. "The cultists were led by two men named Lareth and Gavin. They fled on horseback into the countryside." She glances over her shoulder, as if expecting them to appear. "I hope they were not frequent visitors to Hommlet. They could be quite charming and disciplined."

"Which way did they go?" the old man asks, "Not in our direction, I hope."

"Away from here, I think, and we sent them heading there in a hurry," Ixion said with a smirk.

The elder looks off into the direction which you point to and looks a bit worried, "Hmm... I wonder if they were headed to Nulb."

"Begging your pardon, but what is a nulb?"

The elder shivers slightly, "Nulb was the closest town to the Temple when it was in its power," he explains, "It's a lawless place and filled with darkness. I should not be surprised that they fled there to seek refuge..."

"Do you experience trouble from Nulb?" asks Esmenlara. "I daresay I didn't think to ask if Hommlet had a standing militia or town watch, but I would hope that nothing of that place would bring harm to your place."

Itkovian listens intently to the answer to Esmenlara's question. Both the Gnolls they displaced and the cult leaders they failed to dispatch could stir up trouble in this neighboring hive of scum and villainy.

"Trouble?" the elder asks, "Not often, and even then just bandits on the road."

"And we do have a town guard," he says, pointing to the tower being built on a nearby hill, "Overseen by Rufus and Byrne, two retired adventurers."

"They should probably send a few guards to secure the moathouse, sir. There's no telling what might slither in to take up residence now that it's empty again."

"Or take it apart, brick by brick. Could repurpose them for Rufus and Byrne's new tower over yonder."