6th Day of Planting, CY 579

Before returning to the moathouse the next day, the party went back to the Temple of St. Cuthbert to check on the human prisoners they had left there to recover. The humans explained that they were merchants from Verbobonc who had hired a ranger named Gareth to escort them south. They were attacked on the road and all three were taken prisoner. The merchants were questioned at length about Gareth, and when they didn't have any useful information to provide, they were turned over to the ogre, who seemed to enjoy torturing them.

Returning to the moathouse later that morning, with Turuko and Kobort, the part was attacked by uniformed men with crossbows waiting behind the moathouse walls, shooting through the arrow slits. Luckily, they were terrible shots, and the party was able to rush inside and finish them off. Each of the men were wearing black cloaks with a "Yellow Eye of Fire" on it. Athan cut out the symbol to try to identify it later.

Inside the moathouse, the group descended to the lower level and began to explore the place. It was clear that this place was being used by more than just bandits and the men they just encountered wanted their presence to remain secret. In a large room, the party was attacked by several well organized bugbears. The party barely survived the fight, but the hired help, Turuko and Kobort were not so lucky (which is probably not a bad thing, since they were going to turn on the party anyway). During the fight, nine gnolls came to check out the noise. They did not join the battle, preferring instead to watch the party take out the bugbears. Athan was able to speak with the gnolls and determine that they did not like the bugbears and considered the party as having done them a favor. He was then able to bribe the gnolls by promising to pay them 20 gold now, and 100 more when they return, if the gnolls would look the other way when the party comes back (because of course they needed to return to Hommlet and rest, because they are low level characters and that's what they do after every fight). The party also convinced the gnolls to point out the location of their master, and to lie to their master, saying that Turuko and Kobort killed the bugbears and that the gnolls, in turn, killed Turuko and Kobort. The gnolls were more than happy to accept the party's money and to earn favor from their master by taking credit for killing the intruders. It was a good day for the gnolls.

The party then returned to Hommlet to rest.

The peaceful village of Hommlet