Over the past couple of months caravans passing through the southern forest have started disappearing. Wagons loaded with gold and silver from the Bluepeaks have simply vanished along with their teamsters and guards. Villagers in the region speak of monsters prowling the night and snatching the unwary, and rumours are spreading that at least one band of adventurers returned bringing a grisly trophy to the People's College.
Jean Terrec of the Guild of Jewelers & Finesmiths has put out a request for adventurous sorts willing to head into woods and remedy the problem.
Having defeated the Black Queen the party lead the stunned and dismayed survivors from the hive. Back at the tower the Necromages reveal that they have discovered a trove of silver of gold buried outside. The party swiftly gather up the crates and decide to return them to their rightful owners in Acryn. They persuade the DARK WIZARDS!!! to accompany them and the child, Poe back to his family in Shawbury village, secure in the knowledge that the flux creatures will vanish once they are immersed in consensus.
On returning to Acryn the unfortunate Mantoi-folk are turned over to the church of the Tender in the hope that the God will offer some cure for their transformation. Vincent summons his congregation to pray for the unfortunates. Over the course of several days of fasting, prayers and imprecation worshippers of the Tender are cured of their condition, the exoskeletons sloughing off to reveal healthy flesh. A small number of Caulish devotees of the Lord of the Rock refuse to ask the Tender's aid and remain in the insectoid form, though they do regain their fertility.
The party return to the Jewelers & Finesmiths Guild and report their findings to Jean Terrec. The elderly guildmistress is extremely pleased with their success and particularly with the recovery of much of the missing gold. They are given a generous bonus increasing their final payment to 100 Acra. Eric also arranges for Jarred to enjoy some noble patronage over the next two weeks
Arnold Terrec is fascinated by the Mantoi specimen and he and Vincent spend a happy afternoon in the People's College playing with organs. Afterwards the elderly professor offers him a scholarship to study further biology.
Eric and Vanessa give the Wayfinder's Guild a fairly accurate account of events and the delighted Guildleaders immediately set about prodding and poking Eric to their heart's content. If they make any important discoveries they refrain from informing the adventurers.
Following their pact with the Ghost Fire Eric and Jarred find the light of the sun and the vast sky overhead increasingly oppressive. Where possible they will seek the solace of a roof over their head, or better still to head underground into the comforting darkness of the earth.
Should they ever be in a position where they are aware of a miner in danger or distress, they will feel an overwhelming compulsion to assist in whatever way they can.