We decide to follow the footprints - of the two guys who previously searched the crypt - following a loose network of roads heading in the general direction of Saradush - a border town between Calimshan / Tethyr.
We enter Autumnal River Lands, not quite a day's travel. We hear hooves coming up behind us even though this area has been eerily empty. It's Kincaid.
Kincaid confronted Rowan about all the goings on - he claimed he was not complicit. The Savelli's are notoriously neutral until a clear winner becomes obvious.
We continue down the path. Early evening, not far off the road, we see smoke from a copse of trees. We make our way down a side road, see a sign saying Hoof Right Stables. A low stone bridge on the approach.
We see two stable hands. As we approach, another person comes out of the building - Magnus. Magnus seems to be a simpleton.
Gavin thinks this stable is familiar.
We learn that Magnus drank too much with some travelers who passed through a couple days ago. He hasn't been right since. They went back north - about days ago. Hugh realizes that the stablehand is lying / midirecting him. Hugh accuses him of midirection. He continues to lie. Hugh realizes this is a soldier, not a stablehand.
A stablehand throws a fireball necklace bead at us, killing Magnus. [Roll Initiative]. After the fight, one of the fighters is dead, and the other is unconscious.
We find one of the horses has the colors of Riatavin's royal guard - a warhorse.
All the horses look like they've been neglected for about two days. We learn that Zev set this up, and was taking the victims SW into the foothills (about 10 miles). We further interrogate him to learn anything useful, then Hugh kills him.
Barrick took Thornhoof, one of the warhorses. Everyone took a horse.
We go in that direction, finding a rocky path, foothills of mountains. We find Bruno injuried on the path. He says that Matteo was taken by the Vuotomente took him. Zev has been using the mind-wiped folks (like Magnus) to build an zombie army - given them particular orders to follow. Bruno escaped when Matteo was captured in the stable.
We ask Bruno why he was at Alemander's Estate. We explain what's going on. He says that there were runners from the Sandstone Palace that were running out to Alamander's Estate - they wanted to learn where they were going.
Bruno tells us that we don't need to kill everyone. He's not sure if there's a way to save them.
We head into the caves - these are abandoned Gnoll caves. There people in the caves, around tables, standing about, slightly confused (like Magnus). There is a large Hyena, wearing armor. Barrick demands that it surrenders / lays down. When it doesn't comply, he attacks it. Nova-Amara, black construct, attacks. It revives the dead Hyena.
Hugh: "I have a bad feeling about this, but the damage I see in this armor is way scarier than hyenas."