Entering the basement area the party was attacked by a swarm of rats. After dispatching them, the checked out the basement level and found a old winding staircase leading down, it appeared to have been under the floor and someone with a pick axe broke it open. Going down the stairs they were in an older cave system. Assuming that the passageway in the well lead to this level, Phain wanted to seal it up to prevent anyone from escaping, so the group went outside.
Around the well now were thousands of undead birds. They attacked in swarms, surrounding everyone. Budwar and Preacher used their channeling ability to kill off the birds, but everyone still took injuries. Running low on spells they wanted to rest, but felt there was no way they could successfully sleep anywhere near the house, so they kept going.
In the tunnels they found a transformed bat ghoul and some other undead. Using up what resources they had to kill them. Also there was another room with stain glass windows that matched ones from upstairs. The other ones showed a seven sided box, various creatures and items being released or maybe even sucked into it. This one showed a man that looked like one of the Foxgloves becoming a lich. From the paintings and visions they had seen they were sure it was Vorel Foxglove, Aldern's grandfather.
Finally they came to a bowl shaped room with a damp circular ramp leading down into a small pool of water and a door. Phain used his boots to successfully walk to the door and opened it revealing a passageway. He worked with Budwar to setup a rope and Xantumal used Stoneshape to make a small rail to hang onto. Orik went first and made it across, Preacher started to go next when Orik was attacked by what was once Aldern, now he was some sort of Dread Ghoul now known as the Skinsaw Man. Orik was hurt badly and paralyzed. Phain went to his aid but soon was paralyzed as well.
The battle position was in Aldern's as outside the hall was slick. Budwar made to over a pushed Orik out of the way while Preacher got Phain out of the way. Using his Smite ability he gravely injured . Aldern but then succumed to Aldern's paralyzing touch. Orik had recovered by then, but Preacher managed to finish him off, ending the murder spree of the Skinsaw Man.
Searching through his things, they discovered some useful information. Aldern had fallen in debt and borrowed money from a group called the Brotherhood of the Seven. Unable to pay it back, he made a bargain with them to collect some mold from his estates in exchange for being even. So he returned to his family's abandoned estates but succumbed to the disease and madness of the place. He successfully paid off his debt, but didn't survive the disease.
They also found a note saying:
Aldern—
You have served us quite well. The delivery you harvested from the caverns far exceeds what I had hoped for. You may consider your debt to the Brothers paid in full. Yet I still have need of you, and when you awaken from your death, you should find your mind clear and able to understand this task more than in the state you lie in as I write this.
You shall remember the workings of the Sihedron ritual, I trust. You seemed quite lucid at the time, but if you find after your rebirth that you have forgotten, return to your townhouse in Magnimar. My agents shall contact you there soon—no need for you to bother the Brothers further. I will provide the list of proper victims for the Sihedron ritual in two days’ time. Commit that list to memory and then destroy it before you begin your work. The ones I have selected must be marked before they die, otherwise they do my master no good and the greed in their souls will go to waste.
If others get in your way, though, you may do with them as you please. Eat them, savage them, or turn them into pawns—it matters not to me.
—Your Mistress, Wanton of Nature’s Pagan Forms
They also found a key to his townhouse in Magnimar. They group decided to head there next to both check out his place, and to identify and sell some of the magical items they have found.
Also there was a patch of mold that occasionally resembled a human face. It was by what appeared to be the broken remains of the phylactery they saw on the stained glass windows. They smashed the pieces of the phylactery into dust and burned off the mold, but Budwar still sensed that the evil was not destroyed, and it seemed like maybe even the mold was growing back.
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