Characters: Julian, Tulgar, Balin, Cael.
NPCs: Purple Dragon Guards (Waymoot).
L 7 Mirtul 1374 - E 8 Mirtul 1374
8500 XP
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Julian did however, manage to find that there were faint markings and indentations that glinted in the firelight off the surface of a large book. The book had most likely been thrown to the floor from his desk and upon a charcoal rub, Julian discovered that these were the old pressure points of Woodbrand's original message to Thiombur. The missing sections Woodbrand had "trouble remembering" were now clear. The most suprising thing however was that the message was already complete. The missing segments eluded to an alternate word arrangement, and the charcoal marks further revealed the encoded first draft! Woodbrand's original intended message. It was coded in opposite word meaning and the words linked both Woodbrand and Thiombur to the involvements in the Knights Draconis organization. The message warned that the upcoming meeting must be canceled for security reasons. If this hidden script was genuine, it would give legitimacy to hundreds of years of un-believed draconic folklore.
The party also was allowed to examine the bodies of Woodbrand and his wife. Cael's close examination of the wife revealed that a powerful evocation spell had destroyed her head, she was obviously of no informative use for the assailant. Woodbrand's body however, was wrought with torturous wounds. Unlike the evidence found in his moothouse, this would indicate a long torture and much time being spent inside the house. Balin found a black porous rock lodged deep in Woodbrand's throat, the final cause of death. This piece upon further analysis however, was in fact charred dragon bone. Woodbrand's eyes remained within his skull, further evidence that the Eye Rippers were not involved. Julian stared at the body in sadness, however after a number of minutes he noticed the faint glow of magic within the body. Cael immediately casted a Greater Dispel Magic upon Woodbrand's corpse and before their eyes, the Transmutation ended revealing the corpse of a dried up Troll! The reason Woodbrand's soul was not present for resurrection was now even clearer... he was still alive.
Balin immediately went to work further analyzing the dragon bone, unfortunately it served as the only possible link to the killer they had. After some very difficult scrying Balin thought he had found the location of a cave in the Storm Horn Mountains that seemed to posses the remainder of the very same skeleton. Night had fallen fast and with little starlight shining through the thick cloud cover the party Teleported to the western Storm Horn Mountains.