A good sleep and the idea to interrogate the corpses returns. The father is absolutely tight-lipped, saying only that he will not speak with assassins. Further inquiries yield nothing. In that case, it is off to survey the courtyard. Malchor spawns a flying head and goes to investigate the well shaft. Flying past the two black puddings lurking behind the crumbling wall, he goes about exploring everything that he can – finding xorn moving through passages, strange crystalline formations and odd machines.
A plundered treasure chamber and more xorn are all that can be found, so he returns to the party. They fire up the puddings and launch into a whirlwind tour of the remaining portions of the castle left unexplored...

After folding the monkmage into the party mix, it is decided to visit Kormier. After he stops laughing at Malchor the Magnificent’s new worldview he agrees that the Gal would be a good addition to the party as they cast about for ways to be good and profitable at the same time.

Eventually they settle on a hazard to the local trade routes as a way to benefit the many whilst possibly enriching the few. Making the journey is uneventful and upon arrival they quickly spot the item of interest – a flying castle surrounded by lumps of flying rock that in some cases carry remnants of structures upon them.
Some flying to investigate brings them into conflict with the many wyverns that have taken residence in the flying rock slabs and it is a matter of using the crown’s powers to support the party...

A dollop of dither and a dash of delaysauce makes the meal complete! While selling loot in Suzail, the group is linked with a seasoned adventurer that has become stranded in Cormyr by virtue of a near total party kill. The lone survivor is a bit bemused by the thought of going on a loincloth fixing quest, but when times are tough, the tough go find loincloth fixers.
The group also manages to obtain the services of a druid from house Thrahb, and it seems that Beenbohn prefers going by the nickname ‘Kikko’. His services should prove useful since the group is considering an excursion to the ruined elven enclave of Myth Drannor.

A quick jump to the manor house just to make sure that the servants are still alive and no more squatters have tried to move in and then they are off to the forest...

The decision is made to advance. Well, first there are long discussions about whether or not Goldpiece should draw the Demonbane – but in the end the ill effects seem to outweigh the good so they close the distance on the wings of a magic potion.

Flying through the archway, Malchor sees nothing but a vast room, filled several feet deep with corpses, bones and equipment. Then the snakewomen appear. They immediately summon vulture demons that begin shrieking and releasing clouds of poisonous spores as they fly around attacking all within reach. Malchor lets fly with lightning and an ice storm, temporarily sealing off the passageway occupied by one of the demon women. Courier and Gal want to attack and Goldpiece flies into the fray...

After much head scratching and a bit of dithering thrown in for good measure, they take the inscriptions at face value and try to have the druid fly through the hallway that lies beyond the trapped doors. As Thraw crosses the plane of the doorway she vanishes. There is a moment of ‘let’s all jump in after her’ and then there is a moment of ‘what if we end up someplace terrible’? Hmm. Well…she’ll either be OK or she won’t. What if one of the mages disintegrates a hole in the far door – we scope the area with an arcane eye and then we all teleport there and thus bypass the terrible doorway? Sounds good. It’ll have to be tomorrow though. Hang in there Thraw!
They sleep upon the floor since apparently no extra dimensional spaces will open for them and they implement the plan on the morrow.

D...