Using my Seismic Sonar I lead the group past the farmlands and into the forest, "The tunnel from Zeena's base continues this way"

   Connor eyes the length we've traveled, "Pretty big distance from the town. Why would someone go to the trouble of digging one this far? A simple smugglers tunnel would only need to breech the wall."

   I doubt this was used for smuggling, "From the shape of it, I don't think a person made it. Unless they dug it with their hands alone."

   Artisie asks, "Then a Nowem did it?"

   Shaking his head Connor dismisses the suggestion, "Nowems make big holes, but still not large enough to crawl in. The undead have to tear away at the tunnels before they can even squeeze down into the burrows."

   From deeper into the woods comes a shout, "Keep its hand impaled!" Followed by sounds of struggle.

   Picking up my pace I head towards the noise.

   Another voice yells back, "I'm trying, but It's too slippery!"

   Connor runs with me also showing interest.

   We arrive at the scene, seeing Dorn and Dirk in a struggle with the BoneStitcher.

   Swinging at it with his sword Dorn sneers, "Do you want it to throw more of those biters?"

   Turning its head the undead spots us, "Otherss?! Fine I do it!"  With its free hand it snatches a jar from under its cloak and downs the contents.

   Dirk surprised asks, "Whats it doing?"

   The BoneStitchers skin turns and obsidian black. The muscles beneath its skin rippling with the change. Before anyone can react it pulls Dirk's spear from its hand as though it was no more than a thorn. Freed the undead dashes further into the woods.

   With a grunt of frustration Dorn runs after it yelling at Dirk, "Stop standing there and come on!"

   Artisie and Sarah catch up with us, but Connor and I are already on the move chasing after the undead.

   Slowing down to get her breath Sarah stretches out an arm to us, "Stop running, what's happening?"

   Cronnor with out stopping tells her, "Cron's stooges found the Bonestitcher."

   She lags behind not asking any further questions.

   Artisie keeps pace with her.

   Reaching the duo they're running in circles looking for a sign of where the BoneStitcher could've gone.

   Dorn seeing us walks up fuming. "You made us lose it!"

   Dejectedly Dirk refutes him, "We weren't really going catch it anyways."

   He grits his teeth, "Quiet Dirk."

   Connor stands face to face with him, "That was our quarry too. We've been hunting that BoneStitcher down for several days."

   I stand with Connor backing him up, "From the looks of it, you two just had a lucky encounter."

   Dorn retorts, "All encounters are up to ones fortune, but what isn't is what will happen when I tell Expert Crons of our fight with the Bonestitcher. He will surely bring us all out to hunt it this very night."

   Disagreeing Connor responds, "That would be surprising to see since he has such a ... cautious nature."

   Dorn gives him a malice filled stare, "We will see." He backs off leaving with Dirk in tow.

   Looking around for any traces of the BoneStitcher I notice the jar it carried. Picking it up the inside is covered in a black substance and the smell is nose burning, "Well at least we learned something from this."

   He looks at the jar catching a whiff of the scent, "The undead ate black moss?"

   Or maybe the miasma the it's supposed-idly filled with, "It would appear so."

   Mulling it over he walks back the way we came, "Where did that tunnel we were following end?"

   I point to it, "That hollowed out tree we passed."

   Regrouping with Artisie and Sarah, Connor declares, "That duo is going to inform Crons. We should return to Master Karus. As while I don't think Crons would lead a hunt, if he weighs Master Karus sending us out and Zeena being yet to act. He might be tempted enough to take the opportunity."

   Weaving through the woods we reach the town. Inside the printshop Karus is sitting in his usual spot behind his desk. 

   Sarah takes the lead and explains the findings on the sample, before letting Connor tell Karus of our encounter with Dorn and Dirk.

   Stroking his beard Karus speaks, "I see, but how did you find the tunnel inside Zeena's base?"

   Connor looks to me.

   I answer, "Artisie and I found hints that the undead passed through there. So she looked around the base while I kept everyone distracted."

   Raising an eyebrow Karus asks, "Kept everyone distracted?"

   Scratching the back of my neck I tell him, "I annoyed one of the guys there until Zeena confronted me. She challenged me to a game of ring thief, and we played until she made the ground move causing me lose my balance."

   He rubs his forehead, but says nothing.

   Connor raises his brow with his hands out in an exasperated pose, "Why didn't you tell me that!? And how did you make her use a third step technique?"

   With concern Sarah softly implores, "Are your hands ok? I heard the last person she played that game with had both of his broken."

   The door to the office swings open and a man steps through. He is one of the other people that is present here during the morning meetings Karus holds, He is out of breath and he steadies himself for a moment before speaking, "Master Karus something has happened to Zeena's crew!"

   Narb squeezes in behind him.

   Karus eyes peer into me before responding, "Come again?"

   The man explains, "They're all strewn about unable to be woken."

   Showing intrigue Karus questions,  "And what of Zeena herself?

   He shakes his head, "I didn't see her."

   Narb Interjects, "Then we should go before the guard arrive so we can get the scoop on this."

  Standing from his seat Karus tells him, "I shall come as well. Since you are too oft in your offences to those of authority." 

  Connor adds further criticism, "Yeah, those few weeks after you did that column on the town's guard, we were stopped every time we left or entered the town."

   Narb waves his hands in frustration, "Would you let that rest? We shouldn't be wasting time on this." Saying this he exits.

   Without further talk we follow him over to Zeena's.

   The noisy atmosphere from earlier has evaporated. The training yard has several men laying splayed out on the ground. The building is silent as well and the doors are left open. 

   Leaning over one of the men Artisie looks closely, "Are we sure they're not dead?"

   Holding his hand up to one of the men's nose Narb replies, "This one's still breathing, they're all in a deep slumber."

   "Lot of mugs laying about." Connor says picking one up.

   Tipping the mug Narb peers into it, "We're they fed a sleeping concoction?

   Sarah grabs the mug bringing it to her face and taking a strong whiff, "Its a strong liquor, but I also smell Nervin and Apsice. One brings a drow upon the mind, and the other weakens the feelings of the body." She wrinkles hers nose, "Wait there is something else. Channonile? This is used to treat the adverse effects of drunkenness."

   Narb taps his cheek, "They were drugged, but why?"

   Since they're still breathing and clothed I'd assume it was to steal something, "Perhaps by a thief."

   Keeping his finger against his cheek Narb asks, "What thief would also give remedy to their victims?"

   Someone who has an emotional connection to these people, "A remorseful one, a member of Zeena's crew that betrayed them."

   Finishing his silent observation Karus breaks up the conversation, "That's enough speculation, continue searching before others start gathering here."

   Connor points at himself and Sarah, "We'll look for Zeena."

   "Then I shall look for signs of theft." I gesture to Artisie, "I'll need your help for this since your the only one who might know if somethings missing from here."

   We head inside where more people lay unconscious. None of their personal belongings appear to be missing nor does anything seem to be in more disorder than what one would expect from a bunch of rowdy drunks. Finding nothing amiss we move through the building arriving at Zeena's quarters. The door is open however that is likely due to Connor and Sarah searching here for Zeena before us.

   Artisie enters ahead of me.

   The room is lined trophies of hunts from pelts to skulls. Some spears are held in a rack in one corner of the room.

   Reaching behind a large hide hanging on the wall Artisie pulls open a concealed door, "In here."

   This must be the hidden room, but there's no way the undead could've snuck through here undetected.

   Shelves fill the space, however they're empty. Underneath one is the hole leading out of the town.

   I look around, "I thought you said this place was filled with jars."

   She confusedly speaks, "It was and with far more than one could carry alone."

   Walking out the door I tell her, "Whatever was in those jars must be what this thief or thieves were after then." Exiting back outside I collide with Connor.

   He puts a hand on my shoulder, "I was just running to find you, a few of Zeena's crew were spotted exiting the town with a wagon in tow."   

   Taking my thumb I point behind me, "That would explain the empty storage room we found."

   Furrowing his brow he puts a closed hand to his mouth, "Maybe you were right about there being a thief" He pauses, "One of the people that were leaving town was Rolt. The name may not mean much to you, but if someone was to stab Zeena in the back I'd bet on it being him. He's incredibly reserved which makes it so strange that he joined such a rowdy crew."

   He doesn't know I was there during Artisie's assessment mission, "We must head out to stop him then" looking out at the yard I see Sarah talking with Narb as he scribbles notes observing the unconscious men, however no sight of Karus. "Where is Karus?"

   "While Rolt was seen leaving town, Zeena was also spotted leaving it from the other side towards the battlefield. He said that if someone was to inform her it should be him." He explains.