With their victory at The Sleeping Giant still fresh, The Mercenaries turned their attention to the looming ruins of Tresendar Manor. The promise of answers—and danger—drew them toward the crumbling structure, but they soon discovered they weren’t the only ones investigating its secrets.
New Faces in the Shadows
Lurking near the manor’s entrance, the party encountered two strangers—Snapping Branch, a wiry and sharp-eyed ranger, and Hawthorne, a reserved but observant bard. Both had been drawn to the manor by rumours of the Redbrands’ activities and whispers of treasures hidden beneath its foundations.
Snapping Branch claimed to have tracked suspicious movements near the ruins, fearing the resurgence of something darker than mere brigands. Meanwhile, Hawthorne had been gathering ballads and tales of ancient powers buried beneath the stones, hoping to preserve their stories—or perhaps unearth inspiration for his own.
Despite initial tensions, the two joined the troupe, sharing their skills and insights as the party prepared to descend into the unknown.
Into the Caverns
The descent into the manor’s undercroft was fraught with tension. Flickering torches illuminated rough-hewn tunnels, and distant sounds hinted at unseen threats. But it was not an enemy that greeted them in the depths—it was a creature unlike any they had faced before.
Meeting Gezzex
A lone Nothic emerged from the shadows, its single, unblinking eye fixated on the party. Its twisted form and unsettling presence caused hesitation, but Snezze approached without fear, speaking softly and offering scraps of food. Against all odds, the creature responded.
Calling itself Gezzex, the Nothic revealed fragments of its story—cursed with madness and bound to these caverns, it longed for companionship and understanding. Hawthorne took up his sketchpad, capturing Gezzex’s likeness and drawing a scene of the Nothic standing proudly alongside Snezze. The goblin declared him a brother, sealing an unlikely bond.
An Uneasy Alliance
Though wary, the party chose to trust Gezzex, gaining insight into the caverns’ layout and the threats that awaited. The Nothic’s knowledge and occasional cryptic warnings hinted at secrets hidden even deeper below the ruins.
As they prepared to press on, the bonds of friendship—both old and new—gave the troupe confidence. Yet, unease lingered, for the mysteries of Tresendar Manor were far from fully revealed.
Notes
- Setting: The undercroft of Tresendar Manor introduces eerie and ancient elements, contrasting the surface conflict with the Redbrands.
- Themes: Friendship in unexpected places and confronting fear with compassion.
- Foreshadowing: Gezzex’s cryptic knowledge hints at darker secrets and greater threats lurking below.