Busy Work Report

During the next few days, the members of the Lost Sons spent time training and tying up loose ends. Myr and Sawbones spent several hours on the first day harvesting every last drop and gubbin of the demon Myr had killed.   Determined to make use of everything from the skin to the nails, they carefully dismantled the creature and stored each piece. Sawbones informed Myr that consuming the creature's heart could potentially grant some power.   Aurelia trained with the cavalry and the bok walkers. She focused on ensuring that, should a rider fall, their mount would stay and defend them at all costs. The training went well, if a little slow. Aurelia noticed several more demigryphs in the courtyard than before and moved her herd of bok walkers to the training yard on the other side of the palace.   Dir, still believing he, Vaas, and Myr were going to the arcane well, waited alone by the gate for several hours. When Myr didn't show, Dir went with members of his old squad to his favorite tavern. They drank and reminisced about old times.   Vaas made his way to the Old Man's tent looking for news on Pots and Smiles. There he found the Old Man looking worn and worried. Vaas was told there were numerous things going on such as Imperial Rocs being spotted over the city, river cauldrons swimming up stream and causing hazardous travel, and Gehnnian patrols pushing out from the Pass of Mists with Yak banners and signs of the Empress's Arrows.   Worst of all, a Lost Sons scouting party was slaughtered near Abarin. They were meant to meet with a contact who betrayed them. The Old Man was visibly upset. Vaas offered some help with the reports and the Old Man asked him if he would be willing to learn Qara Til, the ancient language of the company. Vaas agreed and was given a book and was tasked with making a copy of it.   Vaas was also told that Hush was working with several Shadow Hunters, cursed Sama'ellar who were sent to work with the company on the orders of Shade's sister. Vaas offered to help train the Shadow Hunters by leading them on a game of cat and mouse through the city while he searched for a printing press to make copies of the book.   Later, Pots and Smiles arrived injured and had several Ziin in tow. They told of a horrific ritual they encountered being performed by a mage of Tikar. The warriors with this mage were all equipped with full plate armor, an expensive rarity. A tribe of Ziin was being ritually sacrificed by this mage as she bound herself to a creature of the outer void. Not willing to get into direct combat, Pots and Smiles were still able to create a diversion enough that some of the Ziin were able to escape. But the ritual was completed.   Pots and Smiles brought the survivors to the palace. Sawbones treated their injuries. He also examined the Shadow Hunters, performing some experiments to determine what curse was affecting them. Sawbones began the process of creating a potion that would allow the Shadow Hunters to move in the sun.   As the eighth day drew to a close, Myr weighed his options and decided he would devour the demon's heart.