Session 2: Mountain Man-hunt

The party, now five with their dwarf companion spirited away, has a little daylight remaining. It is agreed that approaching the thieves under cover of night would be best, and so they trek upward through the valleys and crags towards the southern peaks.

But their bad fortune continues: the storms, failing light, and hostile terrain conspire to drive them back. Exhausted, they return to the edge of the woods and make camp. The rainstorm finally passes, giving way to a cloudy, moonless night.

Day Two

At dawn, the sun breaks through the clouds. It's time to make another attempt at a climb. It takes the five half the day to find the a path up the mountains, venturing a mile into the barren slopes until they catch sight of the thieves' camp on a high plateau, huddled near a lonely linden tree.

In the end, there is no chance for surprise. More than a hundred yards out, one of their number catches sight of the party approaching. The mage demands parley. A finely-dressed man emerges from a tent to meet him in between their respective groups.

He wears a forked mustache and goatee, a conical hat and sumptuous purple silk robe embroidered with gold; not at all the wild mountain bandit, he seems to be the scion of some noble family. His retinue is likewise all menfolk; another mark of privelege.

This rival magician asks to be addressed as "Master Rusk". He confirms he does have the tablet, but it was not their true goal to steal it from the grove; rather, one of the hired swords saw fit to pry it loose from the ruins and sell later for a bonus. His real goal was to capture a zombie for his studies.

The party makes an offer: if they be allowed to return the tablet, then they'll venture into the dungeon instead and find one for Rusk. He finds this agreeable, and he'll return to forest with the party, along with the bulk of his men, to await delivery of the monster.