Bainsbury Manor

## Summary

Watraw Bainsbury is trying to find someone to help him with his out-building / stable.  A sinkhole appeared in his horse stable, causing some damage.

Lord Bainsbury hired a crew of laborers to go there to try and reinforce the structure, but one of them, a human laborer named Denfish, went missing down the sinkhole, ne'er to return.   Watraw then sent his foreman, Redder, to see if he could flush it out, and he was attacked in his right arm by some sort of creature camping out in the stables. Although the Lord had house guards, he would not wish the sacrifice the safety of his family and manor, and without anyone else nearby to assist the Lord with his problems, he traveled to Fathe Nun to seek out adventurers.

After they agreed, the adventurers traveled for a couple days with the Lord to arrive at the property, just south of Timlin, not too far from the coast nor Dobrize Wood.

## The Manor

The manor house was of respectable size for a lesser noble of the Marches. There were livestock pens and orchards which kept the contract ranchers and farmers busy, and the land prosperous. The stable for Lord Bainsbury's personal steeds was the one where all of the hubbub had occurred, although the Lord had not investigated whether the steeds which were housed therein were still safe.

The party spoke with the Lord's family and servants, including Redder, who had been slightly injured from his own investigation of the stables, although seemed to be feigning greater incapacitation.

It appeared that the main housemaid, Gleeba, was taking good care of Redder, and that Redder was enjoying that.

Without much ado, the party continued on to investigate the stables.

## The Stables

The stables were dark, but the adventurers carefully observed and searched the perimeter before charging in, including help from Wubba's friend pigeon, Cooper. At first they saw nothing, but just before dashing in and searching, a large creature with great mandibles came forth from the sinkhole and made itself known. Not so much a beetle of enormity, rather an adolescent field Ankheg had taken root in the manor's underground.

The party was prepared and sought to claim their first victory. They rushed in and the ankheg proved to be no match for the well-apportioned team of adventurers. The sinkhole appeared to be rather deep, so prior to descent, the party notified the Lord of their findings (which included the demise of the Lord's stallions).

## The Underground

Ropes were set and the party began their descent down a steep grade into the caverns below. Sadly, they would quickly find signs of the fate of the missing worker, Denfish.

More sounds of digging resonated in the tunnels and caves below, and soon the party would be engaging the creatures from which they emanates. Ankhegs of various sizes viciously battled the party, causing at least one member to nearly succumb to their wounds. Yet the party remained stalwart, helping their fallen, and eradicating the invading beasts from the tunnels underlying the manor.

The party would find a trove of ankheg eggs, with Aterian using them for their alchemical properties, enhancing strength and defense. They also would find signs of ravaged livestock who had been dragged in from a separate entrance in the cavern complex. Sadly, they also found a necklace on a corpse that was to be that of a woman, Zeebett, who had gone missing from the nearby hamlet of Woodcaln by Gleeba's recollection.

Most interestingly, however, were a few findings of how bandits had been using the caverns recently to prepare for attacks on merchants on roads in the Southern Marches. The bandits, probably apprentices, appeared to be no match for the ankheg group, but the bandits had left not just snares and camping gear, but notes which indicated that there would be an attack on the hamlet of Gwaithbaile, which lies to the east in the Southern Marches.

## Conclusion

Once the ankheg threat was gone and the caverns cleared of current enemy, the party returned to Lord Bainsbury who was more than happy with their success. The news of the bandit attack, however, worried him greatly. Lord Gwaithbaile was a good friend to Lord Bainsbury, and even more, Lord Gwaithbaile was an important lord in the March Cavaliers, a group of nobles and squires in the Marches who assisted in making the roads and hamlets in the region safe from bandits and undesirable barbarian-kind.

Lord Bainsbury was aware that there was a great meeting of the March Cavaliers in Dobrize in a couple days, and that Lord Gwaithbaile and a portion of his guards would not be present at his manor to defend it. Lord Bainsbury implored the party to help out if they could, and the Lord would supply them with horses so they could race across the plains to attempt to reach Gwaithbaile before the bandit attack ensued. It would take all they could muster to reach the hamlet in time, but perhaps they could help out.

## Links

Previous, The Party Begins

Next, Raid on Gwaithbaile