As before, the gost of Udhask turns and flees, fading into etherealness as it yells in archaic gnomish, "We're under attack!  Flee for your lives."

With the ghost and the sounds of battle gone, you are free to enter the burrow.  Inside you find the skeleton on the floor, slightly disturbed by your previous search of the room.

Beegred will keep an eye on the surroundings, in case the ghost comes back.
He tosses a sack (the one mended by Rodolfo after the medusa tore through it) near the bones, so someone else can collect them.

Orubis picks them up to put in the bag, thoughtful to put the big pieces in the bottom and the smaller ones on top to avoid breaking it up.

Orubis looks at the disturbed bones of Udhask and the much smaller sack.  He draws upon his divinity to try and collect the bones with as much reverence as possible. 

(Rolled an 8 religion check in the game log)

However, as Orubis tries to respect the remains of Udhask, the dust kicks up in the burrow and the entity Nomi Pathshutter has named Ogrémoch's Bane swirls around the room and filters through the sack with the bones, disturbing Orubis's efforts in an act of malevolent revenge.

As Orubis is in the process of collecting the bones ceremoniously, the dust in the room kicks up and Ogremoch's Bane begins to manifest, malevolence directed at Orubis and the bones.

"Ogermack shoo! You have no power here...." and Skameros tries to shoo the dust cloud away.

Orubis sees the dust kick up and raises his hands. 

“You aren’t welcome! Stay back!” 

And casts wind wall surrounding himself, the bones, and as many of the others as he can fit to hedge out the ogremach

Rebuffed by Orubis's divine magic and maybe by Skameros's scoldings, Ogremoch's Bane unleashes a wave of malevolence that can be felt like a pressure on your emotions.  Orubis is forced to hurry in his collection of Udhask's bones, as the Wind Wall spell only lasts 1 minute.

With bones collected, your party evades Ogremoch's Bane and returns to Blingdenstone proper.  Once in the catacombs, you manage to find an empty place for the bones.

(Will you do anything 'special' as you place the bones?)

Orubis will sprinkle some mushroom spores and whisper a blessing of the Mushroom Prince over them. 

Orubis lays Udhasks's bones and blesses them.  You all stand in the crypt, waiting for something momentous to happen, but the only sound that can be heard are the muffled voices of children shouting in unison, and rhythmic banging of objects.  It all sounds like some kind of strange music.  After waiting until your patience runs out, you turn to leave Udhask's final resting place, and you finally notice Burrow Warden Jaeger floating silently before you.

Burrow Warden Jaeger stares at the bones and says, "In life, Udhask put too much value in material objects.  I suppose it's his final lesson to be laid to rest without them.  At least now his kin will be able to pull him out of his torture, reliving his last day over and over.  Then he will rest, finally at peace."

Looking at each of you in turn, he continues, "Your reek of the torment of Vazuk and her children.  Yet I sense her presence no more.  They are ended.  I sense you are not from Blingdenstone, nor are you kin.  I hope you battled them with kindness, and did not add more trauma to their sad fate."

After a pause, he finishes, "For this service, what could a ghost such as I possibly offer in recompense?"

Rodolfo says, "We are seeking a way to the surface. Where is the way and what should we know about it?"

Burrow Warden Jaeger nods and replies, "Burrow Warden Belwar Dissengulp led a force of 300 svirfneblin warriors to attack a force of drow marching on Mithril Hall from the rear.  The battle of Keeper's Dale was fierce, and the dwarves of Mithril Hall collapsed many of the tunnels in the defensive action.  Blindenstone have made mortal enemies of House Baenre.  If you travel the underdark as a svirfneblin, it would be best to not go without a considerable fighting force.  If you are not svirfneblin, it would be best not to announce your friendship to svirfneblin.  The drow patrol the routes between Blingdenstone and Mithril Hall, preventing any direct trade or communication between our cities and would like nothing more than to sacrifice svirfneblin or friends of svirfneblin to their arachnid patron that we do not name.

If you wish to be told the route, speak with Burrow Warden Belwar Dissengulp or King Schnicktick.  I have not travelled that route myself and only know of its existence."

Beegred takes the time to think (which is really painful for him).
"You said 2 tasks, and 2 answers. I'm wondering if we got some of the gnome cartog... cartog... mapmakers down here, would you help them with the layout of this place?
(Especially areas that have been abandoned or hidden, which they might not know about.)
They are tracking down the Pudding Prince, and trying to coexist with some were-beings, so having better maps will make it easier to figure out where things are or should be."

Burrow Warden Jaeger replies, "I am intimately familiar with Blingdenstone and will gladly help the King replace his lost maps."

While your group takes a moment to digest the answers, Burrow Warden Jaeger's attention seems to be drawn elsewhere as he breaks eye contact to look over his shoulder.  He turns to you and says, "There is another visitor to the crypts, and I can not be at two places at once.  Please follow me."

Burrow Warden Jaeger's ghost walks away at a brisk pace.

Orubis shrugs and follows. 

You follow Burrow Warden Jaeger back to the entrance of the crypt, where an older officious looking gnome stands fidgeting, peeking around corners impatiently.  When he sees the Burrow Warden, he hurries over.  "Burrow Warden Jaeger, the rulers of Blingdenstone request your presence to discuss an imminent attack upon the city.  They wait for you in the home of Tireck  Gemshaper."

Noticing your presence, the old gnome informs you, "Messengers were sent for you as well.  The council has moved on from deciding if the ooze threat is real to deciding how to repulse them.  If you wish to partake, you may offer any advice you can provide."

With that, the old gnome bows deferentially at the Burrow Warden and quickly exits the crypt.

Beegred starts to follow the Warden ("sounds like they need our help to defend the city"), then starts to follow the old gnome, then stops to scratch his head.

To the party: "Where do we find the council?"

Burrow Warden Jaeger was halfway to walking through a wall when he overheard Beegred.  He says "follow me" and redirects to take a less efficient,  living appropriate route.

When you all arrive at Senni and Dorbo's 'council room', which is the same place you were brought to before, you find it packed full with gnomes in heated discussion.  Upon noticing Burrow Warden Jaeger, Senni silences the room and launches into an explanation,

"Burrow Warden Jaeger, I am Senni and my husband here is Dorbo.  We have spoken often in the recent past, although because of your deceased state, you don't remember anything after the time of your death for very long.  So here is the situation: King Schnicktick has been deceased for hundreds of years.   The drow invasion was ultimately successful.  The survivors escaped to live on the surface word or in Mithril Hall.  Dorbo and I have gathered all willing deep gnomes to return to Blingdenstone and recolonize.  That has made us the de-facto leaders.  When we arrived, we found Blingdenstone inhabited by Clan Goldwhisker who are descendants of Blingdenstone with the... ugh... gift... of lycanthropy.  There are also other dangers that have forced us to close off all but the area next to the main gate."

She beckons Burrow Warden Jaeger over to take a look at an updated map of Blingdenstone before continuing:

"Clan Goldwhisker have claimed the northern section.  To the east, an entity that we do not fully understand resides, and this entity can and will wrest control of our summoned earth elementals, turning them against us.  To the north east, where the old throne room is found, Clan Goldwhisker tells us a massive horde of oozes and slimes with unusual intelligence have gathered, under the command or influence of a creature they call The Pudding King.

The oozes will telepathically scream "Flesh for the Faceless Lord!" into the mind of any living creature that gets near, and attack.  We fear that these slimes and oozes are being gathered as an army meant to conquer Blingdenstone, and beyond.  This is why we have summoned you here, to assist us in planning how to defend Blingdenstone and ultimately defeat this horde and their Pudding King."

Rodolfo listens and asks, "Is there a plan for retreat as well or are we completely cut off and must fight until victory or death?"

Dorbo bristles at the question and replies, "Those of us that have come to recolonize Blingdenstone are for the most part NOT soldiers.  As a leader, I will not condemn our people to death fighting a foe they do not wish to battle for a dream they don't want to die for.  If we can not come to an agreed upon plan to counter these oozes, then the only option left to us will be to abandon Blingdenstone and retreat.  But the word from our merchants is the Underdark is not safe either, more so than usual.  I feel that either choice Senni or I make will cost lives."