Crannoc somberly agrees to Calavaz coming back to Greenest with the group.  "May your newfound faith in... Lathander?  May your newfound faith guide you to a new life."  But in truth, Crannoc's mind is on other things.  Not least of which is leaving this humanoid-carved stone abattoir as soon as he can.

First, he checks the jar of Elk urine to confirm there is enough to allow the group to pass the tangleweed around the tower.  That done, he muses aloud.

"Does anyone wonder where the rest of the bandits are?  We slew two above in the tower, along with the stirges, then Galdren and his oversized stirge.  But the female bandit lieutenant we captured claimed there are several more bandits.  Where are they?  Is the pack waiting to ambush us?  And yes, it is uncertain if she and the others we tied up are still there.  They may have been attacked, or freed by their packmates, or broken free on their own."

Physically recovered, Hildr nevertheless does not feel herself. Her cowardice in the face of the undead opponent weighs upon her, making her uncharacteristically reticent.

She yearns to be far away and, although it is still but morning, already dreads the following night. In spite of this (or because of it?), Hildr suggests the opposite course of action to the one she desires.

"Yes, the remaining bandits," she says, without looking any of her companions in the eye, "We must find them."

Hildr then makes a show of calisthenics and solo swordplay until the others are ready to leave.

As is typical in the morning, Iris is quiet as she moves about, getting her things ready for them to move out. After what they went through yesterday, she feels even more exhausted than usual. What she wouldn't give to return to that dragon's spring. 

She notices their shieldmaiden's unusually withdrawn manner this morning, and catches herself wondering if she should inquire. Iris closes her eyes, flipping a coin in her head before making a decision. As they're leaving that gods-forsaken place, she falls into step beside the other woman. "Everything alright?" She asks, speaking quietly.

Hildr is startled by Iris's question and isn't sure how to respond.

She's caught you sulking. It is unbecoming of an Illuskan warrior! The voice in her head is as much her father's as her own. At this rate, you'll never be admitted to the jomsvikings.

"W-why yes," Hildr stutters, "of course!" she lies. "I was just planning a stratagem, um, well, for when we return. I was worried last night that the rest of you might not make it out alive. That's why I was relieved when we beat a hasty retreat and suggested that we shelter until daylight."

"Ah." Unconvincing as Hildr's excuse may be, Iris understood the desire to avoid certain subjects, and she felt this was teetering on something the warrior was uncomfortable with. "Well I'll always appreciate your concern. If you want to bounce ideas for your stratagem, I'm here." 

Hildr nods. Now I have to think up a stratagem... She has the nagging feeling that with her dissimulation she has succeeded only in digging herself deeper into a hole—a well of shame, the vampire's pit.

"Thank you," Calavaz says, bowing his head and returning to a solemn silence as you gather your things and make to leave. He'll follow along with your party, hands clasped and brow furrowed in contemplation. 

There's more than enough of the elk urine remaining to cover your boots again, and you're pleased to find it still repels the tangleweed as you step out of the tower. You make your way back down the hill, retracing your steps through the trees to where you had left the captured bandits. 

They're exactly where you left them, their restraints more than adequate to keep them contained. "Thought you had gotten dead." The woman says as you approach, oddly enough she seems somewhat relieved by your reappearance. "We're dying of thirst over here, got anything?"

Presuming he has enough left in his waterskin, Gawain will go ahead and give each of them a drink from it. He takes this opportunity to look over their necks, looking for the telltale marks of a vampire's fangs. "Sorry about that, we got a little held up by that extremely kind lady you were keeping in the basement."

They all mumble their thanks as you go around giving them water. You've got a clear look at their necks as you do so, and you see no signs that they've been bit by such a creature. The woman looks at you, confused by the comment. "Are you making a joke or something?"

Gawain scowls, mildly frustrated that they didn't seem to know anything. "Part of a joke. We'll have some more questions for you as we walk." He says, helping them all up so they can get on the road to Greenest again.

"Couple of weird things. You said there were more of you, but we only ran into two others plus Galdren at the tower. Any idea where the others might be?"

Crannoc awaits the bandit captives' reactions to Gawain's questions.  Further, reaching for Silvanus' guidance he observes what reaction they have to Calavaz and he to them.  Recognition?  Disdain?  Concern?  Never having been a bandit himself, however, he is not confident in his assessment.

Crannoc Insight plus Guidance:  11 + 2 = 13

(Depending on what he can glean, Crannoc may follow up with questions on whether the bandits had ever seen the throne room with the large central hole, or if they had seen Galdren use his mask and/or conjure Darkness that only he could see through.)

The woman furrows her brow, with what looks like genuine confusion and perhaps a hint of concern to Crannoc. "Nah, Thorn's crew shoulda been back already. And they wouldn't leave again for a few days at least.

 "Don't think they were there, unless they were hiding underneath the stone." Gawain remarks. "Did you ever go into the throne room? See your Night Lord do anything like summon a zone of darkness?"

"Do bandits disappear often in your crew?" Hinting at a potential sacrifice situation to the Night Lords... beloved.

"That neat trick with his sword?" The woman asks, "Yeah we've seen that. How the hells do you think he got us to follow him? He's the strongest. Or was I suppose, by the looks of things you've gone and dealt with him. We weren't allowed in the throne room for much though, just to drop off loot." There's another concerned and confused look on her face as she turns to face Gallant, "no. Not until you and yours started coming around."

Her companions cannot help but notice the venom in Hildr's eyes as she glowers at the woman bandit. Hildr does not like her.

"I want you to think hard about every possible place that Thorn and her squad could be," Hildr says, the tip of her sword pointed at the woman's chest, "because your numbers don't add up, and I do not like surprises."

Charisma (Intimidation) check: 5

The captive's impassive expression all but throws Hildr into a rage.

She looks down at the sword point at her chest. It doesn't seem to have the impact Hildr wanted, not necessarily because the bandit wasn't scared, but more like she already feels defeated. Still, she appears to have a bit of spunk left in her, as she takes an exaggerated look around the area, making up for her current lack of ability to gesture around. "Anywhere in the Greenfields, really. Apparently not the tower." 

"Look, I'm not their gods damned baby sitter. Maybe some other crew took them out. Maybe they decided to split. Who knows? Not me."

"Keep poking the bear and she'll rip your head clean off. We won't be able to stop her either." Gawain says to the bandit, still frowning. Hildr was right about things not adding up, and it bothered him just as much. "Let's just get back to Greenest as quick as we can, maybe pick up the pace so we can get the hell away from that tower?"

Iris considers the horror it would be to get caught by that thing in the middle of the night, especially considering how some in their party lack the ability to see in the dark. "I agree with the need for speed. Maybe make camp far off the road as well." 

"It is true.  I do not know if daylight affects the undead abomination at the bottom of the throne room's hole the way I have heard it affects vampires, but it seems best to make haste by day to put as much distance as we can between us and this tower.  We can hope this 'Thorn' leaves as well."

Still, Crannoc looks around for hazards or an ambush as the party begins back towards Greenest.

Perception plus Guidance:  13 + 1 = 14