As you follow Nirzeg into the dank and dusty keep, you eventually come upon the stone-and-timber dining hall—but it is empty. The cobwebs are there, tables and chairs haphazardly arranged in the middle of the room. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling is unlit, but there are a few standing candelabras that give the room some dim lighting. At the back of the room, barely visible in the darkness, is a wooden chest. 

No bodies can be found, including that of Alus. 

At the sight of the empty hall and the lack of the opportunity to avenge, or even properly bury Alus, Astra just drops to her knees and starts crying.

Feeling his spell begining to wane on top of everything else, Nirzeg quietly motions for Derrikoth to dismount (if he hadn't long done so) before bone, muscle, and more shrunk back down to their normal proportions. "Foolhardy cleric. If he had been more invested in preserving-...." The rest coolly spoken lines catch in Nirzeg's throat as he glares at the former spot of Alus' remains. Suck in a deep breathe, a measure of calm re-enters his visage as Wickerman flutters down to apply some more salve to the Githyanki's hair, gelling back what sweat and activity had thrown out of place.

Glancing over to Astra, Nirzeg looks back away with a roll of the eyes. "This is no time to lose one's head. Not if we are to catch-up with those cretins, and make sure they pay their dues. Search the room for clues. Even on those skeletal steeds of there's, they couldn't have gotten far." He says as he turned a dial on the back of a gauntlet covered hand. As some sort of gauge just above the light began to fill with light, the Gith hunkers down to at least confirm... try to confirm if Alus had been raised on the spot, or picked up by something else judging by disturbance in dust or pool about ALus' former position.

Survival:21. (Same bonus if Medicine, but +6 if Investigation)
Plus guidance: 4.

Resilience Salve(0 of 3 remaining) put on Nirzeg, granting 11 Temp HP.

Genevieve hesitates in coming to Astra's side as she wasn't built to comfort, but she goes anyways and soothingly rubs the weeping girls back. "It's okay, Astra, we... We'll make them pay for what they did and give Alus a proper parting ceremony... Er, funeral..." She watches Nirzeg get to searching, and as she didn't want to leave Astra's side, kept her eyes out for anything they could use to find the bastards that took their friend away.

Perception: 18

 Astra hears what her friend says as well as what Nirzeg says and realizes that they should search for clues right now. There would be plenty of time to mourn Alus later. She stands up, dries her eyes, and nods at Genevieve. "Thank you"

Perception: 13

Derrikoth staggers along behind the group, feeling slightly better from the healing magic. At the sight of Alus's missing body, he gives a howl of rage and begins to rush out of the room.

"If I can get to Josephus, I can follow them. I won't let them escape. I can't let them escape."

This area has been smeared with blood, and the dust in the room is still swirling in the air from the flurry of activity just minutes ago. Nirzeg sees a few sets of human-sized footprints and smears of blood leading further into the dusty room, past the candelabras, into the darkness. 

Astra doesn't currently see the footprints that Nirzeg sees, but the blood on the floor is readily apparent for all. Astra can see the blood smears being tracked into the darkness, but the outer edges of the room are beyond the reach of her darkvision. 

Genevieve can also see the blood on the floor, which leads north into the room, and out of the light of the candelabras. Genevieve, with her powers, sees the entire room without the need of light. There is a large chest on the back wall, an unlit chandelier hung by a rope on the ceiling, timber pillars that support the vaulted roof of this hall, and no apparent doorways other than . The windows in this dining hall have been bricked over, so that no sunlight is able to enter. 

Genevieve also sees two unmoving bodies against the back wall, lying next to each other on the floor, amidst a large pile of bones. 

If Genny had a heart it would be beating a million miles a minute. "Guys, there are two bodies there..." She points out to them before cautiously making her way over as it wouldn't hurt to check.

Is it our boy? (idk if i need to roll for it)

Astra follows with her sword out. She also casts Daylight to get a better view of the room.

Astra’s spell lights up the room, casting dramatic, shifting shadows where the cobwebs are strung between wall, floor, and ceiling. 

As you approach, you see that the two bodies are readily identifiable. The first is Alus, and the second is the dwarven castellan, Amrath. They have both been drug here and left in a heap.

"Let's get him out of here." Astra's tears have dried by this point, but she is still in a somber mood as she retrieves him. "We're not going to let this awful monsters keep you here, Alus."

Derrikoth turns back, walking somberly into the room before lifting Alus's body and carrying it outside.

Though Nirzeg started to proceed closer, a hand at the hilt of a blade for good measure, the reveal through daylight gives plenty of pause. Then with a tired sigh, he relaxes, and waits for Derrikoth to remove the body from the heap prior to going over to check Amrath's body for anything noteworthy or salvageable. The whole time he seems to tune out any complaints or pleas to follow, for such was the Gith's focus on the task at hand.

Wickerman, however, flutters along behind the Derrikoth procession, burbling every now and then in sadness. Smart Zeek stays at his master's side. At least until with some unspoken command it flies off to explore the rest of the manor as much as it could while taking care to do so quietly. And if it finds something of note, it sends a pinging thought to Nirz, prompting the gith to temporarily possess its body to see the thing for himself.

Zeek's Stealth: 24.

There is a set of several keys on a chain around Amrath’s neck.

(Is Zeek wanting to leave the room on his own?)

// Go ahead and roll Intelligence or Wisdom for Zeek. If you are staying within 100 feet of him, you may add Nirzeg's proficiency in Investigation. //

"There's a river just inside the tree line of that forest over there." Astra says, pointing towards the trees that are in between the keep and the inn. "I think that Alus would want to be buried there. He always liked the rivers and the trees. Nirzeg, if you want to help bury him or say anything once you're done with what you're doing, that's where we'll be."

The three of you are able to bring Alus to a place on the banks of the calmly flowing river, which flows southwards. The ground here is soft and well-watered, and the trees of the High Forest bow low over the water, creating a tunnel of boughs and leafs. 

It is nearing sunset as you set out to bury your companion, and the sun burns fiery beams from the west through the tree line. The woods are silent but for the gently rippling water. 

As you stand there, you contemplate what final words to say, if any...

"Alus didn't deserve this." Astra said, her voice wavering as she did so. "Alus was kind and wise and he never started trouble with anybody. He was always the one that was saying to be cool whenever someone was angry or stressed out. I remember when I was upset because Genevieve was malfunctioning and I thought it was my fault he bought me a bowl of stew and told me that 'Friendship is a river that runs deeper than scratches and scrapes bud, I wouldn't stress'. He always knew what needed to be said at what time and.." Astra can't finish that last part of the sentence as she begins to choke up and get emotional. She calms down after a few moments, keeping whatever it was that she had to say to herself for the moment. "I'm sorry that I couldn't get there in time to save you, Alus. And I hope that you're riding the waves with Valkur now." 

Derrikoth stands off to the side, staring blankly at Alus's grave. His mind wanders to other unpleasant times, running down a list of all of his failures to add this one to the top of it. His gaze refocuses on the river, staring intently at something hidden in its depths, before he speaks softly, "I have failed, again. I'm sorry that I let you down. You didn't deserve this. It should have been me, it should have been me. I swore oaths, and I'm sorry that it took me this long to know why. Rest now, let the waves settle your soul. I will carry on this burden, as it was meant to be. Sleep well, you who I should have called friend."

With that, Derrikoth bangs a gauntleted fist against his chest, saluting Alus one last time before turning from the grave and walking away with eyes burning.

At last acknowledge the others, Nirzeg gives Astra a sidelong look and a solemn nod, then returned to searching the body. In the end, he takes the keys chain and all after a moment's hesitation. But as for the remains, Nirzeg starts fishing around his person for some oil, only to mutter a curse. "There's confidence, and then there's recklessness, Githyanki. You should do well to remember in the future." He said with a grimace. "Granted, this whole place will probably go over some errant flame if not too careful." Chuckling, as he dons his shield, lowering his goggles, and then in effort to keep within 100ft of Smart Zeek, followed at the very edge of the link; a hand free for any nasty surprises.

Smart Zeek Wisdom(+prof): 5.

Meanwhile, at a new gravesite a fair bit a ways from the manor, Wickerman tried to keep up a straight face. But between Derrikoth and Astra's words, the little fire salamander started crying tears of lava, scorching ground and grass a like at his feet.  Fortunatly, it isn't enough to set ablaze in forest. Just vaguely seeing Derrikoth begin to wander off through the tears, Wickerman wipes as many of the thin trails of liquid fire away, puts on a brave face, and tries to follow after the dragonborn while keeping a fair distance from him.