The next afternoon, Balefire, Zelda and Kronk heard what sounded like a cry for help! Thurl heard it as well, and alerted the rest of the crew. “Drop anchor,” Thurl suggested. “Maybe we can render aid to whoever’s in need.” Zelda recommended proceeding with caution.
Once ashore, the party heard another cry–choked off! As quickly as they could through the heavy undergrowth and vegetation, they headed toward where the sound came from. Then Balefire heard it: a low rumble, then a loud burp.
Then Arya recognized it. “It’s a fiendish dire toad!” she cried.
Without hesitation, the adventurers attacked. The toad hid behind shrubs, causing the initial volleys from the party to miss. Then, hopping through the shrubs, the toad spit out its long fiendish tongue, striking Kronk but failing to grapple. Only Elwood managed to land a blow, with his morning star. The damage, however, was much less than he expected!
While the other adventurers continued either to miss the toad or inflict far less than normal damage, Thurl began to advance stealthily toward the creature. The toad bit at Kronk, who fought to shake off a sudden feeling of weakness from the bite.
None of the adventurers seemed able to hit the toad with projectile weapons. Those who managed to strike the creature with melee weapons continued to be dismayed at its apparent resistance to their attacks. The toad bit Balefire, and this time its bite proved venemous, causing Balefire to weaken considerably. But at last, after Zelda summoned a celestial dog to their aid, the party finally managed to inflict lethal damage on the fiendish amphibian.
“I’ve never seen a toad like this before,” said Strife. “Haven’t heard one burp like this one either!” He took his longsword to the carcass of the creature. “Let’s have a look inside!” he cried. Proceeding to slice into the toad’s belly, Strife found inside . . . a dead, partly digested halfling!
The adventurers were shocked, and a bit revolted, by the discovery. They put that aside and examined the corpse, finding some minor potions, twenty gold pieces, and a sword. More interesting was what they found in the sealed ivory tube they found with the body.
Balefire determined that the tube wasn’t trapped. The tube also had no writing on it, nor did the wax seal on it contain any indication of what was inside. Strife then opened the tube.
There was a message, written in an obscure dialect. Thurl was able to read it.
“Hmmm,” muttered Thurl. “The message says: "Information found in desk of deceased wizard, named Zarlag." He looked up from the message. "Never heard of him.”
“I have!” said Zelda and Strife, simultaneously. “He was a wizard, pretty good one too. I heard a rumor that he died not too long ago. His estate was up for sale.”
“There’s more here,” said Thurl. “It goes on to say, "Indicate location of artifact referred to as "Fiend's Embrace". Also include notes pertaining to "Demonomicon", and map of Cold Marshes. Suggest investigating Cold Stones Keep.” He read on, then frowned in alarm. “It also says, "Avoid encounters with Iuz agents at all costs".
Several of the adventurers gasped. Iuz was a name rarely uttered, and a name associated with much evil in this part of the Flaeness.
“I think we should make for Mitrik without further delay,” said Thurl.
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