So if you will recall last week, Caedryn was on the trail of some naughty werewolf secrets after they broke through Fiona’s faulty Death Shield. Brother Jebiah wants me to head all the way back to Gloamwood Pines to find out more. I mean, JEEZ, that’s like, so far away. But Brother Jebiah insists. “The beast is revealed! That barghest you killed wasn't the culprit after all. I've suspected Doctor Oswell for some time. Pay him a visit and have him reconsider his report on the 'infected' victims.”
Because the good Doctor apparently made up some bogus reports regarding the barghest. (That's the beastie I killed a few weeks ago in the cave. Remember?) I make my weary way back to Gloamwood Pines by stepping two feet through the portcullum and track the Doctor down. I’m like all, “Hey, dawg, seems you have some expensive looking empty shelves there. It would be a shame if something happened to them. Oops! I seem to have kicked one of them into splinters. Can’t imagine how that happened. Oops! There goes another. I’m so clumsy, me, but don’t worry, you’ve still got one lef—oh! Look at that. I’ve kicked that one in as well. What are we going to do?”
)
That’s some mighty fine shelves you've got here doc. Mighty fine.
Doctor Oswell really likes his shelves. He’s all like, “Please have mercy! It was never my intent to falsify my findings. I was simply doing as I was told! It was the burgher, Furtho Dragomir, that forced me to do it. The beast you killed in Greybriar Hollow was not the real culprit behind the attacks. Furtho Dragomir had me conceal this truth - I don't know why. If it's truth you want, convince Furtho to give it to you. He is at his manor atop Barrel Vault tree.”
The plot thickens.
If you will recall Furtho was the friendly chap at the top of that really high tower who let off fireworks for Caedryn a few weeks ago because of all the good work he’d been doing. Seems he isn’t as friendly as I first thought. I make my up the many levels, fighting his bodyguards along the way. They’re not very good. In fact, then fall before Caedryn’s sword like… like things that are easily killed. Spiders, perhaps. Or small furry animals. When he gets to the top, he has to deal with a massive dude that takes a bit more killing, then Caedryn kicks the door down, all heroic like.
I beat Furtho up a bit and finally get the secret out of him. The beast of Greybriar Hollow was a werewolf, and that the oldest families of Gloamwood have suffered the curse of lycanthropy. I tell Dwyddon Duskeleaf my findings and he asks me to go back to Tearfall Ruin and speak to the spirit of Laria at the Forest Altar and ask for her advice.
Caedryn wearily makes his way back the ten feet or so to the portcullum (all this walking!) and heads back to Tearfall Ruin, where it turns out that Laria might actually be responsible for all this. “Years ago, my sister and I lived happily in the woods. Then the Ward was breached. I fought the rifts while my sister bent them to her will. Twisted by death energy, she blamed the people of Gloamwood when I died, rather than the power of Regulos. This curse has the feel of her work, but we must learn more.” Laria wants me to travel to Deepwood Cottage and steal Laria’s sister’s diary to see what she has to say.
Before I head off, I make my way around the camp and pick up any secondary quests. There are a few. Arthur Roames wants me to kill Nuha the Wolf in the cave beneath Deepwood Cottage. Some of his soldiers have been attacked by the beast and will have been turned. Apparently, as an Ascended, I can get killed, but not turned into a werewolf.
Which is nice.
Then Fiona Leone wants me to collect Hagborn Thrall Manes. She thinks this will help with her Death Shield. Seeing as the werewolves broke through the shield, adding a werewolf component to the mix should keep them out.
And finally, Brother Jebiah wants you to kill Hagborn Vampires guarding the cottage. No larger reason behind this. He just wants them dead.
)
The path to Deepwood Cottage. Not at all creepy.
Caedryn makes his way to the cottage, hewing and slaying as he goes. He retrieves the diary from the basement, then wanders around the cottage searching for the cave. He kills the vampires he was asked to and finally tracks down Nuha to her cave and puts her down. Job done. Now it’s back to the camp for his rewards.
)
Bad doggy
Brother Jebiah is very happy with the diary. Apparently it tells him that there is only one way to deal with the evil taint and that to get the job done “my conviction must be strong.” Hmm. Sounds… dangerous. But I guess I will have to bite the silver bullet and do the job. I mean, who else will?
