>>6183482The Dowser leads everyone past shattered towers until he stops before one particularly impressive derelict. It must have been a very grand tower but now it lies crumpled on the earth. Blocks of stone shattered by the fall retain traces of fine carving. The stones have fallen in such a way it has created a cave.
"Meep! Praise the gods, we have found them."
The Dowser cheerfully announces and immediately runs into the cave before anyone can stop him. A slingstone whizzes past the head of the drugged Baphomet but he pays it no mind at all. Instead, he simply continues his run and disappears from view. A series of meeps and yees emanates as the inhabitants of the cave.
A horned goat head pops into view, you recognize it is one of the apprentices. He looks frazzled and injured but he's smiling as your group is bade to enter. When you do, you take stock of the situation. Team Feline is in terrible shape, several Baphomets have dirty bandages wrapped around their wounds and one goat covered by large sheet of canvas is lying in the corner of the cave is very still. There is the distinct smell of rot in the air. You order Yatagarasu to pull back the sheet.
"Ack, tis my comrade Guide."
A disemboweled corpse; innards hastily stuffed back inside the body and sewed up with a rough stitch. It was all that the apprentices could do to keep the corpse whole. It explains why they couldn't flee. You look around the cave and see that the walls covered in Runes, a desperate attempt by the inexperienced to escape the domain.
"Where is Lady Kizaemon?"
"She's gone to challenge the fraud after he slew the master. We know naught where she is. Twas two days ago and not a hair or whisker since then."
Damn.
You'll need to decide what to do. There's 10 acorns of Mana to use, it'll come in handy...
>Send Team Feline back to Avalon, you can use 5 acorns of Mana to brute force a Gate out of the domain....>Eat 5 acorns of Mana and power up, you're going to need it...>Eat all 10 acorns of Mana and power up, >Use all 10 acorns of Mana to heal Team Feline, you're going to use them against your enemy...>Don't use any acorns, tell Team Feline to rest up. Your team will go and find the cat...>Give 2 acorns each to the Dowser, Bodyguard and Yatagarasu, and eat the rest for yourself...>write in 