Shortly after the fight in the sanatorium, Phillipe fainted, which we presumed was due to a bite he received during combat. We moved him into a room where he would be safe while the rest of the party continued exploring. During this, we heard a person making hooting sounds, upstairs from where we were. However, we chose to proceed downstairs first.

The first room we came to was a necromantic laboratory. It contained various pieces of surgical equipment. There were also two large metal slabs, each of which had a body lying on it, covered with a sheet. A door in the room had blood stains and pieces of flesh hanging from it; behind this door was a small closet, further stained with blood and gore, but otherwise empty. We concluded that this is where the undead that we fought had been stored. We removed the sheet from one of the slabs after Gulnyr thought he had spotted movement beneath it; it revealed the well-preserved corpse of an older man, but he was not moving.

While we were investigating, someone opened a door across the room from the one we had entered through. The room beyond it was filled with mist, so we could not see the person responsible. Then that person cast a Stinking Cloud spell into the laboratory, causing Ash and Devin to retreat the way they had came, while Gulnyr went forward to attack. Around this time, Phillipe recovered, so Ash retrieved him, summarized what was going on, and we all joined Gulnyr in fighting the enemy in the misty room beyond the lab, eventually knocking our foe unconcious.

This room was a study, and by looking through the various papers on the desk, we discovered that the man was a necromancer named Caizarlu Zerren. In this room we also found an arcane spellbook, and various notes and maps that indicated that he had been tracking “ghoul activity”. His writings noted a recent increase in ghouls in the southern farmlands and along the Foxglove River, and he believes that a ghoulish force has recently arisen.

After finishing investigating the basement, we proceeded upstairs from the ground floor. We came to a block of cells, which we were able to access using a key what we had found in Caizarlu’s possession. The cell doors were open, and in one cell was a blind man, who was making the loud hooting noises that we had heard earlier. We came to a second cell block, which the same key opened, and one of its occupants seemed to be obsessed with Gulnyr.

Continuing on, we came to an examination room, containing an operating table and a well-stocked cabinet. The two tiefling orderlies were present, and demanded that we leave. Instead of obeying, Ash knocked one out, and Gulnyr knocked out the other. We found a sliding panel in one wall, and upon opening it, we found Erin Habe hiding within. Concluding our investigation of the sanatorium, we rounded up all of its inhabitants, and brought them back to town.

Upon returning to the inn, we found a note from Sheriff Hemlock requesting that we see him first thing the next morning. We went to bed, and the next morning we met with the sheriff at the town square. He was accompanied by an old farmer, named Maester Grump, who was ranting about walking scarecrows stalking the southern farmlands at night. The sheriff requested that we investigate the southern farms, and provided us with four of the town’s guards to accompany us:

• Eugeni Scarnetti: a member of the noble Scarnetti family, who has a disconcertingly wide mouth
• Kazar Lint: a man obsessed with angels, who hoped to see one on this trip
• Carmina Raxton: a woman who habitually picks her teeth when she thinks no one’s looking, and likes dice games
• “Old Nurm“: used to be a sculptor, but gave it up after art went out of favor after the Late Unpleasantness

We headed out for the Handley Farm. Along the way, we found a scarecrow, but it did not react when Phillipe threw a rock at it, nor when Old Nurm poked it; it seemed to be an ordinary scarecrow.

Further on, we came to a group of three scarecrows, one of which did jump up and attack us. Ash shot at one of the other ones, killing it. Devin then used energy channeling to destroy the one that attacked, plus the third one.

We came to another “scarecrow”, who was actually a thin, hungry stable boy who had been tied to a post. We surmised that people who had contracted ghoul sickness were being strung up and used as scarecrows, and when they died, they became ghouls. The one that Ash had killed so easily had not yet turned, and would not turn because ghoul sickness was not the cause of death. We gave the stable boy some food and water, and left him for the time being, promising to return for him after our expedition was complete.

We found, fought, and killed another pair of scarecrow ghouls, and Nurm and Gulnyr were bitten during the fight. Then we found another normal, straw scarecrow, though it was covered in blood.

Finally, we reached the Handley farmhouse and nearby barn. We noticed that the barn was built over a large stone head, which was being used as a support. The farmhouse, meanwhile, was completely dilapidated. Gunlyr investigated inside the barn, which was occupied by six ghouls, which then attacked. During the fight, more ghouls arrived from the surrounding farmland. We managed to kill them all, but not without Devin and Phillipe getting bitten, as well as Gulnyr a second time.

We then investigated the farmhouse. Upon opening the door, we were immediately met with a sickening stench. A ghast emerged and attacked us. Carmina recognized him as Rogers Crazeby, the caretaker of Foxglove Manor. After killing him, we found in his possession a key with the crest of Foxglove Manor, a thorned flower. In the kitchen, we found the body of farmer Handley, with the sihedron symbol on his chest, and a note for Gulnyr. The note read:

You, and you alone, have brought this fearful harvest. They are dead because of you, and more shall join them soon.

Your Lordship

In the master bedroom, we found a loose floorboard, under which was a coffer containing many pouches of silver pieces.

We sent the four guards back to town, along with the stable boy, and enough silver pieces to pay for Father Zantus to cure him. We then spent the night at the nearby Bilsby Farm, and while we were there, we got some information about the history of Foxglove Manor. While we were sleeping in the barn, Ash was awoken by the sound of hooves on the roof. She woke Gulnyr, then went outside and climbed onto the roof. There she saw some broken boards that looked as though an animal had walked on them.

The next morning, we went to Foxglove Manor. We unlocked the side door using the key that we got from Rogers Crazeby.