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Locations: The Gran’Place, Albertus Grotto (Monster Den) Characters: Auguste Monnart, Lucien Monnart, Hugo Monnart, Hunters Enemies: Kikimore Workers, Kikimore Warrior, Hunters |
Objectives
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The three brothers Monnart are currently requesting help from a known Monster Den deep in the western Gorgon Foothills Territory, due north of the Rioux-Cannes Outpost, and reasonably easily accessible from the Beauclair Palace Signpost, and a romp northwest. Atop the hill the cavern is buried under, expect an encounter with a flock of Harpies. This is optional, and you can dash in from the opposite direction if you wish. Step into the hole in the ground known as Alberstus Grotto, where you hear two voices screaming for help.
Auguste and Lucien Monnart arrive panting from inside the cave, claiming their brother Hugo is still inside. You can optionally ask why they are here, what attacked them, if they’re the ones that wrote the notice (if you you read it), and then agree to help (for an increased fee if you wish). Though their answers are vague (they don’t know what attacked them, for example), you can’t tell if they’re being purposefully evasive, or are simply out of their depth. Enter the cave.
Objectives
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Though the Knights Errant deemed this area safe, they obviously missed the Kikimore nest you uncover as you progress into the large subterranean cavern. Expect around five Workers and a Warrior to contend with. Afterward, burn any egg clusters you see, use Aard to break through some rubble in the southeast wall if you wish, and conduct a thorough search of the immediate cavern area. There’s a tunnel high above you at the end of the large initial cavern (to the southwest), but it’s for exiting back here. Close to some eggs, at the southern end of the chamber, you can discover the following:
- A dropped sword with fresh blood on the blade. Was this Hugo’s weapon?
- A trail of blood. It could be that Hugo is wounded.
Follow the trail of blood, climbing up a rocky ledge and look for a hand print that hasn’t even dried. Follow the splatters of blood into a cavern with a natural hot spring. In fact, the water in this pool is so hot, it’s likely to boil you alive without protection! Thouogh you could cast Quen and dive in, ignore the water for a moment, and work your way to the right (northwest), passing the stalagmites daubed in blood, to a secondary cavern where you spy a man slumped against the rock wall.