The party safely returns to Rotter for a couple days of rest and recuperation.  All hit points are restored and luck points regained.  PC specific activities are addressed below.

Elwood: Your trip to the Flyspamon temple is fruitful.  As a member of the Order of Pastafaria, your church elders are very interested in what you have discovered/learned about the activities beneath the hunting lodge.  Stopping the banditry is very much in line with Flyspamon's teachings.  Your superiors strongly suggest clearing out the hunting lodge would be looked upon favorably by the church and could lead to a promotion within the ranks.  You are still a lowly initiate within the Order (you lacked the political connections or wealth to rise quickly through traditional means -- adventuring will be the swiftest way to advance for you (if you decide to pursue such advancement)).  The church is unaware of Gloria, Queen of the Wood.  From your description of her and her followers, your superiors suspect they are shapeshifters.  Knuckles is happy to see you are still alive, but cannot be spared from his church duties to adventure at this time (OOC: I'd prefer not to have the party take on NPCs unless the party size drops.  6-7 PCs is a lot to manage in a PBP.).  You pick up a new light hammer without difficulty.

Dreya: Your quest for a healing potion continues.  The going rate today is 400 gp.  Perhaps your next foray into danger will be more profitable.

Seline: You easily acquire a replacement dagger.  You spend an evening at Crippled Dick's and pick up some information about Gloria.  Some off-duty caravan guards mention they didn't see any sign of the usual bandits in the wood on their last trip, but their caravan was stopped by Gloria and her minions.  She demanded a toll to pass through the woods.  The caravan master decided to pay since the toll was less than his typical losses to bandits.  The guards seem satisfied the Queen of the Wood has made the road a safer way to travel.

Cole: You ask around about Gloria, but get the best information by keeping your ears open at the Saucy Wench.  One of the bartenders tells you he has it on good authority Gloria is a demon witch who seduced the Mayor of Rotter with her demented sexual charms in order to get a land grant to the Wood.  She now owns the forest and it's just a matter of time until her evil spreads to the city.  The only way to protect yourself from her powers is to throw salt at her under the moonlight.

Anthony: You find excellent vegetables at Sweet Irene's, one of the classier inns in Rotter.  The respectable clientele do not disturb your studies.

Any other town business?

Hugh needs to roll up hit points now that he is 3rd level.

Where you go from here is up to the party.  Returning to the lodge is one obvious option.  Rotter is a bustling city.  You can easily learn about other adventuring opportunities if you want to check.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:47, Sun 08 Jan 2017.

Anthony invites the others to join him for breakfast at Sweet Irene's.

Once the others are gathered, he poses the question: "So, given we may not be able to hire help, I propose that we find another opportunity at this time and revisit the lodge later. When we have a bit more experience under our belt, we will be in better shape to un-do those orcs and their undead minions."

Hugh primarily spends his downtime recovering from battle. The foray to the hunters' lodge has taken a lot out of him. His activities consist of retaining the services of a doctor to have his wounds cleaned and bandaged, visiting a bath house and purchasing a new pair of loose trousers, long tunic and cloak to replace the ones that had been soiled and torn beyond repair.

Hugh arrives for breakfast clean and refreshed. In between bites from his plate of bread, dates, olives and cheese, Hugh responds to Anthony.

"True. We could delay our return to the lodge, but we do have the advantage of at least knowing what is, was, there. Should we delay long, the lay of the land may change considerably and that advantage, lost."

He sips from his mug of tea and adds, "The sooner we rid the town of Gloria's influence, the better. Evil does not go away by turning a blind eye to it."

OOC: 16:32, Today: Hugh rolled 7 using 1d12+1.  hit points.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:54, Mon 09 Jan 2017.

Quite glad to consider avoiding that cabin, Dreya nods in affirmation from where she sits quietly picking at her plate of food.

Elwood briefs everyone on the discussions he had with the temple.  "I agree with Anthony that we should look to see if there are any other adventures we could undertake before returning to the lodge.  Although I've sworn to clearing out the lodge and ridding this area of that witch, getting a little more battle experience, and perhaps some useful magical devices before we return may be warranted.  Besides, there's no harm in just finding out what else is available.  As for the chamber below the lodge, they could lying in wait for our return.  Perhaps putting off returning for a few days may be in our favor - they may forget about us."

Dreya perks up, her focus turning from her plate of food to her traveling companions. "Maybe there is another entrance? And...we...could find it?"

Anthony cocks his head as he picks up a vegetable and munches. "I would love another entrance, but could there be one in the lodge? I am doubtful." He stops to pick a bit of rind from his teeth and await the others' responses.

Dreya's face scrunches up. "Not another one IN the cabin. Another one...somewhere else. Like a front door," she gestures to the main entrance to the Inn, "and a back entrance," she finishes, pointing toward a door in the back of the kitchen.

"This is interesting.  Any thoughts on how we could find this back door?"

Cocking her head to one side, Dreya turns her head to the cleric. "Asking the queen?"

"Searching for alternative entrances could prove fruitful."  Cole chimed in as he took a long swig of his coffee.  Black, no sugar, and bitter as hell.  "I am not certain how much this Queen can be trusted. If we were to speak with her, whatever she would deign to tell should be taken with a grain of salt.  Also, we may tip our hand if she is indeed the manipulator behind the evils of that lodge. She did want us to deliver those things to that lodge in the first place. Perhaps her whole intent had been knowing we would come upon that mess once we were down there and she would be rid of us and have our gold to boot. We could always scout the areas around that shack and keep our ears attuned to any rumors in town in regards to that lodge. You would be surprised what a few pints of ale does for loose lips.  Speaking of which, perhaps it's all hogwash, but we may want to stock up on some salt.  I heard it might be the only means of defeating this demon Witch.  But it could all be hogwash.  You never know."

(OOC: Cole will purchase a few bags of salt before leaving town.)
This message was last edited by the player at 04:46, Tue 10 Jan 2017.

"I'm not sure this Queen is inherently evil to be honest, she may be no different than a mayor of a town collecting coin for the use of the land she governs in order to take care of it. On the other hand she could be using a new found position of power for the purposes of extortion and be tempting to enslave the inhabitants with complete domination of the forest as her goal to utilize the resources for her own evil gain. "
Seline grows quiet for a second with a thoughtful look crossing her face.
Scratch that she is probably completely evil I think I have read in books how an evil spirit will take control of a forest. After taking control of the forest they supposedly drive out all the humans and Demi humans by extortion, followed by violence and murder if needed. After that they slowly start sapping the life force out of the woods killing off the woodland creatures and create a decaying breeding put for evil to sprout forth and gain a foothold."
Seline sits back having said her piece about the queen.
" Personally I'm curious to see what connections and relationship the town has developed with this supposed Queen, it may prove a valuable asset if we can take control of her, or usurp her that will give us a foothold in the city."
Seline looking around the table her eyes pausing just a brief moment on Hugh and Elwood quickly adds "for good of course"

Dreya: Although you were unsuccessful in finding a cheap healing potion, one younger potion monger (Jake) offers to sell you something called Boss Sauce.  It's a new potion that is supposed to temporarily make you extra-awesome.  The creator is looking for people to test it in the field.  Jake offers to sell it to you for 50 gp if you promise to return with feedback on how it works for you.  He tells you early testing has been impressive.

Edwood: Knuckles tells you he heard from one of the temple guards that Moira, one of the higher ups in the Flyspamon temple, is looking for some trustworthy couriers to deliver a package for her to a village a north of Rotter.  As far as Knuckles knows, the priestess is honorable, but she has a reputation for being power hungry and a little ruthless.

Cole: You have no problems picking up some salt over at Ed's General Store.  Do you tell the clerk why you are buying salt?

Seline: You have been keeping your eye on possible contacts with the various crime syndicates in Rotter.  One of them (Gnarls) approaches you on behalf of the Gambini crime family.  His bosses have noticed you and are impressed with your continued survival while adventuring.  Gnarls wants to know if you are interested in affiliating with the Gambinis.  How do you respond?

Anthony: How do you feel about Seline possibly joining one of the crime families?  What is Grizzled Ear's relationship like with the Gambinis?

Hugh: What rumors have you heard about possible adventuring opportunities?
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:23, Tue 10 Jan 2017.

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 13):

Seline would reply "So long as I'm able to continue travelling with my companions, I haven't had this much fun, I would gratefully accept the offer"

In reply to Castle Keeper msg#13

Not in so many words, but Cole does ask what he has heard about stirrings going on in the woods and what the man knows about the lodge. Cole will try to pass it off as he stumbled upon these things passing his way into town and he is just curious about them. And he also asks if there are any leads on jobs for hire.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:49, Tue 10 Jan 2017.

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 13):

Being rife with worldly naivete, which is odd to see in someone of her apparent 30...ish...probably younger... years of age, Dreya of course buys this potion!  And enthusiastically too!
This message was last edited by the player at 01:25, Wed 11 Jan 2017.

While sitting around enjoying their after dinner drinks, Elwood mentions the opportunity he heard from Knuckles.  "As much as I dislike taking part in temple politics, being looked upon favorably by Priestess Moira would have it's advantages.  It seems like a small job, but success could lead to more challenging opportunities in the future."

OOC: I assume this delivery 'job' would include the entire group, or would it only involve Elwood?
This message was lightly edited by the player at 23:37, Tue 10 Jan 2017.

Hugh has never really fancied himself as a mercenary. Though he has been trained in the Way of Longshadows and can hold his own in a scrap, he has never run in mercenary circles and finds the prospect of hiring himself out for coin, a commodity he finds no value in, less than satisfying. His time has always been spent long hours dedicated to honing his mind and body  to protect the weak and downtrodden, with precious few hours left over for idle town gossip or gambits to line one's coin purse.

If pressed on the matter, he explains he has heard whispers of a brute going by the name Oswald the Orphantaker, operating out of Rotter. Rumor is Oswald is preying on the young, homeless and unwanted as part of a slavers' ring looking to round up new prospects. "Or maybe it's for some other end," he admits, the rumors being exactly that.

Hugh acknowledges the party's reluctance to return to the lodge, given the outcome of their first foray and the unknowns of what or who Gloria is or isn't. Likewise, rumors of a ruffian rounding up the downtrodden for unknown purposes carries none of the financial or political incentives of ingratiating one's self to the cause of a local temple, so he too realizes this may fall on deaf ears. But it's all he has, so he offers it as a possible conversation point.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:47, Wed 11 Jan 2017.

Anthony catches wind of Seline's new connection through Grizzled Ear, who does work occasionally for the Gambinis. Anthony says nothing initially, rather willing to see how the situation plays out and if Seline's connection will impact him directly or not, or if it has downsides for Seline. This was not the time to be moralistic--but he was definitely skeptical of the long-time benefits for her or her friends.

He is far more enthusiastic when he hears about the situation with "Oswald the Orphantaker." "THIS, friends," he says with feeling, "is a matter worthy of our attention. I recommend we find this fellow and stop him from his depredations."