Gallows of Madness: A Foul Breed - Turn Results 5

After the battle, Wahesh explained further about the Fire Beetles as he harvested a glowing gland, “Fire Beetles are not known for their burrowing abilities. They crawl and fly. That said, they might make a nest underground but typically reside in hollow logs and trees. They are typically encountered singly, in clusters of up to six or colonies of as many as a dozen. Fire Beetles are typically nocturnal and hunters of opportunity. People are outside their usual prey but are not off the menu. The glands, while useful, are not particularly valuable. A caged, living beetle would have value in certain circles. I have never seen ones that glow in this fashion. I would not begin to know whether these creatures have a demonic taint or not. How would one know such a thing?”

Lou G’Boo lead Barnacleeze to the beetles’ nest but nothing of value was found.

Further investigation of the drag trail yielded interesting results. The trail ended at the edge of the orchard and was lost. Lady Emyralda noticed thin strands of a purplish-black substance clinging to a tree along the path. The tree looked sickly. A patch of bark beneath the strands was decayed, and all the tree’s fruit had fallen to the ground.

The substance did not detect as magic but Wahesh claimed to recognize it. “This appears to be Demon Bile. It is a foul infestation that if allowed to grow could claim this entire orchard in a matter of a few months. It attracts vermin and sometimes causes extreme growth of creatures that wallow in it. Cold iron and some priestly magic kills the blight.”