Manistrad Copperlocks has sanctioned this investigation reluctantly. Though she downplays the urgency in public, she’s deeply concerned that any hint of Abyssal corruption or magical instability near the mines could undermine her position with both Keoland and the dwarven investors. She’s placed strict expectations on Torren to keep this matter out of the Saltmarsh Council’s hands—especially Gellan Primewater’s.

She sees the adventurers as useful, expendable, and off the books.

• “This is dwarven ground. I won’t see it compromised.” – She believes outside forces—magical, political, or Abyssal—are a threat to the operation and must be silenced or stopped.

• “Saltmarsh politics are a trap.” – She wants this solved before Primewater can use it against her.

• “If there’s corruption in the mines, I’ll burn it out myself.” – She will not let anything jeopardize the dwarves' foothold in Saltmarsh.

• “Handle this quickly—and quietly.” – Expects a discreet solution. If the party draws attention, she’ll lose trust.

• “I don’t care what you find—just make sure it doesn’t reach the Council.” – She’s not afraid to cover things up.

• “Do this right, and I might have more work for you.” – Reliable parties may be offered future missions.

To confirm the Drowned Forest does not pose a risk to the mining operation. If it does, she wants the danger neutralized—no questions, no public fallout, and no political interference. She’ll reward discretion and efficiency, but won’t tolerate incompetence or public scandal.

Torren is the quiet architect behind the mission. His research uncovered the portal’s presence and the cult’s remnants in the Drowned Forest. He is obsessed with recovering the Decanter of Endless Water—believing it to be the key to understanding (or sealing) the Abyssal rift.

Though he speaks little, Torren sees the party as tools in a much larger arcane puzzle.

• “The portal still breathes. I’ve seen the signs.” – He’s convinced the threat is real and growing.

• “The Decanter must be recovered before others find it.” – He fears what Primewater, cult remnants, or even Manistrad might do with it.

• “No one else sees it… but I do.” – He may come across as paranoid, but his instincts are rarely wrong.

• “Don’t touch anything glowing unless you’re sure it won’t kill you.” – Dry and deadpan, but serious.

• “Bring me what you find. Especially anything… Abyssal.” – He craves more data.

• “We’re running out of time, and they’re getting closer.” – Torren is tense and secretive, but driven.

To locate and recover the Decanter of Endless Water, gather samples of corrupted spores or relics, and learn the true extent of Abyssal influence in the region. He wants answers—and he wants them before anyone else discovers the truth.

Barun has long believed that something ancient and dangerous lies buried beneath the mine—something the earliest dwarves may have discovered and then sealed away. The recent findings from the Drowned Forest, especially the fungal corruption and Abyssal traces, have deeply unsettled him. He now fears these signs are not isolated—but connected.

He believes the cult of Zuggtmoy may have tapped into the same darkness he’s been warning about for years.

• “The legends were warnings, not stories.” – He believes ancient dwarves sealed something below the mine, and the current operation may be disturbing it.

• “The mine isn't just above something old—it's above something alive.” – He suspects that whatever was sealed has begun to stir.

• “The Drowned Forest may be connected.” – Barun now sees the Abyssal rot as a symptom, not the source. He fears a link between the cult's portal and what he calls “the Deep Shadow” beneath the mine.

• “They thought I was mad. Now look what's happening.” – Haunted by years of being dismissed.

• “This corruption may not have started in the forest. It may have spread there.” – Suggests the mine could be the epicenter.

• “If this connects to the vault layers below… then we’re all standing over a grave that was never meant to be opened.” – Quietly terrified, but determined to be heard.

Barun wants to prove that the Drowned Forest is part of a greater puzzle—one that leads back to the dwarven mine itself. He seeks answers not for prestige, but to protect Saltmarsh and his people from repeating the mistakes of the past. If the party shares his concern or brings back evidence, he will become a loyal and insightful ally—and possibly the only one who truly understands the deeper threat ahead.