The Seed of Sorrow

At the start of the episode, Jhod and Tristian disagree on the cause of the patient's illness. Side with Tristian to search the stomach for the source.

Assist with a skill check: If you sided with Jhod, the check difficulty is 25-28 for Athletics, Mobility, Lore (Nature), or Persuasion. If you sided with Tristian or consulted Bartholomew, the difficulty is 17-20 for the same checks. Alternatively, you can kill the patient (Neutral Evil) to avoid the check.

Succeeding the check means the patient survives; failing means they die. In either case, a seed is found in the stomach, which matures into a Ferocious Owlbear.

Battle: Ferocious Owlbear: You control only your protagonist. Tristian, Jhod, guards, and Bartholomew will assist. The Owlbear has high HP, moderate AC, a high Attack Bonus, three attacks per round dealing 20+ damage each. An AC of 35 is recommended to avoid heavy damage, and 40 with concealment is safer. Use summons as fodder and ranged attacks, or potions and scrolls if necessary.

After defeating the Ferocious Owlbear, Jhod and Tristian discuss the findings: it was a parasite of vegetative origin, likely from the Guardian of the Bloom. You can continue with either the Witch Hunt or Mother of Monsters quest.

Upon exiting your throne room, you will encounter Erick and Alov arguing about abandoning your barony. You can make an alignment choice: Neutral Good (requires Diplomacy 17), Neutral, Neutral Evil, or Chaotic Evil. Convincing Alov to stay (Neutral Good) will help resolve future civil unrest peacefully.