Strathbogie's stubborn friends

Gargoyle, a photo by Vicki & Chuck Rogers on Flickr.

An old adventurer named "Gummy" had given the party a lead on a treasure-enrcihed tomb inside of more. Known as the tomb of the four gargoyles, and identified by a curious mark that he drew on paper, the tomb was said to be found "due west of the breach."

In the course of locating the tomb, Strathbogie had several great ideas that were ignored by the rest of the party. First, they were too cowardly and untrusting to introduce themselves properly at the Orkin village located "due west of the breach" and after ingratiating ourselves, inquiring there of the location of the tomb.
Second there were too many other good ideas offered and ignored to even begin to rememer here, excpept that after we found the gargoyle and had him throughly entangled in weeds and vines (this was the doing of Mendel, a swamp man, although Strathbogie has started learning earth magic himself, too), everyone despaired of how to destroy the foul monster, which made from magic could only be harmed by magic, and we boasted only one magic sword among us and no warriors brave enough to wade in among the thrashing vines to engage in hand-to-hand (or even sword-to-back) combat. What is the need for bravery when wit abounds? We had a magic sword and we had a rope-- were there no clever sorts among us who could so afix the rope to the sword, and-- in imitation of those hunters who bestride the waves throwing barbs at leviathans so as to extract that slow-burning vicosity by whose flame the scholar pores over his books long into the night, TO WHIT, WHALERS-- by as many tries as there are rounds in ten turns, hurl the sword at the monster, and then snatch it back by way of the rope to make another strike? So it would seem. Fillory, an agreeable lass, was half-persuaded, but Isden would not release his sword. Strathbogie tried to resolve the dilema and got hit on the head for his trouble. Needless to say, the monster remains at large.

Strathbogie is nearly certain that it was Dreyfus who knocked him out with the back of his axe. He also believes that, in some way beyond mortal understanding, Dreyfus is associated with Thakko's violent death. Sure Dreyfus "seems trustworthy." But why did he just pop out of nowhere, the day after Thakko was killed?