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• Aros – Lightfoot Halfling, Rogue
  • Rubber Ducky of Inspiration
• Galiena Erenaeth – Half Elf, Celestial Warlock / Druid
  • Dearbhán – NPC, Fairy Dragon (Galiena’s pet)
  • NPCs:
    • Waesyn Oakenpath – Human (Fighter)
    • Balgun Sternrest – Elf (Ranger)
    • Darko Wintersage – NPC, Undead Wizard (Flame Skull)

• Balgun, Aros, Waesyn, and Galiena ride hard after Lord Brenmoon’s wagon full of guards, and shop keeper prisoner (See Session 54, for all the things that went sideways)
• While the wagon is moving slower than four horses without a wagon, the party decides to ride in the woods, off the path to avoid being easily detected
• As the party rides, pushing their horses ever forward, Galiena looks over at Aros, “I can’t believe you left the horn in a merchant’s wagon…”
• “I just wanted to get rid of it,” Aros confessed
• “There were other opportunities to get ‘rid of it’,” Galiena comments, “like leaving it in the woods, when you ran off with it.”
• “I wasn’t thinking,” Aros admitted. “It all happened so fast.”
• “So what’s our plan after we catch up to the wagon?” Galiena asks the others as they ride. “We’re going to have to kill the guards – and they’re going to wonder why Lord Brenmoon’s guards were killed. And even if we do the other guards will know the merchant was supposed to be arrested, so it’s not like he can stroll right back into Greenhaven.”
• “We can figure that out later,” Aros sighs, “first we need to save Rezo Garus.”
• While riding through the forest – Aros is nearly knocked off his horse – but manages to recover and keep riding

• Aros casts a scolding look at the branch that nearly knocked him off as they ride on before turning towards Galiena. “What if we get close enough – and we let Darko possess whoever the leader of the wagon is – and have Darko say that they need to let the prisoner go now? That way we get Rezo freed without a fight and Darko finally gets a body he can use.”
• Galiena looks at Aros, “Do we really want to let Darko possess someone? I kind of like him how he is. Also, allowing him to possess someone… I don’t know…”
• Aros looks at her, “I feel bad leading him on, like telling him we’re going to get him a body but haven’t found one for him. And if he possesses someone like one of Lord Brenmoon’s guards, it’s not like he’s possessing a nice person.”
• “If we catch up,” Galiena says, “I can use my spell – the same one I used to turn into a whale – but I could turn into a giant ape and grab the wagon. Or maybe a giant badger, like before, and dig a pit?”
• “We need to get ahead of them,” Waesyn points out
• “We could split up,” Galiena says, riding still. “Two of us try to get in front, the other two come from behind?”
• The party eventually catches up – and can see that Lord Brenmoon’s men have made a small camp just ahead – and can hear them boasting how Rezo will be thrown in a prison and “disappear” just like everyone else

• The party dismounts and Galiena assumes the form of a giant badger once again… and yet again, hears Darko’s voice cry out, “No! Not again.” As his head is still in the bag of holding, his magic merging with hers…

• Galiena begins to burrow beneath the ground – pausing and listening to the ground above her – until she can hear the majority of the guards that are gathered around a camp fire. She begins digging a hole deeper and deeper downward, before digging upward and allowing the weight of the rocks thrown around the campfire causes it all to collapse, capturing the guards as well, who are taken by surprise
• Two guards tumble into the sinkhole, while two other guards grab the sides as the hole opens
• The sink hole only proves to be about seven feet deep – which is taller than most humans, making the two who had fallen in, difficult to get out; the other two who are inside, but clinging to the side – their efforts to try and climb out
• Galiena collapses the tunnel in front of her and begins backtracking towards the entrance she made
• In the confusion, Aros uses his stealth to get near the prisoner wagon – and discovers that Lord Brenmoon’s men use a secure lock. However, Aros is well versed in getting past the most difficult locks, and easily unlocks it. Inside he sees Rezo Garus looking around, very confused and concerned. Seeing Aros, and recognizing him from when he and Galiena had come into his shop – he is about to ask what’s going on – when Aros begins picking the lock on his left foot which is shackled to the wagon. He keeps quiet, letting Aros do his thing. Aros manages to get that lock off – however, having picked both secure locks – his lockpick can’t get the right leg free (failed Slight of Hand). Aros calls out for Waesyn to come help – while Balgun shoots at the guards trying to get out of the hole – to keep them pinned down. Waesyn rushes over and doesn’t break the lock – but rather snaps the entire lock from the wagon – still leaving Rezo’s foot shackled to a dangling chain.
• Suddenly, more arrows go flying – it seems from every direction in the trees
• One guard goes down with several arrows in him, the second one who was also clinging onto the side finds several arrows in him, and he tumbles into the sink hole. One of the guards from inside the pit shouts, “We’re under attack!”
• Balgun comes up to the others, “I don’t know what’s happening – but that’s clearly not me shooting arrows.”
• Aros, unsure of what’s going on – and if whoever is shooting the guards will come after them next – decides to ignite the guards wagon – however, as he ignites the torch he has – the flame licks upward and drinks the oil in his mask (see Session 53)- and ignites his own face on fire!
• He quickly drops the torch and begins rolling on the ground to put the fire out. When he stands up to look at Waesyn – Waesyn tries to put on a brave face, but Aros’ lips, eye brows, and some of his hair have been burned, with his mask also burned. Waesyn clears his throat, “You like fine. Nothing Galiena can’t fix. I’m sure. I hope.”
• Waesyn picks up the lit torch and throws it into the wagon, pulling the tapestry of the wagon onto the fire to make it quickly go up
• Aros rushes towards Galiena, still in badger form, and cries, “I need healing!”
• Galiena drops her form and looks at Aros, horrified. “What happened?”
• Aros whines, “I lit my face on fire.”
• Not even wanting to understand what happened – Galiena begins healing Aros. Thankfully, though he feels as though he experienced a horrible sun burn, sensitive even to gentle breezes; but she’s able to heal his features
• It isn’t long before the sounds of the guards in the sinkhole goes quiet and a mean leaps down out from the tree and approaches Aros and the others
• The man introduces himself as Lithar Harus. All around crows begin to caw and it becomes clear that these two are a part of the Crowfeather rebellions and werecrows.
• Lithar explains that Rezo Garus will have to come with them and that he will serve the Crowfeather rebellion. Any other choice is going to result in Rezo being hunted and killed by Lord Brenmoon’s men. Lithar explains that this will look like a robbery, and that all who were here were killed. And that’s how Lord Brenmoon will sell it too, no doubt – that someone dared attack his anointed guards who were bringing a prisoner to him. Rezo asks about his family – and Lithar explains until Lord Brenmoon is taken care of, everyone outside of the Crowfeather rebellion will have to believe he died at the robbery.
• The other members of the Crowfeather rebellion descend from the trees and throw dirt into the sinkhole to bury the slain guards and move the cinders of the prison wagon over the hole – they then nod to Lithar when the job is done
• Aros assures Rezo that they’re in contact with one of the Crowfeather rebellion named Eric and they will send information through to him about Rezo’s family – and in the meantime, will also do whatever they can to help Rezo’s family (feeling responsible for the mess that has happened)
• Lithar then asks Galiena how she escaped the guards; they’d done a similar ambush of the guards when they saw her arrested by Lord Brenmoon’s men in Greenhaven (See Session 21). But when the stopped the wagon and killed the guards – they were surprised to find the back of the prison wagon empty. Galiena explains to Lithar that it’d been Baldur who had used magic to disguise himself – then magic again to impersonate a guard and slip back out. That is why the wagons now included brace locks inside the wagon to prevent escapes. Lithar nods and explains that her “murder” rap was because of he and the other Crowfeather rebellion members who killed Lord Brenmoon’s guards in an effort to rescue her.
• Aros explains that there are – what he believes to be “evil dwarves” – who have taken up slavery – by capturing people who shipwreck on the island and force them to work in the mines of Darken Pass. He also explains that he and his companions managed to rescue a few of them – and they’re currently in Greenhaven as well. He believes that if they can somehow get inside the Dwarven mines and free more people – they might be able to help against Lord Brenmoon and join the rebellion. Aros explains that the Dwarves definitely knew about Lord Brenmoon.
• Lithar looks among them and says, “You all know Eric, who is our leader. And you’ve been shown to be quite resourceful and courageous. I wonder if I could ask for your help in aiding one of our allies. We will be escorting Rezo back to the mountain near Greenhaven – but the rebellion has allies that have come into recent problems. You three might be exactly what we need to help.”
• The party quickly agrees – and Lithar places his fingers to his lips and let’s out a loud whistle. A few moments later, there is the sound of approaching thunder – but as they get closer, it’s actually centaurs.
• Lithar introduces the party to Sentorious.

• Sentorious explains that a chimera has taken up residence in a nearby mountain to the plains in which the Everhoof centaurs call home – and that it has been attacking and taking (and eating) his people.
• The party rides with Sentorious and several of his trusted guards back to Everhoof Plains. It’s there that Sentorious points out a large mountain and explains that’s where the Chimera resides…

To Be Continued.