Episode 20- Fighting Fire with Fire, the Battle Begins!

After some more thought about using the lycanthropes to do some damage to the cults, the plan was agreed on. To a point. The Sacred Stone Monastary was out due to members of the Mirabar Delegation still being there. So the party agreed to send them to Feathergale Spire and the Sighing Valley.

With a set plan, Vega went to go and speak with them.He brought them a map, saying that while it was his hunting ground, he was giving it time to replenish. Vega assured them that the knights they were worried about were gone. The lycanthropes agreed to leave at sundown and shared the ribs of moose that were closer to the consistency of beef tartar. The lycans shared with him the finer recipes for serving elf (elf kebab, elf-ducken which is a drow inside a wood elf, inside a high elf and if you're feeling really fancy, inside an eladrin).

Vega returned afterwards and helped set up camp. Spectral moles were summoned and gathered needed supplied including an extra tent. With camp and watches set, the party turned in for the night.

Thok kept a crossbow pointed at Vega's head through the duration of their watch.

Theamen's watch was uneventful. When Menelwen went to switch with him, they got to speak. He asked a favor of her. “Keep an eye on me.”

“As I usually do.”

“If I seem to be taking actions...making choices that you deem to be too far...pull me back. Stop me.”

“Okay.”

He kissed her cheek and turned in for the night. Her watch was uneventful until Henry woke to join her for the last shift.

“Hey sleepyhead.”

“Hey, do you have anything warmt to drink?”

“No...?”

Henry sat down next to her. He asked about Theamen, worrying about his decisions and the way he seems to be changing. Then he made a request of her as well. “Can...you keep an eye on me? In case I do something stupid?”

“I suppose.”

“Thanks.”

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. The next morning Thok was up first, packing up the tent in thirty seconds flat. He punched Vega awake. Theamen slept in a bit, in Menelwen's bedroll enjoying his time off.

Thok broke up the fire pit, throwing rocks at Vega as he went. The point was to leave no trace of the party being there,

Vega grumbled, wandering off to Menelwen, rubbing his head. They spoke for a bit. “Is...this what family feels like?” He asked.

She blinked, glancing at him. “Yes. It's a very weird family...” she glanced at the others. “but it is. I like this family. I'd like to keep it.”

Henry saw a butterfly go by and burst into flames. Lily had a crisis about possibly turning Henry gay.

Once things were packed up, they went to other camps to see if they could find out anymore information about the rite, Dryflaggon...or if anyone could cure Vega.

The first camp they came up to was a robed elf woman by the name of Garina playing the foddle with two sprites (heartseers)- Felix and Aphid. She had traveled to see the Rite of the Wicker Giant. Garina was a wood elf druid from the circle of the silent moon, who wanted to see nature fixed. They speak about Dryflaggon and about the increased sightings of an Avariel- a winged elf. It was a pleasant interaction. Unfortunately she didn't know how to fix Vega. The party thanked her for her hospitality and moved on.

The second camp was a group of men- three dozing, one hanging around, and another leaning on his staff bored. They lectured Henry about “making nature great again” until the party moved on. One of the men was named Saruki.

The third camp was two men with a tied up bear- Eric and Carl.

The fourth camp had big guys with dogs, hoods covering their features. They seemed really skeevy and smelled BAD. Turns out...the party was right to be wary. As soon as Vega got close, the wargs attacked.

Roll Iniative

Vega went first and dealt good damage to one of the bugbears. Menelwen was next; she dropped a fireball, ending the bugbears and wargs right then and there.

Saruki ran over. “What was that?! There were bugbears?! We were sleeping by bugbears?” Poor guy was traumatized.

The party moved on up the mountain to the Wicker Giant. Henry stealthed closer. He noticed that the flames were contained in the Wicker Giant but were not comsuming it. Vega and Menelwen were not so lucky with stealth.

Roll Iniative

The priests around the giant were incredibly aggressive.

Vega tried to use entangle but succeeded in making the terrain difficult for the rest of his party.

“Arise and cleanse this place of the unworthy!” The wicker Gman bellows, the flames rising higher into the sky.

Thok moved and tried to attack one of the priests.

Menelwen tried something- a wall of water that went through and around the Wicker Giant. Henry shoots at it.

Theamen casted Haste on himself and was about to get across the difficult terrain with no problem. He attacked with Green flame blade.

Lily inspired Henry. “Oh Henry you so fine, you so fine you blow my mind hey Henry.”

A creature comes screeching through the wall of water. A fire elemental joins the fray. It burned away the mess left by Vega's entangle and attacked Theamen-missing both times.

Lily attacked the elemental with the whip. And inspired Thok. “Help him!”

Vega created water to help attack the elemental.

One of the cultists dropped a fireball on Menelwen and Lily. Both of them went unconscious. Another cultist attacked Theamen and missed.

Thok used the circlet of elemental summoning and called for a water elemental that was later dubbed Gurgles! His action surge brought out the decanter of endless water and attacked with it.

Henry shoots at a cultist and hits.

Theamen, seeing Menelwen down activated his new spell- Blade song and began to sing with it. He cleaved one cultist in half, missed the attack of opportunity by the fire elemental and attacked the cultist who casted fireball.

The fire elemental attacked Thok who moved out of the way.

Lily regained consciousness.

Vega water bended the water he created, trying to drown out the fire. He trapped the fire elemental in a water cube.

Theamen made his save against the cultists' Burning Hands spell to keep Blade Song going.

Menelwen regained consciousness, hearing Theamen singing sluggishly from Haste wearing off.

Gurgles killed the fire elemental.

A horrible disturbing howling noise in the distance caught their ears. Aroundthe corner came two dog like creatures, red and black.

Hell Hounds. 

Complete and utter terror filled some of the party.

And Henry was the closest to them...

~To Be Continued...~