Session 20, Monsters

General Summary

After saying their goodbyes to Micah, the group left Wolffall to return to Haven with proof of their victory. On the way back to Haven, Vaegon noticed something odd hanging from a tree off the side of the road where they'd camped with the travelling nuns. After pulling over to investigate, they discovered the corpses of the nuns hanging from the trees, having undergone savage torture. The word "thieves" had been daubed on their habits and smiles had been carved into their faces, leading them to surmise that the Merry Men had been behind the attack. Tiblamir used the Speak with Dead spell on the deceased Abbess to confirm that a group of 9 individuals had emerged from the treeline and attacked them. According to the Abbess, some of them had been wearing the burlap sacks of the Merry Men. Though she'd killed two of the attackers in an attempt to defend her initiates, she had eventually been felled. The group cut the hanging nuns down and gave them a proper burial beneath the maple tree.

The following evening, they arrived in Haven. As they were making their way back to the Guild, Luca and Tif burst out of the Hall in a panic, frantically searching for Jess who had apparently slipped out of their room. According to Tif, Jess experienced episodes that could be dangerous to herself and to others. After confirming the contract's completion, the group split up and helped them search. Vaegon, Tiblamir, and Luca eventually found Jess in the chicken pen of a nearby farm sitting in a circle of dead chickens while the farm owner and his wife watched with horror. Jess, who was in a dreamlike trance, her eyes glowing, rambled about the stars above and the monsters that existed before the nothingness of the void. Luca eventually talked her down and bound her with Tiblamir and Vaegon's help. They returned to the Guild Hall where they met with Tif and Firion.

The next morning, as the group was preparing to leave for Treustadt, Luca, Tif, and Jess approached them. After Jess's episode the previous night, they'd talked about whether it was even still worth investigating the tainted wine that had been distributed through Weingarten after so much time had passed. They also agreed that it would be better to travel with a bigger party in case Jess had another episode (though they remained tight-lipped about what exactly had happened) and accepted Firion's prior offer to travel together to Weingarten.