The Great Griffon Gambit

The party see a notice on the board from Drakk, saying he has a griffon problem that needs to be dealt with.   Drakk revealed that a griffon has attacking deliveries and transports into Oakminster, disrupting the trade. He’s not getting his full deliveries of ale, the merchants aren’t getting their supplies and Bartleby is very grumpy at Oakminster General Store because of it.   The party agree to Drakk's offer, but the ever-entrepreneurial Matrim Harperly decides to extort see if they can agree payment from the other merchants in the town for getting rid of the griffon.   He manages to negotiate a position with Gideon Ironheart and Bartleby Longfellow.   First though, the party has to work out a way to lure the griffon out in order to kill it. Corbyn Chuzzle and Veylin the Untamed know that griffons favour horse meat above all others, and that they imprint onto the first creature they see when they emerge from their egg.   The party choose to buy some horse meat from Rag’nosh Bloodbane, the butcher, and use it as bait for the beast.   It proved successful, and the griffon swooped down for the meat, which Matrim had trapped with a cloud of daggers. The griffon scooped up the meat and attacked the group, who fought it off until it flew away with Gerald (the racist raven) in hot pursuit.   After a brief rest, the party followed Gerald's directions, which showed the griffon had nested at the top of a nearby cliff. Between daggers, rope and the sharing of strength, the party ascended to the nest. There they found the griffon, still heavily wounded, and its child.   Veylin used his ability to speak to animals and the griffon revealed that it is a servant of Myndra Venomvine, a Druid who is obsessed with protecting the forest from the expansion of Oakminster.   The griffon had no choice but to attack the party or the village as Myndra commanded it, but Veylin wasn't able to ascertain where Myndra was hiding. Only that she was 'nearby'.   Deciding not to kill the griffon and it's young, the party searched the nest before heading back to town to tell Drakk about their findings and ask if he knew this Myndra. Thane found some old saddle bags that contained a bar of silver and a note to Bartleby. Matrim snatched the note from Thane's hands and quickly read it. It was a thank you note from a very satisfied customer, who had spent 500 gold on the item Matrim had sold to Bartleby for 50!   On way back to town to report findings to Drakk, the party suddenly find themselves surrounded by vines on all sides. Thane tries to burn a way through and instead only manages to create an opening for Myndra to walk through.   Myndra explains that the expansion of Oakminster is killing the forests and she is protecting it, and battle ensues. Matrim tries to talk her down but only succeeds in convincing her to kill him last. The party engage in a fight to the death, with animated trees and bushes coming to Myndra's aid. Thane almost falls but they are able to defeat her.   After the fight, they return to town to collect their rewards and let Drakk know his problem is solved. For now.