Hardcore Heroes: Episode 31

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== Synopsis ==
In the evening, the group discusses their next steps at Halfpint, with Kain suggesting Rohana could help with their findings about the shadow dragon, while Malakai considers seeking the Baroness’s endorsement to access Stromheim. Rohana, despite her doubts about their evidence, wishes them luck. The next day, Malakai secures a Clairvoyance spell from Aldric by haggling the price down to 350 gold. The group spends time playing improvised checkers while waiting for the Baroness, who eventually writes them a letter to help them gain entry into the capital. Upon returning to Halfpint, they strategize their next moves, including dealing with various threats and exploring further. Encounters with hostile guards and strange phenomena mark their journey. Malakai’s research in Stromheim’s library uncovers fragmented information about the shadow beast, while the group contemplates their broader mission and possible ruins to explore. An encounter with a gold dragon yields philosophical insights but no concrete solutions. Finally, they decide to investigate ancient ruins in Brass Valley, driven by both curiosity and a desire for tangible progress.
==Recap==
=== Monday, 1509-09-26 ===
It's evening and everyone's sitting around a table in Halfpint, Rohana asks the party what are their plans going forward. Kain mentions that perhaps if they can show her their findings she could help them with the possible shadow dragon. Malakai muses that they need to get recognition for their deeds and ponders that perhaps a letter from the Baroness could gain them entry into Stromheim. Their evidence seems to mostly consist of brown robes and word of mouth at which Rohana looks at slightly doubtfully, but she wishes them goodluck nonetheless. Rest of the night passes drinking.
=== Tuesday, 1509-09-27 ===
Once they wake up Malakai casts Stokeskin on Van and after breakfast they go to the keep once more. 
Van and Kain to go to meet with Baroness Sella Valmont in the parlor while Malakai seeks out Aldric. First two are left alone with some snacks waiting for the Baroness.
Malakai knocks on Aldric's door and is met by the consistently irate old man, he asks if perhaps Aldrick could give him the Clairvoyance spell in the name of helping solve the shadow dragon mystery. He offers coin or trade for it if necessary and Aldric surprisingly seems open to the idea of gold this time around since Stella apparently isn't willing to fund Aldric's research as her mother once did. Aldric sets down the price of 500 gold, but Malakai manages to haggle it down to 350 gold and pays in gems. At first Aldric wants Malakai to come back tomorrow, but Malakai rushes him and ends up literally sitting and watching him do his weather research. At one point Malakai mentions Van saying that Malkis constellation is missing which he dismisses immediately saying that only on very good weather and geographical conditions could one truly see Malkis stars this early, but he does rhetorically ask whether Malakai knows the ramifications of the stars missing. Eventually he starts jotting down the spell and extracts 30 more gold for the rush. 
Before Malakai exits he gets info that there's a book maker in Stromheim that can create wizard spellbooks, although she is known to have a bad temper.
When Malakai rejoins the other two it appears Barones Stella still hasn't graced their presence so they create an improvised checkers board using gold and silver coins to pass the time. About an hour later finally the young Baroness arrives. Van speaks to her about Stromheim being closed, the man they captured and asks her to write them a letter that explains their deeds and might introduce them into the closed walls of the capital city. 
She calls forth a servant and begins dictating a message with a little bit of assistance from the party. Once it's done she stamps it and hands it off after which her focus switches to talking with another maid about the dress she is wearing. 
Day halfway through they head back to Halfpint where a messenger is waiting for them. Van mentions that they perhaps need to relocate with the situation how it is in town. Kain complains on the basis that his house is only in process of being built. 
The messenger hands Malakai a scroll case with the spells he bought from Joris which Malakai lechariously accepts. The man then asks about why there's so many people in and around the inn's, and a short conversation is had.
Kain inquires with innkeeper whether he knows any men willing to work as guards, but the gnome denies such knowledge other than perhaps Kain being the type himself. He also tells Kain to send his regard to the other two and tell them that he still hasn't forgiven them. 
Malakai shrugs at the stink-eye and appears to be of the opinion that it was Corni's fault either way. 
Van gets an idea and goes off to buy a foldable chess board which he takes back to the inn and promptly losses to Malakai who lords it over him.
Kain finds 2 random people he gives 4 gold each to guard the construction site of his house. They literally attempt to bow and kiss his boots for the opportunity, but he quickly dismisses the behavior. 
=== Wednesday, 1509-09-28* ===
Night passes uneventfully and party goes off to Pinecone in search of Jeeves. While on their way Malakai has Van and Kain punch him until his old Stoneskin wears off which the other two seem to enjoy immensely.
As they're walking Van asks Kain what the Relkor symbol is about so he tells him that it's sort of a family heritage to worship him being rangers and all. Malakai pipes up that he thinks Martha is the best god and party devolves in god talks for the rest of the way. 
At end of the day they finally arrive in Pinecone to find an extremely intoxicated Jeeves. Both Kain and Van relegate dealing with him to Malakai who promptly dresses him down telling him that he can always get a new carriage driver and that he needs to sober up, afterwards Malakai himself goes to drink. They also go inform Kel Ashley that the threat has been dealt with.
=== Thursday, 1509-09-29* ===
Next morning everyone packs up and they leave towards Thornwood. The road is quiet and devoid of travelers to a slightly spooky level, however Kain cannot seem to find any unnatural animal behavior that could indicate any unnatural phenomenon at cause of this. 
Once they reach Thornwood they get stopped at gates once more and Van comes out to confront the guards, telling them that the threat has been dealt with, but the smartass gate guards tell them to bugger off in a fairly imaginative performance. Van adds Thornwood gateguards to top of his punchable people list.
=== Friday, 1509-09-30* ===
Night passes without problems and party continues on to Misty Rapids. Road is desolate and devoid of travelers again, it appears that there hasn't been any major foot traffic for a while and wild animals are beginning to start cruising around the edges of the road.
They are greeted by the same old assassin's corpse still hanging from the post. 
Kain dictates a message to Hanes explaining that the cultist assassins have been dealt with.
=== Saturday, 1509-10-01* ===
On the road to Cauldron party runs into an armed outpost set up on the sides of the road. Van goes out on the road to speak with the apparent captain who tells him that under orders of Kel Thrammond and Kel Burg they are here to collect taxes. When Kain asks whether this land isn't under control of Baron Song the man calls Song a liar, cheat and a murdered telling him that even if the town of Cauldron is under his tenuous control it doesn't mean that rest of the countryside are on his side. Malakai stars eying the nearby soldiers which worries Kain so he asks the man how much is the tax. Turns out it's 10% of whatever they have so Van in a flash announces that he doesn't have time for this and that he will cut down any man who would dare stand in his way.
Ignoring weak protests from rest of the party Van casts Entangle on the camp capturing all of 5 the guards that were standing in the grass then says that he will now move on his way and they better not attempt to track, follow or stop them. Malakai knocks out 1 of the men in front of him and then next round overkill's the other because he attempted to stab him. Soon a knight steps out of a tent and demands the party to face him to which Van steps forth and exchanges blows with him. 
Unsurprisingly the knight losses to Van and they get back to moving the carriage with a single trembling man left standing with a spear in his hand. Malakai taunts him, asking where is their new village and if he could introduce him to his new men, but they eventually go on their way. Kain tries to shame Malakai for killing the peasant fighter, but both he and Van seem to be in unison on dealing with aggravating people that think they can lord themselves over them, citing that they do in fact do more than most yet these people dare basically rob them on the road. 
Party ends up passing through Cauldron and camping in the wilderness to avoid the unsavory people there. 
=== Sunday, 1509-10-02* ===
At end of the day Malakai learns his Clairvoyance spell and casts it on the shadow beast cave. He sees a dimly lit, shadowy cave, there's a decently sized treasure pile near the back of the cave with weapons, baubles, gems enough to trump what they pulled out of the old temple near Copperhill. The cave looks to be of limestone, but otherwise there doesn't seem to be anything else there, a saving throw is passed and he feels a presence searching for his mind, but it cannot quite reach him. He tries to study the cave to best of his ability. Another saving throw is won, but Malakai cannot seem to find anything more about the cave.
He returns to the party and explains what he saw. Van theorizes that that perhaps the creature could cast invisibility. Van worries that if they are forced to sneak into Stromheim they might not get the audience with Nixiem. 
Van also ponders that if Malkis is dead or missing whether the clerics could’ve cast spells. He decides it might be worth confronting the man once they get back in Shirebrook. 
They theorize that locating gold could be a good way to find their way to the shadow beast cave.
=== Wednesday, 1509-10-05 ===
Party continue on their way, but before they hit the city they find a crucified woman on the side of the road with a sign “For the attempted murder of her lord” hanging below her.
Another mile later they find the same scene with another body, then another, than another until they get fairly common. At one point patrols of guards start appearing who eye the party suspiciously. They count about 40 to 50 corpses by time they get to Stromheim and one of the patrols confirms that the dead people are of Stromheim's noble household staff. 
Finally they reach the capital city, the gates are open, but only essential goods such as food or lumber are being let in. Van requests to see someone higher up and a sub-commander comes out to talk with him. The man explains that he is under orders to not let anyone under any circumstances except supplies, but takes Van to the side and whispers to him that the Main temple was burned down with inhabitants still inside which includes all the clerics in town. Shocked Van doesn't know what to say at first, he asks that perhaps the man could deliver the letter, but the man says that the people inside likely won't even read it so he better save it for later. The man gives him his blessings and departs only to be cough by Kain who inquires whether perhaps they could be let into the library or maybe a book to be taken out of the library, but the guy shakes his head and excuses himself. Before they depart Van goes to get from him that the temple was burned on 24 August which is 30 days before the party killed the Malkis cultists. 
By end of the day Malakai learns Featherfall. 
That evening Malakai Rapport's the scene he saw in the cave through Clairvoyance with Van. Malakai expresses his lack of understanding how the monster could try to spy back on him.
=== Thursday, 1509-10-06* ===
Morning comes without an issue and Malakai goes invisible ready to go to Stromheim. Party plots to split with Kain and Van going to Copperhill and Malakai exploring the capital. 
Half a day later Malakai arrives in the city, casts Fly and flies over the wall exploring the whole thing from above. He sees the smoldering holy temple, casts Detect magic on it and finds a few magical signature in the rubble, but they appear to be slightly too deep for him to get to them alone. 
Next he seeks out the library, finding it he goes into an alleyway so he can de-invisible. He decides not to cancel his Stoneskin and walks to the library, though most people seem to be giving him a wide berth. 
He gets inside the library without issue though and with help of a librarian finds books on dragons and the curse of the Shadow Mountains. Apprently there have been some tales about a creepy 8 legged creature seen crawling around the Hidden Valley, but Malakai finds that there is very little information about the disappearances and information is very scattered between various old books not really giving a solid look into the issue, besides the fact that the disappearances have been going on for centuries. 
Research takes him the rest of the day so he ends up going to a nearby inn where he asks the innkeeper for information on local wizards in town. The man gets a bit awkward and suspicious though after a weak excuse why Malakai doesn't know this information himself, but before he leaves Malakai casts Forget on him and the man directs him to a shop down the road.
Morten's magical workshop looks very active with a fat joly woman at the helm. Malakai eyes the shop, but doesn't enter it. Instead he goes to find a more scholarly looking one with a somewhat pompous looking man in charge there. Malakai has to prove his magic-ness and gets ushered in once he does as the wizard shopkeeper immediately assumes he broke into the city to get here.
Malakai talks to him about needing information and asks what he knows of the burned temple and the troubles. Shopkeep tells him that conspirators are still being found, but that the city itself has mostly calmed down, although the castle yet to be taken out of a lockdown. He mentions that the webs of the conspiracy seem to have been deep and had been long in the making, but apparently it's winding down a bit. Malakai mentions the cult his party slew, but then goes to talk about the Shadow Mountain curse and asks the man's opinion on what could leave a residual 200 yard magical aura. He gives him the idea that it might be a shadow dragon, not unlike the mist dragon just of the shadow element. 
The wizard passingly mentions home of the dragons and that only the greedier ones have made their way into The World. They spend the evening talking about the hypothetical shadow dragon the man seeming to be quite taken to discussing this with Malakai. Eventually after failing to charm the man enoug to swap spells Malakai departs.
=== Saturday, 1509-10-08 ===
Jeeves and Kain see a 4-foot ant crawling across the road, perplexed they wait for it to pass. Jeeves asks Kain to slap him, but Kain just puts his hand over the old mans eyes. Their poor old carriage driver seems extremely bewildered and it doesn't get better when they encounter about 25 of them further down the road ripping 2 dead horses apart. Van immediately tells Jeeves to turn around and head back to Stromheim which they do. 
Malakai leaves the city in the morning and using Fly rejoins the party later in the day. 
He informs party of his finds or rather the lack of them and also the wizard he talked with. Van expresses his doubt that they managed to kill all of the Malkis clerics, but Malakai reassures him that it was long enough between temple burning and cleric slaying. 
Malakai mentions that perhaps they could capture a bullywug and interrogate it on whether they're being controlled by a dragon. They share in the profound lack of understanding how a theoretical shadow dragon could transport 100 people into a cave or kill a 100 people with a single spell that also blinds and transports them.
Having just read a shitton of books on dragons Malakai now knows that Nixiem lives in the Stormscale lake near Stromheim in ruins that had once been built by a family of cloud giants. Kain mentions the giant ants, but they start thinking how they'll get the dragons attention, Malakai proposes flying over the lake and shouting down at the lake until she appears. 
A short jaunt later they find themselves at lakeside, it looks decently large and at least a few miles long. Van insists on wanting to see the castle himself so they have to stay for the night to memorize the appropriate spells. 
=== Sunday, 1509-10-09 ===
Night passes uneventfully, Kain relaxes on the side of crystal clear lake with warm Oktober sun shining down on his face. 
Van casts Free action on himself and Water breathing on everyone then they go down below. Using rocks to help them go down to the bottom of the lake they slowly make their way through the soft squishy sediment, at one point they have to use the light stone once deeper parts of it are reached. Van with his free action runs around exploring while the other two are very slow to join him.
At one point at edge of their vision a giant 300 feet long golden eel swims up to the party and coils up looking down them curiously. Van points at the eel and then up towards surface which the eel understands and in one quick motion ferries the 3 of them to surface. 
Once there they are let off and the eel affirms herself to be the gold dragon. Van speaks to her asking if she's ever heard of the curse of the Shadow Mountains and if she's heard of a shadow dragon, but she chuckles at them saying that she's never heard of such a creature either here or on their ancestral plane. When Kain asks where this ancestral plane is she tells north, above the clouds. Malakai asks for any help she could give them on the issue so she begins to tell them a story “Once upon a time there was a brave family of settlers, they looked far and wide for a place to call home and finding none set their eyes across the sea to the east, they had no boat but determined they could swim across and find new land. And so they set out one morning and swam across the sea, they all drowned, it was far too far for them to swim. Similar your settlers move into lands hostile to them and die.” She tells them that humans inherently do not own the land and if they do move in hostile lands that it is their problem. Kain explains that it is expanding and moving out of the range of the Shadow Mountains, making people disappear and leaving powerful magics in its wake. She retorts with a rhetoric question about humans eating chickens in parallels to this beast eating humans. Kain asks what it would mean for Nixiem and other dragons if it was a dragon that lived there to which she answers that it wouldn't really mean anything and that it would have existed there for generations, nothing would change. 
Kain asks if it was a creature from shadow planes, would it be possible that she doesn't have knowledge of it and she admits that she doesn't possess information on everything so naturally there might be a monter beyond her knowledge. Malakai asks how would they learn of such a creature to which she asks whether they even want to, what would they even do if they did find it. 
Van breaks the line of questioning and asks if she knows of the recent going ons within the kingdom, she appears to. He tells her of the general gist of it and she asks what do they, the great heroes plan on doing about it. Van asks for advice and inquires what does she think of the missing Malkis stars. She generally gives them the same ponderings they have had, though she does mention she feels his presence therefore he is alive. She also says that she doesn't think he has set foot on Arcadia for she would feel it, that if he has set foot on this plane it would be far, far away. 
After a moment of silence she asks them what do they plan on doing. Malakai begins with a plan to go seek out this creature in its lair to catch a glimpse of it, but Kain protests. Once he admits to being afraid to die she teases him about needing to put down his sword and take on a plough, though he disagrees vehemently saying that only a fool would not fear death. Malakai mentions wanting power to which she tells of the enclave of wizard in their magical airship, of magical treasures hidden away, but she refuses to point him in a certain direction. 
Van reiterates his question, asking if she would like to see their investigations so far, but she dodges the question mostly, commenting that he is a kind hearted man and that Chis likely appreciates his dedication to the land. Van theorizes of possible routes he may take and says that he wants to bring justice for the murders. 
Finally Nixiem tells them she will be back at dawn to see what Van has to show, they depart. 
They discuss what they might do next, that they should prioritize what they CAN do and the curse apparently isn't something they can actually deal with at this moment. Malakai interrupts that by proverbially spitting on the ground, saying how tired he is with trying to help everyone together with Van and not getting anywhere or being brushed aside by the authorities once they do. He calls the nobles frivolous and a waste of time, pondering that perhaps they should take power instead. 
=== Monday, 1509-10-10* ===
Next morning Van Rapport's with Nixiem showing all of their investigations. Afterward he asks her if perhaps she would be willing to lend him some magic items on his journey, but she chortles at the plea like it was the funniest joke she's heard this month and leaves. 
Malakai shrugs and announces that he is going to go back to Stromheim to do more research, both Van and Kain, thoughtful from this experience stay back by the lake for a little bit of introspection time. 
Malakai gets back to the city in the same time and begins doing research for maps of world before it split apart and comparing them to his in hopes of finding possible ruins to scavenge. Quickly however he finds that there are no maps of the land before the Breaking of Arcadia, only shortly after. He goes to inquire with librarian, but the man shrugs telling him that this is how it's been ever since he has worked in the library.
Map Here
He then compares the oldest possible map with the new one instead, finding that besides towns that weren't in the old one there are some that are not in the new one either. He finds a town called Talon near Rockwave and a town near Copperhill called Brass Valley both of which don't exist anymore. 
Next he goes to research information on Talon finding that it used to be capital of Wake county, but doesn't find any information what happened to it besides the timeframe of its existence being years 100-300 PA. The other town, Brass valley, apparently ceased to exist between 300 and 700 PA, it used to be an important mining town, yet it was poor, he runs into the same problem of lack of information on how it ceased to exist. 
Done with the towns he attempts to find any information on interesting artefacts that have been lost to time. A staff of magi catches his attention having belonged to a woman named Mohamda. She was apparently an Akuban wizard from 150 PA, but there's not much information on her. Before he leaves though he sneakily writes an entry of himself in the book about wizards of note, "Greatest Wizards in Arcadia" putting in his name and writing “On going” at end. Afterwards he leaves to rejoin the party still at the lake. 
Meanwhile, at the lakeside Kain has a major breakdown where he lets out his anger at an innocent tree screaming “How?!” and attacking the poor vegetation with his sword. 
Once he's tired himself out he lets Van know of his inner conflict, being a guardian of nothing and of no power. He laments his inability to feed the people, his inability to protect Windshire and defeat the shadow creature. Van muses that perhaps they just bit off more than they can chew, maybe the upwards fight against all the odds in the world are unwinnable. Kain admits that he honestly thinks maybe they ought to do something for themselves, thought he dissuades Van from telling Malakai that. 
Eventually Malakai rejoins the party, notes that poor Jeeves has been bullied out of his fishing rod that's in hands of Van. 
Malakai informs rest of his team of his research and Van ponders what does he know of the time after the calamity, but admits to not knowing much besides it is generally known that the years after it were essentially the Dark Ages with literacy, life expectancy, civilization dropping dramatically. Party seems fairly open to the idea of exploring these ruins, Malakai muses that Talon has likely already been looted of its riches, so they ought to go to Brass Valley first either way. They also note that there used to be road going to Brass Valley that might make it easier to get to. They agree to go Copperhill and visit Joris on their way back.
=== Tuesday, 1509-10-11* ===
They go back past Stromheim and head to Limestone before heading into the hills with no encounters on the road. The ancient road seems to be completely gone though.
=== Wedneday, 1509-10-12* ===
Party makes it to Limestone without an encounter and stop there for a comfortable night's sleep, and a beer. 
Van talks to Jeeves about getting Stoneskin, but he gets back a “Life is short and fleeing” he also expresses concern about markings of magic on his body saying how one can't have an honest and normal chat with another person when looking like that. Malakai manages to get in a jibe at his drug addiction with a “Hard to find a vein while Stoneskinned”. Apparently Jeeves has kids as well. 
Malakai learns Comprehend Languages. 
=== Thursday, 1509-10-13 ===
After a pleasant night at the town Malakai goes to visit the keep, having learned that there's a court wizard called McGigin. Prompted by the gate guard Malakai explains that he wanted to ask the local wizard for any information he might have on Brass Valley, but the man turns them away unwilling to let armed strangers in. He does mention that there's been an influx of people recently, albeit none have been after the same goal in the recent years. 
Man introduces himself as McGregor and Malakai tries to sweet talk him into coming to work for them, but the man is wise and would rather guard the keep with head still on his neck.
Party say their goodbyes and head out, talking amongst themselves how for once this gate guard was actually fairly cool and enjoyable to talk to. In heavy contrast to ones in Stromheim or Thornwood. 
Being early in the morning they head out into the hills seeking their fortune. On their way they notice another giant ant. Curious, but wary they take a moment to calculate their foraging range and come up fairly scary number. Unwilling to go battle the giant insects they instruct Jeeves to go around them, unfailingly shaming him for heroin addiction once more. 
Not quite certain where the ruin is they sort of make their way in the direction they think it might be with Malakai planning to fly overhead as the main scout.
=== Sunday, 1509-10-16 ===
Somewhere in Shirebrook, Kain's house is finished. 
Malakai finds an old bit of bronze rail tracks that descends into an overgrown hill. He continues to fly around and also finds a pile of rubble that might once have been a building, he also finds a dried up creek. He goes back to party and they make plans which spells to use and what to search for in nearby area. 
=== Monday, 1509-10-17* ===
Centering around the stone rubble Malakai found they attempt to excavate around the area. 
Kain spots some coyote droppings, but nothing scary or dangerous to them. 
Malakai attempts casting Detect magic, but gets no pings back so they continue on digging hoping on a stroke of luck, but no cigar. At one point Van tires of rolling around in the dirt and they decide to go check out the mine instead bringing Jeeves to watch the outside. 
In a moment of inspiration Van remembers his Augury spell and goes to cast it just before they enter the mine. “What will happen if we travel into the mine?” Van asks to Chis and gets “Great risk brings great reward.” Excited they arm themselves and get ready for battle. They offer to take Jeeves with them, but he excuses himself. 
The mine entrance is actually fairly easy to access and as they go in Kain notices signs of something coming out of it. They cannot quite tell the nature of the beast except for it being low to the ground. 
With Malakai lighting their way the party of 3 thread carefully into the damp mine. Kain muses about the airflow coming in their direction, but bravely they continue on until they hit a fork. They go left and walk onwards until past a turn Van comes face to face with a 12 feet long basilisk. Immediately he yells for everyone to shut their eyes and readies for battle.
The beast goes straight for Van-Healsing assaulting him with a barrage of attacks. Van immediately casts Slow poison on himself in preparation with Malakai attempting Slow which fails. A Shadow troll is summoned behind the basilisk and gets one hit on it. Van pulls out a mirror attempting to point it at the face of the beast. Kain interposes himself before Malakai who was second in order. Next round the shadow troll and basilisk exchange blows, both deadly, but the troll being far less tanky it dies. Van takes a heavy hit almost being thrown to the ground. Malakai risks petrification and opens his eyes to cast Magic missile seeing that the creature is almost dead he urges the party to fight. Kain narrowly escapes dying to the beasts horrific poisonous breath and in the end the two front liners manage to finish it off. 
Before they open their eyes swords are taken to its eyes just in case. Kain retches in the corner after his near death experience and afterwards takes a moment to listen for any other beasts in the mine. Instead of Kain, Van hears soft scraping in distance so wisely they turn around and walk out of the cave. 
At the exit of the cave they try to find a way to block the entrance, but nothing usable is near so instead they just go off and find a place where to camp for the night. 
They meet up with a somewhat worried Jeeves who expresses joy in seeing Van un-Stoneskinned. 
=== Tuesday, 1509-10-18 ===
They kindly let Jeeves sleep in the carriage while Van takes watch for most of the night thanks to Nap spell. During his watch Van notices that the horses are beginning to freak out and other two wake up from their respective naps. Everyone gets on their tippy toes, ready to fight or flee. Kain manages calm the horses down and hears a creature bumbling around near the hill to where Van rushes to meet it. Only afterwards does Malakai notice it's two 12 foot basilisks now not one.
Malakai shouts to Van to back the fuck up and he obliges, not having seen that it's 2 of the monsters due to the fact that his eyes have been closed the whole time. They shout back and forth while Van makes a bumbling retreat, he attempts using a mirror on them, but it doesn't seem to work. Entangle is cast, but one of the basilisks get through and immediately besets Van with flesh rending attacks. With a Web spell they give Van some space to breath, but one of the basilisks catches up, turns their horses into stone and gives Kain a good whack as well. 
Malakai turns invisible and circles around his retreating teammates, and pursuing basilisks to get Jeeves out of the carriage. He leaves his lightstone and finds that Jeeves had slept through the whole thing, the old man takes his sweet time getting ready not particularly concerned so Malakai just pulls his half naked ass out of the carriage and they flee into the night. 
On the other side of the battle Van and Kain are still withdrawing at one point they finally seem to break away from the creature. They find themselves in middle of the forest without a single idea where they are, Van begins healing himself while Kain keeps an ear out.
Malakai and Jeeves walk for an about an hour southwards after which Malakai orders Jeeves to keep watch and he goes down to sleep. 
A while later basilisk begins to catch up to the other two and they begin retreating from it once more, once both of them reach a small clearing Van decides to turn into a tree and watch the sky for moon's movement, Kain left alone now continues to move ahead. 
About 30 minutes later Kain is left alone in the forest, the basilisk having fallen behind, at least alone until a tiger leaps out at him from the dark. Kain takes a barrage of attack from the tiger and in a moment of desperation drinks the potion of super heroism temporarily leveling him up to 8th. They clobber each other for a while, but when it starts looking like Kain is going to get the short straw he makes a desperate attempt to calm the beast which apparently works. Next round the tiger circles him without attacking, then it gets non aggressive, then it gets outright friendly. Ecstatic about having managed to avoid death and befriend the wild animal Kain yells into the sky.  
Malaikai and Jeeves somehow get through the night without being attacked, Malakai memorizes his spells and returns to the carriage then goes into the direction basilisk charged after his teammates. 
After Van's Tree spell runs out he waits in a tree for until daylight, exits the forest by going south and then goes back into it hopefully having reorientated himself.
Kain hangs out with his new tiger buddy for a while and once day begins to dawn tracks his way back to where Van is. Eventually they also find Malakai and the party is happily reunited. 
=== Wednesday, 1509-10-19* ===
They spend the following day healing from the terrifying adventure.
== Experience and changes ==
* Kain gains 5th level and rolls 5HP for a total of 33HP
*Dates are extrapolated from a previous mention of an exact date.
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Category:Hardcore Heroes Episodes