Homeward Bound Episode 02

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==Recap==
===Retreating===
We open on Grimes and Kel William Marshal as the heat from battle at the Salt Port Lighthouse cools off. William picks up a an obsidian sword from a defeated Demon which, unlike the demons have before, does not dissipate. He uses it to see if their aforementioned reduced combat prowess is somehow tied to their gear, but is left without a clear answer. While this is going on, Grimes scouts out the docks from a ledge, looking out for the demon ship's departure - which he cannot do in the still persisting darkness, although he notices that it hasn't left yet through the trail of lightstones. To his horror, as he descends down silently to the docks, he discovers that the Demon ship is spreading it's fleshy substance from the hull and onto the pier and land. 
Grimes rushes back to report to William. After a short conversation they decide that time is of the essence and that they should evacuate Salt Port, heading southwards. After around 8 miles of travel a loud, ear-splitting shriek starts emitting out of the lighthouse's direction which never seems to abate - but gets fainter as they travel further away.
During their journey William asks Grimes for a retelling of their final battle with the Scrags as he was knocked unconscious during the final moments. When Grimes mentions how he cut the Scragqueen's hands off the orb William ponders whether the orb is somehow responsible for their planar dislocation and what happened to it. Grimes has no answers for him, so they decide to try and find out what became of it while also looking out for Zarrah, the Gnoll Cleric of Velthara they had dealings with previously.
During one of their rests, William tries not sleeping and discovers that they actually don't need to sleep any more if they don't want to, but also do not regenerate additional HP. William, Grimes, Nimrod and the dogs push on without sleep to get to Fort Pass, all the while the terrible noise from the lighthouse accompanies them.
At Fort Pass the party decides to stay for a few days as to fully recover their lost health and focus on their search for Zarrah. While William remains, Grimes leaves Fort Pass with Nimrod and the dogs, scaling the mountain up to the Temple of Tempos. Once they reach a part that requires a proficient climber, Grimes continues on his own, only to find the temple with many sleeping Frost Giants resting within. He quietly retreats and returns to William. They decide to leave the Frost Giants alone, since the party is to blame for the rise in temperature in Caldonia which probably did not improve their standing with them. The party sets out from Fort Pass to the south towards the Gnoll Woods to find Zarrah.
===Return of Zarrah===
Some miles later they arrive at the edge of the Gnoll Woods. Grimes calls out to Zarrah, hearing a howl in return which the dogs join in on. Soon enough, Zarrah appears before them. William and Grimes respectfully kneel before her. She explains that Caldonia has moved somewhere between the celestial realm and their home realm, and that she is unable to pray to Velthara for blessings (she does not regain spellslots). Grimes tells Zarrah about the Demons to the north and the terrible noise they are creating.
As the group talks, a pack of Thung lunge at them from the darkness. Grimes, William and Zarrah pick up the fight in a joined defense while Nimrods pulls the dogs to safety. The demonic hounds are swiftly dispatched, with one of William's swings setting a tree on fire. After the fight William eats some of the "gnats" from the vanishing demon corpses. Crunchy. He stops after a bit as he doesn't feel any stronger from doing it.
Zarrah is repulsed by the demons' nature and surprised by the way they vanish after they die. Afraid the burning tree will attract more Demons, Grimes walks a few steps and keeps an eye and an ear out for approaching enemies - but none do. Grimes tells Zarrah they should go to the Scrag tunnels to find out more, as the Scrags have been defeated with only very few remaining.
Zarrah leads the party back to the Gnoll Village which has been fortified with something resembling a palisade wall with burrows inside. Zarrah enters the village, resurfacing with six small Gnoll pups with the words "these are the last of my people".
Category:Homeward Bound Episodes