Beaks of Burden

Stefan giving yet another proud pumpkin speech.

Beaks of Burden is the nineteenth session of Campaign 1. In the session, war finally catches up with Locksmith's Bane and the Siege of Pontoporea begins. Arine joins her fellow wizards in Riverstream College whilst Darcy and Orion stay with The Ferripont Brigade, looking out over Brannagh's Bridge.

The following contains spoilers for the Tale of Locksmith's Bane.

## Plot

Gold Day 30 Chauntoro 1021 TE

In the square before Riverstream college, Arine waits amongst wizard students. The young minds are shaken. A war has come to their doorsteps. Time passes as Arine sees the teachers of Riverstream hoping from student to student ordering them to their respective dormitories. A halfling teacher, sporting a rather fetching mohawk, and introducing himself as Uthank, approaches Arine, asking if she is a student of the college. She informs him of her name and her orders to work with Archmage Grennis. She too is shaken. Alone. Unsure if she will see her boys again. Uthank finds her name and sends her to dormitory 207 in the building to her right. Arine follows the directions to her room, joining a queue of sweating teens and young adults.

In room 207, Arine finds some fellow wizards, first years of Riverstream College: Agnes, a shy, yet talkative half-orc, half-halfling from Gormsey, who immediately takes a shine towards her new roommate; Robbie, an arrogant halfling, who begins to show off his useless fire-magic; and Essa, a fellow wood-elf from the elven city of Faecath, intrigued by her new companion. It isn't long before Robbie realises his mistake in doubting Arine, she is the wizard from The Tournament of the Silver Knight. The winner no less. For the evening, Essa suggests they get drunk. It could be their last night of life. Robbie joins in with ease, already beginning to drink. Arine takes a bottle too. Agnes refuses to drink. She shows Arine her wand and crystal ball - gifts from her parents. Ultimately, Essa chooses to stay in the room. It's getting late and they need to prepare their spells in the morning. Robbie wants to go alone, but doesn't wish to lose his top bunk. Before the group head to sleep, their fifth and final roomate arrives: Onze Brymont of The Eagles. "Fuck" Arine hears behind her. Onze says little more to the group, rolling out her bedroll to sleep: "don't step on me in the night."

Arine goes to bed [THIS PART OF THE SESSION IS RESTRICTED TO AVOID SPOILING THE REST OF THE PARTY].

Meanwhile, in Ferripont, the aply-named brigade hunker down for the night in a small apartment by the river, across from The Blended Goose (Inn), and beside Brannagh's Bridge. Darcy and Orion are joined by Helena, Hunter (who flies in through the window), The Fiends, Kristopher, Charlie, and lead by the brigade's captain, Miriam. The apartment is a single room, with a small stove, no centralised heating, rotting wallpaper, and mouldy ceilings. A single, uncomfortable bed inhabits the space. A scattering of children's toys occupy its opposite corner. Miriam leads the brigade in sitting together. Darcy and Orion share the squeaking bed. The party are nervous. None have truly faced war. Orion makes tea from his teapot, and Turatyl provides an array of borrowed cups... Helena sharpens her knife as Stefan speaks. He asks how each member of the brigade are, to which a scattering of murmered, fearful groans reply. He turns his questions to Orion and Darcy, wondering what has become of Arine - to which they explain the wizard's quest, despite being unaware of her involvement. Stefan states that it is a shame she couldn't be there. He had prepared little gifts for the trio. He pulls out three pumpkin-seed necklaces: one dyed gold and silver for the noble Darcy to hide under his fanciful clothes; one blue and red for the sea and faith of the mighty Orion; the final one green and orange, to compliment the wise Arine. Helena states that she has never cut someone down before. She knows she will have to kill people. The group begin to split up from the silence. Kristopher and Charlie reassure each other. The fiends hold eachother's shoulders in silent respect. Helena finishes her sharpening. Miriam and Stefan hold eachother. Hunter prepares to sleep standing up. Darcy asks the aarakocra if he sleeps upside down. "I'm not a bat" he rebuttles.

Darcy and Orion retreat outside for fresh air and a smoke. The salty walter of the Stormy Sea fills the air of Chauntoro's final night. Orion is so far, yet so near to home. Darcy's cigarette provides what little comfort he can muster. It is the calm before the war. Moments go by. Footsteps of creeping city-dwellers catch the attention of the warlock. But he lets them pass. Looking out at the ship-barricade between Brannagh's Port and Storm Port, Orion asks Darcy, "Did we make the right decision?"

"I guess we find out tomorrow," answers his night's companion, "If things really go poorly, and we both survive, you will be mad at me."

"Maybe the day after tomorrow then," Orion responds.

"We can still flee."

"Don't know if I still want to."

The riverside pair continue their smokes in silence, communicating in telling sighs of fear. Orion competes with his sparring partner's for the loudest sighs. Even in these moments, their rivalry knows no bounds. Orion flicks his cigarette into the flowing river, watching it fade into the distant seas. Fifteen minutes of sighs pass. The pair return to their flat. Darcy spots a trio of short individuals in an alley beside them, but says nothing. Upstairs, he hears murmers of voice in the room beside them. He says nothing. Inside, the Fiends share the single-bed, as the other members of the Ferripont Brigade take up most of the floor. Kristopher is awake in the corner, keeping watch before Charlie joins him. Darcy sleeps on his coat, a reminder of Sandra, who should be safe in Silverhall. Orion lays on his stomach.

Sometime in the night, Orion hears strange noises, waking up ever so slightly from the ruckus. Unable to identify them, concluding that Stefan's snoring must be the culprit, he returns to his slumber. Darcy sleeps. In his dreams he walks through a forest with his brother. The trees repeat past him. His brother runs away, "Oscar" he cries out. His brother is lost in the distance. "Darcy," calls a woman behind him. "Oh Darcy!" To the warlock's right, the familliar sight of Lillith slithers along the ground. "Darcccccy" she hisses, before growing exponentially before the dreaming dandy. The snake grows draconic, sharp wings, and demonic purple-tinged horns. Red hair sprouts from her head, and her top half begins to mutate. Soon enough, looming over Darcy, Lillith, a beautiful, terrifying, huge woman, with wings, tail, and horns glares down at her dutiful servant. The trees of Darcy's forest bend at her will. She controls his dreams.

"YOU ARE MY SOUL" she shrieks. "YOU WILL DO AS I COMMAND. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN IN THIS WAR!?!?"

Darcy feels the weight of her words. Her digits pertrude into his chest, now putty to her fingertips. He feels her fingers between his ribs. She lifts up her prize, coming face to face. "Your quest is far more important than you could ever imagine. DO NOT DIE." She releases her prisoner before he can respond. He drips from her nails as blood from a wound. He falls. Never hitting the floor. He falls into darkness.

Pray Day 1 Ilmoro 1021 TE

Arine wakes. Followed by Essa, Onze, and Agnes, she prepares her spells for the day. She struggles with the choices from her recent revision, but settles on her picks for battle. A knock is heard at the door. Essa invites the knocker to enter. Uthank greets the trio at dawn, asking them to proceed to the square, and remember that their number is 207. Robbie wakes up, hungover. The wizards stretch their legs. Agnes leaps out of bed, not wishing to be late. With nervous energy she steps on the disgruntled Onze. Arine, unsure of her choice of prepared spells, makes her way, with the rest of 207 to the square. There she sees an organised queue of wizards. Room 206 before them, 208 after. A purple glow pulses from the very peak of the Riverstream Library. As her queue slowly progresses, the purple hue grows and grows outward. Its somewhat electric charge wraps around the top of the tower as if a plasmic energy. In a flash, it extends. A purple barrier rushes through the square, bending over buildings and wizards alike. Arine braces herself as the field passes around her.

In Ferripont the brigade wake also. Darcy has been falling for many hours in darkness. Miriam wakes beside her Stefan. Helena glances towards the corner. The toys are gone. Charlie and Kristopher wake up together. They hadn't seen Orion's noise. Hunter stretches his wings within the cramped room, Orion and the others ready their armour. Darcy had already slept in his chainmail... He heads to the window, opening to her the preparations for battle - the clanging of armour and weaponry down the main road to Wolbeth square. Hunter tells the group he will scout up high, observing the skies for Gargoyles and the like. He exits out of the window. Orion, with his hammer ready for battle, leads his fellow soldiers out of the apartment. There are no signs of a break in. The brigade head outside, able to see the faint purple hues of the the academics across the waters. Each member of the crew is given orders by Miriam. Charlie and Kristopher are on look out over each side of the bridge. Elvina the Unnatural and Turatyl will keep them company on each side. Hunter will be high. Darcy and Orion up front with her, looking down to their comrades further West. Helena and Stefan will stay behind them. As they find their positions, the barrier's extension takes place. It rushes across the river, skimming the surface of the water, folding around the brigade, terrifying their flying gargoyle-hunter. The field extends across the city - from wall to wall. From the edge of Upper Porea, to the ship barricade in the South. The brigade keep their positions. Trying to find some comfort.

Arine is slowly led through Riverstream College and up the Library tower. another snaking queue appear to be leaving the tower from the other side. She passes upstairs, through the crimson collection of the Archmage and up a flight of previously unknown steps to the roof of the tower. There, Archmage Grennis appears to be in some kind of trance, heavily concentrating on a large amethyst crystal perched in the center of the rooftop. Three-foot walls line the perimeter of the circular space. One hand on his staff, the other stretched out to the crystal, a plasmic blast of energy pertrudes from his palm into the crystal, and from it, many others extend into the sky to maintain the dome which now secures the city. The wizards before Arine appear to charge the crystal also. From their respective staffs and magical focuses, electric, violet beams strike the center of the roof. In front of Arine is Agnes, eager yet anxious. She extends her wand in sheepish allegience. A burst of violet erupts from its end, joining the ritual. Arine holds out her own crystal from her neck. Likewise. As this occurs, Arine feels a strain within her mind. It is harder to concentrate on her surroundings, as if some of her psychic enegery is being drained. It feels as if she is performing spells, but without doing so. After a few minutes, her turn is spent, and 207 following the queue back down the tower.

An hour passes. Stefan speaks up. He wishes to say something inspirational for the group. "I want to tell you all about my favourite pumpkin," he begins, looking to Miriam with his soft, kind eyes. "When that pumpkin stood against the blighted soils, it had no resources as we have now;" the blumbering old man gestures to his fanciful armour. "indeed, she abandoned the patch she once had, and then it was by her wisdom rather than good fortune of the light, by her daring, rather than by some divine power, that she drove back the doubt in her roots, and made that pumpkin what she is today - my favourite pumpkin." His eyes remain fixed upon Miriam the whole speech, but break to cross those of the brigade by its end. "We must live up to the standard my pumpkin set: We must resist our enemies in any and every way, and try to leave those who come after us a land that is as arable as ever."

Miriam is rather emotional inside, but only lets a sliver out to her weirdly-wise husband. Orion, Darcy, and the others aren't quite sure what to make of yet another pumpkin speech, but recognise the weight of his words. The Ferripont Brigade wait in their positions. Orion leans on his sword, Darcy on the Blended Goose. Every quarter of the hour, Arine and her roommates find themselves on the tower's top once more. Just enough time to refresh their minds. Grennis remains in concentration. Horns sound from the edge of the city. Single blasts. The army is hear, but they have yet to breach the walls. Orion takes a gander up the river, wondering if he was right to worry about the city's defences. He doesn't perceive any movement. Nor does Darcy. With each climb up the tower, Arine spends her remaining concentration looking out over the mile-wide waters, trying to find any trace of of her friends. There is a shimmering light from the other side of the bridge. Orion's armour? Orion asks Hunter if he has spotted anything up high. Nothing yet. The walls are secure. On her fifth time looking out on the city, Arine glances towards the outer wall - specifically where the wall disappears between Upper Porea and Dwarf's Common. The plasma-border merely skims across the water. It does not appear to extend below it. She also begins to hear low grunting from across the roof, unable to determine the source. The croaks groan louder and louder, until Arine has completed her progression around the circle. She mentions the croaks to Agnes, who takes a brave look over the edge. She looks back to Arine, wide-eyed, and Arine peaks over also. Staring back at the wizard, with large, bulging eyes is a croaking Giant Frog, the size of a bear. It does not move to attack. It does nothing. It is stuck to the wall. Looking further behind the creature, a swarm of the beasts cling to the side of the tower, and more dots of green can be seen leaping through the district.

In Ferripont, the mass of green figures is easily spotted by the heroes. Although the army of amphibians seem more concerned with Upper Porea than Wolbeth, a scattering of frogs leap from the waters onto the side of Brannagh's Bridge and the walls along the banks of the district. Darcy rushes over to one of the beasts, crossbow in hand, and launches a bolt, without hesitation, into its croaking gullet. The frog does not flinch. Blood seeps from the wound, the bolt still stuck. A red light pulses from within. Meanwhile, on the tower, Arine gets the same idea, firing a trusty flaming bolt into the beast's eye. She's blinded the creature. But is has not flinched. Orion leans over the bank's wall. He tries to detect any celestial, undead, or fiendish quality to the creature. But he recognises the magic behind it. The Dark Stone. As the trio stare into frog's eyes, their red gullets throb. BOOM.

In one, simultaneous, and devastating, sequence, the amphibians burst. Arine, Agnes, Onze, and Robbie duck from the blast. Essa is less fortunate, it explodes right before her. Chunks of library brick hurtle towards the wood-elf, striking her down, unconscious. Darcy and Orion are sent back with immediate effect, covered in frog-guts and worse for wear. Wiping his eyes, Orion checks the bridge for damage. Not too much. The tower, however, begins to shake. Grennis' eyes open, plasmic charges no longer feed into the crystal. A final frog leaps up to the roof. Almost unseen, its tongue extends to the crystal. It gobbles up the gem and leaps back into the waters. The tower shakes. Grennis falls to the roof's floor. Onze tries to wake Essa. Agnes runs for her life downstairs. As does Robbie. Grennis takes hold of his staff, places it between his legs, hovers and flees towards Silverhall. Onze turns to Arine for help, and the two carry Essa downstairs. With her strength, Onze is able to lift the unconscious elf onto her shoulder, taking her full weight as they make their way through the Archmage's collection to the lower stairs. Arine waits behind. Robbie is stuck. His leg is trapped beneath a fallen bookcase. Beside him, a chunk of the building is missing. The morning sky peers through. Fires spread through the bookshelves, heading towards the struggling halfling. Arine watches as fabulously-bound books go up in flames to her right, and a life is almost taken to her left. One would think Arine's hesitation would be longer. She rushes left. She pulls on the angry Robbie, calling for aid. It takes a few tugs, but she manages to pull him free, before the curtains behind him light ablaze. She assists the hobbling halfling to freedom and the main library. It is in tatters.

Meanwhile, the horns blow twice in Wolbeth. The army are inside the walls. Speckles of darkness fly through the air towards Ferripont. Screams of war echo through the streets. The brigade attempt to return to their positions. But, before long, they are set upon by old enemies, Giant Vultures. One digs its talons into the Blended Goose's whimsical sign, another into their former residence across the road. A final vulture flies before them in the street. Charlie, the lanky elven guard is ready for the attack, firing at the flat-bound vulture Kristpher comes to his aid. Elvina rushes towards their flying foe upfront, missing her green, sickly eldritch blast. The sign-destroying bird attacks from the side, homing in on Helena as its target. With a screech and craw, it digs its talons through her plate armour into the shoulders of the fierce fighter. A screech of pain calls beside Darcy. Released from its claws, Helena falls to the ground unconscious. Stefan bravely defends his fallen friend, swinging his sword blindly at the ferocious bird, watching through squinted eyes. Miriam joins her man, swinging into the vulture's right wing, bestowing impressive damage. Elvina dodges a vicious peck from the beak of her vulture. Turatyl rushes to her aid with some tactical slashes to the bird's legs. Darcy rushes to Helena, opening his healing potion and pouring it down her throat. Without stopping, his eyes and palms glare at the vulture before him and, with a yell, he blasts the vulture further back. Helena's eyes open, her breath returns. She leaps to her feet, more alive than ever. Adrenaline pumping. "Woooo," she cries in Darcy's ears. Slowed by his armour, Orion is the last to swing. Having witnessed Helena's fall, the mighty paladin steps beside Miriam. "You feathery bastard," belittles the mighty hero as he holds his hammer before the beast. Trapping its beak.

In the crumbling tower, Arine rushes down the stairs. She's too slow for Robbie, who characteristically leaves the wizard behind to hop down the building. Arine's pace is sluggish. Knowledge burns around her. Bricks tumble down, crashing into ancient maps and beloved texts. She sees Agnes, losing consciousness on the fifth floor. She cannot leave her. With a mighty push, the little wood-elf removes debris from the tiny half-orc. "Arine?" she calls, "Thank you." Arine gives her a shoulder, carrying her down five flights of stairs to the ground floor, catching up with Robbie. The halfling pushes past her once more as she spots a book from her studies of chaos and Tzermir, she cannot leave it. Agnes in one hand, the book in another, Arine saves what she can before huge chunks of brick descend. A small cluster hits her back as she is sent flying out of the library entrance and into the foyer of the Riverstream College. The tower falls.

Kristopher and Charlie fight one vulture together. Elvina and Turatyl another. Miriam, Stefan, Helena, Darcy, and Orion take the third. The feathery bastard is stuck in Orion's warhammer, unable to land a peck or scratch upon its foes. Miriam, with her sturdy axe dismembers the beast's leg. It screetches in pain. [I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO KILLED IT - IT ISN'T IN MY NOTES - PLEASE HELP - ALSO DO TURATYL AND ELVINA KILL THEIR RESPECTIVE VULTURE? DO NOT REMEMBER... PCs PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF *YOU* KILLED THEM OR NOT] With the creature dispatched, Darcy turns to see the city guards struggling with the final vulture. Kristopher and Charlie watch as a blast of blue air billows from their left. The vulture flails to their right, landing, dead, on the river's side. Kristopher looks to see Darcy have cast the blow, in disbelief that they were meant to guard him.

A moment's respite. The brigade survives. The wizards of 207 also. Arine and Onze lead their injured companions outside, looking for shelter. Panicking students hold fallen comrades. Buildings burn in the city. People fall to war. Hunter is nowhere to be seen for the Ferripont Brigade. Orion looks back to see Helena as strong as always. Cries from further into the city. Screams of pain and death fill the streets. "Ow-" from afar. Soldiers run past the fighters. In fear. In retreat. They trample over bird carcasses. Orion holds Darcy and the Hazelstump villagers back to the wall. Their companions stay on the other side of the street. More vultures fly over head, across the bridge. They rip at the walls of The Troll's Tankard (Inn). They pick off Pontoporean soldiers, dropping them into the river. In Brannagh, the vultures attack from Brannagh's Town to Upper Porea. One comes face to face with Arine and Onze. Thinking quickly, Arine casts a spell. From her finger tips, Arine draws back an invisible bow. A pale green arrow leaves its image between her hands. Releasing, the spell darts through the the air, finding the vulture in its chest. It screeches in pain, and launches a counter attack. The bird attempts to scratch to no avail, but pecks at Arine in her bludgeoned shoulder. A fire bolt from Onze sends the beast back, and a barrage of her own. Arine quickly lights the bird's wings aflame. The creature is distracted with the fumes of its pheonix-like appendages. With a final fire bolt, Arine puts down the creature for good. Its burnt corpse flops to the ground. Silenced.

More vultures descend upon the scene, littering the sky. From behind her, Arine hears an army of squeaks. Turning, she finds the Were-Rats of Wolbeth rushing up to meet their feathered foes. They transform from rat to hybrid humanoid as they leap to the skies tearing apart bird after bird. She sees one particular were-rat. She recognises her. Eliza the horse-merchant. The rodent's squeaks carry across the waters. They scurry along the bridge. On the other side of the river, the brigade's guards tackle yet another flying fiend. Its takes them further down the river, out of sight from their team-members. The were-rats have covered the bridge quickly and have come to the brigade's aid. The city is filled with rat-on-bird assualts.

Now close, Orion hears the true cries of the fleeing soldiers: "Owlbear." A huge monstrosity can be seen down the road, ripping at the common-folk and rat hybrids with claw and beak. A fur-covered behemoth, not unlike the average bear. With tufts of feather here and there, and the fearsome maw of a hunting owl. It galloped downstream. Behind it, a cascade of white-painted soldiers. The Larsinian Empire was finally visible in this fight. They wore fearsome plums upon their helms, drenched in the white paint of their symbolic white-square-flag. Even their horses were doused in its purity. Elvina and Turatyl took the task upon themselves to corner a platoon, again, out of view. But for the rest, the Owlbear was their threat. It approached, interested in the shiny meal of the paladin up front. Behind the soldiers, yet another vulture landed upon the roof of the Blended Goose. Darcy placed himself between the creature and Helena. Casting the first blow upon the beast, an agonising blast. The owlbear struck the paladin. with a sharp bite and a tough strike with its beak and claw respectively, the monstrosity pierced the hardened armour of the brave warrior, digging into his leg and side with ease. The vulture sinks its beak into Darcy's good shoulder. With her longsword, Helena pierces the foul-winged beast from behind. Orion holds his mighty hammer before the owlbear, ready to summon the light of his god on this holiest of days. A spark glistens from its tip. Nothing more. Stefan, the brave fool, rushes to the beast's side slashing at its ankle with his blade. Miriam joins her love, deepening the wound with her axe. The Owlbear now turns to the couple. Darcy blasts the vulture once again. Helena slices from behind. Orion, frustated with the lack of Ilmater's blessing, knocks the bear upon its beak, drawing attention attention back to him. Stefan pierces the creatures side, and Miriam holds him back. They've pinned the beast from both sides. It squarks in anger. Darcy finishes his assault on the vulture. Another melancholic gust of blue. It falls to ground. Dead. Helena, in revenge continues to pierce its still corpse. She looks up at Darcy with shared temperment.

The Owlbear turns to the dwarves. Stefan rushes away. The monstrosity follows. Miriam is not far behind. Darcy, Orion and Helena are left with two roads: the owlbear and the dwarves down one; Elvina and Turatyl the other, currently struggling against Larsinian soldiers. Darcy leans right, Orion left. "Don't you die," the noble orders his knight. Their eyes part. They walk away. Helena comes up from behind, she looks down both directions, before turning to Darcy. "Don't *you* die." She runs after Orion.

Arine tasks Onze with finding a safe building for the first years. The rats have the bridge and the birds covered. But buildings can be heard collapsing further up the river. Onze wishes Arine luck. Upstream, the wizard finds Uthank leading a group in an attack by the water's edge. Eight long tentacles rise from the river slamming into the shop-front side of the district. Crawling its way to land, a Giant Octopus clinges to the riverside. Arine gasps, "The Kraken!" She keeps her distance, not wishing to get as close as Uthank and the other wizards. With immediate genius, she turns to her new spells. With a deep breath and a calm sigh, she whispers towards the octopus, "sleep." Although a clever enough tactic, the octopus is not injured enough for the spell to work. As it attacks the wizard, hitting Uthank across the street. Arine launches three magic missiles: a green dart appears between her thumb and index finger as she speaks its name, "magic missile". It launches from her hand, splitting in three before striking the octopus. After a fire bolt, or two, Arine draws back another acid arrow, hitting the sea creature in its tentacle. The acid spreads through its body. Tentacles fall, its head dissolves, and the creature splashes back in the river with a deafening splash. From afar, the water trickles to the toes of Arine. She is awfully cheery for such a brutal display. Uthank looks on in praise.

Orion rushes down the side street, seeing Miriam and the Owlbear ahead. The beast is quick. Faster than Stefan. The pumpkin farmer turns to face his foe. The creature charges. Stefan holds out his sword. Not trembling. Rather calm. He cannot strike before it. With its forceful beak, the Owlbear bites into his left side. With a swing of its feathered paw, the Owlbear claws at his right. Stefan is sent flying to the side of the road. The crashing of his armour gets the attention of his wife. Miriam rushes past the Owlbear. She ignores its ferocious growls. Beneath his majestic helm, Stefan smiles. The smile that never once wavered. "My pumpkin."

Orion arrives to see Miriam crouched beside the Owlbear. "Another feathery bastard," he calls to the beast. The paladin rushes to its front, defending the dwarves. Fearful of the Owlbear's bite, he grabs his chest. Healing light of the gods rescues him as another strike from the paws of the beast rip through his heavy plate armour. He stays afoot. A deep breath in. A deep breath out. Salt flavours the air. A divine blue hue seeps from the warrior's lips. A layer of thick marine fog fills street. As Helena arrives, she sees only the blue fog. She rushes in.

Darcy finds Elvina and Turatyl surrounded by four Larsinian foot soldiers. Their blades drawn. Elvina uses her spells on the far left, Turatyl slices the far right. From behind, Darcy strikes. He gets the attention of two soliders with his usual blast. In his fury, the gentleman is hard to strike, blows deflect off his chainmail. From elbow to fist, his blue air charges. He uppercuts the first soldier. Dead with immediate action. He extends his palm to the other for the same effect. Elvina and Turatyl slay their own foes. A nod of approval is shared amongst the silent killers. Darcy leads them back to save the others.

From the fog, Helena pulls out a tearful Miriam. She is not wailing in despair, she is fighting with her saviour. Helena is too strong for the dwarf and holds her back. Neither say a word. Darcy and the Fiends arrive. He is eager for an update from the warriors. Helena shakes her head at him. Within the mist, Orion steps back from the Owlbear. It is obscured completely within the smoke. But its chirps and growls can be heard within. It cannot find the clanking paladin. Orion leaps to the creature. His hammer alight with divine strength. From the exterior, a storm brews within the smoke cloud. Armour, claws, screeches, and yells pertrude. Orion strikes the beast, but has been attacked once more, heavily injured. He retreats. Its hind legs show out of the fog, which moves with the paladin. Darcy fires as the others hold back. The Owlbear turns to him. A deep breath in. A deep breath out. Orion disperses the mist. Despite the monstrosity's presence, Darcy cannot help but smile. Not smirk. Smile. Orion, though injured, lives. The Owlbear attacks Darcy. Its sharpened knives melt through the butter of his chainmail.

Darcy falls back, unconscious. Deep wounds in his chest.

Elvina and Turatyl pull him away from the jaws of the Owlbear. Miriam lunges at the creature with her axe, embedded deep within its feathered neck. Helena pulls her away once more, as Orion rushes around the front of the creature to Darcy. With his teeth he pops open his own healing potion and lifts it to Darcy's lips. He turns to strike the Owlbear once more, denting its beak. It claws at him once more, forcing the mighty paladin to the ground. Darcy awakens with a heroic breath, grabs the bear by its throat and yells a formidable eldritch blast into the creature's neck. Miriam's axe flies out the other way, narrowly avoiding the dwarf. Her wound grows with the blast until the head is nearly clean-off the owlbear's body. Darcy finishes the job with the last of his strength, flinging its beak to the gutters. The creature's body slumps to the floor. As do the brigade.

In the violent screams of war, in the desolation of Pontoporea, one street in Ferripont remains dreadfully silent. The giant creatures of the Larsinian army, the rats of their own, drowned beneath the density of this scene. Helena releases her friend. Miriam dawdles to her husband, dragging her bloodied axe. She sits by his side. After a polite moment, Darcy joins her. "We have to go," he says with stern care. Miriam does not respond with words. She removes the helmet of her Stefan, and places a kiss upon his forehead. His face remains uninjured. His smile eternal. She dons his headpiece. She lifts her legs, her axe. She walks back to the brigade. A soldier again. Darcy follows. He turns to Orion, "we need to retreat to Silverhall."

Orion looks out of the side street. Three horns sound in the distance. Soldiers rush down the road. A retreat is already being called. The silver and red of Pontoporea swim through over the bodies of fallen friends. Orion leads his fellow fighters onto the road. Miriam does not turn around again. They see a familiar sight. The man they fought alongside. Sir Cygnus, the Silver Swan rides Goose down the streets. He calls the retreat, stating to all that The Mayor Humble is "down." He is joined by a flood of faces, red from battle. Among them, some familiar: Esrafin, Orey the Clocksmith, Fentos and Edhron, Fownai, even the wool merchant. Cygnus alone stops for a moment. He looks to the group, knowing more were sent to stay with them. His swan helmet no longer upon his head. Goose remaining loyal and calm. The group run out before him, eager to lose no more.

In Brannagh, Uthank leads his wizards down the river's bank. Arine keeps up. At the edge of the bridge, they usher the retreating soldiers across the threshold of Alkénir. Arine waits, wishing to see familiar faces. The group rush, they cross the bridge in a little over fifteen minutes. Orion looks down the river as they hurry across. The ship barricade is broken. The familiar demonic silhouettes of gargoyles fly their way. One appears to already be near, fighting with another flying figure in the sky: Hunter. They are almost at the end of the bridge. Darcy spots his familiar wizard sister, and, as she with him the day prior, he runs to give her a hug. But before he can make it, Darcy sees a familiar purple hue behind Arine. It oozes around her, and consumes her vision before it's translucency lessens. Darcy approaches Arine. A thin veil of plasma between them. Arine is confused, she can hear them, she can see them, but her boys cannot cross onto the continent. A purple barrier surrounds the entirety of Brannagh. The troops of the Silver Swan await for a battle upon Brannagh's Bridge.

The session ends there.