Episode 65: Down With the Fort

## Synopsis

Bjorn crashes to the ground in awful pain, sick to his core. As it clears, he realizes he's been cured of his lycanthropy. A massive hydra has emerged from the Rift and is wreaking havoc on the Fort. The occupants of Fort Lagarto manage to escape via boat and head for the West Thornvale beach.

## Episode Description

There's a new monster threatening Thornvale, and it may be far more than our heroes can deal with. First, it comes for their home.

## Key Events

* Bjorn's lycanthropy is cured now that Molly has been killed.
* A massive three-headed hydra emerges from the Rift beside the Fort. It crushes the Fort beneath its massive paws, spitting acid as it goes.

## Summary

Bjorn starts to feel sick as he's flying above the trees. He starts to lose altitude and control of his flight. He manages to turn onto his back to protect Henry as he crashes into the ground. His wing is damaged on impact. Bjorn starts to feel like his insides are boiling. He lays on the ground in agony before he suddenly starts to feel better. Bjorn realizes, instinctively, that he's no longer a werewolf.

Sammie lands in the medical bay after teleporting from the abandoned house with her Bye Bye Bomb. She takes a moment to heal herself and then collapses to the ground, unable to move. She's been completely drained of energy, both from the events of today and from having the Dream Weaver attached to her still. Miguel rolls into the room to find her on the floor and then the Fort begins to shake. Stanley runs into the room and picks Sammie up from the floor. Miguel heals her enough that she's able to walk and they start to make their way out to the courtyard. Oliver meets them on the way and pulls Sammie's arm over his shoulders to help her move faster.

Sammie, Stanley, Miguel, and Oliver make their way out to the courtyard. They are just in time to see a scaled paw emerge from the Rift beneath the ocean's surface. Another paw emerges. An enormous, scaled, draconic head rises from the water. Then another. And another. As a third head rises, they realize it's a hydra. Stanley starts to shout at them to get down and into cover. The hydra starts to move slowly toward them. Sammie throws up a protective shield to keep them safe while they stumble back down into the Fort.

On the nearby island, Bjorn takes a moment to heal himself. He shakes Henry awake and tells them they need to get going. As they fly back into the sky, they see the hydra towering over Fort Lagarto. Bjorn and Henry suddenly realize how many people are inside the Fort and know they need to get there to help get everyone out.

On the island, the hydra is making landfall. The Fort is shaking as the hydra breaks down the outer walls with its massive paws. They start to gather up all of the civilians they had moved into the Fort for protection and move them into the boats at the dock. Sammie does not find her dad in the cell they placed him in, however. She is able to magically observe him heading up the ladder to the courtyard.

As Bjorn and Henry arrive, the hydra has made its way into the middle of the island. While in the air, Bjorn calls the Dragon Knight Council. Bjorn gives the password of "Dark Fang" and is patched through. He gives his contact his full name, Gunnar Knudtson, and tells them about the hydra. He asks that they send back up immediately. The Council contact says they'll send a crew down as soon as they can. Bjorn and Henry debate whether they should try and draw the hydra's attention away or go inside to help get people out.

Sammie tries to stop her dad from climbing but is unable. He stumbles out into the courtyard, still drunk, and Sammie climbs up the ladder to try and stop him from getting killed by the hydra. Sammie uses magic to make herself faster than she normally is. She's able to run across the courtyard and grab her dad before getting them both down the ladder. Before Sammie closes the hatch above them, she sees the hydra spit acid from its mouth. She closes the hatch as the acid hits and it starts to eat through the hatch door. Sammie starts to drag her dad down to the dock.

Bjorn and Henry see all of this from the sky. Bjorn and Henry set out to cause a distraction and draw the hydra's attention away from the Fort to give them more time to escape. Bjorn and Henry shoot toward the hydra to draw its attention. Two of the heads turn their attention toward them, but one is still focused on the docks and the escape boats. Sammie is in a boat with Oliver, Grandma Fran, Elise, Anna, Lorenzo, and her unconscious father, Tony. Miguel, Stanley, Ben, and Masa are in a second boat. The hydra head that has its attention on them spits acid at them. It misses the boat Stanley is driving but hits Sammie's. They quickly start to take on water.

Sammie hands over the driving of the boat to Oliver and uses magic to create a barrier to keep more water from entering the boat. Bjorn and Henry fly above the boats to ensure they make it to shore. They watch over their shoulders as the hydra steps onto the Fort and water starts to rush into it. Bjorn and Henry land on Stanley's boat as soon as they can. Sammie questions Oliver about where he's been staying and if it's big enough for all of them to hide in for now. Oliver directs the boat over to the West Thornvale beach and Stanley follows. As they arrive, Sammie notices three people on the beach. One of them smiles as they approach and their hand lights up with green magical energy.

## List of Appearances

* Bjorn Olafson
* Henry Marlowe
* Sammie Overbrook
* Miguel Rodriguez
* Stanley Marlowe
* Oliver Allen Evans
* Tony Alvarez
* Elise Romano
* Grandma Francesca
* Anna Romano
* Lorenzo Romano
* Ben Lasky
* Masa

## Trivia

It's established in this episode that if a player entirely fills their luck track, whenever they switch to a new playbook they only start with half their luck track available. If a player does not use all of their luck, when they switch to a new playbook they receive all their luck back.

This is the first time someone hears Bjorn's real name - Gunnar Knudston.