26/01/2021 - Branxom besieged, area-affect anarchy, and pesky priests

## Rocksend to Branxom

* From Marfire’s corpse the group obtained several items: a hat of vermin, dust of disappearance and a tankard of plenty.
* Finnian expressed upon the group the importance of getting to Branxom before any ATC escapees from Rocksend could alert Horden to the revolution.
* The group used the deer they had recruited previously to close (within 1 – 2 hours) of Branxom then took a long rest.
* Whilst most of the group rested, Asfodel, Willy and the wise old one went ahead to scout the city – there appeared to be no signs of frantic activity, all the guards on the walls appeared to be behaving normally.
* The Fey creature then arrived at the groups camp – said that the beasts / wolfs etc. of the forest were taking care of any ATC people who had escaped from Rocksend into the forest.
* Next morning, fey creatures come back to say that the Ents are in position ready to help break into Branxom and everyone is waiting for the group to initiate the attack.

## Branxom Besieged

* Asfodel and Willy sneak ahead to release the ATC horses. Scare them with sacred flame. Horses make a lot of noise. An ATC guard runs out to chase the horses.
* Whilst this is happened, Khrom and the others have snuck up to the gate. Including Terrance the half-baby troll(!), who the halflings have persuaded to help.
* The Ents quickly attack the walls, bringing down a large portion of it in little time.
* The group and the halflings swarm in.
* The group charge towards the council building/Horden’s quarters. Khrom breaks down the substantial door with his portable battering ram.
* Khrom (who has been practicing his jokes) banterously yells “Horden, you don’t seem to have a handle on the situation” down the corridor.
* Everyone charges towards Horden’s main door. Khrom knocks it down. Get into her office. She is not there.
* They intimidate a servant into telling them where her bedroom is. Go there. No one there. Looks like people left in a hurry. Can see many people rushing into the building that needs to be gone through to get down to the docks.
* The group charge into said building and are confronted by Horden and many guards, who she is shouting orders at.
* Area-affect chaos ensues. Thorn walls, chaotic patterns, silence and stinking clouds litter the battlefield. Khrom takes the brunt of the damage and does the brunt of the attacks.
* Horden and her guard phalanx try to escape up some stairs, but the old wise one beats them back with a tidal wave.

* Eventually, Khrom breaks through her guards, and stabs her through the heart, saying that such a quick death was too good for her.

## The aftermath

* Khrom tries to decide whether the remaining ATC guards are racist or just jobsworths – tries to persuade them to stay and be proper guards, but they decline and run away.
* Khrom drags Horden’s body into the square where fighting continues, and yells that Horden is dead so they should surrender.
* Khelda goes around healing the halflings, whilst Khrom deals with the remaining guards.
* Elyan and Pimp go to see the priests. It doesn’t go well, and they get chased off, Pimp nearly dead. There is powerful magic protecting the temple. Finnian suggests just walling up the temple so they are stuck inside forever. Most of the group agrees, but Elyan also pays Pimp to keep watch on the temple until he returns with help…
* Just off the coast the group notice a red pirate ship, not menacing to the group, but potentially capturing any escaping ATC members.
* Finnian is overjoyed, and offers everyone an opportunity to stay, which Khrom, Merric and Khelda accept.
* Khrom is also given a ring of homecoming – if he fails two death saves he is immediately transported back to the halfling village and is stabilised.
* Finally, Finnian gives the group (Elyan) 3000 GP, a mystery key and a lock of trickery for their efforts.
* Elyan (who is the only one not staying on Cypropa) bids the rest farewell and makes his way back to Ilbidor.