Fish and Taxes

The Entity finds underwater ruins.

The Dreamers make their way out onto the road, leaving Huld'r behind them along with the memories of what they had done and witnessed. The heavily forested road, however, proves to have its own dangers.

## Plot:

As the Dreamers set out on the road with a sizable caravan of 13 people, Lucius makes his way to the front of the pack to help Warbler, John Glostehn's scout, keep wary eyes on the trail.  They have a brief conversation about how Warbler’s father used to smack him for making bird calls, but now he’s very good at it and makes them back at birds in order to make sure they’re not fakes.

Saoirse is approached by the heavily armored Trumpets, who offers to let her ride on his horse.  The Entity suggests that because of the volume of blood she has recently lost that would be a good idea.  Saoirse accepts the aid into the horse.  Hands stomps off into the woods and kills a rabbit with his warhammer, then brings it back to the group.

Emelya catches up with Karroway and Brieonne and gives them some wilderness tips, but they reply that they have been on the road before.  The Entity asks Emelya to hold its remaining 8 platinum pieces and Emelya inquires again “What are you?”  The Entity offers to repeat its model number, but Emelya says that that won’t be helpful.  The Captain approaches The Entity at about this point and asks if it can watch the vanguard.  The Entity replies that its sensors have already been ‘peeled’ and the Captain seems confused.  Emelya realizes that the Captain hasn’t yet noticed that The Entity is a machine.

John approaches Gwendolyn and they converse for awhile, allowing Gwendolyn to determine that he’s quite the fop, but well liked by his men.  Saoirse and Emelya take some time to gather herbs from the forest path and Lucius successfully guides the group past a fork in the road using his survival skills.  The Entity and the Captain spot some woodsmen harvesting lumber, but find no one tailing the group.

The party notices that all of Glohsten’s men and Glohsten himself have clothing that is incredibly threadbare and seems to indicate that they have had a rough time of it on the road.  After about six hours of travel, John calls for a stop and Lucius locates an old campground that seems to have been used many times before.  The Dreamers set up camp and meanwhile the Entity investigates the area, finding that the old tents are torn and also locating a two-week old bloodstain by the spring.  It shows Lucius the signs of struggle and they agree that they should probably pay extra attention in the night.

The Entity takes this opportunity to again inquire with Lucius about why he had been important enough to save when the group had initially met within the Dream.  Lucius replies that he isn’t certain.  The Entity states that it is glad he was saved.

The party then bathes, with Gwendolyn conjuring silent image bubbles to hide herself and anyone else who requires it while Emelya casts Unseen Servant in order to pass out towels and help people to dry off.  The Entity wades into the waters and polishes its sword using an oilcloth provided by Emelya.  John falls on his ass as he is getting out, and the Entity picks him up like a child in order to get him up the bank of the pond.

The group then gathers around a campfire for the evening and The Entity and Emelya regale the group with stories.  The Entity tells of the time it fought the Sky Wheel on the seaside cliff, and most people do not believe its story.  Emelya tells the story of Thermia, the Maneater.  John is very pleased with the tales.

Lucius casts Goodberry to provide food for the group and Emelya crafts it into an herb salad for everyone.  Then the group takes their rest.  Lucius takes first watch with The Entity helping him, and the watch passes uneventfully.  Then Lucius wakes up Warbler to take his place and Warbler and The Entity handle second watch.

During its watch, the Entity notices how pretty the moonlight is reflecting off of the water of the pond, and walks over to examine it more closely.  It then notices the light reflecting off of its arm and makes a few comparisons, but locks up its mind as something it is reminded of triggers an error in its memory.  As it is focusing on trying to figure out what is being blocked it realizes that there are ripples in the water and a band of Sahuagin emerge.  The Entity attempts to converse with them, but they take its use of their language as an act of heresy and attack, revealing that many more had emerged from the forest around the camp.

The group scrambles to defend itself as they are set upon, The Entity fending off the leader and two reavers while Trumpets and Brionne nearly die to attacks from Sahuagin.  The Dreamers, with the assistance of Sir John’s men, manage to take the advantage and systematically kill the Reavers.  Lucius, Emelya, and Gwendolyn come to The Entity’s aid and Emelya manages to strike down the leader with a Firebolt after the Entity’s inhibition field holds it in place for a clean shot.

Emelya and Saoirse give emergency medical aid to Trumpets and Brionne while a nervous John looks on.  The Entity picks up the Sahuagin leader’s Rod of Rulership.

After everyone calms down, John, Emelya, and Gwendolyn have an argument after The Entity suggests it look for where the Sahuagin came from.  A bitter argument later, it is decided that the Entity will do a search while Emelya takes watch and everyone else sleeps.  Lucius sleeps on a log in a seated position.

The Entity proceeds to wade into the waters again and walk back and forth for several minutes searching for a tunnel opening, and upon finding it dives into the depths.  Within the Entity finds a large underground cavern filled with ruins that have sunk into the bog over the centuries, including layers of differing architectural styles.  The Entity finds that there are no signs of a large population living within, and that the Sahuagin that had already been killed were likely the only ones living there.  It also discovers a roll of silver coins, a magical whistle, and a set of Mithril Thieves’ Tools.  Identifying these as valuable salvage, the Entity takes them back out of the tunnels and brings them to Emelya for review.

Emelya points out that the Entity should probably have first choice of the items because it recovered them, but it seems to be confused by the concept and Emelya accepts the three items.

After this the Entity dries off and everyone gets up and packs up camp, the Dreamers head out again with the sun rising on the horizon.  They nearly get lost, but Saoirse and Emelya use their knowledge of nature to help get the group back on track and the party makes their way towards a bridge that leads over the gorge that is the border between Synjalo and Aachen.

As the Dreamers reach the bridge, a bandit by the name of Brick steps out onto the other side, and more bandits emerge behind him as well as behind the party.  They demand payment and a series of tense negotiations follow, with Doc and Lucius stepping forward to pay immediately but Gwendolyn negotiating hard to get the price for the group lowered.  John insists that he doesn’t want this to come to violence and Saoirse realizes that the bridge has been coated with some sort of flammable substance.  The Entity makes friends with the brigands’ Ogre—Biggie—who refers to it as ‘the Big Lady’ or ‘the Pretty Lady’ while prices are negotiated, and it tells him about the feast of slaughtered Sahuagin left behind at the campground from the night before.  Incredibly happy, Biggie shouts at Brick asking for the group to go find the meat.

Brick, exasperated, says that he’ll take 200 silver pieces for the rest of the group to pass, but John—who can’t afford it—is asked for his horse instead.  Apparently feeling a great deal of attachment to his horse, he and Gwendolyn manage to negotiate Brick getting one of the pack horses instead, and Hands reluctantly trades away the horse he has been leading since the party met him.

And so, their new frenemies left behind them, the Dreamers turn south and head towards Caerle’on and a hopeful payday… still nearly a week’s travel away.  With dwindling supplies, multiple injured allies, and no time to prepare new spells or equipment the episode closes.