Goddamit woman, you set me on fire!
~Nir

Weeks have passed since our adventurers killed Glass Staff and they’ve been getting restless. An old acquaintance of Gus’, Niruai Kuchiku has brought tidings of unrest in the East and seeks the help of the recent initiates to the Order of Wolves in investigating the source of the troubles. As he explains to his new compatriots, his choice in partners is due to their fearsome reputation and definitely not that they were the closest members to hand. He also brings with him Loki, a quiet Druid with an unnervingly distant gaze.

With a last farewell to the townsfolk the gang head East. It’s not long before they come across the remains of a massacre; wagons are blocking the churned road, arrows wedged into the frame and canvas coverings torn, whilst cloaked figures pick through the scattered contents. Bodies lie crumpled in the mud, victims to the violence that had befallen their caravan.

Our heroes quickly sprang into action, stealthily closing in on their foe before launching a blistering attack. A brutal skirmish ensues as more figures leap out of the bushes to join the fight, almost overwhelming our troupe. Lycinda unleashed an ethereal fireball that screeched over the scene before exploding against the underside of an upturned cart, disintegrating the cart, several assailants and knocking the now-smoking Nir off his feet. Meanwhile Loki, Bree and Star had whittled down the opponents out in the road, leaving one fleeing South. Loki reached out to the figure, fingers spread, before clenching them into a fist - the figure struggled against invisible bonds before dropping to the ground.

The group gathers around the immobile figure squirming in the mud and begin their interrogation…

Oh gods,  they’re all dead! Why, why did you attack us?
~Unknown

Oh no…

The menacing, hooded figures were actually somewhat less menacing villagers from the East, uprooted when their village was attacked in the dead of night and razed to the ground. They’d only just come across the scene themselves and were looking for any supplies that might have been left behind by the actual attackers. Looking around, the group notices that the food lying on the ground is already rotting and grass has started growing around the wheels of the wagons.

With their heads bowed, our heroes return to Stonehill Inn to drown their sorrows. Here they see a young woman and two children talking to the innkeeper, clothes muddied and ragged. After listening in for a bit, the group learns that these strangers have also fled from the East after the homestead was raided. The group decides to buy the strangers a meal and try to gather more information about what happened. Very grateful for the meal, the young woman provides as much information as she can; the raid happened in the dead of night, the first she knew about it was the smell of smoke from the barn burning. She tried but could not recall anything about the attackers except they were at least humanoid. The homestead was about a week’s travel East, just North of the main trade road near the town of Greenest. Nir gave the woman a gold piece for her troubles and told the innkeeper to give them a room and board for as long as they needed, all bills to go to his master, Lord Belaros.

The gang retire for the night, feeling a little better about themselves. At first light they head East, again, making for Greenest. The journey starts relatively uneventful but they see signs of raiders as they draw closer to the town; burnt fields and smoking husks of small homes become more numerous the further they go. Reaching the last hill before Greenest as dusk falls they come across a familiar scene; wrecked carts and figures moving along the road. This scene is easier to read, however, as one group of figures, some being carried in arms, is being pursued by a squad of reptilian creatures. A cry reaches the adventurers as the last of the pursued is struck in the back by a rock slung from the lead reptile. It is clear to the adventurers that they are about to witness a massacre so in they charge. This is a clear-cut fight and the heroes revel in it, attempting to wash their sins away with the blood of the obvious aggressors. The fight is short and one-sided; the reptilian Kobolds, surprised by the sudden appearance of 5 heavily armed and enthusiastic fighters, are quickly overwhelmed.

One of the towns people approaches the group once the dust has settled, introducing herself as Cuth as well as her wife, children and nephews. Cuth thanks the crew for their timely intervention and explains that they were trying to return to Greenest Keep, the only place of safety for miles. Loki tends to their wounds as she continues, stating that the town is under attack by raiders. Reaching the crest of the hill, Greenest is laid out before them. Fires burn in the dwindling light as a blue dragon circles overhead, occasionally dipping low to attack as roving gangs are glimpsed through the smoke, burning and slashing their way through town.

Greenest in Flames

Cuth urges the group into woods to the south of the keep, guiding them to a small door in the keep wall which she hopes they will be able to reach without being seen. The raiders’ apparent lack of organisation allows the party to dash up to the wall without being seen, whereupon a furtive knock from Cuth opens a previously concealed door.