Episode 11 - Spring is here and so are we.

After a winter with little to do but get the local fence addicted and suborned the band turned it's attentions to the wider world about them. Or at least, those bits they were interested in. What held the band's greatest interest was a controlling interest in the pubs, taverns and alehouses of the land. Who was in charge was largely immaterial but to their minds a network of pubs meant trade, working agriculture and a series of defensible points. This would hopefully counter the rising chaocity and keep the Watchers down. The fact that pubs contain alcohol, lodgings and wenches may of also been a contributing factor.

Early spring saw the lizard-folk trading their excess, infertile eggs with the town. The band lost little time ensuring that they handled the actual transactions. This potentially avoided a riot when the lizards asked if they could have some halflings (or children, dwarven is hard on saurian mouths) to feed the child of Tiamat they were raising in the swamp. The band managed to get them to accept cow instead and hurried off to the lovely ladies of Beshaba to confirm their suspicions of what the phrase 'child of Tiamat' was referring to. Who better to ask about potential disasters and calamities than the Servants of the Mistress of Misfortune?

The servants of Black Bess happily informed them that yes, a child of Tiamat was most likely a dragon. The also informed them that Ana, the waif and stray they had found (kidnapped?)  had the makings of a feared Doommistress. They also mentioned that she was planning an expedition to the south to spy on the Humans and check to see if her parents were okay. The ladies were excited by the prospect of a dragon in the area advising that it indicated chaos was on the rise, which was a holy thing. Lastly they alluded to knowing a ritual that would summon such a beast and then running real fast. They advised a human would make a fine material component for such a ritual. The band thanked them for their counsel and gave the matter of summoning the dragon to their enemies serious thought.

The party also then decided to check up on Ashrak and his new apprentice Myrdanus. On reaching the swamp and noticing the large impressive ziggurat almost near completion. They were decidedly creeped out by whatever it was the dead necromancer was up to and decided to to pester him. Instead they returned to Mamucium to travel with Ana.

Discovering Ana and company had left already the band took the path south to Viroconium and Ana's home village. After a day's travel they came upon a small empty camp. Showing signs that it was in use Cheet transformed and scouted about for the people. His senses were overwhelmed by a oily, loathsome scent on the air. While the miasma masked other scents it clearly was coming from the east. Venturing that way the band discovered disturbing signs. Clawed footprints and trees ring-barked by tentacles were worrying and they pressed on. The next thing they found were two bodies. The creatures had only the most superficial resemblance to people. While they had arms, legs and a head they had a fishy, amphibian appearance with bulging eyes, webbed feet and odd, but functional spears as weapons. One appeared to of been victim to being brought down by multiple foes while the other had been stabbed in the back of the neck, killing it instantly. Scawl determined that the attacker was either eight feet tall or had dropped out of a nearby tree onto their victim. The band proceeded through the woods a little more cautiously, looking upwards a lot.

After another mile they reached a circular hole in the ground, about 30 ft across and almost identical to the one in Coccium. Seeing as how only three of the band were present they decided discretion was the better part of valour and beat a hasty retreat and continued to Ana's village. Over the next two days the band thought it odd that they did not catch up with her. Nor did they find her at the outskirts of the hamlet.

The band discovered the hamlet overrun with humans, all working industriously fortifying the place. There were about a hundred of the creatures, most engaged with cutting trees and making a palisade with watch towers while a few stood guard. While the band could not find Ana they did find a low elf named Jake. Jake seemed rather unconcerned about his new masters. Sure they yelled at you and pushed you around but so had the dwarves. They were gearing up to invade Deva. There were two odd things that even Jake had noticed. First there were no human women to be seen and the humans did not bother the local women. The band decided that such unnatural perversions should not be allowed to exist. The band told Jake that there was a secret entrance to Deva and gave him the location of the nearby Watcher hole.

The band then travelled to Deva, noticing wear the Human scouts were hiding out. The much reduced town was in a panic. About ten bravos were manning the walls and the rest were running about like headless chooks. Scawl pointed out that surrender was a bad idea since the humans were going to enslave the remaining populace. The band decided that a message should be sent to Caius and he could rally his troops for the city's defence. They also wondered if they should let the ghoul's of the under-city know that Deva above was about to undergo a change of ownership.