Episode 7: Curtain Call

"“Br’aad, Sylnan, and Mountain begin their escape from the theater after their heist. Taxi and Velrisa continue their travels.”"

Episode Events
Br’aad, half his normal size, and Sylnan in rat form, run out of the records room past Thardo and the guards, and blast out the large window in the office overlooking the stage, jumping through. Landing, Br'aad looks back, casting the Wand of Wonder towards the window, but only returns to his normal size. Br'aad disguises himself as a female, and head towards the main party area.

Mountain awakens, wounded from his fight with the guards but not in a deadly state. Chirp and Avamire are standing over him. Avamire explains how he, with help from Chirp, he got Mountain backstage away from the party to tend to him. Chirp gives Mountain a health potion, and the two plan to escape while Avamire searches for the Vengolor brothers. Chirp picks up Mountain and begins sprinting outwards.

As Br'aad walks into the main room of the party, he hears several guards stomping in as well. He proceeds to walk out the main door in his disguise, when he hears a large crash from the opposite side of the room. He sees Chirp and Mountain come barreling into the room. Br'aad runs out of the theater.

As Chirp runs, carrying mountain, Thardo uses blue arcana to entrap them in a stone square. Mountain tries to bash through the wall with his trident, and actually just phases through the wall, seeing it to be an illusion. On the other side of this illusionary box, the two are surrounded by guards. Thardo demands to know where the others are, but Mountain does not know, so Thardo sends a guard to alert the townsguard.

The guard runs outside, past the hidden Br'aad and Sylnan. Br'aad throws Sylnan, who is still in his rat form, at this guard in hopes he can attack him. Sylnan comes out of transformation mid-air, stabbing the guard in the back of the leg. Sylnan covers the guard's mouth, bringing him to the ground, until the guard passes out from blood loss. The two hide the unconscious guard in an alleyway. Br'aad and Sylnan take a second to devise their next move.

Avamire steps in between Mountain and Thardo, using magic to convince Thardo that Mountain is not the dwarf he is in search of. Falling under that magic, Thardo allows Mountain and Chirp to walk out, where they regroup with Sylnan and Br'aad. They run into the nearby forest.

Velrisa and Taxi have been traveling for a few days during the time of the heist. During that time, they are moving into a forest of bamboo, an unknown sight to them. Taxi notices lanterns further into the distance, and as they approach, they see a large wooden gate. Walking inside the encampment, it seems calming. They first notice a humanoid with black and white fur sitting by a small pond. Taxi and Velrisa are unaware of what these creatures are, only knowing that they are bears. Taxi approaches the one sitting by the pond, who greets him warmly. The bear informs them that they are in Bafield, and that the pandafolk are there to learn more about the body and soul. The panda states that his name is Row, and offers Velrisa and Taxi some food from inside the gathering hut.

Heading inside, Velrisa and Taxi see more of these pandafolk, all of whom seem calm and relaxed. The pandafolk greet them warmly, giving them food and drink, and inquire about their travels and plans. They are invited to stay for the celebration that is set to occur that evening, the celebration of the moonlight fish. After more conversation, Taxi and Velrisa learn that the pandafolk teach the ways of Shinzin, an immortal dragon-turtle who is very knowledgeable, but not a deity. They believe that when they die, they will be summoned to live upon the large continent on the back of Shinzin. The pandafolk also speak of the other religion in the area, the Three Guardians. In the surrounding area there are three large statues from ancient times that are said to activate during the end of times to fight the evil that comes.

Taxi and Velrisa, along with the pandafolk, move over to a small wooden bridge over a river, and watch the moonlight fish come downstream. Taxi casts Druidcraft to make the area more beautiful, and eventually all the fish pass, leaving the group in the night. They head back to the encampment, sleeping for the night and setting back out on their travels in the morning.

Mountain, Sylnan, and Br'aad run into the forest, discussing what happened during the heist, when Hilltree and Avamire approach. They give Avamire the cut of the gold, and the group plan their next moves to begin their travels to Vexen. To find a safe place to sleep for the evening, Mountain begins to lead the group to the location he fought the giant ape in season 2 episode 4, "If It Bleeds...". With hesitation and argument against going to that location, they manage to divert the drunken Mountain in another direction.

Mountain, Sylnan, and Br'aad continue along the road out of Shaygrove towards Vexen, eventually finding a small patch of forest to rest in the evening. Morning comes, and Br'aad tries to appraise or estimate the price of the goblet and sword he stole. After some chatting, they begin to travel on foot again, eventually coming across a wagon on the side of the road with a human male loading up the back of the cart. Br'aad convinces him to give the group a ride to Vexen.

Travel continues for a few more hours, but is suddenly interrupted as a voice comes from in front of the cart. The horses come to a quick stop. Br'aad jumps out of the cart, seeing two men on the road, the first seemingly wounded while the second leans over the first in a panic. Br'aad drags Sylnan out of the wagon as well. The second man tells the group that bandits attacked them, wounding the first man. As Sylnan tries to address the wound, he notices that his hand passes through it onto bare skin. Quickly pulling back, the group is suddenly met with four other men wielding crossbows.

Br'aad pulls out the Wand of Wonder, threatening the men, while Mountain pulls out Flametongue. Three crossbow bolts fire into Mountain, initiating combat. A bolt fires into Br'aad. A bolt fires at Mountain, missing. Sylnan gets hit with the next crossbow. Sylnan stabs into one of the men, harming him largely. Mountain slashes at another one of the men, killing him. Mountain attacks again, hitting another one of the men, cleaving his arm entirely off, but remains standing. Br'aad casts his Wand of Wonder at one of the men, causing the man to be surrounded by complete darkness. Hilltree attacks next, stabbing one of the remaining men. The man attacks at Hilltree, and then twice on Mountain. The man in the darkness stumbles out, and shoots a bolt into Br'aad. Sylnan gets hit with another bolt, so Sylnan attacks back, killing him. Mountain hits the remaining man twice, ending his life.

The wagon owner thanks the party, and they all continue their travels.