Ruinë moves up behind Tasha and Grelda and as she nears the two, she calls for a blessing from her goddess and starts casting a spell that will provide assistance to her allies.
Tom continues juggling 3 of his knives and {A} Strides up behind Ruine, throwing 2 knives on the way.(against the earth mephits)
"Those things are gonna burn this place to the ground if we aren't careful!
Unfortunately, both mephits resist Grelda's spell, with one only becoming temporarily dazzled. Alainn and Tom both strike one of the earth mephits, but only deal glancing blows.
The earth mephits both exhale a barrage of rocks upon those nearby, then swing on Tasha with their fists. One hits, but the other misses due to the dazzling aftereffects of hte color spray The fire mephits swoop down and exhale flames over you as well, but they catch the earth mephits in the fire as well! The earth mephits howl in pain while the fire mephits cackle with glee, and the earth mephit you wounded falls in a smoldering heap! "Oops! Sorry!" a fire mephit says insincerely.
Grelda nimbly dodges all of the rocks and flames, only becoming slightly battered and mildly singed. "You'll pay for that!" she declares as she blasts the remaining earth mephit with magic missiles.
and
Tom continues to {A}Juggle keeping 3 knives in the air at all times. Then he tosses a knife up into the rafters, creating a
As soon as he sees a mephit who's not looking where he should be, Tom STRIKES! unleashing a knife into the creature!
The barrage of rocks is enough to knock Tasha prone and she doesn't rise.
Tasha manages to avoid the flames and stabs at one of the flame mephits.
Alainn studies the fire mephits once again before firing twice.
Managing to dodge the majority of the damage from the enemies, but one of the earth creatures still manages to injure her.
Concentrating, Ruinë extends the emanation from her blessing out another five feet before reaching out placing a hand on Tasha's back "Keep going, I've got you."
With the fire mephits flying out of reach, Tasha instead stabs the earth mephit in front of her twice. Grelda’s magic missiles cause that mephit to crumble to rubble! As Ruine heals the tiefling, Alainn shoots one of the fire mephits. Tom distracts it before hurling a knife into its neck! The mephit erupts into smoke and vanishes!
The last mephit swoops at Tom to take revenge, biting him once with its fiery jaws.
The mephit swoops down and Tom continues his {A}Juggle and throws 2 knives back to back!
"DON'T SINGE MY FACE!"
Grelda telekinetically hurls a pitchfork at the mephit, but misses.
Tasha also pulls a dagger from her belt and sends it flying towards the elusive pest.
"You have nowhere to flee to, little fly. We will strike you down eventually. Surrender!"
Focusing to increase the range of her blessing once more , she then takes out her crossbow and fires it at the creature before reloading it and slamming home another bolt.
Tasha and Tom both strike the mephit with a hurled dagger each. Ruine's crossbow bolt strikes the creature square in the chest, and it crumbles to a pile of inert ash!
As the battle comes to an end, you can hear several voices crying out for help from one of the nearby feed bins. Opening the gate, you see a man, a woman, and a young girl all roped together and lashed to the post. "Please, set us free!" they beg.
Tom opens the gate wide and cuts their bindings.
"You're safe now. What happened?"
Tom pulls out an apple from his pouch and cuts it into slices and offers it to the captives.
"The woman what put you here won't be a problem anymore. She's already in custody, and I wouldn't be surprised if the ol' windsock wasn't trying on rope necklaces."
"Thank you," the older woman says. "I'm Seirah Hawfton, and this is my husband Rikart and my daughter Aima. I'm the miller here in Abberton. A few days ago we were kidnapped by an awful halfling woman! She and those creatures brought us to this barn and tied us up. She said her name was Nemmia and she was from the Hermitage of the Blessed Lightning. Indeed, she spoke of it often, between furious outbursts blaming the people of Abberton for a wide array of environmental calamities.
"The halfling seemed to blame Abberton for everything—any negative environmental changes, such as heat waves, dry spells, wells going dry, and even a decline in birth rates among local animals. We saw Nemmia command those winged things and various animals, especially the rats that followed her everywhere. Her plan, as best as I can tell, was to terrorize Abberton so persistently that everyone would leave; when she heard about the arrival of a circus, she seized on it as a highly visible target and was certain the town would evacuate if the entire circus were slaughtered.
"Nemmia’s only visitors were two members of the Hermitage of Blessed Lightning with strange, loose skin. Hideous worm-like creatures burst from the hermits, and after some horrible screaming, the Lindell brothers—who had been kept tied up in the southernmost cow stall—left the barn. The Lindells had the same strange looseness in their skin, and I'm grateful we didn’t see exactly what the worm-creatures did to them."
Indeed, in the southernmost cow stall, you find two piles of loose skin. These remains, each from a middle-aged human male, are clad in gray robes the color of a storm cloud and a wooden religious symbol of Gozreh. The religious symbols have been defaced with jagged runes. Two bloody tridents lean against the wall of the stall.
The loft is mostly bare; it contains only a small bedroll Nemmia left behind and a prodigious quantity of rat droppings showing that many rats once laired here with her. An oil of mending lays near the bedroll. Nemmia also engraved the wood floor of the loft with a detailed summoning circle.
"We gotta find the Lindell brothers. Those things could be on their way to spring her right now! The townies won't be able to stop them!"
Ruinë is mollified by the story from the miller. She sees to their wounds before turning to Tom and the others. "Yes, but we're in no condition to go running off right this moment, Tom. Let me see to everyone first, alright? It does us no good to dash off into more trouble and get knocked down before we can say Tommy Tells Tall Tales!"
Roughly handling him, she forces him to take a seat "Now let me take a look, hold still." before moving on to do the same with Tasha. Her own injuries cause her some fatigue however, and when she goes to look at her own wounds, she doesn't apply the same amount of focused attention.
"I have used most of my most powerful spells, but I am alright to press on if the rest of you want to," Grelda says, brushing off a few pebbles from her clothes. "Alainn and Ruine are skilled at patching people up in the heat of battle should things get hairy again. We still need to check out the millers' house, the orchard, and the church."
Alainn, seeing Ruine flagging, ceases her investigations of the barn to step in and do some patching of her own.
"We're not sure that the Lindell brothers even know that she's been captured," Tasha says with a reassuring hand on Ruinë's arm as she administers what healing that she can on the tiefling.
"Let's find out what happened at the miller's house so these town... people, can return to their home," she says. "I think we have enough resources to do that at least."
Turning to the gnome, the cleric says "Thank you for that, I was too exhausted to focus properly. I appreciate the assistance."
Never the one to complain, despite similar feelings as Grelda, Ruinë nods silently to the suggestion they push on. Once she's done patching everyone up she announces "There we go, that's all I can do for now. I've expended nearly all of my reserves and I hope that's sufficient to proceed."
The Hawfton Mill is located on the west side of Abberton. From the exterior, the mill is easily identified by its large mill wheel. The west half of the building, where the Hawftons make their home, sits upon the same level of the upper stream, higher than the rest of the mill. The other side of the building features a well-tended, fenced garden.
The single door leading into the main building is bolted from the inside. You could climb the fence and try the large double doors leading in from the garden if you wanted to. Alainn notices something unusual about the garden.
Tasha fiddles with the door mechanism for a moment before she steps away frustrated. "Does someone care to 'knock'?" she asks the others.
Ruinë shrugs and says softly "Sure, I'll knock."
Turning to brush past Tasha she says "Excuse me." before moving up to the mill and knocking with a meek "Hello? We're your new neighbors."
There is no answer from within the mill.
"There's something about the garden." The gnome says, examining it intently without closing. An empiricist learns from experience, and experience says there might be man-eating plants in it!
The garden boasts an impressive tomato and pumpkin collection, as well as herbs and potatoes. Alainn notices numerous recent spiderwebs, as well as two enormous river spiders lurking among the neat rows of plants, waiting for unsuspecting prey to get within range.
Tasha's hand moves to cover her mouth and the grin spreading across it. "That's not quite what I meant by knocking," she says. "Anyone else care to try?"
"Spiders in the garden, and some impressive vegetables." The gnome reports in amusement. "We could shoot them from a distance, or just leave them alone..."
”There’s no one...” she trails off when she sees Tasha’s face, her own face reddening in embarrassment. Lowering her head she whispers ”Oh, uh, I thought... Sorry.”
"Nothing to be sorry for, Milaya," Tasha says, stepping forward and putting her arm around the half-elf. "You did just what I asked. Sometimes, though, what I ask for and what I want are two different things."
She moves herself and Ruinë out of the way of the door, assuming someone else understood what she was asking.
Grelda throws herself against the door repeatedly. It takes numerous attempts, but eventually the witch forces the door open. ”Ow,” she mutters, rubbing her shoulder.
This spacious chamber is two stories high and has a well-fitted stone floor. In the center of the space, a millstone grinds away, rotated by a wooden shaft projecting through the north wall. A second level of the house overlooks this room from the west, and a table and four chairs are visible near the top of a sturdy ladder. A double door leads east to the garden. A massive wasps’ nest hangs from the ceiling in the center of the room.
Ruinë is led away by Tasha, watching patiently as Grelda throws herself into the door.
And a second time.
After the third time she frowns.
By the fifth she's closed her eyes.
By the seventh she winces with each additional hit.
After the ninth she's anticipating the tenth when the door breaks open. turning to Tasha she whispers "I'm glad I misunderstood."
Turning to Grelda she asks "Are you okay? Your shoulder must be sore? Can I rub it for you or anything?"
Readying herself to walk behind the others, she raises her hands and points to the wasp nest above. "Look at that."
Tasha waves a dramatic hand in Grelda's direction as she enacts Tasha's request.
"Knock, knock," the tiefling says after the door finally bursts. She looks into the room, but pulls her head back out when she sees the wasp nest and prevents Ruinë from entering. "I don't think the millers left that behind. I'm pretty sure that's another of the halfla's surprises."
She looks around at the others.
"Did anyone bring any alchemists fire or acid?" she asks.
From outside, Ruinë raises her hands hesitantly, still uncomfortable using her flames against other creatures. "I have fire if needed."
Grelda smiles slyly at Ruine. ”A shoulder rub would be lovely. No time for anything else right now.” One of her braids reaches over and lightly caresses the half-elf’s cheek. She winks, and her snake familiar hisses in what almost sounds like bemused laughter.
The witch looks at Tasha. ”I used my only vial against the rats. We could visit the market and buy more if needed.”
Tom sneaks into the building and scouts around.
Tom moves from room to room listening at doors before creeping inside.
Grelda gives Tom some guidance to aid his stealthy scouting. He manages to move about the mill without disturbing the wasps in their nest. The wooden shaft rotated by the water wheel outside is clearly visible in this mill room; a rotating wheel on this end turns a millstone into which grain can be poured by means of an overhead chute. A wide, shallow pan on the floor beneath the millstone is positioned to catch milled grain, but it’s currently empty. Barrels of grain waiting to be milled occupy one corner of the mill floor.
A ladder against the west wall gives access to the upper level. Up top is an open living area that includes a small round table with three chairs, a long counter for food preparation, and several cupboards where kitchen supplies and food are kept. There are two doors out of this space. The walls bear recent scorch marks
The north door leads to the Aima Hawfton's room. The teenage girl has decorated her room with paintings of various fantastical beasts, including a hydra, a manticore, a centaur, and a phoenix. Her clothing and furnishings are both durable and finely made.
The south door leads to Sarah and Reikart's room. Several vases containing dried flowers stand atop sturdy shelves. A heavy armoire has fallen, face-down and open, onto the floor of the room.
Tom can hear faint whimpers coming from beneath the armoire. He also finds a locked iron strongbox beneath the bed.
Tom stops and frowns at the armoire and gently taps on the wooden back of the furniture. "...Hello?"
Meanwhile he fiddles with the lockbox as soon as he feels the lock click open, he takes a look inside and moves to lift the armoire.
Failing to lift it, he creeps back down to tell the others what he found, bringing the lockbox with him.
"Tasha, I think someone is trapped in a closet upstairs. I couldn't lift it by myself, but there are wasps I don't want to piss off too. Think we can all make it up there without getting covered in welts?"
Inside the lockbox is the Hawftons' savings: 110 sp, an assortment of jewelry and other heirlooms worth 14 gp, and a dancing scarf.
Tasha shakes her head and laughs. "I really doubt it," she says. She gives Ruinë an appraising look. "Do you think you could burn them out, Milaya?"
Tom pockets a single silver piece, and steals the scarf. The rest he leaves in the box that he locks and places back where he found it.
"It might be best to just set the nest aflame and then run. The wasps will be angry at first but they will go dormant once it is destroyed. It will be safer to remove them afterwards."
"Ok, but something's up there and it's probably been trapped for days. I'm hoping for a puppy. I've always wanted a puppy."
Tom pulls out his last Alchemist vial and goes to hurl it at the nest, but stops before sheepishly asking Riune "I know you don't like hurtin' things, but I'd rather save this for the worm guys, ya know?"
Nodding to Tasha, she says hesitantly "Uhm, yes. I think I can do that."
When Grelda says to scorch it and run, she responds "Understood. I'll be right back."
Walking into the room, she finds a place to position herself so that she can reach the nest and still get back out quickly. Once she settles in she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath to convince herself she can do this. She opens her eyes and throws her hands forward as bands of blazing flames arc out from her body towards the nest.
With the fire spell cast, she quickly makes her way back outside as quickly as she can.
Ruine's flames set the wasp nest alight! Thousands of the buzzing insects emerge to defend their home, but you quickly fall back and take cover until the nest is reduced to nothing but a smoldering wreck. As Grelda predicted, the wasps settle down and become dormant after that. It takes several minutes, but Alainn is able to eventually coax all of the wasps to buzz off and seek a new place to establish their colony.
After that, you climb up to where the armoire has fallen and Grelda puts her back into trying to lift it. It takes a few less attempts to lift than it took her to get the door open, but eventually, she shoves it up off the floor.
A huge pile of sand and grit spreads out across the floor from beneath the armoire, and a small mephit darts out! This one is pale blue in coloration and has thin wings that trail small puffs of vapor. It shrieks with anger as it moves to attack you!
Tom strikes at the mephit with his whip, cracking it loudly first!
"This is the thanks we get?!"