As the sun began to set on the city of Rinley, the party started out of the gates toward a farm being harried by strange creatures. As one of the few cattle farms in the area, they were indispensable in feeding the town. So as the numbers of livestock dwindled, the situation became more and more serious. As they passed the gates, a messenger came for Bardo and asked him to come to the hospital. He took his leave and everyone else started out of the city.
Once they arrived David explained the situation. At night, something was coming and eating his cows. Everyone took up positions around one field where they’d used one of the remaining cows as bait. After a few hours of waiting, the creatures revealed themselves. They were mutated ettercaps. A strange spider-adjacent race that were rather formidable in terms of their fighting. However they were no match for the group and after attempting to flee and regroup, the team was able to take down the last of the creatures and save the cows for good.
Back at the farm, Siobhan was attempting to seduce David. Miri was confused as to what she was doing, and was unintentionally cockblocking her at every turn. After asking Miri to go buy her “the strongest drink at the bar” and bring it back, Siobhan was able to shake her off and sleep with the farmer. The rest of the team headed back into town.
Once back, they met up with Elceran’s caretaker/potential savior. He was an anthropomorphic clam named Clambo. Apparently he had a reputation around town for changing his name (and appearance) every few months after a polymorph gone awry. He explained that he felt like an antidote might be made with the help of a very specific flower that grew on the island. But it was hard to find and he knew of only three places nearby that might have the blooms they needed. He suggested meeting with another expert in town and seeing if she might be able to help them as well.
The group headed over to meet with Misty Krewn, an extremely kawaii and bubbly young tiefling woman. She told them she would be happy to help them on their quest if they would also take her to a cave near the third spot they were looking to go. Her crush/boyfriend Finbert had been on an expedition in the area and he had returned gravely wounded. He managed only to tell that the rest of the team had been killed by ‘creatures’, before he slipped into unconsciousness. He hasn’t woken since, and he’s been in a deep coma despite all of the doctors theories and Misty’s best efforts to help him.
After some haggling and discussing, Misty offered everyone 200 gold each if they would accompany her out to this cave and help her bring back enough pieces of the creatures to serve as an antidote source. And of course to get revenge and wipe them off the map. The party agreed and she asked for 12 hours to prepare and gather supplies. Since she’d set up many adventuring parties, she knew exactly what to get and where, so it seemed like a good plan.
The team took their leave and returned to The Green Feather. As the most popular inn/brothel in town, it was the place to spend their time here on the island. After some drinks, Siobhan was attempting to sleep with one of the adventurers at a nearby table. Miri, taking her earlier request very much to heart, asked the bartender for the strongest drink she had. After giving her the equivalent of jet fuel mixed with everclear, Miri gave it to Siobhan. With already dulled senses, she shot it back, only to follow the momentum to the floor where she spent the rest of the night snoring.
The owner/proprietor Winx took an interest in Torrin as they had some more dinner/drinks. She didn’t say why, but she seemed curious about what ‘his deal’ was. Miri figured she was flirting or trying to sleep with him, so she offered to put in a good word, but Winx said that wasn’t quite it. She brushed off any further talk of it, and instead offered them some work when they returned to town. She said she had lots of options for themf once they got back, especially depending on “how dirty” they were willing to get their hands.
Bardo rejoined the party and they all headed to bed. The next morning they awoke to find the town in a bit of a tizzy. A series of small fires and minor injuries had swept through the town during the night. One woman was missing, but these sort of strange happenings barely rustle the town for more than a few hours. So it was treated as more of a ‘shit happens’ than ‘crisis in the making.’
They returned briefly to the hospital to meet with Caul and Clambo, and they introduced a man named Campbell who is an expert tracker. He explained that one of the three marks on the map (luckily the furthest away) had been washed out in a flash flood a few weeks earlier, so the flowers definitely wouldn’t be there. He then left and the party was left to their own devices as they waited for Misty to be ready to leave…