Mosquito! Date (1/9/17)

Ilyana sat in her cell grinding her teeth as she stared up at the tiny window that could so easily spell freedom. A moment’s concentration would turn her body to air, and she could be back to the forest and away from this insane city. But curiosity stayed her. She wanted to understand this place with its maze of streets and crowds of people all scurrying about with such industry and often selling such delightful treats. She needed to solve the puzzle of the humans who had changed so much from her memories. Forgotten magic!? All following a single god?! It all made no sense. But mostly she needed to know WHY she had been incarcerated. And so, she waited.

Marty was surprised to find Shelby and Mjelde gone in advance of the festival. It seemed so unlike the extremely professional soldier to desert her post while Lexington was out of town, but her absence was obvious. And to take Mjelde with her…

Euwyn stashed the bell in tower, silencing the clapper and placing the powerful item on one of Narlock’s stasis pillars. Noise outside attracted his attention, and he went to the observation platform to confirm that Hedge had indeed arrived to haul away the food the farmers had brought as tribute in lieu of cash. Donating it to the orphanage seemed the best thing. He had no network set-up to sell it, and Edgar had likely carried in enough for the two of them. No, three of them. Where was Ilyana, anyway…

Lexington couldn’t sleep. All around the city was alive at all hours, buzzing with people swarming in from all over in advance of the festival. The streets seemed to be selling food and wares at all hours and when there wasn’t selling to be done, there was carousing. But none of this is what kept him awake, it was Ilyana’s dream. A massive body, buried in the earth, growing and thrashing as insects gnawed at its pulsing form. He woke with a start, and immediately the fearful thoughts came again, “Did we unleashed a horde of bugs from Coronado’s Ferry by removing the bell?” He had to know…

Convincing the others wasn’t difficult. Everyone shared the same lingering doubt. It would be nothing to ride out and check. Just to be sure in advance of the festival….

They gathered their forces, freed Ilyana from prison and rode forth. On the second day they met the advancing line of insects. Giant mosquitos attacked the party as they crossed the river. Two of their horse were killed, including Marty’s brave charger which he had saved from the gnolls just months before. Stashing the remaining mounts on the far side of the river, they approached the town in stealth. The bugs were everywhere! Far numerous than in visits past and it had been just three days. They need to find that body and somehow get to the bottom of this mystery, and quickly too! Splitting their forces, they snuck forward to search.