September 27, 2020

The White Dragon of Varisia, now revealed to be a false hydra, doesn't last long against the heroes, and finally falls to Ameiko's blade. As soon as both heads fall from its necks, the townsfolk become aware of the corpse and start weeping, not knowing the cause of their grief. Linzi examines the throats of the beast and discovers that its powerful effect was caused in part by an enlarged larynx, which they cut out and keep for further examination. Laudius and Linzi study a register of births and deaths at town hall to prepare a list of all the supposedly living villagers so that the families still left can mourn their forgotten dead at a vigil Laudius leads. The tearful event ends with a bloody butchering of the hydra corpse as the gathered village batters its dead body into bone meal and mush. The next day, Shump-Shump tries to persuade dottery old Frank to be the group's guide to Brinewall in a Yoda backpack, but he turns out to be exactly as useless as he appears. The only use he has been in his entire life, it turns out, is that he has held on to a 70-year-old letter from Rokuro Kaijitsu to be delivered to his son, which he gives to Ameiko upon learning her name. Ameiko is not expecting that a supposed treasure-hunting trip would turn into a chance to reveal long lost family secrets, so the group heads up towards the castle. Along the way, they discover a cave the hydra must have been using for a nest - and a mindflayer raising four hydra pups inside. The group of them is broiled by a righteous fireball in the cleansing power of Nethys, with the remainder bludgeoned into oblivion by a divinely guided mace. Laudius, disgusted by the unnatural forgetfulness that both monsters represent, hunted down two hydra eggs in the corner of the cave. He smashed one and was stopped from smashing the other by Shump-Shump and Linzi, although he swore he would not rest until the egg was destroyed. The rest of the loot included 1000 gp, a potion of superior healing, and a spell scroll of mass suggestion. After they reached the castle, Shump-Shump and Linzi attempted a few choice cheerleader moves to climb a wall, but need to meet for practice more regularly to perfect their teamwork. Instead, the group just wound up knocking on the door, with Linzi explaining to the guards in whatever squawking language they speak that the heroes are in fact a traveling group of performers, the Knowledge Band, arrived in time for a show for the castle's apparent current master, an unknown being named Kikonu.