Session: 58: No True Huntsman

General Summary

Monster Maker

7th of Spirende 22nd year of the Second Era
The Regulators engaged the cave fisher as soon as it was visible. It quickly targeted Meara pulling her into the air. Malcolm targeted the filament with a combustible lemon, and Meara saved herself from the fall by using her champion's boon and activating her wings.
The fisher was quickly defeated. and the party investigated the cavern while they freed the miners to test their theory about the creature being controlled. They discovered a mostly empty potion bottle, which Zuko tasted. Mearatasted. Meara began carving into the creature and discovered its brain and adrenal gland were oversized and covered in a milky yellow substance. She then realized that the potion bottle had contained Ira. Also known as "monster maker," this substance makes creatures more intelligent and aggressive. It is potion created by Ivorr's Hunstmen but has been forbidden for a long time. Huntsmen used to use the potion when they were having a hard time finding work and fed it to a creature that was potentially dangerous but not intelligent enough or aggressive enough to pose a threat to local populations, thus resulting in a new job opportunity. Meara noted that this potion was used on the cave fisher but she was still the first huntsman to pick up the contract. Malcolm reminded her of Ivorr's bounty, and that this was likely a trap for her.
The mine foreman was freed and apologized for not heeding Meara's warning to stay out of the mine, explaining that their workforce was financially bound to the mine's owner. They had hoped to harvest the creature's valuable innards to allow the miners to quit. Meara gave them the bottles of the fisher's blood and the mine was evacuated. Sonny Jepsen helped rig a device to ignite the natural gas in the mine and bury the fisher's young.

It's a Trap!

Sonny appeared to see the Regulator's horses' true forms but didn't seem bothered by them of all things. Malcolm used the horse's magic fear ability to discomfort him to make up for it. Sonny rode with the Regulators out of Aberfaw, and talked about overcoming his anxieties to rejoin society at large, until he was struck in the neck by a crossbow bolt and fell from Malcolm's horse. They were surrounded by three Ivorr's Huntsmen (and an armored bear), the leader of which implored Meara to turn herself over to be brought to Jakthytta. Zuko, being increasingly affected the Ira, attacked the leader of the ambushers mid sentence. Meara rushed to Sonny's aid and Malcolm called Serenity to come get them. They defeated the huntsmen and as Zuko began searching the bodies it was clear he was losing control of himself so Malcolm knocked him out. Serenity arrived and they brought Zuko aboard to be looked after by Kaylee.
To Be Continued....

Report Date

25 Feb 2022