Khûm – Chapter 10

“Spring of 68. Second Age. The Roofbeams.
You know what worries me the most? Yorgos.
To be honest, I never fully understood the beef Chimera’s carrying for the man. Seems a competent commander. Certainly successful, considering the size and prosperity of his host. Wily I’ve heard, certainly, and I know there’s bad blood after what happened in Brigandia but, near as I can figure it, that were our fault. By rights, Chimera oughta be apologizing to him, not the other way around. Not that I’m holding my breath on that score.
Seems like something happened. During the Night of Twenty Moons, like as not. Something spoiled between them, when I know they was comrades before.
Everything I know about him, though, suggests he ain’t the type to quietly admit defeat.
Especially after the queen duped him like that. He’s scheming something – that much I’m certain of."
– Beholder's Log, Hemson 45 68 2A

It didn't take long for Umber's companions to discover his plight and leap to his rescue. More distressing for them was the arrival of a second pair of frost spider, scuttling from the trees. While the mercenaries went to work dispatching the beasts with haste, poor Grawmor was seized and carried into the trees. Swinging their focus toward rescuing their worg companion, they made quick work of the spiders. After the battle, Umber assured the insecure young worg of his fearsomeness.
At the foot of the Roofbeams, the mercenaries reached both the smoldered remains of Timberhall and the outer pickets of the Menagerie's camp. Rather than finding them within the safe confines of Snowperch high above, the mercenary company was instead installed on the mountainside and growing anxious with malaise. Heading immediately for the commander's tent, they reunited with Chimera, Makem the Mumbler and made the acquaintance of Nolqa Axebite, thane of an itinerant clan after Zhoraska the Red Matron destroyed their hold.
Chimera cut to the quick in explaining the myriad of troubles that confronted the company. It seemed that Thane Zazem Bracebow refused to permit the mercenaries inside, owing to his allegiance to the Mystriarchy and his distaste for the crown. She debated storming the fortress but, considering its near-impregnability, decided against it. In the meantime, pine-devils – mysterious guerillas from the Firewood – began to harass the company, pestering them with poisoned arrows, flaming catapults and centipedes in the food. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Chimera was out of patience with Dûnya and her delays.
To say nothing of that accursed eagle and its constant visits to the camp.
For the past three days, a giant eagle deposited a dead animal – a goat, a yak, a lamb – at the camp and lingered there, as if awaiting some response. The party approached it and, lacking any means to communicate with the creature, attempted to ascertain what it wanted. To everyone's surprise, it was Umber who made the most headway with the bird, seeming to thank it for the kill and provoking a strange response. The eagle plucked a feather from its body and placed the feather before him. When he took it, the eagle repeated the motion until all four members of the Commander's Tent had taken a feather. This done, the eagle departed, flapping away into the sky.
As the evening lengthened, the Commander's Tent was relieved to be reunited with their company again. Mouse sought out Basilisk , who inquired about their interest in a hoard. Umber pressured Remorhaz into confronting Willow and, after years of fond feelings, the two shared their first kiss, agreeing even to a second date. Griffon approached Harpy about his suspicions of Stirge and sought to introduce him to Grawmor.
It was nearly midnight before the eagles returned, snatching each of the unsuspecting mercenaries by the shoulders and hoisting them into the sky.

Campaign: The Menagerie
Game Date: Hemson 45 – 48, 68 2A
Starting Point: The Firewood 
Player Characters:

• Griffon
• Mouse
• Remorhaz
• Umber