"I'm not sure what Punji stakes are but... now I'm hungry.  Anyway, good luck with that daggy.  Sounds like you got defense covered!  I'm going to fly after Adam checking out the town more."  Delphinium then flies after Adam and when they catch up they get right to the point as normal and ask "You prepared for this Adam?  I know I'm not.  I'm worried.  I hope my sister and mother are okay.  I bet you're hoping everyone in your hometown is okay too."

Dageron looks at the others expectantly. "If they are scouting together, then we can get started."

Scouting Falcon Crest from a distance, either from the air or ground levels, reveals one thing that pretty much everyone is absolutely certain of; it's completely deserted.  There is no life beyond the walls.  Well, at least no humans, Elves, Dwarves, or anything of that nature.  There are some weird birds chirping, and at one point one of the weird inside-out owls peers out at them from a broken window.  

The walls of the houses are rotting down, as is the wall of the small town and the thatch rooves of the cottages.  Even some of the wood shingled rooves are on their last legs, rotten to near oblivion themselves.  Weeds have grown up in the gaps of the cobblestone path, and there are even trees growing in some sections.  There are at least a few of the sickly yellow trees that are big enough around that it'd be tough to reach all the way around them.  

Windows are busted out, doors hang off of rusted hinges.  A wagon sits on axles amidst the rubble of what was iron-bound wooden wheels.  The skeletal remains of a dog are scattered in the vicinity of a wooden dish that has had the whole bottom rotted out.  

Eerie quiet hangs in the air...

Back with the 'defence' group, Travin offers to cast mould earth several times once a good spot has been found, making holes and covering them or filling them with spikes seems like it'll be a simple task to Travin, though his nature does make him itch to just run in and go exploring. He vibrates with excitement once preparations have been made.

Johnathan reaches into his pocket and pulls his eagle familiar Echo from it. Strangely it doesn’t appear as if a pun eagle can fit in there but yet he always pulls the familiar there. He orders Echo to fly next to Delph. Use Echo for communication if you want to go ahead and scout. He might not be as fast as you but at least we can keep in touch. He the turns his attention to the others. I can offer some spells depending how you want to play this. I can make 2 people fly so we could skip some encounters on the ground. If we want to go in on foot I could turn 3 people invisible. Or would you like me to save some spells for a potential fight? It’s up to you.

As folks arrive in town. Adam is not with Delphinium anymore. This become evident as they see the fairy hunting down the inside out owls and capturing them. The fairy is using their purple to black starlight night sparkling Astral claws instead of their blue as the sky Astral fists. As they catch one. They immediately go after a second.  

The fairy is able to make quick work of catching a pair. The owl's bloody exterior running down delphinium's astral claws. If Delphinium notices anyone they will fly over to them with their blood stained night claws and say "Probably shouldn't follow me. Pretty sure they will try to eat you. No worries, I'm feeding them as per our deal. Just let me handle it for now. Maybe I'll introduce you later." Then the fairy flies back into the church with two inside out owls.  

Delph repeats this process a number of times until he's brought 13 of the owls into the church. Delph doesn't come back out after the thirteenth one is brought inside. Whatever they are doing in there it sounds like they are talking to someone though.

Ward turns to Johnathan and in as calm a voice he can says, “please tell Delph and Adam to get back here as fast as they are able.” Ward says, before checking all his weapons to ensure they are loaded. “Shavaris I may need the bag of holding in a moment for my ingots.” Ward says as he continues to check his equipment.

Johnathan seems to spend a few moments concentrating as be becomes unaware of what is going on around him. A few moments later he mutters something under his breath but is very unclear what he is saying. 

To Adam

Johnathan senses are returned to him as he looks at the others with a mixed look of annoyance and concern. We leave Delphinium alone for a few moments and now it’s all gone weird. He seems to be communicating with some tentacle monster inside the church while feeding it those owl things. It was invisible but I believe Delph has cast a spell to show its outline. It’s really weird. I don’t know if it is hostile but Delph said not to approach as they have some sort of deal while of course Delph asks it a bunch of questions. Johnathan glances at Shavaris, We might want to get the bag ready, just in case. 

Shavaris nods to Johnathan and starts heading towards town herself.  She holds her finger up to her lips towards the remaining party and stealthily heads in... her slippers making her completely silent.

Dageron shakes his head, "So, our trusted scout tells us NOT TO APPROACH and the consensus is to ignore them? If you seek to fight, at least have a plan."

"last time we splitted up, one of us died hmmm!" Travin says to Dageron with a smile, "but Fireflight is changed though, bests to leave Fireflight alone yeh yeh, can speeds off if dangers are too much! Hmm?" 

I don’t think Shavaris is interfering, we are just giving Delph back up. It’s not the first time they went over their head. I can keep an eye on Delph, just get ready to move in if it goes south.  Johnathan sends Echo out to find Delph and will speak through his familiar to them.

To Delph

Ward sighs as he sees Shavaris moving away then turns to the rest of the party nearby. "Alright, I have some hint of what we are dealing with and I do not find it as going to be easy, to say the least. Firstly here, " Ward says, using driodcraft to grow small cork-like objects. "When we get into town put these on, if it is what I think it is these should assist in preventing its song from reaching out ear. As they said it has some sort of invisibility, which I believe is linked to a song it sings that masks itself. Travin I need any mirrors, probably besides Gandalfs one just in case that should begin to function again." Ward says, then when given the mirrors will break them into a piece for each of the part members. "Dageron, take this extra one and give it to Shavaris, well give these two to Adam and Delph. They hopefully also will work as a method of piercing the creature's concealment." Ward says, then unfurling his magic carpet and laying it on the ground. "Johnathan, stay on the carpet with me in case we need to move in fast. Dageron and Travin you will move in on foot." Ward will then turn to their animal companions. "Schmoop, if it gets bad I need you and Running Bird to stick together alright? The bird with Delphs Hydra's is probably fine but I want you two staying together as this creature you may not be able to see." Ward says, then when it seems like Schmoop is down gives her a mushroom that he grew from his hand as a treat and grows some grass for Running Bird. "Dageron and Travin you guys will go on foot, since the carpet can only carry so much weight and I need it above the church if it all goes to hell to rain hell on that thing if we need. That as well as I don't want people riding solo at the moment." Ward says, then Wards arm shimmers around it a bit, as he focuses and a Hawk appears on his arm. "Johnathan you will still need to communicate as I cannot, however, I can help keep watch with my friend here." Ward says, taking some slime goop and using it to attach a very small piece of the mirror to the birds head. "Go into town and stay high up friend, be my eyes." Ward says, letting the Hawk lift off of his arm and move into the town. "As well, once we are deafened we wont be able to talk, so use a point and an x sign to signify we kill something, and mime throwing something over your shoulder to run, and do a stabbing motion into your arm if you need my healing. Any questions?" Ward says to the few of them gathered around there

Johnathan returns to his senses just in time to hear awards plan. He doesn’t interrupt Ward but Johnathan looks very concerned at what he had learnt. Sure Ward, that works. I think I will still cast fly on Travin and Dageron if we move in to avoid any more tree encounters as well. I have got more information from Delphinium. Delph is feeding it for info. Apparently it has been here a while but it doesn’t know how long exactly. Johnathan pauses as he tries to think how best to describe the rest of the message. No one survived. We need to tell Adam but I don’t want to do it over Eagle. Johnathan seems to get saddened as he says this, like he understands what this would do to Adam. This is going to hurt him, huh… This sucks. Maybe we should let Delph ask it questions, we don’t need to attack this monster. We could look for signs of where people may have gone. Does anyone want me to relay anything to Delph or Shavaris or Adam before we move? I can’t keep an eye on them and stay on the carpet so if we move it will break the connection for a bit.

“We need to try and get them back here. Johnathan l, think you and I both know that creature probably fed on this place. These people. I want to kill that thing, but if we agree it is not the best course I’m fine with that. I think just tell Delph to finish up, and get everyone back here. Then we come to a conclusion. If we do fight it I have a few things to kill it as safely as possible.” Ward says, laying out some of his items to count them off and make sure of what he has, then laying out a bottle to mix something.

Travin pulls a hand mirror out of his junk pile and then takes two specifically marked patches off his robe which when placed into Ward's hands transform themselves into a pair of steel mirrors. Giving the thumbs up, Travin corks his ears and takes a piece of mirror, though he isn't sure quite what he'll be using it for.

Tying up the pair of horses to a tree by the defensible base they made, Travin begins the walk into town, followed by the chain gang that has become Birt and the gremlins.

When Johnathan returns to his senses and the plan changes once more, trav just sits down and starts playing his shawm discordantly as he can't hear his own music.

Seeing Travin look confused at the mirror, Ward motions for Travin to unplug his ears. "If this is how it has been described the mirror should show the creature if invisible. Think of it as a failsafe should the earplugs not work. And we don't need to put them on yet, just if we begin to head into town." Ward says "Hopefully we don't need to go into town now, and we can get properly prepared." Ward says.

Fine Ward, I trust you know what this is. Just tell me, what is this thing capable of and why do we need to be deaf when near it? We would struggle to communicate in the middle of a battle. Once Ward answers Johnathan goes back to Echo senses and finds Delph to deliver a message. 

To Delphinium 

“I think I know what it is. This creature is said as no more than a myth by most. The deafness is that supposedly the way it hides itself is through a song it sings. Influencing those affected and in one way by blinding them to it. That is why the mirror works as well as the creature is not “invisible” per say as it is simply influencing those who hear its song. This could be inaccurate in some places l, however this is all the knowledge I have. I think it to be a False Hydra.

Shavaris emerges from the town with Delphinium on her shoulder and heads straight for Adam.  She digs her foot in the dirt a bit and takes a moment before she can look him in the eye.

With emotion plain on her face, knowing what she has to say isn't going to sit well with him, she just rips off the bandaid.  "Everyone is gone.  It was sudden, all at once, this wasn't done over a long period of time.  It appears as though a monstrous tenticled creature that lives in the church seems to have lured the people in with illusions and has since, well.. it was a trap and they are now gone.  Some might have escaped once people began disappearing, but I couldn't tell by what I saw.  

"Somehow Delph has cowed the creature into talking with us in some manner.  It is truly grotesque and something I would hate to face."  She gives a shudder just thinking about it.  "But Adam, this is no longer the place you grew up in.  We need to move on to the labyrinth, maybe there we can find help."