The Wizard hid, while the Bard moved around to the back of the hut, and the Sorcerer and Paladin moved to the front door. They both took a turn knocking with no answer. While they saw smoke coming from the chimney, there were no windows to peak through.
The Sorcerer opened the door and saw the very ill halfling, Hugo, his daughter Lea, and Mayor Leng's daughter, Myrtle. They were all sleeping with their hands and feet bound. He stepped inside and fell through a pit trap covered by an animal pelt and went unconscious.
At that moment, Angelika the hag appeared right behind the Wizard who was hiding amongst some standing stones. Then, using a unholy invocation, a giant scorpion appeared amongst several trees close to her hut.
Then the hag and her giant scorpion attacked the group.
However, the Paladin explained they were only there for the human girl Myrtle and they hoped that Angelika could find a cure for the Yellow Plague.
As the Paladin and Bard spoke with the hag, the Wizard went invisible and headed into the hut and avoided the trap. He freed the captives and made Lea invisible and had her run for some trees far from the hut. Unfortunately, the scorpion noticed her and alerted Angelika, who was furious at their deception and resumed her attack.
As the battle carried on, the Wizard made Myrtle invisible and gave her the same instructions while encouraging Lea to move to safety.
Meanwhile, Hugo, close to dying from the Plague pleaded for his death and the Wizard used his new dagger, Shimmergloom to end his life, however the magic weapon transferred Hugo's knowledge of being a cobbler in the process.
The Wizard then woke up the Sorcerer and the group's quickly overcame first the giant scorpion and then the Wizard used his magic dagger to slay the hag and learned Infernal upon her death. However, as she died her hut exploded slaying the Sorcerer.
As the group prepare to move on, the Paladin noticed a symbol amongst the standing stones that was in his copy of the Draconomicon. The symbol spoke of a dark prophecy involving of the Blood War coming to this world and a quest to find a powerful shield and horn to prevent it.
When Lea asked about her father, the Wizard said he was too weak to be moved and perished in the explosion.
The group were careful on their way back to Oakhurst, but managed to spy a group of 150 highly regimented orcs heading toward Spartansburg.
While Mayor Leng was still angry, he was grateful for the return of Myrtle and Lea. Soon after, Lea went into a coma but survived.
Within a week, the Yellow Plague had run it's course and 65% of the halfling population had survived it.
In his exploration of the prophecy, the Paladin found evidence to suggest that Tomoachan, a legendary shrine might hold answers about the horn. Malakai Drenk, a sage helping the Paladin believes that a former adventurer, Jesnia of Krull, might know it's location. Unfortunately, she is in a bedlam in Northrun maintained by followers of Ioun.
The Bard meanwhile gained a patron while performing at several Alehouses during this time. Potion Pete Allred and his wife, Desdemona were so moved by his performance of the Hart and the Hare that they gave him a figurine of a gorilla that helped enhance his magic.
Mayor Leng, who continued keeping an eye on the group, brought in a trusted employee to journey with them to Northrun, a Rogue.
