Showdown in Purgatory Gulch

Running down the person or people behind this would take some planning, supplies, and a little luck. The way I saw it we had some of the first, needed to head into town for more of the second, and I hope enough of the third.
 
The stop in town took longer than I thought it would. To my surprise, though I'm not sure why, the cookpot Chef had set up was still simmering away over an open fire. Every so often, one of the locals would come by to stir, add an ingredient, or stoke the fire. Chef blew his shout about that, saying people just ruined a good dish. I didn't see it that way. Maybe the flavor was a bit off from the pepper, not everyone likes it, but it was hard for me to miss the symbolism. Community. Made me homesick a bit for my own clan.
 
But... they're dead. Killed from a combination of infernal magic corruption and a group of adventurers putting an end to them cause they were terrorizing a nearby kobold tribe to death. Makes sense. Best not to dwell on that too much.
 
I explained my plan about the honey to the others, then set out to meet Padre. He was at his church like before. Good. That cleric has a heart as big as the sky but not quite skilled enough to handle himself in a fight. I asked him for the honey, told him why, and he surprised me by coming up with a way to make it better.
 
The Padre's idea was to heat the honey, then stir in a bottle or few of holy water. Then mix in some holy incense for good measure and a bit of fragrance. to be fair, something like that would pack quite a kick. Best idea I had all day.
 
An hour or so of stirring to heat the ingredients and let them get to know each other, then I was on my way with a couple of jars. For good measure, Padre had the idea of soaking some bandages in the mix. Nice idea! that could be used to wrap arrows or wounds in a blessed poultice. I caught back up with the others at the cookpot in the center of town.
 
The others had been busy, too. Miro bought bottles of liquor to throw. Obviously throw and then set on fire. Jessie got "Dagnabbit" re-equipped along with two wagons. Also got the animal better footwear! Armor-plated after a fashion to protect his feet from sharp rocks where we were going. Nice idea. Feathers got information as did Lee Chung. All in all, we spent out time well.
 
Though the information wasn't all good. Seems the locals are done with the fighting and supernatural. Most were packing and planning on leaving the area. That's bad for the town, worse for those leaving. They might not make it with the demonic bovines wandering in the plains. The others saw this too, but no one had a better idea other than "we need to stop the devil cows and vampire plants".
 
So we went over the rough plan to deal with the fiend. We needed to get her attention. Once getting her out in the open, Feathers could hit her from above with arrows. Me likewise from the ground. Jessie could tie up whatever help she brought. Miro could let loose with more direct hits. Lee Chung could sneak up and hit her from behind. Chref? He'd be in my pack and could hand arrows up to Feathers when she needed more. Drawing the fiend out? That'd be Jessie and myself.
 
It wasn't a great plan but it was workable. The others sort of agreed. Though Feathers is contrary as usual. But I've come to accept that's just her way. With that, we set out for the heart of the canyon.
 
Once we got closer, Feathers took to the air and looked north. I headed overland to the East. The others took the wagons and Dagnabbit through a western opening that was wider and easier for the wagon to travel.
 
For my part, the eastern opening into the canyon was narrow but then opened up to about two wagons wide. Even farther as the trail moved into the canyon proper. Looking back, I could some of Purgatory Gulch and, at a rough guess, about a half mile up. Stories of the place so far had me imagining a dry crater that glowed with stray magic from the ancient starfall in the center. I was surprised to find plants growing in dry waterbeds.
 
The waterbeds looked recent and were probably from the recent rains. But having plants at all stages of growth in large patches all around me? That was suspicious. What the plants were just made it all worse. Small cabbages, tumbleweed thorn bushes in all sizes just like the ones from the Tarntaise Farm. That was too much coincidence for me, so I crept close enough that I could get a better look at them in the dark but still stay well out of reach. They sure looked like the same plants. I backed away to get a better look around.
 
Up here and all around were tall rock outcroppings. Most taller than me. The way the dryad talked, starfall hammered this place hard. So I can see it. I've never studied starfall but what rumors I've heard this matched what I imagined. Except for the plants. I moved deeper into the canyon to see what else was around.
 
Just past the outcroppings there were old timbers, signs of construction, and places where someone had tried to level out the rocks. Maybe for farmland or pasture? Not sure. There wasn't much left to tell what was being built. Could have been a barn, a house, who knows? But I memorized the location in case the old wood might come in handy. The only other thing I noticed at a glance was a lot of rabbit holes surrounded by briers.
 
The whole place had an eerie feel to it. Unsettling. So, on a guess, I went looking for tracks. If this was where the fiend and her boss had holed up, then I figured to find some tracks of plants that uprooted themselves to walk around. Also, there might be hoof prints of the hell bovines since each was the front line fighters in this range war.
 
Turns out, I was right.
 
What I was learning to know as 'plant tracks' were everywhere. I didn't have to wonder where they were coming from, though I did wonder where they were going. I assume the ranches to cause mischief. Odd thing was the hoofprints. They were from the hell bovines, and I did pick up the smoked rosemary and garlic scent those beasts gave off. But something was off about that. First, no hell bovines came out. I could guess what that meant and if we found a bunch of cattle bones deeper inside, I'd get my guess proven right. However, there was more than just that smoked rosemary and garlic scent.
 
Scents of roses, cucumber, pumpkin lingered on the air along with the bovine scent. I had no idea where that was coming from but given the cabbage? I'm sure it was something infernal and perpetually hungry, meant to fight in this bizarre range war. My curiosity wanted to know more but I thought better of it, so I headed back to find the others.
 
They had been as busy as I was. Feathers found a lot of rocky canyon like I had but also a waterfall? That I didn't expect but there was some sense to it, even it stretched. The rains had been a downpour and a little earth magic could have cut a basin. Not to mention all these animated plants could, too. I didn't want to think about the idea that it might be water from the dead stormborn.
 
She also saw more plants growing upslope. That was an unsettling thought. What she saw with the plants I found? That's a lot of plants. Also, she confirmed the canyon has just one way in and out. That didn't surprise me. I filled in what I had found, too. It gave us a good idea of what was around. At least that was a start for us to set up for our plan. After double checking healing potions, then prepping the arrows with the blessed honey, Jessie created what he called "War Paint". A druid paint spell to help rattle anyone that attacked us. Good idea really, I think we could use all the help we can get. Once done, we headed into the canyon.
 
To attract the fiend's attention, I had the idea to set up a fake druid grove. It should get her attention at least. I was right and we didn't have to wait long. Jessie and I weren't halfway done before she melted out of a tree.
 
She was half-fiend, half-dryad. Which suggested a lot of bad right there. Lee Chung and Miro were hiding, Chef was on the wagons. Feathers was in the air with her bird and Rowtag. Turns out that didn't matter for much.
 
She came out talking, wondering what we were doing. The moment she realized that Jessie was a druid she focused on him. Before you could swat a fly, she stared at him and Jessie wanted to go to the Whippetal Farm. My best guess was magic. Not good. Our whole plan needed him here!
 
A little more stalling got at least her name, Scaevola Aemula and that her tree was far south below Samakar. That could mean Copen Shire. It could even be farther like Central Edoya region. My coin was on the latter, since she didn't react to the name 'Faloner ranger'. The conversation did prove out that she had been bound, or pressed into service magically against her will. That I understand but hearing her talk, I suspect she's her own brand of problem already outside of this. She wants loose, which I understand. Once loose, I wasn't sure she could be trusted.
 
Other than information, the distraction bought a little time to convince Jessie to stay put and fight whatever compulsion she put on him. I thought for a moment she tried it with me, but I can't be sure. I was pretty distracted. Then Scaevola goes and insults Miro. Root and timber... this wasn't going to be easy.
 
Our plan fell through, completely through but we made a deal with Scaevola to "join" her little army to get at her boss. Catch was we couldn't let on that's what we were going to do or she'd turn on us. All of this, every bit, ground against my better judgement. But the moment Jessie got... whatever she did to him... the plan was ruined anyway.
 
At least that one. Jessie's impromptu plan of "joining the army" had some serious merit. If we could get close to her 'boss', we could end him and stop one side of this range war. Naturally, we'd have to deal with her after that. But... that was later, not now.
 
By the time we're done negotiating, her army, or part of it, arrived. Plant creatures from cabbages to a Pumpkin Golem. I'd heard stories of the latter but never seen one. Burning eyes, rusty scythe... I could have gone a long time without getting to see one. It wasn't thrilled at us being "recruits" and argued over it. Jessie called it a "mutineer". Not good. The Feathers put an arrow through the golem. Even worse.
 
Not her shot, Feathers hit the golem dead to rights and put an arrow through him. Mostly, I mean taking the shot. But the fight was on.
 
It was over almost as fast as it started. Between the lot of us, we took out most anything that wasn't Scaevola or a few of those vampire cabbages. Somewhere in there, Jessie summoned up a fog to "shield" Scaevola, and hide our decimating her troops. Oh, and he also professed his undying love for her. Brilliant. That boy's got balls of steel, I'll give him that. Ruse or real, it worked. Scaevola was dumbfounded.
 
With Jessie as our "leader", we take on the task of scouting Whippetal Farm while she reports back. Then at mid-morning before the sun is high, Scaevola said she would be back and head "eastward toward the sun as there will be work to do".
 
Damn. The only thing that way is the town and in the morning that caravan will be heading out. The town will be vulnerable and so will that caravan.
 
She did give us a hint about her boss. He's not fond of "the dry", doesn't like "heroes", and doesn't like the "unlearned". So, basically an egotistical scholar. I'm still staying with my lich theory. Only this one just hates being dry. Sure.
 
We decided to camp out then hit Whippetal in the morning before the sun's up. At least one building. I keep quiet and keep my thoughts to myself. While resting, I pull out that busted item that belonged to the banshee. I can't quite see her unless she really pushes herself but I talk slow. I explain what is happening, hoping some word or two gets through to her. Also, I quietly explain my worries and talk though my ideas.
 
The town's in serious trouble and we're about to go run off to kick over another hornet's nest before we've settled this one. Not the smartest move. If we can hit the closest building hard and fast, we can then circle back and delay? Attack? Scaevola and her vegetable minions. If we're lucky, we can convince her to get us back to her boss to report in. At that point, we can just unload on him at the first chance we get.
 
Then there are those farms. The ones with the animals that need caring for. With the farmers gone, most of the animals won't really be able to care for themselves. Some will get taken down by wild animals, others by starvation. Not a good way to go and certainly not right. But I can't get back what with all the running around to Whippetal and playing plant army recruits. My hope is that the farms will do all right for a day. But we've got to wrap up enough of this for me to head around and look in on things or find Jackson and get him to help me.
 
That is, if I survive.
 
Hopefully, we'll all survive.
 
This may be about to get real ugly.