Up In Smoke

Marked Hounds is the group, and the leader of the group calls themselves the Crimson Smile. Weyland (bandit we captured) said follow the path and look for a weird-looking tree to know where the entrance to the hideout is. We bound Weyland to the bench of the wagon and moved the wagon off the path so it was hidden from view. The bodies were moved off the road. As we’re getting ready to follow the path, two flamed arrows are fired into the area, one missing the cart narrowly and one hitting the cover of the cart, lighting it on fire. Bash leaps up and starts dowsing the fire from a flask, Beckett removes the arrow using Mage Hand, then climbs in the cart to untie Weyland as 3rd/4th arrow hits, Bash joins and helps pull Weyland out before he dies. Kin helps and we eventually free Weyland as fire arrows continue to rain down.

Beckett and Kin chased away an archer and animal before returning to the cart to extinguish the fire. Beckett used his bedroll to smother some of the flames, eventually we put the fire out and “save” the cart and prisoner. Further conversation with Weyland informed us there’s about 50 bandits that have recently been instructed to obtain anything that could have a religious significance to get a bonus. There was a fancy-like gentleman in all black that approached the Crimson Smile asking for an audience and given one immediately, starting the search for religious artifacts. Hideout is an old mineshaft that was abandoned when vein ran dry, could be an old holdout from the war with the kingdom of Nul. Weird tree looks like a dog/wolf head, then cross the river and travel to the side of the mountain to find the hidden door in the cliff face. To open the door, you have to shove a little rock piece in and then to the side.

We convinced Weyland to guide us to the hideout in exchange for putting in a good word at the town and help him get settled there instead of banditry.