After several weeks of hard training the team is given their second assignment. Sergeant Scourge briefed the team. The town of Lindley has been praying for help from Heironeous. The town’s fields are across a wide gorge with a single bridge. In the last several days’ large angry bees have infested the bridge. The town’s sheriff tried to scare off the bees but hasn’t been seen since his first attempt. In exchange for the team’s services, the town of Lindley has pledged a young lad to serve Heironeous as a page.

 After restocking, the team heads out through the gate and arrives just 3 miles outside the town. As the team approaches the town, three halfling children meet them. The boy runs towards the town yelling, “They’re here! They’re here!” The two remaining girls offer the team flowers and giggles before running off towards the town.

 As the team enters the tiny town, Mayor Dunleary Appletop greets them warmly. Mayor Appletop leads the team in a guided tour of the town. The team quickly realizes that the town is populated only by Halflings. The tour concludes outside the town’s only guesthouse where the team will stay. After a splendid meal, the team beds down for the night with plans to set out early the next morning for the bridge.

 That night the town’s alarm sounds. The team heads outside as townsfolk run in all directions screaming about bees attacking the winery. Heading to the north side of the town, the team discovered a large outdoor vat with two large bees perched on top. Philen ordered the team to launch a ranged attack and the bees are quickly exterminated. Seri, drawing the short straw, climbs the vat’s ladder to check out the vat’s contents. As Seri reached for the access hatch, two more bees escaped the vat and attacked the team. With minimal injury, the team dispatched the remaining two bees and searched the rest of the winery for any straggling bees. After a quick search, Nicky Zeno, the winery’s owner, greets the team. Nicky thanked the team for helping and rewards each team member with bottle of the winery’s finest wine. After securing the access hatch on the vat, the team returns to the guesthouse and rests until dawn. 

After a nice breakfast, the team suited up and headed for the bridge. The 140 ft long covered wooden bridge connects the town proper to the towns fields. The bridge is approximately 25 feet tall at the roof ridge and 15 feet wide. The whole of the entrance is closed off with a thick wall of bee’s wax. A single bee guards a small 5-foot by 5 foot opening in the center of the wall. 

The team attacked the lone guard bee with range attacks and closed the distance quickly. Several more bees exited the hive to help thwart off the attackers and Philen called a general retreat to “rethink” this attack strategy. After several minutes the bees returned to the hive leaving a single guard as before. For the second attack, the team moved closer to the guard bee before drawing his attention. After quickly dropping the bee, the team flanked the entrance to deal with the drone bees as they exited. After killing several drones, the bees stopped exiting the hive and the team pressed their advantage by entering the hive one at a time. 

Inside the hive, the team found the bridge segmented into individual areas. Inside the first cell, larger bees than the previous drones attacked the team. Philen ordered the team to form up and prevent the bees from surrounding and flanking. As the team defeated several of bees, Roy became over confident and moved into the bees to help other team members flank. After being surrounded and stung multiple times, Roy succumbed to the attackers and fell in battle. At the entrance, several bees were outside closing the opening in the bee’s wax wall. After assessing the situation, Philen ordered another retreat and Dale laid down a think smoke screen to aid in their retreat. 

Outside the hive, Philen realized the brave Paladin didn’t make it out. He ordered the team to move away from the hive as he and Dale went back into the hive to rescue Roy. After regrouping the team healed up Roy and return to the town to rest up and bandage their wounds. 

On the second morning, the team decided to search the bridge for a way across hoping to attach the bees from both sides. A quick search of the area reveled no easy way across however the sharp-eyed Sari spotted a body at the bottom of the chasm below the bridge. A quick repel later, the body of the missing Sheriff was recovered along with +1 Great Sword, a small masterwork-throwing axe and a gold necklace worth 120 gold. 

Returning to the entrance, the team fought their way through the bigger royal guards to the rear of the bridge. Several bees tried to grapple Cog, but had no success. In the queens chamber the team faced several drones, several royal guards and the queen. After a hard fight the team immerged victorious.

Back in the town, Mayor Appletop threw a huge feast for the team and the town said their goodbyes to Paige, Heironeous’ new page. Serri worried that Paige didn’t want to serve Heironeous but after a long conversation realized that Paige was excited about the opportunity. 

After spending a couple of days helping the town recover the bridge, the team returned through the gate back to the base. Back at the base, the team hears rumors of other teams being attacked during their missions.