We’d been exploring the wilderness on our own for about three hours, maybe more. The Duke’s men had given us some mission or another once we’d arrived in Grand Soren, but our party ignored their mandate in favor of seeing what lay out there in the vast headlands of Gransys. The rolling hills and sparse woodlands slowly gave way to paths hemmed in on either side by impassable cliff faces and trees that grew ever thicker as we moved further from the capital city. Soon, the foliage overhead began to block the afternoon sun. Gripped by an ominous sensation, we advanced with caution into the thicket — only to find ourselves beset by a ferocious chimaera.
Bearing the trebled heads of a goat, a lion, and a serpent, the beast quickly overwhelmed us with its assaults. We would fall, rise again, and repeat our efforts, only to be struck down again. Eventually, our best strategy began to take form: The Arisen would mount its back and strike at its vulnerable heads as her stalwart Pawn companion played the role of tank, drawing its baleful attention. Meanwhile, the temporary members of the party — two Pawns specializing in sorcery — would alternate heal and buff the team while taking magical potshots at the foe. At last, on our sixth try, the beast succumbed to our tactics. Wounded, weakened, and practically bereft of supplies, we staggered ahead to a nearby camp where we could rest and recover from the ferocious battle.
