Location

• Ashen Fort
• The surrounding forest

Those I Met

• Party Members — Takeshi, Obiana, Izaya, River
• Enemies — Normal locusts, Sticky Locusts, Needle Locusts, Stinger Locusts, and one particularly large locust.

What Happened

We departed from the tavern toward Ashen Fort, a journey that would ordinarily have taken around eight hours. Fortunately, Takeshi summoned a phantom horse for us, reducing the trip to approximately two and a half hours. I have decided that magical transportation is one of the more sensible applications of the arcane arts.

Upon arriving at the fort, we noticed some form of strike taking place. We were informed that food supplies were an issue and that locust meat was being gathered to help feed the people there. Naturally, this meant our next destination was the nearby forest, where we were expected to hunt creatures that I had previously considered more of an agricultural inconvenience than a mortal threat.

The first wave consisted of ordinary and Sticky Locusts. Obiana quickly discovered why the latter had earned their name when she became stuck to one of them. Once that group was dealt with, things became substantially worse. The second wave brought a large locust, Needle Locusts, more Sticky Locusts, and Stinger Locusts. The Stingers, in particular, struck considerably harder than their appearance suggested. One of them brought me close enough to death's door that, for a brief moment, I found myself wondering whether redemption was supposed to take quite this much physical effort.

Eventually, only the largest locust remained. By that point, patience had begun to run thin, and someone suggested simply ramming it with the horses. Somehow, everyone agreed. Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—only Takeshi managed to act before the creature could be finished off, so he alone had the opportunity to test our improvised cavalry tactics. River then ended the matter properly with a spell, killing the creature before the rest of us could contribute further to what was rapidly becoming a very questionable plan.

We gathered what locust meat we could and returned to Ashen Fort, delivering the food as requested. Considering how close the creatures came to turning us into food instead, I would say the exchange was ultimately favourable.

Personal Note

I nearly died fighting a locust.

I feel there are certain sentences one should never have to write about oneself, and that is unquestionably one of them.

Still, the fort received its food, everyone returned alive, and Takeshi successfully rammed an oversized insect with a phantom horse. I suppose that makes the day memorable, if nothing else.