Episode 3 of the Bloomburrow story picks up with Helga, the frogfolk from Pondside, heading back to her homeland with Mabel the mouse, Zoraline the bat, Hugs the badger, Gev the lizard, and Finneas the rabbit to investigate the aftermath of the Calamity Beast attack. They want to know if the Night Owl is still terrorizing the land or if the villagers of Pondside would be rebuilding following the attack. En route, the group gets to know each other, with Helga learning of Gev and Hugs’ adventures into the Calamity Graveyard.
When they reach Pondside they see it is destroyed and deserted with the exception of some looting squirrelfolk. The group from Goodhill confront the two squirrels, but they turn out to be necromancers who summon an army of skeletal critters. The group fights off the collection of birds, otters, rats and such until the necromancers escape in the fog of war. Helga tries out some of her magic during the fight, manifesting platforms out of water, but she is unable to fully control her spell almost leading to Mabel’s demise.
After recovering from the battle, the group decides they will chase the necromancer squirrels in an attempt to find their leader and possibly prevent another Calamity Beast attack. Helga gathers supplies from her grandparents’ demolished home, notably taking a wand and etched copper orb. Now it was time to march toward Three Trees City.
Once in Three Trees City the group began asking locals if they spotted any necromancers or their potential leader, Cruelclaw. They run into Ral, in otter form, who is asking for information on Jace. Hearing Ral’s description of Jace, Helga pulls out her sketchbook and shows Ral a picture she sketched from one of her dreams. The sketch was of a fox in cloak matching the details that Ral gave of Jace. Helga also notes that a lizard, that sounds quite similar to Vraska, is accompanying Jace along with a shadowy, cloudy figure.
Mabel attempts to get the group to proceed on their hunt for the necromancers and Cruelclaw, but Ral insists on getting more information from Helga. As he tries to pry more answers from the frog, the Flood Gar, an amphibious Calamity Beast, emerges from the Long River and attacks. The group gets knocked into the river and struggles to keep afloat as they drift down stream. Hugs is able to grab hold of them all and guide them to safety, eventually ending up at a cave. As they try to assess the situation a group of hooded ratfolk approach them and give them the ultimatum of leaving or facing the consequences.
Read the full story from Wizards of the Coast.
