While at The Wizard of Wines Winery, the adventurers smartly discovered that both fermentation vats were poisoned. With only enough un-tainted wine for the current delivery, Caleb offers to cast Purify Food and Drink on the vats later on in exchange for payment of the cost in materials to learn this spell. With dinner in their stomachs and a safe place to rest on the floor, Wagner begins to dive into his new Book of Prayers while Caleb spends time identifying the Gulthias Staff. In the night, Domitrius finds that the staff has grown small, thin, vines connecting to his arm. Easily breaking them away, he follows more vines and finds his brother Caleb full of them. After clearing the black vines, they discovered that both of them were now attuned to the gnarled, dark, staff and know of its potential power. In the morning, the group, along with Adrian and Elvir, left for Vallaki to try to arrive in time for the Festival of the Blazing Sun. About 6 hours into their journey, the ground beneath the trail breaks away into an Ankheg nest. The party has no choice but to fight and protect the horses until they're able to safely move the wagon, or die trying.
