Chaos is the best word to describe this hysteria, and likely Chaos is behind its creation. A demigriff was loose, apparently set free. Its eyes goggled as though it as it ran into the maze, and though I could not see this, I could almost sense that fear. My first reaction would have been to try to soothe it, but it was headed towards folk and I could not risk them to stand in the path of danger. A frightened animal is a very dangerous one. Of course I’m looking over the fact that it’s most likely a creature of Chaos and should be put down on that fact alone.

Before this, there was a scene with the witchhunter, or so I’m told she is called that. Someone named Templeton had died in the Southlands during the expedition and this angered her. Of course, being a rather distrustful and suspicious person, I would not rule out foul play there. Most brow raising is that later after this was all over, Otto claims to have been told by this woman (who is likely even more paranoid that I am. Yes I admit that I am.) that Kaufman is the man in the Black Hood.

I find this doubtful, though I could of course be wrong. I see no logic in it. The man has everything, why hide in the shadows when you already have public power?

There was also the scene between Kaufman and the Luminary. Illuminary? Luminary? The self-important wizard proclaimed the Jade Mask at the exhibit to be evil, and of course being a treasure to Kaufman, he argued against this.

But I digress, the demigriff is loose. I quickly scaled the same tree I’d been watching from earlier, with a great deal more ease than my embarrassing struggle with it the first time. I’m an elf dammit, climbing and jumping is my forte. To the top of the hedges I lit lightly, a leap to be made, and what?!?? I landed, true enough, but I very ungracefully face-planted leaving a few scratches on the side of my face. Lucky I turned my head or I’d likely have lost an eye.

Jaimyn had run into the maze before me but he and the beast had disapeared within the hedges, and though I could not see them, I could see the hedges shaking and banging about, and so to them I turned.

As I arrived at the scene, the demigriff had Jaimyn’s shield between its beak, though Jaimyn seemed quite in control of it. I fired my newly gilded crossbow and struck hard in the beast’s neck. Otto’s voice cried out above the din, “Don’t kill it!” Jaimyn bashed the beast again, and with that it was subdued and I lowered my reloaded crossbow.

I had not seen there was a Gold Wizard in the fray until the fight was over, and seeing him in dire need of healing, I rushed to his side and did my best. Granted, I am not a healer by any means and had I failed, I would have killed him, but he was only human so it really couldn’t hurt but to try. I surprised myself and succeeded.

Now the reason for this great concern of danger in the maze is the fact that there were people within it. The silly Amelia had declared a chase into the maze, whoever finding her first would gain her favor, whatever that means to humans. Now this brings me to a suspicious point. Was her declaring this chase a social diffusing of the scene that had taken place, or was she helping in creating a distraction for whatever would be soon be occurring in the tent whilst the maze event was being dissolved? I’ll not dismiss any puzzle piece until the whole picture of this mess is solved. I have very little doubt that the beast was set loose as a diversion, but for what? I later found out from Otto and Octavious that this was likely over the Mask.

Simultaneously to the subduing of the demigraff, Otto had left the maze and ran into the tent. What occurred there I can only garner by second hand information, from Otto no less, so who knows how inaccurate that may be.

Apparently he accused Kaufman of being the Black Hood without verifying any facts and going on the word of a vengeful and likely delusional Adele. Had Otto been smarter, which of course he is not though he likes to think otherwise, he’d have held that information and investigated this claim first, watching Kaufman for any actions to verify this accusation.

But Otto being Otto, guns were raised, our bald priesty person ran in and bulleted the cranky old geezer across the tent, and an angry storm dissipated. The strained peace would not last long, for a noxious, if not poisonous gas, had been set a-spew inside the tent. There was a struggle for air, for life, and for the Jade Mask. The geezer had been slashed in the back by a being he described as short and hooded, and the tracks (of course I can track, I’m an elf, thank Loec) appeared to be steps marked by clawed feet.

In the end, our party had regrouped and all this information shared, but still…nothing had been solved.