The party decided to use some new tactics. They misled the town by telling them they were going to take some of them to get food and dress them up as mercenaries to not get attacked.

Part of it was true; they were indeed getting grain. However, they left the villagers at the city and brought back real mercenaries, with the hope that the minotaur leader would attack the new food supply thinking it was easy pickings.

The plan worked, and about two weeks into the journey back, the minotaur leader attacked. He seemed to realize midway through the fight that the mercenaries were real, but was unable to escape.

He had separated himself from the rest of his attack force. Malif dimension doored himself, Kestrel, and Errol to the leader, and with the help of a hasted Vaugner, they were able to take down the leader.

With their leader dead, the rest of the minotaurs fled.

Errol picked up the necklace and used to blast a ray into a dead body, confirming that it was a gem of power.