The Witch of Webs recap

Riverfarm struggles without Laken as Durene recovers, Wiscaria faces her guilt, and refugees demand influence. Ryoka carries aid into the region while persecuted witches gather around Wiscaria, including her estranged mother, Belavierr. In Liscor, Numbtongue befriends Yellow Splatters, becomes a Soul Bard, and receives Pyrite's charge to seek surviving Goblins and their king. Mrsha prevents guards from killing Calruz, leaving his fate and the council election unsettled. After the numbered chapters, hunters and an Order of Seasons knight attack Belavierr, but betrayal lets her survive. A Drake's wildfire devastates Riverfarm. Belavierr escapes by sacrificing another witch, and the coven repudiates her. Laken returns to rebuild, frees his Goblin prisoners into a neighboring self-governing settlement, and grants the witches conditional refuge. Wiscaria is bound to protect Nanette and resolves to hunt Belavierr, while Ryoka accepts Belavierr's bargain for a chance to see her banished fae friend.

Previously: Laken Godart established Riverfarm under his rule, with Durene as his closest companion and Wiscaria serving as a general. A false order helped drive Riverfarm's forces into a disastrous battle connected to the assault on Liscor, leaving Wiscaria burdened by the deaths and Durene gravely wounded. Laken departed while escorting captive Goblins whose safety he had taken responsibility for. At the Wandering Inn, Erin continued to shelter people across species lines. Numbtongue survived the battle but lost fellow Redfangs, while the Painted Antinium also suffered heavily. Mrsha lived under Erin and Lyonette's protection. Calruz remained imprisoned in Liscor while the city faced the unresolved question of his responsibility for earlier atrocities, and Krshia pursued a place on the council.

Durene wakes after fifty-one days of fever to find Riverfarm greatly enlarged and Laken still absent with the Goblin prisoners. A healer has saved her from an infection made worse by repeated healing potions. Wiscaria has resigned as general because of the battle's deaths, though Rie hopes she will still help defend a settlement strained by shortages, bandits, refugee resentment, and fear of the arriving Goblins. Mavika pressures Wiscaria to join a coven, while Laken entrusts Riverfarm to Wiscaria, Rie, and Prost and arranges for Ryoka to bring aid. At the Wandering Inn, Numbtongue remains excluded from Liscor but finds fellowship with the Painted Soldiers. He recognizes their remade speaking sergeant as Yellow Splatters, restored after the battle through the Rite of Anastasis. The two become friends through their shared survival and losses. Numbtongue reaches level 30 as a Goblin Soul Bard and gains the ability to let Pyrite briefly act through him. Pyrite leaves him a clear purpose: find the surviving Goblins and their king. Meanwhile, former Lankrel leaders begin organizing refugees to demand authority in Riverfarm.

Ryoka accepts Laken's urgent potion delivery and travels toward Riverfarm through a region troubled by bandits and growing violence against witches. She encounters Alevica, a feared witch and runner whose combat methods confirm why others distrust her. In Riverfarm, Wiscaria uses her brewing craft to make a restorative meal as an attempt at reconciliation, but Rehanna destroys it because she blames Wiscaria for her husband's death. Mavika retaliates against Rehanna, worsening the settlement's fear. Political tension also erupts around former councilman Elmmet. Beatica contests the case against him, but Hedag uses her Executioner Skill to expose his theft and abuse, then kills him. The judgment divides Riverfarm. Califor and her apprentice Nanette arrive for a gathering, followed by other witches. Belavierr, a Great Witch and Wiscaria's estranged mother, comes seeking sanctuary. The assembled witches present evidence that many of their kind have been murdered and call for a new coven. Wiscaria accepts the group and allows Belavierr limited hospitality, but refuses to repair their personal relationship. Riverfarm becomes the coven's refuge while the source of the attacks remains uncertain.

The Wandering Inn's growing connection to Pallas brings commerce, political influence, and new complications. Grimalkin assesses the Horns of Hammerad and gives them a demanding improvement plan, with Ceria's conditioning and spell development the most immediate concern. Numbtongue begins protecting Octavia's alchemy shop from extortionists and learns basic potion brewing. Mrsha, now a level 4 Druid, learns that cruelty toward helpless creatures is wrong. She later discovers guards torturing Calruz and alerts Zevara, then stops a lethal strike herself. Zevara arrests the attackers and preserves lawful process. Lyonette publicly claims Mrsha as her daughter, while Calruz remains imprisoned and the council election remains unresolved. At Riverfarm, the witches establish useful but uneasy arrangements with the residents. Wiscaria permits the coven to remain under conditions, while Rie holds Mavika accountable for injuring Rehanna. The witches identify the Circle of Thorns as a threat connected to attacks on their kind. Belavierr admits that much of her former power and protection has been destroyed, yet her presence remains dangerous. Fierre discovers the extensive charges against her and survives a retaliatory curse long enough to confirm her location. The Order of Seasons begins mobilizing a specialist response. Laken, still escorting roughly three hundred Goblin prisoners and unwilling to abandon them, races toward Riverfarm as outside forces converge.

Riverfarm survives the wildfire with severe casualties and extensive damage. The oldblood Drake responsible is killed, but Belavierr's apparent rescue of the settlement is exposed as a bargain that cost another witch her life. Wiscaria and the coven reject Belavierr, who leaves weakened but alive. Laken returns, restores Riverfarm's administration, begins reconstruction, and resumes his relationship with Durene. He releases the Goblin prisoners into adjacent self-governed territory with supplies, tools, and his iPhone, leaving their long-term relationship with Riverfarm unresolved. The witches receive sanctuary under rules of hospitality, accountability, and limits on lasting hexes. Nanette's dead mother warns that a hungry presence has consumed the land of death, leaves Nanette her hat, and binds Wiscaria to protect her. Wiscaria commits herself to stopping Belavierr. Ryoka and Laken reach a tentative reconciliation over his responsibility for the siege and the Goblins' losses. Belavierr then offers Ryoka a possible reunion with her banished fae friend, and Ryoka accepts an unspecified service in return. In Liscor, Calruz remains lawfully imprisoned, Krshia's election is unresolved, and Numbtongue still intends to seek surviving Goblins and their king.