Session 13

7/8/1563BM

The various members of the group wake after their night of rest, in various states of recovery and health. They convene in the morning at a table and have a long and serious discussion on what all is happened and what the situation is. Flynnic describes that he had some “old friends” visit, that he was kidnapped and had to strike a deal on the threat of his life, he told us of his past, how a little bit ago he worked in the Myantain crime syndicate and most of his mission only involved thievery or team works, but one night when he was called for an assassination he had a hit on one of the star actresses, that he was tasked with killing her. After the performance he snuck back stage and was successful in fulfilling his job, but realized that the one he killed was his very sister. Devastated he fled the city and ran from the criminal world. He has been on the run but his past caught up to him a little bit and now he lies in a debt of ten thousand gold, and in two months. The group is supportive of him and his sad experience. Joenes talks about himself, how he got kidnapped by this cult and they tried to have him converted by drowning him in the river, Joenes broke his bonds and escaped. And how he got Alar and Daren to come back and fight back, the fight turned sideways and Joenes did die, he was brought back by a priest of Saria in the middle of the night. Libra and Greta tell their story to the group, how they meet with the Kari in their shared dream after going out and killing this woman, while telling little of the fight and experience with Hlyenna they do talk of their dream and summarize in with their thoughts. Libra present a geometric obscurity to the group, a purple cube that illudes prior knowledge, slightly noticing some people in the bar across from them they get a little bit suspicious. Daren uses disguise self and then goes back up to his room, as Daren, Flynnic, Joenes and Alar go up to their room the guards move in to apprehend Greta and Libra. Greta is the first to be shacked, and she immediately starts putting on an act of hysteria to try and persuade to be free, Libra uses more logic but is instant that they haven’t done anything, as Flynnic comes down he too is shacked. Messages are being sent over their minds to keep the group in touch over close range and so Daren comes down the stairs, at this point more guards have entered in and the leader of them is a childhood friend of Daren, Jeremy. Jeremy states allowed what the demands of the Prince Jonathan are, being clear that he would prefer peace but that violence may happen. Alar considers breaking out a window and leaving the situation but in the end feels like sticking with his friends. Daren, for but a moment, considers uses a hypnotic pattern to paralyze the guards and just up and leave, but upon seeing whom all they are and how many he decides against that. Coming in with his hands up he does agree to go as long as his friends are let go. Jeremy pulls Daren a side a bit and informs him about the deal and how this may be the best opportunity he gets. He is shackled and bound, not gagged but a mask placed over his head. The rest of the group is let go of their shackles and are surrounded by guards. The main section takes broad streets to the castle and Daren brought in alleyways and side streets. The main group is put in a large waiting room after they protested being put in cells. Jonathan and Daren meet in a underground room, other guards accompany them for protection and the two half-brothers begin to talk. Daren is of course wondering why exactly they are doing all of this, and Jonathan counters that this was the best time for this sort of deal, what with Thomas being gone. The refutation of regicide and the original plan comes up, Jonathan while not wanting to kill Daren per say does know that if a good deal cannot be met than that may need to happen. First Jonathan offers up Daren and his friends freedom in exchange for the total stripping of his claims and heritage. Daren tries to use suggestion to suggest that instead he simply leave the city alone and not come back, unaffected by this spell Jonathan is strict about needed to give up heritage and succession rights. Daren thinks for a bit, trying a second time to suggest something more in the middle and uses his words carefully that he wont try and “will not steal Jonathan or Thomas’s claim to the throne” being exact to mean that he still in technicality has his right to the throne, he also promises to give up his name rights and nobility but keep his last name as ceremony in exchange for him and his friends life as well as his sisters life, finding the deal acceptable under the influence of suggestion he agrees. So being let out they go to Daren’s fathers room, King Brandon Stormraven. He is a sickly man, his legs made lame and his body covered in black wounds and skin fissures, he appears to have a very major case of leprosy. Labored breathing but still a formidable man. A scribe awaits, she starts to write a new contract and when she adds a few words of clarification Daren is quick to chastise her on the properness of her job and role and so any extra words are removed and the language is precise. Daren tells his father that one of his friends, Joenes can heal and Brandon is willing to try, but with the knowledge that others have been unable to do so in the past. Joenes is brought up and he tries to heal but is unable, believing that the illness is non-normal in some form. Daren asks his rock Steve what the illness is and he called it “Dorian disease” with no other explanation, and the rock is a tad crass about the situation. The group leaves the castle, and Alar runs around the city to grab a few items while the group gets the ship ready. Alar picks up sewing and crafting supplies as well as permency dust. Libra and Flynnic talk and organize a ship, under watch of the city guards to make sure everything is all right. The group is ready and they board the “SS break waver” headed for the great city of Myantis.in reality their idea to bride the Capitan to change course a bit and go to Nashel. The boat leaves port and they set off, on the way out they open the bag and an angry badger is given the ability to walk water and set away to cause havoc. The group goes to the Capitan, a Harengon ( also called rabbit folk ) named Nikanji. She is rather agreeable for a good sum of payment or around 100 gold. The group meets in the lower deck to talk over and catch up, have proper introduction to Cyra and tell them what actually happened. They leave the city of Kalim in hope, that this will go unnoticed and all will be fine, but aware that suggestion will end around late evening.

In the battle of Kalim Thomas lead a victorious procession. A display of power and strength. He rode on his priced steed and next to him a tiefling rode the mythical unicorn beast. Thomas used his families blade, the blade of moons gift to summon forth celestial beams of power and swing the tide of battle. Around him a group of priest held holy rituals and practices of faith. The main charge on the line proved quite successful. To the site the battle over the hill was a decisive victory due to the involvement of a very special group of Hero’s. The mission to kill the head commander went perfectly, a group of season Hero’s made up a fast squad. Frithmundir the goat sage, Anansi the spider sage, both transformed into the mythical legend beasts and fought hard, the monk Anurak busted knees and took names, fighting in the name of passion. Kresel’la the duel bladed Naga champion fought well with their twin song daggers. The Northern ranger, a legendary figure who wields an Arkaeotech bow fought alongside as well. The battle finished rather quickly, the invading army conquered within the hour, the remains however took many hours, collecting the fallen armor and guns as well as other items of value, sorting these out and writing promissory notes to those who participated. In the end a great deal of blood was spilt and these field are steeped in war, but the price for gold is often blood and a large amount of gold was earned on this day.

Later in Kalim at the castle Jonathan informs Thomas of the occurrence and not paying much attention he tells the head priest of Saria to sign the paper, neither noticing the details that lacked from the contract that may spell doom in the future.

On the docks of Kalim a pair of old fisher buddied stand, when at one a badger comes on the water, charging with rage and spite at all of the world at once. this badger attacks the fish barrels and then the men before being put down by a whale harpoon, but not without difficulty. These two men craft a story and narrative that this must have been a flying fish transfigured by the old gods to haunt the drowned souls, and the story of a rise in oceanic activity would flow into the street and bars of the city.

Music

Memories https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U14GpQ5K03g 

Palace ambience  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwV1azM1Ifw 

Jonathan theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry08i0eQ6aY 

Brandon theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mmyZ4Y6NkM 

Thomas theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5JdvfpuuZ0

Set Sail https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hS4duxPvyc

Session 14

8/8/1563BM

The ride on the boat continues, making their way down the river. It’s a day of simple activity and act, a small bout of friendly gambling is done between some of the group members but no money is changed hands. Cyra talks to Greta a little bit, wondering more about her brother in these past couple years and what he is like, Greta asks about what Daren was like as a child, and Cyra responds that he was kind and friendly, good with words and a little mischievous but still upstanding and good person, oddly he was never very good with the blade and Cyra even beat him in sword duels a few times. Greta agrees for the most part that he is still a good person at the core, but that he has a way of finding and getting out of trouble, that he has certainly become a good sword fighter. Greta is also happy that the group seems to be out of danger for now. At this very moment during their conversation, on the main deck of the ship Daren and Alar are practicing jumping from the crows nest and using spells to brace or save the fall, trying to get closer and closer to the ground without being hurt, loud thunderous booms are heard from then thunder wave being cast. Alar practices his water breathing by having a ball of water surround his head, to acclimate himself. Later that evening, after dinner Greta and Daren have a sparing match with each other. The fight is hard fought, but both hold back their magic and the extreme limits of their skill for fairness, this however still leaves Greta as being the stronger and tougher opponent and so in the end she wins. After this Daren challenges his sister to a duel, to “make up for the last time you won in a duel with me”. She burrows the Khopesh, their fight is far quicker. Daren has surpassed Cyra is skill and she is easily defeated.

9/8/1563BM

Little happens on this day, they have made it to the open ocean, and it is a beautiful sight. Sunrise on the Soln sea is a sight like no other. Nikaji prepares a traditional tea for the start of the open sea, a practice from her Harengon heritage. Alar spends time reading more. Pascal is hunting for fish in the sea, and at this point has grown to be the size of a bear, his wings are developing as well and he can do short flights. Cyra also talks to Daren about her plan to settle down in Nashel, it’s a quiet city and is she can buy a home and get situated it should be an easy enough life.

10/8/1563BM

The group arrive in Nashel in the early morning, it’s a sleepy city. One with a low lying fog bank over the water, simple building dot the shore. The city of Nashel is rather boring and simple, being a long time mercantile colony of Vodras, Nashel sends much of its excess wealth out to Vodras and in exchange it has protections and security and stability. Life is conferrable but growth is almost nonexistent. Not well known for much of anything, the local favorite place is “Flow row” a street lined with bars, and famous for bar crawls.

Stepping off the boat in the afternoon the group unloads their stuff, the chest of belonging for Cyra, their horses and Pascal, and a few pieces of cargo to make it look like an official mission stop. Daren goes to the inn to secure rooms for their stay, the group plans to lie low for about four weeks here. ( until the 38th of Livera  38/8/1563BM). Daren buys room stays for all of them and pays for the first two weeks for seventy gold in total for various rooms. Then making their way to the cities magic shop, one smaller in scale and scope but still filled with interesting trinkets and items. Osuma’s box of wonders is its name. Joenes sees a whale in a jar, a small miniature whale in a mason jar, with a bit of water. Talking briefly to the whale he learns about it; it is just a normal large whale shrunken down. If the jar is broken than the whale will grow back to full size. Most of the group goes back to the Inn to relax and get settled in, Alar goes to the church of Keldwin in this city. Going into the church it is a bit smaller than the temples to Saria or Mishai, but still of importance. He talks to the head priest of Keldwin, a women of middle age, wearing a thicker red dress with green lace work and patterns, she also has scares adorning her arms, her name is Delari Keldes. She introduces her self, and while she was expecting someone to come along who displayed the signs of the god, Alar was not the person she expected, she rather thought it would be a devoted woman of faith, instead she got a man who has a more transitive approach to divine power. None the less, faith held is faith given and she is cordial to Alar. Alar wishes to talk to Keldwin directly to ask some questions, and so Delari brings out a spell scroll of Commune. They go to the dais in the main worship hall and Alar is successfully able to cast from the scroll of commune, he thinking a little about his questions. The process of communing with each God varies, for Keldwin this involves blood. Alar speaks aloud his questions but blood is coughed up, the intention lies in the mind. His three questions “are your properly a divine being?”, “Am I able to further gain benefit or am I able to step away?” and “am I forced to give you my capacity?” blood flows from his mouth out onto the floor and into words. “truly” “to follow is to gain, to leave is to stop” and “no” to his questions, semi-satisfied with those responses he talks to Delari some more, she about the various kinds and forms or blood and other events around the city, how a large part of her work is acting as a midwife or what she calls a “chemomancer” one who makes concoctions by usage of formulation and combining of ingredients. Alar asks questions on why he is not receiving as much favor from Keldwin, what is stopping the power and Delari responds that perhaps it is his lack of faith, that a God isn’t always one that can be transacted with. Delari also asks of Alar to possibly look at the interference with the reef, to investigate what has been messing with the fish.

Alar goes and finds the group, work was found quickly and action shall be done. the hand of fate (minus Flynnic and pascal, who are out at the butcher shop and generally showing off Pascal). Go to the mariners docks where they talk to a local fisher, he tells them about the southwest patch of the upper reef and how a large section is baren with fish and the water a bit more rough, but its not a whirlpool just something strange. The group get a small row boat out to the area and start to look around, they find a structure. Underwater and quite hard to see from the surface but Alar and his water breathing and potent vision are able to spot it. they see a set of walls surrounding a central elevated disk that holds a spear. Also seen on the walls is text in celestial, four parts to the passage one on each wall, surmising that this may be a poem of sorts. The group also sees statues made of stone that appear to be guarding the relic. Daren, making an educated guess about these things from his experience with temple raiding shoots first out. The battle begins. A fury of statues awaken, over a dozen are swimming with agility and grace in the water. The chaos start, movement is slowed from being underwater and its dim light due to being about two hundred feet below the surface. Daren blasts first at one statue before Libra casts haste on Greta to boost her, also a mind sliver. Greta goes down, raging and causing a show of dancing colored lights to boost and bolster those around her. Alar bring out lighting and a bolt strikes a clustered group damaging some and killing one. The statues move and start attacking, attacking much at Greta but doing little harm with her rage and her pure defense. Daren kills a warrior and out from it a spirit is formed, a soul stuck in the mortal realm in a small bit of service to Daren. The spirit is hit by some of the statues, but it is transient and shifting and so takes little damage. Joenes drives his holy blade and kills another statue, breaking their stone nature apart with divine fury. Greta and Libra attack again, Greta swinging with her iconic hammer an Libra shocking the minds of these statues. Alar calls forth more lighting down on the cluster of statues surrounding the group. Daren uses his eldritch bolstered attack to fell more of the statues with great ease, but in doing so he is in combat with a stronger statue and is hit hard. Daren under the damage and stress fails to maintain his spiritual bolstering Aura. Libra uses the mind whip to try and disarm a priestly looking statue. The priestly looking statues bring out healing energy and restores some of the vitality to these stone statues. Alar bring up a diving wall of wind in this place of water, dividing the battlefield and separating forces. Joenes moves in to continue to cut down the statues. Daren becomes surrounding and greatly wounded so he retreats by teleporting and swimming away, but not without a wave of thunder first where he pushes them back with thunderous energy. Many statues have been cut down at this point and only a few remain, Joenes using much of his energy on his divine strikes continues to slay the statues. Daren uses his eldritch blasts from afar to provide help while staying safe. Libra finishes off the battle by killing the last of the larger statues. The water filled with blood and stone, and over the whole fight a quietness, fighting in the dim underwater light is eerie at how quiet it is. Joenes collects small bands of Arkaeotch from the statues, Alar grabs the spear with a mage hand first before deciding that it can he held. He will learn that this spear can bring forth the energy of stormy skies and lightning bolts. The group gets back on the boat and goes back to town

Music

Pirate music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHWAzBZ2hDA&t=2493s

Nashel ambience https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHeuZ8EIbSU

Underwater fight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2staFuc00xo

Underwater fight 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la_AEFO8m7U&t=8s

This was the end of the semester and the end of “season 1”. The hand of fate will be back, their work is not yet done. but for now they spend much a good few weeks in Nashel.

Session 15

Over the course of the downtime our group would stay at a local long term inn called “Gilligan’s” they would also come to frequent a bar close by called “the inky squid”, this because the Gilligan, owner of the hotel is brothers with Robert, owner for the inky squid.  

11/8/1563BM

Daren and Libra go to the library at once and start the long process of research, the library does charge a fine for usage of the advanced section, it being 25g per month per person. Daren exchanges a fine dragon chess sit worth 50g for both him and libra. The two of them get about to attempting to study. Libra is quite successful because he finds a book series called “the timeline of events in Adrea and surrounding lands” it is a very in depth history book that lists events and theories, and from this he pieces together the rise of the chaos gods, not in huge or direct form but small events that could be seen as other things but when put together show a pattern, and a concerning one. He also finds a codex talking about other minor gods outside of the Geldic pantheon and finds out about the two other chaos gods of Gzenthli and Nalmori’a. Daren on the other hand is less successful he asks the librarian for help and she gives him a book called “patterns of the east and west” this book sadly contains little that he didn’t know already but still requires a large amount of time to search through. This process of the two of them takes the better part of a week.

12/8/1563BM

Greta is wondering the town, looking for things to see and do and to spend time with when she encounters a wonderful shop called “premier confections” and goes inside, talking a small bit to the women named Joan Kalixis, she is the founder of the store and a very upbeat and jolly person, when asking on the subject of work Greta is told that one of their usual employees Marylin is out on maternity leave and so getting some help for the month would be apricated and Greta can even get paid for it too, her first day she is set about to be a taffy puller, being quite effective due to her massive strength. She doesn’t start the best at being a candy maker but being willing to learn and have fun ideas goes a long way.

13/8/1563BM

Joenes and Flynnic are on their way to go to a town outside of Nashel, a small village named Bora, this village has held complaints about live stalk going missing and game in the woods being less common, they suspect a large beast it responsible and so Flynnic and Joenes came to investigate and help. reaching the village they talk briefly to a local man who explains the problem, that a few chickens have gone missing and that the animals in the woods are less common. Going into the woods the group tries to track down the beast, taking a few hours and getting away from deer paths eventually Pascal smells out the trail and leads the two to a small cave in a gully. Flynnic puts on his shadow leather armor to stealthily sneak inside the cave to see what is going on, he dodges past the entrance to see inside a large owlbear, having never seen one before Flynnic is a bit surprised, he also sees an owlbear cub in the cave as well and with some basic facts he knows pieces together that the owlbear mother is probably eating extra to hibernate and to feed her cub. Coming back to Joenes, Flynnic tells him this and they try and figure out what to do. Joenes casts speak with animals to be able to communicate with the owlbear. The bear is not extremely hostile but is not happy at being disturbed Joenes tries to convince it to leave but the mother doesn’t budge, but not wanting violence they talk it out saying that for about another week the mother and cub are fine, but after they hibernate and wake up in the spring they will move deeper into the woods. The owlbear isn’t happy with this outcome but can except it a bit. Feeling as if this problem was solved the two go back to the village and inform the man. The man has them come inside for a simple soul and they talk about the owlbear, the man is highly skeptical that the two took care of it, and when wondering how the bear could be reasoned with he says “well its just a bear” and Joenes responds “your just a poor farmer” to which the man takes great offence, he offers the required amount of politeness but no more and the two return to Nashel.

14/8/1563BM

Joenes goes to Osuma’s box of wonders and the smithing district to sell some items. He sells his Archaeotech bands at Osuma’s and they talk a little, he also buys the whale in a jar, and starts thinking of all the possibilities. He sells his leather armor and his scale mail for some gold at the smith district. Coming back to the tavern he talks to Greta about her previous idea to test the badger bag. They summon up and angry badger from the bag, holding its angry body in a metal armor hand. Joenes again casts speak with animals to try and communicate with it, and the bagger has a very spiteful and rageful attitude. After some attempts to convince it to calm down with convincing Greta decides to knock it out and try and buy some chains and a muzzle to keep it contained, going to the smiths shop she is able to buy chain quite easily but the muzzle is hard, the shopkeeper has an old one designed for a lizard that he was planning to turn to scrap but sells it to Greta. Greta goes back and with the help of Libra crafts up a makeshift harness for hold the badger. Still unconscious the badger is brought up to the rooms and tied to the ceiling via a piton and the chain.  Greta giving it to Libra to watch over at night so it doesn’t attack her in the her sleep when she wakes up, after only about a half hour the badger awakes and continues to scream and be angry. The badger is taken back to Greta’s room and she gets poor sleep that night and is exhausted.

16/8/1563BM

Greta has grown in her skill of candy making, doing great works and crafts and getting good at simple things in the kitchen. But still wanting to expand ability and push herself she has set out a project, to use sugar glass to make an item, sugar glass blowing has been done but not sold and used because it is quite difficult and Greta discovers that. She spends an extra four hours in the shop after closing to try and get even something to work, in the end she makes a cute looking green cactus. Even using a bit of her rage to fuel her success in the end.

17/8/1563BM

The chained up badger has been moved outside and its incessant noise did stop, it having fried its vocal chords and lost the ability to do any more than a light hiss, still it rages on bound by endless fury and a desire to kill and harm. Joenes brings out another fresh badger and shows the two badgers at each other, and using speak with animals is able to talk to them and overhear. Both are still pissed and mad all the time, knowing this and in a way proving a little more how the item works. Greta kills the first chained badger out of pity and the new one is also killed, both given to pascal. Later that day the whole of the group in town meets up at the bar for time to spend together, drinking and talking and having lots of merriment. Daren and Flynnic once again have a drinking contest and this time Greta joins in as well, while Greta has a clear advantage because of her dwarven constitution the point is fun as well. in the corner a dragon chess league occurs. Daren plays a game and looses but plays quite well. A messenger calls for “the hand of fate” and Daren takes the letter, it’s a letter from Alar telling them that he is still away helping and that he will be back in time, he tells very few details and has taken a sojourn in general. A red dragonborn, a rare sight in this city comes to the bar and talks with Flynnic briefly about trying to help him and give him advice in regards to Pascal, being friendly and nice they set up a time to meet later. The drinks flow quite well, both Daren and Flynnic make It past eight drinks without great difficult but then the sway of alcohol gets harder and harder, Flynnic is the first to suffer, going unconscious and Pascal bringing him to a corner of the bar before dragging him to the bed proper. Daren does better than Flynnic but still gets quite drunk at the end and only taps out. Greta is slightly tipsy near the end but just thirteen drinks does little to a dwarf. Midway into the drinking contest Daren’s sister Cyra stops at the bar for a little bit, Daren seeing her goes inviable to try and hide, wanting to save face around her. Crya sees over this but ignores him and talks to the sober members of Joenes and Libra briefly about how she has found success and bought a home and found work. A nicely dressed couple walks in during the late evening and enjoys a fine meal, when Joenes asks the waitress about it she comments how that couple is Joel and Elly, Elly who is the cousin of Robert meet Joel at this bar and they are celebrating a ten year anniversary. A nice bit of wholesome romance in a city that is sometimes quite boring. Greta also gives a try at chess, and not knowing how to play dragon chess looses quickly, but she knows at least sort of how to play. Lastly Libra tries to play a round and he faces Andy, both being rather adept at these mental games but Andy is a master of this and wins. Daren messages his brothers using a sending spell, bothering Thomas and just pestering him , Thomas while able to respond tries not to engage to much, but he suggest that if he wanted to he would murder him saying “laws don’t apply to those in power, I will end you if able”.

19/8/1563BM

Alar has journeyed away from town out east to the smaller villages. He is on a mission of individual philanthropy and generosity as well as more self-discovery, he stops at village and will use his druidic magics to grow out plants as well as help the sick, offering words of advice and practical help. he takes little reward for this and simply tries to help people realize that the gods are not as necessary as previously thought, while some villages take this to heart other think of him distastefully for trying to “take away our gods”. still in the end he is widely liked. He uses the power of his staff to bring out a massive rainstorm to a town near the Adrean border with Harash and replenish life to the desert town. For this he is gifted with some precious rubies.

22/8/1563BM

Daren and Libra continue to research at the library. Having been there for a large amount of their available time. Daren continues to research about the followers of Mornal and the librarian helps him again, finding a book called “Darkest influence” it is documents about the negative tidings and events in the east, with some specifics on how Mornal is worshiped. And the nuanced approach, that he is thanked for giving death at the proper time, for cutting suffering short. He also is prayed to in times of grief over death and is revered at funerals. That he does play a role in the unified church as a noticed god as well. mentions of the mythical “dark one” figure are found as well, noting that this dark one firstly is not specified to be male or female but could be either and that the “dark one” is thought to be a bridge between real and vorpal space, that they would have power to bestow death on those in real space, but preserve the soul in vorpal space. That one could trade the mortal body for the eternal soul. All quite interesting. Libra spending his time researching more on Ahran and the Kari but doesn’t find much more than he currently knows. Both of them spend a day rather distracted looked a visual novel of the fauna of Velng, the specific large birds known as “dinosaurs” and they jot down a couple for some magical transformation spells later.

23/8/1563BM

Daren, Libra and Greta go off on a small quest, Libra has been tasked with an odd job of helping the library gather information on a set of small stone ruins south of the city, all that is known is they are thought to be rather old and guessed at being the ancient “Gaudrashari culture”. Going southward they meet a group of highway bandits and having delt with the situation before are not taking any of their attitude, Libra is fast to cast a fireball when they don’t back down, instantly killing two of the bandits and greatly injuring the others they surrender and collect the bodies of the two fallen, the three continue right past on their horses.

Getting to the ruins they discover a set of loose stone pills and slabs in a grove but in the center is a statue of a women wielding a bow and she is surrounded with a semi circle of seven pillars, in an old dialect of elvish poems are written on each piler. Inside the grove plant has overtaken much of the area, and moss fills the space. Seemingly no animals pass into the area either. Looking around at the area Libra casts detect magic and can tell some adjuration magic is present. Steve the rock is asked how old this area is, and while trying to make his case known about being able to stay out of the bag, Daren doesn’t listen to that at all but gets that Steve thinks the area is about 2000 to 2500 years old. Libra guesses that the area is around 2500 to 3000 years old, so a time frame of a long time ago. Daren tries to cast message to the statue in the middle and once again it works. Talking in a back and forth to this statue a dialogue of many questions is asked, the statue is not the most helpful and providing answers but does shed some light, in a vague way, on the questions asked. Questions such as: “what are you” “what is this place”. These and many more questions are asked, the statue presents its self as Veren, or a shard of Veren within this statue. The statue and the god were revered by the Gaudrashari people long ago, and the reason they stopped was because their knowledge and way of life was not passed down and so faded. She remains here. They ask a little about the time of when she was made and she talks about great and powerful magics, those that open the heavens, move mountains and seas and reshape the planet. That one ancient magic could cause people to ascend into the heavens, to become like gods. the statue never claims its self to be a god, nor deny its non-godhood. But when asked it does originate from vorpal space. That this statue was revered with the offering of gifts and trinkets and by practicing the means of balance. When Daren asks for any advice on the conflict the statue offers this phrase “One must be open to miracles to believe in them”. As well the statue is content with its circumstance, that once it was great but now faded, that gods in a way can grow and diminish. Asking if gods can die the statue gives a non answer, that gods can fade but death is not the a concept that works for gods, even those that come from the mortal realm. Daren finishes out the conversation by saying a thanks, even if she wasn’t the most clear or helpful in answering questions and Daren ends the message chain. The statue says in reply, but for no one to hear “I am not beholden to the truth”. Greta leaves a small offering of candy at the base of the statue.

The group makes their way back and talks about arresting the other two bandits, they find and track down this carriage and easily frighten in the two remaining bandits to be captives, using the carrage as intended and securing Daren’s horse Wander to it they drive back to Nashel. Overhearing small bits of conversation the bandits feel defeated and hopeless, trying to start a new life but caught and unable, they still think that jail here might be better than outside down southwards. Bringing the carriage to the city law precinct they turn the two men in and go about their day. Libra makes a very fine book entry about the poem and some art to go along with the area, a nice description and he is paid 25 gold. Also inspired and fed with Steve the Rock Daren visits Osuma’s and asks about identifying the rock, she tells him her magic item dealer may be able to do it and that he will arrive on the 28th. At the shop Libra also buys the goggles of Darkvision to incorporate.

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Flynnic and Vlad the dragonborn meet up. Flynnic learns a comprehensive guide to draconic society and Kest, the difference between the draconic empire and mainland Kest. The powers at play such as the “god king” Thornak, and his wife Safanar. The cast like system of status and honor in Kesti society with Dragonic color and species, lizard folk and kobolds. He also has a nice but quite spicy draconic tea. Vlad gives advice about true dragon physiology, that they start out more animal like but grow in intelligence and reason and once they are of human ability they are considered true members of the true dragon society. Also the religious ideas in Kest are explained and what the eternal revolution is, how it started with the death of Nomarat and how it has continued in some fashion or another. Flynnic buys some pig carcasses and goes out to train Pascal in a fallow field outside of the city, in the coming weeks training how to fly, how to a ridable mount and how to use lightning mid air to zap rocks.

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It is the day of the solstice, or for Joenes the “day of lights triumph” Joenes feels content and happy, that he has come this far and succeeded in his mission, his tenants to be upstanding and yet joyous and spread happiness. That evening a celebration of the solstice occurs, people gather in the town square and a very large pot luck and social occurs, tables of food and drink are set up and freely given to the people, communities and people talk about the soon to be new year and connect with each other. A person is offering blessings and some public figures make appearances such as Toris the priestess of Keldwin and Joan the candy maker along with others, even the acting sovereign Tyrel Calisto stops by for a bit to talk to the people. The night goes long, Daren catches up with his sister Crya a bit more, how she got work as a teacher/nanny for the niece of the Sovereign, a young girl names Jillian. At midnight those at the festival take part in a ceremony, all lights are put out and while singing a folk song of the quiet night they light up candles to illuminate the square, passing the lit fire from one to another as they go. This deep representation of the power of light and hope, after this the gathering dies down greatly and many leave. Joenes and Daren set up a large bonfire to emulate the tradition from the east and the practice of Fenesal, when a few people ask about it Daren blesses them in the name of Fenesal, but only a few times after realizing it is a bit much.

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Daren and Flynnic go early in the morning to meet Osuma and her magic item dealer, they meet Kemdra, he is a human with mid length brown hair and neutral tan skin. He wears a bright green cloaks that casts a faint bit of light around him, he has a small red ruby stone orbiting around his head and seems to wield a very fancy decorated sword. Bringing and putting some items away in the shop he comes out to help with the stone. Talking to the stone for a bit in his own head and then casting identify on it, what exactly is said is unknown but the magic of identify is done and he learns that is a spirit trapped within the stone and can talk to people within 10ft. what spirit exactly cannot be said and without a name it is hard to say, knowing this and being a little tired of Steve, Daren gives Steve to Flynnic to have, at once Steve likes Flynnic better and Steve the rock is kept in Flynnic’s coat pocket. After this Daren goes to the library to research curses. Daren by his self this time goes to research and when asking for help about curses the librarian is rather suspicious, Daren’s story about this being an academic interest are valid but still concerning in a way and after some poking and prodding Daren casts suggestion and the librarian helps him right away. Daren spends time learning about curses, mostly the broad system of curses, the basic addition and removal of the spells “bestow curse” and “remove curse”, the need for shadowsteel as a focus and how curse can be cured with specific fulfillments. He learns and is able to cast the “curse of ageing” which makes someone age at twice the rate, scary. Daren also continues to pester his brother Thomas with the sending spell, and even has planned a little bit of subtle red herrings to tell such as suggesting cold weather of Thalian food, trying to throw them off the trail.

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Greta is in the candy shop again and pitches the idea for a multilayer raspberry truffle, and so Joan lets her spend some time making and trying them out, still a bit shacky on the high level details she produces a tasty but not amazing tasting truffle and visually it is very blob like. But Joan sees potential and tweaks the recipe, remaking and remastering it to produce a few beautiful truffles. They have a flower pattern with a raspberry glaze, individual raspberry drupelet to accent the pattern. Inside the truffle is a stack of seven layers of raspberry jam and frosting, a gradient yet also separated by thin films of sugar. A exactly perfect combination of flavors with a balance of sweet and bitter and sour. A no less than perfect confection but one that took Joan a good hour of effort. This is when Greta sees the extent of Joan’s ability for the first time, her truly excelled skill in candy making. Still being proud of the truffles that she created Greta takes them back to the rest of the hand of fate and they quite enjoy them, the truffles still being quite good.

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Alar continues his misadventures, he has been on the coast for days, scouring the reefs. He uses the water breathing spell to almost live under the waves, sleeping on a small ship at night for a few scant hours. He searches incessantly for a treasure unknown and perhaps he finds it. he also sews with some difficult the symbol of Keldwin onto his cloak, to represent a more friendly relationship, one not with power given but respect earned.

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Sad news is given to the city. By magical means Emra delivered this message to many important people. “The council of Vodras has been dismissed, The count of Monty Cello has been executed by the new ruler of the city. Lady Emra, Herild of the new dawn, Acolyte of Ak’ahra. Those who stand in her way will be cut down but those who bend the knee will be shown mercy”. The sovereign chosen to tell the people of the city this message and within a few hours everyone knows the news and it is the talk of the town. Hearing this news Greta is saddened and wants to try a strange flavor combination in an experimental chocolate candy. She goes out and buys absinth liquor, getting a bottle of 65% alcohol by volume and mixing it in the center cream in the candy. Her and Joan work on this truffle together and make something at the end, a swirled green topping with a creamy sour mint flavored center. Tasting it Greta experiences the subtle hallucinogenic effects of the absinth, her world appears to be slightly chromatic and saturated, bring a bit of joy. Joan however sees the opposite and is saddened even more, her world appears to be bland and dull in color, this making her quite sad and she leaves early to try and sleep it off. This being said Greta brings these to the inky squid for her friends to try. They all try it an experience the same, a nice vivid saturation of the world and the complex yet delicious flavor. These truffles are titles “the green demon”. At this meet up the group, expect Alar who is making his way back, talk briefly about going to Vodras and stopping the third sister Emra at once, deciding to go in by land and talking over some plans of infiltration but deciding that once they reach the city they will form a proper plan. Ideas of sneaking in, using new abilities of magical transformation and others to get past and will the third sister.

Music

Kalim theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38zi6aqnoAU

Owl bear forest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvftPSb5Xtw

Library https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIpU7vdxFZI

Solstice celebration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocJlogyxxNY

Quiet night song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJsy77j56gA

Tavern music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztP1RknUpd4

Statue grove theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YmNvCy30FU