Session 153

General Summary

• Theran has decided to disguise himself as a half-elf named Nathan D'Ariatore, to keep from being recognized everywhere.
• Marvin is also in disguise as Grimes, though it's only for a short time.
• Dazki explained to the party what happened with Riley the night before, and what he thinks about it, before they went to join The Quicksilvers for breakfast.
• As they arrived at the estate, Riley was just teleporting away after discussing with Siraye what Dazki did last night. Siraye was interested in hearing the story from Dazki's perspective, so Dazki set up his Candle of Truth and explained it.
• Siraye hadn't gone into as much detail before, in part because her relationship with Riley "did start out as a manipulative one", and in part because Riley can steal abilities from other people (which is also why she hasn't been Sending). She decided that it's time to elaborate now.
• She had met Riley shortly after meeting Kris, and she has learned bits of Riley's past — just Riley's side of the story, "but for what it's worth, I believe it".
• According to the story, Riley was a victim of trafficking from a very young age, as she had "no parents to speak of, really".
• The man from Dazki's vision was someone whom Riley encountered multiple times before, and the specific moment that he saw would be when the man tried to kill Riley. Riley has been thin on the details around this part, only adamantly insisting that she never killed him — but he was a powerful ice wizard, and now Riley is a powerful ice wizard, so Siraye isn't sure what to believe here.
• Apparently, that man has something to do with why Riley took up the moniker "The Quicksilver Witch".

Full Recap

Flashback: Shopping Block

Reminder: shopping happens before the long rest near the end of the previous session... but some interesting details were fleshed out here, so I'm noting them. Theran buys a blank book for copying The Book of the Mirage into it, taking Dwardazik and Marvin with him. Theran wants to find a piece of armor that's suitable for him, while still being protective like steel. He understands that it'll cost a pretty penny, but he has something up his sleeve: he's brought the Bag of Holding along, and he has Grogery's plate mail — something which he can't use, himself — to trade. With Dwardazik's help, (Perception 21) they find two shops: Mace's (a more "big-box" kind of retailer) and the...   They try The Superb Owl. After some awkward haggling, they are able to trade Grogery's half-plate for a spiritwood half-plate. The shopkeep adorns it with a piece of Grogery's old armor. Dwardazik returns to The Cloak and Stagger, orders a dwarven ale (half-elf bartender, tiredly: "Yer gonna get what yer gonna get."), and meets up with Dazki to catch him up that Theran bought "something quite incredible".

Back to the "Present"

Dazki is sprinting away from the estate of The Quicksilvers. When he catches up to Marvin, who is also running away, he briefly recaps what had happened with Riley just before. Everyone finishes their long rest.   Theran is sitting in the common area, disguised as a half-elf but still wearing the spirit wood armor that he had bought the day before, and the bartender today is a dwarf — slightly taller than an average dwarf, and a little leaner too, with a less well-kept beard. Dwardazik comes downstairs. Marvin descends shortly after, disguised as "Grimes". When Marvin says that Dazki is going to be a bit late ("Oh, is that the elf? There should be a halfling, an elf, and a dwarf."), Theran slips a piece of paper to the other two:

Good Tidings,   I have come to the reasonable conclusion that traveling with you is not particularly safe. While I would prefer to avenge and rescue my brother alongside his true family, there are perhaps better places that I might work towards this end that do not endanger the safety of my bloodline.   I have done the honorable thing and located a suitable replacement. He is more than adequate at the healing and other spellcraft you have come to expect from me. In order to maintain general doubts as to my true whereabouts, you should refer to this man as "Nathan D'Ariatore" and not make any effort to discover or disclose his true name.   If I discover anything particularly useful or alarming on my travels apart from this group, I will Send to you.   Take care, and best wishes,   Theran Daointa'ar

The two read the letter, and they pretend to take it mostly at face value — but the dwarven bartender speaks to Dwardazik.

Bartender: I can't help but notice that your friends seem to keep going missing. If there is a problem I can aid you with, I can solve it with gold and a promise.   Dwardazik: At this time, my companions are out busy doing other things. This is our backup plan. These are other companions of mine.   Bartender: ...I'm sure they are.   Dwardazik: I'm sure they are.   Bartender: ...I'm sure they are.   Dwardazik: I would appreciate it if you don't look too deeply into things.   Bartender: Gold and promises go a long way. Maybe you can... "hire" additional friends. Or, keep your promises.   Dwardazik puts a gold coin on the counter and looks at him.   Bartender: Atta lad.

They head outside to regroup with Dazki. "Nathan" tries to give him the note of introduction, but Dazki declines it as soon as "Nathan" uses his name, recognizing the name as the same one that Theran has used in the past when disguising himself.

Dazki: So, I have... "good news and bad news", I guess, is the way to put it.   Dwardazik: Didn't see ya all night long, were ya busy doing something nefarious?   Dazki: ...for lack of a better way of putting it, yes.   Dwardazik: What, is there a guild of spies in this town too?   Dazki: Nothing to do with that. So, I went to pay a visit to one of our "friends" last night...   Dwardazik starts counting on his fingers.   Dazki: ...the one with the weird accent that's been a bitch.   Dwardazik: You didn't try to do what I think you didn't try to do, did you?   Dazki: Bad news is, I left in a hurry and forgot to grab the Dimensional Shackles   Dwardazik: Wait, what?! Is THAT what you're into?! (He facepalms.)   Dazki: Nothing like that... trying to make sure that she knew that if she fucked with Siraye in any way, then I would make sure she would regret it, all right?   Dwardazik: Oh, this was a... oh.   Dazki: Yeah, this was a "go and try to scare the hell out of her so that she does not step out of line" kind of thing.   Marvin: And boy, did it work! ...sort of. ... ...not really...   Dwardazik: ...couldn't she hold Siraye hostage now, against us?   Dazki: So, I think if that was something that she wanted to do, it would have already been done. But I found out a fair bit of information. Including that, apparently, she believes that she's already "betrayed" us and some other things like that. And then she lunged at me with those weird spirit hands of hers, and I think I saw something that happened when... you remember how she told the story about the guy going to kill the "Quicksilver Witch"?   Dwardazik: I remember that.   Dazki: I think I saw that guy strangling her. And I'm not sure she's actually alive anymore, as a person... and I don't think she has been this entire time.   Dwardazik: So, she's, like, an undead?   Dazki: I don't know. It could be? Or that's when this Mirage Prime came to her and offered her power, and that's why she's been acting the way she is. I think the person who "tried to kill her" was probably someone she trusted, and it was a thing, ...and now we've got to meet them right after breakfast, because we said yesterday that we would.   Theran: Do you at least want to come inside and freshen up a bit? Arrange your clothes in a way that makes it not appear as if you've been up all night?   Dwardazik: So, let me get this straight. You went to Riley last night, you used the manacles to try to scare the shit out of her, and you somehow experienced a vision?   Dazki: She lunged at me, remember how she used those spirit hands? Apparently there's 3 pairs of those. I don't think she can manifest those while she has the Dimensional Shackles on.   A random beggar inserts himself into their conversation.   Beggar: Copper for the war effort?   "Nathan" gives him a cold piece.   Beggar: Holy shit, this guy must really like war!   Dazki: I think he just likes it to end quickly.   The beggar leaves.   Dazki: I guess... time to face the music, then?   Dwardazik: I think "Nathan" here had a good point. If we're going to be meeting Riley, then we need to be on our best behavior and pretend like nothing happened. But more importantly, what are we going to do about our two companions here, who are going to be completely new (but suspiciously similar).   Theran: I don't know what you're talking about! And I was going to explain, once all of you were together —   Marvin goes to flick "Nathan"'s nose. It's an illusion.   Theran: ...so, listen, I was going to explain a possible explanation: obviously, after I teleported after Theran teleported to The Phantasmagoria, you asked the obvious choice of "how did this royal elf get here, maybe we should get back to a safe place where there's not Turmoil everywhere", and almost as soon as you verified his identity and go somewhere safe, there were some rumblings in the local crime syndicate (an area that you thought was safe was not actually safe), so you chose to leave for the countryside, but there are even more Turmoil incidents out here, and so Theran has decided that his safety is too much at risk traveling with all of you, and as a man of honor, he has found a suitable replacement for the kind of spellcraft that he would normally be expected to contribute.   Dazki: And that's what you're going to go with?   Theran: Well, here's the thing, when a child teleports to the Phantasmagoria impossibly, you can make the reasonable assumption that if someone were to attempt to capture him directly, a similar thing could happen, and he would perhaps not trust you going forward. A much better alternative would be to keep him safe, try to gently warn the authorities, and try to convince him to go back on his own without any need for force.   Dazki: I just want to keep the story straight, is all.   Dwardazik, looking confused: ...so... what's the story? Can I get the super short version?   Theran: The story is that Theran did something impossible with magical teleportation, and you all made the rational decision that "if we attempt to take him back or call someone in to take him back, he will just teleport somewhere else and not be around people who want to keep him safe", so you decided to take me to safe areas and try to convince me to convince Theran to go back on his own. But before you could convince him, Theran decided to go back and left me as a replacement. Perhaps when you realized he was gone, someone reached out to him with a Sending to try to tell him to be reasonable, and perhaps you were able to convince him to contact his parents, but you reasonably did all that you could given the situation... and considering the fact that he's wearing a magical item that prevents people from scrying on him.   Dwardazik: Convenient.   Dazki: Sure, "Nate". Sounds good to me.

They have a short conversation about what to do when they meet back up with the Quicksilvers. Dazki is insistent that they be civil when they arrive and not prepare for too much violence.

Estate of Heightened Emotions

As the party enters the estate, Riley finishes teleporting away after what seems to have been a heated argument with Siraye. Siraye walks at Dazki with determination, and he backs up, but Dwardazik stops him. This causes him to feel cornered, and (Wisdom Save Success) he barely maintains his composure, his eyes betraying that Siraye walking towards him was not something he was looking forward to.

Siraye: Why are you scared of me? Are you possessed? Is it a curse? I think I can still remove curses...   Dazki: Riley told you about last night, correct?   Siraye: Yeah, and that's not the person that I left on that boat with. So, clearly, you're some sort of doppelganger, or... did you lose a... are you in debt to the mafia?   Dazki: I mentioned that I had to kill some people, and I'm not ... it hasn't sat well with me, and I'm not the same person I was. This has not been a good trip for me, so far. I can't explain it. I'm not afraid of you, just, I see... when you were coming towards me and Dwardazik stopped me, I saw what I saw last night. When Riley tried to attack me. So it's not you.   Siraye: I told you not to touch her!   Dazki, defiantly: I didn't... — I... (!) ...   Siraye: OK! ...deep breaths.   Dazki, after taking a couple of deep breaths: She lunged at me. I tried to avoid it. Admittedly, the whole situation was my fault.   Dwardazik: Dazki, why don't we sit down and you explain what your intentions were? Maybe that will be more productive.   Siraye: I've heard the story from one side, and I'm not super thrilled about it. Sorry for the harsh language, but I'm just not.

Siraye suggests that they make some tea, and Dwardazik instructs Kris how to make it: "get some hot water and put these leaves in there... and when in doubt, just crack open a bottle of wine and bring it back, it's the same thing for them". Kris runs off. Dazki explains his side of things to Siraye. Dwardazik backs him up by vouching for Dazki's earlier experiences, especially Jack threatening his father when he had visited (Dazki: "And apparently I've been upgraded to 'Disaster Son'!").   Dazki starts up the Candle of Truth and proves that it's functioning for him, and allows Siraye to ask him some questions.

Siraye: I'm worried, because the story doesn't exactly add up. What she told me would be true then, right?   Dazki: I don't know exactly what you were told...   Siraye: You broke into this estate — I'm paraphrasing, of course; it was much more fanatical when I heard it, I'm trying to be as calm as possible, here! — you restrained her, bullied her, changed your mind. In a panicked state, perhaps she had a go (more than reasonable, I think). It's the next part that I don't understand. Riley doesn't... give things. Her powers only allow her to take.   Dazki: That is what she said, yes.   Siraye: And yet, it seems like, in that instance, she gave? Or, at least, shared. And that's not possible.   Dazki: I have a hypothesis about why that happened. You remember how I mentioned, casually, that there was a doppelganger that made themselves to be me for about a day?   Siraye: And you're not currently a doppelganger?   Dazki: And I am not, currently, a doppelganger.   Siraye worriedly glances at the Candle of Truth. It doesn't flicker.   Dazki: What happened is, the doppelganger was from the other side of the Phantasmagoria. And he was able to pull pieces of me for his use, while he was in my form. I resisted him as much as I could while unconscious, and I came back with a small portion of his power. I can link with a person and pull a part of them to use.   Siraye: You can take.   Dazki: I can take. And I had just broken a link with Marvin, in an attempt to get out of her way. Using some of his bardic magic. And I think the link being broken, and then her touching me, made it so that — not necessarily that she was able to give, but that I was able to take. From her. Not intentional, and I don't know if that's actually what happened or not, but it's my best guess as to what happened.   Dwardazik: It's a hell of an interaction.   Theran: Maybe she took your ability to link, and she might've linked...   Dwardazik: Hard to even wrap your head around. That kind of magic, all intertwined.   Siraye: Perhaps I should give more information, then. I don't think you could've gone about this in a worse way. I do wish you'd talked to me first.   Dazki: I was frightened, and I was not making the best decisions because of that. I was also worried that you wouldn't tell me, since you'd been evasive during our other conversations.   Siraye: Well, I wanted to protect the both of you. Because our relationship did start as a manipulative one. And I knew you wouldn't take that well.   Dwardazik: Yer... talkin' about Riley... right? Not... you two?   Siraye: I am.   Dwardazik: When did you actually meet Riley? Before the boat?   Siraye: It wasn't too long after meeting Kris, actually.   Dazki: After the incident with BFI.   Siraye: Yes.   Dwardazik: Roughly how long ago was that? Just trying to gauge...   Siraye: How long have we been here? It feels like it's been ages, but I don't think it has.   Dazki: Can't have been more than... maybe 8 months?   Siraye: That's not any time at all. I'd say that I've known the crew for a few months, now... maybe four?... but this isn't about me, though.   Dwardazik: So, is everyone OK now? Has everyone played their hands? I'm not really that great at this kind of stuff, and to be frank, I was really kind-of expecting a fight when we got here... so I'm a little happy that Riley decided to —   Siraye: Oh, there was a fight.   Dwardazik: That just means that Riley's somewhere out there. And probably furious. Do you know where she went?   Siraye: She'll probably be back. Probably. She's had a hard life.   Dazki: I'm sorry that I went about this wrong, but maybe you could tell us? Help us understand, help us so that I can make things right — if there's even any chance of that happening. (Persuasion 21)   Siraye: I guess it could help enlighten things. I only know Riley's side of the story, but for what it's worth, I believe it.

Kris comes back with some wine, with a fern leaf sticking out of it, and presents it to them. Dwardazik enthusiastically takes a glass of "tea", inconspicuously disposing of the leaf. Dazki and Siraye politely accept glasses for themselves as well, though they do not drink any.

Dwardazik, raising a glass: Here's to us!   Kris, nudging him: I don't think you're supposed to "cheers" tea.   Dwardazik: It's elven tea!   Kris: No, you just look into it, forlorn.   Dazki: So, can I start with a question? Would that be all right?   Siraye: Sure.   Dazki: When she reached towards me, I saw a man. I couldn't tell his face. And he was strangling... "me"... but I'm assuming that was Riley, assuming it was her memory. Do you know anything about that?   Siraye: I do.   Dazki: Is it something that you would be willing to share? If you say no, I will respect your answer. I may not be happy about it, but I will respect it.   Siraye: No, I'll tell you what you need. At least, what I've been told, and what I've figured out here and there. Riley, from a very young age, has had a very difficult life. No parents to speak of, really. You're aware of trafficking, correct?   Dazki: Yeah.   Siraye: She never really had any power over anything that happened in her life. Abused and discarded many times (apparently), she learned to take control where she could. But I could tell, as she was telling me that, it never quite cured that helplessness that she felt. The man from your vision, I don't believe she ever officially knew his name. Every time she would accompany him, it would be under a different moniker. Usually companionship or simple menial tasks, the man was cold and manipulative. But it was one of the only individuals who made her feel like she had a choice. Abusive relationships get like that, apparently...   Siraye (cont'd): And then, one particular evening, this oh-so-charming individual had seemingly had enough of their relationship. It is in that moment that Riley's curse befell her, I believe — though she's a little flaky on the details. She insists that she never killed the man, but the man was a powerful ice wizard... and now she's a powerful ice wizard... so, I'm skeptical.   Dwardazik: The way you're describing it, it almost seems like in a moment of crisis, she developed a power to suck away the other person's power? I'm just saying, that's what it kinda sounds like.   Siraye: She can, indeed, do that. There's a reason why I haven't Sent to you.   Dazki: Ah...   Siraye: And a reason why I have been holding information back. Why I asked you — very adamantly! — not to touch her.   Dazki: Uh-huh...   Siraye: I don't know if any of this is true. I don't know if she's changed for the better or for the worse. But I'm going to keep doing my best, because even if she was manipulating me, I don't think she is now.   Dazki: Heh... you know, wow. I think I said something like that a few months ago, to the person who manipulated me. That I'm going to keep fighting for the world to be the place that I want it to be, and to believe in the good in everyone. Feels like it was so long ago.   Dwardazik: Well. I'm just glad this did not turn into a massive fight. (He stretches in his armor.)   Siraye: For the record, I doubt you're like "the both of them", whatever that means.   Dazki: I think that means Baxton, who used his powers in particularly horrid ways...   Siraye: A real "charmer"! As was the wizard.   Dazki: ...yeah. And him. I'm sorry. For what it's worth, I'm really sorry, and I will do everything I can to help fix this, as much as it can be fixed. Help solve the problem. You are my best friend, and I never intended to hurt you.   Siraye: You didn't hurt me.   Dazki: Hurt someone you cared about.   Dwardazik: So, maybe you guys should both tell each other one thing that you want each other to do that would make the other person more happy in this relationship? You know, like, "hey, I'm really concerned about you, I'd like you to tell me if you're in trouble more", and the other person would be like, "oh, hey, you know, I would really appreciate it if you would, uh... you know... somethin' cooperatively, and trust-building, and constructive"! Yeah!   Marvin: Diplomatic as ever, Dwardazik.   Siraye, directly to Dazki: Did it sound like we were fighting? Is he trying to...?   Dazki: I think it's because I take after my dad too much, and I can be too subtle sometimes. He came to visit recently, by the way. In Ashport. That was quite the situation.   Siraye: I did hear word of your brother. I can't believe he came all the way down there, though. He hates boats!   Dazki: Yeah, I know...   Siraye: You know, "Disaster Son" does have a bit of a ring to it, in Common.   Dazki: Yeah. (He puts the candle out.) I feel like it sometimes. A lot more, lately.   Siraye: I say, embrace it!   Dazki: Yeah, why the hell not. Let's enjoy being the hurricane while we can, right?   Siraye: Yeah, we have years — centuries! — to clean up the mess, right?   Theran: Another way to think about it. The two places that have the least biodiversity: places that were completely scorched down due to a recent, intense natural disaster — like a forest fire, volcanic eruption, things like that — ...and places that have not had a disaster like that happen, for a really long time. Because the strong weed out the weak, and there's only one species of tree, one songbird, that sort of thing. It's things like hurricanes, moderate landslides, that open up the door for new things to get the chance to shine.   Dazki: Marvin, you OK over there? You've been pretty quiet.   Marvin: Yeah, but I figured, this is a fairly personal matter between the two of you. Didn't feel like I would be able to meaningfully contribute a whole lot without sounding snide.   Dazki: If you're gonna be my advisor, you're gonna need to be able to stick your nose into all of my business.   Marvin: Oh trust me, I'm paying the fuck attention. I'm just not interrupting what is quite personal. Didn't want to be rude.   Dazki: Oh yeah, by the way, the sarcastic halfling is going to be my advisor when we head home.   Siraye: Oh, yeah?   Dazki: I figure it'll piss everyone off to no end, and he actually gives really good advice. He's able to keep me in check pretty well.   Siraye: Does he take good notes? Can I get a transcript?   Marvin: Oof... ...   Dwardazik: He only does summaries.   Siraye: Well, I hope he rhymes while doing so. (Editor's note: Looks like Grimes while doing so.)   Marvin: Oh, you know it!   Dazki: So, do we have any idea where Riley may have gone?   Siraye: She gets like this sometimes, though she seemed quite rattled this time.   Dazki: I think we both relived that moment. I'm keeping it together the best I can, but it's not easy. I imagine it's even worse for her.   Siraye: I do still wonder what happened to that man, though.   Dazki: You said you didn't have any kind of name? Even the aliases he used?   Siraye: Well, she took up the moniker "The Quicksilver Witch", specifically because of him.   Dazki: I guess that's one place to start looking.   Siraye: She fabricated this whole other story for his disappearance, but I don't think that's what happened.   Dazki: Are you OK back there, Dwardazik? You're kind of pacing around... everything all right?   Dwardazik: I just feel like there's somethin' I need to be doin'.   Dazki: Like what?   Dwardazik: ...I dunno. I'm gonna go take a smoke. (He goes to take a smoke.)   Dazki: ...so... he has also been touched by Turmoil. And I think it might have to do with that. The reason why he was pacing around. It's his thing to tell, so I don't want to say much more than that. If that's OK with you.   Siraye: Honestly, it's been a rough day, and it's only what, eight?   Dazki: Yeah, I just heard eight bells.   Siraye: I just hope that Riley's not too far gone.   Dazki: I think if anyone can help her, you can.   Siraye walks over to give Dazki a hug, (Wisdom Save 13) and he stands there, eyes wide open in shock, unable to move. She gives him the hug anyway, and he collapses back onto the couch.   Theran: Dazki, did you even have breakfast?   Dazki: I don't... remember eating? So, no...   Theran "magics up some berries" and hands one to Dazki.   Theran: Here. You're not you when you're hungry.

Dazki snickers.