Session 20: Hallowed Night Council Report
General Summary
Though a few hours of downtime, Ragia spends time at the library figuring out local customs, and Naomi gets some light shopping and some meditation before meeting up with the council. Ayame decided to spend some time working out some stuff away from the party but promised she will return to them when she finishes. Mysteriously, Ayame gave no indication of what she was going to do. Lacy decided she was going to take a nap, but nobody has seen her since then.
Eleanor meanwhile seems to keep to herself, drinking more than a few cups of water in an attempt to push down the buzz she inevitably got from the three shots of whiskey. She then spends some time outside with a whetstone she pulled out from her pack, sharpening one of her weapons to occupy her now sober mind.
Dusk starts to settle on the world, with noticing the time, Eleanor sets out to the library. She sees Naomi there already. Seeming a bit anxious Eleanor just gives a wave to Naomi, "Hey again, so... how we doin this?"
Naomi looks at Eleanor, and looks calm, nearly the opposite as she did earlier. "Hey Eleanor. Ayame and I talked to someone important a representative earlier. We should just need to walk in and things will go smoothly from there. Hopefully. I believe our Kobold friend is inside somewhere reading. Shall we find them and head towards where the meeting will be held?"
Eleanor nods, "Er.. yes, sure. Sounds like a good plan. Lets go then"
The pair enter the library, and see the resident kobold surrounded by books in a makeshift fort while reading beneath them, to help block out the light better.
Naomi notices that Eleanor is still a little weird... "Hey, sorry for leaving earlier...I know that drinking is kinda your thing, and I saw how you were looking at that bartender and..." her voice trails off as she starts to ramble "N-nevermind, we're here. Ragia! It's almost time for the meeting."
Eleanor hums in thought, "Wait drinking is my thing?" She asks in total seriousness, completely missing the rest of Naomi's rambling. "Oh there's the lil one."
Startled, Ragia jumps at the sudden partymember she wasn't expecting, hitting the roof of her fort and becoming covered in books. "H-help..." She mutters from underneeth her prison.
Naomi covers her mouth and giggles quietly, smiling at the small kobold. before being shushed by a librarian from the other side of the library. "I should've been quieter..." Naomi says in a hushed tone before helping Ragia out of her bookslide. But she has issues pulling the kobold out from underneeth so many law textbooks.
Eleanor giggles and nods, grabbing Ragia's arms and tugging her out "Enough of that, we can't lose a party member to the villainy of books."
Ragia Whispers "hey, books are very important!" She says before calming down. "This is going to take a while to clean up, i hope the librarian won't be too mad for leaving it like this, we don't really have time if we want to get to the court at an acceptable time."
"Mmh...I'm sure they won't mind if we pretend we didn't see anything." Naomi says, a little shame in her voice as she scratches her cheek and looks away.
Almost as if on Cue, the library doors open and twenty men walk in, making their way to the central table, a lot of them talking about the fillibuster and how its preventing actual progress from being made. "We passed that bill, they need to make a vote on it." Is heard in passing in elven.
Naomi tries to see where the councilman she met previously is, but not only did she see him he approaches Naomi with a smile and shakes her hand. "Good to see you here. Like I said, ill make sure its the first item on the table today. Have you thought about what you would appreciate for thanks?"
"A-ah. Well about that, sir Councilman. I...No, I couldn't think of anything solid. If anything I'm fine with a small gift, as saving lives is what I care for the most. Though, my comrades would hate me if I put all of their work to waste as well by saying that eheh..." Naomi looks to Eleanor and Ragia "Unless you two have a specific request..?"
The councilman nods and looks to Eleanor and Ragia. "What of you two? In the report I obtained, I was given a list of those that helped, so I may have some sway in your gifts."
Ragia climbs up and whispers in Naomi's ear. "Scrolls or spellbooks please~"
Eleanor leans into the conversation next to Nahemah, thinking, "Well I suppose my goals are just to stay afloat in this world, especially now. Money or improvements to my gear or weapons is all I care about."
Naomi looks at the councilman "And our adorable kobold friend here would love something related to scrolls or spellbooks. She is quite the caster, if I do say so myself." Ragia looks to Naomi with a small swell of pride from the compliment.
The councilman nods. "For the others, I have an idea on what to give them, so bear with me while our meeting starts." he says joining the rest of the council at the table just after saying, "Please but in at your lieasure while we are discussing your payment, this is important."
"Before we begin," Says the councilman the party was talking too just now says before sitting down, in common. "I would like to make a request that we speak in common for the outsiders at our side tonight, to better allow them to understand our customs, until the matter which I bring forward tonight comes to a close. Any objections?" There are none. "All in favor?" At least 12 of the council call out a "Ya" vote.
"To start, This is a letter from the mayor of Willows Reach." He says, handing out the letter the players delivered, which mysteriously vanished from Naomi's pocket when he shook her hand. "It states that without their help, and that of their friends, the city would have not only been lost, but Praerba would have been attacked, maybe even Tallaut. As such, with the limited resources of our town, we have been requested to give fair and just compensation as the city seems fit. As such, what should we deem valid compensation?"
"Money or magic would be nice to further our travels. Nahemah Dai'Gishkin, at your service." She says, while curtsying at the end of her sentence.
One of the councilmembers stands up, he seems young for an elf. "Willows Reach is just a small stop between larger cities even if it is on the coast." he says with a sigh. "The fact is, anything we give them would be more than the city has gained in taxes from them for the past five years."
Another man stands up to interrupt. "But the risk this letter says would have made a terrible situation for everyone within not only the tree, but every city along the coast and even both major cities should it have truely been that strong. We didn't have adventurers handy to actually keep watch in a small city, and it saved not less than a hundred, but potentially a thousand lives."
The first councilman stands up as the other two sits down. "So if they were to gain a thousand each, are our people really worth six gold a head? That seems underhanded and ignorant, and any who would read these notes." He points to a scroll with a quill scribbling about on itself the entire time, "We would be out of office faster than you could wink!" He cries out in anger.
Eleanor sighs, listening to the argument and piping up to add, "Have y'all considered none cash options instead. Like I said just moments ago I'm fully willing to take something like a magic item, but I wouldn't blame ya for wanting to keep such items for protecting this place. So maybe getting enchantment work done? If some of us take that options it just means work on whoever's doing it end."
"Magic items are worth thousands of gold" Ayame says in a whisper "Even the cheapest of items" she says appearing as if out of thin air.
Eleanor shrugs, replying to Ayame, "Yeah but again, the work of one artificer or whatever doesn't take away from the cities funds. Just brought it up as an alternative anyways. I'm all ears on ideas."
The councilman pulls out a list of paper. "Because of this, and with the long eared womans arguement, I have a list of items within the treasury that we can offer. Unless they ask for money, I think we should give each of them one of these items." The list is passed around from person to person.
Naomi mutters, "Wow that was a fast change..."
The main councilman looks to the party after the list is passed around. "Unless there are any objections for magical items from the treasury, we are prepared to give you an offer."
With agreement from the party, the councilman nods. "Firstly, All in favor of the list?" With a few nods, one of the other councilmen stands up. "We can offer trade goods instead if they desire something that can fetch more coin. Otherwise, I recommend two thousand gold for any who desire it."
"Mmh, well now I'm interested in what's on that list." Naomi says quietly.
Eleanor nods, "Yeah if that list has something I'd just buy with the money anyways I'd like to see it first."
"All in favor?" calls out the councilman. Sixteen call for 'Ye; votes. "All opposed?" Two 'Nae' votes. "And with that, we have enough majority for this funding." He claps his hands and two guards come in carrying a few bundles.
"First for our champions, we have two gifts. Ones that represent the culture you have saved, and the people you have saved. These magical boots, and cloak of elvenkind."
He claps again. "Second, we have a magical wand, to represent the fires that vanquished the rogue druid himself. One of the spell 'fire Sneeze.'"
"Fire...Sneeze?" Naomi questions.
"I will admit... this one I did pick out for the one who saught me out. Because... this... is a relic." A guard approaches Naomi, with a long staff wrapped in cloth.
Naomi reaches out and takes the staff. "This is..?" She says while unraveling the cloth.
The cloth from the wrelic is unraveled. In Naomi's hand is a beautifully crafted stone quarterstaff. "Sixty years ago, a priest asked to make a weapon using the tombstones of those who had fallen in battle. He was a dwarf priest of Tutella, and knew that such a mixed bag of beliefs and stone made into the same object could make a weapon capable of destroying the undead. It is not only able to hurt undead to greater effect, but even affect those touched in the ethereal."
"W-wow! That is...quite a lot...So you know I'm a follower of Rhamnasia, then?" Naomi says, excited by the new staff, as the entirity of the council points to her staff with the holy symbol of Rhamnasia displayed directly atop her staff.
"You should be able to move the symbol from quarterstaff to quarterstaff. Should give an amazing history to the item, better suited for use than locked up in a treasury." The councilman says.
Lacy bursts through the doors. Her hair messy and clothing discheveled. "Sorry! I'm here! I'm Present!"
"Ahh! I was expecting to deliver this to you later, but since you are here." A guard pokes Lacys shoulder from behind. he hands her a set of bodywraps.
Lacy jumps at the sudden touch from behind, and nearly punches the man but slowly takes the wraps.
"This was given as a gift to us by a monastery of halflings near the impossible mountains.. It is said to make your attacks even stronger for those who use their fists."
"AAaahhIi i thank you! Uh, Thanks for these." Lacy says sheepishly.
After much discussion, and negotiations between each other, the party takes their gifts, with Naomi keeping the staff, Ragia keeping the cloak, Lacy keeping the wraps, and both Eleanor and Ayame taking bags of gemstones of not immediately determinable value.
"With that, we can move on to other matters but adventurers.. We truely thank you from the bottom of our hearts for what you did for the city. If you ever wish to buy property within Willows Reach, the mayor will more than likely give you that property for free. For now, we return to our normal duties, and wish you the best in your travels." The council all stands up, and bows to the party, the three librarians clapping in applause as well as a few guards.
Lacy and Ayame both bow back to the council, but Lacy stands back up, directing her words towards them. "As are we for saving your beautiful land... but. If in our travels we happened to save your enamoring stars... what then would our reward be?"
"That... is something we are waiting till dawn for the queen and kings discussion to be announced."
Lacy bows again to the council. "I suppose I'll wait until their announcement. Good night." She says before leaving the library, along with the rest of the party, save for Ayame, who decides to commit to her own research in the library away from prying eyes.
After some discussions, the party decides to spend the night to unwind, and determine their plans in the morning. Ragia, Naomi, Eleanor and Lacy their way to the tavern. It is very lively with quite a few people there in the carved out petrified tree trunk. Entering, they find a bunch of people wearing masks, and drinking together. A sign outside of the tavern says "Deballchery Night! Wear a mask, get a ladys discount!"
Naomi sees the sign and is genuinly excited. "D-do you three mind if I go change?"
Eleanor chuckles, "Why would I mind?"
"Do we... wear a mask to get the discount... or do they... Give guys with masks discounts to spend on ladies." Lacy ponders.
Naomi runs back to the carriage to change while the other three step inside. They find someone selling masks for a copper a piece, for which Eleanor gets one for herself.
After only a few minutes, Naomi returns, in a completely different outfit. She walks up in very short shorts, a reversible leather jacket, and a top so small its surprising that it actually fits Naomi. "R-ready" She says with a blush.
Eleanor looks Naomi up and down for just a brief moment, clicking her tongue with a smile, "And here I thought you were one that strung yourself up tight." she hums and thinks back to the first night out drunk Naomi had and decides not to bring it up, "Lets have some fun tonight yeah!"
"I-I just decided that maybe I HAVE been a little...uptight....lately...I've always be kinda cloistered up thanks to my mom's intense supervision...So I want to let go and just be myself a little I guess.." Naomi says, playing with the hem of her jacket.
"Nothing wrong with being yourself event once in a while" Lacy begins to wrap the bandages around her head, "But i think that's the opposite of the objective tonight."
What an objective it was when the party carouses, and drinks their fill. It would have been a night to remember, if only they drank a little less.
Ragia wakes up with a massive headache, having slept on an uncomfortable bed. As she opens her eyes, she finds that she is actually in a holding cell. One of the guards is sitting in a chair, watching the cell, and Ragia can feel that her magic does not work in this room. She looks over to the side and see Theralon, grumpilly meditating in the corner in the cell with her.
Naomi wakes up and though she doesn't have much of a headache, her left eye hurts like hell. As she stirs, she notices that she is in bed with someone, a gorgeous elf woman, in a room that is extrodinarily lavish, wealthier than even her own mothers bedroom. Looking at the wall behind the bed, Naomi spots a wall sized picture of Theralon. The woman is still asleep, but Naomi spies a bathroom. She gets up and quietly makes her way to the bathroom. Inside, Naomi notices three things. One, a picture of Theralon and the elf she was cuddling with, with a caption in elven. "200 years of marriage and still happy."
Two, looking in a mirror she spots that she is sporting a black eye in her left eye.
But third, and most concerning, just above her left eye is a little nub of a horn poking out of her skull.
Eleanor had a wonderful nights sleep, and is cuddled up with someone. She opens her eyes as the stranger gets up and kisses her on the cheek. "I was hoping for this since we jumped. I just wish it was better timing." As Eleanor slowly starts to recognize them, the memories of her jumping start to come back, with the woman she jumped with, as she gets dressed and wordlessly leaves the room of the tavern that she managed to rent last minute. This was Eleanors lover.
Eleanor watches this exchange in frozen shock, unable to respond, as though the air was sucked out of her and nothing could come out as she mulls over her memories. By the time her frozen state passes she manages out a "W-wait! Fuck, no-.. nonononono" she panics, getting out of bed in a rush, her breathing heavy as she rushes out of the room, tossing on whatever clothing was easiest to don, trying to see if she's still there. She's in a panic, a deep, unsettled panic and just on the edge, shouting out "L-LORELEI?!?"
Her heart sinks, as does she, to her knees on the floor, as the woman she loved enough to see neither of them suffer, is not in the hallway, for it is empty, just like the pits of her heart, as she breaks down into absolute sobs of heartache and panic.
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DATE: Vamendour 5/625
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Rewards Granted
Cloak of Elvenkind
Boots of elvenkind
Bodywrap of Mighty Strikes +1
Wand of Fire Sneeze (50 charges)
+1 Cryptstone Quarterstaff
Eleanor: Bag of gems worth 2200, turned into GP
Ayame: Bag of gems worth 2600.
Character(s) interacted with
Theralon Gray: One of the most prominant wizards within Gwilith and a major player in the day council.
Cleoil Starchild:Bartender of the Wardens Passion.
Matilda Gray: Wife of Theralon Gray, and mother to Alea Gray
