Session 26: Victory Potlatch Report

General Summary

The party attends the potlatch at Hool Fortress, and recieves magical items and crests. Bubbles takes up the Wavecutter Blade. The queen gives her gifts as follows:

• To the Javan Locathah, the Queen gives her oath of protection of the Estuary and a dagger inset with pearls.
• To the Sea Elves, the Queen gives turquoise and pearls so that they might make mighty murals of this triumph.
• To the Merfolk, the Queen gives four magical tridents - one for each cardinal direction.
• To Saltmarsh, the Queen gives 1000gp found in the Sea Devil's possession, as well as five hundred of the Sea Devil's nails, so they may build their city further.
• To her people, the Queen gives bronze speartips and Sahuagin Shields, so that they may never again be conquered.
• To Minister Sauriv, the Queen gives Shern the Sentient Crab, so he might have a scholar to learn with. Furthermore, he may retain control of the
• Dunwater Lair as reward for his political cunning.
• To Subchief Ihrtos, the Queen gives the Baron and Baronness's heads, which he may personally display as trophies.
• To her Shamamns, the Queen gives the Maw of Sekohla, including its two heads, which they may use however they wish. She is thereby giving up the right to display those heads as trophies, retaining only the Priestess and Blademaster.
• To Mystan, the Queen gives a Brooch of Shielding made of copper to look like a Black Dragon's skull.
• To Virion, the Queen gives a Wand of the War Mage, +1 fashioned from petrified wood and painted in swirling blues, reds, and blacks.
• To Uk-thin, the Queen gives a Pearl of Power carved with lizardfolk art depicting the slaying of Ophquait.
• To Bubbles, the Queen gives a Gray Bag of Tricks (except the Panther is a Sabertooth Tiger). The bag is a beautiful woven thing, depicting the tale of the Javan Fortress's fall and reclaimation.
• If the party killed Baron Kepmak, the Queen also gives them a Figurine of Wondrous Power (Silver Raven)
• To all who aided her people, the Queen gives the icon of a Black Dragon's Horns as a crest they might use in heraldry. In addition, everyone gets their choice of a Warhammer, Dagger, Spear, or Trident from the spoils of war.

At the Potlatch, Virion pulls Mystan aside and asks for assurance that, should Mystan advance in rank, he'd remain an ally to Virion should the Empire ever set their sights on Virion. While confused, Mystan agrees to vouch for Virion if something were to occurr. Virion specifies that he isn't planning on treason, he's more worried someone's gonna screw him over, or he might be given too high a task and have to back out when he cannot say no.

Virion thinks he needs to pay Mystan for this favor, but Mystan explains that he doesn't owe him anything. They're friends, brothers in arms, they've been fighting together for two and a half (in-game) months.

Uk-thin avoids Virion bc they're petty and instead talks to Captain Fireborn about Ana and his relationship. Uk-thin pleads with Captain Fireborn to reach out to Ana and mend their relationship; Uk-thin knows what its like to loose a child; it tore them and their husband apart. Virion is still a bit confused; all his past friendships came with strings attached.

Eliander explains that it was the loss of Esmerelda Fireborn that drove Ana away from him. She was born in 189, during the height of the Cobalt Reconquista. She was shaped by the horrors of the war, and never forgave her father for letting defectors join the town such as Will Stoutly. Remember Anders? He hates the Sea Princes, and was born without a father in 194 when the war ended because of them. Ana lived through the war. Eliander didn't push her away: she left. His door and arms have always been open for her, and will remain so. Eliander then expresses empathy for Uk-thin's loss.

Bubbles goes to talk to Hannah Rist at the bar she's (apparently) running at the Potlatch. Uk-thin is drinking Dwarven Ale, while Bubbles inquires about how alcohol works. After drinking some Claw Wine - and spitting it out when it burns. Then they ask for something non-alcoholic and are offered milk. Then they go over the minutia of dairy farming only to realize Bubbles is lactose intolerant. Finally, Bubbles gets some Barely Tea and finds the concept of a hot tea fascinating.

A drunken Uk-thin and Virion then get into an argument about Uk-thin's scar, and Hannah breaks it up.

Days later, Uk-thin and Virion go to see Elmo off. After some arguing about the Bag of Holding and history, Elmo is picked up by none other than the Tammeraut, flagship of Monmurg and the vessel of the nfamous Prince-Captain Syrgaul.

Virion and Uk-thin part, as Uk-thin needs to get drunk, again, at Miner's Respite at the Dwarven Mine.

Fransike Sacerdocie is the Ministre of the mine. Uk-thin shows them the letter from the Pontifice and the ooze, and gets some questions and leads.

Mystan is summoned by Talon Delmirev, and reviews the history of the region and the Wild Flame Pact's creation in response to the Cult of the Eternal Flame. Virion provides Melody's drawing of the altar, which confirms that the Cult of the Eternal Flame, Cult of the Crushing Wave, and Cult of Black Earth are tied to the Abyss and some kind of abberation.

Bubbles sees a fishing disaster and saves six of the seven men, with the last one getting caught in nets and hooks and getting killed. Juan was among the men, and was also injured. Bubbles got help and the injured were treated, and Bubbles goes to their boss - Maria Primewater - to tell them about drunken sailors having a lot of accidents. Maria mentions Tomas is sick and needs Chicken Noodle Soup. So Bubbles goes to Hannah Rist to learn how to make Chicken Noodle Soup, and then the two begin discussing how surface politics work and Bubbles is super confused by it. She then delivers the soup, and Maria takes it up to Tomas.

Finally, Maria approaches Virion and confronts him on running for office to spoil Lankus's chances of winning. Maria accuses Eliander of a coup and says that Lankus has 'backers' who Virion has pissed off by doing this. She asks for him to run his next politicial decisions by whoever he's trying to benefit. Also, Virion totally does coke.