Plans of Inaction

I was in a mine with others. A multitude of workers of all races wearing the same clothing. Each had black veins in their eyes but seemed, happy? They all had the same idea; forge more, build more like the shadow king promised, freedom.
I awoke from this dream, no a sedated nightmare with false smiles. It was unsettling to see other races of mankeen, muldnal and satyrs working as kobolds do. Especially with some kind of half awake glaze to their stare. It was… unnatural. Just as unnatural as the pool of blackened liquid I was laying in. Blackened vines littered the substance as I stood in quite a bit of measurable pain. I felt well rested which is quite rare for me. Looking around I had a quite a bit larger puddle under myself than the others. I was helped to my feet and looked around at the large group. There were lots of elementals and elves but very few catfolk, lizardfolk, and kobolds and no ratfolk in the encampment. It looked to only be around 5pm. The helpers cast Prestidigitation on our group to clean us. As who I assumed is their leader approached us. She was a horned elven lady with old melted candles perched in her horns. She welcomed us with food and drink of which I simple gave to Bessy. She told us we were saved and that Brentwood was under attack and that they were looking for us or more specifically something we’ve got. We were saved because of the necklaces. Eval told her of the attack on Morkai and that we only had three of the four necklaces. The Lady of Nine turned away and her candles lit for a brief moment before extinguishing themselves. She said that Morkai was under attack by several groups after turning to face us again. She must have done a very quick Skry spell.
She called the white masked ones, the messengers as we’ve come to known them, the Concealed. They are a cult that needs purged according to her. The puddles we had…purged is a liquid that the Concealed call the message. It is a curse and a parasite that feeds on the life force of the host to allow the Shadow King or the Watcher whoever heads the cult to skry. It comes from contact with the infected blood which explains the relative sizes of the pools. The conversation eventually turned to those that were after us. The half bramble people that we saw and fought were only the scouts and soldiers they were infected much like Leo, only a partial conversion. The fully converted look the same as they did before the ritual. They are building their numbers before a great conversion with Brentwood being a target. Eval voiced his concern for the various individuals still in the town but the Lady of Nine shot him down saying that the greater threat is a priority. Kniana said the lives of many outweighing the few of which I silently agreed. The lady said that the Circle of Nine were interested in spirit talkers like Kniana that they watch them. The conversation eventually turned to Morkai and the last necklace.
The Lady of Nine was confused as to what Morkai had to do with our situation. Eval and Kniana explain the fake necklace and the hand that was still holding it. The lady asked to see it and when presented it used it to, what I’m guessing, skry on the situation or pull memories from it or something. After she does her magic, she told us that the hand was severed by the Guardian of Taltharian, and that he still had the necklace. The bank in Morkai was under attack not by the bramble creatures, but by the Guardian. That the guards were held in stasis without bloodshed save for the hand. Apparently RRRoshin is the last of his clan and this Guardian of Thaltharian, the guard of the elven king rumored to be in Svendio. The elven king that lived long before and was co-head of the war with the mad king Islomon against the fairy king. There was talk of RRRoshin possibly being a domestic terrorist.
The conversation continued with a little background from the Lady of Nine. She represents the gray arrow clan as a protector of the forest. The forest that was currently in danger. The barriers on the bridge between plains of our world and the one with the fairy king were weakening. So much so that many could go to his realm but only a few could return. They had taken one of the runic stones required to perform the sealing, or breaking, ritual to the other plain. The ritual that uses the necklaces is to re-strengthen or break the barrier. She mentioned something about bloodmagic and the need to retrieve the stone before the ritual? The knowledge to remake a stone is of lost magic. It would take too long, over 4 years to recreate one from vaulted knowledge. Magical knowledge from the vaults in Valerin, the Vaults of Memory. Apparently you can be paid to donate memories to this vault…
 
Kniana had a dream while out too. It was one with fox kits that were attacking vines with eyes that blackened. The lady said that Kniana is possessed? Circle members volunteer to be revived spirits. Kniana is haunted and has two spirits and her name was original Velanth? She married into the Kaze clan and was ment to be one of the circle of nine but Pharasma had other plans.
The Lady of Nine talked to Skrell rather cryptically, something about alignment? I already know he falls under NE or CE between the sword and interactions I’ve had. She did continue talking about the different clans and how they are likely each infiltrated possibly relating to the Guard of Taltharian. Should we continue to do his job? The necklaces can break the barrier just as they are needed to seal it. The shadow king needs them to break it before he can leave. She said that this knowledge is hidden as the gods want as few people to know about it as possible due to it being too powerful of magics. She also said something about Granlacon being even more unstable than Leshraka…
 
After that heavy meeting I decided to go and feed Bessy from the food they were providing. I don’t need it and I’m sure she could use it. After feeding Bessy I spotted the cloud Dragon again in the area performing a repetitive motion while reciting a low draconic chant. He was keeping the fog at bay in a weather ritual. I attempt to help my kin by tending to some large gashing wounds and shine his scales with my bitterleaf oil. Zaltharian telepathically thanked me and even referred to me as kin of Calistria.
 
After some time of shining, Eval walked over and handed me one of the books pulled from the gut of that strangle reed we encountered. He wanted me to attempt to mend it to figure out what it was all about. Easy enough to try. He also handed me Corpl. Fizpin’s gloves. Apparently she was slain in the line of duty shortly after heading to Inkindi in an attack. It was her request to have Tamebrass give them to me as I had “an appreciation for magic”. That kind of stings. I mean I didn’t really like her much, but I wouldn’t wish her a death.
Kniana also walked over to ask about my knowledge of the curses. I said people were likely turning due to their injuries. I told her that I had a decent idea of what was going on. She wanted me to share with others of the Circle of Nine to help with a knowledge war of sorts. I walked with her into a tent with over a dozen people all talking about plans to get to hill of tears to help with the ritual and recovering the stone. They all watched me as I explained that I was able to “cure” Leo with Remove Curse. Skrel mentioned about the thorns wiggling out and I said it was too bad they lost their shape, they would have been excellent for fishing hooks. Mostly it came to that the warrior’s message made the brambled ones and full conversions were being done to the Deep Lords. I went into the intricacies of the curses as I have come to know. Most of them just stared blankly and the Lady of Nine just listened... But they seemed to understand the main points. Eval mentioned that the incubation for the brabled ones to be about 12 hours, but some of them said it was only a few minutes. At mention of the need for blood of an outsider Eval told of a portal to the shadow plane in Leshraka and that it might be open. I will have to talk to Eval later about the other Dangers of the forest. The Lady of Nine was really sure that it wasn’t and she could take us there now to confirm calling it the “Well of Shadows”. Apparently the area was damaged in recent times, and the five forest fathers sealed the portal. The portal must be asked to open in Aklo, an ancient dark fey language. One of the five ents got converted. The magics can be harsh for those that use them in our plain referring to using magic with the shadow plain or something.
At that I mentioned the Azure Spider Silk also uses blood of an outsider. The Lady of Nine knows it as Dust of Lost Souls. Kniana said her contact has crystalline scales from their use and that it causes deformities. I tell them my knowledge with the fineness of the refinement and understanding. Someone mentioned that it might be connected to the Glyphkins, makes sense to me after reading some of their locked away books in Naan dealing with other planer things and keeping them here. The Lady of the Nine said that the soul pits had been opened because of the large amount of blood being used with well, everything. The whole thing somehow being related to the book in Naan, the alchemists’ guide to the abyss. It apparently is the Taltharian accounts of their experience in the abyssal plane. They said that the abyss would bring only destruction and the messengers are after it.[the abyss] The Glyphkin banned the book years ago.
The conversation turned back to RRRoshin and why he has sent us after the Ruby clan’s necklace. Eval questioned why, was he trying to stop the ritual? Does he know something? Is he a turncoat? Kniana also questioned his motives. I reminded them that he did defend the book at the time. Eval thinks he might be a third party and questioned if the letter was really his again. Does RRRoshin have another plan? The lady told us that the Circle of Nine isn’t responsible for the ritual, just the forest. After so much time the fairy king is angry and wants to be freed. The ritual can stop him from entering this realm but it takes four hours. At the time they were waiting for their scouts to get back before departing to the ritual site. After all this chat we realized our group was still in the middle of this counsel and we took our leave to try to better plan OUR moves.
 
Once we were our more on our own, Kniana took off to her tent. From my understanding she had a lot to think about with the whole spirit thing she does. Eval and I get into a discussion about how to proceed. I wanted to take the bank ring from Brentwood to send Lilly and Skrel to Morkai to seek RRRoshin and get an idea of what was going on with him. If they needed to they could steal the last necklace from him and we’d each take borrow the bank rings to give them a fast track back. Eval wanted to go to the ritual site saying my plan was too risky. Well, I mean yes to go back to Brentwood would have significant risk, but without the fourth necklace we would be twiddling our thumbs. That combined with the fact that he thought that RRRoshin was against this whole thing… I mean I really don’t wanna be in any more danger than I have to, I shouldn’t even have to be in an encampment like this… To be stuck at the site with three of the four pieces required to seal or BREAK the barrier. All they would have to do is get the best of us there and everyone gets brambled. There was also the issue of getting the stone back before we could do anything. We argued for a decent amount of time before a mudenal interrupted us.
He seemed very nervous, but he pulled out a wallet of certifications of which some he wrote himself… One of the real looking metals on the end was from the Glyphkin. He had been writing down our…discussion. He told us that he was a runemaster from the Glyphkin Lords and he was offering his services to make us teleportation rune magic…for 50gp for the group…They asked me if it was a deal. It was very much one, but it was majorly suspicious due to the nature of the magic. He offers if we wanted to have him help us with my plan. I decline due to needing to stay with my cart. In reality I really don’t want to go to danger. He handed us a contract to sign for his services. Skrel and I both read through it. It was a nondisclosure and no royalties agreement about a book to be written involving us. He said that it was either the contract and the 50 or the full price of the 750gp PER PERSON to go to Brentwood.
Now I appreciate the hustle as much as the next businessman, but damn. We didn’t like the first iteration of the contract so he started walking away, but Lilly said she was interested in royalties. This got his attention again and started to walk and write with a floating pen of sorts. My guess, animated. He talked with Skrel about his interactions with the Glyphkin? Skrel didn’t want to divulge. The muldenal had been collecting stories and knows more than he should judging by Skrelindar’s reaction… Something about seeing him using spells at some secret something… Shrel quickly works out a deal of 12% royalties with minimum 2% or even divide distributed each in party. Surprisingly, I find out that shady Skrel is a Glyphkin. I need to pick his brain about their whole knowledge thing goin on. I asked about his interpretation of the Coppertails and the Snaggletooth brotherhood and my representation being in good light. He says that I’m a hero in his eyes. As it should be, should make great publicity for the warren and clan. He says his name is Tel and wrote us a coupon for his services after Lilly, Skrel, and I sign the new contract. He says he’ll be hanging near the forges.
Back with our group, we talk briefly that Skrel sheds too much before back at the plan. Eval fights me at every step even with Skrel and Lilly on my side. Eventually he convinced Skrel of there being too much risk. Can’t really blame him, but I think there’s more risk with us sitting at the ritual sight like I wrote before. A large earth elemental walked past us to repair one of the walls that cracked while we were talking.
We ultimately had to stop our conversation when a bunch of people rushed past us to a tent. An injured elf and halfling with thorn sticking into them were lying out on a table. “The other three didn’t make it. They number in the thousands on the other side of the bridge and are planning an invasion.” These were the scouts saying that there was an army waiting in the other realm…