Session 56: Got 99 Problems and a Lich is One
General Summary
Armed with a light rock in her pocket, Robyn sneaks down the corridor to see if it's a way out - it's not. The cavern opens into a room where the floor is a writhing mass of thorny vines. Rather than take on another fight, we go back the way we came, taking Endira, Ewa and Rythera with us - the fireball turned out to mirror movement, so walking backwards worked to get it out of our way, though Robyn tripped over the chain on the way out.
The route back to Endira's camp took a lot longer than before, though Robyn was sure they were going the right way. Eventually arrived back, though felt like we'd definitely walked further. Settled down for the night, Penitence took first watch and noticed Rythera's body had vanished. He woke Rel and went to chase the movement he saw only to find Rythera the skeleton walking again. He paralyzed Penny and thanked us for helping him achieve his goal and then (thankfully) buggered off again.
After he left, Saman recalled that had heard of individuals that try and cheat death, and as long as they had phylacteries would live as long as their phylactery. Uses the term lich - and turns out the magical things we had were his phylacteries. Yay.
Overnight party conversations:
Robyn and Liv catch up; Liv talks about her mum being in the ward in Bastion (news to Robyn; she wasn't with the party when that happened), Robyn talks a little about Caine and having lost people close to her before and not being able to recover their bodies; good that they are able to take Ewa back. Liv recalls that the Faithful mourn their dead with a ceremony led by Otho, Daq and Dhaer, and the bodies are interred somewhere.
Saman and Rel; talk plants! Saman explains how seeds work and they discuss where to plant them or where may be good.
In the morning when everyone wakes up, Endira and Penitence have their corrects names back, however Endira doesn't remember Penitence or anything about the Material plane - she says she's been in the Feywild for about 8 or 9 years. Liv and Robyn notice a scar on her head - looks like she may have fallen going down the cliff and hurt herself badly.
Endira leads the way to Lordanas, takes 15 minutes this time, a lot faster than when we left. We cover Ewa before entering the city and head straight to the palace, ask to see the Feyess urgently. An old satyr on the council, Snargletrist, takes us to the throne room. When we show Ewa he demands to know what we did, and then wakes the Feyess from her petal - she's naked and then magics clothes because of course she does.
The Feyess speaks through Snargletrist first, asks to conduct a trial via magic (Zone of Truth spell). She casts the spell and its like a golden dome around us but does not contain us; she then casts a spell to be able to speak to us in Common. She explains she's very saddened; Ewa was more than an aide, a friend of many years. Penitence starts, explaining she was a prisoner and victim of Rythera, and he is not who the Feyess thinks him to be.
She questions Saman next asking what and how we knew about this; Saman explains that Prilan convinced us to look for wrongdoing in Rythera's home. Found evidence of necromancy and the runes causing the corrupted dryads, which we took to Ewa in a hope it would reach you, but apparently not before Rythera sent for her.
We headed towards Eor'danis, picked up a trail to Endira's camp, and followed it to the cave with the magical traps, but not fast enough to reach Ewa in time where she had been tortured in some sort of ritual. Rythera wasn't alone - Makira(sp?) was with him. This made the Feyess pretty angry and she said that she would need to vet her guard more thoroughly.
Penitence continued explaining that we had to rest, and that we had stopped for the night last night. On his watch, Penitence noticed Rythera was missing, and later saw a figure in the trees - Lord Rythera back from the dead. He said that he should thank us, as if it was his plan to be killed and come back as a lich. We didn't realise we had his phylactery - or even that it was a phylactery - with us.
We told her of the altar and the room beyond with the writhing mass of some unknown creature or similar. It seemed we had interrupted a ritual of some kind. The Feyess explained that Zua'gar was an old god, even older than her, and that the Feywild wouldn’t even stand a chance against such power. She believes we've seen some of the devastation gods can cause on our plane - and imagine someone who predates even that Cataclysm. She believes he is spreading a gift of life to those who may not have it, and will grant everlasting life in his arms, but not a pleasant one for those that follow him.
Told her about the Night Mother, drow have stolen the tablet
Now rythera is a powerful follow
Issue that must be dealt with one way or another
Advise not to tangle if we can
Once before she’s dealt with a lich many millenia ago - shows a black patch of skin on her neck to show the scars she’s bears that day
She fought and won but not alone
Feywild has problematic history as does material plane
Snargletrist is very uncomfortable at the mention of Prilan (elandrin)
“Yes I’m aware of what he did to you”
Snargletrist says he’s not respectful to his elders
Feyess says he shaved a symbol in his fur
She will ensure he is thanked for his underhand meddling
Unfinished phylactery
She manifest green wisps around each one
No magical essence in any of them
Though some in the box
She vanishes the boxes and ensures they are disposed of safely
A lich requires a phylactery, if they are killed while they have an active one they’ll be born near it
Extremely powerful magic
Does note xpect us to find his next one
Took a group of fey many years to track down the phylacteries before destroy it
Doesn’t sit well with her that he was by her side for so many years and going against what the city stood for
Told her about Eodanis and regular orders
Wish to show her gratitude for her actions
Reparations were offered if we could solve it
Adequately compensated
Ewa was a friend
Feywild was not always where it was
Hasn’t visited
Broke away from the three cities after the issue with the lich millenia ago
Decided it was a good idea to start afresh
Cut off from the rest of the Feywild - proud to have been part of it and what they have built, mostly lives in harmony
Knows material plane suffered a great cataclysm
Knows she prefers to be in the Feywild than there
Very dangerous
To control things is to control the power
Its why the Feywild is open and doesn’t stop people from entering unless they wish them harm
Offense is always taken, very rarely given
Saman and Feyess talk in private
Thinks she's been here 9-10 years
Sent by Daemon to check for her
Respected loved and needed by many people
Hunt in the forest and live off the land - no need for a job or any responsibility
Saman spoke to Feyess
About the dryad in the petrified forest
If look around, structure was grown by the dryads, not carved or made - part of the trees and the trees, one in the same, don’t take it to heart that a dryad was
Weaponry used only when a tree passes
Dryad rewards them when they are pleased with what is being done
People who live here share those values for the living things
Eordanis and X philosophy’s are different, construction, skilled hands on what can be done with what the forest has given willingly
Puts hand on him where wood is exposed “you are special, touch of arcane that brings life, something else that gives him soul, maybe wood was not given, something in the wood. Don’t let that what you’re made from affect what you are, doesn’t make you any less of of a good person.”
Ewa’s body taken by vines and wrapped, Feyess need to give her the send off she deserves
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