Session 026: Overwhelm
General Summary
We begin with the North Wind returning to the Well of the Wavekeeper, with their companions Konane and Saeng. Also tagging along is Inoke the Tavernkeeper, who they intend to lead to the landmark she seems to have forgotten.
As they arrive at the Well, Inoke asks how much longer ‘til they get to their destination. She doesn’t seem to see the Well or the bodies that lie around it. Trying to bring her over the outer ring of bodies seems to cause her pain. Trying to move one of the outer ring causes Aphid and Zenith pain.
Some thinking (and checks) leads the group to try a Remove Curse spell. As soon as one of the clerics casts the spell, Inoke looks straight at the Well in horror, wondering how she could have possibly forgotten it. Then she looks at the bodies on the ground.
Inoke says that her knowledge of the location of the bodies is enough for now. Saeng announces that they will be returning to assist the town with slow but steady curse removal. Inoke nods and turns to start the long, lonely journey home.
Mohr, with a bit of assistance, manages to move a body from the outer ring. She feels the magic weaken, but not break.
The group approaches the Well. Konane hops down into its center, sliding across the surface of the water. She faces away from the group and for a moment, all is still.
Then droplets begin rising from the water.
They cascade upwards and form a lightly steaming sphere in the air above them as it fights the relentless evaporation of the Summer sun. The water shifts and forms a face, ever changing, that grins down at them and then disappears back into the crashing sphere. Another face forms, stable this time, that has tears running down its cheeks as it looks down on them mournfully. Another face, calm and stern. Another. And then another. On and on, these faces form, looking down upon North Wind with inescapable focus. Then a final face appears from the blue, round cheeks, a gentle smile, cascading hair. For a moment they are in the center of a limitless ocean, this face at its center. Then they are back in the heat and the sand.
The gaze of this face flicks across each member of the party, then settles upon Zenith. They each feel a warmth inside them. Zenith, however, feels a pinpoint of heat, an ember that burns but does not destroy, take hold within his ribcage. Nestled between his sternum and his spine. Then, the face fades once more. And the water begins to rain down, back to the swirling depths of the Well.
Konane stirs from her trance. She clambers out of the Well. She takes Zenith’s hands and tells him that the Summer Goddess didn’t want him to think that Verity had left him. And so made sure that a piece of him made it back. Konane tells him that Summer does not take any who are unwilling, but she could make him shine if he wanted it. She also tells Talasea that the Summer Goddess is looking over his family too.
The group, using Saeng’s magic, returns to Halitara. They make a plan to reconvene in the evening to discuss what they know and what their options are. And then the Winds disperse. And take a bit of time to absorb what they have seen.
Zenith, Jack, and Mohr return to the Arcane Congregation for a bit of distraction and each receive an accessory that will allegedly give them some sort of enhancement. Mohr then joins Aphid for some quiet time at the hotel. Talasea dives off the side of the city, accepting the sharp sting of the water’s surface far below and slipping away to nestle in the river of kelp. Jack goes to find the warlock expert Ikaika Vorachith and has an interesting chat about the merits of communicating with one’s sugar daddy. Ikaika is deeply interested but unsurprised when Jack offers a dragonscale as payment. Zenith returns to Tidehaven a bit early to chat with Konane and have some quiet time. He tells her that he intends to accept the Summer Goddess’s offering and Konane excitedly tells him that She will make clear how to do so in time.
At the end of a very long day, North Wind reconvenes in Konane’s chamber. They discuss what they know, which is so much and yet so little. And they discuss their options, which are so few and yet so overwhelmingly large.
We end our session as a group of dispirited adventurers wander out of the temple of the Wavekeeper, minds spinning and going who knows where…
Rewards Granted
SAFE-T™ Enhancements
- Swerve Ward
- No-Shake Sherry
- Life Alert
Missions/Quests Completed
Bring Konane, the priest of the Wavekeeper, to investigate the Well
Discuss warlocking with Ikaika Vorachith
Report Date
18 Feb 2022
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Characters
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