Session 054: Back to Reality Report in Four Kingdoms | World Anvil
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Session 054: Back to Reality

General Summary

We open upon a ship no longer quite so lost in the void as our heroes finish up a rest. Zenith and Verity spend it curled up together in a hammock tucked below deck.   North Wind reconvenes with The Empress, Temperance, and Alextra (though not Alban) to discuss next steps. Talasea asks about the Empress' hiding place and the guardian that keeps watch. The Empress says only that it's from a past life and that they'll see why it's hard to describe. The key is a phrase: "the sun sets not on the empire."   Jack spends a moment contemplating the meaning of empire, a concept of laurel wreaths and expansion beyond what the Four Kingdoms could imagine.   The Empress marks a spot on her map, half a day's sail northwest of Covalac, and notes that from a distance it looks like it's just a small collection of rocks. They're going to want a smaller vessel to approach it safely.   Talasea asks how Alo Thonemany came to work on the ship. The Empress, eyebrow raised, says that they were docked at Halitara and needed a deckhand and Alo was there.   Tal: The Thonemanys have a lot of influence...
Empress: Yeah, but Alo isn't really connected.
Tal: Oh, why??
Empress: Dunno gonna have to ask Alo.
Tal: INSIGHT CHECK ok nvr mind.
Empress: any other random questions or...
Aphid: what's happening??
Empress: asking questions about personal life of a crew member it seems.
  The Empress asks what is next for the group. Tal summarizes the plan: say goodbye to every single person on the ship, show you the dragon I can summon, eventually go back and meet up with Swallow and catch a ride to Winter, then get diamonds and go to volokin and get the gate   Jack: Also stop in at Aphid's.
Aphid: yeah that, btw the way do you have any food growing I could help with?
Empress: I mean prior to the last 24 hours we were fighting for our lives against a storm full time, so no.
  The group spends some time discussing the possibility of growing food for the ship, but ultimately determine that the resources and water supplies the ship has are simply too wacky to manage it. The Empress claims they'll figure it out and the crew won't sit idle even though they now don't have to actively sail the ship.   Next, they discuss who will be tagging along on the Plane Shift back home. The question of Alextra is debated, but she is uncertain of what she wants, whether it would be better to go to a reality with which she isn't familiar, or to stay on a ship where the resource situation is precarious but she may technically be closer to home.   The matter is put on pause while they discuss how they decide who else gets to go. They decide to go talk to Rose Thonemany and determine if she wants to go back with them.   On the way, Talasea speaks to Temperance.   Tal: BTW, I don't think you ever actually told me how you got into stars? I'm nosey because I love you; it's my love language.
Temperance: It's not that I want to lie to you, it's just that telling you a different, more interesting story worked for so long and now you're too good at following up on the original question.
Tal: I will ask you every single night if I have to.
Temperance: then I will tell you the story every single night. Twenty-five words at a time. Have to keep you calling home somehow.
  After speaking with Alextra, the Empress announces that she has decided to stay on the ship.   They speak to Rose Thonemany.   Rose: Home, pls.
Aphid: Maybe the Empress decides how we choose who else gets to go.
Empress: Fight to the death.v Aphid: Um.
Em: No?
Aphid: Just don't ask them, maybe.
Empress: Okay.
Empress: immediately turns and asks the crew who wants to go.
Empress: Nose goes.
Empress: Ope, last to touch nose goes, congratulations.
  Valentine Molyngton, about to become a fan favorite: Oh, shucks.   And then all that's left is goodbye   But first:
Tal: Okay, but what's the deal, Alo?
Alo: I mean... Not a big thing, I just didn't agree with my family's plan to take over the Summer Kingdom.
  ...   Tal: Okay, bye everybody.   Talasea takes some time to say goodbye to everyone on the ship. From the folks he barely knows the names of to the most important of them all.   Temperance stands at the bow of the ship as Talasea finally steps up to them. Talasea begins to try to speak, but Temperance sweeps them up into the biggest, warmest hug they can muster.   "You are the brightest star in my sky, Talas," Temperance whispers. "I know you have everything you need with you and I am only a call away."   "I'll call you every night," Talasea promises.   "Of course," Temperance says. "I have a story to tell."   "And another one after that," Talasea says.   And then, they are gone.   A gentle breeze greets them as they burst into the sunshine and earth of their reality. Verity immediately collapses to the ground.   "Hello grass, hello dirt. Nothing is going to eat me, oh I'm so happy to see you," they say, rolling in the plants that surround the amphitheater of the Elders of the Verdant Quarter.   The group asks a convenient nearby gardener what day it is. They learn that is the 16th of the Night.   Nine days after they departed.   Jack immediately Sends to Thomas to apologize and reassure him that they're safe. Thomas replies swiftly: all good, thought you were caught or something so good that you're not, Abby thought someone was following her but we're all good I think?   Jack: Okay guys, we're going to Summer, someone was following my niece.
Aphid: We're wanted for murder in Summer, that's a bad idea.
Rose: Um.
Aphid: We didn't kill who they said we killed though, it's fine.
Jack: Also you owe us your life now.v Rose: Uuuuuh okay cool, y'all should take care of that, thanks for the ride, I'm gonna make my way home. Um. Where are we?
Aphid: In the Verdant Quarter.
Valentine: That's crazy.
  Valentine offers to travel with Rose towards the Summer Kingdom. He says that he's going to go stay with his folks (who live in a Springish town, it's a whole thing) for a while; he may head back to the coast and get on another ship at some point, but plans to be not on a ship for a bit. Rose and Valentine go with Tal to get supplies from the Verdant Quarter for the trip. Tal inquires into getting supplies for a teleportation circle spell, but doesn't have enough street cred to get them for free. He would need to do some work for them, or get them half cost. Tal decides to just purchase them.   Aphid goes to talk to Matthias and Mathilda, and materializes a tupperware of casserole out of nowhere completely inexplicably. Matthias and Mathilda, being plant dinosaurs from ages long past who only eat plants, don't seem super enthused but appreciate the gesture.   Aphid: Where did the prophecy come from?
Matthias: Which one? There have been many attempts to know the future.
Aphid: The prophecy of Awakening, which I know totally off of the top of my head and not from someone else's notes.
Matty: It was carved upon stone by the Dragon of Time, Ishkael, the One Who Steps on Giants, Chewer of Clouds, Everrskaervaron, Chaerdred-
Aphid: What's up with the addition to the prophecy?
Matty: Right, one to stand for evil to hold fast the balance of strife, one to stand for good to hold fast the balance of strife.
Aphid: Is it also carved in stone?
Matty: No, but it was also foretold by Ishkael, Dragon of Time, Everrchaerndred, Ies...bah, the One Who Climbs Mountains, the Timekeeper-
Aphid: Is the stone still around?
Matty: Yes, many people visit it in Vivaria, aren't you like from there?
Aphid: Didn't leave home a lot.
Matty: I feel that, home is good, butter lettuce is good.
  With that, the group sets out towards Vivaria and Aphid's home, a day's walk away.   On the journey, Zenith asks Verity about his experiences. Verity demurs, saying there isn't much of a narrative to make out of being either bored out of his mind or scared for his life. He asks instead to hear about the rest of the North Wind's adventures. Everyone also introduces themselves and it's so fantastic, amazing, funniest we've ever been.   Aphid talks a bit about his grandmother and his home, describing her as sweet and nice but also strong and smart. She's his role model but also he doesn't know if he can say no to her without the others with him.   Tal touches base with Mohr.   Tal: How ya doin' Mohr?
Mohr: Fine, how about you?
Tal: Sad :( because I had to leave my family but also feeling better because I got to see them but also I don't get to cuddle with them anymore.
Mohr: I'll cuddle with you!
Tal: Thank you! But anyways just wanted to check in with you, see how you're doing.
Mohr: Yeah, I'm fine.
  ...   Verity: Hi, just gonna pop in here, don't really know what's going on with this dynamic, and I was having a super great conversation with my boyfriend over there, Zenith, you know him? Anyways, couldn't help but notice that Tal was trying to open the door for Mohr to share her like inner life and Mohr kind of deflected it saying she's fine and distracting with cuddles.
Mohr: Wow, thanks for that addition to the conversation.
Tal: That helps a lot honestly, wasn't sure if I should-
Mohr: Yep, so great to have you in the group.
Aphid: Ah.
Mohr: No, I'm just kidding I like you.
Verity: Okay, great, was lowkey worried I was just showing up in Zenith's friend group and immediately wrecking the vibes.
Aphid: Yeah, we spent this whole time trying to like rescue you so.
Verity: And by the way? Thank you for that, appreciate it. Anyways, just wanted to put that out there okay bye.
  Jack and Aphid also have a chat.   Jack: Listen, I will fight your grandma if I need to.
Aphid: New ground rule, nobody fight my grandma. She's not mean, I'm just bitter because of being pushed into this role.
Jack: We'll do whatever you want to do, bud.
Aphid: First, we'll try and skirt around grandmother and go see Mosi, think y'all will get along with them.
Verity, whispering to Zenith: do you think I should give them my speech about how a person can not be at fault for a system that is corrupt but still take responsibility for upholding a system that hurts people? Or should I wait until I know them a bit better?
Zenith: Go for it, a fun getting to know you speech. Also, unsolicited advice is appreciated here.
Verity: Oh, good I'm great at that, HEY APHID. So last time someone tried to force me into a position, I said fuck off and ran away and never talked to them again. So It's on her to unlearn the toxic behaviors of her past and not put it on the future.
Aphid: So that's a lot to unpack.
Verity: Unlearning generational trauma always is.
Aphid: I feel like one of my siblings said something like that. I have a lot. I haven't met all of them. There're more than ten. I know about all of them, they write home. But they haven't all made it home.
Verity: Okay, I've done my thing, okay bye.   The travel winds towards evening. They make camp when night falls.   Tal Sends to Temperance.   Temperance: I have waited a long time to tell you the story of how I learned the stars. Because it hurts. But also, I feared you'd look at me differently.   Tal casts again.
Tal: I HAVE LIKE SIX MORE SPELL SLOTS I could cast it again! Do you want me to space it out?? I'm sorry you were hurt I love you still forever!!
Temperance: It's really up to you, I mean, I promised I would tell it to you in 25-word chunks.
  Tal casts again.
Tal: Let's practice patience.
Temperance: I am proud of you my star-child. Talk to you tomorrow. Love you. Stay safe.
  Tal goes to sleep beside Mohr, cuddling in beside her.   Tal whispers, "No but really are you okay?   Mohr sighs. "Why don't you just go to sleep?"   Tal whispers, more insistent. "But someone has to take care of you too, Mohr!"   Mohr is quiet. "I'm fine."   Tal reads the silence between Mohr's words, the tension in her strong frame, the way her face tilts away. Mohr isn't fine. Mohr is confused and hurting and she died and yet still lives.   "If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay, but if you do... I'm just worried for you, you know," Tal says.   "No, you don't have to worry, it's okay," Mohr says quickly. "Do... do you know what happened, when I woke up? I think I do but... I've been waiting, but I think I need to have a conversation with him."   "Your brother? Wait... you want to talk to Jack? Why?"   Jack lies nearby, pointedly not listening.   "I think he brought me back," Mohr says. "But I'm not sure how. I saw something in his eyes... I don't know, I need to ask him. I've been waiting for him to bring it up, but I think I was just stalling the conversation."   "I can like walk with Aphid tomorrow and you can end up at the back with Jack?"   "Oh tomorrow? That's so soon. Ah."   "Can't fit that into your busy schedule huh? Damn. Well, somebody absolutely for real once since said don't wait for the right time because every time is a good time potentially."   "Totally," says Mohr.   Nearby, Verity whispers to Zenith.
Verity: Wow, all of you could benefit from some mindhealing, I'm just gonna say it. Like obviously I've got problems, and sorry I'm probably gonna have some nightmares tonight. But like everyone. Sorry what was that Zenith? Aphid was interrupting.
Zenith: We could probably figure out a spell for that eventually.
Verity: Oh my god, I didn't spend years getting you to open up just for you to turn around and be this person.
Aphid: Oh so you're the reason Zenith is the most emotionally open of all of us.
Verity: Aphid, go to sleep.
Tal: Excuse me, I'm definitely the most emotionally available.
Aphid: Fair, Temperance is definitely the reason for that.
Zenith: Maybe just every night we could have a talk session before bed.
Jack: Or we could not do that, not that I've heard any of this because I'm asleep.
Zenith: I'm sure Jack would be totally on board with this were he awake.
Aphid: We've all had a stressful few days-
Verity: Aphid, look in my eyes. I was in that place for so long.
Aphid: Yeah, what I'm saying is it's okay to have nightmares and if you wake us up, we'll just work together to help you calm down.
Verity: Your friends are great Zenith. Real quick though, how are you?
Zenith: Processing, tired, mostly. It kind of doesn't feel real that you're back.
Verity: It doesn't feel real being back. I'm kind of scared to go to sleep because I don't want to wake up and realize I've been dreaming.
Zenith: I don't know how to assure you that this is real... but I promise that I'll be here in the morning and you'll be here in the morning and it will be real for both us.
Aphid: Shit, we need to do watches.
Verity: APHID, WE WERE SO CLOSE TO A NICE MOMENT.
Zenith: I'll take first watch-
Verity: You will take No Watches.
  We shall say nothing of how long it takes our heroes to get to sleep. But eventually, rest is found. Sleep is had. And they are all together when the morning comes.
Report Date
03 Mar 2024
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Cover image: Kingdom Spread by Kethry Tiggs

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