A.S.S.: Truing Test

General Summary

Wherein the Arbos balance the Wheel

Friends of the Wheel

Brackfeem, a friend of the Arboreal Security Service (see A.S.S.: Plant Logistics and A.S.S.: Backfire) has invited our heroes to be Honored Guests of The Wheel during their Truing. This invitation is kind of a big deal and the Arbos were honored to accept it.
They arrived at the gathering grounds the evening before the Singing, which is the traditional way the Truing ends. Brackfeem greeted them warmly and told them to make themselves at home among the gathering. They did so, and met some interesting characters, including Sotari Astorio--a fellow Honored Guest and bard who has also been dealing with The Displacement, Xanbosso Dil'anthemik--who happens to be Messelum's uncle, and Twin Gate--a former follower of Skeinblind Sarah and Carida, but is now of the Wheel.
The next morning featured friendly contests of all sorts, including a cooking challenge, a contest of strength, and a storytelling competition. The Arbos acquitted themselves well in each one.
All of that was prelude, however, to the true meaning of the day, which was the Singing. All of the Wheel gathered around an inscrutable cavern they called the Hollow. Many of the Wheel pay homage to an entity known as The Strawtoothed Man, whose power it is said is both ancient and unknown, but present throughout the cycle of life. Some of the Wheel sing for him.
What usually reinforces the fellowship and connection of all who follow the Wheel, however, was corrupted, as the power latent within the Singing somehow caused malformed horrors to emerge from the Hollow and attack. The Arbos, aided by Brackfeem, leapt into action to defend the Wheel.
After that battle concluded, it was clear that someone was wrong in the Hollow. And the only way to figure out what exactly is going on is to descend into it.

Down the Hollow

So our heroes did just that. It became clear what was happening as they took note of the cavern walls. The wards--sigils to safekeep the path between this world and the next--have been forcibly removed, and the telltale work of Sparksail Enterprises was evident. The removal of these sigils, combined with the magic of the Singing, caused creatures to warp and twist, to manifest into twisted mockeries of the cycle.
They had to fight through several of these creatures to reach the "doorway" from which these malevolent forces crawled through. There, they fought a horror from the half-world--a true distortion of The Strawtoothed Man's domain. They vanquished said horror and were greeted by a vision of The Strawtoothed Man who advised Brackfeem that it was time to "close the door." Brackfeem agreed, knowing that this ritual to close the path between worlds would cost him his life on this plane, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.
As he prepared to make himself a living sigil, barring the doorway between worlds, he asked the Arbos to do two things: 1) seek out his son, Zizzelsted, and advise him to take up the mantle of steward of the Swallows. Catarina will know how to find him; and 2) take the fight directly to Sparksail Enterprises. Their interference in the cycle can no longer be tolerated. Our heroes agreed and bid their friend farewell.
Then, they returned to the surface and joined the festivities, made safe once again through their efforts and through Brackfeem's sacrifice.

And That's Where We Left It

We'll discover the ways in which eco-justice is deployed as the annals of A.S.S. continue

Varied & Sundry Details

• The Arbos flew to the location of the Truing on a giant eagle named Lenny Jr.
• Lenny lifted the 6th stone in the strength contest and it remained there, as testament to her power.
• Aletide got pretty involved in a drinking contest. She ultimately lost, but made a few friends.

Character(s) interacted with

• Brackfeem--steward of Swallows 
• Xanbosso Dil'anthemik--of the Wheel; uncle of Messelum 
• Sotari Astorio--a bard from a distant land; acquainted with Harriet
• Twin Gate--formerly a follower of Carida, now of the Wheel
• The Strawtoothed Man--an ancient power made manifest

Notes

An account of the Singing:
Followers of the Wheel circle around the Hollow, and begin to sing. First one voice, singular, a match struck in the dark. Then, others, building, a chorus rising and growing until the air is saturated with a delicate harmony. What is vocalized is a dialect of druidic that seems insular, arcane, as if the origins of the language are unknown to even the singers themselves. But the tone is clear enough: it is a song of thanks as well as a song of promised stewardship. It is a song to the earth and the sky, the living and the dead, and to the powers that we know, but we have no name for, no language to speak of that mystery. It is a song of inherent power, and that power which usually reinforces the Truing, does something else entirely.

Report Date

25 Jun 2023