Session 13 - "I'm Bugging Out"

General Summary

Last time, on Strength of Thousands…The Anteater Cohort faced the final challenge of the Starday Tournament and reigned victorious! After a quick victory lap, the rest of the matches finished, and none did as good as they did—earning them a coveted treasure from Tian Xia. Back at the Spire Dorm, Nymeria and Esi commiserated Esi’s miserable luck (and affirmed that they are just sisters Haibram assured Adira that she belongs at the Magaambya; Rubina and Mariama developed a secret code using Tremorsign; and some scenes were put aside for Orvin til later. Eshe finally met the man that has been haunting them since their first day at the Magaambya: a psychopomp named Kalysthyrus, sent by Mrtyu. Kalysthyrus had been the one to meet Eshe’s previous incarnations, the duo of Lyrissa and Eris, previous members of Ot’s Ocelot Cohort who died. According to Kalysthyrus, they were able to fight off a terrible, soul-rending disease, but fell prey to it themselves before their deaths. Souls ruined, they would not be able to move on to their afterlife—so instead, they were given a second chance, melded together into one body. That Eshe has arrived at the Magaambya is something Kalysthyrus believed inevitable, as both of their incarnations truly loved the place. With a standing offer to return Eshe to the Boneyard if life becomes too much, Kalysthyrus faded, unable to speak to Eshe again until next Longnight…Shadows move on the empty morning Magaambyan grounds. Kurshkin has returned. The Ghost plans to turn the college into a graveyard. Only time will tell if this horrible future will come to pass.

Orvin returning from his foray into the night connects with Nymeria and expresses his concern that he may not be as good a teacher on how to connect with other people. Nymeria and Orvin take turns sharing their concerns in being both teachers and students to others. Nymeria explaining how she is wanting to not hide their blooming as much anymore and to be more open to expressing and being honest with their friends. Orvin expresses that he feels he is making poorly on a promise made to always be a beacon and support to others. Nymeria taking time to explain that this must be a heavy burden and that he does not need to do this alone if he does not want to. Orvin explains that he would be willing to try to be more open with Nymeria, if she can keep this part of him more of a secret. Orvin then expressing that he has not talked to anyone like this in quite some time, and thanks Nymeria for them holding the space for him.

We flash to Ulawa's office where the party is knocking on the door to get the Teacher's attention. Ulawa welcoming the party in and immediately scanning for Eshe's beetles. Ulawa's expression has a bit of a shudder when she realizes that the rest of the party is in tow. Many terrariums line the shelves and are in various forms of hosting insect life. Eshe having brought one of their caterpillars in a paper lantern as well.

Adira speaking up to call for the need for some questions to be answered. Eshe starting to ask abot Ulawa's works as the teacher leans into an underground wasp that only traverses in the darklands. Eshe quickly turns the attention to Ulawa's work that Rubina has been learning about. Rubina becoming more nervous and hesitant. Eshe names the Vessicant Egg, and Ulawa jumps to say that this is an advanced topic for initiates to be looking into it. rubina comes clean to say that she had a dream about the artifact, and asks what Ulawa knows. Ulawa beggins to give the general information we have learned on where the artifact had been kept previously. Being described as an artifact of immense power, and reports that by the time she arrived at the group the artifact had been lost. This artifact might containing a freggmant of the dreggon god Tahat. Only until the artifact was lost did the sect begin to implore researchers to try and learn and track as much as they can. Ulawa believeing that an army of great power could be risen with this artifact. Ulawa believing that the artifact is more interesting due to the folk tales rather than the actual use of this item. Eshe noting that their scarabs do not respond to the call of the artifact.

Ulawa taking time to go into major detail on some insects movement being the cause for issues at the Magaambya, Orvin notices that Ulawa is looking nervous the more she talks. Orvin asking why Ulawa is looking nervous, and Ulawa turns the conversation back onto Orvin by asking if he is questioning the skills of the leaders at the Magaambya. Adira pushes back on this statement, and Ulawa admits that what she has is only a theory. Ulawa proceeds to ask the party to look into the lack of centipede population boost that the campus is more used to. The party asks for payment of some type, and Ulawa makes a jab at the party being so poor and not receiving the stipend, but wait actually they did. Orvin explains what they had been used to with teacher Ot, and apologizes that he hadn't realized that some departments in the Magaambya are not as well funded. Teacher ulawa gives us the information on where to go for this job and the pointed expert on this topic was ANCHOR ROOT!!!!!!!!!

Adira takes time to ask Ulawa about the ocelot cohort (with her parents) and what Ulawa might have known about the goings on. Ulawa explaining that she has such a great memory but that she does not know much about the "murderous one", Adira's dad was "not nice words", Adira's mom was "overbearing", and Teacher Ot was "Ot". Nymeria can tell that Ulawa is putting a little bit more kindness about Adira's mom than how Ulawa really feels. Ulawa saying that Teacher Ot just needs time to work through his current concerns, and that she will let us know if there is anything else that the party can do to help teacher Ot.

Eshe staying behind to ask Ulawa about the caterpillars that she has been keeping. Ulawa explaining that she is hopeful that the caterpillars will turn into a riding moth. Ulawa wishing to study the creature to see what it will do in the Magaambya. these insects live exclusively in the deep underground. Hoping to learn how the insect will react to the moon for the first time. Eshe expressing their concerns for caring for the little silk worms, and receives many tips on how to care for the insects. Ulawa also explaining that this is technically demerit worthy, but that she will not say anything. Conversation switches to Eshe's beetles, and Eshe explains that the scarabs have been the same throughout Eshe's life. Ulawa explaining that she will care for the scarab as she would a glass sculpture. Eshe having a moment with their scarab telling it to be good, and to be a good subject and to not bite. The scarab immediately bites Ulawa. Eshe proceeds to take their leave. Eshe asking Ulawa about the other two from her cohort, and Ulawa responds that they were her friends.

The party takes time to discuss the prospects of learning more about something that Ulawa does not know. Rubina being asked about the dream with the artifact, says that she is not ready to discuss this right now. and the party is on their way to the Expert ANCHOR ROOT

The party enters Anchor Root's room to find her jamming out to her music, before having a near anxiety attack with being noticed. The party asks her about what she knows about the centipedes. Anchor root explains that she has been making centipede antivenom and giving it to others so that they will not be paralyzed and die in their sleep if they had gotten bitten. Anchor Root offers to give the party some antivenom for the centipedes as well as jars. Anchor Root explaining that the critters would likely be found somewhere cold and dark and wet during the dry season. TO THE SEWERS!!! the party is given cherry vermouth and medicine the party heads out accompanied by the jars and bottles to collect the centipede samples! Anchor Root PROMISING to use the gifted drum sticks.

the party makes their way to the evergreen for the first search! Upon arrival the party is greeted by several leshis with very human like faces, but are otherwise take on features of various plants. Immediately abandoned by Nymeria as she goes to hang out with the Leshis. Thema (the attendant in charge of the leshi's care) waves Nymeria in and seems open to the party coming in for their job. Adira introduces herself to Thema as a fellow Rain Scribe. Thema explaining that the beetles bothering the nursery have been eating Mafika's wooden constructs from the tournament. Thema asking the party for their help a she is concerned for the safety of the magical plants within the greenhouse. Thema calls over her friend SHADES-IN-AUTUMN the cutest of little guys who leads us to the constructs. Many of which have been chewed up and fuzzy. It seems that the digging is occurring in strange shapes as well as a group of the centipedes being looked for. Rubina is able to successfully see that the patterns seem purposeful, and she is able to notice that the patterns are part of a larger pattern of a rune of conjuration onto the constructs. Beetles in fact do not do this. Rubina calling the party's focus back to the constructs. Eshe attempts to look closer at the markings on the constructs and checking out the beetles themselves a bit more too. Learning that they are tinagshun long horn beetles. they are very slow but sensitive to the environment. they are able to extend legs and walk around to relocate. Eshe exhales a breath onto one of the beetles to see its slow escape. shades says that the bugs must have came from the constructs being brought over. Orvin takes a quick sketch of the rune, and the party is able to easily pick up the critter for a good sample to Ulawa. Adira after some prompting uses magic to check out the beetles and finds that they are non magical beetles. Eshe finding no magic presence on the beetles either. It is learned that one of the things that ulawa said is command all sorts of creatures that crawl or live on the ground. Potentially leaning back into the vessicant egg theory. the beetles seemingly traveling on the carved out rune portions like a highway. Rubina carves out a portion of the rune out, and the beetles immediately spread all over the construct to feed normally. thema approaches with a treated soil to keep the insects at bay. Adira connects with Thema on potentially visiting the carnivorous garden for a cool horse eating plant. While Leaving Rubina asks Orvin if she had helped the nursery, ad he confirms that she did good and likely bought the residents some much needed time.

The party makes their way to the dinning hall!! Upon arrival the party finds a group of individuals handing out fruit in front of the dining hall with Esi telling the party that the kitchen is closed today. Lomousey the kitchen master found that all of the food that had been prepared is filled with mites. Seemingly that every mite in the Magaambya had been drawn to the kitchen. The party takes time to help clean the foods available for the students, and then enter the space to get into the thick of it. Upon arrival the party finds out that Ignaci is nowhere to be seen. After a moment he calls out warnings to the party about the dangerous centipedes having appeared. The party began to rush to Ignaci's side when two hordes of Centipedes appearing from out of the cookware.

Centipedes slain…and almost Laura…the party is victorious! Ignaci is safe and he offers to help the party look at where the centipedes had entered from. Seeing a big crack in one of the bricks in the part of the kitchen meant to catch stuff from the cooking fires. Centipedes coming through. The party explains to Ignaci and Esi what has happened, and walking through concerns on what the presence of these insects on campus means after Ulawa apparently had been bragging about how she was successful in removing bugs from campus. But hey, the bugs are still there so what the hell? The party accidentally making the mess a bit worse in the kitchen after the fight, but Ignaci still thankful will reward us upon the party's arrival back at the dorm.

Report Date

11 Jan 2025