Session 21
In the aftermath of their battle against Lord Windgrace, in the lecture theatre beneath the university's main building, our heroes took a moment to catch their breath. With their jobs complete, they began to make their return to the Bunn Inn. Their limbs ached as the clouds overheard began to part, allowing streams of sunlight to bring light to their environment.
Kalydin decided that his first port of call was to have a hot bath and to have many cold beers. Going so far as to bribe the bartender to get drinks brought into the bath house. Sam Calas and Oryim elected to sit in the sauna passing Oryim's flask of liquer back and forth. Liaden O'Legal, being more practical, decided that she would rather try and sleep; spending the rest of the day dozing on and off.
As the day turned to night, our heroes reconvened in the bar. Tired but slowly being healed by Sam, they were approached by a familiar man: Francis, the guard that had helped them. He offered to buy them drinks, and told them that there was going to be a memoril service the next day. He would recieve a promotion, but only because his comanding officer was killed in action. Feeling the somberness of the moment, the party offered their condolences as they toasted to the lives of those who were lost.
The dawn broke on the next day, our heroes taking their much needed rest. They attended the memorial service, where they watched the acting Watch Captain promote Francis and others to the rank of Watch Officer. After the promotions a priest of Death stepped forward to offer a prayer that would help guide the spirits down the river to Justice and Judgement. The newly appointed watch officers acted as pallbearers for the coffins of the fallen. Our heroes watched on in silence as the procession made their way to the cemetary, guided by the priest.
Later on, Kalydin sought out Francis. When the two came face to face; Kalydin offered his condolences again and asked in Francis was okay. He said that the ordeal had been pretty hard on him, but that he was doing fine. In fact, he asked Kalydin what he was doing that evening, and whether or not he'd like to have dinner. Kalydin, excitedly, accepted with Francis declaring "It's a date." Suddenly, the pressure was on once more. But it was more serious than life or death. Kalydin had to decide what to wear.
After much deliberation, Kalydin narrowed down his options and found something that was comfortable. Francis arrived at the Inn to escort Kalydin to their destination. Nerves were running high, but the tension was broken when Francis took Kalydin by the hand. With hands intwined, the two walked on together before arriving at a restaurant. Not a fancy restaurant, but a small, rustic and homely place with live musicians and quaint lighting. Fracis explained that he used to come here with his family a lot as a kid.
The evening went on, with the two of them growing closer. Though the mood did shift when Kalydin mentioned that he would be leaving. With a forlorn look, Francis accepted that their relationship may not go much further and resolved to do what he could to make this evening worth it for both of them. However fleeting their relationship may be, they would make it worth remembering.
After spending the night at Francis' place, Kalydin said his good-bye. As he stepped one foot out of the door, Francis called out to him; pleading that he come back safe. Kalydin turned and promised then and there, that he would. As Kalydin made his way back to his companions; Seraph chimed in saying "He seems nice."
Setting out on the road again, our heroes had a path ahead of them. Oryim needed to collect The Mistress of Fatoris's egg, and Kalydin needed to find the chapel of The Hermit. So they travelled south. The walked for a day before arriving at the chapel in the middle of nowhere. A statue of an old man holding a lantern stood out the front. Moss slowly creeping up the man's legs. Approaching the closed doors, the party knocked and waited for an answer. A bald man with gaunt features and a long wispy beard answered, asking if he could help them.
Explaining their plight, the party were ushered inside, where they were greeted with a small, dilapidated chapel covered in dust. Dust that none of them seemed to be able to disturb. The strange man, a priest of The Hermit, told them that he would help if they would only give his master a secret to keep. Frustrated with the priest's cryptic and slow way of speaking. They gleaned that a secret would be taken from their minds and kept here in this chapel. They would forget but Kalydin's memories would be unlocked.
The Hermit asked for just one secret; a memory for a memory. The party deliberated amongst themselves before realising that, if they shared their potential secret, they would be a secret no more. As they chatted, the priest drew sigils in the ground, cutting through the dust now with his foot and staff. He suggested that our heroes get their pillows, as they would soon enter a deep sleep. Confused, as they thought only Kalydin would need to have his memories unlocked, the priest explained that an external entity was sealing them, and that more people would be needed to remove the chains.
Grabbing their bedrolls from their packs, the party laid them out on the floor sigils. The priest passed out glasses with a musty liquid in them and instructed the party to drink. He warned them now that, should they die in the dream, their mind could become "addled" and he would not recommend it. Having just finished their drinks, Liaden only then thought to ask the priest's name. As he was about to answer, Liaden felt her eyes become heavy and the world become hazy. Our heroes had found themselves asleep, or maybe it would be more correct to say that sleep had found them.
Kalydin decided that his first port of call was to have a hot bath and to have many cold beers. Going so far as to bribe the bartender to get drinks brought into the bath house. Sam Calas and Oryim elected to sit in the sauna passing Oryim's flask of liquer back and forth. Liaden O'Legal, being more practical, decided that she would rather try and sleep; spending the rest of the day dozing on and off.
As the day turned to night, our heroes reconvened in the bar. Tired but slowly being healed by Sam, they were approached by a familiar man: Francis, the guard that had helped them. He offered to buy them drinks, and told them that there was going to be a memoril service the next day. He would recieve a promotion, but only because his comanding officer was killed in action. Feeling the somberness of the moment, the party offered their condolences as they toasted to the lives of those who were lost.
The dawn broke on the next day, our heroes taking their much needed rest. They attended the memorial service, where they watched the acting Watch Captain promote Francis and others to the rank of Watch Officer. After the promotions a priest of Death stepped forward to offer a prayer that would help guide the spirits down the river to Justice and Judgement. The newly appointed watch officers acted as pallbearers for the coffins of the fallen. Our heroes watched on in silence as the procession made their way to the cemetary, guided by the priest.
Later on, Kalydin sought out Francis. When the two came face to face; Kalydin offered his condolences again and asked in Francis was okay. He said that the ordeal had been pretty hard on him, but that he was doing fine. In fact, he asked Kalydin what he was doing that evening, and whether or not he'd like to have dinner. Kalydin, excitedly, accepted with Francis declaring "It's a date." Suddenly, the pressure was on once more. But it was more serious than life or death. Kalydin had to decide what to wear.
After much deliberation, Kalydin narrowed down his options and found something that was comfortable. Francis arrived at the Inn to escort Kalydin to their destination. Nerves were running high, but the tension was broken when Francis took Kalydin by the hand. With hands intwined, the two walked on together before arriving at a restaurant. Not a fancy restaurant, but a small, rustic and homely place with live musicians and quaint lighting. Fracis explained that he used to come here with his family a lot as a kid.
The evening went on, with the two of them growing closer. Though the mood did shift when Kalydin mentioned that he would be leaving. With a forlorn look, Francis accepted that their relationship may not go much further and resolved to do what he could to make this evening worth it for both of them. However fleeting their relationship may be, they would make it worth remembering.
After spending the night at Francis' place, Kalydin said his good-bye. As he stepped one foot out of the door, Francis called out to him; pleading that he come back safe. Kalydin turned and promised then and there, that he would. As Kalydin made his way back to his companions; Seraph chimed in saying "He seems nice."
Setting out on the road again, our heroes had a path ahead of them. Oryim needed to collect The Mistress of Fatoris's egg, and Kalydin needed to find the chapel of The Hermit. So they travelled south. The walked for a day before arriving at the chapel in the middle of nowhere. A statue of an old man holding a lantern stood out the front. Moss slowly creeping up the man's legs. Approaching the closed doors, the party knocked and waited for an answer. A bald man with gaunt features and a long wispy beard answered, asking if he could help them.
Explaining their plight, the party were ushered inside, where they were greeted with a small, dilapidated chapel covered in dust. Dust that none of them seemed to be able to disturb. The strange man, a priest of The Hermit, told them that he would help if they would only give his master a secret to keep. Frustrated with the priest's cryptic and slow way of speaking. They gleaned that a secret would be taken from their minds and kept here in this chapel. They would forget but Kalydin's memories would be unlocked.
The Hermit asked for just one secret; a memory for a memory. The party deliberated amongst themselves before realising that, if they shared their potential secret, they would be a secret no more. As they chatted, the priest drew sigils in the ground, cutting through the dust now with his foot and staff. He suggested that our heroes get their pillows, as they would soon enter a deep sleep. Confused, as they thought only Kalydin would need to have his memories unlocked, the priest explained that an external entity was sealing them, and that more people would be needed to remove the chains.
Grabbing their bedrolls from their packs, the party laid them out on the floor sigils. The priest passed out glasses with a musty liquid in them and instructed the party to drink. He warned them now that, should they die in the dream, their mind could become "addled" and he would not recommend it. Having just finished their drinks, Liaden only then thought to ask the priest's name. As he was about to answer, Liaden felt her eyes become heavy and the world become hazy. Our heroes had found themselves asleep, or maybe it would be more correct to say that sleep had found them.
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