Session 6: "Festival of Kites" Report
General Summary
A bright, beautiful, breezy afternoon found residents and visitors alike flocking to the rooftop thoroughfares of "Old Town" - a crowded but thriving section of Redstone - in order to celebrate the Festival of Kites. An annual festival led by the Air Dedicates of the Living Circle Temple, the crowds were treated to fantastic displays of acrobatics, juggling, fire breathing, and shapeshifting from Dedicates of all four sections of the Living Circle Temple. Peddlers offering a bounty of meats, cheeses, beers, wines, and all sorts of festive treats. Games of skill, chance, and feats of strength were abundant. And, of course, the clear, sunny sky was filled with a dazzling display of the titular kites in every shape, size, and color, all carried aloft in a beautiful dance aided by the divine power of the Air Temple Dedicates.
Five individuals found themselves partaking of everything that the festival had to offer. Whether it was chance, fate, or the intercession of some divine power that brought these five disparate adventures together, it's impossible to say. Nirmala found herself entranced by the musicians and acrobatic feats on display, while Eragon too took an interest in the show. Clementine, used to living or dying by the strength of her arms, was naturally drawn to showing off at the "Strongman Game"... although the show she gave was not the one she intended. Mallorie too, despite her gnomish size and usual preference for dexterity over strength, decided to take up the challenge, and... well... at least the surrounding crowd were highly entertained. Luckily, Mallorie's traveling companion, Valrah, was too busy sampling the treats available to witness Mallorie's embarrassment.
Soon, everyone's attention was drawn as Dedicate Superior Heron, the head of the Air Temple, took the proverbial stage on the Temple rooftop. With Dedicate Superior Heron as the conductor, a glorious spectacle brought the festival to a peak - kites shifted, spun, and danced in the air, bedazzling the spectators with images of gouts of water bursting into colorful bonfires, soaring birds, and massive trees with leaves that burst into fireworks.
Just as the display was coming to a close, the festival-goers gradually became aware of an unexpected addition to the festivities - an invasion of flying fire snakes, swimming through the air rapidly toward Temple from the river to the south. While the people of the temple leapt into action, several shapeshifting into giant eagles, owls, and other creatures to carry their companions into an aerial battle above the city, the crowd found themselves accosted by small, malicious creatures of smoke, steam, and magma empowered by magic.
Panicked, the majority of the crowd quickly fled, residents of Old Town vanishing from the rooftops to into the labyrinthine world of "The Warren" below the rooftop level of the neighborhood, while visitors simply screamed and ran in any direction they could. The five burgeoning adventurers, however, leapt into action. Despite taking heavy blows, burns, and flashes of blindness, the adventurers battled valiantly. With the help of some of the Temple Dedicates, particularly the divine healing of Water Dedicate Magpie, the battle was won; but not before a heavy toll of collateral damage had been levied and nearly half of Old Town was set ablaze.
Dedicate Magpie, with the assistance of the goliath Snowdrop, managed to usher the adventurers into the safety of the Temple walls where they could rest and recover along with the rest of the injured civilians. Settled onto pallets in the Temple courtyard turned emergency field hospital and refugee camp, the adventurers were treated to warm soup and Snowdrop's special healing salve. Questioning Snowdrop, Dedicate Magpie, Snowdrop's gnomish friend Serab, and Fire Dedicate Frederick - who, Snowdrop consolingly told the party doesn't like anyone - yielded very little information about the attack, where it might have come from or who might have been behind it.
The next morning, refreshed and recovered, the party awoke and were just finishing breakfast when one of the Silver Knights - a tiefling named Spinel Ironeyes - rushed into the courtyard. Initially, the frazzled knight demanded news of "Garnet" but was intercepted by Dedicate Superior Heron, who gently but firmly reminded her of her duty. Refocused, Spinel approached the party, recognizing Eragon for his support of Eira Bloodmane during the riot a few weeks prior and the rest for their valiant action against the mephits the day before, and made a request:
During the attack, eight citizens had been picked up and carried away by the fire snakes and the lizard-like humanoids riding them. With fires still raging in Old Town and casualties high, resources and manpower were short and no one could be spared for an immediate rescue mission. No one, except perhaps a small band of adventurers.
Journey to the abandoned lighthouse known as Therari's Watch Tower, rescue the civilians, or at least retrieve their remains for a proper burial, and gather any information they could about the source of the attack. Achieve these things, and the party would be rewarded by the authorities of the city.
The party accepted Spinel's mission, and Dedicate Superior Heron offered assistance in the form of the few remaining health potions from the Temple's stock and a means of getting the rescued civilians back to the city.
Rested, armed, and ready to go, the party set out to venture into the dangerous unknown...
Rewards Granted
Each party member received a safe night of rest and some warm food, as well as some healing salve from the gentle goliath, Snowdrop.
Each party member received a healing potion from Dedicate Superior Heron.
The party was entrusted with two quest items:
- A (almost comically large) metal key to unlock the gate to Therari's Watch Tower
- A summoning stone which, when squeezed to activate it, will alert Dedicate Superior Heron that the party is ready for assistance with transportation back into the city.
Character(s) interacted with
Spinel Ironeyes
Snowdrop
Dedicate Magpie
Dedicate Superior Heron
Snowdrop
Dedicate Magpie
Dedicate Superior Heron
Report Date
11 Jan 2020
Primary Location
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