Session Thirty-Five: Unlikely Allies

General Summary

- 17 of Solas -

Clerics and citizens wounded by the onslaught were quickly overshadowed by a shimmering door of magic that opened beside them. Out of it came Lunestra who began to lay into the undead before her. Cooper stepped through as well and bashed through their line with his large hammer.
Cyrus and Yarrow made their way across the courtyard with Songbird in tow. Yarrow turned into a mighty tree with blood red eyes and gave them cover as they ran. Divine magic surrounded Cooper as his guardians began ripping into the undead. Cyrus shot bolts of arcane energy and the group defended the clerics from the creatures before them.

Lunestra saw that the fight had swayed majorly in their favor and looked back at the temple. Cultists were sneaking in behind the lines of the injured into the temple proper. She sprinted back towards the temple of Ardea, Cooper following behind her, and Cyrus making his way after blasting some of the spell casters holding up the wall.

In the temple lay the bodies of clerics and priests alongside unknown robed assailants. Some of the dead had strange purple and green plants growing out of their heads. Lunestra could hear struggle in the back of the church. She barreled to the back of the church and burst through the door. On the ground, being held by Bandit Captain Burga and Tevor, the head of the Spring Path Tenders, was the head of the church of Ardea Lord Nina Walsch. They had her head tilted and a robed figure was standing before her with a writhing seed in paw that was half latched to her head. Behind them was a Vulpin dressed in fineries and Bita the council speaker.

Yarrow took the brunt of attacks in his new form while Cyrus lobbed a few spells at the casters holding the wall. Yarrow curled his roots down and began to commune with Alderheart once more.

"Alderheart, there is much danger. These purple flowers and plants brought by these cultists are poisoning you and they are attacking your residents. I will help as I can and send Oakheart." Yarrow spoke to the tree. Alderheart shuddered in response obviously in a great deal of pain from the fighting within and around it.

Yarrow refocused on the casters and shot spears of wood at them. The casters concentration was broken and the magical wall began to crumble. Cyrus nodded to Yarrow and ran to the temple.
Cooper followed Lunestra and saw the same scene as well as a large permanent teleportation circle in the room. Cooper quickly prayed to Gesme and summoned a spiritual weapon, a great hammer of the forge, and readied himself. Lunestra lunged forward and shoved the robed figure to get to Burga. The two quickly got into stance and Lunestra sneered and used a smite on the Cervan woman.
Cyrus made his way in and ran up the ceiling casting silence as he did so. The room was quiet even with the blows of magic and the clashing of swords. The Vulpin, Cora the assassin from Brackenmill, recognized Cyrus at once and made his way to attack. Cyrus dodged the Vulpins attacks expertly.

"Humblewood is under attack Alderheart," Yarrow talked as the mages surrounded him, "it is time for you to reawaken."

Cora, frustrated by the events, scowled and drank a potion going invisible. Lunestra and Burga continued to fight while Cooper reached down to help Lord Walsch. Cooper reached onto her face and removed the plant from her. He threw it to the ground and smashed it with his hammer. Cyrus wanted to chase after Cora but took to fighting Tevor with Cooper's spiritual weapon.

"The time for rest is over." Yarrow said to Alderheart as he reached down and grabbed one of the mages. Yarrow stabbed the mage and began to drink his blood. The mage shriveled in the treant's grasp until he was nothing more than a husk. Yarrow then placed the dried corpse of the mage upon one of his branches and reached down to the other.

Cooper ran over and smashed Tevor in the side of the head with his hammer. Distracted by the blood spray Burga faltered and Lunestra brought both her swords down upon her and smited her with the wrath of Gaspard. Amidst this the robed figure took Bita by the hand and led her to the teleportation circle just outside the barrier of the silence. They cast a spell and the two were gone from view, obviously having had teleported away. Cyrus looked around and dropped the silence in order to heal Lord Walsch.
Reaching down to her he noticed the goo from the smashed flower. Something in him ached. Something primal sharpened his teeth. He wanted to eat this goo. He had to eat this.

"These people and the plants they bring would harm our home. We can't let that happen." Yarrow quickly grabbed the remaining mages and, just as the previous one, drained them both of blood. The cracks in his bark began to glow red and his eyes shimmered. He felt empowered by it.

Cooper healed Lord Walsch as Lunestra went through Burga and Tevors things. Burga and Tevor both had rings on them. Inside the bands of these rings was the same symbol as before, the mark of Kren. However these rings seemed different from Gifu's or the head of the bandit's ring. Cyrus meanwhile was shoving this writhing purple goo into his mouth. The taste was divine. After Cyrus was done he gathered himself and tried to make himself vomit but failed in doing so.

Lord Walsch collected herself and thanked the party. She pointed them back towards the courtyard and said that they had to bring down the magical barrier. The party ran outside to see Yarrow in his treant form, corpses of mages hanging from his branches. They stood and watched him in horror, Lord Walsch readying herself for another fight.
Yarrow's bark fell away and the large treant left behind the small white Tola in its place, the corpses falling to the ground. Yarrow smiled, his antlers red with blood and his eyes glimmering with a red sheen. Songbird popped out of the bag of colding and got his breath. Lord Walsch used sending to talk to the Queen. She thanked the party, grabbed the few remaining clerics, and head up to the council plaza.
The group debated what to do. Cyrus was emphatic that they needed to leave. They would go to Thornspur manor, get Alabaster, go to the market to take some rubies, and then leave for Meadowfern. The party fought their way back to Thornspur manor in the Boughs.
Cyrus burst into the manor and made his way to Alabaster's room. The door wouldn't open.

"Alabaster!" Cyrus screamed. "We have to leave! Now!"
Cyrus and Lunestra pushed the door open. Behind the door was the furniture of the room as a barricade. The window on the far side of the room was open and the room was empty.
On the nightstand was Alabaster's bag of holding along with a note.
"I'm sorry, I hope this helps.
~ Your Friend Alabaster Quilcy"
Cyrus read the note silently. Lunestra read a little over his shoulder and then exited the room. After a few moments Cyrus came out with the bag of holding and began to pull items out of it. Inside the bag was Flandal's Lightning Gauntlets, the Moon Crest Shield, the Water Crystal Necklace, and a Feather Token. After the group had rearranged their items Cyrus pointed to the door.
"Let's go get the rubies and then leave."

Up in the Canopy Market the group saw the Perch Guard fighting bandits. Yarrow moved over to the fight with Lunestra. Yarrow used his healing magic to save some of the guards while Lunestra fought off the bandits. Cyrus and Cooper meanwhile made their way to the Birds of a Feather Lapidary. Cyrus used his hat to disguise himself as the shop owner. The two scoured the shop and took many gems; sapphires, rubies, moonstones, and even a black pearl.
After they had taken what they wanted the two exited the shop and found the others. Cyrus told them all to get into the bags and them cast fly on himself. Cyrus flew right out of the side of Alderheart and away from the capitol. Fires, screaming, explosions, and the eerie glow from the new crevice at the base of Alderheart faded into the distance. The party began to rest as Cyrus steeled himself to fly as far as he could and then run all the way to Meadowfern.

Report Date

23 Mar 2021