Session 16: Things Fall Apart Report
General Summary
Walking out of Fishcod's quarters, Virion pauses with his hand on the door. He glances at Fishcod, looks back to the door, and asks what they meant by "the people they've hurt"?
Hesitantly, Fishcod explains that they've made "mistakes" and then gets defensive about Virion's inquiries. Fishcod basically lays down that they do not want to talk about it. Fishcod also calls being in the hold of a ship a "high society experience" as not many people get to go on a ship, and they are high up with respect to everything else. Virion defends that the use of ships is very common here, and poor people use them often (Fishcod gets very confused about Virion's oblique classism).
Fishcod points out that they don't pry into Virion's mistakes, like that "Anthony?" ("Anton") boy back in Seaton. Fishcod is also really pessimistic about love. And maybe has failed romances themself? Though they were probably more broadly speaking about life. After slogging through figures of speech, Virion mentions that the last time he was truly happy was the last time he performed on stage as a dancer. The lights, the stage, the cheers and music, it's all exhilarating. Not counting the week in Seaton, he hasn't really performed since he left for Saltmarsh.
Virion sometimes dances with knives for "special parties", and Fishcod questions if his "strange ability to tie knots" involves these parties. He explains they do not overlap: the knife dancing is a party trick; like juggling fire.
Virion explains that, at least during a performance, all grudges and worries are set aside. It's pure expression, and it's fun. He thinks we all have a joyful, safe, and passionate position such as that. It's a feeling of belonging. Fishcod then asks if he really belongs there - if that space is truly safe from racism and prejudice. They counter that Zuggtmoy's beauty is that Her Change removes all anxiety, all conflict. There is but exisentce, a nihilistic peace. Is it not happy? At least it isn't bad.
Virion counters that nothingness is not the same as contentness, and posits that the love and joy and potential in existence outweighs the pain and suffering of the world. Fishcod counters with the horrors of imperialism, and argues there ought to be no suffering at all. They then explain, overwhelemed, that they were selfish. They desired fire but it was forbidden, they prioritized their wants over others, and they paid the price for betraying those who trusted them. If they had no choice, then others would be safe.
Fishcod posits that individuality causes pain and suffering and trouble. Virion that it causes joy and passion. The conversation is going nowhere, and so Fishcod demands Virion leaves now that they have answered all his questions.
Virion then goes out, leaving the wine on the table. Once he leaves, Fishcod immediately drinks all the wine. Virion meanwhile goes to Mystan's quarters, pounding on the door. Mystan opens the door to see Virion asking to come in. Mystan lets him in, and after the door shuts he sits down at a table. He then says that they must take stock of who they trust. The come up with the follwing list:
Bimz gave the fossilized egg to Mystan once back on the ship. Mystan also drops "yet another dragon" and Virion is like "wait, there's mutliple dragons you're dealing wiht?!" Mystan sets it aside as a story for another time, but says that there are two dragons. They opt to keep Fishcod on the boat, and try to get them arrested by divering to Seaton, following Mystan's questioning. Fishcod's quarters are on the Starboard side, and thus they won't see the course changing.
Back on the isle, the remaining cultists along with Melody gather the bodies of the deceased cultists and toss them off the cliffs, letting them be destroyed by the waters below. Lilian gives rites in Aquan and in Jan Pana, and then Lilian and Melody descend to the basement and talked it out.
Lilian relayed her version of events, how she saw cloaked and masked figures. She tells of how the Cult took her in. How she swears vengeance, and what she knows of the focus. Melody discusses her version of events, and what she knows. They come to an agreement: go peacefully and try to negotiate out of being arrested, then remake their town and take out only those who burned the town down.
Melody and Lilian then discuss the Emperor of the Waves, and Lilian is confused, she doesn't know anything about it, and is confused. She takes the drawing of the altar and consults the texts, taking up Ozymandius's necklace. Melody tries to commune with the spirits, finding this whole isle has bad vibes.
On the way to Seaton (Virion told Fishcod that ocean currents had taken them off course), Mystan approaches Fishcod about the Drowned Forest. All he presently wants to know is some information about the forest itself. What is Zuggtmoy planning there? What has she done to the forest? He is very upfront about needing this so a black dragon doesn't kill him.
They explain that it's a swamped forest full of oozes and demons (including a charming vulture man). Other people find it wrong, twisted. Fully demented. They point to Zyg, the crazy rat lady, who is not at all a fan of the place. Fishcod likes it because it's wet and not flammable, and while they aren't sure, they think about twenty years ago the forest flooded due to something Zuggtmoy did, possibly involving a Decanter of Endless Water.
They arrive in Seaton early in the morning of the 17th of Middays. As the ship docks, Fishcod strips their layers off, hides them under the bed, and uses Misty Step to get out onto the dock, and then they flee. When Mystan and Virion realize that Fishcod isn't on the ship, Virion searches the docks and Mystan the ship. Fishcod heads for stables, but has to navigate to the Drallion estate and then to a stable, seeking to buy a horse. Virion, with some amazing investigation, realizes this and heads there. They meet 50 feet apart on a street, Fishcod with obsidian-black skin, stark white hair cut choppily short, red eyes and covered in burn marks. Upon seeing one another, Fishcod casts Dancing Lights to make a distraction and slips out. Virion alerts the guards and begins a search.
Fishcod knocks on a random door and is greeted by a human butler, Bartholemew, who buys their story.
Summary of rest, to be filled out later:
Fishcod gets a disguise from the butler and heads to the market place.
Virion checks at his house.
Fishcod disguises themself as a widow to use a veil and hide.
Fishcod gets a horse.
Mystan alerted the chapel and spoke with Colonel Runerage
Fishcod slipped out of the town.
Virion and Mystan get drunk and plan.
Fishcod meets Ironbeard and they sacrifice a woman and open a foul portal a bit more.
Fishcod gets a Gol Soth companion, and is assigned to get another decanter from Keledek. First, they want to contact the cult.
It took Faeryn two days to travel from Seaton to the Drowned Forest, it'll take another two days for them to get to Saltmarsh, they would arrive at the isle later that day at the earliest.
Hesitantly, Fishcod explains that they've made "mistakes" and then gets defensive about Virion's inquiries. Fishcod basically lays down that they do not want to talk about it. Fishcod also calls being in the hold of a ship a "high society experience" as not many people get to go on a ship, and they are high up with respect to everything else. Virion defends that the use of ships is very common here, and poor people use them often (Fishcod gets very confused about Virion's oblique classism).
Fishcod points out that they don't pry into Virion's mistakes, like that "Anthony?" ("Anton") boy back in Seaton. Fishcod is also really pessimistic about love. And maybe has failed romances themself? Though they were probably more broadly speaking about life. After slogging through figures of speech, Virion mentions that the last time he was truly happy was the last time he performed on stage as a dancer. The lights, the stage, the cheers and music, it's all exhilarating. Not counting the week in Seaton, he hasn't really performed since he left for Saltmarsh.
Virion sometimes dances with knives for "special parties", and Fishcod questions if his "strange ability to tie knots" involves these parties. He explains they do not overlap: the knife dancing is a party trick; like juggling fire.
Virion explains that, at least during a performance, all grudges and worries are set aside. It's pure expression, and it's fun. He thinks we all have a joyful, safe, and passionate position such as that. It's a feeling of belonging. Fishcod then asks if he really belongs there - if that space is truly safe from racism and prejudice. They counter that Zuggtmoy's beauty is that Her Change removes all anxiety, all conflict. There is but exisentce, a nihilistic peace. Is it not happy? At least it isn't bad.
Virion counters that nothingness is not the same as contentness, and posits that the love and joy and potential in existence outweighs the pain and suffering of the world. Fishcod counters with the horrors of imperialism, and argues there ought to be no suffering at all. They then explain, overwhelemed, that they were selfish. They desired fire but it was forbidden, they prioritized their wants over others, and they paid the price for betraying those who trusted them. If they had no choice, then others would be safe.
Fishcod posits that individuality causes pain and suffering and trouble. Virion that it causes joy and passion. The conversation is going nowhere, and so Fishcod demands Virion leaves now that they have answered all his questions.
Virion then goes out, leaving the wine on the table. Once he leaves, Fishcod immediately drinks all the wine. Virion meanwhile goes to Mystan's quarters, pounding on the door. Mystan opens the door to see Virion asking to come in. Mystan lets him in, and after the door shuts he sits down at a table. He then says that they must take stock of who they trust. The come up with the follwing list:
- Virion & Mystan can trust one another the most: they have similar alliances & motivations, they are both strong and capable, and Mystan is "handsome to boot".
- Melody seems to be... very hostile towards Virion, but Mystan thinks she's trustworthy. She isn't a reliable ally given her motivations, but she is trustworthy and straightforward. Melody won't lie to them. She's a threat, but a known quantity and thus reliable.
- Fishcod is dangerous and unpredictable (to Virion), and serves none other than the Queen of Rot and Decay. They are clearly a threat and probably should be arrested. But they might still be useful, Mystan doesn't want to take any action until he can get some information from them.
Bimz gave the fossilized egg to Mystan once back on the ship. Mystan also drops "yet another dragon" and Virion is like "wait, there's mutliple dragons you're dealing wiht?!" Mystan sets it aside as a story for another time, but says that there are two dragons. They opt to keep Fishcod on the boat, and try to get them arrested by divering to Seaton, following Mystan's questioning. Fishcod's quarters are on the Starboard side, and thus they won't see the course changing.
Back on the isle, the remaining cultists along with Melody gather the bodies of the deceased cultists and toss them off the cliffs, letting them be destroyed by the waters below. Lilian gives rites in Aquan and in Jan Pana, and then Lilian and Melody descend to the basement and talked it out.
Lilian relayed her version of events, how she saw cloaked and masked figures. She tells of how the Cult took her in. How she swears vengeance, and what she knows of the focus. Melody discusses her version of events, and what she knows. They come to an agreement: go peacefully and try to negotiate out of being arrested, then remake their town and take out only those who burned the town down.
Melody and Lilian then discuss the Emperor of the Waves, and Lilian is confused, she doesn't know anything about it, and is confused. She takes the drawing of the altar and consults the texts, taking up Ozymandius's necklace. Melody tries to commune with the spirits, finding this whole isle has bad vibes.
On the way to Seaton (Virion told Fishcod that ocean currents had taken them off course), Mystan approaches Fishcod about the Drowned Forest. All he presently wants to know is some information about the forest itself. What is Zuggtmoy planning there? What has she done to the forest? He is very upfront about needing this so a black dragon doesn't kill him.
They explain that it's a swamped forest full of oozes and demons (including a charming vulture man). Other people find it wrong, twisted. Fully demented. They point to Zyg, the crazy rat lady, who is not at all a fan of the place. Fishcod likes it because it's wet and not flammable, and while they aren't sure, they think about twenty years ago the forest flooded due to something Zuggtmoy did, possibly involving a Decanter of Endless Water.
They arrive in Seaton early in the morning of the 17th of Middays. As the ship docks, Fishcod strips their layers off, hides them under the bed, and uses Misty Step to get out onto the dock, and then they flee. When Mystan and Virion realize that Fishcod isn't on the ship, Virion searches the docks and Mystan the ship. Fishcod heads for stables, but has to navigate to the Drallion estate and then to a stable, seeking to buy a horse. Virion, with some amazing investigation, realizes this and heads there. They meet 50 feet apart on a street, Fishcod with obsidian-black skin, stark white hair cut choppily short, red eyes and covered in burn marks. Upon seeing one another, Fishcod casts Dancing Lights to make a distraction and slips out. Virion alerts the guards and begins a search.
Fishcod knocks on a random door and is greeted by a human butler, Bartholemew, who buys their story.
Summary of rest, to be filled out later:
It took Faeryn two days to travel from Seaton to the Drowned Forest, it'll take another two days for them to get to Saltmarsh, they would arrive at the isle later that day at the earliest.
Melody Rose Hazel Turen
Neutral Good Forest Gnome (Hermit)
Bard 3
Bard 3
12 / 18 HP
STR
8
8
DEX
16
16
CON
11
11
INT
8
8
WIS
13
13
CHA
18
18
Virion Sylvenne
C/N Wood Elf (Noble)
Wizard 2
Wizard 2
7 / 12 HP
STR
12
12
DEX
16
16
CON
13
13
INT
16
16
WIS
14
14
CHA
14
14
Co'oquilan Mystan
Bronze Dragonborn (Acolyte)
Cleric 3
Cleric 3
10 / 24 HP
STR
14
14
DEX
11
11
CON
14
14
INT
13
13
WIS
16
16
CHA
13
13
Fishcod
Report Date
24 May 2022
Primary Location
Secondary Location
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