Session 51: I Know What You Did Last Winter

General Summary

Preamble

Winters throughout most of the isles are relatively mild. Warm water currents keep the southern isles relatively protected from the harshest winter colds, however, the northern isles are not so protected and are often battered with winter storms. Waters can churn and storms can be unpredictable, which reduces trade and commerce, as well as most military actions. The winter is, to put it frankly, the quiet time of peace and hearth in the isles. That does not mean that there is no travel or no venturing out, but rather there are fewer large movements throughout the isles.
During the winter months, Tertius begins to settle into his role as Duke, appointing a council who can override any of his decrees. Most of his time is in Eastbridge now, though it is obvious that ruling is not the life that he desires. The council includes military (Grand Marshal Garry Holdenbrook), magic (Seabert the Wizard), politics and diplomacy (Emissary Sorcha MacSiridah), city (Mayor Milread Gille), religion (Jaida Wheatley of the Temple of Sucellus), treasury (Erastus Beard), and trade (Bertram Breeze of the Nymphgate Trading Coster).
The kobolds who aided in the battle for Eastbridge are exiled from the bog and the Kobold camps set up outside of the guildhall eventually wane as Tertius opens Eastbridge to them, finding lodging for most of them and a small kobold subsection of town is created as the kobolds create a cheap labor group for town. Tertius has also given permission for a small shrine to Ydarion's Mother's Mother's Mother's Mother run by Guc Fuggruc to be set up in town. Presently, there are no non-kobold worshippers.
Having accomplished his goal of jumping off of the guildhall roof and surviving, Donk has taken on a Squire—another kobold by the name of Snirk.
The Wolfpack Scouts set up a winter camp for their scouts to visit the guildhall for a special adventurer’s camp where they learn from real adventurers and get to do things such as attune to a real magic item (though they do not get to keep it, merely attune, then the next person attunes to it and so on).
Dhowgok MacGregor learns about the responsibilities of a Duchess, being named as Tertius’ heir. However, she prefers her time learning about being a barbarian rather than learning about ruling and nobility.
Veryn has her half-elven baby naming them Leskaen. Veryn and her Human baker husband, Rolf, have decided to raise their baby with an elven custom of Mahu, which their child is considered to be agender until they decide upon whether or not they will take on upon coming of age.
Malthus Normal has not returned to Eastbridge, leaving a bit of a power vacuum in the town in regards to a functional head of a thieves’ guild, though there have not been any displays of violence or any noticeable attempts to wrest control.
The League gains a bit of fame through the land and young adventurers begin to meet up at the guildhall for drinks and to look for work. This frees the party up from minor requests from the surrounding lands as young adventuring groups are willing to take care of the minor needs to get in experience and practice.

Bolvaic

Bolvaic spends much of his time attending to the Hall. He tends to the apple planting, readying the ground for it to grow in the spring. He also spends time by the fire, often with a book opened before him, although observant onlookers can see that the book is upside down about half of the time. Aralmeni visits the League with increasing regularity and, while Bolvaic does spend time learning more about Caena, he seems to be spending a bit more time learning about Ctenmillar. During the evenings, he is found patrolling the League grounds before returning to the main hall and drinking and sparring with patrons before getting drunk enough to break out the drums to sing a song.
Frostspeak is one of the coldest months on the surface. When you are deep underground, these things don’t matter much. The stone surfaces are always cool, except where the natural heat vents blow through. The passing of the months does not mean as much when you are underground. Instead of gauging by the leaves turning colors, those below have an innate calendar. And as Frostspeak hits, you realize that it is nearing Winterfell–a day that has always meant something to your clan. Not because of holiday or celestial meaning, but rather a day of obligation. A tentative peace had been marshaled between the clan of dwarves and the dark elf House Teken’duis that has held for over three decades. Every year during Winterfell, a representative of the dwarven clan would meet with a representative of the dark elven house and they would meet and bargain and continue the truce.
As Winterfell nears, you wonder if the dark elves will send a representative to adjudicate the peace between House and Clan.
Bolvaic decides to trek out to the meeting by himself, going through the old abandoned Dwarven halls that are so empty and lonely now. He heads down through the undermountain to the meeting place.
As you approach the entrance to the meeting space, you are immediately struck by the oppressive darkness that surrounds you. The corridor leading to the chamber is lined with phosphorescent fungi, casting an eerie, otherworldly glow that barely illuminates the path. The air is thick with the faint scent of damp stone and the acrid undertone of arcane magic.
Upon entering the meeting space, you find yourself in a colossal, domed cavern that stretches into the inky blackness above. The ceiling of the chamber is adorned with countless clusters of glowing crystals, each one radiating a cold, ethereal light that bathes the room in an eerie, shifting glow. These crystals create a captivating, starlit canopy overhead, but their brilliance is deceptive, as they cast long, foreboding shadows across the floor.
The floor itself is a vast, obsidian expanse, polished to a mirror-like sheen, reflecting the ambient radiance of the crystals above. A central, circular dais rises from the floor, crafted from intricately carved obsidian and lined with delicate silver filigree.
Around the dais, six elegant, obsidian thrones are arranged in a circle. Three of the thrones are adorned with spiderweb-like patterns of silver and sapphire, their craftsmanship exquisite and unsettling. Three of the thrones are adorned instead with the sigil of a warhammer, inlaid with gold and rubies. These thrones are reserved for the leaders and delegates attending the meeting.
In the room is a lone drow. His skin obsidian and glints with an almost supernatural sheen. His long silvery hair is pulled back into a ponytail and he wears a finely crafted dark robe edged with silvery web-like embroidery. The attache seems surprised to see you. While he has a number of papers with him, he seems to have been occupying his time by doodling with his quill along the margins of the pages.
Nhilcyria begins his report, addressing concerns from the last meeting. He states tha the underwater tunnels connecting the drow and dwarven territories have continued to rise in water levels, risking flooding due to a shift in the water tables since the most recent tremors. Nhilcyria notes that process on the dwarven pump systen to bring the waters to a large cistern to limit flooding has had significantly little progress. Bolvaic reports that it is because all of his kin are dead.
Nhilcyria brings up that the uprising of House Hlatyl, as was previously discussed, has been quashed without assistance from the dwarven clan. He also reports that, despite negligable input from the dwarven community, the fungal blight that was threatening the lichen and mushrooms in the caves has been nearly eradicated.
Nhilcyria brings up that the dwarven incursions onto drow lands has dropped considerable from their last meeting, to which he commends Bolvaic with "Good job on that one."
Nhilcyria brings to record a statement that the drow did not assist when the dwarves were attacked despite an ongoing mutual defense agreement because no formal requisition for aid was sent to the drow during the attack on the dwarven clan. As such, he points out that they are not to be held responsible for not aiding in the defense. Bolvaic accepts this and points out that there was no time for the signal beacons to be lit.
Nhilcyria moved onto to current concerns, mentioning the tremors that were felt underground. They caused some damanage to the drow architecture. In the past, an offer of dwarven masons would have typically been offered, but he understood why there was no such offer made. Since the tremors, however, more aberrations have been seen in the lower levels of the caves. Some of them have ventured upwards and have caused issues. Nhilcyria mentions the possibility of a joint venture seeming out the question, but Bolvaic offers that he would assist and potentially bring his allies with him.
The subject of trade came up, and Nhilcyria expected that it was expected to be unlikely that trade for weapons, armor, and craftwaorks on gemstones would be available in their typical quantity and quality. He points out that if such a trade were to occur, that House Orlyep would be forbidden from participating in the trade. However, upon discovering Bolvaic's presence and occupation of the surface, Nhilcyria brought up the possibility of trade continuing in different measures, since information pertaining to the surface is very valuable for those who live below.
At the end of the meeting Bolvaic decided to continue to truce between the drow house and himself, and he and Nhilcyria had decided to meet again in one year, continuing the tradition of diplomatic meetings between the clan and house.

Tertius (and Levi)

The Northlanders have always revered the Fey spirits. Even when they were at odds, such as the Great Leviathan smashing their first raiding ships, the Northlanders always took their presence with reverence and respect, passing the lore of the spirits through the generations of their people.
Obadiah Kilgore used to tell stories of The Great Bear to his grandson. He would tell him that there are different mythologies for the origin of the Great Bear. It has been said he was born at the heart of the world before the spirits of Star and Sun first alighted and woke him. Others have said it was the ending of the first winter that caused the Bear to emerge fully formed from the world. Yet others have said the Great Bear is the first child of the King of the Sea and the Queen of the Forest. If someone were to ask him, the Great Bear would much rather state his purpose: to live deeply and live well in the Wild Forest
The Great Bear appears as a big bear, roughly the size of a house. He has fur thick as night, with flowers and moss growing near his ankles. On his back, he has one or two sprouts of trees. His eyes are deep hazel and brown gold, and they seem to shimmer with wonder. His fangs are greater and sharper than any sword or spear. He smells of moss, earth, and sweet jasmine.
Obadiah used to hint that he was one of the cubs of the Great Bear, something that you never understood as a child, but as you grew older, you started to realize his meaning with more clarity. But more than that, you have learned that the fey spirits should be given reverence.
These are the thoughts and memories that race through your mind as you are awakened, laying in bed next to Tertius, with a red Fox standing on all fours between the two of you and speaking, “I am here to claim my reward for my kind.”
The fox spoke with both Levi and Tertius fully understanding its words. Its bushy tail swished behind him, sometimes giving the appearance of multiple tails rather than just one, though when directly viewed, it only ever seemed to have one tail. The fox asked Tertius and Levi where his reward was and the pair asked what reward he was seeking.
The fox tells Tertius and Levi that he was responsible for the farmers aiding the battle to reclaim Eastbridge. He snuch out in the night and visited every farm and whispered into the sleeping farmers' ears to join arms and help the fight. The farmers listened and they went to lend their aid to the Duke. While they were away, foxes were able to raid the chicken coops of the farms. However, none of the farmers died in the battle, and they all returned home the next day and protected their coops again. This meant that he did not eat his fill and he demanded a reward to compensate.
Tertius agreed to head downstairs to fetch a chicken for the fox. The fox remained with Levi as Tertius left and in conversation with the fox, discovered that there was a servant's bell that could be rung and that a servant would come up and could bring chickens. The fox was in disbelief, but leapt up to tug on the bell, calling for a servant. When the servant arrived Levi told him to bring up several chickens. The fox was amazed at this and demanded a chicken bell be installed in his den. Since that was not possible, he decided that he would stay with Tertius and Levi and their chicken bell. Over the following weeks, the fox remained with them, ringing the bell for food and sleeping in the bed. The fox spirit becoming a familiar, of sorts, for Tertius.

Levi

Winter is a time when things slow down. You remember that with your grandfather. You remember the village holding a grand autumn feast. It would be one of the few times when your grandfather would come down and socialize with the village. Or, at least tolerate the people in order to gorge himself on bounty. Afterward, he would not be around much during the winter and everything seemed to slow down and everything took so much longer.
Winter's embrace brings a profound hush to the world. Even the usual cacophony of the forest or the city is subdued, as if nature itself is taking a moment to pause and catch its breath. The silence is so deep that the world feels suspended in time.
Winter air is crisp and invigorating. It nips at your cheeks and your nose, reminding you that you are very much alive. With every breath, you can almost taste the icy clarity, and the chill in the air feels like a gentle reminder of your existence within this frozen wonderland.
The world has a unique scent in winter. It's a blend of earthy, smoky, and woody notes, with a hint of the sharpness of cold. The smell of burning firewood, the tang of frost in the air, and the faint aroma of pine from evergreen trees all contribute to the olfactory experience of winter.
In winter, it feels as though time itself has slowed down. Nature's creatures, from animals to plants, enter a state of dormancy. The world becomes a tableau of stillness, where even the most bustling of places seem to have taken a pause. This slowdown encourages introspection, as if the world is inviting you to reflect and find peace in the quietude.
The winter feels slow to begin with, but you are out of your element, having taken up residence with Tertius in Eastbridge. While you may be happy to spend time with him, you are in the city. You can feel Tertius’ tedium as well, and you tolerate it for his sake. Tertius has tried to grow a beard, but it is little more than unflattering patchy peachfuzz. You’ve considered mentioning something to him, just a gentle prod about it. But then you noticed where he spends much of his time thinking. He stands in the hallway with portraits of the Dukes of Eastbridge. His father. His father’s father. His father before him. All with thick beards and commanding poses in their portraits and you see that, for better or for worse, Tertius sees himself in their shadows.
But as time has passed, your wolf pups no longer look for you to feed them scraps of food. They have matured to be hunters. However, one night Skaldi and Garmr return, but Freki is not with them.
Skaldi approaches Levi and tells him that Freki was being greedy and went after another's kill. He followed the scent of blood to a cave that had a bear in it. Freki snuck inside and took three bites of the elk that the bear was eating, but the bear saw him and cornered him. Knowing that they could not fight, Skaki and Garmr rushed back to tell Levi.
Levi raced after Freki, tracking the young wolf. He found scents of the pup and of the fallen elk, but no scent of the bear. The trail led to a cave where it appeared that a grizzly bear had woken from its slumber to eat its fill had Freki cornered. However, the bear did not seem normal. It's brown-gold fur seemed to clump together into spiney quills rather than tufts of fur, and its left eye was milky white and surrounded by blue runs.
Levi stepped up and claimed protection for Freki. The bear told him that the pup had taken three bites of his meal, and needed to be punished for the transgression. Levi offered to take the punishment for Freki and he sent the wolf back home. The bear then cast three charms to give three taboos to Levi. Once the charms were cast, two of the three had resonated in Levi, giving him two taboos. Levi can no longer sleep in a bed without gaining a level of exhaustion, and Levi must now get permission before entering a home.

Illevaere

With their sister giving birth to her child, Illevaere and Veryn both found themselves in Winterglen, reuinitiing family to meet the newest member.
Deep in the forests of Winterglen there is a secret forest, a forest within a forest, that only the wild wood elves know the secret ways to reach. Within this secret forest is the village of Eyma Shaeras. Some would call it a Wood Elf city. Others might even call it the wood elf capitol. However, the elves of Eyma Shaeras would never put such words to it, as city and capitol have much more negative connotations to elves that live there. Here the trees are not cut down to make walls and roofs, but rather the living trees bend and grow in harmony to create the living spaces.
Within Eyma Shaeras, there is a small home at its edge. To outsiders, were they ever allowed to visit, they would find the stench of rot that emanated from it to be repugnant. However, to those of the Eyma Shaeras, decay and rot is as natural of an odor as the scent of a flower and it is not viewed with any disdain. A few even prefer the scent.
One such elf is Illevaere’s father. Calling him an old elf is misleading since elves are timeless. However, unlike most elves, it would seem as if time has added creases to his long face, giving the illusion of age. However, to those who know him and his practice, they realize that it is not time that has transformed him, but his commitment to the order of decay, for the High Priest of Caena would not disrespect the Mother by avoiding it.
Near the piles of rot for compost, next to the skinned hides drying outside the home, the bones of various animals being repurposed into useful tools so nothing goes to waste, Illevaere visits with their father and their sister.
After Veryn has gone to bed for a deep rest after a particularly trying day with her child, Illevaere finds themself sitting with their father talking. He asked Illevaere if they want some tea and he started to make it for them. He seemed to be a bit world-weary and he told Illevaere that due to the way that the world is moving, he sees the world losing its ties to the fey, and the lives of the elves would slowly drain away and bleed out. He has spoken to the elders of Emya Shaeras and they agree, they see no choice but to retreat the elven settlement into the Feywilds to abandon the mortal realm completely.
He tells Illevaere that he mentioned this to their sister, but Veryn is too attached to her human baker and their child, and the ways of the human life to abandon it. He does not wish to retreat into the Feywild alone and hopes that Illevaere will go with him. Illevaere states that they are not ready to go yet, but would visit through Moonwells to see their father. He states that he does not know if the wells will remain open much longer.
Illevaere realizes that their is something off with their tea, tasting something within in. They taste the poison Erebosbane, a potent poison that high ranking followers of Caena take. It is a strong poison that stays within the system for a while and can cause wracking pain and death, however, those who can absorb it are viewed as Caena's Chosen. Illevaere is upset that their father did not warn them, instead tricking them into taking the test instead of preparing it. He states that he was afraid that they would reject it and he needed them to see what he could see.
He then lead Illevaere to the Moonwell within Emya Shaeras, stirring the waters to that Illevaere could see. It was in the waters, that Illevaere could see the vision that their father spoke of.

The Vision

Illevaere sees warships sailing toward the isles–they fly the Orleander flag as they sail to invade the isles. They see the Leviathan, the great sea beast that destroyed their last invasion fleet and protected the isles. The Leviathan rises from the water to smash the ships, but they are ready for it this time. Harpoons fire from the ships, linked with great chains that tighten and hold the Leviathan, powerful magics swirl around the Leviathan, dragging it under the water and binding it there as it bleeds and mourns in pain.
They see Elmas, the King of the Unicorns with its black fur standing out, struggling as he is bound in chains. Inhuman creatures that seem distorted and alien hold the unicorn in place as they see a Moonwell, corrupted and vile. The water in the Moonwell bubbles and churns as if something is rising from it. They see it only in shadow, but something in them instinctively knows that it is Nyctelios, The Mad God, somehow released from his underwater prison. The sight of the god does not disturb the creatures that hold Elmas fast, but the unicorn tries to buck and pull away, but it is unable and they see the madness spread in the unicorn’s eyes as it sees the Mad God and its mind is broken and perverted.
They see The Wild Hunt, a chaotic force, but one that still protects the isles. It was the Hunt that charged into the colony of the Orleander Throne and slew them all during the last attempted invasion. They see the pack of dogs that lead the hunt, the horsemen following behind. They see a powerful man dressed in furs and leathers. They see the Hunt’s approach and the man shifts, transforming into a Werewolf. He lunges at the alpha of the Pack, ripping out its throat. He shifts down to a large wolf and he takes control of the Pack as its new alpha. He leads the pack toward Caer Ceredig, home of the High Queen of the Isles. The pack crashes into the city and the Hunt follows, slaughtering everyone in the city.
Finally, they see the isles, the glamor glow of the portals to the Feywild begin to go dark, closing the connections between the worlds. They see magic and glamor fading away, the Old Gods lost and barely memories as the isle–and the world–slowly becomes covered in steel and coal.
Illevaere undestood the severity of the vision, stating that they had seen some of these events begin to unfold. Illevaere's trust in their father was hurt by his giving them the poison, but they left understanding the severity of the threat at hand.

Tiarjead

As the League Hall has grown in popularity and traffic, more people come for drinks and stories and occasionally to pay for a job. A young farmer, Dane, has come to ask for a guide to take him to Talwyn, a witch who lives in the forest to the south. With his father’s passing, Dane now owns the farm and he wishes to have a bountiful crop this year to impress the father of Lirael, the daughter of one of the other farmers. He intends on asking Talwyn to bless his farm’s bounty this season and he needs a guide to take him there since the forests can be dangerous. He asks Tiarjead's assistance in acting as a guide for him. Tiarjead initially declines, wanting nothing to do with witches after the incidents with the hags. However, not all witches are hags--Witches are often seems as conduits between the fey and spiritual, serving to better the ties between the two to coexist. Hags, however, are fey and completely of their own motivation. Tiarjead asks Illevaere for advice and to accompany her as she leads Dane to the witch in the forest to the south and the three head out.
Amidst the dense embrace of the ancient forest, where the sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick canopy, there stood a decrepit and enchanting abode. Moss-covered trees and gnarled roots seemed to bow in reverence, creating a natural pathway that led to the heart of this mystical sanctuary.
The hut itself seemed to be woven into the very fabric of the woods, as if it had sprouted from the earth itself. The exterior was a patchwork of twisted branches, thatched reeds, and weathered stones. Time had bestowed upon it a weathered charm, with the timber appearing as if it had absorbed the essence of countless seasons. A crooked chimney, topped with a crow's nest, sent spirals of thin smoke into the cool air, carrying the aroma of burning herbs and ancient secrets. The entrance was a low, arched door crafted from gnarled wood, adorned with intricate carvings depicting scenes of nature's cycles and mythical creatures. A bronze knocker, shaped like a twisted root, hung off-center, its surface worn smooth from ages of use.
Tiarjead left Dane to approach the door himself and the door was answered by Talwyn.
Talwyn is as much a part of the woods as the trees and animals. Her hair is a tangle of silvery-white strands, like spider silk glinting in the dappled sunlight. Her skin, weathered by countless seasons, is a tapestry of wrinkles and age spots, bearing the stories of her long life. Her eyes, though aged, are like deep pools of wisdom, holding secrets of forgotten magics and ancient lore. She dresses in garments woven from forest materials—rough-spun robes of bark, leafy green shawls, and a headdress adorned with feathers, bones, and glistening gemstones. A necklace of animal teeth and acorns hangs around her neck, clinking softly as she moves.
Talwyn invites the three in, but only Dane enters. Tiarjead and Illevaere step back a bit deeper into the forest to wait for Dane's return. After an hour or so, Dane exits, rejoining Tiarjead and Illevaere. Dane tells them that Talwyn had instructed him to make an offering of food and coins to a small shrine of the great fey spirit Acacia that is a bit deeper in the wood. Talwyn had explained that Acacia is why the lands are so green. When she first walked among the isles so many aeons ago, she saw the sea and fell in love with it. So she has settled in the Isles to be with her love and her presence is why the lands are so green and lush. She also instructed Dane that from when he goes to the shrine to when he is to return home, he is to step on only paths, but no roads. She had explained that a path becomes a road when the first round wheel trods along it.
Tiarjead and Illevaere escort Dane to the shrine, where he makes an offering of food and coins. The three sleep a little away from the shrine and in the morning find that the food and coin are gone. They escort Dane back, but find smoke ahead. When they arrive at Talwyn's hut, they find it smoldering and burnt down. Talwyn hangs from a tree with a sign on her written in Oleander, though a translation in the common tongue is written beneath: "Pagan. Heretic."
Tiarjead and Illevaere provide a burial for Talwyn, then lead Dane back. Afterward, they return to follow the tracks and hunt down the Oleander soldiers responsible. They easily track them to their camp and Tiarjead is nearly invisible in night. As they cut down the camp, they find their leader frantically burning what papers he can before he is cut down. In the aftermath, they discover several paper rockets and one unburnt letter in Oleander, which translated reads:
"Centurian Damianus Lactuca,
Guide your Milites back to Paraetonium. Cete Magna has been baited. Albus Calor is not to be called."
The letter was not signed, but had a formal seal on it. Deciphering it further, they discover Paraetonium is a city on Ilfor, one of the Isles. Cete Magna and Albus Calor are both used as names, however, each has a translation as well. Cete Magna translates to "Great Whale" and Albus Calor translates to "White Heat".

Campaign

The Gentlemen's League of Explorers and Adventurers

Protagonists

Levi Obadiah Kilgore

Chaotic Good Human, Northlander (Marked by the Beast)
Barbarian 11

115 / 115 HP

STR
17

DEX
14

CON
16

INT
14

WIS
12

CHA
9

Ilbryen Dorydark

Neutral Good Half-Elf (Sage)
Cleric 10

63 / 63 HP

STR
10

DEX
10

CON
12

INT
14

WIS
20

CHA
15

Tiarjead Faefyire

Neutral Good Dragonborn (Outlander)
Ranger 10

74 / 74 HP

STR
16

DEX
13

CON
13

INT
9

WIS
15

CHA
14

Illevaere Solandra

Chaotic Good Wood Elf (Outlander)
Druid 10

83 / 83 HP

STR
11

DEX
18

CON
16

INT
14

WIS
20

CHA
12

Donk

None Kobold (Burnfist Clanmember)
Paladin 3

22 / 22 HP

STR
8

DEX
16

CON
10

INT
8

WIS
10

CHA
12

Bolvaic Boradrak

Chaotic Good Mountain Dwarf (Outlander)
Barbarian 10

115 / 115 HP

STR
18

DEX
12

CON
18

INT
9

WIS
10

CHA
10

Tertius Greyhall

Neutral Good Human, Daoine (Noble)
Fighter 6
Warlock 2

50 / 50 HP

STR
8

DEX
16

CON
11

INT
15

WIS
8

CHA
18

Report Date

11 Sep 2023

Primary Location

Eastbridge

Secondary Location

Winterglen

Related Plots

• Chains of the Mad God
• Rise to Divinity
• The Great Leviathan's Prison
• The Wild Hunt's Alpha

Related Characters

• Acacia
• Bertram Breeze
• Dhowgok MacGregor
• Erastus Beard
• Garry Holdenbrook
• Malthus Normal
• Nhilcyria Teken'duis
• Seabert
• Snirk
• Veryn Solandra-Baecere