Session 44

General Summary

In Faerealm (25th of Wealsun, year 595 - Level 16) (low summer -- week of Richfest, the midsummer festival, in 3 days)
The party has a rather restful several hours in this land of perpetual night, with chill air and large fireplaces. Rested, but perhaps still somewhat groggy (again, perpetual night), they meet back up with Queen Mab, the Queen of Ice and Shadow. Irina, her name restored, requests from Queen Mab that if she does this thing, she will give the party the ability to enter the Void as close to the intelligence within it as is possible, at will. Queen Mab agrees, and without any more delay, she opens a portal directly to the Seelie Court for the group, joined by Solonor, to make their appearance before Princess Rhiannon. She must stay behind as she is exiled from the Spring Realm and may not enter.
Unsurprisingly, the Seelie Court was quite surprised by their appearance. Rhiannon, shocked most of all, quickly angered at the umbrage, becomes downright wrathful when Irina reveals her intentions. But beholden to the Laws of the Feyrealm, she has no choice but to take the Court to Yggdrasil, the Life Tree. And once before the "tree," the tales and legends about it seem quite without exaggeration. This living tree, creature, portal, unknowable celestial relic, is at least a mile in diameter, its trunk fading off into the distance. The roots seem to form into the very rock and dirt from which the tree erupts. And while some roots clearly become the ground that is the Feyrealm, tunnels and holes exist among the roots that are clearly passages to deeper and darker realms. Its height is impossible to imagine, disappearing into the clouds above. In fact, even branches of the tree curl and wrap and spiral to finally extend through and beyond the fabric of space to reach unknown planes and realms. Each member of the party can do nothing but stand in reverent awe of this majestic . . . thing. Knowing the truth in their hearts that indeed whatever "laws" or rules the Feyrealm exists by, Yggdrasil has the power to manifest and enforce them.
Enjoying Rhiannon's obvious anxiety, fear, and anger more than a little, Irina steps forward and reverently places her hands upon impossibly giant roots, and with a voice enhanced by enchantment, declares in a loud and clear voice, "I am Irinia Rebenok D'yavola, first daughter of Queen Titania and Lord Asmodeus, and rightful heir to the Throne of the Feyrealm. I claim the Throne by birthright."
After doing so, Irina is suddenly pulled through time and space to find herself standing, tied to a post, in the center of a large 5-point-star magic circle, with others at the points. Her (human) mother lying supine at her feet, likely dead. She realizes she is experiencing a memory as if it’s happening for the first time — she is but a passenger in her own body, not in control, and only observing from inside her younger self. She believes she is about 10 or 12 years old.
The three figures she can see in front of her are extraordinarily tall and imposing, powerful. She recognizes Moloch, in human form. And a woman devil, with similar features to her own! ...but with long, goat-like legs and leathery bat-like wings extended majestically and imposingly behind her. And . . . Queen Mab is there! Behind her are two others that she can feel their presence, but cannot see them, for a total of 5 participants.
They are performing a ritual of some sort, and the Irina that was, is, there, is scared. And then the pain begins, and she feels herself being torn apart. Literally torn apart, though her body appears to remain together, shrouded in negative energy. She feels the presence of her mother, her actual mother, Titania, full of light and life, and for a moment she can see her face, shockingly beautiful, her voice is pure music — and then she is torn away, her spirit that she had within Irina is ripped away and she is left with anger, rage, and pain. She sees her father, Lord Asmodeus. He has somehow appeared in Irina's dreams, she realizes now, spoken to her in quiet moments, even though she knows he was destroyed with Irina's birth. Somehow he too had been a part of her all this time, and now he too is ripped away, and now she is left with nothing but mortal pain.
Irina is shattered and frail, and she feels she is about to be obliterated, knows it with a certainty . . . and she finds herself accepting it.
...then something happens, something . . . wrong. She has no idea what is supposed to happen, but innately something has gone wrong with the ritual, and she sees that in the faces and demeanor of the 3 participants in front of her. Irina feels herself taken apart into light, and reformed and suddenly she is swimming and sputtering, and clawing the shore not far from Portville . . . where a man is running toward her....
Irina comes back to herself standing among the roots of Yggdrasil, the sound of her declaration still echoing in the air, knowing whatever this vision was, happened to her in the span of a second. And she feels a presence . . . in her mind, but also outside of her, and she knows it is the Life Tree, speaking to her but not in language, in simply understanding. It asks her if she is sure. She pauses to consider for only a moment, and says yes.
And in that instant, she feels the wind rise and swirl around her, it feels like a gale force, and yet she stands unmoved, steady and stable. Eddies and torrents of leaves and flowers fly through the air and dance around the massive trunk and branches of Yggdrasil, and move to swirl around Rhiannon, pushing her entourage away from her, so she stands before Irina, the two and the Life Tree, together.
And Irina feels an essential change come about her. Like a new sense waking in her. She feels the petals flying through the air as distinctly as if they were in her hands. She feels the shape of every sprite and nixie and faerie around her as if she were caressing them. But Irina also feels something missing, and she only knows what it is because of the vision Yggdrasil just put her through, she feels the place in herself where Titania was, and is painfully missing.
The air settles, but she still feel its movement as if the realm itself were breathing. Rhiannon collapses to her knees, and many of the fey gasp, and some cry, while others laugh and giggle. She looks up at Irina, her face a mask or anger and sorrow, and she says, “It is done. You are Queen of the Seelie Court and the Feyrealm, mortal welp. Do your mistresses’ bidding and abdicate -- you don’t want to keep her waiting,” she virtually spits at Irina. Solonor, feeling his time has come, quietly steps forward and waits with hands behind his back.
But Irina, instead of continuing with her declaration of abdication, asks Solonor if he can take a message to Queen Mab. Shocked, he stutters affirmative, and with Rhiannon looking on in equal surprise and curiosity, begins to scribe a message:

Majesty. You failed to mention that you were a celebrant of the ritual which stole my immortality. As such, this may render our bargain null as the bargain was not struck by a true meeting of the minds. Before I can complete our transaction, I must know the full nature of your role in this ritual. I await your response at the feet of Yggdrasil.

Solonor takes the sealed message and awkwardly steps through a portal he opens back to the Winterrealm.
While they wait, Malex examines Yggdrasil, and notices in addition to the multitude of animals and fey creatures cavorting about the trunk, branches, and leaves, are an occasional squirrel. But unlike ordinary squirrel, these appear to be wearing waistcoats and armbands and some kind of hat that is only brim and visor. He notices them scamper with small leather pouches bouncing at their sides, running to and from the tunnels in the roots and the places in which the branches disappear into other realms. Clearly, these not quite animals, possibly fey-related creatures? are messengers of the Life Tree connecting the various realms. One of which, Malex knows goes to or near Mount Celesta! The location of Great Bahamut's Palace!
Malex steps forward and lays a hand on the tree . . . and is himself ported somewhere distant and strange! The fabric of time and space swirl impossibly around him. And before him, an egg. It swirls of all colors, metallic and chromatic! And he is filled with a certain knowledge, and understanding that Great Bahamut can be reborn! This egg is the key, and it need only be returned to his Palace!
Malex stumbles back and Toby helps him stand. Malex tries to describe his vision, but sadly, Toby try as he might, does not quite understand his mentor.
At this time, Solonor returns, and has a noticeable cut over one eye. Looking quite mollified, he present Irina with a sealed letter which she reads:

I do not know what you think you know, but this does not change our agreement. Your word is your word, and you must fulfill your end of the agreement or else there will be consequences. The same power that is enwoven into the Feyrealms which grants your royal position, is the same power that will hold you to accord. What happened in the past is in the past. Do not court the anger of the Winter Queen, Lady of Night and Shadow!

Irina scribes another message as Solonor looks visible uncomfortable and Rhiannon now looks curious and amused. It reads:

Majesty: I will be direct. Yggdrasil showed me you at one point of the ritual pentacle when my immortality was stolen. In effect, I hold you to account for that theft. Further, I fully understand the consequences to myself if I fail to keep my word. The difference between you and me is that I am willing to accept responsibility for MY wrongdoing. And, by the way, there was never in agreement between us as to the schedule upon which I would abdicate. Keep that in mind while determining your next response.

As they wait this time, Irina begins to ask some of the fey creatures in attendance questions as to the nature of ruler Rhiannon has been since taking the Throne, and receives responses indicating fairness and light. Eventually, Irina, now imbued with a preternatural awareness of all fey creatures, suddenly feels Solonor become non-existent. And she has an awareness that the Huntsman has been summoned to the Winterrealm by Queen Mab.
With a bit of urgency, Irina goes to Princess Rhiannon, and asks her directly if she were allowed to continue to rule the Feyrealm as reagent, if she would continue to do so fairly and with goodness, if she would make sure no harm comes to the fey, herself, or her companions, and allow her re-entry as she chooses? Rhiannon, cleverly sussing what is about to happen, agrees to Irina's confidence. And Irina, hands on Yggdrasil, declares that she will retain her right of the Throne but decrees Rhiannon to rule the Feyrealm in her stead until such time she chooses to return or abdicate.
The declaration so witnessed and accepted, Irina then asks if Rhiannon, who now seems quite convivial in the mercurial way of the fey, could possibly send the party into the Void, to the intelligence that is felt inside it? Rhiannon seems concerned at the prospect and uncertain, but with the understanding that Irina is true to her word and their goal is to try to rid the multiverse of this Void, she does her best. And aided by the presence of Yggdrasil and the celebratory fey in attendance, Rhiannon indeed finds the power and control to send the party to the mind flayer in the Void!

Character(s) interacted with

• Queen Mab
• Princess Rhiannon
• Solonor

Report Date

24 Feb 2021