Green and Yellow Curtains, Red Moons, Grey Areas

The party embarks on the return journey to Admontem Pass and encounters an eccentric old halfling named Jupil Gumberson, who has a colourful carriage with a broken wheel. The party helps fix the wheel, and in gratitude, Jupil introduces them to his arcane randomizer, a contraption that dispenses enchanted items. STU uses the machine and receives a Nut of X-ray Vision (Ring of X-Ray Vision), which grants the ability to see through solid objects for a short time.
One night on the journey back, the party hears the sound of a commotion outside their tents and discovers Nemo in his changeling form, seemingly far from camp. Nemo’s behaviour seems unusual and after The Inteloper successfully detects their thoughts, suspicion grows that Nemo has been kidnapped and replaced by an imposter. However, when the party attempts to confront the imposter, they discover that the imposter has vanished.
The next day, the party tracks Nemo and finds him in a clearing with several dead. As they approach, the group is ambushed by a pack of four-armed apes known as Girallons. After a fierce battle, the party defeats the Girallons, though STU expresses concern over their actions, asking the party to let the remaining apes flee, but the group continues to fight, leading to a moral discussion about their choices. The group attempts to revive Nemo however he seems to have been poisoned, rendering him in a catatonic sleep.
Upon reaching Admontem Pass, the party visits Professor Branqo, who is working on a large warforged construct. He apologizes to Neb for a prior attack and explains that the warforged’s programming has been updated, no longer causing indiscriminate violence against Drow. STU reassures Watcher (the warforged) that making mistakes is part of growth. Watcher refers to STU as a “S.C.O.U.T” — a term unfamiliar to him but possibly significant to his past.
Branqo reveals that STU wandered away from Lerimidium on a far away continent named Tezca after his motion function was activated before his full consciousness had been completed, which led him to blindly wander away, board a ship and disappear. Luckily Branqo had to replace STU’s leg when he discovered him, this leg had a tracking device attached, which allowed Branqo and Watcher to find him, However, Branqo did not expect STU to be so far away which is why his ship no longer functions. Branqo states he needs three or four Forgotten Crystals to power the ship enough to make it back to Tezca - the party gives him the Forgotten Crystal that was in the “boom boom rocket”.
When asked about the red moon, Branqo describes it as a chaotic entity that drives people insane. It is said to manifest as a "Manic Moon" or "Screaming Moon," and its influence grows stronger as more victims succumb to madness. The moon is tied to the souls of those who have lost their sanity, and if enough die, it will consume the entire crystal universe. The party also asks Branqo about Uncle Pally Wal -Branqo shares information about a book titled The Real Reality of Reality, which mentions “Uncle”. The book was once in the possession of Tyback Luthenis, and Branqo says he will contact his former Astral Assembly colleague Femia, to find out more about Tyback’s whereabouts.
The party discusses STU’s memory loss, as he struggles to recall anything prior to his awakening in Sylvasker. Some of his possessions stir unusual emotions, though he doesn't understand why. The party visits Broadpeak’s Alchemical Solutions after seeing that Roody has been posting numerous frantic messages to the notice board. The party finds the shop more cluttered than ever. They learn that Louis, Roody’s “nephew” who is also a puppet has been missing for a week. Before disappearing, Louis kept repeating the word “Shepherd”. In exchange for trying to find Louis, Roody agrees to help Nemo recover from the poison.
Next, the party visits Jonah Ranger and updates him on their dealings with Hartfell. They also ask him about the Nell family. Jonah is saddened to learn about the Nell family involvement as it means he has to dismiss his protege Wildervan who is a member of the family. He is staying with his aunty Lesvil Nell and whose sister, Aluphira Nell, is the head of the Straight Arrow Investigation Agency. Lesvil runs a shop called Take a Look Treasures. Much of her stock is trinkets and knick-knacks but STU is drawn to two specific items: a Glass Orb with a Black Opal and a book titled Adventures of the Saviour.
Lesvil reveals more details about Mr. Chalk. His first name is Barton and he is her uncle - the brother of her father Bastion Nell (Bastion Chalk took the Nell name when marrying into the family which is common when entering a wealthy family) - she moved to Sylvasker to live with him when she fell out with her family, before setting up her shop. She informed the group that there was always a darkness in him and she often wondeered wether he worshipped something sinister. After Lezvil moved out to live in her shop he bought the old Mantle’s Pieces Workshop someone abruptly after a he supposedly had a dream and decided to turn it into the Dream Curtain Theatre. Jonah emerges with Wildervan, both looking somewhat dejected, Jonah gives him his hand crossbow as a keepsake - he has named the crossbow “No Nonsense”. Jonah traces a teleportation pattern in the ground and Wildervan teleports away. Jonah then leaves.
The party decides to get some rest in Cooper’s Dream. Thralisk is awoken by the apparition of green and yellow curtains which billow and part to reveal Horizon standing over him. Horizon reveals that Thralisk is his next victim.
SESSION END