Episode 58 Summary:
"Last week, Cold Dawn returned to Flatsole and squared away their debts and responsibilities, after being forced to recall names they long since forgot. A quick teleport later and the party was standing within the city of Achiad once more, night falling on their home, and the two cloaked figures that waited before them. These figures turned out to be Alfric, a dynasty judge and friend of the party, and Cidro, the head of Erathis’ temple in Achiad. Together, they ventured down into the depths of the city once more, down into the caves and into a makeshift home, prepared for the return of the heroes. It wasn’t long before Fafner visited them, mostly inviting himself in. He offered to explain the party’s place in the rebellion, and cleared up a number of housecleaning issues. It was then that the party asked his plans after the fall of the council, and we ended last night with him stating that there was indeed a living heir to the throne, and that the party had met them."
Waiting a Little Longer
After starting his explanations on the rebellion being waged in the city, Fafner decides that finishing this over food would be for the best, if for no other reason than former party member Alyce is pretty thoroughly done with waiting around. Heading back into the tunnels beneath the city of Achiad carrying a pile of letters that Alyce had left the party in their absence, Fafner hints at the origin of the ruins having been part of the Cataclysm, and Anthor emerges from a side tunnel.
Anthor seemed noticeably rested from when the party last saw him, though he did seem to need his staff much more than he previously did. He offered a position among the Nereids to Fennel, who needed minor cajoling to accept considering her distaste for the open ocean at present. But before long Fennel agreed and the two walked down a separate tunnel than the party. With promises to talk again in the future, Cold Dawn's newest friend disappears into the twisting labyrinth beneath their home city, down another path than the one they walk once more.
In another part of the underground the party is brought to a disguised Alyce who is staying with her partner, a Changeling named Laminsha. The princess of Regalia is in a jumpy mood and between explanations, and reading the letters she had left for Cold Dawn during their adventures at sea, a picture of events began to form. For some unknown reason, one of Alyce’s professors named Dr. Wyrd had taken an unhealthy interest in her life, unsettling her more and more as time went on. Things continued until Dr. Wyrd appeared at her home, during which a scuffle broke out. Fafner disguised as Yune rescued her and Laminsha, but Alyce’s mentor Casimiir was still fighting and his current location remains unknown, though he is definitely still alive.
Reunions and Rebellions
Upon returning with Alyce and Laminsha in tow to their current place of residence, Cold Dawn was greeted by their friend and chef Griffin, who welcomed them back with a pan to Kay’s face. During a delicious dinner, Fafner began to actually spill the beans of the planned rebellion. The legitimate heir to the Aegalian throne is a woman named Cornelia, who has now taken the surname Aeglos. Before Cold Dawn's boating adventure they had met her and some of her new advisors under true and assumed names, one of whom has a mostly sour relationship to the party, named Bardain. Bardain is the emissary of a creature of great and terrible power called the "Eclipse on Tattered Wings," a titanic moth of the same class as the dragon named Waves, a Progenitor. Between the Eclipse’s and others' advice, both Fafner and Cornelia are moving forward with various plans. It is eventually brought up that Cornelia is going by the name Catalain.
This deeply affects Yune, who was romantically interested in her fellow Tiefling. As she spiraled down at the realization of how unlikely that was now, Fafner attempted damage control by explaining the revival of the monarchy was intended as a temporary step. The plan was to attempt to form something closer to a parliament or similar elected representative government, but without the established government putting its support and resources behind it, that was little more than a pipe dream at present. Upon being pressed, Fafner admitted that the monarchy was likely to last at least a decade, which didn’t much help Yune’s mood. Realizing that he was unlikely to get much more out of the Ivory Bull tonight, and with most of the topics exhausted, Fafner explained that the exact details of the rebellion against the Council itself would be discussed at the War Room. He said that it would be held when Cold Dawn was ready but was none too subtle about his intentions to have it soon. With that, the dragon slipped from the room, and the party began their trek into the Misty Isle’s doorway once more.
Here be Giants
After an encouraging discussion between Yune and Alyce, the rest of Cold Dawn barring Ingris and Artemis drifted to sleep. Whilst Artemis began working out, Ingris went to the shore of the Fey island to think. She beseeched answers and help from the god Tyr, and between blinks found herself in a seemingly endless snowscape. Wandering seemingly endlessly, the only landmarks that seemed to grow closer were the skeletal remains of some great wyrm. Ingris took refuge from a cold that had settled into even her thick skin within the creature's gargantuan skull. Finding her mother's axe in a shape it hadn’t been in years, Ingris continued through impenetrable and infinite darkness, only to emerge in seemingly creatureless woodlands. Long did she wander, searching, before returning to her now occupied camp. From there, Giants of ages past handed her wisdom to carry onward.
A titan of stone, as steward as the mountains themselves, asked her why she looked for others to solve her problems. At the edge of unavoidable cliffs drifted an effervescent cloud giant in wait reminded her of the need for faith. Ingris joined her in a dive from the cliffs, to emerge in waters beneath an endless sea of rumbling clouds. As the Goliath dove to see what disturbed the water beneath she beheld the World Serpent within her dreams once more. A living storm thundered past her, reminding her of bravery and strength, and so she charged the snake of unimaginable proportions and struck its eye. Waking in a pool of lava, she spoke to a flame that had burnt even itself to ash resting upon a throne. He told her that she could be frozen with fear and indecision no longer, that while she should not be held responsible for others, she was responsible for her actions and inactions. Raised once more into the frozen hellscape, Ingris approached a nearby settlement. Inside was a glacier, carved into a human form, a tree at and in her side... and Ingris’ long-dead mother.
She and her mother bonded for the first time in their lives, and tells Ingris she must move forward. What had been done to her was terrible, and not her fault. But being able to heal and move on was her responsibility. After sharing one last hug Ingris emerged into a beautiful and yet homely drinking hall. Her god Tyr sat on the other end of the table, his form smaller than the titans she had been speaking with and yet stretching above them in some unfathomable way. He said he had one more gift for her, but she would have to offer poetry to him first. The god bade her a good night, telling her that she would return on the morrow, and to bring a tale that was of her when she did. With that, the Goliath awoke on the shores of the Misty Isle, to a new day and unseen dawn.
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Weekly recaps are written by William "Jon" Glenn. Follow him at https://twitter.com/WilliamJonGlen1!
Catch new episodes of Short Rest live on https://www.twitch.tv/srdnd at 8 pm EST!
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