Session 21 - Opposite Directions

General Summary

45th of Planting

Pulling open the door to the library Janora heard voices coming from Panna's office and motioned everybody to keep quiet. Dara, somewhat skeptical, asked, "So do you really think this will work?" A second voice, also sounding familiar, but definitely not Panna's replied, "Theoretically yes. In practice...I would put our odds at 83.7%. But you don't have to take my word for it, Panna has my notes and calculation, just let her work through it."

Ell let out a small groan, recognizing that voice. Janora looked back at the noble with a quizzical look and whispered, "Why do I recognize that voice?"

Ell just grimaced and said, "That voice better have some money for us."

Janora sighed and muttered, "Well then, let's get this over with," and cleared their throat loudly.

A moment or so later Eskarina Price stepped out of the office and glanced towards the door. Spotting the party, her face broke into a wide grin and she said, "Ah, you have returned and all in one piece. I must say I am impressed...not surprised, but impressed." At her words Panna and Dara rushed out of the office and were also very happy to see the team.

Janora smiled wanly and pulled the two health potions Panna had given them. "We are and happily we didn't end up needing these so you can have them back. The knight is sleeping once again."

The elven librarian insisted on hearing the whole story and ushered everyone up to the second floor and a comfortable sitting room. Dara offered to make tea and disappeared into an adjoining room muttering something about one of the special teas.

Panna settled on the couch beside Janora and asked, "Did you have difficulties? You...you were gone so long? I was so worried that my telling you about everything had doomed you all."

Janora took one of the elf's hands and sighed, "Not so many, but I think the length of our stay had more to do with the timeslips between the two realms. For us, we've only been gone for a couple of hours. Very honestly, I'm quite pleased with my traveling companions. We made a plan and worked to our strengths. If I had tried to go in there alone, I probably would not have made it out."

"You were an important part of the team," said Denye, "I don't think any of us could have done it alone."

"So yeah," Janora smiled and went on, "we went through a few gates, fought some mushroom creatures, and then found your brother. He doesn't send any kind of regards."

Esk looked up from her notepad and offered, "Well to be honest, I highly doubt if there is anything left of Kylara. His mind is most certainly gone and it's likely his body is as well...at this point, it would be better to just think of the knight as an animated suit of armor.

Panna broke into tears at this statement and Janora spent a moment comforting their friend, before looking over at Eskarina and asking, "Speaking of which, I believe we need to discuss some remuneration..."

Esk leaned forward and excitedly asked, "Did you get the flower?"

"...but, we did get you the blossom that you requested," finished the witch. They pulled the floor out and handed it to Eskarina. She laid it on her palm and a purple bubble of energy formed around it. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the bubble up and it vanished with a small *pop*.

"Good, very good," muttered the strange half-elven woman, "Now as for your payment, I believe this should be appropriate." Reaching into the pocket of the apron she wore, this one sky blue with yellow ducks, Esk pulled out a large sack of coin (160pp). "Also, keep the talisman that I gave you. I know that this was not an ideal situation, but you have bought us time we needed, and for that I grant you one favor. Call on me and I will do my best to help you."

Hand the sack over to Janora took a moment to look between Panna and Eskarina before asking, "So, you said that you had news? I assume that's what you mean by buying you time."

Dara chose that moment to walk back into the room and announced "Tea's ready. It's a Shin'a'in blend called Dawn's Glory. It seems to be an auspicious choice for the occasion." The tea had a peaty and heavy scent and the first sip or two tasted of mushrooms and earth, but as one drank it becomes fruity and almost floral.

Once the tea was distributed and everyone had settled again, Ell turned to Esk and prompted, "This plan of yours?"

The purple haired woman took a moment or two to focus and began, "To give you the short version, we begin with three suppositions. First, that it is not exactly your souls that are fused into the local weave so much as is your fey power. The second is that this fey power IS fed and replenished from your soul. The third is this power, tangled with the gate magics from the rebounding spell and is keep it semi-active. The first two we have proven, between Panna's own research and that of the good Dr Vonvhistle." Holding out a hand to Panna, Esk added, "I am sorry about that book. It really was only two weeks for me."

Eskarina went on, "If then we were to cut the two of you off from that fey power, you would be free to leave this area. Without the two of you replenishing that power, it should dissipate and ground into the general weave. This should, SHOULD, also stop the gate from opening to the Barren Forest. The downside of this plan is that it will make you mortal. I do not know if you will age or how long your life will be....but then, isn't that truly what mortality is all about."

Jilken leaned forward and asked, "What of the knight, are you just going to leave him?"

Esk grimaced and shook her head. "That is something of a larger project, tied into my research and I'm still working on it. But if we are able to keep the gate closed, he will at least no longer be a threat." She stopped for a moment and chew on the end of her graphite stick, "It is even possible that with the gate no longer in place, the Forest might let it rest. For now however, this should solve the problems in this world at least."

Janora shook their head, "Well this sounds like a good plan for this village. But with respect, why are you telling us this? Is there something you need us to do? Another job?"

"No, no," said Eskarina smiling. "There was one ingredient that I was having some difficulty sourcing, but you've already provided it. Mostly I am telling you because Panna asked and because I wanted you to know that someone was taking things seriously here."

The witch turned to the elven twins and asked, "What do you think about this plan?"

Dara just nodded her head vigorously, "I don't care what the risks are, I want to travel again. If being mortal is what it takes, then I mortal I shall be."

Panna smiled and rested a hand on Dara's shoulder, ""I actually think it will work. I've skimmed through the notes and it seems sound. I'm actually fairly confident that assuming it doesn't kill us, it will break us free from the town. What I'm less certain about is if that will stop the portal from fluxing open."

Janora nodded, "Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help with laying the knight to rest. I feel as if I owe the forest a debt."

After saying their good-byes the party headed to the Glittering Cup. The bartender, Haveral Glimmerdust was surprised to see them again, but quite happy to set everyone up with baths, food, and a bed to fall into. Most of the party crashed almost immediately, but Denye stayed up for a bit examining the treasures they had found in the Wood. Janora did much the same with the package they were given by the dryad.

1 Quickening

Gathering for breakfast Denye shared what she had learned. The octirite chain was an enchanted Chain of Returning and the iron/gold rod was a Rod of Passage. Both were met with approval and the party fell to discussing what they would like to do next.

Janora, who had woken up in a black mood, said, "We should talk about our short to medium goals for minute. We have some books to deliver to Wexwood, and we should probably tell Gelestro what we have learned. But I think I need to return to my village first. Things have gotten worse and I feel like I should go check on them."

Looking down at their plate for a moment, Janora contiued, "Frankly, I'm not sure if we should all go back to Bay Moon or if I should go alone. There is a good chance we could be attacked and I can't promise I can protect you."

Jilken smiled, "Well, I think we can do a pretty good job protecting ourselves."

"That's the problem," frowned Janora, "I can't let you hurt them either. You have to understand, this is my village, I am sworn to protect the villagers...monsters or not."

In the end, it was decided that Janora would head to Bay Moon to check on their werewolves and then meet the rest of the party on the road south to Englemarket. Between the forest travel spell and the giant crow they should have no trouble catching up.

Saying goodbye to the party, Janora headed over to the library to say goodbye to Panna and Dara. The rest of the party went looking for new mounts and eventually found Fast Freddie, of Fast Freddie’s Fillies and Foals, a fast talking gnome with slicked back orange hair. After some back and forth picked up a trio of mountain ponies and set out following the road south. 

The first day’s travel was pleasant and peaceful and the party even saw a firebird take off from nearby brush. After making camp, Ell asked Denye to look at the magic slate and between the three of them they figured out how to use the scan feature.

2 Quickening

The road continued to be empty and quiet for most of the day. Late in the afternoon Jilken called a halt to the group, having heard a rumbling sound under ground. A moment or two later there was a fountain of earth and a large creature with two rows of sharp teeth lunged at the horses. It had a tough, thick hide and seemed to even have iron covering the head and neck.

Jilken had already leveled her heavy crossbow and fired, catching the monster under the jaw and driving a bolt in. Dropping the bow on it's strap the elven fighter grabbed the Reaper and followed it up with another bolt. This one hit the steel plate and bounced off. Whirling on her mount, Jilken sent the pony back to get cover behind a large set of rocks

Ell screamed "What the fuck is that?" in a high-pitched voice and sent two Eldritch Blasts at the creature. Both blasts hit the creature square in the face, knocking it out of it's hole and back twenty feet. Following Jilken's example, he moved up onto the rocks themselves. Denye cast Melf's Minute Meteors and immediately sent two flying into the beast before following Ell up onto the rock.

The bullette dived back into the ground, leaving only a shallow pit. Jilken sighed and moved back out into the road, holding her crossbow ready and scanning the road. Ell looked around quickly and said, "We shouldn't all bunch up together" and sent his horse down to a different outcropping of rock. Denye just held still and scanned the area with her remaining four meteors circling her head.

A moment later it burst out of the ground at Jilken's feet, latching teeth into her thigh. She responded with two quick bolts to the face, both sinking deep. She attempted to follow it up with a stab from lighting spear, but was too quick, stabbing down at the monster before it was fully extended.

Ell fired off two Eldritch Blasts, the first went wide but the second hit the bullette square in the muzzle, knocking it back into a tree. As it flew Jilken thrust with her spear and drove the sparking blade into the beasts head.

Panting for a moment, Jilken rolled the creature over and began cutting into it as the others cautiously moved forward. Denye recognized it from her preparatory reading as a bullette, a Changed creature that had been warped during the magical explosion.

Jilken looking up from carving a few cuts of meat from the monster with a grin and asked, "Know what else it is?"

Denye shook her head, "I know that they usually hunt in pairs, but what were you thinking?"

The elf grinned, "Dinner."

Ell looked green at that statement but then turned back to Denye, "Wait, you said these things hunt in pairs? We should get out of here!" Taking his own advice he set his horse galloping southward and the others followed suit.

After two hours or so the ponies slowed from full gallop into a trot and Ell looked around wildly before asking, "Do you think we are safe?"

"We should be," replied Denye, "we're well past it's hunting grounds by now." 

Jilken agreed, "We should let the horses walk for a bit to cool down, but we should also start looking for somewhere to camp."

Not long after that suggestion they came upon a pond fed by a small creek. Making camp the party, sore and shaken by bullette settled in for a quiet night. Jilken grilled her bullette steaks; the meat was both rubbery and grainy.

Report Date

04 Apr 2021