Leaving Fire Lake

​Though the overarching mission is to stop the encroachment of Air Magic, there are a number of paths forward for the Assembly. Balishna’s mission is perfectly straightforward: bring the fallen back to God’s Eye and deliver the Root of Knowledge, which is in his possession, to the Children of the Forest.

They consider their travels without their horses, which are still outside Greywater Watch. Surely, they must go back for them. But… meeting with the Children is critical given the circumstances, so perhaps they do that after they speak with the Children.

            ROLAN:            Hey guys… with Faryn gone, will the Root of Knowledge still be of use in defeating the Others?

            BALISHNA:       We will have to see what the Children say, but I would be honored to carry the Root into battle.

Balishna looks around.

            BALISHNA:       Soooo…. Uh… what’s the way out of here?

            ARAN:              Oh right. You’re the first person we’ve brought down here.

            QARZ:              That hasn’t been killed.

            ARAN:              Right.

Qhortho grunts with satisfaction.

            ARAN:              Well, that little pool over there is actually part of a tunnel system that leads out into a small lake. We swim up to the surface and we’ll be in the mountains near Strongsong.

            BALISHNA:       I see. Well, how are we going to bring out Faryn and Shaylin?

The words catch in his throat.

            ROLAN:            We can leave them here and just open a portal once we get to the God’s Eye.

They agree and slip into the water. It’s quite a bit colder than they remember. Whether that is due to the lack of fire magic or an incoming winter, it is hard to say. Before they begin the swim, Qarzdaq poses a question.

            QARZ:              Given how cold this is, should we put the bodies into the pool here? They decide the cave is probably enough to preserve the bodies given how long Travers’s body lasted. They swim through the tunnels and make their way to the surface of Fire Lake. Thankfully, Fire Lake got its name from the look of being on fire due to the reflections of sunlight around the area, and they emerge through a layer of slushy ice.

Qarzdaq makes a fire so they can dry off and not catch hypothermia.

            ROLAN:            I think we should head out of the mountains to the west and travel along the foothills until we get near Lord Harroway’s Town.

            ARAN:              Yeah, that sounds good. We can go around the town when we get near and approach the lake from the north shore.

            BALISHNA:       I don’t know if I’ll be able to activate the Root to create the vine bridge that Faryn did.

            QARZ:              That’s ok, I’m sure we can get a boat somewhere if needed.

            QHOR:             And where will we get mounts for this trip?

            ARAN:              I don’t think that’s an option.

Qhortho grunts.

            QHOR:             Then we should be on our way.

            ROLAN:            Yeah. It’s going to take us almost 2 weeks to get there.

They dress in their most traveliest of traveler clothes as to not stand out and make their way through the mountains.

Before they leave, Qarzdaq loads Rolan’s Ioun Stone with a level 4 Fireball.

Over the first few days, they traverse a would-be hazardous path, but Rolan is able to guide them through without difficulty. Although they are not on the road, they can see the north-south road that leads from Lord Harroway’s Town into the Neck and beyond. Several travelers can be seen in the distance, but none of them leave the main road or pay them any mind.

The next 2 days go without incident, traveling at a fast pace while maintaining vigilance. Keeping watch at night is becoming easier and easier with the moon reaching its fullness.

Qhortho and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Rolan is on watch as the moon reaches its height. He is startled by an extremely loud scream. Looking around, Qhortho is on his feet, grabbing his head.

Everyone in the camp is awake at this point and looking at Qhortho, utterly confused.

Qhortho shakes his head hard and locks on to Aran. He charges immediately. Aran jumps to his feet and grabs his guandao. For the next minute, Qhortho continues to attack Aran, but Aran defends himself by striking back and stopping Qhortho in his tracks by making himself as Menacing as possible. Not wanting to kill him, Aran backs away after each of these successful strikes, and maintains his distance.

Aran looks around for what could be causing Qhortho to act like this. Rolan notices Aran and immediately looks toward a few large boulders not more than 75′ away. He whispers to himself.

            ROLAN:            That’s where I’d go…

Rolan fires a Volley of arrows behind one of the boulders. No one makes an appearance.

Balishna circles around Qhortho, glaive drawn, maintaining his distance. He intermittently glances around for the source of this magic while keeping one eye on Qhortho.

Qarzdaq understands Rolan’s idea and launches a Fireball behind one of the other large boulders. No one makes an appearance.

Aran sees what Rolan and Qarzdaq are doing and dashes towards the last 2 boulders. Qhortho stares at him while he runs away. Aran continues without a pause. He is ready to strike as he rounds the side of the first one. Nothing there.

He runs a few more feet towards the last one and… nothing there. Only 1 left, just 20 feet away.

Rolan sweeps around to get the best line of sight on what must be behind that last boulder.

Balishna takes this as his opportunity. He dives onto Qhortho, attempting to tackle him to the ground. Instead, he ricochets off the raging wall that is Qhortho. Qhortho snarls at him and runs after Aran.

Rolan sees Qhortho closing on Aran but retains his focus on shooting whatever is behind that boulder.

Aran hears Qhortho coming and strikes him as he gets within range of his guandao. He lands his Menacing strike and Qhortho stops dead in his tracks. Seeing no other options, he pisses himself.

A dapper narrator with oiled hair steps out of the shadows as the scene behind him slows:

Yes folks, that’s right.

Whether the decision truly was a conscious one or not will be a debate for the ages.

Some say Qhortho was frustrated and felt that was the only thing he could decide to do on his own while someone or something was pulling his strings. Others say that Qhortho would rather people believe it was his choice in order to cover up that he truly was frightened. Meta, I know.

If you will, join me for a thought experiment. 

Qhortho’s known Aran for quite some time. Aran has always just been a local town blacksmith that had certain talents. He was an order-follower.

Over the prior several months, Qhortho has seen Aran strike fear into their enemies, but those creatures should have been afraid. Not just of Aran, but of all of them. And especially of Qhortho when he’s on a Rager. Fast-forward to now. Aran is facing off to Qhortho, who is experiencing this… sensation… that he’s never felt before. He wants to kill his intended target and has the means to do so, but he just can’t manage to take any steps toward his target. Towards Aran. What kind of sorcery is this?

Or maybe, just maybe, Aran has actually struck Fear into this big vicious Dothraki that steamrolls over everything.

It is irrelevant whether the fear is of Aran as a person, the ability itself, or the previously unknown feelings currently washing over him… and down his leg.

I submit to you that the piss was unintentional and driven by true fear.

And now, back to The Unlikely Assembly.

Aran strikes again, doubling down on the Fear. He then spins on his heel and runs around the nearby boulder. No one is there.

Rolan immediately retrains his bow on Qhortho, not knowing where else to be aiming right now.

Qarzdaq looks over at Rolan.

            QARZ:              Really?

            ROLAN:            We got no choice man.

            QARZ:              I’ve got an idea.

Rolan holds steady as he watches Balishna have an idea. He watches Balishna jump at Qhortho, but Qhortho just bats him away. It takes the restraint of a good ranger to not laugh out.

            BALISHNA:       I don’t know what else to do here guys!

Qhortho screams out in frustration and confusion. He stabs and swings his blade wildly, attempting to hit something… anything.

Qarzdaq quickly casts Sunbeam towards the boulder where he cast his Fireball. The beam causes a mound of dirt to be cast in all directions. He then blinks to the Ethereal Plane. The sphere of sunlight would protect him from the Wails of Banshees, but in looking around, none are to be found.

Aran grabs Qhortho around his shoulders, forcing him to the ground.

            ARAN:              Tie him up!

Qhortho is trying everything he can to bite Aran and writhe free from his hold. Rolan rushes over with his rope and manages to tie Qhortho’s wrists and ankles.

Aran puts his entire weight on Qhortho’s back. He continues to struggle for the next half-minute. During this time, Qarzdaq occasionally disappears and reappears as he walks over to the scene.

Suddenly, Qhortho stops struggling. His eyes remain open, staring off into the distance, but he seems completely paralyzed. Aran gets to his feet. Everyone is now standing and looking down on a hogtied and completely motionless Qhortho.

            QARZ:              Aran, what did you do??

            ARAN:              What I had to man. I didn’t cause him to get paralyzed, but as long as it’s reversible, maybe that’s for the best, you know?

Qarzdaq isn’t so sure about that. He kneels down next to his buddy, places a hand on his shoulder, and bows his head. His hand appears to glow a deep red for a few moments.

            QARZ:              I think this seemed to help some time ago. Maybe it will this time too.

He continues to kneel, expecting Qhortho to come to at any moment. He Blinks to the Ethereal Plane and looks around, seeing nothing but emptiness. He reappears and disappears a few more times while remaining at Qhortho’s side over the next 30 seconds, but Qhortho’s waking moment remains elusive.

            QARZ:              Nothing guys… Just… nothing…

            ROLAN:            What the fuck is going on here?!

            ARAN:              Did he get scratched by a Slaad?

            QARZ:              I don’t think so. And we applied Keog’s Ointment anyway, so we should be cured of anything from them.

            ARAN:              We need to get to the God’s Eye as quickly as possible.

They all agree and begin packing their supplies.

Within the next 30 seconds though, Qhortho moans as he regains his faculties. He pulls at his arms and realizes he is still tied up.

They all look over to him, not sure what to expect.

            QHOR:             Which one of you pissed my pants?

They all laugh.

The God’s Eye

Qhortho strains his neck to find Aran.

            QHOR:             Aran! I’m so sorry… I don’t know what came over me! I wasn’t in control! I remember it all, and…

            ARAN:              I get it. We’re dealing with some shit here. We should get out of here.

Aran unties Qhortho and returns the rope to Rolan.

They continue to pack their gear, but with less urgency.

            ARAN:              I would’ve bet there was something in the Ethereal Plane. Are you sure there was nothing?

            QARZ:              Yeah. Maybe you should look next time instead of me always going.

He smirks.

            QARZ:              Do you think Zinsueli could have something to do with this?

            ARAN:              Does he have the power to do anything like this?

            QARZ:              I don’t know…

They remain confused as to what happened to Qhortho and whether this will continue. They think for a bit longer, tossing out ideas about Dothraki dream monsters, the Vampire they let loose back in Gulltown, and a Hag or other instrument of Air magic.

Qarzdaq reflects on his arcane learnings, and concludes that it was most likely some sort of curse. The coincidence of a full moon is rather odd, and it could be something Qhortho’s been carrying around from any point since the last full moon. But what could have done this?

            ROLAN:            I think we’re going to have to tie Qhortho up for at least tomorrow night for everyone’s safety.

            QHOR:             I don’t want to attack you again, so I will submit to this for the next few nights.

They ride for a day, and take their normal rest. Qhortho is bound during this night but shows no effects of this “curse.”

As they are getting closer to Lord Harroway’s Town, they decide to cover up a little more as to not draw attention to themselves. They ride around the town without incident and finally arrive at the north shore of the lake around the Isle of Faces.

            ARAN:              So, right. No boat. What do we do Balishna?

Balishna clearly has an idea.

            BALISHNA:       I have an idea.

He holds the Root of Knowledge, concentrating on it intently. It flickers a bright green then fades out. He continues to concentrate for several minutes without any result. Suddenly, it flickers back to life, but fades out again.

            BALISHNA:       Faryn could do this on command, but I can feel that this will work. I just need some time.

Over the next 2 hours, Balishna makes progress and even manages to call vines to sprout through the lake’s surface. With each partial success, he feels a stronger kinship with the Root. It is apparent this is taking a toll on him though.

Finally, as darkness falls, Balishna manages to keep the Root lit, its green glow lighting the area around them. A vine bridge braids itself together leading to the island.

            QARZ:              Feels good when you get your first boner, doesn’t it?

Balishna smirks weakly, but does not engage with Qarzdaq because getting the Root lit was only part of the battle; maintaining his focus long enough for them to cross the bridge will be a bigger challenge. Balishna leads the way, the Root lighting the vine bridge.

Hours of his concentration not faltering for even a moment, they finally reach the island. The Root fades out as the last of the Assembly step foot on land, leaving them in darkness. Balishna falls to his knees with exhaustion.

They decide to wait until morning for the trek to the Childrens’ camp.

​But this time, their decision makes no difference. Not more than a minute later, 15 Greenguard appear from the forest, armed and taking aim at them all.

The Assembly raises their arms to show they are no threat. Balishna gets to his feet and steps past the Assembly towards the Greenguard.

            BALISHNA:       Stand down. I would like to say all is well, but nothing could be further from the reality.

One of the Greenguard steps forward while the others lower their bows and glaives.

            GREENGUARD: Brother Balishna. Yes, we know. Please get back to the Clearing. All of you. As quickly as you can.

The entire group of Greenguard and Balishna walk into the trees and disappear. The Assembly look to each other, wishing they travel like that, and begin towards their destination.

Every now and then during their hike, they swear they can see Children in the woods, but when they go to look, there is nothing there. After a few hours, they have to finally make camp.

Chloryncia Explains It All

The next morning, they perform their rituals as typical, but they decide it would be best to retrieve the bodies of Faryn and Shaylin before getting the camp. They open the portal, retrieve the bodies, and continue on their way. A few hours later, they step into a well-defended Clearing, the Greenguard on high alert and the Children scattered through the forest.

A small group is already preparing a ceremony for Faryn, led by one of the Children. Rather than coffins or pyres, they have prepared densely-woven vine beds for the deceased to lie on as their remains seep into the earth and provide nutrients thereby continuing the cycle of Life.

Balishna and the Child approach the Assembly.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Ah. The so-called Unlikely Assembly. Good day. It is great to finally meet you in person. I’ve seen… I’ve heard so much about you. I am known as Chloryncia.

A few Children come over to the Assembly and relieve them of the bodies.

            CHLORYNCIA:  I have something you need to know. Faryn’s demise was known. We knew it and she knew it. Before she left, she knew she would not be returning.

            QARZ:              How was that known?

She directs them to follow her to her quarters for a more thorough explanation.

They walk through the clearing, which is abuzz with weapons training and ceremony preparations. The smell of sawdust and forest fill the air as they approach a small hovel half underground.

Once they enter the building and close the door, Chloryncia continues with her explanation.

            CHLORYNCIA:  We can see the past clearly, but the future is less… certain. There are some future paths though, that all seem to converge to a single outcome. Unfortunately, Faryn’s demise was a certainty. How it would happen, remained unclear, but THAT it would happen before reaching the Others, was no surprise to the few of us in the know.

            CHLORYNCIA:  For years, Faryn has been studying the past, trying to understand the paths most likely to have us triumph. To have Life triumph over Air. Though she found some paths that were better than others, none lead to certain victory. She knew that the best way to defeat Air would be to rely on a New Assembly, much like the First. But creating such a group is no simple task. The actions Faryn had taken over the years were not always met with cohesive backing of the Cluster.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Some actions seemed especially foolhardy, but with hindsight, were quite brilliant. Even when we lost the Root, that had apparently been planned by Faryn. She did not know exactly how it would happen, but she acted without regard to keeping the Root safe at the time when it was taken. She knew the missing Root would act as a test for those Intelligent enough to understand its importance, Wise enough to follow the trail, and Strong enough to return the Root once recovered.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Faryn planned to further test that group, you, with other large tasks, which you handled with relative ease. Going back further, she had even begun crafting her Children Chain years in advance, long before we were faced with these threats. And seemingly without a need for that level of protection as we had an armistice with your kind for many years; both were allowed to live without threat because both knew our pasts. Still, she insisted the Children Chain be crafted.

            CHLORYNCIA:  But even now, one event that remains unclear is the outcome of this war with Air. Faryn went with you, not to help with the threat directly, but to determine who would be worthy enough to wield the Root in her place.

She squares off to the Assembly, leaving Balishna unaddressed.

            CHLORYNCIA:  So who amongst you is the one Wise enough to apply the Root’s power judiciously while also Strong enough to return the Root at the conclusion of this war?

Balishna immediately takes issue with the question and steps to Chloryncia’s front and center.

            BALISHNA:       I should be the one to wield it. I have been carrying it since Faryn fell in battle and I have kept it safe. I am already beginning to bond with it. I insist that I be the one to retain it.

Chloryncia addresses Balishna.

            CHLORYNCIA:  No. That is not the solution here. I am grateful of your duty, but these are Faryn’s orders.

            BALISHNA:       Faryn’s dead!

            CHLORYNCIA:  Yes. How very astute of you.

She holds her hand out, waiting for him to surrender the Root. Balishna is visibly agitated at this point, but he relents. He takes the Root in his hand one last time and extends it towards Chloryncia. Just before he hands it to her, his hand retracts. It seems to be instinct, as if he very deeply does not want to let it go. He pushes through it and hands the Root to Chloryncia and steps back with a touch of sorrow.

            CHLORYNCIA:  My question stands.

Aran holds up his Book of Trees.

            ARAN:              I do have this book that I am attuned with and have found many of its teachings quite useful over our journey. I have felt myself grow stronger with nature as we’ve progressed, and I believe I have what it takes to keep the Root safe and apply its power when needed.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Yes. You would be a fine choice.

            QHOR:             My nature is that of the land and animals.

            QARZ:              Don’t ask him about horses though!

Qhortho shoots him an angry look, but focuses back on Chloryncia.

            QHOR:             Aran would do well, but earth and nature is in my blood and I have no long-standing ties to any Westerosi that might influence my decisions. I do not mean to say that Aran does, but there is no risk of Westerosi influence on me.

            CHLORYNCIA:  I see. You would also be a fine choice. Did Faryn give any indication of alignment towards either of you?

            ARAN:              She and I talked at length about Nature and my leanings, but I hadn’t seriously considered anything like this.

            CHLORYNCIA:  And you?

            QHOR:             Faryn mentioned that the forces of Nature had become unbalanced, and we are to bring balance to these forces.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Yes, that is the task at hand. Did she also speak with you on a personal level about beliefs?

            QHOR:             We talked of honor and dishonor. And the application of force. I told her about how I’ve grown beyond my Dothraki heritage, that I don’t see things the way I used to. She made me see things differently too. I don’t know if that tells you what you want to know.

            CHLORYNCIA:  I think it tells me enough. It tells me that she also had a hard time determining which of you would be the better caretaker. How do each of you feel about harnessing power directly from the gods?

            ARAN:              Before joining with this group, I would not have considered myself a believer of any gods. Having experienced what I have since then, belief is not really a choice. I have seen their power and the powers wielded by those that believe strongly, and their existence cannot be denied. I would now just say I am not a follower of any specific god. I would not shy away from wielding such a power, but I surely would not want to be forced into bondage by a god, if that is the tradeoff.

            QHOR:             I have a strong connection to the Great Stallion, but he is a god that wields no magic, only strength. Through my discussion with Faryn, I have learned that perhaps the Great Stallion is one facet of Life and Nature. I don’t know how I feel about this, to be honest. I have never been one to like the use of magic, but I have seen it do good on the path laid out by the Great Stallion.

            CHLORYNCIA:  It seems you are both good candidates. The Dothraki have a long tradition of living off the Earth, but your apprehension of magic as a force, does make me question your suitedness, though it does not rule it out. As a Westerosi, Aran, you are not quite as entrenched in Nature, but your attunement to the Book of Trees is something. The fact that you are not making a case for yourself also makes you a good candidate on the selflessness side.

            CHLORYNCIA:  I do not believe I should make this decision alone. I would like you to all come to an agreement as to who is best suited for this very important task. We will hold our ceremony for Faryn and Shaylin this evening, so think it over tonight and let me know your resolution in the morning. For it is then that you must be on your way.

They go to leave, but Rolan turns back to face Chloryncia.

            ROLAN:            Do you know anything about curses?

            CHLORYNCIA:  I… well… some? I mean, we don’t wield spells as wizards or warlocks, but we do have projective senses that give us certain abilities. Some might claim them to be curses, but that are not really.

            ARAN:              We are not as interested in applying curses as we are in relieving them.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Ah, I see. We are unable to help with that. You may want to try Highgarden or perhaps a small town known as Moat Cailin. It’s a bit to the north of the Neck.

They turn to leave again, but this time Qhortho turns to face Chloryncia.

            QHOR:             Almost forgot. We need to talk about Zinsueli. You’re probably wondering why he is not with us.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Balishna mentioned that he went off on his own after Faryn and Shaylin fell. Balishna said he does not hold you at fault for leaving him because you had to leave quickly through some sort of portal you have available to you. He also said that he expects Zinsueli to arrive within about a week.

            QARZ:              That sounds about right.

            QHOR:             He put it quite mildly. I look down more harshly on those that leave their allies in battle.

            CHLORYNCIA:  So he left while you were in battle?

            ARAN:              Well, right after.

            CHLORYNCIA:  I see.

            ARAN:              It was because he didn’t get the Root of Knowledge and was all pissed off.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Really? That seems out of character.

            ARAN:              That’s why we gave it to Balishna. Balishna didn’t want it as badly so it seemed to be the right choice. We didn’t want the Children of the Forest to think we were trying to keep it for ourselves and we didn’t want it to be held selfishly.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Interesting points. This is good information. Thank you. Is there anything else?

They decline a head toward the door.

Rolan turns around to face Chloryncia.

            ROLAN:            Do you have any Purple Worm poison?

            CHLORYNCIA:  I’m sorry, but we do not use poisons.

They leave the hovel and find an area to talk amongst themselves.

​​​Tough Call

            ARAN:              What do you guys think of the Root of Knowledge?

            QARZ:              I’ve been with Qhortho since we first landed in Westeros and were held captive by Tyrone Bannister. I would trust Qhortho to wield it, without question.

            ARAN:              I actually have no idea what I, or he, would even do with it, to be honest. I don’t see a purpose for either of us having it.

            QARZ:              Excellent point. Have either of you held it?

            ARAN:              Just for a second.

            QHOR:             No.

            ROLAN:            Where the Dothraki come from, it’s just a sea of grass. There are no trees. And as far as Aran goes, dude grew up living in a town.

            QHOR:             It sounds as if this God of Life is nothing more than the Great Stallion by a different name.

            ROLAN:            I don’t think that’s the ingoing approach to wielding an artifact effectively. It requires daily dedication to the god whose power it sources from. I think they need to find another person to wield this thing if it’s so important.

            ARAN:              It sounds like Chloryncia said it has to be one of us to take it. Maybe they can tell us who should have it by looking at their world lines or whatever they call the paths into the future.

            QARZ:              I think they looked into it and it remained uncertain.

            ROLAN:            If it has to be one of us that carries it, it seems difficult for Qhortho to carry 2 gods. Aran has none, so there is vacancy. Aran, could you even follow a god?

            QHOR:             Not an issue for me if they are the same god.

            ARAN:              I more have a problem with religion than with the gods. It’s pretty clear to me now that gods exist. It’s what humans do to the idea of gods that turns me away.

            QARZ:              I think we should ask Chloryncia what the Root actually does. Maybe that will help our decision.

They agree and proceed to Chloryncia’s hovel.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Have you made up your minds already?

            ARAN:              Not really.

They ask about the Root’s abilities and she tells them that it allows a well-connected mortal to perform many of the abilities that Faryn used regularly: Fey Step from tree-to-tree as long as you are within 30 feet of any living tree, summon a vine bridge as a ritual if there is any vegetation nearby, deal greater damage with your current weapons if the Root is activated in battle, and speak with animals and inhabit them at a distance even if you do not have the ability to do that now. Additionally, if you have the ability to cast spells, they become more powerful.

She continues.

            CHLORYNCIA:  These abilities do not come lightly, however. You will need to focus. You will need to meditate. You will need to commit to the God of Life. This is no god of aggression; this is a god of understanding, of preservation, of sacrifice. It will mean giving some you consider enemies the chance to explain their actions. Mind you that not all deserve such grace, and even if they do, we still all make mistakes on our paths, no matter our purity of heart. This is a god of striving for benevolent neutrality, if that makes sense.

They discuss why Aran and Qhortho are both not fit and perfectly fit for being the Root’s caretaker.

            CHLORYNCIA:  This was initially Faryn’s decision, but it sounds like wither of you could be fine choices given your willingness to submit while also not feeling a worthiness. I sense an honesty in your decision making and that you are not taking this lightly. This is good. I ask that you think about your interactions with Faryn and what you believe she would have intended. And sleep on it. Sleep has a way of crystalizing one’s path.

            QHOR:             I talked a lot with Faryn. She showed me a way of thinking about life and nature that has expanded my mind and I would be honored if we all agree that I wield it. Faryn’s mission was aligned with our own. And I intend to see it through.

            CHLORYNCIA:  And would you return it, regardless of how connected you are to it.

            QHOR:             When the end comes and peace is retuned to the land, I will set down these powers.

            ARAN:              I would have no problem doing the same. Ever since my younger years, whenever I would craft something, I would always carve it with the Great Oak from my childhood home. I always have had an affinity and respect for the forest and of the versatility of wood, as strange as that might sound. It makes me think to when we recovered the Root. The dragon gave us permission to take any item from his horde that we wished. The Book of Trees called out to me in a way.

            CHLORYNCIA:  You understand here and now why this is not a clear choice. This is not a convergent path. I am confident both of you would wield it appropriately. This is up to you to decide.

They leave the hovel and sit at the edge of the Clearing.

            ROLAN:            Guys, I don’t know. This doesn’t seem to fit either of your personalities or goals.

            QARZ:              I’m not so sure I agree. This is not to knock Aran, but I have been with Qhortho through a lot and have seen his growth over that period. I’m not sure he has the same dedication to a god that it takes to wield an artifact, as Rolan and I both know what it takes, but I certainly trust him completely. I trust Aran as well, of course, but I have seen Qhortho at some very low points and have seen him get through it with me. Thinking all the way back to Malrik when he was killed in battle almost 2 years ago. We’ve just been through a lot and he’s continued to grow for the better through thick and thin.

            ARAN:              Well it seems there is 1 strong vote for Qhortho, 1 vote for no one, and each of me and Qhortho voting for ourselves. If that is the case, I would yield the honor to Qhortho. Rolan, do you say the same?

Rolan shrugs.

            ROLAN:            Sure.

            QHOR:             I will wield it as Faryn would have wanted.

​​The Ceremony​

After a short time, a set of short chirps signal to everyone that the ceremony is about to begin. As the Assembly approach, the Clearing suddenly fills with Children of the Forest, far more of them than they’d ever seen around. Clearly these woods are filled of these creatures.

The area becomes quickly packed, but the Assembly is able to get towards the front to see Faryn and Shaylin each lying on beautifully woven mattresses of vines.

Chloryncia steps forward and looks around at everyone. She begins speaking in the soft, hypnotic, whisper-wind voice of the Children. Qarzdaq is the only one of them that understands that she is recounting Faryn’s achievements as a member of their society, as a leader, and as a friend. Apparently, Faryn had been behind many of the strategic parlays with the humans that led to their peaceful co-existence. She had done a number of other things, but many of them Qarzdaq could not understand, only because he did not have the vocabulary. This may in fact be the first time that humans ever even heard some of these terms.

The ceremony goes on for quite some time, with many standing to speak of both Faryn and Shaylin. None of them noticed at first, but with each word spoken, tendrils from the vine beds are growing outward and over the bodies and are slowly encasing them.

After at least an hour of various people having a chance to speak, the vines are covering all but their faces. The speaking of brave accomplishments and heroic stories until the bodies are covered up and are being pulled beneath the ground.

As the bodies disappear into the earth, the ceremony ends and the crowd slowly disperses.

The Assembly spend the night in one of the small buildings and sleep quite restfully. In the morning they perform their rituals and inform Chloryncia that Qhortho would be the one to wield the Root.

            CHLORYNCIA:  And you are all in agreement.

They all offer a hearty “Yes.”

She hands over the Root, looking Qhortho in the eyes.

            CHLORYNCIA:  This is not to be taken lightly, Qhortho.

This is one of the first times Qhortho has heard his name with some semblance of respect. Her eyes drill into his mind.

            CHLORYNCIA:  I pass this charge to you with expectation of its return.

            QHOR:             I take this charge with honor.

            CHLORYNCIA:  Shhaylay soosh bunshans. And remember, if you ever need aid just place your hand near the face of any weirwood and state, “ashvez voo beshwah dade.”

They exit the hovel and approach the soft ground where Faryn and Shaylin lie. Qhortho kneels with the Root in hand.

            QHOR:             Faryn. I am sorry that we couldn’t protect you, but I swear to you and all the Children, that I will wield the Root with honor and bring justice wherever possible to preserve Life and the Old Ways.

As they are about to leave the Clearing, Balishna approaches them.

            BALISHNA:       Though our recent travel ended in tragedy, I sense that our paths will cross again. I wish you well and luck on your journey ahead.

He then waves over 4 younger Greenguard on Giant Elks. They line up next to Balishna and dismount.

            BALISHNA:       You will need new mounts for your travels. Please, take these. It is all I can do to help at this point. We are all preparing for what might lie ahead. Though I doubted her at times, it seems she was right all along. I will retain regrets for my remainder. Shhaylay soosh bunshans.

They leave the Clearing and once they are enough into the forest as to not make a scene, they open a portal to Fire Lake and step through with their rides, though that takes some coaxing.

Great Stallion

They decide their next steps are to return to Greywater Watch for their horses, then proceed to the Purple Worm.

Qarzdaq jumps into the freezing cold water and swims through the tunnel. As he swims up to the surface, he shoots a bolt of fire upwards to ensure the ice is broken before he reaches the surface. He breaks through the slush with relative ease and climbs to shore. He then lights a small fire to warm himself up and dry off. Once a little more comfortable, he opens a portal so the others can come through with the elks. They step through, crunching the crisp frost-covered grass with every step.

Looking around, the beauty of this region and especially Fire Lake is unmatched. Soon they mount their Giant Elks and get on their way, heading due west. As they are still getting used to their new mounts, they take it slow. The idea of this particular band of extremely talented nobodies, riding on Giant Elks, with artifacts and incredible weaponry at their fingertips is not lost on any of them. Now that it is just back to their core foursome, the Unlikely Assembly feel a great deal of accomplishment and pride.

They know what they will face will undoubtedly be tougher than anything they’d dealt with before, but for right now, everything is good.

It takes several days before they reach The Neck and over the next few days past that, they are put more on edge by the Giant Crocks heard all around the area. They pass through the camp with the slaughtered, festering Gnoll corpses. Other than the bodies being ripped to shreds, presumably by the crocks, nothing’s changed since their last visit.

As they pass through the camp, Qarzdaq sends Fire Bolts off left and right, setting alight every corpse he sees.

Rolan is tempted to hunt some of the crocks for their teeth to make some sweet, sweet +1 arrows. Knowing the Purple Worm is so close is much too alluring to pause for any unnecessary pitstops though.

            ROLAN:            Oh shit, is that your horse Aran?

            ARAN:              Oh. Wow. Yeah it is! Well that armor certainly is not fitting on this beast. I think I’ll keep the Elk and sell the horse when we get to the next town.

After a few more days, Greywater Watch is just within sight.

Just then, they also find Qarzdaq’s and Rolan’s horses. They are definitely of the mind that Aran holds: sell the horses, keep the Elks. Qhortho is growing slightly distressed that his horse still is missing.

Upon reaching the small castle, they are intent on burning that bitch to its stumps, but Qhortho is preoccupied.

As the others prepare to light that fire, Qhortho communes with nature, hoping to get a clue as to Lajak Chaf’s whereabouts.

He meditates for about 10 minutes before a great black stallion appears before him.

            STALLION:       Hello. I’m Mister Ed.

Qhortho blinks, taken aback.

            ED:                   So, Wilbur. What would you like to know?

            QHOR:             Uhhh… My name is Qhortho. Not Wilbur. But I am looking for my horse, Lajak Chaf. Do you know where he is?

            ED:                   Naaay.

            QHOR:             No?

            ED:                   Sorry, Wilbur. Yes. Yes, I do. He is about a day’s travel from here to the northwest.

            QHOR:             Thank you great stallion.

            ED:                   You can call me Ed, Wilbur.

            QHOR:             You can call me Qhortho, Ed.

Mister Ed turns and gallops off into the sunset. As he does, Qhortho hears a whinny followed by, “hi ho silver, away!”

He shakes his head slightly, finding himself in a foggy daze in a meditation pose. Had he dreamt that? It felt more real than a daydream… At least the northwest is exactly the direction they need to go for the Purple Worm. It is then that he is snapped out of his daze by Qarzdaq, Aran, and Rolan shouting, “burn, motherfucker, burn!”

Qhortho walks up behind the others.

            QHOR:             Nice.

The castle crumbles and sizzles as chunks strike the swampy water below. The plume of smoke rising from the dying structure is immense. They realize they better get out of there.

They mount up and head out, making camp after they are far enough away from what was Greywater Watch.

The next morning, they perform their rituals and get on their way. Later that afternoon, Qhortho gets the sense that his horse is about a half-day’s travel directly west. He convinces the others that this is a worthy cause and they agree.

A few hours later…

            ROLAN:            Hey Qhortho, I think that’s him!

            QHOR:             Yes!

The horse notices him and begins to gallop his way. Qhortho quickly dismounts the Elk.

The two kindred spirits run towards each other. Qhortho jumps to the side at the last moment, realizing that their “embrace” may end worse for him than the horse. Lajak Chaf circles around and this time, Qhortho launches himself into the saddle flawlessly. The Giant Elk he’d been riding follows alongside.

Climbing up onto his old friend presents mixed feelings. He realizes that where they are headed is dangerous for Lajak, but that is not entirely selfless as the Giant Elk is undoubtedly a better mount, other than being able to obey his commands. Though, now with the Root, he might one day be strong enough to speak with animals and have the Elk be even better in battle.

Qhortho is not one to ditch a close friend like that though; the Elk is a mere acquaintance. He will have to have a heart to heart with his buddy. They make camp and Qhortho has a long talk with his horse.

The others fall asleep while Qhortho laughs, cries, and whinnies.

In the morning, Qhortho removes the horse armor and sends Lajak Chaf on his way. They mount up on their Elks and get on their way towards the Purple Worm.

Are We In The Right Spot?

After a day and a half of travel, they come across a 20′ wide hole in the swamp. The edges of the hole are raised, preventing its immediate collapse, but some parts are slowly failing. Looking down into the hole, it goes down quite a ways. Interestingly, it seems the ground is rather dry relative to the wetlands on the surface.

            ROLAN:            Guys, I think we’re in the right spot.

            ARAN:              Maybe we can set a trap for it or something. Can we close off one of these holes?

            QHOR:             Whatever we do, we need to ensure the safety of our mounts. I’m tired of us losing our rides and walking all over the country.

            ARAN:              Fair point.

They all dismount, looking around the area for any signs of the giant worm.

            QHOR:             We can use one of these other horses as a lure.

He swiftly smacks Qarzdaq’s horse on the ass and it takes off into the swamp ahead of them.

The horse makes it about 60 feet before the ground begins to tremor. The horse skids to a stop and rears back, whinnying in distress. Suddenly, an enormous creature appears from the ground and swallows the horse whole. It seems not to notice the party because immediately after, it dives into the ground, making a fresh hole.

            QHOR:             Huh.

            ROLAN:            Guys, I think we’re in the right spot.

            QARZ:              Ok, that thing is pretty big. I can create a Minor Illusion to simulate what the horse sounded like, then try to Hold Monster.

            ARAN:              That sounds like a plan.

They take positions around the area to be ready to strike wherever it may come up.

Qarzdaq very Quickly casts Minor Illusion, runs back 30 feet, then begins casting Hold Monster, holding it until the Purple Worm makes its appearance.

The ground vibrates gently. The water on its surface ripples. A surge of water, mud, and rock is cast out in all directions as the Purple Worm attempts to eat whatever is around.

Qarzdaq immediately lets loose his spell. The Purple Worm is “force frozen” in place.

            QARZ:              Shit yeah! Fuck him up!

            QHOR:             No one eats a horse on my watch!

Qhortho and Aran run up to the enormous beast and attack it repeatedly with incredible force while Rolan fires off a few Truer Shot arrows. With the Worm still paralyzed, they all have as much time as they need – within reason. Each arrow plunges deep into the Worm’s carapace; each blade strike cuts very deep. Aran focuses on wide, sweeping slashes while Qhortho goes for the deep stabs. The wounds bleed a deep purple.

Aran, having spent all his energy in his flurry of blows, backs up a few feet while Qhortho lands one last stab. The Worm’s shimmers and it begins to move. Qhortho steps a few feet back, preparing for what might happen next.

            QHOR:             I think the spell is wearing off Qarzdaq!

The towering Worm slowly leans towards Qhortho. Qhortho realizes that the thing is not waking up, it is falling… and falling directly in his direction. He instinctively dives out directly out of the way just as the enormous body slams into the ground sending a concussive shockwave across the land. Large waves propagate through the swampy water. Who knows what else was just alerted to their presence?

The Worm’s body is still halfway inside its tunnel with the other half laid out in front of Qhortho and Aran. The entire party is covered in swamp mud.

​META NOTE: Aran wound up dealing 372 damage on a single turn! Hold Monster meant that every attack was with ADVANTAGE and every hit was a CRITICAL.

Aran wipes the sweat from his brow and stows his guandao.

            ARAN:              Ok, let’s get its venom and get the hell out of here.

Aran grabs his dagger and takes a step toward the Worm.

            ARAN:              Wait, does anyone know anything about this thing? Where is the venom stored?

            QHOR:             The horse!!

Qhortho runs towards the Worm’s belly and slashes through its midsection lengthwise.

A pile of gold and rough gems pour out, covered in vile acidic slime. Scattered within the pile of gold and gems are various items.

Qhortho continues sliding his blade through the Worm’s body. He finds the horse. It is covered in thick acid and struggling to get free. It has no energy left to spend. It is silently and slowly dying an agonizing death. Qhortho pushes his blade through the base of the horse’s head to end its misery.

In the process of lining up the blade, the acid gets on Qhortho’s hands so he rinses his hands but suffers chemical burns. Nothing too major. He hears a slight sizzle.

            QHOR:             Do you hear that?

            ROLAN:            Hear what?

He realizes some of the acid got on his armor and is starting to eat away at it. He quickly rinses it off before there are any ill effects.

You Call That A Trophy?

            QARZ:              Let’s use our mounts to pull the body out of the hole. Maybe that will help us locate the venom?

They all agree and attach ropes to the horns on each side of the creature’s head. While the others focus coordinate the haul, Qarzdaq uses his Mage Hand to clean the contents of the Worm’s stomach in the swamp water.

He counts the coins as he is moving them, but this is going to take a while. Along the way, he collects some of the acid in a vial for future use.

While Qarzdaq continues with the loot, the others finish pulling the Worm free and carefully inspect the body just in case they only have one shot at cleanly getting the venom out.

Aran finds a stinger at the tail and cut into it. He manages to find a venom sack, but slices it open onto his hand, poisoning himself in the process. Though Purple Worm poison is strong, it does not have lingering effects like some other poisons.

Qarzdaq takes a break from cleaning and counting to try his hand at harvesting the venom.

            QARZ:              Hey guys, it looks like I’ve got it!

He collects a vial of it, but the venom continues to flow. Rolan is right there with another vial to continue collecting it.

            ROLAN:            Hey, let me grab another vial. Looks like we’re not done here yet!

Qarzdaq holds Rolan’s vial while he grabs another and gets ready for the swap. All in all, they manage to collect 4 vials of the venom.

Meanwhile, Aran notices Qhortho fucking around with the Purple Worm’s teeth and body, pulling this way and that, making no progress.

Aran walks up to Qhortho.

            ARAN:              What caught your eye?

            QHOR:             I want a trophy from this thing. I tried at the teeth and the scales but wasn’t able to remove them.

            ARAN:              I can give it a shot.

He tries, but to no avail. Rolan walks up to Aran and Qhortho while Qarzdaq seals up the vials for travel.

            ROLAN:            What caught your eye?

            ARAN:              Qhortho wants a trophy, but I’m sure we can sell the parts too. We tried at the teeth and the scales but weren’t able to remove them.

            ROLAN:            I can give it a shot. These teeth could probably be used for war hammers and the scales for shields.

He tries, but to no avail. Qarzdaq walks up.

            QARZ:              What caught your eye?

            ROLAN:            Qhortho wants a trophy, but the parts can be used for weapons… and profit. We tried at the teeth and the scales but weren’t able to remove them.

            QARZ:              I can give it a shot.

He tries, but to no avail.

Qhortho settles for slashing off its stinger for no other purpose than as a trophy.

They all shrug and dig into the loot and find:

• 16k gold
• 2.7k platinum
• 1 vial of a deep red potion
• 1 vial with a small red droplet expands into the surrounding clear liquid, turning the entire contents red, it then contracts back to a small droplet in a clear suspension. Nothing seems to interrupts this process.
• 1 vial of gas that acts like water when sloshed
• 1 vial of syrupy liquid resembling iron
• 2 opals
• 2 black opals
• 1 blue sapphire
• 1 emerald
• 1 star ruby
• 2 star sapphires
• 2 yellow sapphires
• 1 clear spindle-shaped stone

Aran realizes he can finally pay off Qarzdaq! Both are happy that debt is settled.

New charges placed on them, longstanding goals met, obligations dissolved, and clear path forward: this is where we leave the Unlikely Assembly on Day 633.

This session, the party has earned 3,750 XP each, bringing their totals to 111,850 XP and only 8,850 XP shy of Level 13.