Poison Dealings
Aran comes out from behind the bushes a minute or two later.
ROLAN: Glad you were careful.
Rolan has an idea for how he might use the Holy Grail of Julian. He finds a shop with a skull and crossbones above its entrance. Upon entering, there are several mannequins wearing pirate garb. The man behind the counter looks shriveled and hunched.
Rolan jumps right into asking about poisons. He is told that poisons are illegal. Rolan informs the man he is no informant.
ROLAN: Look, I have gold to spend and I need it to provide the best defense for me and my crew.
The man looks him up and down and decides it’s worth the risk. He leads Rolan into a back room with a few bookshelves and a standard-looking potion bench.
SHOPKEEP: I could sell you some standard-grade poison for, say, 100 gold per vial.
Rolan asks what he means by “standard-grade” and learns it is weak by his own standards. He asks about poisons that might prevent someone from harnessing the higher mysteries. The man had not heard of any such substances.
They work out a deal where Rolan will pay for 4 vials of poison but be given 8. For giving him that deal, Rolan will take 4 more vials of poison from the man and provide him with 8 in return, essentially leaving the man with exactly the number of poisons he would have had with the normal sale of 4 vials of poison.
ROLAN: They will be of equal quality and I welcome you to test them afterwards. The only catch is that you cannot ask how I do it.
The shopkeeper agrees to this, willing to take a chance on this stranger.
Rolan suggests he leave the shop and come back once he is complete. The shopkeeper sees this as a potential scam, for this stranger could now walk away with 12 vials for the price of 4.
SHOPKEEP: How about I leave you in this room and I’ll come back in when you’re done?
ROLAN: So you’re going to just let me stay in here with all of your stock of poisons?
The man pauses for a moment.
SHOPKEEP: Yeah.
Rolan agrees to this and has permission to use empty vials on the bookshelf.
He quickly goes to work and finds that after filling the Holy Grail with poison then pouring out most of it into 4 vials, it refills with identical liquid. He then empties the Holy Grail into 4 more vials. He places all 8 vials in a wooden rack on the potion workbench.
Before calling the shopkeeper in, he peruses the man’s stock of vials in varying shades of green. In looking for anything out of the ordinary, he finds a few red potions, but on closer inspection, something seems off about them. The sparkly nature of these potions seems to be superficial, but he’s not sure why that would be. The rest of the poisons look to be from various creatures, likely toads.
However, one stands out specifically as a deeper green than the others. This looks to be the same as the Purple Worm poison retrieved from Jonah’s belt.
Rolan emerges from the back room.
ROLAN: The process is complete. I think you’ll be happy with what you see. I couldn’t help but notice you have a Purple Worm poison and I’d like to purchase it from you.
The shopkeeper tells him it would normally sell for 2,000 gold.
ROLAN: I have another vial of the same type in my possession. In order to perform my duplication magication, I need 4 vials. So, I have a proposition for you. How about if I buy it from you for 1,000 gold. When I come across 2 more vials, I will create 2 vials for you and return here with them for you, at no charge.
The man agrees to the deal. Rolan asks that if the shopkeeper comes across any other rare types of poison, that he holds on to them for when Rolan returns.
ROLAN: We could strike similar deals on those as we have here today.
The man agrees to this ask, and Rolan leaves to meet the rest of his party.
ROLAN: I bought a bunch of poison and the cup works, by the way.
The group rejoices and heads to the tavern.
Whispering Widow
Upon arriving at the Whispering Widow, they ask the barkeep for a cask of ale. After asking about their choices, they purchase a cask of Blackmont Dark. Qhortho asks about a big, ugly asshole that’s been terrorizing women. The barkeep tells him that those who pass through this town tend to keep to themselves, and that although he’s seen some big, ugly assholes, he doesn’t believe he’s seen their big, ugly asshole.
Qarzdaq decides to have a pint of Buddy’s Bright, but after the first taste, he regrets the decision.
QARZ: Why do you even sell that?
BARKEEP: It’s one of those beverages that you don’t drink for the drink. It’s typically a rite of gathering amongst old friends that just suffer through it as a shared experience before ordering something worth a damn. As the saying goes, “won’t get you drunk, always lets you down.”
Qarzdaq orders a shot of Fireplum Schnapps. As soon as he swallows the drink, he lets out a loud “wooo.” Everyone in the establishment looks over at him for a moment before going about their business.
As they are about to leave, Qarzdaq is a little wobbly on his feet.
QHOR: Hey you alright there buddy?
Qhortho nudges Qarzdaq a little more strongly than gently. Qarzdaq moves to catch himself, but misjudges everything and smacks into the bar, falling onto the floor.
BARKEEP: Careful there, friend.
QHOR: Yeah, guy, we should hit the road.
Qhortho heaves Qarzdaq up off the floor and helps him keep his footing. Aran takes the cask of ale and they all leave the tavern for the port. They quickly make a deal to sell their ship and keep the rowboat, then leave for the stables to retrieve their horses and their cart.
The stable keeper asks for 50 silver for keeping their horses in watered, fed, and in generally good condition while they’ve been gone the past 20 days.
Qhortho grunts. He walks over to his horse and gives him a good looking-over. Though it is not quite up to the quality he would do himself, the man did a nicer job than most.
Puff of Pollen
They leave town west along the Gold Road, then follow the river north towards the God’s Eye lake. Along the way, they remember how much harder it was before with the hag’s curse in full effect. This time it takes a little longer to travel the same distance because they can fully rest through their nights and perform all their normal morning rituals. Aran makes it a point to train with his new blade. The weight is a little different on it, but all of his skills are transferrable.
Finally, they arrive at the launching point Lando had informed them about. They leave their horses tied up with food nearby, but before they begin their row to the Isle of Faces, Rolan fills his cup with ale.
ROLAN: This is for all of us, just don’t down the drink all at once, and we’ll have enough to last us until we get back. Oh… the last thing I put in here was poison, but I’ve washed it out well enough, I think. Things may get a little trippy, but it should be harmless.
They row for 8 hours, landing on the Isle of Faces at dusk. They decide to push forward to get to the Children as quickly as possible.
Rolan looks around, instinctively sensing their presence all around them. As he saw the last time they stepped foot on this island, the Children’s trails lead in all directions, providing no real insights.
Aran calls out.
ARAN: We have what you sent us to find!
The sound is deadened by the lush forest and no one answers their call. From their last visit, Rolan knows their location is near the center of the island, so he leads the way directly away from shore. Qarzdaq imbues a smooth, palm-sized stone with light to help guide their way.
After another hour through the forest, hoping to get someone’s attention, they decide they need to camp. They hear a trickling stream nearby and decide this is as good a place as any.
Qarzdaq begins making a small area for a campfire while the others roll out bedrolls. All of them hear a slight “puff” sound coming from near the stream.
ARAN: Was that you Qhortho?
Qhortho laughs heartily.
QHOR: No.
Looking over, Qarzdaq sees a small cloud of pollen dissipating into the woods. He thinks nothing else of it.
Suddenly, needles fly towards them from nearby the stream, striking Rolan. A number of woody bushes uproot themselves from the stream bed and begin walking towards the group.
QARZ: By the Light of R’hllor, what the fuck are those?!
Two other hunched humanoid forms enter the small clearing from the tree line. Qarzdaq looks and points to them.
QARZ: And those!
Qhortho’s eyes go black. He rushes the hunched humanoids, drawing his great sword. Now that he is up close, the gimmer from the fire lets him see they are bush-like beings, formed of wood and needles. With a single strike, he slashes the first in half. The next one follows the same fate. Qhortho flings his head back and releases a guttural whinny to the sky.
The uprooted bushes continue to walk towards Qhortho, they strike his neck and face with their branch-like limbs.
Aran rushes these leafless bushes with fury. His Jaded Guandao slashes clean through the first. He uses his momentum to continue his charge, slashing this one as well. He continues forward, bringing the butt of the guandao through the next one, brutally crunching through all of its woody structure. His charge does not stop there. He takes another few steps to strike the next ones, felling each with single strikes.
Aran turns to Qhortho.
ARAN: Hey Qhortho, you see how I made that easy?
Qhortho, still breathing heavily with rage looks at Aran.
QHOR: Well done, my friend. That’s a fancy blade you got there.
ARAN: I’m not too bad at it, given it’s the first time in battle!
Qhortho blots the scratches on his face with a knuckle.
Woad is Me
The sound of rustling leaves betrays a mass of slithering vines from the forest. Before they move a muscle, Aran and Qhortho are surrounded, their feet entangled in the mess.
Aran slashes through some of the vines, detaching some leaves and causing some of the spindly bits to recoil. With a second slash, the vines around Aran’s ankles fall limp and release him from their grasp.
Rolan fires a few arrows into the mass of vines slithering closer to Qarzdaq, stopping them in their tracks.
Qhortho tries to move his legs but feels them constricted. The feeling of ankle cuffs come to mind and it sets him off. He brings his blade down with a ferocious strike, killing the vines around his feet. He strikes another area of the viney mass still slithering around in the ground cover.
Qarzdaq fires off a few Scorching Rays into the mass farthest from Aran and Qhortho. Though severely singed, the mass of vines manage to sprout grasping roots from the ground around them. One of the vines swipes at Qhortho, grappling Qhortho in the process.
Qhortho lets out a frustrated yell of fury.
Aran swipes through the remaining mass of vines, killing them all.
ARAN: Well, fellas? Aren’t you glad you brought me along?
QHOR: Yeah, that new blade is working out nicely!
QARZ: A good investment on all our parts.
ARAN: Yeah, that’s nine kills for me, but who’s counting?
A light chuckle follows. None of them took any real damage, so the stakes weren’t exactly high, but they weren’t going to take that from him; Aran did a substantial amount of damage to their foes.
Everyone reconvenes around the fire. Aran holds his Book of Trees in his hands and whispers, “what were those things and why would they be attacking us?”
A flood of knowledge comes to him. He learns the things that attacked them were Blights, specifically, Needle Blights, Twig Blights, and Vine Blights.
Needle Blights exist in the shadows of a forest. They might be taken at a distance for shuffling, hunched humanoids. Up close, these creatures reveal themselves as horrid plants whose conifer-like needles grow across their bodies in quivering clumps. A needle blight lashes out with these needles or launches them as an aerial assault that can punch through armor and flesh. When needle blights detect a threat, they loose a pollen that the wind carries to other needle blights throughout the forest. Alerted to their foes’ location, needle blights converge from all sides to drench their roots in blood.
Twig Blights can root in soil, which they do when living prey are scarce. While rooted, they resemble woody shrubs. When it pulls its roots free of the ground to move, a twig blight’s branches twist together to form a humanoid-looking body with a head and limbs. Twig blights seek out campsites and watering holes, rooting there to set up ambushes for potential victims coming to drink or rest. Huddled together in groups, twig blights blend in with an area’s natural vegetation or with piles of debris or firewood. Given how dry they are, twig blights are particularly susceptible to fire.
Vine Blights appear as masses of slithering creepers. They hide in undergrowth and wait for prey to draw near. By animating the plants around them, vine blights entangle and hinder their foes before attacking. Vine blights are the only blights capable of speech. Through its connection to the evil spirit of the Essence, a vine blight speaks in a fractured version of the language most easily interpreted by its target, taunting victims or bargaining with powerful foes.
ARAN: Guys, we need to get out of here. There are going to be more of these things. They sent a message through that puff of pollen we heard before we were attacked.
They all agree. Rolan casts Darkvision on himself and Qhortho. To Qhortho, this closely resembles his sight with the hag’s necklace.
QHOR: Whoa, what the fuck did you just do to me?
ROLAN: Pretty nice, right?
QHOR: Not sure I like this…
They quickly enter the forest to get away from the glowing campfire. No more than 15 feet past the tree line, a rustling is heard to their right side. The sound becomes louder and seems to be coming from a wider area than a single point. To everyone except Aran, several Needle Blights become visible at about 50 feet. They continue to approach as if thirsting for something.
QARZ: Ok, we’re in for a fight guys… Aran, tip your blade towards me.
Aran complies. Qarzdaq lays his hands on the blade of the guandao and Lights it with a 20-foot bright red glow, preserving their Darkvision.
ARAN: Thanks!
A soft rustling is heard to their left side as another Needle Blight gets within 10 feet of Aran. Reacting to this sound, he spins around and slashes through the Blight, killing it with one blow.
The rest of them attack, but seeing this coming, Qarzdaq blocks it with a swift use of Shield.
Aran quickly attacks one of the other nearby Blights, killing it with two strikes, then offing another with a single slash.
Before anyone gets a chance to attack any of the others, they hear a soft, whispering language coupled by the sight of a stout slow-moving tree from behind the Blights. It sounds similar to rustling leaves in the wind. It continues to speak in an almost hypnotic tone as it approaches.
TREE: Ashvez voo beshwah dade.
This creature looks like something they may have seen around Red Lake or maybe the other night when confronted by the greenwalkers, though that night was far too hectic to recall exactly.
ROLAN: Qhortho! Do you see anything happening with the Root?
Qhortho peeks into his bag, but sees nothing out of the ordinary.
QHOR: No!
Rolan runs back about 30 feet, providing three of the Blights an opportunity to strike, but none of them are able to land their attacks. Rolan spins and launches an arrow at the one closest to him. The arrow strikes its thickest area and it falls to the ground in a heap. A second attack takes out another, leaving five standing.
Qhortho rages and rushes past three of them towards the small tree, providing each of the Blights around him a chance to land a hit, which they all do. Though he feels the pain, his rage and Darkvision provide clear sight on his target. As he sees the thing in full view, he sees it is holding a large thick branch and a thick wooden shield resembling driftwood.
Qhortho attacks, but the tree steps to the side. The second strike lands square in the tree’s shield. Qhortho screams in his face, but the tree’s facial expression is that of slight confusion. It whispers, “voo beshwah.”
Qarzdaq jumps back five feet and is swiped by a Needle Blight’s branch. He responds with a series of Scorching Rays, taking out three of them.
The small tree steps to the side of Qhortho, and raises his club. “Shavay.” The club slams down on the closest Needle Blight, crushing it into the ground. He moves away from Qhortho providing him the opportunity to strike it in the back, but Qhortho stays his blade. The tree raises its club again and crushes the last Needle Blight.
The tree lowers its club and turns to face Qhortho. It looks at Aran with his glowing guandao. “Shhaylay soosh bunshans.” He pauses for a moment before turning his back to the group and walks past Qhortho and out of Aran’s reach, into the depths of the forest.
Aran and Qhortho lower their weapons. Qhortho drops out of his rage. Aran and the group follow him. Before their very eyes, he vanishes and reappears about 30 feet ahead of them. They begin running after him. They close the gap by about half before he vanishes and reappears even farther away. Even with dashing, the tree is soon out of sight.
The group slows down and catches their breath.
ARAN: Let’s just make camp here without a fire. Based on what I learned from the Book of Trees, I don’t think we’ll run into any more trouble with the Needle Blights.
They all agree. As they set up a very basic camp, they discuss how they think it’s a little strange that they haven’t sensed the Root and come to them. Perhaps it is a test? Perhaps they cannot sense it, which is why they could not seek it to begin with? Or are they only being attacked because they have the Root? Are these creatures coming after them under the orders of the Children? But then why did that tree thing help them and walk away? Was that working for the Children?
More questions, no answers… They take a long rest, taking their normal watch cycle.
The Past Turned Present
The night goes by without incident. They do their normal morning rituals and try to find the path the tree thing followed. Because this isn’t a favored enemy of Rolan’s and because it was using some sort of magical means to skip ahead so far, tracking this thing proves to be difficult. However, as they continue their path towards the Children’s home base, they do see markings of an irregularly-shaped and heavy-footed being in the dirt. It appears that the tree was going in the same general direction. After a few more hours, that trail is lost, as it most likely changed directions with one of its jumps. Still, it seems the tree was not fearful of the Children, for whatever that’s worth.
No more than an hour later, they enter the clearing where they fought Tyrone.
Suddenly, Faryn appears, seemingly from nowhere. They are looking directly at the point where she appears, but she just sort of fades into existence.
FARYN: I sense its presence! Hoorah!
She looks over her shoulder to the stone room entrance behind her. Several other Children of the Forest appear in similar fashion to Faryn from the trees rather than the stone building.
FARYN: I knew my faith in you was not misplaced. Now please, hand it over. I fear something is amiss, but I’ve not had a way to “see.”
ARAN: I believe we have found what you seek. Qhortho?
QHOR: Here you are.
Qhortho hands over the item that was unidentifiable: the twisted spires holding a sphere.
FARYN: Thank the Essence! Many thanks to you. I want to provide you some reward, but we do not have gold or anything material you humans might find valuable. However, one thing I can provide, that is uniquely valuable is experience. Experience cannot be bought or traded. It cannot be revisited except under very specific circumstance with those that have such ability. These are those such circumstances and we are those with such ability. I would like to provide you a visitation to your most life-changing times.
The party looks at each other. Sensing no protest, she waves her hand. They are suddenly transported to a large manor with damp, stone walls. This is more than a simple illusion; the dampness in the air, the saturating cold, the musty odor – this is real… the party and Faryn are all here.
Looking around, human children of all ages are scattered around the them; some playing, some crying, some being bullied, some quietly sitting by themselves. Notably, there are very few adults.
The front door opens. A father and his son, dressed in gray cloaks, enter the orphanage. The boy meets a young girl’s gaze but looks away with disdain. The father speaks in hushed tones to the lord of the manor, who beckons the girl to them.
As the girl walks past the Assembly, it’s almost as if the young girl can see Qarzdaq. Their eyes meet and Qarzdaq feels some sort of connection to her. But, she can’t see them, can she? No one else seems to notice their presence, but it does seem strange.
Though their conversation is hushed, a mention of Volantis is heard. A few moments later, the father and son leave the manor with the young girl.
The distorted sense washes over them. Time seems to be speeding up. But… wait, what?? At several points over this passage of time, as the daylight and darkness cycle in mere minutes, the same man and his son re-enter this orphanage at various points, most times taking another young child with them. Over the course of time, the son looks more and more familiar as he ages. When the son finally reaches his teenage years, it becomes clear that he is Jahor.
The party is suddenly whisked into the air. The sudden feeling of flight catches them off-guard. However, from this vantage point, they can now see they are floating above a series of black, oily islands. They land softly on another island nearby. As they land, time slows to normal passage, near sunset. They find themselves surrounded by gruff young men and women. Long torches are stuck in the ground, surrounding the group. Jahor is among them as a young man in his early 20’s.
They are yelling about House Hoare ruining their culture with their new rules and ways. One older man is standing in the center, “The Iron Islands are being stolen from you friends! It is being taken from us all! I’d welcome it, if it were by force – if the price were paid in iron – but they do it with gold! They do it with ‘influence’ – Highgarden and the elites are taking us over through Harmund, that cuck! House Hoare and his so-called New Way are the WRONG way for the Ironborn!”
The crowd chants in response “The Old Way is the Right Way!”
Jahor is one of the more animated amongst the group.
Time speeds up again and the sun falls quickly below the ocean. The area becomes very dark, lit only by the torches. Their light burns brighter and brighter, but somehow lights a smaller and smaller area, until they all extinguish at once. When the darkness breaks, they have returned to the manor.
Jahor’s scars and graying hair betray his age. They can overhear his conversation with the lord of the manor and Harmund Hoare about his father passing. Harmund leaves the manor followed by a handful of guards and a few of the orphans. Jahor has an uneasy look about him.
Time speeds up briefly, skipping only a day ahead. Jahor re-enters the orphanage. Speaking with the lord of the manor, he says “I would like to take up my father’s charge. I get it now that the way of the Kraken is a sham as it is practiced. I want to do more to stop the evils of man.”
The lord nods, “It so happens there are a few gifted children coming of age now.” He sweeps his arm towards a group of 6-year-olds playing with blocks. One of them is Rolan as a young child. Upon seeing this, everything fades to black.
They feel as if they are sucked out of reality and tossed onto the ground. They come to in a dirt alleyway in a small town. Daylight floods the area and into their eyes, unready for such brightness. The environment here is different. It is a little drier and less harsh. A window allows them to peer into the home of a young boy with his parents.
A man is in their home yelling at them about missing payments. “I can’t make any promises I’ll return her in the same condition.” His evil grin shows large gaps between his stained teeth. He begins dragging her by her hair.
As he nears the door, the father rushes at him with an iron poker. The intruder turns just in time and smacks it out of his hand, knocking the man down and throwing the woman to the ground. Her head slams against a stone block with a crack and she is knocked unconscious. The young child, no more than age 6, screams out, “MOTHER!”
The man attempts to get up, but the intruder is already on him, crushing the man’s throat with the poker. The man gasps for air when a small crunch is heard. The young child rushes at the intruder, but the intruder just smacks him away. He gets up and rushes out of the home with the poker in hand. The young child scrambles to his father. The man is gasping for air as his eyes roll back and his muscles go limp.
After a few moments staring at his father in disbelief, the child realizes he is wet. Looking down, he finds himself sitting in a slowly expanding pool of blood from his mother’s injury.
The entire image fades with the crying child echoing in their ears.
Aran knows this scene all too well for he’s relived it so many times, though never so vivid as this. There was nothing more he could have done. But why does that somehow make him feel worse?
They sit in darkness now, Faryn standing before them.
FARYN: We will end on a more uplifting note.
They are again in the air, floating in a void. A point of light slowly expands until it fills the area in front of them with light. As it rises, they are now in the sky, floating eastward, the sun traversing the sky rapidly and repeatedly. They encounter sunny days, cloudy days, and vicious storms. They descend through dense fog, landing gently on a well-kept stone road. The fog lifts and reveals their location as current-day Highgarden.
A crowd of people quickly forms nearby. A high-pitch reverberation of metal on metal fills their ears. The pitch of the sounds lowers as time slows to normal passage. The metal clanking is the familiar sound of sword combat.
Closer to the central castle, they witness a group of travelers coming towards them. It is Qarzdaq and Qhortho for sure, but they are with 3 others: Ornogrim, Shadowsilver, and Tholannan.
Qhortho and Shadowsilver see the crowd and show visible excitement, though for different reasons. Shadowsilver begins pickpocketing the onlookers in the crowd while Qhortho pushes through the crowd to see the fight and, hopefully, get a chance at the winner.
The rest of the group enters the crowd to get a better view. The two fighters in the center of the circle square off. The taller armored fighter slashes at the slightly shorter one. The target dodges quickly, returning with an overhand slash that is quickly blocked by a shield. The crowd cheers.
Qarzdaq asks a man next to him what has happened and receives no response, as the man’s eyes are fixed on the fight.
The fighters continue trading blows, blocking and dodging, showcasing their extensive training. The crowd embraces every second of it.
Suddenly, the taller one rushes the shorter one, who spins out of the way and chases after the aggressor with a swift tackle. They go down in a loud crash, swords sliding on the ground towards the crowd. The shorter one rolls the now-unarmed prone one onto their back and slides a dagger out of a hidden sheathe along an armored bracer.
The dagger plunges into the unarmed fighter’s chest to the hilt. The crowd cheers.
The taller one lying on the ground shudders then goes lifeless. The crowd applauds.
The winner stands up and looks around at the crowd for a few moments then reaches an arm down towards the body. The winner’s hand is met by the loser’s. The victorious fighter helps the other to their feet. The crowd continues their applause, apparently ok with the dead coming back to life?
The two fighters look at each other then remove their helmets simultaneously, revealing them as two very attractive women, a shorter brunette and a taller blonde.
The two fighters, smiling at each other, look around at the crowd and bow deeply. The crowd erupts.
The “fighters” then pick up two small pails and walk around the front line of the crowd collecting coins.
Qhortho’s erection is noticeable as his jaw drops.
When the collection basket makes its way around near Ornogrim, he tosses in a gold coin, “Very impressive.” The brunette thanks him greatly.
ORNO: May I ask, is this illusion due to your equipment or some other sort of trickery?
NORA: No illusions, sir, artful theater. We take street acting to a different level here in Highgarden.
ORNO: I’d be interested in meeting with you after to get some more detail on this sometime.
NORA: I think I can manage that. My name is Nora. How about tonight?
ORNO: Alright, that sounds good!
NORA: Deep Onion after dark?
ORNO: Sounds great. It’s a date.
NORA: It’s a date!
They watch enamored Qhortho staring at the taller blonde woman. Daylight fades around them and they find themselves in the ever-busy Deep Onion, overlooking one of the more animated groups of people in the tavern. It is a troupe of actors doing what actors do when passing time with each other. Seemingly witty comments, all of which quite practiced, flow effortlessly back and forth between them.
Ornogrim and Qhortho approach the table. Tinkey, Ornogrim’s raven, flies ahead and lands on the table, catching the attention of the two young women fighters. “M’ Lady, M’ Lady.”
ORNO: Ah, thank you for the introduction, Tinkey. M’ Lady Nora, it is good to see you again. I believe you may remember my friend Qhortho?
NORA: Yes, the one with the rising, uh… sword!
QHOR: Quite a rousing performance.
ORNO: May I buy you some drinks?
NORA: Absolutely!
Ornogrim motions to the closest staff and orders four Gardener Ales. He then takes a seat and continues his conversation with Nora.
She pulls out the dagger and locks eyes with Ornogrim. Without breaking eye contact, she twirls it around and slams the blade directly downward into the heavy oak table to the hilt with a single strike. She removes it slowly, revealing it to have not penetrated the table at all, but instead to have retracted into the handle.
Ornogrim and Nora continue their conversation, but Qhortho, still standing, turns away to her taller friend at the table.
QHOR: Where did you learn to move like that?
CORA: Extensive and looOOoong training. (she winks) You see, I wanted to be a sword master my entire life as a kid, but the options are limited for women to put this into practice so I turned what I’d learned to the theater.
Qhortho pops his pects a few times then puts his elbow out as an offer. She blushes, turns away slightly, but takes his arm. As they walk away from the table, both Qhorthos feel the same swelling deep sickness that comes with falling in love.
The light fades slowly to complete darkness. A moment later, they are now kneeling before Faryn on the Isle of Faces.
FARYN: I hope that was enlightening. I hope that reliving these experiences provides you some threads to follow, some completeness, some closure, and some reason to continue forward.
She looks at Qarzdaq, Rolan, Aran, and Qhortho in turn with each beat.
FARYN: You are welcome to stay the night in our camp. As they say, the night is dark and full of terrors.
She winks at Qarzdaq as she says this.Artifactual Answers
Qarzdaq asks of the plans for the Root. She tells him that the Root of Knowledge allows them to “see” – it allows them to scope the world, in a sense. She tells them that her immediate plans are to commune on the Root since it has been some time since she’s felt its connection.
FARYN: I feel something is off. There is some imbalance in the world. I hope this is paranoia, but I fear our loss of this artifact, and our inability to retrieve it ourselves, was by design.
ROLAN: How long does that take?
She looks at him curiously.
FARYN: How long does it take to scout a forest? How long to scout a town? You look around, you see what you see.
Qarzdaq asks abut the creature that came to their aid in the woods against the Blights. He describes it as a small, stout tree.
FARYN: Ah. It seems you’ve met the wood woads of the forest. They are only friendly to those they find pure of heart. The fact that you were aided by them tells me more about you than I could know from our personal encounters. Not all of the Essence is good, however. The other beings you faced are of the evil side of Nature. Their only desire is that of blood. Many commoners fall prey to their kind, especially when they attack in numbers. I would imagine you did not have much trouble though, wood woad or not. Such is the Essence of Nature. Half is good, half is evil… half is neutral.
Qhortho ponders this for second, clearly missing the joke.
QHOR: Oh ok. Math checks out.
The rest of the party smirks.
FARYN: Yes, well, such is Nature to not always add up.
Everyone except Qhortho nods, understanding her point. Qhortho looks concerned that maybe his math wasn’t right. The thought is chased from his mind by Faryn’s voice next point.
FARYN: It appears that you have nothing to fear from the wood woads.
QHOR: I wasn’t afraid.
Qarzdaq asks whether there are other artifacts in the world. She tells him that there is one more that she knows of and it is of Air.
FARYN: These items are meant to be kept far away from each other. The fact that three of these items are in such close proximity is alarming at best, and extremely destructive at worst. Still, I see no reason to force them into others’ hands at this time. Be wary of those who desire them. You may notice over time that your desire for them is too great. At that time, you will feel overwhelming power, but it is important not to become intoxicated, for you will lose sight of their purpose.
QARZ: And what is their purpose?
FARYN: They are the portal to the plane of gods, of course. They cannot be destroyed, but they can cause mass destruction. And never, never possess more than one at any given time. Keep them away from each other. Beings from the Material Plane were never meant to wield the power of gods, yet here we are. If they are not kept in check, it will be the destruction of us all.
QARZ: Given that all of these so far have been in some peril, why would this next one not also be in peril?
FARYN: It very well might be.
QARZ: Who has the other one?
FARYN: I cannot say who holds it today, but each of these artifacts were originally placed in the corners of the world, each providing a unique aspect. These aspects are what sprung life. We are all, in some way, formed from these stars. Over time, the creatures nearest to those arcane springs learned to wield them. They have been shaped into their current forms, not by tools, but by usage and intent. Many wars have been waged for this power, especially by men.
FARYN: The Amulet of Lightbringer was of the aspect that brought volcanoes and molten rock along with the wyrms and dragons on the Valyrian peninsula. The Tear of Life was cast into an area north of Essos, now known as the Shivering Sea. It brought about the floods becoming the oceans and hatching all the deep beasts around the world. The Root of Knowledge was sprung from right here on this very island and brought about all of the forest dwelling creatures, including us, the Children.
She pauses.
FARYN: The Crystalline Air is in the far north of this continent, farther than man can go. It brought the cold. I do not mean the cold you know. This is a cold beyond life. It is what drives the stories of ghosts and wights and all the creatures of the night. Each culture tells stories of them, spoken as myth but rooted in truth. These are the sorts of stories young men like to hear as children. It is also why men are the most dangerous of all.
FARYN: In the past several thousand years, cultures have developed around these artifacts. The Valyrians hold the Amulet, the Rhoynar hold the Tear, the Children and the Greenguard hold the Root, and the Whiteguard hold the Crystal.
ARAN: Are these the white men you were asking us about?
FARYN: Yes. There is one more thing that you should know. Beyond these cultures and the creatures I’ve mentioned, each aspect is coupled with a single… well… “beast” would put it too mildly… These… things… are of such great power they are considered to be demigods of the Material Plane. If you see them, it is likely to be too late for you. If you do manage to stay out of their grasp, remain clear and give wide berth.
FARYN: Our time has lapsed friends. I must now commune with the Root.
ROLAN: What should we be doing while you commune with the Root?
FARYN: There is no reason for you to stay nearby or run any further tasks. You have provided your services to us, and I thank you. The Root of Knowledge is our own business. You are free to leave.
QHOR: You have given us much information and have shown me when I met my girlfriend but one thing you have not shown me, and the piece of information I need, is where to find this Byff guy. You have seen, having been there with me, my feelings for her. Byff has defiled that, and I must exact justice. Help me find this Byff!
FARYN: Your core essence was read and your most important time was shown. Our debt is paid.
QHOR: Are you able to answer my questions?
FARYN: Ability is not the same as requirement.
QHOR: I can pay.
FARYN: I have no need of gold.
QHOR: I have more than gold. What about this stick?
Qhortho waves around the Wand of Detect Magic.
FARYN: I can show you different times, but I have no need of your relics.
QARZ: What do you have need of?
FARYN: We have the Root. That is all we sought.
They do not seemed satisfied with this answer, but Faryn is growing weary.
FARYN: I have a need to stop men from attacking us and continuing to encroach on our lands. But I’m not going to attack them, but I will defend…
QHOR: Where specifically?
FARYN: It seems that Red Lake is already routed out. I believe that was from you. So, I believe our business here is complete.
QARZ: It does sound like it.
FARYN: Having said that, you are free to stay the night, and are always welcome back. You have free passage here.
ROLAN: Would you ever sell the Root of Knowledge?
She looks puzzled.
FARYN: No.
ROLAN: Loan the Root of Knowledge?
FARYN: NO.
QHOR: Can we see it again later if we come back?
FARYN: Can you see it?
QHOR: Yeah, you know, just see it. Maybe reunite it with all the other things if we happen to come across them.
FARYN: NO! There will be no reuniting. Have you not listened to anything I’ve said?
QHOR: Why? What happens?
Faryn begins to lose her patience.
FARYN: Are you joking?
Qhortho looks around, not knowing what he did.
FARYN: ARE YOU JOKING??
QHOR: I… I… I don’t know what I’m talking about.
ROLAN: Please, Faryn, the Dothraki does not have evil intentions. If I may ask, what do you think we should do with the artifacts we have currently in our possession?
FARYN: The artifacts tend to change hands as they seek the owners they need. I sense you have not mastered their abilities, so perhaps you are only temporary caretakers. Remember, these are not just items. This is a serious charge you carry. These are the cores of the gods themselves in this world. Be aware that there are others out there currently seeking them, for those who seek power never quench that thirst. Some may be able to take them with little or no force if you are not careful.
ROLAN: I have always found a path laid out before me by the Kraken. However, I do not see a clear path from here, and this is quite the burden to carry without some higher cause.
FARYN: I agree, but it is so. There is a balance that must be preserved. It is only when those that possess these artifacts are pure to the Balance that the Essence is stable. When the Balance is lost, much life is lost as well. It is always the case. No matter which force is behind breaking the Balance, no matter their intentions. At various times in history, even holders of the Root have fallen victim to the corruption that such power brings. The artifacts may seem cursed, and perhaps they are, but they also retain that Balance. You see, without any one of them, the Balance would be thrown off. An abundance of life would be lost. And there would be no course to return Balance to the Essence. It is a zero-sum game.
QARZ: You’ve mentioned the Essence multiple times, but I have not heard of this before. Could you explain?
FARYN: Every culture has their own term for it, but we know the Essence as the thread that runs through us all. It is the fabric of this world and beyond.
The group looks at each other and nod solemnly.
ROLAN: Faryn, are you able to speak with Children from all over Westeros?
FARYN: Any that are nearby weirwoods, yes.
ROLAN: Are there any areas we should stop by to check in with fellow Children of the Forest?
FARYN: Farther north, the Children are much more prevalent as the northerners are primarily descendants of the First Men to inhabit Westeros. They have left much of the weirwoods intact.
Rolan asks if she can mark places on their map that have large populations of Children. He asks his friends for a map, but it is only then they realize they’ve still not purchased one.
FARYN: It is no matter. The weirwoods are vast and apparent. If you step into the forest, and mean no harm, simply place a hand near the face of any weirwood, and whisper “Ashvez voo beshwah dade.” The closest translation is, “I am a friend and I bring no harm.” Just let them know I sent you.
They part ways with the Children on good terms.
Back to Civilization
On their return to the rowboat, they discuss where they might head next. Qhortho is interested in meeting with Cora back in Highgarden. Qarzdaq is interested in heading north. Rolan agrees that heading north to ensure the safety of the Crystalline Air would be a worthwhile path. Aran pushes back.
ARAN: Why? We’re not trying to collect these things. If we were, why are we just giving away the Root?
QARZ: Not to collect. Like Rolan, I feel it is our charge to protect them.
After some more discussion, they agree to stop by Highgarden for Qhortho’s sake.
They travel through the day and finally make camp. They do not run into any issues through the night. A few more hours travel and they arrive at their rowboat on the shore. As they pack everything up, they are stopped by a familiar voice. “Wait!”
They are all caught by surprise. They turn to see Faryn standing before them, glowing Root in hand.
FARYN: We may be in more dire circumstances than we originally thought. In communing with the Root, we have determined there is something off… a disturbance… in the Balance of the Essence. It seems that over the time the Root had been out of our hands, each of the other elements have made some sort of advance. Water is the clearest at the present time.
She looks directly at Rolan.
FARYN: You possess the artifact of Water yet do not have mastery quite yet. It seems someone else has greater ability to bend that source, and is wielding it powerfully, out to the west. You must seek out this disturbance, but it will not be easy. They will be more powerful than you. The overall disruption I am sensing is more than just that of Water, but I can’t pierce the overwhelming force of Water. I will need more time to understand. As the wielders of the artifacts, you are the only ones that can face this challenge. If you fail, it could be the end times. Please return once this is dealt with. I expect to have learned more by then. I hope that this ends at the water.
They leave the island due west. They find their horses still tied up and ample food uneaten. Rolan makes a point about how much literal shit there is around the trees. They load the boat onto the cart, mount up, and ride off, intent on reaching Stoney Sept as quickly as possible to get the low down from Lando.
Five days of uneventful travel later, they enter Stoney Sept and proceed towards the market. Wanting to get the best deals, they begin asking around for Lando.
Suddenly a woman runs up to Qarzdaq, “WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BOY?! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY BOY?!”
QARZ: What do you mean?
She goes on to accuse the party of kidnapping her son, Lando.
QHOR: What??
QARZ: He went back home.
MOM: He has not been seen in weeks!
QARZ: Where’d he go?
ARAN: We gave him tons of money and he left us to come back here.
QHOR: We paid him to porter us to the lake and he was responsible for getting himself back to town. He was paid quite well for his services too!
MOM: So says you!
ARAN: Why would we come back and ask where he is if we had something to do with his disappearance?
MOM: That is what baffles me. But after he left town with you, he was never seen again.
At this point a crowd is beginning to gather. Qhortho mutters under his breath “damnit Lando…”
QHOR: Maybe he went into a big city to spend the fortune we paid him.
ARAN: Nah… he said he was coming back here.
QHOR: Look, I’m sure everything is fine with the kid. You know Lando. He is quite resourceful. We will retrace our steps and find him.
QARZ: Yeah. We will find him. Do not worry.
Lando’s mom and a couple of other folks in the crowd grumble that they are holding the party responsible. Especially that Dothraki fella.
Aran steps up to the woman and raises his voice. Pointing at her, then sweeping his finger around at the crowd.
ARAN: Look. You do not want to hold us against our will. It will not go well for you.
She recoils and cowers, scrambling back.
MOM: GUARDS!!! HELP!!!
ROLAN: Guys, we need to get the fuck outta here.
A guard runs over and asks what the problem is. Qhortho tells him the woman is hysterical. Aran says there is no problem. The guard tells the crowd to disperse.
QHOR: We paid her son for services, our contract was completed, we departed on good terms. What happened later is not our responsibility.
GUARD: Are you speaking of Lando?
QARZ: Yes, but we would not harm a child.
GUARD: Hmmm…
He turns to Lando’s mother to calm her, speaking to the party as he does so.
GUARD: We have not seen the child for almost two months now. We’ve been on the lookout for weeks and fear he is dead.
The woman bursts out crying.
QARZ: Do you have any leads?
The guard looks up to him and shakes his head.
GUARD: Last he was seen was leaving town with you. It is hard to say what could have happened.
QHOR: We expected to find him here to have his help with the merchants. We had no idea.
A few of the straggling townsfolk help to calm Lando’s mother as the guard stands up to speak with the party.
GUARD: We do not have sufficient evidence to hold you or put you on trial, but it is suspicious. I ask that you conclude your business here quickly. If you really cared for the boy, you will find him or determine what happened to him.
QHOR: We will make our purchases quickly and do our best to find the boy.
Qarzdaq jogs over to the cartographer’s shoppe and purchases a map of Westeros. They quickly leave town and continue towards Goldentooth.
Goldentooth
Seven days of uneventful travel leads them into the town of Goldentooth. Or, at least, what Goldentooth may have once been. The town is in various stages of disrepair. The residents seem to mostly be drunks and whores. There are remnants of prosperity, but it must have been a flash in the pan, for the current state indicates little gold is being produced here.
They head towards the tavern to find some answers. Along the way, they are propositioned a number of times, but this was neither the time nor the place. They dismount and tie up their horses.
ARAN: Man, this place is so Detroit.
This tavern’s seediness rivals any tavern they’ve seen to date.
ARAN: Looks like the kind of place Byff would like.
QHOR: Yeah, he’d be right at home with these low-lifes…
BARKEEP: What can I get for you fellas?
QHOR: You seen this big, ugly asshole named Byff?
BARKEEP: Can’t say I have.
Qhortho slides a silver coin across the counter.
QHOR: How about now?
BARKEEP: Thank you, but that doesn’t change what I’ve seen.
QHOR: Ok, then I’ll just use this to buy an ale.
Aran asks about what has devastated this town. The barkeep tells him about the great number of bears that have overtaken the gold mines. They’ve entered the town from the west and have driven everyone out.
QARZ: Why not just go kill the bears?
BARKEEP: We’ve tried.
QARZ: You can’t kill a few bears??
BARKEEP: Why don’t you do it?!
QARZ: I will!
QHOR: Is there anyone that would pay to have these bears exterminated?
The barkeep tells them that no money has flowed into the town since the Lannisters pulled their support. He goes on to say that if the bears were gone and the Lannisters began providing protection again, the town would turn around overnight.
They leave the establishment on foot and find the first gold mine. They approach is cautiously and hear numerous bears inside.
Gold Bears
Qarzdaq slides his newfound ring onto his finger. He fades out of visual existence. The party still knows he’s there, but they can no longer focus on him and it’s as if he’s become a shadow.
Rolan provides Aran, Qhortho, and himself Darkvision, then casts Pass Without Trace on the entire group. Aran takes the lead and they enter the mine. Sneaking through the darkness, they find ten Black Bears congregating within the cave.
Qarzdaq takes Qhortho’s wand in his hands and strokes it a few times, waving it in the air. Unfortunately, no magic is sensed in the immediate area.
Rolan whispers for them to wait for a few minutes as he prepares himself. He fills the Holy Grail of Julian with poison, douses a few arrows, then refills his poison vials. Over the course of this time, they just wait in the darkness, breathing in the fumes of rotting flesh. Luckily, the stench is so bad that the bears do not recognize the party’s presence. Rolan nods that he’s ready.
Aran rushes up and attacks and kills the two closest bears. Qarzdaq sets off a Fireball that envelops most of the bears, roasting them alive immediately. The air becomes thick with the smell of burned fur.
Rolan fires a poisoned arrow, killing the last of them. A few of the bears were not burned so they skin those bears for their pelts. At best, they can be sold and perhaps used for crafting, at worst, they provide evidence that the bears are dead.
As they are taking apart these bears, they realize they have eaten some of the gold in the mine.
ARAN: There’s something weird here. Why would bears be eating gold?
QARZ: Yes. Strange. Only man hungers for gold.
Perhaps it was covered in miner’s blood. Who knows. What matters is that each bear seems to have ingested some gold. After digging into each corpse, they recover about 500 gold – not a bad score!
Qarzdaq creates a nicely intact bear skin. Qhortho creates a bear pelt that needs little else to be a very nice bearskin rug, including the head. Aran, well… Aran skins a bear, but it is patchy at best. It would require some work to piece back together, but it can certainly function as a blanket.
Rolan, the only ranger of the group, decides he’s good without skinning any bears.
They depart the first mine and head down the road to the next one. Given Darkvision will last until nightfall and Pass Without Trace is active for at least another 30 minutes, they enter the cave immediately upon sight. This time, it seems they will be facing Brown Bears.
Rolan fires a few arrows into one of the bears. It roars in response, but remains alive.
Aran attacks the closest bear to him and, with two strikes, takes the beast down.
Qarzdaq takes down most of the bears again with a single Fireball. The smoky stench of burning fur smacks them in the face, giving them slight pause but without changing their resolve.
Since Aran is close to the first bear Rolan shot and will be able to handle that one without aid, Rolan decides to fire at one of the bears without a scratch. After two shots, that bear prepares to charge its attacker.
Aran slays the bear nearest him, but it still takes him two swipes to kill it. He runs towards the bear Rolan just attacked, hoping to get in its path and save Rolan from a melee encounter. Qhortho arrives at the bear first, however, and brings his great sword through the beast with a single strike.
Qarzdaq shoots a few Rays at the last remaining bear, causing it to call out in pain before falling on the cave floor with a thud.
They scour the bear carcasses, finding another 500 gold across the lot. Aran attempts to skin another bear and it again is very patchy. Rolan skins one, creating a beautiful pelt. He hands it to Aran.
ROLAN: That’s how you skin a bear.
ARAN: It’s just not my thing, you know? I appreciate you’re so good at it.
They leave this cave for the last one. They arrive with Pass Without a Trace running short on its remaining time. They won’t need much though. They quickly enter the cave and find this one inhabited with Cave Bears.
Rolan fires at the farthest from him, striking it twice, and bringing it close to death.
Aran rushes up to the first, and kills it with two strikes. Feeling a rush of adrenaline, he follows up with a strike to another one within a few feet of him. With a single strike, he hurts it badly.
Qarzdaq shoot a Fireball into the most clustered set of bears, badly hurting, but not quite killing any within its radius.
Qhortho goes into a rage and rushes the closest bear to him. Even with two successful strikes, the large bear in front of him still poses a threat.
They continue to push the attack and kill all the bears before they can retaliate.
They find another 500 gold across this pack of bears.
They leave this mine for town.
Proof of Death
They make way for the tavern since there does not appear to be any other obvious indicator of guards’ presence or a Lord to whom they could report.
Aran slams open the door, causing a bit of a scene. He is covered in blood. Bear blood.
ARAN: You see this??
The barkeep is speechless.
ARAN: Your little bear problem is taken care of.
The rest of the party enters.
QARZ: You make it sound like you did all the work! I was killing six bears at a time with the snap of my fingers, son!
QHOR: Yeah, you know, we just, ya know, killed thirty bears, so…
BARKEEP: I’m not keeping track of who did what. I am thankful, and I hope this brings some prosperity back here.
QARZ: We’re going to continue on west to see if we can tell where these bears came from.
A young man, clearly in poverty for some time, runs up to the party.
FELLOW: You killed the bears?! Like… all of them??
QHOR: ALLLL of them. We could have killed twice as many… or more!
FELLOW: Wow!! I’m going to get to Casterly Rock as quickly as possible to let them know the news! Hopefully I can help my town come back to life!
QARZ: And who might you be?
FELLOW: I am Carmyn.
ARAN: Before you go, who might be a foe to Casterly Rock that might want to cause them harm?
CARMYN: I’m… not sure. The list would be long against the Lannisters in some regard, but they are also quite wealthy and provide a good deal of resources to the Reach.
QARZ: Perhaps we could escort you some of the way.
CARMYN: The roads seem relatively safe. It’s ok. Someone cleared out all the bandits that plagued the roads for some time farther south and that lessened the traffic along the roads up here. Lesser traffic means a lesser target for thieves and rogues.
ARAN: Have you noticed any strange happenings besides the bears?
CARMYN: The bears were the only thing I saw out of the ordinary. Much of our time has been spent cooped up, ensuring our own safety.
ARAN: Do you know where they might have come from?
CARMYN: I believe they came from over the hills that way.
Carmyn points to the northwest.
ARAN: Thank you, Carmyn. You’ve been a great help to us. Please let those in Casterly Rock know that it was us, The Unlikely Assembly, the Tutelary of Trade, the Shield of Shields, and the Arms of the Reach that provided this service. They should know who that is.
Carmyn accepts this charge, but his screwed-up face shows that he might not remember all of that. He scurries out of the tavern.
They agree with this and take a seat at a table to decide where exactly they want to head along the coast. They know it is west, but that still eaves room for days of travel along the coast, if the threat is even at the coast. This may be harder than they thought. They spread out their maps and discuss some interesting options.
Aran brings up the island not far off the coast for Faircastle. Qarzdaq mentions that it could be the Ironborn again. Rolan takes minor exception to this suggestion, but concedes it is a real possibility. Another possibility is Ashemark.
Ashemark
They travel three days, eventually reaching Ashemark. The town seems once to be a trading port, but is mostly uninhabited now. Still, it does not seem as it was attacked, just mostly neglected and abandoned. Enterign the local tavern, the few patrons and the barkeep seem surprised to see newcomers.
After some discussion with the townsfolk, they learn that a few packs of bears came roaming through the area many, many months ago, leading many to flee for Goldentooth for a better life. The bears came from the north, but they know nothing more than that.
They announce to the townsfolk that they just destroyed an invading bear population in Goldentooth and that this should help bring trade back to their town if they can overcome the rumors of bear invaders.
Before leaving town, they consult their map. They find that the most promising place to begin is the coast, noth of The Crag.
Northward
A day goes by without incident before they hit some light rain. Another day of traveling through constant, yet light showers. Later, on that second day since leaving Ashemark, the rain becomes heavier. It remains steady with no breaks in the cloud cover above.
Rolan checks the Tear of Life to see if it provides any guidance. It remains unlit.
The rain must have been falling in this area for quite some time, as many small ponds exist with no river sources or noticeable land formations that are indicative of springs. Continuing forward, it is not long before they notice something strange in one of the small ponds. A small form of life on the surface of the water, but it is no animal or creature native to the Reach. This is life formed entirely of water.
They creep along to bypass the creature, but it is clear they’ve been spotted. It skates very quickly across the surface of the water towards the party. It as it reaches the edge of the pond, it lunges forward aggressively. It smashes onto the ground no more than 10 feet from them, splashing apart and seeping into the ground.
They discuss what that might have been for a few minutes before they see another one on the surface of the water. Like the previous one, it is no more than three feet tall. This time, it arrives at the edge of the pond and swipes at the air as if trying to attack. It seems to have learned from the other one that there is a boundary for their travel.
Qarzdaq launches a Fireball at the Water Elemental causing it to dissipate in a puff of steam.
QARZ: I think we’re in the right place.
Continuing on their way, they see more and more of these Water Elementals. They are getting larger as they proceed, yet they still seem unable to leave the surface of their ponds, so their power remains questionable. But even the terrain seems to be against them; the rocks seem more slippery than they should be from the water alone, the grass seems to sink more than it should. Still other small ponds, glorified puddles really, contain fish that are intent on attacking the party, even though they pose no real threat.
Qhortho taps his Wand of Detect Magic on one of the slippery rocks and finds some sense of magic present.
Another mile or so later, the rain becomes heavier, now obstructing some vision.
Now Day 462, with each member of the Assembly having gained 55,685 experience over that time, they head into the most wide-spread phenomena they’ve experience, clearly in the presence of powerful magic. The Tear of Life might be what guides them to victory or perhaps what leads them to their doom. Find out in the next session of The Unlikely Assembly!