Session 17-18 Report

General Summary

The party started off in front of the colosseum's special entrance, ready to enter. Before they could, Nadyn admitted that he was concerned about coming with them, afraid that he'll be found out from the numerous government officials present. Eventually, they work out a deal where Nadyn can stick with Thien's parents and act like he's their son, so he doesn't seem suspicious.   When they get to the door to check in, however, the guard informs them that he can only allow those on his list in, and everyone in the party except Thien's parents were on it. Thien's parents decided to sit out on the fight, and Nadyn ended up running off with them. Before they completely left, Amanti handed Nadyn some money so he could have some fun at the festivities, with Nadyn awkwardly thanking him.   The party was then led into the colosseum's lower levels, where private fights were held, and eventually entered the arena where Donovan's fight was. There, they got to meet Donovan's friends--Joanna, and newcomers Daya and Yuvi. All three of them worked at the same company Donovan does, and all three came to support their friend. After exchanging pleasantries, and remarking on Donovan's recent head injury, they allowed the party to go through and Donovan.   He was off in the center of the arena, doing last-minute checks on the plant constructs with a drink in hand. He briefs the party on what will happen. To his surprise, Amanti and Fanna further ask what the party should do to best showcase their abilities. Though at first reluctant, he is convinced enough to tell them to "move around" a lot during the fight, as the plants are designed to be mobile.   The party is then ushered into their waiting area, where they spend the next ten minutes strategizing, planning to utilize fire to their advantage. When the ten minutes were up, they raced onto the field. Thien and Fanna were able to locate where two plant constructs were almost immediately, and Fanna used Major Image to mimick a large wildfire to draw some out.   Then the clashing of vines, swords, spells, and sticky, mucus covered tentacles commenced. The Ki-rin plush the party acquired earlier was put to use, growing into a majestic, though less powerful version oif a Ki-rin to help the party. As the battle raged on, several party members were downed a few times, and as the spell slots ran out, Thien was forced to become a meatshield, hurling insults at the plant constructs so they purposefully targeted him. When things came down to the wire, Fanna felt their lute bag shake wildly, where Soup emerged and assisted the party by casting Otto's Irrestible Dance on a plant construct. Shortly after, Soup tackled the plant construct, toppling it over and defeating it.   Eventually, the party emerged victorious. Donovan and a government official approached them, where the official probed them for feedback on the plant constructs, promising that their words would be taken into consideration for the next time they would be tested in battle. As the conversation ended, Donovan's coworker friends tried to talk to him, but he was pulled away by the government official, and he gave a sheepish goodbye before disappearing.   Frustrated and disappointed, Yuvi asked the party if they could ask check up on him the next day and ask if he'd like to attend the festival with them, explaining how ever since a month ago, he'd become more distant, and though they tried reaching out to him, he would constantly dismiss their outreach and simply say that he's too busy or that he needs to focus on his work. The three of them had known him since the laborious and stressful days of their imperial exams, and were concerned on why he seemed to suddenly be pushing them away. When the party seemed unconvinced, Joanna offered them a couple gold pieces each, finally swaying them over.   Still conflicted over what to do, the party used their sending stone to call Michael. After hearing them out, he commented on how Donovan especially seemed overworked when he had accompanied him on a trip upriver, and that he was quoted saying that he hoped improving the plant bots would make everything "worth it." He agreed that Donovan definitely seemed like he needed a vacation, and said that that he would approach the conversation carefully. The party then asked if he would like to join them the next day, but he said he was gonna be mostly busy, and had plans with Guiying in the evening, calling out Fanna when they childishly whispered that the two "were fucking." The conversation then ended, but not before Michael made fun of Fanna for forgetting Anahe's name and calling her "thingie."   The party left the arena, and were joined by Nadyn. There, he confessed that seeing everyone in the arena cheering on the fight made him feel odd, as that kind of camraderie he wasn't used to without it being accompanied by the stress of not knowing whether he'll live to make it to the next day. Fanna and Amanti assured him that he'll eventually find people that will truly care about him, and Fanna trying to use their life as an example. Fanna also tried to brighten up Nadyn and Amanti by asking what they planned to do after all their adventuring was over. Amanti said he'd probably start up a greenhouse and garden again, and Nadyn said he'd probably do the same, as he wanted to just try and live a normal life again. When Amanti asked him if that's what he really wanted, Nadyn angrily reaffirmed his statement, and now saddened over his troubled existence once again, wiped the tears that were forming in his eyes. Having said that, the party made their way back to the inn in silence.   Before going back to their rooms, the party saw Iskra finishing up her dinner and asked her how she was. She recounted her day of talking with Ljubica, witnessing kite battles around the city, and witnessing a marionette show reenacting the legend of the Kite-Flying Festival. She asked the party for reassurance that by the park with the massive ginkgo tree was a good location for their resturant, as she wanted Ljubica to be well-taken care of and comfortable: Iskra herself was only a human, while Ljubica was a half-elf, so she feared that Ljubica would eventually outlive her despite her age. The party tried saying that she probably had nothing to worry about, but she mentioned how since she lost the rest of her family in the war, she wanted to take care of the family that she had now, eyeing Amanti and Nadyn as she did so. Having said that, she bid the party goodnight and went back upstairs.   The party quickly ate dinner, and then went to their rooms to rest. There, under their doors, they found a small note, covered in symbols arranged in the shape of a funnel web spider's eyes. Inside was a message from Mei, asking them to meet her at the massive ginkgo tree the next day.   After getting a nice long rest, the party woke up. It was the final day of the Kite-Flying Festival.