46.4 Recreational Activities

General Summary

Day 1049

With Jian Ming's invitation, we set to moving our ship off the River and inland towards the stump. The rocs present are happy to help fly it over, and we have a bit of fun having Onyx join them. The rocs, evidently, know about Rainbow and not much else about dragons. Dragons, of course, are the only possible predator to these enormous birds, all of whom immediately have a sense of being ‘prey’. All of us are in a fairly playful mood with the novelty of moving a ship inland, and Onyx and I take some time to be affectionate and silly, much to the rocs' general discomfort. Clearly, a dragon only adds to the atmosphere of our party being simply too powerful to tangle with.   In sight of the phenomenon, Magdalena and I get a chance to talk about it together. It does sound like something Asphodelodae would have done, and I suggest that Starfield might benefit from the passive healing power of it if she's willing to venture into it. With Magdalena and Uncle Red's encouragement, she agrees to try it.   Leaving Qing Chen behind with the ship, we all approach the whirling magic surrounding the stump. I note that Lyssa is distinctly sticking close to me, clearly feeling a little unnerved by the spirit folk around us who are staring at her like she is something to possess.   Magdalena falls quiet as we reach the edges before remarking that there are songs swirling within it. With all our attention focused now, I can better see that a small portion of the magical outpouring is being directed into the stump itself while the rest continues to flow around the area. When Starfield enters, she makes it three times as far as anyone else lost in the haze. And then, she quietly settles down and goes to sleep. In her resting state, I'm surprised to see her fully transform into her dragon form for the first time in the waking world. Immediately, a ripple goes through all the surrounding spirit folk at the sight of a second dragon with our group.   In short order, eleven crocodiles split off from their camp and approach in a clear soldiers' march, led by their general. Their magic is curious and blurs their form much like Shao's did. They are cloaked in some strange malicious aura that makes it unclear if they are truly present in this world or not. Jian Ming appears just as they arrive and their leader starts shouting.  

Jiang Ming! We agreed - no one approaches the phenomenon!

  Jian Ming, unruffled, remarks that my party has agreed to no such thing and he certainly isn’t powerful enough to tell us no. The crocodile (Zhan Zhan?) continues yelling and snarling and I tune him out until he says something about selling a princess, with a jealous growl at Lyssa.   Before I can pay much mind, she has sent a crackling, corrosive bolt of black lightning twaords his feet as a (gracious) warning.  

I am my own person, and no one sells or trades me. Certainly, no one separates me from my love.

  General Zhan Zhan continues to make a fool of himself until he goes a step too far and hurls his own black maw of energy towards Lyssa, at which point Uncle Red simply whistles before anyone else can react. I can almost see the sharp music shred the black magic and then bring the crocodile himself to his knees, clutching his head. The group makes a hasty retreat, lugging their fallen general by his arms as they return to their camp. Poor Lyssa and I agree that apparently her heritage won't let her avoid it, and she will talk to Jian Ming later tonight to see what she can learn.   With the minor disturbance out of the way, we turn our attention back to the phenomenon. At Magdalena's suggestion, Ausha will enter it to see how the healing feels for her. Of course, I go with her to make sure we don't get separated. And Lyssa comes with me, for the same reason.   “Ridiculous,” Magdalena says as the three of us link arms. But she's smiling - I can tell.   Entering into the phenomenon feels welcoming and warm and it beckons us further in. After 10 metres, eddies in the magic form around all of us - stronger around Lyssa and Ausha. I can see that people deeper in the haze tend to have stronger eddies surrounding them and Starfield is particularly cloaked in it. But two people quite shallow in the whirlpool are very heavily affected as well - both of them are healing from particularly strong injuries or damage (a lost limb, a magically ravaged passage of time). I imagine that those in need of more healing are more affected by it.   We turn back at Ausha’s behest - it feels too good and tempting. It felt resonant with Lyssa as well, like rising from sleep after being called. After having made it out safely, Ausha says that it doesn't feel like the magic or the treasure here is for her, but she wishes she could bring Kaide here to experience it. I'll have to see if I can learn anything from how this radiant magic interacts with the wounded spirits inside...maybe we can still bring its energy back for Kaide one day.   With the phenomenon suitably investigated, the next sensible course of action is to simply get rid of the crocodile blockades across the River. Especially having seen how many people are being healed here, it feels doubly cruel and unnecessary to be preventing people from accessing it. Besides - whoever collects the treasure would certainly not be someone who wants to prevent others from being healed.   It's almost like being back in school doing partner duels as we split into two teams (Mistress and Ausha under Magdalena's supervision, Lyssa and I with Uncle Red) and each take one blockade. For the first time in years, I paint Mistress' war paint on her, indulging in a specific wildling ancestor who has always been just a little too aggressive for lighter battles.   These battles, however, are inconsequential for us. With Lyssa beside me, we tear through their ships and dark magic with ease, to the amazement and gratitude of the blocked travellers downstream. Most of them are happy to simply be on their way, but anyone with wounds or illnesses follows us towards the phenomenon once I tell them that there is healing magic. When we reconvene, Mistress is covered in blood and grinning ear-to-ear.   It’s easy enough to deal with them. My connection with my tree is the only thing at risk and it’s easy enough to shelter it. Mistress comes back covered in blood and very happy. Lots of the travellers are happy to just get a move-on but others come towards the treasure once I tell everyone that there is healing available.   Jian Ming helps us find a place to wash up and Mistress and I head off together, leaving Ausha with Magdalena and a complicated illusion depicting the skirmish and how Ausha might have engaged differently. Nearby are several younger rocs, clearly listening with rapt attention like a bunch of juniors seeing a visiting dean lecture.   The rest of the evening passes in informal celebration as the remaining 'armies' gather for good-natured food and banter now that the crocodiles are in disarray. Several of their juniors are gathered nearby, clearly debating what to do next, and I drop a friendly suggestion that if I had ever been in a command of an army that had been so soundly defeated by four cheerful people who just happened to be passing through, I would expect that army to promptly turn tail and retreat rather than make further fools out of themselves.   Before the night ends, Lyssa does indeed get to ask Jian Ming about why people have been looking at her so funny - indeed, the roc we had first spoken to has already been kicked out of the celebration for being such an obviously inappropriate lecher.   Jian Ming tells her about 'spirit emperors' as a group - spirits who were exceptionally powerful and majestic, and tells her that she is very clearly descended from one of them. The Prismatic Storm Owls contained the might and fury of the clouds and storms themselves. Other birds might soar above them or dance with them, but never posses their power. Some of his men, he tells her, clearly fear her on a very sensible and instinctive level. Others seem to want to conquer her like a bird might brave a storm for the thrill of living through it. Still others view her as something to own. To his credit again, he tells her that he will do his best to keep them in line and that she is welcome to incinerate anyone who gives her trouble.   Last he heard, any Prismatic Storm Owls had retreated into the Barrier mountains where they are unbothered. It's possible that she could be welcomed as the heir of a past leader, or seen as a threat if there is a current leader in power. Regardless, it will be a matter to explore when she has a little more spare time.   As night falls, I settle down with my dusk tree just on the edge of the whirlpool. It has stretched up to its full height, not even cresting the top of enormous stump at the centre of the magic. With my back against its trunk, I tell it as much as I know about the Fae of Drifting Seeds, the grove that was once here, and the grotto that its creator planted up North. I tell it about all the eldritch trees, and about its big brother Wayin.