C2 Session 21: Giant Changes to Travel

General Summary

21st of Anarire 1545

 The party stands before the mummy bride as she glares a deadly stare at Margaret. Jamal tries to talk to the bride and apologise, but has an attack spell ready should someone attack their party. Jeriam backs him up by holding an arrow to also hit the first attacker from the undead as the halfling mummies get up to join their high priestess. Tarhun, taking his new knighthood series even if he is the only one doing so, steps in front of Margaret to protect her from the undead's wrath. The Bride isn't impressed by the party, calling Margaret a whore as she announces that she is the champion of Azari and not her. She tries to call down her unholy fire that would have grievously harmed the party but Margaret counters her spell to absorb it which enrages the bride further.

The halfling mummies run towards Tarhun which triggers many held actions and it takes a great deal of damage with Ana finishing it off with her blast and harming the summoned snake. Ubek attacks a halfling before it can make it out of it's alcove, hurting it nicely. Three of the Halflings move up to the party to attack Tarhun, Brin and Ubek but only hits Ubek. Margaret blesses herself, Brin and Ana. Brin comments on the animosity between Margaret and the Bride as he deals a lot of damage to the halfling that attacked him. Another group of halfling mummies attack Ana and Jeriam successfully though Ana's get more then it bargained for as she sets off the armour of agathys that she had cast earlier in the day.

Summoned snake attacks and grapples Margaret as it wraps itself around her. The last lot of the halflings move to attack Brin and Jeriam, missing wildly. Jamal runs to Jeriam's defence as he has two undead attacking him, slashing at one of them successfully. Jeriam nervously draws his damaged shortsword but is too cautious and misses one attack but hits with the other. Tarhun is quick to step in to try and save Margaret, doing a lot of damage to the summoned snake. The bride summons a dark battleaxe and attacks Tarhun, hitting him hard. Ana confidently declares Azari is dea as she dodges an attack of opportunity while backing away from the halfling near her to kill the snake and harm the halfling attacking Brin.

Ubek swells in size and really hits the halfling he's been attacking hard, nearly destroying it but not quiet. A group of Halflings attack Margaret, Brin, Ana, Jamal and Ubek, hitting Margaret, Jamal and Brin. Margaret declares the bride can have Azari while she destroys one halfling and harming another. Brin attacks the halfling that hit him, doing a lot of damage back to it. Another halfling jumps in to also attack Brin but misses as one attacks Jeriam and also misses. Jamal and Jeriam attack their attacks, both getting hits in. Tarhun continues to try and defend Margaret by attacking her attackers. The bride downs Tarhun for getting in her way of harming Margaret before firing a guiding bolt at Margaret which she counters. The Bride implies that Margaret has seen Azari herself.

Ana continues to argue with the bride that Azari is dead, shoving the halfling attacking her away and blasting him twice. Ubek nearly kills the one he has been attacking. One of the halflings attack Margaret, hurting her, but not as much as if the bride had gotten her spell off. She responds with killing one with the moons light and nearly killing another. She calls for Ana's help with Tarhun down. Brin is trying to make his way over to Ubek as he destroys the halfling attacking him. He's fubbling to get a potion out as he runs over to Tarhun. The halflings rally their own attack against Ana, Jamal and Jeriam, hitting Jeriam and Ana which sets off her armour's final burst of cold. For a moment she thought the spell killed it, but it semmed to be far more resilient then she expected.

Jamal and Jeriam continue to slash at the halflings attacking them as Tarhun starts to bleed out. The Bride almost ends nearly the whole party but once again Margaret counterspells successfully. Ana calls for Xeldarix's healing light to get Tarhun back up while she blasts the halfling in her face until it's almost dust and nearly does the same to another.  They both do survive however. Ubek moves in to help Ana and destroys one while another attacks Margaret. Margaret keeps bringing down moonlight while watching for the bride’s next move. Brin destroys the halfling standing over Tarhun before moving up to attack the birde. He tries to stun her but it has no effect. The last few Halflings attack Jamal and Jeriam but the miss. Meanwhile Jeriam and Jamal almost destroy these halflings.

Tarhun forces himself up. He sees Brin has the bride, so he goes to support Jeriam and Jamal. Almost destroying both but one stubbornly stays standing. The bride looks down at Brin with disgust for his race.  She tries to summon spirit guardians but Margaret continues to stubbornly counterspell her. This enrages the bride as her spiritual weapon carves a nice slice into Margaret. Ana sends two blasts at the bride while Ubek tries and fails to stab her. Maragret takes out the last Halfling mummy, which only leaves the Bride. Brin unleashes his fists and axe on the bride, doing a lot of damage. Jamal helps where he can but his magic is not effective but he does heal Tarhun up a little more. Jeriam switches to his longbow and puts at least one arrow in the bride before Tarhun's slashes bring her to her knees. 

The woman screams as she aims a strike at Tarhun and one at Brin while her magical weapon attacks Margaret. This knocks Tarhun out and would have injured Margaret further if she hadn't shielded. Ana heals Tarhun to try and keep him alive before obliterating the bride with her blasts.

The Mummy Bride falls, Margaret feels her mind start to grow cloudy but she is able to resist it. One of her fingers starts to noticeably feel chilly. The group congratulates one another while Brin cuts the head off the corpse, removing the headdress before leaving the room to do what he promises, punt the head off the side of the structure.

Margaret finds a breast plate on the corpse under her tattered dress and two scrolls. Ana searches the sarcophagus while Margaret starts identifying the headdress. Ana works with Ubek ensure it is trap free before opening a false bottom to find:

• a woven basket lays on its side, containing four mummified stirges, stiff and bristling from the unnatural process of mummification.
• There are several clay tablets stacked in a wooden box.
• A stone coffer
• A pot filled with dirt

Margaret discovers the headdress is similar to their cloaks of protection. Ana takes the time to see what is magical with a ritual. While looks into the effect on her hand. Ana detects the following as magical:

• Chestplate
• Scrolls
• There was some from something inside the dirt but fading.

Curious about the dirt, Ana empties it out to find a red crystallised jade heart inside. At this point Brin returns after successfully kicking a skull. Jamal ritually casts compared languages to learn these tablets are what they came for. The party decides to rest for the day and leave in the morning.

Ana tries to identify the remaining the magic on the heart before it completely fades.

The Bride had literally given her heart to Azari and was given this one in return. For as long as she existed (in life and undeath), it was a channel for his blessings but now it is just a heart of precious gemstone with no magic. Though it could draw attention from a god or two since it was an artefact from Azari.

 Ana wants to hold onto the heart and ask Xeldarix about it before they do anything drastic with it. The party heads back down to where they stayed the night to rest and do some work. Ana takes time to identify items after checking what was in the coffer, Brin gets to know Tarhun and Jeriam while Margaret helps Jamal with copying the tablets.

Brin learns that Tarhun comes from a large family and is the youngest. He went off on his own to try and make a name for himself. Jeriam reluctantly admits he got himself in trouble in some large towns to the NE and is just looking to be anywhere but there. They both saw a poster looking for help in different towns which hired them for this. Ana opens coffer to find coins and a finely carved jade statuette of three tribesmen fashioning a canoe from a tree trunk, while the magical items were +1 breastplate, scroll of insect plague and protection from energy. It takes Jamal and Margaret about an hour together to finish copying over the tablets.

The party discusses their route back and decide to go back overland. Make their way up to Gradyn before heading West and then South again to Shoufal. Brin takes time to value what they have identified though they have missed a few things so Brin needs to skip them for now.

At 3pm the party abandons the plan to rest here tonight and leaves. After a half hour of travel, they come across a half giant (Goliath) pulling a sled with the body of a young boy on it. There are the three other young children with them following behind the sled. Margaret sends one of the children following the sled a message asking if they need help. The child is visibly jumpy as they want to know who is talking to them. Through communication with the child they learn another child is on the sled and he's hurt. He can't move or feel things. The half giant is their half brother.

Reassured that the half giant isn't the threat, the party makes themselves known. The half giant is immediately protective and only after mentioning a healer, does he allow only Ana to approach. The half giant explains his brother was hit in the neck when they were attacked. They're heading for a stronger healer in Gradny. There is a temple of Might there that belongs to Belinik and Kriesha that they will seek help from.

Ana looks over the child and knows this is currently beyond her help. The whole group has cuts, bruises and burns, but the child on the sled has a bump in his neck. They agree to travel together for safety as Ana shares about her Goddess Xeldarix which does interest the group. The half giant's name is Jonah.

At 4pm the party reaches the road to the North that goes North East to South West. They discuss the options and head SE. Until 6pm Ana is keeping the attention of the new comers as she talks about Xeldarix. They stop travelling for now and set up camp. They decide Jonah, Jamal, Magaret and the kids will use the dome. Everyone else will sleep in tents they purchased earlier in the journey.

Before turning in for the night, Margaret uses sending to communicate with her friend explaining she has learned something concerning. Her friend agrees things are tense and the Highest Light has left for a pilgrimage. After that Ana, Ubek and Tarhun take the first watch for the night. Margaret takes the time to pray for guidance on the gift she received today.

As Margaret falls asleep, she finds herself in the entry hall of what looks to be a castle or palace. Shadows silently greet her with a bow or curtsy. They use sign language to communicate to communicate in very simple ways. When asked where she is, they sign back home. They both bring their hands together in a steeped fashion with fingers extended before going doing at 45 degrees away from one another, stopping and then going straight down.

Changing tactic, she asks where she should go and they lead her to a sun room of sorts. On the table in the centre of the room is a dark blue rose and a scroll. Margaret knows that blue roses stand for many things. Most roses stand for love. The blue stands for Mystery, Unattainability, creativity, unrequited love, new beginnings and forgiveness.

Margaret braces herself as she opens the scroll and reads it:

To My Fierce Rose, Margaret,

In crimson clash, you proved your grace,
Blade and will, no bride could face.
The last now dust, her vows undone.
You stand, the worthy, battle-won.  

Your token, feathered, white as bone,
A gift that spoke in whispered tone.
It stirs the chains that hold me fast.
A fleeting taste of my old self, though it cannot last.  

Soon, my rose, the veil shall break,
When time itself begins to ache.
For now, the thorns, they bind me tight,
But dreams will bridge the endless night.

Take this bloom, blue as twilight’s breath.
A promise not of love, but fate’s caress.  

— Azari, the cold rider of the veil of shadows

Margaret looks at the rose, covered in frost, looking very beautiful. She picks it up. As she starts to look around the room, she feels something suddenly yank her from her very soul as she is pulled from the castle and to another location.

Ana concludes her watch and wakes Brin. Eventually he's wake Jamal and Jonah for their watch in the early hours of the morning.

22nd of Anarire 1545

Ana dreams of a familiar jungle. She looks around for Xeldarix or birds to follow. She sees a hint of feathers in the foliage and as she tries to get a better look, her eyes lock with the giant kingfisher she and her party killed. Ana tires to walk away as the kingfisher stalks her. Trying a more direct approach she tells it to stop since she is not food. The birds lets out a booming laugh and looks like it's about to run at Ana before it freezes and runs the other way.

Ana turns around to find Xeldarix standing directly behind her, watching the large bird flee. This scares Ana. Xeldarix greets her Junior Champion in training and wants to hear all about this heart of Azari's bride that Ana apparently has. Ana tells Xeldarix about the mummy who claimed she was the bride of Azrai, and the ruby heart in the pot of soil that lost its magic, and all of the murals she remembers depicting the woman becoming the bride.  And how angry the bride was at Margaret, and how many symbols of Xeldarix Ana hid all over the pyramid.

The pair discuss this further before Xeldarix pulls Margaret from her own dream, into this one.

As Margaret looks around, she feels something suddenly yank her from her very soul. She arrives in a jungle she has visited once before, with Xeldarix and Ana sitting on a log nearby. Margaret arrives hold a note and a blue rose. The trio are happy to see one another and Ana learns Margaret has been here before. Margaret fills Ana and Xeldarix on what has been happening to her that has been connecting her to Azari beyond her control with sending him a gift, receiving a boon and now a gift. She tells them about the dream she just had and learns it wasn't all a dream as Xeldarix had to pull her from the shadow world to get her here.

Xeldarix explains that not all the gods actually died that day at Deismir. All the gods born of this world, by the original creator died and are very dead. Azari was not created by Aebrynis. He is in his own divine cage like Xeldarix, but it is the Shadow World he made. Azari was stripped of who he once was and that part of him did die at Deismir, but this has happened before and he recovered who he was the first time. She believes it is possible for him to do it again. The girls ask for more details.

The first time, Xeldarix explains, Azari committed a horrible crime that Aebrynis himself sacrificed his existence to contain Azari. He was reborn a blank slate and left it to his children to give Azari a second chance to be better then he was. It worked for a time, until it didn't. Margaret is concerned she might accidently aide his escape. Margaret shows them the letter she got from him. Xeldarix approves of Margaret using the gifts cautiously without outright turning him away since that would anger him.

The girls also learn that Azari has tried to manipulate the void and Xeldarix wouldn't be surprised if it tried to manipulate his followers back. They discuss the void creature and the necromancer from Tephu that they defeated. Before Margaret could ask her more she is ripped from the dream by Jonah, holding a spear in one hand and shaking her with the other. Ana is less abruptly ripped from the dream but awoken by Jamal who is trying to quickly wake the others in the middle of the night.

Jonah notices their camp becoming  encircled by orogs. He notices Jamal and they quickly wake the party. Jonah tells his siblings to stay in the dome before running out as a purple energy glows through his eyes for a second. Using a spear and shield, he almost skewers the orog on the tree but uses his boot to push the humanoid off his spear to attack again. Tarhun uses half his movement to get up and grab his longsword. He proudly declares himself a knightly protector of the camp and attacks an orog and does very well. However the Captain of the Orogs isn't impressed as he causes Tarhun to hit the ground and start bleeding out in just two hits before moving up to challenge Jamal.

Brin's rage bubbled to the surface as he ran up to punch the Captain and while he did get one hit in, the Orog barely seemed to notice. Meanwhile another orog easily knocks Jeriam to the ground where he starts to bleed out. Margaret does what she can to calm the crying children as she sends some lighting through Luna to attack, but struggles to focus. Ubek, Jonah and Brin are attacked with each receiving a hit. Ubek swells in size and gets in a good hit on the orog that attacked him. Three orogs was trying to get into the dome but was frustrated at it's defences. Ana runs out of the dome, dropping an explosions of radiant fire on three orogs that were around the dome before healing Jeriam. One orog runs up to attack Ana for this

Jonah is enraged at being hit and seeing others attack the dome, so he ruthlessly kills the orog in front of him and attacks one of the ones at the dome. Jamal fails to hit an attack on the captain while healing Tarhun and getting him back on his feet. Tarhun gets to his feet and makes two shaky attacks against a nearby orog but misses. The Captain is disappointed by this and tells Tarhun to stay down and Jamal to not be stupid enough to get them back up again before attacking and nearly downing Jamal. Brin is frustrated with the Captain, telling him to shut his trap but can't get a hit in to drive this home. Two orogs takes the opportunity to both get a hit on Brin during his misses.

The Orog that attacked Jeriam tries to subdue him and ties him up. Magaret continues to try and use Luna to deliver a lightning shock through her talons but can't land a hit. Ubek tries to defend himself and misses. An Orog moves up to the newly awakened Tarhun to back up the orog that he attacked. Tarhun tries to attack them but can't seem to land a hit with his confidence shacken. Jamal manages to slash at the Captain with his claws while healing himself, dismissing the Captain's opinions. Jeriam uses the confusion of the fight to slip out of his bonds. One orog is still trying to get in the dome. Ana fails to mentally push an orog away and gets hit by his as she tries to flee. She throws a few blasts back over her shoulder to kill him. Jonah and an orog exchange blows, though Jonah looks to be fairing better then the orog.

The captain slashes Jamal with his greataxe and knocks him down without mercy. Brin jumps to Jamals defence and while he gets a few hits in, the Captain resists his stunning effects. Jeriam is knocked out by the orog that tried to tie him up in frustration, while two other orogs knocks Ubek and Brin down. Ubek and Jamal starts to bleed out while another tries and fails to stabilise Brin. Margaret digs around in the bag of holding for something, and pulls out a blue sapphire, holding it up in one hand. Luna flies into the dome and takes the sapphire. She then emerges and cracks open the gem, causing a vaguely humanoid gale to appear amidst the chaos before giving a loud "HOOT" and flying back into the dome.

One stubborn orog continues to try and get in the dome. Ana drinks a healing potion and keeps blasting, badly hurting one orog. Jonah and the orog he was engaged in battle with start missing one another. The wind elemental tries to attack the Captain but it seems he has a lot of skill in combat as he dodges and manages to get a slash on the wind. Tarhun finally gets in two good hits on an orog before they knock him down. Brin stubbornly clings to life but is still down while on orog ties up the unconscious Jeriam. Margaret asks the children to continue to stay in the dome no matter what as they want their big brother fight in terror. One orog stabilises Ubek and gets out rope to tie him up while another drags Brin away before stabilising him and getting out his own rope for Brin. 

An orog close to the captain backs him up with fighting the air elemental. Jamal, surprising everyone, suddenly sits up before healing Brin and running back to the safety of the dome as an orog attacks the dome. Ana downs another potion as she nearly finishes off another orog. She keeps her distance to continue to snipe orogs. Jonah dodges an attack from the orog he's engaged with before skewering him and spitting on the body before moving up to engage the orog attacking the dome. The air elemental gets a good hit on the captain. The captain is beyond annoyed at Jamal as he tries to fight the wind which seems to resist the damage of his greataxe. Brin flips up onto his feet, getting a hit on the orog standing over him while another orog drags the unconscious and tied up Jeriam towards the road.

Margaret focuses on her magical energy to restore her sorcery ability. One orog ties up Ubek and starts to drag him to the road while another knocks Brin back out while another fails to stabilise Tarhun but does drag him away from the fight. The orog near the captain continues to attack the wind. Jamal sticks his head out the dome to heal Brin and throw a necrotic spell at the orog that attacked Brin before retreating. The orog Jonah ran up to noticed the goliath spitting on his mate, slashing him with his greataxe for the slight. Ana is able to kill the orog dragging Ubek away before hurting the one that down Brin and hexing that orog. Jonah skilfully pierces the orog he's fighting and tries to intimidate him but the orog is too dumb to notice. The wind tries to attack the captain but misses. The Captain calls out to his crew to be ready as he gets two hits on the wind.

Brin gets back up again and nearly takes down the orog attacking him, who misses in his own attacks, while another continues to drag Jeriam towards the road where a large wagon is waiting. The orog with the captain gets two good hits in. The orog with Tarhun stabilising him and ties him up. Jamal leans out of the dome to heal Ubek and fire necrotic magic at the orog with him. Sadly the necrotic magic was not as effective as the healing. The orog tries to attack Jonah but his greataxe continues to hit the shield Jonah has, though Jonah is equally struggling to land a hit on the orog. Ana kills the orog standing by Brin and tries to hit the one with Ubek but misses. The wind knocks the Captain out before he could give another command. Brin runs up to a remaining enemy and kills him as he gets back into the flow of the fight. Jonah kills the orog he was fighting.

The remaining orogs make a run for it, getting Tarhun and Jeriam into the wagon and trying to take off. Ubek is stuck being tied up until Jamal cuts the ropes after running out of the dome. Ana takes off after the wagon, blasting the remaining orogs. Brin gets onto the wagon and kills the orog in the back before making his way to the driver. The driver throws a javelin at Brin who catches it and throws it back. Ubek also takes off after the wagon. The air elemental gets in front the wagon, spooking the horses. This causes the wagon to roll onto it's side as the horses try to escape. As the orog tries to run, Brin gets a hit on him and kills the last one. The party quickly rushes and stabilises their friends before healing them.

Ana pulls a wand out of her cloak as she whispers words and a golden glow surrounds her and spills out to cover the area around her. Using Xeldarix's power she maximises her healing abilities with Beacon of Hope. She heals others up while Brin calms the horses. When the healing is done it takes a few goes, the use of a rope and pulley but they manage to right the wagon. Ana and Ubek work together to find a false bottom in the wagon. The whole top of the wagon lifts and floats above the base with the wheels. It reveals a secret compartment with 10 empty cages. There are magical runes carved into sides and a bound book in a side slot. Ana grabs the book and closes it so the group can get back to resting. 

Before going to bed, Ana spoke to herself quietly hoping her father had seen the fight and that she didn't need Peter to save her. Coincidently, when she woke up to a blood disc forming in front of her. She'd seen her father use this a few times. Karl Moller, the Golden Flame and King of the Pirates, appears in the disc wanting to know what happened to Peter.

Ana is immediately suspicious and interrogates her father about his spying habits. Karl deflects back to the reason for his contact and continues to ask about Peter. Ana explains that she can't explain due to an enchanted oath and that she learned the cardinal was Peter. Ana and Karl talk about her ability to communicate with Xeldarix and the fact Ana is a junior champion. There are hints that something is happening to Ana's mother, Dread Pirate Captain Erin Lamvin the Queen of Pirates. However the connection is cut before Ana can ask too much more.

At 7am Ana is up to find Jonah already up and hunting around for berries and such. Though he doesn't have a lot of success. Margaret was the last one on watch, so she too was already up. Ana brings her the book from the wagon to see if she can read it but sadly no. They'll have to read it magically once they're done travelling for the day. As they're talking, Ana notices something is off about Margaret's shadow. It's movements are not quite in sync with Margaret's actions. Sometimes a half a second behind and sometimes doing something she isn't even doing.

Ana whispers this to Margaret and having it pointed out, Margaret also sees it. She uses the message cantrip to communicate with her shadow. She learns Azari has given it life to watch and listen over Margaret. It has always been there, but only now is it sentient. Margaret isn't a fan of being spied on, so the shadow suggests that Margaret request that Azari free the shadow so it can be free.

Afterwards Ana and Margaret check over the bodies for loot. Between the ten bodies they have a fair amount of coin on them. The leader has 9 gems and 2 potions. Also the leader is still alive. At this point Brin wakes up when the girls are done searching. They discuss it and Ana kills him with a blast. Ana is the closest and absorbs the very weak bloodline. They take the coins and grab the potions. Margaret makes some goodberries for the kids. Jonah is very grateful.

The wagon is large and can carry 8 passengers with 2 drivers. With that they set off for a day of peaceful travel. By noon, they have reached Vosgrove. As the wagon approaches a new settlement with a palisade wall around it, the gates are open and they are welcome to drive through. Down one of the first alleyways, Brin and Luna spot a strange tent.

The party talks to Jonah about how far it is to Gradny and they realise they have misread the map and thought it was a lot closer then it actually was. Realising this the party doesn't really want to go to Gradny. They decide to take a break in town before continuing on. Brin suggests Jonah see the temple here, but Jonah dismisses the idea as he says they don't have good temples here. They worship the gnoll god.

Maragret tries to escape to get to the tent but Brin stops her. Magaret is forced to explain about the tent and in the end Brin accepts it. The party splits with Brin heading to a temple, Ana going shopping and Margaret heading to the tent.

Brin goes to find a church. He wonders around and eventually finds what he believes to be a church or temple. He finds a fence with streaks of red paint on it and chains in front of a timber building with a double door that is open. There are pews inside. It's obvious to Brin that this isn't dedicated to a Cerilian god though. Inside is a  gnoll is a deep brown robe lighting candles around a disembowelled chicken on an altar.

He hesitates, but in the end continues to go and speak to the gnoll. He enquires about healing and learns that the gnoll views the healing of such large and serious wounds are wasteful, and instead they should be put out of their misery. Brin leaves shortly afterwards, donating a silver on the way out for their next service to disembowel a chicken. Though he makes the mistake of glancing into the box and sees organs and a few cooper. He quickly heads to the centre of town to wait for everyone else.

Ana goes to try and find an apothecary or similar shop that might have potions after using so many that morning. She finds a shop called Shrooms & Pestle. Ana looks around and buys three healing potions that were on sale. She checks in about local gossip about bandits or slavers on the roads recently. She learns:

• The Ghoul has his men out grabbing people. Some return with no memory of being taken at all or ever leaving.
• Giants are a danger in the lower areas of Kozlovnyy on the way to Gradney.
• Local temples of the area if you've upset them.
• Little villages like this one have a volunteer watch, but larger towns like the Sunfire Plains have proper patrols.

Afterwards Ana heads back to the centre of town.

Margaret heads to the tent and enters it. She finds herself in a familiar library with many shelves and stacks. She calls out "hello" and all the books mimic the greeting back. They use their voices to lead Margaret to Calluna. The humming books lead to a beautiful sunroom with so many people reading. Calluna is going around filling up their tea cups.

Margaret sits and Calluna comes down to join her. They exchange information, a bookmark and a blood vial. While they talk, Margaret gets a message from Jamal.

Meeting up in the centre of town, the party realises everyone is there but Maragret. Brin is a little jumpy after what he saw at the temple and tells Ana about it. Which causes her mental discomfort. As they talk Jonah knows a little about the gnoll god, but not a lot. Though Ana teaches him about chocolate, which he has never heard of before.

At this point, Ana reveals they have decided not to go to Gradny anymore, which surprises Jonah. He explains he only knows of one bridge to go West which is near Gradny. They agree to table the conversation for now while they wait for Margaret. Ana doesn't realise Margaret had gone into the archfey's tent, but Brin fills her in and this alarms her greatly. They go looking for the tent but find it is gone.

They ask Jamal to send Margaret a message. He does and relays to the group that Margaret is okay and the tent moves around a bit so they shouldn't panic. They head to an inn to get some lunch to wait for Margaret to return some day. "The Crooked Goat" outside is the local tavern. The tavern is a wooden rowhouse, with a reinforced wooden door and well-made wooden furniture. It contains large Persian rugs on the floor and a small stage for performers. A large male gnoll stalks around behind the bar filling drinks and barking at patrons who bark back.

They order lunches, including for Jonah and the kids who are out in the wagon, keeping an eye on it. They get their food at 1:10pm. At this point they agree to wait for at least until the next day before they consider leaving this village if Margaret hasn't returned or they haven't heard from her. Though they consider giving Jonah some coin and sending him on his way, but don't commit to anything.

With their business concluded, Margaret is shown to the exit of the tent. When she leaves the tent and walks out into a forested area. Looking around, Margaret is able to make a guess that it is likely only been about an hour since she went into the tent. She conjures a phantom steed and heads down some nature trails. She finds her way back to village at 1:20pm. She's confused on where the others went but thankfully Luna spots the wagon by the Tavern.

Margaret finds Ana, Brin, Jeriam, Tarhun and Ubek eating inside the Tavern. The party is excited to see Margaret has returned. She tells them a very short and limited verison of what happened, but reassures them the bookmark is returned and she has her blood back from the archfey. They debate a little about the issue of how far it is to Gradny compared to how close they thought it was. They worry about Jonah and the kids getting there safely.

The party uses Jamal's notes on the ritual location to get to Tephu to try and narrow down the location with their maps.

Brin brings up leaving Jonah's situation and cutting the kid loose now. Give him the cart and some gold in the hopes of cutting down his servitude in exchange for his brother's healing down, though Margaret wants to try and convince Jonah to come with them to instead see Mistress Everhand. They will at least travel with them for another day or two, with them they need to change route to head to Shoufal.

They agree to travel and Brin is very keen to not stay in this town as he tells them about the local temple. Ana and Margaret go to talk to Jonah before leaving.

Inside the tavern Brin and Jeriam to theorise what happened to Jonah's parents and what has led to him being the sole carer of such young siblings who do not seem to be half giants like himself. They end up sharing childhood shenanigan stories. Tarhun listens but reveals he's from a line of nobles where he is the seventh son of the seventh many times over and will likely never inherit anything.

Margaret and Ana approach Jonah and make him an offer to come with them. He's not certain but does listen. Healing without an exchange of service when he doesn't have the gold sounds wild to him. He wants to think on the matter while they travel.

The party regroups at the wagon and leave the town at 2pm. While they travel Brin talks to Jonah about the offer the girls made to go to Shoufal. He confides in Jonah about being separated from his dad at the age of ten and how sympathising with how hard it can be. Brin learns that it was Jonah's mother who was the giant, and she would train him and take him on routine walk about to her village before he returned to the farm with his dad. The giants taught him to fight and gave him a trade.

At about 6pm they pull off to the side of the road to set up came when they hear singing coming down the road in the Dwarven language which Brin understands. Ana can hear 8 voices in total, 7 male and one female. Brin listens and hears that it sounds like a work song. He collects Tarhun and Jeriam to go with him to "talk" to these Dwarves and try to do things nicely.

Brin and his crew walk down the road, talking loudly and joking about topless women, when he sees the most beautiful woman he has ever seen with 7 dwarves. She is aghast at the joke and the dwarves quickly rush to stand between her and Brin's crew. The woman has a faint halo above her head and Brin realises he has just said something very rude in front of what might be a very important person. To make amends, Brin offers the group to camp with them for safety.

The Dwarves quickly warn the woman off inviting these strangers to their cabin as something happened that led to a long sleep of sorts. Brin accepts this with grace and enquires if any of the Dwarves have any medical or alchemist ability to perhaps help one of the children with the party who is badly hurt. It turns out their cabin in nearby. A grumpy dwarf isn't keen to offer them help and warns the others, revealing they ran into a hag and had to travel a fair distance to get honey to remedy the issue. In the end they agree to see the child to see if they can offer aid.

Brin brings them back to the party. The Aasimar woman calls herself Isabel. She has great distain for the ghoul and has apparently seen him in person several times. She has also met Cora and knows Cora's true nature. Cora has helped her before and seems to be a positive influence around Isabel when she can spare the time. Isabell goes to work with the men, blessing them with her singing though she doesn't do the mining herself. They just don't like to leave her home alone anymore.

The Dwarves reluctantly agree with Isabel to offer the party the safety of their grounds for the child to sleep without fear of further injury. They can offer potions to help him sleep, as his mental state is at risk with going so long with unable to really move or interact with the world. Brin pays for the supplies for Jonah's brother to help him out. Brin even throws in an extra gold for the swear jar to apologise for his joke.

Margaret claims the Staff of Birdcalls for her loot from the adventure before giving it to Isabel. She is very taken back by the gift, but Margaret reassures her that it is thanks for her kindness tonight. She gives Margaret a kiss on the forehead for the kindness and gift.

Margaret spends three hours reading the book she got from the archfey before bed. Brin relaxes by the fire after doing some stretches. Ana cast comprehend langauges ritually to read the ledger. She finds costs for different types of people and if the people are made slaves, unwitting spies or other things when they are brought to the Ghoul. There are ten names that are considered high targets for the ghoul with a bounty on them:

• Cora the witch (Alive)
• Lady Whitefrost (not to be harmed)
• Sultane Arlando El-Adaba (Alive)
• Aswan bin Sehouf (Alive)
• Sultan Yousef ibn Reghil el-Mesir (Alive)
• The Dolphin (Alive or capture blood techniques)
• Voivod Vladimir Nikailov (Alive)
• Eldried the Rake (Alive or capture blood techniques)
• The Serpent (Alive or capture blood techniques)
• Ankheset, servant of the Serpent (Alive)

During Margaret's watch that starts at 10pm, she talks to Ubek about his runes and his craft. She mentions Jonah has been trained in giant culture. She encourages them to talk to Jonah about this. Ubek reveals Jonah has ruins carved into his skin, but he didn't want to be rude and anything. Maragret gives Ubek advice on how to brooch the subject with Jonah.

23rd of Anarire 1545

At midnight, Ana starts her watch with Jamal. At the change over, Margaret gets some aid from Ana in casting Sending to her old friend to see if they're okay and if they know what the highest light is looking for. They respond with the knowledge she is mostly okay and the highest light is looking for a new location to try and gain the aid of a champion. After that Margaret gets some rest.

As Margaret rests, she finds herself once again pulled to a manor that is starting to become familiar. Her shadow is there with her who enjoys the freedom they have in this location. Margaret wonders around until she finds herself in a library. In the library there is a long midnight black feather sitting on the table next to a scroll. Maragret reads the scroll.

Whisper, and I Shall Hear

A feather falls, yet does not land,
Bound by fate, yet freed by hand.
Not for the weak, nor those who stray,
But one who dares to speak my name.

Silent lips will find it stone,
A weight to bear, yet not their own.
But call to me—a whispered breath,
And I shall wake from dreamless death.

Should you take what I bestow,
Know the path where shadows go.
A gift, a curse, a fleeting sigh,
A single touch, and you shall fly.

She tries to pick up the feather but finds it impossibly heavy. Leaving it, she closes her eyes and picks a random book from the library. She picks up one called "The Veil Between Stars: A Treatise on Celestial Portents and Fate".

Description: Bound in deep blue leather, this tome bears a silver-embossed constellation on its cover, shifting subtly when viewed from different angles. The pages are thick with ink that shimmers under candlelight, as if infused with stardust. The book details the influence of celestial bodies on mortal destinies, exploring prophecies, omens, and the unseen threads that weave fate.

She says outloud that she does not accept or deny the gift given as she prays to the moon and flips to a random page in this book.

Excerpt from The Veil Between Stars: A Treatise on Celestial Portents and Fate Page 214 – The Lost Constellation of the Betrayer

"There is a star that does not shine, a name that is no longer spoken, and a fate that was unraveled before its time. The ancients whispered of the ‘Veilborn,’ a constellation that once graced the northern skies, a cluster of seven lights bound in an endless spiral. It was said to be the mark of those who walked the path between choice and destiny, neither wholly bound nor fully free. But one night, the Veilborn flickered—and then vanished entirely. No record speaks of why, only that those who bore its mark found themselves forgotten, their names stripped from time itself."

"Yet, some claim the star still watches. That in the deepest nights, when the sky is void of moonlight, a single ember flickers in the abyss. A star unseen, yet ever present, waiting for a voice to call it back to life."

"If one were to invoke its name—should it still have one—would it return? Or was its silence the price of freedom?"

Margaret continues to read until something happens or she wakes up.

From Page 214 to 300 – Vanished Omens and Forgotten Prophecies

She reads about the Eclipse of the Weeping Moon, a celestial event that once foretold the downfall of kings. The text suggests that it no longer occurs because a forgotten power—possibly a god or an ancient sorcerer—sealed its influence away.
A lost prophecy known as The Dimming of the Starborn describes a time when all celestial beings (angels, star-touched entities, and even divine messengers) will vanish, leaving mortals abandoned. Some scholars link this to the disappearance of certain constellations in the southern skies.
Mentions of a rare blue star that appears only once in a thousand years. Some believe it heralds the return of a forgotten ruler, while others claim it is a gate to an unknown realm.

From Page 301 to 394 – Threads of the Cosmic Weave

This section discusses how names and true names are connected to celestial power. Some star-based deities and ancient beings can only be invoked by calling their name beneath the right constellation.
There is a passage about sacrifices given under the night sky, describing how offerings (including sentimental objects, blood, or even whispered words) can strengthen connections between a mortal and a celestial or godlike being.
The book hints at a hidden formula for inscribing one's name among the stars—an ancient rite that would bind a person’s fate to the heavens, granting them prophecy, insight, or even a form of immortality. However, the text is frustratingly incomplete, as if the scribe deliberately left out key details.

 Just before Margaret feels herself, starting to wake, she looks over to her shadow and asks if she enjoyed herself, which she did.

Margaret wakes up with a note in her pocket and a book in her hands.

By 6am the party's long rest is complete. Isabel brings the party some fruit as she and the dwarves get ready for their day. The party sets off for their day. At 10am they arrive at the Sunfire Plains city which has a wall around it. It is much larger then any of towns they have been in for a while now.

They get lunch here before moving on. They encourage Jonah to get hot weather gear if he is considering coming with them. Which he does. They leave at 11:30am. Margaret starts to read the book she got from the Archfey during this time. Brin tells the group about his folding boat that they might be able to use though he would rather rent a boat.

By 3:30pm they finish travelling for the and find a good place to camp for the night. They're in the plains which will make hiding hard. Brin plays darts, and even tries to teach the kids as Margaret reads. Though it leads to someone nearly getting hurt with kids calling one another names and going to throw darts at their siblings. Thankfully Brin catches it but does throw it back as a reflex. Jonah comes running over in alarm but the situation is quickly explained. Jonah takes his siblings to clear rocks in a space they won't use and scold them for wasting the opportunity offered to play by wanting to hurt one another when they have a brother who can't play at all. When they are done with their punishment they go and play word games with their injured brother.

Brin offers the kids a riddle and will play with them a little as well after all of this. Ana sets up alarms with Ubek and Tarhun acting as her guards during this time. Margaret will once again try sending to her old friend and but instead turns into a cloud. As she looks down at her shadow she sees it is still in human form and is making faces at her.

The first watch is at 9pm with Margaret and Jona, with Ana and Ubek taking over at 11pm.

24th of Anarire 1545

At 1am Brin and Tarhun are on watch. Brin takes the opportunity to ask Tarhun about his nobility. He's from the Vos area up North near a monastery. His family runs farms and serval businesses. There is a lot of falling in the discussion for adventure and the possibility of love.

During the last watch with Jamal and Jeriam, the party is briefly woken up by yelling coming from a nearby farmhouse. They seem to be upset about their daughter's marriage. Brin and Tarhun go with to ask them to be quite. It is a halfling couple. Brin tries to convince them to be more quiet but this causes them to argue more about who was the loud one. Tarhun gently interrupts and asks them, sounding like a noble, to lower their voices if they could. He recommends talking with their daughter as there is likely good reason behind the decisions and it might help them to comes to terms with this decision. Brin can't believe this sudden change in Tarhun and believes himself to be dreaming before he is steered back to camp where Tarhun starts to act more like himself.

6am the party gets up and heads off. Their travels are peaceful and they arrive at the bridge that would signal the change in route to Shoufal at noon. Margaret uses her magic to go and check the water. Aside from a dead body floating down stream, but aside from that it seems fine. Margaret checks the body and finds it's face is missing. Hard to say how this happened so she just leaves the body be.

The currant is going East. They talk with Jonah and he is coming with them, though he has a lot to learn about Khinasi laws since slavery for debt is not included like it is in the Vos lands. The kids mother and Jonah's father recently died, she he didn't want to add a third loss in their lives so soon. It's already hard enough for them.

Brin sets up the boat and everyone working together is able to get the horses and cart on board, though it is a tight fit. They set sail and head West. At 4pm, they dock for the day. Brin pulls Margaret aside to discuss the boat since he didn't get instructions to make the boat a box again. She reassures him the command word will work or she can identify it if it doesn't. He is very relieved since he wouldn't know what to do if he was suddenly stuck with a boat. Like... Would he have to feed it?

As they rest for the evening, Margaret reads, Ana turns into an owl and looks around to explore her form a little while Brin relaxes. Ana catches sight of giant settlements, roaming giants and past battle sights.

Margaret casts sending to her friend to see if she needs or could do anything. She learns that her friend is no longer permitted to leave. No one is. She ponders on this as her watch starts at 9pm with Jamal.