Memories & A New Acquaintance (Crystal Forest)

by Zinzyra Faer

Duraz/Roscoe's Watch

What. A. Shitshow.

It's typically already a mind-over-matter situation when I'm sleeping during other people's watch conversations, but the same voices that were getting to Blackthorne and Seksgar clearly got to Duraz and Roscoe. But before that, they had scintillating conversations about:

Duraz wanting to set up a "zapper" to kill (?) pixies and fairies (which he has thus far insisted on calling fireflies, dragonflies, gnats, basically any bug). Roscoe didn't go for this, seeing as he adores animals and is starting a menagerie.

Duraz demanded that Roscoe "tell [him] something about [himself] that [he] thinks is interesting," and Roscoe's reply was, "I like my girlfriend and she likes tiny things." It went on just as great as that opener.

Partway through their watch, the ground started getting super damp, and in his infinite egging-people-on wisdom, Roscoe told Duraz, "If there's anything I've learned from you, it's dig a hole!"

From there, it devolved. The voices began to really harass the pair, based on the weird comments and reactions I heard them verbalize, and I am almost 100% sure that Roscoe decided the best thing to do in this particular predicament was to shove handfuls of mud in his ears. (Note: This was at least helpful, because he started freaking the fuck out, which indicates that the actual earth itself here was causing the effect. Maybe related to crystal fragments in the soil?) At any rate, Duraz then summoned an earth elemental--made of the very earth that was messing with them--and then I heard it talk. The elemental was telling Duraz that he was trying to protect the dwarf from the rest of us. Though, to his credit, Duraz is a dedicated watch stander, and he refused to be persuaded to leave whilst in the midst of watch.

Roscoe tried to make a run for it during our watch. I don't know all of what the voices said to him, but he seemed meek/ashamed upon his eventual return after we caught him. Duraz waited to make his run for it until his watch had ended, but that motherfucker also stole the haversack before turning into a purple panther. Between Fern and I, we wrangled him. Those tangling arrows were expended faster than I anticipated, but seem useful.

My Watch with Fern

After seeing the troubles both groups had, it felt better knowing that I was standing watch with someone a little more insightful when it comes to mental trickery, I guess? After telling me the entire saga of her journey to Cofre again, Fern did seem to hear the voices, but quiet, and we were both unscathed, so it seems. During the middle of our watch, there was a tremendous crack of lightning; the bolt struck a crystal, which snapped into two pieces, and from it emerged a spectral version of me. It didn't immediately seem undead, but I couldn't think of what else it might be, either. I roused the others as bolts of lightning hit five other crystals, leading to the emergence of a spectral version of each member of the party.

They didn't seem aggressive, but they were creepy. Roscoe took out the one that looked like Seksgar right when Seksgar was waking up, and it took another few beats before we talked enough to learn that Seksgar felt a "loss" of some kind when the spectral form of him was ended. This gave us all pause, and Fern tried to dispel them and then the space reacted, I guess? Or maybe the spectres. Regardless, everyone fell asleep around me, including the spectral versions of us. The shelter was still up, and the tea Fern had made was drinkable so I just... sat up and watched everyone sleep. It was actually super relaxing, honestly. The ghostly me did some admirable arrow maintenance while we mostly ignored one another.

The journey onward
When everyone was finally up, we decided that we should try to sneak away from the sleeping spirit-things. They ended up continuing to tail us, but always staying about 60 feet away. Probably because mine was up... We later experimented (and by this, I mean Seksgar did a bunch of stuff while the rest of us observed) and it seems they're only repelled by him, and in his absence, they drift closer to us. They also can pass through solid objects (mostly crystals).

Of note, we also encountered:

An ancient road, inlaid with beautiful stones, covered in mosses and grasses, lined with ancient stone lampposts at even intervals. I am fairly sure this is one of two ancient roads (one running N-S, the other E-W), that are famously winding. Because they are difficult to traverse, I recommended skipping it.

There have been two suns up all day. It didn't hit me until the time of writing this that dual suns is considered an omen of Loucura because of her betrayal of Osud. This was echoed in what Tara (more on her later) told us about the weather patterns here.

We came upon a miles-long purple cliff that seemed to have an entire city encased within it. The city looked like it was in slow decay, trapped within the sparkling stone. Blackthorne did some crazy shit with his spyglass again (seriously, how is he doing that?) and navigated us ahead, having found a cave he recommended for rest. It was way too early in the day, though, so we pressed on. (He also keeps harping about the hot springs.)

A woman named Tara (Roscoe found her first). Not only did she help us resolve the issue with the ghostly apparitions following us, but I am pretty sure she is the only reason we aren't dead now. Dozens of the lightning phoenixes appeared on the horizon at dusk, filling the sky with red, gold, and blue light. She did some kind of mesmerizing protection magic that created a rune cage in the sky, following precise geometric patterns, and the birds seemed to be in some kind of trancelike state. She contained them in a lightning cage, which seemed to use their own natural energy to make them more docile.

The spectres
Tara told us that these ghostly versions of ourselves were memories, and she advised that we greet these parts of ourselves to recover them. That made as much sense as anything else has in this place, so I went to mine and shook its hand. I was immediately overwhelmed with a flood of memories about Vicol. How could someone so... integral to who I am be so easily taken from me like that? Everyone else (except Seksgar) reunited with their memories, too. (I also think this place was going to make Keenor forget me.) I now feel really bad about what was taken from Seksgar because of hasty decisions we made in the morning. I hope it wasn't as important as what I almost lost...

Tara

She wears a hood and seemed to be hiding her face, though Seksgar persuaded her to show us why, and she has been marked by lightning in an interesting way, leaving striking scars on her skin. I think Seksgar made her feel better, too. We need to open up a therapy practice for this man.

Tara lives in a variety of places throughout the forest, but took us to a cave dwelling she has. On the way, it was clear that the wildlife of this forest seems to respond to her in a positive way, and she is deeply in tune with the region. She later also told us that she is a protector for the forest and its denizens, and that if she leaves, there would be "much death."

She has been here a long time, if the markings on the walls of her cave are any indication. You can see periods of zen acceptance and periods of emoti0nal turmoil in the tallies alone. Seksgar spoke to her about why she stays and whether or not she is happy here, and I think he convinced her at least to travel with us as a guide, if not beyond the boundaries of the forest. I think she and Seksgar have bonded in a weirdly instant and pure way; he is disarming like that.

Tara doesn't know or remember a lot of things from the world beyond the forest. We had to talk to her at length about concepts like food from the outside, bathing, etc. It seems like she was a student at one of the magic schools at one point, and she got stranded out in the forest without her memory. We were unable to reverse any of these effects on her.

She is a worshipper of Taika, and she told us that she can feel the goddess is close to her and believes she is recovering. (I wish I would have thought to ask Halete about Taika and whether she is in contact with the goddess, as her Chosen.)

I heard Tara tell Seksgar she will take him home anytime he wants. (Note: He suggested not tonight, because it wasn't a good time, haha.) She didn't seem to really take his zombie and skeleton dragon ramblings totally seriously until he indicated it came to him after, and I truly quote, "starting to accept Lurra was pretty cool." She told him this was an omen, and when he didn't quite catch the drift, she looked at me (I was trancing, but she seems to know I am aware of things around me) and repeated the statement. Great.

She gave me a card reading to divine my fate, and wow, these people truly do think I'm miserable, don't they? She drew a jester card and said, "I see you have a willingness to try new things. Your future is lighthearted, full of fun, and good friendship." Immediately, several of them told her she must be mistaken. the colors of the card were spot on for Oghma's cloak, though, and the nine stars can't have been an accident, either.

When she sleeps, Tara seems to have some torment within her. It is quiet, and stoic, but present. It's way too early to ask her about any of that, though.

Notes on the magic effects of this region:

This place seems to be distinctly in tune with personal magical abilities as well as emotional state. The random effects seem to be often linked to intrinsic parts of us at our cores. This is fascinating, but also unsettling.

We have now learned that magical effects taking place in this region are permanent. (See my above comment about unsettling.) Tara also told us that the weave is unstable here, and "the consequences of magic are greater."

I'm starting to suspect that casting any spell here causes other magical effects to happen locally. That doesn't bode well for us, especially Fern and Duraz.

According to Tara's almanac wall, the fire storm about to begin will last 10 days. Also, we should expect emotion storms lasting 5 days that will begin on 5 Gaiztoak and mimic storms lasting 2 days that will begin on 2 Kouzlo. Those seem to be the two cyclical weather events we can count on in the next ~6 weeks. She also advised us that digging is never good in this region, but caves are generally safe. (Note: during mimic storms, look only for very large caves, over 20 feet tall at entrance.)

While the forest is immune to its natural magic, mundane forces (like normal fire) could absolutely wreck it. We need to be careful.

Margin notes in Sylvan and a cypher, for Rue

Those tangling arrows from the bitchy fletchery lady at Nock2 were actually pretty useful, and they worked as advertised. Your archers might want some, and your girlfriend might need more, already, too...

This is going to sound crazy, but I need you to answer me without asking too many questions first: What is my name? (This "ZinZEHra" version sounds close, but I don't know what to trust anymore.) How do I spell it? Why is my name also "First Mate?" Something happened to all of us, and we seem to have forgotten our names. Fortuitously, Duraz had already renamed himself "Duraz" by the time we figured this out.

I am now genuinely afraid of what this place might take from me. It almost made me forget Vicol entirely. Am I even going to be the same person when we leave this place?

Continue reading...

Travel to Tower of Galdur
21 Navara 3479

So It Begins (Crystal Forest)
23 Navara 3479

Pixie & Wild Magic (Crystal Forest)
24 Navara 3479

Memories & A New Acquaintance (Crystal Forest)
25 Navara 3479

10 Days, 9 Creatures, 1 Cave (Crystal Forest)
36 Navara 3479

Fuck This Forest
37 Navara 3479

The Hazard that was 37 Navara
38 Navara 3479

Divination and Dreams
Overnight, 1 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Eventful Autumn Equinox
2 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

△⋈⧂δ▽∅
3 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

We Left, and Then We Didn't
5 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Into the Mist
6 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Into the Mist (Part II)
6 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Traveling in Terror Storms
7 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Spelunking
8 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

[Untitled]

Unexpected Planar Travel
Probably 8 Gaiztoak

We Walk Too Slowly
Less Probably 8 Gaiztoak

Gnomish Delights
20 Gaiztoak

Stairway from "Heaven"
20 Gaiztoak

⁠—

Attempted Abduction

Musings on Dying
22 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

22 Gaiztoak
22 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Dinner and a Wedding
27 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Back into the World
30 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

No Rest for the Weary
30 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

No Rest for the Weary, Part II
30 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Haunted: Past and Present
31-32 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Zin's Emotional Journey Upon Being Confronted with Her Exes
32 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Through the Wall
32 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Is Anything as It Seems?
32 Gaiztoak 3479 PA

Memories & A New Acquaintance (Crystal Forest)

Continue reading...

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