004.007 Session 46: Death's Embrace

We open as we're preparing to walk down a hill into the city/town that Euon transported us to. We were chatting about trying to find some shawarma and a place to rest when Yendaya suddenly collapsed! She couldn't be roused so Scotty carried her and we decided we would seek out a temple and a cleric with some spell slots since Danior and Atlia were pretty much out.  

As we approached the town, we noticed that there were no walls around the perimeter and some party members noticed that there were stands in the nearby trees reminiscent of the stands around Shirä-Mär. Alessia looked and was shocked to find that there were elves in the trees! We ask if these elves can tell us where we are, we're in a town called Wehyt. Alessia asks if they received Seren/Ellerina's call and they don't have any idea what she's talking about. Atlia asks the guard what year it is. He says it is 2704. The last we knew the year was 3024. So now we're thinking there are time travel shenanigans afoot. Atlia also asks the guard for his name and he says some Elf nonsense like Aelelalel, it's very silly. He suggests we take Yendaya to Baziel's temple. We tell him we were sent there by Euon and he is super-extra welcoming then because Euon is a big deal here.  

We get to the House of Bäzíel and it is beautiful and filled with scrolls. The priests try to help Yendaya but it just makes her condition worse, she is now feverish. The main priest says that the tattoos on Yendaya are markings of Fjolsviðr. That is the elvish name for Olōrin (that old wizard dude that has helped us out a couple times). The priest says there is a powerful maiden in town that may be able to help Yendaya and sends for her. Scotty suggests that maybe a dwarf could be found to sing for her because that woke a sleeping beauty in a tale she heard growing up. Ranmin refuses to sing and the priest says that coincidentally this lady heals through song.  

While we're waiting Alessia takes out her sword and prepares to pray to Bäzíel. The priests all freak out in awe because the sword marks her as the champion of Bäzíel.  

The elvish maiden arrives, pulls out a charm that we recognize from the scroll we found in the Le’Tä village, and begins to sing the most beautiful and comforting song imaginable. It's so beautiful that many of our party members begin to cry. It removes all despair points and Yendaya's fever but doesn't wake her up. We learn that the lady's name is Ímrä'vān (also wrong spelling) and that she likes to use her gift to help people and she also likes to go for morning walks to meet the Rephím. They bond over a shared appreciation for nature and the Rephím love her singing.  

We all go to the inn and get a few rooms. While the rest of the party goes downstairs for dinner and drinks, Danior stays in the room to watch over Yendaya. As soon as they're alone he summons his cat and pets him until his patron appears. None of the party members know what happened at this point but I will tell you because I chose to stay in the room for the sake of fun! So the players know but the characters don't.  

Danior's patron- Olōrin- appears. Danior asks what the hell is going on with Yendaya and if we time travelled when Euon sent us through the portal. Olōrin says he kept up his end of our pact and is still fighting to keep it. He brought Yendaya back to life as we had agreed but Hesh Rä'Än wants her soul and so he's having to fight to keep her soul in her body. The raven tattoos are a way to hold her here. He assures Danior that she will wake up soon, her soul just needs to rest a bit. He also says that we're not in the past. Danior asks if we're in an alternate dimension, and he shrugs and says "you'll see." He says that we're here for a reason and it will become clear in time. Danior asks about his mission to retrieve Olōrin's spear and he says that Danior will have to get it from Euon but not to tell Euon it's for Olōrin. Danior asks if he's planning to use it for anything that Yendaya wouldn't approve of and he says he's going to use it to kill bad gods. Danior asks if he's like the "big guy", like straight up The God and he's like *mischievous shrug* maybe. He also implies that Danior's god isn't a real god and that Olōrin is actually the one that has been looking out for him. Danior doesn't know what to do with that but Olōrin says he'll earn Danior's trust. Danior says he's on his way there by keeping his end of the bargain. Danior goes downstairs to get drunk.  

Meanwhile, Scotty has ordered a platter of all of the food options and all of the wines. Vaela got some nice raw vegetables. Atlia had a nice meal and found that she's feeling really smart and sarcastic today and doesn't know what's gotten into her. Scotty is very confused about death and people coming back to life and the idea of time travel. Atlia tries really hard to explain but doesn't get very far.  

Danior gets a drink that is a mix of ale, mead, and wine and Ranmin goes to bed because he doesn't want to deal with drunken drama. Atlia, Talia, and Vaela head to bed too, but Danior asks Alessia to stay to talk and Scotty shares some of the enormous platter of food now called "The Scotty Platter."  

Alessia says she left the group and can't remember what happened in the time she was gone. She remembers bits and pieces, like she found out that she has distant elvish heritage which is now becoming more prominent. She also remembers that she was broken when she left the group and that Bäzíel helped heal her fractured psyche. She says that she used to be needlessly cruel to enemies because the violence helped her feel better momentarily, but it never really helped. She says that she's worried about Yendaya because she's acting so different. Danior says that Yendaya has been through a lot and has abandonment issues. Alessia says that she probably contributed to those issues and Danior suggests that they have a heart-to-heart when Yendaya wakes up. He says he's really just here for Yendaya. In the morning Ranmin goes to the village forge and meets the elvish artisan. He offers to teach him to make better quality goods and has him start with nails and horseshoes. Scotty arrives and tells them all about her experience living with dwarves and how they're so great at making things. She says that they taught her to make rings and sets up at an anvil to make some. She does indeed make some, but breaks the anvil too. Vaela tries to fix it. Vaela also gets some herbs from a local and makes something in the woods, I think it was a stew. Talia and Danior both want to join the maiden on her morning walk. Talia was really emotionally moved by the maiden's song and is curious to know more about the charm. Danior learned from Olōrin that they wouldn't be able to take the charm back to their own dimension so he decides not to steal it and just wants to know more about the maiden and her comforting song. She greets them but says they're too late for her walk, so they plan to get up earlier the next morning to meet her.  

Talia asks Ranmin to work on some weapons for her, including a javelin. He says he will after he teaches this elf how to make nails and horseshoes.  

Atlia goes to Scotty and thanks her for teaching her barbarian skills but says she's going to go in a different direction. Scotty says it's hard work and it's not for everyone, but Atlia insists that she CAN do it, she's just choosing not to. It turns out that Atlia was one more training session away from a barbarian level but her god wants her to pursue something else and her armor won't work for a barbarian.  

Alessia and Vaela catch up a bit and talk about Vaela's weird situation, being split into multiple parts. She tells Alessia that elf Vaela is in the other plane with Seren.  

Danior gets some diamonds and hopes that they will make it through the portal.  

The next morning, we all wake up early- except for Yendaya- and find Euon downstairs. He looks pretty rough so Vaela prestidigitates his filthy clothes. He says that he had to get us somewhere safe quickly so he brought us to his pocket dimension where his village and its inhabitants- including his sister, the maiden- are memories replaying her last day before she died. He says that he returned to complete the rites for burying the elvish remains we brought him but it took quite some time and he was attacked by Díō'koi. He also says that his sister is stuck in stasis, she's not with Hesh Rä'Än. He takes us through a portal to his fortress in the island city of Syntera and says that the day is 28 OCT 3024 Ǎ12 36288 Ê1. We were in the pocket dimension for over a month but only experienced it like a day! He assures us that he'll take us to the Rephím and that he's on speaking terms with most of them. So that's helpful. Alessia and Danior explain to Atlia that a deal was made to fill Skōtäs' amphora with river water from the underworld so that he can try to take Hesh Rä'Än's realm and so that he'll give us back the elf stone. We have to go there on the solstice in about a month. And while we're there we can also talk to Earth Brother and try to get the thing he took from Zä'Mírr. So it's good that we didn't miss the solstice. Alessia asks who is carrying the amphora and we say Yendaya is. Alessia takes it out of Yendaya's pack and gives it to Atlia because she's worried about Yendaya. Danior tells her that she's going to have to talk to Yendaya about that when she wakes up because he won't keep it a secret. Scotty carries Yendaya down from the room we teleported into, to a sleeping area. The rest of us prepare to explore Euon's city. It's 9AM :)