Session 073: The Never Ending Day

The North Wind blows into a fight in the Weave Center against a passel of undead swine. Zenith uses his fire sword for the first time and it is very bright. Talasea does a cool thing with his upgraded trident and uses his boomerang for what is probably the first time. Aphid tosses some rocks around. The boar are put back to rest. The party speculates on what the connection is between these destructive swine and the undead pig, Fungi, that Colby seemed to have control over, but don't know anything conclusive. They look around for any signs of a clandestine meeting about to happen, but see nothing. They decide to go back to the inn they had previously stayed at and pay for another night.   Tal Sends to Temperance, asking them to continue the story and telling them not to react to the fact that Sasha was there, is a Commander, and they danced. Temperance responds:  

Want to. Won't.   It began in a marketplace. I had learned Mage Hand and was using it to steal. Curio caught me stealing from their stall. First, I thought I was gonna get ganked. Then they offered me a job.

  They all sleep without issue.   In the morning, the party talks through the errands they need to take care of for the day. They swing by Thornguard West to hand over Sir Kerria's note; Sergeant Mayphew gives them their reward plus an extra thousand gold.   The group stops for a short shopping montage. Talasea purchases gifts for Swallow. Mohr sources a crystal bowl to use as a spell component for Scrying. They find an armorer with magical items and purchase glamor armor for Verity. There is also a shield with perception enhancing capabilities. Mohr can use shields, but she says she is fine with the one she has had since they began, secretly not ready for another change after the warhammer she's also had since the beginning recently became fancy and magical. Mohr goes off with Jack to find a cystal bowl to use as a spell component for Scrying (which was apparently made in the Winter Kingdom, according to the sticker on the bottom). Tal, Zenith, Aphid, and Verity put their heads together to figure out how to justify buying this shield for Mohr anyway. They decide they'll buy it for her birthday (half a year away) and get it wrapped so they can carry the large shield around without Mohr knowing for the next six months. They decide to pretend it's a charcuterie board.     Mohr definitely doesn't catch on.   Aphid picks up the custom gift basket for Mossi's parents. Talasea finds a couple magic items that are super his aesthetic. He decides he needs to think about it and come back later.   Then they head over to check in with Priest Jackamina. Jackamina notes that the intention with the reward is for actual confrontations or battle. She gives them have a discounted amount in light of not having risked life and limb.   Next, over to the Tomlinson Weave Center where they get a much smaller sum of money upon convincing the woman at the front desk that they're the reason the weave remained intact overnight.   Finally, the North Wind heads toward the Primdawn Palace to kill Sir Kerria the Patient.  

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  The party is a regular at the palace by now. It takes no time at all to be escorted up to Sir Kerria's office. Sir Kerria is ready for them. She has finished her paperwork and made sure to have a gem of sufficient value on hand. She is relieved to hear that one- no, two of them have the ability to cast Revivify. Sir Kerria removes her breastplate so that her armor class is lower.   And she bids Jack to kill her.   Jack uses his highest damage spell, Witch Bolt. A lifeline of dark energy jolts out of him, connecting to some soul-deep anchor within Sir Kerria's chest. She grunts, but takes it. The tether roils and surges, tearing the life out of Sir Kerria in six second increments. Blood drips from her nose, from her eyes, from the safety of her gritted teeth as she coughs it across the surface of her tidied desk.   Talasea casts Read Emotions and gets, more than anything, an exhaustion. This is another day for Sir Kerria. She is older than you can imagine and she is tired.   It is almost beyond the capability of Jack's strongest magic.   But with its final wave of destructive power, the last breath is slammed from Sir Kerria's lungs. She slumps, sliding out of her chair to the ground with a clank. Sir Kerria is dead.   For the moment.                       And in that moment several things happen.   First, the party stumbles as a wave of energy rushes out from Sir Kerria's body.   Second, Mohr starts counting.   One second, two seconds, three seconds-   Third, Jack feels a surge of power within him. Potential, boundless. Elation, not his own. It feels as though he could do anything in this moment.   What does Jack want the most in this moment?   To see his fiancé.   Four seconds, five seconds, six seconds-   In this endless moment, potential welling up within Jack, elation crowding in from a patron that received what he wanted, power rocketing out of the room, powerful creature fallen at Jack's hand, in this moment there is a crash, like thunder cracking across the sky, even though the sky beyond the window is a bright, clear blue. Like a pressure change, there is a popping in everyone's ears as something is displaced.   Seven seconds, eight seconds, nine seconds-   Fourth, another life appears in the room.   Thomas looks into the eyes of his fiancé, whose hand is outstretched, the remnants of dark energy seeping from his fingertips. Then Thomas looks down. At the lifeless body at their feet.   Ten seconds, eleven seconds, twelve seconds-   "I can explain?" Jack blurts. Thomas doesn't look up. "She consented!" Now he does. "I don't know, I don't know what to s-, I- How the fu-"   "Where- Where are we?" Thomas asks, his voice small and shaking.   Twenty-three seconds, twenty-four seconds, twenty-five seconds-   "The Spring Kingdom," Jack says.   "The Spring Kingdom?! How am I in the Spring Kingdom?" Thomas demands, his voice a little less small, a little less shaky.   "That is a great question that I do not have the answer to."   Thirty-six seconds, thirty-seven seconds, thirty-eight seconds-   "What- What happened?" Thomas asks, looking around the room, now avoiding looking at the body at their feet. "I- Are you okay?"   "Yeah, I mean." Jack stands there, physically perfectly fine. "Are- are you okay?"   Forty seconds-   "Um," Thomas says, also physically completely fine. "I'm a little taken off guard because I wasn't expecting to be- I mean, I was just talking to Abby. This is a little. Um." Thomas' voice quakes. "I don't know what's happening, Jack."   Forty-five seconds- "Hey, it's okay." Jack's voice softens.   Forty-seven seconds-   "I'm right here."   Forty-nine seconds-   He steps forward, reaching out to Thomas to pull him into his arms.   Fifty seconds.   Jack reaches out and, without thinking, Thomas flinches.   Jack steps back.   Mohr drops to her knees next to Sir Kerria's body, places a gem on their heart, places their life in the hands of the Snowmother.   Thomas realizes what he's done and immediately reaches out in return. "I'm sorry, I didn't, I'm sor- there's just a lot happening right now and-"   "No, it's okay, I didn't mean to... scare you," Jack says, quietly.   Thomas steps forward and embraces Jack. Jack can feel him trembling. Jack hugs him so tight.   "It's okay," Jack whispers. "It's gonna be okay."   "I promise."   Mohr prays. She prays to the coming of the dawn, to stepping into a warm home after a cold day, to mending the holes in a scarf knitted by someone you love. She prays that the life exchanged for her own be brought back to its original place. She prays that it be made whole again.   "See look," Jack whispers. "Mohr's gonna bring her back to life, it's okay."   Magic floods into Sir Kerria's body, embraces her heart, fills her lungs. Sir Kerria breathes in again.   Sir Kerria sits up quickly, forcing Mohr to scramble back out of the way. Kerria places a hand to her chest, infusing herself with a bright flash of divine energy. Her eyes widen.   "I am being informed that there were actions taken taking advantage of my momentary... absence. As was somewhat anticipated." Sir Kerria looks up at everyone in her office. "Uh. I need to go."   Aphid, who has been wiping up blood so far, stops and puts the gift basket he had intended for grandmother on Sir Kerria's desk.   Sir Kerria looks at this and says, "That is the most Springish thing I have ever seen."   Sir Kerria stands, glowing wings flaring out from her back. She buckles her breastplate back into place, picks up her shield. They look to Jack and say, "I have no regrets. You should not either."   Sir Kerria places a fist to her breastplate, bows her head, and with a great flap of her wings and a flash of light, she disappears.  

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  The party briefly strategizes about what to do with Thomas. Tal Sends to Abby real quick to let her know that Thomas is fine, safe, and with Jack, and asks Abby to verify that she's safe. Abby replies that she's glad, okay, to say hi to Uncle Jack, and will stay home. Good news is that Tal has the teleportation circle details for the Ember Tower, so he can get Thomas there and come back today if desired.   Jack and Thomas take a moment to be together. They find a solitary corner in the garden of the Primdawn Palace. Jack casts Exposition. He tells Thomas about the Prophecy of Waking, about nearly dying the day previous, about being forced to kill Sir Kerria. Thomas commiserates about how all that sucks. But he also is awed by how much bigger Jack's life is now.   Jack: All I really wanna do is come home to you.   Thomas: I want that too. Doesn't seem like it's in the cards for us for a while.     Jack assures Thomas that he's working on doing something about the people following them. Thomas tells Jack not to worry about them since he's much more worried about Jack.   Thomas: I know you, Jack. I know sometimes you'd rather die than ask for help.   Jack: Well. I'm trying to get better about that.   Thomas: Good. Promise me you'll do everything you can to come home?   Jack: I promise.   Thomas: Careful with that demon, huh? You gonna let your friends help you break the contract?   Jack: I don't think they're going to give me much of a choice...   Thomas: You've always needed a Sarah in your life... I wish you could come home... Or I wish I could come with you.   Jack: I wish you could come with us too, but... You're needed at home.   Thomas: And I would just be in your way.   Jack: I don't know about that-   Thomas: I'm not brave like you, Jack. I'm not a hero like you.   Jack: I'm not brave either. But you also. Don't. Have...   Thomas: Magic powers? Yeah.   Jack: It would be dangerous for you.   Thomas: Sounds like it's dangerous for you too.   Jack: Yeah, but I've got my friends.   Thomas: I'm glad.   Jack: Come on, tell me the gossip at home.   Thomas: Okay... I think Abby has a crush?   They spend the rest of their time in the garden talking about the way Abby refuses to tell them about the girl she's been spending time with. Stretching the precious moments they have together as long as it can last.