Session 078: Fun in the Sun

We open as Mohr Sends to her dad, as she promised Semir she would do.  

Mohr: Hi dad, it's me. Semir and I reunited. We're safe. This is a magic message so you can reply. Are you okay? I'm sorry.   Mohr's Dad: My child, I'm so happy that you're safe. We were so worried. And I'm happy that Semir is safe too. I'm okay. Thank you for-   Mohr: I'm sorry I haven't sent this before. I could have and I should have. But I am safe. This is important and Semir made me send you this.   Mohr's Dad: Limited word count? Tell Semir thanks. We understand needing to go your own path. Maybe you don't have to be quite so alone for so long in the future.

  Mohr finds Semir and passes on the thanks. Semir tells her he's proud of her.   We move forward through time to see the Icebreaker pulling into port at the coastal town of Fanfoss, widely known as a resort town and place of pilgrimage. The crew is informed they will have 48 hours in port. As Aphid sets foot on solid ground, he is flooded with the voice of the Spring Goddess.  

Aphid. I told you once, my champion, that you would have a chance, once again, to prove yourself before leaving the Spring Kingdom. Find your way to my refuge and let yourself be tested.

  Aphid receives a vision in his mind of sitting beneath a cherry blossom tree, looking over the city.   North Wind naturally decides to swing by a resort before dealing with divine callings. Mud baths, manicures, and massages ensue.   Then they take a gondola to Freov's Refuge, a temple devoted to the underworship of Freov.   The gondola driver is like uh, no one ever gets past the first riddle lions. the party is like WATCH US. They approach the first set of lions, who greet the Champion of Spring and present the party with a riddle:     The party presents the answer: Mandrake Root   And they are allowed to pass. Smugly looking back at the gondola driver, who is gobsmacked indeed.   The party is presented with a second riddle:     The party presents the answer: Foxglove   And they are allowed to pass.   They are faced with a set of doors overgrown with flowers and select the one surrounded by chamomile. A slot opens with a cup of tea, which Aphid drinks from and brings with him as he steps through the door.   The slot opens again with a new cup of tea and an air of bemusement. The rest of the party (including Verity) each takes a sip from the tea and are able to step through the door.   They are briefly in a dark not just darkness, can't see through it magically), which then fades into a room overgrown with vines, the floor inlaid with lion motifs. There is a door in each wall. A small, colorful lion with vibrant wings appears, a sphinx of wonder. The creature introduces themself as Igor and tells the party that this is their first time leading anyone through the maze. Igor explains that they will give a riddle and the party will choose a door and if it's the right door then Igor will give them the next riddle and if it's the wrong door then there will be a big monster that they have to fight and hopefully not die. Igor also makes very clear that they didn't come up with the riddles themself.     The party discusses it, briefly, nature check saying that the animal with the sharpest eyesight is a pretty close tie between hawks and eagles, but some species of hawk pull ahead slightly. They decide on an answer: Hawk   Igor looks at them.   The party looks at the four identical doors, none of them any more hawkish than the others.   The party looks around. They decide that, since birds fly, maybe they take the north door?   They walk through the door to the north, Igor gliding behind...   And are attacked by a much bigger sphinx!!   They fight desperately against this big, big sphinx, blasted with its breath weapon which batters their brains with the weight of ages past. They're starting to wear the sphinx down when it pauses, bows to them, and disappears.   Back through the door! chirps the little sphinx.   They go back to the first room (which looks identical to the one they were just in) and decide this time to go through the door to the east. Cus Eagle. East. Yeah.   The little sphinx follows them through and tells them good job, right door, time for the next riddle.   Over the next six riddles, the party determines that they must choose the cardinal direction that corresponds with the first letter of the answer to the riddle. With this in mind, the party progresses through a maze of similar rooms without encountering another combatant. The riddles are thus:     The last door, to the south, brings them through to a cavernous stone chamber, made soft with moss and growth. Igor glides ahead of them to a raised dais, upon which lies a massive sphinx, clearly older and wiser than the last, a mane of roots braided and twined with golden rings and beads wreathing the lion's head. Igor nuzzles against the head of the larger beast   Well done, rumbles the sphinx. Tell me, oh travelers, what would you give to save the world?   My relationship with my family, says Aphid.   My magic, says Zenith.   My life, says Jack.   The rest of my time and my life, says Mohr.   Uh, I'd like to stay alive, says Talasea. I would give my voice, that would be really, really hard for me.   Let us see if your sacrifices are enough, says the sphinx. And the party rolls initiative.   As combat begins, the party begins to notice that something is off. Aphid feels a strange hollowness, as though something is missing inside. Zenith finds he cannot cast magic. Jack feels an intense exhaustion as does Mohr. Talasea finds that he cannot speak. Interestingly enough, the party realizes that sphinx had not waited for Verity to respond, nor does he feel any different.   We close as the sphinx teleports and dances around the party, swiping at them with wicked claws and blasting them with a familiar breath weapon that shreds at them with the knowledge of years beyond counting.