Session 43 - "The Gates of Valorum" Report

Venen 12, 1247

With the basilisks and bulettes defeated, the Fate-Steppers decide against continuing their trek for now.

Instead, camp is made - Olena and Jacob explore the area for herbs and find the vered that grows in the area, while Ambrose Praxidice politely excuses himself to go wash the bloody basilisk saliva from his body. Foenix refuses to let the cleric go alone, but does turn his back to allow the Black Rose privacy as he cleans himself off.

As Ambrose reemerges from the river, Foenix faux-casually asks about an unnamed "friend" who's suffering from memory losses, and asks if there's anything Ambrose can do to help. Ambrose very wisely guesses that it's a bit closer to home than what Foenix implies, but says that he will do his best to help this "friend" if he can - no promises, though.

The party settles down for the evening, with Thais finally releasing the wyrmlings after days of being wrapped tightly in her bag for safe keeping. They aren't doing well after all that time without fresh air or sunlight, and so Thais is quick to ignite her sun blade and rig it to an outcropping of rocks as a mini sun lamp for the plant dragons, and Foenix makes sure they have honeyed water and fresh vegetables and fruits to snack on while recovering.

H011-3 is fascinated by these little creatures, but they are at first put off by her - Kona even hisses and scrabbles away when the robot tries to pet them. Still, Thais's good rapport with the wyrmlings is enough to coax Kona back enough for a (coached) petting by Holly.

As they finish dinner, Foenix offers draperies and veils to Holly: Micaiah's old clothing. He says it may do better at disguising her robotic form than the fake beard and mustache does, but Thais and the other party members who knew the tiefling object to the offer, and so he puts them away. Ambrose notices the melancholy and grief amongst the party, but does not say anything (for now).

The watches are as follows: Thais and Holly, Foenix and Olena, and finally Ambrose and Jacob.

Thais comments to Holly as they sit by the fire that the automaton seems incredibly human, and she's surprised that Holly isn't a Karasan creation. Holly, for their part, does not have much to say on that fact - they were certainly created by a Cactsian engineer, but their true purpose is a mystery even to them. Well, Holly knows that they were made in some part to be a warrior or a weapon, but they don't want to be a killing machine.

The midnight watch by Foenix and Olena is quiet at first, with Foenix writing in a journal and Olena sitting in silence, watching him. It is only broken when Olena speaks up, commending his efforts to record their travels. She even mentions that her second-in-command, Pebble, did much the same thing.

In a moment of rare poetry, they agree that words have some... magical quality to them. Speaking of magic, they both begin to discuss their mutual distrust of the pantheon. Foenix was an atheist for years, while Olena followed the ancestor worship of Valsáth and the paths of the Urðr. But since the gods have revealed themselves, well, neither have great things to say about them. Foenix is disgruntled by the "now you owe me" attitude of the gods - especially because in most circumstances the gifts or blessings that the gods have given the Fate-Steppers have not been gifts that the party has had the opportunity to refuse. Olena mostly agrees, stating for herself that it feels odd to be at the beck and call of a religion she never adhered to.

Their conversation is interrupted by a call: a bleating somewhere in the forest. Both are immediately on high alert, and begin to track the sound into the forest (carefully so as to not lose sight of the campsite).

It is Foenix who sneaks up close enough to see what is going on: two kobolds, both wearing circlets of twisted vines and brambles, carrying a pole between them to which a fawn has been bound upside down. It's distressed cries are what drew the rogue and barbarian to the diminutive hunters, but both of the party members agree it is supremely odd to see kobolds so far from the mountains.

They follow the kobolds until they come to a bridge over a large gorge, but no further. Foenix sets a noise trap, so if the kobolds return the party will be alerted, and the two return to camp.

Foenix and Olena wake Ambrose and Jacob and warn them about the kobolds, but as the halfling and shifter drift off to sleep, Ambrose and Jacob do not talk of the little draconids. Instead, Ambrose asks about Micaiah. Jacob gives a brief history, including Micaiah's deal with a fiend and his apparent demise or descent into hell. Ambrose is able to identify Micaiah's patron as a ragabash, but is more intrigued than ever when Jacob mentions the party's quasi-antagonistic relationship with the god of luck. How Felisis didn't help Micaiah when he should have, and how they haven't seen hide nor tail of the Boy of Good Fortune since.

Venen 13, 1247

Dawn comes soon after, and as the party is packing up Ambrose notices Foenix talking to himself. Like most things, though, Ambrose keeps it to himself to ask about in private at a more opportune time.

The party sets off into the jungle, and by noon arrives at the gates of Valorum. They've successfully made it to a resting point - a time to breathe, or so they hope....