Horrors of Hickorydale 7: Tasha & the Door

 

Objective

Investigate Hickorydale. Either destroy the undead through the portal in the field previously reported to get on Tasha's good side or find out what is behind the mysterious door, both if possible.    

Observations

We are still very out of our depth when it comes to the mystery that is Hickorydale. It does not seem to be in any imminent peril. It should be checked in on regularly (When in the area at least) and at least lightly monitored but does not appear to need a mission there every day until/unless we get more information or a new good lead on what to proceed with in a meaningful way.  

Follow up

Not sure. I would advise arranging a meeting with Tempest to get insight or an opinion on the Fey matter going on. Tempest can hopefully advise in a meaningful way due to her experience in Fey matters.  

Preparation Details

   

Operation Details

We left through the portal after conversing with Tempest.       Arrived in the basement where we always arrive. Purple Flame braziers on either side of the room etc.       Went to the church to check if portal was properly closed. Church had same priest that was always there muttering to himself, didn't seem to notice us. We did not interact with him and instead went straight to the basement to check. The portal was nowhere to be found. Assumed closed.       Went to the field to try to find the portal to the feywilds that we wanted to deal with.   Found undead in the fields.   Scouted the homes around the field to see if more lurked inside ready to attack.   Homes were full of families behaving as all citizens of hickorydale do.       Approached undead with the intent to dispatch them. They attacked us upon our approach as if they could sense our intent to harm them.       They attacked with a magic that was cold and necrotic in nature. Some casted spells and also had innate magic abilities outside of spellwork while others simply attacked with melee weapons.       They were not too hard to destroy.       Alexander investigated one of the farmers in the nearby houses. The closest house to the field we destroyed the undead in. The man inside was busy knitting. Alexander used magic to confirm that he was not under the influence of any magical spell nor a construct despite the blank expression. The people within the farm houses were not undead, but they all behaved similarly.       Next, we investigated the field looking for the portal. Halar located it with his magic. The portal appeared damaged. Mushrooms had been uprooted but more were just starting to grow back in.       Halar dug up the newly growing mushroom ring with a shovel to be thorough.       Digging up the mushroom ring seemed to weaken the portal, but it was not removed completely.       without a way through to the feywilds, We made our way to the town hall to find the door Teddie described. Alexander tried to open the door and a figure appeared. It appeared to be the figure Teddie described in the last mission report.       An androgynous figure with blonde hair and antlers. Elven ears that were slightly longer than we are used to seeing on most elves.       This figure advised us not to open the door as we would dislike what was on the other side. They stated if we tried to open the door they would attack even if we outnumber them and they would likely fail in stopping us. They insisted they were concerned with our well beings if we opened the door.       We asked the figure many questions and were met with resistance in answering most of them. We were eventually informed the figure's name is Astalon. I will refer to the figure as such going forward. Astalon answered any question we asked but in a way that averted giving us any information or compliance.           Things Astalon told us:       1. Astalon cares for the citizens of Hickorydale's wellbeing.   2. Nothing is wrong with the citizens of Hickorydale, they are behaving as they always have, they were born the way they are.   3. Astalon has been watching over the citizens of Hickorydale since they were born.   4. Astalon has seen anywhere from 4 to 5 citizens of Hickorydale die in the time they have been watching over it.   5. The citizens of Hickorydale along with the town itself have always existed here. (They did not travel to this location from another place)   6. Astalon claims that he(it?) is working to close the portals because it is not good for people to cross over willy nilly.   7. The undead creatures in the field were there to destroy the mushroom circles at Astalon's request.   8. Astalon did not raise the undead creatures, Astalon does not command the undead creatures, Astalon does not know who raised these creatures, Astalon only asked them to do this favor for them and the undead were doing so in response.   9. Undead creatures can be found wandering the nearby forests, that is where Astalon found the four they had destroying the fairy circles.   10. Astalon thought it was rude to destroy the undead. We clarified they technically attacked us first but Astalon insists they were defending themselves from us as we approached them with an intent to harm/destroy.   11. Astalon insisted they were not telling any lies to us/That everything it has stated has been true.   12. Astalon is familiar with Obie's existence but not familiar with Obie on a personal level.   13. Astalon does not know anyone with the name Echo.   14. Astalon does not consider themselves a member of any organizations.   15. Astalon considers themselves allied with certain organizations. (unknown/unspecified)   16. Astalon is specifically not a member of a court.   17. Astalon considers the lifespans of the citizens of Hickroydale including fully grown adults that they have seen born and raised (Some at least 30+ years in age) 'A few years' (30+ years here is speculation based on details of the conversation…. They said something along the lines of 'ah I forgot how your definition of a few years greatly differs from mine' when we asked how they could have both watched these people being born and growing up to adulthood but also only been in Hickorydale 'a few years')   18. Astalon knows the name of most if not all of the members of the fort because they saw us poking around town a bunch and decided to learn more about us.   19. Astalon can be contacted by saying their name when within the village of Hickorydale. They will hear and find the person who said their name.   20. Astalon stated that the portal in the field is the last one in Hickorydale.   21. Astalon described the last portal in the field as "highly unregulated", and it will take more than digging up the mushroom circle to remove: Some manner of magical intervention is needed to close it.   22. Astalon is aware of many other portals outside of Hickorydale, but they are not as unregulated as the one in the field.   23. Astalon stated that he does not bear the same responsibilities as a fey-crossroad guardian like Obie and Henry.