Session XXXII Report: Consequences & Crossroads

The party is being pulled in many directions at once, and with multiple time-sensitive tasks and opportunities, it's becoming increasingly difficult to prioritize their time. At first, it seemed like pursuing the assassin back to Chalcedon via the Dryad's tree striding was their most pressing task, but upon waking, they discovered that Zenora is showing symptoms of the same fungal infection that ultimately led to Retired Captain Calico Jack executing Brae Cragwhisk.

Zaki and Horxim went to the The Bethellan to seek out Raenisa's assistance in healing Zenora, and arranged for her to be brought to the Bethellan for quarantine and treatment.

Upon examination, the Mistress of Memory discovered that Zenora was the target of multiple curses, though they were not the cause of the fungal infection, which she described as almost a fusion between the fungal bodies and Zenora's own cells. She attempted to cure it as she would a disease, or purify it as she would a poison or toxin, but to no avail.

The Mistress of Memory examined the other party members as well and discovered that Calico Jack appears to be the only other member who has been cursed. When asked if she could and would remove the curses, Raenisa answered that she could, but that she would not.

She explained that, in Prehn, where magic is very much woven into everyday life, and where they take their approach to restorative justice and personal responsibility quite seriously, it is a nationally held belief that if one has done something offensive enough to provoke someone to curse them, then it becomes part of their process of making amends to take it upon themselves to do the necessary self-reflection and evaluation to figure out who could have cursed them and why. They must then approach that person and attempt to make amends. If the two individuals cannot resolve things independently, they must bring their dispute before The Grand Arbiters for mediation, as cursing is considered quite a serious business.

Raenisa also mentioned a legend or rumor about a strange offshoot group of druids who live in seclusion and have a strong affinity for fungal lifeforms rather than the more common flora and fauna most druids are known to work with; perhaps they will know more about Zenora's strange condition, and perhaps they'll be able to figure out who has cursed them and why along the way.

They enlisted Captain Isaac and his fishing vessel to bring them down the river to the banks of the Mirewood Swamps, where sightings of the strange druids have occurred.

While they search for an answer to Zenora's condition, Wiinken continues to communicate with her uncle Ignatius Fizzlefern, who has begged her not to return to Chalcedon under any circumstances, and instead urges her to seek out the reeds that bend. The party also still has an obligation to find the members of the Arborwatch for Arbiter Viintaas. Additionally, the Dryads of Mandir have asked the party for their assistance in ascertaining the well-being of their sister grove in Grimvale, Horxim is still searching for his parents, and of course, one of the assassins who almost killed Zaki and Zenora is still at large.