Session 41 - The Return of Woe

After collecting the body of Otsana Daciana, Arkyn holds a finger up and then steps into the miasma. Once a field of carnage and blood, the verdant fields lie peaceful beneath a starry sky. Streams have been routed into swirling patterns with stone piles purposefully placed. A ritual site. And in the distanced, positioned on a steep cliff... is the silhouette of a Tower, silver threads drifting from it. Arkyn returns from the miasma with a travel estimate of two possible routes. The group chooses the shorter and begins to head towards the water (planning to allow Aiaoue to remain inside during the water-based travel).

Near the shore, Arkyn, Yenush, and Milo note an approaching pocket of miasma.

The miasma thickens and surges over you. Silence is replaced by a tragic symphony of tears, cries, and wails of agony. A set of wolves nearby – their tear-laden eyes alight with higher intelligence – howl mournfully at the moon above. In the center of the gathering is a recently covered grave with offerings of flowers, herbs, and berries placed atop it. At the edge of the grave, a shifter-like individual stands, clutching a Moonstone pendant. One by one, the individual with the Moonstone pendant lays a comforting hand on the shoulder of the mourners. One by one, tears cease, the wails quiet, and the howls cease. Smiles and laughter spread across the group as they begin to tell tales and stories, perhaps of the one who they lost.

Milo notes that with every tear dried and every howl silenced, the Keeper's face contorts, their shoulders dip, and their gait becomes stiffer... as if struggling beneath a great weight. And when they approach the group, Arkyn resists the effect, but Yenush and Milo suddenly find their sorrows lifted. Feeling particularly happy, Milo sends to his wife.

As Vendetta transitions to swimming, Teagan decides to try fishing. There's something offputting about the wave and tide pattern. Teagan feels an occasional tug... but it doesn't behave like a fish of any kind and vanishes suddenly. Quill isn't feeling impulsive enough to play "fish" again. Meanwhile, Yenush's happiness has distorted his sense of time as 3 shifts feel more like 3 days to him.

Reaching the shore, Yenush is thrown off as Vendetta does a gentle shake. A pocket of miasma drifts closer. The miasma is replaced with howling winds, biting chill, and swirling snow. The shadow of a steep cliff rises ahead with narrowly carved and snow-covered paths writhing and twisting upwards until they vanish into the clouds and swirling mist above. And through the swirling snow, Cadence and Milo see a vaguely humanoid silhouette. Arkyn, however, is more focused on the silver threads that drift through the clouds above. When his attention is pulled to the silhouette, Arkyn – thinking this could be a huntress like that burrito lady – calls out. The silhouette waves and begins to approach.

Yenush gives Cadence the scope of hs gun and Cadence sees not a huntress or a shifter... but a goblinoid woman. Dhavanti Zad. She was supposed to meet a guide to take her up the cliff, but they never showed. Identifying everyone as shifters or shifter-equivalent, perhaps the group could take her to the top of the cliff? She's the executor on a contract for Moonstones that was never delivered and she can't seem to reach O'Lycaon. She needs to speak with the Silverlight since "a deal is as good as Geryon's Law where I come from." When asked various questions, Dhavanti notes that yes, she is from Prospera. Yes, she is a merchant. No, she's not here to steal Moonstones. This was a previously established agreement. Offering her a torch for warmth, the group sets off with Dhavanti in tow. And soon Dhavanti fades and the miasma returns.

As Vendetta climbs up the side of the steep rise, the group talks about gods. Arkyn is dead set on killing Kesar'Arrat; Arkyn hates him – he killed his sister. Who DOES THAT? The group, however, shares alternative opinions. Yenush is of the mind that the gods clearly have reached out in some capacity seeking a means to return to life. Arkyn counters and notes that Otsana is dead. She cannot be brought back. There must have been another path than killing her. Maybe that was the only option. Teagan notes that she WAS killing a lot of people and she seems to have been a bit crazy in the end. But HOW did she get to that point? Did Kesar'Arrat do nothing while she fell? Teagan resolves to ask Hadúr, who offers an ansanely cryptic response: The embodiment of the primal nature of lycanthropy. Where is the line between the sane and the insane? Perhaps she was crazy from the beginning. Thanks Mimir. 

As the conversation about gods begins to become circular, one thing is certain: The Void Shard must be collected. It is the only means the group knows of to rectify the curse. After that, who knows. Unlike the rest of the group, Arkyn has been afflicted with his curse for almost his entire life. Kesar'Arrat's curse was the first domino that led to Auntie who, now, Arkyn is starting to believe may not have only purely good intent in her heart. However, research is certainly needed prior to any confrontation.

Getting to That Town

  Vendetta reaches the top of the cliff, though it continues a more gentle ascent. As the group approaches a cavern opening, a pocket of miasma approaches. A winter storm rages as the group dips into the cavern. The cold lingers though is not as strong once shielded by the cave walls. Milo and Cadence note small tremors emanating sporadically from somewhere within the cave. Arkyn notes that it certainly isn't an earthquake. Preparing to investigate, a voice calls out: There's danger ahead.
  Yenush swings the torch around to see a very injured shifter, nursing multiple lacerations and a clearly broken leg. Tulimaq notes that he is a hunter for Arra'Silana. He was ambushed by Silver Stalkers, which normally don't come this far up the Rise. During the ambush, his animal companion – Nyoodel – valiantly defended him and lured the Stalkers away. Given that the group looks far more capable than he, could they find Nyoodel? If so, he'd be happy to take them through the secret tunnels to Arra'Silana... so they might dodge the storm raging outside.
  Going deeper into the cavern, the group leaves Vendetta behind and instead straps an MWD to "currently an old man Teagan" before moving through a narrow path. Although attempting to be stealthy, there's a loud bang as a few people stumble... and the Silver Stalker immediately gives up looking for a tasty snake snack in favor of the new snack that just showed up.
  Teagan moves everyone out of the narrow tunnel right before it bounces, almost taking Milo down. Cadence is quick to heal Milo and, using the new cloak, Milo is able to entirely shake off the attack. Yenush opens fire as Arkyn promptly incapacitates both of them and, for the icing on the cake, Milo usese synaptic static to befuddle them. Milo also notes the faintest trace of something curled up and hidden within the cavern wall. Milo points with his bear snoot towards what must be Nyoodel. Teagan struggles to position himself to keep the MWDs covering everyone as Arkyn charges ahead towards Nyoodel. Encouraged by Arkyn, the 15-foot long constrictor snake emerges from his hiding place.
  Horribly wounded, one Stalker flees into the bowels of the cavern, while the remaining one has the floor dropped from under it and is crit multiple times by the very mad old man barbarian. With the second Stalker dead, Nyoodel flicks his tongue in thanks and then slithers back towards Tulimaq, who has braced his leg. Yenush clocks that there is some form of tension between Tulimaq and Dhavanti. Pulling the merchant aside, she notes that it seems the young hunter dislikes her purely on the fact that she is a merchant. Tulimaq, now with Nyoodel's support, stands and motions for the group to follow. The storm ahs lessens, shall we travel overland?
  Weren't you going to show us a secret passage? Ah, well my Silver Sight suggests that might be unwise. Cadence and Yenush note that his eyes glance ever so quickly at Dhavanti. Ah, perhaps he doesn't want to take the Prosperan merchant through the secret path. With no more protest, the group begins to follow Tulimaq... and the miasma returns.
 
   

Arrival in Arra'Silana

  As night crawls forth, the group arrives at another cavern entrance. The miasma is replaced by a winter storm, though the cavern walls prevent the worst of it from entering the cavern system where a town has been constructed. Moonstones float freely throughout the cavern, the only source of light. The "Gates" are nothing more than a few buildings positioned close to one another and guarded by a set of individuals in sleek leather garb and two ballistae... that seem to track and aim of their own accord, requiring no gunner. As the group approaches, Tulimaq takes the lead while Dhavanti immediately falls behind Yenush. She notes that this doesn't feel normal. Yenush shrugs. Picked the wrong person to hide behind.
  As Tulimaq passes through fantasy TSA, the rest of the group is called one-by-one. Arkyn notes that he's following his Path. As a Keeper, if Arkyn needs to enter the Moonlit Tower, he may. See Miss Lucinda Corrine at the Main Entrance and she'll permit you entry. Everyone else, however, is casually informed that they are not permitted to enter the Moonlit Tower... Warden's Orders. Eventually, only Dhavanti remains and the guards immediately move to apprehend her. By orders of The Warden, no Prosperan Merchant is to enter Arra'Silana. Their contracts are null and void with the loss of O'Lycaon. The guards note that they will arrange for an escort to take her back to the shore where a boat will certainly take her back to Prospera.
  The group debates whether or not they should do anything to help her. Tulimaq is confused by the dilemma, as he seems content to leave her with the guards. However, he doesn't stop them or give them away when they resolve to get Dhavanti in. Teagan embraces the role of "senile old man" as Arkyn amplifies his performance. With the guards distracted, Cadence turns Dhavanti invisible and Yenush tracks her as she darts into Arra'Silana. However, now the guards seem concerned that Teagan might be afflicted with an odd strain of Lunar Madness. To be certain, they try to take him to The Warden, but with a strong lie by Arkyn paired with Milo's Calm Emotions, the guards release them. As the group follows Tulimaq deeper into Arra'Silana, the guards seem to have finally noted their missing merchant.
  Arkyn sends to Dhavanti, encouraging her to stay hidden. She responds affirmative. Though she must speak with the Silverlight. This Moonstone trade is how she supports her family. Yenush tracks down Dhavanti and begins to help her put together some form of disguise. Meanwhile, Tulimaq brings the group to the Silanian Springs. What's with the guards? Tulimaq notes that it hasn't alwaysi been like this... supposedly. Things got notably worse when they lost contact with O'Lycaon and the lycanthropes stopped ravaging the Wildlands and nearby regions. And the Warden? He's always been around and he's always been super upbeat and happy... but now he's eerily happy and has secured full control of the Moonlit Tower. He doesn't let the Silverlight leave the Tower as well. 
  If the group is planning to speak to the Silverlight, Tulimaq is willing to help. While he hasn't told many (for fear of causing alarm), he fears his Silver Sight is fading. And the only person that might have any insight... is the Silverlight.