Zoom 2022-08-23 21:00

==Caradoc's info gathering:==
The old Stormhaven thieves' guild was replaced by a Dark Elven faction called the Dark Shadows which culminated in a 'coup' about three months ago. This new group is very unfriendly to outsiders and not to be trusted at all - any old guild members or new thieves-about-town are likely to be taken out if noticed.
The Elves never directly attacked any of the churches/temples - they were content to blockade them initially, and they now seem to tolerate the other religions (including allowing a temple of Dekatur to be established) provided they 'keep to themselves'.
==At the Wildwood shrine:==
The shrine - called the 'Circle of Stones' appears from the outside to be surrounded by a wooden stockade - with no way in. Enquiries reveal that you have to approach from the direction of the sun - and when the party try this, a road (with previously unnoticed people on it) appears - ie there is some kind of protective glamour. Inside, there is an area about the size of a football pitch, with a circle of menhirs, and a stone table in the middle. From the inside, the 'stockade' can be seen as being composed of tightly-packed living trees.
We are immediately approached by a quirky hobbit who is exactly not what you would expect of a high priest of Wildwood. However, we establish that this is indeed Groundtall, and in response to his question 'have you got it?' we hand over the sapling - which turns into an apple. "Bugger me! That's not what I expected" he exclaims. 
He explains that about two weeks ago, he received guidance that a major artefact was arriving that would have major consequences - so he was expecting some kind of weapon, or something else that would defeat the Elves. He will have to go and seek further guidance on what to do with it. After a few hours, he comes back and says "We must bake a pie from it! The pie should be eaten, except for 1 piece that must be kept. The seeds should be kept separately, and taken to Tobar." Apparently, if you eat a piece of the pie, you will know what it is for. So he proceeds (with much assistance, some of which was even helpful) to bake an apple pie. Once cooked, Groundtall scoffs the first piece, and Quercuis, Brokev, Francis, Joshua, Garaf and RiffRaff all have a piece. The effect is to immediately and totally break any kind of mind control that the person is under. It also conveys a +4 save to any attempts at mind control for the next 2 months. Groundtall states that this final piece is obviously meant for someone specific - we will either find someone who needs it, or meet someone who knows someone who needs it... (We immediately speculate about that being Jamie, Alavera or Hentron - but rule out the 5 as there is only one piece left!) Grountall says that he will ensure that the apple pips are taken to the Tobar shrine.
==Other info/interactions with GroundTall:==
Grountall confirms that all the major temples protected themselves against the Elves - just enough to make it 'difficult' for the Elves to attack. However, it became obvious that the Elves weren't going to risk offending the local gods by attacking, and a kind of 'detente' has ensued. No active preaching etc is allowed outside the temples, but people are free to come and worship in them - and indeed there are some Dark Elves and even Elves who worship at the Wildwood shrine. We ask if this happens at other temples, and he mentioned that he has spoken to Erisa(?) - the SARN priest - who says that they have not had any Elven worshippers.
We ask for a recommendation about Bards to look at the pair of knives - and he gives us a name of someone at the Bardic college. He also warns us to be careful - someone is spreading rumours that the Bards are fermenting sedition, even though this is very unlikely to be true.
We ask about starting the Wildwood pilgrimage, and whereas both Brokev and Quercuis are welcome to (though Q will have to undergo the pilgrimage trials), Joshua may not while he is under the Perceval 'god curse'. Joshua immediately starts mouthing off about Perceval. Groundtall is not at all happy about Joshua blaspheming Perceval like this, and later takes Brokev aside to explain that Joshua's outbursts are not only offending Perceval, but Wildwood as well (ie the Tree was offended). Groundtall says that something must be done about Joshua or he will become a serious problem.
==The Universal temple - the Sacred Cathedral==
When Groundtall goes off to contemplate the apple, Wun, Twoo and Caradoc go off to the Universal temple - Wun wants guidance on familiars, and the party wants to send on the info about the masked employer trying to get to Cardyd. From the outside, the temple looks somewhat like La Sagrada Familia - ie incomplete and certainly degraded from what Caradoc remembers. There is a protective glamour around the temple (similar to the one around the Wildwood shrine, though different entry conditions) - and once inside, the Sacred Cathedral is revealed to be fully complete as Caradoc remembers. He surmises that this is a glamour designed to make the cathedral look less impressive than the Hashandara cathedral. 
We are allowed to speak to the Alveran military liaison - and he agrees to send a written sheet of info up the line (party to provide details to Darrell). However, he also says that our party have been noted by Ranlark (garrison commander at Braerk) as 'potential deserters'. We protect our innocence - or at least, greater necessity. We agree to come back the day after tomorrow to face the music.
Character spell-lists/combat stats attached - I can't make 30th August or 20th September. 6th September is possible - I will confirm beforehand. Could somebody please take Zoom notes.