WoDaD Session 38

== Title ==
The City of Gold and Secrets
== Recap ==
Bran and Maria are shocked as Amros and Thelo jump through the tree portal to Theoren Amavangwë's grave. They catch up on what happened in WoDaD Session 37 and ask how they're going to get Amros' Nightmare with the wagon back. Seconds later, the very same magic horse and wagon appear as the Nightmare is linked to its rider. However, she appears going rather quickly with the wagon, and thus halfway runs into the tree the grave is under. The grave and tree themselves are unharmed, but the wagon wheel breaks badly. They won't be able to travel through the Planar Fog until they get that fixed by a professional. 
The party looks around to gain their bearings and figure out where they are. Maria, familiar with geography from her travels with the caravan and her nomadic lifestyle since, quickly figures out they're in the Plains of Viirathu, directly north of the city of Fehleviln. As they realize they're relatively close to the border of Liirac, Bran sees an encampment of Liiracian soldiers. He's scared and confused, muttering about why the King would be reaching so far into Meracyinth - is it for him? Or does the King see the warring country as easy prey?
They steer clear of the encampment, heading to Fehleviln with their limping wagon. As they travel, Maria shares what the Reaper told her when she temporarily died in her fight against Selvara: she needs to disable or kill Morgana le Fay to stop her Button "game" from killing people randomly. The party all insists they help her in this side-quest.
They reach the City of Gold that evening. The guards direct them to The Caravan for fixing the wagon wheel, but tell them to stop by the Altar of Purification to clean themselves off. Because this is said after the guards obviously look at the fire genasi and skeletal-handed child with a demon horse, the implications are clear. Bran magically suggests that both guards let them in without the side-trip and though it hurts him a little, it works. They enter the city and find it buzzing with holy magic, mostly devoted to Lathandar but with a few temples to other gods. 
The party reaches The Caravan, a large, linked series of forges run by... Maria's childhood best friend, Tomal Buynar-Smith. They're amazed and delighted to find each other alive, each explaining how they survived the attack on their caravan and family. The party (but mostly Maria) meets Tomal's toddler son, Tussok Buynar-Smith, as well as his wife, Eyra Oak-Buynar-Smith. Tomal fixes and upgrades the wagon and takes in the group for the night. In the morning, they must part ways, promising to see each other again. 
Bran sees a pale green person waving for their attention, so he cautiously leads the party to the alleyway the figure is standing in and sees that whoever this is, they're friends with Allexus Silverstone. Allexus introduces Zabrell, who has a long and varied history in Meracyinth (much of it seen in the prequel campaigns Monsters of Meracyinth and Denizens and Daybreaks). For the last five hundred years, Zabrell has served as the ambassador between the Church of Lathandar and every other church in Fehleviln, making sure the Daybreaks don't take over entirely.
Allexus shares what they learned since they last saw the party in Svilan. The Daybreaks are hunting the party - not just for revenge, but with some ulterior motive. They're also gearing up for something big that will happen during the summer in Pharendall. Maria remembers that summer in Pharendall is only a cycle or two away; if the Daybreaks are planning for the Summer Equinox, they have a bit more time, but still not a lot. The Nightfalls have learned of this plan and are plotting a counter-offensive against the Daybreaks, "Something about blotting out the rising sun." The Underground Resistance Against Mages is spreading out of Corodun to other cities and towns across the country, planning to rise up and take down both mage guilds at once. Finally, Liirac seems to be secretly aligning with the Underground Resistance, supplying them with more Astrodonian equipment - but Bran has a hunch the King is just planning to take over himself once the mage guilds are defeated, filling the power vacuum that would leave.
The party mentions heading to Mallharc next, and Zabrell warns them of the Mallharc Immortals, who are powerful and temperamental. Xe says xe will stand with the party at the end of the world.
== Continuity ==
The previous session is WoDaD Session 37. The next session is WoDaD Session 39.
Category:WoDaD
Category:Session