Session 92

* Juliden's Keep

**Previously...**

## And Now...

### Plans and Preparations.

Leshrac returns to the party after his vision. While he looks somewhat shaken, he lets the party know that by aligning with Juliden's paramour they will achieve a good outcome. He also confirms that Thrax must either be in Juliden's thrall or that they have made a deal. After discovering that, Gar is even more interesting in talking to Thrax so that he can determine whether he is a potential ally.

The party retires into the keep and Gar performs a Battle Meditation. During this time, Kakeru performs a tea ceremony in preparation for a messaging spell to alert those remaining in the provided quarters if Gar runs into trouble. Gorbkitty remains with Kakeru and Azrah to communicate between them and Leshrac who is off doing something else.

Dandy tags along with Gar for part of the way, but is redirected to go and talk to Juliden. This sounds like a good plan, so she wanders off and starts pestering servants until one of them leads her either directly to Juliden or to Gerard. She is led to Gerard and she pokes him to seek out an audience (well, more of a chat, really) with Juliden. He says that that might take awhile, but she's fine with that. She'll just toddle along behind him and help out until arrangements can be made.

Gar finds the Dragon's Room (Throneroom)? But once he gets there, finds it sealed. He tries brute forcing his way in, but has very little in the way of luck. After a time, he ends up talking to a servant who appears to have been drawn by the sound of him repeatedly hammering himself against the door.

### The Lost Art of Conversation.

Eventually, Gar gets in and prepares to talk to Thrax. Despite being in Dragonkin form, Thrax determines that he's not a full Dragonkin. Gar says he's not sure what exactly he is and would like to talk about it. Thrax appears non-receptive. Gar asks about his vision of ancient wars between Dragonkin and Dragons, and tries to find a way to negotiate a peace. Again, Thrax seems resist to that idea. One deal Thrax is NOT resistant to is us accepting Juliden's deal. He explains that a lot of the energy she takes from people goes into restoring him and that, if the heroes accept her offer, he'll sweeten the deal by giving us a lift somewhere or some other favour.

Dandy ends up having a surprisingly convivial meal with Juliden. She expressed curiousity about the exotic foods and mentions that her brother, Jolly, would probably be interested in recipes, but may have trouble sourcing ingredients. Juliden agrees to provide Dandy with recipes. Dandy shows Juliden the maps and annotations and asks if she has an memories of Onisa (one of the map-makers), and while we're on the topic, can she tell us anything in general about the Mistlands. Juliden says she'd be glad to, but not for free. She offers Dandy an additional deal where she'd give Dandy answers to five questions in return for 10 years of her life. Dandy seriously considers it, but demurs.

Juliden seems genuinely surprised (and a little hurt) that Dandy would describe her castle as 'spooky' or 'creepy'. She says she puts a lot of effort into making it as luxurious, well-appointed and comfortable as possible. During the conversation, Dandy tries to surreptitiously tease some information out of her without her knowing. She discovers that the Heart (the powerful artefact beneath the castle) can be accessed easily by Thrax, suggesting that it's accessible by flight and large enough to accommodate an enormous dragon. She also mentions that she misses her consort and has genuine feelings of regret and affection for him. Her plan is to construct a new form for him. This would, she explains, be a two-way benefit, providing a nice new form for him, which would be easily controlled by her, thus ending the possibility or future strife or discord between them.

### An Unexpected Warning.

Everyone has a sleep and a meal. When the servants come to clear plates, someone leaves a note warning us about the dire consequences of making a deal. We trace the note using magical means to a servant. Afraid of being overheard by the other servants, she leads us into one of the castle's many gardens so that we can talk surreptitiously.

An attempt by Kakeru at creating a magical 'Faraday Cage' was mostly effective, but had several side effects. The first was creating an actual cage made of a kind of obsidian in the garden, and the second was transforming large clumps of Kakeru's feathers into a similar, obsidian-like material. Despite trying to shrug it off, Gar noticed that some of the feathers had grown together into the cage where they touched, and he quickly smashed them apart. This left a largely intact magical Faraday cage in the garden, and also left Gar in possession of two obsidian feathers gifted to him by Kakeru in return for freeing them.

*(**Note:** Presumably, the cage will have been magically deactivated in the BIG BADDA UNBOOM* [see below]*. If not, there's always a chance it will leave weird ruins for future followers of some prophesy we lay down when we are all old and senile, as a joke* [If we survive]*.)*

Whilst in the obsidian Faraday cage, the servant eventually agrees to steal the library key for us, in return Gar promises to try and get the servants remaining five years of service voided.

It's a very dangerous undertaking, so Leshrac casts a concealment or distraction spell and Dandy makes a pest of herself helping out various servants around the castle so that they're otherwise occupied instead of looking out for someone who's where they shouldn't be or doing something they shouldn't be doing. Thanks in part to this, the servant is successful and acquires the library key.

### Into the Library.

Everyone heads off to the Library where they meet The Librarian (the bald-headed, austere-looking bloke Gar and Leshrac spotted last session). He is indignant and asks us what we're doing here. Gar lies to him without *actually* using any falsehoods, and while he is mildly mollified still insists on knowing who we are and by whose authority were are here. Dandy rushes towards him, introduces herself and vigorously shakes his hand, while Kakeru lies to him with falsehoods by telling him that Juliden has granted us access in accordance with the agreements between their people and Juliden. The librarian heads off to confirm this with his master and the rest of the crew take the chance to search the place.

There are guardian spirits in the library.

Kakeru finds a secret trap door and Dandy pockets an interesting book *(possibly maps or journals or other information about the Mistlands or the factions within? To be revealed)*. She also pockets an interesting looking ornament which was being displayed under a glass cloche, and takes a wax seal of the library key. Dandy heads down the stairs, Leshrac heads down another set of stairs to negotiate with the Paramour. and Kakeru and Gar remain behind.

### That's Torn It.

Gar, who was on watch near the door, in case he came back before they had finished, goes to confront the Librarian, stepping just outside the room and closing the door behind him. The Librarian confronts Gar and, partway through his speech, Gar suddenly punches him as hard as he can in the face. He's hoping to surprise him and knock him cold with as little noise as possible, but would appear to have forgotten that he's the guardian attendant of a magic library, controlled by a probably evil sorceress or dragon. As a result, while surprising, the blow is otherwise ineffective.

The Librarian falls, but clambers back to his feet and begins casting a spell. Gar punches him again. Because Gar had thought to close the door, suspecting the spirits might interfere, they stay quiescent, still just looking after books. The librarian casts again, sending magical energy surging through Gar's system, churning his organs with unimaginable pain. Sitting on Gars shoulder, Gorgmaw realizes that its On like Donkey Kong, and alerts Leshrac. Screaming alerts the others.

On hearing the screaming, Kakeru exits the library and pulls out a blowgun loaded with a sleepy time dart. Kakeru manages to hit the librarian with the dart and the librarian is tranquilized. As Gar and Kakeru retreat into the library, the guardian spirits attack. The is a brief skirmish as Kakeru attempts to casts a protective barrier between the guardian spirits, themself and Gar. It doesn't take on the first attempt, but a further casting activates it, allowing Gar and Kakeru to escape down the stairs behind Azrah and Dandy.

Eventually, everyone except Leshrac (who is making his way towards the Paramour's cell) is headed down the library steps. Leshrac gets to the bottom of the Prison steps and offers to release the Paramour. Leshrac releases a turbo-charged super-whammy which frees The Paramour.

### Into the Depths.

Meanwhile, everyone else reaches the bottom of the Library steps (it's a LONG way down) and enters an absolutely massive natural cavern with rough walls, stalagmites and stalactites. There appear to have been some minor modifications to it, but not more than seems absolutely necessary to access the room. In the centre of the room hangs an immense stone the size of a person and roughly the shape of a heart. Around it can be seen the skeletal and half-reformed form of Thrax.

He does not seem pleased to see us.