Adventure 9

**Previous: Adventure 8**

Everyone wants the party out of the way of their plans, except when convenient.

## RHC in Wonderland

### Session 1

The party has arrived in the middle of "scheduled warfare" between two fey factions in the Dreaming, the Unseen Court and the Hedgehog Court. We meet Rambylon, who's curious about the people who fell from the sky and leads the party off the chessboard battleground, encountering a fey man on the Great Hunt on the way. Because we're in the Dreaming Mona is now Celeste, who thankfully takes the lead in negotiations as she's by far the most experienced in fey matters. Celeste also names the rest of the party by flowers, which they adopt as a security measure among the fey. Rambylon becomes our guide through the Dreaming for the price of a lady's kiss (which Hoya obliges him).

The news tells of Rock Rackus' death, so the party investigates. Rock's body has coincidentally been beheaded (signature of the Unseen Court's leader, Thisraldion) and shot through the heart with an arrow (signature of the Hedgehog Court's leader, Olazdor). Almost like someone wants to start a fight between the two sides!

Rambylon takes us to Krog Tunnel, the scene of the murder, where the party finds spiderweb silk and crushed eggshells, then to the capital Clover where the party is recognized for being the famous constables associated with Rock Rackus. It's also discussed that time progresses in the Dreaming according to what people say and agree to.

> **Gatria:** I hate this place.
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> **Celeste:** That’s three times, tiger lily.
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> **Gatria:** Congratulations, you can count!
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> **Celeste:** And you’ve retained your sense of sarcasm and only lost your sight.
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> **Kasavarina:** *(Mom voice)* IF YOU START SOMETHING, I WILL FINISH IT.
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Checking out Rock's body at the mortuary, the party finds that Rock's body has been imperfectly set up - and in fact doesn't seem to be Rock's body at all, but a clean replica. Hoya tries to dispel any magic on the body, and free of enchantment the body turns out to be...egg yolk.

### Session 2

So Rock Rackus's murder has clearly been staged and he's probably alive; this information might serve as leverage for the party to get aid from the Unseen Court for a trip back to Risur in the Waking. After a rest, during which Hoya gets a hug with Gatria and Cleone reconnects with Florette, Kasavarina parts ways with the party to return to Sentosa to talk to Athrylla and, possibly/eventually, Borne. (We also find out that Nicodemus made himself a god of sorts after being exposed to Srasama's death blast while in between planes and strengthening himself with William Miller's name. Oh boy.)

At Thistle Palace, Rambylon heads off with Florette to be somewhere less intimidating while the party deals with a whirlwind of fey introductions. We meet Binniwich the brownie, who announces the party. We're taken to meet Atsla the Ice, who appreciates a bit of talk between women; Karrest the Fire, Atsla's lover who also loves a good fight; Ferg the Toadstool Sage, whose offer of the Book of Kelland Hoya regretfully declines due to Implied Fey Consequences; and Salon the dryad, who appreciates peace.

At last the party is introduced to the monarch Thisraldion, who is being very dramatic about Rock Rackus' death - but when the party informs them that it's in fact been faked, he cagily asks the party to gather evidence and testify as such in front of a larger audience. She also mentions that Copperhat the Headless, with whom Rock was last seen, serves the Voice of Rot - who, coincidentally, brought the party here in the first place.

> **Thisraldion:** No fey has loved a mortal so intently as I love Rock Rackus. For those truly loyal to Risur, solving the fate of my loved one will secure the fate of Risur in terms of the fey.
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> **Hoya:** The last time you were able to see him- and um, what was going on? It might have somewhere, um to start looking-- Any info would be helpful!
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> **Thisraldion:** Yes, yes, yes, the last time I saw my beloved I had invited him for a drink, drank to being drunk, had incredible sex, and fell unconscious. And I never saw him again. *(Bursts into tears)*
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### Session 3

Thisraldion continues to insist that Olazdor is responsible for Rock's faked death and disappearance, and promises the party that they can have anything they want in exchange for solving the mystery. They have a stubborn-off with Gatria about the exact terms, during which we meet Riffian - the huntsman from the battlefield, on a snipe (fox) hunt for the Court's entertainment.

Thisraldion allows the party to search their quarters, where Rock was last seen. There the party uncovers a bloody sword wrapped in a nightshirt and a collection fey heads/masks. They *appear* to implicate Thisraldion...until Hoya attempts to dispel enchantments again, and whaddya know they're ALSO illusions. Hoya also learns from talking to the palace that Rock was last seen walking towards Clover with a flask.

The party tracks down Copperhat at the Headless Human bar, drinking with the Borenbog. Copperhat is evasive and unreadable, trying to pin blame on Thisraldion even as the party points out suspicious behavior and flaws in his claims. Finally, he gives a warning.

> **Copperhat, to Celeste:** Okay, you got me. I’m a liaison for the Voice of Rot. That gives me certain powers. I can smell a corpse in the offing.
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> *(Celeste is burning with anger)*
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> **Copperhat:** I can smell someone about to die at Torfield Palace. If you want to protect that fey titan you’re bound to, pin the blame on Thisraldion and you’ll get a boon from the Voice of Rot.
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> **Gatria:** I’ll give you one chance to convince me. That chance is to tell me exactly, in detail, how we’re protecting our fey titan. If it isn’t satisfactory, well, that’s going to suck for you isn’t it?
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> **Copperhat:** I promise you, in a fey pact I must fulfill, I will bring you to my master the Voice of Rot, who will send you back to the Waking, cause you no harm and no harm to the kingdom. You go back to the palace, prevent a massacre, and everyone goes back happy. You don’t do that, the fey titan you bow to dies. The conspiracy wins. Does that make you happy?
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Celeste pulls the party aside privately to inform them that Thisraldion’s crown and position of monarch afford them the ability to make promises without following through, i.e., they can promise us a way home without actually giving us one or even having one at all. A quick check reveals their other options (Marcel's instant-teleport card, the Wayfarer's Lantern) are suddenly gone. Seems *someone* wants to limit their options for getting home...

### Session 4

The party goes to see the Hedgehog Court. They meet Darbony, who's holding up the line to get in with his talkativeness before someone throws a Silenced rock at him; and Lavac, who gives Cleone a blessing from Granny Allswell after she obliges him in destroying a pocketwatch ~~thankfully not one of Lloyd's~~. Thanks to our name as constables/knights, Lerina fast-tracks the party to see Olazdor.

Discussing Rock Rackus' apparent murder with Olazdor and Lerina leads to a conversation about the Unseen/Hedgehog Courts' relationships with Risur and the Obscurati: the party suspects the Ob is manipulating the Hedgehog Court to kill King Aodhan to achieve the Ob's same ends.

The party tries to reach a deal and compromise with the Hedgehog Court: if the party helps depose Thisraldion and install Olazdor on the throne, Olazdor will do his best to find the party a way back to the Waking. In return, the party can try and use their influence to remove technology from Risur (outside of Flint, which the fey give up for permanently blighted) if the fey can demonstrate their magic can practically replace the industrial/economic/military losses Risur will suffer as a result.

> **Gatria:** The waking would really like a compromise. If you can prove to the King that your ways can accomplish the same things that technology can, then I’m sure the King would be all for it. If you can’t, then getting rid of technology with no replacement is how Risur will lose its standing in the world and be conquered.
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> **Lerina:** *(Sigh)* Making compromises is what got us in this position to begin with.
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> **Celeste:** A compromise is what got me into this position. If not for my host and her ancestors, I would be long gone.
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The Court is also alarmed to hear that the Voice of Rot eating the plane of time seems to be imminent, and hope to kill him and replace him with a new fey titan of the same domain.

None of this still answers the question of WTF happened to Rock Rackus! But on a hunch, Gatria tries to pull Rock out of the Absurdist Web...and succeeds in grabbing a very naked, very drunk Rock. "I hate you."

### Session 5

> **Rock:** Soooo what are you guys doing here?
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> **Cleone:** Solving your murder.
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> **Rock:** You know I feel pretty alive, but I guess I could be a ghost…
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The party questions Rock Rackus, learning...not much new from him, though he does ask to speak to the common people of Clover once he finds out about the brewing war. While he does that with a small protective escort, Gatria asks Lerina about a potential parley between two representatives from each court (Lerina and Ferg). Lerina agrees on her side.

Meeting with Ferg, the party also asks some question about fey history and fey titans. We learn that the fey titans were something else originally, before Av was in our planar system (a third configuration predating the Ancients). Ferg also tells the party that unrest among the fey - such as the current situation - might wake the fey titans, and all of them awake at once would create a lot of havoc.

Putting their heads together, the party eventually figures out more about the Voice of Rot's plans and its intentions in bringing them to the Dreaming: the Voice of Rot blessed the party with rapid growth back in Adventure 3, making them his agents against the Obscurati because their plans for planar rearrangement would prevent him from consuming Reida at the end of time. He wants the party to stop the Ob from changing the planes, but not too early lest his plans be disrupted - so he trapped them in the Dreaming until the time was exactly right, and faked Rock's death to distract the fey with a war to prevent them from helping the party.

### Session 6

The party meets with Lerina and Ferg, filling Ferg in on the Obscurati's threat and asking for aid to 1) protect Borne and 2) save King Aodhan in order to thwart the Ob's plans on top of 3) stopping the war between the Unseen and Hedgehog Courts. Lerina and Ferg agree, each appointing a representative to accompany the party: Beshela for the Hedgehog Court, Atsla the Ice for the Unseen Court. Lerina and Ferg stay behind to organize search parties for Borne, and Ferg gives Hoya the Book of Kelland in exchange for becoming the new liason between Risur and the Unseen Court.

As one of the conditions for aid, the party must announce their findings in front of Thisraldion and a group of invitees spanning both the Unseen and Hedgehog Courts - as well as Copperhat the Headless. When the party accuses Copperhat of fabricating Rock's death, he tries to deflect by claiming the Voice of Rot is their only way home - only to realize this isn't true, as Gatria's pointed remarks towards the Voice of Rot have convinced it to return their missing items, providing them ways home. Thisraldion proceeds to banish Copperhat from Clover and the Unseen Court.

> **Hoya:** *(After a long and rambling explanation)* ...Basically the Voice of Rot wanted us to kill some time, and basically we all did what he wanted!!! So here we are!
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> **Copperhat:** May I speak???
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> **Hoya:** NO YOU MAY NOT.
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> **Thisraldon:** *(Gripping their vorpal sword)* Unfortunately the laws dictate that he be allowed to speak.
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Thisraldion is a bit disgruntled with the party's maneuvers and after Hoya insults them by asking about their mask. In exchange for their aid, they ask that one of the party pledges themselves to the Unseen Court as a fey lord to later fight against the Hedgehog Court; Celeste takes the honor. Despite getting their transportation items back, the party lets Beshela show them another way to get them to the Waking (mostly because the players thought the consequences would be funny); a few passive-aggressive suggestions from Beshela to She Who Writhes later, the party is banish-yeeted right through planes to land at Torfield Palace in the Waking.

Once in the Waking, the party's previous Sendings to contact Harkover, Price-Hill, and Delft regarding the Ob's plans to assassinate the King finally go through; Harkover and Price Hill reply, already at the palace and in position to protect King Aodhan. It's the 90th of Winter, and a wedding at the palace has been turned into a tragedy by a death - that of Cliff Swanland, the Royal Skyseer. The sound of a record player starts, and the area begins to transition into the Bleak Gate. The ghost of Catherine Romana appears with Esme, holding Cristelle Laurens hostage...

## Party at Torfield Palace

### Session 7

Catherine's plan is to force Price-Hill, the only noble in the Bleak Gate, to vote Aodhan off the throne by threat of death or hostages, and using her troops (Romana loyalists and disguised Danoran soldiers) to force Aodhan into a choice between protecting himself or his people. The Obscurati's plans will bring the world under their mental influence if not for the protection Risuri people are afforded by their monarch - so all they have to do is eliminate that protection by killing the king and spreading mistrust.

Hoya attempts to trade information for a ceasefire, but Catherine has already learned of Irwin's non-death due to taking Esme as a familiar. Cleone laments how Caroline Romana would have been horrified by her descendant's actions. Aodhan turns around Catherine's attempts to frame the situation, pointing out this is all her doing and not his.

Catherine's plan is foiled when one of her troops suddenly shoots Cristelle, killing her: "Justice for the Nettles!" A fight breaks out: Mona and Atsla unleash devastating AOE attacks on Catherine and the troops (and civilians in the way, unfortunately) while Cleone focuses on taking Catherine down with prepared ghost salt arrows. Amielle Latimer appears from among Catherine's forces to finish the job by stabbing her in the back with a special knife prepared by McBannin to banish Catherine beyond the Bleak Gate. Harkover assumes his dragon form for the first time in centuries to maul the remaining Obscurati soldiers.

Amielle has a "Where have you BEEN" moment at the party, having been told by McBannin that they're the best bet at stopping the Obscurati's attempt at world domination. Unfortunately the party has of course been stuck in the Dreaming, dealing with the Voice of Rot's machinations - news to Amielle! She also needs them and Tinker to get her a new body down the line, as once Nicodemus realizes she’s broken from the Obscurati her time as a ghost will be up without backup plans. In the meantime, trapping her soul in witch oil will be the best way to keep her among us.

The most pressing matter right now is to break the Wayfarer's Lanterns bringing the palace into the Bleak Gate, eliminate the Obscurati forces, and get back to Flint in order to prevent Roland Stanfield from using a lighthouse for the Ob's plans. Travel to Flint will take precious time, but Beshela might be able to provide a uncomfortable but much-needed speed boost on the ship Impossible. First, though, everyone has to split up and take care of the lanterns.

### Session 8

The gathered Risuri forces split up: Amielle and Cleone each handle individual lanterns with the power of flight and sharpshooting, while Aodhan and company deal with a lantern in another wing and the rest of the party (plus Florette) fight an undead dragon tyrant guarding the foyer. Florette learns a hard lesson about how much Pathfinder combat depends on magic upgrades, but eventually they defeat the dragon and the necromancer professor who raised him.

After a rendezvous with everyone, the king utilizes some loopholes for an emergency and asks Price-Hill as the only noble around to consent to some changes. Namely: making Flint the new capital, as Slate is overrun with the Obscurati. The party will be able to call upon their connections and favor around the globe and tip off their allies to maintain power in a few select locations and keep them outside of Ob control: Slate (trying to rally loyal forces to keep the Ob out), Seobriga (contacting the Strange One), and Alais Primos (using Morgan's resources).

Aodhan also asks Mona to become the Royal Skyseer now that the old one is dead - she is the most powerful skyseer around now. Unfortunately for Mona, she has no good reason not to accept without revealing too much.

> **Mona:** You’re not gonna kill me after, right?
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> **Aodhan:** *(Bursting into laughter)* Whatever would make you say that?
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> **Mona:** Uhh-- No reason!
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For the next part, Price-Hill will not continue until the party gives their rationales for allying with the Family. The party more or less goes to bat for Gatria and keeping her around, while Gatria herself points out the Family fills in what the crown can't or won't (for example, dealing with the Thieves Guild). "Also? Because they are my family." Eventually Price-Hill is satisfied and allows Aodhan to go on...to crown Marcel as the new king, sworn in by Mona as a member of the old faith.

## "It's Totally Fucking Fucked Mate, Big Time"

### Session 9

Marcel reels from his crowning and accompanying information overload, which Hoya knows very well. The party still has no word from Delft, and yet Morgan sends word to Gatria that the RHC is patrolling and Danoran ships are coming. The party makes plans for Flint, and Mona confides in Aodhan regarding her death vision. Aodhan reminds her that if necessary nobles will be able to vote Marcel off the throne, but she believes in him too much to overthrow him - and if the cost is her life, then it's worth the country's stability.

The party heads to Flint via a day-long trip on the *Impossible*, aided by Beshela and Mona's abilities with water and wind. The party finally lets Andrei von Recklinghausen out of Gatria's portable hole, who is unhappy after his yearlong possession by Nicodemus and tells the party of his history with Wolfgang. Andrei wants to find Isobel, but upon a warning from the party about the impending state of the world recognizes that he may need to wait.

After a chat with Harkover, Marcel summons the rest of the party for business: among other powers afforded to him by the crown, he can empower the rest of them by giving them royal appointments. Mona has already been made Royal Skyseer; Cleone and Gatria are given the positions of Minister of Industry and Spymaster General respectively. Hoya is more difficult, given her discomfort with the spotlight, but eventually accepts the position of Royal Spirit Medium. He's also refraining from declaring war on Danor, both for Cleone's sake and to focus on the Obscurati as the larger enemy.

Mona eventually approaches Marcel about her death vision. He's shocked, but stands firm that he would never be able to kill Mona even if they became enemies.

> **Marcel:** How could you even think that of me?!
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> **Mona:** It’s not that, that I'm worried about. What I'm worried about is…what is going to cause your opinion to change, about me?
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> **Marcel:** It’s not going to change, Mona!
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> **Mona:** How do you know that?!
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> **Marcel:** Because I love you! *(Angry tears, deep breaths)* Mona, I’d never do anything like that, and my opinion of you is not going to change, we’ve been through enough. The stars were wrong this time.
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> **Mona:** I hope that they are.
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Finally reaching Flint as the sun sets on Winter 91, 501 AOV, the party sees flashes of gold in the sky and the planetary icons are empowered. A single shooting star streaks across the sky - or, as Mona realizes, it may be Lanjyr itself being moved.

### Session 10

The party arrives in Flint to find a Danoran fleet in the harbor and a golden dome surrounding the governor's residence. Between Hoya's urban empath abilities and Marcel's crown powers they're able to determine that 1) Gideon and some other dockers are on the bridge, and 2) Delft is alive but not at the RHC.

Morgan, on Gatria's request, has scouted for more intel. The Flint navy has been destroyed by mines laid by the Ob; Roland is holed up in his mansion biding his time and maintaining the illusion of being on the people's side as long as possible. Geoff Massarde has gone into hiding, the sole possessor of a passphrase needed for the Risuri flagship *Coaltongue*. Ravens are blanketing Cauldron Hill, with periodic flares sent up.

The party and allies split up. Morgan's people search for Geoff Massarde, while Mona and Beshela investigate a large snakelike creature in the water, which turns out to be another witch oil golem. They also encounter She Who Writhes, whose wrath Beshela redirects away from the party. Gatria stealthily takes out the Danoran ships' command, and discovers Lya Jierre's ghost leading them. Hoya and Cleone visit Tinker, who's failed to notice the ongoing tensions but *has* developed a radio prototype. Amielle investigates Cauldron Hill and reports that it is in fact an Ob trap. Marcel reaches out to Thames about the change of the crown.

Massarde is located hiding with Heward Sechim, whom Marcel later appoints interim governor due to the people's trust in him. Once everyone has gathered their information, it's time to take down the golden dome.

> **Gatria:** They’ve turned the firegem boiler into a bomb since they couldn’t turn it on.
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> **Geoff:** Seems to be a common theme for that ship…
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> **Gatria:** We probably DON’T want it to explode CONSIDERING IT WILL BURN EVERYTHING IN THE BAY.
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> **Geoff:** Also because it’s A WORK OF ART.
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> **Gatria:** Also, Lya is here.
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> **Marcel:** Oh she didn’t see you? Nice job.
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### Session 11

Using the Icon of Apet and various means of stashing people away, the party infiltrates the dome without notice. Inside the governor's mansion is an imposter Stover Delft (thank you Hook) and SEVERAL manifested incarnations of Roland Stanfield, as well as Roland's forces. Scaling the lighthouse to avoid the patrols, the party finds an elaborate setup focusing several Wayfarer's Lanterns onto the lighthouse's directional mirror and several more Rolands, including his current incarnation.

In the ensuing fight Cleone takes out the capacitor with Granny Allswell's boon while Hoya attempts to take out lanterns and everyone engages in combat with the various Rolands, who take turns delivering his villain monologue. Roland makes an ominous comment when a lantern is destroyed: "You're all lucky it was just Jiese."

Turns out the lanterns will help make Flint susceptible to the Obscurati's plans, but it will also shield them from the fallout of a planar shift. Even then, this method will only protect Flint or other cities; protecting areas of Risur outside of the city will require massive sacrifices of people's lives. But - as the party realizes in the middle of dialogue with Roland - the original version of this shielding, seen 500 years ago in Kasavarina and Cleone's memories, runs on people's faith. And both Roland and the docker movement have spent a long time stoking Flint's faith in itself...

Between this and the realization that Marcel has been crowned king, Roland begins to snap. "YOU DO NOT GET TO PRETEND TO PROTECT FLINT, YOU DON’T GET TO PRETEND THAT YOU CARE NOW. YOU WILL BOW TO ME." But he's taken down first...although notably, even when he should be dying he appears to have stabilized.

There's a blue comet suspended in the sky outside: it's Mishados, and Mona's gonna have to catch that.

### Session 12

The party literally drags a cuffed Roland through the rest of the mansion, encountering a mimic ("Gatria the floor is attacking us! Just high five me, Cleone, don't worry about it! Okaaaay, we got it!") and the imposter Delft (whom Marcel quickly outs as a fake) in the process. They find the real Delft trapped by a ritual to uphold the golden dome, along with Serena, Carlao, and Dima - all Roland's doing. The party is able to save Delft and Serena, but Carlao and Dima are killed by the ritual.

The party begins to mobilize the people to protect Flint from the coming planar apocalypse, but encounter Lya Jierre first. Lya believes in a world in reason, without emotion driving people to war or conflict - but while the party is generally too emotional for her taste, Amielle (without naming herself) describes the new planar arrangement and points out that even a rational world will find reasons for conflict when balances are upset.

> **Amielle:** Proof: Planes will change for nature to provide, but it won’t stop disasters from happening. Proof: if there is a shortage of supplies, then there will be someone who decides who receives them. Proof: if someone decides then it would be someone who decides who is deprived. Proof: Those deprived of resources must find a way to acquire those resources. …Proof: we have rationalization for war.
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> **Lya:** No, we believe we will control nature and it will listen to us.
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> **Amielle:** You BELIEVE, you are thinking irrationally. Lower your sword.
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> **Lya:** *(She listens, lowers her sword, and nods)* I will respect when I have lost an argument and spoken something factually inaccurate. Who are you?
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> **Amielle:** Someone whose time should be over.
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Lya Jierre allows the party an opportunity to impress her, and they get back to saving Flint. Marcel rallies the people to sing the Risuri national anthem and use the power of their faith as a new shield to protect Flint from planar fallout. Gatria hoofs it to the opera house to yell at Navras to get out there and contribute with his violin.

As the stars fall faster and faster, colliding with the faith-driven barrier, the barrier holds despite people’s growing fears - until it doesn’t, at which point a gigantic golden Gidim appears and envelops the city, seemingly summoned from Marcel and the dockers. When everything is over the only stars left in the sky are vortexes turning like gears.

In the aftermath, Gatria suffocates Roland to death to test Ostea's effects and uses witch oil to capture his soul and make his death last. Mona searches for fragments of Mishados and realizes that Lanjyr is no longer within the sun's reach. She and Hoya discover that magic no longer works as it used to. Holding court at the RHC, Marcel is given warning of various fey titans' intent to challenge him - and notice that his husband has fallen into a coma.

### Session 13

The party continues to investigate the new mechanics of magic and the warnings of upcoming challenges by various fey titans. A fortune teller claims that the king will kill Granny Allswell, necessitating a future replacement; other signs point to the Ash Wolf and Father of Thunder stirring. After Beshela warns the party of She Who Writhes' intent, Cleone flags her down to ask more about the fey's problems with technology as part of their promise to the Hedgehog Court to begin deindustrializing Risur. Beshela approves, and gives Cleone a few tips on how to deal with She Who Writhes...while hinting that if all else fails, Beshela herself knows how to kill her mistress and might not mind the job.

> **Cleone:** If I made some preliminary designs, would you be willing to offer your opinion?
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> **Beshela:** *(Boooored sigh)* FINE, if you think it’s best for the country, UGHHH.
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> **Cleone:** Thank you.
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> **Beshela:** I'm not supposed to work against my mistress, but you seem okay. I get the feeling that mistress just wants three things... And if we can’t work THAT out. *(Getting uncomfortably close, nose to nose)* *I know how to kill her.*
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> **Cleone:** *(Stunned)* I-I’ll keep that in mind.
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Back at the orphanage, Dreues drifts in and out of consciousness. Hoya informs Marcel of his magical nature, and his future is uncertain.

The next morning Gatria learns through Antonia that bakers all over Flint have independently, wordlessly begun ransacking people's homes for baking supplies and bringing them to the biggest bakery in Flint - the most efficient way to generate rations.

The party meets with Nathan, who confirms the new planar arrangement and tells them more observations about the new planes. He also confirms that Lanjyr and the old planes are all headed towards the Gyre, and that their path will take between one and two years depending on acceleration. What exactly affects acceleration is unknown, but might have to do with whatever moved the planes in the first plane, i.e., the ritual at Axis Island.

Luckily Kasavarina, Athrylla, Alais arrive in Flint with thousands of eladrin evacuated from Sentosa, Ushanti, and other enclaves to seek shelter in Risur (as per the alliance from Adventure 8) and Ber. Kasavarina is able to shed more light on the Obscurati's ritual: it seems they moved the planes but haven't realized anything is wrong, not knowing about the Gyre. The ritual also seems to be unfinished, but once it is complete it will be thousands of years before it can be done again.

The eladrin are settled in the Cloudwood, and Flint natives displaced by the fires are relocated to the governor's mansion. Gatria converts her silk factory to produce clothing to protect the people against the new cold, and Cleone uses Heward's contacts to encourage production of alchemical light and heat sources.

### Session 14

The party talks more with Kasavarina about Borne, the planar ritual, and the ziggurats. Athrylla warns Cleone not to talk of Srasama to the Sentosa women, or else risk the fragile balance Sentosa has built. We then check in with Delft, who's deciding whether to return to active work; Tinker, who helps Amielle inhabit Henry's old body; and Morgan, who offers to use his resources to sow chaos in other parts of Risur to weaken the Obscurati's grip. Florette joins them, with Cleone and Gatria's recommendations. Some of the work is delegated to Heward and others staying in Flint, with particular interest in good labor practices.

Testing a theory, the party finds that Gidim hivemind creatures are manifested by a group of people thinking along the same lines. Xambria knows thanks to her time possessed by Sijhen that the Gidim were a race made of thought that fed on sentience, consuming everything on every planet they conquered. The Ancients' attempt to seal Lanjyr away from the rest of the galaxy was largely to deal with them, and even then they had to resort to extra measures to get rid of the Gidim's attempts to circumvent them.

Knowing this, Hoya observes Ratios and learns two things: 1) she's able to talk to planets now and 2) Ratios is a planet consumed by the Gidim, such that it's become like them as well...

**Next: Adventure 10-11**