Strength in Sweetness

# Synopsis

## Day 7

Thanks to the length of the ritual the previous night/early morning, Barcelona and Melanine got a late start, after the sun had already reached mid day.  Barcelona woke up a bit before Melanine and gathered breakfast for the two of them, including an entire family of robins (and their unborn children).  After Barcie explained her feelings on vegetarianism, the two dug in, the thoughts then, naturally, wandering to Melanine’s geas and how to break it.  They came up with a couple of options:

* Continue following along with Belazon’s orders, and hope he keeps his word about breaking the geas.  For two major reasons this option is unseemly: Belazon is a noted braggart and contemptible individual; additionally he is *already* a Noble of the Courts, if he gets the power of another Noble the power dynamics could shift wildly.  Also, Melanine definitely wants to kill him.  And Barcie wouldn’t shed a tear to see it happen.
* Finding another member Noble of the Courts to break the geas.  While possible, that Noble would essentially be declaring open hostilities with Belazon… and Melanine would still be in the debt of another member of the Courts.
* If Melanine were to fully die (as in Nenlos coming to collect his soul dead), the geas would break… but there’s no guarantee the ritual to bring him back to life would be successful.  Also, Melanine would have to *die*, so.
* Killing Belazon would definitely end the geas, but the trouble with that is trying to kill a Noble of the Court would be incredibly difficult, if not nigh impossible, for only two people, no matter how strong.  This one seemed the most tempting for Melanine.
* Finally, finding enough power to break the geas on their own, without outside help.  Lachan mentioned this in passing when she offered an alliance, saying that she could use the staff to break it.

All of these came with downsides and challenges, so they agreed to keep thinking it over.  Regardless, they eventually broke down camp and finally started the return trek to the Grotto proper.

Realizing they were going to have to walk late into the night and get an early start the next day to get back on track, the two of them continued on the path as the sun began to set.  They came upon a small town of pixies in the middle of the path as they reached the end of their day.  A group of aggrieved pixies flew out of the miniature huts, and began haranguing Barcie and Mela.  Melanine kept his distaste (and his sword) in check, and the two continued on with nothing but empty threats following them.

## Day 8

After a late night and early morning, the two were back on track, making steady progress back to the Grotto.  Around midday, however, they caught a sniff of something incredibly *sweet* in the air.  They soon came across the source: a *massive* beehive that had been built over several different branches.  Interested in getting a midday snack, Barcelona ambly climbed up a tree trunk as Melanine watched, idly polishing his sword.  Barcie made it to the hive (managing to charm one of the giant bees… which was too stupid to really have any meaningful impact on it’s actions), and withdrew a dollop of honey… which began to crawl out of her cup onto her hand.  On the ground, a giant glob of seemingly living, malicious honey began to crawl towards Melanine after oozing out of the hive.

The two then battled living, evil honey for about eighteen seconds.  Melanine peppered the living ooze with crossbow bolts (and also took several mouthfuls of it), while Barcie poisoned it and eventually caramelized it with holy fire, leaving the two of them with mounds of hard honey (which they took with them).

## Day 9

They made solid time on the third day, and were about two hours away from the Grotto when Barcelona’s holy symbol began to warm and blink with holy light.  Holy light, I wish to make clear that Melanine could neither see or feel.  Barcelona, noting the light was stronger in certain directions than in others, convinced Melanine to briefly pump the breaks and follow.  They eventually stumbled upon an *ancient* shrine to the four Seasonal Monarchs (with architecture very similar to the well Team 3.5 stumbled upon in the Avonstead Forest).  Barcelona, eager to revitalize the land around this shrine, noted that it would be an excellent show of defiance to make Belazon wait an additional day.  In addition, another day on the road is another day when they weren’t under his thumb.  Melanine conceded, setting about his daily ritual of weapon maintenance as Barcie performed her revitalization of the shrine.

## Day 10

They arrived mid-morning the next day in the Grotto.  The second the two entered into the throne room, Belazon immediately summoned the piece of the staff out of Barcelona’s pack.  He greedily contemplated it before summoning Alekos to place it somewhere secure in the Grotto.  Belazon attempted (half-heartedly) to share his excitement with Melanine and Barcelona, before settling for drinks to be brought out.  An impromptu party began; the Grotto was alive, the elves looked good, the alcohol was flowing, and there was so much pain in Ramunda, but not in that cave.  Barcelona attempted to mingle before immediately getting sick of it, leaving for her room with a bottle of wine.

Alekos made an effort to talk with Melanine, apologizing that he got him fully mixed up in all this.  Melanine accepted the apology, but made it *very* clear that he would not hesitate to retaliate if he suspected Alekos was playing him.  Alekos took it in stride, before eerily echoing the letter that Mela had found in his quarters.

Melanine stayed for a bit longer, until Belazon fully stood up and started “dancing”.  At which point he immediately retired to his room, but not before dropping by Barcelona’s and grabbing a couple of cloves of hushleaf, a psychoactive drug endemic to Delirium.

As they woke the next morning, they were informed by Belazon that they would be paying a visit to the Pumpkin King, a fellow Noble underneath Cornaith.

# Dramatis Personae

* Alekos: Satyr servant to Belazon
* **Barcelona: Elf agent of Cornaith**
* Belazon: Deer spirit turned fae nobility; repugnant
* **Melanine: Centaur gang pressed into service of Belazon**

# Game Data

* Day played: 4/13/2021
* Time played: 2:01:00