Realms S1E15 Calm Before the Storm

The party prepares for the battle to come, and learn that the Trevyl bring death cult to a new level.

### Synopsis

Another pleasant morning at the manor. While Torq and Denahi get themselves sorted, Burakubuu pays a quick visit to Ty, Remus’s brother guarding the back door. Ty seems startled by the attention and they exchange some general pleasantries. Jeidobii is nowhere to be seen just yet, being a late riser of recent.

With some help from the staff, Denahi tracks him down to his treehouse and uses her Thaumaturgy to rouse him. Over breakfast, Jeidobii and Buu share what they learned at the Keep the night prior. Torq recalls that he can finally pick up his new axes. Buu and Denahi join him, thinking there may be some merit to finding some protective potions along the way. Jeidobii declines to join and stays behind, heading to the newly forested roof to meditate and think on all that has transpired. He struggles to piece the seemingly disparate events together and find the underlying web. Aros, within the gauntlet, remains silent but at least showing a glimmer of life still.

Torq, Denahi and Buu attempt to stop in to an apothecary on their way to Heavy Metals only to be turned away. The shopkeeper hurriedly closes up and remarks on the prior night’s events. They move on to Heavy Metals where Lela gives Torq two gleaming black axes in the Northern style. She shares with him the tragic story of her own family’s demise, and that she put her own blood and tears into these weapons so that he may seek retribution for both their losses. Torq names the axes “Vengeance.”

The trio heads to The Potion Shop where the small dragon Nyco takes a liking to Denahi. They inquire as to any protective potions they may purchase but Kahahn has only healing items in stock. Purchases in hand, Buu remarks that he’d like to follow up with Trine about what she shared with him. The trio resolves to head to The Cracked Rock next. Incidentally, Jeidobii, too, had come to the conclusion he needed to consult with Trine to help tie things together. The trio spots Jeidobii deep in thought along the path and follow him quietly to the tavern, not wanting to interrupt him lest he is in deep conversation with Aros. In reality, he is deep in focus and talking to himself.

The group arrives at The Cracked Rock where the guards silently nod them in. Jeidobii is startled when finally he notices his friends have joined him. Together, they speak to Trine, who sits alone at the bar and some ways down from Romyn, his face distraught and weary. Trine shares that she and her group are all much older than they seem, Dorius included. Their battles with the Trevyll have spanned decades as they’ve continually worked to stop them from bringing Trevanus, the goddess of Death, back to the world. No one knows how or why they aim to achieve this seemingly impossible feat, but they muse be stopped all the same.

The party goes to check on Romyn but he is not in his usual high spirits. Aneko had been his partner almost the entirety of his long life, and they cared deeply for eachother. The party offers their empathy, and promises that together they will make the Trevyll pay. Romyn shares that he knows some Orcish, and may help the party make a little more sense of the books they’ve procured. As the group departs, he offers a playful warning to Jeidobii that he might just mount him again.

Reunited, the party returns to The Potion Shop where Jeidobii procures some additional supplies and Torq, surprising everyone, takes some materials for brewing. Together they all visit the Emerald Keep where Dorius confirms what they’d learned from Trine regarding his age and the adventures he shared with Romyn. He also tells the party that not everyone in the city shares the Duke’s desire to bring equality and integration to the city. He lets Jeidobii in to speak briefly with his sister alone.

The Duchess seems distracted, understandably, as Jeidobii asks how she is faring and whether her mystical force field has any capability to expel enemies as well as it keeps them out. He asks her also what she knows of a man called Aros. She expresses a familiarity, though she can’t place it. Denahi proposes that the party make the most of what may well be their last night together. She identifies a fine establishment in which to get drunk in the Upper Steppes. Jeidobii declines, opting to return home to tend to some important tasks. Denahi, Torq and Buu make their way to the upscale establishment and start drinking (except, of course, the ever-abstinent Buu, who takes only water.) An unruly man approaches the trio and accosts Denahi, who turns him away. Unfazed, the man turns to antagonize Burakubuu. Denahi, meanwhile, sneaks Arlo out of Buu’s pack and drops him in the man’s pants. He panics and smashes Arlo in the process and shoves Burakubuu in anger. Buu takes no heed of the man and rushes to heal his pet. Torq rises, ready to wet his new axes, but the barkeep kicks the man out peacefully.

Torq is ready for slumber after a long day with no fighting. They return to the manor and take respite for the night. Jeidobii stays awake for some time toiling away at a project and planting a crop of Goodberries. Burakubuu, dreaming, has a vision through the eyes of another. In it he sees an armored hand raising a sword to two Tiefling children. The hand lowers and an older female Tiefling runs to them.Her eyes meet the eyes of the man in the vision. Buu awakes.

The next morning, Jeidobii greets Denahi with two potions flavored with pomegranate, her favorite. He Gives Buu the gold he’d been holding for him and advises it would be well to procure some additional healing potions. Outside the manor, Jeidobii visits Carlox, and using his gift speaks to the simple ox about the fears and worries that have consumed him these last few days. The ox offers simple wisdom, “Just keep walking,” that eases Jeidobii’s heart of worry for his family in the coming ordeal.