2326

## Episodes

**← Previous**
**Next →**

## **MERGERS AND ATTEMPTED AQUISITIONS**

* **SORRY TO INTERRUPT**
	+ SKITTER, using his DIMENSION DOOR ability, jumps in between the PORTAL and ICILIY in an attempt to disrupt this transformation
	+ He suddenly feels a chill in the core of his body as the bright energies of the PORTAL pull him in
		- SKITTER, unable to tell if he is within his own body or has moved beyond it, tumbles through frigid wind
		- His mind perceives a harsh landscape as his vision seems flung hundreds of miles over a relentless frozen tundra
		- An ancient voice scolds the very recesses of his mind, “How DARE you interfere!”
		- THE WINTER QUEEN reveals that EDIN’s soul is hers, and his attempts to bargain fall on deaf ears
		- Where ever he is, whatever is happening, SKITTER is helpless
	+ Back outside the PORTAL, ICILIY’s transformation is complete
		- This avatar of the WINTER QUEEN now stands before the rest of the party
		- Her eyes glow blue with her power and she is dressed in the wind itself
	+ CLAYMONT makes a brave effort to rush the portal, an attempt to throw him a line
		- As he approaches, he feels the aura of the avatar and is frozen in fear
	+ The QUEEN demands that EDIN’s CREEL be released to her RENOWNED
		- “I Have been pulled from my halls to hear the whimpering of a dishonorable, shortsighted imbecile”
		- “Only to have my entrance be obstructed by a shameful attempt to parlay by one of his many mortal predators”
		- “You will relinquish EDIN, formerly of the GLOWWER, curse to his name, into the hands of my RENOWNED”
		- “Refusal will be a formal challenge of my demands and all will act as 1st against mine THE KNIGHT OF THE WINTER COURT
		- BEHLEN makes an attempt at diplomacy, but the QUEEN is unwavering in her demand
		- As she says this, a large armored KNIGHT, dragging the frostbitten corpse of SKITTER, steps around her form and drops his body to the ground
		- This being is referred to as THE KNIGHT OF THE WINTER COURT
	+ Even though he is terrified, GROVER reveals to the others that he could have sworn he heard SKITTER’s voice calling out from the portal …
* **“F THIS DOUCHE”**
	+ At the sight of SKITTER’s body and GROVER’s words, the group charges in
	+ The KNIGHT fight both from the ground and the air as he charges on the air around them
		- He summons an ICE ELEMENTAL to deal with GORIN and CLAYMONT
	+ CLAYMONT and GROVER rush to SKITTER
		- This gives GROVER a chance to cast his only REVIVIFY, bringing SKITTER back
		- SKITTER can still feel a strong chill throughout his body
		- Soon after, GROVER heals SKITTER further to help get him in this fight
		- He feels that his grasp of FIRE energy has been weakened, and focuses on other spells and tricks
	+ Meanwhile, the KNIGHT attempts to trap both GORIN and BEHLEN in a circled WALL OF ICE
		- BEHLEN is able to get free of the trap, leaving GORIN to finish of the ELEMENTAL
		- He moves quickly to engage the KNIGHT with the others, but catches sight of the previously frightened UNDEAD returning to the TOWN HALL
	+ CLAYMONT takes the KNIGHT down with a powerful SMITE
		- This results in the WALL OF ICE being dispelled
		- The KNIGHT’s blade remains, embedded in the ground where he fell
	+ The team moves to engage the remaining ELEMENTAL together, but a luck SACRED FLAME spell from GROVER finishes it off
* **BINDERS, KEEPERS**
	+ BEHLEN respectfully declares to the WINTER QUEEN that her champion has been defeated
	+ Her avatar steps towards them and gestures to the approaching UNDEAD who immediately freeze stiff and are impaled by shards ice
	+ The QUEEN announces that her KNIGHT has been bested
		- Any of them may claim the SWORD
		- By doing so, they will take up the mantle of the KNIGHT OF THE WINTER QUEEN, bound to serve her in the FEYWILD
	+ GORIN barks at her to go back where she came from and is overtaken by her frightening aura
	+ See that none are drawn to take the SWORD, she gestures to it, changing its form to transparent ice
	+ The QUEEN then shares that FEY remain
		- Many have passed through the FEY FOG since it overtook TERMALAINE
		- Though many have returned to the FEYWILD with it, some have escaped into their realm
		- She offers a way to create a door for them to get back, and from her hand drops a SNOWBALL on to the ground near her
		- She states they should plant this in the forest to the north of town
	+ With that final gesture, she steps backwards, losing her form as the portal closes around her diminishing energy
	+ BEHLEN moves to the SNOWBALL and picks it up
		- As he does so, the snow falls away to reveal a large dark acorn that is bitter cold to the touch
		- He gives it to his PLANT friend who happily takes it and draws it into MR STONES
* **PLEASURE DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU**
	+ After the portal has closed, it appears the last of the FOG has lifted from the town
	+ The group feels a strange sensation wash over them
		- For most of the group, their bodies feel sore and strained, as if waking from a coma
		- CLAYMONT, though, has a moment of intense pain as his fingernails grow out has does his hair
		- GORIN is strangely unaffected
	+ SKITTER asks if anyone knows what happened to ICILIY
		- When he does, she appears next to him in her SPRITE like form
		- She expresses her gratitude for what he attempted to do and for what they all accomplished for TERMALAINE
		- ICILIY offers that if SKITTER should ever need for another source of power, he could “lean on” her for the power of the FEY
		- To call to her, she instructs him to be near the gateway to the FEYWILD that would be created by the QUEEN’s gift
		- With that, she kisses his forehead and disappears
	+ CLAYMONT lays hands on NADDIN, walking him up
		- NADDIN is drained, but excited to be alive and back in his body
		- The group is cautious about letting him up, but soon NADDIN walks over to the SWORD
		- He is aware of what it is and, like a fanboy, takes an opportunity to delicately touch it
		- As soon as he does, it shatters into thousands of small shards of ice
	+ As NADDIN turns back to the group, he notices the LYRE
		- Shocked by this, he dives to retrieve it
		- Cradling the LYRE protectively, he asks what he owes the group for their help in bringing him back
		- They ask his intentions and he states that he will take this instrument, THE LYRE OF VILU, return to the FEYWILD, and protect his family with it
		- The group has him swear an OATH
			* GROVER, as the group's cleric, oversees a brief ceremony for an official oath swearing on the LYRE
			* “Leave this realm forthwith and return to the Fey with the Lyre
			* Use it to protect your family, and never bring harm to this realm or anyone in it
			* And you must leave Edin in our custody forevermore”
	+ BEHLEN escorts NADDIN to the door they arrived through from the FEYWILD on their way here from PUCNIX DIVE
		- As NADDIN thanks him again, he strums the LYRE
		- BEHLEN feels something, but is unsure of its effect
* **TIME TO CRASH, BUT NOT ON THE COUCH**
	+ Now that the FEY they know of our out of their realm, the PCs head back into the TOWN HALL
	+ They make for the BELL OF SUMMONING/CAULDRON OF PLENTY
	+ As they enter the back hall, they find that the DARK CHARDALYN FIGUREHEAD is gone
		- There are the remains of 4 scorched UNDEAD corpses and a hole blown in the back wall
		- BEHLEN finds burn marks around the floor where the FIGUREHEAD stood and a used SPELL SCROLL: ENLARGE/REDUCE
		- CLAYMONT heads through the hole in the wall and makes 2 sets of tracks heading north from the TOWN HALL
	+ SKITTER, GROVER and GORIN look over the BELL and see it is misshapen
		- It looks to be both from the fall and other magical damage after it landed
		- BEHLEN gives his thought as to what happened and finds that he is speaking in song, suddenly realizing  what NADDIN’s parting gift was
		- GORIN deduces that this magic was done by the gnome mage from the RELENTLESS, KROZNAD
	+ The group agrees they should take a rest in a nearby room, as they are all exhausted (All players are now 8th level, GROVER is 6th)
	+ Their new goal is to check in on the townspeople and share that they FEY have been banished
		- After that, they plan to return to the dwarven CITADEL to deposit EDIN, FORMERLY OF THE GLOWWER into the CONTAINMENT UNIT.

## Claymont's Log

Icilly to Skitter

* know that you can lean on me for power if you change affiliations.
* icy finds his devotion admirable.
* no fun unless you choose with free will.
* call my name at the place that gift creates.