13 Takaramont

12 Takaramont- 13 Takaramont- 14 Takaramont (Back to Logs)

### Locations

Vyon- Isolone SwampIsolone Village- The Troll's BrewKinetas- The Boar and the Fey, The Barbarian's Treasure, The Monster and the Stinky Monster, The Drunk Unicorn, Whispers-Kinetas, Takara's Temple

### PCs

Brimeia, Ryleigh, Sariel, Seirixori, Urrak

### Prominent NPCs

Gunnloda, Valris, Bliss, Arkrus, Kath, Takara, Sutha

## Plots

### Major Events

Dawn of the Moonborn, Dawn of the Celestial Fiend, Dawn of Divinity

## Synopsis

Ryleigh is put in an uncomfortable position as a tiefling starts shouting at her and her response sends anxiety through the bartender. Ryleigh dismisses herself to check in with the local branch of Whispers while Urrak tries talking to bartenders.

Seir and Gunnloda take the drunk tiefling home and Seir bonds with his oldest son before Gunnloda suggests staying there for the night, providing food for the neighborhood as they gather and unknowingly celebrate Seir's birthday.

## Isolone Village

9:44 PM] DM: As you sat in the tavern part of the inn, waiting for the rest of your party to catch up, early risers saw the two men who helped you out come down and head out, the black haired guy giving a bit of a wave as he passed. Then you're back on the cart or on your horse or under your wife and headed back down the Spine towards Kinetas.

[9:47 PM] Urrak: "How long till th' next town, Ry?" Urrak calls from behind her and Seirixori the horse.

[9:49 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "Most of towns along the spine are roughly a day's walk. So we'll reach the next city this evening depending on how quickly we travel and assuming we don't have any more hiccups."

[9:50 PM] Urrak: "Y'say that like we don't always have some kinda hiccup," Urrak says to herself.

[9:50 PM] DM: Perception checks, please.

[9:51 PM] Urrak: ((13))

[9:51 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: ((4))

[9:51 PM] Sariel: Sariel calls from the back in a teasing manner, "yeah try not to drive us into the mud again Urrak!"

[9:51 PM] Seirixori: ((22))

[9:51 PM] Urrak: "Har har, Sariel."

[9:52 PM] Brimeia: ((3))

[9:52 PM] Sariel: ((5))

[9:56 PM] Seirixori: Seir trots up to Ry and Adventure and keeps pace, sometimes falling back with the cart or behind it.

[9:57 PM] DM: You continue down the road until ahead, you can see an enclosed carriage pulled off to the side of the road. It's odd though, because most carriages are made of wood and this one seems to be made of metal... and there are two giant lizards resting near the front of it.

[9:59 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh slows their progression with a raised hand as the approach.

[10:01 PM] Sariel: Sariel casually unsheaths her dagger as they draw closer.

[10:01 PM] DM: As you get closer, the sides of the carriage open up, revealing shelves and a gnome man in a worn, pointy blue hat hanging out of it, waving. "Hello! Hello!" A sign on the inside of the door reads "Snacks, 2cp."

[10:03 PM] Urrak: "Snacks..." Urrak yanks the reins to stop the horses. "Well, can't say it ain't a good business plan."

[10:03 PM] DM: The horses shy away from the lizards a bit, but mostly stay put.

[10:05 PM] Seirixori: Seir walks over and sniffs at the gnome and then looks at the shelves.

[10:07 PM] DM: The shelves are covered in what looks like a lot of meat products. The gnome looks past the purple horse head nosing into his cart at the dwarf on her back. He perks up and rattles something off in a language none of you understand, and she chuckles and replies back.

[10:07 PM] DM: He then waves at the rest of you. "Come! Come! You must be hungry! I have fried frog, salted eel, the best snake jerky you'll ever try, croc sausage..."

[10:09 PM] Urrak: Urrak hops off of the cart and heads towards the gnome, "Gotta say, haven't had croc sausage in some time, how much?"

[10:09 PM] Brimeia: Brimeia starts to frown a bit at the menu.

[10:10 PM] Brimeia: "You've... had croc before?"

[10:10 PM] DM: He points to the sign. "Two coppers a portion."

[10:11 PM] Urrak: "Lots o' crocs in th' swampy bits o' Shetai, better'n snake er bat in my opinon." she digs into her change purse and pulls out a couple coppers.

[10:11 PM] Sariel: Sariel pipes up to Brimeia, "Tastes like chicken. If chicken had the texture of rubber."

[10:12 PM] Brimeia: "Is... that supposed to be encouraging?" She chuckles a little.

[10:12 PM] Seirixori: Seir nudges towards the salted eel.

[10:12 PM] Sariel: Sariel grins, "Not even slightly."

[10:13 PM] Urrak: "An some eel, if ye could," Urrak smiles crookedly and pulls out more coin.

10:13 PM] DM: Gunnloda buys a couple portions of each. He hands out what people order, two coppers a piece.

[10:14 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh waves off the food, with a polite smile. She's still mounted on Adventure.

[10:14 PM] DM: One of the giant lizards starts wandering and climbing up a nearby tree, vertically.

[10:15 PM] Urrak: "Well, thank ye fer the snacks, friends, safe travels." Urrak climbs back onto the cart. She watches the lizard climb with a slightly concerned look on her face.

[10:17 PM] DM: So! Continuing on, the sun sinks lower in the sky and the ground gets firmer and firmer. You've stopped for short rests here and there, letting Seir get her wild shapes back every few hours in case of emergencies and getting a chance to stretch and rest the horses, eat something... and late in the afternoon, you see a city growing in front of you.

[10:18 PM] DM: It's the first proper city you've seen since leaving Riverrun, and unknown to most of you, it's the 2nd largest city in Vyon.

## Kinetas

[10:23 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Pointing to the city ahead, Ryleigh says, "Kinetas. We'll be arriving in Ashetin tomorrow."

[10:24 PM] DM: Traveling down the Spine, you go through the town, the Spine widening more and more as it gets busier until there's a huge open space with two wide roads intersecting at the center of town.

[10:27 PM] Seirixori: Seir gets next to the cart to let Gunnloda off and shifts back. "Are there multiple taverns here, did we want to try and see if anyone knows anything in them?"

[10:28 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "There's definitely multiple taverns here, this is the second largest city in Vyon. Are you suggesting we split up?"

[10:30 PM] Seirixori: "If it would save time? Do we need to?"

[10:30 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "There's also a temple to Takara here," Ryleigh says to Seir.

[10:30 PM] Seirixori: Seir's eyes light up a bit, "I did want to talk to her briefly."

[10:32 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "We can split up, but... none of you needs to be alone. The further south we go..." Ryleigh's brows furrow "...it'll be more dangerous for most of you."

[10:34 PM] Seirixori: Seir nods, "I wanted to go with Gunnloda anyway. Uh, except the temple bit."

[10:33 PM] Brimeia: Brimeia's face scrunches a bit. "You mean like Shasem?"

[10:35 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "We're still in Vyon, so no... it won't be like Shasem, but you may attract more looks here than in Riverrun. I just want everyone to be careful."

[10:38 PM] Urrak: "I'm sure we'll be alright, Ry. Ain't nothin' any o' us hasn't dealt with before."

[10:40 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "I know... but you're in an unfamiliar place and I just..." Ryleigh rubs at her forehead. "Let's find a stable for the horses and tavern where we're staying so we have a meet up place."

[10:41 PM] Urrak: Urrak nods and follows her to a tavern so they can tie up the horses

[10:42 PM] DM: The first place you come to that has both an associated stable and inn is The Boar and the Fey, situated just down the Moonrise from the Spine. It's stone and wood like the Cask was in Bellbury.

[10:44 PM] DM: When you walk in to arrange for rooms and stabling, there's a drunk tiefling stumbling up the stairs, wearing nothing but some ratty shorts. He's deep red in color with ram-styled horns that grow from just above his eyes. "You 'eard me! Not a one of ya's got the stones to fight me!"

The bartender, a short human woman, shouts back, "Get back downstairs and sober up, 'fore I call yer wife on you!"

[10:45 PM] Urrak: "Lively place..." Urrak crosses her arms and watches the tiefling in amusement

[10:46 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh chuckles a little and approaches the bartender. "Excuse me, I was wondering if I could get 2 rooms for the night."

[10:48 PM] DM: He starts to say something else but stops short when he sees the newcomers. He peers through his eyelashes. "Yer not guards, are ya? This is a no-guard place! Fuck your guards!"

The bartender throws a rag at him. "Gods dammit, Valris! Get your ass back downstairs!" She turns to Ry. "I'm sorry about that. Please ignore him and yes, of course." She exchanges gold for keys. "They're just upstairs."

[10:49 PM] Seirixori: "Fuck your guards!" Seir says...as a joke.

[10:49 PM] Sariel: Sariel laughs.

[10:49 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "Do you need me to grab him for you?" Ryleigh says to the bartender with a grin.

[10:50 PM] DM: The bartender pales a bit. "Oh, please don't. He's harmless, really. He doesn't mean anything by it. I'll make sure he doesn't make any trouble."

[10:49 PM] Brimeia: "Can I grab him?" Brimeia murmurs to Ryleigh.

[10:51 PM] DM: He puffs up and walks towards Seir. "No, fuck your... wait..." He leans in and looks at Seir's horns. "Ha. You're all right."

[10:52 PM] Seirixori: Seir grins, "Of course I am."

[10:52 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "Oh no, that's not what I-" Ryleigh starts then sighs a little. "Right, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

[10:52 PM] DM: He leans in close and peers at Ryleigh. "Keep your eyes on that one though. Dangerous." He then shouts, entirely too loudly, "FUCK YOU!" in Ryleigh's direction.

[10:53 PM] Brimeia: Brimeia snorts at the other tiefling's drunken mumblings.

[10:53 PM] Urrak: Urrak stifles a laugh with her fist, "I like this guy"

[10:54 PM] Seirixori: "Fuck yourself!" Seir yells back with a laugh, "I *am* her eyes."

[10:54 PM] DM: The bartender looks around, worry clear on her face. "Please... just... don't mind him. He doesn't need trouble."

[10:54 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh furrows her brow and gives one key to Seir and another to Urrak. "I'll be back later."

[10:55 PM] Sariel: Sariel swipes the key swiftly out of Urrak's hand. "I vote for a nap."

[10:55 PM] Seirixori: "Do you want Gunnloda to send you a message later if you need m- us?"

[10:56 PM] Urrak: Urrak chuckles, "Go fer it, it's all yers. I'm gonna explore a bit."

[10:57 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Nodding to Seir, Ryleigh leaves the tavern.

[10:58 PM] DM: The tiefling flips her off as she walks out.

[10:58 PM] Sariel: Sariel quirks an eyebrow, "Didn't she just say she didn't want anyone to wander alone?"

[10:58 PM] Urrak: "Ryleigh's jus' paranoid, I can handle m'self." She hands Sariel the key, "I'll be fine."

[10:59 PM] DM: Gunnloda: "Pale skinned Asten-worshipping blonde humans don't exactly have anything t'fear down here."

[10:59 PM] Sariel: "A fair point."

[11:00 PM] Urrak: "Unless Bri here wants t' tag along, I'll be headin' t' the next tavern I find. I'll be back before it's too late."

[11:00 PM] Seirixori: "Paranoid, right." Seir shakes her head and then turns her attention to the tiefling. "Having fun?"

[11:02 PM] DM: Valris: "Naaah. Nobody wants to fight me. Yer all cowards!"

[11:02 PM] DM: Bartender: "Valris, please!"

[11:03 PM] Urrak: Urrak pauses on her way out and puts a hand on Valris' shoulder. "Careful, pal, th' pink one will fight ye, an' she'll win." she gives his shoulder a pat and walks out

[11:05 PM] Seirixori: "Uhhh, yeah if you want to fight a bear." Seir shakes her head, "Why do you want to fight here? Easy?"

[11:05 PM] Sariel: Sariel speaks up to Valris, "Oy, I'll arm wrestle you for a pint."

[11:06 PM] DM: Valris: "Why not fight? It's what we do, isn't it?"

[11:06 PM] DM: He looks at Sariel. "I'll take yer ale, elfy."

[11:07 PM] DM: He stumbles over to an empty table and slams his elbow down on it, hand up.

[11:07 PM] Sariel: Sariel laughs, "I'm sure you will."

[11:07 PM] Sariel: Sariel sits across from him and grasps his raised hand.

[11:08 PM] Seirixori: Seir tilts her head, "I guess so." She says more to herself and heads over to the arm wrestling to watch.

[11:08 PM] DM: Athletics checks. His is at disadvantage because poisoned.

[11:09 PM] Sariel: ((9))

[11:10 PM] DM: He... also rolled a nine, so your hands don't move.

[11:10 PM] DM: "Ha. You're stronger than you look, girly."

[11:11 PM] DM: Another?

[11:11 PM] Sariel: Sariel strains to keep it even, "Lots of people underestimate me."

[11:12 PM] Sariel: ((21))

[11:13 PM] DM: He has to focus a bit more, but he manages to push your hand towards the table. Again?

[11:14 PM] Sariel: ((3 lmao))

[11:15 PM] DM: Sariel's hand slams into the table and the tiefling's eyes widen. "Shit, sorry. I didn't mean t' hurt you."

[11:16 PM] Sariel: Sariel winces slightly and shakes her hand out, "It's alright! Part of the game. What are you drinking, friend?"

[11:16 PM] DM: The bartender yells, "WATER."

[11:16 PM] Sariel: Sariel laughs.

[11:17 PM] DM: Valris: "You're no fun, K."

[11:17 PM] DM: He lets out a huge burp. "Scuse."

[11:18 PM] Sariel: "How 'bout I buy you that beer later?"

[11:19 PM] DM: Valris: "Yeeeah. That's good."

[11:21 PM] Sariel: Sariel smiles as she stands up from the table, "Deal."

[11:24 PM] Seirixori: Seir sits where Sariel was. "Are you from here?"

[11:24 PM] DM: Valris looks around then leans in like he's going to whisper something... and shakes his head.

[11:25 PM] Sariel: Sariel waves the key at Seir and motions that she's heading upstairs.

[11:26 PM] Seirixori: Seir nods to Sariel and then leans forward with a grin and whispers about reading lips in infernal. "I'd ask if you wanted to arm wrestle a bear, but I don't think anyone wants one popping up suddenly."

[11:27 PM] DM: "HA! Kath'd probably scream."

[11:34 PM] Seirixori: "Oh! Hey, she said you have a wife!" Seir tugs Gunnloda over and with a big grin says, "This is my wife! She's the best!"

[11:35 PM] DM: He peers over at Gunnloda, his eyes glancing over her armor. "Yer not a guard are you?"

[11:40 PM] DM: Gunnloda chuckles. "No, I'm not a guard."

[11:40 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs and shakes her head, "Guards not great here?"

[11:41 PM] DM: "Fuck the guards."

[11:45 PM] Seirixori: "That seems to be the case most of the places we go." She leans forward, placing her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand, "Is there anything I should know? I've never been here before and I'm not a fan of getting into... unnecessary trouble." She motions to her broken horn with her other hand.

[11:48 PM] DM: "Yeah... stay away from guards. And Astens. And assholes. And humans. Except K. She's good people. No 'fense, wifey lady."

[11:49 PM] DM: Gunnloda just chuckles. "I'm none of those things."

[11:54 PM] Seirixori: "Well, I knew most of that." She leans forward again, "Wanna know a secret?"

[11:55 PM] DM: "What?"

[11:55 PM] Seirixori: "It's my birthday."

[11:56 PM] DM: "Happy birthday! I should buy you a drink."

[11:56 PM] DM: "Kath! A drink! It's her birthday!"

[11:57 PM] Seirixori: Seir smiles, "You don't have to! I wanted to know if there was something neat to do here!"

[11:58 PM] DM: "Ohhhh... uh.... I like to come here and get drunk. But I bet there's lots of other things cause there's lots of people here."

[12:04 AM] Seirixori: "Maybe we'll go exploring!" She turns to go, but her eyes widen, "Oh, I almost forgot." She dramatically her eyes with an annoyed sigh. "Do you know anything about this Moonborn bullshit? My friend thinks I can't do my job, so now I gotta do the boring part and ask."

12:05 AM] DM: He squints and taps his chin. "Moonborn... Moonborn... what's that?"

[12:08 AM] Seirixori: "Some... elf? Half elf? Something to do with uh, that Moon god lady? People are killing half-elves I guess because of it."

[12:09 AM] DM: "Oh. That sucks... but they're always killing tieflings for no reason, so..."

[12:12 AM] Seirixori: "Most people do." She sighs, "Thank you, Valris? I'm Seirixori, if you ever need anything. We're gonna go find something neat!" She holds out her hand.

[12:12 AM] DM: He high fives her.

## Urrak's investigations

11:08 PM] Urrak: Urrak heads up the road, looking for the nearest tavern

[11:10 PM] DM: There's one called Barbarian's Treasure not too far down the road. It's got that look of cheap fancy... glass beads and fake gold.

[11:10 PM] Urrak: Urrak quirks an eyebrow at the decor and heads inside

[11:14 PM] DM: It looks like it's an actual bar, not a tavern/inn like you're used to. It's fairly dim lit and almost every seat is around a long island in the center of the room, a darker skinned human in the center of the island pouring drinks.

[11:17 PM] Urrak: Urrak walks towards the human. She places a her fingertips on the bar as she leans forward, "Sorry I...I'm not used t' places like this. Could I get some rum, when ye get th' chance?"

[11:18 PM] DM: She pours a glass and puts it in front of Urrak. "Five coppers."

[11:19 PM] Urrak: Urrak places a silver on the bar and finds a seat close to her. "Can I ask ye somethin'?"

[11:20 PM] DM: She just raises an eyebrow.

[11:21 PM] Urrak: "I ain't tryin' t' be rude, but are ye from around here? Vyon?" she takes a sip of the rum

[11:22 PM] DM: "I am."

[11:24 PM] Urrak: "Yer family, as well?"

[11:25 PM] DM: She gives Urrak a flat look. "Longer than pretty much anyone else 'from' Vyon, yeah."

[11:26 PM] Urrak: Urrak nods, "Sorry, I don't mean t' assume anythin'. All I know is that folks like yerself seem t' be in some danger these days. Surely ye've heard."

[11:28 PM] DM: Should specify that 'darker' skinned just means she has the golden brown tint of like Moki and Takara, not Shetai. She's Omphalos native.

[11:29 PM] Urrak: "Though this light could have me confused. Either way, I am curious. This seems like a bit o' a classier establishment, but have ye heard anythin'? About those lookin' fer th' Moonborn?"

[11:31 PM] DM: Give me a persuasion check real quick.

[11:32 PM] Urrak: ((16))

[11:34 PM] DM: "Not people looking, no. Just rumors about him being seen around."

[11:34 PM] Urrak: "Around here? Like near this city?"

[11:34 PM] DM: She shakes her head. "South."

[11:36 PM] Urrak: "South...Gods what was that place's name...Ashetin?"

[11:36 PM] DM: "Ascus?"

[11:38 PM] Urrak: "It's a city we're headin' towards. My party an' I are travelin' South towards it soon. Can't say I'm familiar with this country. Mostly jus' Riverrun."

[11:38 PM] DM: "You might be headed the wrong direction then. Ashetin's west of here."

[11:39 PM] Urrak: "I'll let 'em know, " Urrak chuckles a bit and sips more rum, "But is that all ye've heard? Jus' 'South'?"

[11:40 PM] DM: She shrugs. "Different folks say different things. It all sounds like bullshit to me."

[11:42 PM] Urrak: "I've heard that a lot, at least from th' humans I've talked to.  Bullshit or not, folks are gettin' hurt. I figure if we can figure out where folks think the Moonborn is, we can head a few o' these bounty hunters off at th' pass, so t'speak."

[11:43 PM] DM: "Can't help you there. I've heard everything from Thista to Manavik to Arolis. South."

[11:44 PM] Urrak: "No worries, thank ye fer humorin' me," she stands, downs the last of the rum like a shot and nods goodbye at the woman before heading towards the door.

[8:21 PM] Urrak: Urrak continues down the road, looking for another tavern nearby

[8:26 PM] DM: If you're keeping to the main roads, the Spine and the Moonrise, there are taverns and inns and stables and the like every couple hundred yards. The next one you spot has the dubious name of The Monster and the Stinky Monster.

[8:27 PM] Urrak: Urrak stops to make sure she read the name of the place correctly, shrugs, and heads inside

[8:30 PM] DM: It's kind of empty inside. Just a couple individuals at the bar, a human man behind the counter, and nothing much of interest.

[8:31 PM] Urrak: After poking her head in and looking around, Urrak decides to find a more lively establishment

[8:40 PM] DM: Checking a couple more blocks down, you find The Drunk Unicorn. It's not exactly crowded, but it's got traffic. A human man and an androgynous half-elf are behind the counter while a half-elf plays the lyre across the room.

[8:41 PM] Urrak: Urrak heads towards the bar and takes a seat. "An ale, when ye can." she gathers a few coppers in preparation

[8:45 PM] DM: The half-elf pours an ale and sets it in front of her. "Five copper."

[8:47 PM] Urrak: Urrak slides the pieces over and takes a large swig. "Much obliged." She taps her fingers a bit on the bar, trying to think of how to breach the subject.  "I don't mean t' take up yer time, but could I ask ye somethin'?"

[8:50 PM] DM: They glance around a bit and, seeing nobody else who needs tending to, shrugs.

[8:51 PM] Urrak: "My friends and I are lookin' int'a this Moonborn business. This place seems pretty well traveled, have ye heard anything?"

[8:57 PM] DM: They shrug again. "Sure. Everyone's heard something. Mostly that he's down in Ascus somewhere."

[8:58 PM] Urrak: "I've heard South is th' way t' go fer certain. But are ye sayin' folks are thinkin' he's alive in Ascus? Hidin'?"

[9:05 PM] DM: "He's either alive or dead, and if people are saying they saw him, then I sure hope he's alive. Think we'd be having a different problem if it was the other way. And if he IS alive, then he'd be stupid to be walking around Ascus. So he's either dead, stupid, or hiding."

[9:09 PM] Urrak: "Aye, there'd be no need fer all these folks dyin' if he wasn't. From what I've heard o' Ascus, he'd stick out like a sore thumb. All o' this makes no fuckin' sense," she thumps her fist on the bar and finishes her ale quickly. "Not sure why I'm tryin'. I'm hearin' all th' same things. Do y' have anythin' stronger, mate?" she shakes the empty mug a bit.

[9:12 PM] DM: They pour a shot of something brown. "Still five."

[9:13 PM] Urrak: Urrak places a silver on the bar, "Appreciated." She sniffs at the liquor but barely pauses before taking a drink of it

[9:15 PM] DM: It burns a bit.

[9:17 PM] Urrak: Urrak coughs a couple times, and makes a bit of a face. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about," she laughs and finishes the drink. "Appreciate ye takin' th' time t' talk, friend."

[9:24 PM] Urrak: She gets up to leave and walks back onto the main road

[9:33 PM] Urrak: Looking around, a bit more buzzed than planned, she decides to call it a day and heads back to the inn where the others are staying

## Seir and the tieflings

[12:17 AM] Seirixori: Seir laughs and stands, "Go have fun with your wife too!" She heads over to the bartender. "Could you tell me how to get to Takara's temple? And if there's anything neat to do here? Uh... also should I help him get home?" She points to Valris and then winces, "Sorry, that was... a lot of things."

[9:57 AM] DM: Now faced with just two tieflings and a dwarf, the bartender looks a bit less stressed. "Takara's temple is west down the Moonrise. I wish I could send him home, but I'm worried about his... outbursts."

[2:10 PM] Seirixori: Seir sighs, knowing she needs to bring it up, if only for her own safety. "He wasn't very talkative about why I should stay away from the guards, ...and Astens. Would you tell me?"

[6:21 PM] DM: She sighs and glances over at him. "He's not from here... had some trouble down south and... well you've seen how he... he picked a fight, some guards heard the commotion. He was nearly killed," she speaks louder and directly at him as she tosses another rag in his direction, "*because he doesn't know when to keep his damn mouth shut*." She sort of huffs and straightens herself out again. "Not all guards down there are followers of his, but it's more likely than not, and some of the worst sorts are. Power and purity and all that. My advice, especially for someone of your kind, is to give them a wide berth. Don't give them reason to look twice."

[7:34 PM] Seirixori: She nods, her thoughts confirmed, "Would you like me to help him downstairs?" Seir tilts her head and chuckles, "Actually, I can get him home safely, but he'd have to be okay with being a cat... or a rat, something small."

[7:57 PM] DM: "That'd be up to him... but if he's home, maybe Bliss can keep him there."

[8:12 PM] Seirixori: "I'll ask him. Thank you." Seir heads back to Valris and sits again. "So, I can get you home safely, if you don't mind being a cat. Or a mouse, rat, lizard, whichever."

[8:40 PM] DM: Valris looks really confused for a second then goes, "Ohhhhhhhhhhh. I can totally be a rat. Watch." And he puts his hands up next to his mouth and makes squeaky sounds and wiggles his nose. Then he laughs. "See?"

[8:47 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs, "Amazing, I can turn you into an actual rat and then you can tell me how to get you home, okay?"

[8:53 PM] DM: He mimics a rat again, but has trouble squeaking through his laughter.

[9:12 PM] Seirixori: Shrugging Seir stands and goes to his side and casts polymorph on him to turn him into a rat.

[9:16 PM] DM: His entire form just contracts to the floor where there's a rather unremarkable grey rat sitting there, still with his paws by his snout, squeaking.

[9:20 PM] Seirixori: "Let's get you home, Valris." Picking him up Seir casts speak with animals, "Tell me where to go, friend."

[9:25 PM] DM: He squeaks directions at Seir, leading her and Gunnloda south of the Moonrise where the nicer buildings quickly give way to less and less pleasant surroundings. The streets are narrow, crowded, and dirty, and everyone here is on foot with no carts or horses to be seen. He leads them to what would probably be called a small shack with cracked wooden walls and a roof that's definitely seen better days.

[9:30 PM] Seirixori: Seir gently knocks on the door.

[9:36 PM] DM: A woman answers the door. She looks human in almost every way with light brownish skin and black hair tied into a knot at the back of her head, except for the thick tail, short, sharp horns that pierce through her hair, and solid black eyes. She's holding a toddler tiefling on her hip, a lighter shade of red with little nubbin horns, their tail wrapped around her arm. She frowns a bit when she sees you. "Y-yes?"

[9:40 PM] Seirixori: "Hi!" Seir says brightly, a little transfixed by the baby, "Um, I brought Valris home." She holds up the rat, "Uh, I didn't want him getting into trouble and I thought this was the best way. I can change him back."

[9:42 PM] DM: "Oh... thank you? Would you like to come in? I can make some tea?"

[9:47 PM] Seirixori: "Um," Seir looks at Gunnloda and then back to the woman, "Yes, that would be- that would be nice."

[9:51 PM] DM: She opens the door wider and heads inside. It's a single room inside, sparsely furnished, but neatly kept. One corner of the room is full of softer materials that almost looks like a family-sized nest to sleep in. Another small tiefling child is sitting on the floor, playing with some rocks. This one's also a softer shade of red, but his horns are coming in twisty. When he sees new people, he gets shy, but then looks up at Seir with wide eyes. The woman picks up a heavy pot and hangs it on the hook over the fire.

[9:58 PM] Seirixori: "Thank you." Seir walks in and gently sets Valris on the ground and drops her spell so he changes back. She sits on the floor and gives a small wave to the little one sitting on the floor. "Hi."

[10:01 PM] DM: Valris walks over to his wife with a sort of embarrassed, apologetic look on his face and she puts her hand to his cheek and softly headbutts his forehead with hers before pulling some cups from a shelf near the fire. He helps her, since she's still got the other kid on her hip.

The older kid gives Seir a shy, "Hi," as Gunnloda kneels next to Seir.

[10:10 PM] Seirixori: She takes Gunnloda's hand. "Wanna see something neat?" Seir asks the kid and grins using her druidcraft and some flower petals fall from the ceiling..

[10:12 PM] DM: His eyes light up and he tries to catch some in his hands, but ends up having to pick them up from the floor instead.

[10:16 PM] DM: Kid: "How did you learn that? Mama's been teaching me to do this..." And he changes his eyes from silver to... a slightly different shade of grey.

[10:19 PM] Seirixori: "My Mama taught me to do that with my eyes too!" Seir bites her lip for a second, "My, my m-mother taught me to do the flower thing." She leans in and whispers, "I can turn into animals too."

[10:19 PM] DM: "Really?"

[10:20 PM] Seirixori: She nods, "Do you have a favorite?"

[10:21 PM] DM: He nods but then gets shy again and kind of whispers, "I like goats 'cause they have horns too."

[10:26 PM] Seirixori: Seir gets excited, "My best friend when I was little was a goat! Her name was Penelope!" She then uses her wild shape to change into a goat.

[10:29 PM] DM: He stands up and puts his hand out like he wants to pet her nose.

[10:30 PM] Seirixori: Seir walks to him and nudges his hand.

[10:31 PM] DM: He giggles a little and pets her.

[10:34 PM] DM: There's a squeal from the other side of the room and the toddler's making grabby hands towards Seir too. Gunnloda gets up and heads over to the mom and they have a quick, quiet conversation before she hands the younger kid to Gunnloda who brings him over to Seir. She shows him how to pet and says, "Gently, see?"

[10:37 PM] Seirixori: Seir bumps his hand with her head, her little tail wagging.

[10:41 PM] Seirixori: After a little bit Seir shifts back and starts using her druidcraft to make them flower crowns.

[10:44 PM] DM: Bliss and Valris come over with simple clay cups of very weak tea and Gunnloda trades the toddler for the tea. "Thank you."

[10:46 PM] DM: The older kid is just beaming at this point. "Mama, Mama, look. Flowers!"

Bliss smiles. "I see that."

[10:52 PM] DM: The boy picks up his rocks and says, "Do you want to play with me?" He puts one rock in Gunnloda's hand and says, "This one is the daddy goat. He's big and tough and scares the wolves away." And he puts another in Seir's hand. "This one's the mommy goat. She shows the baby goats- they're called kids!- where to go and what to do." And the two little rocks, he has in each hand. "And these are the kids. They bounce around everywhere, but when they fall down, they don't get hurt. They just get up and bounce bounce bounce."

[11:02 PM] Seirixori: "I'd love to," Seir says and takes the rock, giving all her attention to the kid. "They can bounce up the trees too!"

[11:04 PM] DM: "Wow!" He bounces his rocks up Seir's arm, but then stops and turns his head as he looks at her. "Your horns are pretty. What happened to that one?"

[11:08 PM] Seirixori: "Thank you," Seir whispers, her eyes watery. "I..." She looks to his parents real quick before looking down. When she looks back up she smiles with a shrug, "Sometimes people aren't very nice."

[11:12 PM] DM: "Oh... That's what Mama says too, cause my dad's so sad. But we take care of each other, cause that's what family does."

[11:19 PM] DM: Bliss admonishes him gently, "Arkrus..."

But he's already distracted. "Look! She can do the eye trick too!" And he's pointing at Gunnloda, whose eyes have gone dark, but she blinks and they turn back to normal green.

[11:21 PM] Seirixori: Seir looks at her, a bit concerned, her tail wrapping around Gunnloda's waist. "*Llaro*?"

[11:23 PM] DM: Gunnloda kind of blinks, like she had zoned out for a second. "Hmm? Sorry."

[11:30 PM] Seirixori: Seir leans over and presses a kiss to the side of her head, "Later, *tor beag*."

[11:33 PM] DM: She smiles a bit and says quietly, "I'm just gonna stretch m'legs a bit." And she sets the rock down so she can use her hand to help herself up without dropping the cup of tea and walks over to Bliss to have another quiet conversation to the side.

[11:35 PM] DM: There's a super-dramatic gasp from Arkrus after she leaves, though, and he reaches down and picks up the rock that she'd put down... that is now in the shape of a goat with the same shape ram's horns as Valris's. It's not very detailed, but the shape can be seen even through the roughness of it.

[11:42 PM] Seirixori: Seir's eyes follow Gunnloda for a moment before turning back to Arkrus. She doesn't quite react to the shape of the stone, but her eyes quickly dart back to Gunnloda again, "Now you have an even *fancier* rock."

[11:46 PM] DM: Valris smiles and nods and walks out the door. Gunnloda takes the toddler again while Bliss lays out some sort of mat or cloth on the floor, then Gunnloda and Bliss both bow their heads and Gunnloda says a prayer, then 45 pounds of bread appears on the mat.

[11:47 PM] DM: Arkrus is entirely too occupied with playing with his new rock to even notice.

[11:49 PM] DM: Gunnloda hands the toddler back to Bliss and heads back to Seir with a soft smile. She kisses the top of Seir's head, then leans down to say quietly in her ear, "We can go if you'd like... but they're about t'have the whole neighborhood gather t'eat, if y'reckon you'd rather celebrate here."

[12:04 AM] Seirixori: "I would love to. I can talk to Takara after." Seir grips Gunnloda's hand tightly, "Thank you, *mo cuishle*."

[12:05 AM] DM: She presses a kiss to Seir's hand.

[12:11 AM] Seirixori: "Can you ask if Ryleigh would like to come... without the armor, maybe?"

[12:13 AM] DM: "Of course." She sends a message to Ryleigh, explaining where they are and what's happening and asks if she'd like to join them... non-threateningly.

[12:21 AM] DM: So Seir and Arkrus play and Bliss and Gunnloda chat and Valris spreads the word and neighbors start showing up, coming in bit by bit to say hi and grab some food, but they go back outside because the house can't fit very many people. In time, the family goes outside too and there are probably 20 people chatting, laughing. Someone pulls out an old, beat up  drum and starts playing. Probably a good half or more of the people are tieflings, but there's a smattering of others, too... a couple half-orcs, a dragonborn, some sort of humanoid that looks almost feline, and a single human.

[12:24 AM] DM: Ry shows up in regular clothes, and though she does get some wary looks, the others slowly relax once Seir comes over and takes her hand. They mingle a bit and everyone shares the food and Valris starts loudly talking about how it's Seir's birthday and they sing to her and it's really late at night before it starts to die down and everyone trickles back home to sleep.

## Ryleigh's Investigations

7:35 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh walks out of the Boar and the Fey. She takes a moment to collect herself once the door shuts behind her. Then she heads off down the street towards Whispers.

[7:37 PM] DM: She heads to a different part of town, following the instructions she'd been given until she spots the signs she's seeking. In time, she finds a door in an alley, a back door to a tavern.

[7:39 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: She knocks.

[7:39 PM] DM: A big guy in an apron, kind of young, opens the door with a grunt. "Entry's 'round the front."

[7:43 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh smiles at the man, tilting her head that she heard him, then she shows the man something etched on her shield.

[7:46 PM] DM: He glances around, then walks back inside, letting Ryleigh slip inside behind him. He moves to the back of the kitchens and pulls a key from a ring with several others and unlocks a door, then opens it for her.

[7:46 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: She thanks him and enters.

[7:48 PM] DM: There is a stairway immediately on the other side of the door and as Ryleigh steps inside, the door shuts and locks behind her.

[7:49 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh continues down the stairs.

[7:51 PM] DM: At the bottom, a half-orc woman is standing behind a counter, a crossbow pointed at Ry.

[7:53 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Holding up her hands in a non aggressive way, Ryleigh says with a small smile, "I step in silence - figuratively speaking."

[7:55 PM] DM: She huffs a bit and puts the crossbow down, standing fully behind the counter. "Don't recognize you. Where ya from?"

[8:00 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "I'm based out of Riverrun," Ryleigh supplies, walking closer and leaning against the counter. "I'm here for the evening, just traveling to Ashetin, then possibly further south."

[8:05 PM] DM: "So what are you looking for?"

[8:08 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "I'm investigating the recent disappearances south of here. I thought I'd start in Ashetin since it was closest. Have you guys had any incidents here?"

[8:10 PM] DM: "Lots of people disappear all the time."

[8:12 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh frowns, her brows furrowing. "Yeah... I know. Let me specify... I'm looking into the disappearances of people who resemble the Moonborn," she says.

[8:16 PM] DM: "Didn't think Riverrun was interested. Told them, asked about if they'd had anything pop up north, they took a list of names and waved us off. Never expected them to send someone down."

[8:21 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "I wasn't sent, I volunteered once I heard what was happening," Ryleigh admits. "We haven't had any instances there and I intend to keep it that way. I'm from Ascus and... while I didn't believe in the Moonborn's prophesied nonsense, I have a problem with innocent people going missing just because they resemble Vyon's dead prince."

[8:25 PM] DM: "Well, the answer is no, not in Kinetas. Other than Ashetin, closest we've had suspicions is Arolis. But there's not much to go on for any of it. Not entirely sure there's even a responsible party."

[8:34 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh sighs out, "I see," like she was hoping for better news. "I'm going to find out who's responsible... and I'm going to bring them to justice," she says with conviction.

[8:44 PM] DM: "Uh-huh."

[8:50 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "What? You don't think I can?" Ryleigh asks with a bit of heat to her voice.

[8:55 PM] DM: The woman kind of smirks around her tusks. "Look, kid, you're what? 18? 19? Sometimes wanting to fix shit isn't enough. You wanna go out and pound your head against a wall, all you're gonna get is a headache. You wanna go look at some places where bodies turned up and turn over rocks til you're blue in the face, you go ahead and do that. But chances are, you're chasin' geese."

[8:59 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Her eyes narrow slightly. "What makes you say that? There's someone, or someones, behind this."

[9:03 PM] DM: "Sure. They're not offing themselves, but look at this. You've got a list of what, maybe a dozen people across the whole damn south of Omphalos. You've got half of them just missing. They might be visiting grandma. The other half? You got that kid Sefu in Ashetin. Stabbed in his house. The three down in Arolis? A family bludgeoned. Burrafirth? Hanged. There's no consistency in it at all." She sighs and leans forward. "Think like an assassin, even if you can't step like one. Would you want your victims to be found?"

[9:07 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "No," Ryleigh says, her mouth pulling into a thin line. "Leaving bodies behind tells a story and gets you caught."

[9:11 PM] DM: "Unless you want to tell a story. So what do we do with that? We got a bunch of people probably murdered by fuckin' local assholes. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but solving local murders a week after they've happened when they've already cleaned up the mess is practically impossible and not our job."

[9:15 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "So it's likely the murders we know about are just... hate crimes," Ryleigh says softly, rubbing at her forehead.

[9:20 PM] DM: She raises her hand in agreement. "You said you're from Ascus. You probably know better than I do what it's like down there. Closer to the border you get, the more you get sympathizers on this side. People who have family on both sides. Fuckin' Reunifiers of the big R and little r variety. Get a little Moonborn rumor mill going and suddenly it's open season. That's my best guess, anyway."

[9:24 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "So maybe its Reunifiers who's behind the disappearances... they're almost harder to find than we are."

[9:26 PM] DM: "Maybe. But good luck finding them or any evidence without pretty much catching them in the act, and we don't have the resources to put a Whisper on every black half-elf south of Isolone."

[9:30 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "I'd hate to dangle someone in front of them as bait... but that may be my only option." Ryleigh runs her hand through her hair. "Thank you for earlier, sometimes I get short sighted... especially when it comes to this."

[9:34 PM] DM: "Idealism serves a purpose. It'll be tempered by experience sooner or later, but don't forget why you're here. Keep a spark of it."

[9:37 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh nods and answers with, "I will..." then after a few moments she asks, "Is upstairs a inn?"

[9:38 PM] DM: "No, but there's a couple beds in the back if you need a spot."

[9:39 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "I'd appreciate it, if it's not too much of an inconvenience."

[9:43 PM] DM: She shows her where, and that's when she gets Gunnloda's message.

## Seiryleigh at the party

5:57 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh sighs a little at the looks she's getting from the people around her. It takes a moment for her to spot Seirixori in the crowd of tieflings. She's chatting animatedly with the red man from the inn. Ryleigh taps her on the shoulder.

[6:10 PM] Seirixori: "Ryleigh!" Seir yells with a large grin and grabs her hand, tugging her forward. "Valris, this my *not* a guard friend!" She pulls Ryleigh into her, giving her a tight side hug.

[6:12 PM] DM: Valris looks very confused about why she'd say that. "Well 'course she's not a guard. She's got no armor. She is human though... but if she's your friend, I guess that's ok. K's my friend and she's human too!"

[6:17 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Hugging Seir back, Ryleigh smiles at the introduction and the man's words. "I'm not in armor now," Ryleigh says, she sticks out her hand in greeting. "I'm not so terrible for a human - promise."

[6:18 PM] DM: He tilts his head towards Seir. "That's what a human who wants you to think they're ok would say..." But he says it in his normal voice, then high fives Ry's hand anyway.

[6:22 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs, "They would." She waves to Valris as she pulls Ryleigh away to an area that gives the illusion of a little bit of privacy. "You came."

[6:31 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "Of course I came, I wouldn't miss your birthday bash... not after... everything."

[6:41 PM] Seirixori: "You know I don't blame you for us doing this, right?" Seir steps into Ryleigh's space, taking both hands in her own. "I'm... really glad we came here. I forgot how... how it used to be."

[6:48 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "You look happy, that's what's important," Ryleigh says, giving Seir a soft smile. "You mean, you've forgotten what it's like to be around people like you?" Her smile grows wider.

[7:06 PM] Seirixori: "Yes." Seir says serious, smiling immediately after. "But also just... this," she waves her hands to the group enjoying the impromptu party. "This is what it was like. Sort of. I was the only child in a group of adults but... it was simple."

[7:13 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "I don't believe you ever lived the simple life," Ryleigh chuckles out. "But I know what you mean." She looks around at everyone having fun, her eyes land on the red tiefling man and his family, she has a smile on her face, but it's a little sad. "When you have so little to celebrate it's always special when you finally do."

[7:14 PM] Seirixori: Seir nods and tilts her head, her gaze not leaving Ryleigh. "Are you ok? I know earlier was... not great."

[7:19 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh's brows furrow momentarily. "I understand his reaction, probably better than most people," she says it like that answers Seir's question.

[7:24 PM] Seirixori: "That's not what I asked."

[7:27 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: A sigh leaves Ryleigh's lips. "I'm okay," she answers, her eyes glancing away from Seirixori's. "It hurt, but that's only because I like being judged by appearance as much as you do. Except it doesn't matter what people's perceptions of me are."

[7:34 PM] Seirixori: "It does matter, for a lot of reasons." She says, turning Ryleigh's head just slightly so her eyes focus back on Seir. "But mostly because it matters to me, and that's the most important part," she teases.

[7:39 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: Ryleigh leans in and presses her forehead to Seir's. "You're right, that is the most important part, but I've already won you over," she chuckles a bit.

[7:42 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "Listen, homashoc, I need you to promise me something."

[7:44 PM] Seirixori: "Ok?"

[7:49 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "The further south we go the worse things are going to be for you. And I..." Ryleigh almost chokes on her words "...you're so important to me and we're going to Ascus. It's danger- more dangerous for you there. I need you to promise me that you'll put yourself first, if you need to transform and run then do it, but please...  don't let them take you, don't give them a reason to hurt you... because they'll show you no mercy."

[7:56 PM] Seirixori: Seir's quiet, just looking at Ryleigh. After a few moments she nods, "I promise. But you'll take care of Gunnloda if I have to run?" She then adds, "I was going to ask if we should even bother with Ashetin... but I know going farther south isn't going to be good."

[7:59 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "You know I won't let anything happen to Gunnloda if you're not around," Ryleigh says.

[8:05 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "We aren't going to Ashetin... with a little help, someone made me realize that most of the murders happening are likely just hate crimes against anyone who looks remotely dark skinned. Our next big stop will be Castin, it's the southern most city in Vyon."

[8:14 PM] Seirixori: "But was it only brought up and made a big deal because it was suddenly elves?" Seir frowns and shakes her head, "Sorry." She sighs, "Do I need to be something else when we leave here or just when we get to town?"

[8:36 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "You do understand that we're only here because I'm personally interested, don't you? The murders and disappearances of non-humans happen all the time in Ascus and most people barely bat an eye." There's a level of heat behind Ryleigh's explanation. "The only reason why anyone else cares this time is because it's tied to the Moonborn..."

[8:40 PM] Seirixori: She nods, "I do. I'm sorry I was just... venting I guess."

[8:47 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "You don't have to be sorry, *homashoc*." Ryleigh rubs her thumb over the back of Seir's hand. "You should be okay as long as we're in Vyon. It's when we reach Ascus that I need you to be careful. That doesn't mean you have to shift, or be someone else."

[8:50 PM] Seirixori: She laughs, "No, but I think I might have to make Brimeia or Urrak something else. You know both of them will try to fight."

[8:52 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "I know," Ryleigh answers with a small smile, "but my heart will mend if they die."

[9:06 PM] Seirixori: Seir snorts as she shakes her head and jokes, "Harsh." She hugs Ryleigh, "Thank you."

[9:13 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: As Ryleigh hugs Seir, she sings a familiar song, the one she uses to spot auras, but this time it's different. She sings loud enough for Seir to hear the words, and there is something woven into the song that is uniquely Seir. "Happy Birthday, *homashoc*," Ryleigh says at the end.

[9:27 PM] Seirixori: Seir's eyes water a little hugging Ryleigh tighter, "Love you, *na'auiy*."

[10:38 PM] Ryleigh Alastair: "*A ra'r iya a'*," Ryleigh says softly.

## Takara's Temple

[12:57 AM] Seirixori: Seir heads towards the temple with Gunnloda once the party ends. She's been teary-eyed and smiling the whole time. "I didn't realize how much I missed all of that."

[12:59 AM] DM: Gunnloda bumps her with her shoulder as they walk. "Y'looked so happy, I thought y'might like t'stay a bit."

[1:08 AM] Seirixori: "It was the best birthday I've had in years." They walk a few more minutes before she speaks again, "I feel like I have this habit of bringing up things you might not want to talk about right after some really good things." Seir chuckles, "But, well... do you know what happened?"

[1:11 AM] DM: She raises an eyebrow. "With the party?"

[1:11 AM] Seirixori: "Before that. With the stone and your eyes."

[1:12 AM] DM: She just looks confused.

[1:13 AM] Seirixori: Seir tilts her head and hums in thought, "What were you thinking? When Arkrus asked about my horn?"

[1:17 AM] DM: "I... guess I was just wonderin' what you'd say. Not worried, exactly, because you're... well you're quite good with kids... maybe worried how it might affect you. Then with what he said... it just hurt m'heart."

[1:38 AM] Seirixori: "I am?" Seir asks but shakes her head, focusing on the main point. "Your eyes turned black and the stone... you'd shaped it into a goat that also had Valris' horns."

[11:22 AM] DM: She sort of tilts her head in the affirmative with a small smile at first, but it falls away as Seir continues, turning to confusion then a thoughtful expression as she tries to recall. "I... don't know. I wasn't tryin' to. He was just... talkin' about the goats like his family." She looks around and picks up a stone from the ground. She puts it between her hands and focuses, tries saying a prayer,but when she opens her hands again, it's still just a stone. She looks back up and just sort of shrugs. "I don't know."

[1:09 PM] Seirixori: "My wife and the accidental goddess magic." Seir shakes her head and kind of laughs. "It sounds like it might be tied to your emotions."

[1:16 PM] DM: She thinks about that for a while as they continue to walk. "I don't think I've ever done it outside of fightin'.... have I?"

[1:42 PM] Seirixori: "Not that I've seen. Unless you count Cidro? That was right after and I... I honestly don't know what you did there. Was that a spell or just a thing you can do anyway?"

[1:58 PM] DM: She shakes her head. "It was a healing spell."

[1:59 PM] DM: "Sometimes... people look dead, but if you're fast enough, you can heal the body before the soul leaves."

[2:05 PM] Seirixori: Seir nods and grins, "You're kind of the only one I've helped with that, and I didn't exactly pay that much attention when they taught me some things."

[2:20 PM] DM: She squeezes Seir's hand. "I'm glad y'tried."

[2:43 PM] Seirixori: "Me too." Seir stops walking, tugging Gunnloda towards her as she kneels. "You know, had we not already been married, I think I would have asked you to tonight."

[2:44 PM] DM: She chuckles and puts her arms over Seir's shoulders. "Is that so?"

[2:54 PM] Seirixori: "Mhmm." Seir leans in close so that their noses are touching, "It surprises me sometimes that it's possible to fall even more in love with you as time goes by."

[3:02 PM] DM: She smiles and tilts her head up just enough that their lips meet in a long kiss. "'m glad y'had fun, even if y'couldn't have the family y'wanted."

[3:36 PM] Seirixori: "It was what I needed though." Seir kisses her again. "Ok, quick stop to talk to Takara and then back to our room."

[3:42 PM] DM: Once the temple's in sight, Gunnloda gives her another kiss and says she'll wait there for her. The temple itself is dimly lit from everywhere and nowhere with potted plants and garlands of leaves and flowers and fruits and vegetables draped over the surfaces and dangling between columns and under windows. It's largely open, with huge sections of what would be wall that are just columns instead, allowing the fresh air and weather to flow through. The columns are shaped like tree trunks. There are no other people visible within.

[3:46 PM] Seirixori: "This is really nice," Seir says as she steps into the middle of the room. "Is it weird that your temples are the only one's I've been to?"

[3:50 PM] DM: "Not as weird as the fact that this is the first time you have since you realized who I was," she laughs. She's sitting on a window ledge in her halfling form.

[3:55 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs too, "Yes, well, it's nice that I don't need to." She finds somewhere to sit down. "Hi."

[3:59 PM] DM: "Hi. It's late. I hope that means you were having a happy birthday and not that you're in trouble."

[4:05 PM] Seirixori: Seir shakes her head with a grin, "I'm not always in trouble." She looks out towards where she left Gunnloda, "I originally wanted to come here because I wanted to be in Ardabeh today. And I wanted something to... to feel..." She shrugs, "I miss her and I can't- I can't talk to her here."

[4:07 PM] Seirixori: "I miss them both." Seir's smile doesn't fade, "But Gunnloda and I we found- I helped someone get home and we celebrated with all of them and it was... it was kind of like before and it made me forget, for a little while, about everything else going on."

[4:13 PM] DM: Takara smiles. "I'm happy to stand in for them, if you'd like me to. We're like family, after all."

[4:30 PM] Seirixori: "I would like that." Seir looks a bit sheepish as she asks, "Did um... did she say anything?"

[4:43 PM] DM: One moment, the halfling's sitting in the window. The next, her more human-like form is sitting next to Seir and her hand is softly resting on Seir's arm. "I wish I could tell you that she asked me to wish you a good year... but I think you know more than you realize about her. You know she's not as... in touch with people as I am. She's far less connected to the material plane. I'm not sure she recognizes the passage of time and, honestly, I'm not sure she'd know many of you celebrate birthdays, let alone which is yours. I can tell you that she cares for you in her way, but her way is not yours and I don't want you to be disappointed by an image you've built up in your mind now that you know where you've come from."

[4:56 PM] Seirixori: She nods, leaning into Takara's touch, "I know." She sighs, "Did she say anything when you told her I have a wife?" Seir chuckles, "I told her once I had three arms and she just nodded."

[5:06 PM] DM: Takara laughs softly. "That does not surprise me. I told her about your life here- a wife, friends who stand by you- and she was happy to hear that you are doing well..." She trails off and the remainder of her statement hangs in the air, unsaid.

[5:15 PM] Seirixori: "But?"

[5:17 PM] DM: "I believe she expects you to return, regardless of any life you may build outside of Ardabeh."

[5:20 PM] Seirixori: "I will... but you don't mean for just a few weeks, do you?"

[5:28 PM] DM: She thinks for a moment. "I may not be explaining clearly enough to your understanding. As I said, she has little to no concept of time. It's not a desire for you to return, but the knowledge or belief that you will. She has a purpose in mind for you and while she is happy that you are happy, it has no impact on that ultimate purpose."

[5:41 PM] Seirixori: "Mmm. Okay."

[5:45 PM] Seirixori: "Do you know what happens to gods when they die?"

[5:50 PM] DM: She speaks softly. "No. I don't think anyone knows. I know there's a difference in whether they are killed or if they fade, just based on the impact on the Material Plane, but I don't know what the experience is like after, or if there even is one."

[5:52 PM] Seirixori: "That sucks," Seir whispers. After a few more minutes she starts to stand, "I don't want to keep Gunnloda waiting, but... thank you. For kind of being my third mom." She laughs and gives Takara a hug.

[6:00 PM] DM: She wraps Seir up in a warm hug. When she pulls away, she nudges Seir's chin up so she can make eye contact. "Take comfort when you can. Seek happiness. Make good choices." She smiles softly and leans in to press a kiss to Seir's forehead. "Happy birthday."

Then she's gone.

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