Session 8

**Reinforcements**

The group had just regrouped at Kimari's, planning their evenings before taking a long rest. The decision had been made that they would depart for the Sorvette Tower in the morning, and that they would be bringing Tevin, Kimari's son, with them. Elar and Grey shared a private conversation, in which Elar expressed the need for reinforcements from Telben to deal with the Cycle Disciple problem. He drafted a letter, to be signed either honestly or through a forgery by both Governer Dusek and Jennie, leader of the All Seeing.

While Grey & Elar had their chat, Cecilia departed for a tavern crawl with her mentor and friend, Cree, Evyann continued reading her book, which she finished that evening, and Anodyne headed back to her group in Jennie's encampment. Before Elar and Grey departed on their mission for signatures, Evyann pulled Grey outside, and shared that the Sorvette Tower was expecting a return of all the books she had recovered, including the special one in Abyssal. Evyann said that its important that they don't know she still has it and that she needed to keep it. Though hesitant, Grey agreed to stay quiet about the book in Evyann's posession.

Grey & Elar headed to Governer Dusek's office and explained the need for reinforcements from Telben, he ultimately agreed but was surprised to find the letter Elar wanted him to sign written on his own stationary. He signed the letter but asked them to leave, frustrated by the theft.

In their search for Jennie, Grey and Elar had a tough time locating the encampment where the all seeing were residing. In their search, they came across a somewhat inebriated Cecelia and Cree. The two of them were able to start them heading in the somewhat right direction, Cecilia feeling beholden to assist, being the leader and all. The group then ran in to Anodyne, who was not intoxicated, and was able to get them back to the All Seeing encampment.

Elar & Grey presented the letter to Jennie, asking for her assistance, which she seemed eager to offer. She signed the letter and sent it along with her couriers who would head to Telben and deliver the summons.

**Preparations for Departure**

They explained their plan to head for the Sorvette Tower and to ask the Tower inhabitants to help in the fight against the Disciples. Jennie agreed that it was a good use of resources and offered supplies for their travels. She offered warm clothes for Tevin, tents, bedrolls, fire starters, & rations. She offered Grey a Ring of Warming that would help protect a member of their party against the cold of the surface. She also offered them a way out of Cragsbury through their secret tunnel system.

The group, Elar, Grey, Anodyne, & Cecilia head back to Kimari's for the night. While the others were wandering Cragsbury, Evyann departed into the night, looking for drugs. She does something private and unknown. She locates some younger residents of the town who seem like they may be able to procure some for her. They agree to being able to procure a few different kinds, including a drug called Lotus for 7 gold (?), Evyann offers a down payment of 4 gold and agrees to meet them later in the night for the trade.

When Evyann returned to Kimari's and the group at large was present, they started to settle in for the evening. They pulled out their various books to read, and Grey offered their collection to Anodyne, who chose to read the Geiphulith text. Evyann and Grey named the pseudodragons, Saturn for the blue, and Valais (celestial for light) for the white pseudodragon. Evyann headed back out shortly for the exchange of gold for the drugs she had ordered.

In the morning, Evyann pulled out her maps and charted a course for the Sorvette Tower, through Goldego. They charted a fast course, opting to try and minimize the time they were exposed to the extreme weather conditions of the Wastes. Grey offered Tevin the Ring of Warming. Anodyne joined Grey and Tevin to go over instructions when they entered battle, specifically that he should only fight in dire circumstances, otherwise avoiding battle as much as possible.

**Departure**

The group exited the underground cave system through the All Seeing's secret exit, and found themselves on the surface. Cecilia, suddenly aware of a voice in her head, exclaiming, "Yes, Finally!" realized that Nature's Respite was speaking to her. Grey informed Meledria that they were on the way and would be there in a few days.

Once on the surface, the group was faced with the bitter cold of the Wastes, some of their constitutions tested by the extreme cold. Tevin, holding the ring, was unaffected by the intensity of the cold, and Grey who was more comfortable beneath the open sky pulled down the hood to his cloak and enjoyed the fresh air. Evyann offered Saturn a warm spot in her cloak to reside during the travel, but Valais, when offered the same, seemed content and excited to be out in the sky, doing acrobatics in the air.

Their day of travel went uninterrupted and they made camp using the supplies that Anodyne had with her, and with what Jennie had offered them before departing. Grey finished Champion of Ani that night.

**Parasites**

The next morning, Evyann moved their group along quickly, but Tevin, with young, sharp eyes, noticed an anomaly in the distance, specifically stones laid in an intentional pattern. He relayed this to the group, and they seemed curious about what the stones might be. On their way, the group was attacked by an odd sort of parasitic creature, inhabiting dead bodies that were left beneath the snow. The battle found them adjusting to their new members, Anodyne & Tevin, while covering for the ways Thelephora had been helping in their past battles.

Tevin, despite being told not to fight, landed several attacks against the creatures. Anodyne was able to focus much of the attention on herself, and Grey & Evyann discovered a synergistic use of their spells.

After the battle, in investigating the bodies, they found that they were likely killed by being struck by lightning. Evyann plundered two sets of remains from the bodies.

**The Broken Tower**

They approached the ruins and Tevin was the only one who was able to reference old civilizations that used to exist on the surface, stories that Kimari had told him about the land in ancient times. Grey having lived in the Sorvette Tower, which he knew to be 7 centuries old at this point, was able to assess the ruins as being as old as the Sorvette Tower. They leave the ruins, unable to find anything more of note among the wreckage.

**Goldego**

Evyann moves them along towards Goldego, and they make it there for the night. Evyann is met with children who are excited to see the travelling cartographer, and she shows off Saturn to them. They meet Goldego, leader of the settlement, and Evyann notes that broken tower they found on their way.

Goldego, noting Evyann's companions, tells of a gathering of the surface dwelling communities in two days time, called by some other community. Goldego, noting a religious symbol on Anodyne's person invites Anodyne to a shrine dedicated to Procyon, the deity that this community worships. Anodyne agrees to go and prays at Procyon's shrine.

Evyann, familiar with the town heads to a man named Orson who she trades with and would be the most likely to have supplies related to alchemy. Orson seems to have a Mortar & Pestle that Evyann can use, and she procures the items. Evyann shared with Orson the conflict in Thrmia and what was going on in Cragsbury.

Elar, Grey, Cecilia, & Tevin, settled in to a tent set up that they could sleep in. Anodyne and Evyann return. Anodyne reads Rumrunner's Diary and begins brewing a special concoction, while Grey & Evyann sit side by side reading How to Train your Pseudodragon.