Session0030

Episode 0030 - Why Do People Lie?
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**Setting:**

Taruki Jungle - Nakuloko Island - May 10th-12th, 211 AW
**Synopsis:**

* The party travels from Inika Village through the Taruki Jungle towards Lake Ryne. Along the way way, they experiment with magic pixie mushrooms, and meet a curious brigganock hunting bugs.
* Rowing across Lake Ryne, the party arrives at Nakuloko Island, where they bare attacked by swamp creatures.
* After defeating the swamp creatures, the party searches for Passeri, eventually finding him at a small hut concealed by powerful illusion magic.
* Louche recognizes that Passeri looks completely different - like an entirely different satyr - but he still recognizes Louche, and invites the party inside.
* The party speaks with Passeri, who they find to be extremely erratic and mentally unstable. Nonetheless, they are able to learn some information about Louche's past and the Psalm of Assimilation.
* The conversation with Passeri sparks a memory from Louche's past, and afterwards, he remembers how to play the Psalm of Assimilation.
* Passeri explains to the party that he was banished from the Feywild many centuries ago after proposing marriage to the princess of Spring, Primrose. He asks them to go to the Feywild on his behalf using a nearby crossing and convince the Queen of Spring to allow his return. In exchange, Passeri says that he will give Louche his book of psalms.
* The party visits the Feywild crossing, and discusses whether or not to go in, arriving at an impasse wherein several members of the party are resolute on going, and others refuse to do so.
* In the process, the party discovers that Passeri placed enchantment magic on certain party members to try to compel them to comply with his request.

## May 10th

At the Boneyard Boozer in Inika Village, the party speaks with Pearl and requests to use the village's fishing boat to get to Lake Ryne and Nakuloko Island. Pearl is resistant to the idea, saying that the village needs the boat, and also insisting that if the party goes to Nakuloko Island they will never return. However, Silvertooth Bradley overhears the conversation and instructs Pearl to give the party what they need. He also instructs two of his underlings, Henry Fishlips and Danny Two-Fingers to accompany them and help man the boat.

Looking at a map of the nearby region, the party plots a course to travel along the coast of Shipswallow Bay to the mouth of the Nabalu River. Henry Fishlips and Danny Two-Fingers explain that they can't take them any further than that, due to the hostile lizardfolk natives that reside in a village near Lake Ryne. They also emphasize that no one who goes to Nakuloko Island returns alive, and they make a bet with Malkoth that they will never see him again.

After making their preparations, the party begins their voyage along the coast of Shipswallow Bay toward the mouth of the Nabalu River.

During the day's travel, the party asks Henry Fishlips and Danny Two-Fingers about the fabled perils of Nakuloko Island. Both of them agree that no one who goes to the island returns alive, but they disagree on the specifics of the dangers there. Henry Fishlips claims that the island is home to perilous dinosaurs, while Danny Two-Fingers says that mind-altering mushrooms grow on the island. Louche also explains that he heard similarly disparate accounts from the people that he asked about Nakuloko Island in Ntambu.

Frog and Malkoth eat some of the magic mushrooms that they got from Stormy Twistyblue near Death Cap Temple. As a result, Frog temporarily gains the ability to speak and understand all languages, and Malkoth gains the ability to speak with plants.

Malkoth also takes a small amount of Material Chaos as a drug, which results in him conjuring a *major image* that he can control. He uses this major image to make a few different images, including an image of XV. When the image of XV appears, XVIII approaches and says that they are ready to leave, and offers XV a *warp whistle* they had purchased in Mycorrhiza.

Later, Jack receives a *sending* message from Binti Redroot through the teletalker he was given by the Free Arcanists Lodge. Binti says that the Lodge has some ideas about what goals the Inquisitors might be pursuing, and asks Jack when and where they can meet to discuss. Jack says that he will be in Mimrinoth in the coming weeks, and Binti agrees to meet him there.

In the early afternoon, the party arrives at the mouth of the Nabalu River. Henry Fishlips and Danny Two-Fingers drop the party off, and return toward Inika Village in the fishing boat, leaving the party with a pair of rowboats to take them to Nakuloko Island.

Malkoth, still under the effect of the magic mushroom, speaks with the plants on the coastline at the jungle's edge. They confirm that there are lizardfolk that live in the jungle, as warned by the Psathyrella Circle. Gragnok uses his *primeval awareness* to search for nearby humanoids, and detects a small group of humanoids in the nearby jungle.

The party begins traveling through the jungle toward Lake Ryne. Gragnok leads the way, following a trail through the jungle, claiming that he is keeping the party clear of humanoids in the jungle, but actually leading them directly toward the humanoids that he detects with his *primeval awareness*. Over the course of the evening, the he detects a larger group of humanoids - presumably the nearby village that they were warned about by the Psathyrella Circle - in the distance.

The party makes camp near the trail that they followed throughout the day. Gragnok sets a magical *alarm* around the campsite for the night.

During his evening watch, Gragnok hears something moving in the nearby forest. He attempts to find the source of the movement, but is unable to track it down. Using his *primeval awareness*, he detects a single humanoid in the jungle somewhere nearby, but he abandons the search and returns to the camp.

On the following watch, Odell and Patches spot a tiny humanoid creature riding on the back of a stag beetle in the nearby woods. Jack is familiar with this type of creature, explaining that they are fey troublemakers, and warning the others not to interact with it. Nonetheless, when the creature approaches the campsite, Odell and Patches speak with it. Gragnok, awoken by his *alarm* spell, also joins the conversation. The creature identifies itself as Brigganock, and reveals that it has a magical ability to manipulate time. Gragnok asks the creature to teach him this ability. Brigganock says that it has never tried to teach anyone before, but agrees to do so if Gragnok brings it 100 dragonflies. Gragnok agrees, and stays awake for the remainder of the night, searching for and collecting dragonflies at the nearby riverbank. Brigganock agrees to stay nearby and follow the party while Gragnok hunts dragonflies.

On the final watch, Rye and XVIII discuss XVIII's respect for dead bodies. Citing this respect, Rye gives XVIII documents detailing what he wants done with his body after his death, and entrusts XVIII with the care of his body. Rye also asks XVIII if they are planning on leaving, referencing the earlier encounter with Malkoth's illusory XV. XVIII says that they do plan to return with XV to Dr. Johann Conrad Dippel when XV arrives. Rye asks if the party will be able to join them, but XVIII says that decision will be up to XV and Dr. Dippel.

XVIII and Rye also discuss dishonesty, and the motivations that cause people to lie. XVIII explains that they are conflicted about whether or not to return to Dr. Johann Conrad Dippel's old keep, due to the mixed messages they have received from XV.

During the night, Patches shapeshifts, becoming a yuan-ti.

## May 11th

In the morning, the party discovers that Gragnok is missing, and Odell explains that he is still hunting dragonflies on behalf of Brigganock. The party breaks down their camp and prepares for the day's journey. Jack recognizes that the trail that they traveled the previous day is a heavily-used hunting trail, and leads the party to the banks of the Nabalu River to travel on the riverside for the day, to avoid run-ins with the lizardfolk natives, and so that Gragnok can continue hunting dragonflies as they travel.

Odell sends a *paper bird* to Nuraval Silverstone, requesting that he try to procure a magical trinket to alert a person when they hear a lie.

The party follows the Nabalu River for the morning's travel, eventually arriving near the coast of Lake Ryne. As they approach the lakeside, Jack spots a lizardfolk scout hiding in the nearby treeline. Jack convinces the lizardfolk that the party means no harm, and explains that they are headed to Nakuloko Island. The lizardfolk warns the party of the perils of Nakuloko Island, before sending them on their way.

Near the lakeside, Gragnok catches his 100th dragonfly. Brigganock, who has been following the party throughout the morning, approaches, and Gragnok gives him the dragonflies in a large net. In an effort to teach Gragnok how to manipulate time, Brigganock demonstrates his own ability to do so, fashioning a a harness and reins for the dragonflies and creating a flying vessel in a blur of speed that takes only a few seconds. After demonstrating its ability to manipulate time in this way, Brigganock says that it doesn't know how to teach this ability other than to simply demonstrate it. He tells Gragnok that he should go to the Feywild and speak with the Queen of Spring, Ostara, who may be able to help him. When asked, Brigganock says that there is a crossing to the Feywild on Nakuloko Island. As a token of their meeting, Brigganock gives Gragnok his whip.

At the lakeside, the party makes a small camp to leave their mounts and equipment in safety while they traverse the lake to Nakuloko Island. Buttonsworth and Lo agree to remain behind with the mounts and equipment while the others proceed to the island. Rye speculates that the party might have to go to the Feywild, and warns the party that sometimes traversing into the Feywild can cause oddities in the passage of time; for example, individuals who spend days in the Feywild sometimes exit to discover that years or only minutes have transpired in the Material. Buttonsworth and Lo agree that if the party has not returned in five days, they will return to Inika Village and ask for help.

Using their rowboats borrowed from the Psathyrella Circle, the party begins rowing across Lake Ryne towards Nakuloko Island. Along the way, XVIII spots the shadow of a large snake-like creature moving in the water, but the party manages to avoid it.

By the late afternoon, the party arrives at Nakuloko Island. As they approach the edge of the island, they are attacked by colossal toad-like monsters, and corrosive swamp oozes, which they manage to defeat.

Beginning to explore the island, the party finds a man-made path that leads toward the center of the island, and Jack identifies a single set of recent satyr footprints. Meanwhile, Malkoth finds that the island foliage is rife with edible plant life, including many different fruits and mushrooms. He collects samples of many of the fruits, and eats a few of them. Frog and Pepper also eat some of the fruit as well.

The party begins following the path with the satyr footprints in search of Passeri. As they traverse the island, Frog begins to suffer vivid hallucinations, wherein Daimao appears and incinerates Buttonsworth and Porcini. Using his *secret specs* to grant Frog truesight, Rye helps Frog realize that these hallucinations are illusory, and the party speculates that they were caused by the island's fruit.

Later, while exploring the island, Malkoth receives a magical *sending* message from Immanuel Belder, checking in with him and verifying his wellbeing. Malkoth tells Belder that the party is in the jungle searching for Passeri, and also explains that he has learned how to teleport.

After a short while of following the satyr trail, the party arrives at a clearing within the jungle, containing ancient ruins surrounding the entrance to a large cave. As they approach, a gargantuan green dragon emerges from within the cave, and threatens the party with death if they do not leave. Rye uses his *secret specs* to examine the scene, and discovers that the dragon is illusory. He also discovers that the terrain of the entire clearing is illusory as well, and conceals a small hut. Outside this hut, tilling a small garden, he sees a satyr. At first glance, however, the satyr does not appear to be Passeri. Rye tells the rest of the party that the dragon and terrain are illusory.

Louche calls out for Passeri, and the satyr seems to recognize him, calling him by name. The satyr gestures, and the illusory dragon and terrain disappear, revealing the true scene to the rest of the party.

As the party approaches, the satyr seems incredulous that Louche is still alive, and begins rambling about Louche being lazy, then invites the party inside for tea. Based on his recognition, Louche deduces that the satyr is in fact Passeri, despite his different appearance. As the party follows Passeri into his hut, they notice a circle of singing stones outside of his hut, surrounding a statue of a female figure.

Inside his hut, Passeri speaks with the the party, bemoaning the constant trouble he gets from adventuring types, and rambling about his past with Louche and Israphel. During their conversation, he repeatedly asks different members of the party what it means to love. Louche quickly recognizes that Passeri seems even more mentally unstable and scatterbrained than he was in their mutual past.

Passeri asks Louche how he is still alive, and Louche explains that he died and became a devil for centuries, after which he came back to mortal life using a wish from a genie - a gift that was given to him by Mahadi. He asks Passeri how he is still alive as well, and why he looks different. Passeri becomes defensive and and rambles a vague response, saying that in order to avoid dying on the Material Plane, he has used the Psalm of Assimilation. He avoids the specifics of the process, but insinuates that he has been many different people over the centuries, and that the process has affected his memories.

When asked why he came to see Passeri, Louche says that he has amnesia, and that he was hoping their meeting would spark some of his lost memories. He also says that he was hoping to remember how to play some of Passeri's psalms. Passeri complains about everyone wanting access to his psalms, repeatedly stating that he just wants to be left alone and is tired of being bothered about his psalms - particularly his masterpiece, the Psalm of Assimilation. He reveals that someone named Titivilus - a devil whose name Louche recognizes - came asking about the Psalm of Assimilation shortly after the Gods' War, almost a thousand years ago. In order to avoid being continually bothered about his psalms, Passeri says that he destroyed the book that contained them, though he still has them memorized.

Louche asks Passeri about Syntithenai, but Passeri says he doesn't want to talk about it, complaining about being bothered to get involved in the Gods' War.

When Louche asks if there's anything that the party can help Passeri with, he asks for their help in getting him back to his home in the Feywild. He explains that he was banished from the Feywild by the Queen of Spring, Ostara, after he proposed marriage to the princess of Spring, Primrose. According the Passeri, Queen Ostara banished him 1,800 years ago, saying that he could not return to the Feywild until he learned what it really meant to love. He asks the party to go to the Feywild and convince Queen Ostara to lift his curse and allow him back into the Feywild. If they are successful, he promises to remake his book of psalms - including the Psalm of Assimilation - for Louche.

Louche asks how the Psalm of Assimilation works. Passeri refuses to answer, but their conversation sparks one of Louche's memory visions. He recalls being in Avallon working in Passeri's tutelage, and sneaking a look at the Psalm of Assimilation while Passeri was away. In the vision, Passeri discovers that Louche has looked at the Psalm of Assimilation, and warns him to never play it. When the vision ends, back in the present day, Louche remembers how to play the Psalm of Assimilation, and what it does.

Louche asks Passeri who all knows what the Psalm of Assimilation does, and how to play it. Passeri says that no one besides him knows how to play the Psalm or what it does, insisting that not even Louche ever found out. He says that Titivilus asked about the Psalm, but that he never revealed anything about it.

Meanwhile, scanning the room, Odell notes that a wardrobe in Passeri's hut is partially ajar, and that it contains many different satyr outfits of many different sizes.

When asked how to get to the Feywild, Passeri explains that there's a nearby pond that serves as a crossing. The party suggests that instead of convincing Queen Ostara to let Passeri back into the Feywild, they could try to bring Primrose out to him. Passeri is open to the idea, but insists that Ostara would never allow such a thing to happen.

Louche mentions the possibility that traveling to and from the Feywild could cause years to elapse - time which the party cannot afford to lose. Passeri says that Queen Ostara has the power to prevent or alter any time alteration that might take place, if they could convince her to do so.

The party decides to rest for the evening before proceeding into the Feywild. The set up camp outside Passeri's hut, while Louche stays inside with Passeri, and spends the evening playing music with him.

After Passeri goes to sleep, Louche studies the singing stones outside. He doesn't recognize the specific psalm that they're engraved with. He also studies the statue of the female figure at the center of the stones - presumably Primrose.

## May 12th

In the morning, during the day's Zenith, the singing stones outside Passeri's hut play a song that bolsters the party's charisma.

As the party prepares for the day, XVIII receives a message on a *paper bird*.

Before heading to the nearby pond to find the Feywild crossing, Louche privately tells Passeri that he had originally planned to kill him, in order to destroy the Psalm of Assimilation. Passeri is seemingly unperturbed by this revelation, and wishes Louche good luck on his journey.

The party walks to the nearby pond that Passeri said served as a Feywild crossing. Near the pond, the party finds an ancient pedestal, with a message inscribed in Sylvan, which reads:

> Ye who wish to traverse the veil and wander the plane of faerie,
>
>
> Under cloudless sky, exposed as on the day of thy birth,
>
>
>
> Stand within the glimmering waves and speak aloud thy truest love.
>
>

Noting that areas of the pond that are exposed to daylight have a mystical pink glow, the party deduces that they must stand in the pond naked and speak aloud their truest love in order to reach the Feywild. Studying the pedestal, Malkoth and Odell also discover a series of conjuration glyphs and sigils. Malkoth takes note of them, speculating that he could use them to eventually craft a *plane shift* tuning fork.

Louche tells the rest of the party that he learned the Psalm of Assimilation. He explains that Passeri has been using the Psalm of Assimilation to extend his life by merging his soul into other beings. Odell suggests that perhaps Louche himself has been involved in a similar assimilation process, hence his scattered memory.

The party discusses whether they should actually go through the crossing into the Feywild. XVIII, Odell, and Malkoth all insist that it's too risky, particularly given the risk of time dilation, and not knowing what they are going to find on the other side, or if they will have a way back. Frog and Jack agree, insisting that they can't afford the risk of losing years of their time in the Feywild. Louche, however, insists that it is important to him to go, and that he wants to go now, despite others' insistence that they should come back later once Malkoth has developed a *plane shift* tuning fork. Gragnok and Patches similarly say that they would like to proceed through the crossing. The party seemingly arrives at an impasse, where a few members of the party say they are going to the Feywild even if no one else does, and a few others say that they are staying out even if everyone else goes in.

The party decides to return to Passeri and try to learn more about the crossing before proceeding. When they do so, Jack and Odell are both wracked by psychic pain. The party deduces that Passeri used enchantment magic to try to compel the party into doing what he asked. Using restorative magic, they remove the effect.

Arriving back at the hut, the party confronts Passeri about his use of enchantment magic on them. Passeri grows defensive, insisting that the magic will end after they follow through on what he asked them to do.

Louche asks Passeri if the Psalm of Assimilation has haven been used on him, and how he could tell if it had. Passeri assures him that this isn't the case, once again insisting that no one other than himself knows the Psalm. He also says that there is no obvious way that Louche could tell even if he had been, and no way to undo the assimilation anyway.

The party asks Passeri about the specific nature of the Feywild crossing. Passeri says that while he has never been able to use the crossing himself, many adventurers have gone through and come back over the centuries. According to their accounts, the items and clothing left behind at the crossing appear on the other side. In addition, on the other side of the crossing, one must consume magical fruit in order to come back to the Material.