A Haunting Family Tale - 8/24/2019

Lilli giggles and nods, 'SITARA!!!!' Hidden behind the door Meattus shakes his head slowly, and pushes Sitara further out of sight, waving to Flayer and Dekin. Sitara rushes to hide the creatures that may be misunderstood. Meattus walks up beside Lilli, gently patting her on the head before pushing her back inside the house. Lilli scowls at the gesture.

Meattus: Sitara? Why are you wishing to see her?

The troops place their hand on their swords. The scent of ozone starts to collect around the senses and if one looked closely, they would see that Meattus' hair starts to stand on end with their reaction.

Seeing the obvious tension, a man with peppered hair, and the appearance of a holy fighter walks up and announces, 'Greetings, please, I want to talk. I need to see Sitara. I am Prince Olin.'

Sitara, recognizing the Prince, quickly walks up and places her hand on Meattus' shoulder. 'I'm not sure that we have met.'

Prince: We have not, I knew your sister. I desperately need your help. I have made some terrible mistakes.

Meattus looks to Sitara: You have..had a sister?

Sitara sighs and looks slightly distraught at this news, 'Yes, I had a sister.' Before she could continue, the Prince speaks, 'Your sister, she tried to save the kingdom.' Sitara blinks, in near disbelief, 'I knew it, I knew it was not her fault.'

Prince: So, she tried. As you are aware, my people are in exile. Salazar, he's attempting to persuade the dwarves. He's nearly out of funds, and now is trying to be legitimized in order to gain finances from them. My sister and I were on our way on a diplomatic mission to attempt to halt this progress, when we were attacked in the briar patch.

Sitara: So what is it that you need my help with?

Prince: As I mentioned, we were attacked in the briar patch. These strange creatures attacked us in the night, they looked like feral briar elves.

Lilli arches with irritation at the mention of feral wood elves. She hisses, 'Like the ones from the Wolfenoot. The Pale Lord (Acheron, King of Sorrow, Fey Lord of Pleasure and Pain) from the Mourning Palace.' She shakes her head, and mumbles, 'No, no, no, no. We have a dragon to find. Right? We need to go there.'

Sitara and Meattus look to each other in confusion with the sudden urgency and worry in Lilli's voice.

Sitara looks to Lilli, 'What do you know? And why are you so upset?'

Lilli explains that briar elves tell their children that they will send them to the Mourning Palace if they're bad, and that on dares children will go sleep in its shadows. It's a place of evil, one where elves go against the ways they are taught, they embrace that darkness.

Sitara shakes her head, concerned with what Lilli is saying. She looks to the Prince, 'If you worked against my sister, why should I trust you?'

Prince: I helped destroy my kingdom Sitara. My mother is held hostage, and my sister is now captured. I am at your mercy, and so is the kingdom.

Meattus: So if we do decide to help you, what aid will we have?

Prince: Me.

Meattus: Do you have a plan? Or are we winging it?

Prince: Well? Flying is all I do lately.

Vulvia: Hey, are you all even going to acknowledge me? I can escort him where he needs to go though...if you care.

Prince: Escort me? I believe we all should go find my sister.

Sitara: Okay, let's all go to the briar patch.

Lilli whimpers loudly and pulls Isis close.

The group continues chatting, discussing what needs to occur, as their plans to head to Polanthas will be delayed. Lilli is adamant that Sitara must be the one to tell Lorthen they'll need to delay their trip. The group moves to The Old One's Shack while Lilli stays behind to let their friends out of their hiding locations.

Meattus and Sitara explain the situation to Lorthen. He questions being so open regarding the issues with the dragons, then grudgingly tells them that he'll assist. He will open a portal to the briar patch, but he is unable to get them back. There is another option though. At that moment, Lilli arrives and stomps up to Meattus shoving a backpack in his direction. 'Your. Bird.,' she mumbles. Lorthen continues to explain that there is a Wizard Tower, the Emerald Tower. The wizard of that tower is named Ambrose the wizened. The issue is that he is not accepting students (Sitara noticed Lorthen saying this with his intent on Lilli. She though was looking after Isis who was playing with a floating ball of yarn. He continues to explain that the Clutch will not find the tower, but the tower will find the Clutch. Lorthen reaches up and gives Lilli the magical ball of yarn. She squeals with delight and continues playing with Isis. He whispers, 'I hope you're not taking certain things with you.' Lilli scowls, 'Well, of course I am! It comes with me wherever I go! Thank you for the yarn!!' She smiles quickly and skips off. Lorthen shakes his head then asks the rest of the group if they need any additional supplies. Meattus inquires about a way to train owlbears. Lorthen provides him with a tome "So you've decided to train an owlbear." (After two long rests, Meattus will know how to train Flayer with simple tasks. Eat, halt, come.)

Lorthen then opens a compartment that reveals a secret staircase. The sickly sweet smell of decay, burnt things, and other alluring but foul odors. As the Clutch follows him down, they enter a laboratory filled with various contraptions, colorful and dark liquids, and so much more. In the center is a large archway. Lorthen takes a rethorite crystal and places it into the arch. It starts to swirl and pulse with power. He motions for the group to go through. "Good luck, and maybe I'll see you again."

The Clutch (plus Vulvia and Prince Olin) move through the archway and find themselves in the center of a dense forest, The Briar Patch. The trees are very large, and ominous. The mist swirls and sticks to each person. Lilli appears to be the only one not affected by the environment. She smiles, appearing nearly at home in the woods. "This way,' she yells, "I really want to get this over with!" The group pushes forward, and a few hours into their hike Lilli stops the group and says they should stop for the evening and the clearing they are in is as good as they'll find.

Sitara manages to find some prickly pears, Olin starts a fire. The group settles down for the evening, and sleep starts to overtake each one. During Vulvia's watch she notices two red eyes staring back at her. 'Meattus! Meattus, get up!' She whispers harshly to him. 'Uh, what!?' the large barbarian roars sitting up. 'Look, over there, two eyes!' Meattus immediately sees two cat like figures in the woods with six legs and long tentacles.

Meattus and Sitara wake the others and they stand toward the center of the grove with the fire at their backs. The beasts come into full view. Lilli tries to talk to them, asking what they want, they reply, 'To flay you!' Lilli stomps her foot and yells, 'BAD KITTIES!' The Clutch and displacer beasts engage in battle. The beasts focus their attention on Lilli, and slightly on Sitara - their claws and tentacles solidly hitting them. The Clutch returns the attacks, Lilli growling with frustration as she slices the beast with her dagger, then quickly takes the deformed cat's head in her hands to snap it's neck. The normally joyful monk, gives a howl of grief, tears overtaking and streaking down her face as she feels the warmth of her goddess touch her - proud of her fight and putting the corrupted cat out of its misery. The other beast focuses its attention on Lilli with rage in its eyes. Sitara moves to block the beast's attack with her shield and as she does so touches Lilli, restoring her health. Meattus seeing his Clutch be attack roars in a defiant rage and cleanly slices the final beast's head off. After catching their breath Meattus tries to take a claw from a beast and Lilli yells out in rage, 'NO! They've been released from their corruption, leave them be.' Vulvia winks at Meattus and takes a razor sharp claw. The group discusses the beasts and Lilli explains that they came from the realm of the shadow fey where panthers were warped and corrupted by the energies there.

After breaking and traveling from camp, the Clutch arrives in front of a large gate made from a rare wood. The wood is engraved with various symbols. Lilli recognizes it as the Pale Lord's mark. She whimpers to the group, 'I think I'll stay out here guys...this, this is where they bring the bad kids!' The trees are warped and look to be in agony. While moving closer to inspect a mist swirls revealing faces, and hands. The gates swing open, and a gust of mist blows out from the courtyard. Lilli screams and runs up to Sitara hanging onto her, 'I'm not staying out any more! I'm coming with you!' Sitara pats the young monk on her head and whispers to Prince Olin, 'There is so much evil. This is a terrible place.' Prince Olin nods in agreement. Lilli furrows her brows together, 'I told you guys! Dragons are better!'

Meattus sighs and steps into the courtyard, 'Come on Lilli, let's go.' As the two step into a debris filled room a mist swirls around and howling starts. The two run back to the rest of the group. As they arrive the entire clutch starts to feel fear set in. The presence of the paladins and their strength pushes the fear down. Meattus steps further into the courtyard howling in defiance. The howl clears the blinding mist from the courtyard.

With the mist now clear, several werewolves stand at the ready with hunger in their eyes. The group all stand prepared for battle.

The paladins both call to Eyrn for strength - Sitara smiting a werewolves, setting it on fire, while Olin calls upon their goddess to bless their battle and actions. Meattus roars going into a rage, the scent of ozone hits the air as lightning starts to crackle and jump from his skin. He lands two solid blows. Lilli wields two silvered punching daggers, leaving her normally wielded rethorite dagger and cat staff sheathed, remembering the words that Wolf Lord Mythos told them. The monk manages to push down her fear, and land several strikes. The wolves seem too hungry as their attacks missing the members of the Clutch. Sitara calls upon Eyrn again, cursing the wolves before them. The Clutch all land several blows taking out werewolf after werewolf. When they fall, turning back into the briar elves they once were. Upon the death of the werewolf before her after landing a flurry of blows, Lilli screams, 'You chose this! You!' Where the monk had tears of pain in the previous battle, her eyes are filled with nothing but anger for these enemies. The barbarian roars, feeding off the anger and fury his companions have of this place, and grabs the head of the werewolf before him, decapitating the corrupted beast.