Game 46

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Damian removes his bracers before the nights rest. The next morning, for the first time in a very long time, he had no dreams. As he awakens, he realizes he’s almost the last to awake. Except for Otto and Cirrine, who both still appear to be asleep. Damian sees what appears to be a wash of color of bright orange, passing through the trees. He notices Tahndun very untypical cheery. Damian replaces the bracers on his wrists.

Rowan awakes to hear the sound of sizzling over a fire. He feels very comfortable in his body. Tahnden has woken first. Bjorkas hits his fists against a tree. He’s caught up in marking the territory to mark our passage. There are silver trees softly swaying in the breeze. Sausage cooking wafts through the air.

*“I made some extra, are you hungry?”*

*“Yes.”*

She appears excited, almost flighty. As if the events of the previous day wash over her about what is coming. As Aziola begins to wake, she is shivering with a horribly pensive look on her face.

Rowan notices small paw prints around the area. He searches to see if he can determine.

As we exit the wood, Tahndun points at these titanic flying fish like creatures. They call out to one another, a sound not unlike a whale’s call.  Tahndun

*“They are remnants of the God’s intentions. We are not allowed to go to the islands, but sometimes they come and grace us with their presence.”*

**Tree of Kozah**

After fording the Dusk Fjords, we travel for a bit before coming across a s tree that appears to have been struck by lighting. At the base of the tree, there are a series of glyphs. After looking at it, Damian sees that it is in a primordial/abyssal hybrid that we have seen before. It is In a language that Aziola recognizes, Rashimi. Freedrick walks up and touches it, causing an explosion of fire energy which appears to charge a crystal on his earring.

He tries the same thing on the thunder rune, but nothing happens. Rowan tries using lightning magic, to similar no effect.

Aziola attempts to commune with the tree. Suddenly she feels a face, with bright, fire-red hair, and eyes closed.

*“Who comes searching?”*

*“It is only me. A simple…”*

*“And who is me?”*

*“Aziola. Just a simple Druid.”*

*“Aziola, I am Malthras. How can I help?”*

“I was curious as to your nature. Seemingly alone amongst a field.”

*“This is where I choose to set out my roots.”*

*“Was there a particular reason?”*

*“It seems like a good place to die. Beautiful golden fields. I am a sun elf.”*

*“Are you far along in years?”*

*“I came to this world as a dawning of twilight. When the moon was still whole, I chose to stay here.”*

*“Did you carve these runes into yourself?”*

*“No.”*

*“How long ago were they carved into you?”*

*“Times… not quite the same. Hmmm.”*

*“Do you know of their purpose?”*

*“Ive… witnessed the wounding of Corellian. As to the purpose, they were a syphon to a greater power to which I can link. The storm lord thrashes at me often.”*

*“Is that the one that seeks the heart of others? The one that is imprisoned?”*

*“Hm, I do not know if Kuza still runs free or not. I have chosen to transition to the next phase. So I am stuck.”*

*“Are you happy with this choice.”*

*“Ive had much time to reflect on the nature of the happiness set out by Corellian. Perhaps I should have listened to Illoth and followed her into the down. But I embrace the change of Correlion.”*

*“Is there anything that you need.”*

*“Child. So young. So helpful. You have given me your name. Perhaps give me a story, and in return I can give you something.”*

\*Aziola tells the story of when she was initiated. When she became a woman.

*“…and that’s when I found out I really like getting laid.”*

After a long pause… *“It is a good story. Perhaps a story for story. Or a gift of a different nature. Which will you choose?”*

Aziola chooses a story.

“We once followed in Corellion’s foot steps. But we have strayed. Our whole existence we must pay penance for a misstep. It is loss and longing, a matter for judges to decide. The heart knows what the soul wants. Long before the elves, Corellion danced from plane to plane. He was able to take the form of a chuckling stream, or a crackling bolt of lightning. He was a god like no other. When consorting with others gods, Correlion often adopted their form, male or female. But just as often kept their company as rose or a doe in the forest. It showed no matter what form he took, Correlion loved whole heartedly. Broke oaths with abandon. But these traits infuriated Koza.”

“The storm lord?

“Yes. HIs wrath. Grummash’, was universally respected, even among the gods. But Correllion blithely took no heed of him. It was this haughtiness that enabled Grummash to get close enough to wound Correlion. It is that that sparked the conflict that caused Grummash to lose an eye. It is said that from that blood that was spilled, the elves were born. However, some of the storngtr of us, of these beings, one of them, although privelaged, as not satisfied to be Correlion’s underling. She declared herself thus. This entity called herself Illith. She spoke to others, knew gods an old primordials, and wove an enticing tale of how elves could gain superiority. Tougher, united in purpose the gods could be untied in this effort? Through this argument, she convened the gods to take on static forms.”

“So they take her likeness?

“In a manner of speaking. They had a champion among them. They now viewed Corrleion as their father, and Illoth as their mother who set them on their destiny. Illoth herself, her children, championed. Great hosts arose around Illoth and Correlion as each pleaded its case. But eventually, all were cast from Orvandor. The home of the primal. I always liked it here. Illoth was cast into a darker place. Her children took upon the nature of this place, and still live there today.”

“That is quite the story.”

“It is. I’ve heard since, her children giving way to it immutable unchanging nature, and thus have consumed one of Illoth’s greatest children, Kirion Sale. It seems their rebellion nature has taken on its own light. So the lesson is this, Aziola. Be adaptable. Be ever-changing. Like the wind. Like the water. Like the rays of the morning sun.”

“That’s very good advice. Well, I thank you for your time.”

“Thank you, Aziola, for the story. IF you find yourself here again, please, bring me another story.”

“I will.”

And the vision ends.

Later as the group makes camp near the base of the tree, and Aziola tells the story of the figure by the pool. Cirrine appears troubled by this story. Otto asks her what its about, and she shrugs him off. Damian offers to be someone else that Cirrine can confide in. Aziola tells the story of Malthras. Talos is the Cormirion name for the Storm Lord. Koza and Talos are interchangeable. Grummash is the orc lord for fire and vengeance.

**Damian identifies the bracers**

…Rowan walks up to Otto and asks if he can do confessionals as a member of his order. Otto Thultanthar, one of the remaining Nethralese cities

Damian examines his bracers again. Think. Think. “Someone get the forman. I think we all know what this means.” A golden bracer partially revealed. “My god. It’s exquisite.” he holds it up “You think the old devil would like it?” “I do. What do you think its worth? 1? 200 gold?” “No, far more.”

“Sir, sir. We’ve found it.” A man sitting at a desk. Waxed mustache. “Let me see it. Yes. 3, maybe 4,000 gold. In excellent condition.” You see him set it down on a counter.

*“My lords, thank you for this most recent grant. Your aid has been invaluable. It will not be long, we are closing in, I believe on the resting location. I think, the tomb…”* He then scrapes out the word tomb, and begins the letter anew “Location of the weapon.

*-Yours, Martine Odenthiel.”*

Damian tries to look around for a map. The vision shakes as he tries to wrest control of the vision. Its just enough to see the crest of the twin serpents. There is a mask in the corner. An artifact of antiquity. A bedtime mask. It has almost an Uthgardi feel. Perhaps somewhere the two would be located in the same space.

Everything goes black. It feels shallow. Like just the surface. This item is a well of information. You have to know. You need to know. You are on the edge until suddenly you fall, and you’re falling faster and faster, but you maintain your focus. As you’re gaining speed, you suddenly even out, the pain is gone, but you’re in darkness. You see nothing. In this moment, you have your sense of body. You feel your hands. You are yourself. You have more lucidity then you’ve ever felt. Like its just before dawn. There is a massive ocean of desert before you. Upon the crest of the dune just before you, you see a man in long red robes. Immaculately trimmed. The desert wind rips at the edge of his cloak. As you see him raise his hands, standing in front of a podium. He slowly raises his hands to the sky and then you see stars begin to dot in front of him, almost as if silhouetting his presence. As if he’s a master maestro conducting a symphony. You see the light of stars blinking into existence, you see small tendrils of energy being to pool out form his hands, almost like a heat wave as the full rest of the stars come into concert. You see them, shifting, dancing, moving in and around him. As he moves his hands in the gentlest, subtlest of manners. You try to focus on his hands, but you relies he is making somatic gestures at an unbelievable rate. You see a massive pillar of energy shoot through the sky. You are drunk on the raw power of this magical energy. You see a round circle blotting out the sun. It is a massive and total eclipse. And as you see his hands rise, he reaches up as if to hold the sky in his hands, and he squeezes shut, and red light bounces everywhere.

At just the corner of his mouth begins to form a smile. Suddenly what was gentle and languid begins to arc. A beam of lightning, another pillar of energy. There is a massive explosion. Another arc of energy. Red, Blue. Purple. All shooting down into place. IN this pillar of energy are men, women, locked in  a defensive posture against this one person. As he recoils. He kind of looks up at this sky, at this eclipse, he points up and reaches his hands out as his body turns into darkness and his body arcs out. IN this moment, you see a woman step out of this pillar of light. She is weeping. The man steps out to console her. They are resplendent, as energy pools off of them in waves. The man tries to reach out to this energy, to try to cast, to hold it, but its too much. Eventually their forms begin to unravel, one by one, leaving one solitary figure. A red robed man. He drifts out, and slowly dissipates, leaving behind only a pair of golden pair of bracers.

——————

On their watch, Damian tells Otto and Cirrine a little bit about his vision. Otto tells him some of what he knows. After he leaves, Otto asks Cirrine why she stood up for Damian, and she tells him that she see feels like Otto always has to pick up the pieces. She sees Damian going through the same thing too. Otto tells her she was the one who sent him back. That he has carried the same guilt.

“Perhaps you can go see my friend Zellias. Much nicer shop than mine. You could even find a mask.”

Rowan whispers to Tahndun. “Do you know that name?”

“Perhaps it is time. The Vezra.”

“I don’t know what that is?”

“It is to begin the Vezra. It is the process for how we determine our leader. Thus far the dawn court holds power with Queen Titania. My task is to bring back the first dream of Lady Titania to challenge the others. If I am off my mark, they will have begun their selection process in the preliminaries. Not just anyone can join. All may enter should they have a team and a sponsor. The Court of Stars. The Isle of Everett off the coast. The rainbow mask, of shifting colors. The dawn mire. And the fool, the dark wood. That house has fallen into ruin and do not participate.”

*“So if you were put on a mask, it would be like choosing a side?”*

*“No. It is just festive.”*

*“Is there a mask for those unaligned?”*

*“Usually those who are unaligned take sides with the jester since there is no one else affiliated with that house.”*

*“After we meet with Titania, we should stop by the Twilight Citadel. It’s possible they could lend us aid.”*

And the party moves towards lodgings in the Golden Quarter.

Reminder: Onyx tablet likely resides in the vault of dreams.

Court of Stars (AKA the Court of Silence)

Court of Summer

Court of Winter

Court of the Gnarled Oak (Pucks)

Court of Twilight (fool’s mask)

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