7 Felmont

6 Felmont -- 7 Felmont -- 8 Felmont

Felmont 3Y21 - Discord logs

## Temple of Vydea

[9:40 PM] DM: And the next day, Ry and Rukiya head to the Temple of Vydea.

[9:42 PM] DM: Riverrun is... very blue. It's like every lamppost, every tree, every entryway is decorated in blue and white or silver and moon motifs. Those with the money for illusions and enchantment have falling snow or sparkling stars and moons that go through the phases with the face of Vydea appearing briefly in the full moon.

[9:45 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “I forget how over the top Riverrun gets around this time of year,” Ry chuckles.

[9:47 PM] DM: Rukiya laughs. ""It's worse than usual. It's a big one this year.""

[9:51 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “Oh?” Ry asks a little curious, history not being that strong. “What’s so different about this year?”

[9:52 PM] DM: Rukiya kind of gives her a look like 'how do you not know this.' ""It's the 200th anniversary of Vyon's independence.""

[9:57 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “Oh.” Ry looks around. “OH, wow. That explains why everyone is going all out.” There’s a mixture of feelings coming off Ry that Rukiya can’t quite wade through.

[9:59 PM] DM: She stage whispers, ""It's ok, I won't tell anyone you're Ascan.""

[10:09 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “Because the accent doesn’t give me away?” Ry teases, but there’s still some weirdness coming off her.

[10:17 PM] DM: Rukiya gives her a look that she knows means she's listening if Ry wants to talk, but just takes her hand and keeps walking in case she doesn't.

[10:19 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “Sorry...” she starts, and begins to looks uncomfortable. It’s nothing Rukiya doesn’t know, but to Ry it feels different now that she knows Rukiya is a Moonstream. “The anniversary just reminds me that Vyon abandoned us. Or it feels like they did. To me.”

[10:23 PM] DM: ""It's hard enough to go to war... but to do it against your own people... I can't blame Lucas for stopping where he did. It would have meant more bloodshed if he'd pushed further. More for less.""

[10:25 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh looks like she’s thinking her words over carefully. “Some wars are worth the bloodshed.”

[10:28 PM] DM: ""In the abstract, maybe... but it's not like the people dying were soldiers or the king's guard. They were just... people. Just normal people. The same people we try to protect now. Not the lords sitting in their castles making it such a terrible place to begin with."" She shakes her head a little and sighs. ""Strategically, he had to stop where he did. The whole thing would have been lost if he hadn't.""

[10:38 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “The war stopped for the people in Vyon,” she gestures to all the decorations, “but for the people of Ascus... it’s still going. The only difference is that we don’t have the resources or organization to actually win and Vyon seems happy to leave us to fight the war they started. Lucas wasn’t just a beacon of hope in Vyon... he gave hope to the people of Ascus too. The ‘hope’ that one day Vyon, the Moonstreams, or the Moonborn would come to our aid is one of the many reasons people continue to fight. And the people who are still fighting aren’t soldiers or guards... we’re just people.”

[10:44 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: It’s Ry’s turn to sigh. “But who am I to judge? I’ve recently learned that leading is about making decisions that suck no matter what. It’s about cutting your loses and learning to live with it.” There’s guilt coming from Ry. “So... Yeah. I shouldn’t make judgement on something that happened 200 years ago. Gods knows what history will say about the mess I made.”

[11:01 PM] DM: ""All we can do is the best we can with what we have. So let's do that.""

[11:05 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ry nods, then leans over and presses a lingering to kiss Rukiya’s cheek.

[11:07 PM] DM: ""I'm sorry you feel abandoned. We can try to make it better, even if we can never truly make it right.""

[11:12 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “We can do anything together.” Her cheeks pink with embarrassment as she says, her voice low, “I know why you left your past behind, but I think we could make it right. Change things for the better. If... you’d... be my queen.”"

"[9:11 AM] DM: Rukiya pulls Ry to a stop and leans up to kiss her. Ry can see conflict in her eyes when she pulls away. She whispers, ""Not here,"" then presses one more kiss to Ry's lips before leading them up into the temple. She greets the half-elf at the front and leads Ry up and into a private study room. Once behind closed doors, her expression shifts entirely from the cheerful, confident facade she'd worn to something worried, conflicted, almost fearful.

[12:23 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh’s thumb softly runs over the back of Rukiya’s hand, her eyes continuing to search Rukiya’s face. Then she looks down at their hands, her fingertips brushing against Rukiya’s bracelet. “I love you... and I know if your answers no, that it’s not because you don’t love me.” There’s guilt permeating off Ry.

[12:35 PM] DM: ""I'm sorry... I don't mean to be so... cryptic. I want to say yes. I feel like this is the right choice... that together we can do anything, even tear down the rot in society..."" She takes Ry's hand and presses it to her chest where Ry can feel her heart beating faster than normal. ""In here, I feel like you are my everything, that you are the answer to all the questions and the key to my future."" She presses her lips together, and even though she's still holding Ry's hand to her heart, her face is sad, remorseful.

[12:37 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “Then what’s wrong, sun’frada?” Ry whispers.

[12:38 PM] DM: Tears form in her eyes and she swallows hard, trying to prevent her voice from cracking when she says, ""What if it's not me?""

[12:41 PM] DM: ""It's such a different feeling, but the strength, the conviction behind it... the vision of us in crowns, the thoughts of throwing myself from the battlements, one makes my heart so full, the other left it so empty, but the ache is the same. I don't know where I end and she begins.""

[1:06 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh cups Rukiya's cheek with her free hand, gently brushing at her falling tears. ""She was silent when we first met, when you first fell in love with me, and when you first told me I was your everything..."" Ry frowns, looking very much like she doesn't know what to say. She taps her fingers against Rukiya's chest, where her hand is still pressed against Rukiya's heart. ""She might influence your brain... give you visions and such, but she doesn't control your heart. That's entirely yours. She didn't make you fall in love with me, that was your choice.""

[1:25 PM] DM: She whispers, ""She has though... she made it hurt so much before."" She shakes her head a little and speaks again. ""And I know we've talked about this before, but I just... can't shake it. Why would she tell me to leave everything, and now tell me to be queen? If I exposed myself, we'd all be considered frauds. When I left, it was forever. And I still can't figure out why if it wasn't just so that we would find each other."" She looks up at Ry. ""I may not have a choice in whether she can use me, but I hate the idea of her using you to move me.""

[1:29 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""How could she? She can't control my actions... right?"" Ry asks uncertainly.

[1:46 PM] DM: She shakes her head, but it's not confident. ""I don't think so, not directly, but that's not really what I mean. I--"" Something akin to horror crosses her features before she closes her eyes tightly and shakes her head like she's rejecting whatever thought she had. ""No. No, I was careful."" She looks up at Ry. ""I was careful.""

[1:49 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""With what, sun'frada?"" Ry looks worried.

[1:53 PM] DM: ""Making you fall in love with me."" She takes a deep breath. ""What if she made me fall in love with you because of who you are? If I hadn't been in love with you, would you have ever reciprocated? You didn't need love. Not like that. But I was careful because you didn't. I didn't want to pressure you. I tried so hard to wait, to stop myself from pushing, to stop from manipulating you into loving me back.... but if- if I didn't love you first...""

[2:07 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh gently shushes her, and presses a kiss to her worried lips. ""I never knew you were in love with me,"" its said with a touch of humor. ""You were always there, and I knew you cared, but I had no idea you wanted me this way. I actually didn't know how much you loved me until we were already well into our relationship."" She wraps her arms around Rukiya's waist, pulling her closer, brushing their lips together again in a 'not really' kiss. ""I knew I wanted something more when you nearly died in Bellbury. Even when I confessed that I wanted to kiss you... I was convinced you didn't want me that way. Besides, I'd been around long enough to know you didn't do relationships, and I assumed that what you needed was friendship from me. For all my ability to read people, I completely misread you.""

[2:26 PM] DM: She wraps her arms around Ry tightly. ""I was careful,"" she repeats. ""It's the only thing keeping me from spiraling. I didn't make you fall in love with me. She didn't."" There's a pause and then a wry chuckle. ""I guess I must sound like you, talking about how there's something inside me that means I can't trust myself.""

[2:43 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Sighing a little, Ryleigh says, ""Even if she made you make me fall in love with you because I'm me,"" she pauses like, damn that's a mouthful. ""I don't care. Without you, I wouldn't be who I am now... and I know that without you I can't help Ascus.""

[2:51 PM] DM: ""We do the best we can with what we have,"" she says like she's just understanding the meaning. She takes another deep breath and lets her arms relax until her hands are on Ry's arms. ""What we have is each other. It doesn't matter how we got here. We're here now and we can make a difference.""

[2:55 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh smiles, broadly and without reserve. ""Yeah, we can."" There's a crack of emotion in her voice.

[3:05 PM] DM: Rukiya smiles and leans up to press a kiss to Ry's lips that probably lasts longer than she really meant it to. ""I'm sorry I hadn't really taken the time to figure this all out before now... I should know better than to think it'll just go away if I press it down long enough."" She smiles a little and adds, ""Thank you for reminding me what matters... even if I'm sure I'll need the reminder again in the future.""

[3:14 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Obviously not complaining, Ry doesn’t pull away until Rukiya does. “You should know by now that I won’t let you stew as much as you don’t let me, but I promise to always be here whenever you need a reminder of what matters, or to share, or to let yourself worry, or to allow yourself to figure out how you’re feeling - even when we don’t agree.”

[3:42 PM] DM: Rukiya grins and kisses Ry again. ""Do we not agree?""

[5:24 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “I’m sure there will come a day when we don’t.” Ry smiles softly, then leans in to whisper, her tone filled with intent, “You know, I think we might have our bedroom to ourselves tonight.”

[6:47 PM] DM: ""We are definitely not in our room right now, though,"" she laughs, playfully pushing Ry's shoulder away while also leaning up to steal another kiss.

[6:54 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ry let’s herself be pushed away, playfully smiling into the kiss. When they pull away, she’s still smiling and whispers, “Rukiya, if - or when - the time comes, will you be my queen?”

[7:04 PM] DM: She whispers back with a smile,  ""Only if you'll be mine.""

[7:26 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh lifts Rukiya and swings them in a tight circle. She stops and slowly puts Rukiya down. “I’m already your everything, why not be your queen too?”

[7:38 PM] DM: ""Then I'm in... I'll figure out how my family fits into all this after we figure out the titan... first things first.""

[7:50 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “I love you,” Ry says, and Rukiya can feel a longing for closeness coming from her. “But yeah, the titan.” Guilt mixes into her emotions.

[8:01 PM] DM: ""No guilt. We didn't know. We'll do what we can to make it right.""

[8:18 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “I wanted to believe so badly that she wasn’t bad. That I didn’t come from back stock on both sides. She was so willing to sacrifice us, her people... me.” It’s clear this has been weighing on Ry’s mind. “It makes me feel expendable all over again.”

[8:26 PM] DM: ""If you remember only one thing, remember that you are not expendable to me.""

[8:35 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “I know,” she says, a soft smile on her lips as she presses a kiss to Rukiya’s cheek. “Remembering that I’m not expendable to you, Seirixori, or Clemency is what helped keep me calm when we were in Ragna’s room. Doesn’t stop me from feeling used.”

[9:16 PM] DM: ""I know... I know...""

[9:54 PM] DM: Rukiya puts her hand to Ry's jaw, then leans up and kisses her again, lingering this time, before she pulls back. ""I love you... and I would very much like to do what we need to do here so we can get back to our room.""

[11:00 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Chuckling a little, Ry nods and pulls out Heli’s book along with some parchment. She takes a seat at the table and opens the book to the page written in code. Before starting, Ry closes her eyes and takes a few minutes to center herself. Then she gets to work.

[11:02 PM] DM: Let's start with three questions and the skill you'd like to use (of Rukiya's) to roll for each... and a roll for each.

[11:03 PM] DM: The roll will determine both how long it takes and how much you find."

"3:29 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: 1) What is the titan?

2) How do we stop it/can it be stopped?

3) Does it have a relationship with the places of power?

[3:47 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ((religion check: 27))

[3:52 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Next set of stuff to research:

1) What is the shadowfell?

2) How does it work?

[3:55 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ((History check: 18))

[8:55 PM] DM: Oh, I will also need... two intelligence checks, no proficiency but with advantage since Rukiya's going to offer pointers as she comes and goes.

[8:59 PM] DM: And she does come in after some time, looking frustrated. She drops a heavy book on the table and sighs. ""How can we not know anything about this? This... this is the only thing I could even find on giants on this continent. I had no idea that there was an actual giant civilization here. I thought there were just... a couple wanderers or something, nothing like what was up at the top of the mountain. Apparently that's because it predates the First Era. How am I supposed to find information on something that happened before Vydea got here?""

[9:15 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ((Nat 20 - 24 / 16))

[9:16 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ry tries very hard not to chuckle, and attempts to keep the humor out of her tone. ""Sun'frada, try not to take it personally that the library is failing you.""

[9:18 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: After a moment she slides Heli's notebook aside to take a look at the book about giants Rukiya found.

[9:24 PM] DM: The dates inside are indeed old, but apparently written well after the fact, a documentation of the ruins of a civilization already long dead before the book's authors came along. They named this civilization ""Ostoria"" from the dwarven term for sky-dwellers. Flipping through, you can see that the few ruins catalogued are in the mountains along the center of the continent and the scholars who wrote the book can only guess at what might have happened to their civilization before the ""rise of men.""

[9:28 PM] DM: Rukiya leans on Ry's back as she flips through the pages, sighing dramatically. ""How could it have failed me so?"" She presses a kiss to Ry's cheek before standing and sliding Heli's book closer.

[9:31 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh smiles at the contact. She places her cheek in her hand and turns her head to look at Rukiya as she takes Heli's book.

[9:31 PM] DM: Ry's figured out a good chunk of the cipher, enough that you can probably figure out the gist of much of it, if not the details. Ry's notes on various pages mark some as rituals, likely for how to mask the castle and how to create the viewing device they were using to watch the titan. Another page, Ry circled a word she wrote, ""Firmas."" It seems to be notes on the titan itself, though that's what she's currently deciphering.

[9:38 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “I’m still not finished...” she says a little embarrassed.

[9:45 PM] DM: Rukiya chuckles. ""Code breaking isn't always easy. You're doing great. What is this word?""

[9:52 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""The name of the titan,"" Ry says, her grin slipping a little. ""I also saw it on a statue back at Tumulus. It's... almost like they took the runes for earth and death to make a word.""

[9:54 PM] DM: ""If you'd said before that there was something big enough to scare giants that bad, I'd have trouble believing you, but now that I've seen it..."" she shudders a little.

[10:01 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh's smile completely falls away. ""I-I would have never placed that stone had I known... I was such a fool. I believed it was a power Ragna or I could control. I-"" She stops talking, staring at the word Firmas. ""My birthright, she said. Death. Destruction."" Ryleigh looks away from both books and rubs at her face."

"[9:53 AM] DM: Rukiya slides the books out of the way so she can sit on the desk in front of Ry, then gently pulls Ry's hands from her face, holding them in her hands. With a small, compassionate smile, she says, ""Why are we so willing to extend grace to each other for our pasts, but not ourselves?""

[11:23 AM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Sighing heavily and looking up into Rukiya’s eyes, Ry says, “It’s different. You’re past isn’t full of blood and death. I thought it’d be different this time... that because of my new oath and striving to put the anger and need for revenge aside that I wouldn’t... fail this time.” She pauses and she looks clearly frustrated with herself. “Maybe I shouldn’t challenge him to rule... all I ever do in Ascus is cause harm.”

[11:28 AM] DM: ""If saving your sister means that you caused death and destruction... then leaving caused the abandonment of the people of Ascus. I may not have killed bodies, but I killed hope. You of all people know that can be just as bad. But,"" she says, preempting the interruption she assumes Ry would make, ""my leaving wasn't entirely my choice... and neither was your placement of the stone. If you can blame Vydea for what I've done, you can blame Ragna for her part in all of this.""

[12:23 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “Rukiya...” she says almost pleadingly, her eyes dropping from Rukiya’s to stare at their hands. “Ragna used me and I know that, but...” she looks ashamed. “I wanted her to like me, t-to love me. I wanted to see things about myself in her like I saw between you and your parents...” it’s clear she’s fighting back tears. “What would Kizer and Avery think? After everything Kizer did for us, why would I still want that?”

[2:41 PM] DM: Rukiya slides off the desk and into Ry's lap, wrapping her arms around her. ""You're not like her, Ry. You're not like either of them. You may be made of their blood and bodies, but your heart, your feelings and thoughts... those are Kizer, Avery, and Clemency. They're your uncles and the love you were surrounded by. They're me and Seirixori and the others. I can't speak for them because I didn't know them... but I can speak for myself. I don't blame you for wanting to know who she was or for wanting her approval. I don't blame you for placing the stone or for the destruction the titan causes. You did what you thought was best.""

[5:15 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh’s silent for a while, like she’s letting the words sink in. Then Ry’s arms come up to wrap around Rukiya. “I did see some of myself in her...” she says so softly, as if she’s afraid of what it means. “Maybe I can’t escape it... no matter how I try. Maybe Zariel was right and I-I do belong in the hells because of my mistakes, because they always cost lives.""

[5:56 PM] DM: ""Mistakes don't lead to the Hells. Choices do. You don't belong anywhere but with me.""

[5:59 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: A few tears finally escape from Ry's eyes, like she's relieved to have finally said it out loud... to hear someone other than herself believe it wasn't true - even now, after the titan.

[6:01 PM] DM: Rukiya presses a kiss to Ry's head so she doesn't have to let go and says,  ""We can do anything together. We can fight her too, if we have to.""

[6:08 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""She thought she was doing what was best,"" Ry murmurs. ""And now she's archdevil."" She sighs, deflating a little against Rukiya and she can feel Ry's acceptance of her words. ""I'm so grateful for you. I couldn't do any of this alone.""

[6:27 PM] DM: ""And she made the choice to follow Asmodeus."" Rukiya does finally lean back enough that she can tilt Ry's face up and says, ""You'll never have to be alone,"" before leaning down to kiss her.

[6:32 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ry kisses her back, a touch of desperation behind it. Like kissing Rukiya makes it all better, and brands her belief of Ry's goodness onto her soul."

"[10:26 AM] DM: Rukiya finally pulls away, who knows how long later, but doesn't go far like she's reluctant to leave. Eyes still closed and only a breath away, she whispers, ""I should... read...""

[11:10 AM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “If you think you can focus, then okay,” Ry whispers back, a bit of teasing in her tone. She presses another kiss to Rukiya’s lips.

[11:14 AM] DM: There's a slight chuckle, then Rukiya says, ""You don't fight fair. You're the one who wanted me to do research.""

[11:22 AM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “I’m sorry I got us carried away,” she apologizes, smirking, because she’s clearly not sorry. “I can’t help that you say all the right things,” she kisses her, “and that you’re beautiful,” she kisses her again, “and that it drives me to do things like make out with you the library.”

[11:29 AM] DM: Rukiya lingers for one last kiss then pushes herself away before Ry can pull her back in. ""We can finish this later.""

[11:31 AM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Chuckling softly, Ry let’s her go. “I’ll make it up to you later,” she says, winking as she pulls Heli’s book back towards her to continue trying to break the code.

[12:18 PM] DM: Rukiya takes a moment at the door to recenter herself, then leaves again.

[12:46 PM] DM: After a few more hours, she comes back with a small stack of books and a couple folded pieces of paper. ""Don't tell anyone,"" she says as she slides the books into the bag of holding. ""I'm hungry. Do we want to go eat and see if the others are back yet? If so, I can tell everyone what I learned at once. If not, I'll just tell you... or we can finish what we started.""

[2:00 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh laughs. ""Let's get some food, then we can see if the other are back. I think telling everyone at once is best... saves time... so we can finish what we started,"" she answers with a smirk."

## Teleporting to Ascus

"[9:40 PM] DM: So Seir's teleporting herself, Urrak, and Bri to a tree near Aston. Are you going via Ardabeh, or can you go straight there now?

[9:42 PM] Seirixori: ((I can go straight there, however if we're trying to do this in one day, there or on the way back would have to be timed to go through Ardabeh))

[9:43 PM] DM: whether it's one day or not was not discussed. that's up to you guys.

[9:46 PM] Seirixori: ((we'll just go straight there then))

[9:51 PM] DM: Aston's at the crossroads where you turned off the Spine to head towards Wandermere and Kenbow looking for the Moonborn. It's where the largest Temple to Asten is located. It's where Ryleigh created the revenant that killed her.

[9:51 PM] DM: It's also not supposed to be in the Fytulk... but it's spreading.

[9:52 PM] Seirixori: ""It says something that I hate the cold more than being here."" Seir grumbles, bundled up all the same.

[10:14 PM] Brimeia: ""Hmmm... tough call for me. This places gives me the creeps.""

[10:16 PM] Urrak: ""Didn't want t' be back here so soon,"" Urrak grumbles, ""I'm with Brimeia. This place ain't right.""

[10:20 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs a little, ""If this is what it's like here, imagine what it's like there."" She pauses and shakes her head, ""On second thought, maybe don't do that. Okay,"" Seir walks... somewhere, ""just do us all a favor and no one draw or put your hands near your weapons, we aren't here for that nor do we want to give off the wrong impression.""

[10:23 PM] Urrak: ""Let's hope they feel th' same,"" Urrak readjusts her cloak, trying to give her nervousness an outlet

[10:24 PM] DM: Are you doing anything in particular to look? Also, a... survival check, I think, to see how long it takes.

[10:31 PM] Seirixori: Seir leaves small druidic symbols to mark their way so they can get back, but also announce their presence. ((28))

[10:33 PM] DM: It doesn't take long at all. Less than half an hour, really, when you stop after hearing the jingle of metal just beyond the trees.

[10:35 PM] Seirixori: Seir moves closer to the trees, ""Shadar-Kai?""

[10:38 PM] DM: ""Have you changed your mind? The grief is stronger than they said... though it has been some time... or has it?""

[10:41 PM] Urrak: ""What are they on about, Seirixori?"" Urrak's face is a mix of concern and caution, her eyes shifting from the group to the sounds of the Shadar-Kai

[10:45 PM] Seirixori: ""Days have passed yes, but not too long."" Seir doesn't answer Urrak, not yet, only gives her a glance and a shake of her head. ""We would like to take up the offer.""

[10:47 PM] Brimeia: Brimeia just stands quietly by, though her eyes do widen slightly and slide sideways toward Seirixori when she mentions an ""offer"".

[11:05 PM] DM: ""You would seek our Queen?""

From another side, you hear, ""For what purposes, we wonder.""

And another, ""What do you seek?""

And you can all make a perception check if you'd like.

[11:10 PM] Seirixori: ((24))

[11:10 PM] Brimeia: ((17))

[11:12 PM] DM: Ok.

[11:41 PM] Urrak: Urrak swallows hard. She mumbles ""what the fuuuck...""  under her breath

[11:52 PM] Seirixori: Seir tenses and her eyes are all that move as she slowly looks around. ""We do... and for information. Information that I think we'll all benefit from."""

"[9:12 AM] DM: ""Yes, information is her currency, but what information?""

[9:47 AM] Seirixori: Seir sighs, ""Well, for one, there is a rather large titan headed towards... I think here, destroying everything in it's path, including the forest, and we'd like to know if there's a way to stop it.""

[9:54 AM] DM: ""Destruction brings fear, grief, pain.""

""And death.""

""Offerings for the Queen.""

[10:06 AM] Seirixori: ""Does it matter what I want--"" Seir's voice raises slightly in annoyance before she even it out again. ""There is something else, but it is... sensitive information that I think is better not spread around.""

[10:09 AM] DM: Give me a persuasion check for funsies.

[10:11 AM] Seirixori: ((16))

[10:20 AM] DM: ""Sensitive is....""

""Interesting.""

""What have you sought us for?""

[10:23 AM] Seirixori: ""How to... uh, go about seeking her out. Preferably the quickest way, if at all possible.""

[10:27 AM] DM: ""You seek the Fortress of Memories.""

""And a shadow crossing.""

""There are many.""

""More each week.""

[10:32 AM] Seirixori: Seir tenses at that, but she nods, ""My knowledge of the Shadowfell is... lacking, as I am not from here, but where would you recommend I use this shadow crossing if I want to be as close as I can get to the Fortress?""

[10:45 AM] DM: ""The Heart.""

""The shadows of the peaks.""

""Seek the shadows.""

[10:51 AM] Seirixori: ""...Can I do that back in Vyon or does it have to be here?""

[10:54 AM] DM: ""The Queen's realm is a shadow...""

""...a shadow of this one.""

""Where you go here,""

""you go there.""

[10:56 AM] Seirixori: ""Oh. Okay. Thank you. Do we get out the same way we go in?""

[11:02 AM] DM: ""Some go one way.""

""Some go both.""

""Be wary at crossings.""

""There are guardians.""

[11:07 AM] Seirixori: She nods, ""Thank you for the warning.""

[11:10 AM] DM: ""Be wary in the shadows.""

""Few can be trusted.""

""Even yourselves.""

""Especially yourselves.""

[11:16 AM] Seirixori: ""Sounds like a fun time,"" Seir mutters to herself. ""I have one more question and then I won't take up any more of your time... is it difficult to find someone who may have entered?""

[11:24 AM] DM: ""Time is meaningless to the deathless.""

""Perhaps...""

""Trace their path, if you can.""

[11:36 AM] Seirixori: ""To the--"" Seir stops herself and nods once again. ""Of course. We will be... leaving now. Thank you again.""

[11:37 AM] DM: There is no response.

[11:38 AM] Seirixori: ""Yep, cool, this is going to be a great time."" Seir turns to the others and then walks past them to head back where they came from.

[11:39 AM] Urrak: ""So what's th' plan? Hey wait up--!"" Urrak turns to follow her, ""Seirixori?""

[11:42 AM] Seirixori: ""There isn't a plan. Not yet. It depends on what, or if, Ryleigh and Rukiya find anything."" Seir shakes out her arms, like she's shaking off the nerves.

[11:44 AM] Urrak: ""As long as we can leave here, I'll call this a success, then."" She hesitates a moment ""We are leavin', right? ""

[11:48 AM] Seirixori: ""Eventually. I can't take us back right away. And from the sound of it... I'm not sure anywhere here, including Riverrun and it's surroundings, are going to be any different if this mess with the tree shadow stuff continues.""

[11:51 AM] Urrak: ""Is there anythin' we can do in the meantime? While we wait fer Ry and Rukiya?"" She blinks and looks to the side, ""An'  wait... do ye have a sendin' stone?""

[11:52 AM] Seirixori: Seir looks confused, ""Why?""

[11:58 AM] Urrak: ""So they can let ye know they're on th' way? Or if they find anythin' that could help us while we're down here?"" Urrak quirks an eyebrow. ""We'd been makin' it a habit t' have communication between us when we split up, so I jus' thought I'd ask. ""

[12:05 PM] Seirixori: ""No? I don't have one to them... and they're not meeting us here."" She gestures to herself, ""Kind of the only quick way to places that aren't major cities. And there's no way Ryleigh would teleport to Aston with Rukiya."" Seir starts looking for a tree. ""The idea was to come here, get some information and go back.""

[12:06 PM] Urrak: Urrak shrugs ""Alright.""

[12:11 PM] Seirixori: ""We can hang out here or go to Ardabeh. Either way, we have a lot of time to ourselves before I can take us back to Riverrun.""

[12:12 PM] Urrak: ""I'd rather be somewhere not extremely haunted, but it's your call.""

[12:13 PM] Seirixori: ""Everywhere is haunted, just depends on who you speak to.""

[12:14 PM] Urrak: ""Then one not so obviously, overtly haunted."" Urrak rolls her eyes, but smiles.

[12:17 PM] Seirixori: ""There is a high chance it will be dark in Ardabeh.""

[12:18 PM] Urrak: ""It ain't th' dark I'm afraid of here.""

[12:22 PM] Seirixori: ""Mhmm."" Seir acknowledges as she focuses again. ""Might be able to help out the druids for a little bit if you want something to do.""

[12:24 PM] Urrak: Urrak chuckles and shrugs again, ""Sure. We've got time.""

[10:09 PM] Seirixori: Seir takes them back to a tree and treeports them to Ardabeh. ""I was going to see if you guys wanted to stay here if you didn't want to deal with the crystal again. Though I don't think it does the thing anymore. But it's probably best to just... come along and you can watch over things?""

[10:24 PM] Urrak: ""Lead th' way.""

[10:56 PM] DM: You all lend a hand where you like, assisting with cleanup of the crystals, and before you know it, you're back in Riverrun."

## Dawnguard HQ

After a day of traveling the globe for some of you and some intense... ""research"" for others, you've gathered back in the HQ for dinner with the rest of the guild. The dining hall is a cheerful, warm place full of conversation and people. Food is served buffet style at one end of the hall and people take their seats first come-first served. Those of you who traveled would have had the opportunity to arrive at dinner first, so I'll allow you to decide if you're already seated and where/with who when Ry and Rukiya return.

[2:06 PM] Brimeia: Bri is enjoying the food... and unabashedly flirting with one of the pretty ladies at the HQ.

[2:08 PM] DM: Today's target seems to be Masrar, one of the few aasimar employed by the Dawnguard. Her blonde hair rivals Ry's and she has golden freckles across her cheeks. She listens and laughs in all the right places and seems to be enjoying the banter as much as Bri is.

[2:09 PM] Seirixori: Seir is sitting somewhere with Stool and the other kid(s). She's not really doing anything, just listening to them.

[2:09 PM] Urrak: Urrak takes a seat next to Tanjura

[2:11 PM] DM: Avery looks like he can't decide if Stool sitting in their 'food' is gross or awesome. Clemency stops him from sitting on his veggies just in time.

[2:13 PM] DM: Tanjura's sitting with Khalre and discussing their escapades when Urrak sits. They offer a half-hearted wave. ""Tan said you're looking for someone to teach you how to play the lute.""

[2:14 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh and Rukiya enter the dining hall, holding hands and whispering to each other with smiles on their faces. They grab food and take seats with Clemency, Stool, Avery, and Seirixori.

[2:15 PM] Urrak: Urrak smiles at Khalre, ""Aye, I am. Yer mother said you used t' play. If yer up to it, I'd love some pointers.""

[2:17 PM] DM: Khalre: ""I could pass on what I learned, but I didn't get far. I decided I'd rather be a scholar than a musician.""

[2:20 PM] Urrak: ""I've found that even th' most learned scholar sometimes needs t' give their minds a rest,"" Urrak says after a bite of dinner, ""An' I know that listening to or makin' music, for many, is a great way to do that. Don't be too quick t' burn yer candle at both ends."" She winks, playfully, ""But, whatever ye know, I'd love t' learn.""

[2:24 PM] DM: They shrug. ""I have a perfect memory. It's not a matter of resting but doing what will get me to where I want to be.""

Tanjura's voice shifts into a lightly teasing tone. ""Where you want to be? Is that a place or a person?""

Despite the pink on their cheeks, their voice is still strong as they reply, ""Being a scholar is respectable work.""

[2:28 PM] Urrak: ""Very respectable. I'm sure any temple around would love t' have ye in their employ."" Urrak grins, ""Hells, when I was yer age I had no idea what I wanted t' be. In th' Stronghold, there weren't a lotta options. That's probably one of th' biggest reasons I went off on my own. I admire yer dedication, Khalre.""

[2:34 PM] DM: Khalre gives a pointed look to Tanjura before turning back to their food. Tanjura just smiles and shakes her head. ""They weren't here for the party last night because they got caught up talking with one of the other trainees... though they haven't told me who yet.""

[2:34 PM] DM: Khalre groans quietly into their food.

[2:37 PM] Urrak: She takes a sip of water, ""Oh? Ye two were exchangin' ideas, eh?"" she smiles behind her glass, ""Well I'm sorry I can't offer any advice. I've had real bad luck when it comes t' romance.""

[2:40 PM] DM: Khalre: ""It's not like that. We're just... colleagues.""

[2:42 PM] Urrak: Urrak turns to Tanjura,  ""Is that what th' kids are callin' it these days?"" she chuckles, ""I'm sorry, Khalre, I'll stop givin' ye crap. I would like ye t' at least kinda like me.""

[2:45 PM] DM: They finish eating quickly and stand. ""I can show you some of the basics in the morning, if that's ok. I have some reading to do before it gets too dark.""

[2:48 PM] Urrak: ""Sounds great, Khalre. Enjoy yer readin'."" Urrak smiles and nods

[2:49 PM] DM: Tanjura nods and Khalre excuses themself, clearing their plate as they go. Tanjura's eyes follow them for a few seconds before she returns to her own meal. ""They grow up so fast.""

[2:58 PM] Urrak: ""It must be hard, knowin' that one day they'll go off an' start their own lives"", she softens her voice, ""But Khalre an' Dak are good kids, I'm sure even when they're off doin' whatever it is their heart compels 'em to, they'll still come back an' visit."" Urrak slides some food around her plate but doesn't take a bite, ""Ye still have so much time with them though, ye jus' have t' remember t' enjoy it. We get so caught up in th' day t' day that we forget things won't always be th' way they are now."" she pauses a moment and shakes her head, ""S-sorry, that was...a bit much...""

[3:01 PM] DM: She smiles. ""I appreciate the thought. What about you? Do you still have family you speak to?""

[3:07 PM] Urrak: ""Not really,"" she looks down, ""I lost my pa when I was 12, an' well...My ma isn't exactly th' lovin' type. She's an Orc, an' a traditional one at that. Fer example, I had 'siblings' but in reality there's no real sense of a 'family'. We're born t' be thrown at whatever wall th' General wants."" she swallows hard, ""I sent t' her once, after I was a month late in when I'd told her I'd be by...an' she essentially didn't care. So...I've kind of...come t' terms with that."" she straightens up and looks around the guildhall, ""Now, they're my family. An' they've been th' best one I've ever had. No matter how many times we butt heads.""

[3:10 PM] DM: Her look of compassion turns to a smile. ""The family we make is the best kind.""

[3:16 PM] Urrak: ""Couldn't agree more. Especially seein' you an yer kids. You're all very lucky t' have found each other. You're an excellent mother."" Urrak places her hands on the table, ""An' an incredible Majordomo, I've never felt more at home here."""

"[3:16 PM] DM: -------------

## Dinner with the Others

"[2:01 PM] DM: -------------

[2:19 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""What did you do today, raro a’o?"" Ry asks Avery as she takes a bite of food.

[2:21 PM] DM: Avery, with his mouth full of food, says, ""Mama and me went for a walk! It's so big I thought we would get lost.""

Clemency: ""Swallow first, please...""

[2:24 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""A walk, huh?"" She looks at Clemency with a smile. ""Maybe Rukiya and I can take you into the city before we leave again. Besides, I think your mama needs more than 1 dress.""

[2:26 PM] Seirixori: ""She can have my clothes,"" Seir pipes up.

[2:27 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""She can,"" Ry says, rubbing at the back of her neck, looking a little awkward. ""But... uh, I'd like to get her some new stuff - too.""

[2:28 PM] Seirixori: Seir shrugs lightly, either ignoring or not quite seeing the awkwardness. ""Okay.""

[2:29 PM] DM: Clemency: ""It's not a big deal, homashoc. I'd love to spend time with you and get to know your new family, but if you don't have time, Tanjura introduced me to Life. She said she'd be able to help me get settled in.""

[2:33 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""I'd like to do this for you... please,"" Ry mumbles, looking at her food instead of at Clemency. ""And I'll always make time for you... and Avery.""

[2:35 PM] DM: Clemency reaches across the table to put her hand over Ry's. ""I know.""

[2:36 PM] DM: Avery: ""When are we gonna see grandma again?""

[2:37 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ry looks up at Clemency and smiles, but it slips when Avery asks about Ragna.

[2:37 PM] Seirixori: Seir growls softly, something she turns into a light cough as she focuses on Stool instead of the conversation.

[2:39 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""I don't think we'll be seeing Grandma again for a while, raro a’o. She's very busy and we live very far away from her now, but don't worry... I'm going to give you magic lessons instead.""

[2:40 PM] DM: He lights up. ""You are?! Can I play with your sword too?""

[2:41 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""I am,"" she says, smiling at him. ""If it's okay with you mama we can start with self-defense training, then you can move on to using weapons.""

[2:43 PM] DM: He smiles up at Clemency, a big smear of gravy across his cheek. ""Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Mama?""

She laughs and wipes his face with her napkin. ""If you promise to be careful and listen to your auntie.""

[2:47 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""But we'll only have magic lessons and training sessions if you behave and listen to your mama - okay? You aren't at grandma's anymore, here there are rules and you'll follow them, or you'll get in trouble.""

[2:48 PM] DM: He kind of pouts, but says, ""Ok...""

[2:50 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh tries not to laugh or smile as she looks at Clemency.

[2:50 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Hey Seirixori, when everyone's done eating we should head to the war room to talk about what everyone found out. If you aren't too tired...""

[2:52 PM] Seirixori: Seir looks up and tilts her head, a small confused frown on her face, ""...why would we wait even if I were tired?""

[2:55 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""You've just..."" Ry pauses like she's being careful with her words. ""I just meant, with everything that's happened, it'd be okay if you needed some time to... rest."" It's clear Ry doesn't mean 'rest'.

[2:58 PM] Seirixori: Seir mutters something in abyssal, before she looks away momentarily with a heavy sigh and meets Ryleigh's gaze again, ""Would it?""

[3:01 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh bites her lip. ""the titan is a threat... a serious one... but we can't take the next step in defeating it without you. So, yes... it would be okay if you need some time."" She inhales deeply and says, ""What's done is done and I have to live with consequences on my actions, but not at the expense of you.""

[3:04 PM] Seirixori: ""It doesn't matter if I need more time, or not. Too many lives are at stake.""

[3:05 PM] DM: Rukiya's eyes go wide suddenly like she just remembered something. ""Have we warned them?""

[3:06 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""How can we?"" Ry asks, looking miserable.

[3:07 PM] Seirixori: ""It's not as fast, but I can send messages. Just, you know, with animals. Granted that also means I'd have to roughly know of the other person...""

[3:08 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Our guide,"" Ry suggests. ""You could send someone to her to warn them.""

[3:09 PM] DM: Rukiya: ""She'd still be in the forest for weeks. Berolt might be able to help.""

[3:10 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ry shakes her head like she can't believe she didn't think of that. ""You're right... many he can."" She moves to get up from the table.

[3:12 PM] DM: Rukiya looks conflicted, then says, ""You go. The rest of us will talk about what we found, and I'll catch you up when you get back.""

[3:13 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Okay,"" Ry leans down and kisses Rukiya, before departing the dining room, her plate left half finished."

## Warroom

Shortly after Ry rushes from the dining hall, the rest of you are gathered in the war room to discuss the next steps.

[3:20 PM] Brimeia: Bri strolls in, still looking pretty pleased with herself.

[3:22 PM] Urrak: Urrak takes a seat, a small smile on her face. ""So, what've ye learned?""

[3:23 PM] Seirixori: Seir's sitting in one of the corners, rolling her eyes.

[3:25 PM] DM: Rukiya: ""Ry will be here soon. She went to see if we can send a message to some of the towns in the titan's path to give them some warning.""

[3:27 PM] DM: She stares up at the map of Vyon and Ascus for a second more before turning. ""The temple has nothing on the titan that I could find. The giants predate Vydea's arrival on this continent. Hell, the fall of their civilization predates her... and if it was buried under one of their castles, then it also certainly predates her.""

[3:29 PM] DM: ""I might be able to find more information about the connection to it and the power that Gunnloda was... drawn to, but it would take time. I only have glimpses of a vision to work from.""

[3:29 PM] DM: ""What did you find?""

[3:34 PM] Seirixori: Seir kind of shrugs, ""Well, one of the most important things being new 'bridges' into the Shadowfell pop up every week.""

[3:36 PM] Seirixori: ""Which is also a way for us to enter and I asked about the quickest way to the fortress which... um..."" Seir frowns and it looks like she's struggling to remember.

[3:37 PM] Seirixori: ""Something about the shadows of the peak? At the peak? and The Heart?""

[3:42 PM] DM: Rukiya frowns and looks back at the map of Ascus. ""The Shadowfell is... well... a shadow of our world. In every place, there is a shadow of that place.""

[3:45 PM] DM: ""I wonder if the Fortress is somewhere in the mountains."" She traces her finger over the ridge near Manavik to the east. ""Brankeep, maybe.""

[3:49 PM] Seirixori: Seir chuckles, ""Definitely can't help out with that, unless you want me to name the...two? larger cities I've been to over here.""

[3:51 PM] DM: She sighs. ""It's a long way to go on a guess. What about Moki? Do you know anything about where he was or what he was doing?""

[3:53 PM] Seirixori: ""I roughly know where he was but... No. I didn't want to ask in case... well, in case they weren't happy about the fact that he was there. It's possible he entered somewhere where the 'bridge' didn't allow him to come back and he'd have had to find another one. I figured I could try and scry on him whenever we went in.""

[3:53 PM] Seirixori: ""I think Takara told me he was trying to figure out why the Shadowfell was spilling into this plain, something like that.""

[3:54 PM] DM: ""Do you think she might know where he crossed?""

[3:56 PM] Seirixori: ""I don't see why not. Or at least a more detailed location then, um, East of Isonsall. I could maybe ask about the giants too? I didn't think about asking that the last I spoke to her.""

[3:59 PM] DM: She blinks, then looks disappointed in herself. ""Of course... Takara predates Vydea, too. If I'm right about the Raven Queen being the elven queen before the Decimation, she probably also predates the First Arriv-- First Invasion.""

[3:59 PM] Urrak: Urrak nods like she understands even though she absolutely doesn't.

[4:01 PM] Seirixori: Seir smiles a little at Rukiya's correction. ""Hm Wonder if she knows the name."" She frowns and mutters quietly, ""Have I already asked her that?""

[4:01 PM] Brimeia: ""Name of what?""

[4:04 PM] Seirixori: Seir doesn't look like she heard Bri at all.

[4:05 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh enters the war room, she's a little sweaty and looks like she jogged the entire way there and back. She takes a seat.

[4:08 PM] Brimeia: ""Uh... Seirixori?"" Bri gives Seir a gentle nudge.

[4:09 PM] Seirixori: Seir jumps slightly and looks at Brimeia, ""Yeah?""

[4:09 PM] Brimeia: ""The name of what?""

[4:10 PM] Seirixori: ""The name of...?"" Seir looks a little panicked and it's a long moment of silence, at least to her, before she says, ""Oh, uh the name of the elven queen.""

[4:11 PM] Brimeia: ""Oh ok."" Bri nods though she flashes Seir a worried look.

[4:11 PM] Urrak: ""Not th' Raven Queen?"" Urrak quirks an eyebrow

[4:11 PM] Seirixori: ""If they're the same person...""

[4:11 PM] Urrak: ""Ah, I see.""

[4:15 PM] DM: Rukiya: ""It would probably be helpful to see what she can offer in the way of information. Are we all agreed that the Shadowfell is our most likely next destination?""

[4:16 PM] Seirixori: Seir snorts a little, and rests her chin on her hand.

[4:17 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh nods. ""I think it might be our only other option to get information on the titan.""

[4:17 PM] Urrak: ""So we're jus' hopin' that th' Shadowfell's time is really slower?"" Urrak crosses her arms.

[4:18 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Even if it's not, the Raven Queen might be able to give us answers we can't find - like how to destroy titan.""

[4:20 PM] Urrak: ""It's...hard fer me t' jus' leave those cities t' their own devices...but at least ye warned them."" Urrak folds her arms, ""I guess we don't have too much of a choice, though.""

[4:20 PM] DM: Rukiya: ""The Raven Queen has a reputation for knowing the answers to difficult questions. It's just hard to find her.""

[4:20 PM] DM: ""And the Shadowfell is not a very... welcoming place.""

[4:21 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""And I don't think you understand that there's nothing we can do about the titan... you do realize it killed the storm giant - what could we possibly do to it.""

[4:21 PM] Seirixori: ""Yeah... everything I tried didn't even seem to phase it.""

[4:24 PM] Urrak: ""I remember th' Shadar-Kai sayin' she wants memories,"" she looks down, ""That she trades in information. Maybe we jus' have t'...coax her out.""

[4:26 PM] Seirixori: Seir shake her head, ""She already wants to see us, in a way, pretty sure coaxing her out won't do it. Especially since we were told where to go... just not how to get there.""

[4:27 PM] DM: Rukiya: ""The account I was reading said that there's some sort of trial to enter the Fortress. We might be able to learn where it is from inside.""

[4:27 PM] Brimeia: ""So we just gotta find our way to her, right?""

[4:29 PM] Seirixori: Seir sits up suddenly, ""Oh! There's also guardians at the crossings.""

[4:29 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Guardians. Like to keep people in or out?""

[4:30 PM] Seirixori: ""Uh... maybe both?""

[4:32 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""And there wasn't anything about what kind of trial we'll face at the fortress?""

[4:32 PM] Urrak: ""Why do I feel like ye should've asked them more questions...""

[4:33 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""You were there, how come you didn't ask any questions?"" She demands of Urrak, seeing Seir's face fall.

[4:33 PM] Seirixori: ""Sorry, I didn't know anything about it,"" Seir mumbles.

[4:36 PM] Urrak: ""Didn't really get th' chance, Ry,"" Urrak's frowns, ""Little too busy thinkin' about how I didn't want t' be murdered in that creepy-ass forest.""

[4:37 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ryleigh rolls her eyes at the response.

[4:37 PM] Seirixori: Seir rolls her eyes, ""I told you not to draw your weapons, not that you couldn't talk.""

[4:37 PM] DM: Rukiya redirects the conversation back to the original topic. ""I was reading one first-hand account of a traveler who had crossed through. It's different from traveling between planes. With planar travel, it's completely separate. Where you enter or leave or travel while you're there doesn't matter, but with the Shadowfell, if you travel between two of these... bridges, you're traveling between them in our world, too. So the biggest question is whether we want to travel through the Fytulk... or through the Shadowfell.""

[4:38 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Both are dangerous - or I assume the shadowfell is. The only perk of the shadowfell is... time, if it works slower than time here.""

[4:39 PM] Brimeia: ""Hmm. Maybe we could find a place where two are closer together and try it out? See what happens? Maybe figure out how it works.""

[4:40 PM] DM: ""This traveler said that it felt like he spent much longer there than he really did... but whether that's real or just because of the emotional effects, I can't say.""

[4:41 PM] Seirixori: ""I don't know if there's anything that would let us know if the place we enter is a one-way or a two-way place, so testing it might not really work too well.""

[4:41 PM] Brimeia: ""Oh. Right.""

[4:42 PM] Seirixori: ""There was... another warning.""

[4:42 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Warning of what?""

[4:43 PM] Seirixori: ""Aside from, being wary of shadows... that not many can be trusted. Especially ourselves.""

[4:44 PM] DM: Rukiya nods. ""There's a heaviness to the Shadowfell. It can affect your mental state. Besides just all the... very scary things there, it's been known to cause a lot of negative emotions.""

[4:45 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs, ""Oh, fun.""

[4:45 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Excellent. Good thing we're a cheery lot - we won't have any issues.""

[4:46 PM] Urrak: ""Zero."" Urrak exaggerates her grumble for full effect

[4:48 PM] DM: ""Would you like a full report on what I've been able to find about the Shadowfell?""

[4:48 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""I think so,"" Ry says, leaning back her chair.

[4:49 PM] Seirixori: ""Might be good to have.""

[4:51 PM] DM: ""I've scanned a couple books that talk about things from an abstract overview and I was reading a first-hand account. There's a difference, like I said, between the Shadowfell and other planes of existence.""

[4:52 PM] DM: ""Other planes, like the elemental planes and the heavens and Hells and Abyss... they're like out here,"" she says, pointing around the room, but the Material Plane, where we are, and the Shadowfell are in the same place. That's why planar travel is different. If you cross to the Shadowfell, you're in the same place, just there instead of here.""

[4:53 PM] DM: ""There's a city here, in the Shadowfell, called Evernight that looks like Riverrun. There's another called..."" she flips open her papers, ""Gloomwrought? Everywhere there's a village here, there's one there, too. But they're all... wrong.""

[4:54 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: Ry's eyebrows pull together at this information.

[4:54 PM] Seirixori: ""Wrong?""

[4:54 PM] DM: ""The account I was reading said it was like everything was made of shadow or ash. Nothing felt real. That contributes to the... negative emotions. Madness, fear, apathy, jealousy.""

[4:55 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Sounds a lot like Bleakmourne,"" Ry says. ""With the madness and apathy and such.""

[4:55 PM] Brimeia: ""Greeaat.""

[4:55 PM] Urrak: ""Fuck.""

[4:57 PM] DM: ""There's also the 'things' that live there. The Shadowfell is a border plane between us and the Negative Energy Plane. That's where things like death magic draw from. It's what animates undead... which means there's a lot of undead there, but there's a lot of just... shadow creatures. Pure negative energy.""

[4:57 PM] Seirixori: Seir tenses, ""There's- There's a lot of-of what?""

[4:58 PM] DM: ""Not everything is undead, but there are some.""

[4:59 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: ""Don't worry, homashoc. We'll take care of any undead, so you won't have too - hopefully.""

[5:00 PM] Seirixori: ""Yeah, yeah sure. That's uh- sure.""

[5:00 PM] Brimeia: ""Hey, we aren't gonna let 'em get to you, ok?""

[5:01 PM] Brimeia: Bri pats Seir's shoulder.

[5:02 PM] Urrak: ""So th' Negative Energy plane, th' magic from there was what made the Revenant? An' that freaky Lonely thing?""

[5:02 PM] DM: Rukiya nods. ""There via the Shadowfell, yes.""

[5:03 PM] Urrak: ""So what if we jus' return to a place with a high concentration o' that energy? Like findin' a 'tear' in th' veil?""

[5:03 PM] Urrak: ""Or...I dunno findin' where that veil is th' thinnest?""

[5:04 PM] DM: ""That is likely what we're looking for to find a crossing.""

[5:05 PM] Urrak: ""So we need t' figure out how to measure....Negative Energy? Death magic?""

[5:05 PM] Seirixori: ""I no longer know what we're talking about.""

[5:06 PM] DM: ""If Takara knows where Moki was, it might be easier to just follow his path.""

[5:08 PM] DM: ""So... from where I stand, what I see is this... we need to talk to Takara and see what she knows. We need to decide if we're going to travel through the Fytulk or the Shadowfell. We need to find a crossing, or several to choose from. We need to go inside and find out where to find the Fortress of Memories. We have to travel there, then do this trial to gain entry... then give the Raven Queen something with enough substance that she tells us what we need to do to defeat the titan.""

[5:09 PM] Seirixori: Seir quietly adds, ""And maybe something about Gunnloda.""

[5:09 PM] DM: Rukiya nods. ""And also find Moki.""

[5:11 PM] Urrak: ""Well then, what are we waitin' for?"" she says sarcastically

[5:12 PM] DM: ""And we need to carry with us or have a way to make food and probably water because I don't think we'll find any there.""

[5:13 PM] Urrak: ""Suppose we could ask Tanjura fer some provisions...or jus' buy a bunch o' rations...Pretty sure huntin's outta the question in the Shadows.""

[5:13 PM] Brimeia: Bri sighs and almost says something but stops herself.

[5:14 PM] Seirixori: ""I can technically do both. Though the food is really just a berry but, it works.""

[5:16 PM] Brimeia: ""Sounds good to me."" Bri gives a good-natured shrug.

[5:16 PM] Ryleigh Alisdair: “That’ll be fine, as long as we don’t starve.” Ry rubs at her temples. “I suggest we leave the day after tomorrow. That way we can make sure we have everything we need and so we can rest before jumping into something else.”

[5:18 PM] Urrak: ""Fine by me,"" Urrak shrugs

[5:19 PM] DM: ""I'll do some more research then.""

[6:39 PM] DM: ""Meet back tomorrow night to make sure we're ready?""

[6:43 PM] Seirixori: Seir nods, ""I'll talk to Takara tonight. Then I think I need to get some materials for spells that I... well, probably should have had things for before... now."" She sighs and says something under her breath as she leaves and heads to Takara's temple."

## Takara

"[6:51 PM] DM: Takara's temple is pretty empty. There's a woman praying under one of the arches, but other than that, it's quiet. Your short trip through town, you would have noticed the excess of blue and white/silver and the moon themed illusions that seem to have thrown up all over town, but Takara's temple looks just like it always does.

[6:56 PM] Seirixori: ""Did everyone decide to decorate all of a sudden?"" Seir mutters as she moves over to a corner of the temple.

[7:00 PM] DM: The halfling's sitting there, perched on a piece of masonry, chuckling. ""It's a holiday soon.""

[7:06 PM] Seirixori: ""Holiday?"" Seir's confusion fades away quickly, ""Ah, right. Different place."" She sits on the floor.

[7:10 PM] Seirixori: ""I had a couple things to ask, again, because I guess I'm not that great at getting all the information at once."" Seir sighs and shakes her head, ""I was wondering if you knew who the queen of the elves was before she was killed? Because I can't remember if I already asked you. Or if you know anything specific about all of it since well... Vydea obviously wouldn't know and neither do any of the books they have here.""

[7:12 PM] DM: ""Queen of the elves? Do they have a queen?""

[7:19 PM] Seirixori: ""They did. My friend thinks she might be who they tried to make a god, and might even be the Raven Queen? Though, now that I'm asking I can't remember why the name would be important..."" Seir frowns again, a look of worry passing across her face. ""Oh, the giants. If there was anything you remember about the giants that used to be over around Isonsall?""

[7:49 PM] DM: ""Oh. I'm afraid I can't say. I didn't have much to do with the elves back then. They had their own deity... until Asten killed him, anyway. They weren't overly fond of the rest of us.""

[7:55 PM] DM: She thinks for a moment. ""Giants... I seem to remember something of them, but they were more of Akthor's pets."" She sighs. ""I'm sorry. It was all very long ago and we didn't talk much, especially before the others.""

[7:59 PM] Seirixori: Seir shrugs with a small smile, ""It's okay, I think Rukiya's just very bothered by the fact that she can't figure it out and there isn't anything about the titan. I think it all fell when that whole area fell apart. Well and maybe in the castle but I sort of made that not something we could research there because of, uh, relieving someone of their things.""

[8:02 PM] DM: ""How are you doing?""

[8:10 PM] Seirixori: ""I'm... worried."" Seir stares off into the distance. ""I'm forgetting things, spacing out. I don't know if it's because everything that happened was in the span of a couple days where I didn't sleep so I'm having a hard time piecing it together or... or if it's like before. When I- when everyone was killed. There's a very large amount of time after that I don't remember. Not even now. Or maybe both, really."" She looks over at Takara, ""And we're going into the Shadowfell where it would seem my... second worst fear is wandering around and apparently messes with things I'm already feeling.""

[8:15 PM] DM: ""Trauma can do that..."" She looks at Seir and for a moment, it's like Seir can see what Takara sees when she looks at mortals- a creature doomed to a short, painful existence. ""I wish there were more I could do for you.""

[8:26 PM] Seirixori: ""You do plenty for me. More than I ever could have imagined when a very annoying halfling said very vague things to me in a place I'd never been before."" Seir laughs and leans her head back, closing her eyes. ""I don't know what I'd do or have done, if you didn't care like you do.""

[9:10 PM] DM: A hand covers Seir's.

[9:31 PM] Seirixori: Seir turns her hand over and opens one eye, ""Oh, also, do you know where Moki went into the Shadowfell from here? And on an off chance you might know where the Fortress of Memories might be located?""

[9:40 PM] DM: ""I don't know anything of the Shadowfell. I have no power there. The last time I spoke to Moki, he was... it is difficult to explain, precisely, but near Alptaver, though he had also investigated other places near the Lustris Citadel, Manavik, and Aston that have had these... tears.""

[9:44 PM] Seirixori: ""Great, I will, tell someone who knows where those places are."" Seir pauses, ""I think I should have brought something to write that down because I-I don't trust myself to remember it."" She huffs in annoyance at herself. ""Did he learn anything? Or is it just 'Hey this place is creepy'?""

[9:48 PM] DM: ""You can always ask again, should you need to. He had not found the cause for the increasing number of rifts yet, or the reason for so much of the negative energy bleeding over. To be honest, I am worried that perhaps one of the powerful beings on that side might be preparing for an invasion of their own. There have been many powerful beings to call the plane home... lesser gods and demon lords among them.""

[10:06 PM] Seirixori: ""And to think I've been thinking we've needed to go there for a while now. I sure know how to pick the places."" Seir frowns and tilts her head, trying to remember something. With it escaping her, she sighs, ""Well, everything kind of seems to be leading in this direction anyway. Ugh."""

"6:18 PM] DM: ""I hope you find what you need.""

[6:27 PM] Seirixori: ""Me too,"" she whispers. Seir sits in silence for some time before she stands. ""...Think I can get away with sleeping in the forest tonight?""

[6:32 PM] DM: ""If your companions won't worry for you, I think I can make sure you're not disturbed for one night.""

[6:43 PM] Seirixori: ""I'm sure they will, but I think maybe  they could do with a night alone... and I haven't gone into--"" she sighs, ""I don't think I could sleep in... our room."" Seir shrugs, ""I think I'll go for a walk, but I can at least sleep right near our guidhall when I come back.""

[7:24 PM] DM: Takara smiles. ""Maybe at least a warning.""

[8:30 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs, ""Maybe."" She says her goodbye and heads to the Guildhall to seek out Tanjura.

## Seir and Tanjura

[9:19 PM] DM: It's getting to be a bit late by this point, but you can find her walking the halls.

[9:20 PM] Seirixori: ""Tanjura?"" Seir calls out to her.

[9:20 PM] DM: She turns, eyebrows raised.

[9:23 PM] Seirixori: ""I am having a little trouble remembering, but have I mentioned anything about the, rare, possibility of my mother showing up?""

[9:26 PM] DM: She closes the distance, and shakes her head. ""I don't believe so. Should we expect her?""

[9:28 PM] Seirixori: ""I don't know. I asked her to come, but..."" Seir shrugs. ""Just in case. She looks like this,"" She quickly uses her disguise self to look like her Mama. ""At least sometimes."" Seir chuckles, ""She's uh, pretty good at the disguise thing.""

[9:29 PM] DM: She smiles. ""I'll let Ryleigh know if I see her while you're away.""

[9:30 PM] Seirixori: ""Thank you. I'm-- could you, would you mind letting them know I'm going to spend the night in the forest?""

[9:31 PM] DM: ""Of course..."" She pauses, then reaches out and puts a hand on Seir's arm and softly says, ""Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything.""

[9:36 PM] Seirixori: Seir looks away briefly, ""Thank you. Do you think someone would mind taking care of the plants? I can't--"" her voice catches and she has trouble continuing.

[9:38 PM] DM: ""Don't worry about it. Leszenya's been taking good care of them. She won't mind continuing to do so.""

[9:40 PM] Seirixori: ""Thank you,"" she repeats. ""I'll be back tomorrow evening, I think. I won't be too far tonight, don't want to worry anyone too much.""

[9:42 PM] DM: ""I wish you peace. If it's ok with you, I'll include you both in my prayers.""

[9:46 PM] Seirixori: ""I, yes. That's-sure."" She starts to head out with a little wave, ""Oh, do you think Trouble is still at the hall? I wanted to ask her something.""

[9:48 PM] DM: ""Not at this hour, probably not... though you could try the Greasy Halfling if it's important.""

[9:49 PM] Seirixori: ""The...what?""

[9:50 PM] DM: ""It's a bar she's fond of. Named for a wrestler.""

[9:51 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs, ""Perfect."" She thanks her again and asks for a general direction and heads there to look for Trouble.

## Seir and her night out with Trouble

[10:10 PM] DM: You find the bluish-purple tiefling cheering on a pit fight with a couple other people at the table and a half-full tankard.

[10:17 PM] Seirixori: Seir nearly laughs at finding exactly what she set out for. She heads to the table and addresses Trouble, ""And to think I wanted to find you to ask about fighting pits, when all I needed to do was find where you liked to hang out.""

[10:19 PM] DM: She looks at Seir for a couple too many seconds like she can't quite place her before she grins. ""Dawnguard, right? You do somethin' different with your hair?""

[10:22 PM] Seirixori: Seir nods, ""Sort of. Just one braid instead of two.""

[10:24 PM] Seirixori: She watches the fighting for a few moments, ""Do they allow bears?""

[10:25 PM] DM: She chokes on her beer. ""B-bears?""

[10:27 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs, ""Afraid of bears? Bears are nice.""

[10:28 PM] DM: A moment of realization dawns on her. ""Oh, you're the shifter. Right. Never seen animals in the ring, but you can always ask."""

"1:17 AM] Seirixori: ""Hmm,"" Seir hums as she thinks about it. Some time passes while she watches the current match and she seems to snap out of wherever her mind went. ""Maybe another time. Last time we went to one of these there was a little, uh, issue."" She takes her eyes off the fight, ""You mind if I join you?""

[7:43 AM] DM: Trouble just gestures to a chair.

[2:48 PM] Seirixori: Seir takes a seat and rests her chin on her hand, ""Do you always come here? Tanjura guessed this is where you would be.""

[2:54 PM] DM: One of the other people at the table, a dwarf with a thick beard, but the sides of their head shorn nearly to the skin and the center braided down the back laughs. ""Trouble? Always?""

Trouble shoves them playfully. ""More like flavor of the week.""

[3:00 PM] Seirixori: Seir's hand lightly rests where the Frostbeard crest hangs under her shirt as she glances at the dwarf before she catches herself and looks back at Trouble, ""There's that many places like this here?""

[3:03 PM] DM: Trouble: ""Depends on what you're lookin' for. Fightin'? Nah. Booze? Yep. People? Prob'ly.""

[3:12 PM] Seirixori: ""Hm, had intentions of looking for a fight, but guess I didn't actually want one.""

[3:17 PM] DM: The dwarf downs the last of their drink. ""Doesn't really narrow it down much. What're y'lookin' for then? Drink? Food? Conversation? Place t'sleep? Someone t'sleep with?""

[3:27 PM] Seirixori: ""Sleeping should always involve other people. It's nice."" Seir laughs a little, knowing it won't get taken the way she meant it. ""A distraction. Or maybe just to be somewhere where--"" she stops, realizing she doesn't want to bring the mood to her level, ""somewhere to... relax.""

[3:39 PM] DM: The dwarf stands and heads over to the bar before returning with two mugs of ale. They set one in front of Seir before sitting and gesturing to the drink. ""Relax, then.""

[3:52 PM] Seirixori: Seir thanks them quietly, still unable to look at them for very long, and stares at the drink and eventually takes a small drink. She is not able to hide her distaste, ""Why do people like this?""

[3:56 PM] DM: ""This? This is piss water... but it'll do the job eventually.""

[4:05 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs, ""If you say so.""

[4:10 PM] DM: Trouble grins as she sits up. ""I could always help it along, if you like.""

[4:21 PM] Seirixori: Seir looks confused, ""...what?""

[4:39 PM] DM: ""You wanna relax, yeah?"" She pulls a vial out of her pouch. ""Works faster than ale.""

[4:48 PM] Seirixori: Seir doesn't look any less confused, ""What is it?

[4:56 PM] DM: ""Grung. Does it matter?""

[5:24 PM] Seirixori: Seir's brow furrows, ""Sometimes, yes. If it hurts people.""

[6:25 PM] DM: Trouble and the dwarf look at each other and burst into laughter followed by the human-like third person at the table who laughs with a dainty, tinkling sound.

Trouble uncorks the vial and reaches towards Seir's drink. ""My Gods, you really do need to relax.""

[6:50 PM] Seirixori: Seir sinks in her seat a little at the laughter, ""Yeah, well, there's usually not enough time for that.""

[7:16 PM] DM: She tips the vial over a bit, letting some of the powder fall into Seir's drink, then slides it back in front of her. The dwarf says, ""Don't take it like that, pink. It's just cute the way y'said it. Nobody gets hurt makin' or takin' it. It's little more'n a muscle relaxer.""

[7:23 PM] Seirixori: Seir mouths the words 'pink' and 'cute'. She stares at the drink, swirling it around and then hesitantly takes a sip of it.

[8:17 PM] DM: Doesn't taste any better.

[8:24 PM] Seirixori: Seir makes another face, ""Still gross."" She takes another sip, but after that she mostly ends up just watching everything around her and pretending to drink slowly.

[8:25 PM] DM: Just pretending to drink?

[8:27 PM] Seirixori: ((yeah))

[9:01 PM] DM: The dwarf goes through at least three more drinks over the course of the next hour or so while Trouble and the other each have one and they cheer on the fighters.

[9:11 PM] Seirixori: Seir, despite her quietness, enjoys the little controlled chaos and surprisingly doesn't mind the noise too much. Eventually she sets the mug aside and stands to leave. ""Thank you for letting me... relax with you."" She chuckles, ""I should probably get going before someone decides I've been gone too long.""

[9:14 PM] DM: ""Y'want an escort home? Never know what might be out at this hour.""

[9:16 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs again and there's slight hesitation, but she nods, ""Sure, though I had planned on sleeping in the woods tonight.""

[9:24 PM] DM: They kind of shrug, drop some coin on the table, and grab their coat. ""You'll be gettin' the drinks t'morrow, Trouble.""

[9:37 PM] DM: They lead Seir out the door and gesture for her to lead the way. ""Hope we didn't make y'feel too uncomfortable. Noticed y'barely touched your drink. Wouldn'ta done nothin' untoward, y'understand.""

[9:42 PM] Seirixori: Seir starts leading them somewhat towards the guildhall. ""No, it wasn't that, but thank you. I... it felt a little hypocritical of me, to be honest.""

[9:42 PM] Seirixori: ""Also, it really is gross.""

[9:44 PM] DM: ""How so? The uh... hypocritical part, not the piss water.""

[9:50 PM] Seirixori: She smiles sadly, ""I've been know to, uh, not be happy with my... people who want to use things to numb pain."" Seir pauses, ""Over-use, might be more accurate.""

[9:51 PM] DM: ""Mmm... so it's not so much relaxin' as it is pain distraction. 'm sorry you're hurtin'.""

[10:01 PM] Seirixori: She's not really sure she manages to keep the hitch of her breath quiet enough as a weird mixture of emotions hits her. She eventually shrugs and says, ""Seems to be the way of things."" She glances over at them, though her gaze never lingers long.

[10:05 PM] DM: ""Now... feel free t'tell me t'fuck off if it's too personal, but I'm tryin'a figure out all those little looks y'keep givin' me. A person could get t'thinkin' it's just cause I'm so damn good lookin', but I get the feelin' that's not the case here.""

[10:13 PM] Seirixori: Seir laughs, ""Well, you do look good, and I really like your hair, but you're also correct that that isn't the reason. And it is personal."" She bites her lip, chewing on it a little, ""My... wife. I-- part of me wondered what she'd look like with a full beard, and then the hair, and then... and then knowing I won't get to know, so it was hard to look."" She finishes softly.

[10:19 PM] DM: ""Ah... well... I'm sorry."" They add a sentence in Dwarven and though you only catch a couple words, they sound a lot like what Gunnloda said to you, ""may the stone keep and protect you until you're called back to each other.""

[10:21 PM] Seirixori: ""Thank you. And... thank you for walking with me. You really didn't have to.""

[10:25 PM] DM: ""It's no trouble, 'sides it was 'bout time t'go anyway, 'fore Trouble lived up t'her name. Plus I get t'take a walk with a pretty girl an' maybe cheer her up a little. That's just a bonus.""

[10:32 PM] Seirixori: Seir is not entirely sure how to take the compliment, not used to hearing it from anyone but Gunnloda. ""I went looking for Trouble, but I think I'm glad that isn't exactly what I found."" She frowns and stops. ""I... do not know your name."" She then looks worried, ""Please say you didn't tell me and I forgot.""

[10:38 PM] DM: They smile and hold out their hand. ""Arnyl. And unless y'like bein' called 'pink' or 'pretty girl,' you are...?""

[10:39 PM] Seirixori: Seir takes their hand and gives a sheepish grin, ""Honestly? I kind of hate it. Seirixori.""

[10:40 PM] DM: They laugh. ""Point taken, Seirixori.""

[10:46 PM] Seirixori: As they near the Guildhall she veers off a little towards the forest instead of the buildings. ""I meant it about the forest,"" she chuckles. ""You know, Arnyl, I could send an animal of your choosing to walk you home so you aren't also walking alone.""

[10:49 PM] DM: ""Temptin' as that is, I actually live not far from here. I'll be all right. Y'sure you'll be ok out here?""

[10:52 PM] Seirixori: ""My... aunt is looking out for me, I'll be fine. Have a good night.""

[10:53 PM] DM: ""You too. Hope t'see you 'round the Halfling again some time. Maybe let me buy you a tastier drink next time that's not so numbin'.""

[10:54 PM] DM: They give a little bow then head back down the street.

[10:57 PM] Seirixori: ""That was... different."" Seir yawns and finds somewhere to sleep, finding some comfort in the familiarity and a new friend. Now looking forward to seeing about tattoos in the morning."

6 Felmont -- 7 Felmont -- 8 Felmont

Felmont 3Y21 - Discord logs