Session 79

The group lands with a solid thud in Karasuthra, the third layer of the Beastlands, in a thick forest. They look around and find that Terry isn't there. They quickly realize that he let go just before they transported, and Leona contacts him. He tells her that they have a friend to rescue, and he has friends to make, but they know where to reach him if they need him.

Leona also casts Sending to Atlas, giving him a rough idea of where they are with respect to the moon. He tells her he is making his way to the Keep of the Wardens. They figure out that Atlas is south of them, and they decide to take a rest while he heads in their direction. Leona and Xytharia move a little south to spread some of her perfume for him to smell.

As Leona is away from the group, she runs across an enormous snake, who speaks to her, trying to figure out who she is and why she's there. It asks her if she's a shifter, and when she says no, it bites her. Staggering back, she casts Animal Friendship on it. She gives the snake some rations and convinces it to leave them alone and tell Atlas where to find them.

Back in the hut, Elden speaks with his sword, mentally. When it actually works, he asks what it knows about the Beastlands, and it gives him a little bit of information. About that time, Leona and Xytharia return. Leona is still seeing lots of colors, but it eventually wears off.

Kesra and Elden make their way out into the surrounding jungle to get their bearings. Kesra finds a collection of footprints from some enormous cat-like creatures. They also find a large hole in the ground. While they are patrolling, Kesra asks him if he was talking to his sword. He tells her about Casus being inside him, and that the sword lets him talk to him. About that time, they begin hearing wolves, and they get back to the hut just as a pack of 8 wolves surround them.

Leona uses a Hypnotic Pattern to incapacitate the wolves, and Atlas arrives just in time to help kill them off. They group welcomes Atlas back, and figure out what's next. Leona gives Atlas her Scrying Eye to try to locate his family. They also catch Atlas up on the events since he disappeared.

They ask Xytharia about where else she can Plane Shift them to, and she shows them many many tuning forks that she is currently "borrowing". In the process, Kesra mentions talking to Red about the Veldahar, and Xytharia presses her for details about why she would ask her horse about the Veldahar.

Leona also asks Xytharia about how she might go about clarifying her deal with the Raven Queen. Xytharia tells her she can die, or pray, or take communion in a temple. She asks Leona about the terms of her deal, and advises her to have faith, in herself and in the Raven Queen that they can make it work.

Atlas finishes attuning to the Scrying Eye and scries on his sister. He sees her pressed against a tree, with a bit of lava nearby. He sees the rest of his family there, debating what to do, but unsure the right approach. Leona recalls a story of a fragment of Phlegethos that wound up in the Beast Lands called the Labyrinth of Fiery Doom, rumored to be the lair of a red dragon and a succubus, who are lovers. She also remembers that Phlegethos is where Aureo's mother is.

Atlas runs up a nearby tree and spots the lava off in the distance. Xytharia sends Sura a message to Sura to send a message to Atlas' sister, to tell her to stay put, and that Atlas is coming for her. As they set off into the woods toward Atlas' family, Atlas gives Elden a disk made from a dragon's claw, with a mountain carved into it, and Leona a token with the symbol of the element of air.