A Practical Colleague

> We meet a new friend and enter the Galgari Jungle!
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## Summary

Everyone exits the graveyard a little unnerved from the experience. Sybl notices the blue tint to his doll and Olwen Edgeworth asks if he's going to name the doll. Sybl mentioned that it never occurred to him so Olwen shakes the doll's hand asking for it to take care of Sybl. Xaillen wonders if the doll will work like the previous one but Sybl has no idea.

A boisterous voice appears happy to see the group. It comes from a dwarf that Adrian Tanlaial recognizes as Mike. He's happy that Adrian's here but wonders about Adrian's job. Adrian says he's sort of on a sponsored expedition. He introduces the group to the magitek teacher of Kord and apologizes for Flint using his room. He asks if Flint broke anything and Flint said he didn't break anything he'd notice. Michael takes a shine to him while noting that the fanboyism for children of the Heroes of Directian has ceased. He introduces the group while using Hoshimi's alias.

Adrian then asks about a teacher named Alex getting transferred and Michael mentions budget cuts. He also mentions that he's likely getting chopped next so he's looking for other employment. Apparently the arena is a better place for funding than the university and it gets Xaillen's attention. He mentions that they'll talk later. Adrian then pulls out the wanted poster of the Deliadel but Michael calls it someone looking for attention. He then asks about Caius' name and Hoshimi and Xaillen are stunned that he snuck back in. Xaillen is annoyed and Olwen is reminded of someone that she red about but couldn't remember his name. The group looks over the wanted poster again and Xaillen calls it a hyperbole of something that didn't get a good look at it. Seven sees this as an opportunity to hunt. Caius says that he got some horses for them and Xaillen mentions that he hopes to cure the university's financial troubles and sends a letter. Olwen asks about Sybl's 'friends' and Michael mentioned he had trouble sleeping last night.

The group heads out with Hoshimi riding with Adrian after Olwen buys a health potion. The group stares into the empty chasm before leaving. The group travel into the jungle for about a half hour before needing water. Hoshimi feels much better than she did on the mountains as Seven plays around. Michael pulls out some books for everyone to read and Olwen gets interested. She picks out the book for Treaties for Tieflings while Adrian asks about books on Heironious. Michael says that one book might have something but Adrian declines. Olwen offers to help seeing as she serves his successor. Adrian politely accepts and picks up a poem book known as 'Symphonies of Silence' by Virtune the Long.

Xaillen asks about hunting for Seven but she can only hunt in her other form. Seven overhears and gets upset. Xaillen suggests that they go out hunting at night near Elinoren. Adrian looks for anything magical and eventually tells his party that he had a talk with Nicholas Hollyhock. Olwen begs Adrian to show her his shoulders and neck. Adrian agrees and Olwen finds Hollyhock's mark on his left hand shoulder. Olwen mentions that it's a mark Hollyhock puts on people when he's not done with them before revealing her own. Adrian opens up his notebook while also showing Olwen the phrase, 'I am an idiot' in five languages. Adrian reveals that Arpolian is in Gatless town and that Hollyhock didn't kill Achillon directly. He also brings up how Achillon tried to kill Raquel when it was revealed she would be given a lesser sentence. He also talked about how Olwen was saved when she was teleported to Thultanthar. He mentions that they came out where Olwen was located so it was likely Hollyhock didn't send them to the other plane. He also mentioned that those monsters in there were likely wandering around elsewhere.

Xaillen brings up the fact that Hollyhock may have been lying and made it seem like he was telling the truth. Olwen says that he can play with others but is brutally honest. Adrian notes the similarities since they both follow the same deity, neutral in nature. He also brings up the dumb question on whether the party mourned 'snakey' and brings up the fact that the enchanted rope may have been connected to Speculo Malum. The party agrees that they need to find Arpolian not to find Hollyhock but to find Raquel. Hoshimi is bummed that the disguise plan is moot because of this. She also asks to be taken to the Directian palace when they get there for she has some people to contact there. The party apologizes to Caius and Michael for getting them involved. Both of them are confused on the matter as Hoshimi reminds Olwen that the group rotates watch duty.

## Notable events

* The party meets Michael Cienza
* Caius comes back with some horses
* The party enters the Galgari Jungle
* Adrian Tanlaial reveals that he talked with Hollyhock and has his mark