18. Into Avelis (Part 9)

## Starring

Kaitlin as CorbinSophia as Laika

Noel as Fran

and

Kat as your DM

—Kat

## Intro

Kat  really wants Kaitlin  to know that she cares about their feelings. Sophia  wants Kaitlin that she cares more about their feelings more than Kat does. Noel  says that she does not care at all for Kaitlin’s feelings, but the others bully her by telling her she cares the most about everyone’s feelings.

## Fahrenheit Falen-Five-One

The Guardian’s smell something burning further on into the library and begin to rush towards it. They find an entire shelf of books has been set alight by a young man who, as soon as he sees them, attacks them with a splay of darts.

### Falen’s first impression of the Guardians certainly isn’t great

Both Wivvil  and Maeri  collapse to the ground in pain from the poison darts. While Fran  stays behind to heal them, Corbin  and Laika  chase the mystery man through the library as he attempts to escape.

Laika manages to grapple him and rips off his mask to reveal a regular, though handsome, human face. After Corbin does some seriously weird stuff (Including, but not limited to: licking the man's spit.) in an effort to intimidate the man, he manages to break free of Laika’s hold and runs off once again.

Although Laika and Corbin are able to keep pace with the man, they are unable to catch up to him. Attempting to be sneaky, Corbin turns into a crow. The man reaches the side of the Tower  and begins to climb up the wall to reach the exit. Laika is unable to keep up with him and he escapes out the door, but not before he gives her a wink and attempts to spit down at her.

Corbin, still in bird form, successfully tails him out of the library without being noticed. He follows the man until he believes he has successfully gotten away. At that point the man points towards the Farah Mountains and disappears into a cloud of black smoke.

### Healing a god is really hard, actually.

Fran uses an anti-toxin on Maeri straight away, successfully healing her, but Wivvil is still writhing on the ground in pain. Maeri immediately attempts to put out the fire on the books, but is unsuccessful due to her unstable magic. Fran, drawing power from Maeri, is able to extinguish the flames. The books are nearly completely destroyed, although Fran is able to read the word ‘Estra.’

Neither Fran or Maeri are able to heal the poison out of Wivvil, so Fran tries to go find Laika, who is able to perform Lay On Hands. Fran finds Laika still hanging from the side of the Tower wall, with Corbin nowhere in sight. Laika screams in rage and then begins to climb down the bookshelves.

### Secret Zuko

By the time they get back to Wivvil, his physical form has begun to flicker in and out. Although Laika is able to heal him, he still looks completely drained and sickly. Wivvil identifies the young man as Falen the Betrayer; a child of Torva  with a proclivity toward lining his weapons with khastra  venom. He also explains that Falen’s goal was likely wiping all knowledge of Estra from existence, as when a book is destroyed in the library all the knowledge it contains fades from the world.

After giving the Guardian’s the ability to understand and speak New Common, he tiredly asks them to leave. When the Guardian’s exit the temple the entrance disappears. Instead of waiting for Corbin to return to the clearing Fran, Maeri and Laika head back to the village.

## Briar Glen

The townsfolk ogle at the party as they pass by, astonished that they came out of the forest alive. They returns to the general store and, now that they are able to understand him, find that the shop keeper’s name is Antonio  and that the town’s name is Briar Glen.

He offers to buy them dinner at the local tavern and is astounded to learn that the spirit who lives in the woods is, in fact, a god. He remarks that it makes sense the Wivvil lives there, as although Briar Glen has only been settled for two generations, they are thriving. It’s at this point that Zarun  and Gingie  enter the tavern, dragging a disgruntled Corbin behind them.

The Guardian’s fail at disueding the townspeople from building an altar to Wivvil and head off towards the Farah Mountains.

## The Pilgrim’s Path

After a week the party reaches the base of the mountain range and begins the trek up the Pilgrim’s Path; the trail which will lead them to the Temple of Iol. Although the path is well maintained, the mountain is incredibly steep. When they are about halfway up the path they meet two men with a donkey and a cart.

Their names are Palo  and Salm  and they are transporting Salm’s brother’s corpse up to the Temple of Iol for burial. They begin to travel the path together and soon reach a large waterfall and stream which violently rushes down the mountain, effectively cutting off the party’s path. Corbin casts Water Walk on all of them, including the donkey and the wolves. They tie the dead body to Gingie’s back and, leaving the cart behind, begin to cross the stream. Saul, Palo, Laika, Gingie and the donkey all lose their footing and fall into the water that is running off the side of the cliff.

## A Message To Chantel

**Kat:** Chantel, the codeword is: ‘Nail me and call me crucified.’ Go!

## Featured Characters

### PCs

* Fran
* Corbin
* Laika

### NPCs

* Wivvil
* Falen
* Antonio
* Zarun
* Salm
* Palo

## Featured Locations

* The Tower of Wivvil
* The Pogswoods
	+ Briar Glen
* The Farah Mountains
	+ The Pilgrim’s Path