06. Festival of Lights (Part 6)

## Starring

Kaitlin as CorbinSophia as Laika

Noel as Fran

and

Kat as your DM

—Noel

## Intro

Sophia  remarks on Kaitlin's  late arrival to the podcast.. Some Shakespearean potty jokes are made by Noel  and Kat  escapes via dnd.

## The Guardians Accost Some Receptionists

### Beefcake Trainees

The Guardians begin to make their way to the temple library but get distracted by The Barracks. They pull rank at the barracks receptionist, Adgrin Oweiv, and manage to get themselves a tour of the training facility for rookie guards. They try to impress and flirt with two beefcake trainees,Zara Vovez and Vasenti Johanna, but only succeed in thoroughly baffling them.

### Fran Finds Her Happy Place

They finally make their way to the library, a beautiful eleven story building with a rooftop garden, built out of the same at white stone and blue glass as the rest of Estra . After Fran  sheds a tear of joy from being in a library, the Guardians talk to the library receptionist, a woman named Luelle, and acquire themselves a map.

The Guardians find a book in the architectural history section that details all modifications made to the city temple since its original construction. Specifically, the relocation of fifty cells from beneath the Temple to under the barracks. Fran also notices that there is a book missing from this section.

## Lore!

Next, they make their way to the mythology section and find a book that details the hierarchy of the Pantheon of the Old Gods. At the top there were the Forces. Fen, the force of Life, Iol, the force of death and Rayel, the force of War. The book also discusses some of the gods that Rayel made.

Torva the Conqueror, who was the instigator of the war that destroyed the world below. Beliuis the Sword, Fiona  the Shield, Poe  the Axe, Weah the Archer, Minatine  the Spear, Desit  the Flame, Rascar  the Rage and Vioni  the Scavenger.

Vioni is the closest God to Torva as much of her power is gained by feeding off the carnage of Torva’s battles. The book said that after the world below was destroyed, Torva came to the Goddess to try and gain a foothold in the Estran city, but she cut off his head. Since then, he has attempted to invade Estra many times. The book also reveals that the cells underneath the temple were destroyed during an escape attempt by converts of Torva. They pulled down the walls and buried themselves alive inside the prison.

Because there is no remaining worship of the old Gods in Estra, and due to the Goddess’ protective barrier, there has been no way for Torva to gain the city for a very long time. While excavating the ruins of the collapsed prison, the natural cave that would soon be converted into the Undertemple was discovered. The Undertemple, the book said, was used as a prison for a child of Rayel.

## The Restorationist

The Guardians return to Luelle and ask for the missing book. After explaining that it has been damaged in a recent accident, she retrieves it for them. Although the Guardians were very suspicious about the 'accident', the book has merely been soaked in wine. They resolve to take it to be repaired by the contract Restorationists.

After thoroughly spooking the apprentice restorationist, a halfling woman named Haven, they threaten her with involuntary impiety if she does not immediately attempt to fix the book. She nervously tries but only manages to turn the book solidly blue. In hysterics, she says that she is sorry and begs them not to tell the Goddess.
The Guardians tell her to take a hot bath and decide to return the next day to speak to the senior restorationist.

## Preparations

The Guardians decide that they need to get more information. After briefly deliberating they decide that:

They eventually decide to throw a party, get every body completely drunk, find the oldest person in the room and then interrogate them. Laika sends a hand written invitation to Zara with a lot of little wolves drawn on it. She also contacts the bards and secures one of the biggest band on Estra: Fall Orc Boy.

### Guard Wolf

As the Guardians arrive back at their dorms, they find Gingie  growling at Cordelia in front of Laika's door. Cordelia demands that Laika call Gingie off because she was merely attempting to collect them for the fitting of their ceremonial armour, but Gingie says that Cordelia was trying to get into the room.

Eventually the party follows her to the armour fitting, but she is not invited to the party.

### Fancy Clothes

As the Guardians are fitted (and after Corbin ensures his armour has a boob window), Cordelia updates them about newfound information on the shades. She says that they came from the world below seeking goodness and purity, and were therefore instinctively drawn to the Goddess.
She also says that she wants them to know this, so that they will stop whatever it is that they are doing.
Sophia points out that they would not have been able to enter Estra without being summoned and earns herself an inspiration point from Kat. The Guardians decide to play along with Cordelia's story and Cordelia tells them that the Goddess will be sequestered to prayer for the remainder of the week.

## The Guardians Throw a Party in Corbin's Room

After finalising the decorations, music and snacks for the party, the Guardians proceed in throwing an epic rager. Everybody shows up; Vasenti and Zara, Luelle, Haven, even Adgrin. In addition a bunch of random guards and attendant some as well. The Guardians continue with their plan of an interrogation.

### The Guardians Exploit a Drunk Woman

Staying completely sober, the Guardians locate the oldest person at the party: an incredibly drunk elf woman of the Crow Clan named Aleya .
After some crying and Gingie-petting, she tells them that Cecelia and Cordelia were not supposed to be the Goddess's personal attendant this reincarnation. Rather, it was meant to be her and a woman named Becky. In addition she tells them that Cordelia seemingly appeared out of nowhere one day and no one has ever seen her face because she never takes off her veil.

She also tells them that the Undertemple was used to imprison the shape-shifting vessel of Vioni. However, when Vioni was banished from the vessel, it went insane and threw itself off the side of the island. She tells them that this is because vessels get imbued with godly power, but without a god's mind to pilot them, they get overwhelmed, go insane and destroy everything in their path, including themselves.

### Normal Teen Stuff

After ensuring that Aleya will get home safe Fran and Laika attempt to flirt with Vasenti and Zara, respectively. They achieve varying degrees of success and the Guardians enjoy the rest of the party.
The next morning, everyone except the Guardians is super hungover. The Guardians receive a sending from a songbird. In the Goddess' voice it says:

## A Message to Chantel

**Noel:**Listen. Chantel, do you remember that time that time Sophia decided to call you Chanty-Town as you nickname and you hated it and we all still call you that?

**Sophia:**And now her updated nickname is Chaterelle, as in the cute little mushroom.

**Kat:**Oh, cute! I like that.

**Kaitlin:**Does she like that?

**Sophia:** Yeah. She just wants us to call her name.

**Kat:**Well alright, Chantel. The code word is... Chanterelle. The sleeper agent is active! Go!

## Featured Characters

### PCs

* Fran
* Laika
* Corbin

### NPCs

* Adgrin Oweiv
* Vasenti Johanna
* Zara Vovez
* Luelle
* Haven
* Cordelia
* Aleya

## Featured Locations

* The Temple Barracks
* The Temple Library
* The Restorationists
* The Temple