Session 36
Trouble Brewing
As Aragir and Cerrule entered the market, and promptly got distracted with all the interesting goods and food, Aragir finally mentioned the thoughts he had caught from Cerrule on their way back to Brassdorf and asked her if she still struggled.
A bit caught off-guard, Cerrule gingerly replied that she had thought about her future and purpose, of how she technically did not belong here and was not sure if her family still existed now that she had changed the future. While she was glad that she had diverted this world’s path from destruction, it all left her feeling aimless, unsure of which of the various possible paths to take forward.
Aragir suggested that perhaps her simply existed meant that she had purpose, to which she agreed. Though she still longed to understand this purpose. Nevertheless, she concluded one could not know everything at all times, and that she enjoyed spending time with the group.
The two then continued to explore the area, and eventually found a pub called ‘The Murky Turtle’. A dwarf was playing music on the small plaza in front, but the pub itself was mostly filled with humans and some half-orcs. The pub was decorated in a distinctly Avalonian style, and quite bustling inside.
Two spots were available near the bar, though they were separated by a large man. Cerrule had no trouble taking a seat, though Aragir hesitated before he followed.
The man made conversation with the druid. His name was Rolo from Goldmere, and he claimed to be an adventurer. Cerrule managed to convince him to tell her about his recent secret adventure.
While Rolo was speaking he was promptly interrupted by another man, sat on the other side of Aragir, who accused the larger man of stealing his story. Angry about the accusation, Rolo stormed off. The other man spoke with Cerrule a bit more, and introduced himself as Magnus. He warned them to not run into his party in the North, as they would steal their money. The two had a disagreement about how rewards were obtained as an adventurer, and ended with potential positive or negative titles their behaviour could grant them.
Cerrule and Aragir bought some more food from the pub to take with them and then made their way back home.
In the meantime, Delbellis had gone to the Royal Palace. The note she held carried a name she knew all too well; Kira, her mentor from Elderwalk, was supposed to have a meeting with the queen today.
Kira, a blue-feathered aarakocran monk, was making her way upstairs when Delbellis found her, and she greeted her warmly. She then asked Delbellis why she hadn’t returned to Elderwalk, though her pupil replied it was a long story and asked if she had time.
The elder aarakocra then explained that she was to meet the queen to discuss the increased activity in Elderwalk; Though the monastery was promised independence in return for their training of the Golden Garde, the presence of the queen’s forces had increased to a stifling amount.
She asked for Delbellis’ support in keeping the monastery’s independence, though the younger aarakocra admitted that she was not sure how to do this. Delbellis then warned her master that one of the higher ups in Brassdorf had his sights on the sacred scrolls of the monastery.
Kira asked Delbellis about the scroll, and once again reminded her that she should come home as she was needed in Elderwalk, even though Delbellis expressed that she thought the monastery would still be angry at her. The two agreed to continue their conversation later, and Delbellis joined her master in meeting with the queen.
When Kira and Delbellis faced the queen and her right-hand Ildritch, she asked the monarch whether the monastery’s independence had been taken away. Queen Shatterbane promptly denied this claim, and Ildritch told the pair that they were simply protecting Elderwalk from the threat of the North. Kira and Delbellis both agreed that the monks of Elderwalk were perfectly capable of defending themselves. No matter how the queen and her right-hand tried to spin their story, Kira and Delbellis could not be convinced of the need for the queen’s forces around their monastery. The elder aarakocra urged them to recall all forces but those training at the monastery, and then left the palace hall with her pupil next to her.
Once stood back in the courtyard, Kira then asked Delbellis what her plans were, and for the third time she expressed that she wanted her to return to Elderwalk. Delbellis invited her mentor to continue their conversation at the Four Feathers’ newly granted home.
It didn’t take long for the pair to find the house, and as they entered the yard they found Cynic making a list of future improvements for their residence. After a brief introduction, Kira examined the aasimar a bit to test him for his resilience and strength. She asked him if he was capable, and Cynic reminded the monk of their reputation.
Delbellis then continued to introduce her master to Cynic, and then invited Kira inside to continue their conversation.
While Cynic did his best to make the house appear even more impressive with the use of simple magic and made some conversation with Kira, they continued to the dining room where they sat down at the large table.
Cynic attempted to curry favour with Kira, and asked her if she took disciples, to which she invited him to visit Elderwalk. He promised her that he would make Delbellis one of the best adventurers, though the elder aarakocra expressed that she preferred that her pupil returned to the monastery.
Delbellis reminded her master of the reason she left; The visions that she saw could not be ignored. She recited the scroll that she had translated and urged that the world faced serious threats. Kira still insisted that her place was in Elderwalk, even though she had not yet been freed of the consequences of her actions.
Delbellis then showed Kira the Criir’s Blade, and explained how it was granted to her by its maker. Though Kira found it difficult to believe, she chose to trust Delbellis and vouch for her towards the council in Elderwalk.
Cynic and Delbellis convinced Kira to stay the night so that she could meet the others, who returned early in the evening with the food they brought.
After some introductions, Aragir quickly sat down in front of Kira and asked her about the sacred scrolls that were held at the monastery. Introducing himself as a scholar of the Scarlet Academy, he then asked if he could one day study these scrolls. Kira promptly denied him, though she agreed that perhaps they could ask the council when the time came.
He tried again by offering to translate the scrolls, but Kira explained that the monastery did not care for translations as the scrolls were of religious importance. A translation could damage the monks’ beliefs.
While eating the food that Cerrule and Aragir had brought back home, Delbellis asked about the situation in Elderwalk. Kira told her that there were considerably more dwarven troops, and that they had set up a structure outside the city that allowed them to execute border control. The people from Elderwalk mainly tried to remain within the city walls. There had been monster attacks outside the city, though they had not yet been able to reach inside Elderwalk.
To make an arrangement, Cynic offered to change the reception area into a training room and have the monastery train their pupils there. While Kira was unsure about their own pupils, she wholeheartedly agreed about the migration of the Golden Garde and suggested they make their case towards the council in Elderwalk.
As the conversation progressed into the somewhat lighter topics of recreational training, Delbellis asked her master about the staff she was holding, something that had caught her eye before at the Royal Palace. Though she could not exactly confirm it, it looked and acted a lot like Peshka’s staff.
Upon hearing the name, Kira looked intrigued yet confused. In the current timeline, Peshka was but a young child, only three years old, traveling with his parents towards the Felwinn monastery in Avalon. Once again, the party told her about Weylin’s time magic, and assumed Peshka must have been taken from a different timeline. After hearing their concerns, Kira agreed to send a message to the monastery to make sure the child would be protected.
Aragir then asked Delbellis what more she knew of Mortemus, and she mentioned her visions of Solis. Kira jumped in, asking if Delbellis had really seen the champion of the sun, considering that the gods were presumably no longer among them. Delbellis mentioned the Divine Gate, and both she and Cerrule wondered whether it was opening or closing. Kira yet struggled to either believe or make sense of all of this, but Delbellis pressed that there was more to learn.
After all of this, the group contemplated on which steps to take next. There was still the situation within Brassdorf, the Vestiges and Istros Borealis, and the threat of the North. Kira agreed that undead humanoid creatures had been seen in the area near Elderwalk, and offered to help them should they pass the area.
But before they would travel to the North, Aragir admitted that he required the group’s help. With Kira respectfully requested to give them some privacy for the time being, he proceeded to explain that after witnessing Weylin’s magic and plans he required specific information that was only held within the forbidden section of the Scarlet Academy. Seemingly as a last resort, he planned to sneak in unseen, and he explained how he needed the party’s assistance with this plan.
After some deliberation, the party agreed. All they would need next was a strategy…