Day 5 (continued)
After the defeat of the vampire, Temerity lets Korako and Guido enter the mansion. They had been waiting patiently and safely outside. Lavender bars the door behind them as a precaution before suggesting that they check on the patients in the upstairs room. It very quickly becomes apparent that this infirmary is now nothing more than a morgue. Temerity searches the room for anything of value, but there is nothing worth taking. Lavender instead searches the mansion for a more defensible position where they can take some respite after a hard battle, even though it is still only morning.
Temerity approaches Theren in Lavender’s absence and asks him if he has any knowledge of extra-planar beings. Theren is instantly suspicious of Temerity, but some of his tension is relieved when the bard specifically mentions his rabbit. Theren investigates the rabbit and perceives magic in him but dismisses this by mentioning that the fey had changed him, which likely caused the magical residue he can sense. Temerity mentions the strange occurrences of people running upon seeing Korako and developing an instant obsession with rabbits. However, the conversation comes to an abrupt halt after Temerity insults Theren and the warlock walks off.
Lavender meanwhile has been making a fire in the hearth of a side room, specifically the library. Temerity abandons his questioning and heads to the magnificent organ on the mezzanine of the entrance hall. Lavender calls to Theren to light the fire with prestidigitation, which he does. Whilst in the library, he begins to investigate the books. Lavender leaves him to it and sits, but nevertheless remains alert. Temerity is lost in his organ playing and Lavender, calming after the battle, eventually drifts off to sleep. Theren’s eyes also droop while reading and he sleeps. Temerity continues to play the organ until the bellows deflate and then he too collapses onto the manuals.
When the party awakens, it is evening. Temerity goes on another hunt for loot throughout the mansion and finds a number of people’s belongings who have become victims of the vampire, including some sentimental items and even children’s toys from the younger victims. Temerity sorts through them and filters off a measly two gold pieces. When he returns to inform Lavender, she decides that it should be given to Gorg the innkeeper, who will be able to redistribute it. Temerity asks for assistance, as there is much to carry. Whilst they are collecting the items, Temerity asks her about extra-planar entities, but Lavender knows nothing, aside from her family’s god, Pellor. Temerity mentions the mysterious nature of Korako to her. Lavender agrees that the rabbit is odd and asks if Temerity has spoken to Theren. Temerity replies that he has but that Theren said nothing on the subject. Lavender, aware of the nature of warlocks, asks Temerity about Theren’s patron. They both realise that they know very little about him.
In Temerity’s absence, Theren takes the opportunity of speaking to Korako with his newly-learned ability to speak to animals. Korako is initially very wary but agrees to speak to Theren in return for treats. Theren converses with him about Temerity and tries to find out about him and why he doesn’t seem to like Theren. Korako explains that Temerity is very strange but that he is a good person.
Temerity and Lavender return and Orion agrees to help them with the belongings. Theren has been searching the library and has managed to find two books on other-worldly beings, specifically about celestial and abyssal beings. After a brief disagreement, Lavender leaves Theren to look for further valuable books while the rest of the party returns the belongings to the inn. Before leaving, she turns to Theren and asks him who is patron is. Theren stares at her, stunned. Temerity takes advantage of the opportunity to read Theren’s mind. He gets an impression of something unknowable – immense power beyond comprehension, a being of supreme law who is nevertheless chaotic. But he gets no name. He suspects that even Theren does not know. After a brief pause, Theren refuses to talk about his patron and turns away. Lavender takes this to mean that he is evil and absolutely the worst. She leaves with purpose to her stride, with Temerity following behind.
Theren, blindsided by the question and furious at himself for the way the circumstances had developed, becomes enraged once they leave. He throws a book across the room and begins to hit the shelves. He feels as though he has messed up his relationship with Lavender, which disappoints him, as she was the party member he respected most. Temerity, however, hears the commotion and sends Korako to keep an eye on Theren. Korako re-enters the library and drags the thrown book back over to Theren, who speaks to him and asks why he’s not with his father, as Korako calls Temerity. He sits and strokes Korako for a while, curious as to why Temerity had made such an unexpectedly considerate move of sending Korako back. After a short rest, he continues to search through the library. There is a great many books but many of them are damaged. He finds several books on gods and god-servants, even one on Pellor, but finds nothing relating to his own patron, much to his disappointment.
Lavender, Temerity and Orion head off to speak to Gorg the innkeeper. Temerity bursts into the inn, announcing that they have belongings to return. Upon hearing Temerity’s voice, the gnome runs out of the kitchen waving a cleaver but Gorg shoos him back inside. Temerity notices as he does that a cloud of green seems to seep out of his mouth. Temerity calms his swagger and bluster and informs Gorg that they brings grave news about the curse, relating that they found the source and lifted the curse, but that those who had been taken to the mansion could not be saved. Lavender is impressed by Temerity’s tact. Temerity slips Gorg 10 gold pieces without Lavender seeing and asks him to use them for those victims that have lost their livelihood as a result of the curse. Gorg quickly removes the gold and nods. Temerity can sense now that there is something magical about him but can’t quite tell what. He whispers and asks him to teach him whatever created the green cloud that came from his mouth. Gorg uses the green smoke again, commanding Temerity to return when he’s stronger.
Lavender, having not witnessed this, dumps the belongings on the bar and Temerity invites her to go on a moonlit walk to decompress. Lavender is reluctant, believing that they should be giving charitable aid to the villagers in the wake of the curse being lifted. The three of them head out and greet many people who need assistance, but who are nevertheless wary of them.
As they go around the village, Temerity spots a Auriel’s Church that is overgrown with plants and yet somehow appears well-tended. The plants, he sees, are magical and recent – someone is trying to hide the church. He asks Lavender to pull the church door open through the plants, but as she tries to, the briars cause her significant damage. She becomes enraged as she is entangled in the vines and rips herself free. Temerity heals some of her more serious wounds. He tries to break the vines apart but fails. Orion offers to get through, but Lavender tells Temerity to fetch Theren. Temerity grumbles but agrees to return to the mansion while Lavender and Orion rest.
Temerity saunters off, bangs the door of the mansion open and disturbs Theren, who is busy stroking Korako. Temerity clomps into the library, earning him a frown from Theren. Speaking to Korako, Temerity asks what has transpired, learning that Theren had liked having the company of the rabbit and had fed him treats. Temerity asks Theren for help at the church, so Theren extinguishes the fire, picks up the half dozen books that he has found and follows. As they journey, Temerity asks about what Theren has discovered. Theren believes that whatever is going on with Korako, it is unlikely to be specifically rabbit-centric.
Theren sees the vines when he arrives at the church. Lavender asks him to burn them. He uses a fire bolt and a small section of vines burn, but not much. Orion decides to try his way. He hands Lavender a beautiful blue stone on a cord that he says will allow them to communicate while he is inside the church. He yells in pain as he passes through the vines and they slice through his skin. He relates that this is a church of the old ways, although he doesn’t recognise the symbols that he sees. One of them resembles a snowflake. Theren can’t find that symbol in the books he has brought with him. Orion looks around him and says that it’s still quite well-kept inside and clearly hasn’t been abandoned for long.
Temerity decides to speak to Gorg about it, leaving Theren to continue attacking the vines with frost and fire damage. Temerity greets the innkeeper and explains the situation – a church covered in vexatious, predatious vegetation. Gorg seems confused by the word church. Temerity switches tack and simply asks if he’ll help them in burning down some thorns. Gorg agrees and they race to the church. However, upon arrival, Gorg cannot see the vines. Lavender moves towards him and seems to appear from nowhere. She tries to explain what’s going on and that they are clearly seeing different things to each other. After trying to explain that Orion is trapped in a church and getting nowhere, she whistles to Theren to approach. He is tiring from blasting the vines and welcomes the respite. Gorg sees him appear from nowhere and green flames leap into his palm in reaction. Theren leads him to the vines and asks him to use the green flames where he points. Gorg instead staggers backwards, as he can now see the vines, although still not the building beyond them. He is momentarily stunned but recovers quickly.
Lavender checks that Orion is safe and instructs him to step to the rear of the church where he’ll be clear of the side door through which he entered. Orion hides behind some pews near the alter. Gorg reaches for the vines but doesn’t touch them, instead asking who did it. Lavender replies that they don’t know. She discusses the snowflake iconography that they found. Gorg seems to be trying to remember something, just like the guards the party encountered at the north city gate. Temerity realises that it the concept of a church that is causing the issue. He tries writing it in the dirt, but Gorg cannot fix his thoughts on it. Theren tries writing the word church is Sylvan, Elvish and Abyssal, but Gorg still cannot see into his own memories. Temerity realises that Gorg is clearly very powerful, well-travelled and experienced. Gorg can see the shape of something beyond the thorns but only when they refer to it as a building, not a church. He offers to try something. He touches a vine. One of the thorns impales through his palm. He grasps it and a burst of green flames assails the vines and they shrink into the ground. Lavender and Theren stand quietly in awe of Gorg’s power. Gorg shakes off his hand and states that he doesn’t do that anymore. He returns to the inn feeling disconcerted, for the party has awakened something in him that he had been trying to suppress.
Orion comes to a window and they see how much pain he’s in. Temerity heals him and they enter the church. Lavender recognises the symbols of the goddess of duality and balance, chaos and beauty – Auriel. Temerity notices a lack of decay and surmises that this place has been actively looked after. Theren asks if they’re desecrating it with their presence but Lavender is unsure. On a whim, she kneels at the altar, but nothing happens.
An enormous roar resonates throughout the church. It is a strained and horrible noise that announces the arrival of an ice troll storming through the main entrance behind them, trapping them in the church. Lavender immediately barges past Temerity and rushes towards the troll, shoving Theren behind her to protect him. The troll swipes at Lavender and catches her a light slash, but her armour protects her from most of the damage. Orion, who is still badly hurt, leaps forwards and hits the troll before retreating. A cold aura around the troll causes frost damage to anyone in close proximity. Temerity retreats from the cold and mocks it, simultaneously healing Lavender. Theren also retreats and launches a fire bolt at the troll, burning it, and instructs Runcible to assist Lavender.
The battle goes poorly. Lavender misses the troll on several occasions, and the troll causes huge damage to her, requiring Temerity to continually provide her with healing. Theren’s spells also miss and Orion sees the difficulties and surges forward to help in spite of his injuries, inflicting a flurry of blows on the troll. Temerity, in an act of desperation, calls upon deities for assistance. For a brief moment, Korako pricks up his ears and there is a dim feeling of forests and trees.
Finally, things begin to go better for the party. Lavender’s sword finds a weak point in the troll’s hide in its armpit. The sword skewers the troll and emerges through its shoulder with an iridescent glow and bright blue blood dripping from it. In retaliation, the troll tries to bite off her head, but misses. It swipes and misses Lavender but catches Orion, who falls, mortally wounded. Theren finally manages to hit the troll with a double eldritch blast, inflicting massive damage. Lavender drops her shield and, using a two-handed grip, plunges her sword, fuelled by rage, into the creature’s flank and up under its ribcage into the troll’s heart.
As the beast collapses, Temerity rushes to Orion and administers a healing potion. Lavender retrieves her shield, while Theren, still weak from blasting the vines constantly, slumps down against the altar. Lavender and Orion hack the troll into pieces and drag it from the church.