Day 9 (continued)
Following their battle against the spiders, Theren successfully harvests some carapaces and fangs from the spiders. Even though the venom has dried, the fangs remain razor-sharp. Temerity cooks his spider legs over an open fire and begins to eat. The rest of the party are unconvinced at the thought of eating them, but Temerity seems to be in raptures over the taste.
Temerity finishes eating and sashays over to Theren. He deliberately calls him by name, which Theren notices. Temerity offers to help him convert the carapaces into armour. Recognising an opportunity to build bridges, Theren silently offers up the carapaces to Temerity. After briefly considering turning Korako into a tortoise with one of the plates, he instead turns to Theren and commands him to strip. Theren pauses, then removes his leather jack, leaving him clad in just his tunic.
Temerity offers the jack and carapaces to Chikatika and asks her what she can do with them. She reaches out and grasps them but they drop to the floor when Temerity releases them. She pushes the carapaces towards the jack and then thumps her chest with her paws. Temerity copies her action and she chunters at him. Temerity addresses the menagerie, asking if any of them can translate for him, as he used up all of his spell-casting in the fight with the spiders. Theren offers to translate, but Temerity shouts him down. Chikatika is too fat to be able to manipulate the carapaces effectively. Korako watches and tells Temerity that Chikatika is very cute and fat. Chikatika ends up buried completely beneath the leather armour.
Eventually, Temerity figures out that he must turn the jack over and Chikatika then nudges the carapaces towards it. Temerity is curious as to why he cannot understand his own familiar. Chikatika indicates that he should attach the carapace to the front of the jack. Temerity instead frisbees one of the carapaces across the chamber. Chikatika is unimpressed and tries unsuccessfully to bite Temerity. Theren finds he is quite enjoying the display. Lavender and Orion are exasperated by the antics but nevertheless amused. Temerity bends down to pet Chikatika and she nips his hand. Temerity uses the other hand and she bites him hard, injuring him. She storms off towards Theren, who crouches down and ruffles her ears. She chunters softly at him. Unbeknownst to Temerity, Theren converses with Chikatika. He tells her that Temerity is an idiot, but that his heart is in the right place. Chikatika is exasperated with Temerity and Theren asks her to keep him in line. She asks Theren his name and he tells her. She scrutinises him for a bit before thanking him.
Even though he cannot understand what they are saying, Temerity is upset, exclaiming that she is his familiar. She responds by chuntering disapprovingly. Temerity retrieves the thrown carapace and retreats to a corner, where he stitches a carapace to the front of the leather armour and create two shoulder pauldrons from another carapace. Chikatika scuttles into the jack and the threads begin to glow gold. She chunters at Temerity and he pets her – this time she doesn’t bite him but is still clearly unhappy with him.
There are three exits leading out of the spider chamber. The central exit has a torch in the far distance, the left exit has a torch in the middle distance and the right has a torch near to the entrance. Theren sends Runcible into the right hand tunnel. The torch leaves Runcible with some blind spots on his eyes, but he can see that the torch curves away several times into the distance but he cannot see beyond the curves – the psychic link does not allow him to continue further.
Runcible is sent down the left hand tunnel. As he reaches the torch in the middle distance, it flares up and becomes immensely bright. Runcible shields his eyes in time and avoids the glare, but again, the tunnel curves away beyond his sight.
When attempting to recon the centre tunnel, Runcible cannot even travel far enough to reach the torch in the distance before he must return.
Temerity asks Korako to sniff the tunnels for magical residue. He smells only spiders down the central tunnel; however, the left tunnel smells of both spiders and people – people who passed by a short while ago. As he approaches the right hand tunnel, the torch at the entrance flares, leaving him blinded and panicked. He hops around in fright. Temerity charges over to rescue him, oblivious to the dangers of the torch. Lavender reaches out for his arm but misses. Theren attempts to snuff the torch with prestidigitation, but he only manages to dull it briefly before it returns brighter than before. Temerity stumbles towards Korako and surrounds him with his arms, burying his head into his fur to avoid being blinded. Temerity calms Korako and uses mage hand to grab the torch, but it refuses to move.
Lavender calls Temerity over to her, but he ignores her. Theren asks Chikatika if she can heal Korako. She waddles over to him and strokes him, chuntering softly in his ear – this calms Korako significantly and he feels safer now. Temerity examines Korako and discerns that the effect is temporary but cannot be dispelled. He whispers words of encouragement to Korako. He places Korako on his shoulder. Chikatika wants to continue stroking Korako, so he hefts her up onto his other shoulder. She splodges there briefly before clambering up onto his head and holding onto his horns.
Theren votes to travel down the left hand tunnel, since they know that people travelled that way. Lavender agrees, even though she is tempted to take the centre tunnel. Lavender takes point. When they reach the torch partway down the tunnel, it flares. Theren is blinded and the whole party except Orion and Runcible are caught in magical ropes. Orion takes Runcible and secrets himself in the shadows, hidden even to the party members. People in cloaks that resemble rock appear. They all have hoods pulled up over their heads. They speak in a gravelly, throaty language.
Lavender breaks through the ropes with her brute strength; however, once free, she is completely frozen to the spot. The beings hoist the party up and carry them further down the tunnel. Temerity looks beneath the hoods but sees nothing beyond glowing white eyes – he surmises that the glow is alchemical. Theren can see through Runcible’s eyes but knows only that he is with Orion in the shadows – he can discern nothing further. Temerity, in his usual manner, calls out to the figures, taunting them about bondage play and asking for recreational drugs. The figure carrying him shakes him and commands him to stop talking. Temerity merely asks the figure to spank him harder. The figure drops him, looks down and smashes something onto Temerity’s head, knocking him unconscious.
The party is carried through endless tunnels – they lose all sense of direction. Eventually they arrive at a main cavern. It is brilliantly lit with torches and contains the hustle and bustles of a hodge-podge settlement – people are sharpening weapons, practising spells. There seems to be very little sense of organisation to the proceedings. The party is thrown in a cage in a dismal corner of the cavern. There are many, many people here in the mini underground city of many races – orcs, half-orcs, dragonborn, humans, halflings, gnomes, elves and more. Their magical bindings have loosed but they are firmly locked in the cage.
Lavender tries to awaken Temerity. She then describes the cavern to Theren, who is still blinded. He tries to see through Runcible’s eyes, but cannot, as Orion must have him too far away. There are many cultures represented in the cavern but they all speak in a strange language that Theren cannot understand. They opt to wait patiently.
After a while, Theren’s blindness fades and Temerity comes round. Temerity notes that they are in a cage and asks why his head hurts. Lavender tells him it is because he can’t keep his mouth shut. She asks him what he can remember. He mentions recalling a passionate embrace with Lavender, but that this must have been a dream. Lavender and Theren are disgusted. Temerity asks if he should try and unlock the cage. Theren tells him to knock himself out. Temerity tries to headbutt him for such a poor pun, but Theren simply blocks him with his hand. Temerity is severely unimpressed and sulks in a corner with his menagerie.
Lavender investigates and inspects the guards outside the cage. They seem lean and not particularly organised. All of the inhabitants of the cavern are of a similar age – young adults, with a smattering of babies, but no elderly anywhere in sight. Theren joins Lavender by the bars and notices that the cage has magical protections. It is difficult to see everything due to the chaotic and haphazard nature of its construction. Nobody seems to be paying the prisoners any attention at all. Theren opines that they should try and attract attention and Lavender agrees. She whistles to a guard; Temerity looks betrayed.
One of the guards approaches. He says that the lady will see them soon – she sees all new prisoners. Lavender asks about the lady, but the guard is not forthcoming. Lavender starts getting riled but Theren interjects and asks about the cavern. The guard replies that this is the place of wandering souls. Lavender manages to calm herself. Temerity talks to Guido and asks him to scout the area secretly. Guido chugs his beer and stumbles out of the cage, drunk as a lord.
The guards bring over bread, cheese and cured meats to the cage. Temerity eschews these in favour of his roasted spider legs. Theren wonders why they are being fed so well and surmises that they must want something. Temerity waves a spider leg around inside the cave but the guards do not react. The party are left in the cage for a while. Theren reads some books from his bag. He acquires lots of general information about powerful beings, but nothing that fits with himself.
A horn sounds and the cavern stills; a group approaches a central brazier. They are far away, but they are clearly wearing leather armour and have large weapons on their backs – twin blades, claymores, halberds. They approach the cave and recognise that the person in the lead is Bromelia!
She recognises Lavender and asks why she is here. Lavender is stunned, Theren is confused and Temerity continues dancing with spider legs. Lavender tries to grab the spider leg, but he somersaults away and addresses Bromelia, informing her that he is Lavender’s dance partner. Lavender’s face remains stonily fixed. Bromelia gives a short laugh but does not believe him. She motions for the guards to release them.
Bromelia comments that the party destroyed their first line of defence – the spider. Theren pulls his cloak tightly round him to hide the carapace armour. Bromelia is impressed with their strength and asks why they are there. Theren answers that they have come to rescue her. Lavender relates that they were at the wedding and were trying to help.
Bromelia asks them to follow her and she shows them the cavern and the various training centres, explaining everything. She leads them to a modest study and they are seated on a sofa. She explains that she was not kidnapped. She did not want to marry Requiem. She was put in contact with this group, who were very small at the time, not even having a name. They were just a small group trying to resist the establishment. Theren asks if they are anarchists or anti-establishment. Bromelia answers that they are rebels rather than revolutionaries. Many of them seek revenge. Bromelia comments that they cannot remain in the cavern. It is no longer feasible. They are too many.
Theren asks about revenge, whether they seek it only or take it. Bromelia replies that she wants revenge but must instead be a leader. Lavender asks if they intend to march on Avalon. Bromelia replies that Avalon’s armies are too great. Theren asks if they are nomads. Bromelia explains that they want to find a more suitable place to live. Lavender mentions that Captain Arran sent them to investigate. Theren mentions that it all started with Necromancers. Bromelia shakes her head and stares. She says that the necromancers have been causing problems for the Displaced. They could be allies but are not. Bromelia asks them for their help.
Theren quickly agrees, which makes Bromelia curious as to why he was so eager. He replies that he understands how it feels to be Displaced and the need for revenge. Bromelia says that her eye is on Arcadia. There is a necromancer base there and it is under Avalon’s control. She says that if they could seize Arcadia, then the Displaced would be safer.
Bromelia asks why they didn’t ever turn back on their quest, given the dangers involved. She leads them to a war room with a map showing locations of their allies and enemies. The allies are few and far between. The smallest collection of enemies is in Arcadia. Bromelia offers them three strategies: through the forest, up the path or what she refers to as from within. She looks at Lavender when she says this, speaking of her family. Bromelia doesn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, but it is the least dangerous option. Lavender is reticent. It is a gamble. Bromelia will not force a decision now, although she admits that time is short.
Theren looks at his home village of Hesse on the map, but sees no allies there. Bromelia leads them to quarters. They sleep after eating in the canteen. Guido returns to Temerity, bemoaning his troubles and berating him for leaving him behind. He says that some of the people here are strong, some are weak, some are bastards. He tells of meeting blacksmiths and cooks. Temerity rewards him with some whiskey soaked cheese, causing him to pass out.
The party rests and reflects.
Day 10
Lavender wakes and heads down to train with the soldiers. They are using a range of weapons and she trains with them all – longswords, glaives, throwing knives, axes. People there bow to her as they recognise her. She trains for a while until she hears a noise behind her. She sees a strip of paper disappearing into the shadows. She excuses herself and finds Orion hidden in the shadows. He is furious and demands to know what is going on. Lavender fills him in and explains that they have a common enemy in the necromancers. Orion frowns but says that he must write to his order and explain the situation.
Theren heads to an area of magic users. There is a training area with sorcerers and a research area with various implements and instruments. He heads to the research area. There is an elven wizard there who exudes confidence, two halflings at an alchemy station with some humans nearby and a half-elf reading something. He speaks to the wizard and asks about the Great Old Ones, saying that he wants to know about his patron, given that he knows nothing beyond their original bargain. The wizard leads him outside and asks him to strike a target. He releases an eldritch blast. Golden light strikes the target and the wizard recognises it.
He explains that he has not seen this power in a very long time. The name of this Great Old One is unknown, even to those to whom he gifts his power. Nobody knows why he keeps himself shrouded in mystery. If Theren seeks him, he is in for a very long journey. He is a very enigmatic patron. Theren is visibly disappointed. The wizard relates that gold is his signature colour – this is the only information known about him. Theren explains how his hunger of Hadar spells was changed. The wizard has no doubt in his mind who the patron is, but reiterates that the journey to seek him may be impossible. Theren replies that it is a secret that he must know. The wizard says that this journey is one that Theren must undertake alone, but Theren doubts his own strength. The wizard offers to train him in spellcasting, but Theren is despondent and retreats to reflect on what he has learned.