Day 10 (continued)
Lavender stocks up with 2 weeks of rations, as well as a necrotic resist potion and two medium healing potions. Orion finds her in the market. She tells him that Temerity is busy having fun and Theren is joined the Displaced and that she has chosen to pursue her brother. Orion informs her that he has been talking to people about the missing First Fist but he has obtained no leads and does not know now where to go to find them. He suggests that Arcadia could have the information he seeks.
Lavender mentions that this is where she is heading and wonders if the necromancers have something to do with the First Fist’s disappearance. Orion agrees and wants to come with her. Lavender is inwardly disappointed, as she would rather go alone and pass information to him. She reluctantly agrees to let him come with her. Orion says that he will find the others. Lavender agrees but warns that Theren may not come and Temerity will need prising away from his current half-orc companion. Orion smirks and heads off, impressing her with his stealth ability.
Theren is secreted in his room reading the book in the strange Abyssal dialect. He casts comprehend languages. Deep red letter appear above the book, informing him that it is about warlocks with demons as their patrons and the powers that demons give. He begins to understand that his patron is not a demon, for there is no correlation between his abilities and the ones in the book. There is also a crossover with necromancy here, as with the demon patrons.
A knock at the door disrupts him and an elderly gnome lady enters to clean the room. She begins to chat amicably with his about his book and about magic. They discuss his party and he confesses to her that he knows little about having friends. She tells him about the pranks her friends would play on her when he was younger and that it was a way that they showed that they cared. She implies that friendship is worth working at. He tells her that he’s joined The Displaced and so he will likely never see his companions again. She points out that no decision is fixed in stone. He becomes confused about changing his mind and going back on his word. He introduces himself and she reciprocates – she is Marjorie. He suspects that she knows a lot more than she’s letting on. He thanks her for her help. She offers to help him whenever he needs it.
Temerity has finished liaising with the half-orc. He aches and she is smoking a cigarette. Chikatika is busy trying to shield the eyes of the menagerie from seeing too much. Guido finds the whole thing fascinating. There is a knock at the door and the half-orc dresses, suggesting that he do the same. They begin to argue about his menagerie. She leaves and does not take his gear with her, despite having won it.
Temerity answers the door naked. Marjorie tells him that she will give him a minute to sort himself. She is at the height of his crotch but looks him in the eye and asks if she can clean the room. He acquiesces, although she asks that he puts on underpants first. They search together for his underwear through the devastation in the room. The bed is broken, the sheets are ripped and there is something indefinable spattered up the wall.
Marjorie is horrified, as she will have to clean up and sort out getting the place repaired. Temerity finds his underwear and dresses quickly. Upon seeing her stunned expression, she he volunteers to help her to tidy up. She tells him to scrub the walls while she begins with the sheets. Temerity begins to clean, with Chikatika helping. Aurius picks up rubbish and puts it in the bin.
Marjorie begins humming and Temerity recognises the song as one sung when he was younger. He joins in humming with her. She asks how he knows the song. He replies that he has known it since childhood. She is surprised, as she has not met anyone that knows it in a very long time. She asks his name and he replies Morthos – his birth name. She smiles and says that she wishes her were more like his mother. He facetiously asks if he should be a woman. Marjorie replies that she remembers his mother well, as they were friends together in a big city many years ago. Temerity sits on the broken bed, breaking it further, smiling wistfully. She invites him to visit her later, as she may have something for him. He nods and thanks her. They continue cleaning together.
Bromelia comes to find Theren. She is concerned that he agreed to join the Displaced in a rush of emotion and has not considered fully. She sits with him and asks what he wants. He replies that he wants to find out what he is and, once he does, seek out some people to make them regret how they treated him. She asks if he will find that here. He says that he feels an affinity here, as there are other who are lost, like him. She replies that his answers are unlikely to be here, but there will always be a place for him with them. He nods silently. He suddenly realises that he is not alone, as he has always had his patron with him ever since the joining. He tries to rush off but she stops him and tells him not to journey alone. He wonders if his companions will still want him.
Lavender considers leaving without the rest of the group, but reasons that they would probably catch her up and it would not be worth the hassle when they do. She waits for them by the exit. A tiny child – a half-orc/Halfling hybrid. She cringes and looks for some sort of parent, remembering that there is a crèche run by a worn-down human woman who was always run ragged by the little ones. The child wants to touch her shiny armour – it strokes her proffered gauntlet. It then complains that the other children are loud and annoying. She offers to take him on an adventure and he clasps her finger. She asks who was looking after him but he does not want to return there. She picks him up and he struggles until she places him on her shoulders and starts walking towards the crèche. He protests but she ignores him. They argue and he starts screaming and crying about seeing wizards. As she approaches the crèche, the woman there is trying to deal with chaos. He argues with Lavender again and she lifts him down, kicking and screaming. The elderly woman takes the child and thanks her, asking her if she would like to help her run the crèche. A half-elf girl knocks on Lavender’s shin guards. Lavender excuses herself and leaves as the girl cries.
Orion finds Theren and lets him know that they are heading out. He will find Temerity and join them. He compliments Theren, as he senses something is different about him. Theren heads down to the exit. Orion then finds Temerity, who has fixed the bed with a mending cantrip. Marjorie is very appreciative. She tells him to meet her in about an hour and then leaves, dragging her huge broom behind her. Orion is glad that Temerity is now available and has completed his exploits. He informs Temerity that Lavender is waiting for everyone by the entrance. Temerity’s ears suddenly prick on hearing Lavender’s name.
Orion heads back to Lavender and informs her that the others are on their way. He asks her if she is alright. She replies that the children are very lively and that he should avoid the crèche. Theren joins them almost immediately.
Temerity heads to the housekeepers’ quarters. It is a really small, cosy house with window boxes and bunting. Marjorie invites him in when he knocks. He ducks to enter and puts on his horn cosies to prevent damage to the house. She provides him with some fragrant herbal tea. She brings a gilded photo album and hands him a picture from it. Temerity takes it carefully – it is a picture of his parents, Marjorie and another, presumably her husband. Marjorie only has nice things to say about Temerity’s parents and offers him the picture. Temerity feels genuinely touched by this, as it has been a long time since he left home and most of his companions have been animals in all that time. She offers him good wishes on his journey. They chat amicably for a while and then he excuses himself and wanders over to the party, which is now reconvened fully at the exit.
Orion explains that he does not know where he must go. Theren replies that he thought they were heading to Arcadia. Temerity simply points fatuously and states that they should go that way. Lavender warns them that this is her goal and she will not ask them to go with her. Temerity states that he is risking his life for their future children, not just for her. Orion tells her that they are going because they are friends. Lavender agrees – they are all going to Arcadia. Orion comments that he has often been quite quiet but now he is taking charge because the group clearly needs it. They rest near the entrance and leave the following morning.
Day 11
The group heads off towards Arcadia. As they leave, the sunlight is glittering off the fresh snow. Lavender marches silently. Temerity plays the song from his childhood as they walk. Theren watches them both, trying to feel the camaraderie. They walk solidly for the whole day. The cold takes a toll and in the evening it starts to snow, so they are hampered and have to camp in the wilderness. Temerity meditates for a time on his bond with Chikatika, for he feels that something is wrong with it. Theren continues to read his books on gods.
Day 12
The party has a better day than the previous one. The snowstorm is gone and they make up for lost time. As they approach Arcadia, the evergreen trees and plants become wilted and dying. Cracks are appearing in the snow. Theren can sense heavy levels of necromancy here. He suspects that a lot of magic has been done not only in the city but also outside it. Temerity asks Korako what he can smell, but the cold has affected his senses and he becomes distressed. Chikatika and Temerity pet him and calm him.