Day 22 (continued)
The party heads down to the druids at Silvanus’ Beard, as does Temerity.
Temerity arrives first. He sees a massive tree in the middle of the enclave that is hundreds of years old, with a twisted trunk and beautiful green leaves. People are standing nearby talking.
Korako sniffs the air and tells Temerity that there are many potential friends here – he asks Temerity for a bun friend. Aurius has run off to frolic. Guido is hung over/drunk/both. He sniffs the stew and asks for some before disappearing into the bag again.
Temerity sees the communal stewpot with the elderly lady stirring it. Temerity uses speak with animals and spots 3 different rabbits – one that looks like a hare by some tents, one that is very small and looks wild near a hammock, one that is albino near the stewpot.
Temerity heads to the white rabbit by the food. The rabbit is speaking to the old woman in the deepest voice ever about the destruction of habitat. The old lady is humouring him. Temerity introduces himself to the rabbit very politely. The rabbit thinks he looks very fancy – nothing like a druid at all. Temerity looks at himself in his hand mirror and agrees that he is definitely fancy. Temerity introduces Korako to the white rabbit. Korako hops down and they observe one another. Korako says that he would do anything for his father, for he made him immortal. The white rabbit (Barry) is impressed with Temerity and Korako. Barry confesses to Korako that he’s not a real rabbit – he’s a druid in wildshape. Korako hops back to Temerity.
The old woman turns to Temerity and apologises for Barry. She says to take him with a pinch of sodium chloride. Barry turns into a pale gnome after Temerity pinches him and demands to know what he’s playing at. People start to stare at the confrontation. Temerity does not notice three small children who watch briefly and then look at each other before dispersing into the crowd. The old lady asks the gentlemen not to fight beside the stew and to take their egos elsewhere. She taps Temerity’s arm with her ladle and an ancient magic tries to pull him away. The band around his neck tightens and keeps him anchored in this reality. Temerity asks for some stew – she tells him to speak to Halsen.
Fruit falls from the tree. Temerity does not this, but he notices it explode in magical darkness. He dodges at the last second and watches as other pieces of fruit burst on the floor into magical darkness. Three birds with rope are standing where Tm was, wrapped in rope and looking forlorn. Temerity is impressed with their trick and helps to untie them.
One of the birds reverses wildshape and becomes a child again. She tries to help undo the knots. The other two reverse wildshape – they’re embarrassed for their failure. Temerity walks up and down in front of them like an instructor and asks where they went wrong. The children admit the failures of the plan to him. Temerity tells them to try again now that they’ve learned from their mistakes. They have no more gloomberries with which to perform their trick. He asks to get some more. They wonder if he’s going to tell on them if they let him know where to find them. Temerity assures them that he will not but they don’t believe him. They confess that they were asked to look out for Temerity and they wanted to keep him here to tell his friends because they were worried about him. Temerity looks at Korako and Aurius, checks Chikatika on his shoulder and Guido in his bag and replies that his friends are all here. The girls are confused by this and wonder if Temerity isn’t sure who his friends are. Temerity shrugs them off with a platitude about being grown up. The girls reply that their Daddy Halsen is being very grown up at the moment and skulking off into the woods a lot.
The party approaches Silvanus’ Beard after having collected Anaphel from the caravan. One of the girls points out the party and Temerity sees them approach. Temerity pointedly ignores them. The girls are confused by Temerity’s nonchalance.
The party spots Temerity. Lavender pauses and looks over at the others. Anaphel gives a sigh of relief and will enjoy having the party back together. Anaphel wants to persuade Temerity to rejoin them. Lavender huffs – she was going to suggest that Anaphel speak to him. Theren and Gage say nothing. Anaphel walks up to Temerity, accompanied by Lavender.
Barry has returned to wildshape and is huffing in the corner. He recognises Lavender but she does not recognise him. Barry tells her that any friend of Halsen’s is a friend of the grove. The girls wave at Lavender – she and Anaphel both appear discomfited. The girls ask Lavender for money – she offers them each 5 copper pieces. They’re so excited to be able to buy more gloomberries. The girls wave at Temerity and run off. Anaphel turns to Temerity and inclines their head. Lavender takes up a guard position.
Anaphel compliments Temerity. He is cordial towards them both. Anaphel removes their sword and places it on the ground. They tell Temerity that they need his help – they need temerity and they need Temerity. Anaphel praises his qualities. They address him by his name – Morthos. They are putting aside their pride to ask for his help. They look pointedly at Lavender, who remains silent. Temerity looks conflicted. Lavender admits to him that they might have made a mistake. Anaphel nudges Lavender. Temerity asks if they’re working for the enemy any more. Anaphel tells him that they have abandoned their mission with the caravan. Temerity asks if they have learned anything. Anaphel replies that they have learned that they are weaker without him. Temerity responds by asking what happened on their mission. Lavender says that they attempted to acquire information but it did not go to plan. When they arrived, the horses were stolen, the manager kidnapped and they lost the trail and they decided that they would proverbially jump ship.
Temerity decides that their paths have crossed because they were investigating the same thing. He speaks to the lady stirring the stew (Barry tells him her name is Muriel). He asks her what they did with the horses. Lavender asks if he’s accusing the druids of stealing the horses. Muriel is confused – they have their own horses in the enclave. Lavender tries to diffuse the situation but asks if Muriel has seen any stray horses. Muriel directs them all to Halsen. Temerity realises that she is blind. Lavender asks if they can discuss this outside the enclave. They all move from the stew pot to the path outside the enclave.
They can see that the caravan has calmed a bit, less shouting, but there’s no loading going on and still no horses. Lavender explains that their plan was to carry on but they had stalled. Anaphel chimes in that they have been worried about Temerity. Temerity looks uncharacteristically thoughtful and serious. He believes that some unknown force has impeded his enemy. He thinks it could be a potential ally against their enemy. Anaphel notices that Temerity said “our” enemy, implying that Temerity is still with them. Lavender mentions that they do still have the lead of the warehouse. They could still investigate the horses to find the new player, they could investigate the warehouse (could be the same thing) or they could just carry on by themselves.
The party discusses their options together. They decide to head to the dock. They can investigate the warehouse en route to securing boat passage down the river to Durvish City.
They head across the city to the harbour at Bridgeport. There is some general commotion but nothing out of the ordinary. They go straight to the warehouse. The heavy wooden doors are shut and there is a seal insignia above it. Gage copies the seal flawlessly with charcoal and paper – a ship with full sails and some water, a border of a twisted rope and two anchors with a motto around it. A few guards are on patrol of the warehouse but nothing overtly suspicious. The windows are right up near the tops of the walls. Runcible goes up to look through the windows but there is a layer of crystallised salt on the windows and he cannot see much.
They decide to let Temerity convince the guards that he’s a rich owner, using the insignia that Gage copied. Temerity swaggers up to the guards, with the party following. One levels his pike at Temerity – he pushes it gently aside. Lavender’s hand rests on her pommel.
Temerity addresses the guard pretentiously, pretending to be on Soliana’s business. The guard pushes back with the handle of the pike and demands that Temerity leave until morning. Temerity resists the push of the pike haft and name-drops Siliana. Temerity cannot budge the pike at all, even at maximum force. The guard whacks him with it, wounding him.
Lavender steps forward, drawing sword as if to protect her employer. Temerity uses the distraction to cast charm person and succeeds. He holds his nose to stem the blood and asks again to let them in. The guard still refuses – he is not allowed to let anyone in. Temerity asks him to wander over to his friend and have a chat and pay no attention to them. The guard still refuses, as he won’t be able to do his job from over there. Lavender intervenes and says that there are rumours of kelpies in the water and they’re here to check the building against damage. The guard hasn’t seen kelpies for a while, but last time there were kelpies, there was an extermination team. Temerity tells him that these kelpies are magically enhanced. The guard (Martin) is conflicted. He really shouldn’t let them in. He goes to speak to Roy (the other guard) about what he should do. Martin goes over to Roy to discuss the issue. Gage and Lavender walk up behind the two guards and shove them into the river – sploosh!
Gage quickly runs to the door and picks the lock. The whole party enters the warehouse and they see crates piled on shelves, cloths covering things – the dark is intimidating. Gage and Lavender hear strange tapping noise – Lavender pauses the party. Temerity casts pale blue light on Lavender’s sword. They still see piles of crates and boxes – various insignias stamped on them, but none that are recognisable except for the one on the warehouse. The crates are all sealed. Runcible flies up to the ceiling and Gage climbs up a stack. All both can see is a light from the back left corner. Gage and Runcible both return to the ground and they head into the maze of stacks. There are more statues scattered throughout the stacks, some covered, some not – there are vague whispers.
Lavender is in the lead, with Anaphel as rear-guard. Lavender holds sword up to the statue to look at it more closely. Lavender thinks there is a stone mason here. Theren senses necromantic energy emanating from the statues – not enough to give life, but it causes the whispers. They continue advancing towards the back left corner.
The noise is louder – muttering can be heard. Lavender sheathes her sword and Gage heads out on a recon. As Gage tries to climb a shelf, it is rotten and cracks. A loud crash occurs – wine bottles shatter in a cacophony of tinkles. The tinking and muttering stops. Gage hides behind part of the broken crate. Lavender stays still – Theren does also but send Runcible up in the air in case he needs him in reserve. Guido smells the wine and mutters in his sleep.
Nothing happens immediately – no footsteps are heard. Runcible up above can see a workshop and a person and a few different statues, one of which is much larger than the others. The mason looks quite well built. There are 4 human-sized statues and one golem.
Theren relays information to the party. Lavender mentions that the man may not be an enemy. Theren mentions that the statues may contain necromantic energy as well, enough to animate them. They approach with weapons sheathed. Gage sees the mason and he is pale – he is possessed. The statues all begin to animate – the golem begins to glow with necromantic energy.