And since it was running through my head all night …
Last Time
Far Daran (far! not near!) shenanigans!
Dole out FPs.
Cutscene!
Airship in the skies.
“Lady Ambra! We must divert back towards Near Daran!”
“I don’t care what Malcolm says – I am continuing the hunt! … Why are we changing direction?”
“The orders were clear!”
“No! I won’t give up that easily!” (glances at window)(opens window) (leaps out of window) (arms change to wings!) (she flies away)
Functionary runs to the bridge.
Back in Far Daran …
Lubeck speaking about things they did while working down in the depths. Background stuff.
Surdak has gone quiet since threatened … but has given traveling-thru-Stream-of-Souls info to Prisma.
Bugaboo left behind
- His cloak! (dark + fire resist) → TBs put on in lieu of Rune Armor
- Also a Ripper Claw → Saraid takes it.
In the Bowels of Far Daran …
Mizzle wanted to plant a tree! G’father Oak’s seedling. “Spring’s Promise”
Ritual … to alter the seedling to take nutrition from the area.
Lubeck is okay with that (as a Man out of Time)
Saraid supports the ritual.
TBs - big magic! we trust Mizzle!
Major! Huge!
Saraid blows the roll, but the TBs find proper power conduits to support the effort.
13? Hits with 21!
Seedling … from in hands, tendrils of roots sprouting out,
Growing, ceiling, … getting very cramped, sapling surfing …
Lubeck - tendrils
Saraid - leave some space for us, little seedling! Uses Prisma to demonstrate.
Demons and insects and other denizens flee out of the way.
Sunlight!
And the branches start to leaf.
Acorn Pixie – “It’s finally being born!”
Lubeck enjoys seeing light again. But ruins … sigh.
Things that are broken can be rebuilt.
Some folk are upset about the damage … but helped protect the turtle egg, and it can help purify the water.
And the city will live again.
And, hey, Lubeck will sit here for endless interviews!
We should take the egg to the ancient one.
Researchers don’t want to be left behind …
(Spend an FP to establish the tree is anchoring the risen city.)
Back on the Gallimaufry …
… and flying to the head of the turtle.
Saraid tries a ritual to get in emotional touch with the egg. Pushes it …
Aware of surroundings … wants to be buried in the sand, to work its way free …
Sooooo … maybe ask the turtle.
Bay on the Axe Coast … where it was born, where it wants to go.
And the G Turtle starts to move that direction. “Thank you … leave the egg with me … I will see it is taken care of …”
Mizzle: We owe you so much more.
I wish I could do more for you …
Drop off the egg with the turtle.
What next??
Find Zeal … Mizzle does his job … or, hey, Trishenko peeps!
Finding Zeal. On the Gallimaufry, somewhere.
Back to the Great Library.
Seen a Squirrelkin anywhere?
Back to the Library area. Prisma lands in the courtyard.
Sitting on a bench … it’s the Professor! Fyodor.
“So I can tell from movement of the Great One, on the move again … leaving behind Far Daran. All according to plan?”
M - No, but it worked out. Got the egg. Planted a tree. Promises a report once notes collated.
How did young Smoketree comport himself?
TBs - did lots of cool, big magic! very smart!
S - Intelligence, decorum, rapport with Lubeck. Left things much better than when we arrived.
If a representative of the G, should do it properly . Only a small minority ever come back while traveling afar. You need new clothes.
Journeyman Scholar’s Coat … and Mizzle bursts into tears.
Saraid encourages.
TBs say the robe can be replaced (“We know a guy”)
M feels guilty about damaging a rare book.
New books.
Nah, need an editor.
Fyodor volunteers.
Happy you want to leave things better than you found them.
Oh, need some arcane cooking books.
Saying goodbye to the kids.
To the Library!
Great Library.
Expedition folk are discussing the island, chatting with Lubeck.
Ren notices us. “Congrats on the coat!”
Fleur to Mizzle.
Sorry for running off. Sorry for damaging the book. Brought a replacement. And some other manuscripts.
Met a Sq’kin who really wanted to come here.
Miss you.
Have to go – more people who need help.
Far Daran will need an outpost of folks. To nourish the sapling, research Far Daran (with Lubeck’s help). City needs help.
Zeal? A ship crew.
Stock up on supplies (IP).
S complements Fyodor for how he handled that. Gets emotional.
Tell stories about the Harmony Senate and how much Mizzle helped.
Paw postman stopped by a while ago, before heading to Near Daran. Never saw them again.
TBs are interested in any documentation about clanks (Imperial Automata).
They get a trade copy, and promise to make notes.
Saraid and Fyodor talk. About Mizzle.
To the Docks!
The G loves rafts. A bunch of rafts lowered down, lashed together, until reasonably stable.
Workers … ask there about the Sq’kin.
Dockmaster.
Exuberant shout of “SIBLING!”
Father is a sailor.
Mizzle has a book for Zeal.
Go to the Tea Stand.
Saraid - Mizzle, do you want to summarize what we know of Squirrelkin?
Mizzle - I WROTE THIS BOOK ABOUT IT, WITH A SYNOPSIS. AND AN ABSTRACT OF THE SYNOPSIS. WITH FOOTNOTES.
Zeal - father’s name? Doctor Armin.
He saved us.
He made us. Couldn’t bear to part as the last one, so stayed on the ship with him.
TBs - Some are nice. Some can be mean.
Saraid mentions the Other Ambra. Zeal is not happy about talking about her, from stories Armin told about Elonia. Too dangerous to see other sibs.
Mizzle and TBs go to visit Doctor Armin. Zeal escorts. Sounds a bit paranoid.
Where are you from? Near Daran. Where? Trishenko? Is Trishenko a Elonian colony? (No!)
Did right thing with the squirrelkin.
Armin is aghast that there’s another sq’kin there. “If you’re together, the Elonians can track you.”
Mizzle tries to counter that. Fought Elonians and beat them.
Oh, Lamentors, too. We’ve beat them, too. Trying to emulate the AM’s power, like the Elonians.
If they have access to the squirrels … trying to undo protections the AM put in. The Elonians captured Central (the AI) because Central was trying to undo their coup.
General Durendel has been trying to bend Central to his whims – take over the AM’s armies, and become leaders of the Counties.
M - Elonians - focused on a successor. A fiction, that they were the AM’s chose successors.
You call him Owen, I called him Sire. But Durendel’s AM is nothing but a shadow of him. He has an amulet.
We have one of those, from the Stone Guardian on Harmony.
Central destroyed the bridge to keep us (Elonians) out.
M - Saraid is here, we’re leaving soon … if you want to talk to her. Running away is a mistake.
Back on the Docks
Here comes Dr A. Saraid tries to play it cool, but positive.
Keep at arm’s length. “How … are you … has it … has your health been stable?”
“I’m Saraid. I’m from Harmony. You graciously put me in the care of my parents in Bell. I’ve done very well.” Tries to reassure him that she’s well and he made a good choice.
The Scurrys. Ed & Dorothy.
Very sorry I couldn’t keep you all.
*You were right to separate us. *
Have you met others?
(Mizzle is dying here, rattling his manuscript.)
Melody … Demon Ambra …
So they’re all alive?
Zeal: SIBLING!
Rose is coming through the dockside.
… and Clove! and Detani (the Sr Druid)
Dr A is having a panic attack. This is how it all starts. The Elonians can start tracking their energy signals …
Detani - Over with Rose, Clove, Zeal … talking genially …
Bird Cry – Detani double-take – pushes Rose to the ground before a figure drops down on him, all claws and feathers!
LADY AMBRA as Harpy.
“FOUND YOU!”
(At least we all get FP)
Next time!
Mike shows off his new Rest macro sound effect.
We spent FP this and last time … 3, so 6 XP, so … next level!
Mizzle leveled.
TBs - took their last Fury … needs to choose an Heroic.
Saraid … recover MP - Consume with spell attacks.
And … we haven’t fought Lady Ambra (directly) before. Eep!
(And the TBs really want to follow up with Dr A about the whole thing about … Elonian colonies in Near Daran?!?)