Session Seventy Five: The light of home

General Summary

The guild of Monster hunting

  Silmer and Chantilly discover sounds of some sort of monster coming from behind the monster hunting guild. They go inside, check the notice board and Silmer asks Chantilly if she would like to join on one of the hunts with him. Chantilly pictures just how many ribbons she’d be able to purchase with all of that gold. They go to the reception to sign up, where they meet Guildmaster Samras, the lizardman.   He explains that, in order for them to go on a hunt, they need to be a part of the guild. They need to do a test, after which they are hazed. After Chantilly freaks out a bit they decide to join up. Samras explains that the test is tomorrow at noon. He tells them they need to wear only leotards or less (less is better). Silmer will go without the leotard and Chantilly buys herself a blue glitter leotard. They check for some work on the notice board and notice a quest for hydra heads for 75 gold.  

Drag brunch at the Bloated Belly

  After the monster hunting guild, Silmer asks Chantilly to go “day drinking”. They end up at a drag bar called the Bloated Belly pub. They hear deep singing and inside meet Aunty Mary, an orc drag performer.   Having some drinks and banter they discuss the future. Chantilly mentions she is looking for a hag. In conversation Chantilly shares she wants to bargain with a hag to get stronger and to wish people alive. Silmer mentions he would like a kitchen. Hugs are exchanged.   Aunty Mary encourages the two to join the fun instead of staring at their drink glasses at the bar. Merriment follows with interpretive dance.  

It’s a ro-purrrrey

  Edward stays with M.J. and Alex as Tristan and Malak go to visit Thaen’s family. On the way to their establishment Malak is robbed by a group of kids. His slingshot gets taken but a white Tabaxi catches them. Instead of reprimanding the kids, Malak makes a slingshot from his longbow and trades it for the stolen slingshot, explaining it is his daughter’s. The slingshot he crafted does not seem functional but the kid seems excited to have one. Tristan gives the kids 3 gold pieces each after which he moves his coin purse somewhere secure as the kids run off.   The tabaxi introduces himself as Algon. Tristan and Malak introduce themselves and Algon mentions their names sound familiar, he’s learned of them from a little girl. He tells them to follow him.   He takes them to a tavern called “The Light of Barracus”. The place looks recently renovated. There is a woman inside singing and the performance is very professional.  

The Light of Barracus

  As they enter, Algon is greeted by the lady at the bar by name. As he sits down, he tells her that vouches for the two men who followed him in and sat next to him at the bar.   The lady asks for their names and, as Tristan and Malak introduce themselves, she calls them “the April Friends” and welcomes them to her establishment. She introduces herself as Jaers Falden, Thaen’s mother.   Drinks are ordered. Algon tries to get some Karrnathi milk, like Tristan, but Jaers only allows for him to have regular milk (rather than annoyed by this, he seems amused). After downing his milk, Algon shifts into a 10 year old changeling girl, who introduces herself as Dris. Jaers send Dris to go get the rest of the family and she disappears upstairs.  

He found “her”

  Malak and Tristan share that Thaen “found her”. This makes Jaers decide to close the bar down, much to the annoyance of the bard playing, named Isla. Isla fusses about all the weird places the Circle has been sending her of to as late. Jaers directs her to her room and reminds her she will still be able to perform this evening. Isla storms off.   Tristan mentions he would not like to join the Circle if they are like that, which pisses Jaers off as her husband works for the Circle. Malak tries to calm her down telling her she should be proud of her establishment but the phrasing of such was interpreted as an insult. Things get heated for moment until a man, who resembles Vence, walks in and gently asks Jaers to stop. Malak and Tristan have important information about their child and he suggests that Jaers cools down a little while he chats with the two of them. Jaers exhales frustratedly and goes upstairs too.  

Catching up

  The man introduces himself as Berren and takes them to a table. He tells them that Jaers finds it hard to deal with criticism when they work very hard to keep the tavern running. But things have gotten a bit easier since the Circle has been sending more bards their way. It has also allowed for their son, Wies, to be able to pursue more than just working and living in the tavern.   They talk a bit about a couple of topics:

About Tessie, how she ended up with them and how she is now doing since leave Starilaskar

About the dodecophany and that he’s glad that Thaen is reconnecting with Talia again. It’s only sad that they cannot travel together. It’s also sad that Emir cannot see Cissa

When talking about the dodecophany, Berren also mentions that he’s heard of Elizabeth via the Circle and that her skills are known

The two also tell Berren that they found Piesk and that Piesk found Gisleia, explaining what has happened keeping out the “worrying parts”.

Tristan mentions that Thaen offers to help financially, but Berren declines.

Meet the family

  The rest of the family joins. Jaers, who has completely calmed down, takes a moment to apologise to Malak, who graciously accepts the apology. Malak and Tristan are introduced to Wies, who they find out moved out recently and is now taking care of Tessie (who is still creepy as fuck).   Dris and Tristan talk for a bit. She is very bright and very outspoken for her age. And VERY eager to learn. Tristan offers to discuss her with his “Arcanix connection” (Grace) and to see if he can help her. Dris gives Tristan a letter to give Grace. Malak tells Dris about a friend of theirs that is in Sharn, April. The April from “the April Friends”. Malak contacts April using sending and gets an address to her so she can pick up Dris. Dris is very excited.  

Illuminate their path

  The group talk a bit about Thaen and the other personas. It’s clear that the family considers each persona a different family member and whenever Thaen is mentioned, someone might ask what the “other three” feel about that topic. It is also established that Algon is such a persona as well. The other changelings in the family do not have such personas.   Almentash is also mentioned as the Traveller is very much revered by the family. Jaers mentions she had an odd dream about hi, and asks Malak and Tristan to relay it. She dreamed that she stood by a cliffside, staring out at a plane with a big city in the distance. She saw lights moving towards city. She heard Almentash’s voice telling her that these lights are his children. Misfits and those cast out, Kalashtar, Changelings, Lycans. Refugees and veterans who no longer have a place in the world. Tell Barracas to illuminate their path even on the darkest days.   She tells them that’s why she renamed the tavern. Referring to it as a beacon. Malak tells her that Thaen’s dodecophany name is Barracas. This news seems to shake her a little. After a long chat, Malak and Tristan return to the Orphanage to pick Edward up.  

Thaen and the Traveler

  Thaen goes off to find a shrine to the Traveller. He finds a copper cup and puts a copper in it. Almentash appears behind him, telling him he won’t just appear on demand.   Thaen offers Almentash whatever he wants to have Talia’s brother, Ledritash, get his Quori (Tash) back. Almentash will be willing to do so if Thaen offers up his ability to feel love or even remember what love felt like. Thaen thinks about it for a moment, but decides that that is too steep a price.   Thaen then asks what the price would be to have the means to find Tash. Almentash says that it would cost him is ocarina. With a heavy heart, Thaen hands it over. Almentash turns the ocarina into a ball of light, that floats towards Thaen and is absorbed into his chest.   Almentash explains that Tash in Dal Quor. Once Tash is found, they need to be lead back to Ledri. The light that was absorbed will serve as a small beacon to look for Tash in Dal Quor.   It is explained that, in Karrnath, there is a dark lake that would help him get into Dal Quore. He is also told not to do this alone. And, before he disappears, Almentash reminds Thaen to follow the light of Baraccus.  

Edward @ the orphanage

  He spends some more time with MJ and Alex and tells them he’ll write and will sent over books for Alex. He gets picked up and they move back to Wroat.  

Session ending

    Chantilly and Silmer drink some more and check the back of the hunters guild and identify the notice to be a manticore Thaen gets himself a new ocarina. The group all gather up at the inn.