Session Sixty Five: Out of the Darkness and into the Light

General Summary

Part 1: Await your Turn

Under an orange Moon

  Waking up under a starry sky adorned with an orange moon and one star that is shining brighter than the rest, Tristan feels a weight on his arm. He looks down to see Grace lying on the picnic blanket, head nestled in the crook of his arm, peacefully sleeping. Looking around he realizes this is outside of Flamekeep where they had a picnic with Kiasuh and Malak. But where is Griff? They both went into the nightmare together, he has to be around here somewhere? Though he tries to quietly extricate himself he manages to wake up Grace and while he explains to her that this isn’t real, that SHE isn't real, and he’s stuck in the nightmare with Griff, she is having none of it.   Something grabs at him and tries to pull him away, as he looks at where the feeling is coming from he sees a familiar string coming from his soldier’s mark. He looks back at Grace as he suddenly feels a familiar primal urge, his senses become more acute and he sees the weak points to attack Grace. He tells Grace to run away.. from him. She does refuses to do that.   Dark tendrils creep up around them blocking out the trees and stars, only the orange moon and the brightly twinkling star still shines through. Tristan grabs Grace and runs while softly singing a prayer to the orange moon, but the tugging on his arm is getting more insistent and painful. The tendrils are moving towards Grace and seem to ignore Tristan, in an attempt to free her he yanks on her arm and manages to pull her free from the darkness that was trying to swallow her. He holds her close as he pleads one more time to the moon to save them as the tendrils block out all the light from the sky and everything goes black.  

Hugs of the silver flame

  Griff in the meantime is staring at Jossac who is mocking him to no avail. Seeing it is having no effect, she summons a griffon made of the tendrils that Tristan was struggling with. However, Griff wills himself to transform into a fire elemental griffon. He attacks the tendril griffon with a blinding flash of silver fire and blows its head clean off. He goes up to Jossac and gives her a hug, as a warmth surges from within him, twelve discs emerge from his body and float around them scaring Jossac. As Griff tries to channel this warmth, this silver flame explodes into a curtain of light.   Keya sees someone explode into a curtain of light from one of the "nightmare bubbles" she was waiting in front of. Jossac is gone and the discs slowly retreat back into Griff, apart from an orange one, which is moving into a nightmare bubble that is still there. Keya is holding some sort of staff with a silvery light that is emitting from it. She has no idea what is going on but Griff recognizes her immediately. As he looks around them he sees the sky is red with millions of threads plunging into a teethed volcano, as far around as he can see the earth is scorched and covered in black ash. As Griff and Keya have an awkward introductory conversation, Keya is confused and happy to learn that Baxon Hawk is still “alive” inside of Dal Quor.   It also becomes clear to Keya that there is something very different about Griff. His eyes have the same brightness to them as Baxon Hawk, Myranna and her friends that walked through the Silver Flame. Griff explains that that makes sense because he walked through the flame twice already.   Griff is determined to help Tristan. Key explains that he is trapped in his own nightmare bubble and no one can get in. He needs to get himself out. With Keya not having any suggestions, Griff goes back to what he knows and hugs the nightmare bubble where the orange disc flew into.  

Knight of Olarune

  Darkness surrounds Tristan and he is alone, as the ground shakes he falls to his knees. As he stabilizes himself, he notices that he is on a small rowing boat on a familiar dark lake. From the the way that the sun has set but keeping the horizon aglow, he knows instinctively that this is Midsummer. He also notices tendrils on the water, trying to reach him. He also notices the large orange moon is there once more.   Tristan realises that he is not alone and that someone is standing behind him in the boat. He looks around to find a black-haired woman balancing on the back edge of the boat, armored in bronze with a square symbol on her plate mail and a white dress underneath. She points at the water with a bronze spear, making the tendrils retract. When their eyes meet, Tristan can see that this woman looks exactly like Ellie but knows it's not her. But, he doesn’t doubt that this woman is an ally.   The woman explains to Tristan that she is not here for any of his questions and she needs to get him to safety. She gestures at the unravelling orange moon as she tells him that she is running out of time. He needs to get to the Beacon. To make this easier, she shifts character, taking on the personality and attire of Ellie, her spear turning into an oar for them to use to get to shore. They start rowing while singing “Good Riddance” together. As they approach the shore, they see a house that has bright, twinkling lights on. Once moored to a small pier, Tristan gets out, Ellie stays in the boat and turns back into Olarune. Tristan asks for her to watch over his sister. She glances at the reflection of the moon on the water and smiles, saying that she's always watching both of them. Tristan thanks her for her help. Turning around, he sees the light in the house turns into the tip of a staff of a Firbolg and Griff tackle-hugs Tristan as an orange disc floats back into Griff.  

Catching up with the Starling

  After some... confused... introductions, Keya explains how she ended up in Il'Lashtavar. She got sucked into the nightmare while being in New Cyre. It just happened randomly. But she is ear to hear about the fate of the rest of the Flameless from Griff. She explains that her staff is like a beacon. It appeared one day and has been helping her manage to survive the waste land. It does not seem to work when anyone other than herself holds it and she does not know why. It goes out when Tristan touches it too. Upon further investigation, they also find out that the beacon is a piece of Kloinjer. One of the pieces Malak is tasked to find.   They find out that she is familiar with the Knot because she used to escort Kalashtar there. Tristan pieces together that she is the Starling and that Chantilly has mentioned her before.     Keya also explains people sometimes blink out of the nightmare for a bit, questioned by a doctor named Mercy. This includes Gisleia who blinked once before but it wasn’t when Malak used Dream to contact her. Most blink back into Il'Lashtavar soon after... but Gisleia did not. Tristan suddenly feels a painful pull as he gets yanked by his red thread.  

Battle of whispers

  Whispers sound all around them, war, fallen friends, Jossac. Tristan sees a quori-mirror image of himself transform into a Chimera three times his size. Griff sees Jossac, Keya sees Lucinia (but they also see each other's Quori). Keya is the first to tries to keep the Chimera-Quori at bay with her staff and the Chimera takes a step back as she attacks it and takes a chunk out of it with the staff. And while Tristan’s attacks are fairly ineffectual Griff manages to burn up the Chimera with a silver Flaming Sphere. Keya urges Griff to grab a hold of the beacon and its radius seems to triple. The other quori circle around the radius of the beacon, unable to enter the light but instead attempting to taunt those in the light. "Lucinia" hums flight of the silverbird at Keya but it is so ineffectual that Keya wills a more "accurate" portrayal of Lucinia to follow the quori around and harmonizing with it. Griff basically ignores Jossac. And the group make short work of the quori.   Tristan, triggered by hearing Lucinia humming flight of the silverbird, begins to sing the first three verses. As he progresses, the strings seem to slacken and change color and Olarune appears. As he stops everything disappears. Keya is in shock. This is the first time she heard the lyrics.    

Meeting the Silverbird

  Keya explains that there is a settlement near the volcano that seems to be safe. It’s inside of a bubble that Keya can’t access but no one else seems to be barred.   As the group heads that way Griff asks Keya about Thaliost and learns a few things about Myranna: While she started off angry she became more and more apprehensive. She became a hero even though that wasn’t what she wanted. She had a clear idea of what her contribution to the war should be. She always was on the front line just like her father.   As Keya thinks back on Myranna she remembers meeting her for the first time. A young angry girl is introduced to Keya by Lucinia. The girl only wants to fight and gets angry when Keya refuses to arm herself for her training fight with her. However as she charges Keya with her sword Keya sweeps her leg and wins the fight easily. On the protest that this is unfair Keya responds with a simple “War isn’t fair” and tells the girl fighting is a last resort and should only be done when it can’t be avoided. Years later, overlooking the siege of Metrol, the Bloodbath, the young woman looks defeated. Over the years anger and impatience has been tempered by wisdom and determination.   Tristan explains to Keya that Myranna did make it home to her parents before collapsing and that she was received there with love and understanding.  

Bubbletown

  They finally reach the foot of the volcano where they find a large bubble with tents inside.   Griff tries to press himself against the bubble but can’t enter, perhaps a consequence of the silver flame within him. Tristan, however, has never gone through the flame so he ties a rope around his waist and heads in without a problem.   Around him is a blue sky, fluffy clouds, the smells of a barbeque and the air is filled with the hum of people’s conversations. A lot of these people look like soldiers, in uniforms from all over Khorvaire.   Tristan then also recognizes a man with long white hair, who is talking with a group of Valenar elves. As he approaches the Soft One, he hears one of the elves whisper that Len has been captured. The Soft One seems unimpressed and says that Len turned out a failure anyway in his dealings with Ishim. The elves are agitated and clearly don’t agree but the Soft One waves them off. Tristan got close enough to also realize that this Soft One is the one stationed in Korth. He leaves the bubble and talks some more with Keya and Griff about the state of the world before he suddenly blips out.   The entire group now moves into the next room, which aside from a couple of beds appears to contain a cell. Although he moved into the room, Malak continues to attack Jossac with Eldritch Blast in anger. Jossac does not resist or retaliate. She tells him that she understands his intent and doesn’t mind dying, but she’d prefer to help first. Malak reluctantly agrees, telling her she deserves a fate worse than death, and by request locks the door behind them. Chantilly asks Jossac to please wake Griff up. In response, Jossac brings the group’s attention to the cell. Out of the shadows comes a malnourished half-elf in reddish armor, who promptly asks ‘Who are you all and why are you here?’    

Part 2: Is it my turn now?

 

The prisoner

  The disheveled man in the prison pipes up and asks Malak if they were sent by Malak Ishim. On learning he is actually addressing Malak Ishim he seems confused, he had assumed someone as powerful as Myranna’s father would have “people” to handle this type of stuff. He explains he’s been in jail for 9 years. Malak mentions it isn’t really time for stories and they should get out of there, when Edward (the prisoner) hears this he tells them about a secret passageway behind a cupboard. Thaen opens the door and explains where it will lead.   Edward calls to a half elf with pink hair lying on a bed, tell her (Gisleia) that she's safe to open her eyes. Piesk immediately runs to her.

Who should I wake?

  Edward tells Jossac he can wake one of them (Griff and Tristan) and asks who it should be. Since Tristan looks harrowed and Griff looks calm, it’s decided Tristan should be woken up as Griff will last longer. In the meantime the door is starting to give and Silmer tries to barricade it with a bed, although he only partly succeeds. Jossac offers to stay behind and guard their exit and gives her necklace to Chantilly to give to Cody or Corrine. Edward gives the good stuff (Mai Yasha blue label) to Tristan, who wakes up.  

Finally my turn?

  Tristan wakes and appears a bit out of it. Malak quickly gives him some direction and asks him to carry Griff and follow Thaen, who still looks like General Len. Thaen asks Piesk to carry Len and for Silmer to bring Jossace, who reiterates that she intends to stay and guard the door. Malak explains there is no need for her to stay behind because he will fill the room behind them with a sickening radiance spell. Thaen leads the group through the tunnels they were in before with Tristan carrying Griff and Silmer carrying the unconscious real General Len. Piesk opts to carry Gisleia.  

No they didn’t!

  The group stealths through the corridors leaving darkness spells on intersections, dropping caltrops and trying to jedi mind-trick their pursuers. Thaen is adamant to avoid heading towards the Prison as it seems like the additional soldiers are coming from that direction. Tristan is still confused and not sure he’s not still in the nightmare. Edward's reassurance falls on deaf ears since Tristan has no idea who Edward is. When the group finally hits familiar tunnels, Chantilly warns them that she can also hear baddies approaching ahead of them. Thaen makes a quick decision and turns into a side corridor warning everyone of the trap at the beginning of it. The groups makes it if by the skin of their teeth and Thaen closes of the hole left with an illusion. However there are still more people in front of them so Malak motions to Thaen that he still looks like Len and to go deal with them.  

Are you ok sir?

  Thaen turns into a new image of Len looking hurt like the current Len does and hands Malak dust of disappearance, which Malak uses to turn everyone invisible. Thaen walks up to the three guards that are blocking the way and pretends to be General Len and is very hurt. Thaen notes that they are of the Shileds. They immediately help the general out and carry him towards the Citadel. However, while the invisible group is following the three guards, their invisibility drops and the glow from Malak’s hair draws the guards attention.  

Who’s there?

  Chantilly immediately jumps in and slices through one of the guard's tendons, almost killing him. Silmer runs in and knocks out the third guard who was carrying the torch. And as Tristan knocks out the guard that Chantilly jumped, Piesk manages to stun the final guard who dies as a result of some eldritch blasts from Malak. Chantilly quickly goes through their belongings and grabs a healing potion and some other sundries.  

Watch where your sending

  Thaen leads the group further and after confirming the destination with the group they decide to head for the Spire of Inspiration. In the meantime, Edward has tried to ascertain what is wrong with Griff, but can’t do much while walking. Thaen asks Malak to contact Cissa and tell her that Len has been captured. Malak does this but because he has to use his book for this he isn’t paying attention and runs into a wall and curses loudly.   Malak: “Cissa, Jossac is a fucking traitor. Griff is stuck in Illashtafar. We are in Wroat and captured General Len. Talk soon, in danger presently”   Cissa answers: “Get to safety. Let me know when you can talk.”  

Sunlight

  Thaen leads the group to a passage that opens onto the courtyard where the five Spires are. As the group adjust themselves to be more presentable in the daylight (Thaen shifts into Vence, Piesk into a human version of himself and Chantilly ensuring that everyone looks clean), Edward takes a moment to feel the warmth of the afternoon sun on his skin... for the first time in 9 years.  

Watch me pull myself out of a hat!

  Before the group walks out into the courtyard, Chantilly runs out first. She draws the attention of everyone near the spires offering to show the group a bunny that pulls itself out of a hat if only one of the audience members will give up their tophat.   This allows the rest of the group to get to the Spire of Inspiration pretty much unnoticed. Molly greets everyone including the unconscious people: Gisleia Phiarlin, Edward Jenner Berkley, Gazeer Len. Gisleia looks VERY uncomfortable giving her name and wonders if she's safe. When Tristan asks Molly if he’s awake (yes), Malak pinches him, he gets annoyed by this but Malak points out as well that there is no red string on his soldier’s mark. The group heads up to Cissa’s apartment, which makes Edward ask who Cissa is to them to which they reply she’s a friend.  

Are you ok darling?

  Grace sends a message to Tristan: “Darling, are you alright? Cissa just contacted me, are you safe?”   Tristan: “I think yes, alright no. You’re coming here, right? I think I remember that?”   Grace: “We arrived an hour ago, where are you?”   Tristan: “Tower of Inspiration Cissa’s place, you okay?”   Grace: “Doesn’t worry me at all… Should I come your way?”   Tristan: “Yes, please do. Bring the princess if you can.”  

There is tea and cookies in the kitchen

  When the group arrives at Cissa’s place, Tristan puts Griff on the bed. The rest of the groups busies themselves with food/drinks and making sure Len is properly tied up, gagged and has soap in his ears. Malak informs Cissa they are at her apartment and safe and that Emir misses her. They have a short conversation where Malak asks her for advice on what to do with Len and Cissa says she will get back to them. Tristan, in the meantime, wonders how it’s possible they got him out and why Griff is still in? Edward explains he used Mai Yasha wine, which only works in the first 24h. They only had enough wine for one person though. This prompts Malak to ask who Edward even is and Tristan explains he is the doctor his sister told him to look for (which he was going to tell the group about at breakfast before... stuff happened). Gisleia, with some coaxing from Emir (who has now shifted in) to try to calm her nerves, went to make some tea and shakily returned with a tray full of drinks and cookies. Edward devours all cookies and a confused Tristan yells at the shaky Gisleia when he does not get a cookie with his tea. She seems to understand his nerves and tries to calm him with a pat on his shoulder.  

What to do with the traitor?

  There is a discussion about what to do with Jossac, who says it doesn’t matter because they will now kill all her family they have been keeping hostage in the nightmare. Gislea, in the meantime, wonders if Malak is really there and, upon confirmation, thanks him for his help in the nightmare. She’s very upset Griff got hurt saving her and swears to name her firstborn Cornelius. Tristan asks about getting more Mai Yasha wine for Griff but the blue label is hard to come by. Edward explains Sickle likes putting people under then waking them up to learn more about the nightmare. Tristan explains (in confused sentences) about the camp at the volcano and the people blipping out. He mentions Keya and, upon hearing Keya’s name, Malak is triggered. Edward explains that Keya pisses Sickle off because she is supposed to be dead. After which, Edward learns that Myranna is still alive and in Dal Quor. Finally, Tristan explains about the piece of Kloinjer and how it should keep Griff and Keya safe until they can help them.  

Welcome, princess Corinne d’Vadalis

  In the meantime Grace and Cody are surprised to find Chantilly outside. There is a very plain looking girl with them who Chantilly does not know. Unaware that Chantilly has further affiliation with the group, Grace bids her goodbye and they all walk in the same direction. Corinne is immediately taken with the Haregon and Chantilly is more than happy to camp out on her shoulder. In the Spire, Molly acknowledges Princess Corinne and Chantilly goes to work trying to get into her good graces. When she hears that she is sitting on a princess’s shoulder she quickly jumps off and it takes some coaxing by Corinne to get her to climb back on. Half way up the stairs, Grace turns and asks Chantilly where she's headed. Chantilly says "her friends" and this jogs her memory to hand over Iron Claw. She gives the amulet to Grace and they both instantly realise that they are going in the same direction. The all make hast up the stairs.   Finally there is a knock on the apartment door and, when Emir answers, the groups are together. The three Vadalises stand in the room, looking at their fallen friend and family member.