Session 74: Is it really shopping if you don't buy anything? Report

General Summary

The group began the day by finding the local "arena" a place where individuals could practice dangerous things without danger to the town. Roy manufactured a large structure, kind of a barracks structure in stone, where they could stay for the duration, above the arena area. Roisin Marshfield enjoyed a thoroughly luxurious spa day at the Perfumed Palace, before returning. The rest experienced several bits of magical mishap, and after Roisin Marshfield arrived they all spent a few days in training. After a few days they joined the town residents in a gathering space to await the possible arrival of "The Guardian". The event seemed to be mostly a community social gathering that was sometimes attended by "The Guardian". A few hours in, just after the moon rises high above the mountains, a huge four legged creature flew down and hovered a bit above the crowd.

Speaking mind to mind in a chorus of voices, The Guardian greeted them, and also dismissed the greater mass of halflings to be met at a later date. After the majority of the halflings departed, The Guardian landed and asked the group what their purpose was in this place. Roy spoke up that they needed multiple things, including a casting form and greenwood crystals at the Pits of Borelius. They also discussed a few other things, and The Guardian offered a boon, asking the Princess who should receive it. Roisin Marshfield chose Roy , and The Guardian plucked a few of its whiskers to give to Roy .

Jeeves asked his own question "Who, in fact, is The Muffin Man?". The guardian began speaking in rhyme, and asking Jeeves if he knew the muffin man. This evolved to an accusation, and Jeeves remembered a day when he took money for bread from his mother and bet it on prize fights instead. The fighter had taken a bribe, and Jeeves returned home to find his mother murdered by her latest "client". Jeeves had never forgiven himself for stealing from, and lying to, his mother the last time he saw her. Jeeves spent five years finding out who bribed the fighter, a Mister Smith, muffin baker, who lived on "Gray's Inn Lane" and paid the fighter 200 pounds sterling to throw the fight. Jeeves later saw Mister Smith as a patient, having setup in hopes this would happen, but instead of medication Jeeves gave Mister Smith a poison, and covered up the crime the next day when he found Mister Smith dead in bed, it was two weeks before anyone else knew Mister Smith had died. So yes, Jeeves knew who the Muffin Man was, it was the first man Jeeves ever killed. Jeeves , in that moment, suddenly went white as a sheet. The Guardian leaned close, asked Jeeves "The truth is always worth it, is it not?", to which Jeeves said "Yes". The Guardian then suddenly rammed a horn through Jeeves ' chest, killing him instantly. Roisin Marshfield asked why, and The Guardian explained that Jeeves , unknowing, intended to betray Roisin Marshfield at the end, something her father had prepared. The Guardian lifted Jeeves on its horns, placed the body on a bench, and dipped a horn into the body, lifting free a writhing dark shadow, asked if they wanted their friend back, then shook its horns and the shadow suddenly expanded into a dark horror as The Guardian stepped back.