Episode 13: Brunch with Yardith
General Summary
After the exhausting and eventful evening at the Abbey of All Gods where the Party faced down an invisible and relentless pursuer, they warily retired for the evening clustered in the Church of the Triad without the secure of the wards and protections from the evening before.
Waking in the early morning, refreshed and ready to tackle the new events of the day. Various clergy and worshippers begin arriving creating a noisy stir around Abbey. Some look at the Party but pay them no heed. Giselle arrives, please to see you all, but frowns somewhat at the rotting and fly covered platter from the evening before. She holds her holy symbol at the ready and speaks some words, the previous day's food seems renewed and good enough to eat, if a bit overly dry and mushy to the touch. Gisele smiles and winks with her one good eye at Shaushka, picking up Balthus' collection plate from the corner and exaggeratedly drops some coin on it as if for others to hear the loud clanging.
After a few inquiries from the newly arrived Lunafreya, Gisele, Groft and Shaushka depart for the Nomad Camp.
Felix finds Priest Patrick Abram arriving and attempts to offer his help to the elder cleric of Oghma, unfortunately finding him reluctant to receive any offer of work without compensation and trade of services.
Exasperated by the village's constraints, Felix departs with Lunafreya and Jun to attend Taurathiis with Yardith Citherith.
At Yardith's home, the group finds his halfling aide, Bashlandaar slaving away to prepare the grand feast promoted as necessary by Felix, including delicious lembas breads, suckling pig, and Echijube soup (elven).
Felix inquires about Mindartis' past and shares his spellbook/journal with Yardith in hopes for clues as to why he was in the region of the Hamlet and what may have transpired leading to his death. Yardith relates a about a time when he was in Kiarishandaar, long before the University was built. He also speaks about having travelled far to the Great Sea as a youngling and having seen Kormanithiir, Lunafreya's home kingdom, when it was but a port city shortly before the Giant Wars.
After a time, Yardith mentions that Mindartis' Owl Familiar's name is Caslan'shand'ra, and gives Felix an Aekalyn (Ceremonial Coming of Age Orb) for his Ponsharra. He says that he is sad to see his line will die out, and that Felix looks to be an honourable Elf for returning his great grandson's book.
They leave, taking a few Organtis Maels (Elven "to go" boxes) and go to find Zook Pillwicken. Avoiding the Gnoll Barracks in the North, Felix stands in the street in the area which Yardith had pointed them too and loudly yells for "Zook". From a nearby basement window an exasperated halfling cries out for them to be quiet and ushers them down to his hovel of a lower room.
The Party confront Zook with the owing writ from Ioun only to find that he is unable to fulfill his debt as his wagons have been confiscated by the Chesterrath Gnoll guards supposedly for transporting illegal goods that Zook promises was rightfully to be traded at the Nomad Encampment. After much questioning, some bargaining, and some intimidation, Zook suggests possible avenues for the characters to attain what they need:
- Pay the 100gp fine for the wagons and collect the wagons.
- Speak to his cousin, Joster Fatrabbit in the warehouse district about attaining supplies
- Gain access to the lower mountain on which Chesterrath Mansion sits, within its catacombs lies a prison and a warehouse of confiscated goods. And make out with the wagons in some way.
- Attain wealth, possibly through what may be illegal gambling (including pit fights) at the Flustered Pegasus, in which to buy supplies or pay the fine.
- Speak to Joster or possibly other ex-Merchant Lords of Chesterrath to overthrow Jarl Chester Sinclair.
Following the sweet smell of success in the air (an aromatic trail that leads to the shop), they find a magical stone tower, no bigger than and amongst the wood-framed houses in the North Western region of the Village of Chesterrath. A sign identifying it as The Scar Power hangs over the door and as the Party enters they immediately find themselves in what seems to be a basement level that is much larger within than the outside stone made it to be. Chaotically strewn across the floors and stacked on tables and against walls are seemingly endless magical trinkets and items humming with various amounts of power.
From a side door, the fabously dressed Enchantress Elizabeth Browning enters and greets everyone. Felix explains they are looking to charge their foci in which Elizabeth takes a nominal fee for. As Felix holds Zip aloft and magical energy surges into it, Elizabeth departs to the side room, and Jun and Lunafreya walk around looking at various items around the room.
Lunafreya spies a mirror with which a reflection of a mysterious figure looks back at her. As she approaches, she realizes that within the mirror is Jun. Confused she checks for Jun behind her, seeing him nearby, when the mirrored Jun leaps through the mirror toppling her. Excitedly, the Jun atop of her exclaims, "I am the real Jun, he's an imposter"!
