Session 20: Through the Looking Glass Report

General Summary

Our journey continues as the threadworn party members bed down for the night, hoping to secure a long rest and recover from the past few days on the run. The party splits the night into three watches. While they continue to be surrounded by dangers, the evening proceeds uneventful except for the sounds of the distant pursuit getting closer and closer to their camp. As twilight approaches the final watch wakes the party quietly and they plan their next leg of escape after achieving almost a full recovery. Fara and Ricfried are able to reduce to only one level of exhaustion, while the rest of the party is able to wake fully rested and recovered.   The party quickly plans to divide in two; one stealthily moving towards the downstream section of a nearby river while Wellys, Ilyana and Ricfried move upstream making a regular amount of noise to draw the pursuers away towards the upstream direction. Setting out each group is successful in its endeavors; the adversaries do move to follow the newly found "prey" and quicken their pace towards the upstream direction. Those headed downstream are able to successfully avoid detection through their slow and intentionally quite footfalls.   As the group leading the yuan-ti hunting party away continues, the all of a sudden lose all communication with the stealthy party - it is as if they just disappeared completely from existence. They continue to draw the hunters away and at the very last minute take to the skies to fly downstream and away before the yuan-to come into view. Wellys carries Ricfried precariously, while Ilyana transforms into a small green bird - quickly heading to where they intended to meet with the other party members.   Dipping her talons in the water as she descends, Ilyana is surprised to see a large set of eyes from under the rippling water all of a sudden lunge for her, attempting to catch her midflight. Wellys almost falls out of the sky laughing when he witnesses a large catfish leap out of the water and fail to catch the transformed Druid.   In the blink of an eye - Ilyana and her bird companion are pulled into a new reality - what once were the murky waters and normal green colorations of the jungle around her are now rich and vibrant coloration of forest around her. Vivid purples, oranges, and bright red coloration surrounds her as she finds herself among the other party members. Wellys and Ricfried step through as well, recognizing the glowing turquise coloration of the river that they stand in. This glow is both beautiful and unnerving - there is no understandable source for the glowing waters, even when scooped out of the stream and tasted.   All around them they recognize oddities. What was approximately 5 minutes of silence since the bait party lost the stealthy group was only mere seconds to those that had stepped through before. The stream they stand in and around now flows up the hill instead of down as the one they left. They witness a bright red flower that seems not to move with the wind, but against it....as a fly comes near they watch as it tracks the fly then a tongue-like tendril snaps out of it and grabs the fly from mid-air, slurping back inside the flower to be consumed. Shade attempts to speak with the flower - hoping for some form of sentience, only to find something snickering from behind her. Inspecting the surroundings, she eventually notices a mushroom laughing at her; "she thinks the flowers will talk - how silly!!"   She introduces herself to the mushroom, who's name apparently is Sprout. While the conversation is surprising and odd to say the least, she quickly finds the conversation to be less than beneficial. The mushroom describes this as Morro's Glade...a place that they may not like when Morro gets back and finds them here. When asked how far it extends it responds "not far....over there". A nearby large tree seems to rip up its roots, moving forward then sinking them back down into the earth....a slow arduous walk from the treant that happens to continue to pass by the party about 50 meters away.   Ilyana's bird companion appears to have changed as well - it now wears a right proper top hat and a monocle. "I do say, I believe that mushroom is an idiot. It might be best to move on", the bird reports. Excited for this new capability, Ilyana asks her bird companion if it has a name, to which it responds with, "Why yes I do, my name is..." followed by a series of squawks and chirps.   Attempting to reorient in this strange land, Tiathina works to see the direction needed to travel from the magical stone: she is perplexed to find that the distance and direction she has been used to no longer is registering - the stone seems to just glow as if there was no information to be had.   Those with stronger perception do recognize something of a double vision at times....sometimes plants, flowers, and leaves appear to both be normal and yet have masculine or feminine shapes to them. They also recognize small pixie-like creatures flying around; one is drawn to Gorm as he holds his orcish hand up and it stands there speaking with him. After a brief yet unhelpful conversation she flitters off.   The party instantly notices an area of ground start to turn black with decay - the flora all withers and crumbles and the fertile soil turns black. Small at first, the ground roils and rumbles up into a large patch of earth ten meters in diameter - a massive gaping maw with sharp teeth, two empty eye sockets, and a bad disposition. "How dare you trespass in my glade!!!". The slow arduous attack of the massive mound of earth moves to attack, however is easily avoided. The party quickly moves on, leaving the angry earthen creature behind.   As the party continues to traverse this strange land with unusual creatures, they witness the start of a short rainfall.....unusual that the raindrops do not fall from the sky downward, but instead start from the earth and drip upwards....soaking them from underneath instead of from above. They begin to recognize the subtle tones of a pan flute playing in the distance, and as they continue the sounds of voices of happiness ahead.   Entering cautiously into another wooded open area, they find themselves amidst a party of sorts, hosted or just entertained by a very charasmatic satyr playing his heart out into the tones eminating from the pan flute. He dances and entices the other creatures - a collection of humanoids, dryads, pixies and sprites into a dancing party. A large bubbling mud puddle acts as a hot tub of sorts for the participants. The party is cautious, but detects magic in his music....not forceful notes but comforting and reassuring....waves of euphoria and inhibition pass over the crowd; accessible to all who choose to accept the freedom of the moment given from the tune caried through this glade.   Ilyana and Incyra both are swept away by this alluring environment...moving in to enjoy the moment of freedom and solitude and enjoy the company of others. Participants of all shapes and sizes from sprites and pixies through larger creatures made of wood and stone are enjoying the glade and the bubbling hot tub like mud bath that naturally occurs in this area. After a brief introduction to Sylk, the Satyr entertaining everyone, Ilyana even tries her hand at playing a few measures on the pan flute; while her companions are not fully sold on low performance of her melody it matters little to her - she enjoys it without apology.   The party asks questions about this strange land, to which Sylk responds that the Faewilds are lands that are wild and mystical. He admits to knowing very little about the lands beyond the fae, but directs them to a certain Laverne Twistsinger, last seen not too far off in the general direction that they were traveling. They should look for a large frog of sorts to find what they are looking for - she should be able to assist them in their quest.   After pulling themselves away from this site, they continue in the recommended direction. Wellys takes to the skies and without much difficulty finds the intended toad; a massive beast about 20 meters wide. Being cautious at first, he approaches from behind and calls out for Laverne with no response from the slumbering beast. After multiple failed attempts to raise the creature from its sleep the party eventually all approaches and yells at it, even tossing rocks to try and wake it.   The mouth of the creature slowly opens, the top jaw lifts and tongue extends out as a small frail figure steps out casually, assisted by a cane. Her hair long and stringy and her skin wrinkled, with a grandmotherly voice calls to the party, "what is all this fuss about? Can't you leave ol' Laverne Twistsinger in peace? What does a lady have to do to get some peace and quiet around here".   The party introduces themselves, and Laverne invites them inside. Reluctantly the party joins her, walking up the unstable tongue to find an extremely unique home inside. The carpeted floors have a table and chairs, small cabinets built into the walls, and a small stove in the corner. A well worn rocking chair is found in the corner as well. Offering them some tea, she opens up the cabinet. The back wall is quite disturbing....it appears that the skin and ribs are seen quite clearly at the back of the cabinet, and the beating heart of the toad is seen behind the door right next to the teacups and tea bags that she pulls out.   Ilyana recognizes almost immediately something is off - while she cannot tell the party what she fears she knows in her heart that this person isn't what they think she is - she believe that it is some form of hag; a malevolent creature of the Faewild that the team should be extremely cautious about.   She heats up a teapot of water then serves each a cup of tea. Offering some sprite to anyone who wants it, Brom accepts - to his horror he watches as she reaches into a cabinet and takes a living sprite out, it's wings pinned by some form of clothespin and snaps it in half, squeezing the juices from its body into Brom's teacup and serving it to him before discarding the miniature corpse into the corner. With a look of disgust that he tries to hide he pretends to sip from this newly mixed blend of tea and bodily juices.   The team becomes more and more suspicious as they discuss the fae realm. Laverne divulges that there area areas where the material and fae planes is extremely close; that sometimes travelers can accidentally pass from one world to the next without realizing it. She knows of a few places where these openings can exist and offers to assist the party for the right price.   Wary of the offers or bargains, they ask what it might take. Laverne suggests several payments, joking about first born children or even sacrificing one of the travelers, but suggests for this assistance that she would take one of the party member's names. This would be a permanent choice - they could no longer ever call themselves by that name again or their body and soul would belong to Laverne.   After a brief retreat outside the toad to strategize, the team decides the help would be too valuable - Gorm decides to sacrifice his name; now to forever be known as Brill. After having him write down his name on a large piece of parchment - casting some curse on it while the name goes up in smoke in front of them, Laverne invites them all to come back inside the toad and to hold onto something. Only now do they recognize that all of the furniture is bolted down and the cabinet doors all have catches to keep them closed. She taps the wall of the toad and gives an instruction to them.   They feel the massive creature awaken and adjust itself - its legs move into position as the inside of this hut tilts a little back and forth, then an extremely powerful force pulls them all to the floor as the toad leaps hundreds of feet into the air. At the top of the arc the team all feels gravity shift....they hover above the floor as the arc continues and then slam violently to the floor as it strikes the ground. Laverne sits in her rocking chair cackling at the party as the second leap pushes them back against the floor. At the end of four leaps the toad rests down and opens it's mouth wide - the bulk of the party has lost it's lunch over the violent journey.   Laverne Twistsinger offers one final treat to Fara and Ricfried; a small piece of fudge for each to consume; this one is a freebie as she winks at them. They consume it, wary of what it might contain - within moments they feel their residual level of exhaustion disappear as if a wisp of smoke floating away.   Casting some magic form they have never heard, a shimmering window appears in front of the team. The normal colors of the jungle are seen beyond the gateway, with a small bazaar set slightly down the hillside in front of them. A final warning is given about making sure not to use the name again, Laverne watches as they each cross beyond the gateway and back into the material plane. Ilyana looks a touch disappointed as her companion appears on the other side without the monocle and top hat.   They make their way into the bazaar and find a rowdy tavern and inn - taking refuge in a room with a bed that will allow them to further recuperate from their travels and they can continue their journey on in the morning. Tiathina tests the stone and finds that instead of 5-6 days of travel left as they had entered the fae they are now a mere half day away from their destination.   Before the day ends, a vision is seen inside the mind of Shade; "don't forget to deliver on the task we last spoke of - you don't want to fail me." Shade instantly feels herself back in the hellish environment - her toes and feet painfully stretching and digging into the rocky landscape - planting her in the garden of souls.....her clothing crumbles away completely, hair falling out, skin sloughing off, she looks down to find all vestiges of her human form melted and withered away - bone and remnant flesh remain in forms that fail to show any resemblance of her form before....the pain in her mind unbearable and maddening.   Shade almost calls out as she catches herself, back beside her companions without any change from the moment before....unnerved but trying to compose herself.

Rewards Granted

Inspiration earned for Incyra, Ilyana, and Gorm (now Brill)