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9/18/23

Archdruids and Demon Lords

by Gideon Hastings

We awoke to find ourselves in the grove, seemingly having spent a bewildering 15 days within its enchantment. Our appearance had deteriorated, bearing the marks of malnourishment and exhaustion. Eager to leave, we returned to our ship, the Fortune's Favor.
 
As we approached our vessel, we encountered the young boy and his loyal dog, engaging in a conversation about his hometown, family, and other seemingly ordinary topics. However, suspicion arose, and we cast detect magic, revealing that everything around us was but an elaborate illusion.
 
Ellis took it upon himself to bring the boy to his home, aiming to liberate him and his illusory mother from this illusion-ridden town.
 
In a startling twist, the boy's dog transformed into a druid named Seliria Verdantwhisper, who warned us about the dangers of Zophia's meddling in their affairs. Seliria expressed concerns about the boy's awareness and the consequences it might entail.
 
Ellis assisted the boy in seeing through the illusions with a wand of detection, revealing his mother's true conjuration nature. However, this revelation proved overwhelming, causing the boy to lose his sanity.
 
Negotiations ensued with Seliria, culminating in a pact to relocate the boy away from the town, for his burgeoning druidic powers made him a target for Zophia. Gideon accepted Seliria's offer of a favor for handing over Zophia's device, but decided to leave the matter for a later time. Haldir inquired about the doves, learning that one of them, Zara, was a barbaric moon druid expelled from her clan.
 
Prior to their return to the ship, Ellis used detect thoughts on the boy, leading him to recall a traumatic memory of a fire that claimed his parents' lives, ignited by a horned woman with golden eyes.
 
Shockingly, Gideon confessed that he had delivered a letter to Zophia, a horned woman with golden eyes, omitting the details of his pact to exchange the device for knowledge and his witnessing her interaction with another demon lord.
 
We departed from the town, only to find it replaced by scorched earth during our evening travels. In the quiet of the night, Gideon privately consulted with Haldir about Malcanthet, the queen of succubi, and her affiliations with various demon lords, excluding Graz'zt. Gideon implored Haldir for discretion regarding the matter of being connected to Graz'zt.
 
Later that evening, we found ourselves under attack by the three doves, thrusting us into a new and unpredictable confrontation.

Continue reading...

  1. Internal Conflict
    7/13/23
  2. The Letter
    7/31/23
  3. Unbound
    8/7/23
  4. The Handler
    8/14/23
  5. Unbound Waters
    8/28/23
  6. Alliances on the High Seas
    9/4/23
  7. The Chains That Bind
    9/11/23
  8. Archdruids and Demon Lords
    9/18/23
  9. Torches and Icicles
    10/2/23
  10. Dust in the Wind
    10/9/23