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Far From Home

by Nepheri

Ok, so this will be a long one. And one with a lot of headaches.
 
We left Timotej with quite a bit of gold and a mission to build a business out of our home in Waterdeep. Which is good, at least the staff will hopefully be seen to, which might be useful, considering later events.
 
We passed by Thornhold again, going north, and apparently, the brief friend we made in Sendrek Ironbeater has been the victim of an attempt to frame him for attempted murder. Or, at least, I certainly don't believe he would try to murder the groom at the wedding, even if he was in love with the bride. He had resigned himself to a life of bitter drinking of bitter beer. Having chosen a trial by strife might have been a good option for him in the hopes of proving his innocence. But his life might well be lost now, either he met his end, and Moradin can claim his soul, or he's still alive but with the yuan-ti. I pray it's the former, but our obligations to Phennyr prevents us from making sure.
 
I saw the snake people at a distance that night. I still have flashes of the illusion they created for me - the one of Ellywick lying dead on the road. I loved her so much... I guess I still do. Maybe always will. I left the temple before I met her, but I might never genuinely have dared see the world if it wasn't for her. But she wants only to be friends, and I'm trying to respect that.
 
A lot of thoughts followed me as we arrived at the clearing that is Phennyr's village. The village elder turned out to be the twin brother of Pergolor - the drug addict we found in Waterdeep. Fortunately, Pergolor himself seems more healthy. We also got to see Vensana, Phennyr's mother. She seems like a kind woman and proud of her son. I hope he can see the ideals to strive for, just like I try to appreciate the things mum might be proud of me for now...
 
In any case, we were warned about treeants nearby being driven insane by the spreading death that forms an uneven circle out in the forest. And to no surprise, one ran into us on our expedition to figure out what's wrong with the wood. Lavia has more than a little fury in her it seems, even if the spiders kept getting in her way.
 
We did defeat the treeant, although two rocks thrown at me left me bleeding and bruised. But during our short rest, what Lavia had warned us about happened... He vanished, leaving only her lyre behind. I'm not sure what I expected, but the whole thing is strange to me. Looking after souls is what I do, and hers is just... sucked away. I find myself oddly protective of the instrument, worried that scratches on it would somehow carry over to Lavia. I need to stop that line of thinking before I do things like tuck the lyre in at night or give it hugs...
 
But we had to get on with what we were doing - which took us to a cave that the firbolgs considered forbidden, Not at the epicentre of the dark phenomenon we're investigating, it could lead to something underground, which it did. But first, we had to get in, which required simultaneously singing, laughing, crying, and screaming. Which, having shown both Phennyr and Dworik their deaths, and Ellywick was pulling hairs from Phennyr's ear, worked. I'm sorry, Dworik - I know you have a hard time with your mortality right now, but you need to get used to the fact that all life will end. Including ours. We need to do what we're meant to while we're still alive.
 
The tunnels contained various nasty things, like stalagmites with tentacles and strong jaws, and creepy white creatures with arms, tentacles for legs and the ability to scream into someone's mind. But in the middle of a lake, there were big doors, guarded by a riddle. And inside was some huge arcane symbol. The pattern seemed incredibly intricate and, most likely, very dangerous. So, of course, Ellywick went in and triggered it.
 
All of us were sucked into... somewhere else. At first, I thought it was the Shadowfell, since the people at Blackstaff had suspected that. Everything seemed like a strange, cold, copy of where we had just been, after all. Except that here, the arcane symbol. Getting up to the surface... It's night. In a different forest. In a place with two moons. In what seems like the middle of the winter. This place doesn't seem like the Shadowfell I read about. This seems much more like just... wrong.
 
And someone showed up, asking if we were from "Whitestone," but had never heard of Waterdeep. I'd ask what kind of place is named just for the colour and material of the ground, but then I'm from a city named for the lack of snow. I don't trust anyone here yet, but I deal better with talking to someone than I do snow. And I'm really, really, exhausted by now. Some rest would be nice.
 
Are you there, Lavia? Did the lyre pull you with us? If so, I'm sorry...

Continue reading...

  1. Business...
    11th of Uktar, 1489
  2. I'm ready for you, Raven Queen
    2nd Uktar, 1489
  3. You killed my father, now prepare to die
    2nd Uktar, 1489
  4. Dust to Dust
    1st of Uktar, 1489 DR
  5. Redbrands I
  6. Arrival at Phandalin
  7. Daddy Dearest
    1st of Uktar
  8. Day after
    30 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  9. Lawful Stupid
    29 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  10. Saving private Rupert
    29 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  11. Dead to me
    29 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  12. Close to Harvest
    28 Marpenoth, 1489 DR
  13. Recovery
  14. Insane Plans
  15. By the Book
  16. Dead feelings
  17. Disposed
  18. Dead Necromancers are the Best Necromancers
  19. Catching up
  20. Shipping
  21. Friendly or Not
  22. Unexpected Meetings
  23. Worlds Collide
  24. A very different city
  25. Festive Thornhold
  26. Thank you, my Queen
  27. Friends. Right.
  28. This is awkward....
  29. Landslide
  30. Dangerous Gnoll-age (sorry... the puns are spreading...)
  31. Cenceptions
  32. Seduction
  33. Wave Echo Cave II
  34. Wave Echo Cave
  35. Return to Phandalin
  36. Rest in peace, Declan...
  37. Crisis of Faith
  38. Thundertree II
  39. Thundertree I
  40. Path to Thundertree
  41. Orc hunting
  42. Redbrands III
  43. Redbrands II
  44. Far From Home
    ?? ?? ???
  45. Cold
    Tal'dorei, day 2
  46. Life, interrupted
  47. Hot and Cold
  48. The Dragon's Lair
  49. In the afternoon, we plan!
  50. A Song of Ice and Fire
  51. Celebration
  52. Relief is one hell of a drug
  53. Flight and Flutter
  54. Freedom of Movement
  55. At dusk we... do something?
  56. Pray for a quick end to our deception
  57. Catching up
  58. Fall
  59. Lizards in a hole
  60. Not Today
  61. Released
  62. A broken soul
  63. Skyfall
  64. Acid Falls
  65. Roped in
  66. Faith in Friends
  67. Insight into Emon
  68. A Calling
  69. Hypothetical 1: Healer (Ginny Di video)
  70. Hypothetical 3: Matchmaker (Ginny Di video)
  71. Hypothetical 2: Villain (Ginny Di video)
  72. For my Beating Heart
  73. Hypothetical 4: Prison guard (Ginny Di video)
  74. Hypothetical 5: Bard (Ginny Di video)
  75. Plagued Possibilities
  76. Visits in the Cloudtops

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.042 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 15:56, Nov 7 2024