The Hiccup Tree

Life, Milestone

The Path of Nightshade go to Rockshire and visit The Shadough and The Ivy Keep. Gilly goes to the Hiccup Tree to find what her mother left for her.

The Shades need to get Gilly to The Hiccup Tree in the back garden, but it should be a small party. The party needs to distract people while Gilly goes in. A debate happens having Caia’s pixie fly in and look and listen to one of the Ivy Crew, and then she copies that person and tells the guards to clear out of that part of the garden for a second.   Bobushio has dealt with Big Tuna in the past with OniKuru - Pirate Kings Empire. They deside to seek an audience with Reginard, get turned down, then ask to see Big Tuna instead, either way asking if we could speak outside to the stable hands to show off Meera.   Gilly wants to go to Podrick’s bakery before going to the Tree. It’s near the “Pole” plaza in the heart of Ivy Hill Barrio. The pole has an anti-magic field around it. There are lots of little shops around and Podrick’s bakery sells potato-based bakery, the Shadough. There’s a burly, fat halfling, Podric’s mentor, Wilyas Whisperbarrel. They purchase baked goods. Rainbow donuts and bagels. Gilly says she’s sorry to hear Podrick died.   Alcath’s insight tells him that the mentor is being completely honest when he speaks of the tragedy of Podricks death. Bobushio reads his thoughts. He admired Podrick and is sad he’s gone because he was something of a prodigy. Gilly way overpays and Wilyas gives away a bunch of day-olds.   The Shades head towards the Ivy Keep. Gilly and Moz head off with Ebony. The keep is beautiful and guarded by haflings and an ogre. They are greeted by the gardeners. Bobushio tries to persuade them to tell Reginard they seek an audience. Thuniel gives Ellaniel’s name (her grandmother) and ask haughty as hell, and Caia says she is named Kyle.   They are lead into a courtyard with beautiful gardens. It’s busy with halflings and a few other races, all dressed in red vests with red accents on their clothes. Some are sparring, some are gardening and cleaning, etc. Towards the castle, there’s a woman in bowler hat, she’s dark of skin and has long hair. She’s leading shetland ponies and carrying a super tall axe. There’s a carriage path around the central fountain on approach to the front door.   A butler leads Bobushio, Thuniel, Caia and Alcath in and asks them to wait in the drawing room while he fetches “Master Tuna”. It is a beautiful house, with a huge entryway and smaller doors leading off. In the drawing room, there is a wait for a long while with nice refreshments. The door is magically locked once they are let in.   Gilly, Moz and Ebony go around the back of the garden to the little door under the ivy. Gilly sneaks back just fine, through the hedge maze, and to the big willowy tree. There are some gardners hanging out there. Gilly sends Moz as a cockatoo over to land near them and distract people away from the tree. She swoops around to try to steal a little something from each gardener to drop things in the fountains. She steals a Bowen the Gardener prized velvet hat he wore in honor of his mothers birthday. She creates a little frenzy while Gilly sneaks over there.   The "golden" rocks that led to the tree have kind of worn down and faded. Gilly climbs up the tree and gets flooded with nostalgia. There’s a little grotto in the tree where Gilly once kept her treasures. Something is nestled in the fallen leaves and there she finds a envelope, a ring box, and a nine sided coin bearing the symbol of The Sovereign Host. In the envelope are two potato recipes and the Letter from her mother Malora Boulderhill.   The Gilly tells Gilly to ignore her father’s “chaotic behavior” and build her own life. She tells her that Reginald is dabbling in forbidden powers. She decided to dedicate herself to protecting Gilly, especially as Reginard became more chaotic. He made a deal with “The Deep Father”, an otherworldly being that gave him the edge he needed. She overheard a conversation about Reginard’s offspring. She has a half-brother Flynn Summerbranch, a woman named Fenara who used to work for Ivy Hill was his mother. The night of the explosion, she discovered Flynn was the target. All the offspring of Reginard Boulderhill are in danger, which is why she hid Gilly. She created a protection for Gilly and her siblings with the help of the gods and vassels of The Sovereign Host. Reginard thinks killing Gilly’s mother Melora, would reverse the protection, but it won’t; Gilly would have to give it up.   Malora contiunes to tell Gilly not confront Reginard, he’s changed and is a shell of himself. He’s chaotic and unpredictable. There’s a financial coverup by Louie HaHa paid to a courtesan who is the mother of Gilly’s remaining half-sibling. The details of the ceremony that requires the offspring is hidden somewhere in the house, but it’s really well hidden, Melora couldn’t find it.   Gilly is in shock after reading the letter. She wants to find the details of the ceremony. Reginard’s office is in a tower, well-protected, and accessed by a single staircase. She’s angry and wants to do this now, though she knows it would probably get her caught. She pockets the rest of the stuff and will ask Caia later to identify it.   Meanwhile, after at least half an hour passes, the rest of the party are still waiting in the drawing room. The tallest halfling we’ve ever seen walks in. He’s Zabieruhage, and he’s personable and apologetic. He’s flanked by a couple other people.     Bobushio takes the lead and says that he’s looking for an alliance. Big Tuna asks why he came here since they don’t have sailing vessels and no river access.   Bobushio asks what is the biggest problem of halflings everywhere. Bobushio and Thuniel work him over about the problem of small ponies and breeding a line of smaller horses. He says he’s not the one to speak to about this, and he invites us out to the stables to talk with Zips. From the half-sized, very secure stable, they can see the the big tree Gilly just climbed.   Zips is over the top and tries immediately to sell Thuniel on her breed of Ponies. Thuniel can see that she’s only a little bit annoyed, at Thuniel being haughty. She can also see that the horses are really hearty and the wagons are made for smuggling. Bobushio starts asking Big Tuna if he’s in charge of Zips and starts kind of buttering up Big Tuna.   Caia notes that Big Tuna and Zips are both carrying magical stuff, and there’s magic on the wagons, illusionary magic.   Bobushio points out that he notices more deference toward Big Tuna. Big Tuna explained that All five points of the leaf take care of something so no one can usurp the head. We’d have to talk to all five to make this alliance, but we don’t all get together in the same place at once. Bobushio makes a comment and Big Tuna asks what The Pirate King has heard about Ivy Hill and it current state.   Thuniel works Zips over and talks horses. Zips wants to send an envoy to Blightfen to make sure they offer is legit. She tells her to contact her “mother, um, daughter Maellewyn,” about the new line. Thuniel makes a mental note to send a letter to her mom, ASAP.   Bobushio suggests that he and Tuna should go talk privately in the garden. Tuna puts a cone of silence around them and Caia follows as they move toward the garden.   Thuniel and Alcath stay behind with Zips and Thuniel tries to build rapport with this member of the family.   Bob talks about hearing rumors of the daughter that has a significate bounty. He says a halfling of her description was seen in the party of The Circle of Six. Big Tuna asks what he wants for the info and Bob says he wants a meeting with Reginard. Tuna says he can’t guarantee an audience, but it’s not impossible. Big Tuna loved Gilly and is concerned for her welfare. He isn’t sure if Reginard has Gilly’s best interests in mind, but he can’t go against the boss.   Big Tuna was not really interested when talking horses, but he immediately was interested in Bobushio once he started talking about the contracts on Gilandre Boulderhill. Bobushio also tries to start walking again toward the garden.   Bobushio and Caia can now hear the squawking from the cockatoo. Caia suddenly makes contact with Ebony who updates her on Gilly and Moz. Gilly is gonna make a break for the house. Ebony can see her when she moves. Caia can tell Bobushio. Moz is still a parrot. Thuniel is about to hop on a pony with Alcath cooling his heels.