Session 21.5 Chat with Free Aladorans
General Summary
Here are the records of what I could catch and scribble down quickly of our interactions with the members of Free Alador. There was so much to learn, I knew we needed notes!
—Stormy
Cita w/ her family
Cita w/ Gandy
Cita w/ Brilliante and Gloria
Cita w/ Canto
He listens to Cita ask if he is proud of her, he hangs his head just a bit.
Tha’s me talkin. You always had too much o’ me in you. Now your mom… she always sees the best.
He sits down on a crate and pats the one next to him, for Cita. As she sits beside him, he gently takes her hand in his.
I thought the day I married your mom was the best day o’ my life. And then she gave me you. That first day I held you … I was proud of you then. Always have been. I may not show it, and I may have always been too busy.
He looks into her eyes.
That day I held my tiny kitten in my arms, I so wanted to make you proud of me. I… I’ve never provided as much for you, or the others. I didn’t do so well at Thieves’ school. Your mom has always made the best of things… she raised you she did. And as we added more at the table, we all got distracted. Then you… took it on yourself to ‘unburden’ us… to head out on your own. You didn’t say as much… but y’r mom and I knew.
He looks away, clears his throat, then looks back.
And now… look at you! I’ve heard your friends talk about how much you have done. How you have grown into a great scout. I… I couldn’t be more proud.
He can’t say anymore. Canto simply holds Cita’s hand and beams in pride at her.
Our Group w/ the Lords of Alador
We've seen Amanita's followers in other areas. With you both being in the business of trade, you might hear rumors. Any idea how fast Amanita's priests are spreading or where it started? Anything else that might be of help?
We found the Dwarven Embasy to be safe. And it seems the Craftsman's Hall is too. What about the Wizard's Guild? We have some business there, if it's possible.
He harrumphs.
That Grasti is a creature unto herself. If there was another like her she would probably murder the poor soul.
Amanita's priests aren't just here in Alador. We've encountered them multiple times from New Haran to here. So if people are moved from here, they may not stay safe for long.
Stormy calls over her companions to ensure they're in the loop and to help share the info if the Lords want it.
Hey Stella. You are such a good girl helping out the people here.
Stormy gives her a scritch if she allows it.
Can you tell me if your talent is a special one or if all good dogs like you can sense the spore infected?
Stormy is knowns for her soft spot for pets...
Our Group with the commonfolk Free Aladorans
With Cita's Family
You mentioned that you weren't sure why the Lords invite you to the leadership table. But you seem to be the voice of the Shades here and have a level head. It gives insight they might not have. I'm glad they listen. What was the first thing you noticed before the Shades where quarantined?
A group of workers showed up to rebuild an old tower not far from our house. But they didn’t really build it as a tower. And they were strange folk.
Then Silo – he’s the guard cap’n that watched over the shades – he went missin. Then ol’ Medina vanished, she was a grandmother to half the people in the shades. Held us all together she did. Then we heard the screams at night – and found piles of bones and flesh in the morn’. Hard times.
News spread fast that it was a plague – the bone plague. We know better now. Then that tower started belching out darkness, streaming up into the sky.
Stormy scribbles down some notes in her notebook. She's not too far from running out of pages. But she lets him see she's not written down his name or the location.
I'd hoped to hear news of our Tabaxi homeland. I miss home, even the settlement on the continent. By chance would you have any news?
Yes – many of our young lads have turned to being scallywags. It’s been harder on our folk since we left the islands. My grandma talked about it turning dark when the volcano blew – her stories remind me of our darkness here. I don’t want to leave my home! Our home.
She looks over at Canto.
Stormy tells her what she can remember, if it's new to Maria.
By the way, porridge was never my favorite. But yours...It's amazing. Your talent for cooking is magic! (Stormy thinks for a moment.) Maybe real magic?
He looks at Stormy kinda seriously
I don’ see much. Just a couple dreams.
He gets up and whispers in Stormy’s ear
… and a little bird tells me things.
A little bird? A yellow one? You've seen it too?
Tell us of your escape. I'm sure you have a tale to tell your big sister!
Have you tried my mom’s porridge?
Brilliante wouldn’t let us leave the house when the bad men where outside. We all wanted to leave cuz they were calling to us, but he stood against the door and wouldn’t move. Mama didn’t want to be mad at him, then all of a sudden we didna wanna go out. Then Brilliante said to hide and we hid.
Do you ever hide? I bet Cita show’d you how to hide, she could always hide best even though she’s bigger than me.
Is that your dragon? Does she eat people? Where is her treasure hoard? Does she sleep on gold?
Did you know mamma growing up? She’s a ‘baxi too! I have her ears see?
Interesting. You felt you should go to the men calling but Brilliante stopped you? Wow!
Yes I have had to hide. It can be hard to stay still, can't it?
When Sorpress slows the slew of questions. Stormy goes to check with her crew, asking if we should leave the keg of iced cream for the people here. They could use some cheer.
With Cintanon
Many of us have lead groups into the Shades and Southward. Just my turn is all. Although I don’t think we’ll be goin to the Shades anymore, Or I guess the Southward.
Some families sheltered in basements, and it took a long time to search them all, so we think the Shades are clear now – and it’s too dangerous to go there if there is no need. The Southward we had a better handle on from the start, so we think that is clear as well, but just as dangerous.
Aye – both have ravenous spore hounds running loose. I don’t know where they have come from, and I’m not sure I want to know.
I'm not as good a bard as you. But my hope for this song about my dear rambunctious Shimmer is to help dispel some of the distrust of dragons. They are all dangerous if angered, to be sure. But not all are evil as you can see with this young one. You are welcome to add it to your songs if you wish.
Thank you for sharing about what you know. My friends and I have some ideas-maybe even some proof, and yeah it's terrifying.
Stormy shivers.
With Carl
I'm sorry to hear about your dad. You seem very humble now. Do I have your word, you won't ever pick on Cita again? She's like a sister to me. I always have her back.
Uhm. Carl? I should have seen by your kneeling in submission to Cita what you meant. I'm sorry.
If there's a window, she pulls the cups out of her bag and holds one up hoping he'll see.
Sometimes my big mouth gets the best of me. It's what keeps me from being a top rated bard. Being a ranger fits me better. I like being on the sea and in the forests where I don't have to talk so much.
Anyway, I have a peace offering. It's a treat we found on our adventures. I'd like to share with you as a token of my apology. Not sure if you'll trust me or not. But I'll share.
If he doesn't open the door, she leaves it outside for him.
Amongst Our Group
They might be open to learning more about dragons too. Teaching them a few words in draconic might win you lifetime followers. As we saw from Abathar, dragons aren't always welcomed.
The small girl nods, and kneels down beside Rashid.
The pot begins to glow, and then shine forth with a bright light [cast light on the pot].
The children back off at first… then realizing the light is harmless, they edge even closer.
When the pot is filled to the rim with water, Rashid slowly moves his hand over the surface. Slowly crystals form and spread across the surface. [Casting Frostbite on the water]. Soon there is a thick layer of crystalline ice at the top, reflecting and refracting the light into many colors… filling the entire room with dots and splashes of rainbow light.
Rashid then places Miss Bri onto the ice. As he moves his hands over the ice, tiny little figures form one at a time, dancing around the broken doll. [Prestidigitaion – create a small non-magical illusory image, a new one each 6 seconds]. The tiny figures each in turn dance and move around on the ice, touching the doll and then moving away and vanishing.
Then, sparks and magic dust pop out of Miss Bri, showering the area with a new glowing light.[Prestidigitation, harmless sparks].
As the children watch, Miss Bri seems to knit together on her own, bits and bobs rejoining and becoming whole. [mending]
Then once again Rashid waves his hands over the pot, and Miss Bri begins to shine like new, all the dirt and grime of little fingers and hard wear fade away. [Prestidigitation, clean and object]
The entire room shakes, a rumbling thrum comes from the pot, and the light from the pot changes colors in waves of pink, green and blue. [Thaumaturgy – three effects at once].
Then, suddenly, all is quite, dark and silent. Just as the ice melts Rashid quickly reaches out and grabs Miss Bri before she falls into the water. Handing her down to Miranne once again.
The room is silent. You notice that even the adults had stopped whatever they were doing to see and witness this wonder.
“She… all right! And.. she MAGIC!”
Holding up the dolly for all to see. The room erupts into laughter and clapping, hollering and whooping. This one small act, simple enough to Rashid, has made a dolly whole again, and filled all who saw it with hope and light.
Notes
Interactions pulled from the campaign server.
Contents
Report Date
04 Feb 2024
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