Session 24: Coffee, Violence, and Three Unnamed Bandits: Animaesus and Tarrasques.
General Summary
It is the 2nd of Fall Feather, and the Mores of Salt find themselves split. Mel and Ssech remain in The City of Salt , as the others travel north away, early in the morning hours. The commotion from their escape with Ka'sh startled the whole settlement, and many rise up to give chase, ignore, or pilfer and pillage the remains left behind. This allows for the fey and undead, Ssech and Mel, to find a way to their perspective houses, and they agree to meet for coffee later.
Mel elects for the longer route, through the south of the city and Tailstones, away from the commotion of Ka'sh and the others; while Ssech, using his keen illusion magic, he is able to fool over three-quarters of the city that he is a melin, as he makes his way to Pio, the leader of the 10th House. With Pio, he discusses the 10th House's need for neutrality, as well as the myth of the testudine ruins, and ancient connection of Ka'sh's existence. Here, Pio also shares that a new form of dwarven soldier, small bands has been found even encircling the City of Salt. The First House was able to capture one dwarf, and fast and fierce interrogations revealed they seek Ka'sh, or at least an ancient testudine ruin. Pio asks Ssech to help keep the artifact out of the city, and thus the threat of a new force against their whole lot of of houses, and to learn more about the intentions of these dwarves. He knows of Trek, and Telearia, and he knows of Stryke's new toy. He warns of this involvement, too.
On Mel's longer route, she sees the dilapidation of the city, but also closer to the 12th House District, she sees them, then her own house further within the Beastcrown--they prepare for war, two armies and two houses of the city. Yet, the 9th House is not alone, members of the 2nd House, Ranas soldiers, Orthoptera wizards--and even key members of the wizards of the 11th House--they came to ask of the 12th House's release of their drow influence. It is here that Mel meets with her Patriarch of her House, Xantha, and she is asked to join the Three House Alliance here against the first rooms of the 12th House inhabitants, on their way down to the Matriach of the Drow.
She breaks into groups with six other sorcerers, including Phineas Shadowblossom and Xantha the Binder lord. Each take tunnels that into differing directions, but it is Mel's keen sense and ruthless attacks that lead them into victory.
The first tunnel, there are two near the end of a fifty foot drop. She hovers down in mist, and behind them both, stabs through ribs with blade, and grabs neck for a feast. Ssech gets his first cup of coffee in the city, a fine discussion with the barista Brenda.
Following the tunnel, she finds a group of six. She darts in to one, grabs him through liver and flesh, and flings him aside, a wrecking ball for two more. This allows for a dance with three, a shield with one, and fangs within two, who are bled dry within moments. A quarrel cuts across her cheek, and Mealladh Apéthanta smiles at the blood. With a hop of a climb, a jolt of a claw, and a puncture of teeth most sharp, the drow falls dead. Here, she notices the last two bodies, slain by her lust for sanguinity, they now rise and they wish to follow her through the next life as undead nulls, servants of her vampiric will. Ssech has had two more cups of coffee, and a read a full review of the Blood Festival that could have been from the local newspaper.
Two more rooms, one small, one very large, with over 20 drow and canis between them. The nulls provide a side distraction down one tunnel, while Mel attacks from above. Like a hot knife through butter, the drow fall or run for fear of their lives to Mel. Ssech gets another coffee, and finds a discussion with a citizen.
Two more Thralls rise from this chaos to follow her. Too many to count, jittery, Ssech waits for Mel.
When Mel meets Ssech, she is radiant, younger; the blood suits her well.
Meanwhile, outside the City, Eros, Birdman, Stryke, Roxana and Shallowbutter run away from drow Pursuers. Taking a quick rest, they find themselves in the hunting grounds of a pack of deadly dinosaurs, young T-rexes. However, they are able to lead their pursuers into these beast's jaws, and they were able to get away in the process, further north to the Moustelin Lands, the tranquil forests.
At the end of this travel, Eros sends Mel a magical message, and informs that Birdman will return to the city for his drugs and kids. However, before Birdman leaves, they all discuss with Roxana and Shallowbutter, what comes next. They agree, except for Birdman completely yet, to go look for the ancient artifact, Ka'sh's kin.
Stryke and Shallowbutter discuss her intentions, and how she wanted revenge against the Matron Mother for her past; these two begin an cute, intimate bond between species.
Back in the city, and before Eros' sending spell to Mel, she and Ssech have a dark discussion of ownership of undead body, loss of self, and the souls that might deserve more respect in their afterlife. Mel buys cloaks, of different colors, and leather armor for her nulls, she calls these new vampiric zombies; thus, Green, Red, Blue, and Purple stand to guard Mel and those she orders. Ssech sees this as a form of slavery, and they discuss the many facets of the argument until they are almost ambushed by drow who are seeking revenge, themselves, for Mel's involvement with her 9th House siege and invasion into their tunnels but hours before. When Birdman returns during all of this, he is able to warn Mel and Ssech and arrange for Mel to find the children from her lair and return them to the others with Birdman and Ssech, out in the grasslands to the north, northwest of the city. Mel gets her Associates, her nulls, ready. Mel shares a bit of her history with the group, her long time as a lone vampire, not connected to other lords. They take but a few more hours, and they are able to leave the city proper, only taking an extra day to meet back up together. On their first real long rest in almost 30 hours, they first hear the City of Salt, at about 10:30 at night, erupt into chaos, as the civil war between the 2nd, 9th, and 11th House versus the 12th and 5th House begins.
The group bonds deeply tonight, despite the violent and chaotic backdrop. Ssech and Birdman find a bond of family, and Birdman and Mel, with the children finally asleep, they discuss their emotional pasts, the beliefs of the future, and their convictions of the present. Their scene ends, Mel rests on his arm, Ssech watching on, Birdman questioning her disgusting smell of blood, and Mel giving him the finger. The children also are told a story of the T-Rexes, but it only encourages their mindsets burgeoned by the City of Salt. Rhogarr helps Mel patrol.
Eros, Stryke and Roxana, they are up late, farther away from the city, but still able to see the plumes of smoke from the City of Salt. Eros first detects the thoughts of Roxana while she sleeps, finding the young bard perturbed at her enjoyment of Caerhals Fiendom 's death, and even at the crumble nature of the tunnels beneath the city.
Eros pokes her in the cheek a few times to wake up Roxana, and they discuss if Roxana will follow Eros; she will. Lastly, Stryke has Shallowbutter rest her head on his shoulder, as well, after discussing the beauty of the battle the day before, and even now.
Mel elects for the longer route, through the south of the city and Tailstones, away from the commotion of Ka'sh and the others; while Ssech, using his keen illusion magic, he is able to fool over three-quarters of the city that he is a melin, as he makes his way to Pio, the leader of the 10th House. With Pio, he discusses the 10th House's need for neutrality, as well as the myth of the testudine ruins, and ancient connection of Ka'sh's existence. Here, Pio also shares that a new form of dwarven soldier, small bands has been found even encircling the City of Salt. The First House was able to capture one dwarf, and fast and fierce interrogations revealed they seek Ka'sh, or at least an ancient testudine ruin. Pio asks Ssech to help keep the artifact out of the city, and thus the threat of a new force against their whole lot of of houses, and to learn more about the intentions of these dwarves. He knows of Trek, and Telearia, and he knows of Stryke's new toy. He warns of this involvement, too.
On Mel's longer route, she sees the dilapidation of the city, but also closer to the 12th House District, she sees them, then her own house further within the Beastcrown--they prepare for war, two armies and two houses of the city. Yet, the 9th House is not alone, members of the 2nd House, Ranas soldiers, Orthoptera wizards--and even key members of the wizards of the 11th House--they came to ask of the 12th House's release of their drow influence. It is here that Mel meets with her Patriarch of her House, Xantha, and she is asked to join the Three House Alliance here against the first rooms of the 12th House inhabitants, on their way down to the Matriach of the Drow.
She breaks into groups with six other sorcerers, including Phineas Shadowblossom and Xantha the Binder lord. Each take tunnels that into differing directions, but it is Mel's keen sense and ruthless attacks that lead them into victory.
The first tunnel, there are two near the end of a fifty foot drop. She hovers down in mist, and behind them both, stabs through ribs with blade, and grabs neck for a feast. Ssech gets his first cup of coffee in the city, a fine discussion with the barista Brenda.
Following the tunnel, she finds a group of six. She darts in to one, grabs him through liver and flesh, and flings him aside, a wrecking ball for two more. This allows for a dance with three, a shield with one, and fangs within two, who are bled dry within moments. A quarrel cuts across her cheek, and Mealladh Apéthanta smiles at the blood. With a hop of a climb, a jolt of a claw, and a puncture of teeth most sharp, the drow falls dead. Here, she notices the last two bodies, slain by her lust for sanguinity, they now rise and they wish to follow her through the next life as undead nulls, servants of her vampiric will. Ssech has had two more cups of coffee, and a read a full review of the Blood Festival that could have been from the local newspaper.
Two more rooms, one small, one very large, with over 20 drow and canis between them. The nulls provide a side distraction down one tunnel, while Mel attacks from above. Like a hot knife through butter, the drow fall or run for fear of their lives to Mel. Ssech gets another coffee, and finds a discussion with a citizen.
Two more Thralls rise from this chaos to follow her. Too many to count, jittery, Ssech waits for Mel.
When Mel meets Ssech, she is radiant, younger; the blood suits her well.
Meanwhile, outside the City, Eros, Birdman, Stryke, Roxana and Shallowbutter run away from drow Pursuers. Taking a quick rest, they find themselves in the hunting grounds of a pack of deadly dinosaurs, young T-rexes. However, they are able to lead their pursuers into these beast's jaws, and they were able to get away in the process, further north to the Moustelin Lands, the tranquil forests.
At the end of this travel, Eros sends Mel a magical message, and informs that Birdman will return to the city for his drugs and kids. However, before Birdman leaves, they all discuss with Roxana and Shallowbutter, what comes next. They agree, except for Birdman completely yet, to go look for the ancient artifact, Ka'sh's kin.
Stryke and Shallowbutter discuss her intentions, and how she wanted revenge against the Matron Mother for her past; these two begin an cute, intimate bond between species.
Back in the city, and before Eros' sending spell to Mel, she and Ssech have a dark discussion of ownership of undead body, loss of self, and the souls that might deserve more respect in their afterlife. Mel buys cloaks, of different colors, and leather armor for her nulls, she calls these new vampiric zombies; thus, Green, Red, Blue, and Purple stand to guard Mel and those she orders. Ssech sees this as a form of slavery, and they discuss the many facets of the argument until they are almost ambushed by drow who are seeking revenge, themselves, for Mel's involvement with her 9th House siege and invasion into their tunnels but hours before. When Birdman returns during all of this, he is able to warn Mel and Ssech and arrange for Mel to find the children from her lair and return them to the others with Birdman and Ssech, out in the grasslands to the north, northwest of the city. Mel gets her Associates, her nulls, ready. Mel shares a bit of her history with the group, her long time as a lone vampire, not connected to other lords. They take but a few more hours, and they are able to leave the city proper, only taking an extra day to meet back up together. On their first real long rest in almost 30 hours, they first hear the City of Salt, at about 10:30 at night, erupt into chaos, as the civil war between the 2nd, 9th, and 11th House versus the 12th and 5th House begins.
The group bonds deeply tonight, despite the violent and chaotic backdrop. Ssech and Birdman find a bond of family, and Birdman and Mel, with the children finally asleep, they discuss their emotional pasts, the beliefs of the future, and their convictions of the present. Their scene ends, Mel rests on his arm, Ssech watching on, Birdman questioning her disgusting smell of blood, and Mel giving him the finger. The children also are told a story of the T-Rexes, but it only encourages their mindsets burgeoned by the City of Salt. Rhogarr helps Mel patrol.
Eros, Stryke and Roxana, they are up late, farther away from the city, but still able to see the plumes of smoke from the City of Salt. Eros first detects the thoughts of Roxana while she sleeps, finding the young bard perturbed at her enjoyment of Caerhals Fiendom 's death, and even at the crumble nature of the tunnels beneath the city.
Eros pokes her in the cheek a few times to wake up Roxana, and they discuss if Roxana will follow Eros; she will. Lastly, Stryke has Shallowbutter rest her head on his shoulder, as well, after discussing the beauty of the battle the day before, and even now.
Report Date
01 Apr 2023
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