Session 38: Animaesus and Tarrasques: New 1st House Faces, Old friends, and A Coup?
General Summary
Here The Mores of Forest Salt start on their first day of travel, making their way south west along the tree line of the Musteli forests, hoping to catch a trail of the tarrasque farm caravan they learned about from the drow cavorting as a human at the council seats of the City of the Dog, two days prior. However, this peaceful but windy day serves only for travel and time amongst themselves at camp, discussing and practicing skills and ideas needed for the odyssey in front of them: K'ash and his siblings, hidden in the earth of Barur, lost from ages past; where are you?
In the evening, Eros and Althea go for a hike, and Eros asks the young drow of how she holds up now without her sister and far away from the only home she has ever known. Althea enjoys the open are, the adventure, and she only wishes to find more of it, to give purpose to her sister Adira's death. Eros only wants to confirm that she isn't forcing the young girl into anything she doesn't want. They end talk with cathartic hugs, and they walk back ready to prepare what food Birdman and Sadar have brought back from the evening hunt. Eros and old song from her days with her master Sayrulion, and Althea joins with a soft hum once she knows the tune.
Meanwhile, Stryke, and his two sons, Donovan the wild coyote, and Rhogarr the young and knightly squamata champion, practice form and strength with a few hours of roughhousing and wrestling.
Leandra, Stryke's other daughter, obviously misses the city life, the ease and anxiety, and waits impatiently for the food, electing finally to eat one fo the rabbits raw. Yet, while she waits, and perhaps for the extra time, Eros tries to teach Roxana her apprentice how to cook. She makes something edible but not exactly to the same level as Eros.
Sadar spends his evening with Howl, his owlbear, watching the stars and reminiscing about former times many decades ago when he was not alone, like tonight. A sense of peace and nerves take over, but nonetheless a sense of purpose offers conviction.
Before bed, Birdman speaks to Leandra and sees her wish to go back to the City, too, and he also discusses this with Stryke, hoping to avoid Eros' as she cooks and helps the camp and others before bedtime. He misses his purpose in the city, the Attorney at Crime, and the peace of the lands unnerves him. Stryke supports his decision.
Before the night is over, Solas connects her elemental will to the power and phases of the moon, and she is able to predict so the group can witness, a full blood moon take over the sky in place of what should have been a half moon rising, and this bloody light shines on the direction, most keenly, of the City of Salt.
Birdman takes this as a sign to leave, and Leandra almost follows him all the way on foot home, but they are stopped by Eros. She argues she would not be upset nor have forced Birdman to stay and follow her on this odyssey without his truth and conviction behind those actions; she only got into this to save Roxana, and the wave of those actions have lead her here, to freedom from that tyrrany and oppression from the city; despite that all, Birdman still feels his purpose is back in the City of Salt. Additionally, and most fortunately, Solas also offers to teleport him back to the city the next morning, and then coming back herself to the camp to continue the travels with Eros, Stryke, Sadar, Roxana, Nuvell, Althea, Rhogarr, and Donovan.
Birdman goes with the aid of Solas, and Leandra joins, but not before Stryke warns Birdman to protect her, and when they arrive they find themselves in their old apartment.
Yet, after Solas leaves them with her conjuration magic, Birdman hears there are others in the apartment, and he recognizes two of the voices as 1st House followers, that of Jim, City Knight and Strekveil, who were warned days before by Eros about the dealings of the drow, and now they bring in a third party investigator, a Killian Cainius , high-ranking member of the house but also independent from council and binder-lord, with no other affiliations to other houses. A perfect person to solve or take the blame of what comes next: houses taking houses, and words being with new lords: a restructing of leadership amongst the centuries of blood and toil.
Birdman eventually reveals himself to this compatriots before his exodus with Eros and others. They ask of him to explain what has occured, and the elf Birdman does. He even informs them of the dragon they met, the Baarong of the Marshes from the south. They agree a Lupin should stay with the Birdman, for his protection and the understanding of their only lead to what may have precipitated this chaos by the fall of the 12th house and the Binder Lord. Killian elects himself to stay with the odd Elf, the former Kenku, and they go to the city to find both Mel and Ssech, but their search leads them in circles, for almost days.
Within those days, Mel has taken the word of power from the Drow Matron Mother of the 12th House, and the 11th House, having lost this power from Alucard the far travelling high elf of the 8th House, emprison the elf for their future gain, his magics odd and unique. Now the day after, distraught and stressed, she hopes that her friend and compatriot Ssech Draod will come to her lair, but as she waits, she also protects herself from her rainbow zombies, her nulls created from her undeath and pride as a force of ancient magics within the City of Salt. The shadow mage arrives, for his snake came here days before with the children to escape the pressures of the 12th House, and he levels with this new Binder-Lord of undeath, a vampiress of great power about his own powers. Mealladh Apéthanta reveals to Ssech what she has done, and how she could have easily killed Alucard to end all this, but learned almost too late about how those consequences would have destabilized the City of Salt. She needs Ssech and his contacts in the 10th House to find more loyalists for Mel to make her move on the city, to establish herself as the leader of a true house, not just a vampire who Binds to the word of power from the 12th. Ssech knows of three contacts to assist with him.
Within twenty minutes of this morning planning and interaction, even Ssech and Mel, a few hundred feet below the city, and at least an hour south of it, through the caverns of the Testudie ruins, and even slightly below, into the canopied caves of the Underdark, Mel has made her lair, and even their she and her dark mage friend hear the alarms of the city. Alarms she has not heard in thirteen years, when the Marrow Miners arose as one, under the flag of the 12th House, and asserted the claim on the eastern gates, bind, and even the Tailstones of the City of Salt and its central keep that houses the sleeping Tarrasque, a torpor no one wishes to interrupt. Too many lives and too much time and gold will be lost.
Furthermore, within the city, in the northern parts of the Beastcrown, Ferrum and Thelas, with Garulvd and the other wizards of the 11th House, atop their large tower, they see these alarms have sounded for another reason. A coup; a group, a house, a band of terrorists, who knows, they have arisen. Ferrum immediately flies to engage, and he sees that the 12th and 5th House bindings are being attacked; the guards who protect these ancient stakes to the ground, reinforced with magic (the same 12th Bind Mealladh Apéthanta bled into the day before to become the 12th Binder-Lord), they have little defense against such a direct attack that has avoided the walls of the central keep.
Garuvld simply walks to the mapping and planning room of the 11th House for any interactions and reports that come to the city. It is an table that can cast illusions of people and architecture from around the city, mapping out the goings on. It is not in real time, for it needs information fed to it by the wizards who control it. He finds Orcafor, the Binder-Lord of the 11th House and archmage, and he asks about his deal with the mage to have the gnome learn more about this strange infernal artifact. Wary of the power of this dwarf, the gnome agrees to research more and obviously does not want Garuvld to be involved more withe words of power at play. Thus, the dwarf walks away without a particular deal to keep his fists engaged for the right profit or knowledge.
While flying above the city to survey these goings on of the coup, the alarm, and the general panic and evacutions of the city, Ferrum choices to divine a magical communication with Mel, and he pledges his loyalty to her, sensing the same shift that Orcafor and the other binder-lords should have also felt. Mel takes this information and she and Ssech take her nulls, disguised with illusion magic to seem like a larger family of pumthera, into the city to protect the 12th House bind from these interlopers causing the chaos with their coup.
Orcafor, not having many other options, sends two of his war wizards with Thelas to back up Ferrum.
And across the city, Killian and Birdman have gotten wrapped-up in a full investigation of Mel's whereabouts, but have learned next to nothing, so they decide they must discuss with more pertinent witnesses: Pio, Binder-Lord of the 10th House, and Orcafor, Binder-Lord of the 11th House.
In the evening, Eros and Althea go for a hike, and Eros asks the young drow of how she holds up now without her sister and far away from the only home she has ever known. Althea enjoys the open are, the adventure, and she only wishes to find more of it, to give purpose to her sister Adira's death. Eros only wants to confirm that she isn't forcing the young girl into anything she doesn't want. They end talk with cathartic hugs, and they walk back ready to prepare what food Birdman and Sadar have brought back from the evening hunt. Eros and old song from her days with her master Sayrulion, and Althea joins with a soft hum once she knows the tune.
Meanwhile, Stryke, and his two sons, Donovan the wild coyote, and Rhogarr the young and knightly squamata champion, practice form and strength with a few hours of roughhousing and wrestling.
Leandra, Stryke's other daughter, obviously misses the city life, the ease and anxiety, and waits impatiently for the food, electing finally to eat one fo the rabbits raw. Yet, while she waits, and perhaps for the extra time, Eros tries to teach Roxana her apprentice how to cook. She makes something edible but not exactly to the same level as Eros.
Sadar spends his evening with Howl, his owlbear, watching the stars and reminiscing about former times many decades ago when he was not alone, like tonight. A sense of peace and nerves take over, but nonetheless a sense of purpose offers conviction.
Before bed, Birdman speaks to Leandra and sees her wish to go back to the City, too, and he also discusses this with Stryke, hoping to avoid Eros' as she cooks and helps the camp and others before bedtime. He misses his purpose in the city, the Attorney at Crime, and the peace of the lands unnerves him. Stryke supports his decision.
Before the night is over, Solas connects her elemental will to the power and phases of the moon, and she is able to predict so the group can witness, a full blood moon take over the sky in place of what should have been a half moon rising, and this bloody light shines on the direction, most keenly, of the City of Salt.
Birdman takes this as a sign to leave, and Leandra almost follows him all the way on foot home, but they are stopped by Eros. She argues she would not be upset nor have forced Birdman to stay and follow her on this odyssey without his truth and conviction behind those actions; she only got into this to save Roxana, and the wave of those actions have lead her here, to freedom from that tyrrany and oppression from the city; despite that all, Birdman still feels his purpose is back in the City of Salt. Additionally, and most fortunately, Solas also offers to teleport him back to the city the next morning, and then coming back herself to the camp to continue the travels with Eros, Stryke, Sadar, Roxana, Nuvell, Althea, Rhogarr, and Donovan.
Birdman goes with the aid of Solas, and Leandra joins, but not before Stryke warns Birdman to protect her, and when they arrive they find themselves in their old apartment.
Yet, after Solas leaves them with her conjuration magic, Birdman hears there are others in the apartment, and he recognizes two of the voices as 1st House followers, that of Jim, City Knight and Strekveil, who were warned days before by Eros about the dealings of the drow, and now they bring in a third party investigator, a Killian Cainius , high-ranking member of the house but also independent from council and binder-lord, with no other affiliations to other houses. A perfect person to solve or take the blame of what comes next: houses taking houses, and words being with new lords: a restructing of leadership amongst the centuries of blood and toil.
Birdman eventually reveals himself to this compatriots before his exodus with Eros and others. They ask of him to explain what has occured, and the elf Birdman does. He even informs them of the dragon they met, the Baarong of the Marshes from the south. They agree a Lupin should stay with the Birdman, for his protection and the understanding of their only lead to what may have precipitated this chaos by the fall of the 12th house and the Binder Lord. Killian elects himself to stay with the odd Elf, the former Kenku, and they go to the city to find both Mel and Ssech, but their search leads them in circles, for almost days.
Within those days, Mel has taken the word of power from the Drow Matron Mother of the 12th House, and the 11th House, having lost this power from Alucard the far travelling high elf of the 8th House, emprison the elf for their future gain, his magics odd and unique. Now the day after, distraught and stressed, she hopes that her friend and compatriot Ssech Draod will come to her lair, but as she waits, she also protects herself from her rainbow zombies, her nulls created from her undeath and pride as a force of ancient magics within the City of Salt. The shadow mage arrives, for his snake came here days before with the children to escape the pressures of the 12th House, and he levels with this new Binder-Lord of undeath, a vampiress of great power about his own powers. Mealladh Apéthanta reveals to Ssech what she has done, and how she could have easily killed Alucard to end all this, but learned almost too late about how those consequences would have destabilized the City of Salt. She needs Ssech and his contacts in the 10th House to find more loyalists for Mel to make her move on the city, to establish herself as the leader of a true house, not just a vampire who Binds to the word of power from the 12th. Ssech knows of three contacts to assist with him.
Within twenty minutes of this morning planning and interaction, even Ssech and Mel, a few hundred feet below the city, and at least an hour south of it, through the caverns of the Testudie ruins, and even slightly below, into the canopied caves of the Underdark, Mel has made her lair, and even their she and her dark mage friend hear the alarms of the city. Alarms she has not heard in thirteen years, when the Marrow Miners arose as one, under the flag of the 12th House, and asserted the claim on the eastern gates, bind, and even the Tailstones of the City of Salt and its central keep that houses the sleeping Tarrasque, a torpor no one wishes to interrupt. Too many lives and too much time and gold will be lost.
Furthermore, within the city, in the northern parts of the Beastcrown, Ferrum and Thelas, with Garulvd and the other wizards of the 11th House, atop their large tower, they see these alarms have sounded for another reason. A coup; a group, a house, a band of terrorists, who knows, they have arisen. Ferrum immediately flies to engage, and he sees that the 12th and 5th House bindings are being attacked; the guards who protect these ancient stakes to the ground, reinforced with magic (the same 12th Bind Mealladh Apéthanta bled into the day before to become the 12th Binder-Lord), they have little defense against such a direct attack that has avoided the walls of the central keep.
Garuvld simply walks to the mapping and planning room of the 11th House for any interactions and reports that come to the city. It is an table that can cast illusions of people and architecture from around the city, mapping out the goings on. It is not in real time, for it needs information fed to it by the wizards who control it. He finds Orcafor, the Binder-Lord of the 11th House and archmage, and he asks about his deal with the mage to have the gnome learn more about this strange infernal artifact. Wary of the power of this dwarf, the gnome agrees to research more and obviously does not want Garuvld to be involved more withe words of power at play. Thus, the dwarf walks away without a particular deal to keep his fists engaged for the right profit or knowledge.
While flying above the city to survey these goings on of the coup, the alarm, and the general panic and evacutions of the city, Ferrum choices to divine a magical communication with Mel, and he pledges his loyalty to her, sensing the same shift that Orcafor and the other binder-lords should have also felt. Mel takes this information and she and Ssech take her nulls, disguised with illusion magic to seem like a larger family of pumthera, into the city to protect the 12th House bind from these interlopers causing the chaos with their coup.
Orcafor, not having many other options, sends two of his war wizards with Thelas to back up Ferrum.
And across the city, Killian and Birdman have gotten wrapped-up in a full investigation of Mel's whereabouts, but have learned next to nothing, so they decide they must discuss with more pertinent witnesses: Pio, Binder-Lord of the 10th House, and Orcafor, Binder-Lord of the 11th House.
Created Content
Marching Order: Sadaar, Eros, Roxana, Solas, Stryke and Kids, and Nuvell
Elves Created a disposable cloth like substance like cardboard for drinking cups, boxes, and other items.
Ssech's Contacts: Halfling rogue, Armadillo body guard, and a Musteli fence.
Elves Created a disposable cloth like substance like cardboard for drinking cups, boxes, and other items.
Ssech's Contacts: Halfling rogue, Armadillo body guard, and a Musteli fence.
Report Date
02 Sep 2023
Primary Location
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