Session 47: A Few Conversations with Dead People...kinda.
General Summary
Gathered in the secret room, Sikander notices the silent communication between Anya and A'flora. Starting to question and reminisce, A'flora shares she hasn't written in over a year and is storing all her experiences up to share if she survives. Changing topics, A'flora tells them entry to the dowager's room is very difficult as it is protected by the Great Bull of Heaven. There is a secret way in, but they will still need to get by the bull, possibly while the dowager secretly goes down to the yuzu tree each night. She goes down to mourn at the same time each night, so the group all agrees to head down to the garden and wait for her. As the prepare to part ways, there is a quiet flirtatious back and forth with Silas and A'flora that Sikander misses, but knows deep down something is amiss.
Once outside, Anya tucks Tal into the bushes and settles before the yuzu tree to commune and speak with it. Placing her hands on the roots, she closes her eyes and focuses on the spirit within. While she does, the others notice odd, tiny, oblong creatures start to wander up and down her arms. Sikander tries to swipe them off her, which only incites them to swarm the dwarf.
Ignoring him, Anya finds herself speaking with part of the spirit of the old emperor, Arcan, and feeling the warmth and comfort of a grandfatherly presence for the first time. She learns he is aware the dowager comes and cries each night, and it hurts him. He knows about the feather and hopes to have it removed from her possession, warning Anya it is dangerous and only poisoning the dowager's mind. As she prepares to leave, he also warns her to be cautious of A'flora. Anya assures him she is already aware of the concerns and is properly skeptical.
While Anya is communing with Arcan, Silas tries speaking with the little creatures (Sikander trying to swipe them away still and Offa avoiding them - too much life and happiness). They tell him the dowager cannot see them when they come out, that everyone in the party is pure, yes even Offa. Asking where she enters the garden, one of the spirits lands on Silas's hand and points to the hidden door.
After lots of discussion on the best plan, they decide Anya will polymorph Sikander then wild shape herself (both as ants) and go with an invisible Offa into the hidden door while Silas hides and waits with the dowager to distract her and give the others time to find the feather. A small amount of chaos ensues as Sikander, becoming a bull ant, charges and calls the closest group of ants to arms, convincing several to follow him. It takes time and Offa nearly squishes Sikander in the process of trying to pick him up, crushing half his "army" instead. Eventually, they make it through the door and make their way up the long hall.
Back in the garden, Silas watches as the dowager kneels before the tree, placing a pipe down with her lantern, crying as she says, "Why did you leave me? Please come back. Every day is like the day you left me. Come back and live my love." Silas remains silent as she continues, "I feel your presence today my love. I know you told me not to use the feather, but I am glad I did."
As she rises, Silas whispers to her, "My love, it is time to stop these midnight visits." She is surprised, thinking Arcan was in the shrine upstairs and not here. Convincing her he is Arcan, Silas reminds her that "with my own two hands I planted this tree" and that he is the part of the tree that has grown in love with her all these years. He asks her to come back by day and sit beneath his branches. She tells him that to whisper these words of love are sometimes too painful; makes it too real. Hoping to assure herself this is really Arcan, she asks about various memories that Silas struggles with, barely managing to allay her concerns.
Back in the hall, they all feel a hot breath exhale down the corridor as a warning. Ahead, Offa sees a dimly lit door and a two-inch-tall bull statue made of onyx. Invisible, he walks straight for the door, but is repelled by an intense heat. All of them are burned by the blast, forcing Anya and Sikander to revert to their normal forms and land atop Offa. Changing tactics, he becomes the dowager and persuades the bull to let them pass. Looking around the room, they find her best kimono laid out, along with a table containing a small shrine containing a small artwork of her husband, small cup of sake, long European cigar, with a small box to the left and a bonsai tree to the right. Opening the box, Offa finds a white duck feather instead of the phoenix one. Tucking that away, he replaces it with one of his own black raven feathers. Sikander notices her slippers in a corner, facing a wall and seemingly out of place. Anya, turning to check them out stops as she hears a commotion in the hall and heads back to the door.
In the garden, a dark, shadowy figure appears in the form of the emperor, resting a hand on the dowager's shoulder. It leans down, whispering in her ear and starts leading her back to the door. Silas attempts to persuade her to remain, and failing, takes on a light filled version of the emperor and chases after the pair. Catching them, he attacks the shadowed one, barely making contact as the dowager sends a wave of cold at him, her eyes red as if possessed. The dark emperor then hits Silas with lightning (creating the commotion heard by the others).
Seeing this transpire, Anya focuses on the dark emperor, shooting him with Winter's Dawn. Silas attempts to draw the dark emperor's attention and runs toward the garden to draw him away. He succeeds as the shadow casts Finger of Death on him, severely wounding Silas, prompting Anya to try holding the pair in place. The shadow shrugs her off, but the dowager remains frozen, allowing Silas to focus on the dark emperor with Sika-zashi. The shadow takes the hit and then turns and sends an acid arrow at Anya, hitting her.
Sikander and Offa, deciding Anya can handle whatever is coming, and shouting at her to keep it down, continue investigating and find a secret door leading to a storage room of sorts, filled with sacred weapons, sake, and other offerings. While searching for the black lacquered box, Sikander picks up one of the sacred swords, causing the shadow emperor to disappear from the hall and appear in the storage room. Acting quickly, Offa banishes the dark emperor and the pair continues searching, finding more sacred offering and scrolls. They continue on and find a beautiful shrine, a golden figure and large taiko drums with one set of sticks.
Silas comes back in the hall and tries turning into dowager, but is repelled. Gathering the dowager as Anya drops the hold on her, the pair make it through the barrier of the bull and to Anya in the dowager's room. She quickly heals Silas and runs after the others. Meanwhile the dowager leads Silas/Light emperor to her writing desk and shows him a scroll with a note from Lord Mirt.
Back in the shrine, Offa attempts playing the taiko but realizes they need the other set of sticks to open the door. Anya tries to help beat the drum, but to no avail as the dark emperor slowly rematerializes in the shrine. As it does, Silas and the dowager come in as well. He heads to the drums and tries helping Offa as the dark emperor goes after Sikander, nearly Disintegrating him. Offa stops his drumming to stun the shadow, allowing Anya to mark and shoot him. Sikander steps back up and swings hard with Wibbles, Smiting the shadow and finishing him.
As the shadow fades, they finally find the missing drums sticks under the shroud. With the doors opened, the feather is found and retrieved with mage hand. With the feather tucked away, the dowager turns to Silas (STILL as the Light Emperor), "I think I am ready to say goodbye now. Come sit beneath the tree. Come lay with me one more time." Silas attempts deflecting, even as he tucks her in, finally misty stepping away from her as he does.
Once outside, Anya tucks Tal into the bushes and settles before the yuzu tree to commune and speak with it. Placing her hands on the roots, she closes her eyes and focuses on the spirit within. While she does, the others notice odd, tiny, oblong creatures start to wander up and down her arms. Sikander tries to swipe them off her, which only incites them to swarm the dwarf.
Ignoring him, Anya finds herself speaking with part of the spirit of the old emperor, Arcan, and feeling the warmth and comfort of a grandfatherly presence for the first time. She learns he is aware the dowager comes and cries each night, and it hurts him. He knows about the feather and hopes to have it removed from her possession, warning Anya it is dangerous and only poisoning the dowager's mind. As she prepares to leave, he also warns her to be cautious of A'flora. Anya assures him she is already aware of the concerns and is properly skeptical.
While Anya is communing with Arcan, Silas tries speaking with the little creatures (Sikander trying to swipe them away still and Offa avoiding them - too much life and happiness). They tell him the dowager cannot see them when they come out, that everyone in the party is pure, yes even Offa. Asking where she enters the garden, one of the spirits lands on Silas's hand and points to the hidden door.
After lots of discussion on the best plan, they decide Anya will polymorph Sikander then wild shape herself (both as ants) and go with an invisible Offa into the hidden door while Silas hides and waits with the dowager to distract her and give the others time to find the feather. A small amount of chaos ensues as Sikander, becoming a bull ant, charges and calls the closest group of ants to arms, convincing several to follow him. It takes time and Offa nearly squishes Sikander in the process of trying to pick him up, crushing half his "army" instead. Eventually, they make it through the door and make their way up the long hall.
Back in the garden, Silas watches as the dowager kneels before the tree, placing a pipe down with her lantern, crying as she says, "Why did you leave me? Please come back. Every day is like the day you left me. Come back and live my love." Silas remains silent as she continues, "I feel your presence today my love. I know you told me not to use the feather, but I am glad I did."
As she rises, Silas whispers to her, "My love, it is time to stop these midnight visits." She is surprised, thinking Arcan was in the shrine upstairs and not here. Convincing her he is Arcan, Silas reminds her that "with my own two hands I planted this tree" and that he is the part of the tree that has grown in love with her all these years. He asks her to come back by day and sit beneath his branches. She tells him that to whisper these words of love are sometimes too painful; makes it too real. Hoping to assure herself this is really Arcan, she asks about various memories that Silas struggles with, barely managing to allay her concerns.
Back in the hall, they all feel a hot breath exhale down the corridor as a warning. Ahead, Offa sees a dimly lit door and a two-inch-tall bull statue made of onyx. Invisible, he walks straight for the door, but is repelled by an intense heat. All of them are burned by the blast, forcing Anya and Sikander to revert to their normal forms and land atop Offa. Changing tactics, he becomes the dowager and persuades the bull to let them pass. Looking around the room, they find her best kimono laid out, along with a table containing a small shrine containing a small artwork of her husband, small cup of sake, long European cigar, with a small box to the left and a bonsai tree to the right. Opening the box, Offa finds a white duck feather instead of the phoenix one. Tucking that away, he replaces it with one of his own black raven feathers. Sikander notices her slippers in a corner, facing a wall and seemingly out of place. Anya, turning to check them out stops as she hears a commotion in the hall and heads back to the door.
In the garden, a dark, shadowy figure appears in the form of the emperor, resting a hand on the dowager's shoulder. It leans down, whispering in her ear and starts leading her back to the door. Silas attempts to persuade her to remain, and failing, takes on a light filled version of the emperor and chases after the pair. Catching them, he attacks the shadowed one, barely making contact as the dowager sends a wave of cold at him, her eyes red as if possessed. The dark emperor then hits Silas with lightning (creating the commotion heard by the others).
Seeing this transpire, Anya focuses on the dark emperor, shooting him with Winter's Dawn. Silas attempts to draw the dark emperor's attention and runs toward the garden to draw him away. He succeeds as the shadow casts Finger of Death on him, severely wounding Silas, prompting Anya to try holding the pair in place. The shadow shrugs her off, but the dowager remains frozen, allowing Silas to focus on the dark emperor with Sika-zashi. The shadow takes the hit and then turns and sends an acid arrow at Anya, hitting her.
Sikander and Offa, deciding Anya can handle whatever is coming, and shouting at her to keep it down, continue investigating and find a secret door leading to a storage room of sorts, filled with sacred weapons, sake, and other offerings. While searching for the black lacquered box, Sikander picks up one of the sacred swords, causing the shadow emperor to disappear from the hall and appear in the storage room. Acting quickly, Offa banishes the dark emperor and the pair continues searching, finding more sacred offering and scrolls. They continue on and find a beautiful shrine, a golden figure and large taiko drums with one set of sticks.
Silas comes back in the hall and tries turning into dowager, but is repelled. Gathering the dowager as Anya drops the hold on her, the pair make it through the barrier of the bull and to Anya in the dowager's room. She quickly heals Silas and runs after the others. Meanwhile the dowager leads Silas/Light emperor to her writing desk and shows him a scroll with a note from Lord Mirt.
Back in the shrine, Offa attempts playing the taiko but realizes they need the other set of sticks to open the door. Anya tries to help beat the drum, but to no avail as the dark emperor slowly rematerializes in the shrine. As it does, Silas and the dowager come in as well. He heads to the drums and tries helping Offa as the dark emperor goes after Sikander, nearly Disintegrating him. Offa stops his drumming to stun the shadow, allowing Anya to mark and shoot him. Sikander steps back up and swings hard with Wibbles, Smiting the shadow and finishing him.
As the shadow fades, they finally find the missing drums sticks under the shroud. With the doors opened, the feather is found and retrieved with mage hand. With the feather tucked away, the dowager turns to Silas (STILL as the Light Emperor), "I think I am ready to say goodbye now. Come sit beneath the tree. Come lay with me one more time." Silas attempts deflecting, even as he tucks her in, finally misty stepping away from her as he does.
Report Date
03 Jun 2024
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