Session 58: Offa Amontillado's Sacrifice: "I go as my own Kenku"
General Summary
The party and the Cherries continue in their fight against the Gloaming, some struggle to hit and those that do barely scratch the surface. Early on, Clover starts to stink of barf, poop, chocolate, and rotten fish and “meets” Scent, who is panicking and telling her to run as Selle attempts to banish the great entity unsuccessfully.
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As this all goes on, Silas is in a realm that is much calmer and quieter, although devoid of color and life as far as he can tell. He quickly realizes he is his young 20’s self and beside him is Samyra. Silas rushes to her and gently shakes her, but she resists waking, telling him he stinks. Opting to let her sleep he looks out across home for the first time in forever, seeing it just as he remembers but as if made of charcoal or ash instead. In the clearing, a purple glow shines, and they find a fox figurine with a moon symbol on it. Waking Samyra, he shows her and there is confusion on how she knows the Yamato word for it. Flipping back, she suggests they go show their parents and Silas agrees, enjoying the reprieve and time with Samyra.
As Samyra walks ahead, Silas attempts to speak to the Fox Empress, and while he doesn’t get an answer, it warms and pulses with “yes” and grows cold with a “no”. She cannot help ending the Gloaming but suggests that he could speak with…. someone…and hears a voice like a memory “Silas” …. Samyra steps away as he smells like poo and puke and chocolate, and he reaches out with his mind toward Scent and finds Clover. Realizing there is a connection between planes, he relays all that has happened to her, so the party knows, then runs after his sister into their childhood home.
As Samyra walks ahead, Silas attempts to speak to the Fox Empress, and while he doesn’t get an answer, it warms and pulses with “yes” and grows cold with a “no”. She cannot help ending the Gloaming but suggests that he could speak with…. someone…and hears a voice like a memory “Silas” …. Samyra steps away as he smells like poo and puke and chocolate, and he reaches out with his mind toward Scent and finds Clover. Realizing there is a connection between planes, he relays all that has happened to her, so the party knows, then runs after his sister into their childhood home.
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Clover shares with the others as Anya saves Sikander by shoving him out of the way. They discover fire prevents it from healing, Offa gets knocked out, Selle casts Sunbeam at the Gloaming as Anya revives Offa and Sikander takes off, running through the Silas shaped portal, nearly getting knocked out and becoming a much younger, stuttering dwarf.
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Silas continues trying to jog Samyra’s memory, letting her know he has friends that need his help and that are trying to help them, and that he would always find her should they become separated.
Her voice shifts to an exhausted, older voice, saying, “No I don't know [you will find me]. I don't know where I am or what I am doing” then immediately flips back to her younger self, offering him soup (ash to him) that was his mother’s old berry soup. Eating it, he heals a bit and then tries speaking to Clover again, sharing they are in a shadow version of his village.
Meanwhile Young Sikander sees gnome statues as he walks and hears the scrapping of sporks. Calling out in his preteen voice, “Silas, are you here? You bastard, where are you?”
Hearing him, Silas calls out to him and tells Samyra this is a friend of his.
The conversation devolves quickly as Silas and Sikander speak about the God Eaters and the Gloaming with Samyra until she starts cry, losing control she lets out a piercing scream and her form changes into a trembling adult gnome in tattered clothes, unconscious on the ground.
Her voice shifts to an exhausted, older voice, saying, “No I don't know [you will find me]. I don't know where I am or what I am doing” then immediately flips back to her younger self, offering him soup (ash to him) that was his mother’s old berry soup. Eating it, he heals a bit and then tries speaking to Clover again, sharing they are in a shadow version of his village.
Meanwhile Young Sikander sees gnome statues as he walks and hears the scrapping of sporks. Calling out in his preteen voice, “Silas, are you here? You bastard, where are you?”
Hearing him, Silas calls out to him and tells Samyra this is a friend of his.
The conversation devolves quickly as Silas and Sikander speak about the God Eaters and the Gloaming with Samyra until she starts cry, losing control she lets out a piercing scream and her form changes into a trembling adult gnome in tattered clothes, unconscious on the ground.
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The others continue fighting until the Gloaming shrivels up with Offa running through the portal as it does, becoming the hatchling of himself. Quickly finding the others, the three try and work with Scent as the bridge with the others to get them back to the correct side.
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Back in the shifting sands, Isamu and his retinue see this as the deal completed and are ready to close the portal. Refusing to help bring the others back, he gives them 20 minutes before he returns with others.
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Desperate to find a plan, they try sending sporks through the purple glow found in the old clearing used for the Offering, but half come through distorted, and the idea is discarded.
Speaking to the statue, Silas hears a voice he finally recognizes as A’flora, not the Fox Empress. Handing it to Sikander, she shares she feels different and asks what happened and whether she died well. He asks if she has started her journey to the Great Halls and learns she is pausing on the way. Reminding him the young emperor needs protecting, she asks him to do this then lay her to rest after escaping Yamato. Advising she would only speak once more, the statues both warm and she falls silent.
As the sporks did not make it through, Silas takes Samyra’s fox and throws it in. Reaching the other side, Selle manages to bring them back, where Silas, Sikander, Offa, and Samyra are all the correct age, with the latter malnourished, but healthy and semiconscious.
As Isamu and the others return – wizards, ninjas, other Yakuza and an ancient gold dragon – they all start to close the final portal. Anya throws up Daylight, while Offa banishes the hole and throws all his magic and might at it, as does Selle and Clover. Anya and Sikander step up, throwing in Pakian’s Flute and Skybreaker, but still see part of the portal open.
Offa comes back, and in his final act, renounces Dredd Garlu and throws himself into the portal. They watch in shock as he does, and the portal disappears behind him.
Speaking to the statue, Silas hears a voice he finally recognizes as A’flora, not the Fox Empress. Handing it to Sikander, she shares she feels different and asks what happened and whether she died well. He asks if she has started her journey to the Great Halls and learns she is pausing on the way. Reminding him the young emperor needs protecting, she asks him to do this then lay her to rest after escaping Yamato. Advising she would only speak once more, the statues both warm and she falls silent.
As the sporks did not make it through, Silas takes Samyra’s fox and throws it in. Reaching the other side, Selle manages to bring them back, where Silas, Sikander, Offa, and Samyra are all the correct age, with the latter malnourished, but healthy and semiconscious.
As Isamu and the others return – wizards, ninjas, other Yakuza and an ancient gold dragon – they all start to close the final portal. Anya throws up Daylight, while Offa banishes the hole and throws all his magic and might at it, as does Selle and Clover. Anya and Sikander step up, throwing in Pakian’s Flute and Skybreaker, but still see part of the portal open.
Offa comes back, and in his final act, renounces Dredd Garlu and throws himself into the portal. They watch in shock as he does, and the portal disappears behind him.
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Offa tells Dredd Garlu he was never the god’s – he was Offa’s. The only thing he learned about life was that none of it makes sense. The old god acknowledges this and reminds Offa it will not be easy and that he continues through Death’s door along.
“I go as my own Kenku” and he chooses the ivory door, continuing to another time and place as a white bird spirit, where he is revered in his own right, and it feels right.
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Isamu prepares to take us out by leaving us to the ancient gold dragon. Desperate, Anya steps and speaks to the dragon in draconic, convincing her not to kill us. We learn she is being forced to do Isamu’s bidding as he holds her clutch. They agree to free it from the bottom of the bay in return for her letting them leave.
Report Date
03 Nov 2024
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