Universe is unpaused after secret room with chests located off the kitchen.
- Party distributes items and money found so far within the Forest Outpost
- Party encounters a wandering patrol between the library and lowest floor of the outpost
- Party finds that the lowest floor of the outpost is a large holding cell - guarding the prisoner is 1 cultist along with 4 skeletons and a minotaur skeleton - all defeated
- Freed prisoner introduces himself as "Bjorn", he offers to escort the party back to Senaliesse, states any items they found are theirs to keep and allows Mons and Otto to take a few the suits of plate mail that are stored there
Being more familiar with the Feywild Bjorn, in his bear form, is able to lead the party back to Senaliesse in a fraction of the travel time. At the gates the guards thank the party for upholding their side of the deal and provide them with the promised information: a rift opened in the sky and a large shadowy mass with wings flew out of it into the castle, immediately following this a barrier went up around the castle and the fog wall went up around the forest. After giving this information one of the guards escorts the party through the city to a gigantic gazebo where they are introduced to Oberon.
Oberon explains that he is the ruling archfey of the Spring Court, he had come to Lyhe Mheg on business to speak with the Summer Court and arrived just before the incident. He then tells the party he has assumed temporary command as all members of the Summer Court, except for Old Treebeard, are trapped inside the castle by the barrier and that Lyhe Mheg has been cut off from the rest of the Feywild by the Fogwall, citing it to be one of Queen Titania's abilities and speculates whatever invaded is somehow making use of it.
The party makes note of how they were attacked by some fey while traversing the forest, Oberon explains this was likely due to Old Treebeard marking them as intruders - he then marks the party as friends of the fey in order to prevent this from happening again and enlists their assistance in dealing with the cult that has invaded, since the party is able to cross the anti-fey barriers. Oberon then provides the party with a rough map of Lyhe Mheg indicating three more locations at leyline points that are maintaining the barrier around the castle.
The party visits the markets before resting:
- They learn that copper coins are worth 10x their normal value - because they fey think it's pretty
- Mons and Otto commission +1 plate mail with a smith - Otto's will be ready the next morning, Mons' will take 3 days due to the work needed
- Ossu and Daxis stock up on healing potions
The next day the party picks up Otto's armor, the smith amazed at how he makes it fit, and Otto adds the Repulsor Shield affect to Mons' Sentinel Shield - something he wasn't sure would work. The party realizes they cannot locate Ruffles, and are informed he wandered off and is very forgetful.
After a far less stressful journey the party arrives a very large circular structure. After dispatching the 2 cultists guarding the entrance the party proceeds inside and finds themselves in a massive indoor hedge maze. Ossu realizes he can't fly over the hedges and Mons is not able to damage them with Hew.
Otto picks the wrong direction.
The party proceeds through the maze, encountering few enemies - but many traps. After a few hours of navigating the maze the party reaches the center where they find an orc cultist waiting - as the battle begins the orc demonstrates the ability to morph his arms to various weapons.
After the battle Mons tosses the orc's pendant to Otto to add to his collection, and they locate correspondence from some named Micolash instructing Bor'q (who the party ventures is the name of the orc) to make sure he holds the location secure to maintain the barrier, less he suffer Skithiryx's wrath.
Near Bor'q's belongings the party finds small chest with a few items and small amount of money inside
- Robe of Useful Items
- Potion of Resistance
- Oil of Sharpness
- 70 cp
- 50 sp
- 210 gp
- 44 pp
On their way back to Senaliesse the party encounters a young human girl being chased by a zombie through the forest, the zombie is easily dispatched. The party learns that the girl's name is Veronica, that she's from the town of Basaltwood north of the Forest of Whispers, that the town has been repeatedly been attacked by monsters and that a man in black armor has been trying to protect them. After a few more questions the party suspects this person in black armor is the Black Wolf. Veronica pleads with the party to check on the town, the party elects to bring to Senaliesse to keep her safe and let Oberon know about this development.
By the time they arrive in Senaliesse, Veronica is asleep due to exhaustion and Oberon has her put in the care of a fey named Necile who he notes is a very maternal individual. Oberon appears a bit more tired than before - he notes that he hasn't rested as he is maintaining a barrier around Senaliesse. He indicates he will send scouts out to find and escort townsfolk from the Material Plane that were pulled in by the Fogwall to Senaliesse for safety. Daxis asks if the name "Skithiryx" means anything to him, which it does not, but he suspects it may that winged shadow that was seen.
The party rests for the night and sets out first thing in the morning to the northeast leyline point. During this trek (during which Daxis rescues Ruffles from a tree branch and he rejoins the party) the party encounters very few interruptions. When they feel they are only a few hours away from their destination they encounter a very short man wearing all green - who says they look like they'd be able to assist him, stating he made a deal with someone to find help. When the party attempts to bypass him he panics and teleports them to another part of the forest.
The party navigates back to Senaliesse and then head back northeast - eventually arriving at what the safely assume to be the destination: a tall tower with what looks like a mechanical sundial at the top. While setting up camp the small man in green appears again - properly introducing himself as Seamus and explaining the situation: he was saved by a man in black armor and made the deal to find reinforcements for the town the man is defending: Basaltwood. Mons makes a deal with Seamus: once they have completed what is needed in Basaltwood Seamus will bring them back to this exact spot in the forest.
Seamus teleports the party (much more accurately) to the outskirts of Basaltwood before taking his leave, noting that he isn't useful in a fight. As the party enters the town they are surrounded by townsfolk, many with improvised weapons. Once it's clear the party is there to help they are brought to where the Black Wolf is, confirmed by seeing the familiar armor set aside, and see he is a half-elf man. They find him laid up in a bed in the makeshift infirmary, pale and with labored breath. The party has Droop heal him, which restores some color to his face, he recognizes the party but before he can speak he loses consciousness. The party then has Droop heal as many people as he is able to with his available spells before they settle in for the night.
Sessions ends as the party wakes up the following morning, universe paused.
In game date March 27th.
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