Session 44 - The City That Was Not There

General Summary

From Laura's Journal
We have found the center of the map. But what good it has done our quest is definitely in question. Perhaps we should not have fought the thing that animated the statues, but we seemed to be under attack by it – so did not think to try to question it. But perhaps it is in league with the Slaadi, so questions would have been rather futile. Ah well, we did what we did so. We explored the entrance to Kathend Irthos – secret gem, a strange name for a city, but perhaps not so strange when it is scooped off the mountain and not there for us, or anyone without the know how to explore.
We spent most of the mid-day trying things, lighting the braziers, gifting diamonds, Hassan trying to play with Bahamut’s horn… (That boy can play almost anything!). Bandua noticed that there had been use of the stairs and platform much more recently than seems reasonable given the remoteness of this Secret Gem. Nothing worked so we decided to retreat downhill so I could talk to the plants and animals and Kleeck could ask questions of Apollo. We ascertained that the Slaadi had been here within the last season; getting trees to be more precise than that is hard, and the squirrels would rather not remember Slaadi. Who can blame them!
So, we decided to go north to Placenia with the eventual goals of the ruined cities on the edge of the empire. On the way we asked more questions -- well Kleeck asked more questions of Apollo, trying to assess the threat level around the empire -- so we knew that Carthage had fallen before we got to Placenia. We were not expecting the news of the volcanic eruption in the Eyrie. Kleeck was understandably quite distracted and disturbed. I am so glad he can so easily contact his family. Getting him to calm down enough and contact his Uncle Heehk rather than flying off immediately into who knows what was a bit of a challenge. I am still not 100% sure that the decision to head south to the Eyrie is the best one. We can only travel one place at a time however so despite Mkali’s hisses and other protests we went back to the coast and boarded a ship at Port Exera headed for the Beak and then to the Eyrie. It will be fascinating to meet Kleeck’s family.
Family used to mean a lot to me, but I guess now it is this odd band that has become my family. Kleeck wondered if I wanted to ask Apollo about my folks. I said no. I don’t like to think about it. I would rather imagine that they got through and off to Silixia. I know they did not, but if I don’t know I can pretend. Not sure what the point would be of knowing they are dead, or worse some sort of parasitized Slaad half-life when there is nothing I could do about it. I suppose I should not say anything, but I think we are doing what we can and if they are somehow alive persevering the empire is the best way to find them that I have right now. So, onward. I think Bandua and Tertia understand me better than my folks would at this point anyhow. Not sure what mother would do with Mkali. She was always tolerant of the critters, but she thought a fox was too big for the house...

A bit later onboard ship:
I think the boys had a bit of a spat… Kleeck was talking to Eris for Hassan, and I am not sure what the row was about, but they seem to be keeping to opposite ends of the ship. Hope they sort it out before we have to fight something else.
Next day:
Not sure Tertia should have taught Kleeck how to summon a horse out of thin air. I don’t think the sailors apricate him galloping around deck and then flying off and vanishing the horse…
When will we get there! Mkali is so not pleased with this form of travel … Fish have very odd ideas … I never knew there could be so many "words" for "water." Not sure that talking to them does me much good. Maybe it would have when we were trying to figure out the Koa Toa’s motives, but we did not know the intricacies of true names then. I wonder if we will find the linking words. The fish certainly don’t know them.

Rewards Granted

550 Experience Points

Missions/Quests Completed

Minor Milestone - Return from Kathend Irthos

Report Date

07 May 2022

Primary Location

The Known World