RealmsToowoomba Recap # 71 [RPG]

[20 Flamerule 1372]

In Longsaddle, Mellia contacts Gideon magickally and learns that he plans to arrive at her position once he's had a chance to scry her surroundings later in the day.  Anxious to avoid confusing his divination, Mellia plans to teleport to Silverymoon and return with Markus and his new friends quickly.  Before leaving, she tells Cain and Ralkin about Gideon's impending arrival and adds that they need to keep their precise plans for Nesme secret from Gideon, Markus, and any other arrivals.  Ralkin asks how they're going to explain things when the city is on fire, and Mellia replies that they'll just have to say it was an accident.  The others notice that Ralkin has been spending several hours each day alone, locked in his room, but he avoids answering their questions about it.

In Silverymoon, Markus stores several thousand gold pieces in a secure money-lender's vault, leaving his and Mellia's names as authorized users.  Once he, Rufus, Wrex, and McBronzebottom are in the same place, the quartet set off for the rendezvous point where they're to be picked up.  Mellia is waiting for them at the spot, the lightning-blasted crater a few hours west of Silverymoon.  Mildly annoyed that they're late, she's introduced to Rufus ("a halfling who can turn into a tree!") and becomes reacquainted with Wrex.  A problem arises, however: Mellia's teleport spell cannot carry everyone back!  After a scheme involving Rufus transforming into a raven and flying into a bag of holding fails, the decision is made for Mellia, Wrex, Markus, McBronzebottom, and Rufus' dog, Sheila, to teleport to Longsaddle.   Rufus promises he has other means to reach the village.  Once the others are gone, he walks back to Silverymoon, tracks down some information on the flora around Longsaddle, and then seeks out a particular species of tree in Silverwood.

Meanwhile, the others arrive in front of the ramshackle inn run by "Trappy" Snulgers.  As the others go into the inn, Markus stays outside and has a rousing game of fetch with Sheila.  Inside, Wrex is introduced to Cain and Ralkin and then finds himself accommodation.  Mellia takes Ralkin aside and tells him, bemusedly, that she noticed he cast a spell on her to make her glow just before she teleported for Silverymoon.  The kenku acknowledges that he picked up a connection to the arcane during his time spent in Myst's body on the group's sojourn to Thay.  However, he says, his knowledge is too slight to significantly change the battle plan for Nesme.  As he talks, Mellia notices Ralkin's pet rat, Emikris, floating through the room while wearing a strange harness.  Minutes later, Cain joins them and the three adventurers talk about the newcomers.  Cain expresses concern that Wrex, who is also looking for the Crown of Horns, will betray them once the artifact is found.  Mellia says that's a problem they'll need to be prepared for once they delve into Startop Mountain.  She says she's more worried about Dolcetto getting in their way, and goes to find Markus to find out what happened to the tiefling.  The swordsman explains how Dolcetto was killed by undead in the Evermoors, and even shows a spot on his map that he has marked "Dolcetto's Last Stand."  He explains that he had no choice but to run away, as they were foolish not to bring a cleric with them into such a dangerous situation.  Mellia mentions that before returning to Startop, a short detour to Nesme is needed to liberate the town from an evil cult.  Markus seems happy to go along, and says he'd rather fight worshippers of a frost goddess than more undead.  He also tells Mellia about the money left in the vault in Silverymoon.  The diviner notices the flecks of gold, sharp teeth, and elongated, almost clawlike nails on the swordsman, and inquires about whether he's okay.  Markus explains that he's going through a transformation that reflects his heritage, and Mellia surmises he must be a descendent of the dragonborn.

In the common room of The Gilded Horseshoe, Wrex has a confusing conversation with Trappy and then finds himself an unobtrusive corner in order to hear what the ranchers, farmers, and travelers within are talking about.  A overheard conversation about a plot to steal treasure from Ivy Mansion on Harpell Hill piques the svirfneblin's interest, as the conspirators plan to dig a tunnel underneath the invisible force shield that protects Harpell Hill and then sell the loot to a fence at the Horn and Hoof Tavern.  Wrex decides to learn more about the Harpells, and asks Trappy for information.  The innkeeper explains that Ardanac Harpell is the public face of the wizardly family and looks after the village, while the others are more reclusive.  However, Trappy says, even Ardanac doesn't drop by very often unless there's an emergency.

Soon after lunchtime, Mellia realizes that she is being scried and knows that Gideon will be arriving soon.  She and Cain hurry to their room, and some minutes later a slash of blue energy cuts through the air and Gideon steps out, looking exhausted and holding a scroll.  However, he's not alone!  Mellia's hated rival, Procul Hilberry appears, as does Liliath the Spell-Wracked.  While Procul looks dismissively at Mellia with his arms crossed and Liliath immediately rushes to a corner of the room and begins scratching the wooden floor with her dirty, sharp nails, Gideon smiles, nods, and then strides over to a table.  He pulls out maps of Darkvale, the first level of Darkhold, assorted sketches, and more, and starts laying out a strategy to rescue Allia, adding that Hestia, the old potion-maker, has successfully infiltrated the Zhentarim stronghold!  Mellia is taken aback at the temerity of his laying all of these plans in motion without telling her first, and angry that he obviously divulged Allia's kidnapping to Procul and other members of the Oracle's Circle.  She calls Ralkin in and asks him to escort Procul away so that she and Cain can talk to Gideon alone (Liliath is obviously oblivious).  She tells Gideon how upset and betrayed she feels by his actions, but he seems surprised that she *doesn't* want to go after Allia immediately.  "After all of this adventuring in past months, are you any closer to rescuing her?"  He tries to justify his actions, explaining that although a direct assault on Darkhold would be suicide, a quick and subtle incursion to find Allia and escape might just work.  Mellia tries to explain to him that not only does she think that would be too risky, but that she needs to find the Crown of Horns so that she has a bargaining chip with the mysterious dark figure behind this entire scheme.  She has the situation well in hand, she says, and never asked Gideon to step in.  She says that it's not like she's been gallivanting around Faerun on a lark; everything she's done has been in pursuit of her ultimate goal of getting her daughter back.

While they talk, Ralkin leads Procul down to the common room.  When asked why he's come if he holds such a low opinion of Mellia, Procul says that although his fellow student is spoiled and lazy, he would never want harm to come to her daughter.  Gideon persuaded him, he explains, that the Oracle's Circle is like a family, and although family members might not always like each other, they support each other in times of crisis.  Procul is obviously dismayed at the sight of the common room and sniffs in disdain.  Still, he agrees to have a drink with the kenku, a decision he soon regrets when he spots a clawed hand trying to remove his coin-purse!  "Thief!" shouts Procul loudly, pointing an accusing finger at Ralkin.  Everyone in the common room quiets and turns their excited gazes to the new entertainment.  Ralkin tries to explain that he was only stopping the purse from falling on the floor, but Procul has obviously already made up his mind.  He demands justice and suggests amputation of Ralkin's hand, a punishment he says is quite common in lands to the south.  Wrex, witnessing the entire scene and desirous of meeting the mysterious Ardanac Harpell, starts murmuring and gets the crowd into calling for Ardanac to intervene.  Trappy pulls out a rusty shortsword and tells Ralkin and Procul to stay put, and then sends a patron to run for Ardanac to resolve the dispute.  The sound of shouting below draws the attention of those talking upstairs.  Mellia tries to talk Procul into dropping the matter, but the male diviner is insistent that justice be carried out.  He softens his cries for corporal punishment, however, and says that he will accept an apology and a display of humility from the kenku.  Ralkin gives an equivocating apology and kisses Procul's boot, leading the man to retract his demands for justice.  When Ardanac arrives the inn, he learns that the situation has already been resolved.  Wrex introduces himself, and mentions overhearing a plot to steal from Ivy Mansion.  Ardanac expresses his appreciation, and says he'll consider Wrex a friend.

Elsewhere, on the outskirts of the village, Rufus Greenleaf suddenly steps out of a tree!  Markus, still playing with Sheila, notices and seems impressed.  Markus tells Rufus that the plan is to make a stop at Nesme to fight an evil cult.  Rufus asks if there's any money in it, and, receiving an affirmative answer, say's he's in.  He explains that he owes a land-debt to some elves in the High Forest.  He pulls out a pipe and begins smoking.  Later, when he sees Wrex nearby, he offers to take the deep gnome on a "safari" of the nearby flora and fauna.  As they walk, Rufus mentions that, apart from gold to pay off a debt, he's interested in Startop Mountain as he's heard a story that somewhere within there exists a portal to Far Haven, a legendary demiplane that contains the divine essence of nature itself.  If he can find that portal, Rufus says, it would help him get back into the good graces of his clan, as they kicked him out.  Wrex is unsure about the idea of stopping at Nesme first.

Mellia decides to take a long walk with Gideon to explain things to him.  After Gideon realizes that she has no interest in his plan to travel to Darkhold to rescue Allia, he offers a more startling option: he'll trade himself for her, as who better to find the Crown of Horns than a master diviner?  Mellia says that she appreciates Gideon's desire to help, but what she needs are battle-hardened adventurers like her current friends, not scholars of divination.  She says that over the past months, she has been tested and purified, and needs to continue on the course she's chosen.  Gideon notes her repeated use of religious phraseology, and confronts her about Cain.  "Why would you travel all the way to Thay to rescue him, but not to Darkhold to rescue Allia?"  "He's my most loyal companion," she responds.  "And I need him for the next step in my journey."  Unsatisfied but realizing that she's made up her mind, Gideon returns with her to the inn, saying he'll leave in the morning.  That evening, before supper, Wrex finds Gideon alone at the bar.  Wrex gets Trappy to bring them drinks, and starts up a conversation.  Gideon repeats his explanation that slipping into Darkhold could work and goes into various details about the information they have.  The diviner is obviously not used to strong drink, and quickly becomes maudlin.  "When you really, really care about somebody," he says, "you want to do anything for them!"  When Mellia comes down to invite everyone to share a common meal, Gideon apologises for his state and receives a hangover cure from Trappy.

In a "private" dining room curtained with old quilts and sheets, the adventurers and members of the Oracle's Circle sit down to eat together.  Gideon tells a wistful story about young Allia accidentally breaking an expensive mirror he had bought as a graduation gift for Mellia, while Mellia tells of being struck by lightning.  "Too bad it didn't shock some sense into you," Procul mutters.  For the first time, Gideon speaks to Cain, asking the cleric to explain why he's joined Mellia on her quest.  "I gave her my oath of aid because she was in desperate need," Cain explains.  Mellia then surprises everyone by mention that she, herself, might train as a cleric of Kossuth.  As the meal wraps up, the adventurers set a time to talk about plans for their quest the next day.  Markus asks to be excused from the session, but Mellia tells him to bring something to amuse himself with.  Later, alone in their room, Mellia tells Cain that she thought that, all in all, things had gone well with Gideon.  Cain asks if she's kidding, stating that her former headmaster had done nothing all day but try to get Mellia to change the plans she had decided on.  Mellia responds that Gideon hasn't shaken her commitment to Nesme or Startop.  "He's also not impressed with the woman that you have become over the last few months, nor your new devotion to fire.  I think he blames me for this," Cain adds.  Mellia says that Gideon's opinion will not sway her conviction, and that she no longer has plans to return to the Oracle's Circle after rescuing Allia.  "I know that you can help me find the true path," she says.

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