RealmsToowoomba Recap # 76 [RPG]

[26 Flamerule 1372 continued]

After leaving an exhausted Cain to continue sleeping, Mellia checks on the mephits, has breakfast, and knocks on Ralkin's door.  She tells the secretive kenku of the plan to leave in the afternoon, and asks if Ralkin needs to resupply in Silverymoon or is okay to head straight for Startop Mountain.  Ralkin doesn't express a strong opinion, but is clearly quite pleased to have finished constructing a second beartrap.  After playing with the mephits in their specially-outfitted room, Mellia returns to Cain and asks him if the mephits will be able to find their way to Startop Mountain, as she won't be able to teleport them there.  Cain suggests building a bonfire on the top of the mountain to make it easier for the mephits to find.  The two discuss whether to head to Silverymoon before going to Startop Mountain.  

Downstairs, Markus and Urist awake, rather hungover, and eat breakfast while skimming a note Mellia had left for them on the bar.  The adventurers talk about the subject of the note: a planned afternoon departure for Silverymoon or Startop Mountain.  Urist says its better to pursue fame and glory than idling in cities and campsites, but that it would be quite handy to have a potion to enlarge her size.  Markus heads upstairs to find Cain and Mellia.  The swordsman sees Cain resting in Mellia's bed, and jumps in next to him before Mellia kicks him out.  

Everyone assembles in Mellia's sitting room to discuss plans.  Markus asks Cain and Mellia if they have a spell to increase one's size, but both say they do not.  Markus suggests that Mellia become a member of the Lady's College in Silverymoon, as she can obtain a wide variety of spells there and could even learn the spell to allow her to fabricate a special elven sword he's had great difficulty obtaining.  The adventurers settle on going to Silverymoon to resupply for one day, which will give the mephits a hard start in flying to Startop.  The mephits are briefed on how to reach Startop Mountain from their present location, and given strict instructions to avoid burning other living creatures unless attacked.

Mellia sends a telepathic message to Wrex, inquiring if he's ready to be picked up.  The response is "Do not come. Very dangerous. I'm fine but I have to stay for a while. Remember: 65 days before the world ends. Contact again soon."  Mellia also sends a message to Gideon, inquiring as to whether he and the others made it back to the Oracle's Circle safely and promising that everything will be resolved in just a couple of months.  He responds that he and the others are indeed safe and have set about fortifying the tower as promised.

When everyone is ready, Mellia teleports the adventurers to the lightning-blasted crater a few hours walk northwest of Silverymoon.  They reach the city at sunset and secure a room at an unremarkable inn called The Green Goblin.  The city is clearly on a war footing, as the gates were secured by an unusually heavy presence of Knights in Silver, and the inn's common room is full of mercenaries planning campaigns against a suspected orc build-up in the North.  That night, Mellia joins Cain in prayers to Kossuth

[27 Flamerule 1732]

In the High Forest, Rufus spends the day being pestered by an annoying squirrel.

In Silverymoon, Mellia, Markus, and Urist withdraw funds from a money-lender's vault.  Markus gives Mellia the 5,000 gp application fee to become a member of the Lady's College and then goes shopping for some minor magickal potions and oils.  Mellia is quickly accepted as a Fellow of the Lady's College, and her first use of the College's library is to study a spell that will enable her to see in the dark.  While's she studying, she's momentarily weakened by almost overwhelming feelings of guilt and self-loathing.

Meanwhile, Ralkin and Cain spend the day shopping and Cain experiences the same feelings as Mellia.  He presses on, however. Earlier, Mellia had asked them to see if they could find her a "feminine" version of aHeward's Handy Haversack. The two adventurers have no luck finding one, but Ralkin does purchase another bag of holding for himself and Cain orders a specially-enchanted cloak that will increase the size of nearby fires.  Between stores, Ralkin asks Cain if what he saw early in the morning (Cain in Mellia's bed) was what it seemed, but Cain says he'll leave it to the kenku's imagination.  Conversation turns to what to get Mellia since her first request couldn't be found.  Cain decides to look at magic rings, and selects a silver ring of sustenance.  He engraves it with the flame of Kossuth, and that night, slips it on her hand--specifically selecting the finger for one who is betrothed!

[28 Flamerule 1372]

In the High Forest, Faevid softens when he sees Rufus is still on the path of atonement.  Remembering their long friendship, he strikes up a conversation with the halfling.  He asks Rufus how prayer and deliberate consideration of the ramifications of his actions are proceeding.  Rufus replies that everything is fine, and then asks if there's any way to hurry this whole process up.  Faevid sighs.

When Mellia wakes up, she quickly notices the ring on her finger but is too surprised to realize the significance of the particular finger it's been placed on.  She kisses Cain warmly, and thanks him.  She spends the next few hours improving her wardrobe.  Markus spends a futile morning trying to find an enlarge person potion, and is forced to conclude that, given the preparations for war in the city, magickal items that aid in combat are at a premium, if they can be found at all.  The adventurers head an hour northwest of the city so Mellia can study a return spot to teleport to that is closer than the lightning-blasted crater.  Urist carves a heart on the side of a tree, with Markus' name in the middle.  The swordsman carves his own initials on the other side of the tree.  When everyone is ready, Mellia teleports the group to the main hall of Startop Castle, the scene of the group's memorable victory over Grim.

When they arrive, they realize that the place has changed drastically since last they were there.  The main hall is full of crates of dry rations, blankets, and other supplies; walls are in the process of being rebuilt; a flag proclaims "New Nesme," and squadrons of former farmers, miners, and smiths are being trained in military maneuvers in the courtyard.  A passerby spots the newcomers and shouts an alarm, and soon trained soldiers (a mixture of mercenaries and former Riders of Nesme) arrive, led by a man wearing heavy armor and sporting an oiled black goatee.  The leader proclaims his name as Sir Triandial Truehammer, War Leader of New Nesme, and orders the adventurers to explain their presence in the Keep.  The adventurers explain that they've adventured in the caverns under Startop Castle in the past, and were hoping to use it as a staging area for further efforts both there and in their quest to retake Nesme from the Aurilites.  Truehammer is skeptical at first, but after the adventurers seem to pass a spell he casts to test them, he relaxes.  He explains that New Nesme was formed by refugees fleeing the domination of the Aurilites.  Those who left openly, via the Moor Gate, were forced to leave almost all of their wealth and goods behind as a "contribution" to the war effort against undead.  Others managed to escape from secret tunnels under the city.  He says many of the refugees were killed or became lost during the desperate trek across the Evermoors, dodging undead much of the way.  Everyone who made it, he says, are opposed to what they perceive as the overthrow of the rightful ruling Council.  Truehammer goes on to say that the inhabitants of New Nesme have two goals: to drive the Aurilites out of Old Nesme and to strike a blow at The Forge, a fortified structure in the southeast portion of the Evermoors that is being used as a staging area for the undead armies that have sprung up in past months. 

Truehammer is asked about whether other adventurers have passed this way, and his response is affirmative.  He says that in past weeks, adventurers entered the caverns under the Keep.  Their presence, however, apparently disturbed an orc tribe residing in the caverns, and the orcs responded by sending raiding parties to the surface to take slaves.  Truehammer says he had no choice but to order the ceiling collapsed in the room with the passage below, but that the adventurers were determined to continue their explorations and were content to have the exit sealed behind them.  He introduces a gnome named Balissan Callushands, a cleric of Flandal Steelskin, as the one responsible for blocking the way.  Tensions arise when Cain is recognised as a cleric of Kossuth and says his mephits are on the way; Truehammer vows he'll watch the newcomers carefully.

When the adventurers exit the keep, they see that a great deal of work is being done on the courtyard.  Rubble has been cleared, fishing poles have been set up at the lakeside, and tents have been erected.  The adventurers hear that on nights when the moon is bright and the sky is clear, something gleaming can be seen on a small island far out on the lake; but those brave enough to pilot a skiff closer have never returned.  The wagons of the Carnivale Intrepid have been set up in one area of the courtyard, and Ulugu the Farseeing and Nik, Nak, and Nok are entertaining some of the refugees. Nearby, Tunak's massive carriage is serving as a much-needed supply of drygoods.

Cain waits until Ulugu finishes his "spiritual channelling" and then asks him about the other members of the troupe.  Ulugu says that Temeris, Daisy, and Latisha have all journeyed into the caverns below, accompanied by the members of the Red Raven Adventuring Company.  Even this amount of information is hard to obtain from Ulugu, and Cain grows frustrated at everything being couched as a communication from the spirit world.  To make matters worse, he and Mellia are sickened by the same bout of overwhelming regret that they felt yesterday.  Elsewhere in the courtyard, Ralkin mostly keeps to himself apart from being briefly pestered with questions from children about his feathers and beak.  

Markus, meanwhile, distributes some of his own rations to the refugees.  Once it gets dark, with the help of Urist, he puts on a show to entertain the refugee children, featuring a staged duel and real firebreathing!  His performance serves as a great opportunity for Cain to launch flaming balls of fire into the air as a signal to his mephits.  Markus' impromptu entertainment is enthusiastically received by the refugee children.

After the show, Markus is soon visited by New Nesme's Civil Leader, a woman named Jygil Zelnathra.  Zelnathra is impressed at how quickly Markus' reputation as a swordsman has spread (partially thanks to Urist's constant efforts), and perceives him to be one of the leaders of the new band of adventurers.  She warmly invites him to her tent that night to share a rare bottle of elven mead after supper and to discuss strategy.  He accepts the invitation, and says he'll see her again soon.

In the starry night's sky, two balls of flame can be seen descending towards Startop Castle: Cain's mephits have arrived.