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'Sparky' is silent, thinking over the group's offer.
"I'll get to help help help, I'll get to help other plants, other things? Yes! Yes, I'll be happy happy to help, happy to help!" the seedling eagerly agrees.
"I talk talk talk, I talk to the others but it's been nice, nice to talk with all of you. Want want want, I want to do it again, soon. And learn learn, I'll get to learn too and grow grow grow, I'll get to grow!"
You've struck a strange but hopefully fruitful deal. The Verdant Spark, or Sparky, agrees to join the Concordance and act as a consultant of sorts to the Pathfinder Society. You certainly didn't anticipate your trip to Mercy to culminate in anything like this but perhaps it was a good thing that the Society decided to send each of you, in particular, out here.
And with the threat of the Crazy Space Ghost eliminated and Sparky still safe in its underground womb, there's little else to do but head back to Mercy and speak to Sheriff Molume...and then make preparations to return to Katapesh and report to Venture-Captain Roderus.
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Motueka and Dauswil follow along with the group until they come across the body of Amenira. He kneels beside her and looks to Dauswil.
"It will be up to you to carry her out of here when we leave. Please." he asks solemnly.
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As the group discovers The Verdant Spark and discusses what to do next he chimes in to agree with the group.
"We can't just pull up the Sparks roots and leave Mercy in a dangerous position. Instead we should ensure the Pathfinder Society and Mercy know of it's existence so it can be protected!"
Dauswil nods and bites his tongue instead of his usual cries of despair.
"I will carry the poor girl's body." he says with an unmistakable tone of pain.
On your way out of the caverns you pause long enough to carefully collect and wrap Amenira's remains for transport back to Alkenstar as well as collect the corpse of the Crazy Space Ghost, in case Sheriff Molume needs more proof than just your word that things have been taken care of.
After you make the return trek to Mercy you explain what you found (or maybe only some of it) in the caverns outside of town to the sheriff, who's both saddened to hear of Amenira's fate but thankful that you've managed to rid the area of the Crazy Space Ghost for good.
"Well folks, I can't thank you enough for what you've done for Mercy," he remarks, offering to shake each of your hands. "You've really shaken things up around here but maybe it'll be for the best in the long run. And for what it's worth, you're all welcome here anytime, alright? Even that guide of yours and his dog!"
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Once you've rested up, since it was well past dark by the time you returned for the caverns, and taken care of any final business you might have in Mercy, Norv and Ruby lead the way out of Mercy and back towards Alkenstar. Thankfully the return trip is uneventful and you're able to reach the city and from there catch another ship back to Katapesh. Your two guides decide to tag along, eager to see new sights and sample new cuisine with the money they've earned in your employ.
Before you know it, you find yourselves back where you began, in the hidden office of Venture-Captain Roderus. He smiles widely, happy to see that you've all returned in one piece.
"Well! I'm glad to see you all managed to reach Mercy and then make it back without any major trouble. So, how was it? What did you learn about Amenira and the town?"
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Before leaving Mercy, Captain Chlorophyll tells the Sheriff of the Verdant Spark and explains that he thinks it is what protects their town. He leaves it to the sheriff’s discretion as to how to best protect it but suggests it might be best to limit how many know of it.
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In Venture-Captain Roderus’s office Captain Chlorophyll helps Nira up on the desk.
Then they explain “We found something quite spectacular and unexpected in Mercy. Evidently some Ghorans created a magical seed that is growing near Mercy. It calls itself a Verdant Spark and protects the area. I suspect it is what protected the town from the Mana Storm.”
“I intend to contact the Cycle of Five about this since I expect the Concordance would like to investigate further.”
Gesturing to Nira, they explain “Nira seems to have a remaining splinter of Amenira’s soul. We aren’t quite sure how that happened, but we hope the society can help her. Amenira was slain by the cloaker we found and slew.”
Nodding towards Boom Sticks, they add “The Crazy Space Ghost was some sort of cloaker.”
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Roderus listens to your report with a mixture of amazement, wonder, and sadness and he's silent for a few moments once your tale has been told, processing all that you've shared with him.
"I...I'm not even sure to where begin," Roderus admits with a low whistle. "Amenira's death...that's terrible news but not really unexpected at this point," he sighs. "But to have what remains of her soul back with us again...well, I'm not sure if it's something that I'd be 'thankful' for if it were me but we'll certainly help Nira here to make the most of her new situation."
The venture-captain strokes his chin, now thoughtful. "And the matter of this Verdant Spark, that's a whole other kettle of fish. It sounds like you all did a fine job though, convincing it to work with the Society. While it would've been nice to have studied it in a more appropriate setting, well...sometimes it takes a lot more wisdom to be able to tell when it's worth it to complete a mission and when it isn't." Roderus leans across his desk, shaking hands with each of you before reaching into his desk and pulling out a fat pouch of coins.
"I told you I would compensate you for the success of your investigation, and I am a man of my word," Roderus says as he distributes the coins to you. "Well done, Pathfinders! It’s good to know I can rely on you for future missions. But for now, take a rest if you like - you've more than earned it!"
A pause.
"Oh, but could you tell that fellow and his dog that they're going to have to start working for their meals if they're going to eat that much? I swear, I've never seen man or beast eat as much as those two do..."
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