GM Kiora's Wrath of the Righteous

Game Master Kiora Atua

Myrna nods officially when the group seems to agree to break up. "I'd love to party, but I have to carry Beatrix home and then hit my own bed."

"I'll meet you all tomorrow at the menhir?"

Rue sends a telepathic message to guests, not wanting to interrupt the happy moment. "Anna went out with Yulin."

The gathering begins to wind down. Myrna prepares to carry the still-exhausted Beatrix home. Unafe extends her invitation to the Demetae firepit. People begin making their farewells.

Tomorrow, they will return to Storasta. To the barrowmounds.

As his guests begin to depart from the roundhouse, Ehren exchanges a meaningful glance with Hinagiku before following them out. Hesitation tugs at him as he steps over the threshold, whispering that Sana is better suited to be there for Yulin, that he may be one of the last people the girl needs or wants to see right now.

But Sana had vanished without warning once before. Not out of malice, not because anyone chose it, but because circumstances had turned and carried her away all the same. Isilme and the Riftwardens, too, had been pulled elsewhere by necessity. No one had abandoned Yulin. And yet she had still been left behind, again and again, by a world that always seemed to have another emergency.

Ehren is not innocent of that pattern. Duty has taken him away more times than he cares to count, and it will again. He knows that. He hates it.

But not tonight.

He draws a slow breath, steadying himself, and searches with quiet purpose. Whatever he finds, he means to be there for it.

'No, not that she can't. That she... very likely won't. Sana thinks to herself as the young girl asks about her mother. The possibility was there... but that a demon would go against everything the universe had poured into them for anything more than self-preservation had been tediously rare. If she didn't know of Rue as of yesterday, she wouldn't have ever heard of a single one that capable. Worse still, Sana suspected that the goal might be to destroy the relic, but that it was more likely to destroy the Yulin that stood before her. And then, once the mother had what she coveted... she would no longer want it, casting Yulin to the shadows once more and without her human heart to break her fall. Left twisted and broken and eternally seeking a mother that would want her and not the child she had tried to replace.

It is when Ehren speaks up that she starts like someone having been caught in a scandalous affair. She turns her head only slightly, keeping her focus on Yulin as he speaks with wisdom well beyond his years. This was who she needed to hear, not Sana, who had merely been a substitute. She allows herself to fade quietly into the background as he speaks.

Li'an takes a moment as everyone leaves to lay out some things she needed Arie to arrange in preparation for her own coming ritual. She then turns to follow Ehren, joining Sana and Yulin.

She listens to Ehren point out she'd done something good with the amulet, and nods. "What did you feel when you used the amulet? If you hadn't had good intentions I doubt Sarenrae's magic would've responded to you. Sarenrae looked favorably upon you for the deed. Pulura herself confirmed that with the Aurora and in her conversation with Auraelia."

"What makes true outsiders different is that they are bound by their natures in a way mortals aren't. Isilme was the same way before she was brought back to life, bound by Desna and the nature of a Raelis Azata. To overcome that takes substantially more than willpower, but it isn't impossible, even for demons. If she truly wants to be redeemed, then she has to take risks on her own, she has to come out of the shadows. She can't do that by putting the onus on you, it's not something a parent should do to a child. Parents are supposed to protect and nurture their children, not make them take risks in their place," Li'an says, sounding a bit frustrated. Discussing this brought back memories of the neglect she often suffered from her father's obsession with returning Isilme to her true form, and in turn the death of her father at her own hands.

"Life is hard, and we all make mistakes. Sometimes even mistakes that seem like they can't be come back from. But even then there's always a way back."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (10) + 20 = 30

Yulin stares at Ehren, her face streaked with tears. Her shadows writhe violently around her feet, responding to her emotional turmoil. When he asks what her demon mother has asked of her, she flinches like she's been struck. "She... she asked me to..." She takes a deep breath.

"She asked me to steal it. To hide it from everyone. To not tell Ledsa, or you, or Hinagiku. She said if anyone found out, they'd stop us, and then she'd never be free. She said the crusaders would kill her if they knew she was trying to get redeemed." She starts crying again.

"And she said to meet her alone. On the new moon. In the graveyard where no one would see. She said the ritual had to be secret because... because Sarenrae's priests wouldn't understand. That they'd think it was corruption instead of redemption."

"She was going to... she was going to do something bad to it, wasn't she? Something that would corrupt it. And she wanted me there so I'd..." Yulin's legs give out. She sinks to the ground, still clutching the medallion, her whole body shaking. "I'm so stupid. I believed her. I thought... I thought if I just helped her, she'd love me. The real me. Not the replacement Yulin, but... me."

Her shadows pulse outward, then collapse inward, wrapping around her like a protective cocoon. "What do I do now? I can't go back to Ledsa. She still thinks I'm supposed to be someone else. Where am I supposed to go?"

Ehren's first instinct is a hard one: to send Yulin straight back to Ledsa, to force the wound open where it can finally be named. But even as the thought rises, he knows it is for later, not now. Yulin is shaken to the bone. If he pushes her there in this state, he might lose her.

So he does not move to close the distance. He lowers himself instead, until he is nearer her level. His gaze drops to the medallion in her shaking hands.

"First," he says softly, "You return the Aegis. You stole it, and you were deceived into stealing it. Both are true, so we set that right."

His gaze lifts to her face again.

"And after that... I think you should speak with the priestesses of Sarenrae." He says it carefully, as a possibility rather than a fate imposed. "Redemption is what they stand for. They know what it is to call light in dark places. If these shadows trouble you, if those voices press at you, then there may be a place for you among them, at least for a time. Not because you are broken, but because you deserve help learning how to push the dark back."

At her last mention of Ledsa, his expression shifts to something sadder.

"As for your mother… no, I do not think this is the moment to throw you back into that hurt." He glances aside for a heartbeat, weighing the shape of it. "But neither do I think the truth can stay buried forever."

His voice remains gentle as he goes on. "If she knows you are safe, and if she is given time to sit with what she has done, then perhaps she will begin to understand what she has actually been asking of you."

He shakes his head once.

"You do not have to decide all of that tonight."

"Ehren is right, the first thing will be to return it and to talk to Klarah and the Sarenrite priestesses. They will understand, and I am sure Iverri herself would vouch for what you did for her. I think the fact the amulet responded to you is a sign, a path forward for you. Learn about Sarenrae, learn about redemption and forgiveness. And maybe then one day you can approach your other mother and offer her real redemption," Li'an says, stepping up to Yulin and offering her a hug.

"But for tonight, lets all turn in. If you would like company until you fall asleep, I am happy to stay. I've had enough lying in bed, and I don't sleep anyway."

Yulin looks up at Ehren, then at Li'an, tears still streaming down her face. Her shadows slowly begin to settle, no longer writhing quite so violently. "R-return it? Tell the priestesses what I did?" Her voice is small, terrified. "They're going to be so angry. I stole from their temple. I lied to everyone."

But then she looks down at the Dawnflower's Aegis in her hands - still warm, still glowing faintly with Sarenrae's light. "But... you really think they might help me? That they wouldn't just... send me away?"

When Li'an offers the hug, Yulin hesitates for just a moment - then collapses into it, still clutching the medallion. Her disguise finally flickers and fails, exhaustion and emotional turmoil breaking the illusion. The black-haired elf melts away, revealing Yulin's true form: dark gray skin, painfully thin frame, red eyes, shadowy wings, sharp talons. A thirteen-year-old half-shadow-demon who looks far too tired for someone her age.

"I don't want to go back to Ledsa's house tonight," she whispers into Li'an's shoulder. "I can't... I can't face her yet. I can't pretend everything is okay." She pulls back slightly, looking between Li'an and Ehren. "Can I... can I stay somewhere else? Just for tonight? And then tomorrow I'll go to the temple and tell them everything."

"I promise I won't run. I just... I need one night where I don't have to be someone I'm not."

Li'an gives Yulin a tight squeeze and then looks at her true form. It was a heavy burden for a child to carry, a burden Ledsa had never given any thought to, or probably even conceived could happen.

"Being honest and forthright will not harm you with them. They won't turn you away, I promise. They might make you clean the floors for a while though," she says, "nothing you've done is unforgivable, especially to followers of the goddess of redemption."

Li'an looks at Ehren and Hinagiku and then back to Yulin, releasing her a bit from the embrace before ruffling her hair. "I am sure Ehren and Hinagiku would happily have you, but you're also welcome to stay with Arie and me if you want tonight. Maybe I could teach you how we're going to enchant the pendant I made you?"

Ehren's expression softens when Yulin's disguise finally falls away. Relief, perhaps, that she has stopped spending strength on pretending. He lets Li'an hold her for as long as she needs, and when he speaks, his voice is quiet and steady.

"Yes," he says. "I think they may help you. More than that, I think they should."

His eye drops briefly to the Aegis in her hands, still warm with borrowed light. "That amulet answered you tonight. I do not think the Dawnflower is in the habit of wasting her grace on those beyond reach." The faintest hint of dry humor touches his tone. "Li'an might be right about the floors, however."

"As for tonight, you need not go back to Ledsa's house before you are ready." His gaze stays on Yulin, but there is a quiet gratitude in the way it flicks, just once, toward Li'an. "You are free to go wherever you will feel safest. If that is with Hinagiku and me, then our home is open to you for as long as you need it."

Yulin looks between Li'an and Ehren, her red eyes still wet, but at least she's stopped crying for now. She wipes her face with one clawed hand, still clutching the Dawnflower's Aegis with the other.

"Floor cleaning," she repeats softly, managing the ghost of a smile despite everything. "I... I think I can do that. It's better than what I thought they'd do." She looks down at the medallion, then back up at Li'an. "Could I... could I really stay with you and Auraelia tonight? Learn about the enchanting?"

"I don't want to be alone. And I don't want to think about... about everything that happened. Just for one night. Learning something new sounds... nice." She glances at Ehren and Hinagiku. "Thank you. For not being angry. For believing I can still... choose better."

Her wings fold against her back. "Tomorrow I'll go to the temple. First thing. I promise. And I'll tell them everything."

The night is deep and stars shine overhead. Tomorrow, the heroes return to Storasta to cleanse the Riversoar barrowmounds.

Are you all going to bed or no?

"Of course," she says, giving Yulin another hug before letting go. "I can go with you tomorrow as well if you like. But for now we can just go forget the world exists and have some fun learning magic, ok?"

Turning to the others, she notes the fatigue that still remains. "Let's all retire for the evening, shall we? We can deal with tomorrow's problems tomorrow."

Ehren nods, some of the strain leaving his face.

"I’m glad," he says softly. "Sleep well, Yulin. We'll face the temple tomorrow."

He gives Li'an a quiet, grateful look.

"Thank you."

Then, with the weight of the day finally catching up to him, he turns back toward home with Hinagiku at his side. With most of their guests gone and the urgency of the moment settled, he begins at last to speak with her of her decision to remain behind, and of the new life growing inside her. There is far too much to unravel in a single night, but they spend the rest of it beginning.

Ready to go to bed.

Sana breathes a sigh of relief as the other two are able to de-escalate the situation.

"They were able to calm her down, Rue. I think she'll be okay for now. I don't have a place of my own, but if you don't have anywhere else to be, we can grab a room together if you want. I understand if you'd rather see more of the city." she sends to the Succubus once more.

"I'll uh... need my bag back," Sana says quietly from the shadows off to the side of Yulin, lampshading the previous meltdown, now that communication had been restored within the family. She makes a note to herself to remind Ehren to check in on Yulin, since one of her fears had clearly been that he would simply send her away, but otherwise keeps quiet. "Sorry."

Yulin nods quickly when Sana asks for her bag back. "Oh! Yes, sorry." She pulls Anna's kitten bag from her shoulder and hands it over, careful not to rip anything with her claws. "Thank you for... for letting me use it. And for talking to me." She looks at Sana with genuine gratitude despite the awkwardness.

Li'an guides Yulin away from Ehren and Hinagiku's home, Auraelia flitting ahead of them, already chattering excitedly about sleepover-time.

Ehren and Hinagiku return inside, closing the door behind them. It was a long, productive day, ending with the successful ritual, the pregnancy announcement, then Yulin's crisis. There is much to discuss, much to plan. But they have all night to do so.

Sana and Rue head toward the city proper to find an inn for the night, both exhausted but relieved.

Myrna has already departed with the still-unconscious Beatrix slung over her shoulder. Unafe heads to the Demetae firepit to join her people. Alase and Tonbarse find lodging in the Kellid quarter. Eleri remains at Mother Heartwood for the night, keeping watch over Iverri as the newly cleansed hamadryad adjusts to her bond with the ancient tree. Sleeping outdoors isn't a big deal for a druid, even in cold Sarkoris. The night deepens. Drezen sleeps beneath the stars.

Pharast, 15, 4718

Dawn breaks over Drezen. The sky shifts from deep purple to pale gold, the stars fading one by one. The city wakes slowly. Smoke rises from chimneys. Bakers open their ovens. The smell of fresh bread drifts through the streets.

At Mother Heartwood, Iverri kneels at the base of the ancient tree. Her hair flows with vivid red leaves now - alive, healthy. Eleri sits nearby, keeping watch.

In the Kellid quarter, Alase and Tonbarse are already awake, preparing for the journey back to Storasta.

At the Demetae firepit, Unafe rises from where she slept among her people, ancestor spirits swirling around her, chattering and making noise.

Ehren and Hinagiku emerge from their home. Hinagiku intends to spend the day visiting Markus, so that he can help monitor her pregnancy. She does not expect the pregnancy to be anything close to "typical", but she welcomes the support all the same.

Myrna and Beatrix finally wakes up in their own quarters, the exhaustion from the ritual still lingering but manageable.

---

Li'an hasn't slept - she doesn't need to. She spent the night teaching Yulin the basics of enchanting, showing her how to focus magic into physical objects. Focusing magic with intent would come later.

Li'an and Yulin are still fatigued.

Auraelia is curled up on a cushion, nearby.

Yulin sits at the table, her gray fingers carefully tracing the pendant Li'an made for her. The enchanting lesson helped - gave her something to focus on besides the fear of what comes next....But now the sun is up.

Yulin clutches the Dawnflower's Aegis - still warm in her hands and glowing faintly with Sarenrae's light. The Temple of the Dawnflower sits in the eastern district of Drezen, its white stone walls catching the morning sun. The symbol of Sarenrae - a golden angel with sun rays - hangs above the entrance.

Inside, the temple is quiet. Morning prayers have just finished. A few worshippers still kneel at the altar, candles flickering before them.

Priestess Klarah stands near the altar - a young woman with dark hair wrapped up in the head coverings Sarenrites wear, warm brown skin, and kind eyes that have seen too much war. She wears the traditional blue and white robes of Sarenrae's clergy. She looks up as Li'an and Yulin enter.

Her expression shifts. She looks concerned. "Yulin," she says carefully. "And Li'an. What brings you to the temple this morning?"

Yulin freezes, like a baby deer.

The next morning, Ehren walks with Hinagiku part of the way to the citadel before reluctantly parting from his betrothed. Much as he would like to remain at her side, duty calls him back to Storasta. There is some comfort, at least, in knowing she will be under Markus's care. He can scarcely imagine her in more capable or trustworthy hands.

Everything he needs for the journey is already on his person. All that remains is to meet the others at the menhir.

Before that, however, he has a promise to keep.

The archdruid turns his steps toward the Sarenrite temple. He trusts Yulin to be true to her word, but he will not have her think his support is some fleeting thing, there when convenient and gone when it matters. And while he expects the clergy to show her grace, his protectiveness demands that he see her treated fairly with his own eye.

Beatrix wakes later than usual, relieved that her body has recovered from the consequences of the ritual. She slowly rises, eating a simple breakfast in quiet while reading one of her fantasy smut novels.

She prays to the Inheritor, kneeling by her bed, after finishing breakfast. Many of the same spells she prepared the previous day are renewed by her prayer.

Then she quickly bathes, gets dressed in a secondary outfit -- a thick coat, sturdy boots, her leather jerkin over a cotton tunic, and a pair of black wool pants. She puts in her earrings -- stainless steel -- and then picks up her bag and staff from where she left them by the door.

Nothing to do but head to the menhir, so she heads out, locking the door behind her and walks out of town to the hill where the druidic shrine was.

Swapping kill the wounded for defensive shell. Otherwise keeping everything the same. Myrna starts the day in Silver Crane Waltz.

Myrna wakes pretty late, scrounges in her pantry for some potatoes to fry, spends about fifteen minutes putting on her full plate and strapping on everything that needs to be strapped on. Then she goes out into her yard and practices katas with her new hammer.

Sufficiently warmed up and dressed, she heads into the town commercial center. She's hoping she can find an alchemist equipped with potions she might need to fight flying foes, and also that doing so won't make her so late to the meeting at the menhir.

Myrna wants to search for two potions of fly. She's got 3k on her person that she can use to pay for it. Then she'll head to the meetup.

"No problem, we'll have to do it again sometime... under better circumstances." Anna replies, offering a small smile as she waits for Rue.

"No worries. I'd rather not be alone either. Exhausted and stressed, and not entirely sure how to feel about having my childhood fears spoken aloud by someone currently living them. Except stressed. I'm glad the adults made it in time."

Once they find a room and start to settle down, Sana takes a moment to quickly sketch out the trio. She was too exhausted to fully commit to the drawing, but wanted to add it to her sketchbook all the same.

* * *

Come the following morning, she works with Rue with her Makeup Kit to prepare her disguise more fully. She settles on a pale skin-tone with dolloped freckles, and makes her hair curly, and black, almost mousy. She leaves her outfit the same so as not to throw the others off any further than necessary. Sana takes 10 to renew her disguise with her disguise kit with her stealth skill for a total of 44.

Once the pair are ready, she opts to grab quick bread and some street meat on the way through town, deciding for something fresh while they still had the chance. She heads back towards Mother Heartwood and the kellids that lived there, hoping to manage a quick canvas and discover the information that might lead to a more ideal outcome in the barrowmounds.

Having spent years in the 'Wound after it had been sealed, moving amidst the ruins, she had learned that knowledge of such things was invaluable. She begins to look for descendants that could fill the group in... and maybe pitch in cherished items or songs or stories to share... things they certainly wouldn't find if they didn't look. She gives Iverri and Eleri a small wave as she spots them.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36
Time (Mythic for minutes): 1d4 ⇒ 4 minutes. Sana spends a mythic power to reduce the time it requires to gather information via Diplomacy Mythic Unlock.

As they approach Klarah, Li'an gives the priestess a small smile and glance at Yulin, attempting to encourage the Priestess to show sympathy for her.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 20 = 24

Li'an puts an encouraging hand on Yulin's shoulder, and says quietly "You can do it, it's alright."

When she notices Ehren walking in behind them she turns and gives him a quick wave. "See, Ehren is here too, everything will be ok."

Unafe enjoys her night with her clansfolk, singing and telling tales...though more than once she feels torn not to be with the rest of her companions after Hinagiku's big news.

She rises early, says farewell, and then heads out in search of a few items. As she visits the shops that sell divine scrolls she sees Myrna weaving down the same street. ""Chwaer! Bore da. Oeddech chi gyd i fyny'n hwyr neithiwr?"
Hallit: "Sister! Good morning. Were you all up late?"

Not sure if I need to roll anything but looking for:
1x scroll of Bull's Strength // cost 150 GP
3x scrolls of Alteration Sphere (Size Change, CL 5) // cost: 2 Complexity * 5 CL * 25 = 250 GP each
// All should be Divine scrolls

Myrna/Unafe: Please let me know when I can audit your character sheet and/or the group loot documents for these expenditures.

Anna slips easily enough into her character as she speaks with the woman. She brushes one of the stray strands of curly hair out of her face as she adjusts her glasses, listening to the woman as she speaks.

"Well, as it happens... good news and bad news. The good news is, there are still some among the Riversoar clan! My name is Anna, and I've been working alongside a Captain with the Crusades by the name of Myrna Riversoar. While we were out and about, we had the fortune of meeting with the elders of her clan who informed her that the Riversoar burial mound was in danger. While investigating the local area, we came into contact with a druid who had mentioned that there were disquiet spirits... 'Silver-white, cold as winter, smelling of pine,' I believe were her words for the phenomena. She mentioned that the natural sites were becoming corrupted, as were the burial mounds, and when we spoke on the proper rites... she mentioned that honoring the ancestors could take on a great many forms. And... when you have the opportunity, you should do these things right. An axe for a lumberman, an oar or pole or net for a fisherman, a song for a tavernkeep... so on and so forth, as she said." she says offering a small, sheepish smile that showed none of her too-sharp teeth.

"So, just the mention of the worn riverstones is quite good to know! I could see that there is the opportunity to bring more river-bound supplies as well. Our druid-friend mentioned that well-loved objects or a song from their scions - their daughters' daughters as it were - would be worth more than gold! So... pressed for time as we are... I thought it would be great if I could meet their descendants, listen to some stories or songs, so that I might share them at the grave site. Or, gods forbid, their stories having been lost or forgotten as is so often the case these days... deliver objects important to their family that they might know how their descendants live, and how they are remembered." she continues, hands clasped in her lap.

"So... more good-news-bad-news-good-news. Hopefully."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36 Make an impression!

Anna starts suddenly when the woman reaches out to grasp her hands, but doesn't pull away, instead just letting a bemused smile that slowly gives way to a very genuine one.

She quickly stands, brushing off her thighs as if she's just eaten something and then quickly follows after, following a little more slowly once she's given the unwieldy oar. She carefully tries to balance it this way and that, before finally finding a decent grip between one arm and her shoulder, balancing it. She nods to each family as they move about, and finally settles when the woman does, taking the journal when it is offered.

She holds the journal with the reverence it deserves as it is passed over, nodding in vigorous agreement. "Of course I will. What was your Clan-name, Greta, so that I can pass on who helped so much in our restoration attempts?" she asks, ensuring that the woman's aid would be remembered when she passed it on to her ally. "Thank you so much!" she calls as she begins to turn, "Hopefully I'll see you again soon!"

"We did good here, Rue. It's the little things, yeah? Feels really good. Way more heroic than heroism." she adds as they begin to leave, eyes brimming slightly with tears that she blinks away.

"That adds two stops," she says aloud. "Neither should take long. I'll need to pick up a small sketchbook, preferably with a chain... I have no idea what to do with my hands without a book in them." she says, offering a sly smile to Rue.

"But before that... we need to head to the coast for a quick dip. I presume they'd rather have... freshwater... river stones. Than the brackish, orange, glowing, local ones." she says, wrinkling her nose.

Plan is to go to the river that runs through Drezen, put her disguise in her cloak, and go grab some flat river rocks underwater, put her disguise back on, then go looking for a sketchbook or spellbook with a clasp she can attach to her 'belt' with a chain. Once those are both done, she'll be ready to head out to the Menhir with Rue or anyone else we run into.

The ancient standing stones rise from the hilltop, their surfaces carved with Sarkorian symbols. Ehren and Li'an arrive first after Beatrix, having left the temple after saying their farewells to Yulin.

Myrna arrives next, her new fly potions secured in her pack, her warhammer strapped to her back. Then, Unafe climbs the slope, with her new scrolls. Alase and Tonbarse arrive next, the massive wolf shaking out his dusky fur. Eleri then arrives from Mother Heartwood, leaving Iverri to tend her new grove.

And finally, Sana and Rue crest the hill, Sana carrying the river-pole, the journal of songs, and her new sketchbook.

Rounding it up to a gold for the tavern, breakfast, and book!

"Sorry we're late!" Sana calls as they crest the nearest hill. Her new sketchbook remains bound and clasped dangling from her belt within easy reach, while a massive pole used for river work rests across one shoulder. She's carrying still another book in her hand, delicately, protected from her claws by Opal.

She's not the blonde Sana that they had worked with last night, but instead is pale, befreckled, with messy, curly black hair. Her general demeanor has changed as well, voice upbeat and chipper, words flowing at a quicker clip than normal.

"I ran into a lovely old lady named Greta Blackwood who was able to tell us a bit about the Riversoar Clan... she's kind of like your cousin, Riversoar, if that's a thing. Her grandmother was a Riversoar, prior to marriage. Anyway, she was positively delighted to hear about you, and... I think when we come back, you should go meet her and more of your kin, if we have the chance!"

"Anyway, she copied down some old songs that your people used to sing in here." she says, raising up the journal. "And another of your kin offered us a river-pole... cracked from use. And she said that your kin used to be buried with some smoothed-out river stones, so I collected a few of those as well... so we should be a little more prepared." she says offering a smile as she settles under her weight slightly.

"Oh, and she wanted me to tell you that all of your kin here are grateful that you're still alive to honor your ancestors." she says, swaying slightly as if humming.

"If you'd like to read through the songbook, you're welcome to, but I'd love to have the chance to transcribe it into this new sketchbook. She asked that we copy down any names or clan marks that we found in the burial mounds... and I was hoping to repay their kindness by adding sketches and names along with the songs into a new book, when we return her old one." she says, still swaying.

"Maaaaybe that means sharing your dream space so that I have the time?" she asks, looking over to Unafe. "And... maybe take the pole now? Please?"

On the way out of town, she has them stop by an importer she'd been working with. She was too dependent on her magic in fights and had wanted to get a weapon for fighting off lesser threats. To do so she'd reached out and arranged to buy a blade like her father's, a curve blade from Iadara. She thanks the merchant and takes the sheathed blade and straps it on, with the blade secured across her back to where she could reach the hilt to free it with her right hand.

When they arrive, she sits down to wait, seeing only Beatrix there. "How are you feeling Beatrix? You were out cold after the ritual last night. Rested up now?" she asks.

When the others appear, she stands and greets them. She listens to Sana's explanation of what she'd found out about the Riversoar mounds and how to cleanse them. "That's good information, Anna, it will make our job much easier I imagine."

Beatrix looks up when Li'an greets her, still showing signs of exhaustion from the ritual. "Better than last night," she says. "That ritual took more out of me than I expected. But I'm ready." She manages a tired smile.

Alase sits nearby on the ground, Tonbarse curled up next to her. "Okay, so what's next?"

"Mmmm... next, we figure out if I can smuggle Rue successfully, I think. We should be able to fly out to the edge of the Sword's radius pretty fast from here, and then I can slip her into my parasol. Assuming that the extradimensional space isn't considered within the radius of the sword, we should be able to teleport with her inside... though getting her out while within the radius would be theoretically impossible." Anna says balancing the pole so she can press her glasses up the bridge of her nose with her semi-free hand. "But assuming that the sword only prevents travel between two planes and teleportation, it shouldn't have any impact on something staying off the material plane. In theory." she says, looking to Rue.

"Up for testing, or... do we need to find another Menhir to use?"

"I'm still a tad tired myself," Li'an admits in response to Beatrix . "Yulin needed the company though, and we got to work through the basics of enchanting her pendant, so it was worth it."

"Getting Rue out is a problem, certainly. I hope the visit to Drezen was pleasant, Rue. I can't imagine the Sword is terribly pleasant for you to have to endure," Li'an says sympathetically. "How far is the next closest Menhir?"

"The closest ley nodes are Fort Vilareth out east, and the menhir temple to the west, at the foot of the plateau," Ehren explains, brushing his fingertips against the surface of one of the nearby standing stones. "Both are well beyond the Sword of Valor's reach, and beyond Mother Heartwood's reach. Once we are past that point, we will have to contend with the Worldwound's influence, as usual."

Changed my pocket money to 1500 and added my potions, sorry for the delay!

Myrna is ready to go, but she had forgotten that the demon that was with them couldn't teleport away in addition to teleporting to Drezen. She grumbles. "We could also just go without her," she adds. "Rue, not that I don't appreciate your willingness to fight alongside us, but I do think we could do this without you. It might be best for us to decide on a meeting place outside of the Sword's radius to gather at once we're done with cleansing my clan barrow-mounds."

"Perhaps the menhir temple?" she suggests. "There are druids who live there now, right? So it should be fairly hospitable, and not full of demons."

Alase listens to Sana's findings, then says, "Mae'r hen ffyrdd yn bwysig. Rydych chi'n anrhydeddu eich cyndeidiau."

Rue has been quiet throughout the gathering, standing slightly apart from the group. At Myrna's suggestion that they leave her behind, she speaks up. "The Sword's presence is... uncomfortable," she admits. "But I've endured worse. If you need me, I'll find a way." She looks at Sana. "I'm unsure if your parasol theory would work. But, I'm willing to try it. In any case..." She glances at Myrna. "If you'd rather not risk it, I understand. I can wait at the menhir temple, and then meet you when you're done."

She doesn't sound bitter or anything about it. She waits for the heroes to decide what their next course of action is.

Unafe scrunches her brow. "We may have a string of trials ahead of us before this day is done. It doesn't seem wise to leave an able ally behind.

"Or...I know not how Anna's parasol interacts with the sword, but I know that you have great knowledge, Li'an. Do you think that Anna's suggestion is safe to attempt? If not, I am happy to carry us all to Fort Vilareth. I wager I could get us there in under 4 minutes."

I can jump about 12 miles in a minute, requiring 1 martial flex / minute. I think 3 minutes likely gets us to (or very close to) the fort, and leaves me with 6/9 flex remaining for the day.

Sana nods to Alase slowly as she kneels down, stripping off her quiver to drag out her kitten bag. She places the song book inside of the messenger bag, then slides her bag back in and shoulders her pack. She leans the river pole against one of the menhir as she adjusts her straps.

"Diolch." she says, though there's considerably less passion in her voice when she does so.

"If there are no objections... I'm willing to try the parasol method now. It'll be a quick flight out... and back in if the barrier will let us. Li'an should be able to maintain a message with me, I think?" she asks, looking over to the former half-elf. "If I hit a wall while trying to carry her, we'll know it's not even possible to bring her in in that way... which is something much more valuable to learn while trying to leave friendly territory than enemy territory."

It will cost Sana 1 SP and a bit of time to fly out and back in from the Sword's radius with Rue. I'm willing to spend both if there are no further objections... unless her following check suggests it's a bad idea. She can manage 220' per round while hustling alone, or 550' per round if the distance is short enough.

Kn(Arcana) (Confidence): 1d20 + 9 + 1d8 ⇒ (9) + 9 + (8) = 26 Asking 'should this work this way?'. This is +11 if it is instead a K(Religion) or K(Planes) or Spellcraft check.

Eleri looks at Unafe. "You sure you can carry all of us? That's a lot of bulk, even for you."

Alase adds, "I'd rather not leave her behind. She's a good archer."

"Go ahead and try it, Sana," Ehren says with a nod, glancing toward Rue. "If it works, so much the better."

With a wry grin, he adds, "I am sure Rue would appreciate not becoming the subject of a logistics discussion every time we need to go anywhere."

As Ehren backs the plan for them to keep Rue with them, Anna nods, the chipper demeanor returning. She had been worried that the group would resolve to simply leave their friend here as opposed to proving to her that she was worth the effort. "Okay, so we can combine plans A and B to get everything done faster, I think."

"If Unafe can carry both Rue and I out, then we'll only take a few minutes round trip. Less effort on her part, less time spent. We get to test out both theories... and have a semi-permanent solution to our logistics concerns. Ready when you are, if you're willing, Dau-Galon."

Unafe smiles, excitement evident on her face. "One moment then."

She gets an even more distracted expression than usual as she has a muttered conversation with unseen spirits. Then she nods, blinks, and refocuses on her allies.

"Arianwen, daughter of Dilys, says she will enter me and guide me for a brief while, sharing her skill with me. And Efa the Stout suggests we all shout with enthusiasm; she says it will help me travel faster...but also that it makes it more fun. (Apparently she was herself carried by Arianwen, ages ago.)"

She holds out her arms for Anna and Rue to climb in. And once they are settled, she lets out a thrilling joyous honk and leaps off in the direction Anna indicates.

"Oh... I was expecting you to get big and us to..." she says, before shrugging, and moving into Unafe's embrace.

She starts suddenly at the honk, and then they're off. It's fast... but not much faster than she could manage in a sprint. "Oh, this is pretty-" WHUMPH "-FaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAA" she screams as they lift off once again, going much faster this time.

"Oh gods it's so" Anna says, getting a grip on her glasses. WHUMPH "Aaaaah!"

"Fast. So fast." WHUMPH "Yeaaaah! F#*$ you, physics!" Anna cries, as her character melts away from the dopamine high.

"Whew, okay." WHUMPH "TREE! TREE-TREE-TREE-TREE."

"Oh, thank the gods. It's..."

Unafe honks again, WHUMPH "HOOOOOONK!"

"Oh gods, you should cha-" WHUMPH "AARRRGGGEEEE FOOOORR THISSSS."

"You would make so mu-" WHUMPH "uuuuuuuuch."

"I can't... I can't..." WHUMPH Sana just pants, wide-eyed as they fly.

"Okay, okay. I'll... I'll leave the money... on the... on the end table. F$#%..."

She takes a moment after they finally stop leaping, slightly dizzied and euphoric from the whole experience. "Okay, okay. I'm good. I..." she pants, having drawn her parasol and leaning on it now. Her messy hair is entirely wild now, the curls pulled a bit straighter by the rapid movement through the sky. She slowly stands up straight, "Right, right... ready. Ready." she says, looking to Rue, and when she indicates she's ready, she mentally sketches Rue and slides her into her parasol. 1 SP to nom Rue.

"I want to go again and never again..." she mutters, still bent over.