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Arlo heals Salaish's wounds, ending the bleeding, though his own body continues to feed the misty droplets to the Manifestation, making it stronger and stronger.
The archers' volleys, combined with the cannoneer's power, finally overwhelm the avatar. With a silent shriek of psychic fury that makes your ears bleed, the avatar of Qxal unravels and falls listlessly below the blue waves.
The golden dust fades, and the illusions do as well. The cocoons shrivel to dust, the creatures within banished to wherever they come from.
★★★
The Unsinkable glides free of the entangling vines. The wind changes, suddenly fresh. The sun is more bright. The destruction of the Thorned Monarch’s avatar has left Qxal without a foothold from which to terrorize Bhopan, freeing the island and its people from the fey’s grasp.
Auhdo lets out a quavering sigh; she might be crying. Her voice fades as fast as the vines vanish forever into the ocean's dark depths.
"Thank you, My people are free to find their own way… free in the wide world. Thank you for carrying this old woman through one last grand adventure. Thank you…"
The silent crown suddenly grows heavy on your head.
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As soon as their free, Salaish starts casting Soothe on her party members so they don't bleed out. It would take a while for Symeon and Arlo to Treat Wounds on everyone, after all.
It isn't until she's cast a healing spell on everyone that she realizes what Auhdo said. Wait... "That sounds like goodbye. Is it goodbye? Auhdo?"
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Though pleased that the ordeal with the manifestation and its cocoons is over, the incessant bleeding of her wound begins to turn from an irritant into a real concern. She waits with increasing impatience as the healers take their time getting to her. Her relief when Salaish appears and soothes away her injuries is palpable. She beams one of her biggest and most authentic smiles at the bard. "You are a dear, Salaish. Us gnomish ladies are so easy to ignore. We need to look out for each other."
Looking down at her damage and stained clothing, Jayma sighs audibly. "It will never be quite the same again, but let's see what we can do to improve the situation." She waves her hand over herself and with a "deterge", all the stains and minor damage her clothes had acquired during their flight from the Hoba Dukuza melt away.
The tear in her sleeve remains though and she picks at the edges a little to determine how bad it is. She sighs again. "I do hope Maurice can do something about this. It took me forever to find a jacket this cute."
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Arlo falls backwards onto the deck when the fight is over. He blows a big sigh as everyone is all right. "Thank you Salaish, that feels much better." He turns his head to Symeon and asks, "Hey Doc, you okay? You seemed a bit out of it for a while there. And when that cocoon thing started to eat you..." He shudders.
He closes his eyes and listens to the surf. "Is everyone all right, by the way? I'll tend to you soon if necessary, I just need to catch my breath for a while."
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The Unsinkable circles back around the island, dropping off the refugees in their now-safe city. They have work to do… and you feel relieved that their king has been saved. Perhaps Webhekiz even learned a lesson, and you might smile as you think of him waking safe and sound.
Nevertheless, you have work to do, too: somewhere in Garund lies the Thorned Monarch, scheming and plotting behind the Door of Seasons.
Some of the Bhopanese choose to return to Absalom with you. They're enchanted by tales of a fellow Bhopan person adventuring in the world, and love hearing about the selfless hero named Audho, whom no longer answers your calls to her.
★★★
It's a long journey home, and you have lots of time to think as the Unsinkable sails back to Quantium where your journey began, and then to Absalom. You see another green serpent off in the distant waves — hopefully, a presage of victory against the Thorned Monarch some time in the near future.
Back in Absalom, Ambrus Valsin is astonished and concerned by what transpired in Bhopan. He summons the Grand Lodge’s masters — Sorrina Westyr, Marcos Farabellus, and Kreighton Shane. They listen to your report and begin putting together an expedition to find the door opened by the Perennial Crown.
Ambrus hands the silent crown to Sorrina Westyr. Well done, friends, though I admit I'm a little worried about the severity of the situation at hand. Khoumrock, we need —
Khoumrock cuts him short. "Aye, I know what yer about ta say ta me. Six times I been retired from yer Society, and ye keep pullin' me back like a big dumb fish goin' after tha same ol' worm on tha same ol' hook. Welp…" he smacks his hands. "Count me in! With a crew like this he gestures at your group — we canna fail. This crew here can aim me cannons any day — they has a right knack for blowin' up tha baddies! It looks like the Society has its newest Venture-Captain, re-joining the ranks for the… seventh time."
"An' anyways, I owes that thorn-covered wretch for damages done to the Unsinkable! HAW!"