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Session 118: Day 32 and 33 of Veksdan (9/1)

The party tells Navier some of their adventures before a courier arrives to escort him to discuss something with the queen.

As the party heads towards the Crestiana manor, they discuss how they should approach the Crestiana household, with Hava saying that they can explain they’re from the queen and investigating the attack and Yolov telling the party about Sir Malin’s strange invitation to the Crestiana’s library.

The Crestiana estate is in the noble district, and as they approach they see other people walking out dressed in dark colors as though they’ve also been expressing condolences. There aren’t guards, though there is a tiefling woman with a severe haircut and a clipboard.

She holds out her clipboard as they approach and ask if they’re guests. Az says that they are, and she asks if they consider themselves individuals, classmates, or adventuring parties. When Hava says adventuring parties, Az asks if there have been many of those.

She says a few, then asks them their party name. When they say Donnie and the Hooligans, the party gets sidetracked spelling the name in increasingly elaborate ways before finally spelling it correctly for her.

They are led through a very nice home, with a hallway lined with portraits and sculptures, to a room that is to the left of the library on the second floor. There are two people standing there, one a relatively pale half-elven woman with black hair and a long flowing black dress, and a similar looking man with flowing red hair.

The woman extends her hand and introduces herself and her brother as Cassidy and Cavano. Hava introduces them as the Hooligans and when Lady Cassidy asks if they are here to pay their respects, Hava says yes but also with an odd request.

Lady Cassidy asks what she means, and Hava explains that they were present at the ball and killed the entity. Lady Cassidy asks if they mean Marion, and they say yes. Hava explains that she is a holy woman, showing her holy symbol, and asks if she might pay her respects.

Lady Cassidy asks if she wants to cast Speak with Dead and Hava asks if they would want her to. Cavano says under no circumstances and Cassidy gestures at him to be silent. Hava tells them that the queen suggested it and that they were also invited to the library.

Yolov explains about Sir Malin’s invitation as Cavano looks between them all and tells his sister that they probably won’t be able to keep it a secret for much longer. They explain that their parents’ bodies are missing. They were delivered to the house last night and disappeared in the morning, as did Sir Malin. Both of them openly express dislike for Malin.

Audacity studies them and realizes that they’re not bothered by the loss of their parents and that they pretty much grew up relying only on each other.

They ask about investigating the disappearances and are escorted to Sir Malin’s well-appointed office. It has been cleaned recently, neatly, and looks sparse in a suspicious way. Yolov and Az begin to look through the desk and realize the drawers are all empty. Yolov also realizes that there are things missing from the bookshelves.

Hava studies the bookcase and realizes that Sir Malin grabbed books from all kinds of subjects. She leans into her friends and says they’re probably on the run. The party debates why the Crestianas and Malin would disappear, if they were fleeing Marion or decided this would be a good opportunity to fake their deaths and escape to a new life together.

Yolov says that he would like to look at the library since Sir Malin expressly invited them to see it. Az also gets permission from Lady Cassidy to look at their father’s office, which is a quaint looking office space. It doesn’t have much in the way of books but some encyclopedias and well kept tomes that are more ornamental.

Az gets distracted by an old archaeology book as Audacity pokes through old maps that don’t look functional but like someone has semi-recently parsed through them and picked out ones that were either interesting or useful, many of the Striogian desert and archaeological dig sites. He also realizes that there aren’t many missives to anyone.

He calls over Az and asks if he recognizes anything about these sites. One of the first things that comes to Az’s mind is that there are a lot of archaeological sites. He recognizes many of them from his father talking about various sites, and also the place that his sibling went and sent a letter about is circled at the very top.

It is the same dig site where the journal was found. It’s very close to Port Sciathan. They decide that they should investigate that, realizing that the Crestianas and Sir Malin could be headed there and Az’s sibling could be in danger.

They go briefly to the library, where Yolov studies the shelves. It is large though not impressive in itself. There are several VRT volumes that he recognizes. Everything is first editions and he finds a few interesting old books on the history of archeology in Striog itself and old archaeological books that feel out of place from the rest of the library. Sir Malin doesn’t have a lot of books on the subject and it seems like it was more for the interest of one of the Crestianas.

Sir Malin’s interest seems to have been history and botany. When Galowen asks about his interests, Cassidy says that he was never interested in rereading things, he always had a new book, primarily in the arts of botany, chemistry, and biology. He was also interested in the arcane sciences, though he did not have a laboratory, just kept the garden. He was always trying to make new strains of plants and create unique colors.

Galowen asks if there was anything else interesting in the library, and Cassidy explains that there was a statue that was stolen recently. The theft greatly upset their parents. Hava realizes that they mean the sword Maeve stole as Cassidy and Cavano argue over getting in trouble when they were six and almost damaging it.

Hava asks the twins if the Hooligans find their parents if they want the party to bring them back. Both Cassidy and Cavano hesitate before they say it depends on if their parents wish to return. Hava asks more bluntly if they will be offended if the Hooligans kill their parents, and they shrug before they say they wouldn’t be.

Hava remarks that she thought that she had a bad relationship with her parents, and Cavano says slowly that even if their parents don’t attack them, they wouldn’t be opposed to the party killing them anyway. Hava tells him that they are not assassins and Cavano says that they look as though they would be good at it.

As Diana asks if this is what happens with parents, half the party vehemently says no.

The party leaves and Hava muses out loud if anyone else thinks that the twins are together. Yolov immediately walks away as the rest sputter and Hava says that she was just wondering. She has a normal relationship with her sister, which makes Az mutters not really and gets smacked for it.

Yolov returns once he sees they’re finished with this discussion and says that they should finish whatever they need to do tonight and leave in the morning. Az says that he wants to speak with Tommy and the kids, confusing Hava, and Yolov says he wants to ask Az a few questions first.

Hava heads back towards The Silver Captain to spend time with Taion and Maeve.

Yolov asks Az if he thinks someone should check in on Lorin and offer to deliver a letter to Molly since they’ll be in Upper Crescent soon, and Az agrees to do that. He also thanks Az for getting the buttons from Careful’s shop and asks him the favor of letting his uncle, who is the schoolmaster in Greenrun and has an interest in Striogian education, ask him a few questions while they visit The Blue Bell.

Az agrees to this as well. Yolov says he wants to talk to him about something else but it can wait, before Az and Diana head off to speak to Tommy and the kids. Az finds them at Genesis’, minding Counter. They brighten at the sight of him and say that they’re surprised he’s back, usually adults don’t come back.

As Az hesitates, not sure how to approach the conversation after that welcome, as Genesis appears from a private room, cursing as they storm into the space. Az asks if they’re okay and Genesis says they’re okay.

Az explains that he came to speak to them and the kids, as did Diana.

Genesis asks what they need, and Az says that they are doing a few other things around the city tonight before leaving. Tommy immediately looks crestfallen and says he doesn’t have to go. Az explains that they do, but Diana assures them that they’ll be back after saving the world.

The kids immediately cluster around them demanding to know how they’re saving the world and declaring that they guess they can save the world if they promise to come back. Genesis watches all this and muses if it makes sense to tell Az to break a leg.

Az says he would prefer some other way of wishing him well, and Genesis says they’ll hope that he doesn’t break a leg then. Az tells them not to let the kids run circles around them, and Genesis ruefully says too late.

Diana kneels and says that she will come back for this and is entrusting them to keep it safe. She hands Tommy the dreaded helm that she first wore when she met the Hooligans. Tommy hugs her and promises to keep it safe.

Tommy makes her promise to come back before she and Az head towards Lorin’s.

Meanwhile, Yolov sends to his sister: “Hello, Sestri. My friends and I will be in Greenrun tomorrow afternoon or evening. Excited to visit and introduce everyone to each other.” Almost immediately he gets back, “You’re going to be here tomorrow? Tomorrow?! I haven’t started baking, I don’t–” He sends an apologetic Sending back, saying he’d meant to give her more notice, and she says that he’s welcome any time, it’s his home, but now she has to take back what she did to his room.

Trying not to be concerned about whatever she did, Yolov sends a message to Dailiir next. “Hello, Professor. Hope you're recuperating. We are leaving tonight or tomorrow, investigating leads from Greenheart's journal. I'd like to visit this afternoon if you're available.” He gets an immediate response saying that he’s always welcome and that she is in her home. He heads off towards her apartment.

Meanwhile Audacity heads to the Puppeteer’s. The automaton greets him and a minute later the Puppeteer appears and greets him and asks what he can do for him. Audacity says that he wanted to thank the Puppeteer for this, holding out the flame that Esrani gave him.

Esrani says it was a gift, he can make other gifts for the party if he wishes. Then he adds crossly that he hasn’t been able to make anything lately, he’s been stuck in many meetings that he dislikes, then adds that he hears they found the leak.

When he asks Audacity if they gave the leak to the Golden Wolf to chew, Audacity dryly says that the leak came pre-chewed.

Audacity explains that they’re going south next, where it will be warmer. Esrani says it will be colder there, that the people there are all colder, and that Audacity will need to have mastery of his ambition. He asks if Audacity wants another gift.

When Audacity says yes, he watches as Esrani plucks something from his pocket. There are many things in his pockets and on his vest, chains and bobs and a small sprout peeking out from a pocket that Audacity surmises is from Juniper. Audacity asks about a gift for a child, and Esrani offers him a hand-sewn fabric doll for a little girl, saying that it used to belong to a child and now belongs to him.

When Audacity asks if he wants anything from him, Esrani says he already said, for him to have mastery of his ambition or at least understand his ambition. He adds that the doll’s name was Violet, though it doesn’t have to be anymore, and then retreats to his office, explaining how busy he is.

Hava returns to the hotel room, finding Taion packing as Maeve watches him. Maeve greets her with an exclamation of welcoming her favorite sister and Hava says that she was about to say her only sister but that’s not true.

Maeve dismisses their sister as a replacement before she asks Hava if she’s coming on the ship with her. When Hava says yes, Maeve embraces her and begins talking about the ship and all the parts of it. Hava explains that they’re going to teleport to Upper Crescent and they can see the house as they travel, which makes Maeve exclaim in delight.

She compliments Hava on being a homeowner and then abruptly curses, saying that Travesty will not be expecting them since she sent him there with the expectation of traveling by land to the port and would be there in eight days.

Taion clears his throat and says that he would love to accompany her but he doesn’t want to presume, he knows she loves her independence on these adventures. Hava tells him to do what he wants and he says if she tells him that then he will follow her to the ends of the earth. He explains that he has been rehabilitating the garden in the cemetery of the house.

Hava tells her sister to scram before she closes the door for privacy. She tells Taion that she loves him so much, she just wants to make sure he does what he wants to do.

Taion says that he wasn’t clear. He explains that he has spent all of his life traveling to other places, that he belonged nowhere and that his position in life was not one of a settled individual, but of an aimless wander. He came back to Malvatore to see if he could find a sense of home there, but it wasn’t there anymore.

He says he likes being at the house and rehabilitating the garden and keeping care of the house. It is the first time in a very long time that it feels like he has a home. He asks if that makes sense, and Hava begins to cry.

Taion scoops her up into his arms. He says he has spent his entire life wandering these continents from end to end looking for her without even knowing it.

Hava says wow and clears her throat and says that’s a lot, moved by the idea of being a home for someone.

He asks if it was too much and she says no, she just wasn’t expecting that. He adds that there are stray cats in the garden and he likes them quite a bit. She tells him that it’s his garden now too, and he says their garden. Taion says at least for now, while he might want to travel again in the future, he thinks he likes being in one place.

Hava says she likes the idea of him being there too. Then she locks the door and says enough with this conversation, everyone’s busy.

Az and Diana go to Lorin’s house and find the doors open and the place empty. They seek out his favorite place, the sitting area in the library. Next to the tea set that they used when they visited, is a little folded note.

Az unfolds it and reads it out loud, translating it into Gnomish for Diana’s benefit.

“Don't look for me.

I'm sorry it's ending like this - but it has to.

I left my mask with P just in case. I couldn't tell if she approved or not, but maybe we'll both rest a little easier.

Thank you,

L.R.”

Az tucks it away and asks Diana if she has any other plans before he explains that he wants to see Juniper before they leave. She’s in her apothecary mixing potions when they come inside. He asks how she’s doing and she says she’s fine these things happen all the time.

He asks if she should be up, she did spend quite a while studying the books. She says she’ll go to bed early, and he suggests she close the shop early. She says that she will, no one comes by anyway. He says that he wanted to say goodbye before they headed out.

Juniper says she’s sorry that they’re going before she fetches two containers from her desk. She says that she made this for them. When he asks what they are, she says the first one will help them discover things, she’s tested it on herself. It is a power of luck and greater empowerment.

The second one she explains was pretty hard to make, though she doesn’t mean it to sound like they should be thankful, she just wants to explain why she could only make one. This one is a potion of vitality.

Az thanks her and says he’s thoroughly impressed by both. She says thanks and that she tried her best. She usually doesn’t make potions like this. He says they appreciate it and if she does discover anything else about the warlock illness he’d appreciate it.

She promises to send him any information immediately, and he promises to do the same. She tells him it was very nice meeting him. He says the same and that he’s sure Audacity will miss being her guinea pig, but they’ll visit when they’re in town again.

Juniper says thanks for everything.

Az hesitantly gives her a hug, relaxing when she hugs him back.

Audacity goes wandering through some of the markets, buying trinkets for the monks as Diana and Az return to The Silver Captain. Collie is there, and asks how they are, and is excited when Diana tells her that she delivered the letter to Colby.

She thanks her and says that she would hope never to see another dragon, but she knows that’s an impossibility. She says she had mentioned meeting with Captain Kiva of the Morning Flight, who had offered her protection from dragons like Iceclaw. She is going to take him up on that offer. It doesn’t sound too bad.

Diana says it does. Collie says what it wouldn’t mean too much, having smugglers in her bar with interesting stories. And besides, eventually she’ll be bigger than Kiva and can change her mind. He’s a bit of a runt, she adds, before she claps a hand over her mouth and says not to tell him she said that.

Az says that he hadn’t heard that.

Collie says that she wasn’t exaggerating, he’s literally a small dragon. It’s probably why he has teamed up with the people he has. Az agrees. Collie says that one day she’ll be bigger than him, but she isn’t now so it’s dangerous for her at the moment.

Az says that it will be soon, hopefully. Collie says yes, she’s getting bigger every day though she hasn’t gotten a chance to stretch her wings lately. She knows there are some people she will never be bigger or scarier than. Diana says that she doesn’t have to be scary.

Collie tells them that Kiva doesn’t try to be scary either, he tries to be funny around other dragons. She says they’d understand if they saw him around other dragons.

Az says that they’d only seen another dragon trying to kill them, but he’d like to see Kiva in his dragon form.

Collie says she’s sure they’ll find him impressive as mortals. She adds that she was making something for them each though it’s not quite ready. She’ll bring it to them before they leave.

Galowen returns and begins packing as well.

As Audacity comes into the bar, he offers Collie a miniature glass cat. Her eyes widen like a cat’s, her hands reaching out and pausing before she tells him if he lets her hold it he’s not getting it back. He tells her it’s hers, and she takes it before she hugs him.

She says that they’ve all been so lovely to her, even after she tricked them and lured them to a fight. Audacity tells her it’s all good. The things people do for those they love is a lot sometimes. He understands.

She says she’s going to take this somewhere very safe.

Elsewhere, Professor Dailiir greets Yolov at the door with her arm in her sling.

She says that she hears he’s leaving soon. He says yes, but he wanted to see her before he went. She reminds him that she will be seeing him again very soon with the meeting at the Archive.

Yolov e says he knows, he just wanted to see her again and assure himself she was healing, he knows it’s a little silly but it’s been a long few weeks.

She says she understands and ushers him inside, sitting him down on the couch and saying she has a birthday gift for him. She gives him a cup of tea and disappears into her office to fetch it. When she returns, he has a gift ready for her as well.

She exclaims over how useful the enchanted inkpot will be; she’s constantly running out of ink working on papers. Yolov says he thought of that, though he doesn’t have to worry about it himself with his enchanted quill.

When he opens up his present, it is a small book designed obviously in a style to mimic Es. Inside are various high level conjuration spells that Dailiir explains were done by an artificer visiting from Striog and a conjuration professor. He says it’s incredible.

She tells him that he’s welcome to stay and talk, and he tells her he’d like that. He’s missed their conversations in her office, and while he can talk to his friends, it’s not quite the same, they don’t know arcane magic and didn’t take her ethics classes, which makes her laugh.

They talk for a while, Yolov telling her about the last few months and his struggles with reconciling that some people cannot be stopped with words. He thinks they’ll have to stop the other lieutenants like they stopped Marion, but he still holds out hope for the lesser Sworn Edge who joined out of desperation. He also tells her about the Contingency spell, trying to assure her that he will be safer going forward.

When he finally returns to the tavern, Az asks him to cast Sending to his sibling, casting Disguise Self on himself to show him Fowlyse. Yolov Sends to them: “Fowlyse, this is Donnie. Are you at the same dig site? Watch out for the Radiscune Crestianas; they're dangerous. On my way to see you.”

He gets back an amused response a few minutes later. “Well, you’re not Donnie. Tell him that I’ll watch out for myself. See you soon, kid.”

When they get up the next morning, Collie has left them each a token of the silver dragon that will allow a one-time burst of magical healing. They teleport to the house and then to Asa’s shop where she casts some Sending spells to the person who takes care of the teleportation circle in Upper Crescent.

Yolov asks if Asa would like to come with them, and Asa says she would love to though she has responsibilities, but she really, really wants to. Yolov quickly says he knows they both have responsibilities, but he would like it.

Asa asks him if he wants her to come with him to meet his family, and he says that he invited her before and wants her to now. She says she wants to be clear because she likes him and wants to spend as much time as possible with him because she thinks he’s incredible.

Yolov says he wants to spend as much time as possible with her as well. He admits he doesn’t have any experience with this. He would appreciate clarity.

Asa says she doesn’t have much experience herself and tells him that she wants to check if he wants to invite her to meet his family as someone he’s dating, because she would like to date him.

Yolov, turning lavender, says he would like that too.

They teleport into a room that is filled with boxes of Dawnscale Trading Company. Then they are led outside into warmth and sunlight and the white stones of Upper Crescent.

Hava almost sobs as she spies and smells the ocean. It is bright and beautiful.