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Session 159: Days 21 and 22 of Saedan (1/31)

The sun is high and blistering in Striog the next morning, the same as it is every morning. There’s an artificial, magical coolness that keeps the estate cool but they can still feel the pressure of the heat encroaching from outside the gates.

It’s coming close to when Az will have to leave his family home and face the threat of Elathias. But for the moment it’s peaceful, with a breakfast spread that Hava eagerly helps herself to. It’s a huge array of food, with eggs and fruits and pastries. There’s enough to feed ten orcs.

Hava seats herself next to Az’s dad and winks at Az when he comes in. He resists the urge to throw a pastry at her head as Diana and Galowen shove food into their mouths.

Diana asks if they can stay here forever, and Az reminds her that they have an island and a forest to visit. Diana asks if they can stay here forever after that, or keep their chef. When Az’s dad offers to let the chef come along, Az says that it’s a nice offer but they will be traveling quite a distance and besides, Taion will keep them fed at the house.

Yolov comes in a little later, having copied out a few maps from the estate library for Winter and Summer, Cicle and Es coming behind him. Summer has been enjoying himself, but Winter is picking at his food, clearly unhappy with how warm most of the offerings are.

When Yolov passes along the maps with a firm suggestion not to go near the Tessvar Forest, Winter and Summer ask why. Yolov explains about Archie’s time in the Tessvar Forest and how most people would probably attack them on sight.

They agree to avoid it before Winter asks where Archie is.

Yolov says he’s likely with the Highwriter in Valnore.

Summer and Winter ask why and Galowen explains he’s fucking Navier. Summer and Winter take this in stride.

Yolov also suggests that if they’re looking for a place to compromise between hot and cold, they might want to consider living near Upper Crescent since it’s on the southern coast of Avisrune and warm but there will be cold and snow further north towards the Avisian mountains.

Winter says that sounds like a good idea, he will have to get Archie there to stay since he and Summer don’t want to let him back out of their sight once they find the traitor.

Az asks what everyone needs to do before they leave for Hava’s island.

Yolov says he’d like to go buy more parchment and visit a Rovan temple, and buy some baked goods from a local bakery where he’ll get a discount for buying from the baker’s wife’s shop.

The others say they don’t have anything else they need to do, other than Hava wanting to buy a diamond to replace the one she used for Galowen.

Az tells his father that Jax is a dragon, which makes his father freeze and blink at him. Rasmorn repeats incredulously that he has been attempting to buy a dragon’s lair, Az admits he has.

Rasmorn sighs.

Diana, remembering what they know about Jax, remembers that he never shuts up. He bores people into leaving conversations or debates. This feels like the style of a brass dragon, who mostly talks until his opponents give up or go away. She says as much as Az’s dad says he doesn’t know what to do with this information.

Hava says she loves dragons. Az’s dad asks how many dragons they’ve met, and Hava cheerfully says one of her boyfriends is a dragon and Az says that they’ve killed at least one.

Az’s father repeats that one of her boyfriends is a dragon?

Hava says that she’s in an open relationship.

Rasmorn says he understands the concept of polyamory, Sazu is in one with multiple partners, but it’s the fact that she’s dating a dragon that gives him pause. He adds that he’ll have to keep this in mind when he next reaches out to Jax, though his office hasn’t been returning his call.

Rasmorn sighs and says it’s such a close forest to Kastvar. Then he looks at Az and asks if they're planning to leave today, since it’s already eleven o’clock.

Az says that they do need to head out soon.

Rasmorn says he’ll get some things ready. He is clearly getting emotional and makes an excuse to leave the room by claiming he needs to write a respectful letter to Jax that gives no unnecessary information out but conveys his needs. He tells Az not to leave without saying goodbye.

As Az’s dad leaves, Hava asks Az if he wants to stay another day or two.

Az says he’s good, they don’t have any reason to stay here. They can come back another time.

Yolov says that’s one reason he wants to stop by the Rovan temple. He has a spell from Professor Dailiir that will allow him to teleport them all back here to Cantor in the future. Az asks if it has to be the temple, and Yolov says it does.

They begin to gather up their things, Galowen casting Remove Curse on Yolov to rid him of the sand that is still trailing behind him.

When they’re ready, Az goes in search of his father. He finds him in his office, which is sized mostly for gnomes but also holds a few pieces that will hold all of Az and his siblings’ differing sizes.

Rasmorn is looking at these small books from a box, shutting the one he’s looking at and putting it away when Az enters. He asks if Az is getting ready to leave.

Az says yes, the final thing is mostly just getting Medrash away from the bacon. He’ll have to take some of the bacon with him.

Rasmorn admits he made extra just in case. He says he was looking at some baby books and holds up one labeled Azeldonne. It has all kinds of details like when Az was born, his childhood milestones. He reminisces about the height charts on one of the door frames labeled in different colors for Az and all of his siblings. It’s strange how empty the house feels now sometimes.

Az says they’ll have to visit more often.

Az’s dad says he hopes so and tells Az that his friends are nice. They care about Az, keeping him safe and protecting him, which is the most important thing to Rasmorn.

Az says they do.

Rasmorn asks how he’s holding up.

Az sighs, running a hand through his hair and then trying to fix it. Az’s dad fusses over him, smoothing his hair back into place as Az admits he doesn’t want to go on the road again. He knows everyone said that they would be fine staying here a few more days, but he just wants to get away from that tower for a bit. Visiting a tropical island will be nice.

Rasmorn says he wishes he knew about all of this earlier. He understands why Az couldn’t tell him or she couldn’t tell him, but he wishes he’d known what was happening to Az.

Az apologizes and Rasmorn says he doesn’t have anything to apologize for. As much as he wants Az here, especially now to keep him safe, it’s kind of selfish of him to want to do that. Az doesn’t want to see that tower and remember, and him wanting Az to stay is Rasmorn wanting to protect him now in all the ways he couldn’t and didn’t before.

Az says this wasn’t his fault. Az will be back. He just can’t be here right now.

His dad says he needs time. It’s okay. He can take as much time as he wants. And if Rasmorn ends up as a diplomatic envoy somewhere where Az is visiting at some point, it’s not like he’ll bring the whole city with him.

Az says if that happens he’d be happy to help in any way he can.

Rasmorn says he loves him.

Az says he loves him too and hugs him, choking back his emotions. It’s a big, tight dad hug even as Az eclipses him in width and height. While in the embrace, Rasmorn tells him to go save the world. Az says he’ll try. Rasmorn says he’s already most of the way there by the sounds of it.

Az says most of the party seems to think that they talk to the gods when they die.

Alarmed, Rasmorn asks who died and then says he doesn’t want to know and shoos Az away.

Az goes to collect the rest of the party.

Yolov purchases parchment and then they go to the bakery, where Yolov does get a discount. It’s a lovely, quaint shop that also has advertisements for her wife’s fetish gear shop, but it has sourdough starters, breads, baked goods, pastries, lavender cupcakes. There's a lot of variety.

When Yolov shows the receipt, the half-orcish woman looks at him and then at Diana standing next to him. She asks if they had a fun time. Diana instinctively says yes even as Yolov goes purple. The wife says she’ll pass that along and compliments them on being a cute couple, which makes Yolov back away from the counter, even more embarrassed.

Next is the temple to Rova. It’s like all places in Cantor: a mixture of artificer aesthetic and grounded earthy aesthetic. Rova is the goddess of learning and knowledge and magic, though Roshka is still the main goddess of Striog. It’s a very popular place.

There are serpentine pillars as well as picnic tables outside where people are reading and studying. The doors are open wide to show tall ceilings with art of the goddess Rova hanging on the walls in tapestries. There aren’t pews or space for chairs or seating for ceremonies and liturgies.

Instead all of the chairs are turned inward as communal spaces. At one of the tables there’s a bunch of kids who are fingerpainting, led by a little dwarven woman who is helping them paint hand robots.

There are a few people towards the back wall where there’s a stained glass portrait of Rova, with blankets and pillows in a six by six square that creates a meditation space. There’s a cleric in quiet conversation with someone.

It’s a quiet but public space for community and sharing of knowledge.

Galowen remarks that these people are nerds. Hava adds that it’s like if a temple was a library or a school. The kids are cute.

Yolov is looking around, taking it in, enjoying the atmosphere. It’s very different from the Rovan temples up in Avisrune. He says this shouldn’t take very long but he should probably ask permission before he casts the spell.

Az says if they’re going to be teleporting, then they definitely should, and away from the kids. Yolov explains that he can cast the spell without teleporting, to designate the temple as a sanctuary.

The cleric is a Siamese-looking tabaxi with bright gold eyes and brown fur. She’s in the middle of a conversation with an elven individual who bows and then returns to the meditation space, having clearly resolved whatever problems they were having.

The cleric nods at the group, before beginning to make a slow circle around the temple, checking on on people. When she reaches the Hooligans, the cleric greets them and introduces herself as Sister Peace. She asks how they are and invites them to study or meditate.

Yolov explains Word of Recall and that he’s not a priest of Rova, but he does pray to her, pulling out the little Rova figurine he bought back in Previdian. He asks permission to designate this as a sanctuary to return Az home to Cantor.

Sister Peace recognizes Az and questions Yolov about how he would designate this as a sanctuary, who he would bring with him, and if anyone would be able to access this sanctuary if someone stole his spellbook. Reassured by his answers, which is a quiet spell, only himself and his friends here, and that the person who stole his spellbook would have to come back here and cast sanctuary themself, she agrees and suggests the meditation room.

Az peers around, trying to figure out how she recognizes him and if he and Mixie did something here. He draws a blank.

After getting advice from Sister Peace on where to set up the sanctuary within the temple, Yolov settles into the meditation space, swapping out one of his spells with Word of Recall from the spellbook Dailiir gave him.

Then he bows his head, praying quietly to Rova and including the spell in his prayer, almost tasting the first bracing sip of tea on his tongue as he finishes, contemplative in the knowledge that it’s been exactly one month since he died and met Rova.

Once the Hooligans return to outside the temple, they debate what else they need. Az knows that there is an artificer supply shop near the school that might have diamonds and then a jewelry shop that sells diamond jewelry.

They head to the artificer shop first, Bob’s Bits and Bobs, run by a small goblin who is sitting on top of the counter. He’s got a hat that has a hat on top of it. The brim of the first hat has current orders and the second hat has completed orders. They all watch as a clockwork pseudodragon flies up to a high shelf and brings some supplies down to put into a bag before plucking one of the current orders and moving it to the completed brim.

Az points out the pseudodragon to Winter and says that they seem to like his design. Winter’s eyes dilate as he strides forward like a man about to fight and demands what he can trade for the little dragon.

The goblin blinks and says that the pseudodragon isn’t for sale.

Winter says he will pay anything for the pseudodragon and the goblin changes his tune even as Hava says they came for a diamond not the pseudodragon. She reminds Winter he has no gold. Winter pulls out from his pocket a handful of ice that doesn’t seem able to melt.

Az introduces himself, which Bob seems unimpressed by, and tries to claim the ice is powerful magic. Bob studies him and says for forty gold and that ice, he’ll give them the pseudodragon and the blueprint for it.

Hava asks about the diamonds. Bob gives her a spiel about reflective diamonds, raw diamonds, and diamond dust, and Hava says she will take the pretty one. A mechanical bird drops the latest order and eats the gold that Hava and Yolov give it for the diamond and the pseudodragon and its blueprints.

Az studies the blueprint with interest, realizing it’s complicated but not at an expert level. This was clearly a graduating student’s impressive project. He tucks it away to try and attempt it later.

The Hooligans and the two Archfey collect Kasi and their cart, the lights of the city slowly fading behind them as they begin to make their way through the desert to the Strand. Desert stretches out in all directions as they leave Cantor behind.

It’s strange for Az. It felt previously that he had a strong tether to the city, a connection that he’d mistaken for home and family connection. Now when he leaves, it doesn’t feel like a leash he’s pulling against, but just a line between him and home. It feels strange not to have that big pull, but maybe the sense of freedom is feeling unmoored.

He does have a realization that this is his potential and his future now. He has an infinite amount of choices. He used to think his destiny was to do what Spring told him to do, to free them and to be this hero under the thumb of someone he now knows was using him and his desire for purpose.

But now his future is remarkably open. It feels strange but Az thinks it feels better than the last time he went home. He reflects on the pendant that he hasn’t yet put on and begins to slowly consider all of his choices.

As they approach the coast, Hava is the first to scent the ocean and salt on the wind even before they spy the shore on the horizon. She can feel that draw late into the night as they get slowly to the Strand, a port town. There is a smattering of houses along the water, a little main street and a row of buildings. There is a dock and fishing area, nothing fancy, just somewhere to pass through.

This is where Hava first touched down on Tsandor, the first continent she visited and the first place she went to when she left Alu’daar. There isn’t much of a night life here, but there are a few inns that have vacancies that give the Hooligans rooms for the evening so they can head out in the morning.

It’s a dangerous jaunt at night from the Strand to the island, even if it’s an hour’s journey, so Hava waits until the morning to find a ship going to the island. As her friends awaken and eat breakfast, she finds a boat beside a building that promotes itself as a shuttle between the Strand and Alu'daar. There is a congenial part triton, part fish woman named Kasar who is running it. She tells Hava that they have a shuttle happening in an hour.

Hava introduces herself and watches the woman freeze up briefly, looking shell shocked before she says quickly that it’s nice to meet her. Hava asks how much it costs and is told that it’s free. Hava can’t quite get a read behind the shock.

As she heads back to the inn, she catches the person behind the counter and asks if there’s been anything strange happening on Alu'daar.

The satyr says no, there’s been the usual trade goods deliveries between the Strand and Alu'daar.

When she asks about news, he says that news doesn’t come out of Alu'daar.

Hava tells the other Hooligans she got them a boat in an hour. She also tells them about Kasar spooking at her name. She’s worried that her mother said she was missing. Yolov asks if her name would be recognizable as her mother’s daughter and she’s unsure.

Yolov gives Summer and Winter 10 gold for passage to Valnore and eventually to Silvrafel, with plans to cast Sending and let Navier know about the future arrival of two more Archfey.

Winter takes Az aside for the moment and says there is no rush to make his decision but also Winter does need Medrash.

Az had startled to bristle and then calmed as he realized Winter meant just for a moment. He hands Medrash over. For an instant he watches Medrash fade out of sight and then reappears with icy barding protecting him, making Medrash a little harder to hit.

They arrange passage for Winter and Summer on the next ship, and then go to Kasar’s, where Kasar brightens at the sight of them and ushers them into the small boat that will fit them all though it will be a little tight. She introduces herself and explains that it will be an hour or so. She avoids looking at Hava as she asks if anyone else has been to Alu'daar before.

Everyone says no and she pushes off with a stick and uses a small gust of wind to get the ship moving before she stands there rigidly, focused on sailing.

Yolov casts Sending to Professor Dailiir and Asa, giving them both updates on where they’ve been and where they’re headed next.

Hava casts Sending to Taion, telling him that she was going to visit her parents and it was going to be stressful and she loves him. She receives twenty-five words of encouragement back before she goes to speak to Kasar.

Kasar jumps and looks flustered when Hava asks if something’s wrong at the island. Kasar says nothing is wrong.

Hava reminds her she is the high priestess’s daughter.

Kasar says she knows, it’s just that no one knew Hava was coming and Kasar had to tell the priestess that her daughter was arriving unannounced.

Hava says she understands.

Kasar wilts a little, her fins pressing against her skin as she says that everyone is supposed to tell the high priestess when they see her children, though of course Luna never leaves the island.

Hava repeats that she understands.

Kasar stands there uncomfortable and nervous as Hava returns to sit with her friends.

On the horizon Hava sees the shape of her island as the boat sails closer.

What everyone sees is a long narrow stretch of land. There are palm trees and sparse patches of grass, but mostly beaches with tall grass roofed, wooden structures on stilts to avoid the tide. There are rocky outcroppings with hanging vines as well.

There is one dock that is essentially empty. Down the beach as they approach that dock, they can all see fishing ships coming in from a morning run, almost exclusively tritons and sea elves heaving nets and hauling freshly caught fish. A triton emerges from the water with a small shark over one shoulder where he heaves it onto the beach for two sea elves to gut it.

Surrounding the dock is a crescent of people. There are sea elves dressed in shades of blues and purples, though a few tritons that dot the line. It is predominantly people dressed similarly in loose clothing of pinks and purples and blues like Hava dresses. There are some older women clustered in the center of the crescent, and then four figures waiting at the dock as the ship reaches it.

In the middle of the group is a sea elf with long heavy pink hair that pours down over her shoulders, more pink toned but with a similar facial structure to Hava with a set jaw and expression. She is tall and powerful among the other sea elves, who all look increasingly nervous.

Beside her is a shirtless ginger-haired sea elf, his hair pulled up in a thick bun.

Hava recognizes her parents immediately.

It takes Hava a second to recognize the girl standing there as well, because Luna has grown up from the short girl she remembers even as Luna stays pressed closer to their parents.

Behind all three of them is a tall triton Hava isn’t exactly displeased to see, tall and broad-shouldered and handsome, but whose presence will make things awkward. This is her ex-fiancee, who shoots her a sympathetic look.

Kasar stops the boat and greets the High Priestess with a bow and an announcement that Havasaul has returned. She bows once more and then steps aside as the High Priestess approaches Hava, her hands clasped in front of her.

“My dear, look at you. Welcome home.”

Hava bows her head and apologizes for not saying anything before.

Her mother remarks that they would have prepared a feast, but apparently a letter was too much to ask.

Hava says she’s allowed to come home whenever she wants.

Luna looks at her mother for permission before launching herself at Hava, hugging her as their mother clicks her tongue and says that Goddesses forbid that they might have had other things to do.

Az bows deeply and apologizes if they’ve interrupted anything.

Hava’s mother says it was only minor ceremonies, something Hava might have forgotten how to perform after all her time away. Then she takes Hava’s face in her hands, kisses Hava’s head, and tells her welcome home.

Hava opens her mouth to respond but the High Priestess is already turning and walking away. Her father welcomes everyone warmly and introduces himself as Velik.

Az says it’s an honor even as Hava whispers at Velik that they need to talk.

Her father says of course they need to talk, they have a ton of wonderful fish caught this morning. They should absolutely talk over the meal.