Astvanor Session 189 (7/24)

[cinaed]

Session 189: Month of Veksdan (7/24)

It’s not long after they settle things within the Archive that they are shuffled back to Refuge. They are deposited alone in the relative quiet of the attic teleportation circle. They can disperse to their respective spaces.

When Az goes to Audacity’s room, he finds that the bed is now larger and Refuge has added an oasis for Galowen. He asks if he’s interrupting anything.

Audacity looks up from dangling his feet in the pool and says not yet, while Galowen is floating in the pool and not listening. Audacity asks Az what’s up.

Az stammers for a moment, and then says he’s been thinking of how to best approach this and he finds that he doesn’t quite have the words. When Audacity teases him, he says it shocked him too.

Audacity asks if it would help if he stopped looking at Az. When Az says maybe, Audacity flops down onto his back and closes his eyes, his feet still dangling into the water. Only then does Az approach the little oasis.

Az gestures at Galowen, trying to draw him into the conversation. Galowen slouches to the edge of the pool and asks what’s up. Az says that he’d like to court both of them, making them both choke and ask what. Az elaborates that he means romantically.

Galowen says he’s never mentioned this before and Az says that it never seemed like the right time. Galowen says that it was also weirdly formal. Audacity says that’s the least surprising thing about this conversation.

Galowen asks why and Az says for multiple reasons, including that they’re both handsome.

When they both stare at him, Az says that he will stop talking if neither of them are interested so he can stop making a fool of himself. After Az tries to compliment Galowen, who debuffs him, Az exasperatedly asks how to get him to take a compliment.

Audacity says that he had to kick his ass to get Galowen to accept one.

Az says he could try that. He doesn’t think he could, but it might be worth a try. Az says he’s felt this way for months, though he can’t quite pinpoint the exact moment, except maybe when he encountered them both at his family’s house.

Audacity hums pensively, as does Galowen. Galowen says he’s just trying to understand.

Az asks what he’s trying to understand. Galowen says the world is about to end, or almost end. Why go through this formality now? Az asks about the formality. Galowen says he said he wanted to court them, he had a speech prepared. Az asks how else should he have approached it.

Audacity says that he told Galowen he’d go anywhere he went and then asked to kiss him.

Az admits that he almost kissed Audacity when they were in Kelfemma, when he and Audacity were covering Galowen in paper dragons. But he thought Galowen was angry with him, so he didn’t.

Galowen says he wasn’t angry with him. If he’d been angry with him, he’d know.

Az sighs and says he’d seemed angry at the time. Then adds that he might as well tell Audacity why Galowen was irritated, pulling out his necklace and admitting to be Spring’s replacement and technically an Archfey.

Audacity closes his eyes and says that a Striogian noble wants to court a Chosen of Kelfemma – a guy from the woods – and an abandoned orphan from a monastery whose father was a piece of shit. That’s who he’s going for?

Az says he’s not going to blame him for anything his family did.

Audacity says that’s good to know, but the class divide is fascinating.

Az says it's true, but also he’s the seventh child so he’s got his freedom.

Galowen looks at Audacity and asks what he thinks. Audacity says it’s none of his business who Galowen takes into his bed. Az asks if he’s interested as well, and Galowen says that he doesn’t know what to do. He guesses all in favor, raise their hand?

Audacity says he’s not repulsed, he’s just too surprised. But he’s willing to try dating. Galowen adds that he’ll try everything once, and sometimes more than once. Audacity asks how Az feels.

Az says he wasn’t heartened by such a lukewarm response.

There’s a little more back and forth, before Audacity says that he’s not interested in fucking Az right now, but Galowen can if he wants. Galowen clarifies without him and he and Audacity realize they haven’t had a conversation about being open or closed in their relationship.

Audacity clarifies that Galowen can sleep with whoever he wants and tells him to go have fun with Az. He’s not there yet, but he might get there. He’s still wrapping his head around Azeldonne Turen being interested in Audacity Jones.

Galowen picks Az up and sweeps him off to his room.

Az begins to court them both. He prepares a date in the forest near Refuge, preparing a picnic for him, Galowen, and Audacity.

The next few weeks pass, with Galowen returning to joust in Kastvar, prompting Audacity to suggest Az become his manager, which Galowen counters with him not needing one. Az begs him to wear something presentable for the wedding and then drags everyone to get nice clothes for Yesra and Endive’s wedding.

The invitation comes later than most invitations would arrive, with the impression that they’ve decided to do this quickly, as Yesra and Endive often make their decisions. The invitations say formal affair, though add that battle gear is allowed but not required.

The wedding date comes relatively quickly. It’s scheduled to be held on the border between Previdian and Valnore, where the military coverage isn’t as egregious as it is in other places.

Galowen and Audacity are coming from Kastvar. While there, Audacity notices Kalia’s ability to use her magic confidently has increased exponentially compared to where she was when he saw her previously. She is leaning a little towards self-assuredness. He notices while he’s talking to her about it and watching her practice that Mastery is paying a lot of attention towards helping her and his earnest eagerness to help her is encouraging to her in a way that maybe wasn’t expected by even her. It’s nice, watching her improve by leaps and bounds.

Ambition shrugs at him when Audacity looks at her. She can see it too, but Mastery hasn’t realized it yet. She could not be more thrilled and gleeful when he tells her about Az. Her response is between cringing and slapping Audacity and thinking he’s stupid and lucky and stupid. She’s excited for him and also says that whole conversation sounded awful, what’s wrong with him.

Audacity reminds her of the dwarf at the monastery who was good at his job but was a dick. That’s Az. Ambition says that’s not true, the dwarf was ugly. He tells her to fuck him then, and she says she will. She can’t believe he’s fumbling someone hot and rich and apparently loyal.

And a dick, says Audacity. Ambition says so is he. He admits it’s a whole thing and he’s still figuring out if it’s going anywhere for him.

Diana arrives with her girlfriend Krystal.

They all make their way to the wedding venue, some of them coming from other places, through their own pace and method, to get there.

Yolov invites Asa, though clearly worried that she might not want to be so close to Previdian after her experiences there. As he worriedly rambles, she touches his wrist and says it’s sweet that he thinks of her mental health and safety, but she would love to go to a wedding. He takes her to Careful’s to get a new dress and headwrap.

They and Az arrive together from Refuge.

Hava can bring Taion, since Kiva is busy assisting the Col’Far as Abrisolm begins to finish his work on helping them track Iliana and the Sword in the Sun. He is only days away from completing it.

Az, Yolov, and Asa arrive in a well-appointed area near the border. It’s taking place in a town so small that it doesn’t even have a name. It’s a day’s ride away from Sae’var’s Stand, where the final battle of the war for Valnorian independence. They can see down the dusty path past the inn towards Sae’var’s Stand, which is a ravine with burned remnants and plant growth that crawls over the ravine’s edge. It’s a place of loss and sorrow and deeply scarred by the things that had happened to it.

But the places around it don't suffer from a lack of beauty. The place Yesra and Endive have chosen is an elegant inn on the edge of a small lake. It is the perfect place for a rich wedding, with an outdoor auditorium that tilts towards a center space, and an indoor space that is all covered in a gauzy silky fabric. There’s a band that seems to be magically enhanced so that the music is present without being overwhelming.

Az spies Mixie in the distance, who gives him a big wave before she disappears around a corner, dressed to the nines and in heels. There’s no immediate sign of Yesra and Endive, but they’re obviously busy with the wedding.

There’s an open bar. People are swaying and dancing.

Diana and Krystal fly in with Adrin. There’s plenty of space for her to land, where a halfling attendant who exclaims over Adrin’s beauty and asks if she would like a raw or cooked menu. Diana asks for half and half. The halfling says the lord and lady can do both.

Diana is wearing fancy clothes. Adrin is permitted to wander near the inn.

Hava arrives not long after with Taion.

Galowen and Audacity arrive last, Galowen atop a now winged Glyn. He recognizes all of the bards performing from the bardic college in Staghart. He also has a squire, a halfling boy named Dwayne about sixteen or seventeen who is dressed similar to Galowen.

Dwayne slides off of Glyn badly. He almost lands awkwardly on his ass before Galowen catches him. He starts struggling with Galowen’s sword until Yolov takes pity on him and casts Enhance Ability on him to increase his strength. He still struggles despite this.

Dwayne says when his father hears that he was announced and he could pick up the sword, his father will be so proud of him. His accent has noticeably changed as he tries to make a good impression, though Galowen tells him to just use the accent everyone else here is using.

Dwayne looks visibly disappointed before Galowen directs him towards the open bar. Then he brightens, saying his father knew Galowen was a kind guy. Audacity agrees with this.

Audacity asks what he’s doing with him. Galowen says he’s really uncomfortable with this much authority.

Hava doesn’t approach the group even at this attention-grabbing entrance. Instead they first spy Taion, because he sticks out like a sore thumb, between the height, tattoo, and long hair making himself known. He looks tired. He’s looking around and chatting with an elven woman who they recognize as Hava from the back.

Az approaches her first. When he puts a hand on her shoulder and turns her around, he sees that there’s a baby strapped to her chest and another one strapped to Taion’s chest. They’re both five months old. He staggers over to a nearby chair.

Hava says she can explain.

Az says how dare she, she didn’t tell any of them, can he please hold one.

Hava hands off the baby girl to him. She has a shock of pink hair and sticky hands that she shoves at his face. He says that he was going to tell her everything that has been happening but she clearly had something else going on.

Hava says she was terribly busy, but she had her island to support her.

Az says not her friends, and she points out that she thought they’d visit her and not turn them all into international fugitives even as he admits they were also busy too.

Zavi is her daughter, who grabs at every piece of jewelry Az has, while Velik is her son, a very chubby baby. Taion says that everyone loves Zavi and Velik, especially Kiva, who is surprisingly good with them.

Az is suddenly very aware of all the criminals around them.

Hava says that this is their second big outing after seeing Taion’s family.

She takes Velik with her and Az carries Zavi along to meet the others. Galowen asks if she adopted them, and Hava says that they’re hers. Audacity tells her congratulations and hugs her, while Galowen looks uncomfortable at the sight of a baby.

Audacity says that they’re beautiful.

Hava offers their names, explaining their names are in memory of her father. She says it’s a good thing that she doesn't need to sleep because she doesn’t have any chance to. Audacity kisses Velik and gets the baby foisted on him.

Yolov watches as the babies grab at their friends’ hair and jewelry and tells Asa that every parent should have access to Prestidigation. Asa laughs and leans into his shoulder, visibly softening and cooing over the babies. She says when they have kids– if they have kids, they hope they’re as cute as these two, making Yolov go purple.

Hava remarks on them turning everyone into international fugitives, and Galowen says that he’s also a celebrity now. People are recognizing him, and a drunken Dwayne says that they should charge people for autographs, which Galowen vetoes.

There are bride and groom cocktails. They’re not snake-themed or poison-themed. Instead it’s like The Lady’s Yarn and The Old Sergeant’s Ale. It’s very different. The little dragonborn says he sees they’re trying the lord and lady’s drinks. They hand the group little wood carvings of sparrows and say to vote for their favorite drink.

The bartender says that Lady Astra is already calling Lord Victor a lord, though he’s marrying into it. When Hava is visibly baffled, she blames it on the pregnancy brain and then swaps babies between herself and Audacity.

Az spots Mixie darting among the crowd. When she sees him, she starts over in her stilettos, which Hava compliments. She says that she’s Yesra’s maid of honor and that she’s trying to keep everything from going wrong. The group asks if the bride and groom have been kidnapped and if they’ve escaped.

Mixie admits that they stole the wedding venue and kidnapped the bride and groom, who have escaped. She describes Lady Astra as a half-elf with black hair. Lord Victor claims to be human, but Mixie thinks he has a bit of something else and is tall and wiry. They were both wearing normal attire, they were grabbed the night before.

As the group begins to bicker, Yolov sidles over to Galowen and says that since it’s looking more and more likely that the bride and groom’s family might crash the wedding, he’s been working on a spell that would make Galowen more alert and harder to hit. Galowen asks him why he thought this night wasn’t going to get weird and Yolov says he was trying to be optimistic.

He casts Foresight on Galowen while Audacity and Hava try to get more information about the missing couple and Mixie escorts them all to somewhere more private so Audacity can cast Detect Thoughts and see her memory of their clothes. Mixie is unimpressed and warns him against seeing anything else except the couple and secrets about Donnie.

Audacity looks into her mind and sees a rotating version of him with horns and a unibrow. He sticks his tongue out at her before she focuses and he can see the couple. Lady Astra is a half-elven woman in her mid-twenties, elegant and beautiful with long, tumbling curls and black eyes. She’s wearing a simple white dress and a silver engagement ring with three diamonds. She’s meandering through the set-up of the chairs and then hisses at the snake that has just bitten her before she crumples unconscious.

Lord Victor is older than her, dark brown hair with a little gray, a couple scars on his face and his eyebrow. There’s nothing special about either of them except perhaps the engagement ring, which pings in the direction of the lake when he then casts Locate Object.

The group follows Audacity towards the lake. On the other side of the lake there are a couple trees and a park. Then they continue to the edge of the lake and realize that the couple is already gone. Mixie asks if she thinks they’ll bring people and Audacity says yes, most people don’t enjoy being kidnapped.

Mixie sighs and looks at Az until he agrees to go fetch the people back.

Taion approaches and asks if Hava is going adventuring. She says it appears so and Taion takes both kids while Dwayne approaches, breathless and ready to follow them wherever they’re going. Hava tells him that he should really be enjoying himself and take the night off.

Dwayne says he won’t fall for that trick twice. Hava says she was trying to hire him, she has two kids and someone needs to help her partner watch the babies. Dwayne looks at Galowen and says he doesn’t know about this.

Galowen says that there comes a time in every man’s life that he’s got to make a decision. Dwayne says he’s sticking with Mister Galowen. Galowen says that he can ride on Glyn, and then changes his mind immediately as Glyn tries to bite Dwayne.

Hava looks dubious.

Yolov says Asa can accompany them if she wishes, or she can enjoy a sherry and not have to deal with all of this. Asa smiles and says she’ll have a sherry and help Taion with the babies, clearly delighted at the opportunity to hold a baby.

The Hooligans with Dwayne begin to walk around the lake, using Audacity’s Locate Object as a guide. They walk to the other side where the spell is pointing directly down at the edge of the lake and a forest clearing, which Dwayne mutters that they probably would have to go through the woods and fight bears. He asks if Galowen is sure he doesn’t want Dwayne to hold his things and Galowen says he should have his things on him, and Dwayne says he’ll stand in front of him, protecting him.

Galowen sighs.

As this conversation happens and Dwayne begins to make his plan, a few of the others glance to the side of the lake. Here a few yards west of the lake, there’s two empty liquor bottles and a third one in the middle of being drunk as two people sit by the water.

One leans back and laughs and says that you can’t say things like that. He’s going to make her sick even as he points and says that the clouds look like someone’s tits.

Audacity realizes these are the people they’re looking for as Lady Astra pushes herself into Victor’s side and says that he can’t say that because they do and she snorts ungracefully. She kicks out a foot, sending water spraying.

Audacity makes a hand gesture towards them and Az says they don’t seem upset about being kidnapped.

Victor takes a swig of the bottle before Astra takes it from him and drains it. These are clearly whisky bottles taken from the wedding. They are both intoxicated, Astra leaning against his shoulder and saying they should get back and figure out how to tie each other up again.

Victor says she can tie him up every time.

Hava calls out to them and Astra waves the bottle at them. She asks if this is their dock, and it quickly becomes apparent that Astra and Victor don’t realize they were kidnapped. They think this is one of Astra’s mother’s plans, because her mother has dominated the entire wedding. Astra and Victor don’t want the wedding. They want to be married and then they plan to run away together, Astra to become an artist and Victor to write books.

Yolov tells them that Astra’s mother and the other party guests are delayed a day, so if they want to avoid the wedding entirely, they have a day’s head start. The couple brightens but Astra says she does want to get married, just not like the way her mother planned.

Hava offers to marry them, which they eagerly agree to. She casts Ceremony, marrying Astra and Victor. After she does, Astra buries her face against Victor’s shoulder and says it’s so nice to be with someone who sees her. Hava starts crying, Astra starts crying as well, and Victor gets teary-eyed.

Astra tells Hava that she’s pretty and she’s sorry for being rude earlier.

When the Hooligans ask if they know where they’re going, Astra and Victor admit they have no idea. Yolov invites them to visit Greenrun, where he knows an illustrator for books who might be able to give them some advice. Astra asks if this person can teach her art, and Yolov says they taught him.

Yolov writes a letter to his family and gives it to the couple, telling them that he can get them to Upper Crescent Port City, which is a few hours’ walk from Greenrun. Victor recognizes the name, having passed through it before, and tells Astra all about the different places nearby as Yolov begins to cast a Teleportation Circle for them.

They disappear with a familiar glow of magic, and the party makes their way back around the lake towards the inn.

When they get back, Mixie has a harried look on her face. She seems briefly relieved to learn Astra and Victor are gone, but says someone else is missing now. Yolov sighs and asks if it’s Endive.

Mixie admits it is. He was practicing his vows behind the inn and now he’s vanished. She needs their help finding him.