Rissada - Session 48

Returning from their exhausting treks through the extensive mine system beneath Broken-Top, the party takes this moment to finally conclude their business and report their results.

Engir nods to the guardsmen as he steps forward from the elevator platform.
Engir: "Well, I think they should appreciate that we worked out why the sprites are protective over the crystals, too."
Kellan: "Always good to have learned something."
Anarod: "There's a lotta things they should appreciate."
Engir: "Yes. I think I understand my divination a lot more after all of that, too."
Eora, leaning against a hallway wall, turns towards the group, as if silently acknowledging their presence.
Engir: "(Almost too efficient.)"
"We're back."
Anarod: "Oh, right."
"I'd forgotten she was around."
Na'nabi: "(Soon this'll be over, and I'll be able to feel the wind and sun again.)"
"(I don't know what dwarves see in underground areas...)"
Engir: "(Predictability. Stable footing. Access to minerals.)"
Na'nabi: "(Yeah, I guess. Are we ready to talk to the tribunal again?)"
Engir: "(They will send a survey team to check what we did. Can't meet them until they're done with that.)"
"We have a lot to report, really."
Na'nabi: "So... we just chill here until it's time?"
Engir: "No, we need to share our findings still."
"Just not directly with the tribunal."
Kellan: "(I am not complaining about having some time to rest before we're on trial again.)"
Na'nabi: "(And we'll get to soon be outside, too, that's a plus.)"
Engir: "I'll have to relay things to Nalzij afterwards to let her know what's happening."
Na'nabi: "If clearing the mines of the negativity isn't enough for the tribunal, I'll eat my bow."
Engir: "You might regret those words."
Anarod: "I'd spend my time looking for a nice recipe if I were you."
Na'nabi: "C'mon, be optimistic!"
Anarod: "I mean, 'isn't enough' for what?"
Kellan: "Still doesn't change much about the giants."
Anarod: "I'm sure they'll be grateful about the whole deal but yeah."
Na'nabi: "Teach them about the legendary badger fighting style?"
Anarod: "Yeah I'm sure they have the ressources to assign one strong illusionist and one strong enchanter per squad."
Na'nabi: "It was just a joke, Icecube."
Engir aproaches the embassy door, opening it.
Kellan waves at Eora as he passes.
The door operns, and the receptionist from before greets the party.
Gnome Receptionist: "Welcome back! Here to talk to the captain?"
Engir: "Yes, We've accomplished our goal."
Gnome Receptionist: "Didja?! That sounds like great news!"
Astrid catches up to the group, glancing at Eora nervously from the corner of her eye.
Gnome Receptionist heads deeper into the embassy, vanishing momentarily from the party.
Na'nabi perches on the couch.
Na'nabi: "So Engir, I assume you have a speech or something, right?"
Astrid: "Ah, there you are. Have I missed anything?"
After a brief moment, the gnome returns, leaving the door open behind her.
Na'nabi: "And you just want us to chime in when we can,"
Kellan: "Nothing at all, sister."
Engir: "My mind has been a bit abuzz with the events, I admit."
"People are welcome to contribute as long as they mind their manners."
Gnome Receptionist: "The captain will see you now!"
Engir nods to the receptionist, smiling.
Engir: "Excellent speed, thank you."
Engir steps into the room, hailing the captain.
Entering the central room, the party sees Elra, sittiing at the table waiting for the party.
Kellan: "Hello again, Captain Ironhammer."
Elra Ironhammer: "Welcome back. I've been told to expect good news?"
Na'nabi: "Very good news."
Engir: "We found the chamber in the depths, and slew the beast that sourced the darkness. It's quite a complicated affair, however."
"We did discover the reason for the crystals and sprites existing, mind."
Elra Ironhammer: "Is that so? I can arrange a survey team to check up on everything, but I would be interested in anything you have to say that they wouldn't be able to figure out on their own."
Engir: "Yes. You might be familiar with the sprites and their elemental attunement. That they work as custodians, keeping and cleaning the mines."
Elra Ironhammer: "Yes. They keep the place clear of ordinary cave vermin, such as spiders."
Kellan: "And they were guarding that chamber, looks like."
Engir: "Yes. It looks like they were built to contain and combat whatever was inside."
"Hmm, built is maybe not the ideal word, but... adequate. They're not completely natural."
Elra Ironhammer: "...Yet they turned on our miners, who had enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with them since dwarves first came to this mountain."
Anarod: "Symbiotic?"
Na'nabi: "Means they can rely on each other to survive."
Kellan: "It might have been the corrupted ones that first attacked, anyway. Or the others being too scared."
Anarod: "No I know what the word means."
"I meant I'm unclear on what the miners brought to the table."
Engir: "Did the miners feed them energy during their work?"
"Because the sprites were still placated by a little magic."
Kellan: "(If all this scion stuff is true, maybe they were meant to keep people away so the dragon would stay isolated?)"
Elra Ironhammer: "Yes, our mining teams were usually accompanied by a gnomish survey team that helped maintain the crystals."
Engir: "That explains the symbiosis. In that case, I think the sprites were angered simply by the opening of the chamber."
Engir: "They seem to only react to the last thing that happened to them. Their mannerisms in general are quite worth study if we had more time."
Elra Ironhammer: "Unfortunately, I think it would be best if you remained out of the mines while the survey team examined the area, to make sure neither of you interfere with the other."
Engir: "That is okay with me. Instead, we should probably discuss what was in the chamber, why it angered the sprites, and why it should be sealed as soon as possible."
Elra Ironhammer: "Right. Irine, you're gonna need to transcribe the important stuff."
Gnome Receptionist: "Already on it!"
Kellan: "Did you see the chamber, or did anyone else make it back to report what it looked like?"
Elra Ironhammer: "The people closest to the chambers were also the ones closest to whatever it was that came out of it. What few survivors came back from that incident got most of their information from panicked screams."
Kellan: "There's an immense dragon carved into the floor. I bring this up because our story may be hard to believe."
Engir winces at the imagery.
Elra Ironhammer: "A... dragon? What, like a fairy tale kind of dragon?"
Engir: "Like one, and yet not like one."
"Well, I'm getting ahead of things. The carving was much like a traditional one."
Anarod: "...Fairy tale? Wow I forgot how it felt for people who don't get out much."
Kellan: "The dragon itself... I don't think they're normally supposed to be made of negative energy in the fairy tales."
Engir nods at Kellan.
Engir: "Otherwise, quite like your traditional dragon!"
Kellan: "That's what was sealed there. Something made it start coming to life."
Engir: "My theory is related to the motes of shadow we saw."
Elra Ironhammer focuses on Engir's recounting, trying to ignore Anarod's insult.
Engir: "That there have been little motes of dark, negative energy lurking in the chamber, and when it was unsealed, they rushed out to corrupt the crystals and reproduce."
"Once we reached the bottom layer, some of the crystals and even the miners' lights were coated in these little black... things."
Kellan: "Almost like bugs. Except not."
Engir: "Once we reached the unsealed chamber, those we didn't exterminate collected on the carving, and merged into the form of this negative energy dragon."
Na'nabi: "Like filling the jelly mold of death. And the dragon itself had an almost inpenetrable hide of pure green gemstone, and a strange field that cancelled spells out."
Elra Ironhammer: "It cancelled spells?"
Engir: "Right. It was so deeply negative energy sourced, that it was like an antithesis of magic itself."
Na'nabi: "Spells just vanished when they got near to them."
Engir: "When the field vanished, though, they retuned."
Na'nabi: "Indeed, the only way we could effectively harm the beast was by charging up these gemstone orbs, four of which were at the corners of the chamber."
Engir: "Right, I was getting to that."
"The function of the sprites."
Na'nabi: "And they fired beams of intense energy at the dragon when they were fully charged. It truly was as if the place was built specifically to contain it."
Kellan: "One thing at a time."
Na'nabi: "Okay, okay."
Engir: "Yes. Let's get round to the point any of that will make sense, first."
Elra Ironhammer furrows her brow.
Elra Ironhammer: "This is an... extremely complicated story."
Engir: "As I said."
"The sprites seem built to charge the crystals with magic. If they were meant to combat the darkness themselves, they weren't good at it."
"But, my suspicion is that the different crystals, with their different energy types, were meant to power a number of countermeasures we found in the sealed chamber."
"Four rooms, each attuned to an energy type, which had a pure, cut crystal like the ones you see in the mines."
"Fully charged, they'd strike out specifically at the dragon and nothing else."
Elra Ironhammer: "...These rooms, at least, the survey team can verify."
Engir nods.
Engir: "If the chamber remains sealed, it makes sense in my mind. The sprites charge the crystals, the crystals use the power to keep the darkness weakened and unable to free itself."
"Unfortunately, the miners accidentally freed what was within themselves."
"And this would have angered the sprites."
Kellan: "That part's still a theory, but it's the best one we have."
Engir: "Yes."
Elra Ironhammer: "Right..."
Engir: "Sorry, I'm sure you didn't anticipate a discussion about elemental harmony, and the conflux of magical energy."
Elra Ironhammer: "I really did not."
Kellan: "I'm sure you also understand that anything that could kill so many of your people that way would be no simple matter."
Elra Ironhammer: "It still is quite a lot to take in at once."
Anarod: "To be fair a lot of this is something that needs to be reported to the authorities regarding magic. They should be able to figure it out."
"I mean a lot of what we have is theorycraft."
Elra Ironhammer: "You're in luck on that one, because said 'authorities' are on the tribunal themselves."
Engir smiles.
Engir: "I would definitely bring some of the best magical minds you can down there."
Kellan: "Anyone who's studied the sprites in the past."
Elra Ironhammer: "After the survey team has declared it safe."
Engir: "Yes."
"I can't vouch for how the sprites will act just yet, though they were in hiding last I saw."
Elra Ironhammer: "Hiding? That's unusual behavior for them, from what I've heard."
Kellan: "If getting rid of the dragon hasn't calmed the sprites, we can go back down whenever your survey team returns."
Anarod: "Those who lived closer to the threat ran the risk of getting corrupted by negative energy if they hung around."
"So we didn't see any; I would assume they were all either corrupted into dragon fodder or found a way to hide in their crystals."
Engir: "Yes, their crystals were clearly like their homes."
Kellan: "A few of the crystals had been damaged, too."
Elra Ironhammer: "...Damaged?"
Kellan: "Crossfire while we were fighting off the corrupted sprites."
"We tried to repair them as best we could, but..."
Na'nabi: "A mini-cave-in occured and smashed a crystal with falling rocks, and another crystal was smashed during a battle with sprites corrupted with negative energy."
Elra Ironhammer: "...I see."
Engir: "There were a number of caved-in areas even as we entered. I believe the unsealed chamber in general has damaged the integrity of the caves."
Anarod: "That's neither here nor there until your mages and engineers can work out the sealed chamber and the defense mechanisms, though."
Elra Ironhammer: "I see. So it was an unfortunate occurrence, then."
Kellan: "Yeah. We tried to protect the crystals and the sprites from harm."
Engir: "We even tried cleansing the corrupted ones, but they were frustratingly resistant to magic."
"My abjurations and curing spells were ineffective."
Elra Ironhammer: "Just like the 'dragon'."
Engir: "Yes..."
Elra Ironhammer: "It will be noted. Anything else you wanted to pass on that might assist the survey team?"
Engir: "I actually performed a divination with regards to the corruption of the mines, and if slaying the dragon would remove it. It spoke about it already being tainted and not able to be undone. I'm not sure if this means that a thorough search and extermination of motes is in order, or if it means the dragon chamber. It makes sense that there's no way to permanently remove the source of the sprites, if it was meant to be sealed up."
Elra Ironhammer thinks a bit, trying to process everything Engir said.
Elra Ironhammer: "Unfortunately, we have no solution to the problem you describe. We have no information of how the crystals or this dragon came to reside here, and with so little to go on this will likely take us months, if not years, just figuring out how to fix everything back to how it was a month ago."
Engir: "Yes... I'm concerned about that, too."
"Hopefully, at least slaying the thing will provide the time to do so."
Elra Ironhammer: "...I suppose we just call on you again if something else happens."
Kellan: "I don't know what more we can do, without being permitted to return to the mines, but if there is anything, you need only say the word."
Elra Ironhammer: "For now, I think it would be best for the survey team to figure out what they can, combined with your... testimony... and piece it together from there."
Engir: "I understand. I would be down there assessing things too, if it weren't important for us to be away from the place right now."
Elra Ironhammer: "Well, when the survey team completes their examination, their findings, along with your story, will be submitted to the Tribunal for consideration. Then they can consider whether or not Broken-Top will be lending military aid."
Engir: "Very well, thank you."
Elra Ironhammer: "Please be ready and prepared to visit the Tribunal tomorrow morning."
Kellan: "Will do."
Anarod: "Sure thing."
Elra Ironhammer: "Very well, you are dismissed. Irine, please show our guests out, then prepare the transcript for the Tribunal.
Gnome Receptionist: "Yes, Captain!"
"Alright, guys and gals, you've got the rest of the day in Broken-Top without needing to worry about any evil dragon! Take a break, go rest, maybe visit relatives if you have any here."
Engir: "Ha. Well, two of those, I'll do."
Na'nabi: "Please let it be the first two."
Kellan snickers quietly.
Na'nabi: "And please let us get real beds too."
Gnome Receptionist: "Sorry, you'll have to ask the innkeeper for that one."
Engir: "Thanks for the help."
Gnome Receptionist: "Right'o! Now let's let the Captain set up the survey team so we can make sure everything's handy and fine!"
Na'nabi: "Actually, we're at the gate...mind if I get some fresh air before the aforementioned rest break?"
Engir steps out, startled by Eora.
Gnome Receptionist: "There's a balcony if you want to get air without leaving the city itself."
Kellan: "Eora, what are you doing?"
Eora looks up from a book in her possession at Engir, with mild bemusement.
Eora: "..."
Eora looks to the book, then back to Kellan.
Kellan: "...Do I want to know?"
Eora: "...Do you?"
Na'nabi: "We could assume eavesdropping."
Eora: "I can tell you regardless, if you'd like."
Na'nabi: "That might be the better option to assume that, instead."
Kellan: "Yeah, I think Na'nabi's right. Let's go with that."
Eora: "Alright, we'll go with that, then."
Engir shakes his head, pained.
Arastalia looks vaguely uncomfortable, sparing a glance of concern for Engir.
Kellan: "I think we're doomed. Try not to make it worse."
Engir steps closer to Ara.
Engir: "You know what, we can have answers when we're out of here."
Eora: "I think you will find that I have been nothing if not an upstanding citizen during my stay here."
Na'nabi: "Define 'upstanding citizen'."
Kellan looks more than a little skeptical.
Engir: "That explains why you keep standing quietly in corners, rather than using chairs."
Kellan: "Looks like we'd better get back to the inn anyway."
Engir: "Yes. I have something I'd like to try, but need some space, and you lot for precaution's sake."
Kellan: "I'm not so sure I want to be a precaution, but alright, let's do it."
Na'nabi: "...sure, but let me get my possible last look at the outside before you try anything ludicrous."
Eora looks to Kellan.
Engir: "That's fine. I should let Nalzij know what's happened, first."
Eora: "I am curious now if he was including me in 'you lot' or not."
Engir: "Your choice."
Na'nabi: "Wonder what adventures they've been up to."
Eora stands up, putting away the book and dispensing of something in the nearby brazier, before following the party from a relative distance.
Engir: "I can send her a brief message mentally. Aside from the dragon, Dahlia, and Tribunal, is there anything that needs saying?
Arastalia: "I would imagine mentioning the magic items we found would not be the best way to break the ice."
Na'nabi: "Maybe we should save that for when we get back."
Engir: "Yes, things like that can wait."
Engir knocks, and pushes his way into the inn.
Arastalia: "Perhaps she could even use those gauntlets. The ones in her old suit of armor look like they've seen better days."
"(Though the coloration leaves something to be desired...)"
Engir: "Makes sense. We should."
"Good day."
Dwarf Innkeeper: "Aye, lads? What can ol' Gutel do fer ya?"
Kellan: "Are there any softer beds?"
Dwarf Innkeeper: "Ha'n't ev'r had any d'mand fer that. Since it takes 'bout ev'ryone a day or so t' get here, we us'ly just assume y' got a bedroll y' wanna put up top."
"We got s' spare rolls if ya needed 'em, too."
Kellan: "I guess it works."
Engir: "Oh, that actually makes sense. Most of us have our own."
Na'nabi: "(It's an idea to make it at least a teensy bit less unbearable...)"
Engir: "The other thing was, some of our friends wanted a little outside air."
Dwarf Innkeeper: "Ah, aye. Got s' 'chanted windows down that hallway there, plenty o' space t' get to see out t' mountain."
Engir: "Alright, thank you."
Kellan: "Hey, thanks."
Na'nabi: "Woo!"
Engir: "I'll see you two in a bit then."
"Try not to push each other out."
Eora heads into the inn rooms after Engir, before settling down looking towards the stairs.
Kellan: "Do I look like I could push anyone out?"
Na'nabi: "Maybe if I were small, AND if you had the gauntlets."
Engir sets down a bedroll, and sits on it, meditating. [Casting Sending]
Eora removes her hat momentarily, retrieving something from underneath it and placing it on the stairs.
Arastalia looks to Eora, then to Engir.
Engir: "{Found second of four dragons in mountain. Alliance not yet guaranteed. Dahlia arrested, Eora out of sight. Many resources gained, any orders before our return?}"
Nalzij: "{No move from Valesia yet. Astrid left following you. Pitch and Melodi called home, leaving soon. No new orders. Some leads about king's illness found.}"

Na'nabi: "Outside!"
"Glorious, sweet outside! How I never knew I could miss you after being stuck in a cave for gods know how long!"
Kellan: "Wow, and I thought I didn't like it underground."
Na'nabi: "It's just nice to have some outdoors for once,"
Kellan: "Outside's gonna be there when this is over. And we're gonna get to go places where it's not just rocks."
Na'nabi: "It'll be snow for me, next."
Kellan: "From all the rocks you'd scarcely know the difference."
Na'nabi: "And... it'll be sea for you?"
"Or will you go pirating inland again?"
Kellan: "I'm not up to date on what plan the captain has now. Probably back to sea by the time we get back."
Na'nabi: "...what is a pirate that's inland... a bandit?"
Kellan: "Bandits have no style!"
Na'nabi: "Doesn't sound as dashing or as romantic... though none of the pirates I've met so far seem to be that either~"
Kellan pouts at Na'nabi.
Kellan: "That's harsh."
Na'nabi: "You're cute and charming instead, Kellan."
"Just... not very piratey."
Kellan: "That'll do for now. I'll just need to practice."
Na'nabi: "All the pirates I used to read about in storybooks were either heavily accented brutes or tall, unrealistically charismatic antiheroes."
"....try not to turn into either of those."
Kellan: "I can't do much about the tall part. Unrealistically charismatic, that's another thing."
Na'nabi: "And it's also entirely a matter of opinion, that."
Kellan: "Yours is the important opinion, right now."
Na'nabi stis on the ledge, humming pleasantly.
Na'nabi: "You're the perfect amount of charisma. If you had too much, you'd be annoying."
Kellan: "I'll take that as proof I'm not annoying."
Na'nabi: "Nope, you're a delight to have around, a good friend."
Kellan: "Shouldn't we be heading back? The sooner we get all this over, the sooner we can be outside for real."
Na'nabi: "I guess so."
Na'nabi gets up, walking with renewed energy back to the others, humming.

Engir finishes his incantation, hopping off of the bed.
Eora leaves the room, beginning to traverse the corridor.
Arastalia: "Ah! Master, how did it go?"
Engir: "It worked. Pitch and Melodi seem to be leaving home, and Nalzij has made progress on the intrigue at the city."
Arastalia: "Oh, they're going home? It seems like such a loss, I barely know them."
Eora looks at the wandering Na'nabi, passing her in the hallway.
Na'nabi 's energy somewhat leaves her body as she passes Eora.
Engir: "Yes. Well, if you join me in travelling and lorekeeping after this, we'll definitely want to visit there anyway."
Na'nabi: "Hey, we're back, did we miss anything vital?"
Kellan gives Eora a dubious look, trying to see why she's hanging around in the corridor.
Engir: "I just hope they don't get hurt when they arrive. ...oh, welcome back, Na'nabi."
Kellan: "Heya, sir boss. Who's getting hurt?"
Anarod: "I mean, Pitch is more a hurting than getting hurt type of person."
Engir: "Pitch is going home. I hope his clan don't do anything bad to him, given the whole incident with his kinsman."
"He doesn't seem so interested in hurting them."
Eora seems to ignore Kellan's look of disdain, retreating instead to a corner of the hallway she can observe from.
Na'nabi: "...and I'm not too familiar with that Pitch's clan or kin."
Engir: "None of us do, except that they're very xenophobic."
Kellan: "I'm guessing he's got problems with his family too?"
Na'nabi: "So... you added one and lost one to your permanent party."
Engir: "No-one's meant to leave the village either, if I remember?"
Na'nabi: "(Heh, so I'm kinda like his replacement.)"
Arastalia: "Well, he has Melodi with him, I'm sure she can help?"
Engir: "let's hope so."
Na'nabi: "I guess so. Anything from Nalzij?"
Engir: "That's what I was just telling you."
"Only other thing she really said was that she was finding some leads back home."
Arastalia: "Leads?"
Na'nabi: "...is this something storytime failed to cover, or something new?"
Arastalia: "It sounds like something since we left, Lady Rosa."
Engir: "Something new. She was looking into what was happening at the castle."
Na'nabi: "And... what was happening at the castle?"
Engir: "Don't know. The magic doesn't permit enough time to say."
Eora: "Whatever it is, it doesn't concern us."
Engir: "Is Vesteron not 'loyal to the throne'?"
Eora pulls out her familiar jagged dagger, running a finger down its edge idly.
Engir: "It may just yet."
Kellan: "We can cross that bridge when we come to it."
Engir: "Yeah."
Na'nabi: "Well then... now that the important stuff is out of the way... we should probably start planning on what to say to the tribunal tomorrow, right?"
Engir: "Something else I need to do, first."
"I'd like to try a powerful divination."
Arastalia: "A divination? Something more to figure out?"
Kellan: "Maybe Eora can curse Anarod very temporarily to not be able to insult them."
Engir: "The hearts."
Eora: "I can certainly make it so he cound never say a criticizing word again, if that's what you want."
Engir: "They're powerful enough that they may be able to be exposed by one certain spell."
Kellan: "I think you missed the emphasis."
Eora: "I didn't miss it, I chose to ignore it."
Kellan: "As much as I'd find that funny I'm not sure I'd say it's what I want"
Eora: "You're no fun."
Anarod: "Let's try not to brag on who can silence who here."
Eora: "At least this fellow has been quite talkative, even if it's only screams of anguish."
Kellan: "...this fellow?"
Engir: "...so that's what you've been doing."
"Have you been talking to our earth scion?"
Kellan: "Still that Ferrand bloke?"
Eora grins, running her finger across the blade and drawing light amounts of blood.
Eora: "He never gave me his name."
"He's been quite interested in that massive rock you lugged outside."
Engir: "That's what I wanted to divine."
Arastalia: "Massive rock? You mean..."
Anarod: "What have you been doing with that, anyway?"
Na'nabi: "Yay, that sounds terrible."
"So let's go divine the evil heart, then."
Kellan: "It makes it weirder that you talk to them in there."
Eora: "I wouldn't call it talking."
Engir: "It really doesn't make me any more comfortable about the whole affair."
Eora: "It could have been a lot worse."
Engir: "(Ara, we really should probably keep her away from the divination, shouldn't we?)"
Arastalia: "(The less she knows about it, the better...)"
Anarod: "You know, I'm not sure I'M comfortable with her lugging around the scion's soul around here."
Na'nabi: "(Far far away from anything questionable, please)"
Engir: "I just hope her knowing his name doesn't allow her to use even more horrible magic on it."
Anarod: "I don't care that much about his suffering."
"That's not really my point."
Engir: "What she can do with his knowledge and power is also of concern, yes."
"Either way, if I'm to try this divination, we should keep her away from it."
Na'nabi: "Where are we going to do it?"
Engir: "Let's go to where the stone is."
Kellan: "Sounds like as good a plan as any."
Engir: "My only concern is its dampening nature... well, I have enough reserves that I can try the flameheart, too."
Bringing themselves outside, the party departs from Eora and convenes around the stone heart, carefully laid outside the mountain city.
Engir: "...ah. There seems to be a hitch here."
Na'nabi: "Um....not worried about the guard dwarves seeing or anything?"
Engir: "Not really, it's not like the other divination."
Kellan: "They're over there and not bothering us. Just looking grumpy."
Arastalia: "So, standard dwarf, then?"
Engir: "Catch is, I forgot this spell needs a focus."
Arastalia: "If it's the circle again, that shouldn't be a problem..."
Engir: "Unless the giants have a bunch of ivory carvings or something, I can't do this for a while."
"Or we could try some shopping."
Kellan: "Hold on... I think Eora might have something like that."
Engir: "Oh?"
"Great, she's going to want to be in on this as a cost to lending them."
Kellan: "I think some of her jewelry might have been ivory. We pick up enough things like that."
"And yeah. But trust me, I don't think keeping her out was gonna work so well anyway."
Arastalia: "It's... tricky."
Engir: "I suppose this way at least she might understand the consequences of messing around with souls more."
Arastalia: "It's obvious that she shouldn't be trusted with this level of knowledge."
"...But how much knowledge does she already have that she can't be trusted with, yet still manages not to ruin our mission?"
Na'nabi: "...I still say baaad idea to letting her know."
Kellan: "It's not like the captain's going to want her to go around summoning dragons."
Engir: "Indeed."
Arastalia: "...Maybe offer her something we found in the mines in exchange?"
Anarod: "Not very keen on the idea of involving her more."
Engir: "Well, we can try trading one of our pristine gems. Not the diamond, though."
Anarod: "I don't think we're in a rush?"
Engir: "True, we aren't."
Kellan: "It could help with the report to the tribunal."
Engir: "...hm."
Anarod: "Why would we barter something to an extremely suspicious person? Like, we lose something valuable, give intel to someone we don't want to know, just to precipitate something we can do later?"
Engir: "You're right."
Anarod: "What's the focus again? Is it so rare we couldn't find it elsewhere in this city?"
Engir: "Perhaps we should instead look into how to haul this thing."
"Four decently sized pieces of ivory."
"Not something from around here, by any extent."
Anarod: "Hm."
Arastalia: "Ivory comes from... things like elephants and rhinos, right?"
"They don't seem like much the mountain dwellers, so any in Broken-Top are probably imported goods."
Anarod: "Is that a concern?"
"Does the animals the ivory comes from need to be range-free as well?"
Arastalia: "Range-free?"
Anarod: "Not captive. You know, in case a group of people magically slaves summoned devil rhinos into giving up their ivory."
Arastalia: "...If they're summoned, it wouldn't work."
Anarod: "Called, then. The details aren't important."
Arastalia: "All parts of their body vanish with them when the spell's energy fades."
"Called is different, but that means they're actually giving up their lives..."
Engir rubs his forehead.
Arastalia looks uncomfortable at the prospect.
Anarod: "People have tried weirder things in this city."
Engir: "You know, this conversation is just making me want to keep Arastalia away from the gnome magi of the city."
Arastalia: "Too bad we're not in Sakkel. One of the merchants there had the most lovely ivory brooch for sale... but I suppose that was a month ago, well before you showed up."
Na'nabi: "I would imagine this is a place of experimenttion, given what half the populace is.."
Kellan: "Either way, we may as well get looking."
Anarod: "I'm sure someone dedicated enough could've devised a Regrow Tusk spell."
Arastalia: "(If it were that easy, the value of ivory would plummet overnight...)"
Engir: "(It's like trying to sell hydra meat.)"
Na'nabi: "(Who would eat a hydra in the first place?)"
Arastalia: "(Somebody who was very very hungry.)"
Kellan: "(You think up some of the most interesting ideas.)"
Anarod: "Kobolds would gobble that up without a second thought I'm sure."
Arastalia: "Okay, so all we do is find a hydra, kill it, and trade its body to some kobolds in exchange for some ivory?"
Na'nabi: "Yes!"
Engir: "Come to think of it, there's a pattern, now."
Anarod: "Sure, just let me develop a Locate Hydra spell."
Na'nabi: "A pattern of insane plans?"
Engir: "The sprites here, the kobolds in Dubrov..."
Kellan: "And this is a better plan than working with Eora?"
Na'nabi: "Honestly, I'd rather fight a hydra than negotiate with Eora."
Engir: "Alright, then. Let's hit the markets."
Anarod: "It was a joke you nitwits, we can afford some ivory assuming we find any."
Kellan: "She's not that bad. I can try to talk to her about it."
Na'nabi: "She steals souls."
"That's... pretty bad."
Anarod: "Worse comes to worse we can try to buy some off Eora without telling her anything."
Kellan: "As a side thing. She doesn't go out of her way to do harm."
"At least not enough to meddle with dragon hearts."
Engir: "I admit, I can't see her wanting to do this."
Anarod: "You can't?"
Arastalia: "Meddle with... she said that guy was interested... Ferrand?"
Anarod: "Because I very much can."
Arastalia: "...What would happen if Ferrand's soul was brought to the heart...?"
Na'nabi: "...interesting."
Engir: "I don't want to know."
Anarod: "Wow someone else is connecting the dots!"
Na'nabi: "...but is that interesting enough to risk something horrible happening?"
Anarod: "She has the earth scion's soul in her stupid pocket knife!"
Engir: "I think the consequences are too great for her to try."
Kellan: "So don't let her bring the pocket knife near the heart. That's simple enough."
Na'nabi: "Then again... we beat it once, we could beat whatever this weakened thing can dish out too."
Anarod: "I wouldn't have a made-to-order ricochet gem to blast it."
"Hope you enjoy dragon dueling!"
Kellan: "Whatever. Let's get this shopping trip over with, then."
Engir: "Yeah..."
Anarod: "Sure thing."
Na'nabi: "We'll have time for hydras and dragons after we've gotten some ivory."
After a short trip to the Broken-Top markets, Engir and Kellan are able to find the resources they required, though the sun now appears to be setting.
Engir: "Rgiht then..."
"This is a fairly long process. So first of all..."
Arastalia rises from a reclined position, having apparently been resting while Engir and Kellan were out.
Kellan: "I knew I should have picked up some snacks while we were back there."
Engir: "You probably should have, yes..."
Na'nabi: "What are dwarven snacks like?"
Engir prepares a familiar magic circle for protection, before entering a comfortable meditative position.
Na'nabi: "...I guess better than no snacks."
Kellan: "...probably rock. So I'd buy 'em from a gnome."
Na'nabi: "Okay, new question. What are gnome snacks like? Not even there, they're an illusion?"
Kellan: "More likely just absurd ingredient combinations."
Arastalia: "...So I suppose we wait...?"
Arastalia looks at Engir's meditation.
Na'nabi: "Yeah, I guess all we can do is wait a while."
Arastalia: "...How long do you think he'll be?"
Kellan: "Beats me. He looks pretty out of it."
Na'nabi: "I guess we could entertain you while we wait."
Arastalia: "...Is it going to take as long as that message to Lady Nalzij?"
"...Maybe we should get something to eat after all. Lady Rosa, would you like to accompany me?"
Na'nabi: "Sure!"
Kellan: "...I'll stay here just in case. Practice my drumming or something."
Arastalia: "Try not to break his concentration or anything, I think that would be... bad."
Na'nabi: "We'd be here for another hour while he lectured you."
"Come, Ara! Our quest for food begins."
Arastalia: "Right!"
Much later, the ritual continues, Engir silent in his contemplative meditation, until, coming close to the ritual's apex, his stoic position begins to change.
Engir: "Generals of the tyrant king's army... a rampaging monstrosity... sealed away by King Rissada..."
Engir jolts slightly, as vision of the mountain returns to him.
Engir: "That was... vivid."
Kellan: "You okay there?"
Na'nabi: "Having a vision?"
Engir: "In a manner of speaking."
"The spell has ended, and confirmed a few theories. Taught us some things we would never have guessed, too."
Arastalia: "Are you okay, Master?"
Engir reaches out to Arastalia's arm for stability.
Engir: "Shaky... but okay."
Na'nabi: "You must've seen some things, huh."
Kellan: "What did you find out, has this thing cursed us all or something?"
Engir: "No, not really. Though if we can't destroy this, we might be better off sealing it in that chamber once more."
"The dragon, as well as the other three, were the generals of the Tyrant King's army. At their true strength, they were unstoppable, and went berserk at his defeat. The king was the one who made these sealed chambers to contain them."
Arastalia: "The Tyrant-King..."
Na'nabi: "That's pretty fascinating..."
Kellan: "Whoa... that's old."
Na'nabi: "....but it doesn't explain why they need scions."
Kellan: "I want to get a new look at those statues again, if they're from that long ago."
Engir: "You might have to share what you know of that time, Ara."
Na'nabi: "Neither does it explain how one managed to confine a seemingly berserk unstoppable force..."
Engir: "We should definitely look into repairing the broken one."
"The spell implied that was the last thing needed to release the dragon form."
Na'nabi: "Didn't it crumble to dust?"
"It might take more than a few mending spells to get it working again..."
Arastalia: "I don't think I could tell you very much. I was treated just like a human, so I was held in captivity until the Tyrant-Slayer's uprising."
Kellan: "And we gotta make sure the miners don't meddle more with that stuff, yeah?"
"You were alive back then?"
Engir nods at Kellan, then scoots closer to Ara.
Engir: "You were held captive..."
Arastalia: "Almost all the races you are familiar with now were."
Na'nabi: "That's pretty grim..."
Arastalia: "Do you know how long the Tyrant-King's rule was?"
Kellan: "What was it like? Which of the stories were true? How long was it?"
Na'nabi: "I could imagine a few hundred years, at least."
"I have the feeling you're going to tell us at least a thousand, though..."
Engir: "These can't be comfortable memories, go easy on her."
Arastalia: "The Tyras era lasted two thousand and seventy three years."
Na'nabi: "You were held as a captive... for over two thousand years?"
Kellan: "That's..."
Arastalia: "During nearly all of this, most of the races you know of nowadays were used as minions, slave labor, even livestock."
Na'nabi: "Even me at my worst points... that's.."
Engir starts pulling at grass to contain frustration.
Kellan sits back down abruptly, looking simultaneously excited and horrified.
Na'nabi rests a hand on Ara's shoulder.
Na'nabi: "I'm not even sure I can imagine the scope of that pain you feel... thousands of years... thousands... the worst I've had is decades..."
Arastalia: "It's a different scale."
"When you're immortal as I was, thousands of years is practically nothing. Especially when I was actively bound not to interfere, and to merely learn."
Engir: "Mmm..."
Kellan: "She lived past it. Think of how many never knew anything else."
Engir: "Ara did not need to eat nor sleep back then, either."
Arastalia: "Still, it is a testament to the human spirit, as well."
Na'nabi: "Right."
Arastalia: "...Figuratively speaking, of course."
"Aritus Rissada was born in captivity. His parents were born in captivity. Their parents were born in captivity. And so on."
Engir: "Right."
Arastalia: "Despite everything, despite such a cruel chain of misery, he was still able to rise up and say no more."
Kellan: "That's... more impressive than I had thought."
Na'nabi: "Indeed."
Engir: "Yes... no matter how bleak things get, he proof that there is always hope."
Arastalia: "Why do you think he is revered as a hero?"
"There is a reason this is known as the Aritus Era nowadays."
Na'nabi: "It makes sense."
Engir: "Well this will make a good ice breaker with the prince when we return."
Arastalia chuckles weakly, barely able to disguise the worry in her voice.
Na'nabi pats Arastalia's shoulder reassuringly.
Kellan: "Hey, I knew he was a big hero, just didn't know it was to that extent."
Engir: "I think we'll be okay, Ara. We will definitely need to fix the statues, but the chambers worked until they were broken into."
Kellan stares at the ground in thought.
Na'nabi: "What contained the previous dragon your fought?"
Engir: "Some kind of stone cauldron, and a metal tower."
Na'nabi: "...doesn't sound as effective a way as the one we just discovered."
Arastalia: "I wonder if the safeguards were already removed then."
Engir: "Probably. Besides, we lacked the time and knowledge."
"There were also the kobolds guarding the place."
Arastalia: "But... what do we do with this, now?"
Na'nabi: "I'm not sure those count against a natural defence against rampaging dragons."
Arastalia stares at the large chunk of stone, unmoved since Engir's ritual.
Kellan: "If they can kill motes, maybe. The sprites didn't look impressive either."
Engir: "It's going to be absurdly difficult to carry with us, and might attract danger. The chamber seems safest, if it can be restored."
Na'nabi: "Sprites seem cooler than kobolds."
Engir: "The kobold chieftain was an interesting fellow."
Kellan: "If you can convince the dwarves how dangerous it is, they should be able to watch it, anyway."
Na'nabi: "But yeah, we should probably put it in the place best equipped to keep it safe..ish."
Engir nods.
Arastalia: "...Do we put the other heart back, too? ...But we don't even know how to restore its wards, or what they were."
Engir: "The other heart hasn't tried to summon motes of flame yet, at least."
"And it's much easier to carry."
Arastalia: "Fits conveniently into your local extraplanar rift."
Na'nabi: "Maybe we just need another one for mister earth orb."
Arastalia: "Mmm."
Engir: "That heart interferes with magic, though."
Na'nabi: "Right..."
Arastalia stares at the stone core.
Kellan: "Sounds like it'll be safe enough here compared to anything else."
Na'nabi: "Hopefully it'll be fine."
Puzzling over the newly unearthed mystery of the Nullstone Heart, the party spends the rest of the night concerned over what it could mean, with a gravity almost strong enough to cause them to forget the Tribunal meeting in the morning.