Flight 08

Date: 28.11.21

Prev: Flight 07

Next: Flight 09

They get back down to the parlor with no incident.

Gen immediately lays out a blanket.

V is quiet. G: Dranzorg found us again, we fought him on the roof, things went badly but L lived, so. That’s what happened. Gen: It couldnl’t have gone that badly? A laughs. G: it was very close. G: did you take care of him? G: yes, but he’ll probably be back. V: L wrecked him (he’s like, wide-eyed).

Gen takes the ring mail off of Laurie. There are burns on her skin from the rings. “A cursed suit of armor. Once youv’e seen one, you’ve seen them all.” Did L seem different at all during the fight? G: slightly possessed. V: very cool. A: def mara. Gen: “slightly”? G: L was able to act of her own will, but there was another will in there. Gen: makes sense.

A: he spent the entire time just screaming at her. V tries to do a little L impression and do a little smirk. 21! Gen has to put her needle down to stop laughing at how accurate it is.

Gen takes care of hteir wounds and gives them all 1 healing potion. V calls her mom and is mortified, she isn’t able to totally hide her chuckle.

September 29, 1335

Long rest! V’s nightmare is of Mara killing DZ. “It’s just a dream and surely has no connection to things”

L is awake. V sleepily gives her a hug. L praises V for controlling the wolf. “How can I not be brave next to L, the bravest person ever?” Gen: it’s good you’re making good progress so quickly! (A gags. G does too.)

V wants to take the locket. He’s thinking that Ezra’s raven mark protected the armor, and the ravens on the séance board protect the parlor, maybe they can do something with that.

V to A: I feel like you’re not having the best time in the world, I think none of us, I think you especially, since we’ve been here and taken a lot of stuff, I feel like I should apologize for being mad that you stole that veil, so I think you should wear the veil as much as you want. (A p uts it on) and V: you look very pretty or handsome, whichever you prefer.

(V explains it was “a reward” for killing something, and Gen is a little suspicious of that word)

V: I was a child all those days ago… G: you’re still a child.

Gen is gonna stay behind. She casts goodberry, each gets 2 (can use as bonus action). She also casts barkskin on A, and Longstrider on V/L. To G, “you’re good at taking care of yourself in battle, you’re a healer with a connection to nature, here’s a magical sprig of mistletoe, 1d6 so one healing action”

They head through the kitchen. Arm in the hearth, V going first, hits V for 1 HP, then arm retreats and the fire goes down. H eats a berry. L theorizes this is the CW’s way of fulfilling its obligation to attack them without doing damage.

V proses hving a drink in the basement. A laughs at the idea of drinking vinegar. V: I think it’s wine?

There’s a cat noise, like pretending to be a cat. V is excited and thinks it’s newes. G is not convinced. V: what do you think, L? You have the authority here. L: let’s just go?

1 races away from V, 1 from G, to hide (badly). V puts his hand out. He thinks they’re basically sphinx cats. V is adamant they need to save the cats. L opens the door and they go through arguing. They go through and close the door.

A looks around, G helps. V looks at the door like he wants to go help the cats. Nothing special in the room. They decide to move forward, but realize part of the wall has fallen in. A realizes part of the wall is different, probably part of the old building. A looks away and to call their friends, and whent hey look back there’s an opening.

(G cast light on a torch, warm yellow, L also has a torch)

They’re in this section of wall…V triest o open it. It opens as he reaches for it. V: I did it!

They see the pit. The light barely illuminates the bottom. G tries to estimate how far down it is, probably about 30 feet. V: we can just jump down! L “V, we want to be able to get back out”

A hears a whispered name and a pale amber light at the base. (no echoes detail). A asks for L’s help to tie the rope, L rolls 19 with advantage. Very secure.

V gives them high fives as they climb down… V first, L, G, finally A. they see the monolith…

V is unsettled by the faces shaped into the walls. “That’s probably the thing that’s doing the bad stuff, right L?” “probably, V. I’ve never seen anything like this… Gen and I have hit the big leagues” they move forward. L gives G/A a look. G to a: you good? V: I’ll protect you.

M appears and screams “You foul thing! Take these lives and release me!” she moves to attack!

• Round 1 o L pushes past V, to M: “over here!you know me!”  Ready an attack!  “I can distract her while you figure out what to do?” o G thinks for a moment and fires her xbow: 1M  Was not a dead-on enough shot to damage it o A to V: Are you gonna go in there? V: yeah!  A casts protection from evil and good on V. pat on the jaw like, be careful.  No WM  V: I love you! o M screams: A/G/V take psychic damage, L drops to 0 HP, Moves in toward the party o V runs through the water, not harmful but stain his breeches.  M’s AOO misses  Rage!!! He gets his bite! But 1M • Round 2 o L 1S death save. o G uses healing light and her charm to get L up.  Wand of magic missles on the amber – cracks appear as the missiles hit  Inky tendrils explode from the water o A: how does L look? Drenched in sweat?  Gives L a potion of healing  Notices the glowing raven amulent o M chases V: miss o Shadow tendrils:  5x M on V o V shifts  1 M in the monolith and misses badly, trying to dodge the shadows • Round 3 o L picks up her sowrd, bro nods A, slides down into the pit and slices a tendril “what’s up, V? ready to take this on?” o G healing light to L again, L raises her sword in thanks  Magic missiles! o A inspects the amulet. Why is it glowing? Religion 23. Blessed objects can have a reaction like this when in their opposite: also Agathas faith charged it over time.  Holds it out to see what happens…  The light dwindles, M freezes up, the tendrles begin to shrink back o M freezes o Shadows move to A, V takes AOO  2H 2M  A is down with 2 failed death save o V figures L or G can heal A, so he turns back to the M and attacks the amber, tearing intot he cracks  2H • Round 4 o L shoulders through the tendrils, gives A the potion  L pats on the shoulder. “back in the fight, let’s go” o G runs behind a pillar, squeeze by a tendril and cure wounds on A o A holds it out to the amber, a little manic. They like having power over this.  To the amber: can you hear us? o M remains frozen, fixated on the amulet o Tendrils attack:  3M 1H, which A glitches time to avoid o V continues to attack the monolith,  1H 1M  Monolith whispers in your mind: • Little wolf, can’t you feel it? As it calls to you? Don’t you want to run in the dark, seek the challenge of greater prey? • V hesitates, but doesn’t pay massive attention • Round 5 o L to G: See what you can do about these? I’ve got M  2H o G uses sacred flame on nearest tentacle, it vaporizes on contact  (the ki-rin is super thrilled) o A is too focused on their immediate surrounding to catch V’s hesitation  Continues to hold up the amulet, muttering: “does it hurt?” o M is frozen o Shadows 3M on A o V’s hesitation came less from the offer and more from the authority of responding  Monolith speaks to him: • No, you’re afraid of that aren’t you. What about all the people you could save with that power, little wolf? • What about the people here? • What about them? Each deal I make is unique. I could benefit from your sense of justice? • Do you want to do good things? • I want what you want. I want to help you achieve your goals? • Is this horrible shit coming from the amber, or is the amber helping someone who wanted evil things? • M asked for help ousting Dranzorg. She had free will, she chose what to do with that power. She accepted my gift, and as part of our bargain, she, like others, remains here to serve me. I can offer you a gift of your own, and if you accepted it, you could go free and serve your own ends, and if I had need of you, I would call you back. • Would everyone in the house go free? Theodora, Chimney Witch? • The gift I give to you is for you alone.  He turns away from the monolith to attack M instead. • 2H on M • Round 6 o L doesn’t catch that tho  Not making much progress there? Glad to have you here?  2x M to Mara o G sacred flame another tentacle  Vaporizes another tentacle o A notices that V changed targets, snaps their attention away from being mean to the  A to L/V stop attacking M! kill it! • V: I can’t • A: V? Why???? What did it say to you? • 13 intimidation, first time A has been angry • Upsets V, he kind of cringes in  Still doing the amulet… for now o M doesn’t attack o Tendrils 1H 1M on A: str reduced o V mauls M 1H 1M,  Monolith: Oh, little wolf, don’t turn away. IT’s hard to have a proper conversation with all this distraction. Convince your friends to stand down so we can talk more. I won’t hurt them.  V yells out loud: “they’re not gonna listen to me, nobody listens to me!”  I’m listening to you. • Round 6: o L surprised by the outburst, I’m listening to you!  2H on M  M is becoming more and more tattered o G, bc A and V were saying: “whatever you’re saying, it’s tricking you! It’s a trick!” super pissed.  Healing light on A  Magic missles hit where V has been doing damage o A is paralyzed by indecision – they notice V and focus on him.  Falls to a knee, they’re tired of this whole thing, and also the fight, they always felt like the loops wasn’t over, so theyr’e just exhausted, they look at V and see themselves in someone else – being tired and scared and no idea what’s happening or what to do, needing someone to help them and not getting it  Calmer, gentler: V, it wants to hurt you, whatever it’s promisting you, I know you to an extent now, you want to do the right thing, you want to protect us, that thing doesn’t want… V please trust us. It doesn’t want to help you in the way you want to help. Whatever it is promising you it’s going to be something you’re going to regret.  The amulet is no longer up o M can finally move. Horrifying visage: she gets bulgy eyed and undearthly wind:  Everyone is frightened. o Shadows 1H on A, 1M on G o V moves to A  Monolith: I just want to see you do your best. You want to protect your friends, but can they protect you in the same way? I can give you the power to keep anything from happening again… • He doesn’t care about being protected, he doesn’t have that kind of sense of self-preservation • He just wants help and things to be ok  He runs to A, 1 kill 1 H on tendrils  Not saying anything, tears in his eyes, panicking, • Round 8 o L sees V go by, but parries M and kills her; the cavern releases a sigh, a tension.  2nd attack on the tentacle, killing it  Take out the amber! o G healing lights A  Magic missiles… o A crawls over to V and hugs him tight. A is holding V, glaring at the amber, looking for Rocks, to throw,  To G: mind if I use this pot?  Hand to floating in to the air, then lances out at the rock:  It hits, shattering the stone • As it Monolith: I see that you didn’t think I was worthy of your help. I hope you can make better choices in the future… although I wonder if you’re smart enough. o V: it’s upset I didn’t help it, it says I’m not smart enough, It needed me and I’m not helping, it needed my help, o G it didn’t need your help. It wanted to use you.  The rock shatters and crumbles and disintegrates, and th e water recedes. o V doesn’t realize it’s dead, he’s upset.  G sighs and gets closer to him, puts a hand on him. “you did what you were supposed to do. You helped who you were supposed to help.” o A puts a hand on his forehead and directs him to the wall. “that’s what it did. And you helped us make sure it’s not going to do that to us or Tehodora’s children.” G: and all the peole in the house should be o A: and you were the one smart enough not to fall for it. o It does help V.

V: Can we help then? Theodora?

They see objects in the crater. A can use mage hand while G collects stuff. G: can you mend my pot? Sure, after it’s fixed, A, they vanish. G is panicking but after 60 seconds A reappears. G: “oh, okay.”

V’s eyes are entirely on L. just did not notice. She’s reassuring him, “we’ll get you your official monster hunting badge” and V believes it’s a thing that would also help since monsters would be afraid of the authority.

A is so weak, they can’t hold on to V to piggyback. L and V reel them up. V carries A when they get up there. M says her line, and the floor reforms as if the pit was never gone. V: it’s time magic! A: fuck that.

G: they’ve been freed, it seems… since we did kill the huge amber thing.

CW leaves a 8x8 sheet cake that says “thank you”.

They have cake in the parlor. They tell Gen what happened, and V explains everything that happened in his mind. He wouldn’t want to lie about it. His takeaway that he felt scared and bad about being scared, not sure if he should be listening to it. In the moment, he was overwhelmed with choice, not because it was bad. And the last line it said made him want to help it, but he feels bad about that…

A/G are angry on his behalf, or distracted. (they didn’t do a great insight check.) L says to V: in this line of work, it’s a hazard of the job to be tempted. But you relied on your friends, you trusted the people you knew. When Gennifer and I were facing our uncle’s fiancé, she went to each of us and offered to turn us into werewolves. If we had said yes, we wouldn’t be standing here with you today. It would have been a different path in life. But we stood strong, and we survived and so did. Now how about we get out of here?

A: this cake is great.

V gets the pretty chunk of mineral out and leaves it for the house. The storm outside has stopped. The house is truly quiet. 140g each. Best money they’ve ever spent. This was the biggest thing they’ve ever faced, they wouldn’t have been able to do it alone.

What’s next? Try to get hom,e or go with the girls? No, they should probably go home – not sure if they can get home again if they go to Borca.

L gives a ring to A, a mist talisman to take them there. A: you were… not what I expected. L doesn’t know what to do with that.

What can act as their mist talisman? Gift’s wand of flowers.

They leave the sword with laurie. Gen: it’s probably cursed if it’s like the armor. L: we know people who can handle that. A puts the spirit board and planchette into the bag of holding.

V to Gen: not good with goodbyes, gives her a hug. I’ll see you again. Whatever the case might be with the secret stuff you told me, if the medicine stops working or you don’t need it, you’re a strong caring person and that’s never going to change. Gen: you’ve done so well with your power, I’m sure you’ll find interesting ways to do it, then repeats the strong caring person line.

V to L: big bro hug, you’re fuckin’ cool, I wanna be like you and I’m gonna work really hard to be like you. THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO ME ABOUT MY FEELINGS.

A to Gen: general goodbye. Gen: thanks for working with us.

A to L: shakes her hand. “I don’t really know how to do what V is doing, but uh, meeting you was good. That doesn’t happen often. L to A: I mean this as nicely as possible, but it was very strange meeting you. I hope you find a way to use your magic how you want to.

G to Gen: thank you for that mistletoe it was very useful. I am very impressed with your overall skills with potionmaking and I appreciate everything youv’e done for us. I wish you well. Gen: I’m glad that I was able to help, and in a way that someone appreciates. She hopes that as G learns to use her powers, [use the balance of nature, help people].

G toL: you were an imperative ally, I don’t know what we would have done without you. L: same to you.

Can’t see the forest only the mists. Theodora beckons as the mists part. Gen/L wave as the mists close.

When you emerge from the mists, the toys aren’t in your hands. They see the family portrait…

Where did they come out?

Level up:

G: eldritch blast, bump dex. Learn armor of agathys, swap in lesser restoration and delete mirror image. Levelling scene next time!

Gift. I’m so proud of you. And good work deserves a reward. IT would be a PLEASURE to give you what you need. How can I help you? I need a way to heal people, to restore their minds. Better way to attack, and maybe a little bit of defense. making such good choices… it is my honor to help you. You asked for defense last time; rather than trickery, you can simply gird yourself in ice that will slow your enemies when they strike. When you need to strike from afar, simply call on my power, and let loose. And then the crowning power, to restore others to usefulness, a restoration spell for lesser ailments. I look forward to when you can handle greater magic and heal more dangerous afflictions. Do you have anything else to ask fo me? No, I appreciate what youv’e given me. remember, gift, the best reward for good work, is more work.

V: observant feat, animal instincts,

A: fortune’s favor, wristpocket; if there was any hesitation to fuck with time before, residual fear, of “do I want to fuck around with this?” the answer is now yes.

Where to they end up?

A plans on asking if they’d like to travel together?

Maybe closer to where gift was from?