Session 20

The Lord of Mutt Town

Making it to Crystalvayne

After arriving back at Crystalvayne, Ajax makes his way to the Merchant's Guild while the others make their way back to the Beast and the Brew.

Ajax and the Merchant's Guild

Ajax ends up talking with the ????? (Crystalvayne Merchant's Guild Leader), filling him in on the individuals and groups that have been making war purchases for the Dragon Lord's Army. He gives Ajax a pair of sending stones to allow for more frequent communication and updates.

The Beast and the Brew

While at the Beast and the Brew, Ilea brings up a conversation on the actions they have all just taken.

Ilea: Are you all of the belief that you the judge and executioner? Ashe: I can decide who deserves death. Ilea: I was raised not to kill unless it was necessary. Rhone: You would never proactively defend yourself? Ilea: We would not, we would prepare and be defensive.

Rhone doesn't agree with Ashe's view, but can rationalize her approach.

The party continues to drink and discuss things, also opting to try out some of the new concoctions that are available. One of which Eressil renames to: Apple "Sauce". She also, gives Marcus some Grey Guhl, which he has never seen before and suggests it may be something he could use, explaining the medicinal uses for it. But she forgets it could also cause convulsions and send someone into a coma if too much is consumed. Marcus shows Eressil the underground farm he has that allows him to grow herbs, spices, and other plants that would normally be unsuitable for the region.

Zenndryn uses the coin she received from Wrent, whom she had met on their way to the First Starfall outpost. She used the coin to buy a 100 gold Bottle of Ale that is made at Dragonblaze Keep. It is considered one of the best beverages known due to its magical nature and ability to alter its smell and flavor to that which the drinker enjoys the most. Using the coin, clears Marcus of any debt he still had with Wrent.

Ilea's Path

After everyone goes to their room, Ilea goes last, and starts to meditate. She reflects on the path she has been on to ensure it is a good one. She gets a vision of a path through the woods and her vision starts to follow the path. It eventually splits into multiple smaller paths, each which must overcome their own obstacle, until the paths finally merge back together again.

Dream a Tubata Dream

That night the party dreams of the Tubata, and they think the group for their efforts in saving the city and stopping the destruction that would have occurred. Because of this, they have been granted a small source of the Tubata's power. Though this can be revoked at any time should they start to go against the natural way.

Morning Shopping

After the party awakens in the morning, they go their separate ways for the day to accomplish some of their personal goals.

Ajax and the Leatherworker

Ajax leaves that morning, taking the the invisible foreskin with him. After finding the person with the most ornate looking leather, he makes his way to a reputable Leatherworker in town. He commissions the person to make him an Invisible whip out of the invisible giant hide. After which he makes his way to a nearby Jeweler named Damian. He makes his way back to the Beast and Brew, where he gets his package from the Merchant's Guild, containing a 10k GP voucher for Guild Affiliates as well as a Sending Stone. He finds out the ladies of the group are headed to a music shop and then an Antiquities shop.

Rhone and the Jeweler

Rhone shows up at Damian's shop and asks for help in making a gemstone out of some of the ash from the remains of Mishakal that Zenndryn had given him earlier. He spends all morning working with Damian, and then heads out around lunch time to meet up with the others, which he makes his way to Mutton after finding out that is where the others headed.

Simillion

When they get to Simillion's shop, Eressil asks him what types of enchantments he can do. He mentions adding the ability to speak to Plants and Stone. Since the Tubata are everywhere, he believes that when one speaks to plants and stone, it is actually talking with the Tubata. This being the case, these magics are actually granting the the user the ability to communicate with the Tubata present, whereas speaking with animals, merely is a matter of allow two creatures to understand each other. It explains why plants seem to be more intelligent than animals, when communicating with them.

Ilea asks Simillion for advice on helping to teach Ashe the beginnings of blacksmithing, while also learning some of the basic tricks of Enchanting.

The Music Shop

The rest of the party heads to the music shop in search for the Harp of Alendra and a drum for Ashe. Ashe finds a nice waist pair of smaller drums that can be attached to a belt on the waist and held there. They sadly don't find anything that looks like the Harp of Alendra.

The Antiquities Shop

Afterwards, they make their way to the antiquities shop that Marcus told them about. They see several crowns there, all of which Ashe wants to identify. Eressil detects magic and learns that almost all of the things in the shop have some sort of magical effect, which the owner does not even realize, seeing as how he doesn't have the ability to use magic.

They make a deal with him to identify and separate the magical items from the non-magical ones for him in exchange for a discount on a couple of items they may want. They identify the crown's and also learn about a couple other crowns that have been considered lost or are of obscure renown. There is the Crown of Lord Afallon of House Inys in Crystalvayne. House Inys used to reside in the Mutton district, a district that is governed completely by the street urchins that live there. Then there is the Bear King's Crown in Berwealde, which use to be worn by the Orc King before Berwealde was taken over by the Elves and the Orks driven out.

They discover a Small harp that seems it is impossible for Ilea to play, because the strings won't move. But when Zenndryn tries, she is able to play the Harp effortlessly. Another more grand harp, is there and seems to be meant to help ensure an incredible performance, but does not seem magical in any other way.

They take the Harp as payment for identifying the magical items, and help the owner with possible ways in which he can have a way to identify the rest of them since he has far too many.

The Lord of Mutt Town

As the the group makes their way through the shadier parts of Crystalvayne, they see seedy characters and potential gang members huddled around certain areas, gauging them as they walk. They finally make their way to the run down house that should have once been the manor of House Inys.

They find on the inside of the fence, a small boy sitting in a chair leaning back with his feat propped up. He is definitely putting up a front and acting tough. They ask to see his captain, since he is a guard and can't grant access without his captain's permission. Another boy runs into the manor, and a few minutes later, he and an older boy comes out of the manor. They keep trying to insist that they be granted access, and the boy keeps dismissing them and trying to tell them, that just because they are adults, their way is not law here. The government of Crystalvayne has granted them dominion of this district. Ilea is allowed to bring her familiar inside to make sure the crown is the one they are actually looking for, while Ajax's familiar swarm of rats gross out the Captain, and he doesn't allow them to come because he doesn't want to pick one up. Ajax tries to sneak one in, but it looks like the an arrow is shot out of a window and kills the rat instantly. A whistle is heard, and the captain warns them of trying such things again. They find out the crown the "King" is wearing is indeed the Dragon Lord's Crown.

Their king will not see them just because they wish it. They must prove themselves first. There are 2 gangs in the area that frequently try to come into Mutton and its manor in search of potential riches left over. It was a noble house in the past after all. Ajax and Rhone are of the mindset to just take the crown by force. What are kids going to do anyway. The others are more accommodating and are willing to help the kids instead. Ajax sends his cats to scout one of the areas that one set of gang members reside in, while Ashe and Ilea go to the other. They talk with the leaders of the gang, who explain that they don't care anymore and have other works in the area. They also tell of how they never operated with force against the children, but the children on the other hand, have no qualms with killing an adult who encroaches on their territory. Also explaining that their passage was most likely seen by over 40 kids as they made their way into the area in the first place.

While this happens, Rhone decides to use suggestion on the Captain and sends him in to retrieve the Crown from the king instead. The boy is shoved out of the household and the King comes walking out, demanding to know who would cast such a spell on his people. A heated talk occurs between Rhone and the Boy with the boy explaining how things are. He will not give up the crown unless he knows with certainty that the children will be safe from that point on. He also advises against trying anything by force. The crown will not allow him to put the lives of children in danger, which includes taking off the crown in the first place since its powers are the best way he has of protecting them.

If they want to help, they can get rid of the gangs, or potentially if they can find a way for the 100+ children to find a way to Lost Ground, a city consecrated in the deserts north of the Brogdura mountains. Lost Ground is a city that is considered sacred domain by both Jagor Chase and Wundar Trayvel. No harm is allowed to come to any within its bounds. If they can make it there, then he could give up the crown.